Good Evening, Warriors, I have created a simple worksheet on the five senses practice that is tailored just for you! enjoy it and practice it. I hope this can help some of you, and I will be here for questions and even a discussion with you if needed. Would it be helpful to host a live group? Let me know!!

Nightly Prayer of Discernment (Inspired by the First Rule of St. Ignatius of Loyola and the image of the wounded warrior turning toward grace) Lord Jesus Christ, As this day fades into the night and I lay down my armor, I place myself in Your presence, as St. Ignatius wounded on the battlefield—broken, still, and open to Your transforming grace. You know, O God, how the enemy works in the shadows of my soul. When I have drifted from You today, piling sin upon sin, he has whispered pleasures, painted illusions of delight, and lured me deeper into chains disguised as freedom. Yet You, in Your mercy, have not left me comfortless. You have sent Your good Spirit to prick my conscience, to stir unease in my heart, to bite with the sharp truth of reason and love— calling me back, awakening me to the emptiness of false joys. Tonight, I thank You for every sting of remorse, for every moment of regret that was really Your voice pulling me home. Forgive me for the times I ignored that holy discomfort and chased the enemy's seductive lies. Illuminate my heart now, Lord. Please show me where the false light deceived me today. Reveal the apparent pleasures that held me captive. Strengthen me to heed Your gentle yet insistent call tomorrow. Guard me through this night from the snares of the evil one. Let Your holy angel stand watch over me, as I rest in the peace that comes only from turning toward You. May I rise tomorrow as a wiser soldier in Your service— ready to discern, ready to fight the true battle, ready to choose the narrow path that leads to life.All for Your greater glory. Amen. Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us. Mary, Queen of Peace, protect us. MAC(SW/AW/EXW) Heath Garcia USN , Retired Spiritual Director, Archangel Ministries

Warriors, listen up. Saint Ignatius of Loyola—once a battle-hardened soldier like many of you—was shattered by a cannonball on the battlefield. In the silence of recovery, he discovered a deeper war: the invisible one raging in every human soul. He gave us the Rules for the Discernment of Spirits, battlefield intel for detecting enemy movements in our hearts and minds. The First Rule hits hard for anyone who's ever felt trapped in a cycle of bad choices: "In persons who go from mortal sin to mortal sin, the enemy commonly proposes apparent pleasures, making them imagine sensual delights and pleasures to hold them more and make them grow in their vices and sins. The good spirit, on the other hand, uses the opposite method, pricking them and biting their consciences through the process of reason and moral judgment." Translation for the front lines: When we're drifting farther from God—piling sin on sin—the enemy doesn't attack with fear. He seduces. He makes the wrong path feel good, easy, and rewarding. "Just this once." "You deserve it." "No one's getting hurt." He paints fantasies of pleasure to keep us chained. But the Good Spirit? He fights dirty in the best way: He stings your conscience. That nagging unease after a bad decision? That voice of reason saying, "This isn't you"? That's God trying to wake you up, to pull you back before the trap snaps shut. Soldiers, we've all felt it—that momentary rush followed by emptiness. Or that quiet bite of regret that won't let go. Discernment starts here: recognizing whose voice is speaking in combat, you don't ignore intel. In the spiritual fight, ignoring this is fatal, so today: What "pleasure" is the enemy dangling to keep you stuck? And where is your conscience pricking you—calling you to something greater? Pay attention. Suit up with the full armor of God. The battle for your soul is real—and victory is possible. Who's ready to fight the right war? MAC(SW/AW/EXW) Heath Garcia USN, Ret. Spiritual Director, Archangel Ministries

The Prince of Peace Watches Over Us Fourth Sunday of Advent – December 21, 2025 Theme: Love – "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means "God is with us." (Matthew 1:23) Dear brothers and sisters in Christ—active duty service members, retired and disabled veterans, and your beloved families— In this final week of Advent, as the fourth candle flickers with the light of divine love, we stand on the threshold of Christmas. The Church invites us to contemplate God's boundless love made flesh in the Incarnation: the Eternal Word becoming a vulnerable child, entering our world not with the thunder of armies, but with the quiet cry of a newborn in a humble stable. "God is with us"—Emmanuel—a promise fulfilled in Jesus, the Prince of Peace. For those who have known the watchfulness of duty—the long nights on guard, the vigilant patrols in distant lands, the sacrifices made to shield the innocent—this season echoes deeply. You have stood sentinel for freedom, bearing the weight of vigilance so others might sleep in safety. In your service, you reflect the watchful love of St. Joseph, who in today's Gospel guarded the Holy Family, trusting God's angel in the midst of uncertainty. Like Joseph, you have faced trials with quiet courage, protecting those entrusted to your care. Yet Advent reminds us that true peace is not won by human strength alone. The Prophet Isaiah foretells a sign: a virgin shall bear a son, Emmanuel, who brings a peace surpassing all understanding—a peace that calms the storms of war, heals the wounds of body and soul, and reunites families separated by deployment or distance. In your lives, marked by valor and endurance, contemplate this mystery: The God who commands the stars watches over you with infinite tenderness. He knows the hidden scars of battle, the ache of separation, the quiet prayers whispered in foxholes or hospital rooms. He comes not as a distant commander, but as a Child, inviting you to lay down your burdens at the manger.

Warrior’s Shield: Daily Spiritual Discipline Warfighters, listen up. This is Navy Chief Heath Garcia, Master-at-Arms (Ret.), speaking from the front lines of faith. I’ve stood watch in harm’s way, faced the enemy abroad and the battles within. No fluff here—just a battle-tested practice to armor your soul under the command of Archangel Michael, the ultimate warrior of God. Daily Drill: The Archangel Watch —Stand To (Morning Invocation): —At reveille, stand tall. Breathe deep. “Invoke“Archangel Michael, Commander of Heaven’s Hosts, I report for duty. Shield me with your sword of truth. Defend me from unseen threats. Strengthen my resolve as I charge into the day. In God’s name, I stand ready.” —Midwatch Reflection (Midday): Pause amid the chaos. Close eyes. Visualize Michael’s blue flame enveloping you. Release burdens: “Michael, cut cords of fear, doubt, and fatigue. Clear my AO for victory.” —Taps (Evening Stand-Down): Before lights out, kneel or sit. Give thanks:“Mighty Michael, thank you for guarding my six today. Heal wounds seen and unseen. Post watch over me and my brothers/sisters in arms tonight. Lead us to peace in God’s fortress.” —Repeat daily. This ain’t optional—it’s your spiritual PT. Builds resilience, sharpens focus, fortifies faith. I’ve got your six; Michael’s got us all. Semper Fi in Faith, Heath Garcia, Navy Chief, MA (Ret.) Archangel Ministries