ឈរជាមួយព្រះគ្រីស្ទ

រូបថតដោយអាល់ហាយតា, អេស។ អេ

 

នេះ ពីរសប្តាហ៍កន្លងមកនេះខ្ញុំបានចំណាយពេលដូចដែលខ្ញុំបាននិយាយថាខ្ញុំនឹងពិចារណាពីកិច្ចបម្រើរបស់ខ្ញុំទិសដៅនិងដំណើរផ្ទាល់ខ្លួនរបស់ខ្ញុំ។ ខ្ញុំបានទទួលសំបុត្រជាច្រើននៅគ្រានោះដែលពោរពេញទៅដោយការលើកទឹកចិត្តនិងការអធិស្ឋានហើយខ្ញុំពិតជាមានអំណរគុណចំពោះសេចក្តីស្រឡាញ់និងការគាំទ្រពីបងប្អូនប្រុសស្រីជាច្រើនដែលភាគច្រើនខ្ញុំមិនដែលជួបដោយផ្ទាល់។

ខ្ញុំបានសួរសំណួរដល់ព្រះអម្ចាស់៖ តើខ្ញុំកំពុងធ្វើអ្វីដែលអ្នកចង់អោយខ្ញុំធ្វើទេ? ខ្ញុំមានអារម្មណ៍ថាសំណួរចាំបាច់ណាស់។ ដូចដែលខ្ញុំបានសរសេរនៅក្នុង នៅលើក្រសួងរបស់ខ្ញុំការលុបចោលដំណើរប្រគំតន្ត្រីដ៏ធំមួយបានជះឥទ្ធិពលយ៉ាងខ្លាំងដល់សមត្ថភាពរបស់ខ្ញុំក្នុងការផ្គត់ផ្គង់គ្រួសារ។ តន្ត្រីរបស់ខ្ញុំគឺស្រដៀងនឹងការធ្វើត្រសាលរបស់ប៉ូល។ ហើយចាប់តាំងពីអាជីពដំបូងរបស់ខ្ញុំគឺជាភរិយានិងកូន ៗ ជាទីស្រឡាញ់របស់ខ្ញុំនិងការផ្គត់ផ្គង់ខាងវិញ្ញាណនិងរាងកាយនៃតម្រូវការរបស់ខ្ញុំខ្ញុំត្រូវឈប់មួយភ្លែតហើយសួរព្រះយេស៊ូវម្តងទៀតថាតើឆន្ទៈរបស់គាត់ជាអ្វី។ តើមានអ្វីកើតឡើងបន្ទាប់ខ្ញុំមិនបានរំពឹងថា…

 

INTO THE TOMB

While many celebrated the Resurrection, the Lord took me deep into the tomb… if not deep with Him into Hades itself. I was assailed with incredible doubts and temptations that I’ve never experienced before. I questioned my entire calling, even questioned the love of my family and friends. This trial uncovered deep-seated fears and judgments. It continues to reveal to me areas in need of further repentance, letting go, and surrender. A Scripture that is speaking deeply to me at this time is Our Lord’s words:

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it. (Mark 8:35)

Jesus wants me to give up អ្វីគ្រប់យ៉ាង។ And by this I mean every attachment, every god, every ounce of my own will so that He can give me every ounce of Himself. This is hard to do. I don’t know why I cling. I don’t know why I hold onto trash when He offers me gold. He is showing me, in a word, that I am ខ្លាច។

 

FEARS

There are two levels of fear operating today. The first one is that which every Christian, and in fact every Old Testament figure from the beginning of salvation history has had to face: the fear of trusting totally in God. It means losing ការគ្រប់គ្រង. Adam and Eve grasped for control in the Garden of Eve and forfeited their freedom. True freedom then is totally giving God control of our lives. We do this by following not only His Commandments, but by living our lives in imitation of our Master who loved, and loved, and loved until the end. He did not seek comfort; He did not seek after His own welfare; He never put His own interests first. You see, before Jesus gave up His body on the Cross, He first gave up His human will in thirty years of total abandonment to the Father’s will.

Gethsemane was a tough hour for Our Lord. It was the complete denudation of His human will because, until then, He walked away from His persecutors, from the edge of cliffs, from storms that would have sunk anyone else. But now He was facing នៃ Storm. And in order to do so, it required absolute trust in His Father’s plan—trust in a path that passed through suffering. We don’t trust God because we don’t want to suffer. Well, the truth is that we are going to suffer in this life whether we suffer with or without God. But with Him, our suffering takes on the power of the Cross and works constantly toward a Resurrection of His life in and around us.

And that leads me to the second fear we are facing that is ពិសេស to this time and generation: it is literally a demon of fear that has been unleashed upon the entire world to drive men crazy, to bring them into despair, and to silence otherwise good men and women in the face of great evils. Several times since Easter, the vision a woman had last year has come to mind. Her mother, whom I know, said this daughter of hers has been gifted with a window into the supernatural. In នរកបណ្ដោយឱ្យ—a writing I strongly recommend re-reading—I quoted this woman’s vision, as relayed by her mother:

My older daughter sees many beings good and bad [angels] in battle. She has spoken many times about how it’s an all out war and it’s only getting bigger and the different kinds of beings. Our Lady appeared to her in a dream last year as our Lady of Guadalupe. She told her that the demon coming is larger and fiercer than all the others. That she is not to engage this demon nor listen to it. It was going to try to take over the world. This is a demon of fear។ វាជាការភ័យខ្លាចដែលកូនស្រីរបស់ខ្ញុំបាននិយាយថានឹងធ្វើឱ្យមនុស្សគ្រប់គ្នានិងអ្វីៗទាំងអស់នៅជុំវិញ។ ការនៅជិតសាក្រាម៉ង់និងព្រះយេស៊ូវនិងម៉ារីមានសារៈសំខាន់បំផុត។

What is so strange is that several other leaders I know have also experienced this demon since Easter as well, going through experiences that all of them likewise recounted as “going to hell and back.” Having talked about it, and discovering that we are all experiencing something out of the ordinary, has given us encouragement along the lines of Peter’s exhortation:

បងប្អូនជាទីស្រឡាញ់កុំងឿងឆ្ងល់ថាការសាកល្បងដោយភ្លើងកំពុងតែកើតឡើងក្នុងចំណោមអ្នករាល់គ្នាដូចជាមានរឿងចម្លែកកើតឡើងចំពោះអ្នក។ ផ្ទុយទៅវិញត្រូវអរសប្បាយដល់កំរិតដែលបងប្អូនរងទុក្ខលំបាករួមជាមួយព្រះគ្រិស្ដដើម្បីអោយនៅពេលដែលសិរីរុងរឿងរបស់ព្រះអង្គលេចមកបងប្អូនក៏នឹងមានអំណររីករាយយ៉ាងខ្លាំងដែរ។ (១ ពេ។ ៤: ១២-១៣)

ហើយម្តងទៀត៖

Endure your trials as “discipline”; God treats you as sons. (Heb 12:7)

I can clearly see the hand of God in all of this. He is not abandoning us, or rather abandoning us to ourselves. Rather, He is bringing us through a denudation, a stripping of self-will so that we too can enter His Passion, and thus receive all the graces of His glorious Resurrection. He is preparing us, and all of you, to rule over the nations with the rod of His Divine Will (which is the most gentle of shepherds’ staffs)…

Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. In the time of their judgment they shall shine and dart about as sparks through stubble; they shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the Lord shall be their King forever. Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with the elect. (Wis 3:5-9)

 

DIVINE CARESSES

There was also another common theme that emerged among us as we spoke of our trials the past two weeks: healing through the Sacraments. As the daughter said above, speaking in a wisdom from beyond this world: «​ការ​នៅ​ជិត​សាក្រាម៉ង់ ហើយ​ព្រះយេស៊ូវ និង​ម៉ារា​គឺ​មាន​សារៈសំខាន់​បំផុត » ។ For me, as for another leader, it was the Sacrament of Confession និង Marriage that brought about healing. Even now, as I speak of this, I am deeply moved by the unconditional love my wife gave me during this time. Perfect love casts out fear. ^[1]1 យ៉ូហាន 4: 18 Through her, Christ loved me, and through Confession, He forgave me. And not only cleansed me of my sins, but delivered me from the pressing darkness of this demon of fear (who is still barking, but is now back on his leash).

I want to tell you that this is absolutely essential: that we stay near Jesus in Confession and the Eucharist. Look, these Sacraments were established by Jesus Himself in order for the Church to encounter Him in a ផ្ទាល់ខ្លួន និង ជិតស្និទ្ធ way during our sojourn. The biblical texts are explicit regarding Christ’s desire to feed and forgive us through the sacramental priesthood. The authority to forgive sins came directly from His mouth ^[2]cf. Jn ១៥: ៥ as did the institution of the Sacrifice of the Mass. ^[3]cf. ២ កូ។ ៤:១៧ What Christian can read these texts and yet continue to attend a church that neglects these personal gifts from Our Lord? I say so indeed to trouble in a friendly way my beloved Protestant readers. But even more so to trouble those Catholic readers who hardly ever frequent the confessional or take advantage of the daily offering of the Bread of Life.

Furthermore, God’s key and plan for victory in our times is through Mary. This too is explicit in Sacred Scripture. ^[4]start with Genesis 3:15; Luke 10:19; and Rev 12:1-6…

នៅលើកំរិតសកលនេះប្រសិនបើជ័យជំនះមកដល់វានឹងត្រូវបាននាំមកដោយម៉ារី។ ព្រះគ្រីស្ទនឹងយកជ័យជំនះលើនាងពីព្រោះទ្រង់ចង់ ឲ្យ ជ័យជំនះរបស់សាសនាចក្រនាពេលបច្ចុប្បន្ននិងអនាគតទៅនឹងនាង។ - ផូចចូប៉ូលប៉ូ ២ ឆ្លងកាត់ច្រកនៃក្តីសង្ឃឹម, ទំ។ 221

I was deeply moved by the testimony of a Nigerian bishop whose country is afflicted by the scourge of militant Islam through Boko Haram. ^[5]Cf. អំណោយនីហ្សេរីយ៉ា He recounted how Jesus appeared to him in a vision:

“Towards the end of last year I was in my chapel before the Blessed Sacrament… praying the Rosary, and then suddenly the Lord appeared.” In the vision, the prelate said, Jesus didn’t say anything at first, but extended a sword toward him, and he in turn reached out for it. “As soon as I received the sword, it turned into a Rosary.”

Jesus then told him three times: “Boko Haram is gone.”

“I didn’t need any prophet to give me the explanation. It was clear that with the Rosary we would be able to expel Boko Haram.” —Bishop Oliver Dashe Doeme, Diocese of Maiduguri, Catholic News Agency, April 21, 2015

When Our Lady of Fatima said “My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God,” she was not being poetic or figurative: she meant it literally. Our Lady has been sent by Heaven to protect God’s children as a kind of “new Ark.” Consecrate yourself or renew your consecration ^[6]Cf. អំណោយដ៏អស្ចារ្យ to this Woman who “will lead you to God.” Pray her Rosary, for with it you can stop wars—most especially those in your own heart and home. Do what she is asking of us: prayer, fasting, reading of Scripture, and frequenting the Sacraments. Think of the Rosary beads as Our Lady’s hand: grab it, and don’t let go.

Because the Storm is here.

 

LAST PREPARATIONS IN THE STORM

While I was writing this, a reader emailed asking:

What point are we at? Horses? Trumpets? Seals?

Yes. All of the above.

There is another grace that emerged for me in just the past few days: a deeper clarity and ទំនុកចិត្ត in the words that I have written you regarding our times. Once again, I am extremely reticent about timelines. Have we not learned from the prophet Jonah or the “Fr. Gobbi’s” of the world that God’s mercy is a wonderful mystery that knows no limits or boundaries, most especially that of time? Still, I am hearing in both the secular and spiritual world that this September could bring about one of the greatest economic collapses the world has ever known. All our lives will change virtually overnight whenever that comes. And it is មក ^[7]Cf. ឆ្នាំ ២០១៤ និងសត្វដែលកំពុងកើនឡើង

When I re-read the ត្រាប្រាំពីរនៃបដិវត្ត or នរកបណ្ដោយឱ្យ, and then scan the headlines, I am left speechless. The របាយការណ៍ Drudge reads like a daily nightmare. I can barely keep up with the exponential explosion of troubling events and trends—and I study them everyday. I mean, people aren’t even blinking anymore at headlines that only ten years ago people would have considered an April fool’s joke. We truly are living in the days of Noah and Lot, “eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building” ^[8]cf. លូកា ១:២៨ while the horizon billows with blackened clouds (though, in the Middle East, the thunder, rain, hail and lightning has broken out upon the Church in full force).

យើងមិនអាចលាក់បាំងការពិតដែលថាពពកគំរាមកំហែងជាច្រើនកំពុងប្រមូលផ្តុំគ្នានៅលើផ្តេក។ ទោះយ៉ាងណាយើងមិនត្រូវបាត់បង់ទឹកចិត្តឡើយផ្ទុយទៅវិញយើងត្រូវតែរក្សាអណ្តាតភ្លើងនៃសេចក្តីសង្ឃឹមឱ្យនៅក្នុងខ្លួនយើង។ —POPE BENEDICT XVI, ទីភ្នាក់ងារព័ត៌មានកាតូលិកថ្ងៃទី ១៥ ខែមករាឆ្នាំ ២០០៩

Herein too is the work of the Divine Surgeon: cutting away the worldly wax built up in our hearts so that we can become living flames of love burning brightly in the darkness. I am beginning to believe that Pope Francis’ call for the Church to become a “field hospital” ^[9]Cf. មន្ទីរពេទ្យវាល is more a word for tomorrow than now. For you see, in the story of the Prodigal Son, the boy was not ready to be healed until he was absolutely broken. មានតែពេលនោះទេ were his father’s arms recognized for what they were: a home for the hurting. Likewise, the world in its present condition must be ខូច (so deep is the spirit of rebellion). And then, when all seems lost, will the arms of the Father become a true field hospital. That is, your arms and mine—ការ​មួយ with His. We are being prepared for a triage of epochal dimensions, and this demands that we too be broken…

I have said enough for now. So let me conclude by sharing the answer to my question: what, Lord, do you want me to do? And the answer, through you, my spiritual director, and my bishop, is to បន្ត​ទៀត។ And so I will. This is the hour that we must choose to stand with Jesus, to be His voice, to be ក្លាហាន។ No, don’t listen to this demon of fear. Don’t engage his “rationale”—a stream of lies and distortions. Instead, recall what I wrote you on អរុណសួស្តីៈ អ្នកត្រូវបានគេស្រឡាញ់, and nothing, no principality or power can change that. Remember this Scripture friends:

…ជ័យជំនះដែលឈ្នះពិភពលោកគឺជំនឿរបស់យើង។ (យ៉ូហានទី ១ ៥: ៤)

You and I are being asked to walk by faith and not sight. We can do this; with His help, we will conquer.

I am with you, my beloved brothers and sisters, as long as Jesus wants…