 Image by loswl via Flickr Dear Family of Mary! "Dear Children! Today I call you especially now to advance against Satan by means of prayer. Satan wants to work still more now that you know he is at work. Dear children, put on the armor for battle and with the Rosary in your hand defeat him! Thank you for having responded to my call." (August 8, 1985) "Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Stand therefore ... having put on the breastplate of righteousness..." (Eph 6: 14). Breastplates were the part of the armor that protected the vital organs such as the heart and lungs. It only took an arrow or sword piercing in that area to bring the soldier down. And any breach or weakness in the breastplate would make him vulnerable. A well made breastplate made of strong metal was vital.
Righteousness is sinlessness. A righteous man is one who does right, is fair and just, generous and honest, upstanding and without stain. Such a one, on the spiritual plane, is not vulnerable to the evil one because he has chosen to live according to God's law with God's heart. But who is righteous? Who is just? All have sinned. If we tried to make ourselves righteous we would surely fail somewhere. So this breastplate seems unattainable. But wait. There is a righteous man. One who never sinned and who passed the test of righteousness. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, is that man. And through His death and resurrection, He has made righteousness available to all of us. It is not by our own merits, but by His great gift of salvation that we can "put on" righteousness. We can clothe ourselves in Jesus Christ, as St. Paul so often said: "Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (Eph 4: 22-24). This is the breastplate of righteousness that we can put on! Jesus! He clothes us in Himself, in His righteousness, if we come to Him in repentance and humility, if we cling to Him day in and day out. He becomes our righteousness. He renews our minds and gives us a new nature in His likeness. He supplies the righteousness we lack! Our Lady once said in Medjugorje: "Dear children! From day to day I wish to clothe you in holiness, goodness, obedience and God's love, so that from day to day you become more beautiful and more prepared for your Master. Dear children, listen to and live my messages. I wish to guide you. Thank you for having responded to my call." (October 24, 1985) I believe she is clothing us in Her Son. She is drawing us closer and closer to Him so that we can be covered by His Goodness and Righteousness, and be protected from the enemy. Jesus' righteousness is the only righteousness that can withstand all the assaults of the enemy. His righteousness is impenetrable! He has no fault lines, no weak spots, no openings through which the enemy can thrust his arrows. Unlike our own righteousness, His is complete. We are safe if we are clothed in Him. It will take humility for us to remember that our righteousness comes only from Jesus, that we are not righteous on our own. But we will be so safe if we remember that! So, now girded by truth (Jesus is the Truth) and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (Jesus' righteousness) we are beginning to be ready for battle!
In Jesus and Mary!
Cathy Nolan PS. Our friend, Cathy O'dell is compiling a book on the Holy Rosary in which she wants to feature miracles stories associated with the powerful intercession of the Rosary. If any of you have a story of answered prayer due to the Rosary and you would like to share it, please email it to us! Cathy would love to show the great power of the Rosary through her book! Email us at: dnolan@marytv.tv or cnolan@marytv.tv. Thanks!!
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