Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen once made some commentary about his time some fifty years ago. Think about where the world has gone since then. More importantly, think about where we as Catholic Christians have gone. Catholics, in large part, just helped elect the most pro-abortion candidate ever to hold high office. Think about that as you read what the usually cheery Fulton J. Sheen had to say.
‘Wild and gloomy times? Small wonder that people are shaken and confused! The signs are everywhere. The signs of our times point to a struggle between absolutes. We may expect the future to be a time of trials and catastrophes for two reasons: firstly, to stop disintegration. . . Revolution, disintegration, chaos must be reminders that our thinking has been wrong, our dreams have been unholy.
The second reason why a crisis must come is in order to prevent a false identification of the Church and the World. Our Lord intended that His followers should be different in spirit from those who were not His followers. . . But, though this is the divine intent, it is unfortunately true that the line of demarcation is often blotted out. Mediocrity and compromise characterize the lives of many Christians.
There is no longer the conflict which is supposed to characterize us. We are influencing the world less than the world is influencing us. Since the amalgamation of the Christian and pagan spirit has set in, since the gold is married with an alloy, the entirety must be thrown into the furnace SO that the dross may be burnt away.”
Is there anyone who would claim that as Catholic Christians that we are less of the world than fifty years ago? Is there anyone who would claim that a non-believer would see Christ in your average Catholic more now than fifty years ago? No, we know better. The world has influenced us to the point where we can no longer be distinguished from it. We are not only of it, we are making it. But we are not making it the way that Christ showed us.
Therefore, as Archbishop Sheen said, the crisis must come. I fear it must, but yet that also offers hope. The kind of hope in which a painful operation can cure the disease. Fear, pain, and hope. Lord, I pray that I will not be dross but gold.
November 14, 2008 at 2:31 am
Many prominent Catholics have suspected that this crisis will create a cleaner more pure Catholic Church – one made up of those who have a firm belief in the fundamental views of the Catholic Church, as opposed to those who have strayed off in areas such as abortion and homosexual marriage.
God will turn our sufferings to hope.
November 14, 2008 at 2:33 am
shaken and confused – yup, that’s me – have been battling something dark in my heart ever since this election. Have cried ever since the outcome of Nov. 4th. Can’t wrap my head around what’s happening…. and I am mostly afraid for my 6 children.
LORD – if possible – have mercy,
Mom26
November 14, 2008 at 3:09 am
Confident hope in God. That is what I keep telling myself.
November 14, 2008 at 3:30 am
Let go. Let God.
November 14, 2008 at 1:36 pm
My mom and I were just discussing this– that God raises up the right man for the time, and maybe part of His purpose for Obama, and the increasing hostility toward Christianity in our nation, is to force Christians off the fence and turn us back to God. American Christians are like Laodiceans:
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—- neither hot nor cold—- I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”
November 14, 2008 at 2:35 pm
I’d like to join Mom26 in the shaken and confused category. I can’t stop feeling apocalyptic. The Holy Spirit has been calling me to constant prayer. The funny thing to me is I keep wondering why American’s are treating this election as normal and going back to business as usual. I keep wanting to stop people and ask “don’t ya know it’s over?” I laugh at these thoughts and have to wonder if I’m the one who’s crazy. Thank the Lord for CMR, it’s a daily sanity stop for me!
November 14, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Archbishop Sheen was a voice crying in the wilderness during the height (or depth?) of the Cold War, and he was very prominent in the proclaiming the evils of communism. It remains to be seen yet, I think, to see who will be the next prophetic voice for our generation.
God’s preparing us and the best and only way to remain at peace and have joy is to put all our trust in Him. I believe this will be a period of trial; to what extent, none of us can truly know. Reflect on today’s Gospel – up until the days of Noah and Sodom, people were eating, driking, working and the like. We must continue to work in the vineyard and be prepared to hear and respond to God’s call. Christ doesn’t say which person is taken and which one remains.
And as the slogan of this blog says – “We laugh because we believe” – continue to have and show joy, to be a witness to the those around us.
November 16, 2008 at 2:34 am
Remember, God is always in control. He uses all circumstances and all people to either strengthen those who are close to him or to bring others to him. It’s just up to us to believe and act as the Holy Spirit inspires us.
November 16, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Absolutely, God is always in control. You're right, of course, but my sympathies are with the Mom of 6 because it takes faith to believe for yourself but it takes Real Faith to believe when 6 pairs of eyes are looking to you each day for guidance & support. Parents in that situation really need the guidance & support at this time of their Church.
Many, many parish priests "think with the Church" & are trying hard to provide that support & guidance to families in the pews. Unfortunately, many of them have little or no support support from their chanceries. E.g., the poor priest in SC who was thrown under the bus by his chancery for telling parishioners who voted pro-abortion to go to confession last wk.
My point is that it'd be huge help right now if we could hear our "holy, catholic & apostolic church" speak with one united voice. Shepherds: Lead!
November 17, 2008 at 10:22 pm
I too am afraid of what is to come, everyday I am drawn to this
(Proverbs 3:5-6) “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”
I too pray that my wife and I are gold and not dross
November 20, 2008 at 12:32 am
Amen!
Stay close to God and the confessional. Be ready.