1. The wheat and the cockles.
The previous Gospel described the two important elements of evangelisation; the good seed and the good soil, i.e. the good preacher and the good listener. And we mentioned the fact that all Synods and meetings on the 'new evangelisation' never mentions these two elements. Which makes us wonder what they are talking about. We noted the video in the internet of Filipino Cardinal Tagle, a speaker in the seminar, asking God many questions whose answers he did not seem to know because he did not answer them. The answers of which can be found in the Catechism. Which makes us wonder whether those were mere rhetorical question. But the questions had nothing to do with evangelisation. They were mere current events.
He is not to blame. Remember Pope Benedict XVI asked the Bishop's Synod during his Papacy to explain in detail the first step of the 'new evangelisation' and they did not do so. Was it due to neglect or from ignorance. The fact that those two important elements were never discussed in all meetings on evangelisation gives the suspicion that the participants were ignorant of the role of the preacher and the listener in evangelisation. No wonder no one is being evangelised.
There must be a good preacher to have good listeners. The good preacher is sent by God for the sake of the good listeners. God knows where and who they are. Thus good preachers were described as 'sent;' sent for the good listeners. The word apostles means 'sent of God.'
The previous Gospels spoke about a good preacher sowing good seeds. This is Jesus Christ and two kinds of listeners, believers, the good soil, and unbelievers, the bad soil.
Today, the Gospel speaks about a very bad preacher, the devil and his bad preachers, the cockles.
2. Background.
The devil imitates godliness. So he waits for God to act, then he imitates what God had done; his imitation is meant to confuse and destroy souls.
The devil's errors come after the truth.
His false prophets come after true prophets.
His false apostles come after true apostles.
His anti-christ comes after the Christ.
He has to see whom to imitate. His imitations are very well done. It can fool most men, even Popes, bishops and priests; and more so, laymen. Thus, the devil sends his preachers in imitation of the Holy preachers sent by God.
The devil sends bad Popes to imitate holy Popes; bad Jesuits to imitate good Jesuits, bad bishops to imitate good bishops.
The cockle and wheat look alike. So the holy preachers and the evil preachers look alike and seemingly preach the same thing. But it only seems to be the same; they are opposites, the wheat leads others to holiness, the cockle leads others to hell.
3. How to distinguish.
Christ can easily be distinguished from the devil; but not the cockle from the wheat; because when newly planted they look identical. How can we distinguish one from the other? The wheat will eventually bear good fruits, wheat. The cockle have no good fruits. So we have to know what are the good fruits according to Scriptures. St. Benedict has a whole chapter enumerating the list of good works which are the good fruits of a good seed.
The devil does not plant another kind of seed. It must be similar to the good wheat. And the devil plants his cockles after God had planted the wheat besides the good wheat within the institutional Church so it will be unrecognisable being full of cockles.
4. The devil waits when the saints are dead. He can afford to wait because he does not die.
The devil waits when the church leaders are supine or if all the original apostles and saints of the Church are dead.
So the devil tend to mix something that looks good or true with his poisonous error; so as to more easily deceive souls.
Heresies are mixed with the good.
5. When men sleep, the devil comes and sows cockles and departs.
The devil wants all men to believe that he does not exist, so he disappears. If you believe the devil does not exist, this is a sin against Faith which will make you deny all other articles of Faith. St. Augustine wrote; if you do not believe in one truth, you will not believe all truths.
6. Its about time.
Now that Christ had ascended to heaven, the holy apostles have passed away, the holy Fathers of the Church and the Holy Popes have gone to their reward. Gone, also, are the Holy Jesuits, Dominicans and Benedictines. The devil knows it is his time to act. So he sows cockles ; bad apostles, bad Popes, bad Jesuits, bad Dominicans, bad.....etc..They are all around.
Pope Francis, Cardinal Baldiseri, the Jesuit James Martin, etc..... The prophecy of the Gospel is being fulfilled. So what do we do? They look alike. We would not know who is who. So? Wait for the fruits. The wheat bear grains of wheat, good fruits. The cockles bear no fruit.
Scriptures enumerate what are the 'good' fruits. St. Benedict in his Holy Rule enumerates them in a chapter. Look for the fruits so we can know who are the cockles and who are the wheat. Be on the side of the wheat and reject the cockle. But above all, find out whether we are wheat or cockle.
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Sunday, July 29, 2018
TWO ELEMENTS OF 'NEW EVANGELIZATION.' THE SOIL AND THE SEEDS. Friday of the 16th weekday.
1. New Evangelization.
There can never be a 'new' evangelisation. There is no such thing as a 'new' way of entering the Catholic Church or a new way of saving one's soul. If ever there is a 'new' way, who made it? For sure a mere human out there to deceive souls. Only Christ can teach how to evangelise because He alone knows the way to heaven having come from there and having gone back there; aside from being the God who dwells there.
Pope Benedict and Pope John Paul II, who popularise the term 'new' evangelisation made it very clear that this 'new' evangelisation is the old classical evangelisation described by Christ in the Apostolic Commission in the last chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew.
Everybody is using the word 'new' evangelisation, like the last seminar in the Philippines. But it has, absolutely, no semblance with the 'new' evangelisation of Popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II. It looks, merely, man-made. So it surely will not work.
2. A problem from the very beginning.
In the bishop's Synod of 2012, 'The new evanlization for the transmission of the Christian Faith,' Pope Benedict emphasised that they should discuss the two important elements of evangelisation that is emphasised during the 16th weekday in ordinary time in the Liturgy; namely, a good preacher and a good disciple. They did not. And no Synod had ever dealt with these two elements, up to the present, including in the last seminar in the Philippines. Without these two elements, that make up the seed and the soil, evangelization is useless because these two element make up the essence of evangelization.
In the Liturgy, Christ was always the preacher described in the Gospels. He was the perfect preacher and there is no problem there. The problem was always in the listeners; some were good listeners and others were not good listeners. So in the liturgy, there was no problem with the preacher; the problem was with the listener.
When Christ ascended to heaven, the apostles took over as preachers; and there was no problem with them, either. The problem remained among the listeners.
But after the death of the apostles, problems begun to exist both in the preacher and the listeners. If the preachers are not qualified the listeners will not listen.
3. The problem on the preacher.
Christ was the exemplar of the good preacher; and the apostles who were personally trained by Christ, except Judas, were exemplars, too. But most of the preachers after the apostles were not qualified.
The Sunday Gospels after Pentecost describes the qualities of a good preacher. And St. Thomas of Aquinas describes these Evangelical qualities in his treatise on the priesthood and the episcopal state. This is briefly commented on by Garrigou - Lagrange in his commentary on St. Thomas Aquinas, Chapter 7 on his 'The priesthood and Perfection.' The requirements are very stringent, as narrow as the requirements for salvation and very few are able to conform to them.
Perfection is demanded from the bishops and a less degree of perfection is demanded from the priests. Both must be superior to the laymen in perfection because their duties is, not only to perfect themselves but to lead to some degree of perfection those constituents under them. Christ said, 'no pupil can be better than his teacher, no servant better than his master.
Most priests and bishops fall short from this requirement. Thus they fail in their duties and do not benefit their constituents.
The lay people find themselves forced to work out the salvation of their souls all by themselves and depending on the mercy of God.
4. Degree of perfection.
For laymen to go to heaven they must have the perfection of Faith and some degree of Charity so that Faith is enlivened by Charity, i.e. Faith and Good works. Charity can only be perfected in heaven.
If priests, bishops and the Pope must lead souls to heaven they must have all the above and a little more, to lead the laymen to heaven. If they have less, they cannot lead anybody either into the Church or into everlasting life; because the teacher and the master must be a little better than their disciples, Dom Chautard in his 'Soul of the Apostolate' reminds us.
The description of a good preacher is this; first, he must have perfect Faith and the beginnings of the theological virtue of Charity. The bishop must have this in a higher degree than a priest; and both priest and bishop must have this in a higher degree than the laymen. Otherwise they cannot lead their constituents to these heights in the spiritual life.
Because priests, bishops and the Pope do not have these qualities, the institutional church look like a devastated vineyard.
5. Perfect Faith.
Perfect Faith means; firstly, to know all the commands of Christ as found in the New Testament. And to know how those commands are to be put into practice as instructed by the Fathers of the Church. Secondly, he must have put into practice in some degree this knowledge, Thirdly, he must be able to teach his constituent how to have perfect Faith and the beginnings of Charity because that is the requirement to attain everlasting life for all.
The first is the way of evangelisation described by Christ in St. Matthew. The priests, bishops and the Pope must first evangelise themselves before evangelising others.
The second is the degree of Charity priests, bishops and the Pope must have. The third is perfecting the Faith and initiating the listeners to the beginnings of Charity the result of which is their salvation.
6. The problem on the listeners.
Christ was the perfect preacher. But when He preached, some would learn nothing. While others would learn well. How come? They hear the same speaker. The defect is on the listener, the soil. And not in the seeds, as the parable on the seeds described. As the Gospel on Friday of the 16th week in ordinary time, it describes three kinds of bad soil. The hard soil, the soil filled rocks and a soil filled with weeds with thorns. These are souls occupied with worldly things instead of spiritual things.
St. Thomas described these soils thus; they did not believe the God of the Old Testament as one who rewards good and punishes evil. So they begun to abound in evil deeds, a continuous pleasing of the five senses. As a result they are not able to have the slightest Faith and never reach Charity.
The souls of the listeners are not appropriately prepared by the preachers who lack Faith and the beginnings of Charity, thus they did not understand any of the teachings of the Christ as proposed by the Catholic Church.
7. Conclusion.
The Gospels describes good seeds planted; but the Gospels shows three kinds of bad soils where the seeds could not grow well. The present generation has been proven to be bad soil, i.e. bad listeners. So they will not believe even in the God of the Old Testament. Their punishment? They will believe anything; like global warming and that adulterers will go to heaven.
Can something worse happen? Yes, as the next Mass shows. When, not only are the listeners bad listeners, but the bad preacher plants bad seed. And he, immediately, disappears so that men will not know who planted the bad cockles. When they wake up, they will only see the cockle but not the devil who planted it. But this will be another post.
There can never be a 'new' evangelisation. There is no such thing as a 'new' way of entering the Catholic Church or a new way of saving one's soul. If ever there is a 'new' way, who made it? For sure a mere human out there to deceive souls. Only Christ can teach how to evangelise because He alone knows the way to heaven having come from there and having gone back there; aside from being the God who dwells there.
Pope Benedict and Pope John Paul II, who popularise the term 'new' evangelisation made it very clear that this 'new' evangelisation is the old classical evangelisation described by Christ in the Apostolic Commission in the last chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew.
Everybody is using the word 'new' evangelisation, like the last seminar in the Philippines. But it has, absolutely, no semblance with the 'new' evangelisation of Popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II. It looks, merely, man-made. So it surely will not work.
2. A problem from the very beginning.
In the bishop's Synod of 2012, 'The new evanlization for the transmission of the Christian Faith,' Pope Benedict emphasised that they should discuss the two important elements of evangelisation that is emphasised during the 16th weekday in ordinary time in the Liturgy; namely, a good preacher and a good disciple. They did not. And no Synod had ever dealt with these two elements, up to the present, including in the last seminar in the Philippines. Without these two elements, that make up the seed and the soil, evangelization is useless because these two element make up the essence of evangelization.
In the Liturgy, Christ was always the preacher described in the Gospels. He was the perfect preacher and there is no problem there. The problem was always in the listeners; some were good listeners and others were not good listeners. So in the liturgy, there was no problem with the preacher; the problem was with the listener.
When Christ ascended to heaven, the apostles took over as preachers; and there was no problem with them, either. The problem remained among the listeners.
But after the death of the apostles, problems begun to exist both in the preacher and the listeners. If the preachers are not qualified the listeners will not listen.
3. The problem on the preacher.
Christ was the exemplar of the good preacher; and the apostles who were personally trained by Christ, except Judas, were exemplars, too. But most of the preachers after the apostles were not qualified.
The Sunday Gospels after Pentecost describes the qualities of a good preacher. And St. Thomas of Aquinas describes these Evangelical qualities in his treatise on the priesthood and the episcopal state. This is briefly commented on by Garrigou - Lagrange in his commentary on St. Thomas Aquinas, Chapter 7 on his 'The priesthood and Perfection.' The requirements are very stringent, as narrow as the requirements for salvation and very few are able to conform to them.
Perfection is demanded from the bishops and a less degree of perfection is demanded from the priests. Both must be superior to the laymen in perfection because their duties is, not only to perfect themselves but to lead to some degree of perfection those constituents under them. Christ said, 'no pupil can be better than his teacher, no servant better than his master.
Most priests and bishops fall short from this requirement. Thus they fail in their duties and do not benefit their constituents.
The lay people find themselves forced to work out the salvation of their souls all by themselves and depending on the mercy of God.
4. Degree of perfection.
For laymen to go to heaven they must have the perfection of Faith and some degree of Charity so that Faith is enlivened by Charity, i.e. Faith and Good works. Charity can only be perfected in heaven.
If priests, bishops and the Pope must lead souls to heaven they must have all the above and a little more, to lead the laymen to heaven. If they have less, they cannot lead anybody either into the Church or into everlasting life; because the teacher and the master must be a little better than their disciples, Dom Chautard in his 'Soul of the Apostolate' reminds us.
The description of a good preacher is this; first, he must have perfect Faith and the beginnings of the theological virtue of Charity. The bishop must have this in a higher degree than a priest; and both priest and bishop must have this in a higher degree than the laymen. Otherwise they cannot lead their constituents to these heights in the spiritual life.
Because priests, bishops and the Pope do not have these qualities, the institutional church look like a devastated vineyard.
5. Perfect Faith.
Perfect Faith means; firstly, to know all the commands of Christ as found in the New Testament. And to know how those commands are to be put into practice as instructed by the Fathers of the Church. Secondly, he must have put into practice in some degree this knowledge, Thirdly, he must be able to teach his constituent how to have perfect Faith and the beginnings of Charity because that is the requirement to attain everlasting life for all.
The first is the way of evangelisation described by Christ in St. Matthew. The priests, bishops and the Pope must first evangelise themselves before evangelising others.
The second is the degree of Charity priests, bishops and the Pope must have. The third is perfecting the Faith and initiating the listeners to the beginnings of Charity the result of which is their salvation.
6. The problem on the listeners.
Christ was the perfect preacher. But when He preached, some would learn nothing. While others would learn well. How come? They hear the same speaker. The defect is on the listener, the soil. And not in the seeds, as the parable on the seeds described. As the Gospel on Friday of the 16th week in ordinary time, it describes three kinds of bad soil. The hard soil, the soil filled rocks and a soil filled with weeds with thorns. These are souls occupied with worldly things instead of spiritual things.
St. Thomas described these soils thus; they did not believe the God of the Old Testament as one who rewards good and punishes evil. So they begun to abound in evil deeds, a continuous pleasing of the five senses. As a result they are not able to have the slightest Faith and never reach Charity.
The souls of the listeners are not appropriately prepared by the preachers who lack Faith and the beginnings of Charity, thus they did not understand any of the teachings of the Christ as proposed by the Catholic Church.
7. Conclusion.
The Gospels describes good seeds planted; but the Gospels shows three kinds of bad soils where the seeds could not grow well. The present generation has been proven to be bad soil, i.e. bad listeners. So they will not believe even in the God of the Old Testament. Their punishment? They will believe anything; like global warming and that adulterers will go to heaven.
Can something worse happen? Yes, as the next Mass shows. When, not only are the listeners bad listeners, but the bad preacher plants bad seed. And he, immediately, disappears so that men will not know who planted the bad cockles. When they wake up, they will only see the cockle but not the devil who planted it. But this will be another post.
Monday, July 23, 2018
EL CAMINO DE SANTIAGO - A Mystical Journey.
1. El Camino
A popular pilgrimage to Saint James, Spain.
Many might think it is popular because of the delicious Pamplonica chorizos or beautiful girls. Well, there might be some chorizos, but definitely a lot of beautiful sceneries. But even these cannot motivate all kinds of people of every age to make that long month arduous journey on foot, 780 kilometres, trekking on snow and mud, sleeping in common dorms plaque with snorrings, carrying a 10 pound Osprey knapsack and slowed down by foot blisters.
And yet all pilgrims are happy at the end, all looking healthy and peacefully staring at the sea at Finisterre. Why do they do such a physically punishing pilgrimage? To get a certificate from the sacristy of the Basilica? No.
Because they are able to touch the supernatural even for a brief moment. El Camino is to taste the monastic life for 30 years in a span of one month. It is a taste on how to enter the Catholic Church in the right way. It is a glimpse on how to go to heaven when one reaches the end of one's life as symbolised by Finisterre, the end of the world.
The pilgrimage is an outline on the dogma, morals and ascetical theology involved in the salvation of one's soul. It is the outline on how to acquire the infused knowledge and wisdom necessary to become a 'Child of God.' But it is only an outline. It does not bring the soul to heaven. It merely gives the soul a taste of the supernatural in a world that lives in the natural and even in the unnatural.
2. Just like the Catholic religion.
Just like the Catholic religion, 'El Camino' have had many changes and additions, more comforts and more distractions. But essentially it is still there and can benefit the pilgrim.
'El Camino' is like a sacrament. It is a Liturgical activity like all processions and pilgrimages. They are external sigs of hidden spiritual realities. It is an external activity that shows the spiritual journey of a soul to God. Let us now go to the spiritual realities based on the Gospels and describe the general principles.
3. The beginning.
In one's spiritual journey to God, you cannot begin anywhere you like. To receive the Compostela certificate, you have to start from one of the ten official designated point. And in the spiritual life, this point of departure will dictate whether you go to heaven or to purgatory. So the different kinds of certificates.
4. THE FIRST PRINCIPLE. This starting point in the spiritual life that leads inside the Church is identical for apostles, publicans, young rich men and married couples. That covers all the kinds of pilgrims. It is, in fact, the main theme of Pope John Paul II's 'Veritatis Splendor.' Christ said; 'Go home, sell all your things, give it to the poor and come follow Me.
The first step in 'El Camino' is to stick to essentials and leave everything else behind. Every unnecessary burden can be detrimental in reaching the goal, Compostela. Other things will be provided, sleeping areas, meals, bathrooms. This first step is very important. Just as there are instructions on what to bring, Scriptures, too, has a list on what to bring, the necessities for the pilgrimage, not for a holiday.
5. The walk.
The next element is the walk which begins with the Old Testament and proceeds to the New Testament. It seems to be boring walking for a whole month on foot, seeing only fields and occasional civilisation. This is the a disciplinary exercise in doing the same monotonous thing but gradually going deeper and getting more exciting as the monotonous activity progresses.
The three important mental activities during the walk are; one, prayer. Second, fasting and thirdly, good works. The Pilgrim must constantly be praying, St.Augustine describes prayer as looking forward to the goal of heaven, i.e. looking forward to St. James' relic at Santiago de Compostela.
The churches on the way will remind you that this is a journey of unceasing prayer, desiring to reach heaven personified in Santiago. It is good to stop in every Church and pray for graces to persevere in the walk.
There is the fasting in the giving up of numerous home and city comforts in that tiring progression towards the goal not in sight but believed in Faith. The discomfort and pains in the senses, during the whole trip, will remind you the need for fasting.
Then, good works , in which the Pilgrim encourages, in many ways, other pilgrims to persevere to finish the 'Camino.' And to show gratitude to the host of the dorms along the way.
6. The three levels of consciousness.
When the Pilgrim begins the 'Camino' he is still in the natural or physical level with the world and the physical need for 'Camino' filling up his mind. As the walking progresses, his mind forgets the worldly problems and he goes deeper into himself, on who he is and where he should be going to. Hopefully, when he reaches Santiago de Compostela, he should have raised his hands and touched the supernatural and Divine heights.
The goal of the 'Camino' is to be able to raise man from the natural level and touch heaven. This reaching out and touching is temporary because the 'Camino' is just experiencing how it feels to touch the heavens. The real, permanent touching and union with heaven occurs when the Pilgrim puts the 'Camino' which is only a touching, into full reality by living the fulness of the monastic or Catholic life. Most pilgrims show this exact feeling at Santiago de Compostela without realising what the feeling really is. But they have this mystical, though, temporary experience. And that is more than enough for the journey, at least for the meantime.
7. A school of learning.
The 'Camino' shows us how the Catholic Faith is learned. It is learned through obedience to the command of Christ who gave this specific command to Peter and Andrew, James and John, Matthew,
Ananias and Saphira, and the young rich man. It is actually given to all Catholics as the necessary condition to enter the Catholic Church; 'to go home, sell all your things, give it to the poor. And come follow Christ.
The Pilgrims are not required to sell all their things and give it to the poor. They may keep all their possessions at home; but they should not take them during the 'Camino' where the are not really following Christ, yet. But it is good enough. The Pilgrim experience, even for a moment, how it feels to 'go home leave all things, give it to the poor and follow Christ in the 'Camino'. Because for a moment they will have nothing of those things. Then there is a momentary exhilaration in 'seeing' the fact of Christ in Compostela. It is a mystical reward, though temporary, after having shown their month long journey, their desire for God's presence.
The ambiance is perfect. No worldliness, just fields, rivers, nature, snow and mud. The pilgrim is away from the 'world' as St. Augustine described the 'bad world,' an instrument of the devil to tempt men.
8. The towns.
The towns that the 'Camino' passes through are good reminders that the pilgrim is still in this world with all its dangers. And most pilgrim enjoys the brief tryst with the world; this should have been minimised. But the ruckus and provincial celebrations together with the worldly conversations are a little corruption of the 'Camino,' which the pilgrim should minimise to get the full spiritual benefit of the pilgrimage. But it is tolerable.
9. Stick to the signs.
The pilgrim is guided by signs of the right direction towards Compostela. This is very important. In the spiritual life, we must constantly double check if we are in the right direction, a practice the pilgrim must never neglect in the 'Camino.' A map, a reliable GPS and the countless signs showing yellow arrows, seashells and the cursillo cross...plus the large signs should lead the pilgrim right on track. It is like using Scriptures and the Tradition of the Church
constantly in guiding one's spiritual life
10. Where are the lesson in the 'Camino' stored.
It is in the memory that is available to the intellect always. This is the work of God so that the pilgrim can pull lessons from the memory, transfer them to the intellect, then meditate in it...... and treasuring the experience in his heart. Not in the cell phone camera or video camera which should be minimised, too.
Walking in haste. Mary was described as going in haste to help Elizabeth in her pregnancy. St. Thomas emphasised the importance in doing with haste all the things pertaining to doing God's Will. In the 'Camino' it is important to walk in haste to reach the next town before dark, and have bed accommodations and a good hot meal. We should not exposed ourselves to unnecessary dangers; either in life, in the 'Camino', or in the spiritual life.
11. Treasuring ties of friendships. The community.
The community, the Catholic Church is the place within which man works the salvation of his soul. Not outside. So the entire atmosphere in the 'Camino' is such. All the co-pilgrims are familiar companions, the entire route is filled with friends.
Ties made in the 'Camino' is an experience of being inside the Catholic Church where the ties of Charity, a most lasting relationship results by an act of the Holy Spirit. In the Camino, it is a touch of Charity that is experienced. It is more emotional than virtuous but it is precious enough to be remembered and kept.
12. Double friendship.
In primitive Christianity, the entire family work out is salvation. It should be like that. It is unimaginable for a husband to work out his salvation without his wife and children. The first Christian communities were like that, like the communities of St. Basil
So it is good if the entire family to walk the 'Camino' together. There is a double treat; the joy of walking with one's own family, and the joy of walking with the extended family, the Church. Again, this is just a taste. St. Basil describes the real 'Camino' in the spiritual life.
13. The Mass at the cathedral.
The grand Mass at the Cathedral is a briefer summary of the 'Camino.' Both the Mass and the 'Camino' are summaries on how to save one's soul.
Then the pilgrim takes a few more steps and reaches the Finisterre, the end of the world. It shows that if you take the real 'Camino' and the Mass seriously into practice, if you die or reach the end of your life, which is identical to reaching the end of the world, then you are ready to face your Judge and receive a favourable judgment; 'come, faithful servant and receive the reward that has been prepared for you since the beginning of the world.'
Buen Camino!
A popular pilgrimage to Saint James, Spain.
Many might think it is popular because of the delicious Pamplonica chorizos or beautiful girls. Well, there might be some chorizos, but definitely a lot of beautiful sceneries. But even these cannot motivate all kinds of people of every age to make that long month arduous journey on foot, 780 kilometres, trekking on snow and mud, sleeping in common dorms plaque with snorrings, carrying a 10 pound Osprey knapsack and slowed down by foot blisters.
And yet all pilgrims are happy at the end, all looking healthy and peacefully staring at the sea at Finisterre. Why do they do such a physically punishing pilgrimage? To get a certificate from the sacristy of the Basilica? No.
Because they are able to touch the supernatural even for a brief moment. El Camino is to taste the monastic life for 30 years in a span of one month. It is a taste on how to enter the Catholic Church in the right way. It is a glimpse on how to go to heaven when one reaches the end of one's life as symbolised by Finisterre, the end of the world.
The pilgrimage is an outline on the dogma, morals and ascetical theology involved in the salvation of one's soul. It is the outline on how to acquire the infused knowledge and wisdom necessary to become a 'Child of God.' But it is only an outline. It does not bring the soul to heaven. It merely gives the soul a taste of the supernatural in a world that lives in the natural and even in the unnatural.
2. Just like the Catholic religion.
Just like the Catholic religion, 'El Camino' have had many changes and additions, more comforts and more distractions. But essentially it is still there and can benefit the pilgrim.
'El Camino' is like a sacrament. It is a Liturgical activity like all processions and pilgrimages. They are external sigs of hidden spiritual realities. It is an external activity that shows the spiritual journey of a soul to God. Let us now go to the spiritual realities based on the Gospels and describe the general principles.
3. The beginning.
In one's spiritual journey to God, you cannot begin anywhere you like. To receive the Compostela certificate, you have to start from one of the ten official designated point. And in the spiritual life, this point of departure will dictate whether you go to heaven or to purgatory. So the different kinds of certificates.
4. THE FIRST PRINCIPLE. This starting point in the spiritual life that leads inside the Church is identical for apostles, publicans, young rich men and married couples. That covers all the kinds of pilgrims. It is, in fact, the main theme of Pope John Paul II's 'Veritatis Splendor.' Christ said; 'Go home, sell all your things, give it to the poor and come follow Me.
The first step in 'El Camino' is to stick to essentials and leave everything else behind. Every unnecessary burden can be detrimental in reaching the goal, Compostela. Other things will be provided, sleeping areas, meals, bathrooms. This first step is very important. Just as there are instructions on what to bring, Scriptures, too, has a list on what to bring, the necessities for the pilgrimage, not for a holiday.
5. The walk.
The next element is the walk which begins with the Old Testament and proceeds to the New Testament. It seems to be boring walking for a whole month on foot, seeing only fields and occasional civilisation. This is the a disciplinary exercise in doing the same monotonous thing but gradually going deeper and getting more exciting as the monotonous activity progresses.
The three important mental activities during the walk are; one, prayer. Second, fasting and thirdly, good works. The Pilgrim must constantly be praying, St.Augustine describes prayer as looking forward to the goal of heaven, i.e. looking forward to St. James' relic at Santiago de Compostela.
The churches on the way will remind you that this is a journey of unceasing prayer, desiring to reach heaven personified in Santiago. It is good to stop in every Church and pray for graces to persevere in the walk.
There is the fasting in the giving up of numerous home and city comforts in that tiring progression towards the goal not in sight but believed in Faith. The discomfort and pains in the senses, during the whole trip, will remind you the need for fasting.
Then, good works , in which the Pilgrim encourages, in many ways, other pilgrims to persevere to finish the 'Camino.' And to show gratitude to the host of the dorms along the way.
6. The three levels of consciousness.
When the Pilgrim begins the 'Camino' he is still in the natural or physical level with the world and the physical need for 'Camino' filling up his mind. As the walking progresses, his mind forgets the worldly problems and he goes deeper into himself, on who he is and where he should be going to. Hopefully, when he reaches Santiago de Compostela, he should have raised his hands and touched the supernatural and Divine heights.
The goal of the 'Camino' is to be able to raise man from the natural level and touch heaven. This reaching out and touching is temporary because the 'Camino' is just experiencing how it feels to touch the heavens. The real, permanent touching and union with heaven occurs when the Pilgrim puts the 'Camino' which is only a touching, into full reality by living the fulness of the monastic or Catholic life. Most pilgrims show this exact feeling at Santiago de Compostela without realising what the feeling really is. But they have this mystical, though, temporary experience. And that is more than enough for the journey, at least for the meantime.
7. A school of learning.
The 'Camino' shows us how the Catholic Faith is learned. It is learned through obedience to the command of Christ who gave this specific command to Peter and Andrew, James and John, Matthew,
Ananias and Saphira, and the young rich man. It is actually given to all Catholics as the necessary condition to enter the Catholic Church; 'to go home, sell all your things, give it to the poor. And come follow Christ.
The Pilgrims are not required to sell all their things and give it to the poor. They may keep all their possessions at home; but they should not take them during the 'Camino' where the are not really following Christ, yet. But it is good enough. The Pilgrim experience, even for a moment, how it feels to 'go home leave all things, give it to the poor and follow Christ in the 'Camino'. Because for a moment they will have nothing of those things. Then there is a momentary exhilaration in 'seeing' the fact of Christ in Compostela. It is a mystical reward, though temporary, after having shown their month long journey, their desire for God's presence.
The ambiance is perfect. No worldliness, just fields, rivers, nature, snow and mud. The pilgrim is away from the 'world' as St. Augustine described the 'bad world,' an instrument of the devil to tempt men.
8. The towns.
The towns that the 'Camino' passes through are good reminders that the pilgrim is still in this world with all its dangers. And most pilgrim enjoys the brief tryst with the world; this should have been minimised. But the ruckus and provincial celebrations together with the worldly conversations are a little corruption of the 'Camino,' which the pilgrim should minimise to get the full spiritual benefit of the pilgrimage. But it is tolerable.
9. Stick to the signs.
The pilgrim is guided by signs of the right direction towards Compostela. This is very important. In the spiritual life, we must constantly double check if we are in the right direction, a practice the pilgrim must never neglect in the 'Camino.' A map, a reliable GPS and the countless signs showing yellow arrows, seashells and the cursillo cross...plus the large signs should lead the pilgrim right on track. It is like using Scriptures and the Tradition of the Church
constantly in guiding one's spiritual life
10. Where are the lesson in the 'Camino' stored.
It is in the memory that is available to the intellect always. This is the work of God so that the pilgrim can pull lessons from the memory, transfer them to the intellect, then meditate in it...... and treasuring the experience in his heart. Not in the cell phone camera or video camera which should be minimised, too.
Walking in haste. Mary was described as going in haste to help Elizabeth in her pregnancy. St. Thomas emphasised the importance in doing with haste all the things pertaining to doing God's Will. In the 'Camino' it is important to walk in haste to reach the next town before dark, and have bed accommodations and a good hot meal. We should not exposed ourselves to unnecessary dangers; either in life, in the 'Camino', or in the spiritual life.
11. Treasuring ties of friendships. The community.
The community, the Catholic Church is the place within which man works the salvation of his soul. Not outside. So the entire atmosphere in the 'Camino' is such. All the co-pilgrims are familiar companions, the entire route is filled with friends.
Ties made in the 'Camino' is an experience of being inside the Catholic Church where the ties of Charity, a most lasting relationship results by an act of the Holy Spirit. In the Camino, it is a touch of Charity that is experienced. It is more emotional than virtuous but it is precious enough to be remembered and kept.
12. Double friendship.
In primitive Christianity, the entire family work out is salvation. It should be like that. It is unimaginable for a husband to work out his salvation without his wife and children. The first Christian communities were like that, like the communities of St. Basil
So it is good if the entire family to walk the 'Camino' together. There is a double treat; the joy of walking with one's own family, and the joy of walking with the extended family, the Church. Again, this is just a taste. St. Basil describes the real 'Camino' in the spiritual life.
13. The Mass at the cathedral.
The grand Mass at the Cathedral is a briefer summary of the 'Camino.' Both the Mass and the 'Camino' are summaries on how to save one's soul.
Then the pilgrim takes a few more steps and reaches the Finisterre, the end of the world. It shows that if you take the real 'Camino' and the Mass seriously into practice, if you die or reach the end of your life, which is identical to reaching the end of the world, then you are ready to face your Judge and receive a favourable judgment; 'come, faithful servant and receive the reward that has been prepared for you since the beginning of the world.'
Buen Camino!
Monday, July 16, 2018
Prove that God exists.
1. The division going on.
God is, continuously, testing mankind. Christ warned us; 'he who does not confess Me before man, I will not confess before My Father in heaven.' When we are confronted with a truth from Divine Revelation, 'to confess Christ' is for us to say with our tongue that this is a truth from Christ, I believe in this truth, I intend to put into practice.
To be silent in the face of an issue with regard to the truth, or worse, to go against that issue is to refuse 'to confess Christ'. It is like saying 'this is not a teaching of Christ, I do not believe Christ taught this and I will not abide by it.' Christ threatens that He will not confess this soul before the Father. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote; 'when he dies and face God in judgment, He will say 'I do not know him.' This is sure damnation.
2. Issues.
Statements are flying in the air these days that are forcing men to confess Christ or not to confess Him, to take the side of right Catholic doctrine or to go against Catholic teachings. And the confusion that reigns in the world in general and in the Catholic Church in particular is becoming very evident. The confusion is due to the prevailing ignorance of the Catholic Faith in the pagan world who have had the opportunity to know Scriptures but did not grab the opportunity; and among the Catholics who has not been well catechised by their bishops and priest for centuries.
There is a need to disentangle the confusion with the help of the patron saint of this process, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and clarify the issues so we can take the side of truth.
3. Can anyone prove that God exist.
Not scientifically but in some degree philosophically. Though St. Thomas gave the now famous 5 proofs of the existence of God. His proofs were in the natural level, proof of a god of nature but cannot prove the existence of a Divine and supernatural God.
Definitely not through a selfie nor proofs for having seen Him or talked to Him.
St. Paul wrote, that we can only know the existence of the true God by a mature human act enlightened by the theological virtue of Faith. Those who are immature and not enlightened with the theological virtue of Faith cannot prove that God exist. And most people, priest and bishops do not have this Faith, as we shall show momentarily.
4. St. Paul
The existence of God can only be experience through an act of Faith. St. Paul described Faith as 'the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that appear not.' And saying the same thing, St. Thomas of Aquinas wrote;'Faith is a habit of the mind whereby eternal life is begun in us making the intellect assent to what is non-apparent.' 'That appear not' and 'non-apparent' show the impossibility of proving the existence of God.
God's existence is experienced by the spiritual faculties of the soul, the mind (a habit of the mind) and free will. Note that the faculties involved are spiritual and, therefore, cannot be perceived by the senses, and cannot be proven experimentally.
So the existence of God is experienced spiritually and not physically. Only the spiritual man can experience the existence of God. The sensual man cannot experience the presence of God.
So only the man of Faith can have the infallible proof of the existence of God. Those without Faith cannot have proof that God exist.
5. Only the man of Faith has proof of the existence of God.
The gift of Faith gives man the certainty that God exist. This certainty is a gift infused in the mind of man who receive Faith. It is not given to unbelievers because he does not believe.
6. How can the man of Faith share that certainty of the existence of God with others.
By the wisdom in their words and the example of their holy lives that comes from Faith. St. Paul described the Faith of the Romans thus; 'your faith is known throughout the world.' So people who experienced the Faith of the Romans were convinced that there is a god. Knowing this, they developed the 'fear of God' which is the beginning of wisdom. With wisdom they begun to do all things with wisdom, they did everything right and well, i.e. perfect society. The Romans were considered the best Catholic community.
If here in the Philippines there are people with Faith, those around will develop the 'fear of God,' which is the beginning to wisdom. Thus they will begin to act with wisdom. They will do all things right and well. There will be less problems.
The politicians will work for the common good. Soldiers, police will not intimidate the populace, the youth will be convinced drug is a menace, husband will not cheat on their wives, business tycoons will help the poor, the government will house the victims of superstorms, squatters, the homeless, those living in cemeteries; and constructions companies will not cheat on construction materials in government projects. And bishops and priest will preach and show in their lives their Catholic Faith thus fostering in the minds of men a sure proof that there is a God; thus breeding in the hearts of men the fear of God, and all Filipinos will act with wisdom.
7. Why Duterte must stay in office.
Because the bishops are not showing through words and in their lives the Catholic Faith. So men are not sure God exists. There is no 'fear of God.' And there is no wisdom around, neither in Congress nor in the Bishop's conference.
So the question raised is a valid theological question; Does God exist. The problem is not in the question. The problem is that those who are supposed to give the answer, Catholic Bishops and priests, are not giving the answers.
So we need Duterte to discipline the soldiers and the police, to control the politicians, the punish the rebellions, eliminate the drug problem and occasionally to test the theology of the Bishops. St. Paul reminds us that the civil authority, precisely, was given to us by God to maintain peace and order when the bishops have completely failed to install the 'fear of God' among the people.
8. The defect
The problem is not so much that the question was raised 'can anybody prove God exist?' The problem is that the Catholic bishops cannot answer the question, just as the Pope will not answer the 'dubia' after more than 600 days. Like father, like son.
9. Who can prove the existence of God?
The man of Faith who has the theological virtue of Faith, thus who believe that there is a God with certainty, is the only man who can prove that there is a God. But he can convince others that there is a God through his words and life filled with Faith. Seeing him thus, others will not necessarily see God but can be convinced that there is a God.
St. Paul praised the Roman that their Faith was well known around the world. So through the words and life of the Romans, the whole world was convinced that God exist. How come the President is asking for proof of the existence of God? Because he sees that those assigned to prove it has no Faith to express in their words and actions that there is a God.
If our Catholic bishops and priests have Faith, and if that Faith shows in their words and actions, there will no need for police, for army, for justices, no president, no congress; because the entire nations will behave. There will be no rebellions, no drug addicts, no drug lords, no adulterers, no abortionist, etc. Because everybody will know God exist and will have the 'fear of God,'' that will make everybody behave.
But because most of the bishops and priest have no Faith; they cannot prove the existence of God, therefore, there is no 'fear of God' which is the beginning of wisdom. Everybody is acting without wisdom.......or stupidly?
God is, continuously, testing mankind. Christ warned us; 'he who does not confess Me before man, I will not confess before My Father in heaven.' When we are confronted with a truth from Divine Revelation, 'to confess Christ' is for us to say with our tongue that this is a truth from Christ, I believe in this truth, I intend to put into practice.
To be silent in the face of an issue with regard to the truth, or worse, to go against that issue is to refuse 'to confess Christ'. It is like saying 'this is not a teaching of Christ, I do not believe Christ taught this and I will not abide by it.' Christ threatens that He will not confess this soul before the Father. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote; 'when he dies and face God in judgment, He will say 'I do not know him.' This is sure damnation.
2. Issues.
Statements are flying in the air these days that are forcing men to confess Christ or not to confess Him, to take the side of right Catholic doctrine or to go against Catholic teachings. And the confusion that reigns in the world in general and in the Catholic Church in particular is becoming very evident. The confusion is due to the prevailing ignorance of the Catholic Faith in the pagan world who have had the opportunity to know Scriptures but did not grab the opportunity; and among the Catholics who has not been well catechised by their bishops and priest for centuries.
There is a need to disentangle the confusion with the help of the patron saint of this process, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and clarify the issues so we can take the side of truth.
3. Can anyone prove that God exist.
Not scientifically but in some degree philosophically. Though St. Thomas gave the now famous 5 proofs of the existence of God. His proofs were in the natural level, proof of a god of nature but cannot prove the existence of a Divine and supernatural God.
Definitely not through a selfie nor proofs for having seen Him or talked to Him.
St. Paul wrote, that we can only know the existence of the true God by a mature human act enlightened by the theological virtue of Faith. Those who are immature and not enlightened with the theological virtue of Faith cannot prove that God exist. And most people, priest and bishops do not have this Faith, as we shall show momentarily.
4. St. Paul
The existence of God can only be experience through an act of Faith. St. Paul described Faith as 'the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that appear not.' And saying the same thing, St. Thomas of Aquinas wrote;'Faith is a habit of the mind whereby eternal life is begun in us making the intellect assent to what is non-apparent.' 'That appear not' and 'non-apparent' show the impossibility of proving the existence of God.
God's existence is experienced by the spiritual faculties of the soul, the mind (a habit of the mind) and free will. Note that the faculties involved are spiritual and, therefore, cannot be perceived by the senses, and cannot be proven experimentally.
So the existence of God is experienced spiritually and not physically. Only the spiritual man can experience the existence of God. The sensual man cannot experience the presence of God.
So only the man of Faith can have the infallible proof of the existence of God. Those without Faith cannot have proof that God exist.
5. Only the man of Faith has proof of the existence of God.
The gift of Faith gives man the certainty that God exist. This certainty is a gift infused in the mind of man who receive Faith. It is not given to unbelievers because he does not believe.
6. How can the man of Faith share that certainty of the existence of God with others.
By the wisdom in their words and the example of their holy lives that comes from Faith. St. Paul described the Faith of the Romans thus; 'your faith is known throughout the world.' So people who experienced the Faith of the Romans were convinced that there is a god. Knowing this, they developed the 'fear of God' which is the beginning of wisdom. With wisdom they begun to do all things with wisdom, they did everything right and well, i.e. perfect society. The Romans were considered the best Catholic community.
If here in the Philippines there are people with Faith, those around will develop the 'fear of God,' which is the beginning to wisdom. Thus they will begin to act with wisdom. They will do all things right and well. There will be less problems.
The politicians will work for the common good. Soldiers, police will not intimidate the populace, the youth will be convinced drug is a menace, husband will not cheat on their wives, business tycoons will help the poor, the government will house the victims of superstorms, squatters, the homeless, those living in cemeteries; and constructions companies will not cheat on construction materials in government projects. And bishops and priest will preach and show in their lives their Catholic Faith thus fostering in the minds of men a sure proof that there is a God; thus breeding in the hearts of men the fear of God, and all Filipinos will act with wisdom.
7. Why Duterte must stay in office.
Because the bishops are not showing through words and in their lives the Catholic Faith. So men are not sure God exists. There is no 'fear of God.' And there is no wisdom around, neither in Congress nor in the Bishop's conference.
So the question raised is a valid theological question; Does God exist. The problem is not in the question. The problem is that those who are supposed to give the answer, Catholic Bishops and priests, are not giving the answers.
So we need Duterte to discipline the soldiers and the police, to control the politicians, the punish the rebellions, eliminate the drug problem and occasionally to test the theology of the Bishops. St. Paul reminds us that the civil authority, precisely, was given to us by God to maintain peace and order when the bishops have completely failed to install the 'fear of God' among the people.
8. The defect
The problem is not so much that the question was raised 'can anybody prove God exist?' The problem is that the Catholic bishops cannot answer the question, just as the Pope will not answer the 'dubia' after more than 600 days. Like father, like son.
9. Who can prove the existence of God?
The man of Faith who has the theological virtue of Faith, thus who believe that there is a God with certainty, is the only man who can prove that there is a God. But he can convince others that there is a God through his words and life filled with Faith. Seeing him thus, others will not necessarily see God but can be convinced that there is a God.
St. Paul praised the Roman that their Faith was well known around the world. So through the words and life of the Romans, the whole world was convinced that God exist. How come the President is asking for proof of the existence of God? Because he sees that those assigned to prove it has no Faith to express in their words and actions that there is a God.
If our Catholic bishops and priests have Faith, and if that Faith shows in their words and actions, there will no need for police, for army, for justices, no president, no congress; because the entire nations will behave. There will be no rebellions, no drug addicts, no drug lords, no adulterers, no abortionist, etc. Because everybody will know God exist and will have the 'fear of God,'' that will make everybody behave.
But because most of the bishops and priest have no Faith; they cannot prove the existence of God, therefore, there is no 'fear of God' which is the beginning of wisdom. Everybody is acting without wisdom.......or stupidly?
Friday, July 06, 2018
GODS FINAL TEST - If we love Him.
1. God had always tested everybody to find out if they love Him. It begun with the Angels. Then Adam and Eve. And today, you and me. The test, St. Thomas wrote, is for us to know if we love God or not. Of course, God knows the answer; but we do not know the answer. So God's test is for us to know the answer and do something about it if we do not love him. God allows the devil to do some of the testing by turning man's mind and heart to the love of everything except God;
2. The story.
We have heard the story about Pope Leo XIII who described the devil talking to God to allow him some years to test men, precisely, so men can find out if he loves God or not. God is loved naturally by all men but man has a free will. He can change his mind and will.....and refuse to love God and love sin, instead. And there is a last final examination that ends all tests, described by St. Bonaventure as the 6th day, the day before the Sabbath rest. It is the 6th day based on the 7 days of creation; and the 6th day, Good Friday, foretells the present age. And like Good Friday we can describe it in one phrase, the devil has been given by God a time to rule the world. Just like Good Friday. Just like 2018.
Pope Benedict, who made his second thesis on St.Bonaventure's
theology of history described it in a Christmas sermon as 'the unstoppable decline of civilization.' We see this decline in the world today, like in the US, where man has descended below the natural level, into bestiality losing all civility and humanity. It can no longer be described as world wide neurosis or psychosis. It is spiritual possession by the devil, of which Judas was the type. Of which Putin, Trump, Orban and Salvini, etc. form a brief respite in the decline before it reaches rock bottom. It won't return up anymore because God allowed Satan to be in charge, we don't know how long; as Pope Leo said and as prophesied in Matthew.
3. The rule of Satan.
During this era, Satan will possess the majority of men, women and children spiritually, just like Judas. This spiritual possession is not noticeable even by exorcists nor the apostles. Only Christ would notice them.
The human race is foretold in the Gospel describing the two men possessed by the devil and living in the tombs. St. Thomas writes, the two men represents the Jew and the Gentiles. Loving the world they are like dead men dwelling in the tombs. Only Christ can exorcise them. They will exude the following diabolical spirit.
First, the devil is the father of lies, souls possessed by the devil will be pathological liars, This will be seen in the mass media, in school curriculums, in TV and radio, in all sciences, in all human departments and organisations. The world will be in total darkness because it will be filled with lies. The truth shall be like a few fireflies in the dark, whispered amidst the liars. Hardly noticed. All religions will be teaching lies. Even purportedly the catholic religion will lie, just like the Pharisees on Good Friday (because the true Church will be hidden just like the apostles who were hiding for fear of the Jews.)
The true God and the true religion cannot teach lies because God is the creator of reality. And truth is conformity with reality.
Secondly, the spirit of murder. Satan is a murderer. Abortion, euthanasia, wars, terrorism, all kinds of killing is from the devil .........except the act of self defence and the power of the sword by which God gives heads of state the authority to impose capital punishment. God is the creator of life. He can take life in death; but He will ever command any human to take anyone's life. His religion, therefore, must be very pro - life.
Thirdly, love of money is the root of all evil and this spirit is diabolical. The devil moved Judas to betray and murder a god for money. The Jews had been confirmed in this sin and have not been able to repent for it, since then up to the present. And where do you think that root is planted? In the very heart of Satan.
Those who are behind all the lies in the mass media, in politics, in education, in religions and churches; those who are behind all the killings in the world.......are people who love money. They are people who love to be rich. Today, all things are done for money. Even wars are waged to earn money. The daughter of love of money is treason. Judas betrayed Christ for money. Your family, co-priest, co-religious, co-Catholic will betray you for money.
Fourthly, the devil is the spirit of fornication that includes all sins of sexual perversions. It is a sin that, especially , comes from Satan. He knows it is the easiest sin to bring souls to hell. Simple fornication, adultery, incest, homosexuality, lesbianism, child molester, transgenderism and the other perverted lustful acts; these are expressions of the spirit of the devil. Any attempt to make them repent must include some form of exorcism. Otherwise it will not work.
This diabolical spirit is very much present in the Vatican Church and has filled the halls of the Vatican. It has filled seminaries, religious communities, bishop's conferences, the priesthood, the families and the children. It is advertised in the media and looks straight at us from every billboard. It is even in the murals of the chapels of cardinals.
4. This spirit of Satan have entered the Vatican; the lies, the fornication, the love of money and the spirit of murder ( in proposing certain forms of population control.) We can even pin point where they are in the Vatican.
5. The spirit of Satan described in Matthews Gospel.
The Gospel of Matthew puts together the different spirits of Satan in a paragraph; 'they shall deliver you, afflict and kill you, and hated by all. For only one reason, because you are obeying the commands of Christ.
This shows in the hatred of entire nations towards their leaders that has arisen tending towards the 'common good,' the US against Trump; the western world against Putin; Europe against Poland, Hungary, Austria; Pope Francis and EU against Italy.
The Gospel continues; 'many shall betray and hate one another.' Parent against children, children against parents, in-laws against in-laws. People against their own people, Democrats against Republicans, FBI against the Americans, Chinese against Chinese, Popes against bishops, bishops against priest, Vatican against religious communities.
The Gospel continues; 'and many false prophets shall deceive many.' These are people who claim God speaks to them or pretends that God had spoken to them. There are thousands. But the most deceitful are the ones inside the Vatican church. Many in the Vatican are pretending that they are spokesmen of God but are teaching false doctrines thus deceiving many into believing there is no hell.
'Iniquity will abound.' Since the majority of men will be possessed by the devil, the world will be flooded with sin.
'The love of many shall wax cold.' We have seen Pope Benedict XVI writing 'Deus Caritas Est,' because he said that most Catholics do not know what is true Christian Charity; of course he was referring to cardinals and bishops who have failed to teach charity to their constituents. But Charity is necessary to enter the Catholic Church and heaven. Does this mean that hardly anybody is entering the Church and heaven? Yes, that is what he meant.
There is a place where bishops and priest who have retired go and feel at home. It is a private place. We know the situation of retired priests and bishops. They are old, sickly, need a lot of physical help which entail much expenses, and almost with no savings. Their own relatives are old, most have died and their grand children are married and are working with little time for them. No one, really, is available to care for them. The Diocese have token helps that make their retired bishops sad and depressed. Because there is no spiritual support and progress in their retirement houses. So they go to this private place that shows traditional Benedictine hospitality. The bishop of the place forbade bishops and priest to go there. For no reason. Because bishops and priest insisted in going there for obvious reasons, the bishop of the place convinced the entire Bishop's conference to impose the prohibition. This bishops conference will not lift a finger to help these retirees. No corporal help; no spiritual help. No works of mercy. And yet, they will prohibit others to help. Why do they behave this way? The love they should have for one another is totally gone. The spirit of Satan, indeed, rules the world.
2. The story.
We have heard the story about Pope Leo XIII who described the devil talking to God to allow him some years to test men, precisely, so men can find out if he loves God or not. God is loved naturally by all men but man has a free will. He can change his mind and will.....and refuse to love God and love sin, instead. And there is a last final examination that ends all tests, described by St. Bonaventure as the 6th day, the day before the Sabbath rest. It is the 6th day based on the 7 days of creation; and the 6th day, Good Friday, foretells the present age. And like Good Friday we can describe it in one phrase, the devil has been given by God a time to rule the world. Just like Good Friday. Just like 2018.
Pope Benedict, who made his second thesis on St.Bonaventure's
theology of history described it in a Christmas sermon as 'the unstoppable decline of civilization.' We see this decline in the world today, like in the US, where man has descended below the natural level, into bestiality losing all civility and humanity. It can no longer be described as world wide neurosis or psychosis. It is spiritual possession by the devil, of which Judas was the type. Of which Putin, Trump, Orban and Salvini, etc. form a brief respite in the decline before it reaches rock bottom. It won't return up anymore because God allowed Satan to be in charge, we don't know how long; as Pope Leo said and as prophesied in Matthew.
3. The rule of Satan.
During this era, Satan will possess the majority of men, women and children spiritually, just like Judas. This spiritual possession is not noticeable even by exorcists nor the apostles. Only Christ would notice them.
The human race is foretold in the Gospel describing the two men possessed by the devil and living in the tombs. St. Thomas writes, the two men represents the Jew and the Gentiles. Loving the world they are like dead men dwelling in the tombs. Only Christ can exorcise them. They will exude the following diabolical spirit.
First, the devil is the father of lies, souls possessed by the devil will be pathological liars, This will be seen in the mass media, in school curriculums, in TV and radio, in all sciences, in all human departments and organisations. The world will be in total darkness because it will be filled with lies. The truth shall be like a few fireflies in the dark, whispered amidst the liars. Hardly noticed. All religions will be teaching lies. Even purportedly the catholic religion will lie, just like the Pharisees on Good Friday (because the true Church will be hidden just like the apostles who were hiding for fear of the Jews.)
The true God and the true religion cannot teach lies because God is the creator of reality. And truth is conformity with reality.
Secondly, the spirit of murder. Satan is a murderer. Abortion, euthanasia, wars, terrorism, all kinds of killing is from the devil .........except the act of self defence and the power of the sword by which God gives heads of state the authority to impose capital punishment. God is the creator of life. He can take life in death; but He will ever command any human to take anyone's life. His religion, therefore, must be very pro - life.
Thirdly, love of money is the root of all evil and this spirit is diabolical. The devil moved Judas to betray and murder a god for money. The Jews had been confirmed in this sin and have not been able to repent for it, since then up to the present. And where do you think that root is planted? In the very heart of Satan.
Those who are behind all the lies in the mass media, in politics, in education, in religions and churches; those who are behind all the killings in the world.......are people who love money. They are people who love to be rich. Today, all things are done for money. Even wars are waged to earn money. The daughter of love of money is treason. Judas betrayed Christ for money. Your family, co-priest, co-religious, co-Catholic will betray you for money.
Fourthly, the devil is the spirit of fornication that includes all sins of sexual perversions. It is a sin that, especially , comes from Satan. He knows it is the easiest sin to bring souls to hell. Simple fornication, adultery, incest, homosexuality, lesbianism, child molester, transgenderism and the other perverted lustful acts; these are expressions of the spirit of the devil. Any attempt to make them repent must include some form of exorcism. Otherwise it will not work.
This diabolical spirit is very much present in the Vatican Church and has filled the halls of the Vatican. It has filled seminaries, religious communities, bishop's conferences, the priesthood, the families and the children. It is advertised in the media and looks straight at us from every billboard. It is even in the murals of the chapels of cardinals.
4. This spirit of Satan have entered the Vatican; the lies, the fornication, the love of money and the spirit of murder ( in proposing certain forms of population control.) We can even pin point where they are in the Vatican.
5. The spirit of Satan described in Matthews Gospel.
The Gospel of Matthew puts together the different spirits of Satan in a paragraph; 'they shall deliver you, afflict and kill you, and hated by all. For only one reason, because you are obeying the commands of Christ.
This shows in the hatred of entire nations towards their leaders that has arisen tending towards the 'common good,' the US against Trump; the western world against Putin; Europe against Poland, Hungary, Austria; Pope Francis and EU against Italy.
The Gospel continues; 'many shall betray and hate one another.' Parent against children, children against parents, in-laws against in-laws. People against their own people, Democrats against Republicans, FBI against the Americans, Chinese against Chinese, Popes against bishops, bishops against priest, Vatican against religious communities.
The Gospel continues; 'and many false prophets shall deceive many.' These are people who claim God speaks to them or pretends that God had spoken to them. There are thousands. But the most deceitful are the ones inside the Vatican church. Many in the Vatican are pretending that they are spokesmen of God but are teaching false doctrines thus deceiving many into believing there is no hell.
'Iniquity will abound.' Since the majority of men will be possessed by the devil, the world will be flooded with sin.
'The love of many shall wax cold.' We have seen Pope Benedict XVI writing 'Deus Caritas Est,' because he said that most Catholics do not know what is true Christian Charity; of course he was referring to cardinals and bishops who have failed to teach charity to their constituents. But Charity is necessary to enter the Catholic Church and heaven. Does this mean that hardly anybody is entering the Church and heaven? Yes, that is what he meant.
There is a place where bishops and priest who have retired go and feel at home. It is a private place. We know the situation of retired priests and bishops. They are old, sickly, need a lot of physical help which entail much expenses, and almost with no savings. Their own relatives are old, most have died and their grand children are married and are working with little time for them. No one, really, is available to care for them. The Diocese have token helps that make their retired bishops sad and depressed. Because there is no spiritual support and progress in their retirement houses. So they go to this private place that shows traditional Benedictine hospitality. The bishop of the place forbade bishops and priest to go there. For no reason. Because bishops and priest insisted in going there for obvious reasons, the bishop of the place convinced the entire Bishop's conference to impose the prohibition. This bishops conference will not lift a finger to help these retirees. No corporal help; no spiritual help. No works of mercy. And yet, they will prohibit others to help. Why do they behave this way? The love they should have for one another is totally gone. The spirit of Satan, indeed, rules the world.
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