FIRENZE-NUOVA ROMA 8 September 2020 (ORCNS) -- The Archfather d. Rutherford I gave his annual allocution on the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. His Holy Eminence addressed topics including political discord and the importance of Christ above all nations. The video of the allocution is below, followed by the transcript.
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Da Firenze-Nuova Roma ai Cristifedeli di tutto il mondo, ed ai membri della Corte di Santa Maria di Walsingham, grazia, pace, e la nostra benedizione Apostolica in questa festa gioiosa della Natività della Beata Vergine Maria. This day we celebrate the birth of the New Eve by whose obedience Christ was able to be born into the world for the salvation of mankind. Our Lady was immaculately conceived, yet had free will and was under no obligation to become the Mother of God. Yet when the angel appeared to her, she said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to thy will – and she accepted the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. We, each of us, likewise have a choice. We can accept God, or we can reject Him. Indeed, this is a choice we must make constantly throughout our lives in all that we do. It is easy to fall away from the faith under the influences of the world, and so we must pray for conversion on a regular basis and seek the help and intervention of the Blessed Virgin. Remember the benefits to mankind from the obedience of Our Lady whose birth we joyfully celebrate this day. The decisions we face in life, though, are rarely easy, but they are simple at their core. Questions are not black and white, but right and wrong, by which is meant “of God” and “not of God.”
In the 2000 years since the Incarnation of Christ, Our Lord seems not to have penetrated the hearts of mankind, for the world seeks constantly to abandon the ways of Christ and instead seeks other ends. When God comes to people, instead of following the example of Our Lady, far too often the invitation is rejected.
Carissimi, è necessario cercare nostro Signore, cercare Cristo in tutto per sempre. Se non lo cerchiamo, certo perderemo la nostra via; perderemo la via corretta di Dio. Dobbiamo sapere e capire che quella via, la via di Dio, è veramente l’unica via. We must search for our Lord, search for Christ in everything always. If we do not search for Him, we will certainly lose our way; we will lose the right path of God. We must know and understand that that way, the way of God, is the only way. Forse pensate che non sia facile, ma abbiamo la sacra liturgia ed i sacramenti della Santa Chiesa, la sposa di Cristo, per aiutarci. Perhaps you think it is not easy, but we have the sacred liturgy and the sacraments of the Holy Church, the bride of Christ, to help us.
Today in the world there is much political upheaval and discord. This is nothing new in history. Mankind, being naturally oriented towards religion, will find something new if religion itself is abandoned. This we see in many countries today. For example, Europe is abandoning its sacred heritage, and the identity politics seen in the United States have largely replaced mainstream Protestantism that was so common, and thus is ultimately the same religion in a new package – only without God except for occasionally some warped version of God that somehow favours only one political party or viewpoint. We must caution, therefore, the Christian faithful not to make political decisions, including one’s own vote, according to political or other identity, but according only to the laws of God and the precepts of his Holy Church. Similarly, we must caution against too much identity with political parties and organisations at all, for they all too easily can insidiously replace one’s identity as a Christian or cause one’s Christian faith to be warped to fit the whims of politics. More than that, too much identification with political parties and even with national identity under the guise of patriotism, can tear away at one’s soul, pitting people against each other, breeding division where there should be unity in Christ.
Pues Dios no dice que una nación es mejor de todos los otros países. Pensais que la frontera sea una división májica o sagrada, y la gente aquí sea buena, pero la gente allá sea mal? Dijimos que no. De ningúna manera. Todos son hermanos en Cristo, pero los países vienen y se van. Solo la iglesia de Cristo es por siempre y para siempre. God does not say that one nation is better than all other countries. Do you think that the border is a magical or sacred division, and the people here are good, but the people there are bad? We say absolutely not. All are brothers and sisters in Christ, but the nations, they come and go. Only the Church of Christ is of all time and remains forever. Indeed, just as socialism and communism are opposed to and incompatible with the Christian faith, so too is nationalism. Our loyalty must first and foremost always be to God. If we are with God, He will be with us, and then who can stand against us?
Now, prepare yourselves to receive God’s blessing.
Et benedictio Dei omnipotentis, + Patris, et + Filii, et Spiritus + Sancti descendat super vos et maneat semper. R. Amen.
