Friday, 29 August 2014
The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist
The priest at Mass this morning had an excellent sermon.
He reminded us that we live in a world where people choose evil, like Herod did.
St. John is one of our models for holiness.
Detail from Caravaggio's great masterpiece in Malta.
He reminded us that we live in a world where people choose evil, like Herod did.
St. John is one of our models for holiness.
Detail from Caravaggio's great masterpiece in Malta.
Divisions
I am not sure how to describe times of persecution except to say that we shall see very soon great divisions in our countries.
Those who choose Christ and His Church will become saints, while those who do not will fall into deep darkness, brought about by their own choices.
No amount of psychological talk about healing of family trees or the release of curses, or the lack of Catholic education can exonerate us from not choosing Christ. God gives all the graces necessary for salvation.
We are all guilty concerning our decisions or lack of decisions.
Some Catholics are floating into lives of sin because they are not willing to suffer what is needed for perfection-study, prayer, conversion.
One does not have to be an intellectual or a scholar to be a saint.
I have met two more saints recently.There is no doubt in my mind that these two women are holy.
One gets up daily at 4:30, prays four rosaries and Lauds before morning Mass, reads Catholic newspapers and watches EWTN, prays for others, and lives simply. She is in her 80s.
The other prays the rosary daily, does the same reading and praying, going to Adoration once a week, and genuinely loving people. Her discernment is incredible.
Both women grew up with the Baltimore Catechism and claim that is one reason why they are not confused.
They are sisters and have been graced from little on.
They admit that they had to move away from the Democratic Party, and they did not vote for Obama because of the Dem platform supporting abortion.
After that, they grew in grace.
However, in their families are divisions; those who follow God and those who do not.
They see this and they pray.
Divisions cannot be denied or papered-over.
This is the time of division.
Direction of This Blog
So, from the beginning of 2007 until 2009, taking a break after the beginning of that year, and starting up again in January 2012, I have been blogging,
As my regular readers know, contemporary issues were big in the first two years, with an emphasis on the growth of holiness in the second set of years.
Many other sites which are more famous than my little blog are now taking over themes, as people are waking up.
I really do not have to write about tribulation or persecution, as those issues are now painfully obvious.
I have written all I can write at this time on the way to perfection.
Lately, in my private studies, I have been reading about the overlap of mental illness and healthy spirituality. I am, as you regulars know, reading Father Chad Ripperger's monumental work.
In the past several months, what is obvious to me are these points, which have formed the background of so many posts.
1) People are becoming either better to best, or worse to worst. There is no longer any leisure for the middle ground among Catholic.
2) Many Catholics are bound up by sin and family sins, including curses and habits of sin. Those who are willing to break away and cooperate with the code-breakers will accept the Truth. Others will not.
3) The time of mercy is coming to an end, with the time of great tribulation looming.
4) We are all called to holiness. The remnant will and are responding. I meet saints daily, including three here in this area; true saints.
5) Community is a necessity. Where it does not happen, people will be truly isolated and caught in the midst of great evils
6) Those who are waking up are choosing the "better way" of Mary of Bethany-contemplation.
7) The nations of the world are becoming prisons, interfering with the freedom of travel of many, if not most citizens, either because of war and tensions, or new rules. We are losing freedoms daily.
8) Most priests miss the signs of the times and are not leading the sheep or feeding them as the sheep need.
9) Many people's lives will be changed in the next several months, so that the normal life of Catholicism we have experienced for years in free countries will seem like a happy dream.
10) I am not sure what else I can share, except that we must free the captives of sin NOW through prayer, action, suffering, penance.
Pray for me as I find the new direction to which God is calling me on the blog and off this blog.