I have been celebrating Mass at a local parish while the pastor is away the past few weeks. Many of the readings during that time concerned the prophets and their message and trials. I was moved to reflect once again on the prophetic dimension of our Baptism in Christ-Priest, Prophet and King. Several decades ago, the great Archbishop Fulton Sheen said, “The prophetic voice of Christ has all but been stilled in the Church today.” To the degree we fail in this prophetic mission, the world will sink into oblivion under the increasing weight of its sins.In my lifetime, the United States has gone from quite a wholesome, rational, and moral country, to one that is largely decadent, irrational, and immoral. Most people seem to be hardened to it, unconcerned that we have a death wish in process.
First it was artificial contraception, then abortion, then partial-birth abortion, then infanticide (all of which have been supported by many liberal politicians at one time or another, even some running for president) not to mention euthanasia, and outright killing of the disabled and sick. Actually, it’s even worse. Terri Schiavo wasn’t sick. She didn’t die from an illness. They killed her by starvation, a very cruel way to die.
Now it’s same sex marriage (no transmission of life, no fruit of natural love) and we call it inclusive and just. It is yet another nail in the coffin of a society that is clearly dying. Every stage of life is under assault by the forces of death. From prevention of life through artificial contraception, to abortion-which is homicide by definition in each case (the taking of the life of an innocent human being), and genocide taken as a whole. Preventing life, ending life from the youngest to the oldest. We call it progress. It is a death wish, and we had better watch what we wish for.
“All that evil requires to prosper is that good men remain silent.” The hour is late. We have had years to change course. Instead, we have obstinately refused and gone from bad to worse. May God have mercy on us, and grant us the courage and strength to act in accordance with that truth.
God bless you,
Fr. John Corapi
June 28, 2008 at 4:24 am
In response to empyreannotes, I have a few comments. First, I agree with Father Corapi that things have turned drastically sour in this country since when I was young (’50’s). That is not to say that there was no wrong doing, then and now; but at least the majority of people knew right from wrong and valued reason over insanity. People respected God, themselves, and those in authority; most of those who didn’t tended to keep it to themselves. Then came the entry and acceptance of drugs in the public domain. At first, unspeakably horrid, senseless crimes were committed, then it was okay to murder children in the womb because of pregnancy for the sake of sex. After all, they were just a mass of cells before the first trimester (one of many lies people started to buy into). Then, came the acceptance of aborting a child as he or she heads through the birthent canal; the mother would rather murder the child then put it up for adoption.
You questioned the “wholesomeness” of getting an abortion in an alley. Why don’t you question the wholesomeness of getting an abortion at all and forget the where and how? A director of an abortion clinic (aka mill) spoke at our prayer group after a conversion. She told us that more mothers went out in body bags with their babies then what the general populace knows. She also told us that abortions were performed on women who were not pregnant. These are not moral people – the so called doctors are in it to make a buck.
Back when I grew up, young girls wanted to become wives and mothers, nobody forced us.
We must lament over these times because if we fail to acknowledge the difference between good and evil then our country will meet the fate of Sodom and Gommorah. I think that you are young and ignorant of how it used to be and have been brainwashed by t.v. or your friends. Become informed with the facts. Read history and find out what happened to people who made evil “choices”.
Finally, obtain a reputable Bible in modern English and read all of it. You will see that Jesus did not say, “Get out of the church and go out in the street.” Jesus created the church with Peter and the church that is now recognized as catholic was born on Pentecost.
June 28, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Nature itself is in revolt at what man is doing. The momentum of a coming chastisement is gaining speed daily–all we can do is pray and fast and beg for God’s Mercy. Mother Teresa said that God does not punish His children–He disciplines them—we are much need of this as a nation, as painful and difficult as the curing medicine is. Through the Eucharist and the Rosary we will be able to survive what lies ahead.
Father Corapi is a prophet of our time–anyone that scoffs at what he is warning is a fool.
June 28, 2008 at 4:13 pm
a.i.proctor, thanks for your comments, which I think are spot on. All Christian work begins in church, and only after a good period of prayer and worship and receiving God’s grace in the sacraments should we go out into the streets. Only being nourished by our Catholic faith can we achieve anything good for Christ. Surely the amount of evil in the world has “ramped up” quite a bit since the 50s. We are at the point now where structures of sin exist in our society that are normalized in people’s minds. People don’t even recognize sin and evil anymore, it is so commonplace. Thanks.
June 28, 2008 at 5:04 pm
I love Father Corapi, and make a point to watch his sermon/homlies as much as possible.
He has a show on EWTN on Saturday evenings which I enjoy very much, as it is by far one of my favorite television programs.
EWTN in general, is one of the best channels available on cable and satellite these days.
I am proud to proclaim that because of Fr. Corapi, my Faith in Christ, and my enthusiasm for active participation in the Catholic Church is stronger than it ever has been in my life.
I discovered Fr. Corapi a while back, and I thank God for the blessing and the enlightenment that I have received due to Father’s wisdom and insight. His words are very inspirational.
I sincerely love the Monsignor at my Parish, but I would love to get to see and hear Fr. Corapi at a live Mass if ever given the opportunity. He is truly one of a kind.
God Bless!
June 28, 2008 at 5:47 pm
“Where sin abounded, grace has more abounded; and so, just as sin reigned wherever there was death, so grace will reign to bring eternal life thanks to the righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:20-21)
Remember Jonah, he came out alright
But we MUST act…there is the say, but what are we doing?? Back in my court…really nothing…I have just now been inspired to ACT. Let’s TAKE BACK OUR COUNTRY to the Love of Jesus…betcha we could…for everything is Christ Jesus is POSSIBLE!!
LET US PRAY AND FIGHT THE BATTLE of UNDOING in ourselves…I ASK YOU, as Paul wrote so many ions ago, WHO IN THE WORLD CAN SEPARATE US FROM HIS LOVE???!!! with His mercy and GRACE, we can help turn this country around…we know what needs to be done…help us Lord to DO IT!
His Peace and Love and the Kingdom of God is already in you who believes in Jesus, Our Lord,
Greg
June 28, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Yes the hour is late and Christ will surround His children with a wall of fire as mentioned in scripture. Many people are living in a world of denial. sin cuases a curse throughout society soon God will remove his hand of protection. We reap what we sow. You have religion or realationship people??? You will see the economic collape come upon the land. besides the weather the soon coming birth pains will be upon us.
June 28, 2008 at 9:51 pm
I am very inspired by Father Corapis life and his sermons. They are so full of hope. Our world is in such a state of moral collapse, we need more prayers and more people to take their religion seriously. Where has all the respect and reverence gone? I also believe people need to change their ways before it is too late, stop using all the liberal hollywood people as role models, are you kidding? God help us all!!!
June 29, 2008 at 2:39 am
This is so true Lay people have to speak out and spread the truth and evangelize to those who are living in sin. Pray for God’s Mercy
http://www.johnpreiss.wordpress.com
June 30, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Do you mind if I ask a few questions?
What about denials of the Shoah? What about Neo-Nazi skinheads who beat, smash, and throw eggs, stones, and dung at people who don’t fit into their vision? What about the repression of the Taliban? What about apartheid? What about right-wing eugenics? What about calls to destroy Israel and the Jews? What about screeds against immigrants and their champions? If the sins of liberalism are insane, then why can’t the sins of conservatism also be insane?
I appreciate empyreannotes’s comment. I’m afraid that evil does not come only from the liberalism or from modernity or from postmodernity. I do not support liberalism as a socio-political ideology, but I cannot support conservatism in good conscience either. I am trying to ask questions to lead this discussion into a constructive and fair-minded direction. Thank you for your time.
February 3, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Dear Father John,
I was watching EWTN last evening and rivited by you solid uncompromising teaching about The Sacraments, and how you found God.
I would love to hear more from you.
Peter Bewers. Jersey ,C.I.
February 4, 2009 at 4:49 am
Peter
Thanks for replying to this post. I myself have had the opportunity to meet with Fr. Corapi during my conversion to Catholicism in the late 90’s, and he helped me in several ways with very few words. I assure you he is an fount of authentic teaching into the depths, widths and heights of the spiritual life, and I recommend highly his site found above at the end of the post… This article (here on Fratres) came from e-mail updates sent out from his own site… God bless– james mary evans