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7/29/2019 When Cedars Fall June 2011
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When Cedars Fall
Wail, you cypress trees, for the cedars are fallen,
the mighty have been despoiled. Wail, you oaks of Bashan,
for the impenetrable forest is cut down!
Hark! the wailing of the shepherds,
their glory has been ruined. (Zech 11:2-3)
THEYhave fallen, one by one, bishop after bishop, priest after priest, ministry after ministry
(not to mention, father after father and family after family). And not just little treesmajorleaders in the Catholic Faith have fallen like great cedars in a forest.
In a glance over just the past three years, we have seen a stunning collapse of some of the talle
figures in the Church today. The answer for some Catholics has been to hang up their crossesand "quit" the Church; others have taken to the blogosphere to vigorously raze the fallen, whil
others have engaged in haughty and heated debates in the plethora of religious forums. Andthen there are those who are quietly weeping or merely sitting in stunned silence as they listen
to the echo of these sorrows reverberating throughout the world.
For months now, the words of Our Lady of Akitagiven official recognition by no less than thpresent Pope when he was still Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faithhave
been faintly repeating themselves in the back of my mind:
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 ma
souls is the cause of my sadness. If sins increase in number and gravity, there will be no longer pardon for
them"Message given through an apparition to Sr. Agnes Sasagawa of Akita, Japan, October 13th, 1973; approved in June
1988.
In some ways, one could ask if we havent already begun to live the prophetic words inthe Catechism of the Catholic Church?
Before Christs second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers
Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 675
That passage goes on to suggest that this "final trial", ultimately, is the temptation and test tha
will come about through a religious deception
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offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. The supreme religious
deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Mess
come in the flesh. Ibid.
What "problems" exactly? Blessed John Henry CardinalNewmanseemed to think they would be problems very much lik
those in our present hour:
It is [Satan's] policy to split us up and divide us, to dislodge us gradually
from our rock of strength. And if there is to be a persecution, perhaps it w
be then; then, perhaps, when we are all of us in all parts of Christendom s
divided, and so reduced, so full of schism, so close upon heresy. Then
suddenly the Roman Empire may break up, and Antichrist appear as a persecutor, and the barbarous nation
around break in. Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman, Sermon IV: The Persecution of Antichrist
DO NOT DESPAIR BUT PREPARE
I am not suggesting that in our lifetime the Antichrist will appear for certain. Only God knows
the timetable. But I would also say that Pope Pius X was perhaps on to something when hesuggested in an encyclical that the Antichrist may already be on earth. (If you havent yet, plea
take a moment to prayerfully read Why Arent the Popes Shouting?)
Our Lord commanded us to be vigilant, to "watch and pray." And not one without the other. T
one who merely watches without praying will be subject to the temptation of despair, as the
crises in our times are grave. On the other hand, the one who only prays may not heed the sign
of the times and the ways in which God speaks through them. Yes, watch andpray.
And prepare.
I have already written about this preparation in a simple writing called Prepare! On the otherhand, every single writing on this website is a refraction of this preparation intended to wake
up, and keep awake souls during these stormy times. Part of this preparation is understanding
not just what is happening in the world, but what is happening in your soul. Christianseverywhere who are sincerely trying to grow in holiness are going through a "trial by fire." I
have sensed the Lord saying in recent times that part of this trial is that He is no longer
"tolerating" venial sins as He has in the past, so to speak. That the "margin of error" is closingand the "give" that the Lord permitted in the past is no more.
I have looked away, and kept silence, I have said nothing, holding myself in; but now, I cr
out as a woman in labor, gasping and panting. (Isaiah 42:14)
If sins increase in number and gravity, there will be no longer pardon for them
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This is not to say that He is less loving quite the opposite! It is out oflove, in fact, that Jesus is telling us that we must become holy in these
times. Ultimately
Jesus is demanding, because He wishes our genuine happiness. The Church
needs saints. All are called to holiness, and holy people alone can renew
humanity. POPE JOHN PAUL II, World Youth Day Message for 2005, Vatican City, Aug.
27th, 2004, Zenit.org
We can no longer afford to leave any room for Satan to wedge his way
into our lives. He is on a rampage, for he knows his time is short. Itsnot so much that God has changed, but that He has permitted Satan to
"sift us like wheat",1 and thus, we must
Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion look
for (someone) to devour. (1 Pet 5:8)
The so-called "little sins" are now "big openings"; we cannot afford to be casual about our
spiritual lives. Listen again to renowned theologian, the late Fr. John Hardon, from a coupledifferent speeches he gave:
Those who challenge this new paganism are faced with a difficult option. Eithe
they conform to this philosophy or they are faced with the prospect of
martyrdom. Fr. John Hardon (1914-2000), How to Be a Loyal Catholic Today? By Bein
Loyal to the Bishop of Rome;www.therealpresence.org
No less than ordinary individual Catholics can survive, so ordinary Catholic
families cannot survive. They have no choice. They must either be holywhich
means sanctifiedor they will disappear. The only Catholic families that will
remain alive and thriving in the twenty-first century are the families of
martyrs. The Blessed Virgin and the Sanctification of the Family, Servant of God, Fr. Jo
A. Hardon, S.J.
Beloved, do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring am
you, as if something strange were happening to you. But rejoice to the extent that you shar
the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantl
(1 Pet 4:12-13)
PREPARING FOR GLORY
What must we do then? The answer is simplebut we have to do it! Pray every day. Read God
Word so He can speak to you. Go to Confession so He can heal you. Receive the Eucharist so H
can strengthen you. Make no provisions for the fleshno opportunities for the enemy to gain foothold in your life. Remain constantly recollected, as often as you can, that is, always aware
Gods presence, and thus, doing nothing without Him and always for and in Him. Lastly, take
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seriouslyGods invitation into the Ark of Marys Heart, a true refuge today from this presentand coming Storm (that involves, of course, praying the powerful prayer of the Rosary.)
What is happening today in the Church? The Father is pruning her dead branches so as to
correct and purify her:
I will lay waste mountains and hills, all their herbage I will dry up; I will turn the rive
into marshes, and the marshes I will dry up. I will lead the blind on their journey; by pat
unknown I will guide them. I will turn darkness into light before them, and make crooked wa
straight. These things I do for them, and I will not forsake them. (Isaiah 42:15-16)
This means that within our own interior lives, all the branches that are not bearing fruit will b
pruned. For God is preparing not to destroy, but to purify and rebuild His Church, which issymbolized by Zion in the Old Testament:
You will again show mercy to Zion; now is the time for pity; the appointed time has come.
stones are dear to your servants; its dust moves them to pity. The nations shall revere you
name, LORD, all the kings of the earth, your glory, once the LORD has rebuilt Zion and appe
in glory (Psalm 102:14-17)
Indeed, the Early Church Fathers and modern popes alike have all looked forward to a timewhen the Church would be renovated and renewed,2 and the glory of Jesus would spread to th
ends of the earth. It would be anEra of Peace. Let me close, then, with that prophecy given atRome in the presence of Pope Paul VI. For I believe it truly summarizes what we are
experiencing, and are going to experience in the days ahead
Because I love you, I want to show you what I am doing in the world today. I want to prepare you for what
to come. Days of darkness are coming on the world, days of tribulation Buildings that are now standing
will not be standing. Supports that are there for my people now will not be there. I want you to be prepared
my people, to know only me and to cleave to me and to have me in a way deeper than ever before. I will lea
you into the desert I will strip you of everything that you are depending on now, so you depend just on m
A time of darkness is coming on the world, but a time of glory is coming for my Church, a time of glory is
coming for my people. I will pour out on you all the gifts of my Spirit. I will prepare you for spiritual comb
I will prepare you for a time of evangelism that the world has never seen. And when you have nothing bu
me, you will have everything: land, fields, homes, and brothers and sisters and love and joy and peace mor
than ever before. Be ready, my people, I want to prepare you given by Ralph Martin, St. Peters Square, Vatican
City, May, 1975
http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2011/04/the-great-gift/http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2011/06/when-cedars-fall-2/#footnote_1_6262http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2007/01/the-coming-era-of-peace/http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2009/01/the-prophecy-at-rome/http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2009/01/the-prophecy-at-rome/http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2011/04/the-great-gift/http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2011/06/when-cedars-fall-2/#footnote_1_6262http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2007/01/the-coming-era-of-peace/http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2009/01/the-prophecy-at-rome/http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2009/01/the-prophecy-at-rome/7/29/2019 When Cedars Fall June 2011
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Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.
Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit
will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
(Matt 3:10)
WATCH:
The Prophecy at Romewebcastsan in depth look, line by line, of this prophecy, placing it in the context of Sacred
Tradition.
RELATED READING:
Custody of the Heart
Recollection
The Tiger in the Cage
The Scandal
http://www.markmallett.com/embracinghopetv/archives/category/the-prophecy-at-romehttp://www.markmallett.com/blog/2010/11/custody-of-the-heart/http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2010/11/recollection/http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2010/10/the-tiger-in-the-cage/http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2010/03/the-scandal/http://www.markmallett.com/embracinghopetv/archives/category/the-prophecy-at-romehttp://www.markmallett.com/blog/2010/11/custody-of-the-heart/http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2010/11/recollection/http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2010/10/the-tiger-in-the-cage/http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2010/03/the-scandal/