St. Michael the Archangel: Patron and Defender of Soldiers

St. Michael the Archangel Medal

I served in Iraq during what was called, Operation Iraqi Freedom III during the time period of 2005 - 2006. My unit's mission was to seek and destroy improvised explosive devices (IED's) along the country's maim supply routes (MSR's). This is a highly dangerous mission which required mental strength, faith, and an aggressive desire in every fiber of one's being to live. I'm about to share a story from combat that I believe was a miracle caused by the Hand of God involving a blessed medal and faith in Him who defends His children.

We had been in country for a few months running our patrols. I was assigned with the convoy's commander, 1st Lieutenant Butler, as his personal Humvee driver for the majority of the deployment. I must first retrace my steps to the day I received my first and only St. Michael's medal.

I was at the airport in Indianapolis, IN ready to board a plane with my unit for departure to Kuwait. There was a Catholic priest there serving as Chaplin. He announced if anyone would like to pray with him before we leave, he would be available. My squad leader suggested we go and take the Chaplin's offer. As he finished saying a blessing over us, he gave me the St. Michael's medal. I put it on my dog tags and there it stayed close to my body for the next year.

So, we're out on a routine mission and we think we spot some debris on the side of the road under this overpass. The debris consisted of a sack and some other garbage typical of Iraq's countryside. The convoy stopped and we all jumped out with weapon's in hand ready to pull security while the IED vehicle called the "Buffalo" conducted its investigation of the garbage. My crew and I were standing no more than 20-30 yards away from the overpass. It was dusk as we stood on the street looking for enemy forces lingering in any side street or building window. Roughly a few minutes into the Buffalo's search of the garbage, I saw this flash of light come from underneath the over pass right beside the Buffalo. Then I heard the sound of the explosion which followed afterwards. I knew right away what I saw and heard was an IED exploding right in front of me and my fellow soldiers. In that split second I turned and ran for cover behind my Humvee trying not to get hit by the shrapnel as the sound of metal whizzed by my head and "pinged" off my truck, making what would become the all-too familiar sound of metal on metal. After I full realized what had just happened, I searched my legs and torso for any blood, to my amazement everyone survived except the tires, windows, and hydraulic arm of the Buffalo. The crew was OK as well, though a little shook up, but in one piece. This occurrence would be one of many like it during our one year in combat.

The Buffalo -  IED Hunting Vehicle

The Buffalo was damaged to the point it was immobile and we could not go on any further with our mission. We radioed base requesting a tow vehicle to haul the Buffalo back to base. We continued to pull security until our help came. We ended up pulling a 19-hour mission that night. I remember thanking God for saving my life that evening. I also remember feeling as if my St. Michael medal had something to do with this divine intervention as well. I think God protected all of us that night and our patron St. Michael was the one there deflecting the pieces of metal flying through the air. No other thought has ever crossed my mind regarding how I survived that evening unscathed. I thanked St. Michael and all our Guardian Angels for protecting us, and I particularly thanked God for His wisdom in creating such protectors for us.

The Prayer to St. Michael holds a special place in my heart. For me this prayer rings true not only in an invisible, spiritual way. Rather in a concrete way where this magnificent Angel of God crosses into our physical World and intervenes in our daily lives, truly defending us from the snares and wickedness of Satan.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!

Credo - Symbolum Apostolicum

In English:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.

Amen

In Latin:

Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem caeli et terrae,

et in Iesum Christum, Filium Eius unicum, Dominum nostrum,

qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine,

passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus,

descendit ad ínferos, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis,

ascendit ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram Patris omnipotentis,

inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos.

Credo in Spiritum Sanctum,

sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem,

remissionem peccatorum,

carnis resurrectionem,

vitam aeternam.

Amen.

The part of the Apostle's Creed I would like to focus on is the part that says "sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam" or "holy Catholic Church".  I contest centuries ago, before the so-called Protestant "Reformation" (it hardly reformed anything but rather caused schism and heresy), Christians since the formulation of the Apostle's Creed (and Nicea) correctly understood which Church they were professing belief in. For there were two bodies of believers before the Reformation. The Apostolic Church consisting of the Western Roman and Eastern Greek Churches, and the heretics consisting of Arians, Donatism, Gnostics, Marcionism, Montanism, etc. For more ancient heresies of Christianity visit here. 


Before the division of Christians during and after the "Reformation", Catholics and Orthodox Christians who recited the Creeds understood the "holy Catholic Church" to be the same Church as those who had written the statement of faith. And they were correct in their thinking. Pre-"Reformation" all Christians, whether from the East or West, outside of the heretics, were all in an Apostolic body that was unified in faith, practice, and leadership. They understood that their Metropolitan Bishop's succession to the See could be traced back to the Apostles and Early Church Bishops. It was a very concrete thing and it did not take much mental power to comprehend this reality. Since the thousands of denominations that have sprung up since the "Reformation", this is still not the case outside of Catholicism and Orthodoxy. 


The Protestant mindset when analyzing the Apostle's and Nicean Creeds are only half way there to the full understanding of the Catholic/Orthodox belief at the words "holy Catholic Church". The Protestant will say, and I have a pretty good idea since I used to have this same mindset out of ignorance, that when he/she says "I believe in the holy catholic Church" they are not referring to any particular "denomination", but rather all the "true believers" who have professed Jesus as Lord and Savior. These "true believers" could not possibly be counted since they can be at any place and time in the world. I take this belief to be very abstract and it doesn't sound like much to believe in...personally an invisible body of believers gives me little comfort. This ideal hardly fulfills the Lord's words when he says his followers are to be as obvious as a light on a hill (Matt. 5:14). 


Thinking about this more thoroughly, I'd say there are other conclusions a Protestant can come to with "holy Catholic Church". Although, they certainly would never say it's the "Roman" Church. The die-hard fundamentalist could believe their denomination, though created some man in the last few centuries, truly is the church spoken of in the Creed. This type of believer insists all other Christian expressions are incorrect and their particular "church" was doctrinally right in its founding, thus it can be the church spoken of in the Creeds (Baptists come to mind here). Another Protestant believer might say their denomination branched off of an Apostolic Church at some point, so it can trace it's lineage back to this Church spoken of in the early Creeds. 
I find both, and indeed all of these theories, to be problematic.  The "branch-theory" could not work in the case of Protestantism. The reason the Orthodox are properly and rightly considered Apostolic and true Churches is because they maintained the priesthood, the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the 7 Sacraments, Liturgical worship, hierarchy, etc. The true Apostolic faith minus their acceptance of the Pope as having universal jurisdictional authority. The Protestant's completely threw away the Apostolic faith and adopted a new set of beliefs, some of which were condemned in the past. So, for a Protestant to claim the "branch theory" would liken to a member of an ancient heretical cult claiming they too are true Catholic or Orthodox Christians. It's not logical nor reasonable. 


Secondly, for a person, such as a Baptist, to think their denomination (usually as ridged as their individual congregational church) is correct and all other expressions are in error, they would have to show historically how their beliefs today can be found throughout all of Christianity's history. They would need to back up their theology using the Early Church Fathers, Councils, Creeds, and Scripture of course. Any honest person will tell you that at some point, all Protestant denominations, and even those non-denominational denominations, can find their origins in a person who was once Catholic and left the Church to start his own version of Christianity (Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, King Henry VIII, Thomas Cramner, John Knox, etc.). For a belief like this to hold would mean Christians for nearly two thousand years were in error, possibly damning error, and Christians were "lost" for all this time until Calvin or Luther or Rick Warren came onto the scene to lead people to the correct beliefs. I find no logic in this and frankly appalling. I don't buy into this "Remnant" belief some extreme Fundamentalist Evangelicals adhere to either. 

So what should an Evangelical, Non-denominational, Protestant be thinking of when they recite the words of the Creed stating belief in the "holy Catholic Church"? They should be thinking of the Catholic Church headed by the current Pope, Benedict XVI. If they think it means the invisible set of true believers in Christ, they are half way there, but not fully correct. Catholics believe too that if one is baptized in the Trinity, they are a Christian and are some how mystically connected to the physical Church Jesus established over two thousand years ago. We regret they are not in full communion with us and we pray for their return to orthodoxy and orthopraxy. 
Protestants are Christians thanks to the baptism and belief in Jesus. However they are sects within Christianity and they lack many of the graces Christ intends for his children to have. They have the Scriptures, which many enjoy abusing by making themselves the sole authority on its interpretation, and they have prayer, along with Baptism and Matrimony.  They severely lack the New Covenant priesthood, Eucharist, Absolution from sins through Confession, and to sum it up, the fullness of faith as promised by the Holy Spirit. I pray for their return to the Church of Christ so that Jesus' powerful prayer "may they all be one" in St. John 17 would be fulfilled.   

A New Crusade Needed?

 Surely everyone is aware of the Crusades which were fought in the twelfth century into the sixteenth century. The Crusades often give Christians, particularly Catholics, a not-so-good reputation among non-believers and also fellow non-Catholic Christians. This important event in the life of the Church staved off basically the domination of Muslim conquest in Europe and for a time, the Middle East. 

Little is it taught that the Crusades were a defensive action after many centuries of Christians being persecuted on way to pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Towns and cities that were previously Catholic were conquered and destroyed by Muslim warriors in Jihad. The countries of Syria, Jordan, Palestine/Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, etc. from the seventh century to the ninth century predominately Christian. Many old churches and monasteries exist there today as remnants of the rich historic life that is traced back to the Apostles. The "straw that broke the camels back" was when the Muslim Arab and Turks were set to invade the walls of Constantinople, modern day Istanbul, Turkey. The Byzantine Emperor sent Pope Pius a letter requesting military support from Western Europe. It was then the Holy Father called at a council for any able bodied Christian to pick up their crosses, head to the Holy Land, and retrieve the sacred land back from the Muslims. 

Since then, many Christians have been forced to leave the lands they once considered home due to violent persecution from Muslims. It seems every day the news tells of some atrocity committed against the frail, yet devoted, Christian communities hanging on to their ancestral home in the Middle East. Innocent men, women, and children are attacked while coming out of churches after Mass or Divine Liturgy. Many have been forced to flee to Europe and America because the persecution is so intense, it seems like the only way out of the blood shed. And many faithful have died martyrs assured of God's eternal vision. 

So, is a new Holy Crusade in order? The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has said recently that no good can come from violence. His Holiness insists peace is the only way for mankind's survival and common unity. The situation today surrounding demographics seems to be different today than what they were during the time when there were Papal States and Catholic Monarchies. Europe is increasingly becoming more and more secular so it would seem dubious for the Pope to rely on the populace by declaring another Crusade. Of course I agree with the Pope that violence is a horrible thing and how does good come from someone dying? I have seen war first hand from my time in Iraq serving with the U.S. Army Guard. I'm also "a realist" and understand that force, particularly military force, is necessary if given the reasons for engaging in armed combat fulfills the Just War Doctrine of the Church. I believe one of the reasons no Crusade has been called to return the Holy Land back to Christians thus stopping the violent persecutions against them is because there no longer is a Holy Roman Empire or Papal States or absolute Catholic monarchies present in the world. The people's duties lie mainly now to the secular state rather than to the Church as it did during the time of the Crusades. So the path of peace and understanding is how we travel. We must pray for our persecuted brethren in the Middle East who face trials day and night that would make us tremble. The extreme minority who have stayed are brave saints, worthy of honor. We must support them in every way possible by encouraging and supporting them financially. Many have lost their businesses due to attacks. Many have been forced out of their homes. It's a horrible thing and the Church needs to stand with them. 

Here is a link to the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher in Israel. They are a military order that goes back to the Crusades still working in the Holy Land today.     

http://www.order-of-the-holy-sepulchre.org/

The Suffering Servant

Perfect for Good Friday meditation:

ISAIAH

Chapter 52


1* Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean. 2 Shake yourself from the dust, arise, O captive* Jerusalem; loose the bonds from your neck, O captive daughter of Zion. 3 For thus says the LORD: "You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money. 4 For thus says the Lord GOD: My people went down at the first into Egypt to sojourn there, and the Assyrian oppressed them for nothing. 5* Now therefore what have I here, says the LORD, seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Their rulers wail, says the LORD, and continually all the day my name is despised. 6 Therefore my people shall know my name; therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here am I." 7* How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings, who publishes peace, who brings good tidings of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." 8 Hark, your watchmen lift up their voice, together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the LORD to Zion. 9 Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem; for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. 10* The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. 11* Depart, depart, go out thence, touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her, purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the LORD. 12 For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard. 13 Behold, my servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. 14 As many were astonished at him*-- his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sons of men-- 15* so shall he startle* many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they shall see, and that which they have not heard they shall understand.
Chapter 53

1* Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or comeliness that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected* by men; a man of sorrows*, and acquainted with grief; * and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4* Surely he has borne our griefs* and carried our sorrows; * yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5* But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7* He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 9* And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief; * when he makes himself* an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand; 11 he shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities. 12* Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

The New Missal Translation

I haven't posted in quite awhile. I'm not sure how many of you have noticed since I only have 4 followers. I very much appreciate any who have read my posts.

I just wanted to share that I'm very excited for the new English translation for the Roman Missal. In the next year or so it should start to be intregrated into parishes for regular use. Currently there are various workshops available for priests and diocesan leaders, sign-up is on the USCCB website.
It should be clear that the changes will result in not a different Holy Mass, but a more accurate translation from the original Latin.
My personal opinion is the new translation will add more solemnity and dignity to the Mass. I think some of the words such as "cup" will do better to be called "chalice". My hopes are that Catholics all across the English-speaking world will welcome the new words and it will limit liturgical abuses by reinforcing the "read the black, do the red" rubrics of the divine liturgy. I know of a priest, though well intended, will add in his own words to the Ecce Agnus Dei. He will say "This is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. It's Jesus Christ who calls us together, happy are we who are called in his name."  This personally drives me nuts! I think it's a liturgical abuse but correct me if I'm wrong, it's nothing serious enough to go to the Bishop about. One of the reasons I became a Catholic was to avoid being Protestant where we make up everything as we go along. I try to be a "by the book" Catholic, faithful to the Holy Father and Magisterium of the Church.
So, I'm hoping that the new translation will not only make the words used in Mass more holy, reverent, and dignified; but also reinforce to the priests that the words of the liturgy are not to be changed.

Robert Spencer and Jihad Watch

I would encourage everyone to listen to what Robert Spencer has to say about the threat of Islam against Christendom and the world. Spencer is a Melkite Greek Catholic from Lebanese and Syrian decent. He has studied Islam extensively and is often a FoxNews contributor and has written several books which have been on the New York Times best seller list.

Robert Spencer is Director of his website called Jihad Watch. It's a website where he compiles all Jihad-related articles into one location for the viewer to get informed about this real and serious threat. His website is http://www.jihadwatch.org/.

Continued Prayers

My wife gave birth to Brielle Elizabeth a week ago on Wednesday, August 19th. Baby Brielle had to be moved to Special Care Nursery because of some breathing complications. So I ask for your continued prayers in Rosaries, Masses, and Eucharistic Adoration for my dear daughter. May the Lord heal her little body and allow her to return home with us soon. 

Please Pray for Us

I ask your prayers for my wife and unborn daughter. My wife is 30 weeks pregnant and her cervix is dilated 2 cms. We have 10 weeks to go before the baby reaches full term. We ask the Lord to allow the baby to stay in the womb to develop. We have our time frame of when we think she should come, but we also understand the Lord's divine providence and holy will. For He knew us while we were still in our mother's womb. He formed us in the palm of His hand. He has called each of us by name and he will complete the good work that He has already begun.  

St. Gerard, Patron Saint of Expecting Mothers, Pray for Us!

St. Justin Martyr on the Eucharist

"No one may share in the eucharist with us unless he believes that what we teach is true, unless he is washed in the regenerating waters of baptism for the remission of his sins, and unless he lives in accordance with the principles given us by Christ. 

We do not consume the eucharistic bread and wine as if it were ordinary food and drink, for we have been taught that as Jesus Christ our Savior became a man of flesh and blood by the power of the Word of God, so also the food that our flesh and blood assimilates for its nourishment becomes the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus by the power of his own words contained in the prayer of thanksgiving.

The apostles, in their recollections, which are called gospels, handed down to us what Jesus commanded them to do. They tell us that he took bread, gave thanks and said: Do this in memory of me. This is my body. In the same way he took the cup, he gave thanks and said: This is my blood. The Lord gave this command to them alone. Ever since then we have constantly reminded one another of these things. The rich among us help the poor and we are always united. For all that we receive we praise the Creator of the universe through his Son Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit. 

On Sunday we have a common assembly of all our members, whether they live in the city or in the outlying districts. The recollections of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as there is time. When the reader has finished, the president of the assembly speaks to us; he urges everyone to imitate the examples of virtue we have heard in the readings. Then we all stand up together and pray. 

On the conclusion of our prayer, bread and wine and water are brought forward. The president offers prayers and gives thanks to the best of his ability, and the people give their assent by saying, "Amen." The eucharist is distributed, everyone present communicates, and the deacons take it to those who are absent. 

The wealthy, if they wish, may make a contribution, and they themselves decide the amount. The collection is placed in the custody of the president, who uses it to help the orphans and widows and all who for any reason are in distress, whether because they are sick, in prison, or away from home. In a word, he takes care of all who are in need. 

We hold our common assembly on Sunday because it is the first day of the week, the day on which God put darkness and chaos to flight and created the world, and because on that same day our savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead. For he was crucified on Friday and on Sunday he appeared to his apostles and disciples and taught them the things that we have passed on for your consideration." 

St. Justin Martyr  100AD - 165AD

First Apology in defense of the Christians

I love this quote from St. Justin. He clearly states that the bread and wine are not mere symbols and are not common. But that the two elements when consecrated by the priest, indeed transform into the sacred Body and Blood of Christ. This is ancient and modern Catholic theology. Also, St. Justin opens by stating that not just anyone can receive, but there are some criteria that's required of each communicant. He states only those who have received the Sacrament of Baptism can participate in the Eucharist. He also must believe in what the Catholic Church teaches. And lastly, he must be in a state of grace to partake of Christ. This is ancient as well as modern Catholic theology. Praise be to God.

This who scene St. Justin describes is quite different from the way our Protestant brothers and sisters administer Communion. In most Protestant denominations anyone can receive, even those not Baptized. Also, their bread and wine (most use juice...where's that in the Bible?) is looked at as mere symbols with only Christ present spiritually. Granted, we as Catholics too believe Christ is present spiritually and also recognize the symbology involved in the Sacred Elements. The difference is that the Church through the ages has always undisputedly believed it to be the transformed, literal Body and Blood of Christ. This has not changed, nor will it ever as it has in the Protestant denominations. This Eucharist was given to us for spiritual nourishment and sustainment as we pilgrims here on earth make our way to heaven. I've witnessed a few times their elements are swept up with a vacuum cleaner or tossed in the trash or poured down the sink. St. Justin, and indeed all the Saints, would have a heart attack if they witnessed such a scene. Although, given the situation of our separated Protestant brother and sisters, we as Catholics and Orthodox know that no transformation takes place and it's still mere bread and juice due to their lack of Apostolic Succession and Holy Orders. However, it still bothered me this occurred for the simple fact they were referring to it as Christ's Body and Blood (still symbolically), through they don't mean so literally. I notified the pastor this was happening and I have no doubt he took care of the issue. 

The Fathers of the Church, throughout our 2000 year history, speak in the same manner as St. Justin (100AD - 165AD) regarding the very real and actual presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. I love the continuity and stability of our one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. May God continue to protect his Holy Catholic Church and also continue to lead our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI as supreme head and leader of the Church on earth. Viva La Papa!  

Christos Anesti!...Alithos Anesti!

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

I just came home from the Vigil Easter Mass, the Church says Saturday night is the "Vigils of all vigils".  It's clear why. At St. Michael's Parish, we had a large number of catechumens and candidates come into the Church tonight. It was a blessing to see the joy on their faces as they received the sacraments of initiation. Glory to God we as a church are growing. 

Holy Week has been really special to me this year. Something I've come to discover and love is how the Church takes us through Christ's Passion, Death, and Resurrection in the realist way outside from actually having been there 2000 years ago. From Holy Thursday when Christ instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice and the Holy Priesthood in the Upper Room, on through the Passion and Sacrifice of Christ on Good Friday.  Good Friday is the only day in the liturgical calendar there is no Eucharistic Sacrifice. No Eucharistic prayer. The altar is stripped bare, no candles are lit and the church is dark. The crucifix hanging over the altar in every Catholic church becomes a vivid image of the reality that occurred many years ago outside Jerusalem. We proclaim Christ crucified! We venerate the Cross and we leave the church in an attitude of solemnity and gratitude. Then, of course the reason for our joy is the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ on Sunday as he defeated death. It has never been clearer and more real to me than when I've become part of the Catholic Church. I've been able to witness all of this firsthand in the liturgical life of Christ's true Church. When the joy of Sunday arrives, we see for ourselves that Christ is not in the tomb, death can not hold him. The Eucharistic Sacrifice resumes, the altar is covered, the candles lit, and the Lord comes once again to us as Bread and Wine.  

Indeed, Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!