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Author Topic: Savonarola's signs of the coming Renewal of the Church  (Read 2853 times)

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Savonarola's signs of the coming Renewal of the Church
« on: April 27, 2022, 05:23:09 PM »
From The Selected Writings of Girolamo Savonarola; there's a sermon wherein he lays out ten signs of God's displeasure with the Church that indicate a coming Renewal. It was prophetic of his time with the later Counter-Reformation after the chastisement that was the Protestant Revolution for the decadence of the Renaissance. Yet, also coincides even more strongly, in my opinion, with our own time.


Quote
Let us now begin with the reasons I have been citing for many years gone by, which demonstrate and prove the [coming] renewal of the Church.
Some reasons are probable, and, so, they can be contradicted. Others are demonstrable and, so, cannot be contradicted because they are founded upon Holy Scripture. Those which I will tell you are all demonstrable, all founded on Holy Scripture.

The first is propter pollutionem praelatorum [On account of the uncleanness of prelates]. When you see a good head,
you say that the body is well; when the head is bad, woe to the body. So,
when God allows ambition, lechery, and other vices to be [found] in the head of government, believe that God’s scourge is near. I [will] prove it to you: go, read IV Kings about Sedecias’ end, where it says: Dominus irascebatur contra Jerusalem [IV Reg. 24:20]. Item, in I Kings, where it says that God allowed David [sic; Saul?] to sin in order to punish the people. One reads the same about Manasses [IV Reg. 24:3]. So, when you see God permitting the heads of the Church to overflow with wickedness and simony,
say that the scourge of the people draws near. I do not say that it is [now] in the heads of the Church; I say when you see it.

The second is propter absumptionem [On account of the removal] of the good and the just. Whenever God takes away the holy and the good, say that the scourge is near. This can be proved: when God wanted to send the Flood, He removed Noe and his family [Gen. 6]. Item, He rescued Lot from Sodom when He wanted to burn it [Gen. 19]. Consider how many men can be found nowadays whom you can call just and good, and so, say that the scourge is near and that the wrath and the sword of God has moved.

The third is propter exclusionem iustorum [On account of the exclusion of the just]. When you see that a lord or leader of government does not want the good and the just near him, but banishes them because he does not want the truth to be told, say that God’s scourge is near.

The fourth is propter desiderium iustorum [On account of the desire of the just]. When you see that all men of good life desire and call for the scourge, believe that it has to come soon.
Look today and see if everyone cries out for the scourge; believe me, Florence, your punishment would already have come if it were not for the prayers and devotions of the good; believe me that today you would be a wasteland.

The fifth is propter obstinationem peccatorum [On account of the obstinacy of sinners]. When sinners are obstinate and do not want to be converted to God and neither value nor appreciate those who call them to the good way, but always go from bad to worse and are obstinate in their vices, say that God is angry. This reason and the two preceding can be proved by what God did to Jerusalem, when He sent so many prophets and holy men to try to convert that people, but they remained obstinate and hunted down the prophets and stoned them, while all the good seemed to be crying out for the scourge. Likewise, many miracles were sent to Pharaoh, but He remained obstinate [Ex. 7–10]. And so, Florence, expect the scourge, since you know how long you have been told to be converted, and yet you have remained obstinate. And you, Rome, Rome!
You, too, have been told, and yet you remain in your obstinacy, and so expect the wrath of God.

The sixth is propter multitudinem peccatorum [On account of a multitude of sinners]. Because of David’s pride the plague was sent [II Reg. 24]. Consider whether Rome is full of pride, lust, avarice, and simony! Consider whether her sins are continually multiplied, and say, therefore, that the scourge is near, and the renewal of the Church is near.

The seventh is propter exclusionem virtutum primarum, scilicet charitatis et fidei [On account of disregard for the primary virtues, that is, charity and faith]. In the time of the early Church, no one lived without complete faith and complete charity. Consider how much of these are in the world today.
You, Florence, want to look after your ambition instead, and everyone promotes himself. Believe that you have no remedy but penance, for the scourge of God is near.

The eighth is propter negationem credendorum [On account of the denial of belief]. Consider that today it seems that no one believes and has faith any more, and everyone, in effect,
says, “So what?” When you see this, say that the scourge is near.

The ninth is propter perditum cultum divinum [On account of the decay of divine worship]. Go, see what is done in God’s churches and with what devotion people attend. Today divine worship has run to ruin! You will say, “Oh, there are so many religious and so many priests, more than there have ever been before! Would that we had fewer!” O clergy, clergy, propter te orta est haec tempestas! [Because of you this storm has arisen!] [approximates Ion. 1:12] You are the cause of all this wickedness! And yet, everyone thinks himself blessed if he has a priest in the house. But I tell you that the time will come,
and soon, when they will say, “Blessed is that house without a tonsure in it!”

The tenth is propter universalem opinionem [On account of universal opinion]. See, everyone seems to be preaching and waiting for the scourge and tribulations, and everyone seems to feel it would be just that punishment for such great iniquity should come.
The abbot Joachim [da Fiore] and many others preach and announce that this scourge has to come at this time. These are the reasons why I have preached to you about the renewal of the Church.
-p. 63-65


Re: Savonarola's signs of the coming Renewal of the Church
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2022, 10:15:58 PM »
Is this the same person who was excommunicated by the Church and burned for his heresies? :confused:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girolamo_Savonarola


Re: Savonarola's signs of the coming Renewal of the Church
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2022, 10:24:40 PM »
Is this the same person who was excommunicated by the Church and burned for his heresies? :confused:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girolamo_Savonarola
Wikipedia is not a good source.

Falsely accused and burned. Pope Alexander VI excommunicated him, yes, but then turned around and allowed him confession, communion and gave him a special indulgence before his execution. Which is odd given that he was "excommunicated".

Several Popes after his martyrdom, including St. Pius X and Pius XII, honored Savonarola greatly. St. Pius V declared his writings free of heresy, schism and other errors.

Re: Savonarola's signs of the coming Renewal of the Church
« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2022, 10:32:41 PM »

Great find DL!

I'd never heard of him  :confused:


Re: Savonarola's signs of the coming Renewal of the Church
« Reply #4 on: April 27, 2022, 10:33:10 PM »
Is this the same person who was excommunicated by the Church and burned for his heresies? :confused:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girolamo_Savonarola

To add on to what DL wrote, Savonarola wrote The Triumph of the Cross as a defense of the Faith, but also as a means of defending himself against the accusation of heresy. It has been said that Michelangelo often carried around this book. I have read some of it, and what I have read, I have found to be excellent. 

http://traditio-op.org/biblioteca/Savonarola/The-Triumph-of-the-Cross.pdf