Fr. Voigt "A World of Lepers and Who Cares?"
She stood before the United States representatives and proclaimed that abortion ought to be a primary right...and she is Catholic? She hangs around with Hilary Clinton, Barbara Boxer, Dianne Fienstein and they all support the murder of children in the wombs of mothers.
A wise old saying tells us that "birds of a feather flock together." Another saying corroborates the first: "Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are." What is it that forms these leprous souls that abide in sins such as murder of the innocent? St. John Bosco repeated it over and over again in sermons, dreams and good nights: "Bad words, bad books and bad companions are the common ways the devil employs to lead souls to hell."
Consider the story of the ten lepers that stood at a distance from Jesus and asked to be healed. In the only story of healing Jesus tells these lepers to show themselves to the priests. Why didn't He just speak and say the word and they would be healed. There is something of the faith that leads the lepers to move from seeing Jesus simply as a healer to the point where Jesus is God. Until that conviction comes leprosy is nothing more than an erroneous opinion about our Lord. One alone left the pack and returned to praise God. In the Greek the word is proskuneo translated by he fell on his face or he prostrated himself. He was cleansed and not only in the flesh but in the mind. He was no longer part of the crowd. He acted on conviction.
Where were the other nine? Where is the majority in the world today? All have shaved the image of Christ to one of the many good men that have crossed the path of history and is now gone. Ronald McDonald rates higher than Jesus in recognition among the Canadian grammar school students. There is an all out effort to destroy even the mention of Jesus among Catholics. We don't want to appear extreme. We no longer pray in public together as in the rosary rallies of old. The topic of faith is a taboo topic in families that used to pray together. Secularism is a leprous condition in this modern world of ours and we must come back to the fullness of the doctrine of Christ if we are to cure it.
We are entering the month of the holy rosary and ought to prepare ourselves for the renewal of our faith. Study the creed, know the power of regular confession, pray in public and host others in your home to pray with you. Catholics are meant to be the light to the world and not the life of the party. A light gives forth clear teaching and a love for the God who has redeemed
by the blood of His only begotten Son. The central mystery of the Catholic faith which unites us and directs us is simply that the Father so loved us that after we sinned (became lepers) He sent His Son to shed His Precious Blood and pay the price to re-bond(religion) us to Himself.
Our lives should imitate the leper who returned to praise, adore, thank and follow the Lord wherever He may lead us. May you and I follow the good shepherd and become Samaritans (guardians) of the true and only faith by which we can be saved. The Catholic Church is the only Mystical Bride of the Divine Son and there is no other path that leads to heaven.
In the hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
Fr. Richard Voigt
P.S. Health update: My surgical wounds are healing one by one and I am getting daily stronger. Your prayers and sacrifices are working so keep it up. Dr. Carl Ericson was very pleased with my post surgery inspection. I will keep you posted but I hope to begin with a trip back to Syracuse in October.