Will Our Lady Withdraw Her Protection from Our Poor World?

Our Lady, Theotokos and protector, pray for us.

Bishop Athanasius Schneider recently stated in an interview on French TV that "schism already

exists in the Church." He also said, "We are witnessing in our time an ambiguity of such scope only comparable to the general confusion of the Arian crisis of the fourth century.' He said this about clerics who are undermining Church doctrine:

All of these ecclesiastics who want another gospel, meaning a right-to-divorce gospel, a gospel of sexual liberty — in short a gospel without God’s sixth commandment. These ecclesiastics make use of all evil means, that is to say ruses, deceptions, masterful rhetoric and dialectics, and even the tactic of intimidation and moral violence in order to attain the goal of admitting so-called “remarried” divorcés to Holy Communion, without the latter fulfilling the condition of living in perfect continence, a condition required by divine law.

The Kiss of Christ

I take Communion to a local nursing home on Sundays. I visit eight residents most of whom suffer from Alzheimer disease or dementia. One lady is often antagonistic and tells me not to talk to her. She often refuses Communion saying she isn't worthy. I respond that none of us is worthy, but Jesus loves her and is the doctor who wants to bring her healing. Sometimes she decides to receive and sometimes she doesn't. 

Last Sunday I met her son, one of four children, and he shared two of her poems with me. They were profound and, in fact, reminded me of Caryll Houselander's work.

What a gift it is to see these debilitated individuals in a different light, in their prime so to speak. The poetry he read to me was, not only beautiful, but contemplative. One was titled O Solitude, but could have been titled O Jesu. And as I was thinking today about how to reach her I thought, "I will take her a poem by Caryll Houselander."

And here it is. May God use it to bridge the gap between her current suffering and her past contemplation. She needs the love of Christ so very much (as we all do) brought in the Real Presence of Our Eucharistic Lord.

Please pray for her. I'll let you know what happens tomorrow.

The Kiss of Christ

Lo, there He hangs, ashened figure -- pinioned to the wood.
God grant that I might love him -- even as I should.  

I draw a little closer -- to touch the face divine.
And then He leans to whisper -- "Oh foolish child of mine.
If now I should embrace you -- my hands would stain you red.
And if I leaned to kiss you -- the thorns would pierce your head." 

'Twas then I learned in meekness -- that love demands a price.
'Twas then I knew that suffering -- is but the kiss of Christ. 

Caryll Houselander