I watched the movie today – “2016: Obama’s America.” A deep sadness has come upon me, a sadness close to anger, but anger is a temptation I resist. So I fall back to this sadness, realizing that it did not have to be this way. There ought to have been clearer voices, prudent voices, and ears listening for truth. There was a nobility in the America soul – a goodness – not perfection, not by a long shot, but a goodness that knew simple truths and held them up as our principles and our guiding light. “We hold these truths to be self-evident…” God put those truths in the American soul; God sent us His Church to help us keep true to the truth! And God blessed this country with wealth, with power, with freedom. But instead of holding true to His truth, we let ourselves be seduced by the easier pleasures of wealth, and of power, and of license.
I am deeply sad; I grieve over this sick land that is so confused and divided, pathetic in her foolishness – can we see what we have done, and change now while we still can? Can we wake up? Can we sober up? Can we stand up and return to the wisdom of our fathers? Or are we doomed to destroy ourselves in fiscal insanity, in moral denial, in spiritual destitution, in cultural bankruptcy – in national suicide? Can we yet recover our humanity that hangs on an unravelling thread close to snapping? Can we yet piece together and restore what remains of the God-given human dignity in us?
Please see the movie, “2016: Obama’s America.” It can help explain how we got here, having elected a president without a resume, without a vetting, without national debate, with only a hope – and a hope unjustified, but used nevertheless and potent to its unconsidered end.
This blog entry, however, is about the solution to the problem, if it is not too late. The solution is simple: turn to God, Catholics. Fall to your knees and pray for His mercy on us His Church, and on this poor nation so blind and undeserving. We in America do not deserve His mercy – we have sought every evil up to now, and we continue to bath in self-satisfaction when we ought to be in penance, on our knees. We need His grace. We, His Church, need Him. We need His truth! Catholics need to hear His Truth! We need to repent of our lukewarmness, our compromises with the world, the flesh and the devil. We need to convert and become who we have been called to be, because the world needs His light.
Catholics, vote and vote the Truth! Do not be ashamed of the holy sacrament of marriage. Do not be ashamed that sin is still sin – and all sin is an abomination to God. Do not be ashamed to be repulsed at the murder of the innocent: abortion. Do not be ashamed of Christ who died on the Cross for you and for me, that we might be free of the fear of the opinions of blind men, and free instead to love them and bear the witness of truth to them that they might be saved.
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Yes, Thomas, I too felt sad after watching this film. It was important, however, to learn more about the background of the man who has been President for the last four years. It is amazing how he was elected with so little known about him at the time. What I knew was enough for me not to vote for him then, and this film strengthened my resolve to pray and help others, especially Catholics, realize how terrible it can be if he is re-elected. The film does not touch his abortion record, which is crucial to me, but it explains many other tragic choices of President Obama. I cannot understand any Catholic voting pro abortion, when there is a Pro Life alternative.
May God have mercy on our country, and renew His Church. By His Grace, may we shine with Christ’s Light as we are called to do; and may Our Blessed Mother, Patroness of the United States under her title of the Immaculate Conception, intercede for us, and protect the unborn of our country and of the world.
By: Deborah on October 17, 2012
at 6:16 pm
You have a great message, Thomas. I have not seen that movie yet. Sounds like I need to, although I am sure it would stir up sadness, anger, and fear in me! This person who was elected President in 2008 has one goal; to destroy this country!: financially and morally, to leave us unprotected from our enemies; in ruin! He is controlled by the Evil One!
We do have hope, though, because we know that all things are possible with God! He is waiting to hear from us, His people! He wants us to be on our knees in prayer asking for forgiveness; for letting this Country get to the state that it is in. It seems to me, though, that the Church is working against itself. When Catholic nuns have an Obama campaign sign in their yard, when others disperse birth control pills, when others promote abortion in certain cases and others promote Obama’s idea of redistribution, we are in trouble!
Once again, though, we do have hope in God! Catholics need to wake up, return to Christian values and help make a better place for all of us to live. Pastors need to be bolder leaders, unafraid to “hurt someone’s feelings”. Teach the truth, the WHOLE truth!
To avoid rambling, I will now step down off my soap box!
By: Theresa on October 17, 2012
at 6:58 pm
No, dear Theresa, do not step down from your soap box yet! Not until people hear, and realize the truth! I too grieve to see consecrated religious sisters, nuns and brothers, and even clergy who have become enablers of the darkness instead of heralds of His holy light! May God have mercy on us.
We must hold tight to faith, because greater is He who is in us, than he who is in the world. Thank God for Pope Benedict, and for this wake-up call, the Year of Faith! We must strive for faith, guard it and hold it tight. The Son cautioned us: “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (see Lk 18:1-8)
By: Thomas Richard on October 18, 2012
at 11:08 am
Dear Thomas,
I haven’t seen the movie, but I can only speculate that it’s not propitious.
For years the media has replaced God’s truths in the American soul with a false dichotomy; the God who sent His Church to help America keep true to the truth.
This may probably be the penalty we must pay for the murder of so many innocent.
Mary have pity on us, that she has empathy for her deeply devoted children and appease the anger of Our Lord who may afflict both the United States and Canada in the not so distant future.
Gene
By: Gene on October 17, 2012
at 7:46 pm
Hello Gene – I too fear the unpaid debts to justice that we have accumulated – the crimes against God that we have shirked off and ignored, even to thinking that we “got away with it,” so patient and long-suffering He has been with us. But justice will come, more surely then the sunrise, in its time. Let us pray for His grace, that we might repent and return – and restore what ought to be, before it is too late.
By: Thomas Richard on October 18, 2012
at 11:16 am
Dear Thomas and Deborah,
I saw the film with my son a few weeks ago and wish it was mandatory for all Americans to see before they enter the voting booth.
Over the past few months I have been very involved in the efforts to help to change the course of our country after November 6th and felt inspired to write the following prayer, partially influenced by the prayers that have been aired on EWTN. I’ve shared it at several meetings over the past few weeks and I thought it might be appropriate to share herein:
Throughout scripture, God tells us repeatedly to “be not afraid”!
He told Moses to be strong and courageous and without fear, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you or forsake you.
He told Joshua … this is my command … be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
In the Psalms, David prayed … when I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust. I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?
And St. Paul tells us to be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds.
We greatly need that kind of peace at this pivotal time in our nation’s history. With that in mind we pray:
God our Creator,
We thank You that from Your providential hand and not from the hand of government, we, the people, have received the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We ask you to bless us in our vigilance to protect those God given rights and provide us with the strength of mind and heart to readily defend that which has come under attack and is at risk of being lost. We humbly ask for the courage to make our voices heard, no matter the consequence, as we defend those most sacred freedoms.
In this decisive hour, grant enlightenment to the hearts and minds of our citizens, that they might understand the implications of the choices that they will make at the ballot box and cast their precious vote to preserve the Republic that our founding fathers fought so valiantly for. We pray that our nation elects Godly men and women, who will preserve, protect and defend our constitution.
For the sake of our children, our grandchildren and all who will come after us we thank you for your divine intervention in these perilous times and we trust that with your help, this great land will always be “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”.
In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen
God bless you both and may God have mercy on our nation.
Pat Dansbury
By: Pat Dansbury on October 17, 2012
at 10:26 pm
Hello Pat,
Thank you for this encouraging note, and prayer. So also Jesus encouraged us (Lk 18:1) “Then he told them a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.” Our prayers are heard; He will never forsake His Church, or His mission of love and mercy – even until the close of the age, when all will be consummated.
By: Thomas Richard on October 18, 2012
at 11:22 am
The thing is Thomas, politicians don’t represent the view of the people. They represent their own. How else can one rationalise an agenda of gay marriage, for example? Official UK stats demonstrate they represent 1.5% of the population, as surveyed across a wide spectrum of the population. Let’s assume less than 100% of the 1.5% want to be ‘married’. Yet, across the western world, politicians are uniformly pushing that agenda. Because of an overwhelming public mandate? Clearly not. Clearly, it’s the agenda of a networked political ‘elite’.
Prayer is the only real answer. UK politics are beyond hope for people of faith, and I for one will not validate a corrupt process by voting. Give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.
By: Chris on November 6, 2012
at 2:41 pm
We agree about the value of prayer! But I would not say that is all we can do, or ought to do. We ought to do what we can – and some can do one thing, perhaps, and others, others. God has not given up on this world yet – and neither must we.
By: Thomas Richard on November 6, 2012
at 3:48 pm
If the politicians we vote for singularly fail to manifest their promises, are we not validating their deception by continuing to vote for them?
By: Chris on November 6, 2012
at 3:50 pm
Well Chris, you spoke first about a “corrupt process” that you did not want to cooperate with. But this question is different – of course you should not validate deception by voting for deceivers! Processes can be altered, however. You could work to bring righteous men into the process, for example.
By: Thomas Richard on November 6, 2012
at 4:22 pm