Keep
your eyes open!...Keep
your eyes open!...
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Nothing Done For Show
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Fortitude
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Fortitude
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Fortitude
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Fortitude
It used to be called "Catholic
Europe." But if declining membership, plummeting church attendance, and
shrinking vocations are measures, Roman Catholicism - indeed,
Christianity - is headed toward collapse across the continent.
The feeling pervading church circles is that "something important has
died, or is in a terminal state," said the Rev. Michael Paul Gallagher,
a theologian at Rome's Jesuit seminary, Collegio Romano.
The crisis that lies just beyond the Vatican's big bronze doors is
arguably the gravest facing Pope Benedict XVI. But how to shore up the
church's dissipating base of 280 million baptized Catholics in more
than two dozen countries - without bowing to Europe's postmodern
culture - is a conundrum that seems to have even the pontiff baffled.
In his first year, he has called for a return to worship and better
training in the faith for youth. He also has pinned some hope for
renewal on the small ecclesial movements he promotes; intensely
conservative and often lay-led, groups such as Focolare and Regnum
Christi devote themselves to special causes - the poor, the
preservation of traditional families - and demand utter commitment,
even vows, from their members.
Yet Benedict has made it clear that a grand plan eludes him.
"Secularism and de-Christianization are gaining ground... and the
influence of Catholic ethics and morals is in constant decline," he
told German bishops late last summer.
"What can we do?" he asked. "I do not know."
Some analysts say there is more at stake than one continent, that the
church's European troubles may portend its future in North America.
Benedict himself is sounding that alarm.
"In the United States, too, the Christian heritage is decaying at an
incessant pace," he warns in a forthcoming book previewed in the
Catholic magazine New Things.
The European trends that Benedict has inherited were evident in the
1960s, and dramatically visible through the pontificate of John Paul
II. Between 1975 and 2000, Catholic baptisms and weddings - two
linchpin rituals - were down 34 and 41 percent, respectively.
A low birthrate among whites has helped drive the numbers. The
population that has traditionally stocked the pews is not replacing
itself.
"To adopt a somewhat poignant metaphor," demographer Phillip Longman
wrote in his 2004 book, The Empty Cradle, "if Europe were a woman, her
biological clock would be rapidly running down. It is not too late to
adopt more children, but they won't look like her."
Hungry for labor, many nations have opened their doors to immigrants,
often non-Christians with higher birthrates. Muslims in Europe are
estimated at as many as 23 million, more than twice the number in the
United States. France alone has five million Muslims, who make up 8
percent of its population.
Demographics are only part, and surely the easier part, of the
explanation for the Catholic Church's difficulties. Far knottier is a
historic attitude shift away from the institutional faiths that held
sway over culture and politics for more than a millennium.
For a blatant sign, look no further than the European Union's
unratified constitution. Over the Vatican's vehement objections, the
document makes no mention at all of the continent's Judeo-Christian
heritage.
RELATED
Thinning: priests and laity united in the pain
Ex-Catholics move toward a secular life
Europe's Endangered Families
A Clash of Culture, Faith
Divorces rising in Catholic Europe
Latin American voters not seen toeing Catholic line
PRAYER: Litany of the Holy Ghost
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Fortitude
FROM http://catholic-resources.org/Bible/666.htm: What about June 6, 2006?
Relax! Although this date could be abbreviated 6/6/6, it has absolutely
nothing to do with the "Beast" of the Book of Revelation! Consider
these few points:
* First, this date should more properly be written 6/6/06 or 06/06/06
or even 06/06/2006, since 6/6/6 is ambiguous as to the decade or
century.
* Second, this date depends on the Gregorian calendar commonly used
today, but is different on the calendars in use at the time the Book of
Revelation was written (Julian, Roman, Hebrew), and also different on
other calendars in use today (Islamic, Chinese, etc.)
* Third, Revelation 13:18 clearly says that 666 is "the number of a person," not an indication of any date.
* Fourth, combinations of three sixes can be found almost anywhere we want, if we look hard enough.
* Fifth, we can lots of have fun with all this, but there's no need to be worried or superstitious about it!
* Sixth, I had to put a sixth bullet in this list, but I don't really have much else to say about June 6! ;-)
However, since several people have recently asked me to predict what will happen on June 6, 2006, here's my reply:
As a biblical scholar and Catholic priest, I think trying to predict
the future is a misuse of the Bible. Biblical prophecy is not about
crystal-ball gazing into the future. Rather, prophets of the Bible are
those who speak on behalf of God, conveying God's messages to people,
interpreting the past, present, and future through God's eyes, so to
speak. Biblical prophets call people to repent and to remain faithful
to God, not to worry about when the world will end or who is the
"beast" of the Book of Revelation.
But just for fun, after the above disclaimer, here is what I personally "predict" will happen on June 6, 2006:
* Most adults will go to work, but a few will call in sick, as on any other weekday;
* many children will go to the beach or the park, enjoying their first
week of summer vacation, while an unfortunate few will struggle through
their last days of school;
* websites like mine with information on 666 and related apocalyptic themes will have a spike in the number of visitors;
* millions of automobile odometers will briefly show a 666 sequence at
some time during the day, but very few drivers will notice;
* only a few math afficionados will practice their factoring skills
(666=2x3x3x37), while millions of shoppers will look for a 666 in a
product bar code or on their sales receipts;
* lamentably few people will vote in California's primary election, and
similarly few will go to see the remake of the "Omen" movie on its
unusual mid-week opening night;
* more gamblers than usual will sit at a roulette table that evening,
but few of them will know that the sum of the numbers on the spinning
wheel equals 666;
* more people will get married than on most other Tuesdays, but some
pregnant women will avoid giving birth on June 6 by have C-sections on
June 5 or 7.
* Then, on June 7, most of us will wake up and wonder what all the fuss
was about, while the wedding industry starts preparing for July 7, 2007!
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Fortitude
June 2, 2006
THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).
FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA: Charles Fears:
Heaven, Hell & Purgatory
According to passages from the Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska (1905 - 1938)
"I feel certain that my mission will not come to an end upon my death,
but will begin. ... 1 will draw aside for you the veils of heaven to
convince you of God's goodness."
(Diary of St. Maria Faustina 281)
This leaflet is designed to help the reader reflect after death. The
truth of these States of life after death (the three last things) are
well addressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Please read
numbers 1023 to 1037 in the Catechism for basis in Faith on these
points.
In the Catechism, see especially number 1022, covers the subject of the
soul's eternal destiny time of death: Each [person] receives his
eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment death, in a
particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance
into the blessedness of heaven - through purification or immediately -
or immediate and everlasting damnation. Reproduced in this leaflet are
a selection of passages from the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska
on these States of life after death. This saint was Our Lord's
Secretary and Apostle of Divine Mercy.
All quotations have been reprinted verbatim from the Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul.
"Incomprehensible is the happiness in which the soul will be immersed."
After Holy Communion, I was carried in spirit before the throne of God.
There I saw the heavenly Powers which incessantly praise God. Beyond
the throne I saw a brightness inaccessible to creatures, and there only
the Incarnate Word enters as Mediator. (Diary 85)
Today I was in heaven, in spirit, and I saw inconceivable beauties and
the happiness that awaits us after death. I saw how all creatures give
ceaseless praise and glory to God. I saw how great is happiness in God,
which spreads to all creatures, making them happy; and then all the
glory and praise which springs from this happiness returns to its
source; and they enter into the depths of God, contemplating the inner
life of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, whom they will
never comprehend or fathom.
This source of happiness is unchanging in its essence, but is always
new, gushing forth happiness for all creatures. Now I understand Saint
Paul who said "Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, nor has it entered
into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love
Him." (Diary 777)
The sight of this great majesty of God, which I came to understand more
profoundly and which is worshiped by the heavenly spirits according to
their degree of grace and the hierarchies into which they are divided,
did not cause my soul to be stricken with terror or fear; no, no, not
at all! My soul was filled with peace and love, and the more I came to
know the greatness of God, the more joyful I became that He is as He
is. And I rejoice immensely in His greatness and am delighted that I am
so little because, since I am little, He carries me in His arms
and holds me close to His heart. (Diary 779)
O my God, how I pity those people who do not believe in eternal life;
how I pray for them that a ray of mercy would envelop them too, and
that God would clasp them to His fatherly bosom. (Diary 780)
I learned in the Heart of Jesus that in heaven itself there is a heaven
to which not all, but only chosen souls, have access. Incomprehensible
is the happiness in which the soul will be immersed. 0 my God, oh, that
I could describe this, even in some little degree. Souls are penetrated
by His divinity and pass from brightness to brightness, an unchanging
light, but never monotonous, always new though never changing. 0 Holy
Trinity, make Yourself known to souls! (Diary 592)
A vivid presence suddenly swept over me, and I was caught up in spirit
before the majesty of God. I saw how the Angels and the Saints of the
Lord give glory to God. The glory of God is so great that I dare not
try to describe it, because I would not be able to do so, and souls
might think that what I have written is all there is. ...
And all that has come forth from God returns to Him in the same way and gives Him perfect glory. (Diary 1604)
"Most of the souls there are those who disbelieved that there is a hell."
Today I was led by an Angel to the chasms of hell. It is a place of
great torture; how awesomely large and extensive it is! The kinds of
torture I saw: the first torture that constitutes hell is the loss of
God; the second is perpetual remorse of conscience; the third is that
one's condition will never change; the fourth is the fire that will
penetrate the soul without destroying it - a terrible suffering,
since it is a purely spiritual fire, lit by God's anger; the fifth
torture is continual darkness and a terrible suffocating smell, and,
despite the darkness, the devils and the souls of the damned see each
other and all the evil, both others and their own; the sixth torture is
the constant company of Satan; the seventh torture is horrible despair,
hatred of God, vile words, curses and blasphemies. These are the
tortures suffered by all the damned together, but that is not the
end of the sufferings. There are special tortures destined for
particular souls. These are the torments of the senses. Each soul
undergoes terrible and indescribable sufferings, related to the manner
in which it has sinned. There are caverns and pits of torture where one
form of agony differs from another. I would have died at the very sight
of these tortures if the omnipotence of God had not supported me. Let
the sinner know that he will be tortured throughout all eternity, in
those senses which he made use of to sin. I am writing this at the
command of God, so that no soul may find an excuse by saying there is
no hell, 0r that nobody has ever been there, and so no one can say what
it is like.
Saint Michael the, Archangel I, Sister Faustina, by the order of God,
have visited the abysses of hell so that I might tell souls about it
and testify to its existence. I cannot speak about it now; but I have
received a command from God to leave it in writing. The devils were
full of hatred for me, but they had to obey me at the command of God.
What I have written is but a pale shadow of the things I saw. But I
noticed one thing: that most of the souls there are those who
disbelieved that there is a hell. When I came to, I could hardly
recover from the fright. How terribly souls suffer there! Consequently,
I pray even more fervently for the conversion of sinners. I
incessantly plead God's mercy upon them. 0 my Jesus I would rather be
in agony until the end of the world, amidst the greatest suffering,
than offend You by the least sin. (Diary 741)
"My mercy does not want this, but justice demands it."
. . . [The next night] I saw my Guardian Angel, who ordered me to
follow him. In a moment I was in a misty place full of fire in which
there was a great crowd of suffering souls. They were praying
fervently, but to no avail, for themselves; only we can come to their
aid. The flames which were burning them did not touch me at all. My
Guardian Angel did not leave me for an instant. I asked these souls
what their greatest suffering was. They answered me in one voice that
their greatest torment was longing for God. I saw Our Lady visiting the
souls in Purgatory. The souls call her "The Star of the Sea." She
brings them refreshment. I wanted to talk with them some more, but
my Guardian Angel beckoned me to leave. We went out of that prison of
suffering. [I heard an interior voice] which said, My mercy does not
want this, but justice demands it. Since that time, I am in closer
communion with the suffering souls. (Diary 20)
Once I was summoned to the judgment [seat] of God. I stood alone before
the Lord. Jesus appeared such as we know Him during His Passion. After
a moment, His wounds disappeared except for five, those in His hands,
His feet and His side. Suddenly I saw the complete condition of my soul
as God sees it. I could clearly see all that is displeasing to God. I
did not know that even the smallest transgressions will have to be
accounted for. What a moment! Who can describe it? To stand before the
Thrice-Holy God! Jesus asked me, Who are you? I answered "I am your
servant, Lord." You are guilty of one day of fire in purgatory. I
wanted to throw myself immediately into the flames of purgatory, but
Jesus stopped me and said, Which do you prefer, suffer now for one day
in purgatory or for a short while on earth? I replied, "Jesus, I want
to suffer in purgatory, and I want to suffer also the greatest pains on
earth, even if it were to the end of the world." Jesus said, One [of
the two] is enough; you will go back to earth, and there you will
suffer much, but not for long; you will accomplish My will and My
desires, and a faithful servant of Mine will help you to do this. Now,
rest your head on My bosom, on My heart, and draw from it strength and
power for these sufferings, because you will find neither relief nor
help nor comfort anywhere else. Know that you will have much, much to
suffer, but don't let this frighten you; I am with you. (Diary 36)
One evening, one of the deceased sisters, who had already visited me a
few times, appeared to me. The first time I had seen her, she had been
in great suffering, and then gradually these sufferings had diminished;
this time she was radiant with happiness, and she told me she was
already in heaven . . . And further, as a sign that she only now was in
heaven, God would bless our house. Then she came closer to me, embraced
me sincerely and said, "I must go now." I understood how closely the
three stages of a soul's life are bound together; that is to say, life
on earth, in purgatory and in heaven [the Communion of Saints]. (Diary
594)
After Vespers today, there was a procession to the cemetery. I could
not go, because I was on duty at the gate. But that did not stop me at
all from praying for the souls. As the procession was returning
from the cemetery to the chapel, my soul felt the presence of many
souls. I understood the great justice of God, how each one had to
payoff the debt to the last cent. (Diary 1375)
One day, I saw two roads. One was broad, covered with sand and
flowers, full of joy, music and all sorts of pleasures. People walked
along it, dancing and enjoying themselves. They reached the end
without realizing it. And at the end of the road there was a horrible
precipice; that is, the abyss of hell. The souls fell blindly into it;
as they walked, so they fell. And their number was so great that it was
impossible to count them. And I saw the other road, or rather, a path,
for it was narrow and strewn with thorns and rocks; and the people who
walked along it had tears in their eyes, and all kinds of suffering
befell them. Some fell down upon the rocks, but stood up immediately
and went on. At the end of the road there was a magnificent garden
filled with all sorts of happiness, and all these souls entered there.
At the very first instant they forgot all their sufferings. (Diary 153)
Excerpt from Catechism of the Catholic Church and excerpts from Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska.
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Fortitude
June 1, 2006
PRAY FOR OUR CATHOLIC BROTHERS IN THE MIDEAST!It is never too late for Him to do so, when the impossible is brought to Him, in faith, by the one in whose life and circumstances the impossible must be accomplished if God is to be glorified.
If in our own life there have been
sin,rebellion, unbelief, and disaster, it is never too late for God to
deal triumphantly with these tragic facts if brought to Him in full
surrender and trust.
*God delights in impossibilities.*
"There is nothing too hard for You."Jeremiah.32:17.
Is there anything too hard for Me?"Jeremiah.32:27.
"For with God nothing will be impossible." Luke.1:37
"The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." 18:27.
God *can and will* "restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten".Joel 2:25.
He will do this when you put the whole situation and yourself unreservedly and believingly into His hands.
*Not because of what you are but because of what He is.*
God forgives and heals and restores.
*God delivers you from impossibilities.*
Facing a critical problem?
*Your problem is His Project!*
Just stand behind Him and watch how He handles your problem.
How do you know?
*"...for He Himself knew what He would do". John 6:6.*
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Fortitude
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