Virginia governor sued for targeting Christians during coronavirus panic

Gov. Ralph Northam is charged with criminalizing religious worship, which the Supreme Court has repeatedly defended.

Mon Apr 27, 2020 - 9:03 pm EST

By Liberty Counsel

RICHMOND, Virginia, April 27, 2020 (Liberty Counsel) — Pastor Kevin Wilson and Lighthouse Fellowship Church on Chincoteague Island filed a federal lawsuit against Governor Ralph Northam for violating their religious freedom by targeting churchgoers on Palm Sunday. Liberty Counsel represents the pastor and church and filed the lawsuit Friday in federal court. 

Police served a summons to Pastor Wilson for holding a church service for 16 people spaced far apart in a sanctuary that is rated for 293 people. The charge is violating Virginia Governor Northam’s COVID Order 55 with a penalty up to a year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine. 

On April 5, before the service on Palm Sunday, a local police officer entered the church. He gave no introduction and did not ask for the pastor. He abruptly said they could not have more than 10 people spaced six feet apart. Then, after the service, two police officers entered the church in full mask and gloves and asked to speak with the pastor. They issued him a summons and informed him that if he had service on Easter, all attending would get the same summons.    

Lighthouse Fellowship Church helps keep people free of drug addiction, brokenness, mental illness, poverty, and prostitution. The church, which does not have internet, provides physical, emotional and spiritual services to the community. Many of the members do not have driver’s licenses and are dependent on the church family for rides to get food, supplies, and go to medical appointments and personal care services like haircuts. Many attendees are on limited income obtained from government assistance — whether disability or social security, Medicare or Medicaid and the church has helped various members with electric or gas bills, rent, groceries, and physical labor. The church also offers a blanket ministry, prayer ministry, discipleship programs, and counseling services.  

Last Thursday, the parking lots of multiple commercial establishments were filled with hundreds of cars. Yet, Gov. Northam criminalizes religious worship that exceeds 10 people. 

The Supreme Court has unequivocally stated, “[i]f there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.” W. Va. State Bd. of Educ. v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624, 642 (1943) (emphasis added). The Commonwealth of Virginia does not have the authority to dictate the manner or form of worship, whether that be online or a 10-person limit. 

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “Governor Ralph Northam has clearly discriminated against Lighthouse Fellowship Church which provides essential physical, emotional and spiritual services to the community. This church does not have internet and cannot flip a switch to broadcast online. Even if it could go online, many of the people the church serves do not have internet. Pastor Wilson protected the health and safety of the 16 people that attended on Palm Sunday by requiring them to be spread far apart in the sanctuary. But because the church had six more people than the 10 allowed by the governor, the pastor is being criminally charged. We must balance the First Amendment with protecting the health and welfare of people but picking an arbitrary number of 10 people for every church is not the answer,” said Staver. 

Liberty Counsel is a nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics. Liberty Counsel provides broadcast quality TV interviews via Hi-Def Skype and LTN at no cost.

Published in LifeSiteNews with permission from Liberty Counsel.

Two California Emergency Room Covid doctors may start revolution with calm, science/data-based questioning of extreme measures

Update April 28 2020: The video was censored by YouTube and the article removed from LifeSiteNews. Hours ago Fox News published this article:

California urgent care doctor questions stay-at-home orders: 'You can get to herd immunity without a vaccine'

Watch the VIDEO

These two wonderful doctors have taken a heroic risk in being so publicly honest about what they have been seeing, experiencing and asking themselves as the health care system has been crashing and relatively few people actually dying from the virus.

Fri Apr 24, 2020 - 7:54 pm EST

https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/two-california-emergency-room-covid-doctors-may-start-a-revolution-with-calm-science-data-based-press-conference-questioning-of-extreme-measures

April 24, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Two California emergency room doctors may have just started a revolution against the extreme Wuhan flu mitigation policies with their calm, very sincere, caring, scientific-based and statistics-emphasizing presentation in a press conference two days ago.

The comments below from viewers give you an idea about what they revealed – for the good of the nation and their many patients – and how very credible and worth listening to they seem to be.

I have constantly felt, from the beginning of this pandemic, that there are many things that do not add up about the extreme and totally unprecedented and devastating measures that have been put in place to try to stop this new flu from causing model-estimated numbers of deaths that have clearly all proven to be dramatically wrong.

The doctors note that the scientific and statistical evidence does not at all justify the public being as terrified of this virus as they are and as the media continues every day to make them feel.

These two men who have been on the front lines for very long hours every day treating Wuhan flu patients, note, from the evidence they present, that the chance of dying from this virus is very low and that it is in fact not much worse than the seasonal flu. They respectfully raise many questions that any good doctors who care about their patients and their country should also naturally be raising.

Their presentation reflects many of the reasons why I spent five days researching and writing my recent blog post that has received over 580,000 page views and 671,000 Facebook likes to date and is still going strong. Also, the RemnantTV video that I refer to in the article has reached almost 300,000 views. The article and video has obviously hit a nerve with the public that is also now asking serious questions and wants answers – fast!

This is also why public demonstrations are increasing and cropping up in one U.S. state after another.

I have never, in over 20 years of writing LifeSite articles, experienced so many people reading and forwarding one of my articles to such an extent.

More and more people are asking “why are we doing all of this?” “What has been the real benefit of it, if any,” and “can we keep going on like this for much longer without causing massive social, economic and even health damage that could take years to recover from?”

These two wonderful doctors have taken a heroic risk in being so publicly honest about what they have been seeing, experiencing and asking themselves as they have seen the health care system crashing and relatively few people actually dying from this virus.

Read the comments below that were posted under the video. That will help you better than anything I can write to understand what you are about to see. And then watch the entire video – with your family – and have a discussion afterward.
Then contact your elected representatives and, for Americans, also contact the president at White House at WhiteHouse.gov.

• These are the smartest, most logical and most professional doctors we are seeing right here. No other doctors are speaking truths like these two fine examples of boldness and professionalism.  Facts!!
• Huge respect to these 2 doctors speaking out and exposing this nonsense. I'm seeing more and more medical professionals speaking up.
• Unfortunately the masses aren't really interested in the facts.
• Brilliant Doctors who actually care about the truth instead of just a paycheck. This exposes the PLANdemic and needs to be shared worldwide!
• The reporters love saying, trust the science, until the science doesn’t match up with their agenda. Love that the truth finally seems to be coming out.
• The job of the journalists is to keep the COVID scare going.
• You know what's sad about this..? In the current state of people's minds, they probably won't believe it.
• Now u see why they wanted only people with symptoms to test. So it would manipulate the real numbers
• Medicare pays hospitals more when a patient dies of covid-19! Thats why the hospital admin is pressuring doc to add it to the cause of death.
• The condescending tone and rudeness of the first reporter show how angry they are with real science and immunology!
• As a retired Neurosurgeon, my hat's off to these two physicians! They are spot on!
• These two should be around Trump. Not the completely corrupt Fauci and Brix.
• So proud of MY ER Doctors in this video!! May God watch over them, as exposing the lies can be detrimental to one's well-being.
• When someone is talking BS to you it leaves a bad feeling.   When someone is speaking the truth it leaves a good feeling.  These guys should be on national tv for all.
• reporters are thinking. " this does not fit the narrative we are going with "
• We all need to ask just what the hell is going on here.
• If something needs to go viral, I guess this is it.
• Those of us out there, with common sense and are not wearing masks, going out often, will be the ones taking care and helping those that cowered in the irrational fear that the media, and the WHO and CDC has spread everywhere. Kudos to those of you that didn't cower in fear.
• Love "not science" disarming the Big Lie of Fauci, Scarf lady, Bill Gates.
• Dr. Massishi is a brilliant man too as well as Dr. Erikson, they're both heroes.  This video is a gamechanger, we should share it as much as possible and listen twice to be able to memorize quotes and content from it to share with others.   I'm glad that that the two doctors are so calm and well able to explain it even with these aggressive reporters trying to catch them out.
• Thanks for making and uploading this fantastic video.

Leftist elites are using corona crisis to accomplish the ‘change’ promised by Obama, Hillary Clinton

Archbishop Viganó: The post-conciliar, modernist and Masonic church, aims to replace the Church of Christ with a monstrous one that does not come from God

en.news 

Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò doesn't believe that the Vatican published the third secret of Fatima completely in 2000.

Viganò told DiesIrae.pt (April 21) that those who saw the secret before its publication, said that it is about the Church’s apostasy which doesn't appear in the official version.

He blames the Cardinals Sodano and Bertone for this, and strangely passes over the fact that Cardinal Ratzinger participated in the publication and even wrote the secret’s official interpretation.

Viganò warns of attacks on the priesthood like the introduction of deaconesses, abolishing celibacy, and blurring the difference between the ministerial and the baptismal priesthood.

His guess: Francis will not officially allow female deacons but tolerate them quietly if German or Dutch dioceses go ahead. He stresses that Communion in the hand was introduced this way. After that, "Conservatives" could claim that “the Pope hasn't allowed anything new.”

For Viganò the Council’s Lumen Gentium committed a “doctrinal error” by turning priests into "presiders" of assemblies. He suggests treating the Council like the Pistoia Synod which contained errors and was therefore buried in oblivion.

Viganó observers that, after the Council, the Church of Christ was replaced by a “modernist and masonic” neo-Church that “sees itself as the spiritual arm of the New World Order, and as a defender of a Universal Religion”.

This corresponds for him to a masonic plan and prepares "the advent of the Antichrist.”

Apostate T. Dolan: Prayer of the Faithful At Mass Is “Boring”

en.news Unaware that his microphone was on, New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan said at the prayers of the faithful during his live-streamed Easter Sunday Mass,

"I forgot my water [?]. I thought we were skipping these boring things" (video below).

The "boring things" - the prayers of the faithful - were introduced into the New Rite Eucharist of 1970.

Although Dolan would not have admitted it in public, the prayers of the faithful are indeed "boring" and useless since the whole of Mass is a "prayer of the faithful" and a "general intercession."

New York mosque still open for daily prayers while churches across the US face mandatory shutdowns

New York mosque still open for daily prayers while churches across the US face mandatory shutdowns

Apr 22, 2020 4:00 pm By Robert Spencer

Jihad Watch

If you’re surprised, maybe you’ve been asleep for the last 20 years.

“New York mosque still open for daily prayers while churches across the country face mandatory shutdowns,” by Paul Shiver, The Blaze, April 20, 2020:

A mosque in New York is reportedly still open for daily prayers amid the coronavirus pandemic that has forced Christian churches across the country to close their doors and cancel their in-person gatherings.

While churchgoers in many states have been criticized and even punished for continuing to gather, that same level of scrutiny has apparently not been leveled at the Mosque of Jesus, Son of Mary in Syracuse, New York.

What are the details?

Despite the state’s executive order, which broadly bans all “non-essential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason,” neighborhood Muslims are still allowed gather together in the mosque’s prayer room for calls to prayer throughout the week.

“About 10 worshippers in masks are allowed in at a time, though rarely do that many show up. They stand far apart from each other as they follow a prayer leader standing on a plastic-covered prayer rug,” a Syracuse.com report notes. (Though in a video of one of the prayers, it appears that the worshippers are not at least 6 feet away, as the Centers for Disease Control recommends).

While it should be noted that the mosque has gone to great lengths to limit attendees’ exposure to the virus by covering the prayer room in plastic and installing a special ventilation system, it is unclear as to how that exempts the mosque from the government mandate.

Yet instead of facing criticism for continuing to gather, the mosque was commended by the news outlet for its efforts to “keep the faith” during the pandemic, especially as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan approaches….

Over the past few weeks, churchgoers in many states have been prohibited from gathering and, in many cases, have been punished for doing so despite government orders.

In Mississippi, some churchgoers received $500 fines for sitting in their vehicles in a church parking lot listening to a radio broadcast of the service. In Kentucky, nails were allegedly scattered at the parking lot entrances to prevent people from attending the Easter service. A northern California county even outlawed singing during church livestreams unless people are in a home.

In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio threatened to “permanently” shut down churches and synagogues if they refused to comply with the government’s shelter-in-place order….

Saint George, Martyr

The army of Aragon won the battle of Alcoraz against the Muslims thanks to the appearance of Saint George.
Saint George martyr model of Courage and strength for youth. Patron Against the Plague, Protector of Homes.

Patron of England and the Boy Scouts

by Dom Gueranger, 1897

Clad in his bright coat of mail, mounted on his warsteed, and spearing the dragon with his lance,--George, the intrepid champion of our Risen Jesus, comes gladdening us today with his Feast. From the East,--where he is known as The great Martyr,--devotion to St. George soon spread in the Western Church, and our Christian Armies have always loved and honored him as one of their dearest Patrons. His martyrdom took place in Paschal Time; and thus, he stands before us as the Guardian of the glorious Sepulcher, just as Stephen, the Protomartyr, watches near the Crib of the Infant God.

Devotion to St. George dates from a very early period. St. Gregory of Tours gives us several proofs of its having taken root in Gaul. St. Clotilde had a singular confidence to the holy Martyr, and dedicated to him the Church of her dear Abbey of Chelles. But this devotion became more general and more fervent during the Crusades, when the Christian armies witnessed the veneration in which St. George was held by the Eastern Church, and heard the wonderful things that were told of his protection on the field of battle. The Byzantine historians have recorded several remarkable instances of the kind; and the Crusaders returned to their respective countries publishing their own experience of the victories gained through the Saint's intercession. The Republic of Genoa chose him for its Patron; and Venice honored him as its special Protector, after St. Mark. But nowhere was St. George so enthusiastically loved as in England. Not only was it decreed in a Council held at Oxford, in the year 1222, that the Feast of the Great Martyr should be observed as one of Obligation; not only was devotion to the valiant Soldier of Christ encouraged, throughout Great Britain, by the first Norman Kings;--but there are documents anterior to the invasion of William the Conqueror, which prove that St. George was invoked as the special Patron of England even so far back as the 9th century. Edward III. did but express the sentiment of the country when he put the Order of the Garter, which he instituted in 1330, under the patronage of the Warrior Saint. In Germany, King Frederic III. founded the Order of St. George in the year 1468.

HYMN: (Die XXIII Aprilis.)

Faithful friend of Christ,--Prince of his soldiers,--most brilliant luminary of earth,--star of fairest light,--watchful guardian of such as honor thee! be thou our guardian, O Martyr George.

Blessed George! we celebrate thy combat, whereby thou didst destroy the idols, and bring to nought the manifold errors that were spread by the demons, O most glorious Martyr of Christ.

Thou hast been made a member of the heavenly army, O Blessed George! Thou now contemplates, as far as may be, the Divine Nature. Vouchsafe to protect all us who venerate thee.

Out of ardent love for Christ, his King,--who gave his life for the world's salvation,--the great Soldier George longed to suffer death for his sake. He delivered himself up, for his heart was inflamed with divine zeal. Let us, therefore, full of faith, celebrate his praise in our hymns, as our earnest defender, as the glorious servant of Christ, as the faithful imitator of his Lord, as he that is ever beseeching God to grant to us the forgiveness and pardon of our sins.

The angelic host is in admiration at thy combat, O thou Prince of Warriors! The very King of Angels, struck with admiration, desired thy beauty, O martyr!--therefore did he deign to make thee his companion for ever in his kingdom.

Imitating thy Lord, O Martyr, thou cheerfully and willingly deliverest thyself up to the battle. Thou didst gain the victory, and didst merit to become the guardian of the Church of Christ, which thou unceasingly defendest and protectest.

As the invincible Martyr,--as the prize-bearing victor,--as the unconquerable defender of the faith,--be now an impregnable tower to them that celebrate thy praise, O wise George! and protect them from all dangers by thy intercession.

Decked with a brilliant crown, beautified with a royal diadem and scepter, and clad in a purple robe reddened with thy blood, thou, O happy Martyr, now reignest in heaven with the King of the angelic hosts.

Come, all ye people, let us celebrate in festive song the bright and glorious Resurrection of the Lord; let us also festively celebrate the bright memory of George the Martyr: let us crown him, as the invincible soldier, with the flowers of Spring ; that by his prayers, we may deserve to be freed from tribulation and sin.

Spring is come; let us exult with joy: the Resurrection of Christ hath shone upon us; let us rejoice in gladness: the Feast of the prize-bearing Martyr George hath appeared, gladdening the Faithful with its brightness; come, then, let us, who love his Feast, celebrate it with our spiritual canticles. For, like a brave Soldier, George stood with manly courage before the tyrants, and covered them with confusion, being an imitator of the Passion of our Savior Jesus Christ. He had no pity on the clayey vessel of his body, but wholly transformed it by delivering it to torments, as brass is melted by fire. Thus, then, let us cry out unto him: O prize-bearing Martyr! beseech God that he save our souls.

PRAYER:

Thou, O George, art the glorious type of a Christian Soldier. Whilst serving under an earthly Monarch, thou didst not forget thy duty to the King of heaven. Thou didst shed thy blood for the faith of Christ; and he, in return, appointed thee Protector of Christian Armies. Be their defender in battle, and bless with victory them that fight in a just cause. Protect them under the shadow of thy standard; cover them with thy shield; make them the terror of their enemies. Our Lord is the God of Hosts; and he frequently uses War as the instrument of his designs, both of justice and mercy. They alone win true victory, who have heaven on their side; and these, when on the battle-field, seem to the world to be doing the work of man, whereas it is the work of God they are furthering. Hence are they more generous, because more religious, than other men. The sacrifices they have to make, and the dangers they have to face, teach them unselfishness. What wonder, then, that Soldiers have given so many Martyrs to the Church!

But there is another warfare, in which we Christians are all enlisted, and of which St. Paul speaks, when he says: Labour as a good Soldier of Christ; for no man is crowned save he that striveth lawfully (II. Tim. ii. 5.). That we have thus to strive and fight during our life, the same Apostle assures us of it in these words: Take unto you the Armor of God, that ye may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand in all things perfect. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the Breastplate of justice, and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. In all things taking the Shield of Faith, wherewith ye may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one. And take unto you the Helmet of the hope of salvation, and the Sword of the spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. vi. 13, 17). We, then, are Soldiers, as thou wast, O holy Martyr! Before ascending into heaven, our divine Leader wishes to review his troops; do thou present us to him. He has loaded us with honors, notwithstanding our past disloyalties; we must, henceforth, prove ourselves worthy of our position. In the Paschal Communion which we have received, we have a pledge of victory; how can we ever be so base, as to permit ourselves to be conquered! Watch over us, O sainted Warrior! Let thy prayers and example encourage us to fight against the dragon of hell. He dreads the Armor we wear; for it is Jesus himself that prepared it for us, and tempered it in his own precious Blood: oh! that, like thee, we may present it to him whole and entire, when he calls us to our eternal rest.

There was a time, when the whole Christian world loved and honored thy memory with enthusiastic joy: but now, alas! this devotion has grown cold, and thy Feast passes by unnoticed by thousands. O holy Martyr! avenge this ingratitude, by imitating thy divine King, who maketh his sun to rise upon both good and bad;--take pity on this world, perverted as it is by false doctrines, and tormented at this very time by the most terrible scourges. Have compassion on thy dear England, which has been seduced by the Dragon of hell, and by him made the instrument for effecting his plots against the Lord and his Christ. Take up thy Spear, as of old; give the Monster battle, and emancipate the Isle of Saints from his slavish yoke. Heaven and earth join in this great prayer;--in the name of our Risen Jesus, aid thine own, and once devoted people, to a glorious resurrection!

_____________________

Novena to St. George

Preparatory Prayer

Almighty and eternal God! With lively faith and reverently worshiping Thy divine Majesty, I prostrate myself before Thee and invoke with filial trust Thy supreme bounty and mercy. Illumine the darkness of my intellect with a ray of Thy heavenly light and inflame my heart with the fire of Thy divine love, that I may contemplate the great virtues and merits of the saint in whose honor I make this novena, and following his example imitate, like him, the life of Thy divine Son.

Moreover, I beseech Thee to grant graciously, through the merits and intercession of this powerful Helper, the petition which through him I humbly place before Thee, devoutly saying, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Vouchsafe graciously to hear it, if it redounds to Thy greater glory and to the salvation of my soul.

Prayer in Honor of St. George

O God, who didst grant to St. George strength and constancy in the various torments which he sustained for our holy faith; we beseech Thee to preserve, through his intercession, our faith from wavering and doubt, so that we may serve Thee with a sincere heart faithfully unto death. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Invocation of St. George

Faithful servant of God and invincible martyr, St. George; favored by God with the gift of faith, and inflamed with an ardent love of Christ, thou didst fight valiantly against the dragon of pride, falsehood, and deceit. Neither pain nor torture, sword nor death could part thee from the love of Christ. I fervently implore thee for the sake of this love to help me by thy intercession to overcome the temptations that surround me, and to bear bravely the trials that oppress me, so that I may patiently carry the cross which is placed upon me; and let neither distress nor difficulties separate me from the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Valiant champion of the Faith, assist me in the combat against evil, that I may win the crown promised to them that persevere unto the end.

Concluding Prayer

My Lord and my God! I offer up to Thee my petition in union with the bitter passion and death of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, together with the merits of His immaculate and blessed Mother, Mary ever virgin, and of all the saints, particularly with those of the holy Helper in whose honor I make this novena.

Look down upon me, merciful Lord! Grant me Thy grace and Thy love, and graciously hear my prayer. Amen.

_____________________

Prayer to St. George as your Patron Saint

Saint George, whom I have chosen as my special patron, pray for me that I, too, may one day glorify the Blessed Trinity in heaven. Obtain for me your lively faith, that I may consider all persons, things, and events in the light of almighty God. Pray, that I may be generous in making sacrifices of temporal things to promote my eternal interests, as you so wisely did.

Set me on fire with a love for Jesus, that I may thirst for His sacraments and burn with zeal for the spread of His kingdom. By your powerful intercession, help me in the performance of my duties to God, myself and all the world.

Win for me the virtue of purity and a great confidence in the Blessed Virgin. Protect me this day, and every day of my life. Keep me from mortal sin. Obtain for me the grace of a happy death. Amen

__________________________________________

Hymn: Deus, tuorum militum

O God, of those that fought Thy fight,

Portion, and prize, and crown of light,

Break every bond of sin and shame

As now we praise Thy Martyr's name.

He recked not of the world's allure,

But sin and pomp of sin forswore:

Knew all their gall, and passed them by,

And reached the throne prepared on high.

Bravely the course of pain he ran,

And bare his torments as a man:

For love of Thee his blood outpoured,

And thus obtained the great reward.

With humble voice and suppliant word

We pray Thee therefore, holy Lord,

While we thy Martyr's feast-day keep,

Forgive Thy loved and erring sheep.

All honor, laud, and glory be,

O Jesu, Virgin-born, to Thee,

All glory, as is ever meet,

To Father and to Paraclete. Amen

http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/

The Fourteen Holy Helpers' intercession was first invoked in Germany during the Black Death, also known as the 14th century plague.

Novena to the 14 Holy Helpers

Yes, coronavirus is a punishment from God. Just ask a repentant sinner

By John Horvat

The repentant sinner sees not only individual sins, but also a sinful society.

Tue Apr 21, 2020 - 8:14 pm EST

April 21, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Seeing the corona crisis as a chastisement for sin is a non-starter with many who prefer not to think of God in those terms. However, any pondering about the coronavirus and God will eventually lead us to question His motives. The answers vary depending on whom you ask.  

Whom Not to Ask

Never ask progressive theologians if the coronavirus is a chastisement. They will always find some kind of class struggle cause for catastrophes. Greedy people oppressing poor people cause disasters. Systemic social structures create misfortunes. Abuse of “Mother Earth” leads to eco-catastrophes. Besides, the notions of sin and hell are fuzzy to these modern theologians. One cannot be chastised for something one is not sure exists.

Don’t ask a class of sentimental Catholics who will always avoid unpleasant talk about chastisement. The prospect of God’s infinite mercy attracts them much more than His equally infinite justice. They believe that fire-and-brimstone sermons are a thing of the past. Now is the era of peace and love. They will tell you the virus is no punishment because a merciful God does not chastise.

Don’t ask hardened sinners for their take on the issue. They have the most to lose by belief in a chastisement. They are busy enjoying life’s pleasures, committing sins and embracing the world’s false promises. And although the wages of sin weigh down their consciences, they live in denial, thinking themselves happy. There is no time to think about chastisement as long as the party keeps going.

The self-righteous are a bit more honest. They are willing to admit the possibility of chastisement — but only for the sins of others. They rightly concede that sins like procured abortion, sodomy, pornography, and adultery could bring down God’s judgment upon us. But since they do not commit these sins, they see the full weight of any chastisement falling on the sinners, not themselves.

Getting the Right Answer

However, if you want an honest answer to the question, ask a repentant sinner. Such sinners will always have the courage to say it outright. Yes, the coronavirus is a punishment for our sins. God is chastising us for abandoning Him. God is chastising me. I deserve to be punished, for I have grievously sinned against my God.

The reason why repentant sinners answer correctly is that they have a true notion of what sin is. Alas, society has lost the idea of the gravity of sin, therefore we cannot conceive it being the cause of chastisement. If we but knew the seriousness of sin and how it offends God, we would see everything, including our own guilt, with different eyes.

The Gravity of Sin

Saint Augustine (Contra Faustum, XXII, xxvii) defines sin, especially mortal sin, as “something said, done or desired contrary to the eternal law.” When we sin, we voluntarily turn away from God, our true last end. We disobey God by breaking His law, which is suited to our nature and happiness. Sin offends God because we prefer a passion or mutable good to our Creator. Sin does not hurt or change God, who is immutable. However, it does offend God by depriving Him of the honor and reverence due to Him.

Saint Alphonsus de Liguori says the sinner insults, dishonors, and afflicts God. As sinners, we insult God by declaring ourselves His enemies and fighting Him who created us. We dishonor God by offending Him for the sake of pleasures or passions, which we turn into false gods. When we sin, we afflict God because we treat with ingratitude Him who tenderly loved us to the point of giving up His Only Begotten Son to death, and death on the Cross.

Thus, sin is serious since it destroys our relationship with God. It frustrates God’s infinite goodness, whereby He desires our greatest good and happiness.

A Sinful Society

We live in iniquitous times, in which the occasions of sin are everywhere. Everything in our culture conspires against us so that we may sin. Most choose not to recognize their iniquity. However, we are all sinners.

We are sinners by our acts against God, especially those of impurity that so dominate our hypersexualized world. We can sin by failing to honor God, defend His law, or oppose the reign of sin. For those of us who try to do good, we can sin by failing to be good enough.

The more we love God, the more we see our sins before us. Thus, the psalmist says: “For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me” (Ps. 50:5). That is why the saints are particularly sensitive to their sins and constantly seek to do reparation for them. When misfortune visits them, they see it as a just chastisement for their offenses against an infinite God.

A Wrong Idea of Chastisement

Most people have the wrong idea of God’s chastisements. They see them almost as arbitrary acts. They do not see them as a means to put things back in order.

Our Lady at Fatima spoke of chastisements in this manner. When society as a whole becomes iniquitous and unrepentant, the only way to return to order is through great tribulation for all. Saint Alphonsus clarifies the matter by saying, “God being infinite goodness, desires only our good and to communicate to us his own happiness. When he chastises us, it is because we have obliged him to do so by our sins.”

Indeed, God desires our amendment more than we do. He chastises “not because he desires to punish us, but because he wishes to deliver us from punishment.” He has compassion on us by showing Himself “angry towards us, in order that we may amend our lives, and that thus He may be able to pardon and save us.”

The Desire for Chastisement

Repentant sinners perceive all this. They have experienced God’s merciful love and chastisements in their own lives. They know the good that can come from this action for themselves. They desire that others might also share in God’s merciful yet just action.

The repentant sinner sees not only individual sins, but also a sinful society. The sinner realizes that the only way society as a whole will return to order is through an analogous process through which sinners pass. Thus, the chastisement is not a calamity, but liberation from evil’s dominion.

Indeed, the sinner welcomes the chastisement, recognizing the suffering that is involved. Saint Alphonsus says the sinner cries out with great love: “O God I have so much offended Thee, chastise me in this life, that thou mayst spare me in the next.”

Many are opining about the present crisis, trying to come up with convoluted explanations for the great sufferings that are coming. They should ask a repentant sinner. They should heed Our Lady’s message at Fatima.

John Horvat II is a scholar, researcher, educator, international speaker, and author of the book Return to Order, as well as the author of hundreds of published articles. He lives in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, where he is the vice president of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property.