Great darkness has descended

We have entered a period of great darkness in the world and in the Church. The darkness is deepening.

Things are going to get much, much worse more quickly than we could ever imagine. The political leaders have intellects darkened by sin therefore they are incapable of seeing the truth or acting rationally. They are literally capable of anything. A diabolical spirit rules the nations.

They are going to use hate speech laws to quash free speech and attack Christians.

We will be accused of homo-phobia, trans-phobia and every other phobia and hauled before the courts.

But before this happens the Lord is going to come in grace to strengthen us with the holy fear of the Lord.

Do not fear but trust the living God.

 

Your post is very timely for me. I’ve felt surrounded by what I can only say is a spirit of darkness these past few weeks. In many ways, it came to steal my Advent. I must confess there are days where I do feel a bit lost. I’m very spiritual “tired”. I’m blessed by a my wife a strong and spiritual sound woman … she not only prays for me but has sound advice.

Much of this darkness is the worry I have for my kids, their spouses and families. They are not going to Church…. Not partaking of sacraments. I pray for them, I fast, etc…. But they politely ignore … and one is in fact a bit hostile about it. My pain is I see their pain, their struggles, and yet they reject the cure….. Jesus Christ. And I suppose they fit into this article…. Not easy to read

https://www.grid.news/story/politic...hristianity-is-underway-in-america-heres-why/


And all if this in the Advent season as we await the Light that overcame the darkness. I need Christmas more than ever this year… not the trees, feasts, etc… I need to know that the Lord will enter my heart and this dark place… to shed his light. And allow me to be renewed so I can muster the strength and grace to carry on my mission as a Father - be a light - carry the message of Good News no matter what anyone says.

I welcome your prayers. O Come Emmanuel.

 

1. Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
   The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
   When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
   Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.
2. Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
   Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
   Change and decay in all around I see—
   O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
3. I need Thy presence every passing hour;
   What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
   Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
   Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
4. I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
   Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness;
   Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
   I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
5. Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
   Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;
   Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
   In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Henry F. Lyte, 1846

 

It is probably very, very selfish of me but sometimes when I look around me I think to myself, 'Well that's their decision, they choose to do this. No one is forcing them to make these awful choices, to walk the short road to hell'.

Then I think of this Scripture Passage, it helps me keep a certain distance from it all. A certain calm.

 

Lovely poem HH! I contrast the last line with the epitath on the gravestone of William Butler Yeats:

Cast a cold eye on life, on death, horseman pass by.

I think this was indicative of his spiritual state. I do believe he dabbled in the occult. A great poet indeed but what does it profit a man if he gaineth the whole world ... .

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI once talked about living in the bunker of lack of belief in God. At the time I did not believe either. It was a startling and uncomfortable image for me to contemplate at the time. I remember at the time Pope Benedict's exhortation that there was no need to continue living in the bunker, to come out into the light of God.

Lord have mercy on us all, and an Our Father, 3 Hail Marys and a Glory Be for the soul of William Butler Yeats.

 

It's actually a hymn. It was one of my father's favorites.
(I will pray for the soul of Yeats. Thank you for that info.)


The hymn is on this video, even though the title says Amazing Grace.

 

I don't think it is selfish of you at all. I do believe that the Lord gives us chances and opportunities to repent. It's up to us to accept the graces. In that Letter from Hell that has been posted on the forum at least a couple of times, the woman who wrote the letter to her friend from Hell said that on the day she died, she had a kind of interior message saying "you could go to Mass once more."
This was a Sunday, and she refused to go to Mass once more, got into a car accident, and went to Hell.
We can always pray for the conversion of sinners, and for souls on their deathbeds to be saved. These prayers bear fruit.

 

Our “Bishop” has now outlawed kneeling to receive communion

 

So sad.

 

Oh no. Unreal.

 

Yes. Poor Yeats. His poem The Second Coming is chillingly prophetic. I believe he was involved in the occult as were many elites at that time. Lack of belief is such a cold curse--all the worse because when you're in the grip of it you don't know the coldness of it. It seems normal. It freezes my blood to think of it. RH Benson has a short story about this in his collection The Mirror of Shallotte. Very vivid portrayal.

 

I love this hymn. The other one I think of in this context is Nearer My God to Thee.

 

These lyrics are so touching. So powerful.

 

I love that one, too. The band on the Titanic was playing it when the ship was going down.

 

Oh miker I hear you. Spiritually tired says it all. You are not alone.

 

I think it maybe true for some, however for many people particularly young people they have never been thought the faith in the first place. In my own case I had wonderful parent's. When we stand before the Lord He will ask us, where are the others? It might be good to see yourself as an agent for Christ, out on rescue missions in the course of your day, what a privilege

 

Yes I agree. I try too to be an agent but I feel tired also. I am trying to think where I can go over Christmas, post Christmas day, to renew my spirit. This has been a difficult and mentally draining year.

 

Prayers for you Maryrose that you find that place and your spirit be renewed. Peace

 

The Blessed Sacrament. Going to Adoration often - every day you can if you live near a chapel with Exposition.

 

I don't really see myself as much of a Crusader I am afraid, though I am in awe of those who do have an active Apostolate.

My favourite prayers are for those furthest away from God and those deepest in Purgatory.

I was thinking there of how it must have been for Noah as he built the Ark. How people must have laughed at him, until the rains started.

It is like this now for us, the rains have already started but very, very, few have stopped and looked up to the sky.