A Sign of Our Lord’s Presence in the World

Posted on by charliej373


By Charlie Johnston

I have been struggling for months on what to do going forward. Every instinct in me cries out to adopt a “defend and repair” stance towards our culture. When you reach a tipping point, though, where the majority of the people of a culture – or a preponderance of the leadership thereof – has decisively rejected the animating principles that built and sustained that culture, a “defend and repair” stance is an exercise in futility. When it is clear that the battle is lost, the most effective and responsible stance to take is an “endure, give witness, and prepare to rebuild” stance. While I still forlornly hope for the former, I will largely act from the latter perspective henceforth.

The deeper I dive into analysis of the midterm elections, the more I think our culture – and our country – is lost. While suburban women dramatically moved towards leftism, perhaps more telling is that for the first time in memory, suburban men voted Democrat by a small margin. Look at a map of the 2014 midterms and you will see cities that are blue, but the suburbs surrounding them are usually pink or red. This time, the cities and the suburbs were uniformly blue. As it turns out, the “walkaway” movement is statistically insignificant. Both blacks and Hispanics voted in their normal overwhelming numbers for Democrats (though there was statistically significant movement among blacks under 30 towards Republicans). If Republicans have lost the suburbs – and it appears they have – they have lost the country.

It is shocking to me that this should be so after Democrats engaged in large-scale systematic mob action, encouraging and excusing violence, intimidation, and threatening mobs against those who did not agree with them. The smearing of Justice Brett Kavanaugh was just in the rear-view mirror on election day – and was one of the most shameful episodes of demagogic maliciousness by a major party in our country’s history. The whole Russian collusion business has turned out to be the only serious internal coup attempt in our country’s history – and was perpetrated entirely by Democrats and establishment Republicans. Social media sites routinely censored conservative voices for pedestrian comments while excusing inflammatory rhetoric by leftists. The establishment media has engaged in malfeasance and character assassination on a massive scale. I really thought ordinary people would figure out that, if they watch CNN or MSNBC regularly, it always turns out that the narrative those outlets are peddling four to six weeks earlier are false. You don’t even have to watch an alternative site to notice this – just pay attention. But our collective institutional memory has developed late-stage Alzheimer’s, it seems.

Sure, people could change their minds in two years, but we have established that mob violence, intimidation, harassment, character assassination (and attempts at the real thing), censorship, using state power to compel individual conscience, and activist journalistic malfeasance are now acceptable tools, provided they are wielded for the preferred ideology of the elite classes. Meanwhile, elite classes are more willfully and invincibly ignorant than I have seen at the border of any great historical crisis. Read, sometime, a transcript of any of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. These were a real phenomenon in their time. They lasted an average of three hours and attracted great crowds of people from many miles around every city they were held. The arguments were long, complex and deep. The audience was composed mainly of what modern elites would call “rustic frontiersmen.” Yet those rustics followed the arguments closely and shouted the occasional aside. Read any one of those debates and then ask yourself honestly what modern newsman or “statesman” could follow the logic in them for five minutes without getting hopelessly lost. Then ask yourself who the rustics really are.

Students come out of “universities” dumber than when they went in. It is all indoctrination now. Doing the actual questioning and examination that is key to critical thinking is not only discouraged in universities; it could get you tossed out for “hate speech”. So we have a herd of over-credentialed, deeply under-educated students making decisions based on what sounds or feels good…what posture will make them feel more virtuous without involving any significant sacrifice. The old Soviet Union and modern China must be terribly jealous: they forced people into re-education camps; in America, though, parents scrimp and save to pay for their children’s re-education camps. Late-night comedians are the worst. Not a one of them has much in the way of knowledge or wisdom, yet they prattle on with their fractured sophistry while the audience claps like a bunch of trained seals seeking their next fish – all because it is seen as cool – not because any of it would stand up to two minutes of actual critical thinking.

Identity politics has done terrible damage to the country. Having rejected the Rev. Martin Luther King’s dream of a day when all men would be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin, the left has decided that identity is the ONLY thing people are to be judged on, thus condemning society to never-ending struggles between roving bands of rival identity warlords. Even worse than that, the theory behind such a destructive philosophy has percolated down into the larger foundation of the culture. America’s founding generation committed itself to the idea that, with freedom (including due process and free speech), even a country of rustic backwoodsmen could make a go of it if its people dedicated themselves to hard work, enterprise, rigorous examination and prudent judgment. It was a brilliant success, as that country not only made a go of it but thrived and became great. But identity politics ideologues scorn such notions, believing that life is one big lottery – and those who pick a winning ticket must share it with those who don’t. They think our prosperity and liberty are just characteristic of being American; that no consequences attach to abandoning fair play, intellectual rigor, hard work and prudent judgment. As we draw down on the intellectual and moral capital our ancestors bequeathed us (regarding them with contempt as we do so) the decay grows ever more virulent.

John Adams famously said, after the ratification of the Constitution that the system they had devised “…was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”  In presentations on his master work, “Democracy in America,” Alexis de Tocqueville often said, “America is not good because she is great; she is great because she is good. When she ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.” True as those sentiments are, they are now classified as “hate speech.” A sort of demonic madness has been unleashed on the culture. It is eating away at the vitals of the country and the world. Historically, great societies on the verge of catastrophic collapse blithely maintain it can never happen to them because they are so rich and powerful. Doom usually comes in a rush, after years or even decades of visible decline (probably because the stabilizing elements of the society have been hollowed out by the termites of collectivism – and little remains to prop up the remaining shell). When it comes, many of the nattering elite remain in chirpy denial for days or even weeks after the decisive blow has fallen.

In the 1700 years since Constantine legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire with the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D., that faith fueled the growth of Western Civilization, which eventually bequeathed the west with the most astonishing harvest of liberty and prosperity in the history of humanity, all firmly anchored in the faith. While western societies routinely failed to live the tenets of the faith well, for those 1700 years it was accepted that this was the ideal to aspire to. Even the malefactors in society gave lip service to the faith – and often sought to reform themselves, for this was the default setting of a society that worked, that cared for others, and that was generous. We were a functionally Christian culture. But the world has shifted on its axis in the last decade. The reality is that we Christians are now a minority movement (and an increasingly persecuted one, at that) in a functionally pagan culture. Even there, the new “enlightened” elite class cannot live any consistency: neo-paganism is a stew pot of paganism, pantheism, and genuinely primitive rank superstitions. If the ascendant “social justice warriors” had any clue of what such cultures were really like, they would flee in terror from what they are conjuring. But they can’t even remember that Venezuela, just a decade ago, was still a rare wealthy Latin American country, even as it was drawing down on the capital bequeathed to it by its forbears in its mad rush to socialism. It was brought low, just in the last decade, by the very ideology American socialists pursue with such enthusiasm and that the majority of the millennial generation favors. Like I said, our institutional memory is shot.

I have been re-reading, very slowly, William Shirer’s masterful “Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.” The last time I read it I was around 20. It has been a horrifying experience. The parallels between what happened then and what has been happening in our culture the last decade are astounding and abundant – and they are not the parallels that the ignorant left think are there. In fact, the only legitimate similarity between Hitler and Trump is that both stabilized and sparked renewed growth in moribund economies early on. Trump criticizes the press; Hitler jailed and executed press critics of his regime. Trump de-regulates the economy and transfers power back to the states. Hitler put everything under federal government control and abolished the independent power of the states within a year. Trump fights adverse court rulings through appeals and legal arguments. Hitler fired judges – and jailed and executed some. Trump expands religious liberty and conscience protections. Hitler made all churches submit to state direction or see pastors jailed and executed. Only the invincibly ignorant could see any significant parallels between Trump and Hitler – or conservatism and the fanatic progressivism of the Nazis.

Here, though, are a few interesting genuine parallels. Do you know who the most enthusiastic fans of Hitler were in the year before he took power? College students. The universities then were hotbeds of violent brownshirts as our universities now are hotbeds of violent blackshirts. Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in early 1933. Late in the year, his adoring college students staged the first mass book burning, declaring that Hitler’s ideology was so obviously right and morally superior that the only reason anyone could possibly disagree with it was because they hated Germans – and the student Nazis were not going to tolerate that sort of hatred. When England and France mounted feeble resistance to German expansion and militarization, Hitler actually said they were engaged in a “hate-inspired” ideology. It was not just Jews who were fired from their jobs and had their possessions confiscated; ordinary businessmen who had done business with Jews or received financing through Jewish banks were destroyed and often jailed. The great Peter Kreeft said five years ago that the new authoritarians were as likely to call themselves “anti-fascists” as “fascists,” but the program and tactics for taking and exercising power would be the same. Amazing that a majority has gotten so stupid it thinks fascist tactics and aims are actually anti-fascist.

Normally during trying times, our churches are the pillars of stability. This time, concurrently with the collapse of civic culture, all the churches are in crisis. The most visible is the crisis of abuse, cover-ups and doctrinal degeneration in the Catholic Church. It is not the only place suffering from malignance in high places, though. A favorite new theologian of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America speaks glowingly of “ethically-sourced porn” while sprinkling her presentations with the most scatological vulgarity. The old mainline Protestant Churches have largely become left-wing activist hives, preaching the virtues of LGBT, transgenderism, abortion – and whatever anti-Christian nonsense of the moment rules the popular culture. In consequence, those denominations are dying and have become largely irrelevant. Even Evangelicals have started going wobbly in some quarters. I cite this not in examination of the issues, but just to note that the pillars ordinary people normally turn to in crisis have become as fragile as a tower made of spun sugar. In 2 Timothy 3:5. St. Paul speaks of a time when men will have a form of godliness while denying the power thereof – and he warns us to turn away from such men. That time is surely here. If you want a fuller description of our times, read the four verses that precede that which I have cited.

We focus with dread on the doom, the oppression and suffering that the anti-God left intentionally seeks to bring down upon us. It is reasonable that we should. The constant attacks and dehumanization, along with assurances by the aggressors to themselves that they are doing it only for the highest moral reasons, are ever the cultural prelude to mass violence and atrocities against a targeted population. It seems that even the most degraded people must work themselves up to the proper frenzy before they can fully commit the hideously unthinkable on those they disagree with. The process is wearily similar in its progression in all ages. What is easy to miss is the doom, the suffering such as these unwittingly bring upon themselves. The most enthusiastic supporters of Robespierre, Lenin, Stalin, and Mao suffered as much (sometimes even more) than the opponents of these tyrants very quickly after they took power. For most, the eager anticipation of taking power and the certainty of their own moral supremacy gave way within a year to a baffled agony – at least for those who were not imprisoned or executed themselves. Their dreams quickly became an unending nightmare. It is not just us; all will be broken on the anti-God left’s aberrant drive for power.

When I was a much younger man, I often complained that my life was like being forced to watch a developing train wreck in slow motion without being able to stop it. Both those who drove and those who merely rode would be broken. It was agonizing torture. I would ask bitterly why I was shown anything at all if I could not stop it. My angel finally, after years of frustration and tears, told me there was something I could do: I could prepare the ambulances.

While I fight their depredations, I feel a deep sense of pity and sorrow for the anti-God left. They have already lost their capacity for simple joy. Incapable of simple happiness any more, they search restlessly for something to be offended by and to condemn. Whatever brief frisson of pleasure it brings them, it sure doesn’t make them happy. Can you imagine spending your day being offended by the “racism” of a Charlie Brown Christmas Special or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? With every discovery of “offense,” they dig themselves down a little deeper and lose a little more of the capacity for wonder, joy and fellowship. I grieve for young people. They are taught a scabrous hook-up culture, conducted in the minefields of a me-too culture combining the worst elements of both libertine and puritanical ugliness. Young people are forestalled from savoring the mystery, the ambiguity of actual romance…the sorrow of rejection, the joy of acceptance, the delight of flirtation. Not so long ago, flirting was a common form of pleasant social discourse, even when it was not serious. A woman who wasn’t interested was flattered, rather than offended (and vice versa) by it. Now if a young man ever so politely asks a woman out who is not interested, he risks a visit from the police. How all this has impoverished interactions between all people! It makes it all into a power relationship instead of the mystery and delight of romance. When relationships are all about power, they tear down rather than build up – and all are about power. Even the sweet song, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” is being denounced as a “date rape” song. Seriously?! Moderns cannot conceive of how propriety was valued just a few decades ago…or that a young couple could delight in each other’s company (risking offending some sense of propriety for the joy of it) without sex actually being at issue. But moderns can’t imagine any relations between men and women that are not an overt or hidden struggle over sex. How pathetic and miserable! And they can’t extricate themselves from this self-imposed misery.

Just a few years before he became president, Abraham Lincoln observed (in his ‘House Divided’ speech) that for nearly a decade the country had been trying to tamp down the controversy and strife that beset it, but had only seen that strife grow. Noting that sections of the country were focused on different ends, rather than just different means to similar ends, Lincoln said that the controversy would not cease “…until a crisis shall have been reached, and passed.” The ends different factions in this country now seek are more divided than they were in the prelude to the Civil War. The left intends misery and oppression for any who will not give up their devotion to faith and liberty. Whether the left treads lightly or harshly, I think they have won the culture and will ultimately have their way, only to be surprised when they find the misery they only intended for us holds sway over all.

We have chosen this course with all the evidence of where it leads before us, whether we chose to take it seriously or not. So we are held responsible to God now for what we choose. Having completed the year in which all things were revealed, we now enter a terrible year of judgment over what we chose in light of those revelations.

At the fourth decade of every Mystery of the Rosary I pray, I ask an intention for all the faithful throughout the world, asking that God “…make us a sign of Our Lord’s presence in the world.” As judgment mounts, misery will swell throughout the world, driven by the frustration of those thick with lust for power and dominance. As bad as it will be, it makes for fertile fields for evangelization. Those disappointed to find they are even more miserable after attaining their ends than they were before will finally be ready to consider a different way.

The way forward will be for each of us to steadily resolve to be a sign of Our Lord’s presence in the world, neither enabling the disorder that has come upon us nor simply destroying those who have conjured it. In doing that, we will bring forth the Springtime of the Gospel St. John Paul spoke of and facilitate the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart. Going forward, speaking practically of how to become signs of Our Lord’s presence in the world will be my emphasis.

I still pray that we may turn from the madness and preserve a once-great culture. But it is time to prepare the ambulances.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

367 thoughts on “A Sign of Our Lord’s Presence in the World”

        2. Charlie,
          Ironic: December 7, 1941 our nation was attacked in an act of war by Japan, December 7, 2018 your A Sign of Our Lord’s Presence in the World. perfectly states the war against the Judeo-Christian foundations of our beloved America. As for me and my house, we will place our trust in the Lord Our God and His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.and His and Our Mother, Blessed Virgin Mary.

          Liked by 13 people

          2. Charlie, Beckita, Brothers, Sisters,

            After reading A Sign of Our Lord’s Presence, tears, mourning, head low, sagging knees. However, in the morning, rejoicing, head high, standing tall, reading 2nd Sunday Advent Mass, Prophet Baruch proclaiming God’s Word to us, the People of God, the New Jerusalem:

            God, Our Father, in Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God With Us, is coming in power and glory to save us from our enemies! Stand on the heights! Look to Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior Who will destroy our enemies with the sword of His Word and lift us up to His Sacred Heart, praising and glorifying His Holy Name forever!

            5:1 Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery;
            put on the splendor of glory from God forever:

            5:2 Wrapped in the cloak of justice from God,
            bear on your head the mitre
            that displays the glory of the eternal name.

            5:3 For God will show all the earth your splendor:

            5:4 you will be named by God forever
            the peace of justice, the glory of God’s worship.

            5:5 Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights;
            look to the east and see your children
            Gathered from the east and the west
            at the word of the Holy One,
            rejoicing that they are remembered by God.

            5:6 Led away on foot by their enemies they left you:
            but God will bring them back to you
            borne aloft in glory as on royal thrones.

            5:7 For God has commanded
            that every lofty mountain be made low,
            And that the age-old depths and gorges
            be filled to level ground,
            that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God.

            5:8 The forests and every fragrant kind of tree
            have overshadowed Israel at God’s command;

            5:9 For God is leading Israel in joy
            by the light of his glory,
            with his mercy and justice for company.

            Liked by 7 people

            1. Beautiful, Dear Joseph! Thank you for sharing this reading. I have always LOVED Advent… the Scriptures, the music, the colors, the sights and sounds. And now that we are pressing on in this Storm, the readings are especially brimming with hope for us.

              Liked by 3 people

            2. Yes, thank-you! this jumped out at me this morning:
              …look to the east and see your children
              Gathered from the east and the west
              at the word of the Holy One,
              rejoicing that they are remembered by God.

              5:6 Led away on foot by their enemies they left you:
              but God will bring them back to you…

              Praying and praying that our sons with their wives and children will return to the holy Church. Amen

              katey in OR 🙏🏼💕✝️💜🌟🕯💟

              Liked by 5 people

    3. I agree Becks. We are headed for a crisis and I am beginning to pray for a hastening towards it as I believe the scales have tipped and the majority has rejected our Godly founding principals. It won’t be pretty, but we need it to burn our pride. We, as a nation, think we are our own master and all our advancement was done through ourselves. We will get the wake up call. I am convinced. We have to get it because God is faithful and just. His justice demands it. However, through the crisis, we will discover his mercy once we get the pride burned out of us. It only takes a simple admission and amending of our ways, but how stubborn we can be. God bless all here!

      Liked by 13 people

      3. Sadly, as a further, small-scale example, in our Marriage Encounter supper group (Catholics all), the majority hold the SJW position and support things like LGBTism. Hopefully, that will change soon.

        Liked by 5 people

  2. I was waiting for you to reply first Beckita, because I just feel numb. And I don’t have an ambulance. You said the only thing that makes sense. ” we can do all things in Christ Who strengthens us, and the only way out of it is through it” Trust and pray. That’s all I can do. His will be done.

    Liked by 15 people

    1. I don’t know, Dolordee. Perhaps your faith in Christ is your ambulance; your hope in Him is the driver, and your charity is the EMT. As you noted, the way out is to go through and as you go through your life, your faith, hope and charity will pick up the wounded and weary that God puts in front of you.

      Liked by 11 people

      1. Thank you Isllam and Doug. I didn’t see your reply when I replied below. But Just as I said, someone in this community would help me find an ambulance, and you two pointed out beautifully where I could find mine.. The numbness is slowly melting.

        Liked by 6 people

        1. Dolordee, as long as we have breath, there is value to our living. All the pain, loneliness, lack of not feeling able to contribute, depression, yes, even depression is a gift from on high. Each is a small candle we can light that is an offering towards eternity. I suggest to meditate on Saint Theresa, the little flower and even pray the novena to her. I prayed this in a time of despair and received my answer in a deep healing inside that occurred a few years later. Yes. A few years later (ugh), but I somehow knew at the time I prayed this that something was taking place. Your life is a precious gift given to you by God! That will become plainly evident at some point.

          Liked by 8 people

      2. …And I pray I don’t do any more harm however good my intentions might be. Lord has mercy on me and please make my clumsy attempts right.

        Liked by 6 people

    2. Dolordee, your faithfulness in the little will be just as efficacious as those who are visibly doing the right thing. Be strong, stay faithful in prayer!

      Liked by 6 people

  4. “As bad as it will be, it makes for fertile fields for evangelization. Those disappointed to find they are even more miserable after attaining their ends than they were before will finally be ready to consider a different way.
    -But it is time to prepare the ambulances” (Charlie Johnston).

    Your spiritual point has become a vocational reality for me Charlie.

    This past July I took a part time job with the EMS company in my county.
    I drive non-emergency “ambulances” to bring patients to and from locations but the hub I work from is also a fully functional EMS station with many paramedics and fully outfitted ambulances on premise.
    During our training, much of the course delt with the EMS side of the company as many of the trainees were being hired on as paramedics.
    The why and way I took this job in the first place is a bit of a mystery but I fully understood the “why” of it after driving all the different people to their destinations.
    I have become a helper to the poor and down trodden, both physically and spiritually.
    I have met people who are physically, emotionally, financially and spiritually
    hadicapped, some temporarily, some chronically, some terminally.
    Every day I drive I hear a new story of suffering. What surprises me most though is the acceptance many of them have towards their lot in life.
    Some of the terminal clients are more concerned about their families than they are themselves. Others, dealing with chronic pain, are very patient with it and have developed a coping mechanism the likes of which I do not understand except that it is a true miracle in action.
    I could tell a hundred stories but suffice it to say that I am seeing and living a short story of the future you are proposing. These people are hungry for a kind word or a reason behind the “why” of their existence.
    You know me, I can’t help but pour my heart out about all things Jesus.
    The Holy Spirit helps me say the right thing I expect, nothing from me is contrived, I’m to ignorant for that. But words of comfort come as needed as I know His Word never returns void.
    So, I could be the ambulance driver in Maryville too, part time of course.
    Maybe it will grow old and useless there. After all, who will need an ambulance in Paradise?
    Hay rides maybe?

    Liked by 23 people

    1. God bless you, Phillip, for the love and hope that you share with those whom you serve. And please allow me to be the first in line for a hay ride in Maryville.

      Liked by 9 people

      1. Here is a photo of the church I attended while literally staying in Maryville, Tennessee at a bed and breakfast bak in 2011 … Our Lady of Fatima parish. The church is in Alcoa, but comes up if you do a Google search for Catholic Church Maryville TN. (It may look familiar, this photo was posted by Charlie before …)

        Liked by 8 people

    2. Awesome, Phillip. Having worked with an array of health care professionals over the years, I can say without a doubt that EMTs — and those who drive them — are among the finest men and women I know, especially when it comes to compassionately caring for those in need. Be it a life-or-death situation or a simple transfer to a hospice, they are the best of the best. You are in great company, my friend, and it sounds like you are right where the Good Lord wants you, providing care and comfort to those in spiritual pain.

      Liked by 6 people

      1. Concur Patrick. Though I believe we shall see a great need for spiritual ambulances, like those who visit here and on your Spiritual Hospice website.

        Liked by 7 people

    4. Thank you Philip for your encouraging words…you are being a light to the world and you bring light to all of us here on ASOH. Many Blessings to you.

      Liked by 6 people

  5. I’m in. To whom would we go? I’ll pray for the grace to take the next right step…and get to stepping. May God grace me with the humility I need to remain in His will.

    Thank you Charlie.

    Liked by 15 people

    1. Thanks for the chuckle, Mike. “Monk seal expert”? How did THAT get to be a thing? And “[S]cientists… are now begging the endangered seals to ‘make better choices’”? Good gravy. (Insert eye-roll here.)

      Liked by 5 people

  7. Charlie,
    Thank-you for this analysis. It’s a very sad commentary on our times. However, even here in Oregon, there are rays of hope. Tonight, Santa Claus came to town and lit our town tree. I think half the town was there in the streets which were blocked off, eating candy canes and drinking hot cocoa.
    Tomorrow is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. We will go to Mount Angel Abbey to mass and celebrate. That evening we will make applesauce to be given to whoever needs it. Sunday morning we will attend mass at Sacred Heart in Gervaise to celebrate the 2nd Sunday of Advent and that night we will go to the First Baptist church and watch our grandchildren as they re-enact the birth of our Lord. Ok, they will be angels and lambs…😍🌟💕 …they are rays of joy and hope.
    I don’t know how to prepare the ambulances, but I pray that I am living a life that acknowledges God and is a sign of hope. We must, we will, pray our way through these troubled times.
    I continue to pray for all here. Thank-you for your prayers for me and mine.
    ~ BE NOT AFRAID, WE WERE BORN FOR THIS ~
    And God bless us, every one.
    Katey in Oregon

    Liked by 15 people

    2. Katey I’m in Western Oregon too! I don’t know how to reply to a specific person so I’ll just say I love going to Mt. Angel. I planned our Deacon wives retreats the last three years with two other lovely wives. Looking out over The Valley in the dawn during my morning offering is one of the things I most look forward to. God bless you this Advent season and here’s to hoping to someday meet you in person here on Earth. 🥰

      Liked by 3 people

      1. DIANN!
        The guest house won’t be done by January, but you can bet that we have already signed up for the Holy Week retreat..”all things remaining the same.” However, we attend daily mass at the Abbey so look for us…we are always in the same spot on the right as you come in, about halfway down. Right next to St. Joseph. Nice to meet you!
        katey in OR 🙏🏼💕💟

        Liked by 2 people

  8. For the past few years, when someone speaking with me has said that he or she just wanted us all to get along or asked why can’t we just get along, I would say no, that that was no longer a good idea or strategy, that we needed conflict, that people needed to stand up and speak their principles.

    When different people act from different root assumptions, the only way to renovation is the Sword – an existential crisis requires that one side wins decisively and the other side surrenders unconditionally in utter defeat.

    In every war there will be casualties, whether the war is fought with words or deeds or steely weapons. Fortunate indeed are those who find themselves plucked from the battlefield in ambulances driven by brave and caring men and women dedicated under God to bind up their wounds and bring hope back into their world.

    My father was an ambulance driver in World War 2. I find it both unbelievable and fitting that I am apparently going to follow in his footsteps soon. I could not have a better group of colleagues for this task than Charlie and everyone else in our little community. If it truly comes down to battle joined as Charlie says it may, I know that together we will be awesome ambulance drivers. 🙂

    Liked by 17 people

    1. Thank you Charlie and Steve. I think you might have just given me the gasoline for the ambulance.And I might just have to use my nursing skills again. I’ve spent a lifetime binding wounds, and with this community, I think I can be able to bring back hope with everyone’s help and encouraging words.

      Liked by 11 people

      1. I didn’t know where to post this, so i’m replying to my own post, and hope most of you see it., As you saw I have been saying I have no ambulance, and that with everyone’s help you all have shown me what exactly that means and in the so many ways that we can find hope in the little, everyday ordinary ways.
        I just returned from noon mass, and ONE short sentence was written across the altar cloth. In big letters if said, “HOPE IS ON IT’S WAY” It really didn’t hit me until I got home. The answer to my question, What a way to get an answer. My heart is still pounding. GOD is good, no GOD is GREAT.. And since God know i’d tell all of you I think that reassurance is meant for ALL of us.

        Liked by 16 people

    3. I often listen to rush limbaugh and he has always said that you can’t “work together” with liberals….they must be defeated. Now I really understand that to be true.

      Liked by 5 people

      1. Strangely, erin483, such are not our enemies. We may or may not ever wield a sword of steel but must always wield the Sword of Truth. The objective is to defeat through conversion, to save all we can by our example and our efforts under God while never ourselves bending to the faulty principles they hold. It is the principles they hold which are the enemy to be resisted at all costs. If we can cut the faulty principles out of them with the Sword of Truth, we save them as well as ourselves.

        Liked by 9 people

  9. To paraphrase what Ivan, the seer from Medjugorje, said a few months ago: the world has turned away from God and is proceeding without Him. Of course, the Medjugorje apparitions promise that eventually the world with the help of God will come around and Mary’s Immaculate Heart will triumph. We should be learning to truly trust in God on a daily basis if only to endure and survive in a world where the majority has abandoned God.

    Liked by 7 people

    1. Yes, Vyto. And I would add, beyond enduring and surviving, to deeply desire and aspire to BE Christ’s Light, His Hope and His Love in this darkness of a faithless generation. It IS possible to thrive as a Christian in this current environment… to allow God to make of us salt, leaven and yeast as we become co-creators in the full Triumph of our Mother’s Immaculate Heart.

      Liked by 8 people

    3. Watching some of the news about France is devastating. St. Bernadette and St. Joan of Arc please pray for France. Renew their faith.

      Liked by 10 people

  11. Charlie, I’m sorry, but I can’t help but try to respond. I do not mean to offend but weren’t you called to proclaim the Rescue and not the Storm?

    Apocalypse- Is a Greek word meaning the unveiling, revealing or uncovering.

    Yes, everything hidden in darkness must come to light. It’s happening all around us in the government, the church, the culture, in business, education, and healthcare. There is still more ugliness to be revealed.

    But, do not let this cause despair. This revealing will make the rescue you prophesied all the more glorious in its success. The depth of corruption being unveiled is so bad it will be obvious on retrospect that it was God’s hand that saved our country and our world from destruction.

    This great reveal that is occurring will not only show the depths of depravity and evil that occur when people turn away from God, but it will also reveal the unimaginable love and mercy our God has for us when we cry out to Him. Both must be revealed to change the hearts of His people.

    The Rescue is in progress behind the scenes.

    In 2016, Donald Trump was not the man I wanted in the White House. He was not the type of man I thought God would have lead us. But you know, God has a way of choosing the most unlikely people to do His work. 😉

    At the end of 2017, Q made his first post on the internet for all the world to see. As you know, Q or Q-anon purports to be a White House insider giving clues to the behind the scenes efforts to save our Republic. The coincidences keep adding up and the media refuses to ask the White House the simple question. Who is Q? It can easily be confirmed or denied.

    I am now confident that President Trump and the true patriots that serve with him in strategic positions are draining the swamp. It is a high stakes chess game but Trump wouldn’t have started the game if he hadn’t already won. Every move he makes, every inflammatory tweet he tweets has a purpose to provoke a response or call attention to a matter.

    The Rescue is in progress.

    https://prayingmedic.com/2018/07/19/q-anon-a-personal-awakening/

    Liked by 11 people

    1. So agree that the Rescue is in progress, Lisa. Nevertheless, the Rescue involves intensely sobering truths and realities. One way of expression for this Rescue which often comes into my pondering and contemplation is that God’s Justice is the very fiber of His Mercy. The very challenges and sorrows in which we find ourselves are a means for drawing souls back to the Lord. So too, then, the Storm is the very fiber of the Rescue.

      Many here have followed the Q stuff. Some believe in it; some do not. What remains to be seen, if it is true, is this: What will God allow of it?

      Ultimately, what exactly IS God’s Plan? No one on earth fully knows. Just as He has throughout the ages, the Lord Alone has all the details and they will unfold in His Ways and Timing. This is why I find Charlie’s pieces, such as the previous re-posting of Live It, so worthy of pondering and deep contemplation. Even with all the prophecies, so generously given, from Our Lord and Our Lady, we do not – none of us – know how God’s Plan will unfold. And we have a Cloud of Witnesses, gone before us, who have walked such a path as we now do.

      Charlie once wrote: The key to everything in these times, after five decades of instruction, is not in the grandiose, but the simple. Acknowledge God, take the next right step, and be a sign of hope to those around you. That is wisdom that will last and will not fail. Live this well and you are already part of the Rescue. Amen!

      Liked by 9 people

    2. Of course I proclaim the Rescue, Lisa; the Storm is perfectly obvious to anyone who has eyes to see and ears to hear. But part of the duty involved is to speak as accurately as possible about the course we must traverse to get to Triumph. If I tell you we are coming to a bridge when we are actually coming to a deep tunnel, I have failed you in that instance. But you struck on a note that troubled me as I wrote this (spent several weeks on it): at first glance, it comes off as very gloomy and sobering. Yet if it is accurate (and I believe it is) it is important that we prepare for that tunnel rather than looking forward to a bridge.

      Certainly, the people of Israel wanted the promised land – and were not enthused about wandering the desert for 40 years before getting it. The Apostles wanted the Kingdom, but did not want to believe a Crucifixion must come first. The Triumph is assured; the path we have to travel to get there is obscure. The way forward is what it has been since I started this: the next right step.

      Having laid this groundwork, I can go on to speak more plainly in practical terms about how to be a sign of Our Lord’s presence in the world, which I will do. That is a joy…and joy in the midst of strife is what we are called to.

      Liked by 15 people

  12. I caught some of a documentary on Tito taking power in Croatia and how the first thing they went after were the Bishops and priest and imprisoned them under false accusations.. The archbishop who died at the age of 62, it was said, was actually poisoned.
    The people clung to their Faith, which is what we must do. They looked to Rome at the time, but unfortunately it seems we can no longer depend on that.. We are in the trenches and we need to put on our combat boots…. Our Lady has had them on for some time…. This confrontation is between the powers of Heaven and Hell.. We know we win in the end, but we must go through it…
    As our Blessed Mother says. Pray Pray Pray and Penance Penance Penance.

    God Help us all.

    Liked by 9 people

  14. …. and, Sadly ;-(, there are all too many Signs of satan’s Presence in our World!
    There is a reason that sexual perversion has been “outlawed” since ancient times and in Biblical texts. It is quite simply unnatural and depraved. If you read about the goings-on in Sodom & Gomorrah it sounds suspiciously like San Francisco and other places where perversion is allowed to exist without restraint …. Gay Pride Parades ….. and those who object are labeled as Haters and worthy of Criminal Sanctions….. the usual tactic of all The Usual Suspects, These-Days, when their Agendas are opposed.
    Now we have the below “Priest” attempting to wrap something Holy & Good around his disgusting perversity as a means to promote/justify same …. of course, my pointing this out makes me an evil homophobe!

    Vatican Consultant Fr. James Martin Promotes Pro-LGBT Rosary

    https://www.cnsnews.com/blog/michael-w-chapman/vatican-consultant-fr-james-martin-promotes-pro-lgbt-rosary

    GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!

    Liked by 7 people

  16. Thanks, Charlie. I’m heartened to know there are others who believe there is no way back by way of ‘normal’ and peaceful means. My gut has been telling me this for several years but I seldom express it for fear of sounding hopeless. So in a strange way, it gives me hope to know I’m not alone in my hopelessness.
    I have quite a few friends who are firmly progressive. Not radically so and no violent tendencies but staunchly left. These people are at a stage in life where they should know better but have such a tribal mentality they are, without even knowing it, being pulled farther left by the tide. I remind them that it was the party loyalists that were often the first ones kneeling on the edge of the ditch and no amount of “But, but, I voted for Hillary!” will save you.

    Liked by 12 people

    1. Christopher, I believe this is the spirit of communism which has the essential element of atheism which is taking hold in western culture. I have heard it prophesied that communism would return before things go topsy-tervy and it is well on its way. It is not the formal communism of Russia, but a more subtle form creeping in like termites set loose in a house. Eventually, the house will crumble and this will be a great surprise to many.
      With atheism, we become our own God. It is the ultimate form of man’s arrogance and pride that usually cannot be reasoned with because of the underlying core belief. It is the initial premise or core belief that God does not exist. This leads to everything the left espouses. Anything can ne rationalized; abortion, sexual perversity to the point man thinks he can change his sex. Man is an end unto himself as there is no belief in the beyond of here and now. It is this core belief that has to be broken in my opinion. Without this, almost all reason will go unheaded and fall on deaf ears. Oir pride has to be broken and this is likely going to be some major event or chastisement that will givern this. It will be something we bring on ourselves. God bless you!

      Liked by 15 people

        2. I had a few bings myself in my last post. I was so excited my hands were quivering a little. There are so many posts I hope everyone goes back and trys to find my last post. I stupidly replied to my own post. But I truly believe I received a message in BIG gold and red letters at noon mass today, meant for all of us.

          Liked by 8 people

      5. Doug, The Democrats are much too smart to declare themselves Atheists. Instead, if pushed to define their belief system, they will typically say, or mean, they are “Humanists.” That’s a nice sounding label–but what it really means is they place their own goals and behavior over what God has declared as righteous thru the Bible. After all, doesn’t “sharing the wealth” and “free everything” sound so moral, even if the current example of Venezuela’s hell is plain to see.

        Liked by 6 people

        1. Please correct me if I am wrong. I think the dims(as Lou Dobbs calls them) voted God out of their platform in 2012. If a lie is pushed long enough and hard enough people will believe it. Anyone up for a viewing of Taming of a Shrew?

          Liked by 3 people

          3. They tried to. I saw the video. It was evident from the crowd at the Dem convention that they wanted to vote God out, but Obama ignored them and declared it in by a voice vote. Again, it was clear by the voice vote, God was out. I think Obama overrode them for political expediency. He knew how important the Christian vote and back lash would be. That is how I understand what took place.

            Liked by 4 people

            1. It wasn’t obama but a committee member for thr Democrat party. Watching his face (squirm) he knew the audience chose NO to God. He then lied and said the aye’s have it. Voting in God.

              Liked by 2 people

        2. Hi Jack, The term humanist actually used to be used by the church in the context of faith.
          The term has been hijacked by the left and divorced from religion. It may be worth describing today’s version of humanist as the “new atheism”. What ever qualities they do ascribe to God, they twist them to suite their belief. Rather than search and pursue what the real truth is, they define their own truth and make everything else fit what they believe. It is backwords. Either way, they set themselves above all else, in essence, making themselves God which I see as atheistic in nature. With the culture migrating in this direction, we are in for a big fall. Every time the pew research comes out, the number that identify as true atheist keeps going up. Last I saw, it was at 17%. With what you and I describe in the context of today’s version of humanist and the “new atheism”, I think the numbers are far higher. God bless you!

          Liked by 4 people

  17. This piece was very timely. While most of us reading this are well aware of our situation in this country, the world and our Church, this summary was what we all need to hear to keep us focused and motivated. I read an article recently that gave statistics on the electorate since the Trump victory and it was astounding as it related the number of people who voted for Trump are no longer with us (deceased) and it will only get worse as Charlie has well outlined in our indoctrinal institutions (colleges and universities). Those peoples will not “be voting with us” in 2020. Our culture that we grew up with “rustics” as Charlie put it, are fast fading. Mary has often said in her messages in Medjugorje that “everything will disappear”. And so it must before we can restore our true Faith.

    We must remain steadfast in our faith in God and pray unceasingly. Robert E Lee said in 1863 in the midst of the Civil War, “Knowing that intercessory prayer is our mightiest weapon and the supreme call for all Christians today, I pleading urge our people everywhere to pray. Believing that prayer is the greatest contribution that our people can make in this critical hour, I humbly urge that we take time to pray—-to really pray. Let there be prayer at sunup, at noonday, at sundown, at midnight-all throughout the day. Let us pray for our children, our youth, our aged, our pastors, our homes. Let us pray for the churches. Let us pray for ourselves, that we may not lose the word ‘concern’ out of our Christian vocabulary. Let us pray for our nation. Let us pray for those who have never known Jesus Christ and His redeeming love, for moral forces everywhere, for our national leaders. Let prayer be our passion. Let prayer be our practice.” WOW!

    Where are these leaders and statesmen today? And the left wants to tear down statues of Lee! This quote is as applicable today as it was in the Civil War!

    I returned yesterday from my national trade show in Las Vegas. On my 4 flights to and from m, not one person was interested in visiting at all. The coldness of society today is astonishing. The trip was a good reminder of the decadence of society and I couldn’t wait to get home.

    Thank You Charlie for this great post and all you do for all of us!

    Liked by 13 people

  18. How about that?!

    Does ‘America’ have ‘dubia’ about Pope’s remark on homosexuality?

    By Phil Lawler
    Dec 07, 2018

    Evidently caught off guard by the Pope’s expression of concern about widespread homosexuality in the clergy, America magazine has rushed to reassure readers that the Pontiff’s remarks must be understood in the proper context. Father James Martin, the editor-at-large of the Jesuit magazine, regrets that the Pope’s words were “confusing,” and require clarification (which he is quite willing to provide).

    Hmm. Doesn’t this sound familiar? Questions about a provocative papal statement? Requests for clarification? Reminders that any such statement should be read in the context of previous magisterial statements? Perhaps the editors of America should submit dubia, asking whether the Pope’s thoughts on this subject, published in a new book-length interview, indicate a change in the Church’s teaching on the subject.

    But wait. The Pope’s latest remarks are fully in accord with previous authoritative statements from the Holy See, most notably the 2005 instruction against admitting homosexual men to priestly training. So when he tries to provide “context” for the Pope’s concern, Father Martin and his allies restrict themselves to previous statements by Pope Francis; no other Pontiff and no formal Vatican document provides any reason to dismiss the Pope’s worries.

    Still the flurry has produced some noteworthy results. Father Martin has interrupted his crusade for a change in Church teaching long enough to lament the Pope’s “imprecise language” and to recognize that confusion can demoralize Catholics. He observes that “when you’re the Pope those off-the-cuff remarks are more likely to cause damage.” And doesn’t that line sound familiar?

    (Phil Lawler has been a Catholic journalist for more than 30 years. He has edited several Catholic magazines and written eight books. Founder of Catholic World News, he is the news director and lead analyst at CatholicCulture.org. See full bio.)

    https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/the-city-gates.cfm?id=1673

    Liked by 11 people

    1. How quickly we forget what happened immediately before. Our enemies do conveniently seem to suffer from Alzheimer’s. (Weird calling a Catholic priest an enemy. ♠️)

      I’ve stopped using the hijacked term “GAY” because it is a purely political one (and an ironic one as these are some of the most unhappy people I’ve met). I now use the proper term “homosexual”.

      Time to take back control of the language. The Leftists have been manipulating arguments this way for generations like good little Orwellian Socialists:

      * AORTION is called a “choice”, a “right”, and “women’s health care.”

      * ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT is now called an “undocumented worker,” as if their status simply lacks the formality of due paperwork.

      * AMERICAN INDIAN has been forcibly changed to “Native American” which is already in use to describe all U.S. citizens born in the country. This new term excludes native Americans such as myself. If I’m not native to America, then where exactly am I from? Further, some Indian tribes wiped out other tribes native to a region and took their land. Just look at the Sioux.

      ….and there are other Leftist gems like “Gun Control”, “Hate Crimes”, “Corporate Tax Loopholes”, and gross misuse of the term “Racism.”

      OK, this heterosexual, Caucasian, pro-life, Catholic, native American conservative will get off his soapbox.

      Liked by 15 people

      2. Ha, Patrick…once when I was doing radio, I made some comments about American Indians during a segment. Sure enough, some caller informed me that I meant, “native Americans.” I snapped back that, “I am one-eighth American Indian. I am a native American because I was born here and American Indian by ethnicity – and I’ll thank you not to tell me what I can call myself, paleface.”

        Liked by 16 people

        2. Ha! My Lambzie is 1/8 American Indian too. More than Elizabeth Warren (someone at our storm dinner called her lie-a-watha). To bad we did not take advantage of a scholarship when Lambzie was in college. Hind sight is 20/20…….

          Liked by 7 people

          1. Ha! Almost every white woman in America has more Indian blood than Elizabeth Warren. What a scam she ran for all those years. Interestingly, a fellow once talked to me about going together on a casino license, since I had enough Indian blood to qualify. I demurred…my Indian heritage is something to chat about occasionally, but I never lived in any tribal fashion. (My great-grandfather fled a reservation and never looked back – and he did not like to talk about it).

            Liked by 6 people

              1. One year when my kids were little they asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I rarely know how to answer that…I just like Christmas, itself. But I told them, “Puppy slippers…I’ve always wanted them but no one ever got me puppy slippers.” We all chuckled, because that is as much of an answer as they ever got from me on the subject. Lo and behold…I give them an answer, and I STILL have never gotten puppy slippers.

                Liked by 6 people

            2. I saw things in the tiny town of Eagle Butte on the frontier plains of South Dakota that rival things happening in densely populated, crime-ridden inner cities. Murder, assault, teen suicide, child abuse, broken homes, domestic violence, and every drug imaginable is the norm…it’s brutal on the Rez. The kind of stuff that would make you cry. Fortunately, I never got overwhelmed, but did marvel how the staff at that clinic kept from getting too cynical. I guess you can’t think about the woes too much and instead press on and just love one person or one family at a time.

              Liked by 6 people

            4. Charlie: “Almost every white woman in America has more Indian blood than Elizabeth Warren.” And almost every black woman (1/16 here). 🙂

              P.S I also refuse to say “Native American” when referring to my American Indian heritage, just as I refuse to refer to myself as “African-American” or “Irish-American.” I’m American, dang it, and I hate hypens when they are used in promoting the politics of identity and division.

              Liked by 4 people

        3. I’ve always said “I greeted you at the shore….and you were on the ship” (1/64th Chippewa & registered on the White Earth Indian reservation in Minnesota) (I know….only as much as Elizabeth, BUT I’m registered & can prove the history and she is NOT!) LOL

          Liked by 4 people

        4. Patrick Daniel, Charlie, help this paleface out. 😊 I was dumb enough to enter into this conversation once before. I continue to show my ignorance by doing it again. 😏 My hubby is 1/8 Lakota but he is of no help to me in this. He simply doesn’t care and what he and his buddies call each other when among themselves cannot be written. While my husband is Am. Indian only on his mother’s side, many of his cousins are on both sides. (At the last family reunion he was made to play the part of the white guy in the skit 😊) So, it was suggested that I not use the term Sioux. Then there is the politically correct but incorrect Native American. You both say American Indian but I’ve never heard family say that. At my mother-in-law’s funeral I heard her referred to as “Native”. I had a wonderful pun to insert here but in today’s social media climate, I’d better not. I’ll simply conclude by asking what this paleface should do. It is a conundrum.

          Liked by 1 person

          2. I can be of no help. Like I said, my great-grandfather fled the reservation and never looked back and would seldom talk about it. We never lived as anything but country folk or suburbanites – so I have no more sense of the ethnicity because of my genetics than I do of Scotland, Ireland or Germany. They were all just ingredients in the stew that formed me.

            Liked by 2 people

            1. I have this overactive concern of offending. Phillip Frank ended it with his answer of human being. By the way, I couldn’t get to the comments so I had to create a new Word Press account. When I did that Kris R. was already taken ( by me!) so I ended up as kristenreh. Oh my…

              Liked by 1 person

      4. Patrick, this is a hot button for me. In addition to the lingo are sacred symbols used by the forces of darkness which are now only seen as (and widely utilized as) satanic. Rainbows, upside down crosses, hoods, robes, stars, etc. I saw a photo online of men in suits holding the hands of young girls in white dresses and veils that looked like father and daughter Communion pictures and then I find out that the girls were child brides.

        These things must come to open our eyes, set our feet into motion, so we act to defend all that is good and just, imho. Sigh.

        ❤

        Liked by 5 people

        1. Jen, I had a MASSIVE reply to your comment about movies, music, and the demonic, but I shelved it for now. It does fit with Charlie’s post too, but I’ll wait.

          Obviously, this is a hot button topic with me too.

          Liked by 3 people

  19. Gloomy, is it not? But, we are in Advent, which looks not only to our Lord’ first coming, but also his second. In that second coming, we place our hope, along with the hope that our Lord will not leave us orphans.

    Some of us will be called to be martyrs. Scary, but then what a crown of glory to have in heaven and the privilege of being associated with the ancient martyrs, like Agnes, Catherine, and Philomena.

    A priest friend told me of a national meeting of priests last week in New York City. One of the issues discussed was what would happen if a R.I.C.O. investigation was launched. Specifically, what could be seized? Bluntly put, everything . Sure, they would leave the big cathedrals alone and a few churches, but schools , parish funds and everything would be seized. My priest friend asked me what to do. I advised him to recall the situation of the recusant and priests under Queen Elizabeth’s reign and that he would have to serve up a network of places to stay with parishioners, either in homes or rental property. And that, my fellow tnrs is something you need to keep in mind.

    This event will winnow out any remaining chaff and strengthen the rest. Those remaining faithful will be a source of conversions for the many non-Catholics and fallen aways out there.

    There will be a portion of lapsed Catholics who will find there faith again in this trial. Pray for them. From my first communion class of June 1976, only I and two others, with our parents, still practice the faith.

    To quote a late dear friend of mine, Allan Weber, O.F.M., “[t]he important thing to do is pray.” We need to remember this as we March into battle, carrying our rosaries.

    Courage! God is with us!

    Liked by 13 people

  20. Let me add two things: first, as father John Hunwicke stated this morning, our enemy did not sign the Geneva convention.

    Second, Happy feast of the Immaculate Conception! Remember, in the end, her Immaculate Heart will triumph!

    Liked by 10 people

    1. Amen, James. Yesterday was the completion of my first nine first Fridays! Today I re-consecrated myself to Mary’s Immaculate Heart and our progressive leaning pastor consecrated our parish, St. Mary Immaculate Parish, to the Blessed Mother. Blessings, graces and miracles aplenty. ❤

      Liked by 7 people

    2. Oh my gosh, SJM, it just dawned on me rather strongly-Remember a couple of years ago when Charlie talked about Dec. ‘16 might be an end or something like that? And, I like others did prepare as best we could in case the electricity went out etc. Well, our “ambulance” might be one without wheels. Take care of the wounded in our homes. Be a secure place for a priest etc. Next right stepping as best we can.

      Liked by 7 people

      1. I totally agree. My cousin and I were working with our youth group and her husband, the DRE, decided to do Lenten Fish Fries as a fundraiser. Then he went on to have knee replacement leaving the two of us, both in our late sixties, to handle feeding 200 people for 7 weeks. Well we didn’t do it with graciousness or humility: kicking, moaning and screaming the whole way. BUT-wait for it- we now know how to efficiently and deliciously feed 200 people at a time with 22 teenagers as our help and backup. You CAN teach an old dog new tricks. And it may just be God’s way of telling us that now we are ready for a big next right step!

        Liked by 1 person

    3. sjm, that is beautiful, really. I sense there will be a large population of children and adults who will be experiencing love in manners as never before in their lifetimes in the days ahead. May you and many more be the *ambulances* they need in their healing journey.
      ❤

      Liked by 4 people

  22. Timely that I read this on a Marian feast day or else it would be too discouraging. As St. John Paul II says, ‘From Mary we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone.”

    Liked by 8 people

  23. Praying for you all and your families, that the Immaculata will shower grace upon grace upon grace on us this special day, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.

    We have such hope in her even though we’ve messed up horribly. In America, we’ve been living in the Land of Mary since 1846. Blessed be Archbishop Samuel Eccleston and the twenty-two bishops of the United States who were gathered in the city of Baltimore for the Sixth Provincial Council! On May 13 in that year of 1846, those bishops of the United States who were gathered adopted a decree by which they chose the Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived without sin, as Patroness of the United States. The bishops agreed to ask the Holy See for permission, in all the dioceses of the country, to add the word “Immaculate” in the orations and preface of the divine office and Mass of the Conception of Mary; and also to add in the Litany of the Blessed Virgin the invocation: “Queen, conceived without sin, pray for us.” These favors were granted first, by Pope Pius IX, in an audience on Sept. 13, 1846

    Perhaps that invocation may become a battle cry for TNRS-ASOH, an aspiration of prayer for our country and for each of us as we carry on in the Lord’s Will – whatever it may be for you or for me – a steadying force through the toughest of the tough days we continue face:
    “Queen, conceived without sin, pray for us.”

    Liked by 13 people

    1. A hearty Amen, Beckita, for your suggestion of a TNRS-ASOH battle cry. I love the idea of it being a battle cry for each of us and for the USA. However, as a more general invocation for all of us here (Americans AND our TNRS-ASOH family in other parts of the globe), may I respectfully suggest that our “official” battle cry be that on the Miraculous Medal (“Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee”)? Just a thought. 🙂

      Liked by 10 people

      3. A great thought, Mick. Actually, the two cries are synonymous. With either form, she knows we know God’s Power invested in the role He ordained for her: to crush the head of the serpent.

        Liked by 5 people

    2. Among the many insights I received as a result of the period before during and after my Pilgrimage to the Holy Land last February is a greater perspective on Mary. Particularly the impact that Mary had on Jesus. She was his teacher and advisor and spiritual coach as well as his mother.

      One of those insights that I now most treasure is my firm conviction that if you, me and we seek to know her son Jesus in a deeper way, if we go in search of him, to know, love and serve him, Mary will literally, and I mean literally, STEER her son to you, me and we. She leads him right up to you, me and we. She makes the introduction to her son. She points right at you and so he comes with a smile. Amazing. But true.

      Something to consider during these times.

      Liked by 6 people

      1. Amen, Ed. This is why the Consecration to Jesus through Mary is so powerful. She absolutely takes us to Chambers of His Sacred Heart which we cannot get to on our own. E.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. is better when Our Lady is interceding for us and, like God, she waits for us to ask.

        Liked by 6 people

      3. Ed, in the 2nd Luminous mystery, the wedding fest, can’t you almost hear the Blessed Mother say-just do what He says, (already!-my words)….True Mother. Especially at a wedding. Love Her so much.

        Liked by 2 people

      4. Heard the other day in the homily that since the Blessed Mother is the sole contributor of the Flesh of Jesus, in a way, when we partake of His Body and Blood, we are indebted to Mary who said her FIAT. And the priest concluded that in his heart he believes that Mary is the Mediatrix of All Grace.

        Like

    3. December 9th is the memorial Feast day for Saint Juan Diego. Catholic online has a breif description of this event:

      https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=73

      Mother Mary through St.Juan Diego united the new and suspected converts (Indigenous population) with the established, suspicious Catholic authorities on one instance. Miracles abounded. Case in point:

      “The first miracle surrounding the cloak occurred during the procession to Tepeyac Hill when a participant was shot in the throat by an arrow shot in celebration. After being placed in front of the miraculous image of Mary, the man was healed.”

      Our Lady of Tepeyac (Guadalupe) united all peoples, may She do so again.

      Liked by 6 people

  24. Excellent and sobering piece. Two corrections. At the beginning of paragraph 8 the years since Constantine should be 1700, not 1800. In paragraph 10 the two nations that began “feeble” efforts to resist Hitler were France and Britain, not France and Germany. These were obvious typos, and I am grateful for the deep thinking that went into the piece. Advent blessings,

    Nick Healy

    Sent from my iPad

    >

    Liked by 5 people

    2. Thanks Nicholas. Both have been corrected. The 1800 years runs deeper than you think…some glitch in my head keeps thinking of this as 2118…I have gotten 100 years ahead of myself somehow…and if I don’t very deliberately think things out, I am as likely to write 2118 as I am 2018. I actually subtracted 313 (the year the Edict of Milan was issued) from 2118 to come up with that number. Thanks for catching it.

      Liked by 6 people

      1. As I recall while reading the “rise n fall of the 3rd reich”… Poland was in a superior position to defend itself with the great cliff or mountain wall but relented under pressure from the allies. Once done, Gernany invaded.

        Liked by 2 people

    3. The French effort to resist was feeble but the Brits then had real courage under Churchill and, Britain preserved a jumping off point for our attacks on the invaders, as we have discussed before.

      Liked by 4 people

  25. Charlie, you hit the nail on the head. I always think of the line “foul is fair and fair is foul”. Lines are being drawn to choose sides. Common sense and decency have been unacceptable in this new world order. I’m praying more diligently than ever before for our world but in my heart I firmly believe God will give us strength and courage. Thank you for your work. God be with us all.

    Liked by 7 people

    1. “I’m praying more diligently than ever before for our world but in my heart I firmly believe God will give us strength and courage.” Amen, Pat. And the grace we need for all our tomorrows won’t be here until we’re living them. God’s grace is sufficient and, I do believe, it will be abundant, for His very Word notes that where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more.

      Liked by 7 people

      1. I have been reading this site since 2015 and have gained so much in Catholic doctrine and thinking. This site gives me so much comfort in these tumultuous times. Thank you Charlie and Beckita and all!

        Liked by 3 people

  26. Here in Illinois Dan Proft also noticed the same snowflake suburban women vote. They do not see the evil they voted for. In fact if you even mention that abortion is evil they look at you crossed eyed. I suspect that they believed the character assassination on Bret Kavanagh and voted as a block of #metoo. They believe in the MSM constant bashing of Trump no matter what good he has done.

    I often think what a difference the Catholic Church could have made on the electorate had for the last 50 years had they taught the fundamentals of the Church to the laity rather than buggering them. I mean that symbolically and actually. Like the democrats the modernist Church hierarchy caved in to the carnal desires and concupiscence of our fallen nature. The Catholic block is the largest block of voters yet more than half believe in abortion and homosexual marriage and contraception. These are the fundamental drivers of a neo-pagan society.

    Without good shepherds the sheep will go astray while the wolves wait in anticipation.
    Perhaps if it is any consolation: I had a dream many years ago. My grandfather on my father’s side
    was an atheist and a socialist. He was a smart but proud man. In my dream I saw him in a cloud like a scepter. He grew ever larger and I became afraid. Many were celebrating his return to life. But just as he was about to strike the scepter was vaporized by divine intervention. I hold forth that the modernist trajectory we see coming will too be vaporized by a divine intervention; Mary WILL crush the head of satan.

    Liked by 6 people

    1. Ah, back in the day Dan Proft and I were good friends…when we weren’t battling each other. When he made his run for governor (I voted for him) my daughter and I had been listening to something on the radio with him and she said he sounded like he would be the “funnest governor ever.” I called him later the same day and told him about it…we snickered and laughed that that should have been his slogan from the start. I was the chief surrogate for my Senate Candidate that year, so Dan and I often sat together at Downstate events where all the statewide candidates for Gov. and Senate would speak. We finally had to stop that – because we both have piercing wits, and we would keep muttering asides to each other that would crack the other one up. Not a good look at a forum…but it was a lot of fun.

      Liked by 4 people

  28. Charlie’s lament is sadly accurate, line by line. However, I have hope for the future, only not about life here at this time.

    If we were placed to live here and now for the opportunity to grow spiritually by fighting the good fight, then this time in America is rich with opportunity.

    Charlie’s brilliant observations on our cultural drift into an irrational hell ought stir resolve personally to fight that good fight.

    Liked by 9 people

  29. Just what we need Charlie! Plain talk and preparation on how to respond!

    God is good! I just passed my renewal of my CPR training Thursday😀. I live very close to a commuter train track and I often pondered what I would do if there was a crash. I stocked up on bandages 😀

    Your insights and wisdom have helped this poorly catechized, ignorant sinner. It is amazing to look back on my life and see God’s handiwork in developing the gifts He has blessed me with and even the many poor choices that He has brought forth good.

    I have asked our local priest if we can have a gathering with the youth to have the afults speak of what I call “God Stories” of daily miracles of everyday life. To show them what a personal relationship with Jesus looks like. How to pray. Why we remain Catholic, etc. No response yet. It is in God’s hands.

    You are right Charlie. There is great Joy in doing the Lord’s work. When someone goes to refuse my help, I often say God sent me, you prayed for help right? No refusal then!

    All of you have taught me to accept help too. Overcoming Pride is hard!

    A prayer that helps me daily:

    Prayer to The Holy Spirit

    Oh Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul,
    enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me.Tell me what I should do. Give me your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and accept all that You permit to happen to me. Let me only know Your Will.

    Amen!!!!

    Liked by 10 people

  31. Ephesians 6

    Battle against Evil.
    10
    * Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power.
    11
    Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.
    12
    For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.
    13
    Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground.
    14
    So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate,
    15
    and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace.
    16
    In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows of the evil one.
    17
    And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

    Our struggle is with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.

    This is a mouthful from the 1st century. From a guy who was “living it”. Paul was describing the political, social and cultural environment confronting the believers of the 1st century shortly after Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection. They were surrounded and vastly outnumbered. We are not the first to face the crisis of the faithful.

    At its heart it is a spiritual war. It is being fought out on the spiritual or heavenly plane by real angelic, saintly and holy entities and real demonic, evil entities. It is being fought out on the natural plane by real human beings — saintly, holy and in many cases functioning as angels in the sense of carrying a message from God. These are MINIONS of God advancing the gospel and the Kingdom of God on Earth. It is being fought out in the natural earthly plane by MINIONS of the devil. Evil human beings, under the influence of the demonic and advancing the revolt of Satan and the Kingdom of Hell on Earth.

    We are engaged whether we like it or not. Our war against Evil on the natural plane is spilling over into the spiritual plane. And vice versa. It is the real significant War of the Worlds. All are combatants and or casualties. All feel the impact one way or another. No escape. No sitting it out.

    I have a very short Christmas list. Two books on life in 1st Century. How did Christians not only survive surrounded, vastly outnumbered and badly outgunned — but prevailed to overthrow “the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.?”

    There are lessons to be learned from those who came before us.

    The Good News? God wins.

    Liked by 11 people

  32. In seeing the continuing political conflict, today I was reminded that Archbishop Chaput, before the last presidential election referred to both candidates as “deeply flawed human beings”. Trump, while he tries to make good decisions, is so predisposed in his personality to react to any real or perceived attacks, of which there are sadly many, with personal attacks and escalating conflicts. He seems unable to realize there is a time for war and a time for peace as the scripture says. And while our media could have honestly asked if Trump’s desire for financial gain in a once proposed Russian real estate enterprise could have compromised his ability to deal rightly with Russia, they instead give into the more extreme accusations. And the cultural decline around us. Dear Mother, if only Charlie had been right about major rescue by the end of 2017!! Clearly the reality of Original Sin and the reality of human corruption is more clearly to be seen all around use. So let us continue to pray and to trust, and sadly, be prepared to offer help when it is ready to be accepted. And may the Holy and Immaculate Heart of Mary soon Triumph to the Glory of God.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Amen, Bob. Yet, Charlie wasn’t completely wrong either, for the power of the evil one, that undue influence granted him as described in the vision to Pope Leo XIII, was broken in September of 2017. Just imagine where we’d be had that not come to pass. Whew! Blessed be God forever! Ave Maria eternally!

      Liked by 5 people

  33. As for the power of the “evil one” being broken history and time will tell. Thinking of one example, the demonic confusion of transgenderism in our culture, it doesn’t look like the power of evil is being broken much and so many other evils besides. The need to continue to pray, to trust and to hope is clear.

    Liked by 5 people

    1. “The need to continue to pray, to trust and to hope is clear.” Amen to that, Bob.

      Indeed, our Mother’s adversary is still foaming and fuming and very active with his minions in stirring trouble, yet, many are they who are pondering the vision to Pope Leo in 1884 and thinking those 100 years have passed. As you say, time will tell. In hindsight, we will see clearly.

      Pope St. Leo XIII’s Vision

      Leo_XIIIAccording to legend, exactly 33 years (span of our Lord’s life) to the day prior to the great Miracle of the Sun in Fatima, that is, on October 13, 1884, Pope Leo XIII had a remarkable vision. When the aged Pontiff had finished celebrating Mass in his private Vatican Chapel, attended by a few Cardinals and members of the Vatican staff, he suddenly stopped at the foot of the altar. He stood there for about 10 minutes, as if in a trance, his face ashen white. Then, going immediately from the Chapel to his office, he composed the prayer to St. Michael, with instructions it be said after all Low Masses everywhere. When asked what had happened, he explained that, as he was about to leave the foot of the altar, he suddenly heard voices – two voices, one kind and gentle, the other guttural and harsh. They seemed to come from near the tabernacle. As he listened, he heard the following conversation:

      The guttural voice, the voice of Satan in his pride, boasted to Our Lord: “I can destroy your Church.”

      The gentle voice of Our Lord: “You can? Then go ahead and do so.”

      Satan: “To do so, I need more time and more power.”

      Our Lord: “How much time? How much power?”

      Satan: “75 to 100 years, and a greater power over those who will give themselves over to my service.”

      Our Lord: “You have the time, you will have the power. Do with them what you will.”

      https://www.romancatholicman.com/our-lady-of-fatima-1917-2017-why-100-years-matters/

      Liked by 7 people

  34. Watched “The Mortal Storm” the other day. About Hitler’s rise to power. Depicted exactly what you describe, Charley. Crazed brown shirt college students challenging a beloved professor who maintained that all human blood was the same– that aryan blood was not different, as Hitler said. He was teaching settled scientific facts. Reminds me of now– that if we don’t accept that men can change to women and vice versa, we are evil haters. We’ve got to deny science. That professor was executed for speaking the truth. Forgive me if I’m repeating myself. I tried to share this before, but I don’t think it went through. God bless all. I’m worn out with the insanity. It sure is hard going through this cultural collapse without the Church being in good shape.

    Liked by 5 people

  35. Excellent commentary on where society is at right now. I welcome your thoughts as they are so accurate and help us all to take that next right step. Just knowing what we know (and much of that through you) is of great comfort. Thank you.

    Liked by 6 people

  37. God has been restoring my hope personally through the Unbound prayer ministry which I have been training in here in Dublin, Ireland and through nature in the amazing rainbows we have had the last few days here amid health storms, the political storms of the extreme abortion legislation being pushed through the government and the winter storms of wind and rain unlike any we have seen in our 18 months here. We had a couple of double rainbows in a row as well as a couple that seemed to last longer than normal. I was reassured that God is with us and still using the rainbow as His sign. Hope has been a challenge for me, but God is above all our challenges.

    My 18 yr. old dd is with hundreds of other young adults at a Youth2000 retreat. Tonight she was looking forward confession, the healing service, and finally being old enough to go to adoration in the middle of the night. She and her 15 yr old brother both of whom go to daily mass with us (the joys of homeschooling) are a huge sign of hope as well as are many of the devout families we have befriended here. Hope in the Lord. It is never wasted.

    Liked by 12 people

      1. There were 600 16-35 yr olds at the Christmas retreat. The summer retreat gets even more. Katie said there were more than 20 people coming and going during adoration at 2-3am!

        I’ve been praying for you, Beckita. I hope you are finding answers and feeling better. I have a CT myself tomorrow and would appreciate prayers. God bless.

        Liked by 3 people

    2. Missy, there is a gentleman in our storm group who is working to start a new traditionally Catholic college in Ireland called Newman College. In fact, I won’t give him away, but he commented on Charlies blog today.
      This gentleman helped found Ave Maria college in Florida and started the Franciscan University study abroad program. These are colleges where kids go to live their faith.
      If you are interested in learning more, please contact me at stormnewhampshire@gmail.com

      As an aside, I may be traveling to Limerick next month. I love Ireland! God bless you!

      Liked by 5 people

      1. Thanks, Doug. I’m pretty sure I met some of the family at the March for Life before the referendum and am on Facebook with the mother. The Catholic homeschooling community here is pretty amazing, and we have met some wonderful families. We don’t fully understand why God told us to move here, but the people we have met have been the best part so far.

        Have a great time in Limerick. My dd and I travelled on a bus convassing around the country before the referendum and went to Limerick. The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal are doing amazing work there in one of the roughest areas. They use Unbound (among other things I’m sure), and one of the priests is one of my trainers.

        I love asides and will give you one of my own. There are only 5 friars or so there, and one is from Atlanta where we lived for 30 years before moving here and is a friend of several friends. In all the events we have been to in the last 18 months of which there have been many because of the referendum, the pope’s visit and various conferences we go to (Divine Mercy, Charismatic, etc..), we have never met this particular friar though I have met almost every other one, several mutiple times including some of the ones in NI. My family thinks it’s funny that I keep walking up to random friars and asking their name. I now wonder if I haven’t met him for some particular reason and think I’ll probably only meet him if God tells us it’s time to move on. Lol.

        Liked by 2 people

          1. St. Patrick’s Friary, 64 Delmege Park
            Moyross
            Limerick City

            They even have a fb page. I saw an instagram page of a young american who was there for a wedding and had am amazing Unbound experience with Fr. Lawrence (the friar from Atlanta). Fr. Charles, from France, is my trainer.
            Have a blessed trip.

            Like

  38. Yours is a difficult assessment. It certainly is good to hope for a miraculous turnaround, and it’s honorable to try to shore up the crumbling edifice, but I agree that it is futile. At least for the limits of what we envision today. Too many hearts have grown cold –– <eb≥and getting colder by the day –– with the increase in lawlessness.

    I’ve also contemplated at great length the possibility that the Triumph could take generations. I know, that doesn’t sound great, but we got here by degrees. Over generations. What leads us to believe that the climb up won’t be a patient, painstaking work The fact is, our society has become way too accustomed to instant gratification.

    Clearly cold hearts are doing everything in their power to alienate us… push us out and away from the edifice. Hey, I see that as a blessing in disguise. When mammon is thrown down (when the whole thing comes crashing down), there will be those not buried in the rubble.

    Live to fight another day (or drive an ambulance as the case may be).

    My heart goes out to all those who feel they are too old, too unskilled, too simple to contribute anything useful to this mess. Oh, nothing could be further from the truth, as we are told by Truth Himself in the Sermon on the Mount.

    If we read between the lines, is there something in there about ‘blessed are the detached?’ I’m feeling quite detached lately. In a terribly painful, but prudent sort of way.

    Liked by 8 people

    1. Know exactly how you are feeling by your last paragraph MP. One thing I had held on to in recent days as ‘compensation’ for enduring physical and emotional detachment from my previous home and life was the thankfulness that at least there is a parish priest living in this town. No First Friday or Saturday Mass; no Adoration; but some midweek Masses 15 minutes away and a choice of 2 weekend Masses nearby; Reconciliation a phone call away. Last week Father told us his superior (in the absence of the Archbishop who recently resigned due to being convicted of covering up child sex abuse – although overturned this week on appeal) was coming over to speak to us today and I knew Father’s one year contract was almost complete and he definitely was moving back to Adelaide. The imagined threat of having no priest at all (after all – why would the authorities make a visit simply to tell us who will take Father’s place!) was so surreal – I thought to myself “well this is just par for the course, the Lord is doing the pruning and He has still left me with Hope, surely I am not meant to let go of that!”

      Joy! We are to have another priest. The visit was in order to encourage all parishioners to reconcile their differences before the new priest arrives. Actually it was a “command in Christ!” I am not sure what has been happening here but I commend the authority for his rebuke and I hope everyone realises that we are very, very fortunate to be in the care of another priest – they are in very short supply due to many retirements.

      I know the Lord must detach us even from Holy things if needed – sometimes even the threat of losing these is enough to do the job! He is so merciful with His pruning, enough pain but not so much as to send us into a tail-spin!

      Liked by 6 people

    2. I’ve changed from hoping the Rescue and Triumph would occur quickly to thinking it could take 10, maybe twenty years. But I hadn’t considered it could be generations-long. You’re right, MP, this mess took man a long time to create, probably well over 150 years. In 1917, Our Lady said that God was greatly offended by humanity, and we hadn’t even reached the debauchery of the 1920s or times since. So there is much damage to be undone.

      Now I imagine myself as a much older man when the Storm is all said and done, in my twilight years. Perhaps Charlie will have already boarded the ship to the Undying Lands of Valinor with the other ring-bearers. And the first stones are just being laid at Mount Meeker.

      At the moment, we stand on the threshold of an epic point in time. Soon enough, though, it will be history to the next generations. Whether we witness it here or in heaven is immaterial. I suppose I’m feeling detached as well.

      Blessed are those who keep their nose to the grindstone and do God’s will, for they shall see the Miracle and Triumph of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart.

      Liked by 7 people

      1. Well, one thing is for sure Patrick, neither of us is too shy to take some liberties with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Hope He doesn’t mind.

        The above was one of those rare instances where I was thinking/speculating out loud about the road ahead. Uncharacteristic, because I usually stick to what I learned a long time ago. Namely, that it’s not what you know or what you think you know, but how you think.

        I’d say that I like to climb the mountainous terrain around here alone mostly, but better to say it’s usually tough to find takers. What I like about it is the head down quiet… a contemplative sand-crunching rhythm, next step beat, and the every-once-in-awhile look up to get bearings and take in a view.

        What I don’t like about it is when I think of many of the folks I know and love, and what I think they’re missing out on. ‘Course they may be thinking the same thing from wherever they’re at.

        What is certainly different about our times is the sheer volume of what’s at stake. Some 7.5+ billion souls.

        I also learned a long time ago that if I don’t know something, it’s just as easy to say, “I don’t know.”
        Definitely, I don’t know much of anything.

        That’s something I appreciate about Charlie. You’ll notice that he’s not afraid to say “I don’t know” and just leave it at that sometimes.

        Liked by 3 people

    3. I too have contemplated that it may take a generation or more for the Triumph,… a sort of 40 years of wandering in a joyless, colorless, leftist desert where the only way through will be to completely rely on God. I think one of the most important parts of our witness will be to be joyful, as I don’t think there will be any true joy anywhere else…in fact we already see that now.

      Liked by 7 people

      2. Maybe once a night, late, I flick on the TV and do a quick scan with the habit of turning it off within 3 minutes if I only encounter the usual garbage. As such, you can imagine that I don’t get to watch much T.V. Night before last I came upon “Book of Eli” with Denzel Washington walking alone across a stretch of bleak, colorless desert (looked just like many of the stretches nearby).

        Well, that’s a worthy movie and I love Denzel Washington, so I got to enjoy a bit of entertainment and contemplating.

        Seems to me that Eli had peace and joy because he was immersed in The Word, but struggled like the rest of us to fully live it. Here’s this little exchange from the movie:

        Solara: I didn’t think you’d ever give up the Book, I thought it was too important to you.

        Eli: It was, I was carrying it and reading it every day, got so caught up in protecting it, I forgot to live by what I learnt from it.

        Solara: And what’s that?

        Eli: To do more for others than you do for yourself.

        Liked by 7 people

  39. Great article Charlie…

    And some really interesting comments by others here.

    I too was thinking of the 100 year warning mentioned by Beckita, and wonder if we might be there. Charlie’s apt description of our present time, and others comments, suggests this is something different from what we’ve seen before, at least in modern times.

    I used to be a member of a Rosary prayer group led by a mystic. He said that when the storm finally commences in full, it will happen very quickly, and that it will entail a fairly significant economic meltdown.

    Like Charlie I think we’re way past the point of salvaging ourselves politically, especially when reason is not an operating principal in so many. The only solution seems to be conversion…on a massive scale. I think about the prophecies of Garabandal…particularly the Warning, which essentially predicts a stoppage of time where everyone on earth will have a simultaneous mini particular judgement.

    I pray that Our Lord and Our Lady will not wait too long to intervene, and that the intervention can be similar to what happened with the USSR, an unbelievably peaceful dissolution of that situation.

    Liked by 7 people

    2. Saint John Paul the great continually Pray for us. St. Faustina continually pray for us. St. Maximilian continually pray for us. St. Padre Pio pray for us.

      Liked by 5 people

    3. Amen, Paul. When you note how “this is something different from what we’ve seen before, at least in modern times” I’m reminded, again, of the first video posted of one of Charlie’s talks given in the summer of 2015. In it, Charlie referred to the sure and certain tragedy of these times:

      “One of the terrible things, one of the horrible things of this last century is that souls are being lost to eternity at an unprecedented rate. That’s the great evil. We foolishly think that when someone is lost in a hurricane or when someone is lost in another way, that’s a great evil. Even when we’re very religious, usually we treat this as the only real end. Actually in those natural disasters, frequently people come together to help each other. Actually, there are great graces in that, but souls being lost to eternity: HUGE!”

      That resonated with the ways Our Lady had pierced my own heart, so many years ago, as I delved into the messages she had given in Fatima, most especially, the need to pray for souls which were being lost to hell because people were not praying for them. In committing to answer Our Lady’s pleas and in further reflection on scriptures which spoke to God’s pattern of tending to us when we stiff-necked people were rebellious as h-e-double hockey sticks, I began to understand the beauty of purification, tough as it is while in the midst of it. God loves us SO much that He will do everything possible to prevent us from destroying ourselves. Scott Hahn addresses this theme well in his book, A Father Who Keeps His Promises: God’s Covenant Love in Scripture, published in 2011.

      Back to that talk which Charlie gave… he, also, addressed the uniqueness of these times as he spoke about his own preparation for the mission entrusted to him:
      “The whole purpose of what they were doing, he (St. Gabriel) was telling me, was that there was going to come a time in the world, in my lifetime, when a grave crisis would happen, in fact, the gravest crisis in the history of civilization and that there would be work for me if I was willing to accept it. There would be a great deal of difficulties and I really would have to silently dedicate my life to it, in a hidden way, to begin with. He told me it would feel like the end. Actually he started showing me what I’ve always called, “The Storm,” and that it would feel like the end to a lot of people but that it was not. It was God’s cleansing of people.”

      We can remember how Charlie’s spiritual directors – in classic form when someone is receiving mystical input- advised him not to be reading the messages of other purported messages bearers, but I immediately remembered, in what St. Gabriel told CJ, the prophecy of Pope St. John Paul II when he visited this country as Cardinal Wojtyla and addressed an Eucharistic Conference in 1976, saying: “We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has ever experienced. I do not think that the wide circle of the American Society, or the whole wide circle of the Christian Community realize this fully. We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-church, between the gospel and the anti-gospel, between Christ and the Antichrist. The confrontation lies within the plans of Divine Providence. It is, therefore, in God’s Plan, and it must be a trial which the Church must take up, and face courageously.”

      All of this brings to contemplation the awesomeness of Our Lady of Fatima’s Promise that we would eventually enjoy a period of Peace. I love the foreshadowing, prefigurement dimensions of our faith. As surely as we must be purified in purgatory (and mystical literature is replete with accounts of souls in purgatory suffering in the yearning of wanting to reunite with the Lord after meeting Him in their personal judgment) before we are ready for the clothing fit for the Heavenly Banquet, I see us being purified now that we may be readied to enter the period of Peace promised at Fatima.

      MP and Patrick spoke to how this leg of the journey, as we approach the full Triumph of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart, could go on for years more. It surely could. And Charlie mentioned the wandering Israelites in the desert yesterday. Sadly, they would have made the journey in record time if only they had embraced the opportunities to exert the virtuous responses embedded with TRUST, SURRENDER, and OBEDIENCE to Abba. Why oh why do we fumble so? What’s NOT to Trust about Pure Love Himself? Why DO we torture ourselves with worry and anxiety? And what is so stinkin’ great about grasping and clawing to hold on to the fleeting whims and pleasures of the unholy trinity of me, myself and I? (She says as she blows it right and left, forgetting and falling, but joyfully rising to meet the Good Shepherd in the Tribunal of His Mercy.)

      Praying with you, too, Paul. Praying for a Heavenly intervention because we’re incapable of anything good on our own. There’s another precious gem which pervades Charlie’s work: the request to call upon Our Lady of Tepeyac, Mother of Conversion. Her Heart continuing to beat in that Tilma speaks to me of new work yet to be done via Our Mother’s intercession and conversion IS God’s ultimate goal for us in all He does. Another of His patterns is to act in dramatic ways at the eleventh hour. I ponder how far into the eleventh hour we must be. The Medjugorje visionaries were told the chastisements would occur during their lifetimes. We can’t be that far from the shores of complete Rescue/Triumph. God knows. He does. So let us simply embrace Isaiah’s words in 50:7: Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.

      Liked by 10 people

  40. Timely words Charlie. I live in Northeast Massachusetts. The recent elections were troubling. In Boston, the Essex county DA candidate, Rachel Rollins, published a list of crimes she would not prosecute. Theft up to 250.00, resisting arrest, B&E if no one home, and on. The Boston police were horrified. She was the darling of the left. She was elected. How could voters deliberately choose mayhem in their community? Boston has more elite academic schools than anywhere, but so little Wisdom. Yesteray, Federal ICE arrested over 50 criminal aliens in the area, some who were protected and literaly let out the back door of courthouses by liberal justices in the state. There are documented cases of some of these men contining drug dealing and even comitting murders. Massachusetts may not be completely gone, but it is geting close. Many great saints were forged in times of great civil unrest, and the key was holding fast to God. Though one is tempted to vigilante justice, quiet hope and ready joy in the little daily interactions with others is the more courageous path. My heart was not in decorating for Christmas this year, but keeping family traditions is my push back against those forces trying to destroy family and Godly things. Thank you for this site to know that others are holding firm in trusting God, and to know that He will triumph.

    Liked by 14 people

      1. I just spent an hour editing and honing a reply to Marianne. Maybe the Lord or the devil didn’t want it posted because I received this response – “Sorry, this comment could not be posted.”

        Does WordPress have a list of verboten words? Certainly I didn’t use profanity and didn’t even mention g*nder or s*xual issues.

        Liked by 3 people

        1. That’s the first time I’ve ever heard of such a thing happening. Maybe Steve might know what happened and how to fix it. I hope you still have a copy. I really don’t think there is any list f verboten expressions.

          Liked by 3 people

          1. Hate it when those things happen, Frank. I actually had this very thing happen to me a few days ago, Charlie and Frank. What I did was copy the comment and paste it in a document before canceling my reply. Then I refershed the page and pasted the comment in the new comment box and it posted with no problem.

            Liked by 3 people

          2. As John of StClareSeeds says, it’s just an occasional glitch that occurs due to any number of factors not working right. When it happens to me, I just rewrite the comment or take it as a message not to post at all. 🙂

            Liked by 3 people

        3. Frank,
          Coming from 10 years of website building, I can say that, websites are very complex behind the scenes. You have server side languages (PHP, Python, Perl, Ruby on Rails, etc..), browser sides languages (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc..), caching plugins (both server side and browser side), CDN’s, and a host of other things. All of these have to load properly and be compatible with each other and all browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, etc…) on all devices (desktop, mobile and otherwise) to make a website work. This can be a very complex task and one little hiccup can make a website not work correctly.

          When I write my comment, I always highlight all, and then “Copy”. If it doesn’t work, I refresh the page and paste what I’ve just copied, and try again.
          John

          Liked by 5 people

        4. Frank, our mutual friend John at StClareSeeds has this one correct. His advice to copy before posting a comment is good. Then if you experience this glitch, you can refresh the page and paste your post into a new Reply field, then try again to post it. 🙂

          Liked by 3 people

  41. Thank you for this post and all the comments, brothers and sisters.
    So Mordor is approaching. It is so human to feel inconsequential, outnumbered and beaten. So felt the apostles during the two days the Saviour lay in His tomb.

    But my warrior heart turns to the shining star, the Maris Stella, and I know that up there, beyond the swirl of hate and the heat of violence, there is peace and calm and cool tranquility and She sees me and loves me and gives me renewed strength and courage.

    Let’s turn our faces to that hope and to that Star. Let’s fasten our eyes to it and lash our anchor around the pillar of the Eucharist. If we Pray for the Church Suffering, those souls will not abandon us until the debt is repaid. The machines of war may go on grinding and we may become the grist but the Master has a plan. I await the return of my King to reclaim His throne. Whether I will worship Him in flesh or in spirit, I leave in His loving and capable hands.

    Peace and love to all. My good friend, my co-worker Tom, died of ALS last week and his funeral was on my birthday. I celebrated knowing that he knew Jesus. Please recruit the Holy Souls that you have known. Along with them and the angels on our side, the enemy doesn’t stand a chance. This warrior says, “I am the storm.”

    Liked by 6 people

  43. A meme I have been meditating on for some time now is based on a REVERSAL of the action described in these two biblical passages re: the light shining in the darkness.

    Isaiah 9 (some 800 years before Jesus is born)

    1
    The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;

    Upon those who lived in a land of gloom
    a light has shone.a

    2
    You have brought them abundant joy
    and great rejoicing;

    They rejoice before you as people rejoice at harvest,
    as they exult when dividing the spoils.

    3
    For the yoke that burdened them,
    the pole on their shoulder,
    The rod of their taskmaster,
    you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.

    4
    For every boot that tramped in battle,
    every cloak rolled in blood,
    will be burned as fuel for fire.c

    5
    For a child* is born to us, a son is given to us;
    upon his shoulder dominion rests.
    They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero,d
    Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.

    6
    His dominion is vast
    and forever peaceful,
    Upon David’s throne, and over his kingdom,
    which he confirms and sustains
    By judgment and justice,
    both now and forever.e
    The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!

    Matthew Chapter 4 (describing the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry)

    The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry.*
    12
    When he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.
    13
    He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
    14
    that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:

    15
    “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,i
    the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
    Galilee of the Gentiles,

    16
    the people who sit in darkness
    have seen a great light,
    on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
    light has arisen.”j

    17
    * From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

    The meme which kind of frightens me is : America, which has seen a Great Light and has been a land full of light, blessed and rejoicing and a land wherein the Kingdom of God was present in practice and spirit and which gave the world the most exceptional environment of freedom in history is reversing, reverting, retreating back into Darkness.

    We are becoming the twin of the Galilee of the Gentiles which lived in Great Darkness. We are going from Light back into Darkness. Unbelievable. But we see it happening in real time.

    What was the Galilee of the Gentiles?

    The land of Zebulon and Naphtali (two of Jacob’s sons) is what we call Galilee today. By Isaiah’s time it was populated primarily by pagans. Resulting from invasions and conquest. The few Jews remaining had a hard time clinging to their traditions and faith. By the time of Jesus’ arrival it had become mostly Jewish (by reason of reconquest by the forces from Judea) but it was surrounded and outnumbered by the Gentile regions which circled Galilee at that time. Galilee, and the Jews living there at the time of Jesus were greatly influenced by Gentile/Helenist/Roman/Pagan culture. For that reason the residents of Galilee were viewed as second class wanderers by the Judeans and the Jerusalemites. On the fringe. Being surrounded by gentiles and many different cultures the Galileans of Jesus’ time were open to new ideas.

    What made Jesus different is that he came to expand the Jewish faith to the whole world. The message of salvation and redemption for sins was not just a gift to the Jews but to the whole world. This did not sit well with traditional Jews including his own family and the clan of the Nazoreans to which he belonged. Jesus was rejected by “the Establishment” for this radical message and because he did not fit the expectation of a political and military and worldly Messiah.

    The world, and alarmingly the United States of America, is in the throes of rejecting Jesus’ Gospel of the Good News. This is amazing to me. A land so blessed throws it all away to return to what???!!!!

    Darkness, gloom and despair. To return to a pervasive hopelessness and depression. To return, willingly, to a land of death dominated by sin. It seems that in a Land of Light a Great Darkness has appeared and we are diving headfirst right into it.

    Practical implication for us right now: We need to learn how to survive life in a gloomy darkness growing and surrounding us as those who lived in the 1st Century Land of the Gentiles. How did the faithful Jews and particularly the Jewish Christians confront the Land of Great Darkness and survive?

    I think we had better learn how to do it. Or be swallowed up by a Great Darkness.

    Liked by 6 people

    1. We surely have concocted a right fine rotten stew which spews a steam infused with gloom, darkness and despair, Ed. Hopelessness and depression are all around us. But I refuse to be swallowed up by the Great Darkness. Rather, in living it, that is, the core message of TNRS, I experience God’s Graces being drawn into the very darkness. The Venerable Cardinal Văn Thuận’s books are great reads for inspiration in how to be Christ’s Light in this current darkness. I have read both The Road of Hope: A Gospel from Prison and Testimony of Hope: The Spiritual Exercises of Pope John Paul II. I am keeping them close at hand for inspiration in these days, along with one of the finest compendiums on Catholic teaching about how to suffer well: Fr. Robert J Spitzer’s The Light Shines on in the Darkness: Transforming Suffering through Faith (Happiness, Suffering, and Transcendence) Fr. Spitzer’s words are an anti-dote to fear, worry and anxiety. Our Lord and Our Lady have promised to be with us. I believe Their Promises and am ready to do whatever He tells me and/or us to do in the moments of crisis. Praying for all of us, and our families, as we make our way through this Storm to reach the Shores of Rescue.

      Liked by 5 people

      1. There is a famous admonishment from St Padre Pio “Pray and don’t worry!” I’d like to take the great man at his word but it is going to take an awful lot of prayer for me to overcome my horror of the decision of the Diocese of Buffalo not to investigate a possible recent Eucharistic Miracle in one of their parishes (as a consequence, the potentially bleeding Host was disposed of in the usual way – at least the priest and RE person had thought to make adoration beforehand!). There was definitely no room at this Inn.

        The greater the Darkness extends – greater will appear the Light that transforms. Maranatha!

        Liked by 5 people

      3. Amen, Beckita. These are, naturally speaking, utterly terrifying times in which we live. But I take hope from the story of Jesus’ and Peter’s walking on the water. Yes, there was howling wind, and roiling water, and powerful waves, and real risk of drowning. But as long as Peter kept his eyes trained on Jesus–only on Jesus–he was safe. This inspires me to resolve to make my best efforts to keep my eyes fixed on Our Lord, to try my best to help my family and those around me to do the same.

        I also take much comfort from Our Lord’s words in John 16:33: “…In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence, I have overcome the world.”

        One book that I am keeping close at hand is Fr. Walter Ciszek’s “With God in Russia.” It is the story of how he, a missionary, was arrested in 1941, falsely accused of being a spy, imprisoned in Soviet gulags until 1955, and ultimately returned to the US in 1963 in a prisoner swap. In spite of the horrors that Fr. Ciszek endured, his is ultimately a story of hope and of how he was able to Trust-Do-Love in the very worst of circumstances.

        Liked by 3 people

        1. Beautiful examples, Mick, of those who have gone before us and traversed their own times of terror by trusting in God and believing He had a Plan. They were, then, infused with the grace to BE Christ’s Light in the frightening trials of their day and time. Fr. Ciszek is a true hero of faith! Pope St. John Paul II is another hero who lived it during the darkness of WWII. He’s also an intercessor of this site/apostolate and, like every saint, awaits hearing us ask for his help.

          I wept when I first ready that Venerable Cardinal Văn Thuận, who was in prison for 13 years, 9 of which were spent in solitary confinement – I can barely wrap my head around that darkness! – had a young parishioner who brought him “stomach medication” each day… nothing more than some wine and an unconsecrated host. This holy Bishop then used the palm of his hand for the altar upon which he placed a few drops of wine and a drop of water to confect the Eucharist! He also began writing to his flock from prison. This Bishop’s very suffering bore beau coup grace which inspired his writing which, in turn, edified and inspired his people in their suffering.

          Cardinal Văn Thuận shivered in his boots when Pope John Paul asked him to preach the Spiritual Exercises for himself and the Roman Curia during Lent of 2000, but John Paul KNEW the Cardinal’s words would be anointed as both of these holy ones had lived well the Paschal Mystery in the crucible of their own suffering. When I chose to use the book for my Lenten meditations one year, I would read the day’s reading as I was cycling at the gym – recumbent bike so I could read and take my mind off sweating – and I was, often, overcome with tears as his words readily applied to one’s personal Via Dolorosa.

          Pope St. John Paul II, Venerable Cardinal Văn Thuận, and Servant of God Fr. Walter Ciszek, do remain with us, interceding for graces that we remain faithful to Christ and proclaim Him through this Storm, and Him crucified!

          Liked by 3 people

        2. Mick, I might have already shared this but I recently read With God in Russia. I neglected other duties because I couldn’t put it down. Fr. Ciszek wrote a second book ( the name escapes me). It gives a more spiritual view of what he went through. Amazing books, amazing Priest!

          Liked by 3 people

          1. Kris, I’m not sure if you’d shared that before, but I’m glad you shared it now. His second book is called He Leadeth Me. I have that one, too; but I haven’t read it yet. I’m imagining that I’ll get to it in the not too distant future (especially if things go even farther south).

            Liked by 2 people

            1. Mick-I highly recommend you read He Leadeth Me. It will blow your mind. He was in solitary confinement for 5 years.

              In 1982, I had the good fortune to visit with Fr. Ciszek on the phone. I have a couple of letters from him. Misssed visiting with him in person due to an illness. We was the spiritual advisor to a friend of mine.

              Liked by 2 people

              1. HttP, that is so incredible that you got to speak with Father and have letters from him! I really do want to read it at some point; it’s just super hard to make time to read (or maybe it’s actually harder to REMEMBER to make time to read).

                Liked by 1 person

    2. Storm Tracker Ed, You wrote, ” The world, and alarmingly the United States of America, is in the throes of rejecting Jesus’ Gospel of the Good News. This is amazing to me. A land so blessed throws it all away to return to what???!!!! ” What you say is unfortunately true, although it may ne a “natural” consequence of two forces: peace and corrupt politics.

      Whenever the country is shaken by attack, the self-protection of patriotism reappears, and along with that the cultural memory of the traditional values; since the end of the cold war, only the 9/11 attack inspired a patriotic wave, and that has long past.

      The Progressive Dems unionized the el school teachers long ago, and college professors in recent times who got on the dole from federal research funding and the student loan program siezure. This self-serving alliance between the Dems and secular educators has for a century been corrupting public education to diminish teaching about the virtue of independent striving (the cornerstone of free enterprise) with reward for hard work, and anything biblical that places God given values over the passing political themes, such as man created global warming and political correctness.

      Basically, recent generations have become spoiled by parents and/or government assistance, and frustrated that others seem to be so financially rich while they cannot get the high paid jobs they think owed them for their cheaply earned education degrees. The current generations (e.g., gen X and millennials) are truly uneducated about how the country was formed from a revolution against a kingly tyrrany, and have NO faith in a God who created and placed us here to learn virtue from struggle with mortal hardships, such as earning one’s income, suffering diseases, and overcoming the vice inflicted by greedy, rotten politicians who buy votes with their socialist promises of free everything.

      Perhaps our greatest loss was the corruption of our secular education system along with the failure of Christian churches to come to the rescue of the West’s Judeo-Christian culture.

      Liked by 8 people

      1. When we lost our pure and holy nuns as teachers, it was all down hill after that. I thank God for Sister Mary Thomas, Sister Mary Baptista, and Sister Mary Williams. They were a major blessing to me and my strong faith.

        Liked by 2 people

  44. After Mass yesterday morning I pretty much spent the day working around the house and yard catching up. I take one day off from the internet and you guys go crazy. Charlie’s essay is amazing, timely and very necessary. The comments are on fire and are anointed with power in a way I have not seen in awhile. What a blessing it is to read it all.

    Two thoughts, both of which have been stated by others above, but which I think warrant repeating.

    My wife and I were discussing two of our friends who have stopped going to Mass and whose faith in the Church has been shattered by the recent events. We have been speaking with both of them to try to help them through this disaster. Our discussion helped me to clarify and to verbalize something that has been nudging at the back of my brain for awhile. I first thought about this in terms of the Catholic Church but it applies to the society as well. After sixty-five years, with God doing amazing things in my life, I am beginning to feel that I was born for now. For this time. For the disasters that are upon us. All the rest was on the job training for what is now ahead of us.

    The second thought is: We are the ambulances. We are to be the vehicles carrying Jesus’ words of healing to an injured and hurting world.

    Maximilian Kolbe and Joan of Arc pray for us!

    JT

    Liked by 11 people

    1. Amen. Alleluia! Right there with your thinking, JT. Being the ambulances brings to mind Lead, Kindly Light, a hymn with words written in 1833 by John Henry Newman as a poem titled, “the Pillar and the Cloud.” Here it is with lyrics as I imagine an ambulance making its way through the dark streets to rescue the one(s) in need. Glory and Praise to Christ, the Light of the World which no darkness can ever overcome!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Beckita: First time I have heard this version. Audrey Assad has a song which is taken from the same theme. Both are beautiful and timely. So much of our culture and art flow from Christ’s incarnation and resurrection. All of this is at risk as well in the present descent into chaos.

        Thanks.

        JT

        Liked by 5 people

        1. Yes, JT. I love Audrey Assad’s music and have heard her rendition of Lead Kindly Light. There are some gorgeous polyphonic versions, such as the gem below from Libera with their exquisite vocals.

          So true about the culture and art which have flowed from Christianity. Here, I think of Pope Emeritus Benedict’s words about the power of beauty to convert as in this quote from him: “I have often affirmed my conviction that the true apology of Christian faith, the most convincing demonstration of its truth… are the saints and the beauty that the faith has generated.”

          I can hardly wait to see the creative genius of God at work in the artists of various cultures when we transition into the New Beginning.

          Liked by 3 people

    2. Hi IT, It is always good to see you post with some good nuggets. I think of our church as being hijacked by those with mal content. In other words, I aim to try and get folks to see that this is not representative of what the church stands for and that corrupt individuals are trying to steal it. I know the Satan wants to get folks to believe that the issues are representative of the church. If somehow, I can show that this is really an attack from the outside, then just maybe, a few will be swayed to stay. Also the church needs good folks to ensure we take care of it. It is too easy to throw in the towell and walk away. You are so right. We were made for these times. Hope you continue to heal well. Our prayers are with you!

      Liked by 3 people

  45. Thank you Charlie for keeping an eye on the culture and politics. I personally don’t watch the news any more but just try to work on my relationship with Christ. He is doing amazing things and that is where my hope lies! The Encounter ministry here in our SE Michigan area is setting people on fire with Christ’s healing; I have personally witnessed ordinary lay people praying over each other and all kinds of miraculous healings taking place. Apostolates are flourishing here and enthusiasm is growing. God is at work! I feel we are living in a period of tremendous grace; He is sending it down like a tsunami. This is the way God will overcome evil and I pray to be a part of His plan. Can I get an Amen?

    Liked by 6 people

    1. Oh yes, Mimi. And both Fr. Mathias and Patrick Reis, along with others in leadership from Encounter Ministries, as you probably know, have carried the good news beyond Michigan – in this country and internationally as well – proclaiming what the Lord is doing while training folks to be His Hands and Feet in order to reach His people so lonely, broken and hurting in this troubled world.

      Here’s the Amen:

      Liked by 7 people

      1. This may be my favorite scene in the movie, Beckita. Thanks for the link, especially because it reminds me to pray for Sydney Poitier’s return to Holy Mother Church and the faith of his childhood.

        Liked by 3 people

    3. Amen, Mimi. And welcome to commenting. 🙂

      I have a dear friend who is currently enrolled in the Encounter School of Ministry; and she has discussed the very wonders that you mention. I am not a student at the School, but I was able to attend the Encounter Conference at Christ the King Parish this past January. It was an amazing experience.

      By the way, which county do you live in? I’m in Ingham.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. I remember, Mick, that you attended the annual conference early this year. Father and I went to an Encounter conference in Lincoln, NE in June and I continue being fed as an online partner where I have access to presentations which are uploaded at their site.

        Blessed are the folks nearby who have the opportunity to attend the school. Whatever of those talks which can be shared are uploaded on site. The Lord really is desiring to touch His people through the work of this apostolate. Its founder, Patrick Reis, stresses the igniting intent of it all. That is, not to make the center of this work one geographical place where people gather round but to equip all, who feel called to the work, to bring home the learning and connect with God in prayer that they may tend to His people in their own locale. In my mind, it’s a living icon of the scriptural verse: Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more.

        Liked by 2 people

  46. I remember being blissfully happy anticipating the birth of our first child. I also remember the moment of panic when I glanced down at my swollen belly shortly before delivery and realized there was no way out of this. The baby was going to come out and it would not be pleasant. I have the same realization now. There is no way out of our current situation but through it. And it will not be pleasant. But the joy that will come when it is over will help us to forget the pain.
    On a brighter note, we received an incredible gift on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception when our granddaughter was baptized during Mass. We had to wait until her adoption was final so she is 21 months old. She was very still when the water was poured over her head. When they sat her up, she laughed. When she was anointed with the oil, she laughed joyously several times.
    It was beautiful.

    Liked by 7 people

  47. I have been reading Charlie’s posts for about two years. My prayer life has greatly increased but I always wondered that I wasn’t more joyful because of the spiritual strength I was gaining. Most of my prayers were supplications for correcting hurts which I see around me. Last night, after prayer for deliverance for my ill son in Denver, I went to bed determined to embrace this cross in my life. While sleeping (or half-awake) I placed myself at the foot of the cross next to Mary and watched drops of blood drip onto the dry soil. Suddenly, everything became clear to me. I couldn’t do anything about all the problems around me, but I could attain personal holiness. I think that is the key. We are ambulances but we need to stay in good working order. Letting God handle the problems, we are called to embrace all this pain, knowing He has the answers. I got up this morning filled with a joy and wonder. Reading Charlie’s article didn’t depress me. In fact it made me more determined to hone my prayer life with more praise and thanks and less supplication. Trust in the Plan. Trust in God. This is just my own personal experience, but I feel I have been given a great gift. I worry less about enduring the Storm.

    Liked by 12 people

    2. “Letting God handle the problems, we are called to embrace all this pain, knowing He has the answers”
      Love this Mary. It has been overwhelming and as I struggle I intellectually know this but it is a relief to read it from another. Also, several times in the last few days I have had to remind myself to take the next right step, take the next right step………

      Liked by 4 people

  48. Another sign of hope: https://www.focus.org/ This is a group of young people who volunteer on college campus’ as a contact for Catholic students. It enables the students to have support to avoid being sucked into the liberalism on collect campus’. Our Catholic Daughter’s group is helping one out for a two year period. The young man who we are supporting told us in his presentation that the FOCUS people were instrumental in keeping him grounded in the Faith when he was in college. He is returning the favor.

    Liked by 6 people

  49. Thank you Charlie and Beckita for what you do here. The world is so crazy it seems, but there are pockets of hope. Great graces being poured forth. I pray I can stay close to God and be a sign of hope. I feel so inadequate at times but He doesn’t need that. “He will supply” is the message I get from Charlie and from my 12 step program. Stay close to God. No matter; there is always hope with our Lord. He does love us.
    “It is always darkest before the dawn”.

    Liked by 7 people

  50. From MILINET & Web: Articles for Christians – 10 December
    ========================
    Suppressing Christianity’s historical importance
    https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/dec/9/suppressing-christianitys-historical-importance/

    Church renovation lifts Christmas spirit in Bethlehem
    https://www.apnews.com/7a7e0fce6ec34b2686e4de87399492da

    Gosnell Depicts the Grisly Truth–GEORGE WILL
    https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/12/gosnell-movie-depicts-grisly-truth-late-term-abortion/

    Macy’s: We No Longer Donate to Planned Parenthood Abortion Business
    https://www.lifenews.com/2016/12/07/macys-we-no-longer-donate-to-planned-parenthood-abortion-business/

    Avoiding anti-religious decision-making–LTG William G. “Jerry” Boykin, USA (Ret)
    https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/dec/9/why-religious-freedom-in-the-military-is-not-optio/

    Christian Mega-Star Singers: Tell the Truth on Homosexuality–Trevor Thomas
    https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/12/lauren_daigle_tell_the_truth_on_homosexuality.html#ixzz5ZB83El00

    Does the Commerce Clause Protect Female Genital Mutilation?–Richard Kirk
    https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/12/does_the_commerce_clause_protect_female_genital_mutilation.html#ixzz5ZB8VLz8G

    ‘Time has come’: Chinese police detain prominent ‘house’ church leaders
    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-religion/time-has-come-chinese-police-detain-prominent-house-church-leaders-idUSKBN1O90M5

    GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!

    Liked by 4 people

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Published by charliej373

Charlie Johnston is a former newspaper editor, radio talk show host and political consultant. From Feb. 11, 2011 to Aug. 21, 2012, he walked 3,200 miles across the country, sleeping in the woods, meeting people and praying as he went. He writes on cultural, global and political issues from an orthodox Catholic perspective. He emphasizes that we find God most surely through the ordinary, doing the little things we should with faith and fidelity. His constant refrain is that, to live real joy, we must acknowledge God, take the next right step, and be a sign of hope to those around us. He lives in the Archdiocese of Denver in the United States.