THERE is a Scripture burning on my mind these days, especially in the wake of finishing my documentary on the pandemic (see Following the Science?). It’s a rather surprising passage in the Bible — but one that is making more sense by the hour:
The victor will inherit these gifts, and I shall be his God, and he will be my son. But as for cowards, the unfaithful, the depraved, murderers, the unchaste, sorcerers, idol-worshipers, and deceivers of every sort, their lot is in the burning pool of fire and sulfur, which is the second death. —Rev 21:7-8
It seems rather severe that “cowards” would be included among the other evils. But when I see what has taken place over the past year — the absolute deficit of spiritual leadership, the lack of courageous men and women in medicine, science, politics and the media (including the Catholic media) that have allowed a handful of ideologues to run rough-shod over actual science; how the general public has en masse capitulated to fear; how social media giants have behaved like fragile children unable to allow debate; how neighbours became snitches; how friendly store owners became control freaks; and how clergy abandoned the flock for the safety of the status quo… I think one can understand now why Jesus once uttered the phrase:
…when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? (Luke 18:8)
Don’t get me wrong: I’m not sitting here in a cocoon of self-righteousness thinking I’m the brave one. On the contrary, I have been begging the Lord to give me the grace to persevere to the end and asking my wife to pray for my courage. For with each passing day as we see the ruling elite intent on stamping out freedom in the name of “protecting” the public under the heading “The Great Reset“,[1] it should be clear to all that the Church’s days in the West — at least as a permissible legal entity — are numbered. As governments continue to pass outrageous immoral statutes, sacrifice babies, overturn the natural law, worship political correctness, and obviously discriminate against churches (especially during lockdowns), the hierarchy — save for a handful of the same courageous few – remain in ghastly silence. It has been hard not to be discouraged as we’ve watched Our Gethsemane emptied of apostles as well.
All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be dispersed.’ (Mark 14:27)
Perhaps we are still under the presumption that we can play politics with our current civic leaders — continue to give them Communion in hopes that will placate their power-mongering and spare our tax-free charitable status for another year. But I thought we, the Catholic Church, existed to save souls at any cost? That assumption of our leadership died in many places when bishops stopped giving the sacrament of Baptism, Confession, the Eucharist and the “last rites” when people needed them most. One priest was so terrified to leave his rectory for fear he might contract COVID-19, that he pretty much cancelled everything. Yes, there’s another Scripture on my mind these days:
For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. (Mark 8:36-38)
Some might retort “That’s easy for you to say.” On the contrary, the threat against those who expose the pseudo-science and blatant lies of the current pandemic response is real. Cancel-culture is real. And the hatred of Catholicism is growing by the hour. However, despite the growing rage of the mob with their lit torches and pitchforks, I’d rather be judged ill by men than by God. I’d rather stand before His Throne some day able to say, “Well, I didn’t impress my peers much, but I tried to be faithful to You.”
As the fifth church was burned to the ground within a two week span in Canada yesterday — a beautiful architectural jewel where I once gave a concert several years ago — I recall what I wrote you just over a year ago in Exposing This Revolutionary Spirit during the riots in America:
Watch out. Because—mark my words—you are going to see your Catholic churches defaced, vandalized, and some burned to the ground not long from now. You will see your priests go into hiding. Worse yet, some Catholics are already bringing to fulfillment Jesus’ other prophecy:
…in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. (Luke 12:53)
While I have admittedly had to fight a terrible spirit of discouragement this past week at the incredible lack of courage I see in grown men, I also see the grace and mercy in all this. Jesus will do nothing nor permit anything that cannot, in some way, work toward the salvation of souls — including allowing the infrastructure of the Church to be razed to the ground. The status quo has become poison to the Church’s faith. Liberalism in the form of the “Fr. James Martins” of the world is not only tolerated, but praised. But God forbid we hear priests speak the Gospel truth; God forbid they express their faith with passion; God forbid a layman without a Masters in Divinity dare preach the Gospel; and God forbid we actually take prophecy and the apparitions of Our Lady seriously, lest we appear as emotionally unstable to our uber-rational, oh-so-scientific generation.
Forgive me for my sarcasm, but I am tired. However, I am not resigned. How does one say “no” to Him who said “yes” to me on the Cross — the ultimate Victim of cancel culture? Yes, that’s how Satan works; he roars, intimidates and cancels: he canceled God. But God rose from the dead and cancelled Satan who is now on very borrowed time. Along with those who are behaving like cowards who ought to know better.
In fact, what has left me so inspired recently is not churchmen at all, but that handful of scientists and doctors in my documentary who, knowing the anti-intellectual cancel-culture they were facing, heroically spoke up nonetheless.
One was an atheist; others agnostics; one a Buddhist, etc. and yet, they began to speak about good and evil — something long ago abandoned at many pulpits. Even militant atheist, Richard Dawkins, mounted a stronger defense of the Church than some its members.
There are no Christians, as far as I know, blowing up buildings. I am not aware of any Christian suicide bombers. I am not aware of any major Christian denomination that believes the penalty for apostasy is death. I have mixed feelings about the decline of Christianity, in so far as Christianity might be a bulwark against something worse. —The Times (remarks from 2010); republished on Brietbart.com, January 12th, 2016
Well, it’s clear to those with eyes to see what this “something worse” is: “The Great Reset” — global communism (see The Great Reset and Isaiah’s Prophecy of Global Communism) riding on the wings of fabricated crises, a fine-tuned propaganda machine, and the cowardice of a Church that has lost sight of its mission.
The Lord is going to shake things up — a Great Shaking. The Holy Spirit is coming as in a “new Pentecost” and I believe many of those hiding from their own shadows will emerge again stronger in their faith for the “final confrontation” of this era. But that doesn’t change what I or they have to do for today (because we may not have tomorrow and many souls need to hear the truth today). As you read St. John Bosco’s vision below, which ship are you in?
At this point, a great convulsion takes place. All the ships that until then had fought against the Pope’s ship are scattered; they flee away, collide and break to pieces one against another. Some sink and try to sink others. Several small ships that had fought gallantly for the Pope race to be the first to bind themselves to those two columns [of the Eucharist and Mary]. Many other ships, having retreated through fear of the battle, cautiously watch from far away [cowards]; the wrecks of the broken ships having been scattered in the whirlpools of the sea, they in their turn sail in good earnest to those two columns, and having reached them, they make themselves fast to the hooks hanging down from them and their they remain safe, together with the principal ship, on which is the Pope. Over the sea their reigns a great calm. —St. John Bosco, cf. miraclerosarymission.org
So let us come out from behind the hedges and imitate the bravery of the saints before us. Defend Christ and His Church. Stand up for goodness, for righteousness, for good science, good politics, good people, but above all, the Good Gospel — without which even the “good” cannot be saved.
Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them… (Ephesians 5:11)
Do it at all costs and do it with great humility, gentleness and love. But for God’s sake and your own, make sure you actually do it. This is the hour of the greatest saints in history to be forged. The only question left is: Where are they?
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