SEVENTH  LAKE  SERMON

Dr. Leon R. Koziol, J.D.

Founder and President

Citizen Commission Against Corruption

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO EXTENDED WELL WISHES DURING MY 65^TH BIRTHDAY ON HOLY THURSDAY, APRIL 6^TH

Defying a terminal diagnosis given to me in 2020 with only months to live, I have found inspiration in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York where I am located right now sending out what I call my “Seventh Lake Sermon.”

As most friends and followers know, Lake George is my passion, however, the Fulton Chain of smaller lakes at Old Forge is half the distance from my home, so I often resort to Seventh Lake for my escapes. It helps maintain my sanity in an ever-degenerating society.

So on an unusually bright and warm day for these parts, I’d like to share a Good Friday sermon which aired on the Christian-Catholic television network entitled “The “Seven Last Words” of Jesus with the final ones, “Father to you I commend my spirit” and “It is finished.”

It was delivered from the Vatican by a Bishop/ Cardinal from Ontario, Canada, and it analyzes seven segments of Christ’s last message to those surrounding him at the cross. I’m no holy roller and limited in scripture, but I am an expert in the law which is derived extensively from Judeo-Christian biblical history.

The segment I found most inspiring was the one devoted to persecution, its purpose and a proposed answer to the plea of Christ: “Father why have you forsaken me.” Persecution comes in many forms, and here it appears to be more than a test of faith but a form of human sacrifice opening a portal to eternal life in heaven.  

Beyond that reward, and atonement for the sins of one’s life, persecution opens new doors to relationships with genuine persons, perhaps those who have suffered similar persecution. This can lead to solid friendships for life as opposed to those built on fleeting economic benefits.  

In the monologue I was drawn to powerful references made to saints, martyrs and everyday sufferers. It featured such persecuted figures as Elijah, John the Baptist, Joan of Arc, Saint John Fisher (beheaded by Henry the Eighth), St. Mary MacCulloch, patron saint of Australia and the late Pope John-Paul the Second, referred to as St. John-Paul the Great by this particular high-ranking member of the clergy.

One such martyr and saint was graphically presented who spent ten years in solitary confinement. If you know anything about imprisonment as I do, having represented the incarcerated, solitary confinement of that magnitude is humanly impossible as far as I am concerned.

Donald Trump’s “fixer” and personal attorney, Michael Cohen, lashed out to media at one time that he would never surrender to prison as he ultimately was forced to anyway. He would avoid such persecution at any cost by giving prosecutors targeting his former client any amount of perjury they required for a false conviction. This is why we have a Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, Sixth Amendment right to examine accusers and a strong distrust of coerced confessions.

In the end I came away with a revelation that my persecution at the hands of sadistic lawyers, judges and self-serving politicians had eternal purpose. In the course of my time on Earth, I literally saved lives, vindicated the falsely accused, and left behind a movement that could reverse the apocalyptic road our country is now on.

Happy Easter.

P.S. Kindly sign my Change.Org Petition to Congress at https://chng.it/VgNLwFhjNk and join our good government movement at http://www.leonkoziol.com.