FRANKINCENSE & MYRRH (INCENSE)
This well known historical offering to the Christ child is blessed
by a priest and used today in homes instead of ‘sage’ to cleanse
your home/interior. One person I met tried to make a case that
adding Myrrh to Frankincense is somehow a lure for evil, rather
than a repellent. Not true. This can be lit as incense and used to
help clear a home of minor infestations. You can buy about one
hundred incense sticks for about $6.00 online. Just take them and
have them blessed by a priest as you would with any
“sacramental”.
Exorcism/ Blessing Prayer:
(From the 1952 Roman Ritual translated by Philip Weller.)
Prayer:
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
Let us pray.
Accept, O holy Father, from me, thine unworthy servant, these gifts which I offer in humility to the honor of thy holy name and to thy peerless majesty,
as thou didst accept the sacrifice of the just Abel and the same gifts from the hands of the Magi.
Creatures of frankincense, and myrrh, I purge you of evil by the Father + almighty, by Jesus + Christ, His Sole-Begotten Son,
and by the Holy + Spirit, the Paraclete, that freed from all deceit, evil, and cunning of the devil, you may be a saving remedy to men
against the snares of the enemy. May those who with confidence use you in their homes or about their persons be delivered from danger to soul and body,
rejoicing in the possession of every good; through our Lord and Savior’s power and merits, through the intercession of Mary, most holy Virgin Mother of God,
of all saints and of them who on this day venerated Christ, the Lord with these same gifts.
All: Amen.
O God, Who art invisible and without end, in the holy and awesome name of thy Son graciously bestow blessing + power these creatures, frankincense, and myrrh.
Protect those who will have them in your possession from illness, injury, and danger to body and soul, so they can joyously and securely serve thee with zeal in thy
Church. who in perfect Trinity livest and reignest God, forever.
All: Amen.
And may the blessing of almighty God, Father, + Son, + and Holy + Spirit, descend upon these creatures frankincense, and myrrh, and remain for all time.
All: Amen.
They are sprinkled with holy water.
(Prayer Source: Roman Ritual: Volume III, The Blessings by Philip T. Weller, The Bruce Publishing Company, 1952)
WHY NOT SAGE?
Sage may have some effect, but it would only work temporarily, it
can be like a smoke bomb clearing a room. Our Native American
friends and even acquaintances will actually tell you it isn’t meant
for ‘cleansings’ or exorcisms as it is commonly being used by the
“pop- TV- Deliverance series folk”. Not to mention it isn’t even
close to being done right and without the proper ritual and by a
Native American “Holy Man” which has taken him many many
years to be the wizened Shaman of the tribe.
Sage will call upon spirits to bring calm and peace, and is an
offering of appeasement for them. You are possibly honoring the
demonic spirits, which does appease them. There are biblical
references to how pagans offered certain incense to their many
pagan gods including some of the first known names of devils. If
you do the research, you will find this is one of them! Yes and
Christians also need to note this isn’t a shared belief and to never
MIX faith practices on the same case. Especially as the family for
example might be Christian. Part is out of respect for the family’s
faith. Second is as I cite elsewhere in this book, a ‘mix’ of belief
systems can be a dangerous thing. Many people I talk to in this
field will also attest this method simply does not work. When we
give faith to something, it is a superstition, and a certain placebo
affect may also take place. Not to mention superstitions open a
church that worship a head of lettuce, you maybe get a miracle just
to help it launch when fueled with your faith can begin to work.
The reason is demonic sprits are always trying to distract you from
the truth. And they are all too willing to do whatever it takes to
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detour you even if it means a small miracle to distract a few souls.
Stick with the usage of ‘Frankincense and Myrrh, which
historically is rooted in ancient Jewish traditions as well as 2000
years of Christianity. Sage is a plant that offers appeasement to the
many Gods, it’s not acceptable to the Judeo Christian creator of all
good and the fallen ones. Its natural state is even a positive’ when
you buy this incense be sure to have it blessed by a priest.
-Br Kenneth Deel, OFS, OSDE (c) 2010,2020