As Catholics, we are called to be in the world but not of the world. We are supposed to swim against the current of modernism and progressivism and all the other “isms”. We are called to live in His Divine Will, not our will. We are called to seek His face, to love God with all our heart, mind, and strength. But it is getting more and more difficult. With all the distractions and allurements of the world, our hearts and minds are constantly bombarded with worldly enticements. It is not hard to see that as Catholics, we have not done a very good job. Instead of evangelizing the world, we have allowed the world and old sparky in through the cracks. The effects of this can even be witnessed in the Church herself. You know something is seriously wrong when on Sunday, all the malls, arenas, cinemas and restaurants are packed but the churches are empty.
The Lord promised that if the Israelites would obey His Commandments, He would have mercy on them and that they would prosper, but He also warned them what would happen if they did not obey. Leviticus 26:3-4, and 15-17 tells us:
“If you walk in my precepts, and keep my commandments, and do them, I will give you rain in due seasons. And the ground shall bring forth its increase: and the trees shall be filled with fruit.”
“If you despise my laws, and contemn my judgments so as not to do those things which are appointed by me, and to make void my covenant: I also will do these things to you. I will quickly visit you with poverty, and burning heat, which shall waste your eyes, and consume your lives. You shall sow your seed in vain, which shall be devoured by your enemies. I will set my face against you, and you shall fall down before your enemies: and shall be made subject to them that hate you. You shall flee when no man pursueth you”
History has shown us over and over again what happened when the Israelites rejected God. Also, when they turned back to Him, He blessed them, rewarded them, and He fought their battles for them. They were prosperous. However, we know in the end it did not end up working so well for the Israelites, and God had to intervene with a new plan. He sent His only Son into the world to pay the price for all our sins and redeem us, if only we follow Him and obey His commandments.
Fast forward to more modern times, and let us see how well we as Catholics have responded to God’s Commandments. Well, not too well I am afraid. On September 19th 1846, Our Lady of La Salette appeared to two shepherd children, and as she spoke, she wept:
“If my people do not wish to submit themselves, I am forced to let go of the hand of My Son. It is so heavy and weighs me down so much I can no longer keep hold of it. I have suffered all of the time for the rest of you! If I do not wish My Son to abandon you, I must take it upon myself to pray for this continually. And the rest of you think little of this. In vain you will pray, in vain you will act, and you will never be able to make up for the trouble I have taken over for the rest of you.”
“I gave you six days to work; I kept the seventh for myself, and no one wishes to grant it to me. This is what weighs down the arm of my Son so much.”
“Those who drive carts cannot speak without putting the name of my Son in the middle”
“These are the two things which weigh down the arm of my Son so much.”[1]
Just prior to La Salette, the Lord made known to Sister Marie de St. Pierre in a revelation on the feast of St. John of the Cross November 24, 1843 the following:
“Till now I have only shown you in part the designs of my Heart, but to-day I wish to show you them in their entirety. The earth is covered with crimes. The violation of the first three Commandments of God has irritated my Father; the holy Name of God blasphemed, and the holy day of the Lord profaned, fill the measure of iniquities. These sins have mounted to the throne of God and provoked his wrath, which will soon burst forth if his justice is not appeased. At no time have these crimes ascended so high. I desire, with an ardent desire, that there be formed an association, well approved and organized, to honor the Name of my Father”
On December 2nd, 1847, the call that Sr. Marie de St. Pierre received was more urgent than ever as our Lord, appearing to her covered with wounds, spoke to her as follows:
“The executioners crucified Me on Friday but Christians crucify Me on Sunday. Ask then in My Name the establishment of the Work of Reparation in the Diocese of Tours, in order that My friends may embalm My wounds by their prayers and their acts of sacrifice, and thus obtain mercy for the guilty. My daughter, the storm is already rumbling but I shall keep My promise, if My wishes regarding the Reparation be respected and acted upon. Speak with humility, but at the same time with a holy freedom.”[2]
If our Lord was so offended back then by violations on Sunday, how much more is he offended today? It seems like in over 170 plus years, we Catholics have not been doing a very good job. Our Lord has given us extremely good directions, yet somehow we have veered off course. I was listening to a homily by Fr. Ripperger recently, and he said that we get the priests and clergy we deserve because, quite frankly we as Catholics have failed and we are just not holy enough. The question is then – how do we get back on course? How do we live in God’s will during these times where it is so easy to get distracted by all the allurements of the world on Sundays?
I believe the answer is simpler than we think, but it does take some effort. We have to challenge ourselves to follow the commandments more stringently. For starters, instead of eating out on Sunday or going shopping at the mall, or watching sports all day on TV, why not stay at home and spend more time with Scripture and in prayer. Alternatively spend time with your family playing board games or activities. Sundays can also be a day for doing Corporal works us mercy, like feeding the poor or helping out a homeless shelter. As Catholics let us set an example to others so that when we are asked to do things on Sunday, we simply say “No thanks, it is the Lord’s Day, and I am going to spend time resting in the Lord or working for the Lord. I recognize that some people’s occupations like the police, firefighters, hospital workers etc. require them to work on Sundays, but for those of us who do not legitimately have to work on a Sunday, let us just not. I know some of you might be thinking that tasks will not get accomplished on the home front, or that you need the money. We have to then remember that you cannot outdo the Lord’s generosity. If you trust in Him fully and obey His commandments, He will look after your needs and you will be surprised how much you can get accomplished when you are fully obedient to the Lord.
Another thing that we can do as Catholics is stop following what the world does. We have to set the bar higher and swim against the modern current. We have to ask ourselves, “Is this program I am about to watch going to make me a better Catholic; is it going to help me become holier? Is the music I listen to helping me become holier?” If the answer is “no”, then just do not partake in it. There is hardly anything produced today by Hollywood or modern media that does not blaspheme the Lord’s Name in some way or another. There is a saying that goes something like “You cannot wallow with the pigs and come out smelling like a rose”. In other words, everything we ingest (take in with all our senses) has a spiritual effect on our soul. At the end of time when we meet the Lord, we will have to be accountable for everything that we have done in our lives. The scales of the Lord’s justice will either be weighed with good works or the opposite. I do not know about you, but I do not want to be in amongst the goats. I want to be one of His sheep and recognize His voice.
The one thing that has truly helped me to become a better Catholic is to keep my eyes fixed on Christ. The Holy Face Devotion has really helped me recognize that I was not being faithful to God’s commandments. Praying the prayers of reparation have given me a greater hope in obtaining salvation, and greater peace throughout my day. When you step into the battle with Christ, He rewards you with gifts of grace and perseverance.
So my dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, I encourage you to take up the challenge and try to reject the ways of the world and live in the Divine Will of God. Try to spend 5 to 10 minutes each day admiring our Lord’s adorable Face and making atonement for your sins and those of mankind. You will be amazed at how the Lord can transform you!
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His Face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His Countenance upon you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26
Our Lady of the Holy Name of God, pray for us! Saint Joseph pray for us!
2 Dec. 2023, Little Pilgrim of His Holy Face
[1] https://www.virgosacrata.com/our-lady-of-la-salette.html
[2] Sr. Marie De Saint-Pierre and the work of reparation by P. Janvier ,translated by Miss Mary Hoffman