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The folly of man will be evident until the return of our Lord.  Man will increase in wickedness and folly as the day approaches.  And I see signs of this increase of decrease every day I am allowed to remain on this earth.

I saw this headline in the AP this morning:  “Pope denounces “inhuman” mafia in southern Italy”.  I will not read the article.  There is no need to read the details.  But I sense a need to respond.

What, exactly is the difference between the Catholic Church leaders and the Italian mafia?  I will speak of the mafia first.  They have gained their power over men by violence.  They amass to themselves riches because of this violence.  They protect what they have stolen by remaining hidden from the general public.  They have placed a structure of obedience to their unholy organization which requires full obedience to their code of thieves.  They cannot rely on God to protect them from harm, so they turn to guns, walls, secrecy, and a claim to human power.  If left unchecked, they would create a city for their center of power.  They would secret away every item of value in the world to a place within that city where only the elite would be allowed to visit them.  They would subject every man, woman, and child to hideous poverty.  While they would enjoy an unheard of opulence. 

Jesus obeyed His Father’s will.  He did not desire to be protected from harm.  He even gladly accepted the humiliation of death on a cross.  He told His disciples that He was to be turned over to the power of evil and hung to die on a cross.  And while He taught them these things, He remained in humble circumstances.  He lived among the people every day of His Glorious life.  He owned nothing.  Even His clothing was divided among His enemies.  Though He visited the fortified city of Jerusalem, He did not live behind those walls.

How are the Catholic church’s leaders like Christ my Lord?  I will say no more.

By His Grace.