Today marks the beginning of two synods, the one on the ‘Amazon’, with its controversial working document, and the one in Germany, with perhaps its even more controversial agenda: Married priests; ‘natural revelation’ given to indigenous peoples; LGBTQ inclusion; the morality of sexual expression outside of traditional marriage; female ‘ordination’, that is, to the diaconate; the environment and the climatological and ecological impact and role of mankind, and on it goes. Me worry? Well, God is in charge, but we should pray, for we humans can say and do some rather inane, and insane, things.
On that note, this being the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary – originally termed Our Lady of Victory by Saint Pius V, in commemoration of the miraculous defeat in 1571 of the Ottoman navy by Christians under Don Juan against innumerable odds – peruse one of Pope John Paul II’s last encyclicals, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, demonstrating his love for the Mother of God, and that devotion to her is the shortest and safest route to salvation. The power of the Rosary is belied by the simplicity of the prayer. But, then, God loves what is simple and humble, with which – and with whom – He can do great things.
Tonight is the English language debate of those vying – for reasons beyond my ken – for the job of Prime Minister. Oh, well. You may take my own thoughts what I wrote a few days ago. As Mark Steyn puts it, even if the ‘Conservatives’ win, they may gain office, but they won’t gain much power. For nearly the entire culture – much of what we now know as ‘Canada’ – from hospitals, to schools, to media and universities, is in the hands of the ‘Liberal’ ideology. Andrew Scheer might warm the seat for the next ‘Liberal’, unless, that is, he finds it within himself to start a true cultural revolution, which is what we really need, from the ground up. We’re a long, long way from Lepanto, and those magnanimous souls who saved Christian civilization. But what was, might be again, if we discover once again our own Catholic roots, and that parrhesia, that boldness and courage which only Christ, His Church and His sacraments offer.
As Saint Paul says, I can do all things in Him Who strengthens me.
And the way to Christ is through Mary, His mother. So carpe diem, et carpe Rosarium: take up that Rosary, and pray. Today.