Just then a scholar of the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ And Jesus said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ And the scholar answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’ But wanting to justify himself, the scholar asked Jesus, ‘And who then is my neighbour?’
"As you know, this passage above is the introduction to one of the greatest and most memorable of the parables from our Lord's own lips, the story of The Good Samaritan.
Our Lord did not offer us an exemption from sin if we call on His name, but forgiveness, if that request is offered in true repentance, a recognition of our faults, and faith, and an active response to His command to 'go and sin no more.'
It might be better to have been born without any knowledge of His word and His commandments, than to hear His words and then hypocritically parade in them and His sacraments, with intricate invocations of His holy name on your lips, as a call to hatefulness, pride, division, self-justification, and oppression.
I am speaking now, more directly, to those who embrace hatred and spread thoughts of violence and repression, often in the name of God, giving scandal to His faithful on earth.
I am speaking to those who stoke the fires of hatefulness, and violent words, gossip and name calling, insults and hardness towards their brothers and sisters in this world, while cynically asking, Who is my neighbor? Surely not them.
We are a generation made drunk with power, and a perverse individualism that has been foretold for increasingly dark times. Examine your own actions and thoughts and behaviors first. For you will not be called upon to answer for what others do, but what you have done.
May God have mercy on any who provide provocation and false teachings to others, and scandalous examples to their brothers and sisters, children and grandchildren, especially because of their willful selfishness, stubborn greed, and foolish pride. And you know who you are, if you are not already completely dead to the life of the Spirit."
Jesse, To a Power Drunk Generation, 19 January 2015
"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not abide by the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
John 8:44
"In the Incarnation the whole human race recovers the dignity of the image of God. Thereafter any attack, even on the least of men, is an attack on Christ, who took on the form of man, and in his own Person restored the image of God in all. Through our relationship with the Incarnation, we recover our true humanity, and at the same time are delivered from that perverse individualism which is the consequence of sin, and recover our solidarity with all mankind."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, 1937
Gold was powering higher overnight, and as the market closed for the day was around 3986, within striking distance of $4000.
Silver also moved higher, grabbing the $48 handle.
Bitcoin is hitting new highs.
Stocks were meandering around until the last hours of the day when to rallied closing higher.
This is a bubble. It is badly mispricing risk and is overvalued. It may get even more overvalued.
When the bust comes it may turn into a liquidation event, and most everything will be sold.
But until then, we will party on, and certain ruling elites will claim validation for their actions in the risk markets.
I have been watching some interesting analysis that suggests that Charlie Kirk was not killed by a high powered hunting rifle from a distance, but the actual shot that hit his neck was fired by a lower velocity air powered pistol from closer by and a different direction.
And it makes some sense on a number of levels, especially given the type of damage done and the wound.
But who ever heard of a political assassination being done and covered up while being pinned on a patsy.
These will be increasingly difficult times.
The madness and hypocrisy, the lies and lawlessness of the Pharisees are spreading like a contagion.
What matters is that you do not become swept up in this, and find yourself passionately drawn into the abyss of madness that is going to claim these who have fallen away.
And that is what matters above all to you, your soul. For if that is lost, nothing else matters.
Have a pleasant evening.
