Ireland 'waking' up?

There is also the reality that a Cross or Crucifix is a memento mori. Our governmental commissars don't like to be reminded that not everything is within their control.

 

Exodus 20:5

…4You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.…

 

I find, as I get older (there seems no alternative to this!) that the Scriptures seem more and more literally true. They're generally not symbolic or metaphorical, they mean what they say. How does a writer from the time of Exodus contemplate the notion of a thousand generations unless he heard it directly from God; then we should take heed of what will happen to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Him as that also had to come directly from god.

 

Yes I share this perspective. God speaks in the literal and the figurative both. I always take God at His Word. When He speaks in Revelation of a mark my friend who studied the classics and can read the Greek--says the Greek word for marking is similar to our word for syringe or hypodermic. That is quite literal these days as they speak of injecting a chip under the skin. The scriptures are Truth! Getting older brings honesty and humility. And I do think that produces a kind of wisdom. (at least I hope so) Age is a great gift.

 

Yes, I find it better to steer a course as close to possible to the direction the Compass of Scripture indicates.

A good first example is on the matter of Divorce. Jesus said it was utterly wrong. People walked away in droves. Come the Protestant Reformation people walked away in droves once again, crying out, 'Sola Scriptura' (Scripture alone), as they did so (by which they meant only the Scriptures that suited them.)

Another good example from Leviticus is that Sodomy is an abomination that should be steeped down on very, very hard indeed. Scripture was right all those thousands and thousands of years ago and it is still right now.

Scripture.

No better Compass.

 

Liveline on Irish radio - animal activist up in arms over boiling lobsters alive and debating whether lobsters feel pain. Fine but -

Where was the uproar when the govt voted against pain relief for babies being aborted.

The activist says she broke off her friendship with a chef when she discovered he cooked lobsters by boiling.

Imagine if she announced she broke off a friendship with a woman who had an abortion. She'd be torn to pieces.

 

It's surprising though how many people are really vehemently opposed to Abortion and in some very strange quarters.

My brother has a friend and his wife who are very high up in Sinn Fein. When that party announced that they support abortion he severed all links with the party which meant loosing pretty well all his friends and social contacts; a heavy price. His wife, however who appears to be a dedicated Marxist, still sticks with them.

My Brother brought round a framed picture of the Vision of St John of the Cross. and when the friend was looking for somewhere to hand it, he noticed large posters of Che Guevara, Mao Tse Tung and Karl Marx on the wall. His friend said he had not gotten round to taking them all down.

I consider this conversion to be truly miraculous.

You just never know.

I know lots of Irish people are truly horrified by Abortion. Horrified.

 

There's alot of pro life marches here in ireland tommor the 21st.Im going to the galway one in Toft Park at 3.keep an eye out in your own area please

 

It's one issue that, with just a little thought, leaves no option for neutrality. One must pick your side.

 

I have felt for a long time it is a very serious litmus test--marking our doors with the Blood of the Lamb. In fact a very holy woman I knew who has gone to the Lord told me that. She said we must always stand for life especially when we vote. It is marking our doors like the Israelites in the Exodus. She said it with such serious tone it felt like the Holy Spirit speaking through her.

 

Quite heartening. My priest said almost the same thing this past Sunday about the great divide between pro-life and pro-abort. He stressed it as though it were truly a litmus test, as you called it. AED.

 

This is on the topic of Ireland. My son takes long walks around our town in Maryland and yesterday he saw a car tag from Ireland!
Must have been a long and tiring swim.

 

When I was very young I went on a hike round Ireland with some of my friends. I suppose this was about 50 years ago now.

But one sight I do recall .Down in the county of Killarney , the most gorgeous place. On those little winding country roads in the middle of nowhere was a proscession of the most huge gas guzzling monster cars from the USA heading down a hill.

What sight! They must have shipped them across the ocean.

 

Padraig, these videos are so beautiful. America had such blessing then. So did Ireland. I wept when I watched the JFK in Ireland video. He would be assassinated in 6 months. The Irish people just flocked around him. The music is gorgeous. I miss those days so much.

 

Me too. I am deeply sad today over what we have lost. Usually I try to push past it but today it is heavy stone weighing down my heart.

 

You have described it so well.

 

Our Lady of Knock pray for us, pray for Ireland.

OUR LADY OF KNOCK
There were people of all ages
Gathered round the gable wall
Poor and humble men and women
Little children that you would call
We are gathered here before you
And our hearts are just the same
Filled with joy at such a vision
As we praise your name
Golden Rose, Queen of Ireland
All my cares and troubles cease
As I kneel with love before you
Lady of Knock, my Queen of Peace
Oh, your message is unspoken
But the truth in silence lies
So I gaze upon your vision
And the truth I try to find
Here I stand, with John the teacher
And with Joseph at your side
And I see the lamb of God
On the altar glorified
Golden Rose, Queen of Ireland
All my cares and troubles cease
As we kneel with love before you
Lady of Knock, my Queen of Peace
And the lamb will conquer
And the woman clothed in the sun
Will shine her light on everyone
And the lamb will conquer
And the woman clothed in the sun
Will shine her light on everyone
Golden Rose, Queen of Ireland
All our cares and troubles cease
As we kneel with love before you
Lady of Knock, my Queen of Peace
Lady of Knock, my Queen of Peace
Songwriters: R. Scallon (Dana)

 

This is exceptionally lovely and inspiring.
The “red hat” was praying and singing quietly at the end.
St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.

 

Padraig
I really loved seeing the video of JFK's visit to Ireland. I still remember it vividly. We were glued to the radio drinking in every word from the commentator. We didn't have TV in those days. JFK's speeches were published and photographs of his visit on all the newspaper's. People treasured them and everyone had a picture they got in the newspapers framed and hanging in their homes. I live in a parish that is the ancestral home of the Fitzgerald family. A lot of families around here are connected to the Fitzgerald family. We still get members of the extended Kennedy Fitzgerald family coming here to trace family graves and old dwellings. Looking back it was an age of innocence and hope. So sad for America and for Ireland. All will be restored yet. There are still good people with good hearts. The night is dark and getting darker but we await the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Keep the faith

 

This was the song after Communion at my moms funeral- she loved this song.