An Epiphany!

 No comment.

Cheers,

LSP

Baptism of Christ - Sunday Sermon

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John

would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come

to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to

fulfil all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, he went

up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw

the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from

heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:13-17)

The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan, what an epiphany. God is revealed to us as a Trinity of Persons and Jesus, in the midst of it all, as the Spirit anointed Son of the Father, the Messiah, King of the Jews. You couldn't make it up and certainly wouldn't if you were out to invent a religion, it's too outlandish. That said, why does the sinless Christ go to John to be baptized?

Surely it should be the other way around and the Baptizer says as much, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replies,  “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.” There's our clue, righteousness, obedience to God's commandments, and what is the Father commanding his people to do?

To be baptized in the Jordan as a mark of repentance and cleansing in preparation for the coming of the Holy One. And Jesus, the sinless King of the Jews, represents his sinful people to the Father, so he too must be baptized in solidarity with them. This speaks to another baptism, the baptism of his blood on the Cross. (Lk 12:50)

The Father is commanding his Son to die for his people, to take their sins upon his shoulders and offer himself as a sinless sacrifice on the Cross for their forgiveness, only to rise again, victorious over the grave. This, the mighty work of salvation, is prefigured in the Jordan.

Jesus goes down into the water, the Cross, and rises in the power of the Spirit, the Resurrection, and the heavens are opened to him and to his faithful people. Even ourselves, who have been buried with Christ in Baptism and have risen, regenerate in the power of the Spirit to new life, the gates of heaven open to us.

What a powerful message for the new year, full of strength and hope. The world is badly insane and odds on the monkey it'll get worse still, even to the point of catastrophe. And the same holds true in our personal lives, who knows what out of leftfield furies will fall upon us in the next 12 months. 

Regardless, nothing can take away or destroy the life Christ has won for us by his Cross and Resurrection. It's happened, it cannot be taken back, and it's freely given for us to accept. Pray, then, that our union with the Saviour, begun in the waters of baptism, only grows, deepens and increases so that when we stand on the far shore we will hear the Father's voice, "Thou art my beloved son with whom I am well pleased."

God bless you all,

LSP

Behold The Clown

 

It took fifteen ballots but Kevin McCarthy is now Speaker of the House, taking over from octogenarian plastic surgery victim Nancy Pelosi. Kevin represents California's 20th district and lives it up accordingly. CA Knowledge tells us that this beloved politician's worth a nifty $95 million. Not shabby, eh?

Well, at least the wealthy mountebank doesn't pretend to be a Socialist, there is that. But no wonder, he has a hideous an 8,200 square foot mansion in the Sunshine State. Just look at how beautiful it is!

Do you think Kevin's going to use his reported wealth to help those he's allegedly serving and, more to the point, help the GOP to actually win? As in, win anything at all for the people in the face of our elite kleptocracy? Sorry, rhetorical question, of course he won't, he's part of the problem.

Serious question. Can we vote our way out of this?

Drain the Swamp,

LSP

Epiphany

 

It's the Feast of the Epiphany today and here's Austin Farrer:

THE Magi took the lids from their urns and unfastened their caskets, when they presented the symbols of universal homage to our infant prince.  But when a woman came to anoint the king in his royal city, she shattered her alabaster jar, that she might pour the precious spikenard on his head.  There was a sympathy between her action and the approaching Passion: the perfume of man’s homage could not be offered to God, without breaking the veined alabaster, the body of the Son of Man.  Our incense may rise, like that of the Magi, from unbroken vessels, if we present our bodies a living sacrifice.  Yet a living sacrifice is also a sacrifice, and is made so by some participation in the shattering of the vase.  Christ, sacrificing himself, joins us with him in sacrificing him; Christ, sacrificing himself, sacrifices us, for he has made us parts of him.  We come to offer our homage to Christ, but his star has brought us, and the breaking of his mortal vase has furnished all the perfume of our offering.

 

God Bless,

LSP

I Like The Look Of This Place

 

Yes, Edinburgh's Royal Scots Club, conveniently situated in New Town. It was set up after World War I as a tribute to the 11,162 Royal Scots who were killed in the conflict and flourishes today, retaining close military association.

Whatever, it has a dining room.

Pleasant. Ladies Side?

Behold tartan.

And a Door.

What a great club and you can imagine the scene. High spirits at the bar and next step? Chucked in the Forth or maybe the Leith. Some of you may have enjoyed just that. That in mind, the DLC has recip rights, obviously.

By the Left,

LSP

Horsing Around

 

I know, you've forgotten more about riding than I'll ever know, and I remember telling two rodeo stars about the Thoroughbred Grey I was training, with help.

me and the youngest

They looked at me blankly, in a nonplussed wtf are you kind of way and I replied, "Hey, just having fun with a horse." They lightened at that, "What it's all about, man." 

Three screws in the hip and a cautionary tale later I'm more cautious and haven't ridden since; maybe that needs to change? But here's the thing, I'm not inclined to get on a half-broke horse anymore, much less a mad Arab. Is that wrong?

Ride on,

LSP

Let's Cleanse The Palate - With Guns

 

Non-Binary clergy are great but have a nasty aftertaste, so let's cleanse the palate... with guns. A down to earth, practical, real world solution to bad craziness. I like Glocks, but that's just me.

Just some guns

But what am I saying? I like all kinds of guns, not least lowly Ruger American rimfires and ARs, of course. But what's wrong with shotguns? Nothing whatsoever.

CZ SxS

I'm inclined towards 20s these days, shoot all day and don't bust your shoulder, but there's no rule. Is SxS better than O/U? Good question and in answer? Get both.

SKS

SKS is cool too, obviously, and you get the added benefit of a bayonet which you can use as an ice pick, handy. Then there's the Lee. What a great weapon. Silky action, accurate if set up right and beautiful Edwardian lines. 

not a Lee

Speaking of which, I've got not one but two Lee project rifles on the go and we're all waiting for the go. Better get that sorted out, eh? But more on that anon. In the meanwhile, shoot straight.

#2A,

LSP

What Does This Even Mean?

 

Rev. Bingo Allison, real name, is the Church of England's first ever non-binary clergypersyn. Bingo, 36, started off life as a man but had an epiphany reading the first chapters of Genesis and the story of Adam and Eve.

Bingo Gets Commissioned, Note Demonic Episcopal Mask

"There's space in God's creation for change and transformation, just because you're created one way doesn't mean that you can't live another," said the non-binary Vicar who uses the pronouns they/them and identifies as "gender-queer." Bingo serves in the rainbow Diocese of Liverpool, is married to an actual woman and has young children. You can read all about they/them here.

Belcher

In related news, King Charles III has awarded an OBE to Wiltshire Councillor Helen Belcher, real name, who fears a backlash over zhir coveted award, “To be honest, (I feel) a slight fear of what the press reaction is going to be because it’s almost as if trans people can’t do anything right at the moment in the current environment.” Well there you go, play the victim card right after getting an OBE, which is clearly worthless at this point. 

Lo and behold, Bingo & Belcher, two dudes who decided they were women. One was inspired by Scripture, no less. But what does this mean?

Most certainly a parody affront to women, see UK TERFS. More seriously, consider the telling pronouns, they/them. You'll recall the exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac, “What is your name?” Jesus asked. “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 

Out Demons Out,

LSP

Eleven Trends For The New Year

 

Here's a retrospective on 2022 and eleven trends we can look forward to in 2023, via Virtual Mirage:

As we close out 2022, I thought it would be a good idea to identify and discuss 11 trends and hard truths for the sake of saying things out loud that the media should be reporting on fairly and investigating but too often is not. These are big-picture items that stand to impact many, if not most of us, in a big way.

1. Illegal immigration. Each day that passes is another day that makes it impossible to go back, even if the border were to be secured immediately. We will be dealing forever with the fallout of unrestricted, illegal border crossings in terms of expense, crime, impact on our schools, and an already stressed healthcare system.

2. Covid. There is ongoing fallout from controversial vaccine mandates. Congress has rescinded the military mandates but not before tens of thousands or more received the vaccine under duress, and many thousands were forced out. We already had a recruiting crisis and it’s only grown worse. A judge has ordered New York City to hire back more than 1,700 workers fired for refusing the vaccine. What’s the state’s response? It is appealing. We are also dealing with the costs and health impact of those who got vaccinated and are suffering illnesses. Some of them are permanently disabled. Some have died. There is an ongoing cost to our youth, who do not tend to get very sick with Covid but who are at risk of serious illness from the vaccine.

3. College costs. With discussion and debate focused on loan forgiveness–  or more accurately transferring the cost of outstanding loans to taxpayers– it does nothing to cure the overinflated and unjustifiable cost of a college education. The same syndrome is in play with health care costs. The fact that the government ensures these bills will get paid using taxpayer money and loans, grants, scholarships, Medicare, etc., only ensures the corporations can charge outrageous amounts of money for the services. If it weren’t for government and private medical insurance, and loans and grants, then few could afford the overinflated medical and education costs and the prices would, by necessity, have to come down. The government is the cause of these problems and could solve them, but will not because elected officials are part of the system that benefits. They get donations from industries, academic institutions, hospitals, the insurance industry, pharmaceutical companies, and others to help them stay in office and positions of power. Thus, their solutions by necessity will continue to feather their nests always at our expense.

4. January 6, 2021. (I’ll be reporting on this topic in an upcoming edition of Full Measure.) This event stands out as one of the most outrageous events of our time in terms of how it’s prosecuted by government officials. There are clearly political motivations and double standards in play, with what seems to be an obvious plan in advance to controversialize anyone who turned out to support Donald Trump and question the 2020 election. The apparent goal? To neutralize these people and anyone else who dared to think of questioning elections or supporting Trump.

5. Transgenderism in medicine, media, politics, education, advertising— you name it. Virtually unheard of just a few years back except as part of a mental health discussion largely limited to a psychiatric diagnosis — suddenly it’s everywhere! Like other narratives, there are organized, well-funded efforts behind the transgender lobby and, as I’ve written in my books, these powerful forces have been able to co-opt nearly every form of information in order to make fringe beliefs appear to be the norm shared by nearly everyone.

6. Health crises. From rampant chronic health issues, to autism, autoimmune disorders, and new diseases such as POTS, the government is typically only funding research on issues that the pharmaceutical industry wants to be funded and is only finding answers that the industry and special interests want to be found. Since it’s not in any big industry’s interest to identify the multi-exposure causes likely behind many health issues, these studies won’t be funded. I would argue that much if not most legitimate research that needs to be done to answer important health questions is being blocked or not funded.

7. Government control. The government is so tied into funding everyone and everything today, including private companies through contracts and incentives, it can control policies and actions far outside what is supposed to be in the government’s reach. Covid vaccines were one such example. By threatening to push private hospitals by withholding Medicare payments, the government was able to force policies upon them. By refusing to reimburse for certain medical treatments, the government can make sure certain treatments– even if important and effective– aren’t used. This government power is especially dangerous when the government takes part in corrupt or politically-motivated agendas.

8. Scientific fraud. I’ve reported on and written much about how the scientific and medical industries have been largely taken over by vested interests making it hard to get accurate medical information. Some of the best evidence comes from top scientists at medical journals such as Lancet’s Dr. Richard Horton, and Dr. Marcia Angell, formerly of the New England Journal of Medicine. They have said that much or most science in medical journals is not be believed today due to the undue influence of the pharmaceutical industry on studies and what does or doesn’t get published.

9. FBI and intel agency corruption. One of the biggest scandals of our time that is drastically underreported is widespread corruption at high levels in our intel agencies, as exposed in their schemes to frame Donald Trump. Even when agents and officials commit lapses and crimes, they are rarely held to account in any meaningful way. Recall former FBI director James Comey was referred by the Inspector General for criminal charges in his efforts to damage Trump but the Dept. of Justice took a pass on prosecuting him. Only one FBI lawyer was (lightly) prosecuted in one of the most outrageous crimes of its kind: doctoring a document to obtain a wiretap on Trump campaign associate Carter page… who never got so much as an apology. And that FBI attorney didn’t even get jail time. And there seemed to be no effort to identify and prosecute the others that were in that chain, signing off on false information or staying silent about it.

10. FISA court scandals. One of the most powerful and secretive courts, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, has confirmed rampant FBI lapses or misconduct when it comes to applications for secret wiretaps to spy on US citizens. However, nobody has been held to account.

11. Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover. I rank this as the single most important development when it comes to censorship and the government/industry’s grip on our information. It is sad that it took a scorned billionaire– remember Musk was notably left out of Biden Administration invites on car and green energy discussions because he apparently doesn’t blindly support organized labor/labor unions– to do the job that the media, elected officials, and intel agencies all failed to do: expose censorship, corruption, and election interference within a top Big Tech company. Though one of the biggest stories of our time, it is still widely ignored or slanted by the news media, which is opting for stories about how bad it is for Musk to be running Twitter rather than the previous government-corporate minders.

I'd say that was right on the money,

LSP 

Happy New Year!

 

Well here are at the start line of 2023. What will it bring? I'll wager the fighting monkey on any three of your non-binary trans priestesses that we're in store for more bad craziness. Witness the presumably unironically named SATANCON 2023 scheduled for Boston in April. Boston, curiously, is home to Harvard, Satan's Vatican.

But don't worry, devotees of the Pit, you may be heading for Hell but at least you'll be vaxxed and masked up while you're at it. Conference organizers stipulate, "Satancon attendees must be 18 or over and have proof of COVID vaccination. Attendees must wear an N-95, KN-95, or disposable surgical mask. Gaiters, bandanas, and cloth masks will not be allowed." Not dissimilar, when you think of it, to entering the US and Canada last year.

So yes, all kinds of demonic insanity's doubtless heading our way. But let's not forget that today's the Feast of the Holy Name, Jesus, God Saves. Only He unites our nature to God, illumines us with the fullness of divine truth, dies on the Cross for the forgiveness of our sins, rises victorious from the grave and ascends to heaven, taking perfected, risen humanity to the throne of glory. Only in Him do we find union with God and life itself, salvation.

Stand fast in the power of the Name and be sure that the gates of Hell will not prevail, even in 2023. With that, have a happy New Year.

God bless you all,

LSP

Shrines on New Years Eve

 

After reading LL's reflection on Guan Gong, it struck me that 1: I do not have a shrine or even a statue of the Chinese God of War but 2: I do have a shrine. It's just above my desk, aka "kitchen counter" and consists of a flag, crucifix and an Our Lady of Walsingham prayer card.

Not very warlike perhaps but appropriate for a padre, I think. That said, pistols, kukris, assorted bay'nets and knives have been known to find their way onto the multifunctional worksurface of the office, ahem, kitchen.

Dog

Speaking of which, many clergy keep something called "office hours." Off they drive to their churches, sit at a desk from 9-5 and then go home to their place in the suburbs. Almost as though they've taken "middle management" as some kind of beastly model or paradigm for ministry.

Never done such a thing, with one notable exception I've always lived next to the church. On the job which isn't a job but a way of life. That this has been in rural Texas for over a decade is providential, God has been very kind.

Just some trucks

This in mind, may He give us all every blessing from the beyond reckoning abundance of His grace in the coming year. More on that later, in the meanwhile, happy, almost, New Year. And pray for the repose of the soul of Benedict XVI, an exemplary servant of God.

Your Old Pal,

LSP

Well This Is Totally Awesome - Roll Me On The Water

 

Beauty via Horsemouth:

Well that was awesome and feel free to disagree. In fact, don't, that'd be wrong.

LSP