THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Her Doctrine and Morals

Third Sunday after Easter

21 April 2024

[Image]

The Sunday

Sermon

Click the button on the right to be told about updates. Your address will be kept strictly private.

Dear Friends,

Today, we are reminded that everything in this world is temporal — it is only "a little while." There are times that we experience joy, but then we have sorrow, and there are times that we experience sorrow, but then come joy. Even in the spiritual life, we have this ebb and flow of joy and sorrow. In the mysteries of the Rosary, we have Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious mysteries. The Sorrowful are just as necessary as the Joyful and Glorious. We cannot have one without the others.

In the moments of this life when we have sorrow, we can take solace in knowing that it is only for "a little while." In moments of pleasure or joy, we can moderate ourselves and not be carried away because we are reminded that sorrow will soon return in "a little while."

In our physical life, we observe a disease where these ebbs and flows are not moderated but go from one extreme to the other. From mania to depression and back again. Treating the symptoms of this disorder is an attempt to moderate the extremes. It is similar in the spiritual realm.

We can be easily overcome and carried away by the sorrow that fills our hearts. The rejection of God's grace seems to be everywhere around us. Spiritual depression is not uncommon, and it is very tempting to go from spiritual depression into spiritual despair. On the other hand, spiritual things can become rather intoxicating and carry us away in a false spirituality. This spiritual intoxication or mania leads us to love the pleasure or consolation of God's grace rather than God Himself. It leads to a very false spirituality. This type of "spiritual mania" was or is often seen in "Charismatics" or the "Cursio movement." It's important to be aware of these dangers and strive for a balanced, moderate approach to spirituality.

Again and again, we emphasize that "virtue is in the middle." The ebb and flow of emotions, graces, night, day, etc., are given to us by God. His intention is not to drive us insane but to teach us to become indifferent to the things of this world and seek only Him. We are to moderate ourselves in everything. This guidance can help us navigate the highs and lows of life and spirituality.

The pain and the sorrow may be as crushing and all-consuming as the pain and anxiety of a woman in the pangs of giving birth to a child. We can get through these difficult times by remembering that "in a little while," this too will pass. And then, in a matter of moments, the woman will switch from pain to pleasure, from anxiety to joy because her child is now born.

The extremes of our spiritual life can be managed with the constant reminder that God gives and God takes away. Though we may not presently understand, we can still praise and thank God for everything. With Job, let us say, "Blessed be the Name of the Lord."

The "little while" may feel like forever, but if we persevere, we will be able to look back upon it and truly see that it was only a "little while."

These days, the darkness that hangs over our holy Mother, the Church, is very oppressive and discouraging. The devils use this present darkness to lead many away from the true Church, the true sacraments, and away from Jesus Christ. The Church is our mother; she is in labor to bring us into eternal life in Heaven. In the throes of her labor, it seems dark, oppressive, and as if there is no light ahead. What will become of us? Will our children be born alive in the light, or will they come forth into darkness and death? What will the future be?

Our Holy Mother Church continues with us, even when we cannot see her, just as Jesus continues with us when we cannot see Him. Jesus has promised to remain with us until the end of time. It is said that "it is darkest just before dawn." This axiom also appears to be true in the Church and in spiritual matters. When all is darkness and evil and near hopeless, light, grace, and life are very near. In just "a little while." We need to persevere for a little while longer.

Jesus is God. He is always near us, always with us. (Unless we run away from Him in sin.) We may not see Him, and the devils and the world may tell us He is not real, that He is not here with us, that He does not care, or that He does not love us. Though the world laughs and Catholics cry, the world will soon cry as true Catholics rejoice.

In those darkest moments, we need to lift up our hearts and eyes because Jesus is near and cry out, like Saint John in the Apocalypse: "Come, Lord Jesus, come!"

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspire, guide, and protect us!