the dark night…and we were made for this

“The soul, however, cannot be perfectly purified from these imperfections,
any more than from the others,
until God shall have led it into the passive purgation of the dark night,
of which I shall speak immediately.
But it is expedient that the soul, so far as it can,
should labor, on its own part, to purify and perfect itself,
that it may merit from God to be taken under His divine care,
and be healed from those imperfections which of itself it cannot remedy.
For, after all the efforts of the soul,
it cannot by any exertions of its own actively purify itself
so as to be in the slightest degree fit for the divine union of perfection
in the love of God,
if God Himself does not take it into His own hands and purify
it in the fire, dark to the soul.”
St. John of the Cross, p.14
An Excerpt From
Dark Night of the Soul

(courtesy the web)

I can never remember a time when I have felt so desolate,
so angst ridden, so forlorn and dare I say, depressed.

And it’s because I no longer know this Nation of ours.

I don’t recognize…us.

There is so much that I want to say.
So very much that needs to be said.

So much I want to say about the lies, the indoctrination, the falsehoods,
and the division—

I want to scream…”Don’t you get it???
He’s doing this…he’s nothing but thrilled that we are tearing
one another a part…

And so, again, don’t you get it…don’t we get it?
This is exactly what he wants…
it’s what he’s planned now for eons.

We are in the midst of a tribulation.
A time of division.
A time of lies.
A time of sinister diversion.

We know that this is currently his battle because
this is his realm.
Yet at the same time we know the ultimate
victory will be ours because our Savior lives.

Yet the frustration remains, that this battle must be fought.

And it feels like a raging maelstrom that has us all
in the center of its grip.

However we, both you and I, have been made for this time.

God has prepared both you and me…
The task at hand is not easy.
It will not be easy.
It will not be kind.
The Father is asking us for our all.

The question is…will you give your all…
or will you ignore the coming storm?

Will you face the enemy head on, telling all who
have ears to hear that he is a liar?

Or will you turn and pretend nothing is happening.

So the question remains…will you speak?
Will you act.
There is little to no time in which to decide.
Time is of the essense
The goats have been cast to one side while the sheep to the other.

Give us strength oh Lord…

Luke 21:9-26:
New International Version

When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened.
These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

Then he said to them:
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be great earthquakes,
famines and pestilences in various places,
and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

“But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you.
They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison,
and you will be brought before kings and governors,
and all on account of my name.
And so you will bear testimony to me.
But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you
will defend yourselves.
For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries
will be able to resist or contradict.
You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters,
relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.
Everyone will hate you because of me.
But not a hair of your head will perish.
Stand firm, and you will win life.

“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies,
you will know that its desolation is near.
Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains,
let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.
For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment
of all that has been written.
How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women
and nursing mothers!
There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people.
They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners
to all the nations.
Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles
until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

infinite through finite

In tribulation immediately draw near to God with confidence, and you will receive strength,
enlightenment, and instruction.”
St. John of the Cross

“From the natural point of view, we come to know God from the vestiges of Himself that
He has left in the splendors of the visible universe:
the blazing red sunset, the snow-covered mountain peaks, the graceful flight of a bird,
the breathtakingly magnificent complexity of a single living cell.
On a still more exalted level, we know Him in the loveliness of the saints–
but it remains a knowledge of the infinite through the finite.”
Fr. Thomas Dubay, p.188-89
An Excerpt From
Fire Within

where the eagles will gather

I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress,
and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink,
but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct,
will pursue their principles unto death.
Leonardo da Vinci

(image via the net)

Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath.
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning
of the world until now, no, and never will be.
And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would be saved;
but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
Then if any one says to you,
‘Lo, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.
For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders,
so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
Lo, I have told you beforehand.
So, if they say to you, ‘Lo, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out;
if they say, ‘Lo, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west,
so will be the coming of the Son of man.
Wherever the body is,
there the eagles will be gathered together.
Matthew 24:20-28