June 2 - "...according to His promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This morning, listening to the first reading for today’s Mass, I was struck by the Word of God speaking through His Apostle Peter. God is speaking to the USA and to all parts of the world today. Here in this country we are in the midst of great unrest and we need to look to Him Who is Lord of all. Let us listen to these words this morning coming from God, as St. Peter and the first Christians heard them. God’s Truth and His Love Remain forever:

Beloved:
Wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God,
because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames
and the elements melted by fire.
But according to his promise
we await new heavens and a new earth
in which righteousness dwells.

Therefore, beloved, since you await these things,
be eager to be found without spot or blemish before Him, at peace.
And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation.

Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned,
be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled
and to fall from your own stability.
But grow in grace
and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
To Him be glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen. (2 Pt 3:12-15A, 17-18)

Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us. You are our Mother and you have been venerated by so many countries for centuries. The USA has been consecrated to you anew just last month and from its beginnings you have been Patron of our Land under the title of the Immacuculate Conception. Forgive us our sins, Mother, especially the terrible killing of innocent babies in abortion and the utter contempt in which many here and everywhere are showing toward God’s Truth and Love. Pray with us as we humbly beg His Mercy, and trust in Him to enable us to grow in grace, now and always through your intercession.

 

[fide]

Thank you, MariaChristi, for this so very relevant Word of the Lord, through His servant Peter, written so many years ago. Today, in America, flaming volcanoes of raging anger, interior violence, frustration, hatred, pain are erupting in riots and destruction in cities across the land. Man cannot live without God! How can we continue to claim, presume, insist that we can? Without Him each man and woman is left alone, each to his own inner poverty. How foolish is this “city of man”!

And what is the Church doing? What is she hearing? Can she hear the rage in the streets, and continue to seek mere “business as usual” in the parishes? Will we try to return to “rearranging furniture on the Titanic” even as the end get closer? Let us “be forewarned,” People of God. Let us remember why we are here. The world is crying out for what it does not know - we are supposed to know: do we?

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear fide,

Thanks so much for your reply. It is so true as you have said: "How foolish is this “city of man”! St. Augustine saw the world as two cities - The City of God and the city of man. He wrote that those who love God to the contempt of self are building the “City of God” while those who love self to the contempt of God are building the “city of man”.

You asked a good question: “And what is the Church doing?” - The Catholic Church at this time in her history is dangerously close to the worldly attitudes around us and we really need to LISTEN to what God is saying in His Word today and everyday. God’s Word has spoken though His Servant Peter as well as James and other writers of the Old and New Testaments warning us – not to be compromising with the world. In the Letter of James, we hear:

…if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it. But he should ask in faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways… (James 1: 5 - 8)

Forgive me for “preaching to the choir”, fide. You are one who is trying to share God’s Truth here on CAF and that is a blessing for all “who do not know all we are supposed to know”. It is important for all of us to learn from Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.

May the Lord help all of us to begin in earnest by listening and pondering today’s first reading especially the final verses:

…Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned,
be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled
and to fall from your own stability.
But grow in grace
and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen. (From 2 Pt 3:12-15A, 17-18)

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Stephen,

Thanks so much for your “heart” which lets us know that you read not only the Original post but went further in reading fide’s reply and my response to him and gave a heart there too!

Fide’s replies on other threads I’ve read, have always been “solidly” Catholic. I believe God has blessed fide with many gifts to use for the upbuilding of the Body of Christ. If you like to read you may be interested in reading this article

Organized Rioting Across America: A Call to Repentance! | Renew The Church! - website and Blog

Thanks again!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear QuietTrad,

You will be missed, but you will remain in my husband’s and my prayers; and I trust you will be in the “Crossing of our Mother Mary’s Arms” close to Jesus. You will also have many others in the Mystical Body watching over you and protecting you: St. Joseph the Protector and Guardian for Mary and Baby Jesus continues to guard all in the Church; and you will be in the special care of your own Guardian Angel as well as the Saints who are our brothers and sisters in heaven.

Only God knows when or if we’ll meet again here – in the future – but if not here, then let us trust in Jesus through Mary to provide a meeting in heaven!