Cardinal Lamberto:Would you like, to make your confession? Michael Corleone:[laughs]Your Eminence, I’m uh – I’m uh — it’s been so long, I wouldn’t – wouldn’t – wouldn’t know where to uh, it’s been thirty years, I’d – I’d – I’d use up too much of your time, I think. Cardinal Lamberto: I always have time to save souls. Michael Corleone:Well, I’m — I’m beyond redemption. Cardinal Lamberto: [speaking in Italian to the priest looking after Dom Tommasino] Give us a couple of minutes alone please – thanks… [Turning back to Michael once they leave in English] I hear the confessions of my young priests here. Sometimes the desire to confess is overwhelming. And we must seize the moment.
Michael Corleone:What is the point of confessing, if I don’t repent? Cardinal Lamberto: I hear you are a practical man. What have you got to lose, eh?
The Godfather Part 3 1990
Today is Divine Mercy Sunday the premier time for repentance. Yesterday I led with a quote from Godfather 2 and note that like Michael Corleone trying to convince Hyman Roth that there was nothing to fear the Devil tries to convince us that our soul is not in danger or in need of confession.
But if we are far along the path of sin there is another tack that is used, the idea that we are beyond redemption.
This is actually the standard MO for the enemy, first to minimize sin when it is happening and then to maximize it to keep you from confession.
For ten days now I’ve been arguing for doing the Divine Mercy chaplet and praying the novena and yesterday I argued for going to a Divine Mercy event today and getting confession and absolution. If none of those argument have flown with you I want to give you one final one, the same one that Cardinal Lamberto gave to Michael Corleone: What have you got to lose?
Closing thought; Here is the scene of Michael confession. Note how it ends:
The Cardinal notes that
Michael’s sins are terrible
It’s just that he suffers for them
Michael won’t change because he [Michael] doesn’t believe he can be redeemed.
YET HE ABSOLVES HIM ANYWAYS.
Despite it all he gives Michael Corleone the clean slate and the CHANCE to choose another path. The Cardinal does his part to save Michael’s soul and give him a fresh start.. It’s on Michael to decide what to do with it.
Michael Corleone:It was Hyman Roth that tried to have me killed. I know it was him. Frankie Pentangeli: Now — Jesus Christ, Mike, Jesus Christ. Look, let’s get ’em all — let’s get ’em all now, while we got the muscle. Michael Corleone: This used to be my father’s old study — it’s changed. I remember there used to be a big desk, right here. I remember when I was a kid, Frankie, we had to be very quiet when we played near here. I was very happy that this house never went to strangers — first Clemenza took it over, now you. My father taught me many things here — he taught me in this room. He taught me — keep your friends close but your enemies closer. Now, if Hyman Roth sees that I interceded in this thing, and the Rosato brothers failed him, he’s gonna think his relationship with me is still good. Capide? Frankie Pentangeli:Capide. Michael Corleone: That’s what I want him to think. I want him completely relaxed, and confident, in our friendship. Then I’ll be able to find out who the traitor in my family was.
The Godfather Part 2 1974
Tomorrow is Divine Mercy Sunday and for the first time in a lot of years I won’t be around for the many Divine Mercy events that are taking place in churches around the world as part of this day.
But I CAN complete the Divine Mercy Novena with this prayer that really is critical:
Today bring to Me SOULS WHO HAVE BECOME LUKEWARM,* and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. These souls wound My Heart most painfully. My soul suffered the most dreadful loathing in the Garden of Olives because of lukewarm souls. They were the reason I cried out: ‘Father, take this cup away from Me, if it be Your will.’ For them, the last hope of salvation is to run to My mercy.
Most compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love, let these tepid souls, who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love, and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: Let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy. Amen.
At the conclusion of the prayers pray the chaplet. Instructions are here.
The site for the National Shrine of Divine Mercy is here.
Let me close with three things about lukewarm souls:
First in Scripture Christ specifically admonishes being Lukewarm
“To the angel of the church in Laodicea, write this: ” ‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God’s creation, says this:
“I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.”
‘”Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, (then) I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne.”
‘”Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”‘”
Revelation 3:14-22
Second in the Screwtape letters C. S. Lewis talks specifically about how easy the lukewarm follow the gentle path to damnation.
You will say that these are very small sins; and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are anxious to be able to report spectacular wickedness. But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy. It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts,
Finally it is the lukewarm that need this mercy the most because they don’t realize or are in denial of the danger they are in. The best explanation of how this works comes from the end of a sermon from St. Leonard of Port Maurice which was on the subject of if most Catholics are damned or saved:
As for the rest, compare these two opinions: the first one states that the greater number of Catholics are condemned; the second one, on the contrary, pretends that the greater number of Catholics are saved. Imagine an Angel sent by God to confirm the first opinion, coming to tell you that not only are most Catholics damned, but that of all this assembly present here, one alone will be saved. If you obey the Commandments of God, if you detest the corruption of this world, if you embrace the Cross of Jesus Christ in a spirit of penance, you will be that one alone who is saved.
Now imagine the same Angel returning to you and confirming the second opinion. He tells you that not only are the greater portion of Catholics saved, but that out of all this gathering, one alone will be damned and all the others saved. If after that, you continue your usuries, your vengeances, your criminal deeds, your impurities, then you will be that one alone who is damned.
That’s why being lukewarm is of the greatest danger. When you feel completely safe is the time of greatest peril. There is a reason why I led this post with Michael Corleone’s instructions to Frank Pentangeli. The Devil wants you to feel safe, to feel secure, to decide that your sins are not a big deal. To decide you don’t need confession, that your sins are trivial, that you don’t need Divine Mercy. He wants you completely relaxed and confident so that when the day of your death comes you will not be prepared and it will not only be too late but he will take great pleasure in reminding you of all the chances to had to take advantage of the mercy of God, but passed them up.
So do not fail to take advantage of this great feast of Divine Mercy. Wash yourself clean via the blood of Christ and get yourself going in the right direction.
Because you are not promised tomorrow, cripes you aren’t even promised the rest of today.
Today bring to Me THE SOULS WHO ARE DETAINED IN PURGATORY, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. Let the torrents of My Blood cool down their scorching flames. All these souls are greatly loved by Me. They are making retribution to My justice. It is in your power to bring them relief. Draw all the indulgences from the treasury of My Church and offer them on their behalf. Oh, if you only knew the torments they suffer, you would continually offer for them the alms of the spirit and pay off their debt to My justice.
Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet, who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of Purgatory, that there, too, the power of Your mercy may be celebrated.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded: Manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way but only through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. Amen.
At the conclusion of the prayers pray the chaplet. Instructions are here.
The site for the National Shrine of Divine Mercy is here.
The Lenten and Easter season has not been an easy one for me and a harder one for my friend Vinny who lost his father at the age of 95 this week.
I ask for prayers for both as we continue the novena:
Today bring to Me THE SOULS WHO ESPECIALLY VENERATE AND GLORIFY MY MERCY,* and immerse them in My mercy. These souls sorrowed most over my Passion and entered most deeply into My spirit. They are living images of My Compassionate Heart. These souls will shine with a special brightness in the next life. Not one of them will go into the fire of hell. I shall particularly defend each one of them at the hour of death.
Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident of Your mercy; and united to You, O Jesus, they carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy, and their hearts, overflowing with joy, sing a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God:
Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them that during their life, but especially at the hour of death, the souls who will venerate this fathomless mercy of His, He, Himself, will defend as His glory. Amen.
At the conclusion of the prayers pray the chaplet. Instructions are here.
The site for the National Shrine of Divine Mercy is here.
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