Mark Mallet: It's Happening! The Six Seals Are Being Opened! Part 3: The...

During The Warning - Soon - You Will Be Called To Account For All Your E...

A Plague of the skin is coming The new year marks the beginning of sorrows

Special Act of Sorrow

 

Lent and Repent

Repent

From a letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement, pope

Let us fix our attention on the Blood of Christ and recognize how precious it is to God His father, since it was shed for our salvation and brought the grace of repentance to all the world.

Jonah preaching to the Nenevites

If we review the various ages of history, we will see that in every generation the Lord has offered the opportunity of repentance to any who were willing to turn to Him.  When Noah preached God’s message of repentance, all who listened to him were saved.  Jonah told the Nenevites they were going to be destroyed, but when they repented, their prayers gained God’s forgiveness for their sins, and they were saved, even though they were not of God’s people.

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the ministers of God’s grace have spoken of repentance; indeed the Master of the whole universe Himself spoke of repentance with an oath: As I live, says the Lord, I do not wish the death of the sinner but his repentance. He added this evidence of His goodness: House of Israel, repent of your wickedness.  Tell the sons of my people: 

If their sins should reach from earth to heaven, 

if they are brighter than scarlet and blacker than sackcloth, 

you need only turn to me with your whole heart and say, 

“Father”, and I will listen to you as to a holy people.

In other words, God wanted all His beloved ones to have the opportunity to repent and He confirmed this desire by His own Almighty Will.  That is why we should obey His sovereign and glorious Will and prayerfully entreat His Mercy and Kindness.  We should be suppliant before Him and turn to His compassion, rejecting empty works and quarreling and jealousy which only lead to death.

Brothers, we should be humble in mind, putting aside all arrogance, pride and foolish anger.  Rather, we should act in accordance with the Scriptures, as the Holy Spirit says: 

The wise man must not glory in his wisdom 

nor the strong man in his strength 

nor the rich man in his riches.  

Rather, let him who glories 

glory in the Lord 

by seeking Him 

and doing what is right and just.  

Recall especially what the Lord Jesus said when He taught gentleness and forebearance.  

Be merciful, He said, 

so that you may have mercy shown to you.  

Forgive, 

so that you may be forgiven.  

As you treat others, 

so you will be treated.  

As you give, 

so you will receive.  

As you judge, 

so you will be judged. 

 As you are kind to others, 

so you will be treated kindly.  

The measure of your giving 

will be the measure of your receiving.

Let these commandments and precepts strengthen us to live in humble obedience to His Sacred Words.  As Scripture asks: 

Jesus Teaching the people

Whom shall I look upon with favor 

except the humble, 

peaceful man 

who trembles at my words?

Sharing then in the heritage of so many vast and glorious achievements, let us hasten toward the goal of peace, set before us from the beginning.

Let us keep our eyes firmly fixed on the Father and Creator of the whole universe, and hold fast to His splendid and transcendent gifts of peace and all His blessings.

Preparation for Death - St. Alphonsus Liguori

Death will Come to us all -- how will you greet it?

Preparation for Death or, Considerations on 

the Eternal Truths,

Useful to all as MediTations, 

Serviceable to Priests for Sermons

By St. Alphonsus Liguori

I am currently reading this book and it's content makes you realize the seriousness of our death and eternity... as we all shall die... and we are not certain as to when this will happen -- BUT IT WILL.  It may be this hour, this day, or 30 years from now, but WE WILL ALL EXPERIENCE IT.  The four Truths are Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell... It's up to us to decide where we want to land up... Heaven or Hell... FOREVER.

I have copied this meditation to share with you and advise you to read the whole book yourself..  See where you are in your life with Christ... it is eye opening. As Lent will shortly be upon us... it's a good book to contemplate and reform our lives....

CONSIDERATION VI

The Death of a Sinner

“When distress cometh upon them, they will seek for peace, and there shall be none.  Trouble shall come  upon trouble.” – Ezekiel 7:25

Death of a Sinner

FIRST POINT

The sinner will 

Seek God at Death, 

but He will not 

find Him

At present sinners banish the remembrance and though of death; and thus they seek after peace, though they never find it, in the sinful life which they lead.  But when they are found in the straits of death, on the point of entering into eternity, they shall seek peace, there shall be none.  

Then they will not be able to fly from the torture of their sinful conscience.  They will seek peace; but what peace can be found by a soul loaded with sins that sting it like so my vipers?  

What peace can the sinner enjoy when he sees that he must in a few moments appear before the judgment-seat of Jesus Christ, whose law and friendship he has till then despised?  

Trouble shall come upon trouble.  The news of death, which has been already announced, the thought of being obliged to take leave of everything in this worlds, the remorse of conscience, the time lost, the want of time at present, the rigor of the divine judgments, the unhappy eternity which awaits sinners all these things will form a horrible tempest, which will confuse the mind, will increase his apprehensions; and thus, full of confusion and distrust, the dying sinner will pass to the other world.  

Trusting in the divine promise, Abraham with great merit, hoped in God, against human hope. (Romans 4:18) 

But sinners, with great demerit, 

hope falsely and to their own perdition, 

not only against hope but also against faith; 

because they despise the menace of God 

against all who are obstinate in sin.  

They are afraid of a bad death, 

but they fear not to lead a wicked life.  

But who has assured them that they will not suddenly be deprived of life by a thunderbolt, by apoplexy, or by the bursting of a blood vessel?  And were they at death even allowed time for repentance, who assures them that they will be sincerely return to God?  

To conquer bad habits, St. Augustine had to fight against them for twelve years.  How will the dying man, who has always lived in sin, be able, in the midst of the pains, the stupefaction, and the confusion of death, to repent sincerely of all his past iniquities?  

Death is Near Your Sins are Before You!

I say sincerely, 

because it is not enough to say 

and to promise 

with the tongue: 

it is necessary to promise 

with the heart!  

O God! What terror and confusion will seize the unhappy Christian who has led a careless life, when he finds himself overwhelmed with sins, with the fears of judgment, of hell and of eternity!  

Oh! What confusion will these thoughts produce when the dying sinner will find his reason gone, his mind darkened, and his whole frame assailed by the pains of approaching death.  He will make his confession; he will promise, weep, and seek mercy from God, but without understanding what he does; and in this tempest of agitation, of remorse, of pains and terrors, he will pass to the other life.  

The people shall be troubled, and they shall pass (Job 34:20) A certain author says that the prayers, the wailings, and promises of dying sinners are like the tears and promises of a man assailed by an enemy who points a dagger to his throat to take away his life.  Miserable the man who takes to his bed at enmity with God, and passes from the bed of sickness to eternity.

Affections and Prayers

Christ Crucified

O wounds of Jesus! You are my hope.  I should despair of the pardon of my sins, and of my eternal salvation, did I not behold you, the fountains of mercy and grace, through which a God has shed all his blood, to wash my soul from the sins which I have committed.  

I adore you, then, O holy wounds! And trust in You.  I detest a thousand times, and curse those vile pleasures by which have displeased my Redeemer, and have miserably lost His friendship.  

Looking then at Thee, I raise up my hopes, and turn my affections to Thee.  My dear Jesus, Thou deservest to be loved by all men, and to be loved with their whole heart.  I have so grievously offended Thee, I have despised Thy love; but, notwithstanding my sinfulness, Thou hast bourne with me so long, and invited me to pardon with so much mercy.  

Ah, my Saviour, do not permit me evermore to offend Thee, and to merit my own damnation. 

Sorrowful Mother of God

O, God! What torture should I feel in hell at the sight of Thy blood and of the great mercies Thou has shown me.  

I love Thee, and will always love Thee.  Give me holy perseverance.  Detach my heart from all love which is not for Thee and confirm in me a true desire, a true resolution henceforth, to love only Thee, my sovereign good.  

O Mary, my Mother! Draw me to God, and obtain for me the grace to belong entirely to him before I die.

More insight see this homily Twenty-Second Sunday After Pentecost by Fr. Francis Xavier Weninger, 1877

http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/TwentySecond%20Sunday%20After%20Pentecost.html

Prayer of Contrition

Christ Teaching - Sermon on the Mount

Jesus, Forgive me!

O Eternal Word!  

You have spent three-and-thirty years in labors and fatigues; 

You have given Your life and Your blood for man’s salvation; 

in short, You have spared nothing to make men love you; 

and how is it possible that there should be those who know this, and yet do not love You?

O God, amongst these ungrateful ones I also may be numbered!  

I see the wrong I have done You; 

O my Jesus, have pity upon me!  

I offer You this ungrateful heart ungrateful it is true, but penitent.

Yes, I repent of every evil, 

O my dear Redeemer, for having despised You!  

I repent, and I am sorry with my whole heart.  

O my soul, love a God Who is bound like a criminal for you; 

a God scourged like a slave for you; 

a God made a mocking for you;  

a God, in short, dead upon a cross, as the vilest outcast for you!

Yes, My Saviour, let me remember, I beseech You, all that You have suffered for me that I may never more forget to love You!

O cords that bound my Jesus, 

bind me to Jesus; 

thorns that crowned my Jesus, 

pierce me with the love of Jesus;

nails that transfixed my Jesus, 

nail me to the Cross of Jesus  

O blood of Jesus, 

inebriate me with His Holy Love!  

O death of Jesus, 

make me die to every earthly affection!  

Pierced feet of my Lord, 

I embrace you; 

deliver me from hell, which I have deserved; 

my Jesus, in hell I could no more love You, 

and yet I desire to love You always.  

Save me, my dearest Saviour; 

bind me to Yourself, that I may never again lose You.

O Mary, refuge of Sinners, and Mother of my Saviour!  

Help a sinner who wishes to love God, and who recommends himself to you; help me for the love you bear for Jesus Christ.

Traditional Catholic Examination of Conscience

Examination of Conscience

It is a good practice to get in the habit 

of looking over this every night.

Before you begin, you should always ask your Guardian Angel, Mary, your Patron Saint, and the Holy Spirit to guide you as we are always so blind to our faults and how we offend Jesus.

Sins Against The Ten Commandments

The First Commandment

• Have you doubted in matters of faith? 

• Consulted fortune-tellers? Believed in dreams? 

• Made use of superstitious practices? 

• Gone to places of false worship and taken an active part in the religious services of a false church? 

• Belonged to Masons, Communists, of some other forbidden society? 

• Read anti-Catholic books or papers? 

• Neglected religious instruction? 

• Omitted religious duties through fear or ridicule? 

• Murmured against God, or despaired of His mercy? 

• Have you rashly presumed on His goodness in committing sin? Did you pray in time of temptation? For your family? 

• Have you neglected your daily prayers? Have you recited them carelessly, without devotion, thoughtlessly? 

• Have you missed spending a reasonable amount of time in thanksgiving after Holy Communion? 

• Have you been irreverent toward God, sacred persons, places or things? 

• Have you associated with people who might have a bad influence upon your life? 

• Have you refused to place signs of faith in your home, such as a crucifix, picture of the Blessed Mother or the saints?

The Second Commandment

• Have you taken the name of God in vain? Laughed at the profane use of the name of God or irreverent speech by others?

• Given bad example to children by such speech in their presence, or by neglecting to correct a child when irreverent or profane language was used? 

• Spoken disrespectfully of the saints or holy things? Allowed others in your household to do the same? 

• Sworn falsely, that is, called upon God to witness the truth of what you were saying, when you were in reality telling a lie? Sworn rashly, or in slight and trivial matters? Have you cursed persons, animals, or things? 

• Have you blasphemed, that is, used insulting language expressing contempt for God, His saints or sacred things? Have you caused others to do so? 

• Have you criticized God’s mercy or justice, or murmured against His providence?

The Third Commandment

• Have you assisted at Mass on Sundays and Holy days? Have you been late for Mass? Behaved properly in Church? 

• Have you performed or commanded unnecessary servile work, bought or sold without necessity, or in any other way – gambling, drinking – profaned these holy days?

The Fourth Commandment

• Have you shown due honor, love, gratitude and obedience to your parents? 

• Have you shown due honor and obedience to your pastors and other lawful superiors? 

• Have you asked their pardon when you hurt them? 

• Have you been disrespectful to your parents by speaking angrily to them, saying unkind, harsh words to them and about them, or by being ashamed of them?

• If you are a parent, have you shown this lack of honor, love and gratitude to your parents in the presence of your children? Have you criticized them and rejected some of their orders? 

• Have you corrected and punished your children for serious transgressions, or forbidden them to enter serious occasions of sin? 

• Have you cooperated with teachers in the education of your children? 

• Have you refused to send your children to Catholic school when you could have done so and had no permission from bishop or pastor to do otherwise? If there is no Catholic school in your vicinity, have you sent your children to catechism faithfully?

• Have you taken an interest in their catechism lessons? Have you cooperated with the Pastor and the Sisters in the projects sponsored by them to stimulate the children’s interest in the faith? 

• Have you trained and corrected your children in regard to chastity? 

• Have you been disrespectful to aged persons? 

• Have you had proper care for children and those dependent on you – both in physical and religious matters? 

• Above all, have you given them a good example? 

• If you are a child, have you refused to speak to your father or mother? Have you resented them? 

• Have you disobeyed your parents when they gave you orders to avoid bad companions or dangerous occasions to sin? 

• Have you obeyed the rules they made concerning persons to be brought into the house, the hours to be kept at night, or the conduct within the home?

• When earning money, while living at home or while still subject to your parents, have you refused them part of your earnings when they needed it or demanded it? 

• As a citizen, have you obeyed laws of the city and country made for the safety and well-being of all?

The Fifth Commandment

The fifth commandment forbids: Murder, suicide, criminal neglect that might cause serious injury or death to another, serious anger and hatred, abortion, mercy killing, the use of narcotics, sterilization, drunkenness, help extended to another to commit a mortal sin, fighting, anger, hatred and revenge.

• Have you procured, desired, or hastened the death of any one?

• Have you been guilty of anger, hatred, quarreling, revenge? 

• Used provoking language, insulting words, ridicule? 

• Refused to speak to others? Caused enmities? Given scandal? 

• Did you eat or drink too much? Have you been unkind, irritable, impatient? 

• Have you provoked others to anger offended them, hurt them by anger or impatience? 

• Have you entertained thoughts of jealousy, revenge, aversion, resentment or contempt of others? 

• Have you kept company with those who drink to excess? 

• Have you encouraged them to drink? Have you jested about their drunkenness? 

• Have you neglected your health or endangered your life? 

• Have you neglected to take care of the health of your children or those subject to you? 

• Have you endangered the life of others by driving an automobile while intoxicated or caused real danger to the safety of others in any other way?

The Sixth and Ninth Commandments

These two commandments demand purity and modesty in our life: in our thoughts, words, and actions, whether alone or with others.

In general, these commandments forbid: adultery, fornication, self-abuse, indecent dressing, necking, impure kisses, impure dancing, impure talk, sins against nature, birth control, impure touches, petting, looking at impure pictures, dances, floor shows, movies, or reading impure books or magazines.

• Have you been guilty of impure or immodest thoughts, words or actions – alone or with others? 

• Have you spoken words or phrases of double meaning? 

• Have you told suggestive stories? Have you encouraged others to do so? Have you taught others to do this? Have you avoided occasions of sin in this matter? 

• Have you guarded your sight, or allowed your eyes to wander in curiosity over obviously dangerous objects? 

• Have you put yourself in an occasion of sin by reading bad books, looking at indecent pictures, keeping bad company, attending immoral performances, watching indecent movies or television programs, singing lewd songs, and the like?

• Have you distributed obscene books or magazines? Have you informed others of places of distribution? Have you encouraged others to read them? 

• Have you desired to do impure things? 

• Have you been an occasion of sin to others, by your conversation, dress, appearance, or actions? 

• Have you touched yourself impurely? 

• If you are married, have you committed sins of impurity with another married or single person? Taken part in prolonged kisses and embraces with others beside your partner in marriage?

• Have you used contraceptive means in performing marriage duties? 

• Have you, without good reason, refused or neglected to render the marriage obligation when seriously asked?

The Seventh and Tenth Commandments

These commandments forbid: robbery and burglary, graft, bribes, stealing and damaging the property of others. 

These commandments forbid not merely stealing but every type of dishonest dealing, such as, cheating, unjust keeping of what belongs to others, unjust damage to property of others, graft on the part of public officials.

• These commandments are also violated by merchants who use false weights, measures, who make exorbitant profits or lie about the essential qualities of their goods; 

• by those who obtain money from others by persuading them to make unsound investments with the assurance of gain; 

• by those who knowingly pass counterfeit money, or take undue advantage of the ignorance or necessity of another; 

• by employers who defraud laborers; 

• by employees who waste time during working hours, perform careless work or neglect to take reasonable care of the property of their employers; 

• by employers who charge customers exorbitant prices; 

• by those who do not return what they borrowed; 

• by running up a charge account and not paying it; 

• not returning found articles; selling articles with hidden defects for the usual price; not paying one’s bills; 

• by depriving one’s family of necessities by gambling, drinking or foolish spending.

• Have you stolen or retained ill-gotten goods? 

• Damaged or wasted the property of others? 

• Accepted bribes? 

• Neglected to make restitution, or to help the poor? 

• Have you desired the goods of others? Squandered their goods? As a parent, have you taught your children a strict sense of honesty and justice, punishing any slight theft or deceit? Have you sinned in any way mentioned above?

The Eighth Commandment

This commandment forbids: lies, calumny, detraction, perjury, unjust and unnecessary criticism, fault-finding, gossip, backbiting, insults, rash judgment, the telling of secrets one is bound to keep, cheating, tale-bearing.

• Have you borne false witness for or against another? Been guilty of detraction, flattery, hypocrisy, lying, rash judgment?

• Have you entertained unkind thoughts of others? 

• Have you harbored suspicions, nursed resentments, refused to forgive others when they expressed their contrition? 

• Have you spread unkind remarks others make to you? 

• Do you discuss the faults of your parents, wife, husband, children with others who have no business knowing anything about them? 

• At home are you given to nagging, complaining, arguing, refusing to talk, calling names, petty quarreling?

• Have you brought any harm to your neighbor and have you tried to repair it, as far as you were able? 

• Have you tried to destroy the good work performed by another, or to hinder it seriously? 

• Have you been sensitive, hurt, cool, thoughtless with others?

AGAINST THE PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCH

    I. Have you observed all Sundays and Holydays as commanded by the Church?

    II. Have you kept the fast? Eaten meat on prohibited days? Encouraged others to violate the precepts of the Church? Scandalized others by your failure to obey the Church in this matter? Have you nibbled between meals?

    III. Have you gone to confession at least once a year? Received Holy Communion during Easter Time?

    IV. Are you a member of any forbidden society (Masons, Etc,)? Are you a Communist?

    V. Have you contributed to the support of the Church, school, pastor? Have you prevented others from fulfilling this obligation? Have you fomented rebellion against proper Church authority? Have you given bad example to your children by refusing to support the Church? Have you tried to teach your children to give their share for the support of the Church? Have you ridiculed those who are doing their share and often times more than their share for the support of the Church?

    VI. Have you married contrary to the laws of the Catholic Church, or aided others in doing so? Are you keeping such company that may some day prove dangerous for you and lead you to a violation of this precept of the Church? Are you encouraging others to keep such company?

OBLIGATIONS OF ONE’S STATE IN LIFE

Duties of Children

 Have you disobeyed your parents? Have you caused them to be angry? Have you grieved them? Used insulting language to them? Kept or wasted your wages you should have given them for their support? Incited your brothers and sisters or others against them? Neglected to write them or send them help? Neglected them in sickness and death?

Duties of Husbands

Have you grieved, abused, struck your wife, or accused her wrongfully? Have you neglected to provide for your family? Given your children bad example? Failed to correct their faults? Have you interfered with their religious vocation?

Duties of Wives

 Have you disobeyed your husband? Caused your children to disobey and dishonor him? Spoken of his faults to your children or neighbors? Neglected to correct your children? Have you given them bad example? Have you instructed them in their religion? Have you interfered with their religious vocation?

After the examination of your conscience, you should end your reflection by saying the Confiteor.

“I confess to almighty God, to bless Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the Saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word and deed,  (beat breast 3X), through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.  Therefore I beseech the blessed Mary, ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the saints to pray to the Lord our God for me.”

http://www.traditionalcatholicpriest.com/examination-of-conscience

from Fr. Peter Carota, Traditional Catholic Priest Blog 

RIP Father Carota passed into Everlasting Light on July 8, 2016 Please keep him in your prayers and have Masses said for him.  

REPENTANCE ALL OF US NEED IT -- Prayer by St. Alphonsus Liguori

St. Alphonsus of Liguori Spoke of Repentance

"God has said that when a sinner repents their sins are so good as forgotten.  Says Ezekiel: None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him.

Whenever you fall into a fault immediately raise your eyes to God, make an act of love and confessing your fault you may rest assured pardon.”

A Prayer for Repentance by St. Alphonsus

Say to God –

“Master, the one you love is ill, 

the heart which you love is sick, covered with sores.

Lord, have Mercy on me –

Forgive me, I’ve sinned against you.

You, God, go out in search for sinners, 

here is one at your feet, who has come in search of you.

The evil has been done – what should I do now?

You do not want me to lose confidence in You.  

Even now, after my sin, you wish me only good and 

I love you as well – as my God.

I love you with all my heart and I regret the displeasure 

I have given you.  I resolve never to do so again.

Forgive me – You, Who are God – 

Kind and forgiving, 

most loving to those who call on You.

Let me hear those words 

you said to Mary Magdalene, 

“Your sins are forgiven.”

Give me the strength to be faithful to You in the future.

Amen.

ASH WEDNESDAY - A SACRAMENTARY OF LENT

The name dies cinerum (day of ashes) which it bears in the Roman Missal is found in the earliest existing copies of the Gregorian Sacramentary and probably dates from at least the eighth century. 

On this day all the faithful according to ancient custom are exhorted to approach the altar before the beginning of Mass, and there the priest, dipping his thumb into ashes previously blessed, marks the forehead — or in case of clerics upon the place of the tonsure — of each the sign of the cross, saying the words: "Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return."

The ashes used in this ceremony are made by burning the remains of the palms blessed on the Palm Sunday of the previous year. In the blessing of the ashes four prayers are used, all of them ancient. The ashes are sprinkled with holy water and fumigated with incense. The celebrant himself, be he bishop or cardinal, receives, either standing or seated, the ashes from some other priest, usually the highest in dignity of those present. In earlier ages a penitential procession often followed the rite of the distribution of the ashes, but this is not now prescribed.

There can be no doubt that the custom of distributing the ashes to all the faithful arose from a devotional imitation of the practice observed in the case of public penitents. But this devotional usage, the reception of a sacramental which is full of the symbolism of penance (cf. the cor contritum quasi cinis of the "Dies Irae") is of earlier date than was formerly supposed. It is mentioned as of general observance for both clerics and faithful in the Synod of Beneventum, 1091 (Mansi, XX, 739), but nearly a hundred years earlier than this the Anglo-Saxon homilist Ælfric assumes that it applies to all classes of men. "We read", he says,

in the books both in the Old Law and in the New that the men who repented of their sins bestrewed themselves with ashes and clothed their bodies with sackcloth. Now let us do this little at the beginning of our Lent that we strew ashes upon our heads to signify that we ought to repent of our sins during the Lenten fast.

Taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01775b.htm