Perturbations of all kinds remind us of need to seek Mary and blessing of home

Home Blessing

A dark atmosphere precipitates evil on both sides of any political spectrum and can lead to sudden viral violence or uprisings that undermine any society, however sophisticated it views itself, and evil should not be disguised as "psychiatric."

In an address to the Curia in December, Pope Benedict XVI discussed the decline of the Roman Empire, saying, "The disintegration of the key principles of law and of the fundamental moral attitudes underpinning them burst open the dams which until that time had protected peaceful coexistence among peoples. The sun was setting over an entire world. Frequent natural disasters further increased this sense of insecurity."

As the U.S. mourned those killed in Arizona including a judge who belonged to the Knights of Columbus and a girl who was born on September 11, 2001, Australians were grappling with near-epic floods that have engulfed major population centers and on Tuesday caused what was described as a tsunami-like wall of water that hit Toowoomba leaping six to ten feet high and headed for Brisbane while wild weather was everywhere and while there are still the animal stories -- a hundred mysteriously dead birds in California (at least, mysterious at first reports) and what local TV called "a major, bizarre fish die-off along the waterfront," also this week, in Chicago, bringing to mind Hosea 4:

"Listen to the word of the Lord, O sons of Israel, for the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land, because there is no faithfulness or kindness or knowledge of God in the land. There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing, and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed. Therefore the land mourns, and everyone who lives in it languishes, along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky, and also the fish of the sea disappear."

There is too the apocryphal part of a secret from the otherwise Church-approved site of LaSalette in France where one of the two seers claimed she was told on September 19 in 1846 by the Blessed Mother [left] that "nature begs vengeance on account of men" and that "there will be bloody wars, and famines; plagues and contagious diseases; there will be frightful showers of animals; thunders which will demolish cities; earthquakes which will engulf countries; voices will be heard in the air; men will beat their heads against the walls; they will call on death, yet death will constitute their torment; blood will flow on all sides."

Doves fell from the sky in Europe just before bubonic plague hit in the Middle Ages as turtle doves too fell from the sky a week ago over Faenza, Italy, seven hundred with unusual blue streaks on their beaks that may have been the result of hypoxia from the weather. There are strange lights in the sky, as there were strange aerial lights in medieval times, a sense in the spirit as one correspondent in an unusual mystical experience put it that "a great evil has been unleashed" at the same time that we sense an attitude in which everyone is set against everyone else, in a way that should be considered in light of tragedies that have struck places like Rwanda where too those who lived side by side suddenly turned into bitter enemies.

Men and women are having dreams and visions and as the perturbation moves across the earth, the Mother of God -- the Mother of Purity -- beckons, offering the protection of meditation on her Seven Sorrows as we attend Mass with new strength of heart and pray the Rosary which wards off unfortunate events, which wards off wrong spirits, which removes threat and fear (which we need not have); at this time of the year when on the feast of the Epiphany parishes handed out blessed chalk and incense so homeowners could make the Sign of the Cross and sprinkle Holy Water with a prayer of thanksgiving meditating on the blessing of Christ and scrawling over each door, "20 + C + M + B + 11," a cross for each season, the Roman numerals for 2011, so can we acclaim, as they acclaimed, even now, with our own blessing: "Lift up your heads, O gates! That the King of Glory may come in. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts. He is the King of Glory!" Then, as we write the numerals above each portal of our homes, pray after blessing in whatever way one can bless:

"Lord God of Heaven and earth, You revealed Your only begotten Son to every nation by the guidance of a star. Bless this house and all who live here. May we bless with the health, goodness of heart, gentleness, and keeping of Your Law. Fill us with the Light of Christ, that our concern for others may reflect Your Love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."