[Greek] διηγέομαι (diēgeomai), [Latin] surgere, [Latin] excitare, [Latin] suscitare: to arise completely, to wake up, to arouse the mind, to stir; Mt.1:24, Mk.4:38-39, Lk.8:24, Jn.6:18, 2Pet.1:13, 2Pet.3:1
In this post-Christian secular world, this anger is now presenting itself in boycotts, protests, and processions against such issues in these cultural wars.
Background information:
Old Testament: This term means to count, to record, to tell, and to take a census.
New Testament: This term means to wake up (be woken up), and to stir up. The angel of the Lord appeared in Joseph’s dream, telling him to take Mary as his wife. Joseph awoke and did as the angel commanded. The disciples, facing a storm at sea, woke Jesus us to help them. The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing.
Scripture:
“I think it right, as long as I am in this “tent”, to stir you up by a reminder.” 2 Pet.1:13
The purpose in writing is to call to mind the apostle’s witness to the truth, even as he faces the end of his life.
What is God’s promise? Through these precious and great promises, we may come to share in the divine nature, escaping from the corruption and evil desire in the world.
What is this tent? The tent represents one’s temporary and fragile earthly dwelling (human existence). We groan in this tent, longing for our future heavenly habitation.
Scripture:
“The second letter I am writing to you; through them by way of reminder I am trying to stir up your sincere disposition to recall the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and savior through your apostles.” 2Pet.3:1-2
The author wishes to strengthen the faithful against errors and against scoffers (false teachers) who justify their immorality.
Etymology: The Greek verb diegeiro means to awaken (-egeiro) through (dia-). The Latin verb excitare means to wake up, to stir up, to raise, and to excite. The Latin verb surgere means to rise and to lift. The Latin verb suscitare means to encourage, to stir up, and to awaken.
A wake-up call about supporting the Gay Pride flag:
“What is so wrong about putting up a Gay Pride flag? “I am a Catholic (Christian). I do not engage in that lifestyle, but I want to be supportive.” Catholics and Christians can be supportive (and honest) in telling them the truth about the gay lifestyle, which is disordered behavior according to the laws of God. In your silence, you are tacitly supporting this movement which upends and undermine God’s moral creation for marriage and procreation, which runs contrary to your Catholic (Christian) faith. This is also no different than for a Catholic (Christian) showing up for a gay marriage ceremony. Your presence there at this ceremony gives tacit support for this act.
“What is so wrong about putting up a Gay Pride flag? There are just a few people in the LGBTQ community who give the Pride movement a bad name.” Ok. Then why are all those who good people (not slavery promoters) who are proud of the Confederacy culture and traditions not allowed to put up a Confederacy flag? This idea of putting up a Confederacy flag will immediately not be allowed. This Gay Pride flag promotes values of upending and undermining of God’s designs for marriage and procreation? Why then is putting up the Gay Pride flag allowed?
Wake-up call about equity justice: defund the police (“police are corrupt”), reduced crime sentences, cashless bail, criminals released from jail, increased homelessness, increased crime, businesses closed, cities becoming ghost towns, and people leaving states. (This false compassion favors the criminals rather than the victims.)
***Wake-up call about our culture: The sanctity of life, traditional marriage, and the traditional understanding of gender/sex are all under attack. Instead, we have abortion, gay marriage, LGBTQ influences, gender ideology, and transgenderism which are upending, undermining, and destroying God’s design for marriage and procreation. The dirty little secret is: the devil seeks to do same. The devil would approve of this.
***Wake-up call about the devil: The devil also seeks to upend, undermine, and destroy God’s design for marriage and procreation. He hates us so much. One does not need to be full blown possessed to be influenced by the devil. The devil can influences us by distraction, busyness, rebellion, and pride. The devil promotes pride and disobedience by encouraging: one doing whatever one wants, obeying no one, and you being the “god” of yourself. The devil is offended by humbleness and faithfulness to God. The devil is greatly afraid of Mary because of her humbleness and sinlessness.
Wake-up call about false compassion: Under the guise of tolerance, silence, and “inclusion”, these actions give tacit support for peoples’ inappropriate or sinful behavior. These efforts seek to minimize or cover up the sinful nature of such actions. One’s eternal spiritual state could be on the line from such behavior. Without the acknowledgement and the forgiveness of sins, each one of us will be accountable for our actions before God. Those who bestow false compassion to others will be held accountable for their actions. Those who have received false compassion will also be affected accordingly.
Wake-up call about certain sinful but legal actions: Although many such actions (abortion, homosexuality, gay marriage, etc) may be legal in the eyes of the law and society, these actions are still considered sinful according to God’s laws. At the end of the day, it really does not matter what we think. It is ultimately up to God when He judges us.
Conclusion:
Surge, resurgence, excite, excitement, resuscitation, resuscitate
Paul’s reference to a tent is an apt metaphor for the fragile and transitory, and temporary nature of human existence.
The author of 2Peter also reminds his readers of the corruption, immorality, and evil desires in the world.
The author also mentions that there will be those who flout Christian morality, and who will justify their licentiousness.
Update: Angry consumers (customers) are waking up to the fact that certain companies (Target, Bud Light, etc.) are incorporating transgender ideology in their products. As a result of these boycotts, these companies are falling into financial ruin. Willfully inserting transgenderism into the culture has provoked a strong reaction from the people.
Bud Light seems to not be able to wake up to the reality that they need to apologize for their actions. This company continues with their marketing campaign with “non-apologies”. Instead, it looks like that they will continue their financial ruin.
Catholics are now welding more public pressure to cancel Pride Masses in recent months. Previously, Catholics did not have such capability to exert such social pressure.
Starbucks, now seeing the potential downside of supporting Pride Month, is removing Pride flags from it stores.
Many, now seeing that The Vatican, Catholic churches, universities, and other churches accommodating or acquiescing to the LGBTQ (pride) community, are now exerting more pressure and opposition against these institutions. The people are asking: “Churches, where do you now stand in these culture wars?”
***Many Catholics and Christians are now waking up to the unsettling fact that Pope Francis is further encouraging Fr. James Martin’s efforts to eventually change Church teachings for the LGBTQ community.
The people are now seeing that the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese has cowardly decided not to protest against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Concluding thoughts: Pride Month has been a wake-up call for many people who are now seeing these drag queens, Pride parades, and LGBTQ activists as: hateful, intolerant, self boasting, offensive, lewd, indecent (to minors), mocking, satanic, and sacrilegious. (Video footage and social media don’t lie.) And they are ‘proud’ of their behavior.
***Wake-up call about Cardinal Hollerich statements: Cardinal Hollerich, part of Pope Francis’s inner circle, stated: “When Church doctrine was being created, the concept of homosexuality did not even exist. Even in St. Paul’s time, people had no idea that there could be men and women attracted to the same sex.” (This Cardinal is trying to deny or erase that the Church had earlier opposed homosexuality. Pope Francis and his inner circle, including Fr. James Martin, are now seeking to lay the groundwork that homosexuality is not a sin and are seeking to normalize this behavior.) They are doing this in response to their “outreach” to the LGBTQ community. (Just look at what they are doing with “Outreach ” at Fordham University).
***Wake-up call from St. Pope John Paul II: “Pressure for homosexual relationships to be recognized as a different from of family, which are also entitled to the right to adopt, is a violation of God’s law and an ideology of evil…seeking to use human rights against humanity and the family.” (Pope John Paul II saw this coming!)
Next post: wake-up call: stop sinning