The Eighth Day

Eight days ago I wrote about dubious apparitions.

The same day I came down with flu symptoms, even though I got a flu shot.  This has been one of the worst I've had - I missed Mass twice, and finally managed to get into Urgent Care for diagnosis.  No pneumonia - but bronchitis.  The flu test was deemed a false negative because my symptoms contradicted the test.  Today I'm beginning to feel better.

Was I punished for my post?

Haha!  I don't believe it works that way.  What I do believe is that getting hit with a severe illness for a few days, completely interrupts your life.  It's a prelude to death, in a way.  The thought of possessions and material things seems like such a burden.  Even food is reduced to a necessity without enjoyment or satisfaction.  What I have spent my time on - ah - social media, reading, writing, getting worked up over all the fighting, political division, even in the Church, all of it is diminished in importance in contrast with eternal life - or eternal death.  In fact, it seems to me, eternal death is the continuation of the chaos and conflict we immerse ourselves in, enclosed, imprisoned by the materialism our possessions represent. 

I think purgatory may be a better analogy, since I am feeling better and I have more hope.  The fever and chills and aches - perhaps just a minute experience of the sufferings some of the mystics say souls in purgatory suffer.  The thought of unfinished projects and obligations, now unable to complete, as well as the needs of those who depend upon me, which I couldn't take care of when I was in bed, unable to do much, seemed to me a sort of purgative experience.  Sorry to be so dramatic, but illness seems to me to be a sort of 'correction of conscience'.  BTW, that's what the 'Warning' is supposed to accomplish.  I don't see that as a punishment.

Souls in Purgatory Supplicating the Madonna of Loreto

Guercino

A correction of conscience.

In a BBC interview Mikhail Gorbachev, the world is in colossal danger at this time.  Over the weekend, news from Akita surfaced, the angel who first appeared Sr. Sasagawa returned, calling for penance and prayer, in the style of Jonah, and in my opinion, a purposeful reference to the prophet's  urgent call to repentance at Nineveh.

The good thing to convey to everyone is, “Cover in ashes” (see Note 2) “and please pray the Penitential Rosary every day. You (Sr. Sasagawa) become like an child and every day please give sacrifice.” - Source

That gave me pause, but I don't think it should surprise anyone, or scare people ... sitting in ashes may be similar to having the flu and unable to eat.  To do penance, to become like a child, to pray the rosary in a spirit of penance and reparation, that is not a punishment. 

We know Gorbachev is right, and Sr. Sasagawa seems even more credible, as well.  We are in perilous times.  So it is good to pray for repentance and do penance - not just for ourselves, but all of those deceived and distracted by social media and the world.

To do penance:  Maybe to sit in the ashes of our material consumption and waste.  To fast from all forms of excessive consumption.

To become like a child:  Maybe to become humble.  To depend on the promises of Christ, rather than those of the world, the flesh and the devil.  To surrender ourselves entirely to the Holy Trinity through Our Lady, the Mother of Jesus.  To stop judging and condemning, and trying to be in control, to strive become simple, like the Infant Jesus.

To pray the penitential rosary in a spirit of penance and reparation:  Maybe to pray for authentic repentance while we pray for the conversion of sinners who have no one to pray for them   Rather than concern ourselves with who does what, pray in repentance.  The Publican never lifted his eyes to heaven, nor did he look about him to find someone worse than himself.  Repentance is not real when we point the blame on others, or call out their sins.  It lacks humility - and tit seems to me this is at the heart of the message given by Sr. Sasagawa's angel.

After the bomb - Hiroshima.