I will read the psalms of lamentation to remember how often in history, God allows us to have the leaders we beg for. Those of us who stormed Heaven, fasted and actively sought to influence others feel that our efforts were pointless against the secularization of America where half of our babies are born out of wedlock to half of the women who are unmarried and the absent men who will never raise them or support them. Where 25% of Americans do not profess a religious faith and the minority practice their faith on a weekly basis.They want their bread (highly unhealthy fattening junk food) and their circuses (wide screen TVs with immoral violent programming, and the omnipresent smart phones). They want a president who is no better than they are morally, who makes friends with the murderous terrorists and abortionists, reassures the populace that they are victims and that the entitlement check is in the mail. A president who condones their most warped sexual proclivities and helps them avoid the consequences with contraception, abortion and treatment for the inevitable STDs.
Yes, the bishops should never have let America sink to this level. They failed, and next week in Baltimore, when they are facing destruction of all the institutions which their predecessors built in the US over past centuries, they will have to humbly admit that and make a plan to undo the damage with lack of catechesis and smiling at wrongdoing has done to the souls of American Catholics. They will regret allowing men like Biden to cloak himself in Catholicism while defying its central precepts.
But not all of them failed, and maybe, just maybe they will listen to those bishops who have been warning them to speak out. To Chaput, Paprocki, Jenky, Bruskewitz.
Let's pray for our leaders secular and religious, celebrate a holy time of thanksgiving that, despite our nation's cutting God out of political platforms, mocking in the media, killing the vulnerable unborn, elderly and infirm, and mocking the institution of marriage, He still protects us from invasion, pestilence and famine. It may not last, I think He is allowing us to self destruct as Rome did.
Yes, the bishops should never have let America sink to this level. They failed, and next week in Baltimore, when they are facing destruction of all the institutions which their predecessors built in the US over past centuries, they will have to humbly admit that and make a plan to undo the damage with lack of catechesis and smiling at wrongdoing has done to the souls of American Catholics. They will regret allowing men like Biden to cloak himself in Catholicism while defying its central precepts.
But not all of them failed, and maybe, just maybe they will listen to those bishops who have been warning them to speak out. To Chaput, Paprocki, Jenky, Bruskewitz.
Let's pray for our leaders secular and religious, celebrate a holy time of thanksgiving that, despite our nation's cutting God out of political platforms, mocking in the media, killing the vulnerable unborn, elderly and infirm, and mocking the institution of marriage, He still protects us from invasion, pestilence and famine. It may not last, I think He is allowing us to self destruct as Rome did.
We must ask His help to save us from our own wickedness and for those who understand that gravity of our situation and have worked passionately as I have to turn the tide of the culture of death, to rest a bit in the Lord, to learn from Him in prayer, and to once again take up the weapons of the Church Militant. That is what we are here for. To fight the Culture of Death until God calls us home.
Remember, we do win in the end.
From the USCCB website
Psalms, Chapter 37
1Of David.
Do not be provoked by evildoers;
do not envy those who do wrong.
2Like grass they wither quickly;
like green plants they wilt away.
3Trust in the LORD and do good
that you may dwell in the land and live secure.
4Find your delight in the LORD
who will give you your heart’s desire.
5Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will act
6And make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
your justice like noonday.
7Be still before the LORD;
wait for him.
Do not be provoked by the prosperous,
nor by malicious schemers.
8Refrain from anger; abandon wrath;
do not be provoked; it brings only harm.
9Those who do evil will be cut off,
but those who wait for the LORD will inherit the earth.
10Wait a little, and the wicked will be no more;
look for them and they will not be there.
11But the poor will inherit the earth,
will delight in great prosperity.
12The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
13But my Lord laughs at them,
because he sees that their day is coming.
14The wicked unsheath their swords;
they string their bows
To fell the poor and oppressed,
to slaughter those whose way is upright.
15Their swords will pierce their own hearts;
their bows will be broken.
16Better the meagerness of the righteous one
than the plenty of the wicked.
17The arms of the wicked will be broken,
while the LORD will sustain the righteous.
18The LORD knows the days of the blameless;
their heritage lasts forever.
19They will not be ashamed when times are bad;
in days of famine they will be satisfied.
20The wicked perish,
21The wicked one borrows but does not repay;
the righteous one is generous and gives.
22For those blessed by the Lord will inherit the earth,
but those accursed will be cut off.
23The valiant one whose steps are guided by the LORD,
who will delight in his way,
24May stumble, but he will never fall,
for the LORD holds his hand.
25Neither in my youth, nor now in old age
have I seen the righteous one abandoned
or his offspring begging for bread.
26All day long he is gracious and lends,
and his offspring become a blessing.
27Turn from evil and do good,
that you may be settled forever.
28For the LORD loves justice
and does not abandon the faithful.
When the unjust are destroyed,
and the offspring of the wicked cut off,
30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom;
his tongue speaks what is right.
31God’s teaching is in his heart;
his steps do not falter.
32The wicked spies on the righteous
and seeks to kill him.
33But the LORD does not abandon him in his power,
nor let him be condemned when tried.
34Wait eagerly for the LORD,
and keep his way;
He will raise you up to inherit the earth;
you will see when the wicked are cut off.
35I have seen a ruthless scoundrel,
spreading out like a green cedar.
36When I passed by again, he was gone;
though I searched, he could not be found.
37Observe the person of integrity and mark the upright;
Because there is a future for a man of peace.
38Sinners will be destroyed together;
the future of the wicked will be cut off.
39The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD,
their refuge in a time of distress.
40The LORD helps and rescues them,
rescues and saves them from the wicked,
because they take refuge in him.
From the USCCB website
Psalms, Chapter 37
1Of David.
Do not be provoked by evildoers;
do not envy those who do wrong.
2Like grass they wither quickly;
like green plants they wilt away.
3Trust in the LORD and do good
that you may dwell in the land and live secure.
4Find your delight in the LORD
who will give you your heart’s desire.
5Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will act
6And make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
your justice like noonday.
7Be still before the LORD;
wait for him.
Do not be provoked by the prosperous,
nor by malicious schemers.
8Refrain from anger; abandon wrath;
do not be provoked; it brings only harm.
9Those who do evil will be cut off,
but those who wait for the LORD will inherit the earth.
10Wait a little, and the wicked will be no more;
look for them and they will not be there.
11But the poor will inherit the earth,
will delight in great prosperity.
12The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
13But my Lord laughs at them,
because he sees that their day is coming.
14The wicked unsheath their swords;
they string their bows
To fell the poor and oppressed,
to slaughter those whose way is upright.
15Their swords will pierce their own hearts;
their bows will be broken.
16Better the meagerness of the righteous one
than the plenty of the wicked.
17The arms of the wicked will be broken,
while the LORD will sustain the righteous.
18The LORD knows the days of the blameless;
their heritage lasts forever.
19They will not be ashamed when times are bad;
in days of famine they will be satisfied.
20The wicked perish,
enemies of the LORD;
They shall be consumed like fattened lambs;
like smoke they disappear.
They shall be consumed like fattened lambs;
like smoke they disappear.
21The wicked one borrows but does not repay;
the righteous one is generous and gives.
22For those blessed by the Lord will inherit the earth,
but those accursed will be cut off.
23The valiant one whose steps are guided by the LORD,
who will delight in his way,
24May stumble, but he will never fall,
for the LORD holds his hand.
25Neither in my youth, nor now in old age
have I seen the righteous one abandoned
or his offspring begging for bread.
26All day long he is gracious and lends,
and his offspring become a blessing.
27Turn from evil and do good,
that you may be settled forever.
28For the LORD loves justice
and does not abandon the faithful.
When the unjust are destroyed,
and the offspring of the wicked cut off,
29The righteous will inherit the earth
and dwell in it forever.
and dwell in it forever.
30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom;
his tongue speaks what is right.
31God’s teaching is in his heart;
his steps do not falter.
32The wicked spies on the righteous
and seeks to kill him.
33But the LORD does not abandon him in his power,
nor let him be condemned when tried.
34Wait eagerly for the LORD,
and keep his way;
He will raise you up to inherit the earth;
you will see when the wicked are cut off.
35I have seen a ruthless scoundrel,
spreading out like a green cedar.
36When I passed by again, he was gone;
though I searched, he could not be found.
37Observe the person of integrity and mark the upright;
Because there is a future for a man of peace.
38Sinners will be destroyed together;
the future of the wicked will be cut off.
39The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD,
their refuge in a time of distress.
40The LORD helps and rescues them,
rescues and saves them from the wicked,
because they take refuge in him.
1 comment:
Thank you for writing so eloquently what many of us are feeling. And for reminding us that God does win in the end. May Jesus be praised, forever.
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