Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison.
Such are the first invocations in all the litanies listed in our prayer books.
But to them we often add a litany of our own composition, that is, our complaints and laments, which constitute as many invectives against the world in which we live, as if Providence had played us a dirty trick by making us live at such a time, as if we should not be the salt of the earth, as if we did not have anything to offer to this confused world.
Dear Friends and Benefactors,
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison.
Such are the first invocations in all the litanies listed in our prayer books.
But to them we often add a litany of our own composition, that is, our complaints and laments, which constitute as many invectives against the world in which we live, as if Providence had played us a dirty trick by making us live at such a time, as if we should not be the salt of the earth, as if we did not have anything to offer to this confused world.
But isn’t this, our own litany, anything but an acknowledgment of our impotence, a proof of our cowardice? Has our union with Christ become so weakened that we forget its sacred character? Doesn't our Christian life dramatically fail on account of our lack of interior life?
In truth, deep down, this sterile and disgusting litany does not accuse the world; it accuses God. While sinking in the swamp of our mediocrity, we protest against the order of Providence that has given us the grace of life and of living in this chosen time.
Does this mean that we must fall back into a blissful optimism and praise our times as being a golden age of mankind and the summit of history and civilization? Of course not: facts speak by themselves.
We must be wary of these extreme positions which betray a lack of balance. Let us be reasonable, let us allow our intellect to perform its task and judge according to right reason.
What should be our judgment on this world?
Has our world become insane? Otherwise, how can we explain all the turpitudes so shamefully exposed in broad daylight?
No, our world has not become insane. Its illness is of another nature, and it is our duty to discover it. We will then clearly see that the litany of our complaints and laments is not only vain but dangerous.
Beyond the scandals that are daily manifested, we must seek the profound nature of the modern world, its particular characteristic.
We live in a world where every order is turned upside down. Nature itself seems to groan under this disorder that is imposed upon it and nobody doubts that we are on the eve of an ecological catastrophe, unprecedented and incontrollable. We have lost the sense of history and live for the moment; we no longer take the time to pause, think, decide; we no longer respect the natural rhythms meant to lead and protect us. We live in a world of hustle and clashes.
This disorder is a signature. Especially when this disorder is institutionalized.
The disorder that tyrannizes the modern world presents itself as the usual rule of our actions, the standard that must be followed against any order.
This disorder that flatters the vilest parts of our nature is nothing else but a gilded yoke that quickly becomes a prison from which it is impossible to escape. Our world has become, on account of this institutionalization of disorder, a cave full of slaves affected by the “Stockholm syndrome”, the dependence that is established between a victim and his tormentors and by which the victim needs to be tyrannized by his tormentors.
Sister Lucy of Fatima found the right words to describe our times when she spoke about “diabolic confusion”.
The mark of our time is that of Satan. Our world is satanic.
Satan, the Prince of darkness who aspires to live in the light, cannot prevent himself from leaving his mark in an increasingly obvious way, easily discovered at every step. It surges everywhere, from politics to entertainment and even, as we painfully acknowledge, in the Church itself.
We must know this and be on our guard. But the hour is not for complaints or lamentations. These are not a right response against the diabolic attack and, on the contrary, lead us into a bottomless despair. How can we claim to be fighting against the devil if we fall into his favorite trap? Despair is also an infernal signature.
Quite to the contrary, this is the hour of hope because the hour of our deliverance has already come.
It came upon us on Golgotha. On the Cross, Christ definitely overcame the devil. It is evident still today: Satan’s present behavior is proof enough. By showing his hand more and more openly, the devil betrays himself. He reveals himself because he knows that his time is running short, and thus he tries to take advantage of everything. To reveal himself is, for him, the unquestionable sign of the end of his reign. He certainly still has a formidable power to cause trouble, but this power is bound forever by the Blood of the Redeemer and, thus, he is no more leading the game, as he was before. He knows that his time is now ending.
Then, what should we do?
We should use our discernment. We must engage ourselves in the path that has been traced for us by the Virgin Mother so many times, so mercifully. Since we must fight against the devil and as his forces cannot be overcome by ours, it is time to turn ourselves towards these maternal remedies that our Good Mother of Heaven has given us. Let us pray to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, consecrate ourselves to it, take up the armor of penance, with our rosaries in hand.
We live in hope. Let us understand the challenge before us, without exaggerating or minimizing it and – above all – do not be afraid. Let us engage ourselves with faith. Christ is with us, without failing, until the end of the world and our victory over the world is our faith.
In Christo sacerdote et Maria,
Fr. Yves le Roux