Well its morning time and unfortunately this was not just a nightmare that will fade from memory in the morning light.
A reader echoes this sentiment after reading my post “Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done”
I just read your blog entry with this title, and it comes very close to the way I feel–everything you said about America and socialism, the babies, the justice of God the Lord of history. The profound sadness…yes. The resignation, yes. I feel a little as if someone has died, complete with the hopeless hope that when I wake up tomorrow I will find that they got it wrong. I feel a little better reading what I know many Catholics also feel…what I think of Catholics who voted for Obama I am trying not to think. I hope you will continue to write about this season to come, because I am convinced of it being a desert time for the souls in the Church, and I bet I’m not the only one who could use a buffering word.
It does have that next day mourning feeling after someone has died but it has yet to fully sink in. Even with that, we know life goes on.
A commenter on my previous post took issue with my assertion that God is in charge of history saying “Our Lord said very clearly 3 times in the gospel of John that it is indeed Satan who is the ‘prince of this world’.” Yes, but no. I am too tired to go into any detail in this post, but suffice it to say that God allows Satan his temporary dominion and there is no doubt that God can restrict that dominion if He so pleases.
A quote from Glenn Olsen about the future of the Church sums it up nicely I think.
I have no delusion that I or anyone else can sit down and in some comprehensive way plan the future. We can know what sides to take in the great struggle of our days, but it can not be stressed too much that God is the author of history, and all history lies in his hands. What is asked of us is fidelity. We should expect neither to succeed nor to fail: this is in God’s hand. Likely, our lives and the age that is upon us will be mixed, with both triumphs and losses. In any case nothing in history lasts, and we would be advised to think more in categories of “temporary” or “mixed” successes and “temporary” or “mixed” reverses.
One last thing on this point, we should all recall the Blessed Mother’s promise of a period of peace. We know that the consecration was done, albeit late, and we still await the period of peace as promised. God keeps his promises.
Clichés are phrases that have been overused due to the simple truth that they express. Let me use a cliché to express my hope for the future, my trust in God and in His promises. It is always darkest before the dawn.
November 5, 2008 at 1:23 pm
The Catholic health care system has reason to be afraid, if they are forced to provide abortions and other “reproductive services.” Many bishops will be forced into confrontations with hospital systems that want to “play ball” with the new administration. Or they may be faced with revoking the name “Catholic” from all hospitals in their realm.
Next will be the effect on Catholic schools. If Obama is elected to a second term, he will be confident enough to force “family life education” programs on non-public schools. This will provoke considerable opposition, as schools reach Catholics at the everyday parish level.
Some will make a point about the significance of times of “purification” in the Church’s history. If only in the USA, we may be at the dawn of one of them. We have seen Obama supporters take to the streets and devote considerable time and energy to see their man elected. It was more than a candidacy; it was a cause. Can we expect the same from button-down, straight-laced, white-picket-fence suburban “conservative” Catholics?
I’m not so sure. That worries me more than the above.
November 5, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Your thoughts and feelings are so similar to mine that it isn’t worth my repeating. My morning even came complete with a rush to the computer in my pajamas to see what PA looked like with 99% reporting.
I’m glad that we are on this desert journey together but I hope the promised land comes soon.
November 5, 2008 at 1:29 pm
After what Obama said about the coal industry, I’m shocked that Pennsylvania went “blue.” Can anyone explain that?
November 5, 2008 at 1:31 pm
What happened to record turnout? 130-140MM voters? I’m seeing what, about 118MM.
Also, it looks to be a 5% win in the popular vote for Obama rather than the 11-13% they all predicted. So they were off, but not as far off as we hoped.
Especially PA (btw, what happened to that post from yesterday to that “brilliant” article that gave us all false hope? Heh heh. I would have pretended that never happened too, if I had a blog that people actually read.)
November 5, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Can anyone explain that?
Yes, Obama promised hand outs. And to his voting block (which now appears to have the majority) that is what matters. Not unborn children, not the country….a handout.
I pray and pray that this will be temporary. Not for my sake but for the sake of my children. I fear the kind of country they will inherit. I can’t express how much this has saddened me.
November 5, 2008 at 1:39 pm
I have been prepared for this day for over a year. I have talked to many of my Catholic or other conservative friends who simply cannot believe that our nation has come to this. Sadly, it has been in the cards for a very long time and no one has said a word until it has become to late. We must now, as Catholics, focus on what to do next. If you want to really be concerned, look at ALL the ballot measures that passed, in what states, and by how wide a margin. This will tell you what we have to look forward to.
1)California: NO to Dr.’s notifying the parents of minors 48 hours before performing an abortion.
2) Colorado: OVERWHELMINGLY by 73% REJECT defining personhood from the moment of conception. (Colorado was a Red State in 2004. This year voting for Obama by 53%. Where’d that other 20% of voters come from?)
3) Michigan–Allow stem cell research on unwanted embryos left over from “parents” IVF treatments.
4) S. Dakota–Voted by 55% to NOT limit abortion to rape, incest, and mother’s life. (Are these the same 55% of voters who voted for McCain in this Red State?)
5) Washington–Voted to allow Dr. assisted Suicide.
Most of our nation truly believes that human life is not exceptional but expendable when it is no longer convenient or happy. Sadly, many Christians have adopted this mentality as well. Christians, especially Catholics, have embraced all the lies of Satan as truth and claim them as pragmatic or modern. Christians have a lot of work to do–from the inside out.
May God have mercy on us all.
November 5, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Peace only comes after the chastisement, remember. And after the world embraces socialism.
November 5, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Well all this has put a fire in my belly! We are living in a time where we have adversity to overcome, and where we can shine as lights in the darkness. God put all of us here at this time and in this place for a reason. We must fight the good fight. I say, bring it on!
November 5, 2008 at 2:05 pm
When we had a republican president and majority in the senate – nothing was done about abortion. Honestly – I don’t think anything would have been done about it with McCain. It is not as high on his list of priorities as some of his supporters seem to think. He actually agrees with abortion in the cases of rape and incest, and I believe he mentioned that a girl wouldn’t even need proof of this, just would have to tell the doctor it was rape, to get an abortion if it was up to him. So if you thought voting McCain was a vote for life – I think it was a bit optimistic.
And this world already has socialist aspects to it – and it will continue to do so. A pure capitalist society is not perfect. A pure socialist society is not perfect. I see no problem with having more of a capitalist society with some aspects being socialist. And honestly – I think we all know that with Obama as president those who work jobs will live better lives than those who don’t. And that there will still be a large gap between the rich and the poor. It has never been a serious concern of mine that an Obama election would mean my hard working husband and I (who have worked hard to earn our high degrees and get our good jobs) would suddently be living the same quality of life as a jobless person. I think we all know this is a false accusation and if you want to test it out just quit your job and see how great your quality of life becomes. Plus we are Christian so the idea of helping out the poor with slightly higher taxes for those making lots of money shouldn’t scare us.
It will be ok you all, you’ll see.
November 5, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Sad sad night. I wrote my thoughts here http://enjoythejourney-marilyn.blogspot.com/2008/11/sad-sad-night.html
November 5, 2008 at 2:14 pm
This might sound obscure, but I think about how Chistians in the Age of Byzantium must have felt.
I mean, their leaders were corrupt and fecless, and their Empire was crumbling more amd more, year after year, under the grinding wheel of Islam.
Thinking about the greatness of what was, watching the slow erosion of everything that was good and right.
Or how about Christian Britain, the flower that it was, only to watch it be destroyed year after year by barbarian tribes. only to survive in isolated places like Cornwall. Britain had to be re-evangelized from the outside.
It’s times like these that I think about the fact that, one of the biggest clubs non-Catholics used against JFK (and Al Smith before him) was the fear that he would be a Catholic first, and an American second.
I am considering that this is not such a bad thing. I am coming more and more to the conclusion that I am a Catholic first, and an American second; especially when my faith is going one way, and my country is going another.
Roman Britania came and Went, Byzantium came and went, and, unfortunatley, I think (although perhaps not in my lifetime) that America will go the same way.
Christ said he would be with us ’till the end of time. He did not Say America would be until the end of time.
Sorry for the sombre morose rant…
November 5, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Just remember, after the israelites whined and belly-ached for a king, they got stuck with Saul.
But after that, they got David and Solomon…..
Catholic conservatives need to get our act together…. 527s, think tanks, the works….
November 5, 2008 at 2:17 pm
I am asking the Lord to guide my often angry thoughts into more calm, wise, and manly ones, and not to
abandon us, we poor sinners. We all need, especially us conservatives and orthodox Judeo-Christians,
a period of quiet, of regeneration, of hope.
As I mentioned to my son last night, some victories are but pyrrhic in nature…and while we know that much
Evil lies within the agenda of the newly elected Democrats, we must allow the Lord the time now needed
to quiet our own troubled hearts and to offer His grace to the victors. Till the inauguration (or coronation),
the news will be obsessed with his grandiosity.
On the bright side, the Democrats are known for being ruthless, but also for being incompetent. For which we can thank the
Lord. I would brace myself, my dear friends, for some rough economic, social, and foreign policy waters ahead.
On a practical note, I renewed my membership in the NRA, recalling the words of the WWI song, “Praise
the Lord and pass the ammunition.”
Now, I am off to the 8:45 mass and will stop at chapel right after so as to spend a few more minutes with
Christ.
Let us pray for our unborn infants as FOCA looms menacingly on the horizon and for all those milquetoast priests,
those liberal-first Catholics, those silent bishops who now must bear upon their own souls the deaths of
these children of God…because of their fear, cupidity, or stupidity…and I know a few right here.
Yet, much good came out of all this…as many, many more bishops, and many, many more Catholics stood up publicly to
denounce this newly elected Adminstration of Death and Degeneracy. That may have been God’s own plan
all along.
The point being now to know that God is our ultimate strength…and is both our ends and our means. Beyond that
whether Obama or Hilary or whomever…soon all the campaign posters will yellow, decay and blow away in the winter winds.
To paraphrase Our Lord,
“Do you see all these things? Amen I say to you there shall not be left here a stone upon a stone that shall not be destroyed…Take heed that no man seduce you: For many will come in my name saying, I am Christ: and they will seduce many…Heaven and earth shall pass, but my words shall not pass.”
November 5, 2008 at 2:18 pm
I felt physically ill after the polls in CA closed. I went to bed sad and ill. And I feel sad this morning. My husband told me all we can do is pray. That God can make good things out of what seems bad. He is right. All we can do is pray.
November 5, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Now is a time to focus upon th evirtue of hope, and to pray heavily for the conversion of our future president to a better way of thinking.
November 5, 2008 at 2:22 pm
To give the devil his due: as a “caucasian” man with a “black” wife and 4 “bi-racial” children, I can celebrate that a bi-racial man, perceived as “black” has been elected president. Not long ago, it would have been unthinkable. This may provide a healing between the races – there’s still a lot of anger, suspicion, and prejudice on both sides.
As a Catholic vehemently opposed to the culture of death I am greatly saddened by this turn in the culture war.
Obama has a lot on his shoulders – let us pray for him and our country.
November 5, 2008 at 2:38 pm
“To give the devil his due: as a “caucasian” man with a “black” wife and 4 “bi-racial” children…”
Actually, other blacks would have identified him as a “mulatto.” But I think many of them were willing to overlook that detail for what they perceive as a larger purpose. Events have forced the likes of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton out of the spotlight. If they can just stay there, we might be able to make progress in this area. A lot depends on how President-elect Obama sees himself, and this issue.
Next February is Black History month. We might have an idea by then.
November 5, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I am not American, but I have followed these elections closely and when I learned about the news, it left me deeply saddened. Until now, I am troubled with the outcome. It might sound ridiculous coming from an outsider, but the universality of the Church has taught me that these little ones are my brothers and sisters and when they are killed, I am also hurt.
We will be praying for America. In the end, those who fight the good faith have nothing to lose. God is still in control.
November 5, 2008 at 3:22 pm
As for the historic note of the election, I wish Barack Obama had been a conservative, or at least much less leftist. The lingering issues of his validity as a candidate, and his socialist agenda, anything the slightest bit not above board makes it difficult and/or impossible for the country as a whole to get behind him. And every time someone disagrees with his policies, it will be seen as racist. That’s not healing or unifying.
November 5, 2008 at 3:24 pm
I was in Illinois last night, visiting a seminarian friend at Mundelein Seminary in Chicago (where I think D Mac teaches??). I happened to stumble upon the priest’s council meeting for diocese of Chicago, and what did I see? The priests of Chicago gathered around a television cheering on Obama’s victory. I couldn’t believe it.