Saturday, February 25, 2012

The Devil Wants Us to "Fast" from Holy Water

I am happy to be able to report that it has been a couple of years since I last saw in my area the reprehensible practice of depriving the faithful of holy water during Lent.  This is a no-no which every faithful Catholic ought to be prepared to remedy on sight.  No permission is needed, nor should it be asked.

Over the years, I have noticed a curious pattern with certain liberals on the subject of penance.  Those liberals who actually give thought to the question of penance are not fans of the old-style, stricter disciplines that once prevailed before the Second Vatican Council; but they are very fond of the curious idea of "fasting" from holy things.  One hears about this particularly in the context of "fasting" from Holy Communion, in connection with the (self-inflicted) priest shortage.  Apparently, some people think we ought also to "fast" from the use of sacramentals, and particularly holy water, during Lent.

Common sense will admit of only one response to this quack theology: the devil wants us to "fast" from sacraments and sacramentals.   

The devil wants us to make our children "fast" from Baptism and Confirmation, so that they can "decide for themselves what religion they want to be."  The devil wants persons in a state of mortal sin to "fast" from Confession.  The devil wants young couples to shack up and "fast" from Matrimony.  The devil wants young men called to the priesthood to "fast" from Holy Orders.  The devil wants souls to "fast" from the Bread of Life, the medicine of immortality and the antidote to the poison of sin that is Holy Communion.  The devil wants souls in death's shadow to "fast" from the Anointing of the Sick so they can be overtaken by the agony of their last struggle in a state of abject weakness.  The devil wants us to march weaponless and defenseless into warfare by "fasting" from the use of sacramentals, like holy water.

Lent is a time of intensified spiritual combat in a world already swarming with the armies of darkness.   Bring out the St. Benedict medals; bring out the Miraculous Medals; bring out the rosaries and the scapulars and the Sacred Heart badges and the crucifixes.  Away with the sand and the twigs and the cactus and other similar debris in stoups; let a 55-gallon drum of holy water (blessed, of course, according to the hell-whipping 1962 Rituale Romanum formula) be stationed at every entrance to every church.

1 comment:

  1. Excellent! Thank you!
    Is it just coincidence that I started rereading "The Screwtape Letters" tonight?
    I don't think so.

    ReplyDelete