A Night of Hope

JESUS was born at night. Born at a time when tension filled the air. Born at a time very much like our own. How can this not fill us with hope?

A census had been called. Suddenly, everyone’s lives were up-ended, required to travel into a village, like Bethlehem, to be counted. What were the Romans up to? Why were they counting and tracking their populace? It was for the “common good”, right? Yet, we learn in the Old Testament that God is displeased with a census — but permits this as a chastisement of His people.^[1]cf. Not Herod’s Way

Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel. (1 Chron 21:1)

And then there was King Herod, alarmed by the reports of the birth of another king, one who could potentially displace him. Like the Egyptians, disturbed by the swelling presence and growth of the Israelites, Herod’s solution was not dissimilar: 

The Pharaoh of old, haunted by the presence and increase of the children of Israel, submitted them to every kind of oppression and ordered that every male child born of the Hebrew women was to be killed (cf. Ex 1:7-22). Today not a few of the powerful of the earth act in the same way. They too are haunted by the current demographic growth… Consequently, rather than wishing to face and solve these serious problems with respect for the dignity of individuals and families and for every person’s inviolable right to life, they prefer to promote and impose by whatever means a massive programme of birth control. —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Evangelium Vitae, “The Gospel of Life”, n. 16

A massive programme of population control. (Watch: Protecting Your Holy Innocents). 

In the midst of such uncertainty and danger, Jesus was born to Mary and Joseph, born to all of us. In the midst of this night, the angels cried out a word of hope to those trying to be faithful, trying to live in God’s will and who were longing to see the Messiah’s face:

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased! (Luke 2:14)

Other translations say “on whom His favor rests” or “peace to men of good will.” Jesus came to bring everyone peace… but it only falls upon those of “good will,” those who want true peace — not the false “peace and security” that the Roman Empire (or the current empire) is offering (by way of “green passports”).^[2]1 Thessalonians 5:3: “When people are saying, “Peace and security,” then sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.” Rather, in our times, we hear Our Lord and Lady proclaiming all over the earth that an Era of Peace is coming after this night — a “new dawn,” the popes call it.^[3]cf. The Popes and the Dawning Era It is the ultimate fulfillment of the words spoken over John the Baptist who would herald this “morning star” about to rise in the world:

…through the tender mercy of our God… the day shall dawn upon us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:78-79)

This “way of peace” is the “gift of living in the Divine Will”,^[4]True peace is “rest” in the Lord; cf. The Coming Sabbath Rest as revealed to Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta.

The time in which these writings will be made known is relative to and dependent on the disposition of souls who wish to receive so great a good, as well as on the effort of those who must apply themselves in being its trumpet-bearers by offering up the sacrifice of heralding in the new era of peace… —Jesus to Luisa, The Gift of Living in the Divine Will in the Writings of Luisa Piccarreta, n. 1.11.6, Rev. Joseph Iannuzzi

Listen! Your watchmen raise a cry, together they shout for joy, for they see directly, before their eyes, the LORD’s return to Zion. (Isaiah 52:8)

…watchmen who proclaim to the world a new dawn of hope, brotherhood and peace. —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Address to the Guanelli Youth Movement, April 20th, 2002, www.vatican.va

…watchmen of the morning who announce the coming of the sun who is the Risen Christ! —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Message of the Holy Father to the Youth of the World, XVII World Youth Day, n. 3; (cf. Is 21:11-12)

The night, then, is not the moment of despair but anticipation. It is the hour of vigil, of watching and waiting for the coming of the Sun, who is the Risen Christ. The “signs of the times” are all around us for those with eyes to see, for those with ears willing to listen. The “woman clothed with the [rising] sun” is laboring to give birth again (Rev 12:1-2), this time to the whole Body of Christ^[5]cf. Rom 11:25-26 so that what Jesus accomplished in Himself may, at last, be accomplished in us, His Bride.^[6]“For the mysteries of Jesus are not yet completely perfected and fulfilled. They are complete, indeed, in the person of Jesus, but not in us, who are his members, nor in the Church, which is his mystical body.” —St. John Eudes, treatise “On the Kingdom of Jesus”, Liturgy of the Hours, Vol IV, p 559 

This Christmas night, some of my readers are locked down;^[7]“Austria plans to lift lockdown, but not for the unvaccinated”, ctvnews.com others are banned from Christmas Eve Mass^[8]“Faith-based communities prepare for New Brunswick proof of vaccination policy”, cf. globalnews.ca while others have seen their  Masses cancelled altogether.^[9]“Archdiocese of Quebec City cancels all Christmas Masses in order to ‘fight against’ COVID-19”, cf. lifesitenews.com But if the Son of God was excluded from the inn, then who is more in solidarity with you right now than Jesus Himself, who will come to you in a special way… to those of you of “good will” with “whom He is pleased”? Open your heart, then, as though it were another stable,^[10]cf. O Humble Visitor, An Ox and an Ass and welcome Jesus. Warm Him with your love, with your adoration, with taking a moment to look into His eyes and thanking Him for being your Savior. 

He has never left you, in fact.

Thanks to My Readers

This past year, two years actually, have been unlike any other in this ministry. My readership grew substantially, and with that, a multiplication of letters and correspondence. I am so sorry that I have not been able to respond to everyone. In fact, my son Levi (see photo) sat down to help us reply to those who sent letters and donations. And I have tried to do my best to respond to the thousands of emails I’ve received this past year… but of course, that has been an impossible task. And that is painful, because each of you are as important as the next person, and I don’t want you to think I am ignoring you. I read everything even though I physically cannot respond to everyone. How many times this month have I said to my family: if only there were three of me! (but I know one is enough for them!).

So I want to take this moment to thank all of you who have supported, prayed for, and encouraged this ministry. I want to thank those of you who stuck with me through the difficult task of exposing the lies behind this pandemic that is leading us into the “final confrontation.” It’s as exhausting to write about as I’m sure it is to read. But as Our Lady said,

My children, do you not recognize the signs of the times? Do you not speak of them? —April 2nd, 2006, quoted in My Heart Will Triumph by Mirjana Soldo, p. 299

Only with total interior renunciation will you recognize God’s love and the signs of the time in which you live. You will be witnesses of these signs and will begin to speak about them. —March 18th, 2006, Ibid.

So I want to thank my assistant researcher, Wayne Labelle, who came on board this past year to manage “The Now Word – Signs” website at MeWe and “COVID “Vaccine” Victims and Research.” He has done a fabulous job weeding through “fake news” as we help keep readers abreast of world events — a truly exhausting task. Thanks to our Office Manager, Colette, for her tireless handling of inquiries, book and music sales, and everything else. And above all, thanks to my dear wife, Lea, and my children for their patience and sacrifice. 

May God’s peace fall upon each of you and your families, to console and strengthen you in this Christmas Vigil as we await the coming of the Risen Sun. 

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