I was out in the woods yesterday walking the dogs when a very heavy rain shower came down (nothing new in Ireland believe me). I spotted a patch of dry path ahead and went over to it and sat down on a rock looking up at the rain hurling dwon in diamond drops all around. But though they fell in their jewlled millions hardly one touched me in this natural green umbrella in the dripping woods. I thought what a natural gift this shelter was from God, how like a little wooden Chapel, as I sat there praying. I also wondered how many other rain shades like this were scattered through all the woods and all the forests and woods on the face of the Earth. I wonder too how many others have took shelter in them, thanked God for them and prayed and sacntified them with their prayers? If God can do what for Him is such a small thing and give us leaves to cover our heads in rain , how much more will HE shield us when fire falls from heaven instead of rain? Jeremiah 29:11 Jeremiah's Letter to the Exiles …10"For thus says the LORD, 'When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. 11'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 12'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.…
I met a man there now I have known for forty years or more. When he was young he was a bit of a wise guy, with sharp comments and wit, acerbic, someone who was not perhaps east to be wtih. But lately when I have met him once again I have been delighted with the cahnge. Warm, wise, gently humourous, kind, the wonds of life and love have blown him in anothe direction. It cheers me and warms me to see this change. There is a nice section in the office of readings for St Columbanus in which the saint speaks of the soul as being like a little boat which through prayer all the days of our life can be blown into a safe port, the harbour of God. Here I believe is such a soul, bless Him ; again, as you already have, with so much abundance.
At mass in the little old country Church I go to in Castlewellan there is a very old retired priest, perhaps in his 90's who goes to the altar using a zimmer frame , bent and hunched so slow and in pain to say mass with the others. He must take at least ten minutes to shffle up and down to the altar. I am so touched how the conregation and the other priests show him patience and respect waiting in kindness for him to ascend and descend the steps and make the long shuffling walk. But when he talks his voice booms with the surety of sound Catholic Doctrine and Spriituality. he never puts a foot wrong here, in the things that most matter. I never doubt him not for a moment. With younger ones there have been times when I ahve blocked my ears to to the murmered shouting of flase teaching. Never with this old priest of God, nvaer.. ....and I wonder sometimes with later generations of the priesthood, where did we go wrong?
Not sure if anyone can answer that Padraig . What we do have however are two major approved visits from the Blessed Virgin Mary coming with grave warnings. They even indicate the time. Our Lady of Good Success tells us of trouble for the Church around the second half of the 20th century. Our Lady of Fatima requests the 3rd secret revealed no later than 1960 . So , I suppose we should ask ourselves if there were any changes in the Church around this time
I think the rot really set in towards the end of the 1950's Mac and it was the result of spiritual warfare. Actually it might go back a lot further. Pope St Pius x knew.
He seemed to be aware of the coming storm ,thats for sure. The Oath against modernism was a beautiful thing.
The devil never rests, not for a second, but somehow in these old country Churches and the people I think he has not succeeded so well as in the cities, things liek the rosary and the St Michael prayer being said at every mass. A sense of deep prayerful devotion, to the angles, to the Holy Souls and so on...
Padraig, I love the theme of "God as our shield". He does not prevent the storms in our lives, but He lovingly shields us in difficult times. Yes, I may stumble, but Jesus bears me up and gets me through. Such a time is occurring in my life now and it seems there is nothing I can do to prevent my stumbling. The Two Hearts are faithful and will see me through. Please pray that I not waver. Psalm 84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the LORD withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in thee! Safe in the Father's Arms!
Well at least Terry if we are more than a little inclined to waver we have a God who never alters. Let us trust in His mercy rather than fear His Justice. For which of us can stand in the precense of the Living God? My Jesus, Mercy.
For which of us can stand in the presence of the Living God? This is a powerful truth towards conversion. Our God is a thrice Holy God. No darkness, no stain of sin can bear His presence. How I wish our priests would preach on the awesome holiness of God.
