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

Is the object of Catholic, Jewish and Islamic worship the same God? - Updated

+ JMJ Do Jews and Muslims worship the same God as the Catholics? This question is raised often in the context of the statements made in the Second Vatican Council concerning these two religions. Namely: In the first place amongst these there are the Muslims, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind.( Lumen Gentium 16) The Church regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth, (Nostra Aetate 3) Nostra Aetate 3 - Footnote: 5. Cf St. Gregory VII, letter XXI to Anzir (Nacir), King of Mauritania (Pl. 148, col. 450f.)

A Reply to Martin Blackshaw’s FLAWED Remnant article titled: FLAWED: SSPX Advice on Abortion-tainted Vaccines

+ JMJ An article has appeared in the Remnant (link to article) and I am afraid that there are a number of flaws in it that need to be addressed. The author, Martin Blackshaw, believes that both the Church and the SSPX are misapplying the principle of Moral Theology called 'Cooperation In Evil'. Unfortunately, Mr. Blackshaw rests most of his arguments on citing authors that support his position, without considering the possibility that they are wrong. This highlights a key factor in this crisis: ignorance of the faith and its application . I don't am not singling out Mr. Blackshaw for this criticism, I have observed that it applies to laity and religious, superior and subject a like. No one seems immune in this enduring crisis, myself included. I further believe that this ignorance is why so many Catholics, both traditional and non, rely on their gut feeling or "Catholic conscience" for charting their way through this crisis of the faith. While...

Should Traditional Catholics Fear Donum Veritatis? Part B (Long Rambling Answer)

+ JMJ Tradical's Rambling Thoughts I think this comes down to three questions: Is the Novus Ordo Missae (NOM) valid? Is it licit? What does Donum Veritatis have to do with it? The first question is easy to answer: With the usual conditions the NOM is valid. ( See this link ) The second question is a little trickier: Is the NOM licit? Does it mean that it is a duly promulgated law of the Catholic Church? Short answer - probably in the formal / knowable sense. There's was a lot of arguments about this, focusing on whether or not it was a good law, but none of them really seemed to provide a definitive answer. The definitive answer will probably be given in a hundred years or so.😎 Does it mean that it doesn't contradict Church Teaching? Short answer - as promulgated it doesn't. Likewise there's been a lot of argument about this as well. I have yet to see someone identify a passage from the promulgated copy of the NOM that EXPLICITLY...

Hermeneutic of the Hermeneutic of Continuity - sspx.org

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A Look Back: A short history of the SSPX

+ JMJ I started a timeline a while back but never finished it. Fortunately, here's one that brings us up to 1994!!! P^3 http://archives.sspx.org/SSPX_FAQs/a_short_history_of_the_sspx-part-1.htm A short history of the SSPX A presentation given by Fr. Ramon Angles in Kansas City, MO, on the 25th Anniversary of the founding of the SSPX and reprinted from the January 1996 issue of The Angelus . Part 1 The history of the Society of St. Pius X begins, of course, in the mind of God. But do not believe that its temporal origin is to be found solely at the time of the post-conciliar crisis. The Society of St. Pius X was made possible ...

Tradicat

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