Lord, make them good; punish them!

The grandson of one of my mentors, when he was a small boy, prayed for an adversary who had offended him in some way “Lord, make him good, punish him”. Out of the mouths of babes, wisdom! For he knew from his brief experience on earth that being punished for bad behaviour led to either a change of heart or as a boy at least a temporary change in behaviour.

It was interesting to learn that an eminent exorcist used a rather similar prayer during an exorcism where the demon was reluctant to obey his commands. So he prayed to God the Father to “punish him in a way he has never been punished before” Moments later, agonising howls of anguish, impossible for Hollywood to simulate, emanated from the demon as he was punished and then became compliant and submitted to the commands given by the Priest.

A few weeks ago I spent the night in the historic town of Taal in Batangas, in a house where the freedom fighters who began the liberation of the Philippines from Spanish Colonial rule, used to meet and make their plans. It made me reflect on how quickly idealism and self-sacrifice can decay to abuse of power, self-interest, and the corruption that Filipinos have become accustomed to since full independence barely 80 years ago.

Some commentators theorise that whilst having the appearance of government, with a senate, congress, governors etc. it is now essentially a failed state. More akin to a loosely affiliated entrepreneurial criminal enterprise of political dynasties, land owners and business people whose sole task is to harvest cash from the public purse by any and all means with complete disregard for God, country or people. 

Everything in heaven and on earth operates on authority. Even if the votes have been purchased illegitimately, those in power have been given authority by the people. And perhaps this is why ‘people-power’ has no real effect as the on-going pantomime performances in congress and senate illustrate. However there is one avenue left to explore for real change which is to appeal to the One who has complete authority over all. ‘Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”(Matt 28:18) And the church and its members have the task of enforcing it by prayer. Often we hear in church petitions asking God to make leaders honest, or humble or to have integrity… that’s nice, but to get the job done we need more than a suggestion we need the prayers of the young boy  and the exorcist  “Lord, Make them good (or compliant); Punish them” and then watch Him work.

                                                                                                                                              

“A place Prepared for us”

  

                                                                                                                                                

Statistics can be deceptive. There are now more than 1.4 Billion Catholics on the planet. Some is the result of evangelisation and much due to cultural inheritance as infants are baptised soon after birth. So whilst the picture may look rosy at first sight the reality may be quite different. 

The advantage of infant Baptism is that the new born receives grace immediately and therefore has some measure of protection from the enemy of our souls; but it must be built upon. Ultimately each person must make a conscious decision for God, to be a follower of Jesus. Many seem to think that after Baptism and perhaps participation in sacramental programmes that salvation is a ‘done deal’ with little or no requirement to live differently from the rest of humanity.

Recently, I read of the experience of St Teresa of Avilla where she was shown an unusual vision. We may be familiar with the message from scripture that Jesus is preparing a place for us in His kingdom, which He has of course, but what she saw was the alternative… Satan imitates what God does and she was shown the place prepared for her in hell that her sins merited. She described it, “The entrance seemed to be by a long narrow pass, like a furnace, very low, dark, and close. The ground seemed to be saturated with water, mere mud, exceedingly foul, sending forth pestilential odours, and covered with loathsome vermin. At the end was a hollow place in the wall, like a closet, and in that I saw myself confined. All this was even pleasant to behold in comparison with what I felt there. There is no exaggeration in what I am saying.  I felt a fire in my soul. I cannot see how it is possible to describe it. My bodily sufferings were unendurable....especially when I saw that there would be no intermission, nor any end to them. These sufferings were nothing in comparison with the anguish of my soul, a sense of oppression, of stifling, and of pain so keen, accompanied by so hopeless and cruel an infliction, that I know not how to speak of it. If I said that the soul is continually being torn from the body, it would be nothing, for that implies the destruction of life by the hands of another but here it is the soul itself that is tearing itself in pieces. I cannot describe that inward fire or that despair, surpassing all torments and all pain. I did not see who it was that tormented me, but I felt myself on fire, and torn to pieces, as it seemed to me; and, I repeat it, this inward fire and despair are the greatest torments of all. Left in that pestilential place, and utterly without the power to hope for comfort, I could neither sit nor lie down: there was no room. I was placed as it were in a hole in the wall; and those walls, terrible to look on of themselves, hemmed me in on every side. I could not breathe. There was no light, but all was thick darkness. I do not understand how it is; though there was no light, yet everything that can give pain by being seen was visible” (Teresa of Ávila, 2007, Chapter 32, Section 2).

I imagine she was quite motivated to become a saint following such a harrowing vision.  And we too must take our commitment to God seriously, to choose our eternal destination carefully. “To not decide is to decide”.

Reference: Teresa of Ávila. (2007). The life of St. Teresa of Jesus (D. Lewis, Trans.). [Cosimo Classics]. (Original work published 1565)

Our Lady's Latest Message from Medjugorje (July 25, 2026)

“Dear children! 

While darkness and peacelessness rule in many hearts, you, little children, be prayer and my extended hands of love. Little children, place the Sacred Scripture in a visible place in your family and read it, so that it may be an encouragement for you to conversion and a new life; because Satan is strong and seduces hearts. Your hearts, through my maternal Heart, I desire to commend to the Heart of my Son Jesus, so that He, the Risen One, may reign in you and joy may begin to reign in you and around you. 

Thank you for having responded to my call. 

No one knows the day or the hour

Some years ago, when we lived in the Midlands a lady had a Mass offered for her sick brother-in-law who was a cancer patient, she was looking after him, a full time job at that stage. After the Mass a few of the parishioners were invited back to the house for tea & biscuits. They talked for a while and she shared her concerns for her brother-in-law. Whilst she was a devout Catholic, he had no time for God at all.

A very intelligent man, the living room was filled with plaques and certificates that hailed his achievements in his academic and professional undertakings and as a civic leader and local hero, but faith was absent and she feared for him as he had already exceeded the life expectancy predicted by the doctors, another credit to his will of iron.

That evening he was not at home, but at the hospital scheduled to receive a blood transfusion. The nature of his illness meant that he had a low haemoglobin count and so needed regular transfusions. After tea, the group decided to pray together for a while, first for the lady who was so exhausted and also for her patient. They prayed for the current problem with his blood, also that he would be relieved of his pains and be able to sleep again (it had been almost a year since he had a night’s sleep, every few minutes he woke up because of the pain), and also for him to open his heart to God and receive the faith.

Meanwhile in the hospital, at the same time, 9pm, the patient was hooked up to a machine which monitored his haemoglobin count and other parameters, while the doctors were preparing for the transfusion. It was measuring a low level, then suddenly it went up and was reading what would be considered normal. The doctors were a bit baffled by this, but continued with the transfusion. (The patient told his sister-in-law about this strange event, on his return, before she told him that he was being prayed for).

That same night he slept like a baby too, and was able to do so in the next few months with little or no pain killers. The same group of parishioners visited him again after his release from the hospital and whilst he became more open and requested prayers, as he always felt better afterwards, he was still unwilling to believe what God had done for him. (perhaps the blood count machine was malfunctioning, perhaps the pain killers were working better all of a sudden, maybe its psychological , if you know you’re being prayed for maybe it makes you feel better ! etc.)

The more people that witnessed to him the wonders of God, the more hard headed he seemed to become! Some months passed and on January the 3rd 2006, he passed away.

On January the 2nd he was rushed to hospital with a chest problem, which turned out to be Pneumonia.

But on January 1st, at his own request, he was Baptised and became a Catholic the peace and joy that filled him at that moment visible to all present. The Lord knew the day and the hour and He answers prayers !

Our Father will pursue each soul to the very end; but prayer is really needed, without the consistent prayers over many years of his sister-in-law, the outcome could have been so very different. As Our Lady mentioned at Fatima in one of her messages to the children .. Pray, pray much, and sacrifice for sinners, for many souls go to hell because there is no one to sacrifice and pray for them.”(August 19th 1917 Message)

Thought Crime

..be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.  (1 Corinthians 15:58)

Nowadays I live in a country where abortion is still illegal but have been following the changes in the UK where attitudes have hardened even more than when I was there. 

I remember receiving a leaflet in the mid 1970’s as a schoolboy, given outside the school. It was graphic, the limbs and fingers and feet of an aborted baby were visible and never having heard of abortion, I was horrified that anyone could do such a thing. That was soon after it was legalised, there was no propaganda machine at work to fill the world with any false narrative then. 

I watched some videos of the discussions at March for Life (UK) and heard many encouraging stories about the work currently being undertaken and sadly the restrictions and added pressures they are under. In my day the worse that could happen would be to lose your job or livelihood over a pro-life stand; nowadays it seems you can be arrested for praying or even just standing near an abortion facility. The Orwellian era of “thought crime” has arrived. 

It seems likely then that the sacrifices required will increase if legalised child sacrifice is to be stopped. The rage of its proponents will continue to flare and those working at the coal face producing and delivering educational materials, crisis counselling or speaking up for the unborn and their mothers, will experience more abuse and intimidation as time goes on. It is arduous work but lives are being saved, more than are known I am sure. 

I heard a phrase recently that I have been mulling over, it was that “one day, our stories will all be told rightly, around the campfires of heaven” And when that day comes it will be those unseen and faithful pro-lifers who will be honoured for their devotion and sacrifices; for knowing where to stand and with whom. 

OUR LADY'S MESSAGE JUNE 25TH 2026 ON THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE APPARITIONS

 OUR LADY'S MESSAGE JUNE 25TH 2026 ON THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE APPARITIONS

“Dear children! 

Rejoice with me because the Most High permits me to be with you, to lead you to Him Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Rejoice, little children, and be joyful also in difficulties and you will have the strength, because you will be aware that you are transient and you will know to offer everything to God. That is why, do not forget: I am your Mother and I love you. 

Thank you for having responded to my call."

(With Ecclesiastical approval)

Present in the Silence

I am reading a book called Holy Silence about Quaker worship. They have no liturgy, or preaching, just communal silence where they listen for the voice of God and become aware of His presence amongst them.

The author brought a group of young Quakers to Mass once so they could see how other Christians worshiped. He was friendly with the local Priest who gave them a talk first and explained what would be happening so that it would not be a complete mystery. 

Afterwards they had a chat over dinner and the young Quakers were asked which part of the service most closely resembled their own Quaker worship.  They all agreed that it was in the Eucharist, the Consecration. One put it like this “that was when we really felt that Jesus was there” Another added “it got so quiet then” another indicator for them of the Lord’s presence.

Many in our church scarcely believe in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist sadly and this lack of belief has been repeated over the centuries countered just as frequently with Eucharistic miracles. The first being at Lanciano in Italy where a monk wrestled with his doubts about Transubstantiation and during Mass the host was visibly changed into flesh and blood.

More than a thousand years later it remains, not having undergone any decay. Tests done in the 1980’s showed that the host was heart tissue, and the blood was still fresh. What a gift we have been given.