St. John of the Cross, Authority, & the Protestant Revolt | Faith, Obedience & Counter-Reformation

About this sermon

On this day in 1591, Saint John of the Cross was born into eternal life. His feast is celebrated on November 24, and his life stands as a profound witness to faith, authority, obedience, and suffering in an age of rebellion. Working closely with Saint Teresa of Jesus, Saint John of the Cross played a crucial role in the Carmelite Restoration, one of God’s great counter-attacks against the Protestant Revolt and the wider spiritual collapse of Europe. This restoration was not merely institutional—it was deeply interior, rooted in faith grounded in authority. The Protestant revolt, at its core, was a rebellion against authority: • private interpretation of Scripture • privatized belief • rejection of hierarchy • the seed of political and social revolution Yet behind every rebellion lies a deeper wound: the abuse of authority. As this talk explains, abuses by churchmen and rulers—especially from the late 13th century onward—helped precipitate massive loss of faith. Where authority is misused, faith collapses. Saint John of the Cross teaches us: Authority comes from God as Author Every authority has a defined sphere Stepping outside that sphere leads to corruption Faith itself rests upon God’s authority Obedience, rightly lived, makes the soul immovable—even before the devil Despite being imprisoned, tortured, exiled, and mistreated by superiors, Saint John never became a revolutionary. He did not scheme, complain publicly, or incite rebellion. Instead, he suffered in silence and hope, offering everything to God. When Our Lord appeared to him and asked what he desired, Saint John replied: “To suffer and be despised with You, Lord.” This is the summit of faith. This is the fruit of reverencing authority rightly ordered under God. 📌 Topics Covered: Saint John of the Cross & the Carmelite Reform Authority vs. Abuse of Authority Protestantism and Private Interpretation Faith as Obedience to God’s Word Hierarchy, Obedience, and Spiritual Strength Why Saints Do Not Become Revolutionaries How True Authority Defeats the Devil 🙏 “Faith comes through hearing.” (Romans 10:17) 00:00 – Death of St. John of the Cross (1591) & His Feast Day 01:00 – Carmelite Restoration & the Counter-Reformation 02:20 – Protestant Revolt as Rebellion Against Authority 03:55 – What Is Abuse of Authority? 05:35 – Authority, Faith, and the Loss of Belief 06:59 – St. Thomas More & Authority Properly Understood 08:10 – St. John of the Cross Imprisoned & Persecuted 09:45 – How Saints Respond to Unjust Superiors 11:05 – “To Suffer and Be Despised With You, Lord” 11:40 – Why the Devil Could Not Conquer St. John For more please visit http://www.reginaprophetarum.org & remember to say 3 Hail Marys for the priest 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 🙏🏻PLEASE HELP OUR CHANNEL GROW 🙏🏻 ▶️ 1. Become a Channel Patron: https://www.patreon.com/SensusFidelium ▶️ 2. Visit the website https://www.sensusfidelium.us for Gueranger, Saint of the Day, Apologetics, Meditation by the Saints, Scripture Study and more. ▶️ 3. BitChute --- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium/ ▶️ 4. Paypal, Bitcoin, Anedot, Stripe, Square & PO Box donations - https://sensusfidelium.us/donate-support/ ▶️ 5. YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 Please "Like" our videos so that Youtube shares it to others by clicking the "Like" thumbs-up under the video = 👍🏻 ▶️ 6. Please share this video 📲, and help others find Christ inside the Catholic Church! Please share this video on Facebook and Twitter using the share button. ▶️ 7. Follow on Social Media: 🔴 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SensusFidelium/ 🔴 Sensus Fidelium Twitter: https://https://twitter.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 #StJohnoftheCross #CatholicAuthority #CounterReformation #TraditionalCatholic #CatholicFaith #Obedience #AbuseOfAuthority #Carmelite #Saints #CatholicTheology #FaithAndReason #DarkNightOfTheSoul

Topics

• Faith
• Obedience
• Jesus Christ