Reflections on this Easter Triduum

Let us rejoice on this Easter Thursday, as we contemplate the following Psalm, which gives praise to our Heavenly Father and shows us how our present sufferings will end….Trial & Triumph!

Psalm 91

It is good to give praise to the Lord: and to sing to thy name, O most High. To shew forth thy mercy in the morning, and thy truth in the night: Upon an instrument of ten strings, upon the psaltery: with a canticle upon the harp. For thou hast given me, O Lord, a delight in thy doings: and in the works of thy hands I shall rejoice.

O Lord, how great are thy works! thy thoughts are exceeding deep. The senseless man shall not know: nor will the fool understand these things. When the wicked shall spring up as grass: and all the workers of iniquity shall appear: That they may perish for ever and ever: But thou, O Lord, art most high for evermore. For behold thy enemies, O Lord, for behold thy enemies shall perish: and all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.

But my horn shall be exalted like that of the unicorn: and my old age in plentiful mercy. My eye also hath looked down upon my enemies: and my ear shall hear of the downfall of the malignant that rise up against me. The just shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus. They that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God. They shall still increase in a fruitful old age: and shall be well treated, that they may shew, that the Lord our God is righteous, and there is no iniquity in him.

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GOOD FRIDAY-Last week, someone we love was planning to get the Covid mRNA “vaccine.” My husband and I were concerned, not only due to the medical considerations, but also the ethical issues regarding abortion and vaccines. Not even thinking of Holy Week, we decided to pray the Divine Mercy Novena. It was wonderful to pray this on Good Friday, uniting it to the Passion of Christ. This novena is often begun on Good Friday, to be completed just prior to the Divine Mercy feast. There is also an indulgence attached.

A number of our friends and family members have already gotten the vaccine, which is a sorrow. However, I have great consolation that through our prayers, the effects will be mitigated, as far as God wills. I am with Bishop Athanasius Schneider in saying that I will never get it, under penalty of death…for God, for the babies, for freedom…we must make ourselves worthy to inherit the earth when all is said and done.

HOLY SATURDAY-I found myself thinking about the mysterious apparition at Knock, Ireland, in 1879, on the morning of Holy Saturday and wondered why God put that in my mind. The strange thing about this vision, seen by many people, was that the figures were both silent and motionless. “Our Lady of Knock” is well-known, but many do not know that Saint Joseph, Saint John the Evangelist and even Our Lord as a Lamb with angels, also appeared. Saint John was holding a book in one hand and appeared as a bishop. Hundreds of miracles were reported in the days following the apparition. Some feel that Knock was related to the End Times, perhaps the times we are now living in. When the author of Apocalypse appears with an open book, maybe it’s time to consider we should be paying attention to the Signs of the Times!

So what does this have to do with Holy Saturday? This day is only one of 2 days in all the year, including Good Friday, when the Mass is not celebrated (except for the Easter Vigil in the evening). The altar is bare. We call to mind the dark moments when Our Blessed Lord was enclosed within the tomb. Stillness, silence, mourning. We can see a connection to the stillness and silence at Knock. There is a lot to meditate on here.

EASTER SUNDAY-Our celebrant gave a wonderful homily at the Easter Mass. He related a little-known story about the Hungarian uprising against the Soviet Union in 1956. As the tanks approached a small village on Easter, the local parish priest stood in front of them, forcing them to stop. He shouted, “Jesus is risen!” The soldiers peeked their heads up and responded, “Indeed He is risen!" They had heard this countless times as children and it was their spontaneous reaction. The smart priest had bottles of vodka waiting for them and the village was spared. (Great prepper lesson!) The question for you and me is, “Do I have that kind of courage and trust during these times, when I am called upon to defend the Truth?” It is now our turn. Something else to meditate on.

Lesson 5-Prepper Rosary Program

This concludes the Joyful Mysteries of the Prepper Rosary Program. We will resume this program at a later date. Please get on our email list to be notified. In the meantime, finish the Worksheet and incorporate greater preparedness into your life!

”And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers. And seeing him, they wondered.”

Luke 2:46

Know Opportunity When You See It ~ The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

Next time your Protestant friend criticizes the Rosary, you can say it is in fact, a form of Bible study. The Fifth Joyful Mystery, “The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple,” is found in Luke, 2:41-52. The Holy Family, along with their “kinsfolks and acquaintance,” embarked on their yearly trip from Nazareth to Jerusalem for the Pasch. Upon making their journey back, Our Lord stayed behind, amazing the elders in the Temple with His divine wisdom. Mary and Joseph realized He was not with them and sadly returned to Jerusalem to seek Him. They found their precious Son in His Father’s House, where He told them, they ought to have known He would be. The learned men also found Him, as He opened their eyes to the knowledge that Someone extraordinary had entered Herod’s still-under-construction Second Temple.

When this Bar Mitzvah-aged youth tried to engage these men, they could easily have said, “Get outta here kid, we have no time for this. Aren’t your parents looking for you?” But instead, their hearts were moved to see what this young man had to say. Probably, they initially felt they would help HIm out with some questions. By the time His parents showed up, they were left in wonder, participants in a Mystery that would be told till the end of time. They saw the opportunity before them, heeded the call and were forever changed.

Knowing opportunity when you see it requires a broad view of your surroundings and thinking outside the box. It is a skill that develops over time, by training your mind to scan the environment for benefits the average person would not see. After a while, it becomes second-nature and you become an asset to yourself and those around you. However, keep in mind that not every idea is a good one. Discernment must be used, with prayer. When you pass that farm with the “For Sale” sign, remember there is a reason why “bought the farm” is an expression for death (then again, a farm might be just what you need-the idea of creating rural refuges is gaining in popularity and very much in accord with the mission of our ministry). Some ideas will be small and some will be big. On the small end…you might notice sturdy candles on sale, which would be great during a blackout, your neighbor might be selling his old generator, or you may see some good bulk deals on storable food. On the large end…well, there’s the farm…turning an abandoned lot into a community garden or establishing a prayer group at an otherwise socially-deficient church…strong communities are critical during hard times (those in power have done everything they can to destroy connectedness, because they want us to rely on big government instead of the strength of subsidiarity). We must also trust in Divine Providence, that God will give His children what they need. “Ask and you shall receive.” We just need to notice these gifts when they cross our paths.

Another kind of opportunity is the simple, personal kind, that we often miss. It could be a bored child asking for attention, a beautiful spring day you could enjoy with your family, or a cousin who calls out of the blue when you’re busy. Sometimes we need to take a step back and embrace what the moment is asking of us. What does this have to do with preparedness? Strong relationships are the essence of life…the essence of an authentic life. Such a life, close to God, each other and nature, is the ultimate preparedness. This is exactly what our modern culture has been attacking for decades. We must turn the dial in the other direction if there is to be any hope for the future.

Just as Mary and Joseph finally looked for their Child in the Temple and the Jewish doctors humbly recognized His wisdom, we must also use our minds and hearts to navigate an increasingly hostile world. Surely, God’s Judgement is upon us and there are those who need us. We must do our best for them and for Holy Church, to re-establish His reign on earth…

From Act of Consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus:

Grant, O Lord, to Thy Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm, give peace and order to all nations, and make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry:

Praise to the Divine Heart that wrought our salvation. To It be glory and honor forever! Amen.

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Pray 1 Decade of the Rosary, meditating on the Mystery of The Finding of Jesus in the Temple, for the intention of enlightenment on the issues discussed above…

Our Father + 10 Hail Marys + Glory Be

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Please fill out #5

“15 Points Preparedness Worksheet”

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Lesson 4, Part 2B-Prepper Rosary Program

Matthew 6:31 & The Sermon on the Mount

We will deal further with the 3 ideas presented in the last Lesson…

1) Always use common sense combined with prayer.

We need to be careful when interpreting Holy Scripture. The Protestants somehow can read "For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed,” (John 6:56) and still think Holy Communion is merely a symbol. The Jews can somehow read the entire Old Testament and fail to notice how Christ fulfilled every prophecy about the Messiah. We too, can interpret wrongly, if not properly prepared. We need to proceed with prayer and a proper knowledge of the Faith. Being in a state of grace, as should always be our primary concern, will help us as well. If you have not been confirmed for some reason, this is important, to receive all the wisdom of the Holy Ghost. If we are confused, consulting with a good priest or good resource would be in order. It is also important to be well-versed in Scripture as a whole, so all things can be seen in proper context and relation…also, each verse must be carefully taken in its own context.

“Common Sense” is hard to explain these days, in an age where it has completely lost meaning. Several decades ago, there was still a vestige of it, but today it seems utterly lost. However, among the holy, it seems to still exist. Common sense springs forth from the Essence of God Himself. It appeals to an inner-knowing that the world and all its wiles cannot override. It possesses simplicity, reason and balance. It is not a thing that can be taught or over-thought. It is simply there within each of us. Particularly, at this confusing time, we have no other recourse than to appeal to common sense and inner-knowing.

Matthew 6:31 is an important verse from The Sermon on the Mount which contains great wisdom. We must take care to interpret it with the balance of common sense. We are told not to worry about our physical needs. The operative word here is “worry” (“solicitous”). That does not mean do not care for our own physical needs and for those in our care. It is in fact our duty to do so, which brings us to the next point…

2) Do what you can within reason. Beyond this, trust in God.

“Within reason.” This will mean different things to different people, depending on their circumstances. What does “within reason” mean to you? We are familiar with blizzards, blackouts, floods, hurricanes and fires. Now, with the advancement of the New World Order takeover (I am not mentioning covid, because that is the distraction-every twobit magician knows this trick), we are becoming familiar with supply shortages, lockdowns, quarantines and riots. If things continue to escalate, it is not unreasonable to assume access may continue to decrease and self-sufficiency will become more important. Preppers and “truthers” have been predicting these times for years. Only you can answer this question for yourself: What does “within reason” mean to you?” What is your own situation? What are your own responsibilities?

Another point that needs to be said, is that we have been living in unprecedented times for the past century. Normal self-sufficient practices are largely gone from western culture. So something like Matthew 6:31 needs to be taken in that light. In addition, some people have a special calling to a preparedness ministry. These people should not be criticized or judged. In that hour, after the tsunami has hit, those judgers will be thankful they have a safe place to go with their children.

So…do what you can and always trust in God and His Providence. That doesn’t mean bad things can’t still happen to you. “For after all these things do the heathens seek.” We have a fear-obsessed culture which focuses only on this life and physical well-being. When people say to me these days, “Be safe,” I now say to them, “Life is not about being safe.” We must accept that our efforts may at times fail and retain "the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding." (Philippians 4:7)

3) Avoid extremes.

On one end of the scale is living only in the moment, careless of what tomorrow may bring. The other end is a “Doomsday Prepper” compound, complete with mini-army, booby-traps and underground bunker with a deluxe stereo system. There has got to be a happy medium of sanity, holiness, responsibility and trust in God. This is what we are trying to accomplish here at Nomen Christi Apostolate-to find this balance and encourage resilient communities of love and peace which strive to bring back “The Authentic Life,” life as our Creator intended it. This life is inherently safer and self-reliant.

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“Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.” This is one of the most consoling messages of Our Lord and one we should recite frequently to ourselves. In practicality, this means to focus on the work of the day with peace and simplicity. There are times to address the overarching reality, the Big Plan, but for the most part, our lives involve the “mundane” activities. The key that many never understand, is that some of our greatest intuitions and moments of growth come at these times-because the essence of life is within these little things. There is a blessed peace contained in these moments if they are approached with complete acceptance. God will take care of the Big Plan. We especially must trust in this, at a time when unthinkable things are happening in the Church, such as the suspension of Mass obligation. He’s got this. We are His children, purchased by His Son’s very Blood. "I will not leave you orphans." (John 14:18)

“Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you.” This is another quote which should be committed to memory and often meditated upon. How can we expect God’s protection in this chaotic life without first being right with Him? Our Lord is illustrating the primary importance of spiritual well-being, for nothing else matters if you have lost your soul. This does not mean that if you are holy, no hardship will come to you, but it suggests that you will have some measure of protection or at least consolation in your sufferings. Take care of your soul and the rest will fall into place.

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The Sermon on the Mount is the most famous sermon in all history and the longest recorded in the Gospels, spanning Chapters 5 through 7 of Matthew. Our Lord begins by teaching the 8 Beatitudes* and then tells us “You are the light of the world.” We must be detached from the world in order to properly transform it. He then teaches His revolutionary transformations of the Old Law. Now that God’s Son has come into the world, perfection can be attained…”Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.” “The Lord’s Prayer” is taught and then He goes on to the text we have been discussing. Actually, the full verse comprises Matthew 6:19-34, and contains some of the most poetic language of the Gospels:

“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they labour not, neither do they spin. But I say to you, that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. And if the grass of the field, which is today, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, God doth so clothe: how much more you, O ye of little faith?”

The Sermon concludes with a series of additional admonitions. We can now see the teaching we are focusing on in its context within The Sermon on the Mount. Our Lord is giving us a number of lessons on how to live life, both with respect to God and to man. He is showing us that an evolution is now occurring. God’s revelation of Himself to man has entered its next chapter and greater perfection will be expected. This is understandable, given the great gift of His Son, His Holy Church and the Holy Eucharist. Matthew 6:31 simply expounds upon the Sermon’s themes of detachment and trust in God. The Sermon on the Mount is deeply consoling, especially during times such as our own. These teachings transformed the world once before and can do so once again!

* From Learn Religions:

The word beatitude comes from the Latin beatitudo, meaning "blessedness." The phrase "blessed are" in each beatitude implies a current state of happiness or well-being. This expression held a powerful meaning of "divine joy and perfect happiness" to the people of Christ's day. In other words, Jesus was saying "divinely happy and fortunate are those who possess these inward qualities." While speaking of a current "blessedness," each pronouncement also promised a future reward.

Lesson 4, Part 2A-Prepper Rosary Program

“Lesson 4” of our Prepper Rosary Program deals with the topic, “Improve Your Spiritual Life ~ The Presentation of Our Lord.” We presented the verse from Holy Scripture below, focusing on the admonition to “Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God.” We dealt briefly with the rest of the quote. Being that this particular verse is sometimes used against the idea of “preparedness,” it is important to focus more deeply on it (which we will do now and also in our next lesson, Part 2B)...

“Be not solicitous therefore, saying, What shall we eat: or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the heathens seek. For your Father knoweth that you have need of all these things.

Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you.

Be not therefore solicitous for tomorrow; for the morrow will be solicitous for itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.”

Matthew 6:31

Looking at the above, from the standpoint of a “Catholic Prepper,” there are 3 basic points that need to be made. I will simply ask you to meditate on these until our next lesson, which will expound upon each point-you may wish to make your own notes.

1) Always use common sense combined with prayer.

2) Do what you can within reason. Beyond this, trust in God.

3) Avoid extremes.

In addition, below is a link to our Scriptural quotes dealing with preparedness. Please review this-it exists nowhere else on the internet. I compiled it myself, through painstaking research-there is also a PDF, which is less comprehensive, since it needed to fit on one page…

…and don’t forget Noah, “The Original Prepper!”

BIBLICAL SUPPORT FOR PREPAREDNESS

BIBLICAL SUPPORT FOR PREPAREDNESS PDF PRINTABLE

The Circumcision & the Naming of Our Lord

The date of this feast is actually January 1st.

“And after eight days were accomplished, that the child should be circumcised, his name was called JESUS, which was called by the angel, before he was conceived in the womb.”

Luke 2:21

At this traditional Mass on New Years Day, the celebrant wears red. According to The New Marian Missal…

“Red signifies the fire of love towards God, and it is consequently the liturgical color for Whitsuntide, the feast of the Holy Ghost, the God of Love; for the feastdays on which the suffering and the cross of Christ is recalled to the mind; for the feastdays of the Apostles and the Martyrs, who shed their blood for faith out of love for the Redeemer.”

So why red for the Circumcision? We can guess at possibilities based on the above. It seems red not only signifies the “fire of love towards God,” but the love of God Himself. Red vestments are also worn on Pentecost, perhaps evocative of the reference to fire in Scripture:

"And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them"

Acts 2:3

The Circumcision cannot be separated from the Naming of the Christ Child, which took place together. Both events are very deep and significant. “Jesus” in Hebrew, means “God Saves.” Here, in proclaiming the Name of Jesus to the world for the first time, the love of God is also proclaimed. He has sent His Son to redeem us from our sins!

Red vestments are also worn to honor the suffering of Christ, possibly referring to His Precious Blood. The Circumcision, only 8 days after birth, was perhaps Our Lord’s first experience with pain and the shedding of His Blood. This moment foretells the final shedding of His Blood on the Cross. In addition, red is worn on the feasts of martyrs. The red of blood and the red of the fire of love are merged in every martyrs death and most of all, in the Death of Christ Himself.

Laudate Nomen Christi!

Lesson 4-Prepper Rosary Program

“And there came one of the scribes that had heard them reasoning together, and seeing that he had answered them well, asked him which was the first commandment of all. And Jesus answered him: The first commandment of all is, Hear, O Israel: the Lord thy God is one God. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. This is the first commandment.”

Mark 12:28

“Be not solicitous therefore, saying, What shall we eat: or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the heathens seek. For your Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you. Be not therefore solicitous for tomorrow; for the morrow will be solicitous for itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.”

Matthew 6:31

Improve Your Spiritual Life ~ The Presentation of Our Lord

It was the Mosaic Law that every firstborn son must be specially consecrated to God. Mary and Joseph brought Our Lord to the Temple to accomplish this, in what we call “The Presentation.” This was a most extraordinary Presentation, since it was the very Son of God, being presented to the Father. This took place in the very city in which He would secure our Redemption on the Cross and was a foreshadowing of this ultimate Presentation. Just as Our Lady and Saint Joseph gave their greatest Gift to the Father, we must also give our very best to Him.

Our Lord states above, “thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength.” This is a profound statement-we are told to completely relinquish ourselves to Him. The key is to recognize when these moments occur and push through them, with the help of His grace. When we do this, we change in a substantial way. We grow. We ascend one step higher to the Kingdom of Heaven. We also become that much further from the world. What prepares us for these moments is a proper moral formation, a good examination of conscience and a good confession. Only then, can we have the ability to know when the spiritual challenge is taking place, pray for guidance and strength, and win our triumph over temptation. We must love Christ above all other loves.

Our Lord also intructs us to, “Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God.” We see the just consequence of sin coming upon the world. We can mitigate this and secure mercy for the world, only by making ourselves worthy. We will be given what we need on earth, only after seeking Heaven. The lower order always follows the higher. As Catholic preppers, we are not obsessed with the needs of this life, we simply accept that the natural business of life is survival, which our present culture has forgotten. We try within reason, and place our trust in God for what we cannot control. And of course we recognize that spiritual preparedness is always our priority.

Mary and Joseph went to the House of God with their precious Son and showed fidelity to His law. This is an example for the Catholic life: to attend Holy Mass and observe Catholic moral law, presenting to the Holy Trinity, our best selves, out of love. There are many other great riches of the Catholic Faith which we can draw upon to improve our spiritual lives. Pray and gravitate towards what resonates with you. To strive for spiritual perfection is the most exciting life and is the true purpose of life. To become a saint is not unreachable, it is what we were created for!

Please read EWTN’s The Presentation of Our Lord. This is beautifully written and very insightful.

“Lesson 4-Part 2” will deal further with Matthew 6:31…

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Pray 1 decade of the Rosary, meditating on the Mystery of The Presentation, for the intention of enlightenment on the issues discussed today…

Our Father + 10 Hail Marys + Glory Be

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Please fill out #4

“15 Points Preparedness Worksheet”

Thank you for participating ~ spread the word!

Image courtesy fggam.org/2014/07/kellys-word-day-72

Printable Version: Biblical Support for Preparedness

Here is a condensed, printable version of our last post. This is great to use as a Bible study or to distribute. Please contact us above if you use it with a group and let us know how it was helpful…

BIBLICAL SUPPORT FOR PREPAREDNESS PDF PRINTABLE

What to do RIGHT NOW-Part 2

Here is further biblical support for prepping. These are just my humble thoughts on how these verses may be interpreted:

BIBLICAL SUPPORT FOR PREPAREDNESS

“Now therefore let the king provide a wise and industrious man, and make him ruler over the land of Egypt: that he may appoint overseers over all the countries: and gather into barns the fifth part of the fruits, during the seven fruitful years, that shall now presently ensue: and let all the corn be laid up under Pharao's hands and be reserved in the cities. And let it be in readiness, against the famine of seven years to come, which shall oppress Egypt, and the land shall not be consumed with scarcity.”

Genesis 41:33

This refers to the responsibility to take a leadership role and to be “wise and industrious” in the care of the people who rely on you.

“Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber. Deliver thyself as a doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler. Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom: which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain, provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou rise out of thy sleep? Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep: And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee.”

Proverbs 6:4

This is a strong admonition to take care of your own needs through discipline and hard work.

“There is a treasure to be desired, and oil in the dwelling of the just: and the foolish man shall spend it.”

Proverbs 21:20

The holy, who live a good life, performing their duties and exercising prudence, will be blessed with abundance.

“The prudent man saw the evil, and hid himself: the simple passed on, and suffered loss.”

Proverbs 22:3

When you see the threat looming, you must take action.

“Cast thy bread upon the running waters: for after a long time thou shalt find it again. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight: for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. If the clouds be full, they will pour out rain upon the earth.”

Ecclesiastes 11:1

Think ahead, plan ahead and watch the signs around you.

“In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening let not thy hand cease: for thou knowest not which may rather spring up, this or that: and if both together, it shall be the better.”

Ecclesiastes 11:6

Work harder than you think you need to, for some of your work may not bear fruit.

“For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of affliction, to give you an end and patience.”

Jeremias 29:11

Though calamity may come, God will preserve many of His children (so we must never give up and keep trying to survive).

“Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel, for the Lord shall enter into judgment with the inhabitants of the land: for there is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no knowledge of God in the land. Cursing, and lying, and killing, and theft, and adultery have overflowed, and blood hath touched blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth in it shall languish with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of the air: yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be gathered together.”

Hosea 4:1

When immorality abounds, we may expect a great chastisement to come.

“And there came to him the Pharisees and Sadducees tempting: and they asked him to shew them a sign from heaven. But he answered and said to them: When it is evening, you say, it will be fair weather, for the sky is red. And in the morning: Today there will be a storm, for the sky is red and lowering. You know then how to discern the face of the sky: and can you not know the signs of the times?”

Matthew 16:1

We must be watchful and understand the implications of what is happening in the world.

“And from the fig tree learn a parable: When the branch thereof is now tender, and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh.”

Matthew 24:32

Again, we are told to observe the signs around us and be prepared for what surely will come.

“Watch ye therefore, because ye know not what hour your Lord will come. But know this ye, that if the goodman of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open. Wherefore be you also ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of man will come. Who, thinkest thou, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath appointed over his family, to give them meat in season. Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come he shall find so doing. Amen I say to you, he shall place him over all his goods.”

Matthew 24:42

This probably refers more to spiritual preparedness, always our primary concern, though there is a reference to the temporal.

“And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and he said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself from hence. For it is written, that He hath given his angels charge over thee, that they keep thee. And that in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answering, said to him: It is said: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

Luke 4:9

When signs are clear that danger is looming, we must not remain complacent that God will take care of us, but do what we can to help ourselves and others (then trust in God for what we cannot control).

“But if any man have not care of his own, and especially of those of his house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

1 Timothy 5:8

This is an admonition to provide well for those in our care, which includes having the foresight to see when we must prepare for difficult times.