With so many faithful Catholics feeling discouraged, I think we need to take a small step back to consider exactly where we find ourselves in salvation history.
As I recently shared with a friend, those who want to know their faith can. Should it be easier than it is today? Perhaps, but we have nearly 2,000 years of magisterium and tradition that cannot err. We must cling to these truths and profess them at every turn, in the face of every error, regardless of who promotes it, “even if an angel from heaven.”
God wants us here at this exact moment in time to serve His cause.
Let that sink in deeply. There’s something very thrilling about this awareness. The Lord Himself, He who knitted us together in our mother’s womb and can number the hairs on our head, has recruited us to serve as warriors for Christ the King at this time of battle. He wills that we should emerge victorious, even if only in eternity. Who, therefore, can be against us?
How blessed are we!
It is true Louie. In a way, it is a very good time to be Catholic. If we suffer for Jesus it is a good thing, so long as we are faithful and offer it to Him, for His glory. What is disturbing is not all the confused and discouraged Catholics, but the ones who will simply defend any comment made in any interview. I think I have come to believe that many, many Catholics see this as a relief. A relief from the responsibility of spreading the faith. A relief from the embarrassment and possible ridicule that might come from reaching out to a co-worker or neighbor in need of guiding light. A relief from having to teach those in most need of Christ’s mercy. Let us see how this all plays out. In the meantime, go out into the world and be fishers of men!
Mr V …you are a rock solid Catholic and this blog is very much needed and appreciated. Please know you and your loved ones are in my rosaries.
I had this exact conversation with my Fiance earlier this week. Reminds me of the passage from Jeremiah:
“Before I formed thee in the bowels of thy mother, I knew thee: and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee”
Saints aren’t made because the world around them was peaceful – they are saints because they stood firm & professed their faith in the face of persecution. We can only pray that we will respond in kind!
(…) But, when necessity compels, not those only who are invested with power of rule are bound to safeguard the integrity of faith, but, as St. Thomas maintains: “Each one is under obligation to show forth his faith, either to instruct and encourage others of the faithful, or to repel the attacks of unbelievers.”
To recoil before an enemy, or to keep silence when from all sides such clamors are raised against truth, is the part of a man either devoid of character or who entertains doubt as to the truth of what he professes to believe. In both cases such mode of behaving is base and is insulting to God, and both are incompatible with the salvation of mankind.
This kind of conduct is profitable only to the enemies of the faith, for nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good. Moreover, want of vigor on the part of Christians is so much the more blameworthy, as not seldom little would be needed on their part to bring to naught false charges and refute erroneous opinions, and by always exerting themselves more strenuously they might reckon upon being successful.
After all, no one can be prevented from putting forth that strength of soul which is the characteristic of true Christians, and very frequently by such display of courage our enemies lose heart and their designs are thwarted. Christians are, moreover, born for combat, whereof the greater the vehemence, the more assured, God aiding, the triumph: “Have confidence; I have overcome the world.”
Nor is there any ground for alleging that Jesus Christ, the Guardian and Champion of the Church, needs not in any manner the help of men. Power certainly is not wanting to Him, but in His loving kindness He would assign to us a share in obtaining and applying the fruits of salvation procured through His grace.(…)
[Pope Leo XIII, Sapientiae Christianae]
Louie,
We are not members of a Pilgrim Church—just passing through. We are members of the Church Militant—and must be ready for battle in the army of Christ the King!
Thank you for your words of encouragement.
Long live Christ the King!
Couldn’t have put it better myself!
One little quibble however, no angel from Heaven, I stress from Heaven, could promote error!
Repost for cheering up purposes: Popes can be heretics. I am sure many have been. I know some have been. They can also be stupid, immoral, and insane. So can anyone. All of us have fallen into the trap of Pope-worship. The only thing the Pope “can’t” do and be Pope is solemnly declare untruths as matters of faith and morals. I have every confidence that this Pope, heretic or not, will not do so. Please, everyone, stop getting crazy over human nature. Trust the Lord. It is indeed sad that so much harm is being done to the ignorant and benefit to our enemies by the informal words of the Pope, but that is all they are. Thank goodness most Popes in history have not had the option of instant global communication of their stream of consciousness. Thank goodness Peter didn’t, for that matter!
Well The Pope blinked yesterday, when his spokesman, Fr. Lombardi, said that He Himself admits to have the facility to give quick responses, after which he realizes he could have said something better…and thus Lombardi implies that we should not take Bergoglio seriously in anything he has said in public or in writing, since WYD….
how convenient…
but it is sufficient to avoid the charge of pertinacious heresy…
Let us pray for a more truthful conversion…
Dear Mr. V,
Your excellent article, has pierced my heart…….for Jesus. I hear the enemy laughing, and mocking Him……Miserere!
It’s a time to awaken from lethargy……….we are all called to be True Soldiers of Christ, defending Truth with ‘fearless faith’!
May God bless All Soldiers of Christ!
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!
Viva la Vírgen de Guadalupe!
Viva Cristo Rey!