Xavier's Story
Volume XXVII, Number 19
September 21st, 2023
Editor's note from Bud Macfarlane: My son Xavier asked me if he could share his personal experience with the Three Angelus Cure. Read the whole thing.
"The oppression is gone."
Hello friends,
I began the Three Angelus practice three weeks ago. I've noticed two distinct and extraordinary changes.
Frankly, I was surprised something so tangible could follow such a simple addition to my prayer life.
My brother Clete (right) and I were both delivered from a similar kind of interior spiritual oppression. Here's what we figured out:
The Endless Interior BattleThe first change was in how I experience temptation, specifically in my internal sense of mind.
To understand what I mean, try to feel where your conscious thoughts "exist" physically. Are they in your brain? That's where I find mine, floating somewhere behind my eyeballs.
But there's also those thoughts "in the back of your mind," which to me actually seem to be located in the back of my mind, closer my brain stem.
I labored for several seconds over this sketch to illustrate:
Until recently, the desires, urges, and disordered rationalizations of a particular temptation would completely dominate the "main" part of my mind.
You all know these thoughts: It's not so bad... Don't think about that right now... It will feel good... I'm gonna go to confession anyway... or even Get it over with.
Meanwhile, the good thoughts from my conscience seemed relegated to the "background," as if trapped in a glass sphere.
Easy to Say NoBut the Three Angelus Cure dramatically changed this dynamic. Now, while the normal human desires are still present, they do not crowd out everything else. They're not emotionally supercharged anymore.
And the good part of my mind is no longer trapped in the oppressive glass sphere.
Instead of an intense internal battle, it's more like a polite conversation with myself. My conscience comes up, goes through all the practical and theological reasons why such-and-such sin is bad and I realize I do not actually desire it. And then it's easy to say no.
• Order Angelus Cards Only $1 per 10-pack
• Order Free by Mail
That's it. No inner turmoil. No tedious back-and-forth with myself. Just a peaceful recognition and easy choice toward the good.
The same thing happened to my brother Clete.
And all this began almost immediately, simply by us praying the Angelus at 6 am, noon, and 6 pm—just like Father Ripperger said it would.
Understanding that these prayers stop demonic influence, it makes perfect sense: I'm not fighting the other team anymore. It's just me, and it turns out I don't like committing sin as much as I thought I did.
My Dark Cloud LiftedThe second change was just as powerful. For as long as I can remember, probably like many of you, I've been my own worst critic.
Many mornings I woke up feeling vaguely discouraged, and on my drive to work I would go over some of the ways I didn't stack up. Most nights I delayed going to bed to avoid thinking about all the times I fell short (including scolding myself for staying up too late—a vicious cycle).
No matter how much I improved or the good I did, nothing seemed to move the needle. At the end of the day I usually judged myself harshly. Mediocre. Lukewarm. Stagnant. With the fear that tomorrow would be the same.
All that is gone now too!
It's as if a dark cloud was lifted and now the sun is warming my face. I still have my habitual shortcomings, and I'm still working to improve on them, but they don't weigh me down in the same way.
The oppressive force is simply gone.
Give it A ShotPlease, please, please, commit to the Three Angelus Cure devotion. You may be skeptical. I was too (it took me almost a year to start after my dad told me about it).
I know your freedom is just around the corner, and I am compelled to beg you to try it, just like my father did in last week's message.
• Order Free by Mail
• Why the Angelus Cure Works
Praying Together
Let us pray, tens of thousands of us worldwide, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit...Saint Michael, the Archangel,
defend us in the day of battle!
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
cast into hell satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
And Amen. Today's quote of the day is my father's all-time favorite from Saint Teresa of Avila, "Let nothing bother you."
We'll be back soon. In the meantime, overwhelm us with orders for the Three Angelus Cure cards!
With Saint Andrew Kim,
Xavier Macfarlane
General Manager
Deirdre from Tennessee
Five riveting true stories by people who have experienced supernatural Warnings. order »
Join the movement! Pray 12 minutes a day to help God save America. order »
Find friends in the world's largest directory of Catholic young adult groups. Learn More »
Our supporters have distributed tens of millions of life-changing Catholic gifts since 1991, making us America's largest producer of high-quality, super-affordable tools for evangelization. Join our work today!
See All Our Catholic Materials
Meet Bud Macfarlane, Our Founder
