When, on October 27, 2019 to conclude the Amazon synod, pope Francis at the end of the papal mass placed the statue of Pachamama – “Mother Earth” in the altar of Saint Peter, one could not escape the impression that it was service to Satan, as the idol was placed at the level of respect that belongs only to our Lord Jesus Christ. He tolerates – if he does not already support – the establishment of the pagan – Maya – altars in some dioceses in Latin America, and incorporation of customs and services into Roman Catholic mass that are unknown to Roman Catholic Church. Present were also shamans who put their hands on the ill and allegedly transfer the illness onto the chickens which they later kill and offer as a sacrifice to the Mayan gods. The mass is completed with the Mayan ritual dance as a way of communicating with the gods.
The participation of pope himself at such mass was shocking – according to the witnesses- held on February 15, 2016, when, along with him, as per Mayan ritual, two women incensed the altar. Copal incensing, per pagan beliefs, invites the gods of fertility and creation.
An African priest Jesusmary is expelled from Jesuit order because he publicly criticized pope for his support of homosexuals. When pope, at the end of the Amazon synod, let the Pachamama statue be brought into Vatican, this priest commented: “Of course those who do not come from paganism do not understand what it means to us, the converts; how painful it is to watch how those same idols that we have left to turn to Christ, are honored in Vatican, in the presence of pope.”
“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” – Job asked himself. There’s no doubt that the whole creation groans and travails.” (Romans 8:22) Why? Because of a man’s sin. Not just because of the sin of the greedy and the unappeasable, but because of any other sin that makes a man contaminate and pollute God’s creation. Sin shrouded man’s eyes and mind, and the man forgot that God gave the earth to the children of man (Psalms 115:16) to use but the earth is still all God’s (Exodus 19:5) “The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof, the world, and those who dwell therein.” (Psalms 24:1) That misunderstanding exists even nowadays. Man used to be impulsive and unreasonable, and nowadays, he is just openly plain evil. A soft maggot resists his Creator, he puffed up, about to explode, and everything is tight and cramped. Everyone bothers him, God especially. Man is working toward driving away God so that he can finally rule the earth.
The moment man withheld love and obedience from God, is the moment when the God’s creation withheld obedience from man. That kind of disobedience of the creation with which God is punishing us is painfully obvious. “Curse is the ground because of you, (Genesis 1:17), God condemned Adam and punished him to eat food from it in pain all his life. “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.” (Genesis 6:11) “The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.” (Isaiah 24:5) “And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.” (Genesis 6:6) When God made his promise to the man, He said: “If you walk in my statutes, and observe my commandments and do them, then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Your threshing shall last to the time of the grape harvest, and your grape harvest will overlap with the season of planting grain. You will eat your fill and live securely in your own land.” (Leviticus 26:3-5)”But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant,” (Leviticus 26:14-15) “I will turn against you…and I will make your heavens like iron, and your earth like bronze.” (Leviticus 26:19) “I will destroy your high places (pagan shrines – V.T.), and cut down your incense altars, and cast your dead bodies upon the dead bodies of your idols, and I will lay your cities waste.” (Leviticus 26:30-31)
Is there any hope? Of course there is. “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalms 27:1) Let’s return to God, and let’s put back his creation into his hands, and let’s not be afraid. Let’s hear what our holy bishop Nikolaj is telling us: “Before God the Sustainer created heaven and earth, he had planned the creation to the littlest of the details, all the forces, all the laws, all the orders. How could creation be possible without such a sustaining plan?
When the magnificent Creator created both worlds, the visible and the invisible, He continued to be the Sustainer, and to hold completely in His resistless power all the forces in both worlds, all the laws, and all the orders. “And not one sparrow will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father”, confirmed Son of God. (Matthew 10:29)” But not a hair of your head will perish.” (Luke 21:18) again without the consent of God the Sustainer. God guides with his hale hand even the contrary and contending forces.
The world originated from God, and it will finish with God. The world has good roots; therefore, it will bear good fruit. It came from light, and it will have a light ending. When we know that the beginning was from good, then we also know that the goal is towards good, and that the end is – good. In these words about the beginning there is a hidden prophecy about the ending. Like the beginning, like the ending. From whom the beginning is, with Him the ending is. Let’s hold on to this beatific truth, so that we can keep the hope, and strengthen through love for the One who created us from love.
The world was not created from madness or as an accident, with no sense or intent, but it originated from God all wise and omniscient, all merciful who directs it towards the purposeful goal.”
“What pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God.” (1 Corinthians 10:20) “Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?” (1 Corinthians 10:22) the Apostle warns us.