The Unprofitable Servant: Are These the Chastisements?

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Are These the Chastisements?

There seems to be no end to the unusual and violent natural events. Earthquakes. Tsunamis. Hurricanes. Floods. Tornadoes. Blizzards. Ice storms. It's hard not to wonder if these are signs of the chastisements Our Lady spoke of at Fatima and at Akita. I happened upon a website that talked about the Three Days of Darkness. I wasn't frightened for myself, but it made me terrified for those I love who have turned away from God and even outright rejected Him. I would be curious to know what priests think. I think it's probably neither healthy or advisable from a spiritual standpoint to read too much about such events.

Tonight after dinner I needed to get flowers for the belated secretaries' day celebration we are having tomorrow that became my responsibility by default. The sky was all kinds of insane colors. Pink clouds, black clouds and brilliant patches of blue peeking through. A flash of lightning here, some raindrops there. I decided to chance it. And I thought of Christ's words in Matthew's Gospel:

How is it that you can discern the face of the sky, but you cannot read the signs of the times?

I don't have an answer to that question, but I think it would be prudent to keep ourselves in what one of my former OR nurses would call " a maximal state of readiness."

1. Still not praying the Rosary? There is no time like the present. If you still think it's too rote a prayer, maybe you'll consider that Our Lady herself wants you to pray it. What more proof do you need? Make the effort and she will help you with the rest.

2. Confess your sins on a regular basis.

3. Go to Mass and receive Holy Communion as often as you can. Offer them for the intention of fallen-away family members and friends. I know not everyone lives in area with access to daily Mass. In that case, pause once a day and reflect upon the fact that somewhere in the world, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is being offered. Make a spiritual communion.

4. Let us continue to pray for one another and for our priests.

12 comments:

MannyApril 28, 2011 at 9:47 PM
No I do not believe that natural disasters have anything to do with God's anger or rebuke or punishment. The good die equally with the evil. I believe God has a greater purpose in mind, such as suffering that leads to love. I'm sure there are many more purposes unperceivable to us mere mortals.
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peetApril 28, 2011 at 10:17 PM
I like what you say about the
Rosary.

It is the best part of being
Catholic...this connection to
Jesus through His mother in
the recitation of the Rosary.
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Richard CollinsApril 29, 2011 at 3:44 AM
I fear you are right, too few listen to the Fatima and Akita messages. Your points 1 to 4 say it all!
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AnonymousApril 29, 2011 at 7:49 AM
You may want to read this excellent post by my friend, Anne: http://annebender.blogspot.com/2011/04/end-times.html#comment-form
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DolorosaApril 29, 2011 at 10:45 AM
Yes! I do believe these are the chastisements and far worse will come (nations annihilated, etc.) IF Our Pope doesn't obey Our Lady of Fatima (http://www.fatima.org) and consecrate "Russia" with all the bishops to Her Immaculate Heart. Our Lord & God, Jesus Christ wants this done and done correctly. In 2017, it will be 100 years and we know that in 100 years we had the French Revolution because the King didn't consecrate France to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. God have mercy on us!
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TLWApril 29, 2011 at 5:05 PM
Manny, the Virgin of Fatima and of Akita was very clear that the good will die with the bad. You might want to read a bit about her warnings. Both of these apparitions were approved by the Catholic church and recognized to be authentic, unlike some others.

Ann, thanks, I will definitely take a look at your friend's post.
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MannyApril 29, 2011 at 8:14 PM
Well, if it was chastisement, then why should we pray for them? That would be fighting God's will. No?
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TLWApril 29, 2011 at 8:20 PM
Manny Manny Manny....
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MannyApril 29, 2011 at 9:20 PM
LOL, I take it that was a chastisement. Well, in my heart I do not believe that God acts through natural acts of nature. I did a bit of research on it this evening and the Church seems to be a bit split. Some do seem to cite what you said, but more importantly than citing saints I think their best argument is citing the Old Testament, where God acts on Israel's sins.

Those that disagree with you cite Luke 13 where Jesus puts down the pharises for suggesting that people's plights were due to sin.

I am not knowledgable enough to have a learned opinion. I can only believe what is in my heart. God is love and chastisments that punish innocent people would not be love. I see bad things that happen to all people, good and bad alike, as a process toward a greater good. Christ's crucifixion was a bad event to a good person. It was not a chastisement. It was a process that led to redemption.

Anyway, that's my two cents. :)
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TLWApril 29, 2011 at 9:44 PM
Two cents? Inflation, my friend, it's worth at least a dollar :)
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MannyApril 29, 2011 at 9:55 PM
Bless you. :))
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AnneApril 30, 2011 at 4:51 AM
TLW,

how very interesting that we both posted on the same subject at nearly the same time! And, as I'm writing this comment, I am at the place on your sidebar where you have St. Teresa's excellent bookmark and I think that her words speak clearly to all talk of chastisement-do not be disturbed or frightened-God alone suffices.

Your blog is wonderful and I enjoy your sense of humor! Bless you~
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Mary, Queen of Peace

Ever glorious and blessed Mary, Queen of Virgins, Mother of Mercy, hope and comfort of dejected and desolate souls, through that sword of sorrow which pierced thy tender heart whilst thine only Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord, suffered death and ignominy on the cross; through that filial tenderness and pure love He had for thee, grieving in thy grief, whilst from His cross He recommended thee to the care and protection of His beloved disciple, St. John, take pity, I beseech thee, on my poverty and necessities; have compassion on my anxieties and cares; assist and comfort me in all my infirmities and miseries, of every kind whatsoever. Thou art the Mother of Mercies, the sweet comforter and only refuge of the needy and the orphan, of the desolate and afflicted. Cast, therefore, an eye of pity on a miserable, forlorn child of Eve, and hear my prayer; for since, in just punishment of my sins, I find myself encompassed by a multitude of evils, and oppressed with much anguish of spirit, wither can I fly for more secure shelter, O amiable Mother of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, than under the wings of thy maternal protection? Attend, therefore, I beseech thee, with an ear of pity and compassion, to my humble and earnest request. I ask it, through the bowels of mercy of thy dear Son; Through that love and condescension wherewith He embraced our nature, when, in compliance with the divine Will, thou gavest thy consent, and whom, after the expiration of nine months thou didst bring forth from the chaste enclosure of thy womb, to visit the world, and bless it with His presence. I ask it, through that anguish of mind wherewith thy beloved Son, our dear Saviour, was overwhelmed on the Mount of Olives, when He besought His eternal Father to remove from Him, if possible, the bitter chalice of His future passion. I ask it, through the threefold repetition of His prayers in the garden, whence afterwards, with dolorous steps and mournful tears, thou didst accompany Him to the doleful theatre of His death and sufferings. I ask it, through the welts and bruises of His virginal flesh, occasioned by the cords and whips wherewith He was bound and scourged, when stripped of His seamless garment, for which His executioners afterwards cast lots. I ask it, through the scoffs and ignominies by which He was insulted; the false accusations and unjust sentence by which He was condemned to death, and which He bore with heavenly patience. I ask it, through His bitter tears and bloody sweat; His silence and resignation; His sadness and grief of heart. I ask it, through the blood which trickled from His royal and Sacred Head, when struck with the sceptre of a reed and pierced with His crown of thorns. I ask it, through the excruciating torments He suffered, when His hands and feet were fastened with gross nails to the tree of the cross. I ask it, through His vehement thirst, and bitter potion of vinegar and gall. I ask it, through His dereliction on the cross when He exclaimed, "My God! my God! why hast Thou forsaken me?" I ask it, through His mercy extended to the good thief, and through His recommending His precious soul and spirit into the hands of His eternal Father before He expired, saying, "It is consummated." I ask it, through the blood mixed with water, which issued from His Sacred Side when pierced with a lance, and whence a flood of grace and mercy has flowed to us. I ask it, through His immaculate life, bitter passion and ignominious death on the cross, at which nature itself was thrown into convulsions, by the bursting of rocks, rending of the veil of the Temple, the earthquake, and the darkness of the sun and moon. I ask it, through His descent into hell, where He confronted the Saints of the old law with His presence, and led the captivity captive. I ask it, through His glorious victory over death, when He arose again to life on the third day, and through the joy which His appearance for forty days after gave thee, His blessed Mother, His Apostles, and the rest of His Disciples; when in thine and their presence He miraculously ascended into heaven. I ask it, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, infused into the hearts of His Disciples, when He descended upon them in the form of fiery tongues, and by which they were inspired with zeal in the conversion of the world, when they went to preach the gospel. I ask it, through the awful appearance of thy Son, at the last dreadful day, when He shall come to judge the living and the dead, and the world, by fire. I ask it, through the compassion He bore thee in His life, and the unspeakable joy thou didst feel at thine assumption into heaven, where thou art eternally absorbed in the sweet contemplation of His divine perfections. O glorious and ever blessed Virgin! comfort the heart of thy supplicant, by obtaining for me, (Mention your prayer intention here...) And as I am persuaded my Divine Saviour doth honour thee as His beloved Mother, to whom He refuses nothing, because thou asketh nothing contrary to His honour, so let me speedily experience the efficacy of thy powerful intercession, according to the tenderness of thy maternal affection, and His filial loving heart, who mercifully granteth the requests and complieth with the desires of those that love and fear Him. Wherefore, O most blessed Virgin, beside the object of my present petition, and whatever else I may stand in need of, obtain for me also of thy dear Son, our Lord and our God, a lively faith, firm hope, perfect charity, true contrition of heart, unfeigned tears of compunction, sincere confession, condign satisfaction, abstinence from sin, love of God and my neighbour, contempt of the world, patience to suffer affronts and ignominies, nay, even, if necessary, an opprobrious death itself, for love of thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Obtain likewise for me, O sacred Mother of God, perseverance in good works, performance of good resolutions, mortification of self-will, a pious conversation through life, and, at my last moments, strong and sincere repentance, accompanied by such a lively and attentive presence of mind, as may enable me to receive the last Sacrament of the Church worthily, and die in thy friendship and favour. Lastly, obtain through thy Son, I beseech thee, for the souls of my parents, brethren, relatives and benefactors, both living and dead, life everlasting, from the only Giver of every good and perfect gift, the Lord God Almighty, to Whom be all power now and forever. Amen.

Prayer of St. Bonaventure

Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee, may yearn for Thee and for thy courts, may long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.
Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the Bread of Angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and super substantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delightful taste.
May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, Whom the angels desire to look upon, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fullness of the house of God;
may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverance to the end; and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably. Amen.

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God Bless You!

The Unprofitable Servant

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Are These the Chastisements?

12 comments:

Mary, Queen of Peace

St Michael the Archangel

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

St. Teresa Benedicta of The Cross