SO Excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A reader just sent me Fr. Chad Ripperger's Introduction to The Science of Mental Health. It is truly a phenomenal book. Thanks, M!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0615815391/ref=asc_df_06158153913267467?smid=A2E9OWRCF7T08Y&tag=pgmp-1583-97-20&linkCode=df0&creative=395109&creativeASIN=0615815391

You can get it from Amazon above. Of course, I shall do a series on this book asap.

STM

Novella Six; ADCE; Part Five

Casey whispered, "Let me go on shore and look at this." Joe nodded. He did not mention that although they could see the cigarette tip, they could not smell smoke. Odd.

Joe steered the canal boat over to one side and Casey jumped out. The water was almost level to the ground, so the leap was easy.

In a few minutes, Joe heard voices shouting, "Hey, let me go. No, stop." Joe could clearly here young voices.

In a few minutes, Casey returned with two children, a boy about ten and a girl about eight. Joe could not help but smile.

They were dressed in old-fashioned clothes. Casey bundled the aboard while Joe hitched a line to one of the rusted links on the side of the canal.

"Smoking is not good for you," Joe said. "What are you doing out here in the dark, by yourselves, with cigarettes?"

The little girl spoke up, "Are you good guys or bad guys?" She looked like she was going to start to cry.

Joe said softly, "Good, I hope. Now, what are you doing out here alone/"

The boy spoke, while Casey got Father James and Jamie to come up and join the group.

"Our dad left us here. He drove until the car ran out of gas and this is as far as we got. We came from Canada, Arnold's camp."

Joe looked at Father James. "What happened?" The priest gave the children fruit and sandwiches. They wolfed down the food. "You'll be sick. Slow down," Father said.

Joe interrupted. "Let us all go below. Casey, move the canal boat out again and use the motor, but low. Are you kids really alone?"  The little girl began to cry. "Dad was going to get food for us. That was, maybe, four days ago. He never came back."

"OK, you are safe. Get below."

Casey moved the boat back into the middle of the canal and the rest of the group moved into the bunk area downstairs. Jamie put her arm around the little girl. The children were so cold.

"Here are some blankets. I can make hot chocolate."

The boy continued. "About a week ago, well, maybe six days ago, soldiers came into the camp from the Canadian side. Everyone was taken away, rounded up. We had been out on the lake with Dad in a boat, fishing. Dad pulled the boat into a small creek and under cover with over-hanging trees. He told us to lie down in the boat. For hours, we waited. Then, when it was night, we rowed back to the camp. No one was there, but Arnold's dog. Everyone was gone."

The little girl was crying. "We had to leave Mattie, the dog." Tammy, who was resting in a bunk, said, "I know, I had to leave my cat." The little girl looked at Tammy. Then, she walked over to the wounded woman. "Mattie was brown, with a white spot on her nose." Tammy talked to her about Sampson.

The boy went on. "Dad found a car with a tank full of gas. It has belonged to the Ellisons. He knew where they kept the keys. We took it. Dad said he wanted to take us to Vermont, to the next safe haven. But, Arnold's wasn't safe. So, how do we know the next one is?"

"We are that group," said Father James, and the two children stared at him. "In a boat?" The boy was truly surprised, but also, relieved.

"And the cigarettes?" Joe smiled. The boy squirmed. "Mr. Ellison had them in the car. Dad said to take them for bartering. I wanted to try one, but did not know what to do. I guess you saw the light."

Joe almost burst out laughing, "Well, I think God wanted us to find you. You will be safe with us, I promise. Now, let Jamie help you wash and get some sleep in the bunks."

The little girl, whose name was Naomi, asked, "Why is it so dark? Why is it so scary?"  Father said he did not know, but he would pray with them and after a while, have Mass. The children visibly relaxed. The boy, Thomas, said, "They took Father Andrew." Father James looked at Joe, "Andrew McManus, I know him. I did not know he was there."

Joe said it was Casey's turn for sleep. Father James went up to the tiller and Casey came down and threw himself on the floor in a sleeping bag. In minutes, he was asleep.

"Always can tell a real soldier," Joe thought and he went outside as well. Father James and Joe sat an angles against the back of the boat, Joe at one side and Father in the little seat for steering.

The darkness had not changed. "It was providential we found these children, Joe. Listen, coyote packs, and wolf packs are in this area. we are about to cross into Vermont. The lake is coming up soon."

The lake was at the end of the canal. They had been traveling almost twenty-one hours. Joe had let Father sleep for six hours. Casey would have less. Joe had not slept.

"This lake, is it deep enough to sink this boat? A boat left on a shore, or at the side of the canal, would be noticed."

Father answered, "Yes, I thought of that as well. All we need to do is open the drain holes and make more holes. We can first, of course, take all the necessary stuff off and pack the knapsacks. I have a small portable acetylene torch as well to make holes." Joe nodded. The entire journey would take at least another hour.

"How deep is the lake, Father?" The priest moved the tiller slightly. "No one knows, but this boat will not be noticed, especially in this darkness. Years ago, someone scuttled a small sailing boat in this lake and no one ever saw it again."

The hour passed quickly. Joe knew he would not get any sleep until they got to the old cabin. He could handle a few days without sleep. He had endured worse in Iraq.

"Well, I am going to take a very short cat-nap." Father said "Fine, but there is one more lock, you know. Coming up in about ten minutes."

Joe nodded. "I'll get Casey up to help."

to be continued...

Wormwood

I have been doing a little study on the word "wormwood" in the Bible. It has levels of meanings. I am not interested in futuristic interpretations, and, as a warning, we Catholics are not to do one to one correspondence with the symbols in Revelation and future events. The Catholic Church has done interpretations on these symbols. To read more into those than what Holy Mother Church allows is sinful pride.

However, I am interested in the translation from the Arabic and Hebrew, לענה (la'anah), which means "curse".  Before I expand on that theme, let me quote the Catholic Encyclopedia.

Absinthe

(Hebrew la'anah.)
Wormwood, known for its repulsive bitterness (Jeremiah 9:15; 23:15; Deuteronomy 29:18; Lamentations 3:19; Proverbs 5:4). Figuratively it stands for a curse or calamity (Lamentations 3:15), or also for injustice (Amos 5:7; 6:13). In Apocalypse 8:11, the Greek equivalent ho apsinthos is given as a proper name to the star which fell into the waters and made them bitter. The Vulgate renders the Hebrew expression by absinithium, except in Deuteronomy 29:18, where it translates it amaritudo. It seems that the biblical absinthe is identical with the Artemisia monosperma (Delile), or the Artemisia herba-alba (Asso); or, again, the Artemisia juidaica Linné. (See PLANTS IN BIBLE.) 

Wormwood as a curse is more in keeping with the struggles one sees in the lives of people who are trying to become holy. Curses are real and deadly. The Hebrews knew that a cursed family experienced bitterness, wormwood.

Curses come from anger, hatred, the occult, witchcraft and Masonry. Those who are under curses try to be good, try to become holy, but can feel, can sense something holding them back.

Bitterness is families can be the result of years of unforgiveness and resentment. Old grudeges not set aside can cause a life of bitterness. I have seen this is some families.

Often, these families have been literally bogged down by wormwood.

Daily Mass, Adoration and monthly, if not weekly, Confession, can change a life of bitterness into one of fruitfulness. But, it takes work and focus.

If one suspects wormwood in a family, seek out an excellent priest. Join the Auxilium Christianorum.

God is stronger than all evil. But, one has to choose life, not death, sweetness, not wormwood.

Novella Six: ADCE; Part Four

Joe prayed for a diversion and he got an answer. Six youths with Molotov cocktails attacked the police about half a mile up the street from the armored cars. "Go now, " he said to Jamie, Casey and Fr. James, who would go out at the maintenance door, into the back alley, to the canal, about twenty minutes to the west of the apartment. Jamie and Tammy had been instructed to leave their cell phones in the apartment, and Fr. James had left his at the rectory. Casey had "lost " his at the coffee shop. He had temporarily bought a new pay-as-you go with cash, but left that in the street in the opposite direction of the apartments. Joe had kept his for a reason. All trusted his military sense.

The three left quickly while the police fought with the six youths up the street. Shots were fired. Tear gas spread over the sidewalks. Joe took out masks for Tammy and himself. "Tam, I am going out for seven minutes exactly. If I am not back in that time, leave the same way as the others."

Tammy looked at him with teary eyes. "And, Sampson?" Joe smiled. "Take him with you in your arms, no cage, but if he wants to go, let him go."

Tammy hugged Joe and he left. She did not watch him go. In seven minutes, he was back. "Are you ready?" The police had shot all six of the youths and were moving back to their ground around the armored cars. "Yes, and I decided to let Sampson go on his own." Joe gently touched Tammy's arm. Joe told her to go downstairs to the kitchen and wait by the door. Tammy did as she was told. When she got to the door, she heard an enormous blast. Then, another blast. She was confused, but grabbed Samson and when Joe ran down the stairs, they left the apartment, ran to the back door, into the alley and down the side road to the canal. They were running in the dark, but a huge explosion lit the sky.

"Get down." Joe pushed Tammy to the ground by the side of the canal which jutted up against a small house. Samson finally wriggled out of Tammy's arms and ran away. "Don't worry. Animals have sense."

For a few minutes, Joe shielded the prone Tammy he has pushed into the grass on the side of the canal, then he said, "Go", and the two scrambled down some old stone steps to be level with the water. They ran along the side, then walked, moving west. They saw no one, but heard the sounds of sirens in the background. Moving quickly, the two reached a small bridge and crossed to the other side. Within twenty minutes, they were at the boat. It was dark, but Joe could just see the other three inside.

"Get down, all of you." They obeyed. For several minutes, they all laid on the floor of the canal boat until Joe gave the all clear word. "Use oars". Father James and Casey pushed the boat out from the moorings, and into the center of the canal. Jamie and Tammy stayed on the floor. After about a half hour in the dark moving north and then east, the two women could hear Joe chuckling. Father tended the tiller in the back of the boat.

Although they were afraid to talk,  the women's curiosity was too much to fight. "Joe, what did you do?"






Joe whispered. "Bombs, in the cells."  Tammy looked surprised.  Joe continued, "I put them in the cars. Sorry, ladies, I used your phones and mine. Nothing will be left of them or some other things."

Surprisingly, the entire trip out of the city went without a hitch. Joe passed out arms to all at this point.  But, just as they were entering true countryside, near the first lock, Joe saw movement on the shore. He had a large light, but did not want to use it. He crept up to Casey on the starboard side. "Do you see that?" He asked quietly. Casey grunted, "It's a cow." Father was in the back, still steering.

The cow followed the boat's course, and Joe thought this was not good. He knew, however, that if they tried to get rid of the cow. they would draw attention to themselves. They were entering the lock and wanted to get through quickly. Thankfully, they cleared that first hurdle and move up the canal, almost silently.

The cow moved off the side path bordering the canal and turned towards a field to the west. Then, the group heard a horrible sound. Coyotes. A pack attacked the cow. The men pushed the canal boat forward. Tammy thought of poor Sampson. Maybe the cat was safer in the city.

After two hours with oars, and moving through two more locks, Joe suggested using the motor. Also, he asked Father to say grace for a quick dinner. Hours had passed since they left the city and they were now in countryside marked only by old farms here and there, all dark, all silent.

After four hours, Father James said Mass and consecrated five Hosts. The two women said rosaries while clearing up, when suddenly, Joe yelled, "Get down". There on a small bridge about 200 feet away, several people were standing and pointing at the canal boat. They began to yell, "Get it. Hey, here, down here."

About seven people began moving from the bridge to both sides of the canal, three on one side and four on the other. One fired a shot into the window of the kitchen. Tammy caught the bullet with her leg.

"I'm hit. Oh." And she fell on the floor. Joe shot back and hit the man with the gun, who fell into the water with his pistol. Joe then turned to the other side, where some men, two, were trying to get onto the boat. Then, one jumped, and missed. Shouts came from both sides, "Back off, back off. We'll get more help."

All five thugs left moved away into the darkness."Get the engine going full speed." Joe ordered, then he went down into the kitchen. Tammy was crying and biting her lip until it bled. A bullet had scraped her left leg, but did not go into it. Joe gave her some pain killers and tended the wound.

"Jamie, stay down on the floor with her. And wrap her up so that she does not go into shock. Give here more of this if she needs it."

The two women remained on the floor. The three small lights of the kitchen had been turned off by Joe when the trouble started. "Keep in the dark, " Joe whispered.

He went out to Casey and Father, who was steering the boat. "Use your weapons if you have to..." He said sternly. He could hear, in the darkness, men calling. "Father, I think the next bridge is about an hour away, am I correct?" Father James answered, "Yes, and it is, thankfully, full of holes. It would be hard to use it, especially in the dark."

"Well, keep an outlook. Casey, use the rifle if you have to before they get to the bridge."

Casey agreed.

Joe went back downstairs and stared at Tammy. She was "out". "Good", he said. "The pain meds will make her sleep. Are you OK, Jamie?" Joe was thinking of his promise to take care of Jamie on pain of death he had made to Derek. "I'm fine." Joe looked at her gun. "You know how to use this."

Jamie whispered, "Yes," but she really did not want to do so. She sat on the floor holding Tammy in her arms. She prayed.

An hour passed. The bridge with the holes loomed ahead in the dark. It was painted white. Joe could make out about seven men again. He laid down in the bow of the boat. No one could see him. Three of the men had weapons. He aimed at the closest one's right hand. He waited. A shot rang out just over Casey's right ear. Joe shot the hand of that assailant. Then, another shot whizzed past Father James at the tiller, in the back, and hit the side of the boat. "Amateurs." Joe muttered,and shot that man, who fell through a hole in the bridge. The rest scattered, but two went to either side of the canal and ran alongside the boat. One person shot again, and just hit the chimney coming out of the kitchen. Joe responded.

All ran away. Father James stood up and prayed over the water where four men had ended their lives in the two skirmishes. Casey moved over to Joe, who was standing up. "I did not expect this."

"I did. People will panic in this darkness and steal anything. There are four more locks and four more bridges. Father, go into quarters and get some sleep. I shall take over the tiller. In two hours, Casey it will be your turn to rest."

Father came over and blessed Joe. "I am tired. But, I want to be with Tammy when she wakes up."

At the next four locks, nothing happened. Once, Joe saw lights being carried in the distance. No one approached the canal for hours. Strangely, there was not one light in the sky. And, there were no stars. A cover of cloud pressed over the area still. Joe could hardly make out hills, or trees, or fields.

"What do you make of this darkness, Joe?" Casey asked. Joe had passed sandwiches and juice over to Casey. "It is not smoke. It is weird. I do not think the army or any of the forces could make this."

"So, what is it?" Casey felt nervous as if he knew the answer. "It is something other worldly, Casey. It is not natural." The darkness lay like a blanket over the entire area, maybe over all the United States. There was nothing chemical about this darkness. Joe leant back against the back of the boat and thought.

Then, he saw, in the distance, the lit end of a cigarette. "Casey," he whispered. "Get ready." Casey fingered his rosary in one hand and a pistol in the other. Joe held onto the tiller with his left hand, and quickly cocked his rifle in his right hand. He watched the small, red fire on his left. He had a strange thought. He wondered what Derek was doing at this time.

To be continued...

Novella Six: And Darkness Covered The Earth; Part Three

Part of the key to Casey's plan involved bribery. He carried all the money, almost a quarter of a million in various bills. He had been taking money out for months, and closed his account just before the banks closed, and the ATMs went down.

Money may or may not be worth anything, but Casey knew the hearts of men could be swayed by money. He also had the women give him all their jewels. Jamie turned over her engagement ring immediately. "No, wear it for now. I'll let you know when I need it." Casey kissed Jamie on the forehead. 

In the small group, an order of roles had been arranged months before this day.

Joe was the natural and appointed leader. He had the weapons and the experience. Casey was in charge of the cash. All jokingly called him "the Bankster." Tammy was in charge of the bug-out bags and the camo clothes, and Jamie was in charge of Father James, who was to be protected down to the last "man".  Jamie, of course, Miss Organization, had helped Tammy with the stuff in the bags, but her duty was to be the shield and guard for the priest. Father, of course, was to be the spiritual adviser and confessor to the small group, and when they reached the safe haven, if they did, Father would say Mass for all who has made it there. Others knew where to go months ago.

No one was thinking that far ahead at this time. One of the odd ways to get away, planned by Casey, was the old canal which cut through the old city. It ran north-south, in one direction and east-west in the other,and had been built as a connection to the old large canals. In the summer, vacationers rented canal boats and traveled north the sixty to seventy miles of canal into a smallish lake bordering Canada, or south about two-hundred miles out of the state at an angle into Vermont. At this time of year, boats would be rare and the group knew they could be obvious from the narrow canal to the shores, especially when going through the many locks. They had practiced a run both ways last summer, taking a holiday together. Casey and Joe voted for Vermont, but Jamie and Tammy had voted for Canada. Father James was the deciding vote for Vermont.

Joe had purchased a boat and stocked with two months supply of fuel, blankets, clothes, meds, food and ammo for six people. He was not sure the plan would work, but there were two possible safe havens established at either end of the canal.

One was just over the lake into Canada, a medium sized camping ground full of Catholics, who over the years had bought sites there. The camp grounds was run by Arnold Mead, an old Navy man and one with a special gift of discernment, as well as a great sense of humor.

Captain Mead only had one stipulation for those buying camp grounds. One was that the owners to be had to be practicing Catholics, and two, as he did criminal checks on all of them, they had to be willing to pay for the check, and do it. With children in the camp, Arnold adopted the role of the commander of safety. Twelve families were already there with about ten children. They wanted Father James to join them. But, the group vote had pushed the decision to go to Vermont, which became a sign to all. Arnold and company would have to do without this particular priest. All this had been decided about three months before this day of darkness.

The so-called safe haven in Vermont was much less organized. There was no Arnold and no camping facilities. There was no lake, no propane gas, no septic tanks, nothing but trees and small openings in the trees. But, the advantage was that Father James owned the property. He, as an only child, had inherited it from his parents. On one small plot of flat land was an ancient log cabin. Once, there had been a working well, but a stream did fall from some hills onto the property and a small pond held this water. The water was good, clean, cold. Sometimes fish found a way into the cold pond.

Jamie also had wanted to go to Arnold's because the campsite was closer to F. D., where Derek was stationed, at least for now. She knew that her reasoning was not completely objective. She sighed just once, and then, plunged into the new plans for Vermont with a passion.

Of course, the most dangerous part of the plan was getting out of the city. Once at the canal, one had to take a chance of boarding the canal boat and then chugging up the canal, or even quietly using side oars. Danger surrounded each step, but try they would, for the sake of Father James and future Catholics. The Church must carry on, and this little group of the Church Militant had determined to set up a chapel wherever they stayed.

Now, as Joe looked out the window at the armored cars, he noticed a hole in the barriers. Two blocks on the right, barriers had been pushed aside and not straightened. He watched the police carefully. Once in awhile, one would leave the group and move through the hole into complete darkness. After many minutes, even a half-hour, the man would return with boxes. Supplies? Lunch? Joe watched.

Jamie and Tammy had changed into camos. Two reasons had been suggested by Joe for this garb-one was to confuse soldiers into letting Jamie and Tammy by at a distance, and, second, because camos did work to a point. Father James was offered camos at first, but decided on civies. He said he could never pass as a soldier, and right he was. He looked and acted like a professor of philosophy.

Casey worn normal street clothes, dark jacket and jeans and Joe wore camos. He felt at home in his old gear

Now, the plan was to watch the movements of the police to try and find both the time and way to escape the apartment block. Joe noticed that some guys from downstairs, two known to the women, had tried to leave with bug-out bags and were forced back in. No one was hurt, but all were virtual prisoners.

Joe wondered why the police were not doing door to door searches. Then, it dawned on him. They had no reason to search. The populace of the city were all the enemies now. All were under curfew and martial law.

to be continued...

Novella Six: And Darkness Covered The Earth; Part Two

Jamie's phone made a tweeting sound. It was odd the phone company was still working. She looked down in the dark at the green screen. "One month" It was from Derek.

Joe was looking out the window at the streets. Hundreds of people had poured into the darkness about two hours after they had come to the apartment of Jamie and Tammy. But, the police had herded everyone into vehicles or forced them to go indoors again. Some young people threw stones, but the police responded with tear gas. Now, the streets were empty again, except for the police.

"Derek better be careful. Send him a text not to text." Joe spoke firmly. Jamie answered. "I just did. We know now and he does not have to text again. He won't."

One month. One month of terror and military rule. It was all planned. The intercom buzzed. Joe asked, "Are you expecting anyone?" Jamie and Tammy shook their heads. Casey said "Tammy, answer it, but remember we are not here."

Tammy stood in front of the little screen. The camera had been broken by vandals months ago, but the microphone worked. "Yes? Who is it, please?" Tammy tried to sound natural, "Fr. James", was the garbled answer.

She pushed the button to open the door and within minutes, a priest was walking through the apartment door. "Father, are you alright?" Jamie saw his scared face and dirty black cassock. "It was stupid of me to leave in a cassock, stupid."

"Well, we have clothes for you here, you know." Tammy said quietly.

Father James opened a small cases. "I took all the Consecrated Hosts from the tabernacle. We must consume these, now. Are you all in the state of grace?" All said yes, but Casey.

"OK, Casey, let us go into the next room and I shall hear your Confession."

A few minutes later, a humbled Casey and Fr. James came back into the kitchen. Father said some prayers, in Latin, like those before Communion in the Mass and all four received the Hosts.

The five remained quiet and prayerful for a half-hour, then Jamie spoke up. "Father, come upstairs and wash and change. We are all going soon and you, of course, are coming with us. "

"I locked the church up. I hope they leave it alone." No one said anything. Looters were already smashing windows on the main street, fighting with police. No doubt the Catholic Church would be virtually destroyed.

Father returned looking like a college professor in a rather old sweater, and chinos. He was even wearing a wedding ring. "Well," he joked, as the women looked at it, " I am married to the Bride of Christ." They all smiled.

"Get down, now." Casey yelled. A long beam of light came into the windows where the women had pulled open the blinds. It pierced the darkness like a sword, sinister, bluish white.

All five had laid on the wooden floors, flat, and Sampson had to move from its place under the table, as Casey pushed Father there. The light swerved around the rooms for about five minutes and then disappeared.

"Were you followed, Father?" They all stood up. "I did not think so." The priest sounded apologetic.

"It was probably just routine, Casey, " said Joe. "But, now we know where they are..."

Joe stood to the side of one window. He could see three armored vehicles with lights on about a quarter of a mile down the street. Several men stood around the tank-like machines. One was smoking.

"I would love to hit him," Joe said. "You are no longer a soldier, Joe," cautioned Father James.

"Move away from the window and let us all go upstairs and sit on the floor between the bed in Jamie's room and the upstairs veranda doors." Joe spoke, as an ex-Marine, he knew they all knew who the leader of the group was, and they all followed him upstairs. Even old Sampson followed, as if it wanted to be with people.

"Can't we at least take him into the country, " whined Tammy. "He won't be eaten there."

Joe spoke quietly, "Let me think about it, Tam."

to be continued....

Novella Six: And Darkness Covered The Earth; Part One

Tammy reached over to turn off her alarm. She thought she had overslept, but the green numbers stared out of the darkness, 5:30 am. Pulling her covers around her, as the room was still chilly from the falling temperatures, Tammy turned on the bedside light. It was dark, too dark. "Must be a storm," she murmured. She half listened for the shower, as her roommate was usually up before her feet hit the cold floor.

Sampson rolled off the bed. Tammy's old cat, big and fat like a stuffed sausage, slept at her feet, as it had for ten years. Tammy walked over to the window, as Sampson waddled out of the bedroom, down the wooden stairs, to find out if Jamie had set out breakfast.

Jamie always fed Sampson before making coffee and taking her shower. She was raised on a farm and the animals were fed first, then the family.

Tammy heard the shower. "Jamie must be running late," the younger woman thought. Tammy pulled the blinds and looked out over the grass boulevard in front of her apartment. It was pitch black outside, unnatural, creepy. She reached over and turned on the radio. Nothing. She looked at the plug. The plug was firmly in the socket.

Tammy then shuffled over to her computer and turned it on. The weather was on her desktop.

When the computer came up, the Network was down. "Blast it," she muttered. Tammy slipped on her robe and matching slippers and crept down the wooden stairs to the kitchen. Sampson was eating and did not bother to look up at her.

Tammy's phone was on the counter, next to the television. As she turned on the television, she also turned on her phone. A text came up on her home page. It was from Derek.

"Told u this wd happen. Off to FD." Tammy felt chilled and sick. She looked out the back window into the patio. Such blackness she had never witnessed.

The television screen had a message. "Signal not found." As the message bounced about her blue screen, Tammy looked at her phone again. The Net was down on the phone, but there were three texts. The last was Derek's. The second to the last was from Casey. "Gone to SC. Plan B."

Tammy knew what that meant. Why did Casey know something was up and why did he not tell her? Maybe there was no time.

Tammy felt like she would throw-up. She took a soda out of the fridge. She looked at the third text.

"P assassinated. On to the group." Tammy sat down in one of her bright green chairs. Jamie always made the kitchen homey in the morning is this apple green kitchen, all retro and spanking clean.

The last text was from Joe. She knew what this meant. They had been talking about the crisis in California just two nights ago at Costa Coffee. Joe had warned her. "Someone will do something stupid," he said. And, they had.

So, all the guys had deserted her. Joe was off, Casey gone, and Derek called up from the reserves. Man, so fast, so fast.

Jamie called down, "Hey did you see the blackness outside? No lights anywhere. Power outage, again." Tammy slowly got up and stood at the bottom of the wooden stairs. She called up the staircase, "Yes, Jamie and the guys are all gone."

Jamie appeared at the top of the stairs with wet hair, drying it with her white towel. "All three, gone?"

"Yep, check your phone to see if you have texts. There is no television and no radio. A blackout."

"I did not think it would happen this soon, " mumbled Jamie as she went into her bedroom for her phone.

"Yep, one text from each one, but the Net is down."

"Hold on while I get dressed, Tammy." Within minutes, Jamie, looking like a model, perfectly dressed for work, was standing in the kitchen reaching for coffee.

"One from Joe, which is mysterious. One from Derek, who is called up, and one from Casey, who has bugged out."

"I hate that, " Tammy cried. "Bugging out without telling us." Just then, the intercom buzzed. Jamie answered.

"Hey, we are here, Casey and Joe, let us in." Jamie looked over her shoulder at Tammy as if to reprimand her for her lack of faith in friendship. She pushed the buzzer and in two minutes the two men were at the door. They were dressed for traveling.

"There are police everywhere. We only got past because Joe knows two of the guys."

"Derek has been called up," said Jamie, while Tammy gave both men a short hug. "Boy, am I glad to see you. I am scared, I admit it."

"Well, it is scary. Martial law, blackout and no traffic. All cars are being stopped. Some of the highways are shut down completely. Do you have anything to eat? We have been up all night, talking." Joe was rummaging through the fridge. "Help yourself to anything you can find. Today was shopping day, so there's not much. How did you know?"

Casey spoke first, "I can't tell you. I knew last night and phoned Joe, and he came over after taking out all our money. The ATMS are empty. He got to the bank ten minutes before closing and lied, saying we were moving." Joe and Casey, as brothers, shared accounts, although they lived at different addresses.

"Luckily, we could take out most, but not all. The banks have limits. We went back to the ATMs this morning on our way and every last one was shut down."

"Great," said Tammy, "And I only have about forty dollars in my wallet."

Jamie spoke up, "I had a premonition four days ago and over the last several days took out my max each day. I have two-thousand."

Joe smiled. "My psychic sister," and he beamed. "Well, it may not help, but between us and Tammy's widow's mite we have quite a bit but we need to talk about the next step. As the bridges are closed and the highways, which we anticipated, we have to take country roads, all the B roads, if we can get to those. There are not enough police or highway patrol to cover all of them. We have a plan."

Casey interrupted, "Let us eat first, before the electricity goes out. Look there are four dinners in the freezer. Nuke those and make more coffee. please, Jamie."

She did and Joe noticed she was dressed for work. "Silly girl, you look like a model and we have to be walking miles today. You will have to change." The four ate in silence and watched Sampson curl up under the table. "We can't take him, you know." Casey spoke quietly.

Both young women looked at each other. They could not speak.

"OK, here is our plan," Joe interrupted the sad thoughts on purpose. Then, as suspected, the electricity went out and the four were in the dark. "Should we use flashlights now?" Jamie was practical, as ever. "No, save those. We can just see each other and we can hear each other.. So, listen."

Tammy interrupted this time, "Before we start, do we have time for a rosary?"

"Absolutely," answered Casey, and the four prayed...Jamie reminded them, "Please, let us pray for Derek." Joe put his hand on Jamie's shoulder. Derek was her fiance, and now he was back at F.D.

to be continued... 

Monday Posts

Will not be on until later.... in the meantime. go get this movie and watch it.

A Plea to Dear Readers

One of my readers helped me with some of the Net financing, but it is not enough. If any readers can help, please do. I honestly will not be able to keep up the blog without financial help for the Net payments.

Do not send me adverts for cheap net. My phone does not work where I am living and only satellite is available here, and only one company. 

Also, if anyone can send the books listed here to a certain sem, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks for praying and helping if you can. My next series is going to be on Our Lady and her many titles, God willing.

And, a big thanks to the reader in Texas for the help towards the Net bill.

From A Friend

I cannot pass up this comment. A male friend of mine said today that podding for men is Biblical. "Iron sharpens iron", he noted.


Catholic laymen, stop waiting.

A Culture of Lies

Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Second Person in the Blessed Trinity warned us:

 Matthew 24:22

²² And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened.

Throughout history, Catholics have experienced persecution. In the past one-hundred plus years, persecution of all denominations of Christians has increased and become worse.

We see daily the increase of those who hate Christianity wreaking havoc on communities in the Middle East, Africa. and through suppressive laws in all Western countries. 

The culture of lies hides the truth about killings throughout the world. Journalist James Foley was a Catholic. He possibly was saying the rosary at the time of his death. Pope Francis has called him a martyr.

The culture of lies in the US and in Europe can spin webs concerning why the Islamic militants are killing innocent people, civilians, children. Spinning lies in the media about killings being in retaliation for foreign intervention hides the reality of the motivation of the killers.

Several weeks ago, one militant stated on twitter that Rome was next. The secularists simply do not understand religious-based hatred of Christianity. The secular media consistently misses or purposefully distorts the Truth.

Even though most Americans are no longer practicing Christians, holding anti-Christian ideals such as abortion, contraception, consumerism, and falling into grievous sins of greed and lust, those outside of America still see the US as the most powerful Christian country in the world. Our entire country was, at one time, imbued with Christian principles of freedom and faith.

To lie about the real hatred of God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit does not help to bring about peace, and hinders understanding of what is happening abroad.

The building of the caliphate is a reality for millions of people on this earth, not merely militaristic jargon. Many years ago, I heard an honest statement from a woman on television the day after 9/11. A Muslim woman, who worked for some think-tank on Muslim affairs, was being interviewed and she stated plainly that the goal of Islam was to put the entire earth under the rule of Allah and Muslim law. I never saw her again on television. She spoke the plain truth from her point of view.

Truth is suppressed when people blind themselves by sin and corruption. I pray that Catholics learn history, look at their own heritage of truth, and begin to question the culture of lies.

Otherwise, we shall all fall into chaos, as the Father of Lies wants as many people to go to hell as possible. Chaos and lying hold hands. Do not succumb to the culture of lies.

There is only one way for all men to be saved and to be "good", and that is through Jesus Christ. There is no other way. God told us this.

  

John 14:1-9

14 Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me.

² In my Father's house there are many mansions. If not, I would have told you: because I go to prepare a place for you.

³ And if I shall go, and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will take you to myself; that where I am, you also may be.

⁴ And whither I go you know, and the way you know.

⁵ Thomas saith to him: Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

⁶ Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me.

⁷ If you had known me, you would without doubt have known my Father also: and from henceforth you shall know him, and you have seen him.

⁸ Philip saith to him: Lord, shew us the Father, and it is enough for us.

⁹ Jesus saith to him: Have I been so long a time with you; and have you not known me? Philip, he that seeth me seeth the Father also. How sayest thou, shew us the Father?

Praying in God's Will

One thing those who pray for a long time learn is that efficacious prayer is that which is and has been in God's Will for all eternity.  When one prays in the Will of God, one's prayers are answered.

When a specific prayer is not answered, however, many reasons can come to bear upon that unanswered prayer.

Many Catholics who pray forget two things: one, sadly, there are people who choose evil and not good, daily, consistently. And, two, we all have free will.

Some people do not want God in their lives, nor do they want God's Will in their lives. Those who choose to go against the graces which God gives them block prayers. Free will trumps our prayers for some people. We can pray for their wills to turn to God.

Yes, people choose evil. Why they do this is another question, but choosing evil is a way of life for many, perhaps the majority, of those who walk the earth.

I pray daily for people who have left the Church, and for some who have not been converted, yet. I pray and will not give up praying for them. My own persistence in prayer could be a sign of God's  Will.

Prayer changes us as well. Many times, I have begun a long stretch of prayer and changed the intention along the way, learning that my original intention was not God's Will. Finding out God's Will in prayer takes persistence and the setting aside of one's own will.

Pray and do not grow weary in prayer. Pray that God's Will be done in all things.

It is not God's Will that anyone dies in sin or goes to hell. But, people do choose such an end.

"Why" questions may be useless. What is important is the dying of self, of one's own world view and replacing the ego with God's Will.

Such is the mark of the Dark Night.

"Lieutenant of God on Earth"

Sainte-Chapelle-InteriorCC BY-SA 3.0

Michael D. Hill Jr. - Own work from Wiki

St. Louis is a star layman in the Church Triumphant. I highly suggest reading a biography of this great saint. His mother and regent said to him, "I would rather see you dead at my feet than guilty of a mortal sin." Louis took this statement seriously.

This man gives us an example of a real leader among leaders, creating justice in his realm, encouraging the arts, fighting and giving his life for the beleaguered Catholics in the Holy Land.

Statue of Louis IX, Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre, Paris 2009CC BY 2.0

Larry Johnson - Flickr: Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, Paris Wiki

We celebrate his feast day tomorrow. He was a king, soldier, law-maker, patron of the arts, husband, father, personal carer of the poor and ill, including lepers, servant of God.  I have put a link to one short biography of him for you here.

Read, Study Maccabees

Family Idolatry or The Church?

Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, had many things to say about division. Just look in Mark, Luke and Matthew, in the passages on the separation of the sheep and goats, and the turning of family members against other family members.

Mark, 13:12

And the brother shall betray his brother unto death, and the father his son; and children shall rise up against the parents, and shall work their death.

Luke 12:53

The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against his father, the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother, the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Matthew 25:31-46

³¹ And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty.

³² And all nations shall be gathered together before him, and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats:

³³ And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.

³⁴ Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

When I returned from Europe to the States, one thing which struck me, which I had not noticed before, was the fact that so many Catholics were idolizing their families.

Their families were more important that the Catholic communities, than Catholic teaching, than Catholic culture and practice. Their families took them away from activities or socializing with Catholics who could help them be stronger and holier.

Finally, I saw wives giving in to the pagan practices of their families and husbands to theirs instead of listening to the holy spouse God had given them.

Why has this happened? Why the deceit that one can bring one's family to God? Why the compromising on such a large scale?

The Kingdom of God is the Church. And the Church Militant is made up of those who fight for the truth of the Catholic Faith.

We may not share this vision, this grace with our siblings, or even parents.

In fact, I see husbands giving in to wives who want to spend too much on luxury items, going out, and so on, when these men know God is calling the family to more prayer and simplicity.

I see wives giving in to husbands on the issue of contraception.

I see husbands not wanting to confront the occult or new age practices they see their wives are doing.

I see wives not speaking to their husbands about pornography.

Husbands and wives are to bring each other to heaven. That is the main reason God brought them together.

If a family gets in the way of that process on purpose, by the strength of old sins, such as involvement in the occult, Freemasonry, lax Catholicism, the wife or husband must step in and help the other one break away from lives of sin.

How this is done takes prayer, patience, tact, but always the truth.

I have written about podding and building community before the really hard times hit. Some people have written or phoned me to say that they want to do this, for their own sake, the sake of the children and the spouse, but the other half of the couple does not.

If it is the man who wants to do so, the Catholic woman owes him obedience. If it is the woman who wants to grow deeper in holiness, she must pray, but never sin.

Family idolatry is rife. Our families do not save us, God does. Many saints had holy parents, but some did not.

The day St. Damien of Molokai told his father he wanted to be a priest, his father grew angry and said "no". The next morning, the father told him to get into the farm cart, said nothing else, drove the young man to the seminary, and dropped him off. The father never spoke with the saint again.

In my own family, one member, a father, never spoke to his daughter after she entered the convent. Never.

We need to make choices daily. Some need to break away from consumerist, materialistic families. Some need to break away from negative families. Some need to break away from families involved in the occult, or power, or abuse.

I cannot save those in my family who have fallen away. Only God can. I love them and pray for them daily. But, no family member will take me away from the path of holiness.

Can you say the same? Are you caught up in family idolatry? Would you die for Christ when your family may decide not to do so?

Some times the sin of the family is pride. 

We make choices daily, little choices, which lead to bigger ones.

Let me remind you of this from the Bible:

Thursday, 1 August 2013

The Mother of the Seven Brothers

Posted by Supertradmum

The Feast of the Maccabean Martyrs. August 1st

In the Orthodox Church of Syria, as in our Catholic Church, the mother of the seven martyred sons and her offspring are honoured as saints. Their relics are in St. Andrew's in Cologne.  I have come across variations of the spelling of her name, but the most common among the Syrian Churches, including the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church is St. Solomonia or Solomoni. Her body is apparently incorrupt, which would deny the story that she was burned to death, but here is a photo of her coffin.

Patriarchal Church of Saint George in Constantinople

The names of the young men reveal several odd national names. These are Abim, Antonius, Gurias, Eleazar, Eusebonus, Alimus and Marcellus. according to Syrian tradition. See 2 Maccabees, Chapter 7

They were brutally, sadistically martyred in 166 BC. What I find fascinating is that several Doctors of the Church have sermons on these martyrs, but that they are virtually ignored today. St Cyprian of Carthage, St Ambrose of Milan, St Gregory Nazianzus and St John Chrysostom all spoke of them. All these facts are from the link under the coffin photo. However, when I was in Tyburn, I found another bit of writing about these martyrs with an older version of the name of the mother. When I find those notes, I shall share that name.

But, here, from the same site, is the complete sermon from St Cyprian, which I reproduce, as it is timely.

Saint Cyprian of Carthage: On Martyrdom and the Maccabees

That it was predicted before that the world would hate us, and that it would stir up persecutions against us, and that no new thing is happening to the Christians—for from the beginning of the world the good have suffered, and the righteous have been oppressed and slain by the unrighteous.

St. Cyprian of Carthage.The Lord in the Gospel forewarns and foretells, saying: If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also (Jn. 15:18–20). And again: The time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you (Jn. 16:2–4). And again: Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy (Jn. 16:20). And again: These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (Jn. 16:33).

And when His disciples questioned Him concerning the sign of His coming, and the consummation of the world, He answered, saying: And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Mt. 24:4–31). Thus, these things that are now happening to Christians are not new or sudden; since the good and righteous, and those who are devoted to God in the law of innocence and the fear of true religion, advance always through afflictions, wrongs, the severe and manifold penalties of troubles, and in the hardship of a narrow path.

Thus, at the very beginning of the world, righteous Abel was the first to be slain by his brother. Jacob was driven into exile, Joseph was sold, and king Saul persecuted the merciful David. King Ahab endeavored to oppress Elias, who firmly and bravely asserted the majesty of God. Zacharias the priest was slain between the temple and the altar, that he himself might become a sacrifice there, where he was accustomed to offer sacrifices to God. So many martyrdoms of the righteous have, in fact, often been celebrated; so many examples of faith and virtue have been set forth to future generations. The three youths, Ananias, Azarias, and Misäel, equal in age, agreeing in love, steadfast in faith, constant in virtue, stronger than the flames and penalties that urged them, proclaim that they only obey God, that they know Him alone, that they worship Him alone, saying: “O king Nebuchodonosor, there is no need for us to answer thee in this matter. For the God whom we serve is able to deliver us out of the furnace of burning fire; and He will deliver us from thy hands, O king. And if not, be it known unto thee, that we do not serve thy gods, and we do not adore the golden image which thou hast set up.”(Dan. 3:16–18). And Daniel, devoted to God, and filled with the Holy Spirit, exclaims and says: “I worship nothing but the Lord my God, who founded heaven and the earth.” Tobias also, although under a royal and tyrannical slavery, yet free in feeling and spirit, maintains his confession to God, and sublimely announces both the divine power and majesty, saying: “In the land of my captivity I confess to Him, and I show forth His power in a sinful nation.” Tob. 13:6.

What, indeed, do we find in the Maccabees of seven brethren, equals alike in their lot of birth and virtues, filling up the number seven in the sacrament of a perfected completion? Seven brethren were thus associated in martyrdom. As the first seven days in the divine arrangement containing seven thousand years,[1]as the seven spirits and seven angels which stand and go in and out before the face of God, the seven-branched lamp in the tabernacle of witness, the seven golden candlesticks in the Apocalypse, and the seven columns in Solomon upon which Wisdom built her house—so here also the number seven of the brethren, embracing, in the quantity of their number, the seven churches, as likewise in the first book of Kings we read that the barren hath borne seven. And in Isaiah, seven women lay hold on one man, whose name they ask to be called upon them. And the Apostle Paul, who refers to this lawful and certain number, writes to the seven churches. And in the Apocalypse, the Lord directs His divine and heavenly precepts to the seven churches and their angels, which number is now found in this case, in the seven brethren, that a lawful consummation may be completed. With the seven children is manifestly associated also the mother, their origin and root, who subsequently begat seven churches, she herself having been first, and alone founded upon a rock. Nor is it of no account that in their sufferings the mother alone is with her children. For martyrs who witness themselves as the sons of God in suffering are now no more counted as of any father but God, as in the Gospel the Lord teaches, saying, And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven (Mt. 23:9).

But what utterances of confessions did they herald forth! How illustrious, how great proofs of faith did they afford! The king Antiochus, their enemy—yea, in Antiochus Antichrist was set forth—sought to pollute the mouths of martyrs, glorious and unconquered in the spirit of confession, with the contagion of swine’s flesh. When he had severely beaten them with whips and yet could prevail nothing, he commanded iron plates to be heated, and when the plates had been made to glow, he commanded him who had spoken first, and who had most provoked the king by the constancy of his virtue and faith, to be brought up and roasted, his tongue that had confessed God having first been pulled out and cut off—this happened the more gloriously to the martyr. For the tongue which had confessed the name of God ought itself first to go to God. Then, sharper pains were devised for the second—before he tortured the other limbs, he tore off his scalp with the hair, doubtless with a purpose in his hatred. For since Christ is the head of the man, and God is the head of Christ, he who tore the head of the martyr was persecuting God and Christ in that head. But he, trusting in his martyrdom, and promising to himself the reward of resurrection from the retribution of God, exclaimed and said, “Thou indeed impotently destroyest us out of this present life; but the King of the world will raise us up, who die for His laws, unto the eternal resurrection of life.” (2 Macc. 7:9 [Heb. 11:35.]) When the third was challenged, he quickly put forth his tongue; for he had learned from his brother to despise the punishment of cutting off the tongue. Moreover, he firmly held forth his hands to be cut off, greatly happy about such a mode of punishment, since it was his lot to imitate the form of his Lord’s passion, by stretching forth his hands. And also the fourth, with like virtue, despised the tortures and answered, to restrain the king, with a heavenly voice exclaiming, said, “It is better that those who are given to death by men should wait for hope from God, to be raised up by Him again to eternal life. For to thee there shall be no resurrection to life”(2 Macc. 7:14). The fifth, besides treading underfoot the torments of the king, and his severe and various tortures, animated by the strength of faith to prescience and knowledge of future events by the Spirit of divinity, foretold the wrath of God to the king, and the vengeance that should swiftly follow. “Having power,” said he, “among men, though thou art corruptible, thou doest what thou wilt. But think not that our race is forsaken of God. Abide, and see His great power, how He will torment thee and thy seed.” (2 Macc. 7:16). What alleviation that was to the martyr! How substantial a comfort it was in his sufferings not to consider his own torments, but to predict the penalties of his tormentor!

But in the sixth, not his bravery only, but also his humility, is to be set forth. The martyr claimed nothing to himself, nor even made an account of the honor of his own confession with proud words, but rather ascribed it to his sins that he was suffering persecution from the king, while he attributed to God that afterwards he should be avenged. He taught that martyrs are modest, that they were confident of vengeance, and boasted nothing in their suffering. “Do not,” said he, “needlessly err; for we on our own account suffer these things, as sinning against our God. But think not thou that thou shalt be unpunished, who darest to fight against God.” (2 Macc. 7:18). Also the admirable mother, who, neither broken down by the weakness of her sex, nor moved by her manifold bereavement, looked upon her dying children with cheerfulness, and did not reckon those things to be punishments of her darlings, but glories, giving as great a witness to God by the virtue of her eyes, as her children had given by the tortures and suffering of their limbs; when, after the punishment and slaying of six, there remained one of the brethren, to whom the king promised riches, and power, and many things, that his cruelty and ferocity might be soothed by the satisfaction of even one being subdued. He asked the mother to entreat that her son might be cast down with herself. She entreated, but as befitting a mother of martyrs—as befitting one who was mindful of the law and of God—as befitting one who loved her sons not delicately, but bravely. For she entreated that he would confess God. She entreated that this one would not be separated from his brothers in the alliance of praise and glory—then only would she consider herself the mother of seven sons, if she should bring forth seven sons not to the world, but to God.

Coptic Fragment of Maccabees

Therefore arming him, and strengthening him, and so bearing her son by a more blessed birth, she said, “O son, pity me that bare thee ten[2] months in the womb, and gave thee milk for three years, and nourished thee and brought thee up to this age; I pray thee, O son, look upon heaven and the earth; and having considered all the things which are in them, understand that out of nothing God made these things and the human race. Therefore, O son, do not fear that executioner; but being made worthy of thy brethren, receive death, that in the same mercy I may receive thee with thy brethren.” (2 Macc. 7:27). The mother’s praise was great in her exhortation to virtue, but greater in the fear of God and in the truth of faith, that she promised nothing to herself or her son from the honor of the six martyrs, nor believed that the prayer of the brothers would avail for the salvation of one who should deny, but rather persuaded him to become a sharer in their suffering, that in the day of judgment he might be found with his brethren. After this the mother also dies with her children. There was nothing more befitting than that she who had borne and made martyrs should be joined in the fellowship of glory with them, and that she herself should follow those whom she had sent before to God.

And lest any should embrace the wicked part of deceivers when the opportunity either of a certificate or of any such matter is offered to him whereby he may deceive, let us not be silent also about Eleazar, who, when the ministers of the king offered him an opportunity to pretend to receive the flesh which was allowable for him to eat, in order to mislead the king [into thinking] that he ate those things which were forced upon him from the sacrifices and unlawful meats, would not consent to this deception, saying that it was fitting neither for his age nor nobility to feign it, for others would be scandalized and led into error. They might think that Eleazar, being ninety years old, had left and betrayed the law of God, and had gone over to the manner of aliens. It was not of so much consequence to gain the short moments of life, and so incur eternal punishment from an offended God. And having been long tortured, and finally reduced to extremity, dying in the midst of stripes and tortures, he groaned and said, “O Lord, that hast holy knowledge, it is manifest that although I might be delivered from death, I suffer the severest pains of body, being beaten with scourges; but with my mind, on account of Thy fear, I willingly suffer these things.”(2 Macc. vi. 30). Surely his faith was sincere, and his virtue sound and abundantly pure, not to have regarded king Antiochus, but God to be Judge, and to have known that it could not avail him for salvation if he should mock and deceive man when God, who is the judge of our conscience and who only is to be feared, cannot at all be mocked nor deceived.

If, therefore, we also live as dedicated and devoted to God—if we make our way over the ancient and sacred footsteps of the righteous, let us go through the same proofs of sufferings, the same testimonies of passions, considering the glory of our time the greater on this account, that while ancient examples may be numbered, yet that subsequently, when the abundance of virtue and faith was in excess, the Christian martyrs cannot be numbered, as the Apocalypse testifies and says: After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them (Rev. 7:9–15). But if the assembly of the Christian martyrs is shown and proved to be so great, let no one think it a hard or a difficult thing to become a martyr, when he sees that the crowd of martyrs cannot be numbered.

I have other posts on the Maccabees.

Sunday, 9 December 2012

Happy Chanukah, Augustine, Cologne and West Point

Posted by Supertradmum

Happy Chanukah to my Jewish friends. We Catholics love the Maccabees as symbols of the Church Militant.  They are saints and martyrs, honoured in the calendar. 

In the Church of St. Andreas in Cologne, there are stained glass windows of these men. Sadly, most of the photos cannot be reproduced here, so look these up.

Take time to read of the deeds of the Maccabees. 

Perhaps someone can tell me if the statue of Judah Maccabees is still at West Point. We have, in the States, moved so far away from our Judeo-Christian roots.

Here is a commentary and a quotation from St. Augustine on the Feast of the Maccabees, August 
1st, Sermon 300. (Other Fathers of the Church commented on the Maccabean martyrs as well).

Let no one think that before there was a Christian people, there was no people of God. There was not at that time of the Old Dispensation, the usage of the Christian name. Nevertheless, the Christian people existed at that time (christianus etiam ille tunc populus fuit)...These Christian peoples were born of Abraham. When you admire the Maccabbean martyrs, do not think that they were not Christian martyrs (ne...illos martyres..putetis non fuisse christianos) They were Christians (christiani fuerunt), but the name of "Christian" was divulged only later, while the deeds proper to Christians anteceded the name.

http://www1.villanova.edu/content/villanova/mission/augustinianinstitute/lectures/staugustine/_jcr_content/widgetiparsys/download_7/file.res/as_1988.pdf


http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.ie/2013/07/what-some-catholics-do-not-understand.html

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.ie/2012/12/happy-chanukah-augustine-cologne-and.html

Tuesday, 23 July 2013

What Some Catholics Do Not Understand-The Reason for Persecution

Posted by Supertradmum

 

Now I urge those who read this book not to be depressed by such calamities, but to recognize that these punishments were designed not to destroy but to discipline our people 2 Maccabees 6

Many younger Catholics understand we are headed for real persecution. Those who do not can read my previous posts on the stages of such persecution. We are in the beginning of the last stage.

But, many Catholics think that persecution is for punishing the wicked. Not so. Look at the quotation above from Maccabees. Persecution is for the good of the Church. For our good, individually and collectively.

No one who is honest can deny that evils entered the Church in the past sixty years or so. People, including leaders, became complacent, and worse, seriously full of sin. The case of contraception is merely one part of the evil-even today. There are many priests, and even bishops in England, who do not teach that Humanae Vitae is an infallible document.

And, in America, some seminaries are still, in 2013, accepting homosexuals as future priests and have homosexuals on the staff.  Also, the laity do not correct one another and ignore sin, which is not only hypocritical, as not abiding by one's baptismal promises, but encouraging evil. Many Catholics are not obedient, and get involve in New Age practices and false private revelations, all which are disobedient actions and are sinful. Many Catholics are not orthodox. This is unfaithfulness. This is sin.

So, the Church must be purified. The lavendar mafia is only one aspect. The sins against children are only one aspect. The tacit agreement and support of abortion by Catholics who vote for pro-abortion politicians is only one aspect.

The blasphemies against God and the sacrilegious reception of Holy Communion as well as abuses in the Liturgy add to the list.

As seen in Maccabees, God is faithful and will not let His People go to hell. He wants the salvation of those in His Church as well as outside the Church.

Persecution is for us, folks. If you cannot see this, you are ignoring the evil which is in the Church. The Maccabees started with themselves, fasting, praying, fighting and witnessed great miracles.

We cannot expect miracles unless we pursue purity of heart. Pray, fast, reflect, think, act.