Everything is going wrong – Riposte-catholique

Dear friends, members of the Confraternity,

“Everything is going wrong”.

These three words could form the chorus of a song summarizing our beautiful era.

The verses would deal with the war on our doorstep, the family that no longer exists, omnipresent violence, human nature called into question or even euthanasia, the logical complement to abortion.

Without forgetting the great depression hitting adults and children alike. Depression, of which the decline in birth rates affecting our countries is an unmistakable sign.

So everything is going wrong, but after all, isn’t it all “normal”?

Saint Paul already said it to the Galatians: God is not mocked. What a man sows, he also reaps.

“Disorder,” said Bishop Fulton Sheen in the last century, “is a severe master and its teachings are slow, but they are sure to have an impact.”

And the Spaniards, in a more colorful way, have the habit of saying: “Whoever spits against the sky spits in his own face.”

Let us not forget that the world has decided to do without God; just as a child would decide at the age of five to do without his parents.

And this claim is madness. To do without God “does not work”. Let us even add that it cannot work.

Isn’t the current disarray ultimately the logical demonstration that a world where God is carefully excluded cannot function?

Even though we have extraordinary knowledge today in the infinitely large as in the infinitely small; even though we have access to “artificial intelligence”; even though we have incredible technical means, let us nevertheless recognize that there exists nowadays a generalized sadness. A malaise that is far from being only economic. Because without God, the essential is missing and will always be missing.

We dream of brotherhood, but we absolutely refuse to have a common father in heaven. How could this work?

Christians and their so-called “obscurantism” are much mocked; and yet is darkness really in our midst?

On the contrary, do we not, “we who believe,” have a light that others do not have?

This light is our faith.

This faith which teaches us that we were created by a God who loves us.

This faith which consequently teaches us that we must (and it is good) love God but also our neighbor; neighbor who is also loved by God and that, son of the same Father in heaven, he is even our brother.

This light of faith also teaches us that we must not kill, or steal, or cheat, or have evil desires. And even that we must love our enemies! These are the ten commandments to which we must add the commandments of the Church.

These rules given to us by God, life experience has shown us that they were not always easy to accomplish because of our nature damaged by original sin.

But these rules given to us once again by God, let us never forget that they are not arbitrary; they are not due to a divine whim but they emanate from him who is “eternal wisdom”.

They are the rules that he has written deeply into our human nature to live well in society; and above all, and this is very important, they are the rules that our Heavenly Father, who is also our creator, gives us to be happy. To fulfill ourselves. To be who we need to be.

Because God (who loves us) wants us to be happy. He wants us to be happy in heaven which is the goal of our life; but he also wants our happiness on earth (through a thousand sorrows), if we let his love enter into our daily lives; if we let his love give meaning to our lives.

And it is this love of God that is lacking today. This very real love of God, which alone gives meaning to life, and which nevertheless transforms us through recognition: ours.

The story is ultimately always a bit the same. Adam and Eve wanted to do as they pleased and free themselves from what God asked of them… and misfortune entered their lives.

Often, we too want to do a little as we please despite what God expects of us. And that’s always the point where things start to go wrong.

Our societies also want to do as they please and decide what is right and wrong; and the result again is evident before our eyes.

And this result could not be otherwise, because a world without God cannot function, just as a life without God cannot lead to happiness.

Because we were created for God.

Pope Benedict XVI, addressing young people on the occasion of World Youth Day, said to them:

One of the main consequences of forgetting God is the obvious disarray which marks our societies, with its dimensions of loneliness and violence, dissatisfaction and loss of confidence which frequently lead to despair. Clear and strong is the reminder that comes to us from the Word of God: “Woe is the man who trusts in man and whose heart turns away from the Lord! He will be like a bush on a desolate land, he will not see happiness coming.

So, what can we do to give God the place he deserves?

Let’s start by making it truly reign within us.

Let us try to be faithful to him in all things, and let us tell him again every day that we want to love him and listen to him.

Let us turn to him in prayer. Let us receive the sacraments that he so desires to give us.

Let us attend our churches; let’s educate ourselves, read good books that can excite us about spiritual realities.

And let us learn to find it in the poor and in the smallest.

If unhappiness comes from forgetting God, happiness on the other hand (as much as one can be happy on earth) can only be found with him.

Wishing you a very happy holiday. Under his watchful eye and protection.