A Thought to Ponder

~On the Subject of Folk Healers (Albularyos)~ By: Bro. Rhey John Punding

"'I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people." -Leviticus 20:6- (NIV)

Someone asked me, "BROTHER, OK LANG PO BA PUMUNTA, MAGPAGAMOT SA ALBULARYO?" Of course, ang immediate answer ko was a resounding "NO!" Pero nagpatuloy ang nagtanong, "Pero di po ba kay God galing ang healing power nila. Atsaka may mga images ni Jesus at mga saints sila eh. Kung sa demonyo sila eh wala sana ang mga yun at hindi kami gagaling."

Dear friends, you may have encountered conversations like that. It raises several points for clarification. What follows are general principles which may be of help to us. This is not an exhaustive and scholarly treatment of the matter. I am no expert on this but this is simply a product of personal reading and reflection.

FIRST, A CHARISM IS ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM OCCULT POWERS. A charism is a gift given by the Holy Spirit for the edification of the Church (CCC #798). Now, the devil may fake or mimic a charism. For this reason, it is important and always necessary TO DISCERN THE GIFT. The CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (#801) is clear on this, "It is in this sense that discernment of charisms is always necessary. No charism is exempt from being referred and submitted to the Church’s shepherds. ‘Their office [is] not indeed to extinguish the Spirit, but to test all things and hold fast to what is good,’ so that all the diverse and complementary charisms work together ‘for the common good.’ " So, anyone who says he/she has a gift (of healing and other similar gifts) has to submit him/herself to Church authority. It is not for the uninitiated to discern the source of a purported charism. Resistance to Church authority belies anyone's claim of a spiritual gift.

SECOND, ONE IS NOT REALLY HEALED BY THE ALBULARYOS. WHAT THEY DO IS MERELY TO SUBJUGATE THE LESS POWERFUL SPIRITS. Kaya nga ang mga albularyo before they proceed ay nag.tatawas muna so as to check the kind of spirit harassing the patient. If they see that it is a less powerful spirit then they can proceed with their rituals or oracion. But in the end things don't get any better. The patient is now twice victimized than before.

LASTLY, THE PRESENCE OF SACRED IMAGES IN THE HOUSES OF ALBULARYOS DOES NOT NECESSARILY ASSURE THAT THE ALBULARYOS ARE OF GOD. These are SACRAMENTALS and sacramentals operate "ex opere operantis." The inner disposition of a person is needed for the efficacy of the sacramentals. Added to this, the RITUALE ROMANUM says, "...we are accustomed to hear that the sacramentals work "ex opere operantis," which would mean in virtue of the intensity of devotion in those who use them. Yet this is only part of the truth. The thing is cast in an altogether different light when it is stated in full precision, namely, that the sacramentals work "ex opere operantis Ecclesiae," which means that their efficacy is in first place dependent on the power of the Church's intercession, and only secondly on the devout dispositions of the subject concerned."

Two elements therefore are needed: ecclesial and personal. They should go together. Sacramentals are not the same as anting-antings; they don't have inherent powers. The devil may easily work through them especially when the owner is already under him.

The devil will usually tempt/entice us with things that appear good to our eyes. He may mimic holy things but in the end he could never sustain it. He will appear as he is, ugly and damned. So let us heed to what St. John says,

"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." -1 John 4:1- (NAB)

GOD BLESS US ALL!!! 😁

©️: Rhey John Punding

#Exorcism #Prayer