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| Ecce Homo by Antonio Ciseri |
I. "For the Kingdom"
We live in times when people have become so desperate, they are willing to put all their faith in political figures, hoping that these actors will save them from the current economic and social apocalypse.
"We have no King but Cesar," the crowds seem to shout! Yet, we are ignorant of that fact that one presidential candidate isn't going to liberate us from the spiritual anarchy that has swept over our country.
America isn't falling apart solely because the current pseudo-Catholic President has implemented bad policies and suffers from a mental disease; he is actually a reflection of the moral and spiritual dementia our country has been suffering from for decades.
America wants to continue to be a global superpower, but it has long-forgotten the motto "In God We Trust". We now trust more in man-made idols than in the one and only Man-God who taught humanity what real trust is: 'Father, not my will, but thine' (Luke 22:42).
Jesus Christ was not only persecuted and injured by his enemies, he was killed by them, crucified on a cross, but he rose again on the third day. That's my hero - and it once used to be America's too. No politician is going to save us from our sins; no candidate can possibly offer us redemption; no actor is going to resurrect this world, only Jesus Christ can and will.
America will be great again when it repents of it's sins and turns to the Christ again. Until it does, it will continue to crown sinners as social messiahs. The reality is that the Christ has already conquered the world and is now crowned with glory and honor (Hebrew 2:9).
Yes, we should fight for America, but we should give our life for the Kingdom.
By Edgar Avendano @latinofilmmaker
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II. "Harden Not Your Hearts"
What good is it for God to have sent His messenger to the communists if they didn't convert?
What good is it for God to have sent His messenger to atheists and secularists if they didn't convert?
What good is it for God to have sent His messenger to the poor and marginalized of society if they didn't convert?
And now, to whom will the Lord send His messenger? And what good will it be for God to send His messenger if these do not convert?
After the Judgment, we will no longer be able to say, "Send Lazarus to my family" (Luke 16), because the Lord will tell us, They had my Son, his Word, his Church, his sacraments, his Doctrine and Teaching, his saints, his martyrs, his prophets, and I sent them even more messengers so that they would listen to them and convert, but they did not.
Woe to you, United States of America, if you do not convert! "If today you hear the voice of God, do not be stubborn like those who refused to obey him" (Hebrews 3:15).
If God has allowed us to have an "American" Pope, it is not to reward or congratulate Americans. What God desires is for the United States of America—and the rest of the world after her — to convert again to Christ Jesus.
Woe to you, United States of America, if you do not convert. It will be more bearable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for you!
By Edgar Avendano @latinofilmmaker
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III. "Which God Do You Serve?"
Which god do you serve? Which god do you offer sacrifices to? Which god do you trust in? The worship of false gods has become popular in recent times.
Elijah, the prophet of the true God, Yahweh - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob - once asked the false prophets of the demon Baal a question: "How long will you continue to change gods? You must choose between the God of Israel or Baal. And if Baal is the true god, follow him" (1 Kings 18:21).
During His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ clarifies: "No slave can work for two masters at the same time, because he will always obey or love one more than the other. Likewise, you cannot serve both God and money" (Matthew 6:24).
And so, the questions posed to all of us are: Will we choose the devil or Jesus the Christ? Do we divide or do we scatter? Will we choose heaven or hell? (Matthew 12:22-32)
When the fire of the Holy Spirit falls (Matt. 3:11-12; 1 Cor. 3:13-15; 2 Peter 3:7-10), its flames will consume the hearts of the followers of Christ, the Sacrificial Lamb (Rev. 5) and fill them with the fire of His love. But for those who refused to offer the sacrifice of a repentant heart (Hosea 6:6; 1 Samuel 15:22; Isaiah 1:11-18; Psalm 51:16-19), these flames will be the painful punishment of hellfire (Gen. 19:24-25; Matthew 10:15; Luke 10:12; Rev. 20:14-15).
By Edgar Avendano @latinofilmmaker
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IV. “Pay Attention”
The Good Shepherd feeds His sheep with the bread that came down from heaven — His own body and blood (John 6:51-56). Therefore, we must always turn to Him who nourishes us with words of eternal life (John 6:68).
We are invited to read and meditate on Holy Scripture, to frequently partake of the Incarnate Word (John 1:14) — the Holy Eucharist (1 Corinthians 10:16-21).
Remember that when the corrupt religious authorities, along with the Romans, came to capture our Lord in the Garden of Getsemani, the disciples were scattered (John 18). Christ worked so hard to unite them, but fear caused His closest friends to flee (John 15:15).
Peter was the only one who dared to defend the Lord; with a sword, he cut off the ear of one of the Jewish soldiers. Christ healed Malchus's ear so that he might hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Matthew 13:9-15).
Peter acted on impulse; his intention to protect Christ was good, although poorly executed. His best defense against the corrupt world would be to die crucified like his Master (John 21:18).
Peter listened, believed (although he doubted for a while), and united himself to the Crucified Lamb; Peter ate the fruit of the tree of eternal life and drank from the same cup as the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 52; Isaiah 53; Mark 10:39).
Yes, indeed, Christ came to bring a sword, not of iron, but of His Word (Hebrews 4:12). He is the sword that comes to judge those who do not listen to His voice, but rather listen to the voice of the world (Ezekiel 21:2-27).
Absence of peace results in anxiety. Lack of purpose results in depression. If Christ is the peace of the world (John 14:27; Philippians 4:7) and the reason for our hope (1 Timothy 1), why do we live anxious and depressed? Perhaps because we do not know Christ. Saint Jerome once said, "Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ."
And if we ignore Christ — the Word of God — then how will we believe in His promises? If we do not go to Holy Mass to receive the Incarnate Word, how can we believe in Him?
The world feeds us with lies, fear, and hatred. The rulers of this world seek to confuse, disorient, and scatter our thoughts and hearts (Psalm 146).
We have a difficult, but not impossible, task: to pay less attention to the voice of the world and more attention to the voice of God; to believe more in the promises of the Lamb (Revelation 5) than in the false promises of the wolves (Ezekiel 22:27; Acts 20:29).
"If anyone has an ear, let him pay attention" (Revelation 2:29).
V. “Amazing Grace”
Saint Augustine once said, "Fear the grace of God that passes and does not return." God offers us certain graces at particular moments in our lives. Of course, God offers us His grace at every moment, and He gives His grace to whomever He desires and whenever He chooses.
We also know that God gives us His grace if we ask for it, especially if we approach the Holy Sacraments, read His Word, pray, and do good works, for example. God also offers us particular graces to help us face difficult times — an illness, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job.
Almost always, this grace is offered to us when we least expect it. Sometimes, even before we need it. Suddenly, a friend invites you to a retreat, someone shares a video about the faith with you, or you feel the impulse to go to confession. These are moments of grace that God sends us through other people.
And, do we respond to this grace, or do we find it pointless? Do we go to the retreat or do we go to the party? Do we go to confession, or do we think the priest will think badly of us and therefore we avoid going?
O, dear friend, "fear the grace of God that passes before you and does not return." Brothers and sisters, let us always be in prayer for one another. If it has been a while since you went to confession, perhaps this is the time. If it’s been a while since you went to Holy Mass, perhaps this is the time. Perhaps this is the time to sign up for that retreat your friend invited you to. Perhaps it's time to stop reading the bad news and start reading the good news.
And what is the good news? That the Loving God is calling you right now. Take advantage of this grace He offers you.
By Edgar Avendano @latinofilmmaker