Thursday, October 12, 2017

We cannot manipulate God.



Many Catholics expect some sort of great sign tomorrow.

October 13 is the centenary of the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima in 1917.  The 100 years 'prophecies' have nothing to do with the original message of Our Lady at Fatima, the idea that something bad will happen if Our Lady's request weren't fulfilled just exactly like 'we' expected then to be.  The 100 years mark is based upon the the story of the consecration of France to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  It was delayed by a hundred years and voila - the king is dead and the French Revolution happened.  It's not 'wrong' to make comparisons and speculate that since times are bad - something worse may happen.  Or, why not something great and wonderful like a miracle - again?  It could happen.

I suppose - but is that how God works?

We want to call down fire from heaven, but is that what God wants?  Or should he do what we say and want and take revenge upon all the wicked?  Or should he make a miracle so that everyone will believe?  That happened at Fatima, and many, many believed.  Likewise many did not - and humanity went from bad to worse.  So much worse, that people refused to believe men were capable of such atrocities, so we now have people who deny the holocaust, or try to blame it on the devil - unwilling to believe men can do evil all on their own. 

We need to get real.

We need to stop putting words in God's mouth and inventing new messages from Our Lady and making ourselves out to be co-prophets.  I don't think that is what Fatima or the faith is all about.

It bears repeating ...

Keep the following in mind regarding Fatima and private revelations:

"What matters is the public message ... Sr. Lucia was charged not only to transmit a secret to the Pope, but also to make known to all the world a public message."  - Cardinal Ottaviani, 11 February 1967

Concerning the content of the secret, Sr. Lucia explained, "The part necessary for the people to know was already known since 1917."

So what was essential to be known was already known in 1917.
"This had all been said in 1917, that is, that men must amend their lives, that they must not offend God, that he is already much offended." - Sr. Lucia
Anything more, or demanding this or that be revealed, or waiting in anticipation for some Divine intervention to rapture the faithful out of a crumbling world, seems to me to border upon presumption and tempting God. 
We must be guided humanly and visibly in all by the law of Christ the man and that of his Church and of his ministers. This is the method of remedying our spiritual ignorances and weakness; here we shall find abundant medicine for them all. Any departure from this road is ... extraordinary boldness ... one must ever adhere to Christ's teaching. - John of the Cross
In Chapter 21 of Book II of the Ascent, St. John goes on to say that God is displeased by the request for revelations and locutions, despite the fact that some believe their curiosity to know these things is good because God has revealed himself in this manner in the past. St. John asserts that God is not pleased, saying not only is he displeased, he is 'frequently angered and deeply offended.' The following may well apply to the inordinate curiosity some have regarding the secret of Fatima, a morbid inquiry which may likewise displease God:
The reason lies in the illicitness of transcending the natural boundaries God has established for the governing of creatures. He has fixed natural and rational limits by which man is to be ruled. A desire to transcend them, hence, is unlawful... consequently, God who is offended ... is displeased. - John of the Cross
 It is also important to keep in mind the precautions of St. Hannibale Maria di'Francia:

My dear father, to consider any expression of the private revelations as dogma or propositions near of faith is always imprudent! The mistakes could amount to thousands. Poulain substantiates this fact with examples of saints we venerate on the altars. It is not surprising because the visions or the news undergoes some modifications while passing through human channels… Aptitudes and dispositions may not be the same: a psychological, moral spiritual, physical event can modify them, hindering the spiritual enlightenment from shining perfectly in the soul. Thus the person is unaware of circumstances, details or propositions, and is mistaken involuntarily. In fact, everything is received through and according to the subject.
This is proved by experience, by the mystical theologians, such as St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa, Castrotevere, Poulain, etc. By prudence and reason we cannot accept all the words of revelations as they were propositions near to the faith; still less when they are contrary to the authoritative opinion of renowned writers and to the simple, beneficial devotion of the saints. - Source

5 comments:

  1. We need to get real.

    We need to stop putting words in God's mouth and inventing new messages from Our Lady and making ourselves out to be co-prophets. I don't think that is what Fatima or the faith is all about.

    Yes, indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think that Canon212 is mocking Joseph Sciambra for losing his home in the California wildfire with this link:

    Catholic light Joseph Sciambra loses home, apostolate in California fires

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What do they mean by Catholic light I wonder?

      Delete
    2. something about loafers I'm sure......

      I think Canon212 forgot that Joseph Sciambra writes for One Peter Five and forgot that Dave Domet of Vox Cantoris is a big fan of Joseph Sciambra.....and forgot that Ann Barnhardt had this to say about Joseph Sciambra: The link below is an essay by Joseph Sciambra, a man who engaged in sodomy for years, and then, by the power of Jesus Christ, renounced his sin and now exposes the truth about sodomy and the sodomite culture. Joseph Sciambra is an invaluable resource and warrior.

      Canon212 also forgot that Joseph Sciambra appeared on Gary's Church Militant!

      whoops!

      Delete
  3. Today was beautiful outside. Warm breezes, the birds singing, me washing dishes and taking out the trash. Off and on, all day, I prayed for my fellow Californians suffering to the north and to the south of me. I thought about our Lady of Fatima and have asked her to intercede for all those suffering through these fires.
    I also thanked her for the beauty of the day and for the small still moments of peace gifted to me.

    Have a restful weekend everyone!

    ReplyDelete


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