Peace

[Sojourn]

Peace be with you all, I hope you have all had a great Lent and Easter. I can't help but feel our world is slowly unraveling. The West is on a steep decline and we are heading towards some sort Tribulation. What optimism do you folks hold on to and are you doing any special devotions in these times?

[Miriam_M]

Peace be with you all, I hope you have all had a great Lent and Easter. I can't help but feel our world is slowly unraveling. The West is on a steep decline and we are heading towards some sort Tribulation. What optimism do you folks hold on to and are you doing any special devotions in these times?

Peace be with you as well.
I am not a model for resisting the temptations of anxiety and trusting in the Lord, but there is no question that these turbulent times call for greater trust in Him, not in ourselves. 

It's also tempting to blame the demons for every form of disorder we see around us, such as in politics, world affairs, civil strife, but we have to remember that the devil is simply an opportunist. He is most successful -- and will persist -- in settings that welcome him or enable him, such as the selfish and irresponsible egotists running much of the world, such as the decadent West addicted to pleasure above duty and who worship self, not God.  (Etc.) 

Mankind has made a home for Satan in almost every conceivable way -- so much so that even nature seems to be falling apart.  Fr. Ripperger mentioned very recently that the way the demons find an anchor, so to speak, is to find those who have been sloppy about the discipline of prayer. Matter of fact, Fr. (correctly) said this was true of Catholics overall in the modern era. 

This is one of the two great evils (rotten fruits) of V2.  The first was the abrogation of clerical authority; the second was the suspension of spiritual discipline for both the clergy and laity.  What were they thinking????  The whole point of prayer is to arm ourselves against the attacks of the devil and our own inclinations to evil.  Why would a Vatican Council --or those who interpreted it after the fact-- suggest that suddenly the Church Militant is now the Church Pacifistic, beyond the need of prayer?  That's the ultimate in Pride, not to mention blasphemy.  But the important point is that the laity and most of the clergy lost and forgot the discipline.

I don't care how routine it feels; we need to get back to the regimen of prayer.  We need it for our individual salvations and for help finding our way in the darkness.

To answer your question, I am not doing anything unusual.  I am merely intensifying my daily prayer as often as I can, including praying to specific Saints for specific needs. When I say needs I'm speaking both of spiritual and practical needs.

[Miriam_M]

Here's the very short video.
In terms of the discipline being referred to, it has to do with set times for rising and scheduling prayer at specific hours -- no, not like monastic hours, but "training," so to speak to get up earlier than you might if you were barely allowing enough time to get ready for work, etc.  Same for midday, when you might prefer to do something else or prioritize something else.

Here's the short summary of what he's talking about in terms of protection again demonic influence:

[Acolyte]

 My devotions include The Society of the Most Sorrowful Mother daily prayers which includes the Servite Rosary, The Auxillium Christionorum daily prayers, devotion to the Holy Face, including the Chaplet of the Holy Face daily, The Rosary, and devotion to the Holy Angels.

In my view, reparation is due God in lieu of the blasphemy and sacrilegious acts of the Western nations.

The Enemy doesn't like my routine at all. If I get lax on doing all of the above, he  leaves me alone. If I complete all my devotions for the day he messes with me. Especially in my dreams. I always win (in the dream) but before I started the devotions I listed, it was rare it happened.

At any rate, now I know why Fr Ripperger advises us not to use his book Deliverance Prayers For Use By the Laity unless we have our spiritual life in order.

But again , reparation is key in my opinion.

[Melkor]

Peace be with you all, I hope you have all had a great Lent and Easter. I can't help but feel our world is slowly unraveling. The West is on a steep decline and we are heading towards some sort Tribulation. What optimism do you folks hold on to and are you doing any special devotions in these times?

I find my optimism at the bottom of every bottle.

Well not really, what I mean is I have a great family group and good friends and I like to have a good time. Worry too much about the future, you miss out on the present and also, who knows what's gonna happen? It's in God's hands anyhow.

Special devotions not really, I just try to get my lazy butt to Mass as often as I can.

[james03]

What optimism do you folks hold on to

That I will get to witness the pyroclastic shock wave from the comet's atmospheric entry as it flattens NYC and DC, or the cleansing light of the nuclear fireball as it ignites over the same places.  And hearing millions of pedos, faggots, mask karens, and abortion supporting Catholic women cry out in sheer terror.

[LausTibiChriste]

My optimism lies in the hope that WW3 is right around the corner and I can channel my inner James: clanging the cowbell while yelling, "the end is nigh, faggots!"

(Although where I currently am, I'd probably be yelling, "SPASIBO BOLSHOI FOR SAVING US FROM THE WICKED WEST")

[james03]

While I would like to claim credit, I can not.  It goes to Desert Hermit Greg who said if God doesn't wipe us out, He owes Sodom and Gomorrah an apology.  (Not a comment on God, but a comment on our modern, progressive and sophisticated culture).

[Michael Wilson]

We know by our faith that God is in control, not the devil or his evil minions. If we keep this always in mind, then we know that God will assist us weather any crisis that might happen. So keep praying; receiving the sacraments and doing a little bit of spiritual reading every day, to strengthen your faith.

[Greg]

Any country that wants to wage war of any kind and for any reason must first draft the children of billionaires and millionaires and leading politicians. No medical excuses, no running away overseas without daddy or mummy losing their fortunes as a result.  Assets confiscated if junior escapes the call up.

There will be eternal peace.  Every conflict will be negotiated to a settlement.

[ChairmanJoeAintMyPrez]

Any country that wants to wage war of any kind and for any reason must first draft the children of billionaires and millionaires and leading politicians. No medical excuses, no running away overseas without daddy or mummy losing their fortunes as a result.  Assets confiscated if junior escapes the call up.

There will be eternal peace.  Every conflict will be negotiated to a settlement.

This would only stop the ones for whom family is more important than money.

Draft the billionaires themselves.

[GMC]

For me: Accepting that The West crossed the point of no return and will fall. So I stopped worrying about politics or society, and just worrying about improving my life and my spiritual state instead.

[Greg]

This would only stop the ones for whom family is more important than money.

That's most of them.  A minority would not get their way.

[Miriam_M]

My optimism lies in the hope that WW3 is right around the corner and I can channel my inner James: clanging the cowbell while yelling, "the end is nigh, faggots!"

(Although where I currently am, I'd probably be yelling, "SPASIBO BOLSHOI FOR SAVING US FROM THE WICKED WEST")