I've spoken to many people lately who are so downhearted about the state of the world and Holy Mother Church that they are tempted to lose hope. God forbid! I agree that poor Holy Mother Church is a battered bride. Many of the blasphemies uttered against her spout forth from the mouths of men wearing Roman collars, her spiritual spouses. Rather than discourage us, that fact should remind us that 1/12th of Jesus' apostles betrayed him without repentance and the other 11/12ths abandoned him in the crisis. Happily, eleven of the twelve returned to suffer and die in the faith, all but one a martyr.How many anointed men are in the Church today? I don't know, but perhaps as many as 1/12th are Christ's unrepentant (at least at present) betrayers. Fr. Hardon once said that Jesus allowed Judas so the flock would not be surprised when Church leaders acted like Judas.
So, rather than being scandalized and losing hope when we see the state of the world and our religious leaders hob-nobbing with the enemy, we should remember Christ crucified, betrayed, and abandoned by his closest friends. Then we should run to the cross, embrace it, kiss the feet of Jesus and lift our heads to gaze up at his Holy Face.
Now is the time for devotions that remind us of the inevitability of suffering. Every night I go to sleep meditating on Our Lady's Seven Sorrows. I want to "ponder them in my heart" in imitation of her holy patience and trust.
Another favorite devotion is to the Holy Face of Jesus. The promises of Jesus to those who practice this devotion are amazing. I list only a few here:
- "By My Holy Face you shall work miracles."
- "By My Face you will obtain the conversion of many sinners"
- "Nothing that you ask in making this offering will be refused to you."
The last promise gives me much encouragement.. "...all those who defend His cause in this work of reparation, by words, by prayers, or in writing, He will defend them before His Father; at their death He will purify their souls by effacing all the blots of sin and will restore to them their primitive beauty."
If you would like a small bifold on the Holy Face devotion send me a stamped, self-addressed envelope and I will send you as many as five if you will distribute them to others. I promise you, if you practice this devotion, Satan will never succeed in discouraging you from praying and working for the coming of the Kingdom.
Send your request to Les Femmes, 1216 Mill Rd., Woodstock, VA 22664.
MaryAnn,
ReplyDeleteI am not sure if you are aware of this or not, but Cardinal Raymond Burke has asked that we pray the Chaplet of the Holy Face, with the intention that the Ordinary Synod on the Family will yield the results willed for it by the Holy Spirit, and that nothing demonic will confuse the Synod Fathers, or otherwise interfere with this, so that the true teachings of Christ will continue to be followed by the Church. I learned of this on Father Z.'s blog. The text of the prayers can be found here: http://catholictradition.org/Christ/holy-face1.htm
Given the current climate in the Church, I find this suggestion to be right on the mark!
-Dawn