Signs of the Times  

     "As with individuals, so with nations.  These, too, must necessarily tend to ruin if they go astray from 'The Way.'  The Son of God, the Creator and Redeemer of mankind, is King and Lord of the earth, and holds supreme dominion over men, both individually and collectively."                                                                               POPE LEO XIII


     "We are indeed now very far removed in time form the first beginnings of Redemption:  but what difference does this make when the benefits therof are perennial and immortal?  He who once hath restored human nature ruined by sin the same preserveth and will preserve it forever.
       "He gave Himself a redemption for all." (1Tim.2:6)
       "In Christ all shall be made alive." (1Cor.15:22)
       "And of His Kingdom there shall be no end." (Luke 1:33)
    Hence by God's  eternal decree the salvation of all men, both severally and collectively, depends upon Jesus Christ.  Those who abandon Him become guilty by the very fact, in their blindness and folly, of their own ruin; whilst at the same time they do all that in them lies to bring about a violent reaction of mankind in the direction of that mass of evils and miseries from which the Redeemer in His mercy had freed them.
     Those who go astray from the road wander far from the goal they aim at.  Similarly, if the pure and true light of truth be rejected, men's minds must necessarily be darkened and their souls deceived by deplorably false ideas.  What hope of salvation can they have who abandon the very principle and fountain of life?  Christ alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life. (John 14:6)  If He be abandoned the three necessary conditions of salvation are removed....
       ...All our life on earth is the truthful and exact image of a pilgrimage.  Now Christ is the "Way," for we can never reach God, the supreme and ultimate good, by this toilsome and doubtful road of mortal life, except with Christ as our leader and guide.  How so?  First and chiefly by His grace; but this would remain "void" in man if the precepts of His law were neglected.  For, as was necessarily the case after Jesus Christ had won our salvation.  He left behind Him His Law for the protection and welfare of the human race, under the guidance of which men converted from evil life, might safely tend towards God.  "Going, teach ye all nations...teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." (Matt.28:19-20)  "Keep My commandments." (John 14:15)
      ....Moreover, to bear and to suffer is the ordinary conditio of man.  Man can no more create for himself a life free from suffering and filled will all happiness that he can abrogate the decrees of his Divine Maker, who has willed the consequence of original sin should be perpetual.  It is reasonable, therefore, not to expect an end to troubles in this world, but rather to steel one's soul to bear troubles, by which we are taught to look forward with certainty to supreme happiness.  Christ has not promised eternal bliss in Heaven to riches, nor to a life of ease, to honors or to power, but to longsuffering and to tears, to the love of justice and to cleanness of heart...."                                POPE LEO XIII




   While those in charge of this great nation aspire to the "godfather" of community organizers Saul Alinsky, teaching them two basic principles: "1)  there is no such thing as dogma; 2) there is no fixed rule of ethics, 'ethics must be elastic to stretch with the times' -- the end justifies the means."


 EXCERPT FROM "GOSPEL OF LIFE" ADDRESS OF BISHOP FINN-
                                               -'WE ARE AT WAR'

   "...But it is correct to acknowledge that you and I are warriors--members of the Chruch on earth--often called the church Militant.  Those who have gone ahead of us have already completed their earthly battles.  ome make p the Church Triumphant--Saints in heaven who surround and support us still [Note: 5 new saints this week in Rome]--tremendous allies in the battle for our eternal salvation; and the Church Suffering [souls in Purgatory who depend on our prayers and meritorious works and suffrages].
      But we are the Church on earth--the church Militant.  We are engaged in a constant warfare with Satan, with the glamour of evil, and the lure of false truths and empty promises.  If we fail to realize how constantly these forces work against us, we are most like to fall, and even chance forfeiting God's gift of eternal life.
      ....Every day the choice is before us: right owrong; good or bad; the blessing or the curse; life or death.  Our whole life must be oriented toward choosing right, the good, the blessing, choosing life.    If you and I fail to realize the meaning and fianlity behind our choices, and the intensity of our constant warfare that confronts us, it is likely that we will drop our guard, be easily and repeatedly deceived, and even lose the life of our eternal soul.....this work of speaking about the spiritual challenges before us is not just the responsiility of the Bishp.  I am not the only one entrusted with the work of faith, hope and charity.  You are baptized into this Church Militant. You are also entrusted with the mission of righteousness.  You have the fortification of the sacraments, and the mandate to love as Jesus loved you.  You share in the apostolic mission and the work of the Church.
     ....Our battle is ultimately a spiritual battle for the eternal salvation of souls--our own and those of other people.  We are not engaged in physical battles in the same way military soldiers defend with material weapons.  We need not--we must not--initiate violence against others persons to accomplish something good, even something as significant as the protection of human life......
      ....So let's be clear: human beings are not Satan, but certainly they can come under his power; without their fully realizing it.  When we, in our sinfulness, put something in the place of God; pleasure and convenience; material success; political power and prestige, we open a door for the principalities and contrary spirits who war against God.  They want you and me for their prize.  When we forsake God and outwardly reject His Laws and what we know to be His Will, we make an easy victory for our supernatural enemies--we fall right into their hands............................................."