"Smell the Rotting Souls"

Some of you may have read this article by Dr. Peter Kreeft already but today is the first time I've seen it: The Winning Strategy. As you may know, I'm quite fond of people who are blunt-spoken and very few are as straightforward and blunt as Dr. Kreeft. He tells it like it is and, in a world obsessed with being politically correct, I appreciate not having to wrestle with too much "fluff" to get to the meat of an article. No worries with Dr. Kreeft; you won't get pandering here.

In his article The Winning Strategy, Dr. Kreeft says something that really caught me off guard because I have become so used to people tiptoeing around the issue of sin, softening the blows in order to please the crowds (who do not want their comfort disturbed by something as ugly as sin or the eternal loss of souls).

"I don’t mean merely that Western civilization will die. That’s a piece of trivia. I mean eternal souls will die. Billions of Ramons and Vladamirs and Janes and Tiffanies will go to Hell. That’s what’s at stake in this war: not just whether America will become a banana republic, or whether we’ll forget Shakespeare, or even whether some nuclear terrorist will incinerate half of humanity, but whether our children and our children’s children will see God forever. That’s what’s at stake in “Hollywood versus America.” That’s why we must wake up and smell the rotting souls. Knowing we are at war is the first requirement for winning it". - See more at: http://www.integratedcatholiclife.org/2011/01/kreeft-the-winning-strategy/#sthash.yrBdPAos.dpuf

You can't state things much more bluntly than this, can you? And Dr. Kreeft is right. We need to understand that we are in the midst of the greatest spiritual war in the history of humanity.

And the "casualties" of this war could be our children.

Yes, Dr. Kreeft, it's time for America to wake up and smell the rotting souls.

Thoughts from St. Pio on Spiritual Warfare

I know spiritual warfare can be fierce at times and it's a consoling thought to know that everyone goes through them and we are not alone in our battles. I believe they build virtue, make us stronger and teach us to rely on God alone. Padre Pio fought many such battles; he could see the demonic world. Here are a few thoughts on this subject from St Pio:

"The field of battle between God and satan is the human soul. It is for the soul that the battle rages every moment of life. The soul must give free access to the Lord so that it can be fortified by Him in every respect and with all kinds of weapons; that His light may enlighten it to combat the darkness of error; that it be clothed with Jesus Christ, with His justice, truth, the shield of faith, the word of God, in order to conquer such powerful enemies. To be clothed with Jesus Christ it is necessary to die to oneself."

"Temptations, discouragement, and unrest are the wares offered by the enemy. Remember this: if the devil makes noise it is a sign that he is still outside and not yet within. That which must terrify us is his peace and concord with the human soul."

"Do not fear. Jesus is more powerful than all Hell. At the invocation of His Name every knee in heaven, on earth and in hell must bend before Jesus. This is the consolation of the good and terror of the evil ones."

No wonder St. Pio is a favorite of mine.