Now Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way He asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” And He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to Him in reply, “You are the Messiah.” Then He warned them not to tell anyone about him. He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke this openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke him. At this He turned around and, looking at His disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after Me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Mark 8:27-34)
This blog will not be a popular one, I predict. Just as, I’m sure, Jesus words above were not popular with His disciples. Jesus revealed to them He would not be the type of Messiah they were hoping for – one who would make their lives easier and save them from suffering in this life. (Remember His comments about the Road to Perdition and that Narrow Path.)Matt Warner in his recent blog Thank God for the HHS Mandate talks about how this horrendous law, which forces American’s to pay for contraception and abortifacient drugs regardless of their religious beliefs, is actually an opportunity for education in truth and for heroic witness to the Catholic faith. Please read this blog, and then consider what I have to say.
I want give you two hypothetical scenarios. Remember, I said HYPOTHETICAL…
In one scenario, after November 6, 2012, Barack Obama is re-elected as US president, and things remain as they currently are, economically and socially, and our country continues on its path to restrict religious freedom and Christian belief. Much suffering of the faithful ensues, and intensifies.
In the other scenario, Mitt Romney is elected president, and he repeals Obamacare and the HHS mandate, and his policies stimulate economic recovery and the country eventually returns to a time of “peace and prosperity.”
I assert that, despite the fact that suffering may be avoided in the second scenario, many souls may still be in grave jeopardy should our cultural path continue in its current direction and the errors of many so-called “Catholics” and “Christians” are not corrected.
This is NOT to say that I support the re-election of one of the most pro-abortion, Christian-hostile administrations in the history of the United States. I am not encouraging you in any way to vote for politicians whose very platform contains intrinsic evils. I am also not saying that you should refrain from voting either. PLEASE VOTE!
I am saying that the words of the Serenity Prayer may be apropos here. Whether or not our vote affects change or does not, the most important thing for all of us should be concern for our eternal salvation, and the eternal salvation of our neighbors. Nothing else really matters.
If the future, whatever it brings, includes persecution and suffering for our Church, it may be God’s will for the salvation of His children. Hold on to your Miraculous Medals. Considering what is happening throughout our world today, we may be in for a bumpy ride, fellow faithful Catholics…Blessed Jose Luis Sanchez del Rio, pray for us.
