Navigating Catholic Life - Part 7: Start Now, Tomorrow is a Wish, Not a Promise

JMJ

A decade ago, in the height of the 'will the SSPX be regularized' discussion, I was called many things by denizens of various forums (Cathinfo, Ignis Ardens and Angel Queen) this included Mezingite and Tragical. Periodically, I was thanked for being a voice of reason amongst all the screaming of the 'resistors' warning of dire consequences if the SSPX accepted a no-compromise regularization.

When that compromise failed to materialize at their magic words, they concocted examples of a compromise within the SSPX ranks. One resistor even wrote a 'book' of the 101 compromises - including a reference from this blog.

That all seemed so important back then. I'm a decade older and, while not regretting the combat and spiritual fatigue that it engendered, it was a great learning opportunity. This set the stage for in person argumentation - I got a lot of practice there and had led me to today's thought.

Start now, tomorrow is a wish, not a promise.

There are things that we need to do, especially those related to the salvation of our souls (see https://tradicat.blogspot.com/2022/10/navigating-catholic-life-part-3.html).

We need to start now, take the initiative because there are no guarantee's that we will live to see tomorrow, let along the next hour or minute.

I'm trying to put all my cares in this type of perspective - maybe because I crossed the 'mid-life' line some years ago - the salvation of 'resistors' and others is important, but it really isn't my responsibility. My duty to God, responsibility to my family, my employer. Those are really my top three because they are all linked together far more tightly than persons using the pseudonym 'Catholicam', 'hollingsworth', or 'Tradfly'. For those who are concerned, Top 3 does not preclude 4,5,6,7 ... priorities :-).

Last thought on this, my Dad used to say: Live as if you will live forever, pray as if you will die tomorrow. He didn't seem to let the thought of death impede his ability to live a moral life and in my minds eye, I can still remember see him, a few days before he died, kneeling, looking at the crucifix, praying by his bed.

When I have gone on to my eternal judgement, I hope my children remember me the same way.

P^3

Comments

News Roundup: October 19, 2026

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The News is an Addiction ...

+ JMJ People seem to be mesmerised by train wrecks. They just can't turn away as the disaster creeps forward along train tracks towards the crossing where a car, truck, bus, trailer awaits its destruction. Trads have been watching the train wreck that is this crisis of the Catholic Church for decades. The trade war between the Canada and the US has reminded me that the news is addictive. The first time I was addicted what from 2009 to 2014 when I was closely following the Rome / SSPX discussions. I was at work watching a live-stream as Bishop Fellay disappeared into the Vatican. The lead-up to this moment had been intense as the 'resistance' got freaked out and the cultural cracks between doctrine and conspiracy theory widened. In the decade since then other things have emerged, wars, rumours of wars, conspiracies, celebrity Catholics etc. Now we have a new addiction and its name is Trump. Lately, no matter how much I try, I find myself wonderin...

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