Giving Boldness to Shame

This society in general has become ill mannered. Gestures of politeness are far and few between. Yesterday, while driving and turning onto my street, a new neighbor greeted me with a wave,"Hi." I just looked at him in disbelief. Years ago, when John and I used to take a Sunday ride into the Woodstock's we'd see farmers all stop what they were doing to wave. It used to be people acknowledged your presence and with a smile greeted you, Ma'am or good day, or hello. The home was run with manners and respect. Please pass the potatoes, and modesty was the name of the game in front of your father, brothers and sisters. Always, you wore a robe and pulled down shades. There was no profanity in the house. You obeyed your parents or else. Children did not carry on the way that they do today. Nor, did they get everything that they wanted. Most of the time the answer was "no." You wouldn't miss Sunday mass without consequence unless you were ill.
There were CCD classes, or what other's call Sunday School. Confession, and the stations of the cross were attended and you recited the rosary as a family. You didn't go to dances or to the movies during lent, and you gave up something during lent. You didn't eat in front of someone else without offering them food. Ladies and children first, was the rule. You'd hold the door open for someone else. There were chores to do, and everyone shared in the work. A thing called "taking turns." I could go on and on. What was available to watch on television was "clean." There were no insensitive issues confronting you and advertisers wouldn't dare to expose what they boldly project to the public today, when children are watching. Immediately, when you did something wrong, you were corrected. You knew what your expectations were, like making your bed each day as you got up, changing your clothes after school and hanging them up, doing your homework, washing your hands, brushing your teeth, combing your hair, helping those who couldn't, as well as the less fortunate and, above all praying to a God that does exist and who does love us!

Home is different now. Life is different now. Do children even pray now, never mind going to church? If your parents don't go, why would you? Education and sports and all sort of activities gain precedence over "The Lord's Day."

It is cold out there, and I'm not talking about the weather. We do not recognize what sin is anymore, unless our parents did and we learned about what sins is from them and church.
It was our parents responsibility to teach us, not the school or state.

It is predicted that before the second coming of Christ, and He is coming back, there would be a great apostasy. It would happen not only by the anti-Christ as foretold, but within the walls of our own homes. There would be found only pockets of the once faithful majority. And, eventually, all but a tiny minority would remain, "underground," with the flame of faith flickering out.

The way it is now, is in fact, is turned around almost completely, where bad is said to be good. Where has the politeness and respect for authority and life, gone. Violence, not peace and perversion of every kind, is rampant. The change didn't happen overnight, and who was watching? God was, and is and always shall be. Here are some words of wisdom.

"Be ashamed when you sin, don't be ashamed when you repent (To repent means to have a change of heart and mind. It is not simply a feeling of sorrow, but a psycho/spiritual growth away from evil/death and a turning to God/life). Sin is the wound, repentance is the medicine. Sin is followed by shame; repentance is followed by boldness (Boldness means to beg God for undeserved mercy). Satan has overturned this order and given boldness to sin and shame to repentance."
Saint John Chrysostom

Only through the Grace of God can you be guided on the path of righteousness, which begins on your knees. The generations are leading to a crash course of destruction, unless they encounter "Christ" who is the truth, the way, and the life, and then, follow Him.