"Father. Into Thy Hands I Commend My Spirit"...

  On this Good Friday, nearly 2,000 years ago, the father of lies, Satan, thought, at least for a while, that he had won the battle and defeated the Son of God, Our Lord, Jesus.

He was wrong...

However, if we look around at what is happening in the world, it would be very easy to despair and say: the demon has won the battle for the souls of mankind!  

With the continuing slaughter of the pre-born, now enshrined in "law," with wars and rumors of wars festering throughout the globe, with communists at the helm of the ship of state, another endless list, it would be almost a natural thing to throw up our hands and go hide in a cave.  But we can't do that because Our Lord paid the price for us and our sins!

We cannot betray Him again -- Because He does not betray us.

But each time we commit a mortal sin, it is a betrayal of Christ! 

But!  Again and again, He will forgive us, as St. Peter asked: how many times should we forgive sins?  Seven times seven?  Our Lord tells him, no, but seventy times seven!  In other words, as many times as someone repents of their sins, it will be forgiven...

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We are also told in the Bible, that in the end, Satan's miserable, rotten, wicked and evil head will be crushed by the heel of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ!  (Isn't it ironic that the "weaker sex" -- in this case, the Blessed Mother, will take on and defeat the massively powerful demon!)

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He said that He would not leave us orphans, and that the gates of hell would never prevail against His Church!  So, no matter what horrors we face, no matter what threats to our lives from the evil powers, or disease or illness, we have to stay focused on the last four things: death, judgment, Heaven or hell.  

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And on the third day, He rose again...

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The way things are headed, martyrdom might be in the cards for us too, if that is the case, then so be it.

Regardless of what happens, we have to pray for the grace of final perseverance -- and strength and honor!

VIVA CHRISTO REY!  Bl. Fr. Miguel Pro, Fr. Emil Kapaun and Fr.  Vincent Capodanno, pray for us...

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle...

I wish all a Happy and Blessed Easter!

Gene DeLalla