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Even more alarming of the votes tallied for this Time-Warner all-time list were the fact that most selected epitomized rebellion or irreverance, people like Picasso, Chekhov, Lenny Bruce, Aretha Franklin, T.S. Eliot, the Beatles, Coco Chanel, Charlie Chaplain, and James Joyce. All led troubled lives and challenged God through their lifestyles and actions. Now it is true these were selected for the degree they influenced life as artists during this century, but they have not molded a solid legacy but rather a fleeting footnote in the annals of time. Missing from these lists were notables who contributed much to civilization and culture such as Walt Disney, who must be turning over in his grave at the dire direction his beloved company has taken since his death. Ol' Walt created many characters but never one with the anti-authority image exhibited by Bart Simpson whose parents are illustrated as a group of brainless morons who Bart has to rescue. That is the problem today in this permissive society where too many kids are dictating to parents and society what they "want" to do and what they don't want to do.
And speaking of dictating, how many of us realize the media dictates to us day-in and day-out? And we buy it. Bart Simpson is a fabrication of the media, manipulated to influence and tempt the youth of our country into greed and avarice. We should be aware of the power the media - the false prophets - wield today, telling us what we should and shouldn't do. Excuse us, but isn't that God's responsibility? But the media have elevated themselves as gods and designated the gods they want to project on the public. And the public, like meek sheep, accept whatever is put before them. In a word, we are puddy in the hands of these master manipulators of the subliminal. In bed with the Madison Avenue mavens, they cleverly and sinisterly weave in enough truths with all the lies to con us into believing anything. Isn't that the way the father of lies works? So therefore it only makes sense that they would extoll the actions of an animated non-entity over the virtues promoted by the master of values and the one man in the world who God-fearing citizens respect and look to for guidance, whether they are Catholic or not - the Pope. But the media has an insidious method to their mayhem, and so they have launched a subliminal campaign to downgrade the Church and weaken the influence of the Holy Father. Thus we have an increase of Catholic bashing today, a steady influx of cleverly placed news stories that demean the Pope through association, through inference without a thread of proof. Such is the story carried in our News & Views today about a U.S. report that accuses the Vatican of being an accomplice in smuggling gold confiscated from the Nazis via Croatian ties. Again, there is no evidence, no iota of proof offered, but the implication makes the Holy See and Pope Pius XII guilty by association. Enough is enough! The constitution of the U.S. provides that all are considered innocent until proven guilty, but the media infers guilt on the innocent so cleverly that they are able to fabricate the truth and turn public opinion to their own mind-frame. This is the way Adolf Hitler was able to mesmerize a nation and it is being done even more cleverly today by the fuhrers of the media. It has been said the greatest victory for satan in this century was convincing the world he doesn't exist. His disciples have followed the devil's script well, convincing the mass that they only report the news. Don't believe it for a moment. These false prophets, who Jesus warned us about in Matthew 7: 15, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.", are truly wolves who will devour anyone who stands in their way. Make no mistake about that. They treat the public as chattel with no regard for values or consequences. The invention of Bart Simpson is a prime example. That brings us to a comparison. If the name Bart Simpson and Pope John Paul II were placed on a ballot, who do you think would come out as the most influential of this century? Chances are we all would vote unanimously for the Vicar of Christ, not just because of our loyalty to the Holy Father and our Church, but also because no man has had a greater influence on the world than this quiet Pole who has governed the Church for nearly two decades and who receives respect from leaders of every nation on the face of this globe. These world leaders may not all agree with him, but they are all in awe of him and hold a healthy respect and admiration for this man who played such a pivotal role in bringing down the Iron Curtain and keeping the agenda to curb world population at bay. Even Winston Churchill or any of the U.S. presidents did not have the clout and respect internationally that John Paul II commands. Now the vote from parents and those over 40, maybe even thirty, would be a runnaway for the Holy Father, but what about our kids and those born after 1960? We fear ol' Bart would garner the majority of votes because of the shallow perception of life today. Can you imagine Bart Simpson gaining greater recognition than the Pope? In the word of Homer Simpson, Bart's bumbling dad: "d'oh!" What's wrong with this picture?!?
Saint Paul says in his Epistle to Titus, 2:9-10, "Exhort servants to be obedient to their masters, in all things pleasing, not contradicting, Not defrauding, but in all things showing good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God, our Savior in all things." Yet we've forgotten those wise words and challenge everything. As Americans we think we have the right to question everything and do it the way we want to do things. Mental anarchy! We misquote the Constitution and hide behind it to proclaim our freedoms that we think are our right. But there is a greater order that was laid down by a higher Power long ago and it still holds true today.
Our loyalty is misplaced because we don't know what to be loyal to and why we must be loyal to being with. Blame it on the great false prophet of or day - the media, blame it on complacency within the Magisterium of the Church in not passing on the doctrines of the Church to younger generations, blame it on satan! But blame is an excuse, blame is for losers and we're winners for man is God's greatest creation.
Loyalty begins with God. It ends with God. In the middle is our life on this earth, and that life must constitute man-made laws because we were all born with original Sin and therefore are a weak, selfish, sinful people. In the Old Testament, God told the people what was His Will, what was right, detailing everything from the Ten Commandments to specific Jewish rituals and specifications in Exodus, Numbers and Leviticus, and expected them to obey. When they didn't, God punished His people then and there. No ifs, ands, or buts. His Justice came and the people were wiped out.
In the New Testament, the New Law given by Jesus Christ fulfilled the Old Law, brought it to a completeness manifested in the two great commands, "Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself" (cf. Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12:31, and Luke 10:27). In this great commandment, Loyalty is essential. Loyalty to God, loyalty to our neighbor and to ourselves as God created us to be in His image and likeness; that is loyalty, that is obedience.
When we take God out of the picture, loyalty goes out the window - and the world's done a pretty god job of that! When we can't even agree about the life and teachings of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and must argue vehemently every point of Scripture, then we've lost the whole meaning of why God sent His Only-begotten Son to live among us, to teach us, to live and die for us, and to be raised from the dead for us as proof of Life Everlasting. Without God at the helm, it's too easy to dissent with the teachings of the Church.
History proves this theory fact as documented in this month's installment of The History of the Mass on the causes and effects that led to the Protestant Revolt. Why? Because man had a better idea than God and the Magisterium of the Church failed to convey the true teachings to all. It was too easy for men like Martin Luther, John Calvin, Huldreich Zwingli, Lefevre d'Etaples, John Wycliffe, John Huss, Henry VIII, et al to dismiss the words of the Vicar of Christ, the Pope, and to rationalize that the pontiff was out of touch with the populace and the times. Sound familiar? Replace the above names with people like Andrew Greeley, Richard McBrien, Francis Kissling, Karen Armstrong, and also Cardinal Martini of Milan (and his horde of like-minded ecclesiae including a too vocal block of "the-Pope's-out-of-touch", liberal, humanistic pro-women-priests-soft-on-abortion-and-homosexuals faction of U.S. bishops who strongly favor the all-inclusive language and back ICEL by pushing for the New Revised Standard Version Bible and the New American Bible which the Canadian bishops have already installed and which Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger representing the Vatican, REJECTED strongly a few years ago! Yet, many bishops and laity blatantly foist the NRSV and NAB liturgy on us. Check your parish missalettes and see if your pastor is being loyal. If not, ask him why in a loving, but firm manner. It's not majority rule. Parish Councils do not dictate the liturgy, Sacraments, or teachings of the Church. The Bishops through their appointed pastors do. We must be loyal to them as representatives appointed by the Pope, who was appointed by Christ! We cannot veer from this hierarchical order or we're in big, big trouble! The modernists have tried to sabotage everything the Holy Father has proclaimed - from his encyclicals to the translation of the Catechism to his health - or not proclaimed, such as altar girls and all-inclusive language!
You get the idea! The same atmosphere that permeated the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries is prevalent today with almost the same conditions which makes it ripe for another great schism in the Church. The only difference is that the man the Holy Spirit has placed on the Throne of Peter in this critical day and age is strong and holy and will not compromise with those who would coerce and sabotage him. And as much as the false prophets cry out that Pope John Paul II is out of touch, the remnant grows in loyalty to him (witness the record throngs in the Philippines two years ago at World Youth Day or the massive crowds last year in Paris or South America, even Cuba) because they know he is Christ's true Vicar on earth! There are no questions. The Pope says it; it's Catholic doctrine, end of discussion!
Next installment: part two on loyalty.
My precious little ones, you remain too attached to the world, even to your memories. You cling to all things as if they were your source of strength. This is false. God alone is strength. Come then to Him, Your Heavenly Father, and let your very weakness become strength through Him.
Do you not realize that all strength comes from union with God? I come by the authority of the Triune Divinity to teach all of my children the way to a deep spiritual intimacy with God.
You have not fully understood my words for you allow too much of your finite thinking to dilute my words to your understanding. No, my dear ones, this must not remain the pattern for the times are very critical. At every instance your world is changing and you cannot grasp this, particularly because the sources which you rely upon for information are controlled by satan, and you are kept ignorant.
I solemnly tell you that each day all that has been foretold from all ages and is recorded in Scriptures comes to fulfillment. And I ask each of you now to rededicate and consecrate yourselves to me and to fall upon your knees and beg the Triune Divinity to bring about the Triumph of my Immaculate Heart. Pray ardently for unity of mind and heart through the grace of the Holy Spirit. I solemnly tell you there shall come this unity. But before it comes you must endure the terrible darkness.
My children, the evil one is outraged, knowing well he shall not win and how swiftly the time flies before he is forever chained to his own hatred.
Now is the time to decide for God, to obey Him, adore and honor Him as Author of all creation. Now is the time to be counted among the faithful remnant. Please remember my Son's Passion. Walk this sorrowful way with Him every day. Please do not grow cold because you cannot fathom that which will transpire in your world.
Oh! How God loves you. How I love you and want you with God for all eternity. Come to my Immaculate Heart and allow me to lead you as a True Mother to my Son. Come , I wait, I pray, I weep, I hope.
To all my little ones, my victims of love, I bless you and give you God's peace! Thank you for responding to my Call!
Do you realize why you do this? Because in your weakness you believe satan's lies and desire a moment of earthly pleasure, earthly comfort, never thinking of your Heavenly home.
I tell you, my little ones, God exists. He is love and justice. He has prepared for all who love Him a place that cannot be described. Yet your faith, which takes root and is nourished in your heart, believes in Heaven because it remembers Heaven, which is God.
My little ones, why are you so afraid to receive God's peace and to convert your life. Over and over I say: Pray! Pray! Pray! Still you do not understand fully how to pray, or even why you must pray.
It is not a drudgery, my little ones. It is the sweetest song, a melody of celestial glory which is caught up into the fulcrum of love - the Trinity. You cannot conceive how even one prayer offered to God from the heart causes Merciful Love to be poured forth upon the earth.
My children, soon you will realize that it is futile to attempt to bring goodness to your world by any man-made means. It is futile because satan rules the world and he, the evil one, is disunity and discord. He will never allow minds and hearts to be transformed and made one by God. Prayer, my children, ardent and unceasing, is the key and I continue to offer it to you. Do not think you cannot pray, those who have just obligations of family or job. You all must and can pray from the heart if you will to pray, will your entire being to become a flaming prayer.
Do this now, my dear ones, so I may give constant bouquets to my Son's Sacred and Wounded heart. Do not become fatigued, for that is what the evil one desires. Be firm, my little ones, for all around you satan gathers his forces to take full control of the world.
I solemnly tell you this will happen and the moment is very close. Unless you become a living prayer you will be swept away with the demon's hordes. By prayer you remain obedient and therefore secure in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and in my Immaculate Heart.
Listen, o my children. The darkness is already upon you. Hear my loving words and respond with your heart.
I love and bless you. Thank you for responding to my Call!
