The Holy Father needs our prayers!

I got caught up reading the Acts of the Apostles again! I just don't understand how anyone could think this stuff was just made up, as the Catholic Church has been accused of doing. Why would thousands of people die horrible deaths for over 2000 years to perpetuate a lie? I've been doing some advance perusals of the readings for the next week or so, because they are giving me hope and some good examples to follow as I try to make sense of all the Church-bashing (aimed especially at our Holy Father) that is going on these days.

I draw the comparison between the early persecution of the Church and the persecution She is going through now, because the remedy is the same--absolute faith in the Truth and strength that comes to us through the Grace we received at our Baptisms and Confirmations. That is not to say that we should just forget about those who are trying to defame our Holy Father and the Church through their persistent pathetic search to undermine his God-given authority.

Rather, we should pray for those who are obviously being led by Satan, that they come to see that their actions cannot and will not destroy the Church (as promised by Christ Himself) and that they instead turn toward the Light instead of trying to extinguish It.

Pray for those, too, who are so weak in their own faith that they believe the drivel and gossip being spread by these evil forces.

Join me in praying for our Holy Father, that he is able to remain strong in administering to the flock entrusted to his care.

And finally, let's pray for one another, that our faith in the risen Christ remains strong and that we, who like Peter and all who have been anointed with the Holy Spirit, have the courage to speak up for Him and His Church when we are confronted with the ignorance of and abuse by those who have been seduced by the Devil.