This Day, the Thirteenth Day of May
At Rome, in the time of the emperor Phocas, the dedication of the church of St. Mary of the Martyrs, formerly a temple of all the gods, called Pantheon, which was purified and dedicated by the blessed Pope Boniface IV to the honor of the Blessed Mary ever Virgin, and of all the martyrs.This consecration of the Basilica dedicated to St. Mary and the Christian Martyrs in a temple formerly dedicated to the adoration of the pagan gods occurred in 609 A.D. It symbolizes the empire of Christ - an empire of martyrdom and charity - overcoming the false religions backed by the state in the first six centuries of the Christian era.
In 1986, Pope John Paul II completely reversed this victory by convening his "Prayer Meeting of All Religions" at Assisi, Italy wherein he invited practitioners of all manner of religions to invoke their luminaries under the auspices of the Pope himself.
He traces this spectacular display reversing all previous Catholic teaching to the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965):
Assisi Prayer is a "visible illustration, an exegesis of the events, a catechesis, intelligible to all, of what is presupposed and signified by the commitment to ecumenism and to the inter-religious dialogue which was recommended and provided by the Second Vatican Council."
(Christmas address of the Pope to the Cardinals and members of the Curia on 22 December, 1986, L'Osservatore Romano, 5 January 1987, page 7)
"Look at Assisi in the light of the Council!"One can only tremble at what price the martyrs paid to testify to the One true God, His Only Begotten Son, and His One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church as the only way of salvation when considering the actions of Pope John Paul II and the aftermath of the Second Vatican Council.
(Papal address in the General Audience of 22 October, 1986)
I look at this horrible accident as a parable. This giant crucifix dedicated to John Paul II is bent unnaturally forward as though Christ were straining from the Cross to appeal to man. However two days before his canonization, this giant crucifix collapsed under its weight and unnatural posture killing a young man who had come to admire it. This is a sad parable of the men who believe God is not merciful enough so they must make Him to appear even more merciful (as though that were possible):
Hence, the manipulation of the mercy of God by men who are deficient in supernatural faith ends up bringing death instead of life by proclaiming a Christ who fails.
A PRAYER FOR PAGAN PEOPLES
O Lord, have mercy also on the pagan nations of the world, the sad thousands of millions who walk in the darkness of the shadow of the valley of death. Have pity on abandoned sinners, on the malicious, on outcasts, on the fallen and on the depraved. Have mercy on the dying and especially on those who have none to pray for them. With all the fervor of Thy Sacred Heart, my Jesus, pray and beseech Thy Heavenly Father for the conversion of all sinners, and for the perseverance in Thy grace of all the just. Amen.
