Reflections
A thoughtful reader remarked recently that it seemed that there has been an “agenda” in everything I have republished lately, and he is correct. I was pleasantly surprised that anyone noticed! A few years back we had our Reflections Newsletter and I composed the articles in order to lead readers to think about the meaning behind events. But I don’t believe many understood. Looking at one issue of Reflections, from May of 2020, I noticed:
In the first article, the interview Sister Lucia gave to Father Augustin Fuentes in December, 1957, she explains that “the devil does everything to overcome souls consecrated to God, because in this way the devil will succeed in leaving the souls of the faithful abandoned by their leaders, thereby the more easily will he seize them.” Also, “The devil wishes to take possession of consecrated souls…”
In that, I was hammering again on the need to support our priests with prayer and sacrifice/penance. A favorite theme of mine.
But here is another important quote I’d like you to take to heart:
“Each person must not only save his own soul but also all the souls that God has placed on our path… The devil does all in his power to distract us and to take away from us the love for prayer; we shall be saved together or we shall be damned together.”
This, of course is where we are now. Our few faithful priests often have all the powers of hell arrayed against them and insufficient support from their own leaders, who should be leading and assisting them, but often work against them. It is only our priests who offer the Holy Sacrifice and provide us with our soul-sustaining sacraments in this time of trial. If we value the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, if we value the sacraments, we must pray and sacrifice for our priests.
In that newsletter from 2020, I also remarked on the then current Voris/SSPX controversy. My reply to questions about the “priest abuse crisis” in the Society, was, “How many rosaries have you prayed for their priests? How many Novenas? How much penance, reparation have you made? These men are under diabolical attack – do we join the attack or do we offer spiritual support?”
Saved together or damned together
Please dear readers – when you choose who to spend your time with online, consider what Sister Lucia said – do not waste time on those who sow controversy in order to hike up their page views. We must spend the limited time we have left supporting our priests and all our weak brothers and sisters in Christ with prayer and sacrifice, or we will be held accountable. “We shall be saved together or we shall be damned together.”
The second article included in that old Reflections newsletter was the one about St. Hildegard’s Vision – The Figure of a Woman. My reason for including it is to remind us all where this is going. The path of Pope Francis can only lead to catastrophe and his attempts to abuse the power he has usurped can have but one end, vividly foretold by St. Hildegard’s vision. I do hope that it is in some way clear that what she refers to as “filth” refers not only to perversity in sexuality, but also to perversity of doctrine and practice, which is actually even greater an offense. The latter makes one the more susceptible to the former. And in both types of perversity, deceit and conflict abound.
Divide and Conquer
The devil wants most of all to get us attacking each other. Let’s refuse to follow the devil. In this dark time, we cannot withstand his power without the assistance of the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts. These loving hearts are our salvation; we must accept our weakness with humility and turn to them in childlike trust. Not relying on ever more “news” to feed our insatiable curiosity; nor on sensational controversies, nor on senseless chattering on social media. Of course, you already know this or you would not be here!
Dross into Gold
Now, that brings me to the last of the articles included in that Newsletter, “Dross into Gold”, which relies on Sister Josefa’s beautiful “The Way of Divine Love”. One point of that article was that today, satan destroys so many by way of their self love. There is an aspect of this in every false devotion. As we read of Our Lord’s words to Sister Josefa and to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque as well, we are struck by the care that Our Lord takes never to tempt their natural (original sin) tendency to love being flattered. On the contrary, Christ makes certain to target our misery and wretchedness. Had either saint resisted His words, they would have proved themselves unworthy. In the false devotions, we see otherwise.
Now, when we apply that lesson, we see how necessary our little penances are. We cannot advance except by heart-felt penance. We must learn to “go against the grain” so to speak.
There is a very real ebbing of grace from this world, and we are terribly weakened. As if that weren’t frightening enough, look around and notice how many others are even worse off. They are deliriously drunk on the swill of modern “science” and “entertainment” and cannot help themselves. And we are responsible for them! We cannot help ourselves, much less others without Our Lady of the Rosary and her instructions to us through the message of Fatima.
Sister Agnes Sasagawa
And now, one last thing. I’ve been tangled up in several attempts to discuss the latest purported message received by Sister Agnes Sasagawa. (Note – this was three years ago.) The reports I have read are inconclusive. No information is given regarding her mental status and it is not clear that it was truly a message from Our Lady.
I do know that (name deleted) is using the Message of Akita to promote his false devotion to “The Lady of Nations who used to be called Mary” which is pernicious nonsense. If we believe in the true apparitions of Our Lady of the Rosary at Fatima, we cannot trot after these endless false devotions. Compare the false devotions to the Message of Fatima. The Immaculata calls us to devotion to her Immaculate Heart in order to lead us to Jesus, our only salvation. Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is the sure path to Jesus because of her purity, humility and obedience; she is impervious to the wiles of the devil. When we are united to her by way of our rosaries, scapulars and total consecrations, we too will be able to resist satan’s power. But only with her. Only. with. her.
Do not go astray after other devotions. Stay with true devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Yes, Mary is mediatrix; that is already well established. But why would Our Blessed Mother distract us from her urgent and already approved message at Fatima – which has not been obeyed yet – to go running around after some proclamation of her as Mediatrix? That is a distraction.
Our Lady of the Rosary demands something quite different. “Do not offend Our Lord any more.” Penance. Reparation. Make of everything a sacrifice. Devotion to her Immaculate Heart does not include pious sounding diversions to lead astray the gullible faithful.
We must focus and turn to our Blessed Mother as her children and beg her to teach us and strengthen us through her Holy Rosary. Unite our Rosaries to devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament and the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Until the First Saturdays and the Consecration of Russia are complied with, we will not have peace and the chastisement will only intensify until those who survive will envy the dead. No false devotion will save you. Nor will it save your loved ones. Think. Focus.
Money, Power and Worldly Acclaim
Just as in the controversy between Voris and SSPX, money and power are at play, so with these false devotions. Tell me please, what profit Sister Lucia or Sister Josefa made. They were always humble and obedient and poor. And they never, never promoted themselves. Then, note the tax exempt status and the self-promotion of those who profit from false devotions. Then, think on what Our Lord says about the world hating us if we follow Him.
If the world pays you well for your work, chances are you may be serving the wrong Master.
We don’t really have time or energy to spend on anything but the saving truth of Our Lord Jesus Christ. In these times, that is devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ and the Immaculate Heart of His most Blessed Mother. Nothing else avails.
Remember – Our Lady needs us to obey: First Saturdays of Reparation, daily rosary, at least 5 mysteries, wear her brown scapular and live your Total Consecration to her Immaculate Heart, offering daily duties in reparation and for the conversion of poor sinners.
Open your hearts to the Lord and serve Him only: and He will free you from the hands of your enemies. With all your heart return to Him, and take away from your midst any strange gods” (I Kings 7:3)
† Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of our hearts, Mother of the Church, do thou offer to the Eternal Father the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, for the conversion of poor sinners, especially our Pontiff.
† Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy kingdom come! Viva Cristo Rey!
† St. Joseph, protect us, protect our families, protect our priests.
† St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
~ by evensong for love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, King. Vouchsafe that I may praise thee, O Sacred Virgin! Give me strength against thine enemies!