[Greek] ἐπιμένω (epimenō), [Latin] persevare, [Latin] manere, [Latin] permanere, [Latin] morari, [French] continuer, [French] subsister, [French] persister, [French] perpetuer, [French] rester

[Greek] ἐπιμένω (epimenō), [Latin] persevare, [Latin] manere, [Latin] permanere, [Latin] morari, [French] continuer, [French] persister, [French] perpetuer, [French]  subsister, [French] rester: to stay over, to remain, to persevere, to abide, to keep on; 19 scriptures

St. Cyprian warns us that we called to be sojourners who must keep away from worldly desires (1 Pet.2:11). Because of Vatican II and Synodality, the Church has become more like a United Nations NGO rather than a sojourning Church making disciples of all nations in the world.

Background information:

Greek Hellenism: This term means to stay on, to remain in place, to continue, to persist, and to endure.

Plato’s Laches 194a: “That which enjoins endurance. Let us be steadfast and enduring in our inquiry, so as to not be ridiculed for false courage.”

Plato’s Meno 93d: “Themistocles had his son Cleophantus spend time over to be trained as a good horseman.”

Euripides’ The Suppliants 624: “What fate, what issue there awaits the valiant monarch of the land?”

Old Testament: This term means to linger, to wait, to delay, to hesitate, and to be reluctant.

New Testament: This term means to remain, to stay, to continue, to keep on, and to persevere. For purposes of brevity, I will exclude examples pertaining to physical locations.

Jn.8:7: “But when the scribes and Pharisees continued asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, ‘Let the one among you who is without sin to be the first to throw a stone at her.'”

1. Jesus completely saw through their intentions to test Jesus in how He would respond to this.
2. If Jesus had answered that the women should be stoned, Jesus would be violating the Roman law.
3. If Jesus had responded that the woman should not be stoned, Jesus would be violating Mosaic law.
4. Instead Jesus stated that the one without sin can be the first to throw a stone at her.
5. Jesus’ writing on the ground with His finger, alluding to Ex. 31:18, may also refer to writing the shameful scribes’ and Pharisees’ names on the ground.
6. Jesus forgave the adulterous woman and told her to sin no more (Jn8:11).
7. Jesus immediately follows in saying that who ever follows Him will NOT walk in darkness. (In other words, whoever follows Jesus will walk in the light.)

Rom.6:1: “What then shall we say? Shall we persist in sin that grace may abound? Of course not!” (Paul refutes the notion that the gospel promotes moral laxity. One can not be both dead to sin and be alive in Christ. Justification of faith must be tied to holiness.)

Rom.11:22: “See, then the kindness and severity of God: severity toward those who fell, but kindness to you, provided you you remain in His kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off.” (The Jews’ failure to believe in Christ is a warning to Gentile Christians to be on guard against any anti-Jewish arrogance. One must recognize the need for divine grace.)

1Tim.4:16: “Attend to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in both tasks, for by doing so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.”

1. You must be nourished on the words of Christ and of sound teaching you have followed.
2. You must avoid profane and silly myths.
3. You must train yourself for devotion. (Teachings)
4. You must set an example for others. (Personal conduct)
5. You must not neglect the gift which was conferred to you.
6. You must attend and persevere in both conduct and teachings.
7. By doing both, you will save yourself and those who listen to you. One’s conduct and actions will determine one fate before God.

[Greek] παραμένω (paramenō) : to remain besides

Jas.1:25: ” But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres, and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, such a one shall be blessed in what he does.”

Pope Leo XIV is unfortunately continuing what Pope Francis has started.

1. Making questionable appointments and remaining silent about scandals in the Church. Pope Leo both initially approved and later remained silent about the scandal of the Vatican LGBTQ Jubilee.
2. Pope Leo is continuing Pope Francis’ path for Synodality.
3. In his address to the cardinals at Christmas, Pope Leo states, “In addressing faith, liturgy, morality…there is a risk of falling into rigidity or ideology.” So clear defined doctrine and teachings are clear understandings of sin are bad?
4. The Synodal Church seems to be failing its mission to follow the 1983 Code of Canon Law: “The salvation of souls, which always be the SUPREME LAW of the Church, is to be kept before one’s eyes.
5. The Synodal Church is more focused on MAKING A BETTER WORLD/SEEKING FAVOR WITH THE WORLD rather than with BRINGING SOULS INTO HEAVEN.

Conclusion:

Persevere, perseverance, persist, persistence, continue, continual, remain, permanent, subsist, rest, perpetuate, perpetuation

Update: It was hoped that Pope Leo would a different pope. Instead, things are remaining the same with appointments with questionable backgrounds, conduct, and beliefs [teachings]. More liturgical confusion and ambiguity.

Yet it remains to be seen whether or not Pope Leo XIV will lift the restrictions on the TLM.

As Pope Leo XIV is a canon lawyer, change will move very slowly because of his reluctance to change precedence. We are now seeing this already.

Jn.8:11: Jesus tells the adulterous woman that He does NOT condemn her and told her to SIN NO MORE!  Yet where is the clergy saying this to the LGBTQ community? pro-Abortion Catholics? “Cafeteria Catholics”? This is not being said. Instead, we have ignoring, de-stigmatizing, or even blessing [celebrating] sin!

Morality laxity: even some clergy are saying that homosexuality is no longer sinful or that the Church must change its teachings about homosexuality.

Ever since Vatican II, the Catholic Church has “watered-down” the notion that salvation is only found through the Catholic Church. Instead of emphasizing this, the Church has moves in the other direction.

Because of ecumenism, synodality, tolerance, inclusion, and democratization, Jesus’ Church has become a more worldly Church made in the image of man and his lived experiences.

Lived experiences are taking precedence over Church teachings. Lived experiences (synodality) has become an IDOL!

Lived experiences (tolerance, inclusion, false compassion continue to take precedence over forgiveness, conversion of heart, sin, Church teachings on sin, and Jesus’ statements on sin. This sounds like Synodality becoming an IDOL.

Paying lip service, ignoring, or refusing to obey Church teachings will hinder one’s efforts to attain holiness. One cannot be dead to sin and be truly Catholic.

Clergy who fail to state Church teachings or those who arrogantly ignore Church teachings will eventually be held accountable for their actions and consequences of their actions (leading others astray) before God. By not doing so you will not save yourself and those who listen to you. [Not following 1Tim.4:16]

It may be part of God’s providence in forcing faithful Catholics and Christians to continually call out the questionable clergy to task for their actions. The clergy leadership in the Church continues to hold Vatican II’s progressive long-standing beliefs that the Church must “get with the times”.

The generational, cultural, and theological  priestly divide

1. The older generations of priests from the more progressive and liberal culture are Modernists, progressives, and Synodalists. They oppose doctrinal clarity (rigidity).
2. The younger generations of priests and seminarians are more traditional and socially conservative priests and seminarians.  They seek greater doctrinal clarity.

ICE in sanctuary cities:

1. The concept of bringing in ICE to sanctuary can often be defined by political and partisan views. Justified removal of criminals or illegal occupiers in sanctuary cities?
2. The tragic deaths can be often defined by political and partisan views. Justified defense/shootings or murder?
3. Unfortunately, it seems that these political differences will remain in the future.

There continues a Holy Spirit-inspired rejuvenation coming from among the younger generations of laity (NOT from the Church) for Tradition and reverence. Yet there still remains the larger problem of Catholics leaving the faith.

“Always remain quiet and calm in the shelter of God’s will, under the might protection of the Most High.” St. Paul of the Cross

“Always remain close to the Catholic Church, because it alone can give you true peace, since it alone possesses Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, the true Prince of Peace.” St. Padre Pio

“We do not want a church that will move with the world. We want a church that will move the world.” GK Chesterton