"Do not listen to or read heretical materials. Do not worry about the end
of the world, but rather about the end of your own life. We will not
fully understand the prophecies concerning the end times until they have
been fulfilled. However, there is a lot that we do know. For example,
NO ONE may try to guess the Antichrist's name and two signs precede his
coming: the Gospel must be preached through the whole world, and the
Roman Empire must be fully and finally terminated."
http://www.audiosancto.org/sermon/20030105-The-End-Times-part-1.html
"The End Times (part 2): The Antichrist will appear to have miraculous
powers granted by Satan, but they will be deceptions. Two signs will
accompany him; one is the preaching of Enoch and Elias (Elijah), who are
still alive. Elias will convert many Jews. The second sign is the
greatest ever persecution of the Catholic Church. All public Masses will
cease. Finally, Saint Michael will strike down the Antichrist. THERE IS
NO RAPTURE OR MILLENNIUM. Always remember that the most important thing
is not the end of the world, but the end of your life."
http://www.audiosancto.org/sermon/20030106-The-End-Times-part-2.html
Dedicated to promoting the Kingship of Jesus Christ, through True Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mother.
03 July 2013
In Response to the False Notion of "Learning" Truths from Heretical (Any Other) Religions
Pope Gregory XVI
"Now we arrive at another cause of the evils with which we suffer at seeing the Church afflicted at this moment, to wit, this “indifferentism,” or this perverse opinion spread everywhere by the devious action of bad men. According to it, one could achieve eternal salvation by any profession of faith, as long as the customs are upright and honest. It will not be difficult for you, in such a clear and evident matter, to drive so fatal an error from the midst of the peoples under your care. Indeed, since the Apostle had warned us that “there is but one God, one faith, one baptism” (Eph 4:5), those who believe that all religions offer the means to reach eternal salvation must fear and comprehend that, according to the testimony of the Savior Himself, “those who are not with Christ are against Him” (Luke 11:23); and that they scatter in sadness, since they do not gather with Him. Consequently, there is no doubt that “they who do not profess the Catholic Faith and maintain it whole and inviolate will be eternally lost” … From this infected source of “indifferentism” flows that absurd and erroneous maxim, or rather this delirium, that it is necessary to grant everyone “freedom of conscience.” This most pernicious error has its way prepared by a full and immoderate freedom of opinion that is widely spread for the ruin of religious and civil society. Some repeat with extreme impudence that it brings an advantage for religion. However, St. Augustine asked: “What could be a worse evil for the soul than the liberty of error?” Once one removes the restraints that keep men within the path of truth, their nature, which is already inclined to evil, opens to “the bottomless pit,” from which John saw smoke ascending that obscured the sun, and grasshoppers coming forth that devastated the earth. From this comes transformation of souls, profound corruption of youth, contempt for sacred things and the most respectable laws, which is spread among the people. In a word, it is a most deathful scourge for society, since experience shows that the States which shone for their riches, power, and glory perished as a result of this evil, namely, immoderate liberty of opinions, the relaxation of customs, and the love of novelties" (Gregory XVI, Mirari Vos in Receuil des Allocution consistoriales, Encycliques et autres Lettres Apostoliques Citées in the Encyclical and Syllabus of December 8, 1864 Paris: Adrien Le Clere, 1865, n. 13, p. 163)
"Now we arrive at another cause of the evils with which we suffer at seeing the Church afflicted at this moment, to wit, this “indifferentism,” or this perverse opinion spread everywhere by the devious action of bad men. According to it, one could achieve eternal salvation by any profession of faith, as long as the customs are upright and honest. It will not be difficult for you, in such a clear and evident matter, to drive so fatal an error from the midst of the peoples under your care. Indeed, since the Apostle had warned us that “there is but one God, one faith, one baptism” (Eph 4:5), those who believe that all religions offer the means to reach eternal salvation must fear and comprehend that, according to the testimony of the Savior Himself, “those who are not with Christ are against Him” (Luke 11:23); and that they scatter in sadness, since they do not gather with Him. Consequently, there is no doubt that “they who do not profess the Catholic Faith and maintain it whole and inviolate will be eternally lost” … From this infected source of “indifferentism” flows that absurd and erroneous maxim, or rather this delirium, that it is necessary to grant everyone “freedom of conscience.” This most pernicious error has its way prepared by a full and immoderate freedom of opinion that is widely spread for the ruin of religious and civil society. Some repeat with extreme impudence that it brings an advantage for religion. However, St. Augustine asked: “What could be a worse evil for the soul than the liberty of error?” Once one removes the restraints that keep men within the path of truth, their nature, which is already inclined to evil, opens to “the bottomless pit,” from which John saw smoke ascending that obscured the sun, and grasshoppers coming forth that devastated the earth. From this comes transformation of souls, profound corruption of youth, contempt for sacred things and the most respectable laws, which is spread among the people. In a word, it is a most deathful scourge for society, since experience shows that the States which shone for their riches, power, and glory perished as a result of this evil, namely, immoderate liberty of opinions, the relaxation of customs, and the love of novelties" (Gregory XVI, Mirari Vos in Receuil des Allocution consistoriales, Encycliques et autres Lettres Apostoliques Citées in the Encyclical and Syllabus of December 8, 1864 Paris: Adrien Le Clere, 1865, n. 13, p. 163)
PRAYERS OF DELIVERANCE FOR GENERAL USE
Prayer by St. John Chrysostom
EXORCISMS or PRAYERS OF DELIVERANCE FOR GENERAL USE by St. John Chrysostom (344-407 A.D.)
O Eternal God, Who has redeemed the race of men from the captivity of the devil, deliver Thy servant/handmaid from all the workings of unclean spirits. Command the evil and impure spirits and demons to depart from the soul and body of your servant/handmaid and not to remain nor hide in him/her. Let them be banished from this the creation of Thy hands in Thine own holy name and that of Thine only begotten Son and of Thy life-creating Spirit, so that, after being cleansed from all demonic influence, he/she may live godly, justly and righteously and may be counted worthy to receive the Holy Mysteries of Thine only-begotten Son and our God with Whom Thou art blessed and glorified together with the all holy and good and life-creating Spirit now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Thou Who hast rebuked all unclean spirits and by the power of Thy Word has banished the legion, come now, through Thine only begotten Son upon this creature, which Thou hast fashioned in Thine own image and deliver him/her from the adversary that holds him/her in bondage, so that, receiving Thy mercy and becoming purified, he/she might join the ranks of Thy holy flock and be preserved as a living temple of the Holy Spirit and might receive the divine and holy Mysteries through the grace and compassion and loving kindness of Thine only-begotten Son with Whom Thou art blessed together with Thine all-holy and good and life-creating Spirit now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
We beseech Thee, O Lord, Almighty God, Most High, untempted, peaceful King. We beseech Thee Who has created the heaven and the earth, for out of Thee has issued the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, Thou Who has ordained that the fourfooted and irrational beasts be under subjection to man, for Thou hast subjected them. Lord, stretch out Thy mighty hand and Thy sublime and holy arm and in Thy watchful care look down upon this Thy creature and send down upon him/her a peaceful angel, a mighty angel, a guardian of soul and body, that will rebuke and drive away every evil and unclean demon from him/her, for Thou alone are Lord, Most High, almighty and blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.
We make this great, divine, holy and awesome invocation and plea, O devil, for thine expulsion, as well as this rebuke for your utter annihilation, O apostate! God Who is holy, beginningless, frightful, invisible in essence, infinite in power and incomprehensible in divinity, the King of glory and Lord Almighty, He shall rebuke thee, devil! -- He Who composed all things well by his Word from nothingness into being; He Who walks upon the wings of the air. The Lord rebukes thee, devil! -- He Who calls forth the water of the sea and pours it upon the face of all the earth. Lord of Hosts is His name. Devil: the Lord rebukes thee! He Who is ministered to and praised by numberless heavenly orders and adored and glorified in fear by multitudes of angelic and archangelic hosts. Satan: the Lord rebukes thee! He Who is honored by the encircling Powers, the awesome six-winged and many-eyed Cherubim and Seraphim that cover their faces with two wings because of His inscrutable and unseen divinity and with two wings cover their feet, lest they be seared by His unutterable glory and incomprehensible majesty, and with two wings do fly and fill the heavens with their shouts of "Holy, holy, holy, Lord Sabaoth, heaven and earth are full of Thy glory!" Devil: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who came down from the Father's bosom and, through the holy, inexpressible, immaculate and adorable Incarnation from the Virgin, appeared ineffably in the world to save it and cast thee down from heaven in His authoritative power and showed thee to be an outcast to every man. Satan: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who said to the sea, be silent, be still, and instantly it was calmed at His command. Devil: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who made clay with His immaculate spittle and refashioned the wanting member of the man blind from birth and gave him his sight. Devil: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who by His word restored to life the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue and snatched the son of the widow out from the mouth of death and gave him whole and sound to his own mother. Devil: The Lord rebukes thee! The Lord Who raised Lazarus the four-days dead from the dead, undecayed, as if not having died, and unblemished to the astonishment of many. Satan: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who destroyed the curse by the blow on His face and by the lance in His immaculate side lifted the flaming sword that guarded Paradise. Devil: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who dried all tears from every face by the spitting upon His precious expressed image. Devil: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who set His Cross as a support, the salvation of the world, to thy fall and the fall of all the angels under thee. Devil: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who spoke from His Cross and the curtain of the temple was torn in two, and the rocks were split and the tombs were opened and those who were dead from the ages were raised up. Devil: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who by death put death to death and by His rising granted life to all men. May the Lord rebuke thee, Satan! -- that is, He Who descended into Hades and opened its tombs and set free those held prisoner in it, calling them to Himself; before Whom the gatekeepers of Hades shuddered when they saw Him and, hiding themselves, vanished in the anguish of Hades. May the Lord rebuke thee, devil! -- That is, Christ our God Who arose from the dead and granted His Resurrection to all men.
May the Lord rebuke thee, Satan! -- He Who in glory ascended into heaven to His Father, sitting on the right of majesty upon the throne of glory. Devil: May the Lord rebuke thee! He Who shall come again with glory upon the clouds of heaven with His holy angels to judge the living and the dead. Devil: May the Lord rebuke thee! He Who has prepared for thee unquenchable fire, the unsleeping worm and the outer darkness unto eternal punishment. Devil: May the Lord rebuke thee! For before Him all things shudder and tremble from the face of His power and the wrath of His warning upon thee is uncontainable. Satan: The Lord rebukes thee by His frightful name!
Shudder, tremble, be afraid, depart, be utterly destroyed, be banished! Thee who fell from heaven and together with thee all evil spirits: every evil spirit of lust, the spirit of evil, a day and nocturnal spirit, a noonday and evening spirit, a midnight spirit, an imaginative spirit, an encountering spirit, either of the dry land or of the water, or one in a forest, or among the reeds, or in trenches, or in a road or a crossroad, in lakes, or streams, in houses, or one sprinkling in the baths and chambers, or one altering the mind of man. Depart swiftly from this creature of the Creator Christ our God! And be gone from the servant/handmaid of God ___________, from his/her mind, from his/her soul, from his/her heart, from his/her reins, from his/her senses, from all his/her members, that he/she might become whole and sound and free, knowing God, his/her own Master and Creator of all things, He Who gathers together those who have gone astray and Who gives them the seal of salvation through the rebirth and restoration of divine Baptism, so that he may be counted worthy of His immaculate, heavenly and awesome Mysteries and be united to His true fold, dwelling in a place of pasture and nourished on the waters of repose, guided pastorally and safely by the staff of the Cross unto the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting. For unto Him belong all glory, honor, adoration and majesty together with Thy beginningless Father and His all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen
EXORCISMS or PRAYERS OF DELIVERANCE FOR GENERAL USE by St. John Chrysostom (344-407 A.D.)
O Eternal God, Who has redeemed the race of men from the captivity of the devil, deliver Thy servant/handmaid from all the workings of unclean spirits. Command the evil and impure spirits and demons to depart from the soul and body of your servant/handmaid and not to remain nor hide in him/her. Let them be banished from this the creation of Thy hands in Thine own holy name and that of Thine only begotten Son and of Thy life-creating Spirit, so that, after being cleansed from all demonic influence, he/she may live godly, justly and righteously and may be counted worthy to receive the Holy Mysteries of Thine only-begotten Son and our God with Whom Thou art blessed and glorified together with the all holy and good and life-creating Spirit now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Thou Who hast rebuked all unclean spirits and by the power of Thy Word has banished the legion, come now, through Thine only begotten Son upon this creature, which Thou hast fashioned in Thine own image and deliver him/her from the adversary that holds him/her in bondage, so that, receiving Thy mercy and becoming purified, he/she might join the ranks of Thy holy flock and be preserved as a living temple of the Holy Spirit and might receive the divine and holy Mysteries through the grace and compassion and loving kindness of Thine only-begotten Son with Whom Thou art blessed together with Thine all-holy and good and life-creating Spirit now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
We beseech Thee, O Lord, Almighty God, Most High, untempted, peaceful King. We beseech Thee Who has created the heaven and the earth, for out of Thee has issued the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, Thou Who has ordained that the fourfooted and irrational beasts be under subjection to man, for Thou hast subjected them. Lord, stretch out Thy mighty hand and Thy sublime and holy arm and in Thy watchful care look down upon this Thy creature and send down upon him/her a peaceful angel, a mighty angel, a guardian of soul and body, that will rebuke and drive away every evil and unclean demon from him/her, for Thou alone are Lord, Most High, almighty and blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.
We make this great, divine, holy and awesome invocation and plea, O devil, for thine expulsion, as well as this rebuke for your utter annihilation, O apostate! God Who is holy, beginningless, frightful, invisible in essence, infinite in power and incomprehensible in divinity, the King of glory and Lord Almighty, He shall rebuke thee, devil! -- He Who composed all things well by his Word from nothingness into being; He Who walks upon the wings of the air. The Lord rebukes thee, devil! -- He Who calls forth the water of the sea and pours it upon the face of all the earth. Lord of Hosts is His name. Devil: the Lord rebukes thee! He Who is ministered to and praised by numberless heavenly orders and adored and glorified in fear by multitudes of angelic and archangelic hosts. Satan: the Lord rebukes thee! He Who is honored by the encircling Powers, the awesome six-winged and many-eyed Cherubim and Seraphim that cover their faces with two wings because of His inscrutable and unseen divinity and with two wings cover their feet, lest they be seared by His unutterable glory and incomprehensible majesty, and with two wings do fly and fill the heavens with their shouts of "Holy, holy, holy, Lord Sabaoth, heaven and earth are full of Thy glory!" Devil: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who came down from the Father's bosom and, through the holy, inexpressible, immaculate and adorable Incarnation from the Virgin, appeared ineffably in the world to save it and cast thee down from heaven in His authoritative power and showed thee to be an outcast to every man. Satan: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who said to the sea, be silent, be still, and instantly it was calmed at His command. Devil: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who made clay with His immaculate spittle and refashioned the wanting member of the man blind from birth and gave him his sight. Devil: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who by His word restored to life the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue and snatched the son of the widow out from the mouth of death and gave him whole and sound to his own mother. Devil: The Lord rebukes thee! The Lord Who raised Lazarus the four-days dead from the dead, undecayed, as if not having died, and unblemished to the astonishment of many. Satan: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who destroyed the curse by the blow on His face and by the lance in His immaculate side lifted the flaming sword that guarded Paradise. Devil: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who dried all tears from every face by the spitting upon His precious expressed image. Devil: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who set His Cross as a support, the salvation of the world, to thy fall and the fall of all the angels under thee. Devil: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who spoke from His Cross and the curtain of the temple was torn in two, and the rocks were split and the tombs were opened and those who were dead from the ages were raised up. Devil: The Lord rebukes thee! He Who by death put death to death and by His rising granted life to all men. May the Lord rebuke thee, Satan! -- that is, He Who descended into Hades and opened its tombs and set free those held prisoner in it, calling them to Himself; before Whom the gatekeepers of Hades shuddered when they saw Him and, hiding themselves, vanished in the anguish of Hades. May the Lord rebuke thee, devil! -- That is, Christ our God Who arose from the dead and granted His Resurrection to all men.
May the Lord rebuke thee, Satan! -- He Who in glory ascended into heaven to His Father, sitting on the right of majesty upon the throne of glory. Devil: May the Lord rebuke thee! He Who shall come again with glory upon the clouds of heaven with His holy angels to judge the living and the dead. Devil: May the Lord rebuke thee! He Who has prepared for thee unquenchable fire, the unsleeping worm and the outer darkness unto eternal punishment. Devil: May the Lord rebuke thee! For before Him all things shudder and tremble from the face of His power and the wrath of His warning upon thee is uncontainable. Satan: The Lord rebukes thee by His frightful name!
Shudder, tremble, be afraid, depart, be utterly destroyed, be banished! Thee who fell from heaven and together with thee all evil spirits: every evil spirit of lust, the spirit of evil, a day and nocturnal spirit, a noonday and evening spirit, a midnight spirit, an imaginative spirit, an encountering spirit, either of the dry land or of the water, or one in a forest, or among the reeds, or in trenches, or in a road or a crossroad, in lakes, or streams, in houses, or one sprinkling in the baths and chambers, or one altering the mind of man. Depart swiftly from this creature of the Creator Christ our God! And be gone from the servant/handmaid of God ___________, from his/her mind, from his/her soul, from his/her heart, from his/her reins, from his/her senses, from all his/her members, that he/she might become whole and sound and free, knowing God, his/her own Master and Creator of all things, He Who gathers together those who have gone astray and Who gives them the seal of salvation through the rebirth and restoration of divine Baptism, so that he may be counted worthy of His immaculate, heavenly and awesome Mysteries and be united to His true fold, dwelling in a place of pasture and nourished on the waters of repose, guided pastorally and safely by the staff of the Cross unto the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting. For unto Him belong all glory, honor, adoration and majesty together with Thy beginningless Father and His all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen
Judgementalism vs. Judging
Thank you, Mr. Michael Voris, for fighting the good fight.
By the way, I need to mention to my readers that after 4 years, my blog has been finally hacked just recently. Incidentally, it was hacked the very same evening that I posted a link to this blog on a social network connected with Vericast. I had some definite internet "Haters" on it's social site, as I had been defending Church teaching against indifferentism and imanentism, just to mention a few heresies, as there were definitely others. There are a lot of good people there who just don't know the faith as well as they should, and unfortunately, mix the truth with a bit of poison that can kill your faith. (I like my orthodoxy without arsenic, thank you very much!) Do I blame someone on the site for hacking my blog? No. It might very well be an amazing coincidence, either way, I don't have time to get the blog looking like it used to look, but I'll do my best to fix it along the way, and also resume posting here.
When I started this blog 4 years ago, it was because I had some serious health issues, and my wings were 'clipped' for a while. My hobby of sorts became collecting some of my favorite religious things from the internet in a sort of ad hoc, personal, religious repository. It was also to play with some HTML, which was the main reason, but I had to pick a topic that would keep me interested. Today, however, I see there is an audience that is still very interested in these posts, so I'll continue to post and share some things you might not normally find on the internet, but will still exhort you to develop your spiritual life as a practicing Catholic.
+A.M.D.G.+
20 June 2013
Precious Blood Prayer for Healing
+JMJ+
Dear Blessed Mother, please pray this as much as it is to the good of my salvation:
Precious Blood of Jesus,
Cover my entire person with you love.
Place in my heart the knowledge and understanding that you love me so that it is present within me at all times. Heal my wounds and memories of not being loved as I should have been loved, and remind me that you were always with me, that you loved me before I was created, and never stopped loving me. Also heal my memories of having betrayed you, except to have sorrow that I will avoid all unnecessary near occasion of sin and rather live only for you. Heal my heart from each and every heartbreak, and put in it's place hope and the ability to love as you love, without reserve, while remembering the integrity that you intend for me, because you loved me first. Heal my body physically and emotionally, according to your good pleasure, so that I may function in order to do my duties according to my state in life. Heal my soul and animate it with an increase of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost that I will always trust in you.
Order all my memories, hopes, and senses to your love, and form within me the conviction that I am entirely worthy of love because you wouldn't have suffered and died for me if I wasn't so completely lovable.
Remind me always that truth is required by justice, and charity is required by mercy. Help me to be increasingly just and merciful to all those I encounter, especially those closest to me. Help me to forgive all those who have hurt me, and take my hurts and join them to your suffering, that they may be effective in saving their souls and mine.
Help order my desires to please you, and to hope and be patient and trusting in you that in doing so you will always give me the best things for me in this life and for the next.
Amen.+
Prayer of Saint Thomas Aquinas: Ad Sacrosanctum Sacramentum
V. You have given them bread from heaven.
R. A bread having all sweetness within it.
Let us pray:
God, Who left for us a memorial of Your Passion in this miraculous sacrament, Grant we implore You, that we may venerate the holy mystery of Your Body and Blood, so that we may ever experience in ourselves the fruitfulness of Your redemption.You who life and reign, world without end.
Amen.+
ANIMA CHRISTI |
Latin text
|
Poetic English
translation
|
Anima Christi, sanctifica me.
Corpus Christi, salva me.
Sanguis Christi, inebria me.
Aqua lateris Christi, lava me.
Passio Christi, conforta me.
O bone Jesu, exaudi me.
Intra tua vulnera absconde me.
Ne permittas me separari a te.
Ab hoste maligno defende me.
In hora mortis meae voca me.
Et iube me venire ad te,
Ut cum Sanctis tuis laudem te.
In saecula saeculorum.
Amen.+
|
Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ,
wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Separated from Thee let me never
be ("Permit me not to be separated from Thee")
From the malicious enemy defend
me ("From the malignant enemy defend me")
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy
saints ("That with thy Saints I may praise Thee")
Forever and ever
Amen.+
|
26 May 2013
A Traitor's Name is Forgotten
+JMJ+
This morning on Trinity Sunday, our pastor gave a homily beginning, "A traitor's name is forgotten." It makes some interesting points that I thought I might try to share them with anyone who might find this, and so I, myself, can remember the same points. There are many points and I will try my best to recall them all here.
This morning on Trinity Sunday, our pastor gave a homily beginning, "A traitor's name is forgotten." It makes some interesting points that I thought I might try to share them with anyone who might find this, and so I, myself, can remember the same points. There are many points and I will try my best to recall them all here.
Over 2 thousand years ago and for some time on, the Romans were known to erase names from tablets of those that were not faithful to the kingdom. This was a huge public disparagement of that person's character, as it meant they were to be no longer regarded with any dignity and they were to be ignored. This was not only a practice of the Romans, but also of those who were not Romans and even just regular citizens. Today, there are many architectural findings from this time period among regular people who would carve crude images of their family and others with whom they closely associated, and scratch out their faces. This would indicate the same as the erasing of someone's good name. These were traitors who were to be shunned and forgotten by others. They were to be ignored and forgotten. Also, for many thousands of centuries, people scratched out names on tablets of associations of families and extended families. This was the evil act intending to place a curse on that person because it was meant to bring them harm both in this life and in the next by declaring them ignominious and only worthy to be forgotten.
What a terrible thing for someone who was once known and a part of our lives, even a close part of our lives, and to be forgotten! It says that once you were part of people's lives, but now any memory of you, any good deed no matter how selfless, no virtue, is to be regarded at all, but that you are not worthy of ever being remembered. It is basically like saying, "Not only your death does not matter to us, but neither your very life."
But this happens yet today, not only to traitors, but to those who live good lives, and intentionally order their desires and appetites to God and His Church. They often become as if they were traitors whose names and very existence are blotted out by the living. They are forgotten, but by who? I will get back to that question in a minute.
Those who live NOT for their glory, but for GOD's glory, do not seek for themselves to make a name that it be known. If a person is called to great things, it is because God has called them to it --- but because they are faithful to the small things, because they have what is known as integrity. This means that they have a consistency throughout all aspects of their life in doing what is ordered to God, if not prior to the call, immediately at the time the call from God comes. IF, however, there is a grave lack of consistency by a persistence and/or return to mortal sins, then the call is certainly NOT from God and therefore does not serve for His glory nor for the good of the man in question. Rather, the undertaking is a danger to his soul and an insubordination to the Holy Will of God. It is, instead, subordination only to one's own will, much like Satan, and does his own will for his own name out of human respect, and does not gain any supernatural merit or reward.
We live in an age where we have had more martyrs for the faith in the past 100 years than we have had before that in the history of the Church. Yet so little are they remember even among the faithful! Often, if a practicing Catholic invokes a saint, it is always only a saint that is most well known for a particular cause, but ask that same Catholic how much they know about the life of that saint, and they cannot tell you. (A typical example of this is St. Francis of Assisi, and at best they will tell you a distortion of his life distilled to some anesthesized, Disney World character version: "He always preached peace and was kind to animals" they will say.) People will even neglect praying for their own ancestors, and what a terrible thing it is to be forgotten after death and not prayed for even for the next few generations. But frequently this is the case, even with practicing Catholics, who fail even to have masses said for their deceased near relations, much less a simple prayer for their ancestors.
Think too of the twentieth century martyrs in Spain: Teófilo Fernández de Legaria Goñi, Isidro Íñiguez de Ciriano Abechuco, Gonzalo Barrón Nanclares, Eladio López Ramos and Mario Ros Ezcurra |
And yes, names are 'erased from memory', even exactly for having defended the faith, or lived a life in such a way faithful to God and His Commandments. [Now, I do not even mean the "Career Catholics" who, while they take on tasks of great magnitude for Christian causes and in Jesus name outwardly, they spend little time in remaining out of sin, or taking their spiritual life seriously at all. Yet, they pursue with great fervor their own reputation (wrongly in God's name) without having been called, and do not even humble themselves to by faithful in small tasks. I am speaking of those who usually are 'small' but dedicated to doing God's will even if it costs them their reputation, whether they are known or unknown.] So, if we forget the recent martyrs, of course we will forget to esteem and honor the God-given dignity of those who live lives according to God's Holy Will, whether of the priesthood, consecrated or lay. Often people's 'names' (reputations) are erased and/or denigrated if not for directly defending the faith in some great, public project, but because by their example of keeping the Commandments, they are a great affront to the consciences of sinners. If they are 'small', all the more do the proud sinners attack them, because not only is it an affront to their conscience, but also to their own ego and self-importance. Often with a nearly murderous rage, people who cannot get away with murder, will murder another's good name for having dared to be an affront to a sinful conscience. It is terrible forgetting the faithful people of God or simply dishonoring them that are still living. Rather, they should be regarded with some honor --- not for their glory, but for God's glory who, by the Holy Ghost, grants the graces for people that they may live for Him and honor Him and remain out of sin. Today, it is acceptable by the world's standards, to blot out the memories of those who lives lives for Christ. Yet, as we owe God glory, we each owe reverence to His graces in those who live for Him and are a witness by the way they live their lives wholly with God's glory in mind. So little gratitude is shown to God and those who witness to Him! They are treated as though they are of less worth than the condemned, and those that live lives of sin and look for their own glory are remembered, even cherished, and held in esteem by many, some who even mistakenly call themselves followers of Christ. No, we are not to judge people's eternal destiny, but we are to discern right from wrong, and good from evil, and not give high place to those committed to sin (and by this, slaves who do the bidding of Satan), even in place of those whom we ought to show respect for the sake of giving reverence to God Almighty.
Now, back to my question, as to "who are the forgotten", but in the broader context. Those whose names will be forgotten will be those who are traitors to God. They will be forgotten in this sense: They will not be among those who will be remembered and prayed for after this life.
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Now, please allow me to indulge myself, but for God's glory... :-)
Before I heard this homily, I really had come to accept that because I was a "nobody", certainly no aristocracy to my name, and I am not called to any great task by God, I would be forgotten after my death. I came to accept that no one would pray for me. See, I have a private devotion to the Poor Souls in Purgatory, and when I go to the Catholic cemetaries bringing holy water and prayers, and sometimes even small liturgical chants to encourage them in their sufferings, I would look at the headstones and accept that I would, most likely, never have anyone ever praying like that for me. Sometimes, I would ask them to pray for this intention on my behalf, but I often felt that this might not happen for me because I have no Catholic family, and have not been able to afford a headstone and burial plot. (I looked into it a few years ago when I had a serious health issue and was told I would probably have a more serious issue in the next 5 years that would take my life. This was 3.5 years ago and I seem to be doing really well.) But I thought about the saints that actually wanted to be forgotten, but only because of their tremendous humility, like (St. Joseph of Cupertino -- for whom I have a special devotion). I would then come to pray then to God that it was good that I be forgotten. However, realizing that I am not a saint, I realize the better good for me would be to be remembered for the sake of my soul that may enter Purgatory while shooting for Heaven in this life. Ok, but after today's homily, I am encouraged. I hope this homily encourages the readers (maybe, all 2 of you) to live each and every moment in order to make it sacred by doing everything for God as He wills for His glory, and to remember to pray for all faithful Christians, living and dead, who live in various levels of the spiritual life who remain out of mortal sin, or those who are meaning to begin the spiritual life that they be encouraged by the saints, and by remembering also the saints and even especially the recent martyrs who were given to us by God especially as an example at this time.
Now, please allow me to indulge myself, but for God's glory... :-)
Before I heard this homily, I really had come to accept that because I was a "nobody", certainly no aristocracy to my name, and I am not called to any great task by God, I would be forgotten after my death. I came to accept that no one would pray for me. See, I have a private devotion to the Poor Souls in Purgatory, and when I go to the Catholic cemetaries bringing holy water and prayers, and sometimes even small liturgical chants to encourage them in their sufferings, I would look at the headstones and accept that I would, most likely, never have anyone ever praying like that for me. Sometimes, I would ask them to pray for this intention on my behalf, but I often felt that this might not happen for me because I have no Catholic family, and have not been able to afford a headstone and burial plot. (I looked into it a few years ago when I had a serious health issue and was told I would probably have a more serious issue in the next 5 years that would take my life. This was 3.5 years ago and I seem to be doing really well.) But I thought about the saints that actually wanted to be forgotten, but only because of their tremendous humility, like (St. Joseph of Cupertino -- for whom I have a special devotion). I would then come to pray then to God that it was good that I be forgotten. However, realizing that I am not a saint, I realize the better good for me would be to be remembered for the sake of my soul that may enter Purgatory while shooting for Heaven in this life. Ok, but after today's homily, I am encouraged. I hope this homily encourages the readers (maybe, all 2 of you) to live each and every moment in order to make it sacred by doing everything for God as He wills for His glory, and to remember to pray for all faithful Christians, living and dead, who live in various levels of the spiritual life who remain out of mortal sin, or those who are meaning to begin the spiritual life that they be encouraged by the saints, and by remembering also the saints and even especially the recent martyrs who were given to us by God especially as an example at this time.
All the latest news about the world, the famous, the infamous, society, the government, media, etc. takes too much of the time of Christians who ought to be spending more time on getting a real picture of WHO THEY REALLY ARE and LOOK TO THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS as their examples. We ought to be living examples to attempting to convince others of the importance of the one, true, triune God, and not deflect from Him to show ourselves to the world for some lesser cause (even if in His name).
And yes, we are, in fact, all but dust, and nothing we can truly attribute to ourselves but our sins, because any good that we do or have within us comes from God. But recall the most humble creature of God, who had said in the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah,
Madonna of the Magnificat, by Sandro Botticelli completed in 1481 |
"And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.
And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord.* And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name. And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.
[*Note: Shall call me blessed: These words are a prediction of that honour which the church in all ages should pay to the Blessed Virgin. Let Protestants examine whether they are any way concerned in this prophecy.
**"He hath filled the hungry with good things. -- this is about spiritual hunger, hunger for TRUTH both for the HIGHER truths that are ABOVE knowledge that is natural, but only supernatural and give to us by God handed down directly from Christ by means of the Holy Ghost, through the Apostles. All that was revealed was necessary for salvation, and all that was needed for salvation was revealed from the inception of the Church, and is passed on both in dogma and doctrines supporting it, and in the Church's understanding of those teachings.]
One more note/a few last words: God is NOT subordinate to us. We are to be subordinate to HIM. If we do anything for our own glory, we rob from the glory that He intended for us to give to Him. And if you do such evil things in His name, you offend him even more by attempting to usurp the glory you are meant to give to Him and not attribute to yourself.
PRAY that we may always be faithful in small things, to give God glory in this life, and by this means, in the next.
A.M.D.G.
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