Today’s readings:
1 Maccabees 4:36-37,52-59
1 Chronicles 29:10-12
Luke 19:45-48
In his zeal for his Father’s house, Jesus drove out the merchants from the Temple. The religious authorities did not like it. “The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death” (Lk 19:47b).
We face a similar situation today. States promote the culture of death, especially abortion and LGBT, while liberal Church authorities collude with them. The modernist spirit of the age is focusing on the well-being of man and neglecting the righteousness of God, in effect pushing authentic Christianity into a trajectory of death. The Church herself is being weakened by the day and is in a death spiral, with the resulting spiritual death of many souls.
What can be done about this? Authentic Catholics have to speak out and to rise up. The situation is desperate. We must stand for our Church and for God’s righteousness. This is what the Maccabees did, against all odds, against the powers of temporal and spiritual authorities. They waged a holy war. And they succeeded! They crushed their enemies and purified the sanctuary that had been desecrated (1 Mc 4:36). “So the whole army assembled, and went up to Mount Zion.” (1 Mc 4:37). God’s people are an army!
What are we to fight against? The most egregious evils are abortion and LGBT. The faithful Maccabeans “offered sacrifice according to the law” (1 Mc 4:53a). Today many liberal Catholics offer the sacrifice of the unborn child to Moloch through abortion. This is the greatest evil that needs to be fought against and overcome. Further, “on the anniversary of the day on which the Gentiles had desecrated it, on that very day it was rededicated with songs, harps, lyres, and cymbals.” (1 Mc 4:54). Today, liberal Catholics including clerics have desecrated the sacred altar by placing LGBT Pride flags in front of it, and have desecrated the host consecrated on the altar by giving it to pro-aborts and active LGBTs.
The fight against powerful forces is intense. We need to turn to our God who has given us our mission. “Yours, Lord, are greatness and might, majesty, victory, and splendor.” (1 Chr 29:11a). As God has given us our mission, He gives us what we need to accomplish it. “In your hand are power and might; it is yours to give greatness and strength to all.” (1 Chr 29:12b).
With God, we, our families, and our mission, will be greatly blessed. Beyond bounds. We just need to remain faithful to God’s call. So we give thanks in all circumstances and we pray without ceasing. “Therefore, our God, we give you thanks and we praise the majesty of your name.” (1 Chr 29:13). Then we can truly rejoice, as we seek to remove the evils all around us, and as we see the good God enables us to do. “There was great joy among the people now that the disgrace brought by the Gentiles was removed.” (1 Mc 4:58).
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