greater prophecy, repentance, and fasting
"This is an evil age." —Luke 11:29
Jonah prophesied to the people of Nineveh. "When the people of Nineveh believed God, they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth" (Jon 3:5). All 120,000 citizens of a city steeped in sin, violence, and murder (see Na 3:1ff) repented in one day (Jon 4:11). They expressed their repentance by communal fasting.
Pope St. John Paul II prophesied to the people of the world, especially to Catholics in the Western world. He called our Western society a "culture of death." He called us to pray that America not lose its soul. The Popes in their directives regarding sex education have described our society as "sick."
As the people of Nineveh heard the great prophet Jonah (see Lk 11:32), the people of our time have been privileged to hear the great prophet Pope St. John Paul II, the Vicar of Christ and the successor of Peter, the head of the apostles. Will we repent? Will our Lenten communal fast express a greater repentance, or at least lead to it? In this Lent, we may be repenting and fasting for our lives, souls, sanity, and humanity. If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts (see Ps 95:7-8). "Now is the acceptable time! Now is the day of salvation!" (2 Cor 6:2)
Prayer: Father, may I fast in the power of the Spirit.
Promise: "Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold His blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish." —Jon 3:9
Praise: Formerly known as "The Praisers of Mary," the seven founders of the Servite order were guided to found their new order when Mary appeared to them.
Reference: (For a related teaching on The Necessity of Confession for Renewal, listen to or download our CD 70-1 or DVD 70-CH-2 at presentationministries.com or order our tape on audio AV 70-1 or video V-70.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, September 28, 2015
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