Divine Appeal Reflection - 241
Today, consider in Divine Appeal 241: "Red brigades infiltrated in the Government. The people accomplices to the violence; kidnappings; thieves of all kinds; the red Lucifer directs them to perdition."
There are seasons in history when evil no longer whispers—it speaks boldly through the mouths of the powerful, it legislates through corrupt systems, and it seduces ordinary people into moral blindness. In such times, entire societies participate in their own destruction, mistaking rebellion for liberation and silence for peace. The Divine Appeal speaks of a time when “red brigades infiltrate government,” yet this is more than a reference to political violence—it is a sign of a world where truth is dislodged from power, and demonic influence is welcomed in place of divine authority. When leaders forsake God, the people often follow. And when the people lose the sense of sin, they become not merely victims, but collaborators in evil (cf. Romans 1:21–32).
The image of “red Lucifer” directing violence, theft, and kidnapping to drag souls to perdition is not hyperbole. It reflects the deep spiritual reality that the enemy of our souls does not limit his influence to individuals but uses entire institutions when permitted. The Catechism teaches that sin can become “social” when it infects laws, cultures, and policies that directly oppose the dignity of the human person and the sovereignty of God (cf. CCC 1869). Saint John Paul II often warned that ideologies born without God end in the destruction of man. Violence, disorder, and lawlessness flourish where prayer and reverence have vanished. When Christ is removed from public life, chaos takes His place.
What is more alarming, and spiritually dangerous, is when this spirit of rebellion reaches beyond civil institutions and stretches its hand toward the sanctuary. Today’s governments, subtly or forcefully, attempt to influence the Church—not necessarily with swords, but with policies, finances, and social expectations. They pressure her to soften moral teachings, to be more “inclusive” at the expense of truth, and to exchange holiness for relevance. Some prelates, fearful of conflict or desirous of worldly favor, risk losing their prophetic voice. The warning about “prelates without dignity” speaks precisely to this: leaders who are no longer shepherds but administrators, who no longer confront the world but conform to it. Scripture teaches that judgment begins in the household of God (cf. 1 Peter 4:17). When the sanctuary reflects the world more than Christ, the light dims dangerously.
Yet even now, Christ’s mercy does not abandon His Church. In every age of confusion, God raises up saints who confront the powers of darkness not with violence, but with holiness. Saint Thomas More, once Chancellor of England, chose martyrdom rather than betray God’s law to satisfy a king. Saint Joan of Arc, led by divine voices, stood fearlessly in God's name against political manipulation and national betrayal. Saint Maximilian Kolbe rejected Nazi ideology's authoritarianism by laying down his life in a death camp, demonstrating love when hatred reigned. Saint Teresa of Calcutta defended the dignity of the poor against governments that treated them as burdens, revealing the face of Christ in every unwanted soul. Saint Oscar Romero, in the heart of El Salvador’s political terror, preached against state violence and corruption even as threats mounted, eventually sealing his testimony with his blood. These saints did not merely speak truth—they embodied it. The call now is urgent: resist with grace, confront lies with love, and live the Gospel without compromise. The Church must rise anew in her prophetic mission, cleanse her witness from all compromise, and shine forth the radiance of Christ—He alone who has conquered the world (cf. John 16:33).
Prayer
O Adorable Jesus, Light of the nations, protect us from the lies of the enemy. Free our leaders from corruption and our people from blindness. Give us the courage to stand for truth, to reject evil in every disguise, and to be instruments of Your peace and justice in this broken world.
Sr. Anna Ali of the Most Holy Eucharist, intercede for us.
