I am writing this at a time when a number of attacks have destroyed images of Our Blessed Mother in Europe, the Americas, and elsewhere. I must add a personal note to this: recently I have conversed with ordinary people that suddenly revealed a rather unusual hate for all things Christian. Beleaguered by contagious infirmities, rumors of war, ruinous policies coming from various governments, terrorism of many kinds, crime and a host of maladies too long to be listed, the poor chaps still have time to rage against the symbols of Christianity. They claim them to be the source of all kinds of disgraces.

Astonished, we contemplated a ceremony in 2019 — some even dared to call it a mass — in which the top figures of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church rendered honors to a South American pagan goddess. The event was followed by an earthquake and a tsunami in Japan, the country next in line for a papal visit. Not long after that, the COVID19 virus began circulating around the planet devastating lives and economies worldwide. It is important to remember this because this Christmas, the same goddess is honored instead of the Mother of God in the traditional nativity scene at Saint Peter’s Square in Rome.

This horrible year of 2020 the traditional Christian nativity was replaced by the Huancavelica, a scene depicting “a rural stone mountain village scene with a running brook, native llamas led by indigenous herdsmen, a huge eagle, and the very bright and colorful traditional Peruvian attire.” (LifeSite News) We shall see what new disgrace falls upon the world after this new experiment.

In the last few hours I have also learned  –and many of you may be aware as well– about a number of interesting, sometimes disturbing news. I will list only a few of them.

A very well connected friend just told me a few days ago that the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin has authorized Pope Francis to travel to Moscow shortly. He even added that “a consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart was in the plans.” Paradoxically Russia is now massing troops against the Ukrainian border. Ukraine is home to many Catholics faithful to Rome. This could be an unexpected completion of the Ostpolitik of  the II Vatican Council. Who knows? But I digress.

There are strong rumors of Francis having some terminal illness that reportedly would not allow him to live past 2022. Travelling to Russia and consecrating that country to the Immaculate Heart would be the kind of spectacular move that would secure him a place in history. There are some interesting prophecies connected to that. The first is a prediction of Our Lord registered by Sr. Lucy of Fatima:

(1)  “[The consecration] will be done, but it will be late; Russia will already have spread its errors throughout the world.”

The consecration would be a sure sign that time is running short for the powers of this world. In fact, Our Lady has reportedly predicted in the early 1960’s through a visionary (Conchita Gonzalez Keenan) that:

(2) “The Pope will go to Russia, to Moscow. As soon as he returns to the Vatican, hostilities will break out in different parts of Europe.“

We may believe this prediction or not but the important part –the visit of a Pontiff to Moscow– seems about to be fulfilled.  One can put together the statements (1) and (2) and a clear warning begins to take shape in one’s mind. Are we approaching the end of the end?

Now, add to the mix the physical attacks on various images of the Virgin Mary around the world. That reminded me of something I wrote a few years ago about the conspiracy to destroy the people of God at the time when the Persians ruled the world.

The story is found in the Book of Queen Esther, the Star-Queen. When Haman the Amalekite (through Agag,)  the archenemy of the Jews, has the legal trap ready to erase Israel from the map — then God confuses the way Haman interprets reality. Thus evil Haman causes his own demise.

He is invited to a banquet in the royal palace. Once there, Haman discovers two things: the first is the Jewish identity of Queen Esther. That is quickly followed by the uncovering of Haman’s legal subterfuge to use the power of King Ahasuerus to annihilate the Jews. Unwittingly, Haman has attacked the royal household.

Fuming with anger, the King walks out to the garden to clear his mind and think of a solution to undo Haman’s evil conspiracy, to save Queen Esther, and to punish the conspirators.

It becomes crystal clear in Haman’s mind that as soon as the King returns from the garden, his head will not be worth a penny. Overcome by despair, he tries to convince Queen Esther to forgive him. He did not know that she was a relative of his enemy Mordecai the Jew.

Evil is first hypocritical but above all, evil is stupid. Haman is so thick that he forgets he is in the royal court, and the woman who now owns his life is the Queen of Persia. He throws himself at her feet, boldly holding the queen’s feet in an effort to save his despicable hide. At that moment, the King enters the room and quickly goes from political fury to espousal indignation at seeing someone touching what only the King should touch.

That night, Haman and the last of his descendants are hanged from the scaffolds he had prepared for Mordecai the Jew and his family. The last descendant of Amalek, one of the five kings who wanted to prevent the Israelites from entering the Promised Land, dies ignominiously the death of the damned: he is left hanging from the gallows all night. (Deuteronomy 21:23)

That is the unexpected happy ending for the 14th of Nisan, foreshadowing the triumph in Calvary on another 14th of Nisan still centuries in the future. On that Good Friday, Christ would hang from the Cross to save not one generation of Israelites but all of Israel for all times, and all men of good will as well.

But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all! You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.’ He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation. (John 11:49-51)

Thus the sinful race of Amalek perishes in Persia but in Calvary all sin perishes without remedy and history begins to move in the opposite direction. We no longer fly away from Eden but we are returning to the lost garden.

The innocence and goodness of the Star Queen have destroyed the infernal serpent of Amalek. The primeval murderer finally realizes that he has only succeeded in killing himself.

Today we are living another representation of the same drama. The shadow of the scaffold is reaching the simulators that managed to infiltrate God’s royal court. They think they are safe there, they feel in control of the situation but they are misinterpreting reality.

“So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel […] From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. (See Matthew 24:15-32) NSRVACE

“But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand.” (Luke 21:28) DOUAY-RHEIMS

A very late consecration of Russia to Mary’s Immaculate Heart may be an act of desperation by someone who knows very well that he has been acting against the will of God. Haman the Agagite made such a mistake in antiquity. His careless approach to the Queen of Persia was the final straw, the last in a series of negative actions that made the situation no longer tolerable. We may be entering very interesting times.

On the day of St. Dominic of Silos