There are two chapters in the Book of Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) that I stumbled upon a few days ago.....Chapters 15 & 16......Reading these two chapters and looking around at how far things have gone, and how so many Saints warned of the dangers, and how these warnings have been and are still ignored, it's a wonder He hasn't already intervened........Fear of the Lord indeed. But we have the promise that "the gates of hell shall not prevail", along with the anticipated Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. And as the song says, in times of trouble, "steel away to Jesus". Sirach 16:7 In the congregation of sinners a fire shall be kindled, and in an unbelieving nation wrath shall flame out. 16:8 The ancient giants did not obtain pardon for their sins, who were destroyed trusting to their own strength: 16:9 And he spared not the place where Lot sojourned, but abhorred them for the pride of their word. 16:10 He had not pity on them, destroying the whole nation that extolled themselves in their sins. 16:11 So did he with the six hundred thousand footmen, who were gathered together in the hardness of their heart: and if one had been stiffnecked, it is a wonder if he had escaped unpunished: 16:12 For mercy and wrath are with him. He is mighty to forgive, and to pour out indignation: 16:13 According as his mercy is, so his correction judgeth a man according to his works.
One thought that has stayed with me from a conversation on this topic is that: One should differentiate between office and person. Someone who behaves morally reprehensible (sinful) on a personal level can still behave morally correct within the office he represents. Even if a priest has committed serious sins, he can still validly administer the sacraments. Even if a politician has had an abortion, she can still prohibit abortion by law. As I would like to see politicians with integrity, this is also difficult for me to understand or accept. I would avoid priests, I might be more willing to compromise with politicians.
It is interesting that you select the Book of Ecclesiasticus, as it is one of those books of the Old Testament that has been rejected by Protestants. And by the Jews. Trump himself seems to represent a movement that is more typical of a Protestant America. He is also hugely influenced, unfortunately, by the Zionist lobby. These tendencies are much more liberal/progressive than they are conservative/traditional. We can only hope that these liberals in a lower gear will sufficiently slow down events in order that genuine traditionalists will be able to wrest control from them before civilisation has been irretrievably destroyed.
I had no idea that was one of the "rejected" books ~ It was a random opening of a new bible received at Christmas as a gift, and there it was. I find the info you post regarding these things very interesting because I was so late trying to really learn my own faith there never seemed to be time for anything else. One book I'm reading right now is called "Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary". It has been an eye opening experience as to how much the Old Testament connects to the New Testament, even in regard to the Blessed Mother. So much has been ignored these past decades.
Wow! A cross appeared in the skies of Russia. https://youtube.com/shorts/4qBnwZk8fqM?si=1H4dbKcm6cyEpazl
Just noticed... Malibu Burns https://x.com/JimFergusonUK/status/1876949080078733355 Los Angeles fire hydrants are OUT OF WATER because the county REFUSED to refill reservoirs, per Rick Caruso “You can’t fight a fire without water!” https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1876893182807429127
As Vox Day describes it, "Hellmouth" is burning. He is not too sympathetic. One might even suspect that Sirach 16:7 is being fulfilled.
Thanks, HH. Just like your beautiful avatar, have you noticed how many stunning images of the Blessed Mother are surfacing right now?
In addition to all the mismanagement they’re also seriously understaffed. This of course didn’t help. 113 LAFD FIREFIGHTERS REMOVED FROM DUTY WITHOUT PAY FOR FAILING TO MEET CITY'S VACCINATION MANDATE https://abc7.com/amp/los-angeles-firefighters-covid-19-vaccination/11306486/
One of the major insurance companies had cancelled their fire policies in much of California last year, because they considered the exposure too risky. It appears that it is the actual stupid woke elites who are actually suffering now, rather than 'everybody else', which is usually the case. Stupidity usually has undesirable consequences, however I suspect they are too stupid to learn any lessons. It's Trump's fault, they'll claim...and believe it.
The insurance industry in the US is the biggest scam ever, and is probably on the brink of collapse. I was just reading a story about a California couple in their 90's who lost their home in the horrible fire. They had their home insurance with the same company for 75 years, and their policy was cancelled just weeks before this fire. These insurance companies knew that these fires were inevitable, and they dumped the policies entirely, or removed fire coverage. The wealthy will recover, but the regular folks with no insurance will never be able to rebuild. The governor of California could have prevented this devastation, but he was more concerned with his woke environmental policies rather than ensuring there was enough water to put out fires. God help these poor people who have lost everything. It looks like a bomb was dropped on Pacific Palisades, everything is gone.
