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Zero Lift-Off

Category: Knowing and appreciating love

Dom Gueranger on the Mass of Holy Thursday and the Stripping of the Altars

“having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them unto the end”

Catholicism Pure & Simple Catholicism without compromise

Reblog by: Lawrence Morra III

Zero Lift-Off Only The Beginning

Mark 12:30, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

“Our thoughts turn to the traitor Judas, who, on this very day, profaned the sign of friendship by making it an instrument of death.”

This line does strike me as a sharp reminder of the duality of us humans who often times break promises and vows of all kinds!  Or lie when it’s to our advantage, so we may think at the time even saying, a little white lie won’t hurt anyone! Heinous betrayal such as this act by Judas is most egregious but people do it every day!  Of course they don’t sentence Jesus Christ to crucifixion, or do they?  Could it mean that Judas represented many of us; a piece of every one of us, because we all sold Jesus out being of this fallen nature and subject to the ways of the world and Satan’s influence; so aren’t we all responsible for His unimaginable  suffering and pain unto a horrible languishing death?

If three men go into a bank and rob it while a fourth man is outside watching from the getaway car isn’t he as guilty of bank robbery when they all get caught!

We all owe everything to God Almighty, and we could never repay Sweet Jesus on that cross at Calvary for what He had to do, in order to follow the Father’s will; who offers each and every one of us to be Redeemed, making us sanctified and pure so that we can be in the presence of our Heavenly Father!

“The Church omits, today, the sign of fraternal charity, it would too painfully remind us of sacrilegious hypocrisy.”

As now the world  and even our beloved Church is full of Hypocrisy as we have borne witness to politicians and Bergoglio joining hands in this hypocrisy, even with Islam who wants Christendom wiped off the face of the earth with Jews and all other religion too!

Did crowds of people rush the captors of Jesus or riot and demand this Good Shepherd Jesus be set free or after his death; no not even the Apostles sacrificed themselves to stop what had to happen because even if they wanted to stop this injustice it wasn’t their place to do so, nor could they have overpowered the legions of soldiers if they tried; so it was futile just like humanity’s ever being freed from death and oblivion without the death of Jesus Christ! The whole world and its corrupt ways produced His crucifixion and handed Him over to Pilate whether as active participants or by default of all humans being fallen, and not being worthy to be in the presence and glory of Almighty God in His absolute perfection!

Romans 3: 10-12, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

It’s getting more obvious to me as I’m sure you as we grow older that we all come up short changed or even broke, if we depend on mere temporary earthly contentment’s or pleasures to fill us; virtually an impossible fool’s errand.  But, with a caveat I say we should always try to make the best of what we have and be eternally grateful just for that, indeed our next breath is a miraculous gift; and then seek Him the Divine and Everlasting to satisfy our every dream and need in His kingdom to come!  I’m sure I’ll see you there as long as I keep trying my best, that’s all He expects of any of us!  Amen.

Mark 12:30, Jesus tells us that our first responsibility is to Him, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” This same theme is reiterated many places in the Bible (Deuteronomy 6:5, 13:3, 30:6; Matthew 22:37; Luke 10:27).

So we must first and foremost ask ourselves are we willingly being deceived and led astray by the many temptations and the glitter of the fool’s gold or snares of this world?

Or are we looking deeper into the heart of our simple existence here on earth to see the profound reality that much, much more is going on than meets the eye!  The Holy Scriptures say “Seek” and you will find, (7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-12)

You know the old adage of “get up, brush yourself off and get moving again.”  This life is a proving ground, and we all go through trials and tribulations.

Let’s reflect on this great parable Jesus gave to us!

The Prodigal Son Parable in the book of Luke 15:11-32: 11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.” 

Basically this younger son was so foolish and threw caution and reason to the wind wasting all that his father had given to him!  Of course in time he realized what a fool he had been and that his father’s servants were better off, so thinking he should return to his father and admit his error perhaps his father would allow  him to at least be kept as a servant, which would obviously be better than being a vagabond or beggar! 

On his journey back to his father, “still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’  And they began to celebrate.” 

Obviously this is to illustrate that our Heavenly Father who knows and understands all things holds out for us if we have run amuck or been led astray to awaken from our doing wrong because learning from a mistake and growing in wisdom is achieved if genuinely felt in the heart which to God is a most pleasing thing for any of us to achieve. as we are all fallen and none are worthy or righteous, and to rise above sin or transgression and be sincerely sorry is an act of courage and shows character! 

Remember how Jesus at Calvary told the condemned sinner and criminal on His right side as they were being crucified, “I say to you today, you will be in paradise with me!”  A despot heathen criminal who in his final opportunity saw the light and truth and showed genuine sorrow and faith to Jesus our Father and that was something Jesus would not deny being rewarded; just as the prodigal son’s father saw in his son true remorse or repentance, and how it was a blessing that he came back into the light and fold or the family! 

But, in all of this the older brother who had followed his father’s ways and fallen into line all of his adult life was shaken by all this praise heaped upon the wayward younger brother!  He was asked to join the celebration that ensued. 

“But he was angry and refused to go in.  His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes; you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’’ 

This is such great hope and encouragement for any of us to remember that the gate into heaven is narrow and the road to hell is wide; but, our heavenly Father who knows all things is full of mercy and love for us, so there is always hope even for the lowly criminal or worst sinner if he can see the error of his ways and repent turning his heart over to his Father in heaven!  Our Lord Jesus Christ knows us, and when we stand before Him there will be no fooling Him, but there will also be no denying of His own.  That is a promise He made to us!  We should pray we are so worthy when we see Him!

But, clearly the takeaway in all that I say here is that we are all lost and yet all found, because our Father in heaven knows us all better than anyone can and is always calling out to us watching from afar!

Most important is that Jesus Christ promised that those who have faith in Him and abide in His living word that He will be with us to the end and forever!  He is definitely with us and this is a “short ride;” so I often wonder how I wasted so much time!  I really have to kick myself in the behind for that one; so much more I could have done better!  But, the good news is there is, no better time than the present, today, right now; to make the biggest impact!  It’s a collective building power of faith, which can get over any mountain and make the impossible possible!  Amen to that.

God bless you.

Brother in Christ Jesus,

Lawrence Morra III

Dom Gueranger on the Mass of Holy Thursday and the Stripping of the Altars

Posted on April 1, 2021 by Catholicism Pure & Simple

Last Supper – Valentin de Boulogne (1625–26)

The Church intends, on this day, to renew, in a most solemn manner, the mystery of the Last Supper: for our Lord Himself, on this occasion of the institution of the Blessed Sacrament, said to His Apostles: Do this for a Commemoration of Me (St. Luke, xxii. 15). Let us, therefore, resume the Gospel narrative.

Jesus is in the Supper chamber, where the Paschal Lamb is to be eaten. All the Apostles are with Him; Judas is there, also, but His crime is not known to the rest. Jesus approaches the table, on which the Lamb is served. His Disciples stand around him. The ceremonies prescribed by God to Moses are religiously observed. At the beginning of the repast, Jesus speaks these words to His Apostles: With desire I have desired to eat this Pasch with you, before I suffer (St. Luke, xxii. 15). In saying this, He does not imply that the Pasch of this year is intrinsically better than those that have preceded it; but, that it is dearer to Him, inasmuch as it is to give rise to the institution of the new Pasch, which He has prepared for mankind, and which He is now going to give them as his last gift: for as St. John says, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them unto the end (St. John, xiii. 1).

[…]

The Mass of Maundy Thursday is one of the most solemn of the Year; and although the Feast of Corpus Christi is the day for the solemn honouring the mystery of the Holy Eucharist, still, the Church would have the anniversary of the Last Supper to be celebrated with all possible splendour. The colour of the vestments is white, as it is for Chrismas Day and Easter Sunday; the decorations of the Altar and Sanctuary all bespeak joy: and yet, there are several ceremonies during this Mass, which show that the holy Spouse of Christ has not forgotten the Passion of her Jesus, and that this joy is but transient. The Priest entones the Angelic Hymn, Glory be to God in the highest! and the Bells ring forth a joyous peal, which continues during the whole singing of the heavenly Canticle: but, from that moment, they remain silent, and their long silence produces, in every heart, a sentiment of holy mournfulness. But why does the Church deprive us, for so many hours, of the grand melody of these sweet bells, whose voices cheer us during the rest of the year? It is to show us, that this world lost all its melody and joy when its Saviour suffered and was crucified. Moreover, she would hereby remind us, how the Apostles, (who were the heralds of Christ, and are figured by the Bells, whose ringing summons the Faithful to the House of God,) fled from their Divine Master and left him a prey to His enemies.

The Holy Sacrifice continues as usual; but at the solemn moment of the Elevation of the Holy Host and the Chalice of Salvation, the Bell is silent, and, outside the Church, there is not given to the neighbourhood the usual signal of the descent of Jesus upon the Altar. When the time of the Holy Communion is near, the Priest does not give the Kiss of Peace to the Deacon, who, according to the Apostolic tradition, should transmit it, by the Subdeacon, to those that are about to communicate. Our thoughts turn to the traitor Judas, who, on this very day, profaned the sign of friendship by making it an instrument of death. It is out of detestation for this crime, that the Church omits, today, the sign of fraternal charity, it would too painfully remind us of sacrilegious hypocrisy.

Another rite, peculiar to today, is the Priest’s consecrating two Hosts during the Mass. One of these he receives in Communion; the other he reserves, and reverently places it in a Chalice, which he covers with a veil. The reason of this is, that, tomorrow, the Church suspends the daily Sacrifice. Such is the impression produced by the anniversary of our Saviour’s Death, that the Church dares not to renew, upon her Altars, the immolation which was then offered on Calvary: or rather, her renewal of it will be by the fixing all her thoughts on the terrible scene of that Friday Noon. The Host reserved from today’s Mass, will be her morrow’s participation. This rite is called the Mass of the Presanctified, because, in it, the Priest does not consecrate, but only receives the Host consecrated on the previous day. Formerly, as we shall explain more fully further on, the holy Sacrifice was not offered up on Holy Saturday, and yet the Mass of the Presanctified was not celebrated, as it was on the Friday.

[…]

The Stripping of the Altars

As soon as Vespers are over, the Celebrant returns to the Sanctuary, assisted by the Deacon and Subdeacon. He goes to the altar, and takes off the cloths and ornaments. This ceremony signifies the suspension of the Holy Sacrifice. The altar should be left in this denuded state, until the daily offering can again be presented to the Divine Majesty…. He is now in the hands of his enemies.. who are about to strip him of his garments, just as we strip the Altar. He is to be exposed naked to the insults of the rabble…

(Source: New Liturgical Movement)

Click here for Fr Z’s Maundy Thursday reflections

and here

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Unknown's avatarAuthor Lawrence MorraPosted on April 2, 2021April 2, 2021Categories Easter, Faith, God's will, Good verses Evil, Goodness, Human Life, Knowing and appreciating love, Lent, New Everlasting Covenant, Pride and Ego, SalvationTags ask and it will be given to you, Betrayal, The Prodigal Son1 Comment on Dom Gueranger on the Mass of Holy Thursday and the Stripping of the Altars

Not This Man but Barabbas

I see how Barabbas was significantly to be seen as a son of the crooked world system, or “ways of the world” while the “Holy One Jesus” was contrasting or clashing if you will with not only the false Son Barabbas but with the “ways of the world” and the whole world system. But more profound in all of this is not so much the semantics of a few words being totally and perfectly translated, but instead that here as Peter had done, when he denied Christ Jesus; the whole world system and the people of the world denied Him at that moment when Pilate washed his hands of Him as did the world with him; making us all equally guilty and carrying sin to our own graves, while He Jesus Christ had none, not even a curse word; because Jesus was not of this “crooked world” so the only Truth that can be drawn from this confrontation is that Jesus rejects the sinful world in this departure sentencing and the people that live by it instead of by the Father’s will because even with the smallest of sins we are all contaminated by the ways of the world and doomed as creatures of it!  And therefore the world or those people in it then as now, were unequivocally even if unconsciously wanting to wash their hands of “Him,” just as Pilate did; so thus they too sealed the deal of the fallen world and all in it being doomed outright; while Jesus the Lamb of God would be raised from it; pure as the driven snow!  Because Jesus was not part of this world; he then sets in stone the direct path to the Father by He being the only being (The Savior) that could create this bridge of Redemption that will allow us to cross the impossible chasm from oblivion to everlasting peace, by His offering to any who will believe in Him; God’s planned gift of Salvation!

This had to be the only way it could be completed, rejection going both ways then the “Resurrection” would be in the offering until the end of the world to any who will turn to Jesus Christ as their personal Savior; as He would be absolutely and purely the only means of forgiveness of sin and the resurrection to eternal life with the Father, our Maker. Like cutting the cord, then the “testing” out of all souls began.

I have always felt that this can be readily seen in the Mel Gibson film “The Passion of The Christ” and this scene where Pilate washes his hands both literally and figuratively of the matter and basically throws Jesus to the lions in a manner of speaking and condemns himself with Barabbas and all humans; at that point dooming all of humanity!  But His death on the cross would now give us all the gift of resurrection with Him if we will accept it!

So I have no problem with anything here because I visualize the event quite clearly and see the intent and significance of all actions and behavior being exactly as they “were meant to be” to clearly illustrate why and what it would mean to all humanity moving forward!

Today I see my governments leaders or politicians not any different than those Pharisees, minions and Barabbas, as many are living in a totally narcissistic pagan way while some pretend to worship God through Jesus like a Pelosi, Biden and Harris but they don’t and are the true hypocrites as they worship this world and power with great wealth; in other words Satan. It really hasn’t changed because as back then so many if not all would deny Jesus at one time or another during their lives; today the same thing is happening in spades with so many living lives of luxury and decadence, usually with ill-gotten, moreover gluttonous gains; the crooked ways of the world, many Barabbas’

This is the significance of this article to me and should be for anyone rather than any splitting of hairs to get to some infinitesimally perfected interpretation! God doesn’t expect us to be rocket scientists but he only expects us to see the “Plain Truth” before our eyes and what is in our hearts; so that even “the simplest of minds can understand” what He is saying to us! I truly hope this helps you and anyone that wants to open their heart to Christ more fully and love, worship and adore Him; with all their strength. I say cry for him, not only because of all the suffering He took for us, which does cause me to cry, but even more for the “Amazing Grace” and “Beauty” of His “Heart of Hearts” to love us the way He does; this is making me cry now to say this; it is the Plain Truth when we see the gift and love in our hearts and minds this way; you can’t help but cry for Him being so beautiful and kind, to we; who are so unworthy! Amen.
God Bless you!
Brother in Christ,
Lawrence Morra III

Catholicism Pure & Simple's avatarCatholicism Pure & Simple

by Fr Paul D. Scalia

Not This Man but Barabbas by Albrecht Dürer, c. 1520 [Brighton and Hove Museums and Art Galleries, UK]

In their respective narratives of our Lord’s Passion, all four Gospels mention the crowd’s election of Barabbas over Jesus. That choice comes at the end of Pontius Pilate’s half-hearted attempt to free Christ. It is the moment of the crowd’s definitive rejection of Christ and embrace of evil.

The whole account captures human sinfulness in just a few verses. Pilate puts before the crowd first “Jesus Barabbas” (Mt 27:17) – that is, “Jesus, son of the father” – and then Jesus, the eternal Son of the Father. The crowd must choose either the real Son of the Father or His counterfeit, the true Sonship or the false. Its choice of the counterfeit and false summarizes our sinfulness.

In the liturgies for Palm Sunday and Good Friday, the…

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Unknown's avatarAuthor Lawrence MorraPosted on March 31, 2021April 1, 2021Categories Easter, End of Time, Faith, God's will, Good verses Evil, Knowing and appreciating love, SalvationLeave a comment on Not This Man but Barabbas

Mary meets Jesus on the way to Calvary

Mary meets Jesus on the way to Calvary

All thanks and glory to God Almighty! The message is made clear for all to share and bring closer to their own hearts and share in the agony and ecstasy of Holy Mary the Mother of God Jesus Christ and the Church!

These words I must quote sharpened my own insight tremendously!

“Some new area of the soul is touched that before was virginal to grief. In each dolor it is the Son Who is the executioner, but He always makes His edge the sharper.”

I see in this how when Jesus said, “Who is my mother?” They are my mother.” (Matthew 12:46-50) Yes, if we are to pick up our own crosses and carry them as we follow Christ we are Joining Mary in carrying the cross of Jesus Christ though metaphorically if it is done with genuine humility and sorrow for having our own stain of sin which caused our all loving God to suffer this way carrying all sin and transgression for our sake’s then we should surely offer up ourselves in like manner with all of our love; being then truly worthy to help carry His cross in carrying our own. And as we do this a new area of our souls is touched as we proceed, bringing a brand new dimension to our grief; but also our love for Him!

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23,

Apostle Paul reminded us, “Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.” Philippians 3:7-8

“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

I think the mention of the Mel Gibson film “The Passion of the Christ” is perfect as I too have thought over the years how this imagery is very helpful in perceiving the reality of Christ and His suffering with that crucifixion bringing home how much God loves us but also pointing to our responsibility both in causing His need to be crucified and our appropriate and only gesture of love which is to share in carrying His cross as or with our own; as you explained so beautifully is what Mother Mary did, whom we should hope to emulate even a little if we can! Her suffering and grief is unimaginable to me and I do weep and suffer each Easter when I watch this film; but Mary so full of grace and a Mother’s love of our Savior her Son, must have been experiencing something I can only as you mention scratch the surface of with all my earnest effort!

This is what I recently said regarding this precise matter in another of your fine CP&S articles.
“Peter denied Him a first time but did not shed a tear because the Lord’s gaze did not meet his.” I think for me and perhaps all humans that really care they spend their whole life practically doing what Saint Peter did, denying Jesus, even if we think we don’t because don’t forget Peter was right there living with Jesus and was His first or lead disciple; and he did! But when I watch that true to life depiction of Christ, I shudder and cry with my quilt, as I’m starting to do already again and just with the memory of the film while knowing and seeing my quilt! Oh my God! I’m sorry! Please forgive me for being so wrong and not appreciating every minute you have given me in this fallen world; to come to terms with my sin knowing I don’t deserve you, but yet you love me this much that you wait as long as it takes to call me home, and I follow your call to your heart of hearts! Thank you Jesus! I cry now again; because I see your endless love!”
https://lawrencemorra.com/2021/03/18/the-power-of-tears/

But now I want to say that everything I’ve written here and this article, I do see serving one paramount purpose which is shining so brightly and that is “to help bring upstanding of how important it is for any of us to gain an increased connection to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” “By appreciating how Mother Mary connected to His suffering and agony for us;” in a way we can never come close to doing as she did, but yet “we can gain a fuller appreciation of that suffering” which is essential to the faithful who genuinely with all humility seek to love and appreciate the gift of Salvation; while getting closer to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Brother in Christ Jesus,
Lawrence Morra III

 

Catholicism Pure & Simple's avatarCatholicism Pure & Simple

CP&S comment. Yesterday, Friday in Passion Week, we celebrated the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady. Today, Saturday, always traditionally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, let’s concentrate on the pain and anguish of her Immaculate Heart when she met her beloved Son, savagely scourged and crowned with a crown of vicious thorns, as He struggled under her weight of the Cross on His way to Calvary. Could we even scrape the surface of the agony Mary suffered at that moment?

It is also the Fourth Station of the Way of the Cross.

(from Father Z’s blogin 2019)

It is entirely reasonable that if Mary was at the foot of the Cross, then she was also somewhere along the route upon which our bleeding and beaten Savior was flogged and cruelly compelled. It is entirely reasonable that she would have raised her voice and, so, the Lord spotted her…

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Unknown's avatarAuthor Lawrence MorraPosted on March 27, 2021March 27, 2021Categories Blessed Virgin Mary, Easter, Faith, God's will, Goodness, Knowing and appreciating love, New Everlasting Covenant, SalvationLeave a comment on Mary meets Jesus on the way to Calvary

Eric Talley: A Tribute to the Fallen Boulder Police Officer

Republication by Lawrence Morra III
Zero Lift-Off Only The Beginning
For Informational sharing purposes only here on this platform
March 25, 2021
I offer this Republication as my best effort to help spread the good gestures and prayers for Officer Eric Talley and all of the shooting victims in Boulder Colorado. After reading what his beloved sister Kirsten said I now know I had at least one thing in common with Eric, I too dreamed since childhood of being a professional pilot but through the military and then on into the industry and if I could be extremely lucky and good enough perhaps win a slot in the astronaut program at NASA! But just like Eric my from birth color blindness kept me out of the running as a military pilot. I tried every branch of the Armed Forces but was unable to get a flight program slot only for because of the color blindness yet in all others capacities I passed with “flying colors!”

There is actually a second thing in common that I have with Eric! I rescued a flock of farm ducks that had wandered for miles and were about to try crossing an interstate highway when I happened to drive toward them very early one morning, and when nobody else seemed to be around or care to help I managed to shoo them back away from the highway and keep them calm talking to them. Then being good with animals I gained their confidence to easily capture each one and get them into my vehicle and secured for the drive to my home! From there I had remembered just a few days before reading about a couple in the country that had kind of animal menagerie going of many rescued or abandoned animals and called them to get some advice; and they told me they would be more than happy to give them a home!

So Eric I never met you but I bet we could have talked up a storm if we had the chance; but all I can say now is you’re doing God’s work direct now from right up there in heaven!  Now you do soar like your sister Kirsten said; with the best of the best, all those angels upstairs! Amen.

God bless you and your family!

Brother in Christ Jesus,

Lawrence Morra III

Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley was a father of seven who ran into gunfire while responding to an active shooter call at a Colorado grocery store when he was shot and killed in the nation’s latest mass shooting. He was one of 10 people who were killed at supermarket King Soopers March 22, 2021, authorities said. The shooting suspect was identified as Ahmad Alissa, 21, of Arvada.  Talley, 51, was one of the first officers to arrive on the scene, where he was called with fellow officers shortly before 3 p.m. local time at 3600 Table Mesa Drive. The husband and father had been with the police department since 2010, Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said during a Wednesday evening press conference. Talley had made headlines during his decade with the department for spearheading a community-based police initiative and for rescuing a family of ducks on the same road where he was fatally shot years later. A survivor of domestic violence wrote a Twitter thread saying Talley saved her life.

Talley joined the Boulder Police Department late in life, his friend and fellow law enforcement officer Jeremy Herko, an Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, told The Washington Post. Talley had worked in information technology, but decided in 2010 to change careers after the death of a friend in a DUI crash and graduated from the police academy at 40, Herko told the newspaper.

“It was remarkable to me that somebody would go to law enforcement from IT,” Herko told The Post. “He lost pay. He lost time away from his family. He joined the police academy without a guaranteed job.”

Here’s what you need to know about the life and death of Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley:


Talley Was a Father of 7 Who Was Training to Get Off the Front Lines So He Would Not Leave His Children Fatherless & He Was Remembered For His Heroic Actions

 

Talley had seven children, and the youngest was only 7 years old, his dad, Homer Talley, said in a statement published by The Denver Channel. He became a police officer when he was 40 and was training to change roles within the department to not be on the front lines.

“He took his job as a police officer very seriously. He had seven children. The youngest is 7 years old. He loved his kids and his family more than anything,” his dad said. “He joined the police force when he was 40 years old. He was looking for a job to keep himself off of the front lines and was learning to be a drone operator. He didn’t want to put his family through something like this and he believed in Jesus Christ.”

Homer Talley told KDVR, “He was a man of heart who loved his job.” His children range in age from 7 to 20. Homer Talley told the news station the fallen officer’s wife is “a rock.” Donations to help Talley’s family can be made to the Boulder County Injured & Fallen Officers Fund.

Talley was one of the first officers to arrive on the scene at King Soopers in Boulder, Colorado, and encountered the suspect, who was armed with a high-powered rifle, officials said.

 

eric talley

GettyPolice officers walk through the parking lot of the King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, Colorado on March 22, 2021 after reports of an active shooter.

 

Boulder Police Officers used Talley’s handcuffs when they formally arrested Alissa following his hospital stay.

 

“This week several Boulder Police officers & others responded to a local hospital to formally place Monday’s shooting suspect into custody. As they did, officers informed him the handcuffs used that day were those of Officer Eric Talley. The suspect was then taken to jail,” the Boulder Police Department wrote on Twitter. “It was our distinct honor to use Officer Talley’s handcuffs to formally process him into the jail. Though this was a small gesture, we hope it is the start of the healing process that so many of us need at this time. Officer Talley’s handcuffs are seen here.”

An emotional Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said during a press conference Wednesday night:

Our hearts of this community go out to the victims of this horrific incident. We know of 10 fatalities at the scene, including one of our Boulder PD officers by the name of Eric Talley. He’s been on the Boulder Police Department since 2010. He’s served in numerous roles supporting Boulder Police Department and the community of Boulder. And I have to tell you, the heroic action of this officer when he responded to this scene. At 14:30 hours the Boulder Police Department began receiving phone calls of shots fired in the area. And a phone call about a possible person with a patrol rifle. Officer Talley responded to the scene, was the first on the scene and he was fatally shot. I also want to commend the heroic actions of the officers responding, not only from Boulder PD, but from across the county and other parts of this region. Police officers actions fell nothing short of being heroic. I also want to thank the men and women who responded, including state, local and federal authorities.

 

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GettyLaw enforcement personnel salutes as the motorcade carrying fallen Boulder Police officer Eric Talley exits the King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, Colorado on March 22, 2021 after a mass shooting.

 

She said it’s a “complex investigation” that will take “no less than five days to complete.” Herold, holding back tears, said, “Again, my heart goes out to the victims of this incident. And I’m grateful for the police officers who responded and I am so sorry about the loss of Officer Talley.”

 

Joe Gamaldi National Vice President of the Fraternal Order of Police, spoke about Talley’s heroism in a statement.

“Boulder Officer [Eric Talley] has lost his life running towards the gunfire of an active shooter. No words can adequately capture the heroism exhibited. Keep him in your prayers,” he said. “Police Officers don’t ‘deserve’ your respect, because no one ‘deserves’ anything, but we da*n sure earn it everyday!”

Boulder Police Department Commander Kerry Yamaguchi confirmed a Boulder Police Officer was killed during an earlier Monday evening press conference, and requested privacy for the family and fellow officers.

He said there was “loss of life” and added, “I am sorry to have to report that one of them was a Boulder police officer.”

Yamaguchi did not release the officer’s name at the time, or any information about how the officer was killed. He said that officers arrived “within minutes of the initial 911 calls and entered the building very quickly.”

 

eric talley

GettyBoulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty takes a moment to himself before addressing the media after a gunman opened fire at a King Sooper’s grocery store on March 22, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado.

 

He added Boulder Police received “tremendous support” from local and federal agencies.

“Without that quick response, we don’t know if there would have been more loss of life,” he said.

A witness described his thoughts to Fox 31, saying he was in shock and called his mom to say he was OK. That’s when the gravity of the situation sunk in, he said.

“The fact that it’s happening all over America, seeing it on the news, [it’s] something I’ve grown up with, people my age, my generation are used to this. And it’s something I never thought would happen in my town,” he said.

 

The Boulder Office of Emergency Management issued a list of resources for the community and ways to help the families of the victims.

Boulder City Council is holding a special meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 24, 2021 to honor the victims and “acknowledge the need for community healing.” The meeting can also be viewed through livestream and on YouTube.


Talley’s Sister Says He Wanted to Be a Pilot & Wrote in a Tribute, ‘I Cannot Explain How Beautiful He Was & What a Devastating Loss This Is To So Many’

 

Talley was born in Houston, Texas, graduated from Highland High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1988, according to a post on the school’s alumni Facebook page from a classmate. He had a master’s degree related to IT before becoming an officer.

Homer Talley, the officer’s father, told 9News it, “Didn’t surprise me he was the first one there.” His father told the Colorado news station, “He had a great sense of humor, he was a prankster. He loved his family more than anything.” The slain officer’s sister, Kirstin, paid tribute to him on Twitter, writing, “Officer Eric Talley is my big brother. He died today in the Boulder shooting. My heart is broken. I cannot explain how beautiful he was and what a devastating loss this is to so many. Fly high my sweet brother. You always wanted to be a pilot (damn color blindness). Soar.”

A longtime friend of Talley described him as a husband, father and devout Christian in a post on Facebook. Jeremy Herko wrote he and Talley attended the police academy together. They were talking earlier that day, he wrote.

“I cannot describe the level of devastation I feel right now,” he wrote. “My heart is heavy. So many things I would do differently.”

 

eric talley

GettyLaw enforcement personnel salutes as the motorcade carrying fallen Boulder Police officer Eric Talley exits the King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, Colorado on March 22, 2021 after a mass shooting.

 

“The person I was calling and messaging earlier, one of my best friends, died today in Boulder,” he continued. “He was the police officer killed. Eric Talley is his name, and he was a devout Christian, he had to buy a 15 passenger van to haul his kids around, and he was the nicest guy in the world. I’ve known him since we went to the academy together, and we talked all the time. Please keep his wife and kids in your thoughts.”

Herko told The Post he met Talley in 2010 at the Community College of Aurora’s Police Training Academy. “He is drawn to people, and people are drawn to him. It’s easy to be drawn to a guy like that. I was fortunate that he liked me as well. He was pretty driven to join law enforcement,” Herko told The Post.

Several Boulder residents who encountered Talley during his 10-year career working in the city shared experiences with him, remembering him as a dedicated and caring officer who went above and beyond everyday. One woman wrote on Twitter, “In 2013 I called 911 when my abusive HS/college ex boyfriend showed up uninvited pounding on my door threatening me outside my apartment in Boulder. One of the officers to respond & help that night was Officer Eric Talley. He stayed with me throughout the entire ordeal, calmed me down & said he was just at the right place at the right time.While the other officers were outside reading my abuser his rights, Officer Talley was kind enough to stay with me until a friend could come get me.”

The woman added, “He gave me his personal card, ‘call me if the coward decides to show his face again.’ To this day I credit Officer Talley for saving my life. I still have his card. Thank you for being my hero that night & thank you for being a hero to everyone in King Soopers today. I am absolutely heartbroken to hear yet another shooting has occurred. RIP Eric Talley & the other victims of today’s shooting. This is becoming far too frequent of a headline America.”

A fellow officer wrote in a tribute on Facebook:

Talley-Man, I’m at a loss of words and don’t quite know how to say goodbye. You were a great officer and such an incredible person! I will cherish our memories and all the great times we had together in District 5. I will miss hearing our locker room banter of the Talley-Man/Sassy-Pants Show. To hear you died a hero is not surprising to me. Knowing you would lay your life down for others is the perfect way to describe your character. Fly high, you Drone Team geek. Eric Talley: A hero remembered, never dies.

Retired Boulder police sergeant Lauri Wegscheider wrote on Facebook, “My heart is more than broken. Officer Eric Talley was one of the smartest people I know. He was caring, compassionate and kooky with a heart of gold. He always had my back and we were more than just coworkers. He was my friend!! He adored his children and family. I am so so sorry to all my Boulder PD brothers and sisters. Mtn Dew my friend, all you can drink!”

Edwin Hurwitz, a Boulder attorney, said he met Talley when he was in law school. Hurwitz wrote on Facebook:

I just found out that the officer who was killed was Officer Eric Talley. When I was in law school, in the criminal law clinic, we had to do a police ride along and I was paired with him and we spent a Saturday night riding around Boulder. I had just transitioned from my music career and was getting used to the idea of my new one as a lawyer and he had just transitioned from his career and had been an officer for less than a year. That ride changed my view of cops. He was outgoing, thoughtful, and interested in the safety of the community. Given that defense attorneys and cops are kind of at odds by the nature of our jobs, I left that night feeling that we had made a connection and bridged the institutional distance between the conflict that comes up on both sides.

Former Boulder Police officer Andreas Reimann wrote on Facebook, “I really don’t know what to say, Eric Talley was the definition of a kind and warm hearted person. He wasn’t a stereotypical cop, he was goofy, nerdy, kind, funny, and always wanting to help whenever he could. He helped and covered me on more calls than I can count. It always made me smile after I left Boulder that he would regularly ask about me and how I was doing, and pass along messages that he missed me at BPD.”

Reimann added, “Like most heroes Eric would probably hate that label, but anyone who runs towards the sound of gunfire when other people run away is the definition of a hero in my book, and someone who I am proud to have worked beside. Rest well friend.”


Talley Presented a Community Policing Initiative to His Department So Officers Would Serve as Familiar Faces in Neighborhoods

 

Talley brought an initiative to the police department with community-based policing, the Martin Acres Voice wrote in 2015. The initiative was geared toward officers becoming a familiar face in their communities. The newsletter described community policing as a return to traditional policing before the days of police cars, when officers lived among the neighbors they policed and “walked a ‘beat.’”

Talley and two other officers presented the initiative during a conference at the time, which involved dividing the city into 35 districts and assigning an officer to each of those districts. The officer in each district was assigned to monitor the neighborhoods, serve as “a familiar face” and become familiar with the details of their districts. Martin Acres was a part of Talley’s district, the newsletter said.

“If you see him, say hello!” the newsletter said. “Officer Talley is working on getting to know our neighborhood, what’s normal, what is out of place, tracking trends, suspicious activity and, hopefully, enabling a safer environment.”

It went on to say, “Officer Talley says he hopes to empower us to be more vigilant neighbors, with direct access to the police department, and to give the police department a clearer picture of the community and our needs.”

 

Witnesses told the Denver Post about touching moments amid the tragedy of a mass shooting that left 10 people dead. James Bentz, 57, told the Denver Post he found himself “at the front of a stampede” as people rushed to the back of the grocery store. He jumped off a loading dock to escape, he said. Younger people helped older people down from the platform, he said.

“It seemed like all of us had imagined we’d be in a situation like this at some point in our lives,” he said.

He was in the meat section when he heard a gunshot. He thought it was a misfire until he heard more gunshots. Then, everyone started running, he said.

 

Neven Sloan and his wife, Quinlyn Sloan, told the newspaper they had split up in the grocery store when shots were fired. She was in the dairy section, and he was in produce. They ran to find each other, then escaped together.

Neven Sloan said the shots “were muffled at first and then I heard it echo in the store and I knew we needed to get out.”

Quinlyn Sloan told the newspaper she didn’t know what she was hearing at the time of the first gunshot, but then “people started running. A few stood still like they didn’t know what was happening. Then [the shooting] went rapidly.”

Neven Sloan said once he knew his wife was safely outside, “I felt an impulse to go back,” and ran back inside to help others.


Talley Was Recognized in 2013 for Rescuing a Family of Ducks From a Drainage Ditch Near the Grocery Store Where He Was Fatally Shot

 

Talley was among three officers who were recognized by the Boulder Daily Camera for rescuing 11 ducklings and their mother from a drainage ditch in 2013. The drainage ditch was in the area of Table Mesa and Broadway, very close to the location where Talley would be gunned down eight years later.

One of the other responding officers on the duck rescue attempted to coax the ducks and scoop them to safety with a net. When that didn’t work, Talley took the plunge to wade into the water and round up the ducks so he and the other officers could save every member of the duck family, the article said.

“He was drenched after this,” said Jack Walker, who was the Boulder Police Sergeant at the time. “They would go into these little pipes and he would have to try and fish them out.”

 

eric talley

GettyShoppers are evacuated from a King Soopers grocery store after a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado.

 

When the duck family was reunited, “they were thrilled,” Walker said of the ducklings.

A group of about 30 to 35 people gathered to watch the rescue, and recorded it on their phones, he said.

“They were thrilled to see us doing this,” he said.

The entire rescue operation took about an hour.

“This was my first duck rescue,” Walker said. “But I’m an animal lover, so for me it was easy to do.”

Conor McCue, a witness to the grocery store shooting, told CBS4 it took a moment to realize what was happening after he heard gunshots.

 

“Heard a loud bang… thought someone dropped something. Then by the third bang everyone was running,” he told the news outlet.

When police arrived, he said they were shouting at a suspect either in the car or inside the store. “Surrender now!” he said he heard them saying.

A family was waiting in line for COVID-19 vaccinations when a woman was shot in front of them, the father of one of the family members told CBS4. They family ran away and found a closet upstairs, where they hid for an hour, he told the news station. He was communicating with his daughter while they hid. The father advocated for gun control to the news outlet.

“When it’s your family, you feel it,” he said.

Victims who were still inside the grocery store when police arrived were led outside by officers.


About 100 First Responder Vehicles Escorted Talley’s Body Following the Mass Shooting & Local Lawmakers Expressed Their Sympathy to Law Enforcement & Said Police Officers Were in Their Prayers

 

eric talley

GettyA police officer salutes as a procession carrying the body of a fellow officer leaves King Sooper’s grocery store where a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado.

 

The Boulder Police Department shared a brief and touching tribute to Talley on Twitter as lawmakers and other officials expressed their condolences and pledged to fight for justice.

 

“Rest In peace Officer Eric Talley. Your service will never be forgotten,” the police department wrote.

 

About 100 first responder vehicles gathered to escort the body of the fallen Boulder police officer in the hours after the shooting, reporter Kyle Clark of 9News wrote on Twitter.

 

“Approximately 100 first responders’ vehicles are prepared for a procession to escort the body of the Boulder Police Officer who was among those killed in today’s supermarket shooting,” he wrote.

He shared a video of the procession as a sea of red and blue lights silently escorted the officer.

 

The City of Boulder shared an image on Twitter which was retweeted by the Boulder Police Department.

 

“Our hearts are broken. Lives were taken today, including one of our brave @boulderpolice officers,” the tweet said.

The image was a landscape overlaid with text.

“This is a tragic day in Boulder,” it said. “Our hearts are broken from the lives lost. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and all.”

 

Videos emerged on social media soon after the shooting, which showed a man being led to a stretcher in handcuffs. It was not immediately clear whether the man was the shooting suspect, but it appeared that police were taking the man into custody. He had blood on one of his legs, the video shows.

“It was quite a chaotic situation,” a FOX DC reporter said on the air, referencing reports from witnesses. “There were two medical helicopters on the scene.”

The reporter spoke over live images taken from a helicopter and described what he was seeing: “a man who was escorted by police in handcuffs loaded onto a stretcher and being taken from the scene.”

 

A graphic and dramatic video captured the active shooter scene at the Colorado grocery store, beginning just seconds after the first shots rang out. The video shows injured and possibly deceased people inside and outside the store.

“Get 911 right here,” says the man filming. “We’ve got injured parties on the ground. We don’t know. There’s a shooter, active shooter somewhere. Could be in the store. He went in the store. Oh my God. Guys we’ve got people down in King Soopers.”

He walks into the entrance of the store from its ramp, and a person in a store uniform says the shooter is still inside. Three people appear to be lifeless in the video. One is on a ramp leading into the store, another is in the parking lot, and a third is inside the store near a checkout counter.

Two gunshots can be heard on the video soon after the man goes inside to film.

Mass Shooter at King Soopers – licensing info below.media organizations can license the video here usetmx.com/details/6667 First at an active shooter scene, as it unfolded at King soopers in boulder. i was loading groceries in my car when i heard loud shots. i immediately fired up the livestream and rounded the corner to a horrific scene. help support my channel and continued time…2021-03-23T00:12:23Z

“Guys this happened… not even 30 seconds ago. I heard gunshots going. Guys there’s an active shooter,” the man says. He later identifies himself as Dean Schiller.

Sirens could be heard in the background, and he said police officers arrived quickly.

He gave information to news stations later in the video, saying he was nearby and heard gunfire.

 

eric talley

GettyA Colorado State Police officer salutes as a procession carrying the body of a fellow officer leaves King Sooper’s grocery store where a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado.

 

He described “loud bangs” and saw a woman on the ground next to a gold Toyota Rav4, followed by another man motionless on the ground.

“We immediately took cover right outside,” he said, and said he went around to the front of the building where he heard more gunshots. He said he hid behind cars and walls.

He saw three victims himself, and watched officers arrive as shots continued to ring out. He estimated that the shooting lasted for 10 minutes before subsiding.

“I wouldn’t have believed it had I not seen it and heard it myself,” he said.

“My heart was pumping so hard,” he said.

He said he had friends “as close as family” inside. He lives across the street from the grocery store, he said.

Slain Boulder Policeman Eric Talley Was A Dad To Seven Kids | The 11th Hour | MSNBCEric Talley, the Boulder police officer killed in this nation’s latest mass shooting, took his job seriously and leaves behind seven children. NBC News Correspondent Gadi Schwartz shares more in a statement from Talley’s father. Aired on 03/23/2021. » Subscribe to MSNBC: on.msnbc.com/SubscribeTomsnbc About The 11th Hour with Brian Williams: Brian Williams delivers the latest…2021-03-23T05:45:59Z

Colorado lawmakers shared sentiments online in the immediate aftermath of the shooting and specifically addressed first responders who were called to the scene. They wrote that they were “monitoring the situation,” expressed sympathy to the families of the victims and to the Boulder community as a whole.

“Like my fellow Coloradans, I am closely watching unfolding events at King Soopers in Boulder. My prayers are with our fellow Coloradans in this time of sadness and grief as we learn more about the extent of the tragedy,” Governor Jared Polis wrote on Twitter.

Representative Joe Neguse wrote on Twitter he was praying for the first responders who rushed to the scene.

“Praying for the entire #Boulder community & all of the first responders and law enforcement responding to this terrible incident,” he wrote.

 

eric talley

GettyZachary Smith holds a thin blue line flag in honor of Boulder Police officer Eric Talley who perished in the line of duty during an mass shooting at the King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, Colorado on March 22, 2021.

 

“We’re monitoring this tragic situation and our prayers are with the Boulder community,” wrote Senator Michael Bennet.

Congressman Ken Buck also said he was praying for law enforcement.

“Praying for our law enforcement who are responding to the active shooter at the King Soopers in #Boulder,” Buck wrote.

READ NEXT: Ahmad Alissa, King Soopers Boulder Shooting Suspect: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know


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Unknown's avatarAuthor Lawrence MorraPosted on March 25, 2021March 25, 2021Categories Faith, God's will, Good verses Evil, Goodness, Human Life, Knowing and appreciating love, Martyrs, SalvationLeave a comment on Eric Talley: A Tribute to the Fallen Boulder Police Officer

Sister Lucia’s assessment of her character defects is one we can all use

Sister Lucia’s assessment of her character defects is one we can all use

What an unexpected surprise this well-done article is to me! I want to first quote this; “St. Louis de Montfort and St. Damien of Molokai, both had angry temperaments that they had to conquer. Sister Lucia was known for her “rough” temperament and tendency towards impatience with others.” I have those difficulties and ill attributes that surface sometimes! Could it be an indication of my eventual sainthood somewhere in the distant future?

Well, now that you probably had a good laugh I’ll state for the record that I’m no saint, not by my own estimation or definition of what it takes to become; or at least live like one! But, I’m no devil either and this article surprisingly points out that we don’t have any idea who God will make a saint to serve His purposes! That is the big take away here! And as we are all fallen with our definite foibles or inherent weaknesses, or even character flaws; if any of us is to be made into a saint we can at least conclude that God not only works in mysterious ways, but, He can produce in a sense the most perfect pearls or say diamonds from the most common rocks on earth!

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As for this point of illustration, consider that the most common single mineral formation or “rock” of the continental crust, “quartz crystal.” Let’s remember that under the greatest pressure and heat down deep in the earth toward the core the mind-boggling process is happening every day in which these crystals are turned into the strongest of all earth minerals; diamonds!

http://img1.exportersindia.com/product_images/bc-full/dir_60/1776628/uncut-natural-diamonds-for-sale-709155.jpg

So too; I see “difficulty and suffering as a requirement,” in the producing of a saint. I know from my own personal experiences where I was subjected to various pressures or hardship, suffering; that I was in some cases tossed into that fire, had altered me in both actual physical ways as well as spiritually. One such experience; I was working at a job and was targeted by political forces within, that were corrupted in such a way that I became persecuted for no good reason other than my just being who I am, which I might have been seen as a threat to some within those political forces, or just simply too unlike them; to be kept around! When the biggest insult came in the form of a hazardous materials cleaning procedure where I would not have any of the appropriate protections to do the job, I could have complained which would instantly have been seen as an act of insubordination and sent packing! Or, I could do as I did; which was to find as quickly as I could any protective barriers or equipment that I could rustle up and just do the job; which I did. But anything I found to protect me in the process was sorely inadequate and I became exposed and quite ill after several hours! This all led to a period of several years of being damaged and disabled and not able to do the job, but instead having to fight in the system for my survival and not end up homeless. I became my own attorney and scientist in concert with a great “real one” that God sent my way; which eventually resulted in my surviving although suffering, which apparently go hand in hand; at least in some cases. Don’t forget that processes are absolutely necessary in Transformation!

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So, I tell you all of this because I think I have a pretty good idea what’s happening in the process of a regular person being put to the test in order to evolve to a saintly purpose and plan that God so chooses for that individual! We all know the phrase that “God won’t give you more than you can handle;” but sometimes some people do get so much adversity tossed upon them that they are literally swimming in a whirlpool of sorts, that is pulling them down into despair and failure! We should always remember this in those circumstances where we feel all is against us, and we are losing our lives by the acts and torments from others; directed upon us! This scripture may be where this quote comes from but there is more to it than that; “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” James 1:13, because I add to this from my own life how some people may have too much heaped upon them and even lose their life or seemingly too; the battle! You see here I’m telling you that God did leave me that escape that I had to make happen by my own determined will that God put in me in order to serve His will! Those words in particular in that Scripture stand so powerfully in my mind and core, “he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” But, we will never know on our own if what we are struggling with is more than we can handle, unless we keep fighting and trying our best, to the very end if necessary, to either overcome it all or succumb; in which case I’m sure God will address that in the hereafter when you arrive in His presence!

And just know too; that “nobody gets away with anything,” so the nefarious among us that do these great harms to the innocent and undeserving of all this suffering tossed at them; those sad cases or “poor excuses for human beings” or supposed “children of God,” will be held to account by God in the hereafter too!

Just try your best, as this is all a test! Hang in there like the saints did, and endure it all!
God bless. Amen.
Brother in Christ Jesus,
Lawrence Morra III

Catholicism Pure & Simple's avatarCatholicism Pure & Simple

Sister Lucia as a Dorothean nun

It’s always refreshing to know that the saints or saintly people had a human side. Some, like St. Louis de Montfort and St. Damien of Molokai, both had angry temperaments that they had to conquer. Sister Lucia was known for her “rough” temperament and tendency towards impatience with others.

As a young Dorothean nun at Pontevedra (she was known then as Sister Maria das Dores), knowing the Rules for humility and docility regarding menial chores, she struggled with her temperament on more than one occasion. In one story as told by Father Robert Fox in his bookThe Intimate Life of Sister Lucia, Lucia was coming down the stairs carrying a mattress and a young novice asked if she needed help. Lucia replied curtly, “If you do not have anything to do, ask the Mistress of Novices for work.” The young novice was…

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Unknown's avatarAuthor Lawrence MorraPosted on March 8, 2021March 8, 2021Categories Faith, God's will, Goodness, Human Life, Knowing and appreciating love, Lent, SaintsLeave a comment on Sister Lucia’s assessment of her character defects is one we can all use

Several nuns die after taking first shot of COVID vaccine

“These are the martyrs”

Several nuns die after taking first shot of COVID vaccine
Republication by Lawrence Morra

Zero Lift-Off    Only The Beginning

 courtesy of lifesitenews.com

God bless their beautiful souls dear sweet Jesus in heaven!  Save us from this most sinful corrupt world and this scourge that has come upon us by Satan at the hands of men.  “These are the martyrs” who laid down their lives for their friends and all of us; in your Holy name Jesus!  Amen.

Lawrence Morra III

News

Out of 35 nuns, 26 tested positive for COVID just two days after getting the vaccine.

Thu Feb 25, 2021 – 12:26 pm EST
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VILLA HILLS, Kentucky, February 25, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) — Earlier this month, 35 nuns in a northern Kentucky convent received an mRNA-developed COVID-19 vaccine. Just two days later, two died and twenty six others tested positive for the virus.

Sister Aileen Bankemper, prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of St. Walburg, noted that the monastery was completely locked down, with no movement of people into or out of the premises for some time prior to having the sisters vaccinated: “We [the Benedictine community] were shocked to have so many [COVID-19] cases since we were being extremely careful, not going out, and not having visitors since the beginning of the pandemic,” Fox19 NOW reported. She even claimed that the sisters “redoubled our efforts after the [Christmas] holiday surge.”

Sister Aileen confirmed in a Facebook post, “Twenty-eight sisters tested positive for COVID-19,” following the jab. “The majority of them were able to get the monoclonal antibodies [antibody infusions] through St. Elizabeth’s Senior Services. Their symptoms are being managed pretty well,” she added.

Two of their members, however, Sister Charles Wolking and Sister Rita Biltz, quickly deteriorated, dying on February 3, two days after receiving their COVID jabs. Neither had expressed symptoms nor had tested positive for the virus prior to taking the vaccine.

Sub-Prioress Sister Nancy Kordenbrok told WKRC that “[b]oth of them were elderly and had some health issues and were not able to compete with COVID.”

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At the time, a third sister, Margaret Mary Gough, was admitted to ICU at St. Elizabeth Fort Thomas Hospital with respiratory problems after testing positive for COVID-19 following her first dose of the vaccine.

Sister Nancy initially expressed hope that Sister Margaret Mary was recovering, saying that she is “[c]urrently in ICU, but we think she will be moved from there. She’s doing so much better. She had serious respiratory issues.”

But yesterday, through the monastery’s official Facebook page, she too was confirmed to have died, on February 10, “from complications of the COVID virus.” One other sister recovered in ICU and was able to return to the monastery.

In an apparent attempt to quell fears about the dangers of the vaccine, Dr. Steven Feagins, the Hamilton County public health director, explained that strong side-effects are “actually way more common than you might think.”

He added that, in cases where the patient suffers side-effects, he recommends simply delaying the second dose: “Whenever you get it, you get it, so we consider the 21 days [between jabs] minimum,” he said.

The remaining sisters are set to receive their second dose of the vaccine in May.

Since the launch of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) has recorded a total of 929 deaths from December 15, 2020, up to February 12, 2021, accounting for almost 6% of 15,923 adverse events on the system’s report.

1,869 people were hospitalized, 616 of whom were considered to have suffered a life-threatening reaction.

Roughly 66.5 million doses have been administered in the U.S. of either one of the mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccinations offered by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Both were given emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December, and, until they are fully licensed by the regulator, are considered experimental.

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During LifeSiteNews’ “Unmasking COVID-19” conference, Dr. Sheri Tenpenny, Dr. Eric Nepute and Dr. Pam Popper joined LifeSite’s Stephen Kokx in a panel discussion focused on the science regarding the vaccines, and whether it is right to regard them as the chief protection against COVID-19. The medics decried even calling the injections “vaccines,” since they did not meet the standards necessary for the term, and warned about the risk of the experimental products themselves attacking the body’s immune response system.

Tenpenny argued that the currently available vaccines do not merit the name vaccine since they don’t “meet any of the standards by which a vaccine is supposed to work: to prevent the spread of infection, to keep you from getting sick, to keep you from being hospitalized, to decrease the amount of illness, to protect people from this contagion that’s out there. It doesn’t meet any of those standards.”

Describing the vaccine manufacturers as having “skipped all the steps” of normal testing and development procedures, Popper noted that “we have no possible hope that this could actually be either safe or effective.”

The U.K.’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which authorized the use of both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca developed COVID vaccines for use in Britain, reported that, between December 8 and February 14, it “has received 197 U.K. reports of suspected ADRs to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in which the patient died shortly after vaccination, 205 reports for the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine, and 4 where the brand of vaccine was unspecified.”

“The majority of these reports were in elderly people or people with underlying illness,” the MHRA added.

Italy, too, reported major health concerns regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine after the Tribuna di Treviso newspaper reported “dozens and dozens” of teachers and professors in the Treviso region were too ill to teach on Monday morning, having received the vaccine over the weekend. Consequently, two middle schools had to close during the week due to a lack of staff.

Despite the numerous side-effects reported by those who received the vaccine, Michele Mongillo, the director of prevention and public health for the Veneto Region maintained an optimistic position on the effect of AstraZeneca’s abortion-tainted vaccine: “We have begun the vaccination with AstraZeneca this week; there have been a few local reactions, especially fever. Over six thousand doses were given, and a few cases of local reactions were reported to our offices. It’s a temporary phenomenon, and on the bright side it shows that the immune system is reacting to the vaccine.”

Meanwhile, in France, the same AstraZeneca vaccine has caused so many adverse side-effects that the French vaccination task force (Conseil d’orientation de la stratégie vaccinale) has recommended “a staggering of the vaccination schedule for people working in the same care unit” as well as “the systematic intake of paracetamol just before the injection and in the two following days.”


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Unknown's avatarAuthor Lawrence MorraPosted on February 26, 2021February 26, 2021Categories Blessed Virgin Mary, Easter, Faith, Goodness, Knowing and appreciating love, Lent, New Everlasting Covenant, SalvationTags End Time, Martyrs, Salvation1 Comment on Several nuns die after taking first shot of COVID vaccine

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,”

“You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church.”

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,”

The Church that Jesus told Peter that He would build was and has been corrupted from the start incrementally through the centuries being attacked by the Evil One that father of all lies! I’ve said before how up to the Great Reformation the attacks had caused division and splinter groups straying from the original intent but up until that time they weren’t as forceful. Now at this point the divisions became massive and moved more and more into human self-stylized Cults calling themselves the True Church which I say the Prophecies and our Lord told us would be the case in End Time when so many would say look here, He has come or He speaks to us here.  In this process some of these Church leaders became and are now the Hero or Star to follow. I’ve told others about how some of these splinter groups or so called Christian Cults have been on the attack and I’ve had them attack me calling my Church Evil and that all those following it will burn in hell.  I had to point out to them asking are they so deluded to think that some rinky-dink Church like theirs somehow stands above the few ancient Orthodox ones and is the one place that Jesus through the Holy Spirit dwells.  Further I asked who they thought they are to mock or attack like this. I told them how Jim Jones with his People’s Temple of the Disciples of Christ active between 1954 and 1978 was one such cult that spawned from the original Reformation movement in the modern nondenominational Churches, and thus to worship Jesus there having a sort of pseudo Seal of Approval; yet Jim Jones was a madman and evil heretic who led 909 souls to perdition and death in a mass suicide/murder pact.

The Reformation to me was nothing more than a “mass rebellion” against God’s Holy plan for His Church on earth, and Peter established the Church the way Jesus told him to do it, he Peter being the lead foundational member; as they subsequent disciples continued for centuries with some interfering forces always afoot, that came from the Devil to alter God’s plan; the Reformation movement was the capstone to me of the whole transgressed effort.  As I see it, the alterations are still proceeding in earnest today to continue scattering the flock or God’s children from the truth.  Jim Jones with his attack becoming an antichrist is a good case in point with his People’s Temple how they all were led so far astray that it resulted in the mass death! But looking all the way back to the beginning of the Church major change was in order by Christ’s own instruction on earth bringing his New and Everlasting Covenant, doing away with the Old Ways, but, that of course had conflict immediately. The temple was the Synagogue where the Jewish Pharisees who conspired against Jesus were using the Old Testament and the old ways were to be replaced with the New Church of Christ after his death and resurrection, and eating His Body and Blood are required and proper Sacraments which He instructed Peter the His lead foundational member of the New and Everlasting Church Covenant to build for His Church family of believers, his genuine chosen!  Some immediately did what Christ instructed, much of it having to be hidden from the Pharisees and the Roman Emperor.  So division has existed for the entire time since Christ’s crucifixion and it still does now!  This only proves that point!  Rebellion is of the Devil and that is pure truth!  If we don’t do the right thing in these serious basic precepts of the Church then we will be in transgression of God Almighty for not accepting the Body and Blood of Christ on the cross, and in essence blaspheming God!  We can be sure that when Jesus told Peter He would build His church there was no Bible or many issues or interpretations of the Scriptures for the mostly illiterate masses of that period of history to read, “the word” as an article points out called “Reformation Christians” who were giving great credence to the writings and teachings of Diana Severance a current reformist who made enormous effort to paint Anne Askew of the Old Reformation period, as one of the greatest nonconforming human beings to have ever walked the earth and indeed painted her as being from what I was hearing one of God’s most anointed, and a women for the ages for all women to emulate. But with these people the big thing; being that only the Reformation meant anything, which I say all of this rebellion comes from the Devil.  But, this instead being of most importance that there was the “Consecrated Body and Blood of Christ” the “Holy Eucharist” that the Apostles were to do in remembrance and practice by faith, that they are eating the Body and Blood of Christ, which is a first and foremost Holy Sacrament without which you miss the whole point of having God’s Church on earth. 

When I think about how much more stable and decent the world appeared to be compared to now not many decades ago, and how it’s like a ship sinking, and every man and woman for themselves; it makes for a very clear picture that we are in latter times.  So in the End Time many will say look here He comes or listen to what this one or that one is saying confusing even the elect.  We are there in effect having all the original pulling apart of the tried and proven Church being in many cases now off the rails, with many such self-serving false leaders; and this is happening in spades throughout the world.

This internet is also a tool being used by Satan to confuse, distract and perpetuate lies with.  Look how many of us eat drink and swim in the cults of cyberspace even trying to make ourselves little god’s or “Cultist Leaders” telling others come hang here and see how special My Place is, give me some clicks and likes; when in fact such people have hidden or even advertised agendas such as making a buck, or feeding their own egos, and in some cases just passing the time away accomplishing little or anything of substantive value; blowing smoke up each other’s asses. A real time wasting activity or pile and load of BS.

Take a hard look around and look at what people are making of central importance to themselves.  Junkies of one kind or another, with infomercials galore everywhere selling this or that and following one guru or another, many of which have followings in the millions! Or these mini-gurus building a following on this internet telling people how they went through something, but, “I got through it because Jesus helped me through my faith;” then suddenly this person thinks they are special and someone to be listened to saying I have a “ministry” that you should listen to, but, meanwhile go click here or send your donations for which I’m truly grateful. More like using Jesus to make some extra bucks! Basically people who prostitute themselves putting all kinds of personal family photos and data out into cyberspace to attract a following and continue their own little “Mini Soap Opera” in so much as it’s being like putting a bright light bulb in the dark evening will of course attract so many moths that end up flying around in circles getting nowhere, because that temporary little bulb in the dark fools them as it’s not the Sun that lights the daily world giving a genuine full view of all things and places with actual daylight; that the moths may need to see or go to.  I myself saw how this cyberspace had me on some sort of treadmill thinking I need to check in daily and many times during the day to see who said what or if they liked what I said last time; and who knows if I might find some extra special surprise there today!  A junkie getting his fix of daily Cyber Junk! 

Before the Net came about I used to love watching a well-made movie, which I had even started out pursuing as a career in filmmaking many years back.  I had always looked up to the top people in that Industry and saw great Directors or Stars as gifted and special, individuals worth listening to and following even.  I did follow their lives and work almost religiously for a time while living in LA, and now I see how if not hero worship or even bestowing godlike qualities upon some of them; it sure was something that sucked up lots of my precious time and established a part of my core thinking or even behavior.  Much like many friends and family or the populations around the globe do in spades with Pro Athletes, say like a Tom Brady.  I’ve known guys to bet weeks or months of pay on a certain game or hero, even like boxing champs and the like; not only investing all that hard earned money that’s needed to pay the bills and feed their families; on something as foolish as a gambling bet, because their hero worldly god is so great to them, so they basically put all of this confidence and faith in them, to make it happen; so in their minds they can actually have a faith to count on this hero to save the day for them and bring more easy money their way!  But not only that, they invest themselves; not just the money for the bet into this trivial stupid nonsense of sports betting or hero worshiping, and following these others as if they’re where it’s all at.  Seriously, I’ve actually known guys who only talk sports and the next big game coming up, or all the plays of the last one that were phenomenal, which points out about all this nonsense, just how much some people are distracted and seeking crap! When they should be spending most if not all of their free time seeking God; through Jesus Christ and the Holy Scriptures He provided.

You won’t like that I say this, but the Truth is, the Church is a freaking damned mess!  Many of them are cults and money making operations for their leaders or inner circle!  Being brought up a Catholic and still considering that I favor the teachings of the Catholic Church especially pre-Vatican II Council, so for me more Orthodox fundamentalism; while I realize or know it too has many problems and issues.  It’s been infiltrated with many sinful persons or ulterior designs to cause harm by the Devil; but so too, are the makeshift renegade style Cult Church models as well.  While being a Catholic I used to, and up until recently thought how I had liked listening to one preacher or another outside of my Church some years ago like Billy Graham, and and recently gave much stock to Dr. Pat Robertson of the massive CBN evangelical organization that was until this last presidential election here in America.  He said how Trump was going to win because God told him he would, and how Biden didn’t really have a chance! Well, I along with just about any idiot could figure that out just by the simple facts and how this apparently contrived horrid pandemic came along in the nick of time to throw things out of whack for Trump’s sailing smoothly to winning the election, as the Biden camp knew he was in trouble and couldn’t beat Trump; so by the global pandemic crushing the soaring economy, while also bringing into play mail-in voting; both of which were going to work against Trump winning.  But, Robertson said he got the first Trump election right when he was elected, and God told him it was going to happen again, allowing him to serve a second term! The day after the election when he was wrong he got a bit quiet, and then faded off appearing on his TV show for a few days, while his son covered the store as it were. This made me starkly aware and seeing how no man is worth putting any of my faith in; to be a true chosen one and my leader, because the only one can and should be is Jesus Christ Himself! God knows; I haven’t been listening to Bergoglio for years, now the supposed leader of like I’ve said my preferred Church since my childhood; because he is a complete fraud and heretic as well as a very sinister communist NWO minded character, and even worse in my book!  So now, to be quite honest I have a fragmented approach maintaining core values from the Church and Scriptures while attuning to those in the Church who still do the same and have great insight; knowledge of what is going on in real time and as well speak truthfully with great humility, not getting caught up in the politics or framework of the old school of going along to get along type thinking!  These people call an apple and apple and an orange and orange and don’t sugar coat or skirt massive issues trying to deflect people’s attention away from truth to instead propagate a lie. 

If you read this far with our shortened attention spans now in this fast paced tech world we live in, you may very well be saying you have been aware of all this or are becoming aware thinking how everything is so messed up; and what are we to do.  If you are sincere and genuinely humble then you know the Holy Scriptures are a great place to park your undivided attention with frequent prayer to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you; and guide you so Jesus himself will be instructing you daily as to our “Father in heaven and His will.”  This mixed up jumbled up catastrophe of a world is out of control and is surely heading to massive disaster and annihilation.  In fact Iran’s insane evil leadership just announced they intend on destroying Israel within 10 years!  This just after Trump and his team had recently negotiated Arab Israeli Peace Accords between some surrounding nations in the region, quite a good thing!  But, sadly now we find that once again Anti-God belief systems rule many people on earth which are about belief in man not God, how man is his own god; Luciferianism, Freemasonry, Illuminati massive cults are in control of many things now in government, education, entertainment, commerce and many other major institutions including medicine, especially Big Pharma. 

I tell you this because, the writing is on the wall that we are in the End Time whether it’s months or years none of us can be sure of that; but you and I know if we are being totally honest that it’s not far off at all.  Logically just by the horrendous mixed up confused condition of the world of earthly affairs we can see how this won’t go on indefinitely and is all heading down hill faster and faster each passing day.  We all have to be very weary and sift out morsels of truth in worldly affairs, being your own detective; and if you have a Church you know to be following basic foundational Truth from Jesus and is trustworthy with just fellowship, learning Scriptures and a sharing of genuine humble faith in Jesus Christ, then you are on at least a leg to stand upon while you “seek Truth in all things.”  I feel certain that most of you will agree that Jesus didn’t intend on things being this way with the Church that He instructed Saint Apostle Peter to continue as Jesus had shown him; with now so much disarray and scattering of the flock here there and everywhere!  But I know I would have to say at least having the core of faith in Jesus Christ alone; with, by and through Holy Scriptures, is much better than doing nothing or being a nonbeliever and even some other uglier thing like these demonic cults that now worship Satan.  Look at it this way we are in a totally dysfunctional house or family and our Church is in the same condition now giving Satan and the Antichrist to come, a major leg up on turning the world and peoples away from God and toward Satan; that is the end game and only game in a sense that people should take seriously; and not all this BS, like I pointed out of guys chasing other guys around a field carrying a pigskin or hitting balls with bats and pucks with sticks or any of the other hero worship nonsense major distractions; by which to me spells out and shows us clearly how there isn’t much time if any to waste on such trivial pursuits!  Dig into your work ahead which is to seek Jesus Christ each day and do it with due diligence and genuine humble devotion to Him, not the crap of this world which is out to own you, and then ruin your path; to Him who wants to save you from this madness and evil!

Certainly, most of you have had it with all the hypocrisy and lies being touted about in our faces constantly by the politicians, MSM and other public figureheads including some of those champs or sports and entertainment figures, all of them living high and in the elite bubble, which to me they can have it, because I wouldn’t trade places with them for all the tea in China!  It’s a huge whirlpool or trap sucking most of them in and down into the nether world of sin and debauchery.  I recall someone on this cyber cruise we many times get caught up in, who seeks out attention constantly and does some hobnobbing with celebs from time to time and goes to some of the big entertainment venues that take place around the country, and when she got back from one of these couldn’t shut up about how grand it was to see Taylor Swift or Kanye West give a speech and how they are on such a great track, and she wants to join them in the way they are propelling themselves forward in their pursuits and beliefs; which to me are of mostly self-aggrandizement.  I wanted to vomit hearing this rant or nonsense, and then I said she is lost being sucked in by the ways of the world and sin. Another person who is so into themselves that they say they want to follow Jesus on the one hand even proclaiming having a ministry, then like the moth going at the light bulbs fake light; goes right on following the ways of the world and these glory seeking famous idiots who are so damned in many cases; as if they are the best thing to come along since sliced bread.

Let’s consider these scriptures to focus on what matters according to the Lord!

Apostle Paul reminded us, “whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.” Philippians 3:7-8

“What was right will be wrong and what was wrong will be right!” Timothy 2 3 states, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

Who with their faculties and wits about them cannot see this is precisely how it is now in this present time and this “rebellious generation” like no other time?

I say with certainty He gave to all freely who will believe in Him as their only hope of salvation from all iniquity; He is our Lord, Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ!

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23,

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

“Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22

Jeremiah 17:5-13 English Standard Version (ESV)

5 Thus says the Lord:

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man

and makes flesh his strength,[a]

whose heart turns away from the Lord.

6 He is like a shrub in the desert,

and shall not see any good come.

He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,

in an uninhabited salt land.

7 Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

whose trust is the Lord.

8 He is like a tree planted by water,

that sends out its roots by the stream,

and does not fear when heat comes,

for its leaves remain green,

and is not anxious in the year of drought,

for it does not cease to bear fruit.

9 The heart is deceitful above all things,

and desperately sick;

who can understand it?

10 I the Lord search the heart

and test the mind,[b]

to give every man according to his ways,

according to the fruit of his deeds.”

First John 2:15-16 says, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.”

Galatians 1:10 says, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Clearly from this verse, we cannot consistently please both God and the world. The desire for popularity and even fame or fortune is rooted in our old sinful nature. When we give in to it, we are living “according to the flesh” (Romans 8:5, 12).

Consider this; if we are consumed with loving the world, which means being devoted to the world’s treasures, philosophies, and priorities.  God tells His own to set their priorities according to His eternal absolute value system.  We are to “seek first” God’s kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33). (Matthew 6:24) “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Material life and realm are the Devil’s.

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.”  Matthew 24:23

“If anyone says to you then, ‘Look, here is Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ don’t believe it. False Christ’s and false prophets are going to appear and will produce great signs and wonders to mislead, if it were possible, even God’s own people. Listen, I am warning you. So that if people say to you, ‘There he is, in the desert!’ you are not to go out there. If they say, ‘Here he is, in this inner room!’ don’t believe it. For as lightning flashes across from east to west so will the Son of Man’s coming be. ‘Wherever there is a dead body, there the vultures will flock.’ Matthew 24:25-28

Mathew 24

4Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of birth pains.”

9“Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another, 11and many false prophets will arise and mislead many.”

12“Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” 13“But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.”

14“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

15“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation”a described by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), 16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve anything from his house. 18And let no one in the field return for his cloak.”

19“How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! 20Pray that your flight will not occur in the winter or on the Sabbath. 21For at that time there will be great tribulation, unmatched from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again. 22If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.”

23“At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it. 24For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible. 25See, I have told you in advance.”

32“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. 33So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near right at the door.”

36 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. 39And they were oblivious, until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.”

42“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come. 43But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.”

45“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time? 46Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.”

48“But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, ‘My master will be away a long time.’ 49And he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate. 51Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

In closing let us realize what has been permitted to infiltrate and even permeate our governments around the globe!

Socialism as I see it is just another tool of Satan’s to be quite frank, along with any dictatorships and all communist ideology.  Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot and any such monsters were truly “diabolical devils” doing nothing for humanity other than to crush it as they pleased!  The CCP is the most dangerous aside from Russia in this regard now with their atheistic view of mankind they are to me Satan’s cheerleaders and earthly henchmen.  Xi Jinping with that regime has had no problem in slaughtering over a million Tibetans in China’s push to expand its tentacles of power in that part of the world and then beyond.

God bless you.

Lawrence Morra III

Unknown's avatarAuthor Lawrence MorraPosted on February 21, 2021February 21, 2021Categories End of Time, Faith, Good verses Evil, Goodness, Knowing and appreciating love, SalvationLeave a comment on “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,”

“In Tennessee’s Consideration of Fathers”

“In Tennessee’s Consideration of Fathers”

Law & Crime reports state House Bill 1079/Senate Bill 494 is sponsored by Republican state Rep. Jerry Sexton and Sen. Mark Pody. It would allow fathers to request an injunction from a judge to prohibit the mother from aborting their unborn child.

https://catholiccitizens.org/news/94273/tennessee-bill-would-allow-fathers-to-stop-their-baby-from-being-killed-in-an-abortion/

The above article does give a fair view of the concept from both the father’s and mother’s perspectives, therefore I recommend taking a look at it. What follows is my own first impression and thoughts about this extremely important idea.

Bravo and blessings to all involved in this proper, just and humane thing to do, in putting the matter of procreation in the “proper perspective” for a change! To me it is clear as day that this is absolutely the “right thing” to do, especially now in an effort to counter the opposite mentality that has and is sweeping around the world within the disposable society mindset; which is abhorrently evil!

First I go right to the heart of it and say try to imagine being in the place of a newly forming human being and soul that is alive and a “gift from God Almighty” Who is the Giver” of all life; as a precious miracle and gift of love to start with! But, from that perspective, as that new human being, if other humans were discussing ending your existence practically before you even got started, would you be good with that? Of course the baby would say, “please help me and save me; don’t hurt me or kill me, I want to live like you are doing, and I want to know you and love you; so will you please love me!” Any living being, even a rat tries to survive, and its not only the instinctual behavior, but also the excitement and joy of being alive, that’s driving our very beating hearts to cling to this amazing place of life and the living; in its magnificent multitudes and forms. “Only God giveth and only God can take away!”

Then there is the man or daddy in this process, who the baby would want to know and call father, who in the disposable society, has been labeled as more of an inconvenience, and out of the loop as they say, because it really has nothing to do with him; it’s all about a woman, and her “right to choose,” “her life” that matters over all other considerations, including the baby’s or the daddy’s; they have somehow become more or less “nonexistent” in this scenario of human life in its earliest stages; just passing fleeting articles of inconvenience, likened to garments we all use and wear for today or until we have an urge to have some others on; maybe because these underwear one is wearing suddenly feel too tight or soiled, so why not just toss them off, and put on something that feels better, or even just right; after all it’s how I feel that matters over all other considerations! Yes; the “Me factor” kicks in loud and clear with far too many people in this world today, the selfish, do what pleases me for the time being, so who gives a care what anyone thinks; and to some thinking this way they mean even God! They forget others around them and far too often the other side of this procreation, but then too, they toss off God the Father, the Author of LIFE; like it’s nobody’s business! Is this what human beings have become; this rotten and self-focused to warrant the tossing aside of a precious brand new human life; along without any considerations as to what the man in the process thinks or needs?

But then, superseding any of these simple enough human factors or concerns, to actually have the audacity and gall to tell God, who can give and take away anything, including our own lives that we “cling” to, but more importantly our “immortal souls,” and rather than ending up with an eternity of bliss and sheer joy of living in a heavenly kingdom forever without any fear or concern of being snuffed out; because the Father in heaven can give this gift of “eternal life” as He chooses, or He may decide that one soul or another just doesn’t belong and toss it off, like those undergarments; making them rags or virtually “useless items to be forgotten!”

People, I’m a simple average Joe out in this huge chaotic rat race of a world that we have built up the way we choose, and in more cases than not today, followed not the road map of the Creator of all life, but rather influenced by the destroyer of everything good, that only comes from God; and that map of destruction or the one page of directions that only display the “highway to hell” that wide inviting road, is from none other than that father of all lies and destruction; the Devil.

OK, so this average Joe is asking all of you “women and men” out there; are you going to be very careful in your behaviors from now on, and if or when you are in this procreation circumstance, will you take all things into consideration, and make this “precious gift” more about giving, and not put “self” above all other considerations? Will you please put God above all; and say to yourselves, “what does God the Father and Giver of all Life want or more specifically, expect me to do, think and say.” You and I know full well, He wants you to say, “let that innocent little child of mine live as it should, now that it has started;” for no matter what your circumstances, when it comes to one of these My “little ones;” “where there is a will, there is a way!” Amen.

Lawrence Morra III

Unknown's avatarAuthor Lawrence MorraPosted on February 19, 2021Categories Freedom, Goodness, Human Life, Knowing and appreciating love4 Comments on “In Tennessee’s Consideration of Fathers”

Mary’s Solitude During the Public Life of Jesus

Mary’s Solitude During the Public Life of Jesus

“Thanks and Reverence to the Blessed Mother Mary”
Catholics believe that worship is due to God alone. Catholics do, however, venerate Mary. In other words, we honor our Blessed Mother with great reverence and devotion because she is the Mother of God. Mary is the model of perfect love and obedience to Christ. God preserved Mary from sin, and she conceived our Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit, bringing Christ into our world. Catholics can’t help but honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is full of grace, the Mother of God and our Mother, for her “yes” to God that made the Incarnation possible. And without the Incarnation, we would not have salvation. Mary is the most beautiful model of total submission to the will of God. Catholics do not view Mary as equal to Christ, but rather venerate Mary because of her relationship to Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, “Mary’s role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly from it” (CCC 964).

As Catholics, we pray that we can respond to God’s call to holiness for our lives in the way that Mary did. Mother Theresa prayed to emulate Mary’s devotion to Christ:
“Mary, Mother of Jesus, give me your heart so beautiful, so pure, so immaculate, 
so full of love and humility that I may be able to receive Jesus in the Bread of Life, 
love Him as You loved Him, and serve Him as You served Him….”

God chose Mary to be the “Blessed Virgin” in order to manifest “His Plan and Family” as well as the Church He created; but Mary facilitated this will of God’s by being the only human fully obedient flesh; that contained Holiness! Jesus Christ could only come here to save us by this one human being Mary; the Mother of Jesus Christ who is our Savior, that part of the Blessed Holy Trinity that comprises our Creator; our Father who is in heaven!

I think of Mother Mary’s trial on this fallen earth or world as a struggle with that very thing the Holy Scriptures tell us about the ways of the world and the corrupted nature how it seeks to ruin and tear apart the good that does exist among the vile and uncharitable viciousness that stalks or shadows our lives while we are here.

To relinquish the things of this world or offer up our own lives as a sacrifice is so difficult a thing to do for anyone, but Mary did just that and in spades. Her short lived joys of having a wonderful good and noble hard working man as her husband; then together they shared in the monumental joy and honor to parent the “Son of God Almighty” actually being those most special parents on earth that nurtured and watched over as those earthly parents, the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind, as He grew up to fulfill God’s prophecy becoming the Lamb of God; in the flesh the Man Jesus who at the same time was the Christ, who would carry not only His most special cross, the cross of Salvation, but all crosses for human sins that all of us commit being fallen from God’s grace and absolute Holy perfection.

Mary’s longing and pain is beyond my personal perception not only because I’m a man not a mother but also because she is the Blessed Mother chosen by God to be the vessel of the immaculate conception being so closely connected to God the Father and the Son, her Son also by physical fact but also by spiritual Divine Intention of God the Creator making in her a bond of unimaginable power and Holiness that she would have to endure on her own accompanied by the Holy Spirit to the finish; and then thereafter until her own death, all the while feeling the majesty of the King having been part of her, but, then yanked away by this corrupted world and all of its sin and death to fulfill “the greatest of all missions” ever conducted on earth! But, she had been so blessed with the greatest humility and completely unselfish humanness, setting an example for all mothers and indeed parents to model themselves after.

The sorrow she endured knowing and seeing the most high, God incarnate and only perfect human, taking on the suffering due to all human sin and from all humans who deserve it; is unimaginable to me, but I can see how her sorrow was a sorrow of “all sorrows” that only a mother can come close to appreciating the crushing loss she felt; as she was really only a human being and woman, though specially blessed; at that point doing God’s will on earth and faithfully following His requirements each day to the end of her own road here, that she had to bear witness to this unimaginable magnitude of suffering that came upon Jesus who was flesh of her flesh, and whose heart was entwined completely with hers, in this most unique bond of love and enduring commitment to God the Father and His Son; what a Mother! I tear now, thinking of her and Jesus; how she is the only soul and human ever; to have this miraculous bond with the Creator. This is why I know she was given the honor and reverence that she alone deserves and it does make sense that the all-knowing and loving merciful God would do this; for her sacrifice and faithful devotion to her Son and the Father who are both in heaven in their glory; giving Mary the honor, great respect and appreciation she earned, being so humble and thankful for her mission and suffering!

Now she is given the special place of being our Holy Mother of the Church of Christ’s family, whose devotion to that living Church and we its members deserve as children of God! And Mary knows like no other what her need was like as she had and lived through it from the time of the immaculate conception and forward only fulfilling God’s will; now doing the Father’s will as always we have Mother Mary’s intercession in behalf of her Son Jesus, pleading our cases as the greatest advocate anyone could have who can help the original mission of the New and Everlasting Covenant, to save souls that the Father and Son by their love and reverence for her, allow her to come to our aid to encourage us on our personal journeys; so as not to be alone suffering as she had to, but, to always have that motherly Church presence connected to the heavenly kingdom in that most special way that only she can, and is always being in the ready to act in our best interests as an intercessor, having only our best interest in heart; between we who are fallen from grace and that most Holy Heavenly Family of the Christ Church, that Blessed Trinity; by the will of the Father and through the Son Jesus Christ our Lord, Savior and Redeemer. Mary pleads for our safe passage from this world to heaven.

First John 2:15-16 says, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.”

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23,

Apostle Paul reminded us, “whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.” Philippians 3:7-8

“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Galatians 1:10 says, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Clearly from this verse, we cannot consistently please both God and the world. The desire for popularity and even fame or fortune is rooted in our old sinful nature.

When we give in to it, we are living “according to the flesh” (Romans 8:5, 12). Blessed Mother Mary did not do this at all. She denied self!

We are to “seek first” God’s kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33).
(Matthew 6:24) “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Or material Life!

Again; God chose Mary to be the “Blessed Virgin” in order to manifest “His Plan and Family” as well as the Church He created; but Mary facilitated this will of God’s by being the “only human fully obedient flesh; that contained Holiness!” Jesus Christ could only come here to save us by this one human being Mary; the Mother of Jesus Christ, that part of the Blessed Holy Trinity that comprises our Creator!

God bless.
Brother in Christ Jesus,
Lawrence Morra III

Catholicism Pure & Simple's avatarCatholicism Pure & Simple

Saturday is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today let us meditate on her solitude during those three years of her Divine Son’s public life.

The role of the Blessed Virgin during the public life of her Son was totally hidden: a life of loving contemplation, prayer and sacrifice. An essential part of this sacrifice was her solitude.

But what loneliness! Let us think of a poor widow when her only son is at war: what anguish! She is told that he will have to take part in a very dangerous battle, what agony! And at last she is told that death is inevitable, what an ordeal! What bitter loneliness for such a mother,whose life can be compared to a deserted road that ends in the desert.

But what are these examples of human loneliness compared to the life of Our Lady? For her, her Child Jesus and her Bridegroom…

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Unknown's avatarAuthor Lawrence MorraPosted on January 30, 2021January 31, 2021Categories Blessed Virgin Mary, Faith, Goodness, Knowing and appreciating loveLeave a comment on Mary’s Solitude During the Public Life of Jesus

PERE JACQUES – The Christ-like French Priest (Part II)

Originally posted on Catholicism Pure & Simple:
PART I This is the PART II of the story from ‘Venite Prandete’ about the life of Père Jacques, the Christ-like French priest of World War II. At this time, he met with his friend, Lucien Weil, an eminent botanist. Upon seeing a yellow star on his friend’s…

PERE JACQUES – The Christ-like French Priest (Part II)
Auschwitz, Poland – May 25, 2016: Barbed wire fence at the Auschwitz concentration camp, the biggest extermination camp in Europe built by Nazi.

When I think of the suffering and yet noble attitude of this man Pere Jacques in the face of such depravity and absolutely abhorrent inhuman behavior directed upon so many innocent people and him; yet he didn’t flinch in his duties before the Lord; I’m in awe!

Many of us at one time or another cry out that we are in pain or suffering in one way or another; sometimes even feigning attention and craving consoling or the licking of our wounds. I don’t want to make anything of it but I had done some, what I felt was very unnecessary suffering at the hands of highly partisan, corrupted, political nefarious persons who are of this NWO cult these days, but, when I consider what others especially like this man had to endure I know my own suffering wasn’t so great that it even really matters at all. I think now, so what if I suffered, I’ve also had so many blessings and amazing opportunities many of which the majority of people in the world don’t have or ever experience.

Yes, we should count our blessings instead; and then seek that inner strength that Pere had which can only come from devout faith and humility; as in making an offering of our lives to Him above, who makes all things possible, our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ; who we must remember is God and made Himself one of us in the flesh; who actually suffered “all” the sins of the world accompanied by “all” the pain and suffering that goes with them. Do you see how this gave Him as God the total ability to know every single thing that we experience and go through, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of being a “fallen human being” and what that does to us and actually “feels like?”

Yes; He loves us that much that He would take upon Himself full responsibility for all our misgivings and sins. So perfect that we have God, our Savior too, who is “all” that and makes our individual existences more precious than we can understand, because, only He knows each of us “completely” and has a plan for every one of us; if we will believe in Him until the end, no matter how difficult this journey becomes! Accept it all with honor, dignity and thanks, giving all of our hearts to Him; who is the only One who can return to us all we will ever need beyond our wildest imaginations! Amen.
Lawrence Morra III

Catholicism Pure & Simple's avatarCatholicism Pure & Simple

PART I

This is the PART II of the story from ‘Venite Prandete’ about the life of Père Jacques, the Christ-like French priest of World War II.

At this time, he met with his friend, Lucien Weil, an eminent botanist. Upon seeing a yellow star on his friend’s coat, he bristled with indignation. Passive acceptance of discrimination made one complicit in the Vichy government’s adoption of the Nazi race-based policy of anti-Semitism, a policy that had already excluded Jews from most Government positions, including teaching at State schools. Professor Weil had been removed from his professorship at the Lycee Carnot at Fontainbleau. Pere Jacques immediately invited Professor Weil to teach science at the Petit-College. His friend accepted the invitation and joined the faculty when the school resumed in 1942.

Following occupation by the Germans of the previously autonomous Free Zone held by the Vichy government in November…

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Unknown's avatarAuthor Lawrence MorraPosted on January 27, 2021January 27, 2021Categories Faith, Good verses Evil, Great Generation, Human Life, Knowing and appreciating loveLeave a comment on PERE JACQUES – The Christ-like French Priest (Part II)

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