Imagining myself as an outsider looking in the window, I think what would have led to my conversion would be the sacrament of Confession. Of course, Jesus and the Eucharist are at the center, but think of the power of forgiveness.
It's obvious the world needs forgiveness. People confess their sins on national TV to their "ministers," Oprah and Dr. Phil. They spill their guts on social media. Some of them do it to absolve themselves with excuses and blame others for their challenges. Don't expect to hear the word sin; how can they sin when everything in their life comes from their upbringing, cultural and environmental factors, mean teachers, conspiracies against them, etc. The finger pointing on social media is relentless. But it's obvious something is very wrong from the number of people who end up on the therapist's couch seeking absolution or looking for someone to blame for all their problems.
And that, I think is the crux of the problem. St. John the Baptist, the precursor, the one who made straight the way of the Lord, didn't just preach forgiveness. He called for accountability first. "Reform your lives!" was his mandate! Until a person takes responsibility for his own sin in the matter, whatever the matter is, how can forgiveness follow? If I'm not a sinner, I don't need reform and I certainly don't need forgiveness.
But let's face it, everyone knows he's guilty of sin. The natural law shouts within us, even when we try to obliterate its voice. A person may try to drown the truth in drugs or alcohol or sex or excuses, but he knows. And I think that's why public confession or public accusation is so prevalent. The one who recognizes his sin is looking for absolution; the one who is running away from his sin is looking for a scapegoat.
I use that word scapegoat deliberately. It comes from the Jewish ritual at Yom Kippur when one goat was sacrificed to God and the sins of the people were cast onto the scapegoat who was then released into the wild. Today the term is widely used to mean the deliberate casting of blame onto someone innocent. What a temptation for all of us. To look for someone to blame so we can absolve ourselves of any responsibility for bad outcomes.
We all need forgiveness. And we need our forgiveness with skin on. God is the Master Therapist. When he said, "Father, forgive them!" on the cross, I think of Him saying that to every priest who sits in the confessional waiting for poor sinners to come seeking reconciliation with God. I pray that the desire for forgiveness "with skin on" will lead many to conversion.
I look to St. Francis de Sales, the master of spiritual direction for help in preparing for confession. He advises us all to put the most critical construction on our own behavior and the best construction on the behavior of others. It's a tall order, but one that can increase truth and charity in our lives and make our confessions more humble and fruitful.
Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, pray for us.
Soon, we will need to take our faith and prayers into the desert (symbolically). And prepare to pull away from antichurch in our midst.
ReplyDeleteThen persecution " you are rigid" etc. After this Passion of His Church, then Jesus returns.
This essay explores a profound theological framework connecting the writings of the 4th-century theologian Tyconius, the insights of Pope Benedict XVI, and the Marian apparitions at Fatima. It suggests that the current crisis in the Church is not merely an external attack, but a necessary "passion" triggered by a "false church" growing within the true one.
The Tyconian Thesis: A Bipartite Church
Tyconius, a North African theologian admired by Joseph Ratzinger, argued that the Church is "bipartite"—composed of two distinct bodies existing within the same visible institution:
The Body of Christ: The faithful, holy remnant.
The Body of the Devil: "False brethren" and hypocritical leaders who mimic the Church’s outward appearance but serve the "mystery of iniquity."
The Great Discessio (Falling Away)
Unlike traditional views of apostasy where unbelievers leave the Church, Tyconius proposed a paradoxical reversal: the Great Discessio occurs when the true believers withdraw from the false elements within the Church.
"The bishops do, under the guise of a gift of the church, what advances the will of the devil." — Tyconius, 4th Century
Fatima and the "Bishop Dressed in White"
This connects this theology to the Third Secret of Fatima, specifically the vision of a "Bishop dressed in White."
This suggests that Benedict XVI’s 2013 resignation was not a simple departure due to old age, but a calculated, theological maneuver rooted in his study of Tyconius and the Third Secret of Fatima.
Here are the specific arguments the text makes regarding the nature and validity of that act:
1. The "Withdrawal" as a Theological Act
The essay argues that Benedict viewed the "Great Discessio" (falling away) not as people leaving the Church, but as the True Church withdrawing from the False Church.
The Intent: By stepping aside, Benedict may have been "initiating" the separation.
The Exposure: The goal was to force the "mystery of iniquity"—the false brethren hidden within the hierarchy—into the light so they could be identified and eventually defeated.
2. The "Mirror Image" Distinction
The text places heavy emphasis on the wording of the Third Secret of Fatima, which describes a "Bishop dressed in White" who gives the impression of being the Holy Father.
Two Figures: The author argues there are two distinct persons in the vision: the "Holy Father" (the true Pope) and a "Bishop in White" (a double or image).
The Mimicry: The text suggests Benedict may have realized that his successor would be this "mirror image"—someone who appears to be the Pope but functions as a "bishop dressed in white," presiding over an "anti-church."
3. The "Abrahamic" Mission
The resignation is portrayed as an act of profound, blind faith rather than an abdication of duty.
Sacrifice: Like Abraham taking Isaac to the mountain, Benedict is described as taking the Church to her "holocaust."
The Exodus: The author suggests Benedict realized that for the Church to be saved, she had to enter a "new Exodus" away from the visible, institutional structures that had been infiltrated by the "enemy body."
4. Intentional Enigma
The essay contends that Benedict’s resignation was "exceptionally enigmatic" on purpose.
Signposting: His 2009 audience on Tyconius is viewed as a "signpost" for future scholars to help them decode why he would eventually step down.
Providential Design: The author suggests Benedict believed that the final confrontation between Christ and Antichrist could only begin when the valid Successor of Peter "permitted" the arrival of the "bishop dressed in white" to test the faithful.
audience?