Thought for the Day from St. Paul about the "Ravening Wolves" in the Hierarchy

Here is a sobering thought from St. Paul. Before he headed to Rome to meet his death he met with the elders at Ephesus. He told them they would never see him again and warned them of the threat that would come from within from "ravening wolves...not sparing the flock." 

I thought of Archbishop Lefebvre as I read this and his Open Letter to Confused Catholics outlining the damage done by the wolves within. St. Luke blew the warning trumpet in Acts chapter 20 quoting St. Paul with whom he traveled. That warning is most appropriate today as well as we see the devastation caused by wolves in Roman collars "not sparing the flock," wolves from among "your own selves," the hierarchy:

Take heed to yourselves, and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29I know that, after my departure, ravening wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30And of your own selves shall arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31Therefore watch, keeping in memory, that for three years I ceased not, with tears to admonish every one of you night and day. 32And now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, who is able to build up, and to give an inheritance among all the sanctified....36And when he had said these things, kneeling down, he prayed with them all. 37And there was much weeping among them all; and falling on the neck of Paul, they kissed him, 38Being grieved most of all for the word which he had said, that they should see his face no more. [Acts 20]

Scripture reminds us that God's grace is sufficient. We are not alone. Even when our shepherds abandon us, Jesus Christ remains true. There is no reason to be afraid or to despair. Persecution is a sign of election. Who is being persecuted today? The underground Church in China, bishops who condemn the errors emanating from Rome who are removed from their sees, cancelled clergy who faithful to the teachings of the Church, and, of course, all of us who embrace the Mass of all ages and the sacraments that nourished the flock for countless generations, especially those attending SSPX chapels.

I certainly don't welcome persecution, but it's nothing to fear. God provides the grace to deal with it when it comes. So take heart, persecuted Catholics, and remember the Beatitudes and note that there are two that deal with persecution:

Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: 12Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you.

And remember this from St. Luke, a glorious promise:

Fear not, little flock, for it hath pleased your Father to give you a kingdom.                                                                                                 [Luke 12:32]

So let us rejoice when persecution comes our way like those in the early Church. Accepting it with grace and uniting it to the cross is a sure way to reduce our time spent in Purgatory.