Some random thoughts after Tuesday night - I haven't felt like writing anything up until now. I have been trying to work out, principally through prayer, what is the spiritual meaning of this election, because there is a profoundly spiritual meaning.
1. The fact that Catholics, or sacramentalized pagans, were responsible for the election of the most anti-life candidate this country has ever seen, is of great consequence. It means that Newman's phrase about the "mass apostasy of the faithful" has come true. One blog used the phrase the "repudiation of the Bishops." So the Bishops who taught, like Bishop Finn, that one's soul could be imperiled by this vote, were repudiated. Strangely, I have been very circumspect about this, because it is obvious to me that a great punishment is coming. I am not, by nature, overly apocalyptic, but I'm afraid I completely agree with Michael O'Brien, who is, I think, something of a mystic, that, although Felsenburgh may not be the anti-Christ, he is "one of the key figures who will usher in the great time of trial and the last and worst persecution of the Church."
2. It is also clear that, just like in England during the Penal times and the time of the English Martyrs, we now have accomodationist bishops who will become the equivalent of the "official Churches" in post-war Eastern Europe - and an emerging Church of the Martyrs with, thank God, a John Fisher or two. Also, as one of my priest friends commented to me, he can already identify the people in his parish who will happily betray him to the authorities. Luckily, I think we can also identify the people who will protect us.
3. The role of the media has been truly disgraceful throughout this campaign. The mainstream media will become an even more effective tool in the assault on the Church.
4. Preaching and teaching will have to be fearless - despite the consequences.
5. Prayer and fasting - that should be obvious, but many of us, myself included have done too little of both.
6. Will we be Saul, or will we be Paul?
