A Treasure To Be Shared

[ Estimated Read Time: 8 minutes ] "Nothing unclean shall enter [heaven]," according to the Book of Revelation. (Revelation 21:27), which explains that only the pure are allowed to approach God's presence. We have faith that God, in his mercy, offers timely opportunity for that purification. “At the end of time, the Kingdom of God will come in its fullness. After the universal judgment, the righteous will reign for ever with Christ, glorified in body and soul. The universe itself will be renewed” (CCC 1042). “Sacred Scripture calls this mysterious renewal, which will transform humanity and the world, ‘new heavens and a new earth’” (CCC 1043). “The visible universe, then, is itself destined to be transformed, so that the world itself, restored to its original state, facing no further obstacles, should be at the service of the just, sharing their glorification in the risen Jesus Christ” (CCC 1047). “We know neither the moment of the consummation of the earth and of man, nor...

There are far too many of the brethren acting like their evil inclinations and bad actions will have no consequences. Think again. Proverbs 6:16-19 There are six things which the Lord hates, seven which are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and a man who sows discord among brothers. What makes a Catholic a Catholic? It's easier to say what doesn't make one a Catholic or, more precisely, what is unbecoming a Catholic. Arrogance, conceit (James 4:16). "As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Whoever knows what is right to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." Lying . The liar is a murderer, like his father the devil (St John 8:44). Pro-choice, i.e., pro-abortion.  Canon 1398 provides that "a person who procures a successful abortion incurs an automatic (latae sententiae...

1. Natasha Carter [X/Twitter]: Can anyone pinpoint the exact moment when the world started to go to s**t? Dr. Edward Feser [X/Twitter]: Not one moment but a progressive slide down deeper into the sewer that has accelerated at key moments and is still going on: Ockham → Luther → Descartes and Co. → “Enlightenment” → French Revolution → Communism and Fascism → Sexual Revolution → YOU ARE HERE 2. Elise Ann Allen, Crux As his Asian trip – the longest of his pontificate – comes to a close, Pope Francis asked young people a series of questions about what youth do, eliciting answers such as “proclaim Christ,” “proclaim the Word of God” and “love.”  Then, in an entirely off-the-cuff speech, Francis told them to also never forget to “wreak havoc, make a mess.”  He applauded the high number of youths in the country and said, “I will never forget your smile.  Don’t stop smiling.” Comment . One could be forgiven for sighing heavily at the words "wreak havoc, make a mess."  Bad a...

Pearls before... . 1. Philanderer. Bob: "Hey Phil, would you like to come to Mass this Sunday? You've been saying how much you'd like to meet new people you can trust." Phil: "No thanks, Bob. When I said 'trust', I meant people I could trust to never call me after a one-night stand." 2. Opportunist. Mary: "Daryl is so respectful of others and is so generous with his time." Tiffany: "Yawn. I want a man who gives me lots of expensive stuff and doesn't mind me seeing other guys." 3. Arrested development. John: "Hey Debbie, would you like to go for a walk this afternoon? I hear there are some musicians playing at the bandshell in the park." Debbie: "Naw. I'm gonna face paint my cat, take videos, and post them on TikTok." 4. Delusion. Pete: "I thought you said you are a practicing Catholic. Why do you do hard drugs?" Chris: "Hey man, don't judge me. I do drugs because drugs make me a bette...

A jolly unkempt Governor Walz about to get a warm hug from his previously clandestine supporters who want to congratulate him with extreme prejudice for his work in Minnesota. I’m a retired command sergeant major. Tim Walz That declaration was not true. Associated Press, Jonathan Mattise and Richard Lardner   A smarmy  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about to get a pat on the back from his previously clandestine supporters who want to congratulate him with extreme prejudice for his work in Parliament. The budget will balance itself. Justin Trudeau, Toronto Sun interview, February 2015 Nancy Pelosi, looking wide-eyed and probably a little high, receives a visit from her erstwhile covert followers who wish to congratulate her with extreme prejudice for her work in Congress. We have to pass the bill for you to find out what’s in it. Nancy Pelosi A haggard-looking Joe Biden gets a visit from his previously clandestine supporters who want to warmly congratulate him with ext...

Urna aurea, habens manna, et virga Aaron (Hebr. 9, 4). Fecit et altare thymiamatis de lignis setim (Exod. 37, 25). A golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod. He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. Look past the folly of modern times. Take heart, and know that the Lord of the universe is bringing about the transformation of societies. The evil works of many misguided and deluded people cannot prevent the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The concept of the heart in biblical terms signifies the center of human life, where reason, will, and emotions converge. The Immaculate Heart of Mary symbolizes a heart that has achieved perfect unity with God's grace, allowing her to fully embrace God's will. Mary's response to the angel Gabriel, as "full of grace," underscores her unique role in salvation history and her capacity to bring forth Christ into the world (The Message of Fatima; Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy: Holy Mass and Opening of the Holy Door,...

It's understandable that those who haven't experienced ad orientem worship would ask, "Why is the priest's back to us when he is at the altar?" The simplest response might be to state that the priest is actually facing in the same direction as the people to worship Almighty God. This is the understanding in the Personal Ordinariates and among those who attend the older form of the Mass in Latin.  The unified sense of direction reinforces a theological understanding of rightly ordered intention, that of directing our prayers to God in a way that acknowledges the priest as alter Christus without the temptation to make him, the celebrant, the chief actor in the Mass and thus the focus of attention. Jesus is the Chief Actor in the Mass, and through the actions of the priest wed to the action of the Holy Ghost, Jesus is made present. As circumstances of the past 50 years confirm, an unfortunate cult of personality has grown up around the priest-celebrant in many or m...

OSV News | Paul Haring At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst.  Aristotle Take no delight in the fall of any man. Like anyone in a society conformed to the rule of law—well, western law at least—Fr. Rosica is innocent until proven guilty. Fr. Rosica's credibility, however, is pretty much shot, in large part due to hubris. The following links are to articles that capture the downward trajectory of Fr. Rosica's life. https://atreasuretobeshared.blogspot.com/2019/04/reasons-to-doubt-thomas-part-one.html https://atreasuretobeshared.blogspot.com/2019/05/reasons-to-doubt-thomas-part-two.html https://atreasuretobeshared.blogspot.com/2019/06/sham-sham-on-you-counterfeit_20.html https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/41576/rosica-resigns-from-salt-and-light-after-plagiarism-scandal https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/rosica-faces-sexual-assault-lawsuit https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/fr-thomas-rosica-accused-of-sexual-assault-loses...