this i command you love one another in today's gospel as in all scripture we ponder the truth
of almighty god and in the first reading we learn of the intended fruit of christ's mission from
the father that is the conversion of the gentile world and ultimately the conversion of all souls
and so prior to today's gospel our lord in several passages teaches the apostles that those who
persevere in plotting against them because to plot against the apostolic church is to plot against
christ will be punished with eternal damnation and subject to the fires of hell because as the lord
says in the gospel they do not abide in him and ultimately that means they do not abide in christ
but the key is that
those who persevere for the lord came in order to bring us the mercy of god and so it is perseverance
in this obstinate refusal to cry to receive christ in his one true church that will ultimately lead
to the damnation of souls but our lord also points out to the apostles and in today's gospel
he seeks to strengthen them for he points out that as they had treated him so they will treat
the members of his body but he assures the apostles
that they would be invincible and would bring forth much fruit and they are invincible precisely
by the grace of god and anything that the lord instructs the apostles on he wishes to instruct
all the disciples of the church on and so we too have that same assurance with the apostles
that we will be invincible as long as we are bringing forth that fruit that fruit that the
apostles first begin to gather and in today's first reading we particularly see
st peter the leader of the church and the vicar of christ and so the fruit of the apostolic church
are the souls and those souls are one through the teaching that leads to conversion of souls
and to the one true faith that is the church that christ came to establish and so we must reflect
how are we to acquire this fruitfulness that the lord speaks of and that is incumbent upon all
members of his mystical body we acquire it not through the Holy Spirit but through the
Holy Spirit and through any glory that that we have on our own for even our natural gifts
our gifts from god but we ascribe it not to ourselves but to the lord's mercy and grace
that prevents us from bearing bad fruit and so ultimately our cooperation with the apostolic
mission of the church is a cooperation with the grace of god which alone can prevent us
from bearing bad fruit if we have not his grace no matter how well our intentions may
be
ultimately we will begin to bear the bad fruit that the lord commands his apostles to avoid and
so the lord gives a clear and very precise sign as to how we how we are to be certain that we
abide in him he says very succinctly if you keep my commandments you shall abide in my love and so
it is the keeping of the commandments by which we abide in the love of god because they are the very
actions that prove our love it is the keeping of the commandments by which we abide in the love of
god because by who we abide in the love of god in this world he has given our only relationship
to the this most clear čemên which eliminates the
eternal love that the holy works provision and that which we cannot have has noanto
and the power of the power of the people commanderût that is on the earth is this
против own这个
to hater
that is the only religion without japheth and sacment and right for the leader of the church this is the energia of this
and in perhaps all the countries throughout the world.
And so the Lord instructs us and says that as the Father has loved me, even so I love you.
And so he reveals the source of our good works, which proceeds from faith and works by charity.
And both of these gifts come from God.
Indeed, they are two of the three theological virtues.
And so ultimately, what our Lord is saying in this is that he loves us first,
and it is because of his prior love that we are able to love him.
And the fruits of that love will be the keeping of his commandments.
And in the keeping of his commandments, we will have the conversion of the world
and our own perseverance in our conversion, that faith we have received in our baptism,
and which by the grace of God, we try to persevere in.
And so the commandments have a...
They have a precise name, and they are named because God himself has stamped them on the soul of every man.
Often we hear reference to the natural law in what it is.
It is very simple.
It is the law of God written on the heart of every man.
And so, as St. Paul will tell us in several of his letters,
we are without excuse if we fall into the depravity of sin.
In addition to this, they were promulgated by God,
who indeed...
He gave them on the tables of stone on Mount Sinai with Moses,
and in the old law, and Jesus Christ has confirmed them in the new law.
For our Lord, when he came, said very clearly,
he did not come to change one tittle or one dot of an eye in the law,
but rather, he came to fulfill the law.
And ultimately, when our Lord declares of himself that he is the fulfillment of the law,
he declares that charity is to be found in him,
and we are to...
turn to him and to his example to see charity in the most perfect form,
because it is not the charity of a creature,
but it is the charity of God himself,
which will culminate in his sacrificing his sacred humanity for our sake,
in order that we may be united with him through baptism,
and hence begin to cooperate with him in the mission of the church.
And indeed, the manner in which the Lord chose to promulgate the commandments in the Old Testament,
reveals, again, this call to charity.
For on the first tablet, that is, the one that contained the first three commandments,
we see our primary duties towards God,
and on the second that contained the other seven commandments,
we see primarily our duties towards our neighbor.
And charity, as we know, is that theological virtue
by which we are to love God above all for his own sake,
and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God.
And so,
all things must first begin and flow from the love of God.
And this is the exact opposite that the modern world puts forth to us.
For ultimately, we are told all things begin by love of neighbor.
But we cannot authentically love our neighbor if we do not love God first.
For to compromise the tenth commandment is to give the sinful example of what is known as scandal.
For when a member of the body fails to abide in the law,
For when a member of the body fails to abide in the law,
For when a member of the body fails to abide in the law,
For when a member of the body fails to abide in the commandments,
For when a member of the body fails to abide in the commandments,
He gives scandalous example to the world and cooperates in the justification of those who refuse to follow the Lord and his way.
And ultimately, we must keep the commandments because we are bound to obey them,
simply because they teach us how to live according to the will of God.
And because God has created us, it is his will by which we must live.
And because one serious more,
One serious or mortal offense against them is enough to merit hell, a place we are not created for.
And so, ultimately, God promulgates the law and gives us the grace to obey it,
because he wishes us to avoid that for which we were not created,
but as free creatures we have, as it were, the right to choose.
For ultimately, we can choose heaven or hell, and God came in order to reveal us his divine love,
so that we may constantly be on the path to heaven, rather than to the path of hell.
And indeed, when the Lord warns the apostles and every member of the mystical body what they must fight against,
we can see very clearly in our own modern society how desperate that fight is.
For when we quote these words, we quote words not offered by hundreds, not offered by thousands,
but in our present age, quite literally, offered by millions,
and not merely through ordinary speech,
but through that form which St. Augustine and other saints
expresses the affections of the heart, that is, singing.
For St. Augustine said, he who sings well sings twice,
and by this he does not mean that we are all required
to acquire the voice of a Pavarotti.
What he means is that when we sing with love in our hearts,
we sing well.
We may crack and croon and cause glass to shatter,
but if the intention of our heart and the words that come from them
are rooted in our love of God, then we sing well,
and ultimately we pray twice.
And so, what are we to say of the millions?
Millions of adults and millions of children
— yes, children, not by the thousands,
by the millions, who utter over and over and over again
in our world and in our society, verses like this,
I may be going to hell in a bucket, but at least I am enjoying the ride.
I'm on my way to the promised land.
I'm on a highway to hell. Don't stop me.
My name is Lucifer. Please take my hand.
That is a sign of one who wishes to walk with the one he names.
And we don't even avert to the fact that the mindless recitation
of these incantations of Satan in his kingdom
can cause the very possession of our children
simply because we are able to take the risk.
Simply because we are able to take the risk.
I'm on my way to the promised land.
I'm on a highway to hell. Don't stop me.
Not merely bad words, but blasphemy of the highest order.
A complete turning around of the Decalogue.
The complete opposite of what the commandments reveal to us
and to all mankind.
And ultimately, what do all these lyrics declare?
And ultimately, what do all these lyrics declare?
God is bad and Satan is good.
That is ultimately the root behind them all.
And that is also recited over and over again
by our children and by the adults entrusted with their care.
We go into our supermarkets and our businesses
and we're on the phone and these lyrics come across to us.
and we're on the phone and these lyrics come across to us.
It is a sign of a society not on the road to heaven
It is a sign of a society not on the road to heaven
but on the road to hell.
And indeed, the most popular song in the history of modern mankind
And indeed, the most popular song in the history of modern mankind
The Stairway to Heaven
declares very emphatically this truth
because as Saint Alphonsus de Glory tells us
declares very emphatically this truth
the devil always rattles his tail
when he has his ways in something
and if we analyze and study it close enough
we always see it.
And so, are they really talking about a highway to heaven?
No.
Because it says very clearly
there are two paths one can go by
but in the long run their stairway lies
on the road they're on.
If there is a bustle in your hedgerow
don't be alarmed now
there's still time to change the road you're on.
Why?
Because most are on the road to hell
and as Satan knows
because it is one of his greatest temptations
enjoy, enjoy, enjoy
at the last minute
seek conversion.
The last minute is often
desperately too late.
But then he gives the tell-tale sign
and the absolute signature
of his diabolical mind
when he describes to us
most perfectly
one of the worst torments of hell
where all are one
and one is all
to be a rock and not to roll.
It is pure unadulterated monism
and it leads to the conclusion
if we involve ourselves in it
we acquire that state
where we are like a rock
and even unable to move
because in hell
there really is no movement
because movement is an act of love.
The apostles went out
and moved
quite literally their feet
to all the nations and to all the lands
with the good news
for it is the characteristic nature
of the world.
And it is the sign
and it alone declares
that the Lord is always on the move
in this life
or as Pope St. Pius X
and others described it
always seeking to imprint
Catholic action
on the world
and on this society.
And so
the Lord is desperately calling us
and admonishing us
to abide in him
by the keeping of his commandments
and to be faithful to his word.
And so the Lord declares
to a world whose view is contrary
that God is good.
So good
that the Father sent
his only begotten Son
to sacrifice his life
for our sake.
And the Lord promised
the coming of the Holy Spirit
the Paraclete.
And often we are mystified
by what is meant by this
and often it is just used
as an excuse
by the people
for involving themselves
in things that ultimately
are rooted in sentimentality
and hence rooted
in the ways of Satan.
When it is very simple
the mission of the Holy Spirit
is to convince us
of all the things
Christ taught.
Those things are found
not in our own imaginations
not in our own mystifications
and false mysticism.
Those things are found
in the vicar of Christ
and hence they are in the heart
of the Church.
Those things that lead to salvation
are not a product
of our false meditations.
They are a product
of our fidelity and obedience
to Holy Mother Church
and all that she holds out
for us by her teachings.
And so it is very good
that we put away
our sentimental wandering
and rather meditate more
upon books like
the Catechism of the Catholic Church
and the teachings of the Pope.
For that is where truth is found.
We cannot produce it
no matter how many fireworks go off
when we believe ourselves
to be in prayer
because truth is not rooted
in our emotions.
Indeed,
the theological virtue of faith
burns most brightly
when we undergo
what those great saints underwent
the dark night of the soul
in which the senses
give us no consolation
or as Saint Pio would say
when asked
what is your greatest consolation
Father Pio in this world?
His answer was
to have no consolation
because he knew
it was through suffering
that Christ purchased souls
and so
we must suffer
suffer in love
so that that suffering
never compromises faith
never compromises charity
and never destroys hope.
If you want to know the crux
of the problem in the modern world
and the reason
why we can read stories
about children
taking their own lives
and first the reports came
it would start in the twenties
then it went to the teens
then it went to what is called
that early stage
between the age of reason
and what's called the teenage reasons
teenager by the way
is simply a word created
to take away responsibility
to extend childhood
we are not created
to always remain children
I have heard them declare to me
as a priest
I don't want to grow up
over and over again
I don't want to grow up
they just want to have fun
as they are taught
through their culture
girls just want to have fun
over and over again
and the crux of the problem is
all those things
strip away from them
the theological virtue of hope
it is the hidden assault of Satan
to destroy hope
in the heart of man
in order to destroy charity and faith
because when we have no hope
then we will read
as we do now
it has now gone
from the twenties
to the teens
to the twelve and thirteen year olds
to now the eight, seven
and sometimes six year olds
taking their lives
because they have no hope
because as one profound
insightful catholic psychologist
describes it
in summing up the crux
of the modern problem
when we read about ADD
he says
you want a catholic definition
of ADD
absent dad dilemma
where there is no fatherhood
there is no hope
because there is no protection
our Lord in today's Gospel
is assuring the Apostles
of his protection
and that is
that our Lord
in today's Gospel
is assuring the Apostles
of his protection
and that is
that our Lord
in today's Gospel
is assuring the Apostles
of his protection
and that is
why they will be invincible
but our invincibility
is not rooted
in the preservation
of our lives
but rather
in our willingness
to give our lives
for the sake of Christ
who first gave it
for our sakes
it is the ultimate witness
to a supernatural reality
beyond this world
and how often
in our political dealings
with political
politicians
who spout blasphemies
against God
because to attribute
to any of the commandments
something contrary to God
is ultimately a blasphemy
women have the right
to abort
first of all
use the proper language
women have the right
to murder their children
and doctors
have the right
to murder those children
that is the proper language
it has got nothing to do
with human rights
period
anyway
that is an individual
human being
who has the right
to murder
those children
that is the proper language
it has got nothing to do
with human rights
period
we have the right
to kill
we have the right
to sacrifice
we have the right
to kill
we have the right
to become
a man
who in a paternal society
is protected by men
not delivered
to their death
and that protection
is rooted
in a man's
willingness
to die
how many politicians
do you know
who have ever
stood up
as these things
are being debated
and that very fact
alone
that they would
debate them
in the highest
That is, the house by which the family is to be protected.
You can call it Congress, you can call it the White House,
you can call it the Kremlin, you can call it anything you want.
But it is supposed to be the greatest visible image
of the house of Nazareth in a nation.
How many politicians do you know who have ever stood up and said,
you will kill these babies over my dead body?
Not a one, not a one, to my knowledge.
Or one, I take that back, who no longer is a senator.
Rick Santorum, who categorically led these arrogant men and women
down the primrose path where they draw their own conclusion.
He simply engaged them in dialogue.
And when one senator, now a secretary of a state of a nation,
realized where he was going,
he warned the other senatorists from California to cease and desist.
They had a little discussion.
And then the senator of California stood up and said,
I can't believe it, for the first time in the history of this august institution,
a fellow senator has accused another senator of being a murderer.
To which the good senator from Pennsylvania,
raised his hand and said to the presider,
I want it noted for the record, for history and for posterity.
I never used the word.
They drew the conclusion from the conversation we had.
I never accused anyone, and never even entered that word murder into the dialogue.
They concluded that from what was described.
And what he was describing is,
simply asking simple questions.
Is your grandchild your father?
grandchild a human person now at the age of six yes was she at the age of two yes was she at the
age of one yes was she at the age of one month yes was she as she came out of her mother's womb
yes was she when her head was out of her mother's womb yes then the intervention
as he was about to ask the question so at what point between the womb
and the full delivery was she not a human person he didn't get to ask the question
because then the conclusion was drawn that he was accusing them of being murderers
no he simply used good prudent catholicism to expose the error and allowed the ones involved
in it to draw the conclusion he stood up that day and defended his nation
and he received what the lord said would be received from such things
drummed out eventually drummed out but in that one instant he brought more grace down into this
nation than 50 years of compromising with the issue could ever dream of accomplishing
and that's what we must constantly remind ourselves of
that when we
when we keep the commandments
when we witness to truth
at that very moment
and now it's gotten to the point where it's even in the simplest of things
if i insist
two and two equals four
because someone else says no it can mean whatever i want it means
which is probably the majority of
men and women
in the world today
make it mean whatever they want
we witness to truth
and more grace is brought into the world by that very witness
than all the errors spouted for decades
that is what pope john paul the second of happy memory
taught the mystical body
persevere in truth
because ultimately it will win out
because
truth
is not just
an ideology
not just a word
it is a person
and it is the second person of the blessed trinity
and it is the witness to truth that
that paves the way for our lord's re-entrance into society
what societies
all societies in which he has been
asked to leave
when the lord is asked to leave
he will obey because he doesn't force himself on any human person
but he constantly stays outside
knocking on the door
desperately being asked to be invited back in
and if that invitation doesn't come from the members of his body
it's not coming
and then what
then what
we have gotten to the point
where we have taught our children
they are so worthless
that as soon as they come to the age of reason
some of them have already begun to take their lives
and if that isn't good enough
then we've got professors
at
prestigious universities
and I'm not afraid to tell you which ones either
Princeton
who sits on the chair
of what is supposed to be the department that deals with morals
and declares emphatically
and he is asked by
leaders of nations
to advise them on ethics
he declares emphatically
parents have until the age of six to determine whether their children
are persons or not
and if not
we can take care of them
there you have it
from conception
to the end of life
things are in place
that allow other people
to take human lives
by the arbitrary will of madmen
madmen
we got to the age of six
when does the church teach a child
usually requires the age of reason?
around seven
so when they can't think for themselves
we'll take care of them
as soon as they can
some of them are being trained
to just
check out
and anyone
who tries to justify a society like that
as a good and decent one
is more mad
than the ones involved in that stuff
more mad
to sit blithely by
while these
criminal acts are being perpetrated
by so called leaders of a nation
is worse
than the ones perpetrating them
and so contrary
to good sound catholic action
that is to fight these things
by all legitimate means possible
and
it's interesting
we have
the most legitimate and most effective means
at our disposal
if catholics voted
and they didn't vote
and they didn't vote
by the unity of their faith
all these things would end
in the next election
it would be impossible
for them to overcome
the voting bloc
that catholics alone provide
but unfortunately
catholics have aligned themselves to this party into that party
how about we return to the party of Christ
called the church and her teachings
and let's vote according to
the principles we learn from the bible
Pope and live our lives according to these principles, no matter where we are and what
mission we have in the mystical body of Christ. Stop letting us be guided by the arbitrary will
of men and women who are simply tyrants using their position inside the church or outside the
church to perpetrate on society what ultimately is demonic life. It is behind the destruction
of both religious and civil societies at all levels.
We do not live to follow the cult of personality. We live to follow the cult of Christ
and him and him alone. And so,
we must constantly remind ourselves, contrary to the teachings of the modern world,
God is good and God's commandments can be obeyed for the very simple reason that, as St. John tells
us, God is also love. And because of his love, he gives us the grace to obey his commandments
and none of them are impossible. And so, we must constantly
remind ourselves that God is good and God's commandments can be obeyed for the very simple
reason that, as St. John tells us, God is good and God's commandments can be obeyed for the very simple reason that, as St. John tells us,
lift up our hearts in authentic prayer, begging God for the grace to persevere in the witness
of living his commandments and also to offer all those who at this very moment, and first we must
include ourselves, are not living up to those ideals promulgated by the Son of God in the
commandments and burning most brightly when he also gives us the grace to live in the commandments.
He offered his life on Mount Calvary for our sake. But let us never allow ourselves to end on
Calvary. For on the third day, he rose again, gloriously triumphant. And so, the powers and
principalities of this world will not conquer Christ at any time or any place. Right now,
even if the whole world
has to die,
has embraced a philosophy contrary to Christ, he is completely victorious. And that victory burns
most brightly and most earnestly in his mother, who alone is God's victory. And she will be ours
if we truly ask her to be ours. Some of those old titles of Our Lady needed to be dusted off.
She was known,
in ancient times, as the Hammer of Heretics, and other wonderful titles. And so, let us turn to her,
who alone stood up to Satan and his minions and was never touched by them. And so, it has given her
the insight to realize unfortunate...
We don't often think of this.
It is precisely because the Mother of God has
never been touched by Satan that she has so much compassion on we who have been.
Because she understands better than anybody – by her immaculate conception –
what it would mean to fall under his influence. And she wants nothing but to desperately rescue us
from the jaws of death and the clutching of God's hand.
clutches of Satan, both individually, each and every one of us, and as a society.
First the society of the church, and then the secular society,
so that they can be organized in accord with how Our Lady lived her life.
Always first and foremost for the glory of God and the charity towards neighbor.
And so she knew how to construct a society that was rooted in the mercy of God
and always held out hope even to the most depraved of sinners,
of divine intervention in their life, and ultimately,
not perseverance in opposition to Christ, but perseverance in His love.
And as our Lord taught us, because He knew how we would,
He would not complain.
If I call someone into the field at the eleventh hour, that is, on their deathbed,
what matter is it of yours that I pay them the same that I would pay you
if, like the little flower St. Teresa, you never parted from me for the whole of your life,
from the moment you were baptized, and never committed a mortal sin in your life?
What does it matter to you?
I am the master and the king of the house, not you.
I will pay according to how I wish to pay.
And so, even at the very end of the life of a hardened sinner,
they can persevere in the love of God when they reject the final assault of Satan.
And that can only be acquired if the members of the mystical body are constantly striving,
through their prayers and their Catholic action, in their Catholic living,
to acquire those graces,
so that no soul is found passing from this life in the clutches of Satan,
but all souls pass from this life as her son did, in the hands of the mother.
Ad nos converse, et estum benedictum fructum ventris tui.