Saturday, November 24, 2012

It will taste like honey but turn your stomach sour.


You have to love the symbolism in readings right before Advent!

I haven't had much to say post-election. What is there to say? It is a freeken nightmare. I've been visiting Adoration, going to daily Mass, reading the Saints, etc. I've been with Our Lord.

I do have a few things to say about the postmortems and what's-next reflections I have read over the past few weeks. Specifically, pieces that opine the GOP should change their talking points to appeal to Latinos, and other pieces that opine (in one way or another) the Catholic prolife movement should withdraw from political activism because our message can't be received in this hostile climate.

I don't envy those who have to deal with the talking heads at the GOP. They must be reeling from the downfall of the Milque Toast. Eerr...I mean the Mittens. I thought this excellent pieceon the shameful treatment of Todd Akin, written by Austin Ruse, captured the essence of the struggles within the GOP.
Who knows where the GOP will go from here but we have the responsibility to talk about, educate, evangelize, rebuke, support and remain actively involved in politics. Frankly, I couldn't agree more with Mark Levin's rebuke to Rove to get the hell off the stage.  He is not our ally.


With respect to changing the talking points to appeal to Latinos, it is an exercise in futility.  Latinos are extremely pro-life, many are catechized and educated Catholics.  Some of those will resist a government that demoralizes and bankrupts its citizens, kills the children of the poor and euthanizes the sick.  But most will sacrifice women, children and the sick for the government that proselytizes security to those who enter our country illegally.   Illegal immigration trumps everything.

My family immigrated from Ireland.   They came through Ellis Island and went through the legal process.  They busted their tails earning their own living.

To Latinos, those who support immigration and employment through the legal process are anti-immigrant.  We will never win them because we can never surrender our sovereignty to their anarchy.  Advocates for lawlessness and anarchy and those who plow a platform for the freedom and sovereignty of our Republic are incompatible.  Ad infinitum.

The GOP is in the toilet because it has its rump on two chairs.   If the GOP moves towards anarchy, we have to flush the toilet.


I've also read the opinions of theologians saying things have not changed and the rebuttals that point out how much they have.   They're both right.   Spiritual people know the reasons why things have now escalated to ominous.  While we always carry the knowledge that Christ's Church follows the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ's Life on earth - the treachery, diabolical disorientation, the deception, the disintegration of morality and value of each human life and the jackasses who, in spite of it all, hail Barabbas - it is all..just..so... shocking and surreal.

With respect to various people of good faith opining the prolife movement should exit politics, stage right, because there aren't enough of us, we have to strengthen our own army in the pews, the message is rejected, etc., strengthening catechesis and being active in the public square have to co-exist.  Especially when the trajectory of the government is in the hands of Baal.

 Here's a good kick in the pants from yesterday's readings:

"I took the small scroll from the angel's hand and swallowed it. In my mouth it was like sweet honey, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour.  Then someone said to me "You must prophesy again about the many peoples, nations, tongues and kings".

Is this not profound?

When we come to understand it, approach it, savor the sweetness of the Sacraments and teachings of the Church, when we realize where its all going and what love beckons us to say and do, we get a sick feeling in our stomachs.  LOL.

 When reading the postmortems, it came across to me as though some people have a vision of a great big group of Catholics who are so well trained in eloquence, they win the political favor of the masses.  Nothing I've read in Scripture leaves me filled with hope for that kind of ending.

There is no need of a huddle to brainstorm about how to package the message so we can win friends and influence people.  They are going to silence and kill us.  

There IS a time and place for the propagation of the faith and recruiting believers but most people are incapable of discerning different messages for different situations.

Maybe this will help clarify:

When an assassin is holding a gun to his victim's head, the dialogue with that person is carefully chosen.  There is an urgency and the only objective is to save the victim's life.  An assessment is made as to the state of that person's mind, whether he can be talked out of it.  If people gather around the scene, the conversation is not about trying to convert them.  It is not the time nor place as the focus is not about the people watching.  There are times, sadly, when the police play every card and come to the conclusion through dialogue with the assassin that he is going to shoot the people around him and they call in a sniper.  

The point I am trying to make here is, the presence of the people on a rescue mission is not always about converting people who are a danger to themselves and others.

Our message is not well received in a culture of diabolical disorientation but our main purpose is testifying against legalized human rights violations.  The reception of the message has no bearing on our duty to cry out for justice.  We are beyond that now.  Every card has been played.

Many things are happening when we give public witness in the political forums.    By standing up in a hostile culture to say killing people is wrong, we are serving the victims of injustice and Christ.  The people who know the truth taste courage.  The back and forths with combative people teach others how and what to say in their own universe of family, friends, neighbors and combatants.  The defense of truth hums along without an intermission that would leave a generation without these tools:  See one.  Do one.  Teach one.

I do agree that there is much to be done in our parishes and schools.  But it all depends on where you are and who is in control of the culture of these forums.   This is the role of the local priest and Bishops.    If these men are not of sound mind and spirit or they are craven, you are wasting your time, talent and treasure.

The reception of the message relies upon wisdom and truth that can only come from sanctification.  Sanctification can only come from repentance.   Repentance comes from catechesis.   Catechesis comes to us through our parishes and schools and this is completely under the control of our priests and Bishops.

Laity lacks the Source to infuse a soul with sanctifying grace.  We can feed and water grace that is planted in the soul by our priests.   Laity can attempt to enlighten their intellect but we are incapable of planting sanctifying grace into a soul.

Our priests and bishops have to be willing to select sound books to teach from, hire teachers who will faithfully and soundly teach and preach content that leads to conversion.

In speaking to friends who are struggling with what to do as the Mystical Body continues on It's journey, some have suggested simply cultivating Adoration.

In a parish where the priest is solid and faithful, this is a magnificent way to pray for and harvest conversions.    Eucharistic adoration can effect change thousands of miles away.

(In parishes where there is a weak or unfaithful priest, there is some risk.   Your reputation for faithfulness and presence can create a situation where you witness to the urban legend that Catholicism is a big tent.  Adoration is one of the most effective resources of intercession - perhaps second to the Sacrifice.  When Adoration is up and running, the devil can show up to undermine.  I couldn't count the times I have seen him tee up a kerfuffle and create a situation where he entices the weak or unfaithful priest to witness against truth.   Then, your presence could potentially deteriorate the understanding of Catholic teaching to uncatechized souls.  Especially if they are your own children.    If you are a parent, this is definitely not an option.  Get thee to a faithful priest and pastor.  You can take care of others when your children are grown.  It is not the time and place to subject them to dissent.)

In Boston, we have run that gauntlet where our Bishop has been hostile to believers for seven years.  Ironically, his predecessor   I believe the Cardinal to be a faithful servant and a believer - when it comes to his own soul.   But when it comes to the mission of his Office as the Bishop of his see,  his folly of believing that he can hire people who starve and rob his people of sanctifying grace and their sanctification will come through the osmosis of his manners and kindness.    Many priests also suffer from this delusion.

On the level of the soul, this produces the fruit of admiration towards him.  He is pleased with this fruit.  But the soul carries on without the tools to resist temptation.  The Cardinal hires apostates and dissenters to fill their minds with dissent.  The fact that he has hired them gives everything they say his spiritual imprimatur.    The poor slobs do not know any better.   The choices in their day-to-day lives offend and alienate them from God who is the Source of Truth.  As they drift further and further away, their choices bring spiritual death and unhappiness, darkness.   Many have died in this state.  Good luck to him with that.

We are not the instruments of conversion.  We can only lead people to the Instruments - teachings of the Church and the Sacraments.  When those are skewed by the unfaithfulness or indifference of the priest (or bishop), we can have very little effect and can in fact, make the situation worse.

Follow your heart and choose well. Worthy is the Lamb.

(the visuals in this video stink, but I love this song..and it is an excellent fit...so close your eyes and listen!)








6 comments:

Kd said...

Well said. God Bless and Protect You!

Lynne said...

You said "Catechesis comes to us through our parishes and schools and this is completely under the control of our priests and Bishops."

Unfortunately, given the situation here in Boston, wouldn't you say that catechesis can also occur by reading older, faithful books? I feel like most of our bishops have deserted us, we're on our own.

I'm reading (purely for enjoyment) Eclipse of the Sun by Michael O'Brien. The book, 'fiction', covers so much of what is wrong/going on today. It's fascinating...

TTC said...

Lynne, good point! In their starvation, those of us curious enough to search and find our own sources to learn our own religion have a library.

TTC said...

thanks kd!

susan said...


This was SUCH a GOOD post Carol!....the line about Barabas sent up all the hairs on the back of my neck.

This A.M. I heard on the radio a clip from the "Soul Train Awards" (yeah, for real :)...and Jamie Fox (big star, with BIG influence in the black community) ACTUALLY said, "First honor to God, and then honor to our Lord and Savior...Barak Obama!" I KID YOU NOT!!!...And the (huuuuuge) crowd went WILD! He said again, "Barak Obama!!!" And they screamed and cheered even louder.

Barabas indeed.

TTC said...

Their lord and savior - wow. Well? Should we really be surprised?