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You will find some conflicting views from some of these authors. You will also find that all the authors are deeply concerned about the future of America. WHAT THEY WRITE IS THEIR OWN OPINION, just as what I write is my own.
Monday, December 21, 2020
Meadows: Trump Met With Several Congress Members on Fraud, Will ‘Fight Back’
Situation Update, Dec. 21st – The Pence-Raiklin Maneuver
In today’s Situation Update for Dec. 21st, we discuss the “Pence-Raiklin Maneuver,” which provides yet another mechanism for Trump to achieve a decisive victory by January 6th, even without any support from SCOTUS or from the U.S. Congress.
Here are the highlights of today’s podcast (full embed below):
- Once Bill Barr is gone on Thursday, acting AG or acting Deputy AG can appoint Sidney Powell as special counsel.
- Why Trump must use the National Emergency Broadcast System to communicate with the American people and bypass the media / Big Tech siege that continues.
- The Dan Scavino tweets: Lincoln, Churchill, American Bald Eagle. What these symbols mean.
- Why “martial law = fake news” … because the Insurrection Act is not martial law.
- Full discussion of Patrick Byrne and his assertion that Trump’s advisors and legal team are backstabbing traitors who are trying to get Trump to concede.
- Full discussion of the Pence-Raiklin Maneuver and how it leads to a Trump victory with 232 electoral votes (with Biden receiving 227).
- Sidney Powell’s multiple meetings at the White House and what this likely means.
- Details of the new filing with SCOTUS by Trump’s legal team over Pennsylvania’s illegal election extensions. How this alone could be a path to victory across all the swing states.
- Gen. Flynn’s announcement that foreign intelligence officials monitored the election fraud and are willing to share all those details with Trump. We know who this is referring to. Full details in the podcast.
- How Biden got 13 million impossible votes – “Phantom” voters, zombie voters and more.
- How Michigan continues to engage in criminal cover-ups to hide the evidence of Dominion voting machine election fraud. These people are going to prison.
- Sen. Cruz says it’s time to arrest and prosecute all those involved in voter fraud.
- Rep. Matt Gaetz confirms he will challenge the fraudulent electoral votes on Jan. 6th. Sen-elect Tuberville is also likely to join the coalition against the vote fraud.
- Biden to receive a fake coronavirus vaccine today.
- Wicked Fauci says he flew to the North Pole and vaccinated Santa Claus, terrorizing children.
- US states position experimental vaccines for genocide against Blacks, wielding bioweapons for infertility and death.
- Sen. Rand Paul rejects fake science surrounding masks.
- GOP congressman affirms the covid vaccines is more dangerous than covid-19 itself. Says he won’t take the vaccine.
- Why Democrats are not “fully qualified human beings.”
Beijing ‘Substantially Involved’ in US 2020 Election, China Analyst Says
White House trade adviser Navarro’s bombshell report proves (again) Trump WON the election
Career Intelligence Officials’ Delay of DNI Report on Foreign Interference Draws Ire
The “politicization” of intelligence—both with the assessments of foreign interference in the U.S. election and of the wider allegations of voter fraud—is damaging to the country’s democracy and has negative long-term implications, former officials in the government and intelligence community (IC) told The Epoch Times.
A Message for "Christians" at "Christmas"
By Anna Von Reitz
God searches the heart -- he knows,
as the Irish say, "the All of it". There is no way to hide from the True God --
to whom all the details are fully and explicitly known.
Your thoughts, your secret motives,
the pressures being placed on you, the circumstances of your lives that you
wrestle with, your temptations, how you handle them, and most of all, what you
value, what you truly desire. All of that is known about you and has been known
all your life.
Indeed, you were known before you
were born, and all that has followed has been your hand-tailored refinement in
the Refiner's fire, your "milling out" by the Great Millstones of God, so that
you are made and remade into a purer and more constant vision of your Highest
Self.
So there is no reason to lie about
anything. It is what it is, and as the truth is known, the only purpose in lying
is to embarrass yourself before God.
The name of Jesus isn't Jesus. It's
Joshua.
If he were walking down the street in
front of you and you called out, "Help me, Jesus!" he probably wouldn't turn
around. He wouldn't know who you were talking about.
It would be like someone calling out,
"Susan!" and expecting me to answer.
The same perpetrators even created an
office of personhood "for" him --- an office he never accepted-- that of
"Christ", and a position as the head of their "church" -- not his fellowship.
They also taught you to worship him
as if he were God the Father, when he told you -- repeatedly -- not to do that.
And though he told you to "call no
man Father" ---- what did they name their priests?
This same kind of distortion of names
and places and times has been applied to almost everything concerning Joshua.
The latest Big Lie is that he established a country in the Middle East "within
Zebulun and Napthali" as his kingdom on Earth.
He told you directly that his kingdom
was not of the age (time) in which he appeared.
He never created any earthly kingdom
for himself, though via the Apostle Matthew, a road map for such a kingdom in
the future was recorded.
So, just like their prevarication of
his name, they are lying to you about his kingdom, too.
Joshua told you that his Father --
not he -- would call those elected to serve and to live in his kingdom with him,
and many would come, but few would be called.
Read your Bibles. Get them down off
the shelf and read and think, so that you cannot be deceived by these Liars.
America has more copies of the Bible
than any other nation on Earth. We have everything anyone could ever want in
terms of translations and original texts in Greek and Hebrew.
Yet, apparently, Americans are as
ignorant about the scriptures as they have been about the meaning and nature of
the Constitutions.
For Christmas this year, I suggest
everyone get a copy of a "Jefferson Bible" which discounts everything else and
instead identifies the words actually attributed to Joshua in red. Read his
words. Take those to heart.
And realize that you have been lied
to by incorporated "churches" that have claimed to own your very souls, and have
bought and sold and traded Baptismal Certificates in the same way that the
incorporated governments have bought and sold and traded Birth Certificates.
Many of these institutions are evil,
and more are grotesquely misled by the traditions and additions and wrong-headed
interpretations of men. Look instead into the chapel of your own hearts and
listen to the wisdom of compassion, the same compassion and understanding of our
condition that Joshua demonstrated during his mission on Earth.
Then let the angel's words ring
bright and true for each and every one of you--- "I bring tidings of great joy!"
And his name shall be
"Emmanuel".
----------------------------
See this article and over 2800 others on Anna's website here: www.annavonreitz.com
To support this work look for the PayPal buttons on this website.
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Uh-Duh Moment -- There Is No "UPSA" at Present
By Anna Von Reitz
Pay attention so that you are not
deceived --- again.
First, there was the Union of
(E)states formed by the original United Colonies: The United States.
Second, that same year of 1776, there
was the unincorporated Federation of the same States of the Union: The United
States of America.
Third, five years later, in 1781, The
United States of America's member States created "Confederate" States and
organized them as a Confederation under The Articles of Confederation. This
Confederation operated under the business name: The States of America. It's
members were all "States of States" created as business organizations run by the
States of the Union.
So--- you have:
The United States (1776)
The United States of America
(1776)
The States of America
(1781)
All this was happening in the middle
of The War of Independence -- long before there were any Constitutions or any
"Federal" entities other than The United States of America--- which was, is, and
has always remained an unincorporated Federation of unincorporated and sovereign
States of the Union.
Got that much under your belts?
Next, in 1787, came the Federal
Republic, which was carved out of the Confederation of States doing business as
the States of America and granted delegated powers from those Confederate
States. This was a business organization operated by the American Confederation
dba The States of America. It operated under "The Constitution for the united
States of America".
Next, in 1789, came the Territorial
United States Government, which was carved out of the Federation of States doing
business as The United States of America, and delegated powers from it. This
entity did business "in the name of" The United States of America as "the"
United States of America and operated under "The Constitution of the United
States of America".
Finally, in 1790, came the Municipal
United States Government, which was granted "powers" by The United States to
function and provide certain enumerated services and delegated powers to provide
those services. It functioned "in the name of" The United States, similar to the
situation above and used the doing business name "the" United States and it
functioned under "The Constitution of the United States".
So, you have:
"the" States of America (Federal
Republic) (1787) run by the American Confederation of States
"the" United States of America (1789)
run by the British Monarch as a Commonwealth business.
"the" United States (1790) run by the
Holy Roman Empire as a Municipal business.
There are six (6) --- count them! ---
six interrelated organizations present:
The United States (1776) delegated
powers to "the" United States (1790).
The United States of America (1776)
delegated powers to "the" United States of America (1789).
The States of America (1781)
delegated powers to "the" States of America (1790).
Please notice that the States of the
Federation created the State-of-State Members of the Confederation.
The Confederation then delegated
powers to "the" States of America organization running the Federal Republic.
The "Union" being talked about in The
Articles of Confederation was the union of State-of-State business entities, the
Confederate States, that were members of the Confederation.
Not the actual States of the Union.
It follows that in order for the
Federal Republic to be restored, the Confederation has to be restored.
For the Confederation to be restored,
the States of the Union --- the members of the Federation --- have to
reconstruct new American States-of-States to function as members of the
Confederation.
And there you have the crux of proper
Reconstruction of our actual American Government.
The States of the Union that are
members of our unincorporated Federation of States, The United States of
America, have to come into Session and reconstruct their American
States-of-States to function as members of the Confederation.
The Confederation then needs to
operate the Federal Republic doing business in its name as "the" States of
America.
At this point, the sovereign States
are in Session.
They have not yet set up their
Confederate State-of-State organizations.
Therefore, there is no Confederation
at the moment, and no entity other than The United States of America -- our
unincorporated Federation of States, with the authority and ownership interest
to set up a valid Confederation, much less a valid Federal Republic.
The power of this country is now, as
it has been since the 1770's, vested entirely in The United States and The
United States of America, both of which are unincorporated "doing business as"
names of the people/People of this country.
All other powers and organizations
derive from these two, and they both derive from the Union of the sovereign
States operating in national jurisdiction (The United States) and international
jurisdiction (The United States of America) respectively.
Read that--- there is no such thing
as "UPSA" except in the imaginations and fraudulent mechanics of those
attempting to foist yet more legal fiction on the gullible Public.
There is no way around that same
Public getting off their duffs and self-governing using the lawful means
established for them to do so.
Any attempt to just create another
incorporated entity and "pretend" that it is the "representative" of our
government is doomed to fail, simply because the people of this country woke up.
We now know how things are supposed
to work, and it isn't via some foreign corporation(s) coming in here and telling
us what to do and how to do it, so as to best benefit
themselves.
----------------------------
See this article and over 2800 others on Anna's website here: www.annavonreitz.com
To support this work look for the PayPal buttons on this website.
How do we use your donations? Find out here.
BREAKING!! | LIN WOOD’S MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE OF THE YEAR | AMERICA HAS BEEN ATTACKED BY COMMUNIST CHINA TWICE THIS YEAR
https://www.thrivetimeshow.com/business-podcasts/breaking-lin-woods-most-important-message-of-the-year/
BREAKING!! | Lin Wood’s Most Important Message of the Year | America Has Been Attacked by Communist China Twice This Year https://t.co/Af26io8k1a
— Paul Stramer (@pstramer) December 21, 2020
2018 Executive Order on Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign Interference in a United States Election
This is the actual executive order from September 12th, 2018
Rebuttal of TROH Garbage for the Umpteenth Time
By Anna Von Reitz
People are running around like chickens with their heads off, pillar to post, unable to discern lies from truth. That's what we are told to expect in the end times. Women cherishing cats and dogs instead of children, everything upside down and sideways, pervasive lack of conscience and selfishness, sexual perversion, and lies, lies, lies---- because these people don't love the truth.
They love lies --- fantasies and illusions and fiction of all kinds. What do you expect from the followers of the Father of All Lies?
I have already and repeatedly and with great gusto rebutted the garbage being spewn about by The Reign of the Heavens Society about me and my husband and even Paul Stramer. Just hit the search button on my website: www.annavonreitz.com.
I already have liens against their organization and the private property of the offending members for their slander campaign.
Please note the following:
1. The Founder of this organization, The Reign of the Heavens Society, a man named Keith Livingway, went to a Naval Yard Auction and bought an old copy of The Articles of Confederation, and he thinks that because of this, he now owns America and The United States of America as a result.
2. If you think that someone can own your country and your Federation of States--- which created The Articles of Confederation ---- by virtue of such an action, you obviously need your head examined. Nobody owns this country but the people who live here. And nobody owns The United States of America but the States of the Union and the people of this country.
3. My husband and I and Paul Stramer haven't been accused, much less convicted, by any court of any "human rights violations" and so, that is just so much more insane drivel.
With respect to The Reign of the Heavens Society, you will note that: (1) it's incorporated under the auspices of a foreign country; (2) it's entire structure was plagiarized from the work of Frank O'Collins---and doesn't follow our country's traditions; (3) they preach elitism and think that they are the 144,000 chosen ones destined to reign over the Earth--- yet there aren't any virgins among them.
These people can't read straight, write straight, or think straight. They are crooked in all their ways and doings and their only function is to cause confusion and to slander those who are true to the True God and to this country and the ideals upon which it was founded.
If you are wise, leave them alone. If you aren't wise, reap what you sow.
Also note: There is no "UPSA" at this time. The States of America can only be recreated by the American States of States, which themselves have to be reconstructed by the actual States of the Union, not conjured out of a hat by a bunch of criminals.
----------------------------
See this article and over 2800 others on Anna's website here: www.annavonreitz.com
To support this work look for the PayPal buttons on this website.
GAME ON: Attorney Sidney Powell Spotted Leaving the White House on Sunday Evening
Pro-Trump attorney Sidney Powell was seen leaving the White House on Sunday evening. Powell has been on the front lines in the battle of challenging the 2020 election results and now it appears that she is becoming even more involved with President Trump's fight.
Trump: ‘We’re Getting Closer and Closer’ to Successful Challenge to Election Results
President Donald Trump alleged Sunday that “we’re getting closer and closer,” in reference to his ongoing challenges to election results in key battleground states.
“We’re getting closer and closer. And I hope you let everybody know we’re actually very close,” Trump said on WABC radio.
“The fake news will not tell you that. They don’t want to talk about it. They’re trying to suppress it. We don’t have freedom of the press at all. It’s suppressed news. It’s a terrible thing that’s happened in our country. It’s been going on for, it started a long time ago, but it’s gotten to a point, it’s a terrible thing. It’s not freedom of the press, and we got to bring that back, because the press is so suppressed. It’s so dishonest. I don’t even call it fake news anymore. I call it corrupt news,” he added.
Read the rest here:
Trump: ‘Big News Coming out of Pennsylvania’ About Drop Boxes
President Donald Trump on Monday morning announced that there will be “big news” in Pennsylvania as he challenges the election results in the commonwealth.
“Big news coming out of Pennsylvania,” Trump wrote, without elaborating. “Very big illegal ballot drop that cannot be accounted for. Rigged Election!”
Sunday, December 20, 2020
Situation Update, Dec. 20th – The Misdirection Ploy – How to seize everything without using the military
https://www.naturalnews.com/2020-12-20-situation-update-dec-20th-the-misdirection-ploy.html
Highlights of the Dec. 20th Situation Update podcast (full embed below):
- Maggie Haberman is a CIA disinfo agent working for the discredited fake news outlet the New York Times.
- Haberman’s claimed “scoop” about the Trump meeting in the Oval Office only exists because Trump is playing her; he wanted her to report this.
- Sidney Powell, Gen. Michael Flynn and Rudy Giuliani met with Trump. This comes after Defense Secretary Chris Miller met with Trump the day before.
- The two parallel paths being considered are: 1) Insurrection Act option (troops seizing ballots and Dominion machines), 2) Special counsel option (the special counsel seizing ballots and Dominion machines, and indicting Democrat criminals).
- US Army generals accidentally reveal the Insurrection Act plan is real by publicly claiming the Army has no role in determining elections. But they are wrong: These weren’t elections; they were cyber warfare run by an aggressor enemy nation (China). These treasonous generals can be easily court-martialed.
- Giuliani says Trump’s legal strategy is shifting to a focus on acquiring voting machines to prove algorithmic fraud (forensic audits). Says Trump’s lawyers only need 1-2 days to prove the fraud, overturning the election.
- Trump’s “surgical” strategy to win the election on January 6th: Sidney Powell appointed special counsel, she seizes Dominion machines, algorithmic fraud is exposed and proven to the public, complicit Dems in the House, Senate are indicted, arrested and removed before Jan. 6th, flipping the House to GOP control. Now the alternate slate of electors can be passed and approved by Congress.
- A federal judge says evidence of “Scorecard” and “Hammer” is secure.
- Why We the People must urge Trump to act decisively and invoke the Insurrection Act or have the DOJ appoint a special counsel.
- Peter Navarro’s bombshell report that proves coordinated, widespread election fraud.
- Trump says Dominion voting machines might have been breached during the election due to the SolarWinds backdoor vulnerability.
- Panicked Democrats begin accusing Trump supporters of “treason” if they point out election fraud.
- Ramsland tells Newsmax of new evidence that will “drastically change the playing field” – this refers to the results of the forensic audit of the Dominion machines in Michigan. This also explains the Giuliani shift to focusing on the machines.
- A hospital halts covid-19 vaccinations after 4 workers have adverse reactions. Even the doctors are refusing to administer these toxic, experimental vaccines.
Now Here This America just got PLAYED ! ! !
The Chinese biological laboratory in Wuhan is owned by GlaxoSmithKline who ( ! by coincidence) owns Pfizer ! (the one who produces the vaccine for the virus that ( ! by coincidence ) started in the biological laboratory in Wuhan, which ( ! by coincidence ) was funded by Dr. Fauci who is ( ! by coincidence ) promoting the vaccine !
GlaxoSmithKline ( ! by coincidence ) is managed by Black Rock finances who ( ! by coincidence ) manages the finances of the Open Foundation Company (Soros Foundation) which ( ! by coincidence ) serves the French AXA !
! ! By coincidence Soros owns the German company Winterthur which ( ! by coincidence ) built the Chinese laboratory in Wuhan and was bought by the German Allianz which ( ! by coincidence ) has Vanguard as a shareholder which ( ! by coincidence ) is a shareholder of Black Rock, which ( ! by coincidence ) controls the central banks and manages about one third of the global investment capital.
Black Rock ( ! by coincidence ) is also a major shareholder of MICROSOFT, the property of Bill Gates, who ( ! by coincidence ) is a shareholder of Pfizer (selling the miracle Vaccine) and ( ! by coincidence ) is currently the first sponsor of the W.H.O.
source: https://nicksintel.wordpress.
BANNED BY YOUTUBE: JESSE BINNALL'S OPENING STATEMENT DURING SENATE HEARING ON ELECTION SECURITY
https://www.bitchute.com/video/IH9UiaNTgn4u/
YT has decided that my opening statement in the U.S. Senate, given under oath and based upon hard evidence, is too dangerous for you to see; they removed it. To this day, "our evidence has never been refuted, only ignored." Why is Google so afraid of the the truth? - Jesse R Binnall
Here is the story on The Epoch Times:
Fourth Sunday in Advent
Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine's
The Church's Year
On this Sunday the Church redoubles her ardent sighs for the coming of the Redeemer, and, in the Introit, places the longing of the just of the Old Law upon the lips of the faithful, again exhorting them through the gospel of the day, to true penance as the best preparation for the worthy reception of the Savior. Therefore at the Introit she prays:
INTROIT Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just (Is. 45). Let the earth be opened, and bud forth a Savior. The heavens show forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands (Ps. 18:2). Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
COLLECT Raise up, O Lord, we pray Thee, Thy power, and come, and with great might succor us: that, by the help of Thy grace, that which our sins impede may be hastened by Thy merciful forgiveness. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end, Amen.
EPISTLE (I Cor. 4:1-5). Brethren, Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and the dispensers of the mysteries of God. Here now it is required among the dispensers, that a man be found faithful. But to me, it is a very small thing to be judged by you, or by man's day: but neither do I judge my own self. For I am not conscious to myself of anything, yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge not before the time, until the Lord come: who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise from God.
Why is this epistle read on this day?
The Church desires by this epistle to impress those who received Holy Orders on Ember Saturday with the dignity of their office, and exhorts them to fill it with becoming fidelity and sanctity, excelling the laity in piety and virtue, as well as in official dignity. She wishes again to remind the faithful of the terrible coming of Christ to judgment, urging them, by purifying their conscience through a contrite confession, to receive Christ at this holy Christmas time, as their Savior, that they may not behold Him, at the Last Day, as their severe judge.
How should the faithful regard the priests and spiritual superiors?
They should esteem and obey them as servants, stewards, and vicars of Christ; as dispensers of the holy mysteries (I Cor. 4:1); as ambassadors of the most High (II Con 5:20). For this reason God earnestly commands honor to priests (Ecclus. 7:31), and Christ says of the Apostles and their successors (Lk. 10:16): Who despiseth you, despiseth me; and St. Paul writes (I Tim. 5:17): Let the priests that rule well be esteemed worthy of double honor: especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.
Can the priest dispense the sacraments according to his own will?
No, he must have power from the Church, and must exercise his office faithfully, in accordance with the orders of the Church, and act according to the will of Christ whose steward he is. The priest dare not give that which is holy to dogs (Mt. 7:6), that is, he is not permitted to give absolution, and administer the sacraments to impenitent persons, under penalty of incurring eternal damnation.
Why does St. Paul consider the judgment of men a small matter?
Because it is usually false, deceptive, foolish, and is consequently not worth seeking or caring for. Man often counts as evil that which is in itself good and, on the contrary, esteems as good that which is evil. St. Paul says: If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ (Gal. 1:10). Oh, how foolish, and what poor Christians, therefore, are they, who not to displease man, willingly adopt all silly customs, and fashions in dress, manners and appearance, making themselves contemptible to God, the angels, and saints. Recall the beautiful words of the Seraphic St. Francis: "We are, what we are in the sight of God, nothing more"; learn from them to fulfil your duties faithfully, and be indifferent to the judgment of the world and its praise.
Why does not St. Paul wish to judge himself?
Because no one, without a special revelation from heaven, can know if he be just in the sight of God or not, even though his conscience may accuse him of nothing, for "man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love or hatred" (Eccles. 9:1). Thus St. Paul goes on to say, that though he was not conscious of any wrong, he did not judge himself to be justified, God only could decide that. Man should certainly examine himself as much as is in his power, to find if he has anything within him displeasing to God; should he find nothing he must not judge himself more just than others, but consider that the eyes of his mind may be dimmed, and fail to see that which God sees and will reveal to others at the judgment Day. The Pharisees saw no fault in themselves, and were saintly and perfect in their own estimation, yet our Lord cursed them.
ASPIRATION "O Lord, enter not into judgment with Thy servant: for in Thy sight no man living can be justified" (Ps. 142:2).
GOSPEL (Lk. 3:1-6). In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Iturea and the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilina, under the high priests Annas and Caiphas: the word of the Lord came to John the son of Zachary in the desert. And he came into all the country about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of penance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the sayings of Isaias the prophet: A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low: the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways plain: and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Why is the time in which St. John commenced to preach so minutely described?
The Evangelist, contrary to his usual custom, describes the time minutely, and enumerates exactly, in their precise order, the religious and civil princes in office, that, in the first place, it could not be denied that this was truly the time and the year in which the promised Messiah appeared in this world, whom John baptized, and the Heavenly Father declared to be His beloved Son. Furthermore, it shows the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Patriarch Jacob (Gen. 49:10), that when the scepter would be taken away from Juda, that is, when the Jews would have no longer a king from their own tribes, the Savior would come.
What is meant by: "The word of the Lord came to John"?
It means that John was commissioned by divine inspiration, or by an angel sent from God, to preach penance and announce to the world the coming of the Lord. He had prepared himself for this work by a penitential, secluded life, and intercourse with God. We learn from his example not to intrude ourselves into office, least of all into a spiritual office, but to await the call from God, preparing ourselves in solitude and quiet, by fervent prayer and by a holy life, for the necessary light.
What is meant by: "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths"?
It means that we should prepare our hearts for the worthy reception of Christ, by penance, amendment, and the resolution to lead a pious life in future. To do this, every valley should be filled, that is, all faintheartedness, sloth and cowardice, all worldly carnal sentiments should be elevated and directed to God, the highest Good, by firm confidence and ardent desire for heavenly virtues; the mountains and hills should be brought low, that is, pride, stubbornness, and ambition should be humbled, and the obstinate will be broken. The crooked shall be made straight, that is, ill-gotten goods should be restored, hypocrisy, malice, and double dealing be renounced, and our intentions turned to God and the performance of His holy will. And the rough ways shall be made plain, that is, anger, revenge, and impatience must leave the heart, if the Lamb of God is to dwell therein. It may also signify that the Savior put to shame the pride of the world, and its false wisdom by building His Church upon the Apostles, who, by reason of their poverty and simplicity, may be considered the low valleys, while the way to heaven, formerly so rough and hard to tread, because of the want of grace, is now by His grace made smooth and easy.
ASPIRATION O my Jesus! would that my heart were well prepared and smooth for Thee! Assist me! O my Savior to do that which I cannot do by myself. Make me an humble valley, fill me with Thy grace; turn my crooked and perverted will to Thy pleasure; change my rough and angry disposition, throw away in me whatever impedes Thy way, that Thou mayst come to me without hindrance. Thou alone possess and rule me forever. Amen.
INSTRUCTION ON THE HOLY SACRAMENT OF PENANCE
“Preaching the baptism of penance for the remission of sins"(Lk. 3:3).
What is penance, and how many kinds are there?
Penance, says the Roman Catechism (Cat. Rom. de Pcenit. 54), consists in the turning of our whole soul to God, hating and detesting the crimes we have committed, firmly resolving to amend our lives, its evil habits and corrupt ways, hoping through the mercy of God to obtain pardon. This is interior penance, or the virtue of penance. The sincere acknowledgment of our sins to a priest and the absolution he accords, is exterior penance, or the holy Sacrament of Penance, which Christ instituted (Jn. 20:22-23), through which the sins committed after baptism, are remitted.
Which of these penances is necessary for the forgiveness of sins?
Both are necessary, for unless the conversion of the heart to God, a true consciousness of, and sorrow for sin, the firm purpose of amendment and confidence in God's mercy, precede the confession, declaring all our sins to a priest cannot obtain forgiveness of mortal sin committed after baptism. At the same time a really contrite turning to God, will not, without confession to a priest, obtain forgiveness, except when by circumstances, a person is prevented from approaching the tribunal of penance. Such a person must, however, have the ardent desire to confess as soon as possible.
Can any one who has committed mortal sin be saved without penance?
No, for penance is as necessary to such a one as baptism, if he wishes not to perish: Unless you do penance, says Christ, you shall all likewise perish (Lk. 13:3, 5).
Is this penance performed at once?
This penance is necessary every day of our lives: that is, we must from day to day endeavor to be heartily sorry for our sins, to despise them, to eradicate the roots of sin, that is, our passions and evil inclinations, and become more pleasing to God by penance and good works.
Why do so many die impenitent?
Because they do not accept and use the many graces God offers them, but put off their repentance. If such sinners, like the godless King Antiochus (II Mac. 9) intend to repent on their deathbed for fear of punishment, they usually find that God in His justice will no longer give them the grace of repentance, for he who when he can repent, will not, cannot when he will. "Who will not listen at the time of grace," says St. Gregory, "will not be listened to' in the time of anxiety." And it is to be feared that he who postpones penance until old age, will not find justice where he looked for mercy.
Can all sinners do penance?
With the grace of God all can, even the greatest sinners; as a real father God calls them when He says: As I live ...I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways: and why will ye die, O house of Israel? And the wickedness of the wicked shall not hurt him, in what day soever he shall turn from his wickedness (Ezech. 33:11-12).
Do all who go to confession perform true penance?
Unfortunately they do not; for all is not accomplished with confession. If there is no sincere detestation of sin, no true sorrow for having offended God; if the evil inclinations and bad habits are not overcome, ill-gotten goods restored, and calumny repaired, the occasions of sin avoided; if a sincere amendment of life, or, at least, its earnest purpose does not follow, then indeed, there cannot be the least shadow of true repentance, not even though such persons confess weekly. But alas! we see many such. And why? Because many think repentance consists simply in confession, and not in the amendment of their lives. Only those obtain pardon who are truly penitent, and perform all that is enjoined upon them in confession. It is well, therefore, to read and carefully act according to the following instructions.
I. ON THE EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE
The foundation of true repentance, interior and exterior (see the preceding pages), is the vivid knowledge of our sins. There are many who are unconscious of the most grievous sins in which they are buried; blinded by self-love they do not even regard them as sins, do not confess them, perform no penance for them and are consequently eternally lost. To prevent this great evil, the Council of Trent (Sess. XIV c.5) ordered a careful examination of conscience before confession, and afterwards to confess the sins which are discovered by that examination.
Why should we examine our conscience?
Because, as St. Ignatius says, no one can become fully aware of his own faults, unless God reveals them by a special light; we should, therefore, first of all, daily ask the Holy Ghost to enlighten us, and should then examine our thoughts, desires, words, actions, and omissions since our last valid confession and how often we have sinned in these respects. To know this, we should let our conscience, that is, the inner voice which tells us what is good and what is evil, speak freely, without flattering ourselves, or passing it by negligently. St. Charles Borromeo says, we should place before our eyes the Ten Commandments of God and carefully compare our life and our morals with them; it is well also to examine ourselves on the seven deadly sins, and remember the places and persons with whom we have been in contact, the duties of our state of life, the vices to which we are most inclined, the consequences that were, or might have been produced upon ourselves or others. At the same time, we should imagine ourselves standing before the judgment seat of God, and whatever would cause us fear there, whatever we could not answer for there, we should look upon as sins, be sorry for, and confess.
Is it a sin not to examine ourselves long and carefully?
Certainly it is a sin for those to examine their consciences carelessly, who live unfaithfully and in mortal sin, and who seldom confess, because they expose themselves frivolously to the danger of leaving out great sins, and consequently they make a sacrilegious confession, committing thereby a new and grievous sin.
Those who daily ask God for enlightenment and examine their conscience at least every evening before going to bed, will prepare themselves properly before approaching the tribunal of penance. "Behold, you have a book in which you write your daily expenses," says St. Chrysostom, "make a book of your conscience, also, and write there your daily sins. Before you go to bed, before sleep comes, take your book, that is, your conscience, and recall your sins, whether of thought, word, or deed. Say then to your soul: Again, O my soul, a day is spent, what have we done of evil or of good? If you have accomplished some good, be grateful to God; if evil, resolve to avoid it for the future. Shed tears in remembrance of your sins; ask forgiveness of God, and then let your body sleep."
II. ON CONTRITION
"O man," cries St. Augustine, "why dost thou weep over the body whence the soul has departed, and not over the soul from which God has withdrawn?" The idolatrous Michas (Judg. 18:23-24) complained bitterly, because his idols were taken from him; Esau grieved greatly over the loss of his birthright and his father's blessing (Gen. 27:34). Should we not therefore, be filled with sorrow, when by our sins we have lost God and Heaven?
What is contrition, and how many kinds are there?
"Contrition is a hearty sorrow and detestation of our sins, with a firm purpose of sinning no more" (Conc. Trid., Sess. XIV, can. 4). If this grief and detestation comes from a temporal injury, shame or punishment, it is a natural sorrow; but if we are sorry for our sins, because by them we have offended God, and transgressed His holy law, it is a supernatural sorrow; this, again, is imperfect when fear of God's punishment is the motive; it is perfect, if we are sorry for our sins, because we have offended God, the supreme Lord and best of Fathers.
Is natural sorrow sufficient for a good confession?
It is not, because it proceeds not from a supernatural motive, but from the love or fear of the world. A mere natural sorrow for our sins worketh death (II Cor. 7:10). If one confess his sins having only a natural sorrow for them, he commits a sacrilege, because the most necessary part of the Sacrament of Penance in wanting.
What other qualities are necessary for a true contrition?
Contrition should be interior, proceeding from the heart and not merely from the lips; it must be universal, that is, it must extend to all the mortal sins which the sinner has committed; it must be sovereign, that is, he must be more sorry for having offended God, than for any temporal evil; it must be supernatural, that is, produced in the heart by supernatural motives; namely, because we have offended God, lost His grace, deserved hell, etc.
What kind of sorrow must we have in order to obtain forgiveness of our sins?
That sorrow which proceeds from a perfect love of God, and not from fear of temporal or eternal punishment. This perfect contrition would suffice for the forgiveness of sins, if in case of danger of death, there should be a great desire, but no opportunity to confess to a priest. But the Holy Catholic Church has declared (Conc. Trid., Sess. XIV, can. 4) the imperfect contrition which proceeds from the fear of eternal punishment to be sufficient for the valid reception of the holy Sacrament of Penance.
Who are those who have reason to fear they have aroused only a natural sorrow for their sins?
Those who care little about knowing what true sorrow is; those who often commit grievous sins, and do not amend their lives; for if true sorrow for sin had been excited in their hearts, with the firm purpose of amendment, the grace of God in this Sacrament would have strengthened the resolution, and enabled them to avoid sin, at least for a time. On account of their immediate relapse we justly doubt whether they have validly received the sacrament of penance and its sanctifying grace.
How can the sinner attain true sorrow?
The sinner can attain true sorrow by the grace of God and his own co-operation. That both are necessary is shown by the prophet Jeremias (jet. 31:18-19), who prays: Convert me, O Lord, and I shall be converted: for Thou art the Lord, my God. For after Thou didst convert me, I did penance: and after Thou didst skew unto me, I struck my thigh (with sorrow). To which God replies: If thou wilt be converted, I will convert thee Qer. 15:19). We see, therefore, that the first and most essential means for producing this sorrow is the grace of God. It must begin and complete the work of conversion, but it will do this only when the sinner earnestly and faithfully co-operates. When God in whatever way has admonished the sinner that he should be converted, let him ardently implore God for the grace of a true conversion, invoke the intercession of the Mother of the Savior, his guardian angel, and like the holy penitents, David, Peter, and Magdalen, let him meditate upon the truth that God is a just judge, who hates sin, and will punish it in the eternal torments of hell. Having placed these truths vividly before his eyes, the sinner will reflect further whether by his sins he has not himself deserved this punishment, and if by the enlightenment of God he finds he has, he will also see the danger in which he stands, that if God should permit him to die impenitent, he would have to suffer forever in hell. This fear of eternal punishment urges the sinner to hope in God's mercy; for He wishes not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; again, our Redeemer says: I came to call the sinner to repentance, and, there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who does penance, than over ninety-nine just. He considers the patience of God towards him, the graces bestowed upon him during his sinful life; namely his creation, redemption, sanctification in baptism, and many others. He will now contemplate the beauty and perfection of God: "Who art Thou, 0 my God," he cries, "who art Thou who hast loved me with such an unspeakable love, and lovest me still, ungrateful, abominable sinner, that I am! What is all the beauty of this world of the angels and of the blessed spirits compared to Thine! Thou fountain of all beauty, of all goodness, of all that is amiable, Thou supreme majesty, Thou infinite abyss of love and merry! I for one vain thought, a short, momentary pleasure, a small, mean gain, could forget, offend and despise Thee! Could I sell, could I forfeit heaven, and eternal joy with Thee! O, could I repair those crimes! Could I but wash them out with my tears, even with my blood?" Through such meditations the sinner, by the grace of God, will be easily moved to sorrow. Without such or similar reflections the formulas of sorrow as read from prayer books or recited by heart, are by no means acts of contrition.
Should we make an act of contrition before confession only?
We should make an act of contrition before confession, and not only then, but every evening after the examination of conscience; we should make one immediately after any fault committed, above all when in danger of death; for we know not when God will call us to judgment, or whether we shall then have the grace to receive the sacrament of Penance with proper preparation.
III. ON THE PURPOSE OF AMENDMENT
The purpose of amending our life is as necessary for the remission of sin, as contrition; for how could he obtain forgiveness from God, who has not the determination to sin no more? The will to sin cannot exist with the hatred of sin.
What is necessary for a firm purpose?
A firm purpose of amendment requires: the determination to avoid sin; to flee from all occasions that might bring the danger of sinning, all persons, places, societies in which we usually sin; bravely to fight against our evil inclinations and bad habits; to make use of all means prescribed by our confessor, or made known to us by God Himself; to repair the injustice we have done; to restore the good name of our neighbor, and to remove the scandal and enmity we have caused.
Who, then, have no true purpose of amendment?
Those who do not truly intend to leave the frivolous persons with whom they have associated, and committed sin; to remove the occasions of cursing, swearing, drunkenness, and secret sins, etc.; who have the intention to borrow or to contract debts which they know they cannot pay, or do not even care to pay; to squander the property of their wives and children, letting them suffer want; to frequent barrooms, or saloons, fight, gamble, indulge in vile, filthy conversations and detraction, murmur against spiritual and temporal superiors, throw away precious time, and bring, even compel others to do the same. The saloon-keepers, who for the sake of money allure such wretched people, keep them there, and what is still worse, help to intoxicate them, participate in their sins.
IV. ON CONFESSION
Confession is a contrite acknowledgment of our sins to a priest who is duly authorized, in order to obtain forgiveness. This acknowledgment of our sins is an important and necessary part of the holy Sacrament of Penance.
Even in the Old Law, a certain kind of confession was prescribed and connected with a sacrifice, called the sacrifice of Atonement; but the forgiveness of sins was effected only through faith in the coming Redeemer, towards whom this sacrifice pointed (Lev. 5:5-6; Num. 5:7; compare Mt. 3:6). In the new Law, Christ gave to the apostles and their successors, power to forgive, and to retain sins (Jn. 20:21-23), and in doing so made them judges. Without confession on the part of the sinner, they cannot act as judges, and do justice in regard to giving punishment and remedies (Conc. Trid., Sess. XIV can. 6), and as the sinner is but seldom able to make an act of perfect contrition, which obtains the forgiveness of sin without confession, it was necessary that the most merciful Lord, as the Roman Catechism says (de poen. 5. 36), through the means of confession to the priest, should provide in an easier manner for the common salvation of man. Confession, at the same time, is the best means of bringing man to a knowledge of his sins and of their malice. Therefore, even Adam was obliged to acknowledge his sins, and in the same way Cain was asked by God concerning his brother's murder, although God, the Omniscient, knew the sins of both. The desire to ease the troubled conscience, seems born in man. Thus David says of his crime: Because I was silent, my bones grew old, whilst I cried out all the day long (Ps. 31:3); and in the book of Proverbs it is said; He that hideth his sins, shall not prosper: but he that shall confess and forsake them, shall obtain mercy (Prov. 28:13). Constant experience in life verifies these words, and heretics could not entirely abolish private confession, though they rejected the Sacrament of Penance.
Is confession a human law, or a human invention?
No, confession was instituted by Christ Himself; for after His resurrection He appeared to His apostles and disciples, and said to them: Peace be with you! As the Father hath sent me, I also send you; that is, the same power to remit sin which the Father has given me, I give to you. When he had said this, he breathed on them, and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained (Jn.20:21-23; compare Mt. 18:18). In these words Christ evidently gave to the apostles and their successors the power to forgive and retain sins. This they can do only when the sins are confessed to them; and, therefore, Christ, when instituting the forgiveness of sins, instituted and connected with it the acknowledgment, that is, the confession of sins. This regulation of Christ was complied with by the first Christians in humility of heart, as is proved in the Acts of the Apostles, where we read: And many (referring to the Christians at Ephesus) of them that believed, came confessing and declaring their deeds (Acts 19:18). And the apostle James exhorts his own: Confess therefore your sins one to another: and pray one for another, that you may be saved (Jas. 5:16). The work founded by Christ must stand, as long as the world, and as the apostles and disciples of our Lord died, their successors necessarily continued the work, and received the same power from Christ. This is verified by the whole history of His Church. In the very beginning of Christianity, the faithful with great sorrow confessed to the priest all their transgressions, even the smallest and most secret, after which, they received absolution. "Let us be sincerely sorry as long as we live," says St. Clement of Rome, a disciple of St. Paul (Ep. 1. ad Cor.), "for all evil which we have committed in the flesh, for having once left the world, there will no longer be any confession and penance for us." Tertullian (217 A.D.) writes of those who hid their sins, being ashamed to confess them: "Can we also hide from the knowledge of God that which we conceal from a fellow creature" (Lib. de qcen. 5. 36). Origen ('1254), after speaking of baptism, says: "There is still a severer and more tedious way of obtaining remission of sin: when the sinner moistens his pillow with tears, and is not ashamed to confess his sins to the priest of the Lord" (Hom. 3 in Lev.). St. Cyprian ('1258) writes of those Christians who during the persecutions of his time, had not sinned by openly denying the faith: "Yet because they had but thought of doing so, they make a sorrowful and simple confession to God's priests" (Sib. de laps.). Basil (f 379) writes: "Necessarily the sins must be made plain to those to whom the power of the mysteries is confided, that is, to the priests" (In reg. brew 288). Many more testimonies could be brought from the earliest centuries of Christianity, which make it clear, that Christ Himself instituted confession, and that the faithful always availed themselves of it as a means of remission of sin. It would not have been possible for a human being, though he were the mightiest prince, to have imposed upon Catholic Christianity so hard an obligation as confession, without the special command of Christ the Son of God; nor could any one have invented it without the faithful at once revolting. It is also well known that, in the Oriental Churches which separated from the true Church in the earliest ages, private confession to a priest is yet valued as a divine institution. The Catholic institution of confession, with which, in the earliest centuries, there was even connected a public confession, before the whole congregation, for notorious sinners, is as old as the Church itself, as Pope Leo the Great (f 461) proves (Ep. 136); "The secret, auricular confession was introduced into the Church as early as the times of the apostles, or their immediate successors." It was instituted by Christ, the God-Man, and instituted for the purpose of enabling the apostles and the priests, their successors, to remit in the confessional the sins committed after baptism, if the sinner heartily regrets them, sincerely confesses, and renders satisfaction for them, or to retain them if he be unworthy of absolution. From this it is seen that the enemies of the Catholic Church oppose, in rejecting confession, the plain expression of the holy Scriptures, and of entire Christian antiquity, and that it is a detestable calumny to assert that confession is simply a human invention. The divine institution of confession always was and is a fountain of sweetest consolation for sinful man, and thousands have experienced that which is said by the Council of Trent (Sess. XIV can. 3, depart.): "The effect of this Sacrament is reconciliation with God, followed by peace, cheerfulness and consolation of the heart in those who worthily receive this Sacrament."
What will aid us to make confession easy?
The consideration of the manifold benefits arising from it; first, forgiveness of all, even the most grievous sins, remission of the guilt and eternal punishment; secondly, the certainty of having again been made a child of God; thirdly, the sweet consolation and desired peace of conscience; fourthly, the necessary remedies which a pious and prudent confessor will prescribe for the cure of the diseases of the soul; finally, the prayer and exhortation of the priest which will also add to the complete conversion of the sinner.
What should be done to participate in these benefits?
Besides that which has already been said of the examination of conscience, and especially of sorrow for sin, the confession must be sincere and open-hearted; that is, a correct and exact confession not only of all mortal sins, their kind, circumstances and number, without excuses, or veiling or lessening them, but also a faithful revelation of all other spiritual affairs, fears, doubts, and other wounds of the soul; for a wound which is not shown to the physician, cannot be healed. We should not seek those confessors who are only "mute dogs" (Is. 56:10), and give absolution without hesitation, but we should trust the direction of our souls to learned, pious, and zealous priests, and remain under their guidance, as in physical sickness we remain under the care of an experienced physician, and accept their words as if Christ Himself had spoken.
How should the false shame which prevents confession be overcome?
It should be remembered that the priest in the confessional is the representative of Christ, and that whoever lies to the confessor, seeks to deceive God Himself, who abominates a lie, and at the Last Day will publicly put such a liar to shame. The confessor takes the place of Christ, and after His example must be merciful to the sinner, if, a sinful man himself, he hopes to receive mercy and grace from God. At the same time, no confessor is allowed to reveal the slightest thing heard in confession, even should it cost him his life. It may be considered further that he who conceals a sin in confession, and thus obtains absolution by false pretenses, receives no remission, but, on the contrary, commits a new sin, "When man uncovers his sins, God covers them; when man conceals his sins, God reveals them," says St. Augustine. Man can be deceived, but not God, the Omniscient; and who is ashamed to show his wounds to the physician? Why should it be a cause of shame to throw out the poison of sin by a sincere confession? To sin only is shameful, to confess sin is not shameful. But if by all these reflections we are still unable to overcome ourselves so as to confess our sins to a certain confessor we may seek another in whom we have confidence.
V. ON SATISFACTION AFTER CONFESSION
Satisfaction is the diligent performance of all the works of penance imposed upon us by the confessor. With this, however, a true penitent will not be satisfied; for in our times, on account of the weakness and little zeal of Christians, a light penance is imposed that they may not be deterred from the reception of the holy Sacraments. To avoid relapsing into sin, one must do penance, and bring forth worthy fruits (Lk. 13:3), for God will only then give the grace to persevere. We satisfy God by fasting, prayer, alms deeds, avoidance of the snares of the world, diffidence in ourselves, and especially by patient endurance of the afflictions and sufferings which He imposes upon us. Those who have committed sin must do penance in this life or submit to everlasting penance in the next.
Is the heretic right in asserting that man does not need to render satisfaction since Christ has rendered it complete on the cross?
He is entirely wrong. Christ on the cross did indeed render satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, and man is not capable to atone for one single sin but it does not follow from this that man is not required to do something. To render satisfaction means to perform a duty which has been neglected. Instead of obeying God, the sinner by his sins disobeys Him. Satisfaction for disobedience requires perfect obedience from the sinner: but this, because of his weakness and corruption, no man is able to render therefore Christ rendered it for us by His perfect obedience even unto the death of the cross. But because Christ has been thus obedient for us, must we not be somewhat obedient also? or which is the same, because Christ for love of us has atoned for our sins by perfect obedience to His Heavenly Father, are we to do no penance for ourselves? It is precisely by this atonement made by Christ that we receive the power of rendering satisfaction. But for this we must, first of all, ask the grace, i.e., pray, to restrain our earthly desires, i.e., fast, and by means of active love (charity) make ourselves susceptible to this grace. St. Paul the Apostle, who calls himself the greatest of sinners, writes of himself: I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh for his body, which is the Church (Col. 1:24); and to the Corinthians he writes: But I chastise my body and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps: when I have preached to others (meaning penance and conversion), I myself should become cast away (I Cor. 9:27). Christ Himself did not censure the Ninivites for their fasting and their penance in sackcloth and ashes, but gave them as an example (Mt. 12:41). In the Old Testament we find that even after remitting the sin, God imposed a punishment for it. Thus He let the child of king David die, as punishment for his adultery, even though He had forgiven the sin (II Kings 12:13, 14); thus Moses and Aaron, because they once distrusted God, were not permitted to enter the Promised Land (Num. 20:24; Deut. 34:4). According to this doctrine of the Bible, the Catholic Church teaches that there remains a temporal punishment which the sinner must expiate either in this world, or in the next, though on account of the infinite merits of Christ the guilt and eternal punishment of sin are taken away by absolution. In the earliest times of the Church certain works of penance were imposed, which were then very severe, and in the course of time, owing to the indolence of the faithful, were much moderated.
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