SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
A Fervent and Urgent Prayer
Today we celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration, and as in all celebrations, there is a message for us in the Gospel story of this feast.
Goffine's tell us that Christ was transfigured before the apostles Peter, James and John for four reasons: 1) to manifest His Divinity; 2) to forestall all doubt on their part when they would see Him crucified; 3) to encourage the faithful to patience in agony and suffering; and 4) to demonstrate how our bodies will be glorified when raised from the dead. In short, Christ was preparing them for the crucifixion and the persecutions that would assail the early Church. Now as all know, the renewal of Christ's Passion among the members of His Mystical Body was prophesied to occur in the Latter Days. That it has occurred is obvious to all who have eyes to see. And if we apply the symbolism of the Transfiguration to these times, it will illustrate the manner in which this renewed Passion presented itself.
For 100 years prior to the death of Pope Pius XII, the Church enjoyed the height of Her earthly splendor and influence. Despite the declaration of Italy's independence and the advance of Freemasonry, She shone as that ever-brilliant light on the mountaintop visible to all nations. The richness of her ritual, the solemnity of Her declarations, the universal nature of Her pronouncements, her standing even among the governments of non-Catholic nations and especially the definition of papal infallibility in faith and morals was the culmination of Her mission to all peoples. Thus was Her Divine origin, just as that of Her Founder during His Transfiguration, visible for all to see as it later was told in the Gospel. Hence the final display of brilliance that fatefully precedes destruction. This glorious exposition of Christ's Church should have been sufficient to warn the vigilant and sustain those who would later endure the crucifixion of Christ's Mystical Body on earth, but sadly this was not the case.
Despite the professed good intentions of Traditionalists in their initial undertaking to preserve Tradition, the lessons of the Passion were ignored. In reacting to the changes inaugurated at the false V2 council and the suppression of the Mass, Traditionalists failed to follow the norms of Catholic Action. They did not study their faith and strengthen their spiritual life. They did not study the papal encyclicals and Church law to determine what had happened and what must be done. The direction of Catholic Action should have been the sole function of any priests surviving the onslaught of the Great Apostasy, but instead the focus was illicit Mass and Sacraments. No one remained at the foot of the Cross to suffer with our Lord, for they were too intent on maintaining the status quo. No one perceived that suffering as the only acceptable Sacrifice for their sins; a sacrifice necessary to open Heaven and establish Christ's Church on earth.
By retaining Mass and Sacraments in defiance of all Church law and teaching, and the clear fulfillment of the prophet Daniel's prophecy that the Sacrifice would cease, Traditionalists successfully denied that sacrifice is a necessary component to the reparation necessary to satisfy for sin. They even deny that they are sinners deserving of chastisement, for Daniel clearly tells us that the Sacrifice would be taken away "because of sins." Christ clearly modeled the behavior needed to obliterate sin. He prayed and fasted. He both taught and observed the laws established by His Father. He meditated and he preached to the multitudes. He admonished and he healed. He endured persecution. He suffered untold physical and mental torments during his Passion and death. Unlike the Pharisees He condemned, Jesus never exempted Himself from the law, ignored the Scriptures despite their indisputable fulfillment, or tormented God's word to arrive at the desired interpretation. He warned of the dangers of false shepherds, and advised the faithful how to guard against them. But Traditionalists did not heed His words.
After every spiritual storm there is the rainbow of God's promise: He will not leave us orphans. The Old Testament sacrifice and the Temple both were restored to faithful Jews. Christ conquered death to rise victorious, and His Sacrifice was continually renewed on the altars of the world for nearly 20 centuries. The Passion of the Church officially ended with the election of Pope Michael, but the faithful had yet to expiate their sins. The Sacrifice remains suspended, the Sacraments unavailable. And yet those few who did remain beneath the Cross to comfort our Lord have no doubt that, in God's time and when sufficient penance and suffering have been accomplished — when the faithful have sufficiently filled up what is wanting to Christ's Passion — sin will be forgiven. Then the Sacrifice indeed will be restored and the Sacraments once more will become available, to the joy of the faithful. Our bodies will again be glorified by the Eucharistic presence, (hopefully) in preparation for our departure to Heaven. That this occurrence is imminent is apparent from the fulfillment of other Scriptural prophecies.
The Vatican In Exile anticipates making a special announcement here soon. If you wish to be notified please email the Vatican In Exile.