"the enemy is at the Gates!"

[MariaChristi]

Thank you for the reply, MariaChristi,
we must not shrink back from putting our
“shoulder to the yoke” of praying for a new
Pentecost, it must fly or we are sunk as
a Church!! And I think you are right in
saying that we should look to our Mother
Mary for help in this.

Thanks again, Glam for continuing our discussion here. This morning I read a commentary on today’s Gospel, which re-emphasizes your words on “putting our shoulder to the yoke”:

Tuesday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time - Commentary of the day by St. Vincent de Paul (1581-1660), priest, founder of religious communities in Spiritual talks given to the Missionary Brothers -“Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest”:

There are plenty of people who, wanting to be well-ordered on the surface and filled with beautiful feelings about God within, stop there…; they are satisfied with the sweet colloquies they hold with God in prayer… Don’t let us deceive ourselves: our whole task consists in passing over into acts. And so true is this that the apostle, Saint John, tells us that our works are the only thing to accompany us into the next life (Rev 14,13). So let us think this over: never more than in our own day are there many who seem to be virtuous, and indeed are so, but who nevertheless tend towards a way that is easy and gentle rather than to hard-working, straightforward devotion.

The Church is like a great harvest in need of laborers - but laborers who work! Nothing is more in keeping with the Gospel than to draw light and strength for one’s soul in prayer, reading and solitude on the one hand, but then to go and distribute this spiritual nourishment to other people. This is to do what our Lord did and, after him, his apostles; it is to unite Martha’s task with that of Mary; it is to imitate the dove who digests half the food she has taken and then places the rest with her beak into that of her little ones to feed them. This is what we ought to do, too; this is how we ought to show God by our works how much we love him. Our whole task consists in passing over into act.

I am convinced Mary our Mother is truly the “Star of the New Evangelization” for she is all that we are called to be, as Vatican II and our recent Popes exhorted us. The last words we hear from Mary’s lips in the Gospel are to the servants at Cana: “Do whatever He tells you”. Saints, like St. Vincent de Paul, grew in holiness by listening to Jesus in Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church, and each of them in a unique way did the Truth they heard.

So must we pray to the Holy Spirit to hear His Truth and do the Truth we hear in our time, with the gifts He has given us. Let me repeat a picture I posted in sharing the book, Mother Teresa: In the Shadow of Our Lady. It is an artist’s rendition of the vision Mother Teresa had and revealed to Fr. Langford MC. She saw herself as a child (which has great significance to me) standing with Mary near the Cross.
http://www.mcpriests.com/03spirituality/images/christ_mother.jpg

 

[outremer]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The statistics are painful but we need to read them, weeping. The Church needs to wake up and strengthen the faith we have. Please read my husband’s blog, HERE posted yesterday, with the title: “The Church is shrinking; the faith is in decline.”

You may wish to comment on the blog or in this thread, but please read these statistics on Catholics in the USA and worldwide. Let us continue to pray for God’s wisdom to see what each of us can do working with the Holy Spirit in renewing Faith on this earth.

At least many are converting to other Christian churches, maintaining their faith in Jesus. As long as they hold on to faith in Him, that is positive.

Though I imagine some percentage of ex-Catholics have become atheist or agnostic. Sad.

 

[MariaChristi]

At least many are converting to other Christian churches, maintaining their faith in Jesus. As long as they hold on to faith in Him, that is positive.

Though I imagine some percentage of ex-Catholics have become atheist or agnostic. Sad.

Dear outremer,

Thanks for your reply. The fullness of God’s Truth subsists in the Catholic Church. If we truly love our brothers and sisters then we need to continue to pray with Jesus as He prayed in John 17, that all may be One in Him.

The division that exists within the many, many denominations of Christianity today is a scandal to non Christians and is a heartache to those who yearn for reunification of all Christians. It is sad, not only to see so many who were baptized in the Catholic Church leave to join a "non denominational " or other group, but ach break from the One Church caused a lessening of the gifted members who could be with us today building up the Body of Christ. Those who broke away took elements of Truth with them but they have, in a sense, torn the seamless robe of Christ. We Catholics have not passed on the faith as we needed to over many generations as is evidenced in these statistics on the blog. Did you read the blog? If not, please see HERE

The statistics show the degree of opposition to Church teachings by Catholics in the US and worldwide who still attend Church! This is serious evidence that many Catholics today do not know the fullness of Truth which God has given to the Church. They have not learned to listen well to Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church.

The enemy is the evil one who has made great inroads not only in the world but inside the Church with his deceit. The evil one is a liar and has been tempting all of the children of Adam and Eve for millennia. These statistics are sad but they need to be pondered and perhaps enough persons will begin to ask God for the Wisdom needed to resist the enemy and begin to open themselves to the Truth for God’s greater Glory and for the good of all His Children. Jesus sent the Church to make disciples, teaching them all He commanded. (cf Mt. 28). Many of us have been ungrateful children and unprofitable servants.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your Faithful. Mary, Mother of the Church and Star of the New Evangelization, pray for us. Jesus, we trust in You.

 

[GLam8833]

Remember, O gracious Virgin Mary,
that never has it been known that anyone
who had fled to you for protection, implored
your help or sought your intercession was
left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, we
fly to you, O Virgin of virgins, Our Mother!
To you we come, before you we stand,
sinful and sorrowful! O Mother of the Word
Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but
in your mercy, hear and ANSWER us!
Amen.

 

[YinYangMom]

Am I reading the tone of this discussion properly? I sense fear and anxiety over the thought of a shrinking church.

Yes, it is sad to see so many Catholics stray from the faith, but reading through scripture, and even the posts here in this thread citing Cardinal Ratzinger, this state of events shouldn’t surprise us so, and it shouldn’t raise fear.

God will never abandon His church, though we seem to abandoning Him, but there will always be those who will remain faithful. God willing, I plan to be among them.

Do we not deserve to be wanting for a spell after having taken the Church for granted all these years, failing to teach as we should have, having been misled by the U.S. clergy of the 70s? If we spend the next 30-50 years persecuted, scattered, strained, would anyone consider that unjust?

Be not afraid. Remain true, faithful, allow the Spirit to work through you as He needs. We’ll come through stronger. In the meantime we have some wonderful people who are responding to God’s call to evangelize:
Matthew Kelly’s Dynamic Catholic campaign is wonderful.
There’s Lighthouse Catholic Media.
Ignatius Press.
Augustine Institute’s Symbolon. Catholics Come Home.
Marian’s of the Immaculate Conception and the Hearts Afire Parish Program.

“At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Cor 13:12-13

 

[mh2007]

I find this aspect of the article interesting:

“A major impediment, in my opinion, to the Church being Church in these dark times is that she is day-dreaming when she ought to be in training…Take a lesson from the rulers of kingdoms of earth: they form armies, they train them and arm them and prepare them for war. We ought to have their prudence.”

Religious freedom, like all freedom, requires vigilance. We must be on watch, on guard, continually. I am afraid the decline won’t stop until some awakening occurs that brings people back.

 

[zamyrabyrd]

Let me repeat a picture I posted in sharing the book, Mother Teresa: In the Shadow of Our Lady. It is an artist’s rendition of the vision Mother Teresa had and revealed to Fr. Langford MC. She saw herself as a child (which has great significance to me) standing with Mary near the Cross.
http://www.mcpriests.com/03spirituality/images/christ_mother.jpg

It was interesting to see the picture in which the cross is shown lower than usual. I heard a lecture by a very learned scholar who said that is where it was. The effect must have been devastating.

 

[MariaChristi]

Am I reading the tone of this discussion properly? I sense fear and anxiety over the thought of a shrinking church.

Yes, it is sad to see so many Catholics stray from the faith, but reading through scripture, and even the posts here in this thread citing Cardinal Ratzinger, this state of events shouldn’t surprise us so, and it shouldn’t raise fear.

God will never abandon His church, though we seem to abandoning Him, but there will always be those who will remain faithful. God willing, I plan to be among them.

Do we not deserve to be wanting for a spell after having taken the Church for granted all these years, failing to teach as we should have, having been misled by the U.S. clergy of the 70s? If we spend the next 30-50 years persecuted, scattered, strained, would anyone consider that unjust?

Be not afraid. Remain true, faithful, allow the Spirit to work through you as He needs. We’ll come through stronger. In the meantime we have some wonderful people who are responding to God’s call to evangelize:
Matthew Kelly’s Dynamic Catholic campaign is wonderful.
There’s Lighthouse Catholic Media.
Ignatius Press.
Augustine Institute’s Symbolon. Catholics Come Home.
Marian’s of the Immaculate Conception and the Hearts Afire Parish Program.

“At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Cor 13:12-13

Dear YinYangMom,

If you sense any fear, I would hope it is that gift of the Holy Spirit which is named “Fear of the Lord” but it is not a “servile fear”. It is rather a reverential fear, which faithful sons and daughters have towards their Loving Father. It is a gift which is ultimately born of love for Him and for all our brothers and sisters.

Pope Emeritus, in 1969 when he gave his radio address, speaking prophetically (in my humble opinion) was not speaking out of fear. He was simply aware of the signs of the time, and speaking truth lovingly to those who had ears to hear. The “shrinking Church” and the “faith in decline” about which my husband wrote in his blog, see HERE – and which was the impetus for this thread, was not written out of servile fear, by any means.

We are living in a unique time of history and we can see around us many who are turning from God and turning toward the world in selfish ways. We cannot remain indifferent as if our brothers and sisters were not like straying or lost sheep. Perhaps reading the blog may encourage more of us to pray more fervently in order to hear and do the Truth God has given us. Thanks for your reply. If you haven’t read the blog I hope you will, and perhaps sense something more.

 

[MariaChristi]

I find this aspect of the article interesting:

“A major impediment, in my opinion, to the Church being Church in these dark times is that she is day-dreaming when she ought to be in training…Take a lesson from the rulers of kingdoms of earth: they form armies, they train them and arm them and prepare them for war. We ought to have their prudence.”

Religious freedom, like all freedom, requires vigilance. We must be on watch, on guard, continually. I am afraid the decline won’t stop until some awakening occurs that brings people back.

Dear mh,

Yes, as Jesus told His disciples: “Watch and pray”. Our individual spiritual battles are part of the battle to defend the Church agains the enemy. As each of us grows spiritually, the Church on earth grows stronger. As one member weakens we are all the weaker for it.

A Commentary on this morning’s Gospel:

Saturday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Saint Ambrose (c.340-397), Bishop of Milan and Doctor of the Church
Sermon 20 on Psalm 118 ; CSEL 62, 467f.
Acknowledging Christ before others

   You can be a witness to Christ every day. You were tempted by the spirit of impurity but... you considered that chastity of spirit and body should not be soiled: you are a martyr or, in other words, a witness to Christ... You were tempted by the spirit of pride but, seeing the poor and needy, you were seized by tender compassion and preferred humility to arrogance: you are a witness to Christ. Better still: you have not given your witness in word alone but in deed as well.

  What is the surest kind of witness? “Anyone who acknowledges that Jesus Christ came among us in the flesh” (cf. 1Jn 4,2) and who keeps the commands of the Gospel... How many there are each day of these hidden martyrs of Christ who confess the Lord Jesus! The apostle Paul knew that kind of martyrdom and witness of faith rendered to Christ, he who said: “Our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience” (2Cor 1,12). For how many people have made a confession of faith exteriorly but denied it interiorly!... So be faithful and courageous in interior persecutions so that you may also win the victory in exterior persecutions. There are “kings and rulers”, judges of formidable power, in the persecutions within, likewise. You have an example of these in the temptations undergone by our Lord (Mt 4,1ff.)

 

[MariaChristi]

It was interesting to see the picture in which the cross is shown lower than usual. I heard a lecture by a very learned scholar who said that is where it was. The effect must have been devastating.

Dear zamyrabyrd,

Yes, I cannot imagine the pain our Blessed Mother endured seeing Jesus Crucified. I keep a copy of that picture next to my computer. The fact that she saw herself as a little child of about 9 or 10 years old is very significant to me, as is the fact that Our Lady has her hand on the child’s shoulder and her other hand raising the child’s right arm toward the Cross.

Mother Teresa told Fr. Langford that she could never have gone through her trials without Mary’s help. How true that is for all of us! We need to become as little children in imitation of Jesus who always did the Will of His Father, and who was so humble as to assume our human nature and depend as a Child on Mary.

In Father Langford’s book, he wrote that Mother Teresa also heard Mary’s voice saying, “These are my children. Take care of them…” Mother Teresa saw in the poor, Jesus, as she described Him, " in His distressing disguise". We need to see Christ suffering in His Body on earth – not only in material need, but even more – those in spiritual need – for that is the greatest need of all!

 

[LoyalAngel]

I would recommend reading Matthew Kelly’s book, “The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic”. Website is dynamiccatholic.com. I think you will find a visionary insight for the Catholic Church as well as very positive and helpful answers and directions for the future.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear LoyalAngel,

Thanks for your reply. If you were helped by Mr. Kelly’s book, I hope that was only the beginning of your seeking to grow spiritually. I read most of his book, “Rediscovering Catholicism” but I was expecting more. My favorites remain, The Scriptures and good Commentaries, along with writings by the Saints and Blesseds. How much more I hear in listening to a familiar Scripture again after a period of time – thanks to the faithfulness of the Holy Spirit and Mary working in my life!

 

[zamyrabyrd]

It wouldn’t be correct at all to assume that non-Catholics and/or non-Christians don’t have solid values and courage.

I was obviously talking about faithful Catholics not in name only. But sure, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, anyone with goodwill and conscience are needed to oppose the abominations of political correctness.

 

[MariaChristi]

Yes, and I assume you are saying that even those Catholics who leave the church may be people who have solid values and courage…

Dear DaddyGirl,

I went back a few pages to my original post for this thread to see if you had posted before, because your username was unfamiliar to me. Sometimes when a thread gets long, people enter it and begin conversations, commenting on other posters’ comments, so I’m wondering if you read the original post I wrote or my husband’s blog HERE

I’m grateful for your interest in the thread and would appreciate any comments on the statistics in the blog article. Thanks.

 

[zamyrabyrd]

Yes, and I assume you are saying that even those Catholics who leave the church may be people who have solid values and courage.
.

You assumed wrong. I did not say that at all. The point was about those who have the courage and solid grounding in Christian values to stay in the Church while the world is pounding and sneering at them.

 

[zamyrabyrd]

Yes, I understand you didn’t say that.
That is why I was asking for clarification–twice.
I see now that you were speaking only of the kind of courage and values you feel Catholics have who stay with the church…you were not speaking about the kind courage and values that those who leave the church may have. Is that correct?.

It doesn’t take courage to leave the church. In this world, millions will be cheering it on.
You wrote: “I think the world and the people in it and how they feel is evolving in a natural, organic way striving toward a better future…as it did 2000 years ago and as it has always done, with every century and every generation bringing a forward momentum of thinking and understanding.”
The 20th century killed about 100,000,000, probably more, thanks to totalitarianism and advanced technology used in war. In more civilized times, fighting was done between armies. No other age left such a trail of destruction and pollution, that now includes the detritus of chemical warfare and atomic weapons and testing.
Civility in most societies has reached a new low: physical and verbal violence, sexual depravity marching down the streets, the poor still increasing rather than diminishing except when they are killed off by disease, famine or abortion - how could ANYONE say that society is improving?
You obviously have a utopian vision of society that has been proven over and over to be murderously false, a world without God, yet you want to blame Him on what humans are doing with their own freewill.

 

[MariaChristi]

Oh, *yes. *I read your original post and your husband’s blog. We’ve had several threads in the recent past citing that same information and those polls.

I read each and every post here that followed your first one with curiosity.
If you would like me to comment specifically on the statistics your husband lists, I’d say:

I think he is wrong, I don’t think some sort of “enemy” is at any gate at all.
I think the world and the people in it and how they feel is evolving in a natural, organic way striving toward a better future…as it did 2000 years ago and as it has always done, with every century and every generation bringing a forward momentum of thinking and understanding.

I agree with the blog when it says people in the church are “less Catholic” than they used to be.
But I don’t understand why your husband blames an unseen “enemy”.
Does he not consider at all that people don’t agree with some teachings merely because they thing they are incorrect?
And if this is all happening…does he not consider that this may be “God’s will”?
And if not, why not?
After all, this god seems to work in all those mysterious ways.

If it’s true what the other poster says about separating the faithful from the not so faithful…why couldn’t this all be part of god’s plan?

If so, then it’s not an “enemy” at all doing all of this…but God.

Dear DaddyGirl,

Thanks for reading my husband’s blog article, for reading this thread, and for your response above. The “enemy” is the same enemy our first parents met in the Garden of Eden. The same “enemy” Peter met and who tempted him. St. Peter having repented, recognized this “enemy” after he sinned. St. Peter now warns us, his brothers and sisters:

…“God opposes the proud but bestows favor on the humble.” So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you. Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings. The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory through Christ [Jesus] will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little. To him be dominion forever. Amen. (1 Peter 5: 5-11)

While God permits evil, He never approves it. He has given humankind free will and that is a gift we need to use for good and not evil. Sadly there are some who have a distorted view of freedom and use it to do evil – causing suffering to many, including themselves.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church does not see some utopian vision but rather an end to evil in a sober way:

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.

676 The Antichrist’s deception already begins to take shape in the world every time the claim is made to realize within history that messianic hope which can only be realized beyond history through the eschatological judgement. the Church has rejected even modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come under the name of millenarianism, especially the “intrinsically perverse” political form of a secular messianism.

677 The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final Passover, when she will follow her Lord in his death and Resurrection. The kingdom will be fulfilled, then, not by a historic triumph of the Church through a progressive ascendancy, but only by God’s victory over the final unleashing of evil, which will cause his Bride to come down from heaven.God’s triumph over the revolt of evil will take the form of the Last Judgement after the final cosmic upheaval of this passing world.

Only God knows the time, the date, of His Final Coming, but He will come. In the meantime I believe the enemy is always at the gates of our minds and hearts, seeking to deceive us in our thinking and tempting us to act on the lies he tells. St. Peter gives good advice : “Resist him!” God’s Grace is sufficient for us to withstand evil and to do the good we need to do. Whenever the end comes, we will be happy to have fought the fight well!

Evil gains ground when the good do nothing to oppose it.