Two’s Company, Three’s a …
Adolf Hitler wielding the Spear of Destiny (Lance of Longinus)
(Notice the Unholy Spirit, as a Light Bearing Dove)
J.M.J. + O.B.T. + M.G.R.*
Where there are two, a third pillar of truth usually goes unnoticed. But why is it hidden in the shadows or so easily dismissed?
A case in point. Reading Fr. Peter West’s well-written commentary concerning the larger issues involved in the Suleman Octuplet story, one encounters the following truth about life and love:
Contraception and sterilization are immoral because the procreative (life-giving) dimension of the conjugal act is deliberately separated from the unitive (love-giving) dimension of the conjugal act, so that actions by which God may choose to give life are deliberately rendered infertile. In vitro fertilization disassociates the love-giving dimension from the life-giving dimension.
http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/abbott/090212
We must recognize that this break, this great divorce between the life-giving and love-giving dimensions of a divinely inspired and humanly willed act, owes its origin to ”Lucifer’s Lance.” This lance divided Adam from Eve, and man from God—both as a result of “the” original sin. Launched straight from hell, this lance severs the human heart and breaks relationships. We should all take a moment to visualize this reality and ponder it deeply.
On Calvary we see Longinus,.the dutiful Roman centurion, bearing this same lance to strike at Lucifer’s intended target, the Sacred Heart of our Lord and Savior. Does this not bring back to mind the tragedy of the Garden of Eden and mankind’s disobedience/fall from grace? This time however, the Father is glorified through Christ’s obedience even unto death. In this darkest minute of this darkest hour (when the curtain of the Tabernacle is torn in two) Jesus Christ, the Word of God triumphs, for the merciful river of blood and water flows from His side for the life of and due to His love for all humankind. Even Longinus is converted. The Divine Merciful Heart of Jesus has two glorious beacons streaming from this one terrible yet beautiful wound. Don’t we see them issuing forth and seeking lost souls? The Light of the World overcomes the darkness every time.
The evil one desires nothing less than to destroy both true life and true love. He succeeds in doing this because we refuse to look at light, life and love as one, in their original integrity as gifts from our Almighty God and Father, through, with and in Jesus, by the action of the Holy Spirit. When we refuse to see this as a Trinitarian gift we also fail to see the “dividing and conquering" as an anti-Trinitarian Luciferian assault.
Lucifer the “Light Bearer” wants us to forget the gift that he received, awesome light-based power. Yet he can only wield it in the negative to create false light, to create shadows. As Satan or as the Devil he lurks in these shadows, hiding from the Light of Truth, over whom he has no power. Lucifer/Satan/Devil— we might do well refer to him as LSD with all the baggage that lysergic acid diethylamide brings to mind, or Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds as a song relating this lost connection with reality. LSD as an acronym for the evil one might help us to keep an eye on him to better recognize his works of lying and deceit. After all Lucy is the feminine of Lucien, and St. Lucy did lose her eyes as part of her glorious martyrdom.
God’s first spoken words in Sacred Scripture are “Let there be Light.” Yes, before there was human life, before there was human love, there was light. God’s light is the invisible third pillar/rod or third side of this triangle. The breakdown between life and love is only possible when one fails to see the intrinsic light of truth, the natural law written in man’s heart, when one is blinded by ignorance, passion or mortal sin. Just as a tripod is an extremely stable foundation, so too are light, life and love.
When one is blinded by ignorance (like St. Paul was) we must hope that an encounter with the Risen Lord, the Great Light of Truth will shock this person back to reality, to a life devoted to God and serving His holy will. When it is the passions that blind, we must hope that the resultant fall from grace will lead the conscience to experience the guilt and remorse that leads to repentance. When the blindness is caused by insolent serious sin and a hardening of the heart and when this sin is institutionalized to be societal sin (abortion, pornography, euthanasia, normalizing of the homosexual lifestyle) we must hope for God’s unfathomable mercy, for it alone can overcome such evil.
Today mankind appears blind to the relational dynamic of Light, Life and Love as it relates to the Most Holy Trinity and to man’s true mission here on earth—to know, love and serve God.
We are living in a sinful age, where the mandate of justice cries out for God to act.
Let us pray that the Sun of Justice illumines our hearts and provides one more opportunity for true repentance and reform.
A case in point. Reading Fr. Peter West’s well-written commentary concerning the larger issues involved in the Suleman Octuplet story, one encounters the following truth about life and love:
Contraception and sterilization are immoral because the procreative (life-giving) dimension of the conjugal act is deliberately separated from the unitive (love-giving) dimension of the conjugal act, so that actions by which God may choose to give life are deliberately rendered infertile. In vitro fertilization disassociates the love-giving dimension from the life-giving dimension.
http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/abbott/090212
We must recognize that this break, this great divorce between the life-giving and love-giving dimensions of a divinely inspired and humanly willed act, owes its origin to ”Lucifer’s Lance.” This lance divided Adam from Eve, and man from God—both as a result of “the” original sin. Launched straight from hell, this lance severs the human heart and breaks relationships. We should all take a moment to visualize this reality and ponder it deeply.
On Calvary we see Longinus,.the dutiful Roman centurion, bearing this same lance to strike at Lucifer’s intended target, the Sacred Heart of our Lord and Savior. Does this not bring back to mind the tragedy of the Garden of Eden and mankind’s disobedience/fall from grace? This time however, the Father is glorified through Christ’s obedience even unto death. In this darkest minute of this darkest hour (when the curtain of the Tabernacle is torn in two) Jesus Christ, the Word of God triumphs, for the merciful river of blood and water flows from His side for the life of and due to His love for all humankind. Even Longinus is converted. The Divine Merciful Heart of Jesus has two glorious beacons streaming from this one terrible yet beautiful wound. Don’t we see them issuing forth and seeking lost souls? The Light of the World overcomes the darkness every time.
The evil one desires nothing less than to destroy both true life and true love. He succeeds in doing this because we refuse to look at light, life and love as one, in their original integrity as gifts from our Almighty God and Father, through, with and in Jesus, by the action of the Holy Spirit. When we refuse to see this as a Trinitarian gift we also fail to see the “dividing and conquering" as an anti-Trinitarian Luciferian assault.
Lucifer the “Light Bearer” wants us to forget the gift that he received, awesome light-based power. Yet he can only wield it in the negative to create false light, to create shadows. As Satan or as the Devil he lurks in these shadows, hiding from the Light of Truth, over whom he has no power. Lucifer/Satan/Devil— we might do well refer to him as LSD with all the baggage that lysergic acid diethylamide brings to mind, or Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds as a song relating this lost connection with reality. LSD as an acronym for the evil one might help us to keep an eye on him to better recognize his works of lying and deceit. After all Lucy is the feminine of Lucien, and St. Lucy did lose her eyes as part of her glorious martyrdom.
God’s first spoken words in Sacred Scripture are “Let there be Light.” Yes, before there was human life, before there was human love, there was light. God’s light is the invisible third pillar/rod or third side of this triangle. The breakdown between life and love is only possible when one fails to see the intrinsic light of truth, the natural law written in man’s heart, when one is blinded by ignorance, passion or mortal sin. Just as a tripod is an extremely stable foundation, so too are light, life and love.
When one is blinded by ignorance (like St. Paul was) we must hope that an encounter with the Risen Lord, the Great Light of Truth will shock this person back to reality, to a life devoted to God and serving His holy will. When it is the passions that blind, we must hope that the resultant fall from grace will lead the conscience to experience the guilt and remorse that leads to repentance. When the blindness is caused by insolent serious sin and a hardening of the heart and when this sin is institutionalized to be societal sin (abortion, pornography, euthanasia, normalizing of the homosexual lifestyle) we must hope for God’s unfathomable mercy, for it alone can overcome such evil.
Today mankind appears blind to the relational dynamic of Light, Life and Love as it relates to the Most Holy Trinity and to man’s true mission here on earth—to know, love and serve God.
We are living in a sinful age, where the mandate of justice cries out for God to act.
Let us pray that the Sun of Justice illumines our hearts and provides one more opportunity for true repentance and reform.
Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on us!P.S. Having drafted this blog entry before Mass I was amazed to hear Fr. Mike announce that today is the Feast of St. Polycarp whose martyrdom served as a beacon of light for Second Century Christians. Burned at the stake, he was preserved in life so that like Jesus Christ, his heart would be pierced by a soldier's blade as he gave the full measure of his life in love. What a confirmation! St. Polycarp, pray for us!Sincerely yours in Jesus and Mary,
Mike Rizzio, SOLTImitate Mary
Become like Jesus
Live for the Triune God
Seek the Light of Our Lord Jesus Christ
See you on the High Ground!
* - J.M.J. + O.B.T. + M.G.R. stands for: Jesus, Mary and Joseph;
O Beata Trinitas; St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael
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2 comments:
this has me thinking. I have often wondered why god allows the creation of man through immoral acts. Lightly stated, why are bad people given the ability to create children. If all of the people of earth are creations of God then shouldn't they all come from Godly unions? Is the ability to create life given as a pre-emptive gift from God and one more that we as sinners miss-use? So can we create life OUTSIDE of Gods plan for us? I have always had a hard time swalloing that we are all acting according to Gods plan like puppets on a string. I personally favored the idea that God does have a plan for us and through the inclination of the holy spirit we know, like a Jimmeny Circket that we are living according to his plan, but I certainly do NOT believe that my God created beings like Child molesters to rape and murder a child, or likewise a child to be raped and murdered to act out his plan here on earth. I do not think that God created beings, sent the Devil here and to rein on earth without giving him any earthly powers. What would man be created for if we are not given the choice to honor our Father or not? It's kind of like saying "lets play a game" and when you agree you realize that the game is a board I created, with pieces I created and I get to move all of them and there is no chance for you to win or even interract just merely sit there and watch while "we" play a game. Surely this is not God's mind. So, with that long bit said, i found this idea of creation outside of Gods love is outside of God.thank you
Mommy4,
Thanks for the comment. Adolph Hitler is a case in point and that is why I chose this image. When I saw what looked like the dove, the Holy Spirit flying overhead and bearing a stream of light, I was able to appreciate how good German people (both Catholics and Protestants alike) were duped by this very evil-minded man and his cronies.
The way I try to teach this subject to adults in formation is this: God's gifts to mankind include a mind that has the major faculties of free will, intellect, and memory. This mind is directly related to a priceless gift—an eternal destiny, for man's being/essence was made for immortality. This gift is the human soul. The human body was also made for eternal life but it is not the animating/life principle and it will experience death and resurrection (Intuition, perception, imagination and reason are four chambers of intellect.)
Mysteriously within these three compenetrated faculties (will, intellect and memory, which I draw as three interlocking rings) there lies the central destiny which is either life in Jesus Christ or not.
The evil one has been granted power on earth (his destiny). His life's work is to attack humanity, and many times he succeeds in separating the will, intellect and memory from a constant abiding in Jesus Christ.
He divides and conquers. We fall victim to a weak will, a distorted intellect and a bruised, unforgiving memory. It all had its beginning in original sin. Our souls are baptized clean, but the battle continues throughout mortal life to master these three areas by centering them in Jesus Christ, by living through, with and in Him.
Like St. Paul, we run the race not knowing for certain whether we will be deemed worthy of eternal reward. This is our hope.
For Catholics/Orthodox this abiding is most deeply lived in Holy Communion. That is the reason for this blog.
Mom, please pray for my wife...she/we are expecting our 4th (we have five (that didn't make it to the starting gate) already up in heaven).
GBU
Riz
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