Signs of the Times  

 

      In his pastoral letter, Bishop Ito said that it would have been difficult to believe in a message from Our Lady that is so terrible unless there was overwhelming proof that it was indeed from Her.  But he points out that the terrible chastisement of which Our Lady speaks is on the condition:  IF MEN DO NOT REPENT AND DO NOT BETTER THEMSELVES!   The Bishop added it is a serious warning, while at the same time one perceives it in the maternal love of Our Lady.  In Her message warning the world of the annihilation of a great part of humanity, She said: "The thought of the loss of numerous souls makes me sad."


     How do we repent and better ourselves?  Repentance in a "sorrow of heart and detestation for sin committed "with the resolution not to sin again." (Council of Trent, xiv, ch.4).  Once mortal sin has been committed, an act of contrition must be genuine, must comprise all mortal sins committed, must spring from a motive that has reference to God and include a hatred of sin as the greatest of evils (this is the common teaching of theologians).  Contrition is termed perfect when it arises from the pure love of God; by perfect contrition, sin is forgiven even before it is manifested in the sacrament of Penance, though the obligation of Confession remains.  What are the sins most prevalent today which are calling God's wrath upon us?  We see wholesale violations of the first three Commandments. 
      The first Commandment:  I AM THE LORD THY GOD, THOU SHALT NOT HAVE STRANGE GODS BEFORE ME  -- In summary, we find in the Catechism of the Council of Trent, the Catechism of Pope St. Pius X and the Baltimore Catechism, that the frist Commandment forbids idolatry, superstition, spiritism, tempting God, sacrilege and sins against Faith by apostasy, heresy, indifferentism and by taking part in non-catholic worship. 
      The second Commandment forbids using the Lord's Name in vain (blasphemy).....
      The third Commandment deals with keeping holy the Sabbath Day.  It is evident for all to see that Sunday has become a day of business as usual.  People doing unnecessary work, and many other examples could be cited here taking us further from the initial purpose of the "day of rest in the Lord"....
        .........This impending chastisement can be averted if enough people pray the Rosary daily and do penance appropriate for their state in life which Our Lady requested at fatima in 1917....