Gospel Reflection for The 27th day of February in the year of Our Lord, 2025

Mark 9:41-49

41 And whosoever shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me; it were better for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck, and he were cast into the sea. 42 And if thy hand scandalize thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life, maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into unquenchable fire: 43 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not extinguished. 44 And if thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter lame into life everlasting, than having two feet, to be cast into the hell of unquenchable fire: 45 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not extinguished.

46 And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out. It is better for thee with one eye to enter into the kingdom of God, than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire: 47 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not extinguished. 48 For every one shall be salted with fire: and every victim shall be salted with salt. 49 Salt is good. But if the salt became unsavoury; wherewith will you season it? Have salt in you, and have peace among you.

We live in very wicked times. It is false to think that humanity is progressing toward the good. Last century brought wars that killed more in a few years than all the wars combined that came before them, and that does not include the intentional slaughter of the citizens of communist and socialist nations by their own governments – that total is well over 200 million lives. Far worse than that though, is the killing of innocent children through abortion. We may sit here in America, Canada, England, etc. and think that we are innocent because our nations fought against the Nazis, Soviets, etc. But, the number of innocent babies we have killed, mostly for reasons of convenience, is far worse in scale than the genocides and pogroms of our enemies. There is blood on the hands of our nation that cries out.

Perhaps even worse than that is the intentional degrading of the human person that is done through our schools and our media. Innocent children taught to hate each other because of race, religion and ethnicity. Children taught that their biological sex is not their gender. Children made mentally ill through such confusion and encouraged to have gender reassignment surgery or to identify as an animal or a mythological creature. Children most often abandoned by at least one of their parents, raised by government institutions and a deviant, sexual media. Children raised on pornography and violence. Children prescribed all manner of psychological drugs because of behaviors and anxieties caused by not being loved by their parents and being confused and abused by institutions. Children who are angry. Children who are taught that homosexuality and abortion are not sinful. Children encouraged to sin and to reject Christianity. Children taught to hate their own country and the Church.

Our Lord said, "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” Our culture and many individuals have a great deal to answer for. But, each of us has the duty to vocally oppose this evil. If we fail to do so for fear of the opposition we will encounter, what are we but “salt that has become insipid”? Yes, we will face criticism and rejection, and perhaps even financial hardship for saying such things as divorce, promiscuity, pornography, homosexuality and abortion are wrong. But if we do not, what good are we? Jesus said of lukewarm” Christians that He would spit them out. The Lord has unfathomable mercy for the sinner who repents, but no fondness at all for those who lack the courage and commitment to protect the innocent, especially children!

The time of polite Christianity must come to an end. We have to stand up for what is right. Recall another saying of our Lord, “Hypocrites, well hath Isaias prophesied of you, saying: This people honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me. And in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines and commandments of men.”

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Judson Carroll is the author of several books, including his newest, A Daily Catholic Devotional, Reflections on the Daily Mass Readings January-June, 2025 It is Available in paperback on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DK3M1WDZ

and

Confirmation, an Autobiography of Faith. It is also Available in paperback on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C47Q1JNK

His new podcast is The Uncensored Catholic https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-uncensored-catholic