'America First' Americans

 

Catholics and the Anti-Gospel.

Today it occurred to me the reason I don't see many people I know objecting to Trump/MAGA initiatives and policies is because they must approve of the job he is doing. He's keeping his 'promises' and doing what they want him to do. That is why they voted for him. So long as his 'get-'er-done' executive orders do the job - they don't care how it's done or who it effects. They look for the good in his intentions and accept the bad stuff that happens to others as collateral damage. They may even accompany them with thoughts and prayers for a bit, or as many said about the Jews in Germany after the Holocaust, 'they brought it on themselves'.

As 'America First' Americans - they believe they are 'entitled' to get what they want, be it acquiring another country, exploiting protected land rich in oil and minerals, getting rid of unwanted migrants and so on. They have rights and they are entitled. Yet they approve of taking away their neighbors rights and entitlements - because those folks are parasites.

Many of the same people balked and resisted Pope Francis, sometimes to his face, when he invited us to show mercy, to be kind, to befriend the strangers who come to us for help. Monsignors and bishops split hairs on the meaning of mercy and discussed how charity isn't always nice and kindness is a sentimental ploy to approve sin and perversion. (Forget about acceptance and inclusion - that's for communists.) Yet they claim Trump is chosen by God and 'not far from the Kingdom of God', and Musk and crew have done good things too. (Ask them, and some will insist Hitler did some good things too.)

An amazing thing has happened with Christian MAGA, Christian Nationalists: The rich are exalted, shown mercy and given special dispensations, while the poor are sent away empty and homeless, their condition worse than before.

Yet they can't see, they can't perceive how the very words of the Gospel are therein inverted and twisted into the Anti-Gospel.

Tracking "The errors of Russia"

As they course through the years.

I've mentioned it many times before. Now I include Alexander Dugin and Putin as continuing to propagate the errors of Russia. Dugin is known as Putin's philosopher, his Rasputin. I believe the imperialist agenda of Putin and his Patriarch, influenced by Dugin, may also help explain the imperialism of Trump. After all, Bannon has been a big fan of Dugin, Evola and Guénon, favorite philosophers of the alt-right, including JD Vance.

It's all very dense, but the Fascist ties, Traditionalist ideology and anti-modernist influences are all there. Including links to Theosophy - always part of the errors of Russia.

Anyway - this involves so much reading, so much study. I hope someone more qualified will take up the study and reveal the ideology behind push towards war. I also believe the division in the Church is effected by these errors. I'm convinced this is why Pope Francis has responded as he has to the Traditionalist movement within the Church. Dugin has influenced the Orthodox Church, it's Patriarch and concept as the Third Rome very well, as has Putin.

>Dugin also read deeply in the Russian canon. The notion that Russia is more than a state or nation—that it is a holy empire with a world-saving duty—goes back at least half a millennium. “All Christian realms will come to an end and will unite into the one single realm of our sovereign, that is, into the Russian realm, according to the prophetic books,” the Russian theologian Filofei predicted in 1510. “Both Romes fell, the third endures.” The idea was brought to its highest polish in the nineteenth century, the apex of tsarist imperialism and, not coincidentally, of Russian letters. That era is the origin of Dugin’s views of the West and Ukraine, and of Putin’s recent thinking. Indeed, it can be seen as the true start of the Ukraine war.< - The Imperialist Philosopher Who Demanded the Ukraine War

I came across an Australian journalist who has added to the understanding of Alexander Dugin's influence upon Putin's war.  It's late, so I'll simply post his piece I found on FB and leave it at that. 

>To understand the civilisational battle confronting the world today, we need to discuss a little known 1997 book by a Russian neo-fascist and political philosopher named Alexandr Dugin, a man so closely associated with the belief systems and values of Vladimir Putin that he became colloquially known as "Putin's brain".

Dugin has spent his life warning of the evils of liberalism and democracy, and insisted that only Russia could save humanity through the advancement of Christian Russian Orthodox values.

The book provides the blueprint for how Russia could fight "the battle for the world rule of Russians". It laid out in detail how Russia needed to use information warfare, economic power, and military force, to establish a new Eurasian Empire.

It's been used a textbook in schools, indoctrinating a generation of Russians into a belief that the Russians had a God given right to rule the world from the "third Rome" (Moscow), and that notions like democracy and civil liberties were a uniquely Western invention that were bordering on satanic.

It called for Georgia, most of the Baltic States, Finland, and Central Asia to be annexed into this new empire though force, while Belarus and Moldova are expected to voluntarily join after a decades long propaganda onslaught.

He was adamant that an independent Ukraine could not exist if Russia was truly going to become a superpower, arguing that "Ukraine as a state has no geopolitical meaning, no particular cultural import or universal significance, no geographic uniqueness, no ethnic exclusiveness, its certain territorial ambitions represents an enormous danger for all of Eurasia and, without resolving the Ukrainian problem, it is in general senseless to speak about continental politics".

Western Europe, meanwhile, would become a collection of weakened vassal states, subordinate to Russia's will, and argued that to achieve this Russia could help fund and organise a collection of right wing political parties to infiltrate and erode liberal democracy from within. To achieve this, Dugin suggested finding ways to weaken the NATO alliance, culminating in the removal of US military presence in Europe.

But perhaps most disturbing is Dugin's vivid advice on how Russia could subdue the greatest impediment to Russian ambitions, the great defender of the liberal values Dugin despised... the USA.

He argued that Russia should use special services to "...introduce geopolitical disorder into internal American activity, encouraging all kinds of separatism and ethnic, social, and racial conflicts, actively supporting all dissident movements – extremist, racist, and sectarian groups, thus destabilizing internal political processes in the U.S. It would also make sense simultaneously to support isolationist tendencies in American politics'."< - Carrick Ryan

   

The Sadness of the Day

Respect yourself, respect others. Walk your own path, and let go of the path others have chosen for you.

I received a link to a post by a friend on another social media site.  I forgot I was on it actually.  I read his post and now can't even remember what he posted about.  I scrolled around and discovered another friend, whom I haven't heard from in ages, was on it as well. 

He appears to be immersed in Traditionalist Conservatism; the TLM and anti-Francis, pro-Trump/Putin world view.  I knew he was into conspiracy theories and related mythological thinking, but I was sure he was grounded in reality.  A comment he left on another guy's site was very telling of where he's at.  Introducing himself, he cited a couple aspects of his state which seemed offered more or less as credentials to validate the opinion he proffered.  We all do stuff like that, in order to be accepted.  Now that I'm older, not so much.  But I used to do it all of the time, especially on this blog or in work environments.  Now I let people think what they like.

Anyway - I was deeply disappointed.  For a trad, he has all the right signs of being a 'devout', 'fervent' Catholic, so who am I to judge?  I sense he's a fan of Bishop Strickland and his group of followers.  Many in my archdiocese seem to be as well.

I came across something from Pope Francis this morning, which I find especially consoling and perhaps challenging, may I strive to put it in practice.  One of the things I love about the Holy Father is his closeness to real people - we ordinary, sinful people of the streets.  He knows us.  He has taught me so much - I keep trying to put it into practice.

Pope Francis reflecting from hospital:

"The walls of hospitals have heard more honest prayers than churches...

They have witnessed far more sincere kisses than those in airports...

It is in hospitals that you see a homophobe being saved by a gay doctor.

A privileged doctor saving the life of a beggar...

In intensive care, you see a Jew taking care of a racist...

A police officer and a prisoner in the same room receiving the same care...

A wealthy patient waiting for a liver transplant, ready to receive the organ from a poor donor...

It is in these moments, when the hospital touches the wounds of people, that different worlds intersect according to a divine design. And in this communion of destinies, we realize that alone, we are nothing.

The absolute truth of people, most of the time, only reveals itself in moments of pain or in the real threat of an irreversible loss.

A hospital is a place where human beings remove their masks and show themselves as they truly are, in their purest essence.

This life will pass quickly, so do not waste it fighting with people.

Do not criticize your body too much.

Do not complain excessively.

Do not lose sleep over bills.

Make sure to hug your loved ones.

Do not worry too much about keeping the house spotless.

Material goods must be earned by each person—do not dedicate yourself to accumulating an inheritance.

. . .

You are waiting for too much: Christmas, Friday, next year, when you have money, when love arrives, when everything is perfect...

Listen, perfection does not exist.

A human being cannot attain it because we are simply not made to be fulfilled here.

Here, we are given an opportunity to learn.

So, make the most of this trial of life—and do it now.

Respect yourself, respect others. Walk your own path, and let go of the path others have chosen for you.

Respect: do not comment, do not judge, do not interfere.

Love more, forgive more, embrace more, live more intensely!

And leave the rest in the hands of the Creator."

"The fundamental weaknesses of Western civilization is empathy." (Elon Musk, 2025)

 

On the problem of empathy.

On the problem of empathy. That was the title of Edith Stein's dissertation/book, first published in 1916. Stein a German philosopher, was a Jewish woman who embraced Catholicism, entering the Discalced Carmelites not long after her baptism, where she lived a contemplative life until her arrest and murder by the Nazis in Auschwitz. For the sake of brevity I'll lift some quotes from other sources to help define Stein's theory, in order to contrast it with something Elon Musk said regarding empathy, which has garnered so much attention.

"The fundamental weakness of Western Civilization is empathy."

- Elon Musk

As someone on X pointed out, that's very similar to Nazi propaganda. Jon Schwarz: "Elon Musk's statement on Joe Rogan that "The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy, the empathy exploit" is straight out of a 1942 Joseph Goebbel's column titled "Don't Be Too Fair!""

First of all, what does empathy mean?

>Empathy is an immediate and structural part of being human.<

>Empathy as a phenomenon of the experience of others

The term ’empathy’ was created in 1872 from the German word Einfühlung, which means ‘to feel within oneself’. Under the direction of Edmund Husserl, Edith Stein, in her doctoral thesis entitled The Problem of Empathy (1915)[1] , explored this topic from the perspective of “the phenomenology of perception”[2] . According to Stein, the relevance of this approach lies in the possibility of “penetrating into their essence”[3] the phenomena of reality, starting from their perception (sensory and intellectual), and then from their manifestation to human consciousness[4] . In other words, ‘it is a question of understanding and knowing the reality that surrounds us in all its “phenomena”‘[5] .

In the light of her studies, Stein defines empathy as ‘those fundamental inner acts that enable one person to perceive the experience of another’[6] . Or it is the “capacity to experience what the other person is experiencing”[7] . From a phenomenological point of view, empathy thus allows one to penetrate, describe, understand what is happening within oneself in the face of another’s experience[8] , in relation to the motivations, feelings and values of the other .[9]< - Fr. Mario Boies, C.Ss.R.

Stein's work and the subject matter is too dense and beyond my competence to do an entire post about the subject. Suffice it to know, empathy is what makes us human. Musk and the New Right, Catholics among them, see it as weakness. Who can forget clergy and laity reacting to Pope Francis' calls to care about others, to recognize the humanity of others? To be kind. To show mercy. They called it "the church of nice". They have become easy prey of the New Right, Trumpism/MAGA and Musk.

You who look for the Antichrist should remember what John said about that. In 1 John 2:18–19, “Children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come..." Many have come, many are here. So many, even the elect may be led astray and not know it. To be sure, it is not the Pope.

I came across this as well: Hannah Arendt: “The death of human empathy is one of the earliest and most telling signs of a culture about to fall into barbarism.”

We see it here and especially in Ukraine. As well as Gaza - where on earth have a people been so de-humanized and literally exterminated than Gaza. With wicked plans to make the place a luxurious resort for the wealthy elite. The cold hearted exploit Gaza, Ukraine and any other country whose citizens they perceive as non-human.

Musk claims are antichrist, antichristian, transhumanist garbage.

March 8, 2025 quote regarding Putin's bombardment today:

“He’s doing what anyone else in his place would.” That is, committing crimes against humanity. There is the new U.S. in a single sentence. Trump not only understands but has empathy for the need of the aggressor to commit aggression.

The War in Ukraine and the Errors of Russia

 

+Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God.+

[Editor's Note: I am reposting this from my FB page here, since I intended it to post on the blog for my archives. The information does not add to nor detract from the official documents of Sr. Lucia nor the Holy See regarding the events at Fatima, nor is there any link to the so-called Fatimist conspiracy theories or traditionalists with their claims of a different message/secrets and so on. Bishop Sus adds nothing to the the message either - he simply explains how the Church in Ukraine understands the relevance of Our Lady's message to the current war.]

Something Dawn Eden Goldstein wrote.

Dawn Eden Goldstein did a series of posts recently regarding Fatima. Normally Fatima isn't discussed very much online, among some academics and those who accept Magisterial definitions of the 1917 Apparitions and subsequent message. This may be due in part to a few traditional groups who reject Vatican authority and conclusions regarding details of the events. Frequently, they reject the Pope as well as Vatican II reforms, yet remain in communion with Rome.

Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised Dawn thought of the message of Fatima in relationship to 'the errors of Russia' in the current climate of aggression and influence Putin exerts over the West and in particular, our current President and the Administration he has set up.

Dawn was a guest at the Prayer Breakfast VP Vance spoke at last week. Her posts on X formed her response to that encounter.

> I was present at

@JDVance's speech yesterday at the

@NatCathPrBrkfst

.And I watched later as Vance belied his pious peacemaking pose by berating the president of the country that Pope Francis has repeatedly called "martyred Ukraine" (https://vaticannews.va/.../pope-on-ukraine-war-a-painful...).

>[ Specific remark from Trump War Room regarding the speech:

Feb 28

Vice President @JDVance: “When President Trump talks about the need to bring peace, whether it’s in Russia and Ukraine or in the Middle East, we have to recognize that as a policy oriented toward saving lives and carrying out one of Christ's most important Commandments.” Vance's address was on the importance of protecting religious liberty.]<

Responding to his statement explaining that he was still learning about Catholicism, although the door was open to talk with him, Dawn wrote that she would like to tell him about the Third Secret of Fatima.

I was pleasantly surprised Dawn brought that up online, especially since I feel it remains relevant in our day. I believe Pope Francis does as well, as did Pope Benedict.

Dawn posted some excerpts of the secret with links to the Holy See documentation. She quoted Sr. Lucia, one of the seers, now deceased, who decades later wrote: "The 3rd part of the secret is ...conditioned by whether we accept or not what the Message itself asks of us. ... Since we did not heed this appeal of the Message, we see that it has been fulfilled; Russia has invaded the world with her errors. ..." If we have not yet seen [the prophecy's complete fulfillment], we are going towards it little by little with great strides, if we do not reject the path of sin, hatred, revenge, injustice, violations of the rights of the human person, immorality & violence, etc. ..."

I let Dawn know I thought she was right in making the connection between Fatima and current events regarding Russian aggression and expansion, not to mention 'infiltration' in the West. (I for one believe it has been going on since the onset of the Cold War.)

Notes from an interview with an Archbishop.

That said - this is one long introduction to what a Ukranian Archbishop had to say, pointing to Fatima, suggesting we are now seeing fulfillment of aspects of what the Blessed Virgin foretold at Fatima and later, to Lucia in the Monastery.

From Bishop Stepan Sus, Curial Bishop of Kyiv-Halyč, Ukraine, Titular Bishop of Zygris:

Bishop Sus: First of all, we understand that Russia will not respect our Church. We see that from what is happening in the occupied territories. The Ukrainian Catholic Church was expelled from the territories. The priests were persecuted or imprisoned, so it means that for Russia, respect for other churches, respect for human dignity and life in a democracy do not exist. We don’t relate to Russian points of view, and so we hope that Ukraine will stay, and we will defend ourselves as much as we can. For the last few years, Russian forces moved very slowly in the Donbas area, and we lost approximately 15% of our territory. But we hope that that will be the end of this war.

Ukrainians are praying every day for peace. That’s our main intention because we understand that prayer is the weapon of Christians. We need to defend ourselves, our families and our homes, but at the same time, the most successful weapon of the faithful is prayer. We pray a national rosary on our Ukrainian Catholic television every evening at eight. It is live, with approximately 550,000 people gathering to pray. Everyone understands that it is necessary to pray and ask God for peace and pray for our soldiers, wounded soldiers and civilian people, and also pray for our migrants, people who had to leave their homes.

For us, this message of the Virgin Mary of Fatima (ie, the errors of Russia) is, of course, some sign to understand the conditions of this war. If the Virgin Mary talked about the conversion of somebody or nations, it means that this group of people can bring something dangerous, something not acceptable for us, and could be a source of evil. Our soldiers who were captured experienced torture and other terrible things. One soldier mentioned that he saw the real face of evil. I understand that today, evil has a human mask so that we can have different imaginations of evil, and sometimes the source of evil can be human beings. So that might be the vision that Mary foresaw with this war, which is caused by Russia. Russians say that they want to reestablish the Soviet Union, but from a new point of view, like the Russian world, which is dangerous because everybody knows how it was.< - Bishop Stepan Sus

I've always agreed with Sr. Lucia's statement, " If we have not yet seen [the prophecy's complete fulfillment], we are going towards it little by little with great strides." It seems to me we are there.

Sharing a comment on the new "Golden Age"

This is for my archives and reference.  It's pertinent to what is happening these days.

 Ron Park

Fr. Seraphim Rose cautioned against the allure of the so-called "Golden Age," a concept popularized by the Theosophical Society and deeply embedded in New Age ideology. This idea gained further traction through Marilyn Ferguson's The Aquarian Conspiracy, which drew inspiration from Carl Jung's promotion of the Age of Aquarius. These movements collectively frame the Golden Age as a utopian era of spiritual enlightenment and harmony within the existing world.

Fr. Seraphim Rose, heavily influenced by René Guénon's The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of the Times, critiqued this notion. Guénon's work, while not written from an Orthodox Christian perspective, served as a prophetic analysis of modernity's descent into materialism and spiritual deception. Guénon emphasized the importance of authentic Tradition and was highly critical of the syncretistic mysticism promoted by Helena Blavatsky and the Theosophical movement.

From an Orthodox Christian viewpoint, the "Golden Age" represents a chiliastic, utopian delusion—a counterfeit hope that aligns with the goals of the Beast and the Antichrist. This so-called Pax Mundi, sought by many as a form of "Heaven on Earth" utopia, deviates from true eschatology.

Orthodox belief does not envision an earthly paradise but looks forward to "a new heaven and a new earth," for Christ’s reign is not of this cosmos.

This is an excerpt from Heiromonk Damascene's biography of Fr. Seraphim Rose:

"The modern partisans of progress, Guénon asserted, are deluded in expecting a “golden age” to dawn within the present time cycle. “Their error,” he (Rose) wrote, “in its most extreme form, will be that of the Antichrist himself when he claims to bring the ‘golden age’ into being through the reign of the ‘counter-tradition,’ and when he even gives it an appearance of authenticity, purely deceitful and ephemeral though it be, by means of a counterfeit of the traditional idea of the Sanctum Regnum.”

Let us not forget that while Trump has restored a sense of order and growth to the American nation by countering some of the disintegration caused by the Radical Left, he is also backed by some of the most powerful technocratic oligarchs in the world. These figures, ironically, share the same ultimate goal as the World Economic Forum’s technocratic "Reset." A glance at Klaus Schwab's writings reveals that the transhumanist ideologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution align closely with the ambitions of figures like Musk, Zuckerberg, and Bezos. These individuals collectively control social media, e-commerce, algorithmic advertisment, drone technology, space exploration, robotics, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, virtual/augmented reality, automated vehicles, and the Internet of Things.

While the technocrats initially sought to achieve their "Final Revolution" through the ideologies of wokeism, sustainability, inclusivity, and equity—leveraging their political alliances with classical liberals—they have now shifted their alignment to the Right, with Trump fully supporting them.

These forces play either side, depending on who holds the reins of power.

Be warned: as long as Trump continues to empower these technocrats and transhumanists, the very same "Beast system" they were building through the Left will still come to fruition, albeit through an authoritarian and Nationalistic guise, feeding off American Jingoism.

The Fall - Their punishment from God was to endure suffering in life.

Post-election thoughts.

This will sound crazy, but I'm really not upset about the election or Trump's triumph. Somewhat bewildered, to be sure - but using one of Obama's favorite aphorisms, 'it is what it is'. Nothing I can do about it. I'm one of those who never forgot January 6th - I watched it happen - live. I also consider Trump to be a conman and Carpetbagger businessman who consorts with enemy governments and maybe even shares National Security information with 'friendly' dictators. In other words, I voted against him out of concern for the Constitution, the rule of law/judicial system, and support of NATO. Now the majority has spoken, Trump is POTUS and I accept that. It is what it is.

I believe it is mistaken to have called Trump a Nazi or a Hitler - or even a Fascist. Perhaps those around him know what that means and can be identified as such, but Trump isn't an ideologue. I think Trump could easily go the dictator route - that's how he ran his business. Ironically, some of his supporters claim to be open to that - so I do see some parallels to the German/Italian political scene in the 1930's. (Ironically because, Catholics among them - who accuse the Pope of being a dictator, are on board.) That said, I think absolute monarch would be his choice, if he wished - but I think he'll stick to POTUS.

We will know soon enough what he is if he goes through with the purges he has suggested, taking vengeance on those who betrayed him and how he plays along with Putin. In the meantime, the court cases will be thrown out, DOJ will drop charges, he will be pardoned by himself if needed, January 6 convicts will be pardoned and after all of that, we have a chance at a new normal.

I think Harris lost it with her support for trans issues in prisons, unlimited abortion, gay/drags/SS marriage and that one interview on the View, when she said she couldn't think of anything she'd do differently from Biden. Ordinary people are sick of woke. Ordinary people are feeling the pinch of inflation. So they voted for Trump. They consider him as the one who will save the United States, chosen by God. Indeed, after so many Rosary novenas, it does seem so.

God alone is God, Jesus Christ is our only salvation - here we have no lasting city.

Putting on my Bayside/Fatima Blue Beret, I'll tell what I think Trump and the MAGA regime might be. Trump may be an instrument of chastisement.* If he cancels woke projects, regulates health and human services, women's reproductive rights and so on, that's going to hurt. Since Roe v Wade we've been a rather permissive, even debauched society - not that anything's wrong with that - to steal a phrase from Seinfeld. Yet when freedoms are selectively limited, people are going to feel the pain - all of us are going to feel 'chastised'.

If Trump's bromance with Putin grows stronger, chances are it is going to be worse.

Having said that, even if all of that comes true, we have to realize people have come through it in the past and elsewhere in our own day. I think of JPII and Benedict XVI growing up under Nazism, then JPII under Communism.

“All are punished” - Romeo & Juliet, Act 5, Scene 3

*And let us not say that it is God who is punishing us in this way; on the contrary it is people themselves who are preparing their own punishment. In his kindness God warns us and calls us to the right path, while respecting the freedom he has given us; hence people are responsible”. - Sr. Lucia of Fatima

A Woman's World.

 

Gold Dust Woman

I never paid much attention to what I considered the political aspect of pro-choice, knowing that I was completely against abortion, especially for convenience. That is a rather smug, dismissive POV however.

I was listening to an interview with Stevie Nicks this morning and was a bit surprised at her reasons for getting an abortion. It would have complicated her relationship with her former lovers and would have interrupted her career. Her success wouldn't exist if she had chosen birth. I've heard several other stories now since the political fight is currently focused upon women's reproductive rights - at the expense of the child in the womb. The trade off, sacrifice a human being for temporal riches, success, independence, whatever - that's rather gruesome. It's also completely pagan.

Like I said, I try not to think about it, since women claim it is their choice. Eve was never so bold, blaming instead, the serpent who tricked her. Harris had a group of doctors at one of her last rallies - they all do abortions. For me the visual was rather sci-fi-horror. (The Nazis were never so bold.) Of course it was to emphasize that doctors run the danger of getting arrested for what they do, if abortion is outlawed. So, what do they do? What is an abortion? When I see photos of the end product, I'm repulsed, a bit terrified that we can do that to yet-unborn, human beings, and I look away, never wanting to see an image like that again. Nevertheless, I know a human being has been slaughtered, legally. It's considered a human right.

Somehow, we've numbed ourselves to this reality - we've anesthetized ourselves to the truth.

"Because of the increase of evil, the love of most will grow cold"

Now it is referred to as 'complicated grief'.

 

"My eyes sought him everywhere, but they did not see him; and I hated all places because he was not in them, because they could not say to me, 'Look, he is coming,' as they did when he was alive and absent." - St. Augustine

But who can detect all of his errors?

To suffer and be despised. - St. John of the Cross

Even when we deserve it - when our lies are all found out.  Not only as the result of an examination of conscience, but even when our neighbor may convict us of some hidden sin.  Perhaps an 'enemy' will call us out. Only when we are 'down and they're counting - When your secrets all found out...'  . might we come to recognize our hidden faults.  The upside of all of this is the favor those who accuse and despise us do for our souls.  I often remind myself, even though it hurts at times:  If a good man reproves me, it is kindness.  As well as: Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy. - Proverbs 27:6

From my hidden faults acquit me O Lord.

The Psalms tell the story - which is why they are so helpful for us to pray - not just recite.  It is also why self-knowledge is so important for us at every stage of our life - it is a necessary part of our 'purgation' or purification.

Sin speaks to the sinner
in the depths of his heart

There is no fear of God
before his eyes.

He so flatters himself in his mind
that he knows not his guilt. - Ps. 36

"Sin speaks to the sinner in the depths of his heart ... he so flatters himself in his mind that he knows not his guilt."  Like I said, we have an immense capacity for self delusion.  Which is why it is so advantageous for us to allow ourselves to be taught, to be corrected, even to be despised.

It is the Holy Spirit who convinces us and the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgement.

It's important to remember that the Lord accompanies us in and through these meditations in the deepest recesses of the cell of self-knowledge, as St. Catherine might say.  He was there when we knew not our sins and he is there when we uncover them, as it were.  We need to understand this so as not to get discouraged, even though we can say:

My sins so overcome me,
so that I can no longer see.
They are more numerous than the hairs of my head; 

my courage fails me. - Ps. 40

We need to trust in the Divine Mercy, as we struggle to  'lay aside every encumbrance of sin which clings to us'.  Confidence and love.

O Eternal Word, Word of my God, I want to spend my life in listening to You, to become wholly teachable that I may learn all from You. Then, through all nights, all voids, all helplessness, I want to gaze on You always and remain in Your great light. O my beloved Star, so fascinate me that I may not withdraw from Your radiance. - Prayer of Bl. Elizabeth of the Trinity

 

But who can detect all of his errors?
From hidden faults acquit me.

From presumption restrain your servant
and let it not rule me.
Then shall I be blameless,
clean from grave sin.

May the spoken words of my mouth,
the thoughts of my heart,
win favor in your sight, O Lord,
my rescuer, my rock! - Ps. 18

An update.

I've been trying to get back to writing, but I never do, save for blurbs on Facebook which I inevitably remove.  The blog here requires too much time - so I tell myself.

I've let lots of commentary slip away, pretty much simply observing what goes on and reading differing opinions to somehow get to the truth of things - or the reality behind the theories and hearsay.  It's kind of amazing how easy it is to just let controversie come and go, without any need to comment. Watching while several inch closer and closer to virtual schism upon schism.  Most recently, a monastery of Discalced nuns transferred all their assets to a lay board of directors (how Teresian), jumped ship and signed on with the SSPX.  Most likely thanks to Vigano fear mongering about Cor Orans and 'supression' of the Latin Mass.  Awesomely misguided.

Although, I dare to say attitudes like that exist in my archdiocese - I'm sure.  Especially since my support for Pope Francis and his reforms is so well known, not a few of my friends have suddenly gone silent and I've no contact with those I corresponded with on a regular basis, via phone or email.  The religious among them have definitely stepped away, one or two making sarcastic comments about the blog.  Though subtle, it was enough to discourage my continuing to document my experiences and observations - which is always a good way for me to sort things out - writing helps me think - or know what I think.  One fellow implied I was attempting spiritual direction here.  That has never been my intent.

I expect my criticism over the years may have hit home with a few.  One priest, also a client told me he liked what I wrote but told me I was wrong about a few things - I have no doubt I misspoke on many occasions.  Sadly, he never told me what I was wrong about.  I know I've always had strong opinions on start-up religious orders and their peculiarities, as well as my agreement with the Pope on the need for oversight and accountability, so I try not to discuss those things publicly anylonger, hence my neglect of the blog.

I do want to say that it seems to me the so-called crisis in the Church, especially as it concerns Vatican II, the Liturgical reforms and the renewal of religious life, reminds me of Job's trial of faith.  Last week the first readings at Mass were from the Book of Job.  It seems to me those critics of the Pope, especially his bishops and priests, are not only acting like Job's friends, but in the meantime, they/we are missing an opportunity to follow the example of Job, when he was afflicted and everything was taken from him.  How do we not see the Lord's hand in all of this?  It is His Church after all. 

Is there any faith left on earth?

Then Job answered the LORD and said:

I know that you can do all things,*

and that no purpose of yours can be hindered.

“Who is this who obscures counsel with ignorance?”

I have spoken but did not understand;

things too marvelous for me, which I did not know.a

“Listen, and I will speak;

I will question you, and you tell me the answers.”

By hearsay I had heard of you,

but now my eye has seen you.*

Therefore I disown what I have said,

and repent in dust and ashes. - Job 42