One can have two approaches to viewing the world; if one is a materialist, he believes that the world, our world, was a consequence of natural processes, and that it is governed by the success of those, both animals and men, who are “dominant” and that any considerations of a higher nature, of spirituality, of unseen forces and powers are mere delusion. As to those who believe that the universe was created by God, they understand that human beings have a higher purpose given to us as a blessing by our Creator, and the Creation was an act of love. Of course, one is free to choose one’s perspective, but it is very evident in events that are upon us now we see the consequence of the majority of humanity embracing the first perspective: a materialist world, in which the dominant power we are to be obedient to is the edicts of other human beings, and that faith is held in only the human, not the Divine.

The consequence in not believing in anything higher than the power of men and their institutions has resulted in great horrors throughout recent history, not merely Nazi Germany but in Russia before the Bolshevik revolution. From The Inkless Pen Blog, in the article “In God We No Longer Trust” the author notes: Forgiving What You Can... TerKeurst, Lysa Best Price: $5.12 Buy New $10.68 (as of 02:30 UTC - Details)

To whom or to what will we turn in a time of crisis? This reveals our hearts. Humanity will always have faith in something. Many times we, as a race, simply refuse to have faith in God and would rather put our faith in our own works. Many times we, as Christians, are content to confess with our mouths but not truly believe with our hearts. When push comes to shove, we are found with the world putting our hope in worldly saviors. This reveals a complete lack of faith in God. Yet God allows crisis to reveal hearts.

So what does the current crisis in the world reveal about us?

Many in Christianity, generally speaking, have simply taken up the mantras of secular governments and institutions. Thus, essentially, the message is conveyed that out hope is in them. Many Christians hear about the importance of wearing masks, social distancing, use of disinfectants, proper hygiene, and even the hope of a vaccine. In many places this is a primary message.

A person will always promote that which they believe in. Thus, it seems that even though there are many who claim to be Christians, in some way, the current crisis has revealed that more trust is placed in worldly answers rather than heavenly. (Please remember, I’m striving to address underlying reality. Of course certain precautions could be of benefit, the question is – in what are we putting our hope?)…

And when we stand before the dread throne of Glory, what will we say when we had more hope in the power of antibacterial wipes than we did in the holiness of icons? What shall we say when we put more faith in multiple spoons to not spread disease rather than the Divine power of the Holy Eucharist? Then maybe the Lord will say, let now antibacterial wipes save you.

Moreover the current crisis reveals that people, generally, are most ready to trust in masks and social distancing, for example, rather than God. People are hoping for a savior, not in God but in the power of pharmaceutical scientism. God allows crisis to reveal essential reality – in what the heart of man is willing to believe. [Emphasis added.]

From the site “True Restoration” the author provided this advice for fellow Catholics just before the coming of Christmas this year:

While some of us in the past months grew ever closer with friends and family who are one in mind and heart in the Faith, we realized that those who do not share our convictions, who cling to this passing world, seemingly ignorant of the fact that death comes for all of us, and only at a time appointed by God, not before, and not after, were not friends and family that would endure as such after (or even during) this purported pandemic. All of the shared memories and camaraderie of years past were swallowed up in the lies of this year, and as we stood at the edge of a great gulf which separated them from us, we understood, perhaps for the first time, how desperately far apart we truly were in mind and heart. The Power of Crying Ou... Gothard, Bill Best Price: $5.97 Buy New $6.95 (as of 10:33 UTC - Details)

No year since I have been brought into this vale of tears has offered more of an opportunity for radical change in my personal and spiritual life.  Indeed, as we approach our annual “reset” of the Church’s year, which begins on the First Sunday of Advent, may I propose some Great Resets that would really matter? Use the new liturgical year to reset:

Your intake of the news.  “Being informed” is overrated and offers you no information on the only thing that matters, going to Heaven.  What little relevant information for your life here on earth is mostly obfuscations and corporate-approved social engineering.

 Your spiritual life.  Have you been praying enough?  If you haven’t been saying the Rosary every single day, what is your excuse in lockdown?  This time has not been given to you to complain, but to remember that the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Your economic life.  If you were caught off guard by the lockdown measures, what can you do to lessen and reduce your exposure for what may come in the future?  There’s nowhere to run from the forces of organized naturalism, but there are many ways to mitigate their influence in your life, be it growing more of your own food, creating barter/trade partnerships with others, reducing and eliminating your debt, or finding a way to earn a living that can’t be turned off instantly by those who rule us.

Your friends.  The spiritual writers constantly remind us how much care we should take with those we surround ourselves with.  Sometimes it takes great world events to shake us out of our comfortable complacency.  Surely this year may have left us with many fewer friends, but the ones that are with you now are the truest of the true.

Your attachment to the world.  Where our heart is, so our treasure will be as well.  If we are troubled by elections and appointments and policies, it is because we are attached to this world.  If we remove this attachment, we can learn to accept that Our Lord remains in charge, despite mask mandates and the votes of the dead.  Justice will be done, if not in this world, in the next.  Channel that hunger and thirst for justice into prayer for these villains, who are quite definitely our enemies.

Most of all, remember that shortly after the beginning of this liturgical year, we have the great joy and mystery of Christmas.  Christmas can never be “cancelled.”  Not now, not ever.  No lockdowns or restrictions can take away our joy at contemplating the mystery of the God-man who came to save us from ourselves. Such thoughts can and should be the light in the darkness as the end of 2020 approaches. Battlefield of the Min... Meyer, Joyce Best Price: $10.30 Buy New $22.39 (as of 01:13 UTC - Details)

The demonic madness (to believers) of those who set into motion the events of the Bolshevik revolution are discussed in this article, “Suicide of the Liberals” on the site “First Things,” and “How Individuals and Nations Become Demonically Possessed,” the latter noting:

Such events unfortunately repeat themselves. Very few people understand what’s happening during these times of demonic possession. The larger part, to our profound regret, perceive their own demonic possession as something admirable, “beating themselves against the rocks… throwing themselves into fire and water”, killing themselves and others. The holy passion bearer Tsar Nicholas II, who did very much for our Fatherland, was defamed and slandered. He had lifted all spheres of the people’s lives (from agriculture to health services) to an unprecedented level for that time. For many years, everything in soviet Russia was compared to the level of 1913. The country was victorious in the bloody First World War. Russian troops were ready to free the Russian territory occupied by Germans, march into Berlin, Vienna, and Constantinople (now Istanbul). The armies of Yudenich and Kolchak were right near Constantinople. Russia was the only country in the world where there were no ration cards during the war. Cards were distributed only for sugar so the people wouldn’t make moonshine. But there were ration cards in neutral Switzerland, and in the USA, which entered the war the day after the Tsar’s arrest. A victorious country that had overcome all the complications of wartime was crushed by its own demonic possession.

To be sure, external forces also participated in the revolution. But we happily accepted this demon of revolution and destroyed a great country. Later, when people came to their senses, they reproached themselves. But it was too late! Just imagine the demonic insanity! The first order of the Provisional Government, the dream of those handshake liberals, was to cease disciplinary measures in a fighting army. The second crazy idea whirling in the demonic maelstrom was the order to fire all governors and vice governors. The entire vertical of power collapsed. The Germans who had retreated under Nicholas II were advancing. The police and gendarmerie were let go and a people’s militia was created using criminals released from prisons (the so-called “Kerensky nestlings”). These insane actions by demon-possessed people, supported by the demon-possessed portion of the population, led up to the point in 1917 when there was no more Russia. The Germans were outside Petrograd. Industry was pummeled, agriculture dead. In 1918 the GNP was equal to thirty percent of what it was the year before. Civil war erupted. And those exaltations over the toppling of Nicholas II, over the new world, were utter madness. Glory be to God, the strength of the Russian people who were raised in the Orthodox faith kept the country from disintegrating altogether. It was even reborn. All the projects that had been engineered under Nicholas II (the famous GOELRO plan;1 the industrialization plan; and five plans for the metro system lay on Tsar Nicholas’s desk) were brought into being, thank God. But at what cost! The Power of Transform... Sanders, J. Oswald Best Price: $2.01 Buy New $8.87 (as of 10:14 UTC - Details)

And what demonic madness remained! The entire Church structure was practically destroyed; millions of people repressed; an astronomical number of deaths; the culture demolished, and a great heritage destroyed or taken out of the country. In our province [Pskov] there are a multitude of ruined churches and old estates. In their demonic madness the people destroyed all the best the country possessed. It came to the point where our religious and non-religious heritage was denied and rejected. Only in 1934 were schoolchildren allowed to study history and literature.

Suicidal demonic possession often happens to large communities of people. The doctors talk about this in another way, but what they say is also interesting. I am now preparing articles on the events of 1917 and I think, Lord, how could people burn down their own house with the conviction of suicidal fanatics?! Many doctors of that time—Bekhterev, Rossolimo, Ivan Petrovich Pavlov and others were no strangers to the revolutionary mood. Even so, they all say that it was mass psychosis. But Orthodox Christians say that it was demonic possession. Unfortunately, many Orthodox Christians are far from completely understanding this. The events of 1917 speak to this.

My point in writing these words is that for believers we are facing very ugly times indeed; do not discount the power of prayer and good works. I believe many in the West are indeed in the grip of “demonic madness,” not just the architects of the “Great Reset” but its acolytes. Be aware that the battle between spiritual forces of light and darkness take place not only without us but within in us. The battle remains, but for those who truly have faith in God, and those who are Christians, understand there are battles ahead but the war was won long ago.

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