The Lord has recently given me Psalm 37, and I find myself repeating, often, this promise: "I've been young and now am old, yet I've never seen the righteous abandoned nor his children begging bread." And I've also been taken by something Rick Joyner, a protestant prophet, said, "If they throw me in prison, you know what that means? God has promoted me to a prison ministry!" If they throw me in prison, I'll call on dear St. Maximillian Kolbe for protection. Still, I won't be surprised if angels come and stage a prison break, and turn me out again - there is precedence!
I only hope and pray I have the courage and strength Padraig, to do what God wants of me and complete my mission here on earth. Death by guillotine, gas oven, or firing squad is something I could probably deal with. It's all the other stuff you mention that gives me pause. I'm not sure I'd do well in all the other stuff. I do believe I'll be on the run at some point, and I'm sure I don't take self defense classes for nothing... I guess you could say on a good day I feel I could die a martyers death...but other days I'm not so strong. I mean I want to do something like that...but...I'm a wimp when it comes to pain and suffering.
I am very grateful to MG for making this film which has undoubtedly done much to bring hearts to Jesus and certainly affected me greatly. However he is not a 'traditionalist' Catholic. He belongs (or belonged?) to a group, outside the Church which is sedevacantist (which even the SSPX are not) and who regard Vatican II as the source of every evil in today's Church. He built and financed his own church building and staffed it with 'priests' of his group. He told the press that his own wife (an Anglican) would go to hell unless she joined his 'brand' of Catholicism and I don't think that he holds out any hope for the likes of us. (I take particular pleasure in the making of the film because, over thirty years ago, having read 'The Dolorous Passion', I wrote to a Catholic film maker in the UK and suggested that this book would make an excellent and profitable movie. He actually replied saying that he couldn't proceed with such a project and didn't know anyone who would be able/interested. My contact was still alive when the film was made (though now deceased, God rest his soul, and I often wonder if he recalled my suggestion.)
Well these two sections from Malachi 3 certainly speak to our times. A Judgement on the wicked and a Promise to the Faithful. Israel Speaks Arrogantly Against God 13 “You have spoken arrogantly against me,” says the Lord. “Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’ 14 “You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? 15 But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’” The Faithful Remnant 16 Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. 17 “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.
So, here we are on this forum - those who fear the Lord, talking with each other. May we always honor His name in our conversations, and have our names written on the scroll of remembrance. Not only are our conversations heard by people we'll never know, all over the world, God Himself is listening!!!
