We do not ordinarily ask for or make resolutions for the beginning of the New Year. This year We are making an exception. Let us make 2018 the Year of Prayer.
The Church runs on prayer. The success of the Pope in accomplishing his task depends not on the abilities and talents God has given Us. No, it depends on the prayers of the members of the Church. Your prayers are essential to the Church.
We would like to quote from one of Our staff: “God is looking for men and women even today in our land, who will stand in the gap for the Church – selfless people, who are not taken up with just their own needs, but who are concerned about God’s work. Many believers think that sanctification means just the refinement of their personal conduct and behaviour. But true sanctification makes a person selfless like God is – or in other words, like Jesus. …
“Many are willing to deny themselves and take up the cross if that will bring them some benefit – perhaps some spiritual benefit such as a place in the Bride of Christ finally – but still something for themselves. But if we were to ask ourselves, what we have denied ourselves solely for the benefit of others, we may discover that the answer is, ‘Almost nothing’.”
There is never a time to ask: “what is in it for me?” Instead we should say: “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6) As we pray for the needs of the Church; let us also ask God what He wants us to do to help His holy Church.
What you are speaks so loudly, that I cannot hear what you are saying. What this means is that our lives are inconsistent. Basically we are living a lie. Our actions say one thing, while we profess another. We pray: “They will be done,” to Almighty God, while we act as if our rule of life is ‘I did it my way.’ It might be a nice song, but iti is defintiely not the way to live!
A little over a year ago, I made a video on this. We are inconsistent, and inconsistency is the road to hell.
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold, nor hot. I would thou wert cold, or hot. But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth. (Apocalypse 3:15-16)
There are three ways a person can be. He can be stone cold and hardened in sin with a heart of stone. He can be on fire in the love of God an zealous, truly doing God’s will in all things large and small. Or he can be lukewarm, which the Holy Ghost here compares to vomit.
The holy Cure of Ars, Saint John Vianney says: “Let me describe to you a zealous Christian, i.e., a Christian who really and ardently longs to save his soul, and then a person who leads a lukewarm life in the service of God. A good Christian is not satisfied to simply believe in the truths of our holy religion. He loves them, he ponders over them, he tries in every possible way to acquire knowledge of them; he loves to hear the word of God, and the more he hears it the more he longs for it. He believes not only that God sees him in all his actions and judges them all at the hour of death, but he trembles at the thought that he will have to render an account of his whole life to God. He not only thinks of this, and trembles over it, but he strives earnestly to improve himself daily. He never ceases in is endeavors to find new ways in which to do penance.”
No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other: or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13)
And yet, this is what we are trying to do. We serve two masters. We serve God just enough to avoid hell, while being just as worldly and self-indulgent we can get away with. And this is insanity. Eventually we are going to choose.
He that is not with me, is against me: and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth. (Matthew 12:30; Luke 11:23)
And so, if we are not one hundred percent for Almighty God, then we are against Him. If we are not gathering with Jesus Christ, then we are scattering. There is no middle ground. We cannot sit on the fence and be idle. All that will gain us is splinters in our backside, which will catch on fire in the next life, when we send our self to hell.
So, how do we make the right decision? Actually we should do that right now. How do we obtain the grace to live by the right decision? Prayer and penance are a good way to start.
And there were given to the woman two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the desert unto her place, where she is nourished for a time and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. (Apocalypse 12:14)
Solid Virtue recommends making a three day retreat twice a year in addition to our annual retreat. If we can’t make three days, this same work recommends at least one day. We are planning to begin Lent with a retreat. Let us consider this from Solid Virtue:
Then, ‘if you hear the Lord’s voice,’ Ah! I conjure you, as you value your salvation, “harden not your hearts.” (Psalms 94:8) For your resistance would indubitably one day attract upon you this equitable and terrible reproach of the Sovereign Judge: ‘I called you, and you refused to listen, I also will laugh in your destruction.’ (Proverbs 1:24) To avert so dire a misfortune, let us take the wings of ‘the great eagle’ of the Apocalypse, and let us ‘fly into the desert.’ (Apocalypse 12:14)
We need to retire into a quiet place. Turn off the phone and unplug the computer. Disconnect the door bell and unplug the television.
Therefore, behold I will allure her, and will lead her into the wilderness: and I will speak to her heart. (Osee 2:14)
According to some authors the wilderness of Apocalypse 12:6 and the desert of Apocalypse 12:14 are the same thing. In any case, a wilderness is a quiet place away from the world.
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying: Go out from her, my people; that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and the Lord hath remembered her iniquities. (Apocalypse 18:4-5)
Yes, the wrath of God may soon be upon us, but that is not even important. Yes, if God does not chastise the world, He owes Sodom and Gomorrah an apology, but even that is not important. What is important is that soon each and every one of us will see the end of the world. That day on which the world ends for us with our death. And today could be that day.
Delay not to be converted to the Lord, and defer it not from day to day. (Ecclesiasticus 5:8)
And so, let us resolve here and now to put aside the world. If we don’t do that, then we will find ourselves on the way to hell at the end of the world. The world ends, and hell begins.
Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (II Corinthians 6:2)
Let Us know, when you will be making your day of recollection, so that We can pray for you specially on that day. Yes, We are praying for all of you now, but will offer up special prayers that the Holy Ghost will come into the desert you have entered and speak to your heart.
