The Coronavirus: Are We All Going To Die? Well...Yes...
Matthew Bellisario O.P. 2020
"Pleasure, as well as distress, is kept in check by the sweet and holy remembrance of God, that is, by the continual consideration of death that comes with self-knowledge. We see that we are all mortal. The moment we are created in our mother's womb we are condemned to death and will surely die, and we know neither when nor how. And who of us will not check and cut off any unwarranted pleasure that comes from empty and foolish worldly joys, if we consider that our life is so short that we can expect death any day? For our life is no bigger than the point of a needle!" Saint Catherine of Siena Letter T184
The Dominican Practice of Praying for the Dying and the Dead
Being a Third Order Dominican has many advantages. One of them is the Order's insistence on praying for the dying and the dead. All of the Order's members receive great graces in their last hours on earth as well as their lessened suffering Purgatory should they go there. Everyone in the Dominican Third Order traditionally follows these observances. (Taken from 'The Dominican Life' by Joret.)
1. Within eight days from the- receipt of the notice of the death, each member of that Fraternity
shall recite a third part of the Rosary, hear one Mass and apply one Holy Communion for the soul of the deceased.
2. Each Tertiary shall daily say one Pater, Ave and Requiem for the living and dead of the whole Order.
3. Each Tertiary shall annually have celebrated, or at least assist at, three Masses for the welfare of the Brothers and Sisters, both living and dead.
Joret wisely tells us, "I wish to remark certain effects in the supernatural order which can be brought about only in a religious Fraternity like ours. Within it we can truly merit for each other, we can pray efficaciously for one another, and we can make rigorous satisfaction for each other's sins. Even death itself does not put an end to this beneficent intercourse which the Church calls the communion of saints."
Pray for the Dying and the Dead
Although you may not be a Dominican Tertiary, you can implement these practices into your own spiritual life in praying for the dying and the dead. It is a fact, we will all die and we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. I often repeat the wise words of my dear late friend Monsignor Anthony La Femina, "God is infinite mercy, but He does not give us infinite time!" Thus, we should often think of death. Most of us like to put the thought of death as far out of our minds as possible. Although we should not be morbidly obsessed with it, contemplating death in light of our faith in Jesus Christ is a healthy practice, and it was practiced by all of the Saints. Saint John Boscoe said, "Many people in this world do not want to think of death. My sons, keep in mind that whether we think of it or not, death is unavoidable." Do we think about our death? Do we think of the poor dying souls who have no one to pray for them?
Preparing for 'The Supreme Moment'
Think about those dying from the Coronavirus or the many other diseases killing people across the globe who are soon going to walk into their "Supreme Moment." In Italy, in just one day nearly 500 died from the virus. Were they ready for their death and did they have people to pray for them? We call death 'The Supreme Moment" because it is the moment when our eternal life will be decided. Our entire life is a journey towards this 'Supreme Moment.' If we are in a state of grace we inherit the Kingdom of God. If we die without supernatural grace we are eternally separated from God. Those are the only two possibilities for us. There has never been a better time to visit the Sacrament of Confession, and there has never been a better time to strive for holiness.
Saint Catherine of Siena once wrote in a letter, "Don't rest your confidence in your physical youth or worldly power. A person is alive today, dead tomorrow; well today, sick tomorrow; a lord today, tomorrow a servant. How foolish then are people who are unduly attached to these things!" In another she wrote, Don't wait for tomorrow, I beg you, but for love of Christ crucified keep in mind how short time is. you don't know whether you will have tomorrow. Remember that you have to die and you don't know when."
The Coronavirus Situation
What are we to think of this Coronavirus crisis? Is the virus as serious of a pandemic as the media is making it out to be? Are there ulterior motives for political parties to try and regain the ground lost to the world order over the past 3 1/2 years? Are there sinister entities at work trying to crash the Western economy? Is China trying to weaken Western Civilization? All of these are intriguing to think about. Amidst the many theories surrounding this mysterious crisis, there are a few certainties that we know are true.
1. The Virus is Lethal: There are people dying from this virus and we can see that in Italy the deaths occurring in the elderly and sickly population is alarming. The virus is real and it is killing people across the globe. I believe it still remains to be seen as to how lethal it ends up being in comparison to other diseases that have not garnered the attention this one has. Nevertheless, anyone who says the virus is not real or lethal is delusional. The bright side is that there is now an effective treatment for it called Chloroquine which the US is finally recognizing. There are other treatments in development as well, which I am sure the pharmaceuticals and their government pals will be sure to capitalize on.
2. The Crisis Will Not Be Wasted: There are certainly political forces at work that are taking advantage of this situation. It is no surprise to see political degenerates who are turning this into an anti-Trump crusade. One thing is certain, we are going to be hearing about how bad Trump has supposedly handled this crisis until election day. It is a fact that many of the liberals seem to be almost gleeful over the government gaining more control over the population. It is certain that these sub-defective elitists will not let this opportunity pass without taking advantage of it one way or another.
3. The Economy Will Suffer: No one can deny the economic damage that is being done across the globe due to the reaction of world governments. Businesses are closing and people are already losing their jobs. People are hoarding food and other supplies. This is a reality that we must deal with and unless we can get all of this under control in the next couple of weeks we may well be in for a complete change of lifestyle. Does this come as any surprise for those of us who are familiar with the warnings of Our Blessed Mother? The US and the West will suffer economically, just how extensive this will be remains to be seen.
4. As the Church Goes the World Goes: We must recognize that the Church has for the most part, aside from a few shining examples of courageous priests, folded under the pressure of secular governments and its own internal moral and doctrinal decay. The spiritual consequences of unrepentant sin are dire. I keep seeing bishops on Twitter telling everyone that it's really no big deal that we have no public Masses. Some insist that God never punishes anyone, and is only infinite mercy. They do not believe the words of Sacred Scripture, the wisdom of the Saints or the warnings from Our Blessed Mother. So indeed, we are seeing the consequences of the Church leadership that refuses to correct heresy, to call sin for what it is, and to correct the misconduct of its members.
5. There are Faithful and Courageous Clergy: Despite the overall degraded situation in the Church, there are still many faithful and courageous priests and bishops. I just went to Confession today and I am very thankful for the priest who was sitting behind the screen hearing my confession. We need to thank God for our priests and bishops who are striving to do God's work. All of the clergy need our prayers since the devil is making a concerted effort to do whatever he can to destroy them spiritually and physically. Thank God for our priests!
Keeping these in mind, what are we to think about this being a chastisement from God?
Does God Punish Humanity for Sin?
Despite the insistence of many Catholics today, God does indeed punish humanity for sin. It is built into the very fabric of His creation. Does anyone believe the book of Genesis and the reality of Original Sin anymore? What about the words of the prophet Isaiah 13:11 "Thus I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless." As Catholics, we must believe that there are indeed consequences for sin. Unfortunately, today we often do not realize how serious these consequences are! In fact, sadly we often deny they exist.
Our Lady at Fatima made it very clear that these punishments include among others war and famine, “You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to My Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end; but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the reign of Pius XI. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that He is about to punish the world for its crimes by means of war, famine, and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father.”
Our Lady at Akita in 1973 warned us that, "The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres... churches and altars sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord.
The demon will be especially implacable against souls consecrated to God. The thought of the loss of so many souls is the cause of my sorrow. If sins increase in number and gravity, there will be no longer pardon for them...As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never have seen before.
I could list many quotes from Sacred Scripture and the Saints as to the reality of chastisements being sent by God for the punishment of the sins of humanity. This current crisis is in my eyes certainly a chastisement. Just how severe of one remains to be seen. Will the Church and humanity listen and turn back to God? Will we take our Catholic faith more seriously in light of this crisis?
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Ephesians 5:6
Our Choice is Before Us
If you are reading this, it means you still have time to change! Our Lady does not leave us in despair and so she also offers a solution which is to stop sinning and start praying! Our Lady at Akita said, "Many men in this world afflict the Lord. I desire souls to console Him to soften the anger of the Heavenly Father. I wish, with my Son, for souls who will repair by their suffering and their poverty for the sinners and ingrates." Our we heeding her advice? Are we making reparation for our s and others sins? Our we preparing for death in the manner God and His Mother have called us to do?
Are we all going to die from this virus? Certainly not, but we are all going to die! Our faith calls us to pray for one another and with the virtue of our hope in Christ we pray for a happy death. I recommend that you take these practices of the Dominican Third Order and put them into practice in your own lives. Say an 'Our Father' a 'Hail Mary' and a 'Glory Be' each day for the dying and the dead. Have Masses said for the dead and the dying periodically. Finally, prepare yourself in prayer and penance so that you may not fall into sin and instead may make reparation for sin! If we have lived the life God has called us to then we need not fear what lies ahead for us even it means that we must suffer much.
Father Joret tells a beautiful story about a dying Dominican Brother Everard who, "fell ill, and it was obvious that his hours were numbered. " Death need be concealed from no one except from him to whom its name is bitter," said the dying man." As for me, the prospect of being stripped of this wretched fleshly covering does not frighten me because I hope to go to Heaven. My one desire was to see the face of our holy Father Dominic; but now God is calling me to Himself: I am going where the Father and his sons will meet together in the presence of the Eternal."
Matthew Bellisario O.P. 2020
"Pleasure, as well as distress, is kept in check by the sweet and holy remembrance of God, that is, by the continual consideration of death that comes with self-knowledge. We see that we are all mortal. The moment we are created in our mother's womb we are condemned to death and will surely die, and we know neither when nor how. And who of us will not check and cut off any unwarranted pleasure that comes from empty and foolish worldly joys, if we consider that our life is so short that we can expect death any day? For our life is no bigger than the point of a needle!" Saint Catherine of Siena Letter T184
The Dominican Practice of Praying for the Dying and the Dead
Being a Third Order Dominican has many advantages. One of them is the Order's insistence on praying for the dying and the dead. All of the Order's members receive great graces in their last hours on earth as well as their lessened suffering Purgatory should they go there. Everyone in the Dominican Third Order traditionally follows these observances. (Taken from 'The Dominican Life' by Joret.)
1. Within eight days from the- receipt of the notice of the death, each member of that Fraternity
shall recite a third part of the Rosary, hear one Mass and apply one Holy Communion for the soul of the deceased.
2. Each Tertiary shall daily say one Pater, Ave and Requiem for the living and dead of the whole Order.
3. Each Tertiary shall annually have celebrated, or at least assist at, three Masses for the welfare of the Brothers and Sisters, both living and dead.
Joret wisely tells us, "I wish to remark certain effects in the supernatural order which can be brought about only in a religious Fraternity like ours. Within it we can truly merit for each other, we can pray efficaciously for one another, and we can make rigorous satisfaction for each other's sins. Even death itself does not put an end to this beneficent intercourse which the Church calls the communion of saints."
Pray for the Dying and the Dead
Although you may not be a Dominican Tertiary, you can implement these practices into your own spiritual life in praying for the dying and the dead. It is a fact, we will all die and we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. I often repeat the wise words of my dear late friend Monsignor Anthony La Femina, "God is infinite mercy, but He does not give us infinite time!" Thus, we should often think of death. Most of us like to put the thought of death as far out of our minds as possible. Although we should not be morbidly obsessed with it, contemplating death in light of our faith in Jesus Christ is a healthy practice, and it was practiced by all of the Saints. Saint John Boscoe said, "Many people in this world do not want to think of death. My sons, keep in mind that whether we think of it or not, death is unavoidable." Do we think about our death? Do we think of the poor dying souls who have no one to pray for them?
Preparing for 'The Supreme Moment'
Think about those dying from the Coronavirus or the many other diseases killing people across the globe who are soon going to walk into their "Supreme Moment." In Italy, in just one day nearly 500 died from the virus. Were they ready for their death and did they have people to pray for them? We call death 'The Supreme Moment" because it is the moment when our eternal life will be decided. Our entire life is a journey towards this 'Supreme Moment.' If we are in a state of grace we inherit the Kingdom of God. If we die without supernatural grace we are eternally separated from God. Those are the only two possibilities for us. There has never been a better time to visit the Sacrament of Confession, and there has never been a better time to strive for holiness.
Saint Catherine of Siena once wrote in a letter, "Don't rest your confidence in your physical youth or worldly power. A person is alive today, dead tomorrow; well today, sick tomorrow; a lord today, tomorrow a servant. How foolish then are people who are unduly attached to these things!" In another she wrote, Don't wait for tomorrow, I beg you, but for love of Christ crucified keep in mind how short time is. you don't know whether you will have tomorrow. Remember that you have to die and you don't know when."
The Coronavirus Situation
What are we to think of this Coronavirus crisis? Is the virus as serious of a pandemic as the media is making it out to be? Are there ulterior motives for political parties to try and regain the ground lost to the world order over the past 3 1/2 years? Are there sinister entities at work trying to crash the Western economy? Is China trying to weaken Western Civilization? All of these are intriguing to think about. Amidst the many theories surrounding this mysterious crisis, there are a few certainties that we know are true.
1. The Virus is Lethal: There are people dying from this virus and we can see that in Italy the deaths occurring in the elderly and sickly population is alarming. The virus is real and it is killing people across the globe. I believe it still remains to be seen as to how lethal it ends up being in comparison to other diseases that have not garnered the attention this one has. Nevertheless, anyone who says the virus is not real or lethal is delusional. The bright side is that there is now an effective treatment for it called Chloroquine which the US is finally recognizing. There are other treatments in development as well, which I am sure the pharmaceuticals and their government pals will be sure to capitalize on.
2. The Crisis Will Not Be Wasted: There are certainly political forces at work that are taking advantage of this situation. It is no surprise to see political degenerates who are turning this into an anti-Trump crusade. One thing is certain, we are going to be hearing about how bad Trump has supposedly handled this crisis until election day. It is a fact that many of the liberals seem to be almost gleeful over the government gaining more control over the population. It is certain that these sub-defective elitists will not let this opportunity pass without taking advantage of it one way or another.
3. The Economy Will Suffer: No one can deny the economic damage that is being done across the globe due to the reaction of world governments. Businesses are closing and people are already losing their jobs. People are hoarding food and other supplies. This is a reality that we must deal with and unless we can get all of this under control in the next couple of weeks we may well be in for a complete change of lifestyle. Does this come as any surprise for those of us who are familiar with the warnings of Our Blessed Mother? The US and the West will suffer economically, just how extensive this will be remains to be seen.
4. As the Church Goes the World Goes: We must recognize that the Church has for the most part, aside from a few shining examples of courageous priests, folded under the pressure of secular governments and its own internal moral and doctrinal decay. The spiritual consequences of unrepentant sin are dire. I keep seeing bishops on Twitter telling everyone that it's really no big deal that we have no public Masses. Some insist that God never punishes anyone, and is only infinite mercy. They do not believe the words of Sacred Scripture, the wisdom of the Saints or the warnings from Our Blessed Mother. So indeed, we are seeing the consequences of the Church leadership that refuses to correct heresy, to call sin for what it is, and to correct the misconduct of its members.
5. There are Faithful and Courageous Clergy: Despite the overall degraded situation in the Church, there are still many faithful and courageous priests and bishops. I just went to Confession today and I am very thankful for the priest who was sitting behind the screen hearing my confession. We need to thank God for our priests and bishops who are striving to do God's work. All of the clergy need our prayers since the devil is making a concerted effort to do whatever he can to destroy them spiritually and physically. Thank God for our priests!
Keeping these in mind, what are we to think about this being a chastisement from God?
Does God Punish Humanity for Sin?
Despite the insistence of many Catholics today, God does indeed punish humanity for sin. It is built into the very fabric of His creation. Does anyone believe the book of Genesis and the reality of Original Sin anymore? What about the words of the prophet Isaiah 13:11 "Thus I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless." As Catholics, we must believe that there are indeed consequences for sin. Unfortunately, today we often do not realize how serious these consequences are! In fact, sadly we often deny they exist.
Our Lady at Fatima made it very clear that these punishments include among others war and famine, “You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to My Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end; but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the reign of Pius XI. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that He is about to punish the world for its crimes by means of war, famine, and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father.”
Our Lady at Akita in 1973 warned us that, "The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres... churches and altars sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord.
The demon will be especially implacable against souls consecrated to God. The thought of the loss of so many souls is the cause of my sorrow. If sins increase in number and gravity, there will be no longer pardon for them...As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never have seen before.
I could list many quotes from Sacred Scripture and the Saints as to the reality of chastisements being sent by God for the punishment of the sins of humanity. This current crisis is in my eyes certainly a chastisement. Just how severe of one remains to be seen. Will the Church and humanity listen and turn back to God? Will we take our Catholic faith more seriously in light of this crisis?
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Ephesians 5:6
Our Choice is Before Us
If you are reading this, it means you still have time to change! Our Lady does not leave us in despair and so she also offers a solution which is to stop sinning and start praying! Our Lady at Akita said, "Many men in this world afflict the Lord. I desire souls to console Him to soften the anger of the Heavenly Father. I wish, with my Son, for souls who will repair by their suffering and their poverty for the sinners and ingrates." Our we heeding her advice? Are we making reparation for our s and others sins? Our we preparing for death in the manner God and His Mother have called us to do?
Are we all going to die from this virus? Certainly not, but we are all going to die! Our faith calls us to pray for one another and with the virtue of our hope in Christ we pray for a happy death. I recommend that you take these practices of the Dominican Third Order and put them into practice in your own lives. Say an 'Our Father' a 'Hail Mary' and a 'Glory Be' each day for the dying and the dead. Have Masses said for the dead and the dying periodically. Finally, prepare yourself in prayer and penance so that you may not fall into sin and instead may make reparation for sin! If we have lived the life God has called us to then we need not fear what lies ahead for us even it means that we must suffer much.
Father Joret tells a beautiful story about a dying Dominican Brother Everard who, "fell ill, and it was obvious that his hours were numbered. " Death need be concealed from no one except from him to whom its name is bitter," said the dying man." As for me, the prospect of being stripped of this wretched fleshly covering does not frighten me because I hope to go to Heaven. My one desire was to see the face of our holy Father Dominic; but now God is calling me to Himself: I am going where the Father and his sons will meet together in the presence of the Eternal."
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| Ecclesiasticus 7:40: ‘In all thy works, remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin’ |
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