Looking Back and Looking Forward: Living in Times of Religious Crisis is Nothing New!

Out of curiosity yesterday I pulled out my old high school religion book, The Way, the Truth, and the Life and began reading. It was published in 1956 and was first in a series for high school students. In the first chapter I read this about the Jewish faith in the era of Pax Romana:

[The pharisees] despised the rule of pagan Rome, yet failed to live the religious life to which God had called them. The Jews were under the influence of the Pharisees who were noted for two things. In the first place they bitterly hated everything foreign, but most of all they hated their Roman conquerors (the name Pharisee means 'separatist,' one who wants to be independent). Secondly, they insisted on the observance by the people of hundreds of laws -- laws not found in the Bible, but invented by them. The people were so distracted by these manmade laws, that most of them lost sight of the divine law itself. Thus their religion became more a matter of outward observation than of inner devotion.

Hmm...I might have passed over this paragraph with little thought if not for the COVID pandemic hysteria that found our religious leaders cooperating with the tyrannical laws of our own pagan conquerors with their draconian mandates. The bishops enthusiastically embraced these manmade laws and denied the Bread of Life to their flocks, many actually implemented restrictions beyond those demanded by the state. It was stone and snake time for the faithful in many dioceses. And, sad to say, the fallout has been disastrous. COVID marked a serious collapse of faith illustrated by many Catholics failing to return to the Sacraments once the mandates were lifted. Hey, the soul is obviously not as important as the body!

The next paragraph was also thought-provoking:

One reason why the influence of the Pharisees became so great was that the Jewish priesthood which in earlier times had provided the people with leadership, had fallen from its place of honor. Unlike the Pharisees, the priests were inclined to serve and to co-operate with the Roman conquerors. Worse than that, the Romans for their own reasons, began to play politics with the exalted office of High Priest. Priests who desired the office bribed one another, as well as the Roman rulers, in order to obtain it. This caused them to be despised by the people.

Deja vu? Our bishops are in bed with the secular leaders. Think of the betrayal of the poor underground Church in China. And look at the perversion of the Church through love of money. How many millions do the bishops rake in from resettlement programs for foreign invaders and "charities" funded by the feds that cooperate with intrinsic evils like abortion and contraception? We are certainly in a mess equal to that of first century Israel under Rome, maybe even worse!

But there is always good news as well:

It must not be thought, however, that true religion among the Jews was completely destroyed by the influences which surrounded them. There were many among the priests and among the people, and even among the pharisees themselves, who were truly devout and holy, though the nation as a whole was not. They kept alive the spirit of the religion which God had revealed to Moses and the other great prophets of Israel.

St. José Luis Sánchez del Río

We live in this same situation today. While many embrace cafeteria Catholicism under the pretense of being "devout" as they support and advance intrinsic moral evils, there is a remnant in the Church who profess the fullness of the faith. History is filled with examples of saints who in times of secular depravity continued to be faithful. St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher immediately come to mind as does St. Maximilian Kolbe, the sixteen martyrs of Compiegne, and the martyrs of the communists during the Spanish civil war and the Masonic tyranny against the Church in Mexico. Think of the precious little hero of Christ the King, Saint José Luis Sánchez del Río. The blood of martyrs truly is the seedbed of the faith. 

What pulling out my old religion book reminded me of is that things are always thus. As long as we live we will be subject to the evil instigated by the prince of this world who prowls about like a ravening lion. We need only remember that there is no time so evil that a good man cannot live in it and retain his faith. 

Fr. John Hardon, S.J., that wonderful educator and home school enthusiast, always told parents to "raise your children to be martyrs." Will we suffer red martyrdom? It seems to be more likely with each passing day as Catholic churches all over the world are being torched and desecrated. That's how it begins. But we will certainly suffer a white martyrdom: discrimination, slander, loss of jobs, rabid hatred, etc. 

Our mission? Keep the faith. Love God. Trust in His Providential care and remember that "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and serve according to His purpose."

As Padre Pio often said, "Pray, hope, and don't worry." Life here is short; eternity is long!

Viva Cristo Rey!