Just to start things on an uplifting note, before we plunge into the usual ugly news: Father Zuhlsdorf today had a picture of the Aurora Borealis taken in Norway. It was glorious. He had the following verses taken from The "Benedicite" or the Canticle of the Three Young Men, Daniel 3:57-88,56.
Benedicite, omnia opera Domini, Domino: laudate et superexaltate eum in saecula.
Benedicite, angeli domini, Domino: benedicite, caeli, Domino.
Benedicite, sol et luna, Domino: benedicite, stellae caeli, Domino.
O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O all ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: bless the Lord, ye heavens........
O ye sun and moon, bless ye the Lord: bless the Lord, ye stars of heaven........
The "Benedicite" is recited in the Divine Office, or the Liturgy of the Hours,at Lauds, a morning prayer. It is beautiful in its entirety. It exhorts the waters, fire, dews and hoar-frost, ice and snow, light and darkness, all the earth and the creatures therein to praise and bless the Lord our God. The prayer is beautiful whether in Latin or English. I usually am saying it before light begins in the morning. It almost seems to make the sun rise.
Psalm 148 follows, the "Laudate Dominum." Praise the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights......
It almost repeats the "Benedicite." Laudate Dominum de caelis: laudate eum in excelsis. It's a wonderful way to start the day. I can praise God, be grateful for His creation and His care, and put my trust in Him, no matter what the day and future may hold.
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Back to the sorrows of the day, which come no matter what. I have already mentioned the jeopardy in which Catholic politicians have put their souls. While they have, as I said, excommunicated themselves, they should indeed be refused Communion by their priests, and instructed by their Bishops to refrain from receiving.
The Code of Canon Law, of which I have a copy, gives this instruction in Canon 915. Ministers should withhold Holy Communion from people who are "obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin." The Canon requires it in cases on pain of dereliction of their sacred office (Canons 128 and 389). Moreover, those Catholics are giving public scandal to the Church. Their sins are public. It doesn't matter how many Catholics agree with Pelosi, Sebelius, et al. It can be 99.99 %. They are all in danger of losing their souls. To be a Catholic is not easy. It is the narrow way. We are to take up our cross and follow Christ. Those who can't stand the sacrifices, the sorrows and trials that we face in order to perfect our souls, but look for the easy answers, can leave the Church. They should not be calling themselves "Catholic."
Artificial contraception, sterilization, including tubal ligation and vasectomy (unless for serious health reasons)are grave mortal sins, as are homosexual acts. These are things that Catholics can not choose to use or to do because they don't agree with "the Church." It isn't the Church or the Bishops or the Pope that they are in enmity with. It is God, Who laid down laws for man to abide by in order to stay in His friendship. Right reason can tell us that these things are against God's natural law. The Church doesn't have to tell us that they are wrong. Our reasoning power should do that. God forgives any of these sins if we ask forgiveness and pray that He accept our friendship again.
Abortion is murder. This is the worst of the things accepted by so-called Catholics. Murder is a mortal sin. At conception the DNA of a human being is there. If the fetus is human, then killing it is murder. I'm not even considering when the soul is infused into a human being. I'm looking at the physical being only. Worse, when you see the mangled and dismembered little bodies of very young fetuses, or those burned by chemicals or the fully developed babies killed during late term procedures, even those born alive and left to die, how can these people not see the crime? Did you ever hear of "The Silent Scream?" The right to life is in our founding documents. These children are denied their very first right. This has nothing to do with women's rights.
Regarding those babies born alive and left to die: There is a group which argues for abortion, claiming human welfare as their goal. The group's name is Matthew 25. It is from the Bible - "I was hungry and you gave me to eat....." What a total upside down interpretation. Here is mine, as far as these people go -
I was hungry and you gave me to eat - unless I was a helpless baby, alive in spite of abortion and starving for love.
I was thirsty and you gave me to drink - unless I was that baby and in need of my mother's milk.
I was a stranger and you took me in - unless I was that baby left cold and alone in a dark room on a shelf.
I was sick and you tended me - unless I was that baby and you denied me the means to try to heal me.
I was a prisoner and you visited me - unless I was that baby in the prison of my helpless body and you would deny me the sound of a loving voice and the warmth of loving arms, even as I died.
Matthew 25 indeed!
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I still trust in God and see Him in the words of the Psalm and verses from Daniel above. It just makes my resolve stronger; to pray that the marked depravity and lack of conscience in our people will be abated. May God have mercy on us and on our country.
I may as well conclude with some of Psalm 118, the blessings of the Law, recited at Prime:
....For they that work iniquity have not walked in his ways.
Thou hast commanded thy commandments to be kept most diligently.
O that my ways may be directed to keep thy justifications.....
With my whole heart have I sought after thee: let me not stray from thy commandments....
I will think of thy justifications: I will not forget thy words.
O that my ways may be directed to keep thy justifications....
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