This section from Cardinal Manning’s book may not surprise
some of you, but reveals the depth of evil he witnessed over one-hundred years
ago.
“What is the condition of those nations that have broken
away from the unity of the faith and of the Church of God? We see a country
which, intoxicated with an excess of material power, is now daring, as a
precursor to its own chastisement, to persecute the Church of Jesus Christ. A
fatal extinction of supernatural light, the aberrations of false philosophy,
the inflation of false science, the pride of unbelief, and a contemptuous scorn
of those who believe, are preparing Germany for an overthrow or for suicide.
The intellect of man in revolting from God falls from God, and falling from
God, loses its own perfection; it thereby darkens itself, and, having lost the
light and the knowledge of God, loses also the knowledge of His law.”
Amazing words written in 1875, which now could apply to Great Britain and the United
States , to Ireland
and to Italy
Are there still some Catholics who believe that God will not
punish nations for the sins of abortion, contraception, divorce and remarriage
without annulment, same-sex so-called marriage and a host of other serious
sins?
As I sit in middle-class American surroundings, I am aware
of the deep sleep into which most Catholics have fallen, perhaps never to be
awakened until calamity strikes us all.
Manning states that in rejecting God, the “men of culture”,
who he calls “stunted trees walking”,
have “rejected their own highest perfection.”
Spiritual knowledge, that gift of the Holy Spirit, is
“confined to those who still abide in communion with God and in the grace of
sanctification; becuase it is not only light, it is also love; it is not only
the light by which we know the truth, but it is also the love of truth.”
Like my dear readers, I love the truth, which is why I
persist, despite serious obstacles, in writing on this blog. That the gift of
knowledge is “based on the cardinal virtue of prudence, which perfects the
reason, and is elevated by faith, which illuminates the reason, is a gift I
treasure, I shall keep writing until God closes the pages of this chapter in my
life.
May I add one more key idea from Manning’s sections on
knowledge and counsel. It is this.
“..there is a rational self-love which is a duty towards
God. The suicide does not know the value of his own soul. He does not love
himself; and he casts his life back in the face of his Maker, because he does
not believe either in his Maker, or in his own eternity, or in his own
responsibility. Therefore a rational love of self is out first duty next after
the love of God; and the rational love of our neighbor springs from it.”
Someone asked me recently how one gets “discernment”.
Although I have written on this before, let me repeat that discernment is a
gift which comes in Confirmation with knowledge and counsel. Discernment is
part of the rationality of the soul.
To be continued..