Be patient - In the end - We win!

Today at Holy Mass Jesus in the Gospel of St John again warns his….."I have told you this so that you may not fall away. They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me. I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you”……..What is wrong is considered right and what is right is considered wrong….This sad reality has not changed…Jesus Christ did nothing wrong and he had enemies - And those enemies had him put to death - Why? - Because they would not change for one and secondly, Jesus threatened their power - This reality has not changed to this very day….Powerful people are not in “the business” of giving their power away - And frankly “The Truth” is simply an obstacle for them…..But history tells us - As well as our faith - That the Truth can not never be destroyed!…..This is why the Catholic faith has lasted as long as it has….The enemies of the Church are not objective students of history….The Church has been violently persecuted to this very day - And has outlasted all its oppressors…Empires have come and gone - Dictators have come and gone - Violent Ideologies have come and gone…But the Catholic Church remains…It cannot be destroyed!…Why - For one God said so…..”And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it”……Secondly, the Truth is written in the hearts of of all men…We can ignore it, try to “bury it”, twist it…But the Truth is what it is - It remains…..Any objective student of history can see what I just wrote very clearly…This is why when Jesus challenged the first disciples about consuming his very flesh - And many turned away from him - Jesus then asked St Peter if he too would turn away…This is what St Peter said….“Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life”…St Peter understood - There is no other path to eternal life!…….And to “pretend” like there is, frankly is not to live in reality……The Truth will set you free but before that happens we must accept the Truth as it is….We are not at liberty to change what cannot be changed - Never mind defeat what can never be defeated

“The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord, and you also will testify”

In time, the Truth is always revealed…This statement always proves to be true….We as Catholics need to be more patient….In the short term, the faithful many feel like all is lost - That there is no hope - Be patient!!!……Man has his hour but the Lord will have his day!…….Many times when we are young, we “think” we know it all…Our bodies are strong and we have tons of energy - We also do not know how the world “operates” yet…So we “think” we have all the answers…How many times in your life someone told you something when you were young that at the time made no sense at all - But when you got older, looking back, what that person said made all the sense in the world…It may have been your parents, a teacher, a coach, a police officer - Someone in authority who cared about you - Who tried to help you - But you thought you knew better….One of the greatest revelations of my entire life came to me when I was around twenty-two years old…I tried while I was away at University to live as “the world” told me too - Only to walk away heartbroken in the end…I can remember when I came home from University and seeing my parents and understanding for the first time that they DID know what they were talking about…And I DID NOT….Some people listen to good advice and never have to go through what I did - But sadly, most have to suffer and through their suffering come to understand that God’s way works…And that is exactly what I “figured out” - God’s way is the right way and “my way” does not work…..When we fully “digest” this idea - Life begins - And so does our journey back to God - Its a grace to understand this concept and one can not “read their way” to this grace….Our Lady when Jesus performed his first public miracle said these words…..“Do whatever he tells you”…Mary gives us the same advice today - And its in our best interest to take that advice - And if we choose to ignore it - There is a price to pay, both now and in eternity - That is the Truth and there is nothing anyone can do to change it……God is reality and doing things God’s way works

“Let them praise his name in the festive dance, let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp. For the LORD loves his people, and he adorns the lowly with victory”

Today Jesus in the Gospel at Mass once again warns us - The world is not interested in the Truth and if we as Catholics embrace the fullness of Truth, we will have trouble……But even in the midst of persecution and hardships, living as a Catholic has its advantages…..For one, we are on the right side of history….And history, time and time again proves this to be true…..All the adversaries of the Church are long gone but the Catholic Church remains…..And if we live as Catholics and embrace the Truth in its fullness, we too we remain firm - We will live forever with the Lord in heaven - Nothing the world can “throw at us” can change that…..So let the “wind blow”  - Let the earth shake! - Let the tyrants rant!….There is nothing they can do to take us from the Lord……Remember the words of Jesus as he was confronted by the power of the Roman Empire: “You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above”………”This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again”……Catholics should never live in fear - We need to live the Truth boldly - And if the gates of hell fall upon us - Fear not - Jesus walks with us…..The Truth will prevail……..”I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world”……..Be patient - In the end - We win!……JMJ