[Greek] ἐκλείπω (ekleipō), [Latin] deficere, [French] se detacher, [French] abandonner, [German] abfallen: to eclipse, to fail, to leave out, to cease, to die, to omit, to end; Lk.16:9, Lk.22:32, Lk.23:45, Heb.1:12
St. Augustine was speaking against scientists who lapse into pride without respect to God. This same criticism can be applicable to the Modernists who are remaking Jesus’ Church into a worldly synodal Church in the image of man.
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means to leave out, to pass over, to abandon, to fail, to eclipse, to die, to faint, to be lacking, to be left, to depart, end, and to postpone.
Aeschlyus’ Prometheus Bound 827: “The weary tale I shall leave out.”
Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound 827: “I will describe the toils she has endured before she came here.”
Sophocles’ Philoctetes 911: “Leave me behind and sail away.”
Xenophon’s Anabasis 7.4.2 “The inhabitants abandoning their homes.”
Lysias’ Accusation of Calumny 8.16: “The pretexts you clearly invented about me have failed you.”
Plato’s Menexenus 234b: “For the vigor which once I had has gone from me.”
Old Testament: This term means to die, to fail, to leave off, to stop, and to eclipse (overshadow).
2Macc.10:13: He ended his life by taking poison
Psa.102:28: But you are the same, your years have no end
Jer.7:28: Faith has disappeared
Sir.17:31: Is anything brighter than the sun? Yet it can be eclipsed
Tob.14:11: But now my spirit is about to leave me
New Testament: This term means to fail, to end, and to cease.
Parable of the Dishonest Steward:
- The dishonest steward wrote generous notes to ingratiate himself with the debtors.
- Mammon (earthly treasures) fails because it does not last.
- One must make prudent use of one’s earthly material wealth.
- Making friends means showing kindness (mercy) using these goods for the poor and less fortunate.
- While earthly goods are finite, heavenly spiritual treasures are longer lasting.
- Through the charitable, prudent, and creative use of these earthly material goods, one can accumulate permanent spiritual treasures in heaven.
- Faith is inadequate. Works (actions) are also required.
- Eternal dwelling represent the heavenly abodes.
Scripture:
“I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth (mammon), so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” Lk.16:9
One must make prudent use of money in helping others. This will in turn may produce heavenly spiritual treasures.
“But I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers.” Lk.22:32
Jesus hopes that Peter does not fail in role as leader of the apostles. Jesus warns that Satan will test and try the apostles’ faith. But the Holy Spirit will strengthen them.
Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat: Lk.12:31
- Satan may tempt you will trials or temptations.
- Satan will test your faith.
- Satan will will try to confuse you (make your wheat [faith] look like chaff [sin and corruption]).
- Satan will seek to lead you astray.
“Because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.” Lk.23:45
At the time of Jesus’s death, the sky darkened because of an eclipse of the sun. The prophecy of Amos 8:9 (The sun will set and the land will be covered in darkness). Jesus’ death and resurrection remove the barrier between man and God’s domain.
“You will roll them [existing heavens and earth] like a cloak, and like a garment they will be be changed. But you [Jesus] are the same, and your years will have no end.” Heb.1:12
This garment will be changed into a new heaven and earth. Jesus will not change.
Etymology: The Greek verb ekleipo essentially means to leave (-leipo) out (ek-). The Latin eclipsis is a darkness or a failing of appearing. The Latin verb deficere means to fail, to lack, and to end. The Latin defectus is the present participle of deficere. Essentially, a defect is some form of a failure.
Eclipse, deficient, deficit, defect
It was interesting to discover the many varied and nuanced meanings of this term which can be applicable in any time in history. In addition to astronomical bodies, eclipsing can now apply to people, ideas, and movements.
This term is quite extensively used in the Old Testament.
Modernists: those who also fall into shadow away from God’s light
- They lapse into pride without respect for God laws. (They advocate “mercy above all else”, inclusion, toleration, and false compassion, rather than acknowledging sin.)
- They cannot see themselves already in the shadow of eclipse. (If you oppose Pope Francis, then you are “divisive”.)
- They ignore God and do not inquire as how they come to possess the intelligence to know Him. (It is as if Pope Francis perceives that he has a ‘divine calling’ to “reform” the Church. In his efforts to “reform” and “renew” the Church, he is actually tearing it down.)
- They pridefully believe that Jesus’ Church must be remade into a worldly synodal Church in the image of man. (Worldly values, paganism, and sin enter into the Church).
- They never seem to ask themselves how can they be sure that they have the answers. (Modernists believe that the Traditional Latin Mass “impoverishes” while the Novus Order Mass “nourishes” [as Novus Order Mass attendance declines and churches close, and Traditional Latin Mass attendance thrives]???)
- Despite all their knowledge, they are still in the shadow of eclipse.” (Rather than reversing Vatican II’s disastrous pastoral, liturgical, and spiritual end results, Pope Francis and his inner circle are actually doubling down in creating more liturgical confusion and chaos).
Update: I hear talk that this solar eclipse will encounter seven U.S. cities named Nineveh. To be honest, I am more blown by how many cities named Nineveh ! There will be some people who will go down the biblical prophecy “rabbit hole” which may eclipse the significance of this solar event. ☺☺☺
These scriptures illustrate the importance that works are needed in order to exercise one’s faith.
We do not need Marian prophesy to see the turmoil in the Church. We must not ignore ( leave out) the fact that there is already division in the Church.
Pope Francis and his inner circle: prideful minimizing (dismissing) of Jesus’ command to sin no more (Jn.8:11) ==> we should re-evaluate the sinfulness of homosexuality ==> “non-liturgical” blessings for “irregular couples” ==> blessing of sin
It seems that the border crisis is eclipsing all other concerns in this upcoming election. There are many issues at play. I will just leave it at that.
Each and every one of us must be aware Satan is sneakily trying to confuse and sift us like wheat through trials, pride, disobedience, temptation, sin, busyness, dryness, and distractions.
“The devil is capable of confusing the most brilliant of minds.” St. Padre Pio
“Pride is the beginning of sin. And what is pride but the craving for undue exaltation.” St. Augustine (from City of God)