Spirit Daily - Daily spiritual news from around the world

Call it a potpourri from the mail. Our times are certainly interesting. Many, many are reporting interesting photographs, which is why we are carrying so many articles about them. Many are having wonderful experiences. Many feel the pulse of the prophetic.

There are photographs with two "suns." Is it refraction? We ask that constantly. What to think of prophecies that are very dramatic -- and apocalyptic.

We never despise seers because Scripture says not to, although it also says to test them and take what is only good. There have been so many -- dozens in Ireland alone, and many here in the U.S., no doubt good people.

One trend in the past decade has been the breadth of the prophetic -- to "ordinary" folks.

"Back in 1993, one year after coming into the Catholic Church, I saw in a dream a large brilliant Cross against a dark sky just above the horizon," notes a Tennessee woman who preferred to remain unnamed. "I was standing in a very large barren field -- no trees, plants, or buildings, nothing but an ashen-looking ground. There were people there as far as the eye could see and they were standing just looking in awe at the Cross.

"Suddenly the Cross seemed to disappear and a large ball of light appeared also on the horizon to the right of where the Cross had been (I don't know if the Cross disappeared or was eclipsed by the ball of light). It was like a ball of fire, but somehow I knew it wasn't fire. When the ball of light appeared, everyone fell prostrate to the ground."

This reminds us of a prophecy that mentioned "not fire from the sky but fear of fire from the sky"? Discern!

In Scripture are fascinating references, it is brought to our attention, of sorcery, which is sometimes translated -- in Revelation 9:21, 18:23, 21:8, and 22:15 -- as "pharmakia," which refers more to drugs.

Throughout history, mind-altering drugs have been used as a part of occult rituals, especially raising spirits.

They were popular with shamans in India, China, and Assyria, as well as among some Native American Indians. A Taoist wrote of marijuana employed by "necromancers" (those raising the dead), and that drug is used today by tribes in the Congo (as well as Tepecano Indians in Mexico).

Is it not interesting that "pharmakia" factors into the Book of Revelation and is also something that came pouring through the music and hippie culture of the 1960s?

Speaking of Revelation, an interesting number of people have experienced visions or "words" to do with another image out of that book: a white horse.

"About three weeks ago while praying the Divine Office in the evening I suddenly saw three white, winged horses land on the earth," wrote Susan Killian of Wauconda, Illinois. "Then about a week later under the same circumstances I saw quite vividly a black sheep foraging in an area with a cement wall and lots of rubble. As I said I have not discerned the meaning -- if any -- but when you mentioned the 'white horse prophecies' it struck a cord with me. I don't know what these prophecies are about or who they are from -- but in my vision there was clearly a sense of importance even though I may not see it yet."

There are things we come by. At left is an image that appeared in the home of a viewer on Easter Sunday. Is it a holy figure? It had a great spiritual effect on the family, and so that seems like a good fruit. Of course, there are those who can argue that it is a leak onto photographic film, a coincidental formation, or (if they choose a supernatural interpretation) a deceased soul sending a message from purgatory (seeking assistance) or Heaven (in which case assistance is not necessitated).

"On Memorial Day, after visiting a patient at a skilled nursing facility, I stopped by Our Lady of Grace parish in La Mesa," writes Betty Zinke. "The church was closed due to the holiday so I sat in front of the beautiful statue of Our Lady to pray the Rosary. In my petitions I included personal pleas such as conversion for some very close family members, and in general I prayed for God's mercy on all of us, with a special intention for China.

"About half way through, I felt compelled to look up at the clouds. I watched with fascination as what looked possibly like a face take on form, shape, and contour until it looked very much like a face. It was in profile, facing upwards. I marveled at how smooth and delineated the outlines of the nose and chin were. Of course I thought of Jesus because I was praying the Rosary, but there was no beard. I looked up toward the forehead and was focused on the eye that appeared closed when all of a sudden it 'opened'! My heart skipped a beat. At first I was somewhat scared, but then I thought the look was more a pleading look than anything else.

"Then the 'eye' closed, and the face looked more peaceful, but that pleading look stayed with me."

Oh, we can hear the groans: images in clouds get the skeptics going, and we can see their point. There is the factor of suggestion. They call it "pareidolia." And we must consider such. But there are so many similar accounts -- images indicating some kind of meshing of the physical and non-physical, perhaps, in our special time.

We have seen photographs of intriguing clouds -- one recently from High Bridge, New Jersey, that seemed clearly to have the image of a Cross held by a shape like the Madonna but then also clearly ghoulish figures in the same skyscape.

That one seemed beyond suggestion. We will not show it because of the demonic aspects. You discern! Above, left, a shot taken in April elsewhere.

"A few years ago, I was a returning Catholic working hard to grow in my faith," writes Deanne Fraser. "My husband and I lived in the Bay Area in California, and one day we were in San Francisco on business. We were walking on a downtown street when a horribly disheveled, angry and menacing-looking man appeared and started to follow us screaming crude utterances and wildly gesturing.

"My husband, who is disabled, told him to go away and gave him a slight push. I later learned this was because the man had been heading toward me. At the time I was terrified, because my husband had incensed the man further and he became more intense, shouting curses and calling us filthy names while staying close as we walked.

"I knew that a disabled man and a woman had no defense against a crazed or evil person who might have a weapon, and I began to tremble uncontrollably. I called 911 on my cell phone, but the response was that they would get there when they were able.

"Then, a man's voice behind us said, 'Cut it out!'

"I turned to see a tall man dressed in gray. He did not say or do anything else, but he stayed close by all the time the crazed man continued to scream and gesture. Even though I remained very frightened and shaken, I remember having a strong feeling of comfort and support and that we would be okay as long as the tall man was there. I couldn't have told you why, but I kept holding on to his presence in my mind.

"Finally, after some time, the frightening man fell back and was gone. Then, I noticed the back of the tall man's head above others on the street, about half a block ahead. I said to my husband, 'That man up there helped us, you know.'

"The man could not have possibly heard me but, amazingly, at that instant he turned and looked directly at me. I mouthed 'Thank you' to him and he responded with a deep, slow nod."

An angel? Or a human acting angelic?

Another issue to discern.

Deanne felt it was the former.

"It wasn't until I got home that it dawned on me the man in gray was an angel, because he had done nothing in an outward way, yet we had gotten through a frightening and dangerous situation because he was there 'helping.' Anyone other than a spiritual being would not have acknowledged and understood my 'thank you.'