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WHEN IT COMES TO 'MESSAGES' OF OUR TIME, ADMONITION OF BIBLE IS TO 'TAKE WHAT IS GOOD AND LEAVE THE REST'

Do you believe in messages -- locutions from Mary or the Lord?

We're open to them -- as well as skeptical. No doubt: many are the product of one's own subconscious. That doesn't mean they are not inspirations. Nor does it mean they are not true.

But it is difficult to sift through our internal dialogue (especially a loquacious one). Such impartations can be edifying or troublesome, depending.

As one expert put it, "True prophesying does not serve the devil's purpose; it undoes the devil's purpose. If so-called prophesying condemns and discourages, it is doing the devil's work. If an influence, suggestion, or message comes into your life that has the effect of discouraging you, do not attribute it to the Holy Spirit."

God speaks to all of us all of the time. There is a constant "ticker-tape" (for which we credit angels).

But are there special warnings?

We certainly believe they have occurred, at places like Fatima, Betania, Kibeho, LaSalette, San Nicolas, Wisconsin, Akita, Medjugorje, and elsewhere. We also believe some "regular" folks (unrecognized as mystics) have received relevant messages. We are especially cautious, however, when they are too detailed about future events or "apocalyptic" -- dark. That can be the enemy, trying to sidetrack, discourage, or frighten. He too sends ticker-tape. An authentic message should leave us with an uplift in spirit despite what may be a stark verbiage. Also, there should be no confusion or niggling doubts -- unsettlement -- about it. (Confusion, division, or fanaticism, which breeds hostility, indicate a problem.)

That said, there are some recent ones that may be worth discernment.

You be the judge.

At Medjugorje, the monthly message in August (2014) was especially pertinent. There, the Blessed Mother was quoted as allegedly telling seer Marija Lunetti, "Dear children! Pray for my intentions, because Satan wants to destroy my plan which I have here and to steal your peace. Therefore, little children, pray, pray, pray that God can act through each of you. May your hearts be open to God's will. I love you and bless you with my motherly blessing. Thank you for having responded to my call."

(What could that mean -- the striking reference to the devil seeking to steal her "plan"? It has been a long while since she has used similar language. It was most noticeable -- the reference to Satan ruining her plan -- in the early days of the apparitions during the 1980s when the local bishop in Mostar sought to close down the site but was halted from doing so by Pope John Paul II and his close assistant, then-Cardinal Josef Ratzinger. Currently the Pope is contemplating what to do with a report on the reputed site by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. No one knows which way he will lean. We will of course abide by any ruling or official Vatican guidance.) 

Other alleged messages?

Here is a September "message" from a middle-aged woman who believes she has been hearing His Voice since 1997 (the Pilianito Journal blog):

"My children, do not fear what is to come and what is already here. I have been warning you, calling all to repentance. Now the time is at hand when all will know the awesome power of God. Their idols will be smashed one by one. There will be a loneliness on earth that has never before been felt on such a grand scale. This will be the loneliness of a soul bereft of its idols. But it is in that loneliness that I will act to show each soul the futility of life apart from me. When they have nothing left, it will be their final opportunity to turn to me. Many will do so, but there are also many who will be lost. Do not let up on your prayers. Your sacrifices mean so much right now that I will multiply their effect on the souls you are praying for. Do not take this gift lightly my children. Offer your prayers and sacrifices with great confidence for I mean to use you in new ways to conquer the immense territory of souls in need of conversion. Children pray!”

This is a person devoted to the "Flame of Love" revelations (available here).

Down in South America, along the Amazon, based in Itaparinga, is the alleged seer Edson Glauber, whose experiences have partial approval from a local bishop,  Archbishop Carillo Gritti of Itacoatiara (though not the recent messages; see previous report).

The bishop stated in his proclamation that while such apparitions, visions, and locutions come through the "filter of the senses" (and thus can be and are influenced by human factors), they may also be viewed as an aid to understanding "the signs of the times."

One such message from September 12, 2014 (allegedly the Blessed Mother): "Peace be with you! My dear children, this is the time for you to decide for God and the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the time of Grace that God offers through my intercession and my appearances worldwide. Get back, get back to God's holy way and help your brothers who have fallen and turned away. With the Rosary make a barrier of protection, Grace and light around your homes, so that your families are freed from sin and evil. God loves you, my children, and wants happiness for you. The world is disobedient. My children do not listen to me and remain deaf to my voice. Many of them are in danger of condemnation to hellfire. Do not be so deaf and disobedient, but rejoice in my motherly heart, putting my messages into practice. Pray and I will unite myself to your prayers and ask a lot for you and your families on the Heart of my Son Jesus. Thank you for your presence. Return to your homes with the peace of God. I bless you all: in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen!"

Translations can be rough. We brushed that up a smidgeon (grammatically).

Did you know that there's a Church-approved apparition in the Pope's home archdiocese that foresees the Second Coming?

That was at San Nicolas, Argentina, where a church has been built under the direction of Our Lady. (We have not been able to track down what the Pope, as Cardinal Bergoglio, specifically felt about the apparitions; he reportedly prayed personally with a priest from Medjugorje and allowed a seer to receive an apparition at a church in his archdiocese, though again we cannot confirm that he made a direct decision).

Now, in South America, so fecund, there is also Pedro Regis (in Anguera, Brazil). We have had some reports on what seemed like strikingly accurate predictions from this alleged seer, though we balk a bit because of the sheer volume: so many about so many things and so many places that he is bound to hit on something. There are question marks.

But in the interest of reportage (call it the mystical beat), some recent alleged "messages":

(September 6) "Dear children, I am your Mother and I came from Heaven to lead you to my Son Jesus. Bend your knees in prayer. Humanity has become spiritually poor because men have become separated from the Creator. Return at once. What you have to do, do not put off until tomorrow. I know each one of you by name, and I want to tell you that I will never abandon you. Be filled with hope. Humanity will drink of the bitter chalice of pain, but those who remain faithful will not experience defeat. Do not hold back. I will plead with my Jesus for you. The victory of the Lord will also be your victory. Go forward with joy. This is the message which I bring you today in the name of the Most Holy Trinity. Thank you for allowing me to bring you together here once again. I give you my blessing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Peace be with you."

(September 5) "Dear children, a terrible storm is coming and the ship (the Church) will be affected. Many will be lost in the great confusion which is coming. Belong to the Lord. Do not separate yourselves from prayer. In your hands, the holy Rosary and the Sacred Scripture; in your hearts, faith and love of the truth. Be faithful. Seek strength in the Eucharist and you will be victorious. Do not hold back. I am your Mother and I will be at your side. Courage. This is the message which I bring you today in the name of the Most Holy Trinity. Thank you for allowing me to bring you together here once again. I give you my blessing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Peace be with you."

(September 2) "Dear children, convert. Do not live in sin. You belong to the Lord and the things of the world are not for you. I am your Mother and I came from Heaven to tell you that it is time for your return to the Lord. Do not stand still. God is in a hurry. You live in a time of great spiritual confusion. Seek strength in Jesus. Do not separate yourselves from prayer. My Jesus loves you and awaits you with open arms. I know your needs and I will plead with my Jesus for you. Be filled with hope. Those who remain faithful until the end will experience great joy. Those who listen to the Voice of the Lord will not be defeated. Courage. You are not alone. I am your mother and I will always be at your side. Accept my appeals and listen to the truth of my Jesus through His Gospel. Go forward. This is the message which I bring you today in the name of the Most Holy Trinity. Thank you for allowing me to bring you together here once again. I give you my blessing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Peace be with you."

(August 30) "Dear children, I am happy that you are here. Thank you for coming. I will plead with my Jesus for you. Do not be discouraged. Remain firmly upon the path I have shown you. Do not hold back. Your noble mission is to do the Will of the Lord. Your reward will come. Open your hearts and in every way imitate my Son Jesus. You are in the world, but you are not of the world. Do not be afraid. Your victory is in the Lord. After all the tribulation, humanity will encounter peace. The definitive Triumph of my Immaculate Heart will occur through those faithful to me, simple souls who know how to listen to the Voice of my Jesus and accept His Will. Place your confidence and hope in the Lord. Whenever you feel the weight of the Cross, seek strength in prayer, in listening to the Gospel, and in the Eucharist. Feed yourselves with that precious food, which strengthens you and nourishes your life in grace. You live in the time of a great spiritual battle. I came from Heaven to prepare your victory. Be docile. At this moment, I am calling down upon you a shower of blessings. Courage. Help me. Everything you do to further my plans will be generously rewarded by the Lord. This is the message which I bring you today in the name of the Most Holy Trinity. Thank you for allowing me to bring you together here once again. I give you my blessing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Peace be with you" .

(August 18) "Dear children, remain firm in the faith. I will be with you always. I will not abandon you. I will not leave you alone. Give me your intentions, and I will take you to my Jesus. In the great tribulations, I will lead you and take you to victory. Courage. Do not hold back. Bend your knees in prayer. Seek Jesus. Listen to His Voice in the depths of your heart and let Him transform you. I know your needs and I ask that you not lose hope. Tomorrow will be better. Be filled with the love of the Lord. Humanity must be healed and only in the love of the Lord will you see the triumph of good over evil. You are important for the fulfillment of my plans. Open your hearts. What you have to do, do with joy. Your reward will come from the Lord. This is the message which I bring you today in the name of the Most Holy Trinity. Thank you for allowing me to bring you together here again. I give you my blessing in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Peace be with you."

For our (as always, careful) discernment.

Mary Undoer of Knots plus The Holy Cloak novena, $7.25

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