THE "word" below is from an American priest at whose parish I gave a mission. It is a message which restates what I have written here several times: the critical need at this juncture in time for regular Confession, prayer, time spent before the Blessed Sacrament, reading of the Word of God, and devotion to Mary, the Ark of Refuge.
My son, you live in times of great fear. Indeed you are living in a “state of emergency!” For look about you and see how structures are falling and collapsing:
- Life is held in contempt.
- Murder, abortion, animal rights are held to be more sacred than human life.
- Economic fragility brings fear to family life and personal security.
- Terrorism brings fear that there is no viable defense.
- Environmental concerns reveal a fear that soon no human being will have a dignified dwelling.
My son, all these call for a people to conduct themselves in an orderly state of emergency. My son, unless the faith of my people is firm they will not be firm against what is about to fall upon the world! My son, as Joseph did, you must do—in faith, obey, and I will bring you from apparent disaster to victory! Do not do as Ahaz, refusing to heed my word and counsel [Is 7:11-13]. For like him, you will end in disaster! My son, when Joseph awoke, he took the child and the mother into his home! You must call upon your people to bring devotion to the Eucharist, Scripture, and my mother into their homes. Indeed, these are my emergency response procedures that will save many lives. —Fr. Maurice LaRochelle, December 22nd, 2007
Do not let the simplicity or even the monotony of these devotions (the Rosary, Adoration, etc.) prompt you to under-estimate them. For they are,
…enormously powerful, capable of destroying fortresses… (2 Cor 10:4)
They are the special tools or "procedures" given to the Church, through the authority of Christ, for this "state of emergency." It is not that they are new; rather, those who have recourse to them are being granted special and powerful graces like never before.
The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor 2:14)
It is only a childlike heart that will begin to perceive and receive the necessary graces. It is only the childlike soul that will hear the Lord and Blessed Mother giving instructions for these times as we wait in the Bastion. It is only the little ones who will be able to trust and be at peace as The Unfolding begins.
THE THIRD SLUMBER
Praying before the Blessed Sacrament, I had the sense once again that many are being tempted again to fall into the slumber of materialism and other temptations of the flesh—the slumber of the Third Watch, or more specifically, that final slumber before Christ truly wakes us up, and we enter great events already beginning to unfold.
He returned a third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. Get up, let us go. See, my betrayer is at hand. (Mk 14:41-42)
Renew your dedication to God today: begin again. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Live in the Present Moment, listening, watching, and praying.
For we are in a state of emergency.
I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. (Matt 11:25)
Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. (Matt 7:24-25)
