"Never has the world been so corrupt as it is now, ..."

[MariaChristi]

1. Never has the world been so corrupt as it is now, for never has it been so cunning, so wise in its own way, and so crafty. It cleverly makes use of the truth to foster untruth, virtue to justify vice, and the very maxims of Jesus Christ to endorse its own so that even those who are wisest in the sight of God are often deceived. “Infinite is the number of these men, wise in the sight of the world but foolish in the eyes of God” (Eccles. 1:15).
2. Earthly wisdom of which St James speaks, is love for the things of this world. Worldly men secretly subscribe to this wisdom when they set their hearts on worldly possessions and strive to become rich. They institute court proceedings and engage in needless disputes to acquire wealth or hold on to it. Most of the time they are thinking, speaking, acting with the sole aim of acquiring or keeping some temporal possession. They pay little or no attention to their eternal salvation or to the means of saving their souls, such as Confession, Holy Communion, prayer, etc.; except in an offhand way out of routine, once in a while, and for the sake of appearances.
3. The wisdom of the flesh is the love of pleasure. This is the wisdom shown by the worldly-wise who seek only the satisfaction of the senses. They want to have a good time. They shun everything that might prove unpleasant or mortifying for the body, such as fasting, and other austerities. Usually they think only of eating, drinking, playing, laughing, enjoying life and having a good time. They must always be comfortable and insist on having entertaining pastimes, the best of food and good company. They regale themselves with all these pleasures without the least scruple, with no disapproval from the world and no inconvenience to their health. Then they can go looking for some broad-minded confessor (that is how they describe lax confessors who shirk their duty) to obtain from him on easy terms the peaceful sanction for their soft and effeminate way of living and a generous pardon for their sins. I say “on easy terms” because these worldly people usually want as a penance only a few prayers or a small offering to the poor. They detest anything that could possibly cause them any bodily discomfort. - from “The Love of Eternal Wisdom”

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

St. Louis de Montfort could be writing of today’s culture ! God knows we need to hear preachers like St. Louis de Montfort and other saints who spoke God’s Truth. Come Holy Spirit, increase in us the Gift of Wisdom received in Baptism. Jesus living in Mary live in us!

Come Holy Spirit, renew the Church in our time!

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks for your question, MasterHaster,

Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary, “The Word became Flesh” in Mary’s womb. The Incarnation is such an amazing Mystery and beuatiful gift to us, I can never explain all that it holds for us. However, St. Louis De Montfort included this Prayer in his treatise on "True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin". Here is the prayer in its entirety:

O Jesus, living in Mary, come and live in Your servants, in the spirit of Your holiness, in the fullness of Your power, in the perfection of Your ways, in the truth of Your virtues, in the communion of Your mysteries. Rule over every adverse power, in Your Spirit, for the glory of the Father. Amen. --Prayer of Fr. Jean Jacques Olier, S.S. (1608-1657)

Jesus came to us through Mary , and the Church teaches us that He continues to come to us through her, as every Grace we receive comes from Him through her. In Baptism we were “born again” into Supernatural Life – we had natural life, but by Baptism we became members of the Body of Christ; we were given a participation in God’s Life. There is much more that could be said but I encourage you to read the Catechism of the Catholie Church for more on Mary’s role. Beginning with this section:

MARY - MOTHER OF CHRIST, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH

963 Since the Virgin Mary’s role in the mystery of Christ and the Spirit has been treated, it is fitting now to consider her place in the mystery of the Church. “The Virgin Mary . . . is acknowledged and honored as being truly the Mother of God and of the redeemer… She is ‘clearly the mother of the members of Christ’ … since she has by her charity joined in bringing about the birth of believers in the Church, who are members of its head.” “Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church.”

I. MARY’S MOTHERHOOD WITH REGARD TO THE CHURCH

Wholly united with her Son . . .

964 Mary’s role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly from it. "This union of the mother with the Son in the work of salvation is made manifest from the time of Christ’s virginal conception up to his death; it is made manifest above all at the hour of his Passion:

Thus the Blessed Virgin advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, and faithfully persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross. There she stood, in keeping with the divine plan, enduring with her only begotten Son the intensity of his suffering, joining herself with his sacrifice in her mother’s heart, and lovingly consenting to the immolation of this victim, born of her: to be given, by the same Christ Jesus dying on the cross, as a mother to his disciple, with these words: “Woman, behold your son.”

Hope that helps a bit…

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks, CajunJoy, for your “heart” to let me know you liked the words of St. Louis de Montfort. His little book on “The Love of Eternal Wisdom” has helped me a great deal, each time I’ve read it.

 

[Casilda]

Never has the world been so corrupt as it is now

Just wanted to comment on the title of your thread. It was most corrupt during the days of Noah, when sadly but 8 souls on the face of the earth were worth saving. It’s (a tad bit) comforting when I recall the account of The Flood and the promises God made to Noah, that I know things are not as bad as they were then. Thanks Maria, I will have to look into his book, The Love of Eternal Wisdom.

 

[Dan_Defender]

Advice for worldly people:
‘It is vanity, therefore, to seek and trust in riches that perish. It is vanity also to court honor and to be
puffed up with pride. It is vanity to follow the lusts of the body and to desire things for which severe
punishment later must come. It is vanity to wish for long life and to care little about a well-spent
life. It is vanity to be concerned with the present only and not to make provision for things to come.
It is vanity to love what passes quickly and not to look ahead where eternal joy abides.’ - The Imitation of Christ

 

[SteelArchangel]

St. Louis de Montfort is always 100% spot on with everything.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Casilda,

Thanks for your reply. The title is taken from the first sentence of the paragraph, St. Louis de Montfort wrote:

Never has the world been so corrupt as it is now, for never has it been so cunning, so wise in its own way, and so crafty. It cleverly makes use of the truth to foster untruth, virtue to justify vice, and the very maxims of Jesus Christ to endorse its own so that even those who are wisest in the sight of God are often deceived.

True, there was terrible sin in the days of Noah; but St. Louis lived after Jesus Christ came among us to be our Way, our Truth and our Life. St. Louis points out the terrible corruption of Truth by cleverly making use of truth to foster untruth…virtue to justify vice and the very maxims of Jesus Christ to endorse its own so that even those who are wisest in the sight of God are often deceived

How much of this we see today – and I daresay worse! God’s Truth is not only “used in clever ways” to promote man’s own devious plans but God is being marginalized more and more by those who seek their own ends. God is a God of Justice and Mercy. He does all things well. There will come a time when all will be judged, and as Jesus tells us in Mt. 10:

"…Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.But beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans…(Mt. 10: 14 -18)

Paragraphs # 675 -677 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church tell us times will grow worse:

The Church’s ultimate trial

675 Before Christ’s second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the “mystery of iniquity” in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. the supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of His Messiah come in the flesh.

Come Holy Spirit! Renew us.

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks, Dan, for your reply. “The Imitation of Christ” is a classic whose author, (believed to be Thomas a Kempis) like St. Louis de Montfort must have been steeped in Scripture. The quote you posted reminded me of the Scripture verse from the book of Ecclesiastes 1:2:

The words of David’s son, Qoheleth, king in Jerusalem:

Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,

vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!

May the Lord help us to hear His Word in Scripture and to do the Truth we hear!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear SteelAngel,

Thanks for your reply. Every time I have read his books: “The Love of Eternal Wisdom” and “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary” I learn more than I learned in my first reading. His work is a gift to the Church and God has seen fit to keep his books read for hundreds of years now. I hope many will take to heart what he has written. St. Louis de Montfort has his critics, but I believe many do not understand him. Perhaps if he were read more carefully and prayerfully, he’d be a greater blessing to many more persons.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Vanitas and Greenfields,

Thanks again for your “hearts” letting us know you liked this post on St. Louis de Montfort’s words. May we all learn to love Mary our Mother, obeying Jesus words to John and to us on Calvary:

Behold your Mother

In her we see both Mother and Model for the Church!

 

[SteelArchangel]

I don’t think a lot of people want to listen. He wrote in a very straightforward manner.

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks, dear Steel Archangel,

Yes, how true it is – in the Life of Christ and in the lives of all His Saints. People did not want to hear the “hard sayings of Jesus” and so they left following Him. Peter, however when asked by Jesus if the disciples would also go away, answered: “To whom shall we go? You have the words of Eternal Life.” (cf John 6: 60-71)

In our culture today, there are many who do not want to hear anything about God and as in St. Louis de Montfort’s time they “use truth” to further their lies. In the U.S.A. We have some who call themselves Catholic “defending” the killing of babies in the womb, and calling that not “murder” but rather “freedom of choice” and/or an “inalienable right” of women. God help us to listen to the Lord and to the wisdom He has given and continues to give through Mary and through the writings and examples of His saints.

 

[Zach]

The worldly are concerned and obsessed with worldly pleasure and the glory of the self. What does it amount to, what is the point and meaning of a few years of Earthly pleasure and success? Without something beyond the world there is no point or meaning.

1 Peter 1:24-25

"All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord abides for ever.”

Like Luke’s parable of the rich fool we can store all the treasure we want on Earth and think we have it made and think will eat drink and be merry for many years and then in an instant our souls are taken out of the world. But have we prepared for the riches of heaven?