“And because wickedness is multiplied, most men’s love will grow cold.” (Mt 24:12)
Jesus foretold of this coldness, this chilling of the heart toward one another, because of the growth, the multiplication, of wickedness among men in the Last Days. We can see, I believe, this ugly, bitter fruit of evil growing among us even now. A growing distrust – a growing impatience – a growing cynicism that suspects the other as enemy. Even in one’s own home, and family – workplace, and church – the buyer, and the seller – what is he working against me? What harm to me, like an arrow, is drawn back in his bow? What is he really saying? What is he really planning, scheming, in the back of his mind?
Wickedness is growing! Chasms of separateness are being revealed between us, the one and the other, and the old bridges seem to be collapsing before our disbelieving eyes: how can this be? What happened to the bonds of past days? Why does he seem so cold – distant?
I look at our national leaders, and see two factions as if in a fight to the death! Not two approaches to the best for our country – for the common good of us all – but a clash of enemies having no compromise admissible, allowable, or even possible. I look at my Church – Catholic, universal – and I see progressives against conservatives, traditionalists opposing modernists, seekers of God in prayer confronted by seekers of human rights in law. I see, in our holy Church, factions of ideology in the same conflict as our secular cousins – different uniforms, different vocabularies, different playing fields, but the same goals, the same futile end, the same bitter fruit: a growing institutional coldness.
What are the faithful to do, as the tide of evil rises? Where ought we to turn, as the consequent winds of contradiction and controversy grow in fury? We must remember our Lord. Jesus taught us about the wise man, in such a time:
“Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. (Mt 7:24-25)
Our house – our home – must be built upon the rock. Our Church must be built upon the Rock, and our Domestic Church – our personal home – must be built upon the Rock. The work of building, the constructing, the assembling, must be the works and the material of Truth, of Light, of Life. The foundation upon which the building stands or falls must be True, of the Light, of His Life: then it will stand, then it will not fall. The foundation must be the Rock, our Lord, our eternal God.
Jesus taught this parable to all and any having ears to hear. The world is not interested, not listening, not hearing. The Church? Are we listening? Are we hearing? Are we learning? The teachings of Jesus are wisdom: precious, priceless, potent. This Rock is eternal. His Truth is rock-solid and cannot perish: He will always be true. And we? Will we listen, and learn, while there is time? Will the Church be Church, living her mission to be Light for the world, as darkness and dying creep into and among us, the light fading into night, the hearts of men cooling and hardening as wickedness grows?
Friends, while there is light, let us seek Him in holy prayer more and more, listening to Him in His Holy Word, holding Him close, tight, until His Word, His Truth, presses into our hearts and lives making us new! Let us be done with the compromises and contradictions of half-hearted religion, and double-minded believing! Let our “Yes!” to Him be single-minded and pure; let us guard the integrity of our hearts – His altar is holy! Let us be enkindled with the fire of the one Holy Spirit – the fire that consumes not life but death, the fire that is not of death but is of eternal life.
Renew The Church! - website and Blog 
Dear Thomas,
Thank you for the encouragement that you are to the True Church. We see everything falling into chaos around us and it will continue as man’s heart becomes colder and colder. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, all powerful, almighty Lord. Be strong and courageous. Jesus we trust in you and our Blessed Mother Mary.
Chris Dollenmeier
Anderson SC
Sent from my iPhone
By: Chris Dollenmeier on January 24, 2020
at 1:51 pm
Dear Thomas,
Thanks so much for this Blog post today, on the Memorial of St. Francis de Sales, who was a Bishop in France, noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to the religious divisions in his land resulting from the Protestant Reformation. Born in the 1500″s yet we find in this Saint’s life and writings the Wisdom of God which is still available to us today, if we choose to have ears to hear His Truth and obey Him.
Yes, Thomas I agree with you, we need to seek His Light, “in holy prayer more and more, listening to Him in His Holy Word, holding Him close, tight, until His Truth presses into our hearts and lives, making us new!…Let our “Yes” to Him be single-minded and pure…”
Yes, “His altar is holy! and as Mary offered herself totally to Him, in her “Yes” may our hearts be kindled by the Fire of His Love and His Holy Spirit bring us to the Fullness of His Truth in Jesus.
By: Deborah on January 24, 2020
at 3:27 pm
This is an incredibly accurate description of society today!
It’s uncanny!
Imagine what a different world this would be if we put our
egocentric vision aside!
Perfect timing for the opportunity to reflect further and
pray about this issue!
So grateful!!
Lizette Mujica Laughlin
By: Lizette Mujica Laughlin on January 24, 2020
at 4:55 pm
Thanks Lizette, for your comment. Yes, God’s timing – always perfect!
Let us continue to pray for all those in most need of God’s Mercy.
By: Deborah on January 25, 2020
at 5:53 pm
Thanks Thomas, Your last sentence was so beautiful….”Let us be enkindled with the fire of the one Holy Spirit – the fire that consumes not life but death, the fire that is not of death but is of eternal life.” That is exciting to read. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, Lord Jesus…..because I love You!.
By: Susan on January 24, 2020
at 5:38 pm
Thanks for your comment, Susan, I too was blessed by that sentence. We so need the Holy Spirit to bring us into ALL Truth, as Jesus promised. We need to keep asking, seeking, knocking on the door for Him to open the “ears of our hearts” that we may do the Truth we hear in all that Jesus said and did. By God’s Grace, let us persevere in supernatural faith, hope and above all charity!
By: Deborah on January 25, 2020
at 5:59 pm
I agree with your comments regarding how stifled our politicians are and the lack of support or cooperation in any way. I see this in our everyday lives with a total inability for clubs and hoa’s unable to agree on what is best for all concerned. I pray for all the disruption in Washington to be corrected and for our politicians to recognize that they work for us and we pay their salaries. When did Washington completely forget about their supporters and decide to do whatever they pleased and not represent us any more??? I don’t feel like I live in a free world anymore.
By: Debra Sweeney on January 25, 2020
at 9:55 am
Thanks, Debra for your comment. Yes, it can be so disheartening to experience the discord that exists in the world today — in so many different sectors! Our Mother Mary assured the little children at Fatima that in the end her Immaculate Heart will triumph, and that can give us encouragement in the midst of confusion. Mary is the Mother of our Faith. She believed God’s message and lived His Truth. If we remain in the Truth, the Truth will make us free.
By: Deborah on January 25, 2020
at 6:06 pm
I find so much of your words here to be true. I often distrust in my fellow men and am more careful than I used to be in making new acquaintances, and don’t like this feeling of distrust. In my family, I no longer give advice, but try to set example. When Jesus said we must build our faith foundation on a rock, I can see that when families leave our faith out of forming their families, many problems arise, including hopelessness and difficulties facing what comes in life.
I can’t imagine facing life without our faith. The distrust we see in relationships, in marriages, our government, countries is brought about by a lack of trust.
By: Janet Meese on January 27, 2020
at 10:09 am
Dear Janet,
Thanks for your comment. It certainly is becoming more and more apparent in the world today, that people put more trust in their own thoughts, than to trust in God’s revealed Truth, and hearts grow cold.
In Baptism we are given the Supernatural gifts of Faith, Hope and Divine Charity in potency, that is, we are intended by God to begin our new Life in Him. We are taken out of the old Adam, and made members of the Body of Christ. Mary is the new Eve. The Son of God became incarnate in her womb, and He is for us our Way, our Truth and our Life. We are intended to grow in Faith, Hope and Love.
So many families have become “worldly”, that is seeking the things of this world and forgetting to seek God’s Way, His Truth and His Life. Our witness is important and by God’s Grace we can bring Jesus to others as Mary did, both by word and by example. Prayer is essential for without God’s Grace we can do nothing. But with Him, through Mary, all things are possible.
While it grieves us to see the hearts of many growing colder, let us remember Mary’s words at Fatima: “In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph.” Her Heart is full of His Grace!
By: Deborah on January 31, 2020
at 5:11 am