“Dear children! Winds of evil, hatred, and peacelessness are blowing through the earth to destroy lives. That is why the Most High sent me to you, to lead you towards the way of peace and unity with God and people. You, little children, are my extended hands: pray, fast, and offer sacrifices for peace—the treasure for which every heart yearns. Thank you for having responded to my call.” -Our Lady of Medjugorje, in private revelation given to Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti, on October 25, 2023
Excerpted from “The Antichrist: The Final Campaign Against the Savior” by Father Vincent Miceli:
The Christian world is dying because of its apostasy from Christ, His Church, and their transcendent God. The erosion in Christian faith is founded on the evanescence of the Christian mind. And this loss of the Christian mind is due largely to the treason of Catholic intellectuals who have gone lusting after the wisdom of the world.
We are witnessing today the eclipse of true theology, that is, the study of God and of God’s creatures in relation to Him as known by reason and revelation through the teachings of Christ and His Church as she contemplates, follows, and grows up in Him. What is taught as theology today is not the science of God, but the science of men’s thoughts about God. This amounts to a historical and genetic study of the leading ideas of all religions, a discipline that does not assume or even investigate the truth of these ideas, but is solely interested in discovering the steps of evolutionary process whereby they have come to be what they are. There is no true theology today because there no longer exists a Christian mind, a consciousness aflame with love for the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Excerpted from “Because God Is Real” by Dr. Peter Kreeft:
The Church teaches with Christ’s authority. But “authority” does not mean “power.” “Authority” is not “might” but “right.” The world’s concept of authority is that “might makes right”; the Christian concept of authority is that “right makes might.” The word “authority” contains the word “author.” “Authority” means “author’s rights.” God is the author of our very being; He is our Creator. That’s why He has authority: not because He has the might (though He does) but because He has the right.
And instead of exercising His right to rule over us directly, He has given authority to human intermediaries, He has chosen to rule us through human means: popes and bishops and priests—and parents, and civil rulers, whether kings and queens or parliaments and congresses.
These “rulers” are all servants, not our masters. Christ made that clear when He washed His disciples’ feet and said that that was how His authority was supposed to be exercised by them: in service (see John 13:14-17). It’s a radical change from the world’s notion of authority as power.
“A sacrifice to be real must cost, must hurt, must empty ourselves. The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, the fruit of service is peace.” -Saint Teresa of Calcutta
“Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good life let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity. And the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:13-18)
“Tremble, you women who are at ease, shudder, you complacent ones; strip, and make yourselves bare, and put sackcloth upon your loins. Beat upon your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine, for the soil of My people growing up in thorns and briers; yes, for all the joyous houses in the joyful city. For the palace will be forsaken, the populous city deserted; the hill and the watchtower will become dens for ever, a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks; until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust for ever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” (Isaiah 32:11-18)
Pope Francis’ Prayer for Peace, on October 27, 2023:
Mary, look at us! We stand here before you. You are our Mother, and you know our struggles and our hurts. Queen of Peace, you suffer with us and for us, as you see so many of your children suffering from the conflicts and wars that are tearing our world apart.
This is a dark hour. This is a dark hour, Mother. In this dark hour, we look to you, and in the light of your countenance we entrust ourselves and our problems to your maternal Heart, which knows our anxieties and fears. How great was your concern when there was no place for Jesus at the inn! How great was your fear when you fled in haste to Egypt because Herod sought to kill Him! How great was your anguish before you found Him in the Temple! Yet, Mother, amid those trials, you showed your strength, you acted boldly: you trusted in God and responded to concern with tender care, to fear with love, to anguish with acceptance. Mother, you did not step back, but at decisive moments you always took initiative: with haste you visited Elizabeth; at the wedding feast of Cana you prompted Jesus’ first miracle; in the Upper Room you kept the disciples united. And when, on Calvary, a sword pierced your heart, Mother, by your humility and strength you kept alive the hope of Easter through the night of sorrow.
Now, Mother, once more take the initiative for us, in these times rent by conflicts and laid waste by the fire of arms. Turn your eyes of mercy towards our human family, which has strayed from the path of peace, preferred Cain to Abel and lost the ability to see each other as brothers and sisters dwelling in a common home. Intercede for our world, in such turmoil and great danger. Teach us to cherish and care for life—each and every human life!—and to repudiate the folly of war, which sows death and eliminates the future.
Mary, how many times have you come, urging prayer and repentance. Yet, caught up in our own needs and distracted by the things of this world, we have turned a deaf ear to your appeal. In your love for us, you never abandon us, Mother. Lead us by the hand. Lead us by the hand and bring us to conversion; help us once again to put God first. Help us to preserve unity in the Church and to be artisans of communion in our world. Make us realize once more the importance of the role we play; strengthen our sense of responsibility for the cause of peace as men and women called to pray, worship, intercede, and make reparation for the whole human race.
By ourselves, Mother, we cannot succeed; without your Son, we can do nothing. But you bring us back to Jesus, Who is our Peace. Therefore, Mother of God and our Mother, we come before you and we seek refuge in your Immaculate Heart. Mother of mercy, we appeal for mercy! Queen of Peace, we appeal for peace! Touch the hearts of those imprisoned by hatred; convert those who fuel and foment conflict. Dry the tears of children—at this hour, so many are weeping!—be present to those who are elderly and alone; strengthen the wounded and the sick; protect those forced to leave their lands and their loved ones; console the crestfallen; awaken new hope.
To you we entrust and consecrate our lives and every fibre of our being, all that we possess and all that we are, forever. To you we consecrate the Church, so that in her witness to the love of Jesus before the world, she may be a sign of harmony and an instrument of peace. To you we consecrate our world, to you we consecrate especially those countries and regions at war.
Your faithful people call you the dawn of salvation; Mother, grant that glimmers of light may illumine the dark night of conflict. Dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit, inspire the leaders of nations to seek paths of peace. Queen of all peoples, reconcile your children, seduced by evil, blinded by power and hate. You, who are close to all, shorten our distances. You, who have compassion on everyone, teach us to care for one another. You, who reveal the Lord’s tender love, make us witnesses of His consolation and peace. Mother, Queen of Peace, pour forth into our hearts God’s gift of harmony. Amen.
