Is this 1937 Germany, or what?

I know, the brainwashed groupthink praise has an African twist to it here -- you wouldn't see something like this under Hitler, because he was leader of Germany, not Zimbabwe. But the fact that a bunch of people are totally brainwashed to think their leader is beyond human -- and the choreographed, public praise of one man by an entire crowd -- that much is similar.

By the way, as they enter, they are chanting "Alpha, Omega".

Matthew

I think that before the Great Monarch arrives, we should try as much as lies within us to be "mini" great monarchs -- that is, strive to push forward the cause of Jesus Christ and His Church, and fight the forces of evil with all our power.

We should use all our talents and strength to oppose the yoke of heathen slavery that they are trying to impose on all of us.

We need to be wise as serpents and simple (innocent) as doves -- emphasis on the "wise as serpents" part. The forces of evil had better realize that we have no small amount of talent on "our side". We're going to make it difficult for them, as much as it lies within our power.

It's going to take a lot of mortification and other virtues to succeed in any way.

I certainly think we need to stick together on this one.

Matthew

I was speaking to a friend earlier about taking a retreat.  My point to him was: Even if we can and do make a retreat of 7, 15, or 30 days, even doing so every year, we will get nowhere spiritually unless we make a retreat every day.  

Perhaps it would help people to live the faith (at the risk of saying the obvious) to find a saint that they can really relate to, and keep that example before them. How often do we even think of our patron saints? Is there a saint or doctor of the Church whose teachings we try to recall in our lives? It does help. It's easy to say "strive for sainthood" ... but every day we need to recall that goal to our minds, and we need the example of those who were like ourselves, who did achieve it, before our minds, so that we can be encouraged to follow their example and perhaps use some of their solutions to similar obstacles in our own lives, to achieve our own sainthood.

I agree with you wholeheartedly that our "retreat" needs to be every day. Not everyone can afford to take the time or trip to a real retreat (however beneficial this is if you can do it). Some, out of simple weakness, just never will. But we can begin with the saints and their teachings to make our whole lives our "spiritual life".

In this era where error reigns supreme, and the powers of darkness are clearly at work to destroy morality and decency, and even social justice and ethics, what can be more important that the soldiers of Christ... we confirmed Catholics... actually start fighting this war on the ultimate home front... in our lives, our minds, our hearts and our souls, trying to do what God exhorts... 'be ye perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.'

Are we soldiers going to fight? or are we going to hide in foxholes of comfort and delusion while the enemy overruns first the kingdom (for everything is subject to God), and finally ourselves? If we don't like what we see, then the only course of action is for the soldiers of Christ to wage the ultimate warfare... to make for their King an army of saints, powerful in example and prayer.

Being a soldier is tough... but the world we live in is what we get when the most important fight (that eternal struggle of each man for perfection) is abandoned... or not ever begun.

Pray for the consecration of Russia!