Starting with Adam and Eve, Father Xavier pointed out some key points which I shall place as bullets.
- Adam had knowledge from God concerning the Tree of Good and Evil. Eve did not. Therefore, Eve had to be in obedience to Adam to be free from sinning.
- Eve's sin was curiosity (which I wrote about here) and when the snake began to talk, as animals did not talk (Eden is NOT Narnia) she should have left the scene immediately and asked Adam for discernment and help.
- If she would have done that, Adam would not have committed the great sin of acting like God and usurping God's role. Eve usurped the authority of both God and Adam. Adam usurped the authority of God directly.
- If women are obedient to their husbands, and if we are obedient to the Church, we are protected.
- No one who steps outside of obedience is protected and therefore open to demonic influences.
- Disobedience opens one up to demonic influences.
If a man uses authority for his own ends, like selfishness, he is sinning against God. Women sin by not being obedient.
Marriages are ruined by the desire to control on the part of the woman and the desire to be selfish on the part of the man.
Adam did not take care of Eve by refusing the apple. This is the sin of men.
Children are protected if they are obedient to their parents, but not protected from evil is they are disobedient.
Father noted that women are not submissive or have to be obedient to men in heaven, Men and women have the same status in heaven, so that if married women can learn to be obedience, they will get to heaven and be happy as equals.
Nice....
Now, one of the gravest examples of the usurpation of authority today is this false idea of the laying of hands on people by charismatics. I was so happy to hear Father talk about this, as I have written on this blog many, many times about one, not doing this, and, two, not letting anyone do this to you.
No one has authority over anyone else except husbands over wives and parents over children. The hierarchy of the Church has authority over all of us, single or married, in the laws of the Church.
Do not fall into this false laying of hands, Father said clearly. In fact, one is opening up one's self to demonic influences through those people who are usurping authority.
Sigh, I felt vindicated, but God has taught me many things through the years and I was so glad that a good priest was stating strongly what I had learned the hard way.
Obedience is the root of holiness as it is connected to holiness.
No lay person can bless anyone else or claim authority in this way, especially claiming the laying of hands, which is ONLY a priestly function, done by priests or bishops. Only the priest's hands are consecrated.
Parents may pray over their children and even anoint them with sacred oil, but no one else, outside the clerical hierarchy.
Demonic influence will enter a person's life through the false laying of hands. As Father said, they mean well, but they are wrong, and "out of order."
Thank you, Father, for backing me up on this point. Humility is the key to serving God as He has ordained us to serve Him. Usurpation of power is a serious sin.
More in a bit..
