{"id":17407,"date":"2014-12-18T16:06:34","date_gmt":"2014-12-18T22:06:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/?p=17407"},"modified":"2017-04-17T21:58:49","modified_gmt":"2017-04-18T01:58:49","slug":"i-am-coming-soon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/i-am-coming-soon\/","title":{"rendered":"I Am Coming Soon","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
Gethsemane<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

THERE <\/strong>is no question that one of the aspects of this writing apostolate is to warn <\/em>and prepare <\/em>the reader for the colossal changes coming, and already begun in the world\u2014what I sensed the Lord several years ago call a Great Storm<\/em><\/a>. <\/em>But the warning has less to do with the physical world\u2014which is already changing dramatically\u2014and more to do with the spiritual dangers that are beginning to sweep through humanity like a Spiritual Tsunami<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Like many of you, I sometimes want to run from these realities; I want to pretend that life will go on as normal, and I am sometimes tempted to believe it\u00a0will. Who wouldn’t want it\u00a0to? I often think of St. Paul’s words calling us to pray…<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

…for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. (1 Tim 2:2)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Peace… the human heart yearns for peace. Let me live, and let live.<\/p>\n

And yet, there is no peace for our brothers and sisters in the Middle East, such as in Iraq, where they have been brutally driven out of the country by Islamic militants after 2000 years of existence there. For them, the prophetic word “Exiles<\/a>” <\/em>that I shared with you eight years ago is now a reality. In fact, I believe we are seeing the fifth seal of \"\"Revelation unfolding before our very eyes in the persecutions that have begun there, where Christians are being slaughtered.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

When he broke open the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the witness they bore to the word of God. They cried out in a loud voice, \u201cHow long will it be, holy and true master, before you sit in judgment and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?\u201d Each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to be patient a little while longer until the number was filled of their fellow servants and brothers who were going to be killed as they had been. (Rev 6:9-11)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The word exiles <\/em>has remained constant in my heart all these years\u2014the sense that we will see tens of millions of peoples displaced, even here in North America. Hurricane Katrina may be but a microcosm of what is coming…<\/p>\n

But no, even this is not as important as the spiritual dangers <\/em>that are advancing like a tidal wave. For what good is it to save the body but lose the soul?<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

SPELLBOUND<\/p>\n

There has been a deep grief in my soul these days; I find myself near tears at the most unexpected turns. Because so few see the absolute illusion that our society has become. We are almost literally spellbound <\/em>by the towering shelves of goods\u2014most of it junk that barely lasts a year. We are mesmerized by screen after screen, whether it is in the palm of our hand or hanging (all 6o inches of it) on our walls, as we have become zombie-like staring into our social media as society walks right by. And all of it comes with an empty, electronic soundtrack of asinine hip-hop laced with meaningless and base lyrics.<\/p>\n

All of it has put many, many to sleep. I am reminded of Pope Francis’ opening words in Evangelii Gaudium:<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

The great danger in today\u2019s world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is \"\"the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience. Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God\u2019s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades. This is a very real danger for believers too. Many fall prey to it, and end up resentful, angry and listless. That is no way to live a dignified and fulfilled life; it is not God\u2019s will for us, nor is it the life in the Spirit which has its source in the heart of the risen Christ. <\/strong>\u2014POPE FRANCIS, Evangelii Gaudium, <\/em>n. 2<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

How true it is, as another pope said, that “the sin of the century is the loss of the sense of sin.” [1]<\/sup><\/a>POPE PIUS XII, Radio Message to the U.S. National Catechetical Congress in Boston (October 26,1946): Discorsi e Radiomessaggi<\/em> VIII (1946) 288<\/span><\/span>