It's wrong to defend the Faith with violence and/or threats of violence. Period.
These people and people like them….and here should not be getting ugly emails much less death threats or threats of any kind. Yes. What has been said and done is unspeakably ugly and disrespectful. Blasphemous. So?
As Christians we are commanded to love those who ridicule us and revile us. Period.
Sure. We can storm eBay and ask that they not allow the sale of consecrated items. We can make known the depth of outrage caused by such desecration. We can take reasonable precautions to prevent additional acts of desecration, but we have to LOVE the people that mock us and our Faith. That means no death threats. No violence. No ugly words. Not just because these things are counter-productive, but because they are wrong.
If you need a weapon, drop to your knees and fast and pray. Offer reparation on their behalf.
Here's one to get you started…..
Act of Reparation
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, animated with a desire to repair the outrages unceasingly offered to Thee, we prostrate before Thy throne of mercy, and in the name of all mankind, pledge our love and fidelity to Thee!
The more Thy Mysteries are blasphemed, the more firmly we shall believe them, O Sacred Heart of Jesus!
The more impiety endeavors to extinguish our hopes of immortality, the more we shall trust in Thy Heart, sole hope of mankind!
The more hearts resist Thy Divine attractions, the more we shall love Thee, O infinitely amiable Heart of Jesus.
The more unbelief attacks Thy Divinity, the more humbly and profoundly we shall adore It, O Divine Heart of Jesus!
The more Thy holy laws are transgressed and ignored, the more we shall delight to observe them, O most holy Heart of Jesus!
The more Thy Sacraments are despised and abandoned, the more frequently we shall receive them with love and reverence, O most liberal Heart of Jesus!
The more the imitation of Thy virtues is neglected and forgotten, the more we shall endeavor to practice them, O Heart, model of every virtue!
The more the devil labors to destroy souls, the more we shall be inflamed with desire to save them, O Heart of Jesus, zealous Lover of souls!
The more sin and impurity destroy the image of God in man, the more we shall try by purity of life to be a living temple of the holy Spirit, O Heart of Jesus!
The more Thy Holy Church is despised, the more we shall endeavor to be her faithful children, O Sweet Heart of Jesus!
The more Thy Vicar on earth is persecuted, the more will we honor him as the infallible head of Thy Holy Church, show our fidelity and pray for him, O Kingly Heart of Jesus!
O Sacred Heart, through Thy powerful grace, may we become Thy apostles in the midst of a corrupted world, and be Thy crown in the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
Besides….bad manners speak for themselves.
Yes. I know this was much worse than just bad manners but at the very least it was terribly bad manners and on that most reasonable people could agree.
1 response so far ↓
1 Denise // Jul 14, 2008 at 7:54 am
Hmmm….I haven’t seen any of this, but you are so right…we are commanded to Love always!
Very good post.
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