Marian Visions and End Times
End Times
Apparitions Justification
Our Refuge and Hope
From: "Michael J. Coppi" <Michael_J_Coppi@compuserve.com>
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 1997 21:10:40 -0400
There is currently available material INEVITABLY pointing out that the reign of Mary's Immaculate Heart is near.
It is admittedy difficult to step outside *today*, say in one's backyard, and sense that end times may be rapidly approaching. There are 3 points to consider here:
1) To reiterate, the "End of the World" is not what is being dealt with, but rather the "End Times" [the end of the current satanically influenced age of materialism and consumerism].
2) Prayer has the power to mitigate, postpone, or even cancel certain forecasts.
3) World conditions can change very rapidly.
While it may be difficult to envision tribulations occurring "close to home", it must be remembered that the benefits foreseen far outweigh the necessary "purifications". The Warning for instance, which will illuminate *all* earthly souls to the Light of God, should be highly anticipated.
There is currently a plethora of reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary around the world, with a compelling sense of urgency. She is pleading with, and calling her children back to God, as never before in history.
For the last several years, Our Lady has spoken of a special time which She is waiting impatiently for. An extraordinary and particular time of world history unlike any since Adam's time. On Christmas Day, 1995, the Virgin Mary revealed that we have entered that time.
My personal interest in Marian Apparitions originally stemmed from the Garabandal prophecies (Warning/Miracle/Chastisement). As many others, I was very curious about narrowing down the timeframe of these events.
But it seems that we are on the threshold of something of an even larger magnitude. There has been another important message allegedly received through a Marian priest, Father Stefano Gobbi, on December 5, 1994 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico:
"I CONFIRM TO YOU THAT, BY THE GREAT JUBILEE OF THE YEAR 2000, THERE WILL TAKE PLACE THE TRIUMPH OF MY IMMACULATE HEART, OF WHICH I FORETOLD YOU AT FATIMA, AND THIS WILL COME TO PASS WITH THE RETURN OF JESUS IN GLORY, TO ESTABLISH HIS REIGN IN THE WORLD. THUS YOU WILL AT LAST BE ABLE TO SEE WITH YOUR OWN EYES THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH" ("Marian Movement of Priests" Message #532; National Cenacle of the M.M.P.;"The Apple of My Eye".)
This goes along with a few of the many predictions that have been made about these apparent "end times" including one by Saint John Bosco that peace will come upon the earth before the end of "2 full moons in the month of flowers" (March, 1999)
There have been many other predictions indicating that we are now living in the end times - these materialistic, worldly, satanic times - the time between the 1st and 2nd Coming of Christ.
The "Warning" will probably be the first event to come - the event that will signal the beginning of great prodigies to come - the beginning of the end of this era of time. There are some very definitive indications that it may come this year (1997).
... Other alleged messages from Our Lady indicate that the Antichrist will not hesitate in assuming power after the Warning.
What is commonly referred as the "Warning" is a moment of enlightenment due to be sent upon the earth. The Warning will be a revelation of our sins before God. Everyone would be well advised to anticipate this event and therefore be as prepared as possible.
To the unsuspecting and to the non-believers, the Warning could indeed be frightening. At the least, it will leave many people shocked and confused as to what has happened. That is why so many people will seek answers, and hopefully return permanently, to the Church.
Here is a reference to the Warning:
"...I ANNOUNCE TO YOU THAT WHICH YOU WILL PASS THROUGH IS NOW UPON YOU...THE CONVERSION OF MY APOSTLE PAUL WAS A PRECEDENT SET IN MY WORD. IT WAS HIS EXPERIENCE OF PRIVATE REVELATION. AS HE WAS BLINDED BY MY LIGHT HE KNEW HE COULD NO LONGER DENY THE ONE WHOM HE PERSECUTED. AND NO WALL WILL BE CAUGHT IN THIS MOMENT OF MERCY AS MY LIGHT REVEALS ONCE AGAIN THE PERSECUTION OF ME! ..."
Obviously, everyone will know it when this happens. Recent messages indicate that it is *IMMINENT* (within the next 12 months). This particular event has been predicted for many years, and there is EVERY reason to believe that the time of fulfillment has arrived.
Here are some definitions of the Warning (based on messages allegedly received by our Heavenly Mother by various visionaries throughout the world)...............
As originally described (in 1961 at Garabandal, Spain):
"The warning comes directly from God and will be visible to the whole world and from any place where anyone may happen to be. It will be like the revelation of our sins and will be seen and felt by everyone, believer and unbeliever alike, irrespective of whatever religion they may belong to..."
Compare this to an message received more recently (within the past 7 years) at Scottsdale, Arizona:
"The time is coming when every man, woman, and child on this earth will know that God exists. All will have a glimpse at the state of their soul These seconds will seem like an eternity......."
And with what Maria Esperanza of Betania has said:
"There is coming a great moment, a great day of light. The conscience of this people must be violently shaken..."
And with what Christina Gallagher of Ireland has said:
"There will come a sign when everyone in the world will experience an interior awareness and will know that this is of God and will see themselves as they really are..."
...
Also by Our Lady to Fr. Gobbi:
"A new fire will come down from heaven and will purify all humanity, which has again become pagan. It will be like a judgement in miniature and each one will see himself in the light of the very Truth of God.
...
A summary of other items to be discussed in future posts:
1) The "End Times", not the "End of World"
"End Times" do not refer to the "end of the world" (last judgment & resurrection of the dead) per se, although it *is* possible that these events will follow the "End Times" within a short period of time... Possibly, time will no longer have meaning, or we will simply lose "time consciousness" (this doesn't necessarily mean time will not continue to pass universally as it always has). Thus, the passage that "no one knows the day or hour" will hold...
2) Awakening to the Signs
..Mary is preparing us, just as John the Baptist paved the way for Christ's initial entrance into the world. She is affording us an opportunity to return to God in ways that no generation has ever been privileged to. But, then again, no other generation has needed it as much...
3) Millennial Perspectives
..From the accounts of many visionaries, prophets, and mystics, we are left with the impression that, by the year 2001, the reign of the Two Hearts will be in place, a Golden Age of the Church will ensue (which accounts for the fact that the Virgin continually asks that basilicas, churches and chapels be built), and there will be great happiness and cooperation in the world - a time when human decency and respect will transcend all of our shortcomings...
4) An Approaching New Era
..So what will the "new era" bring? No one knows for sure, but Mary's words at Fatima spoke of a "period of peace", insinuating a beginning and an end. That is to say that after the Era of Peace, the world may once again enter into hard times, leading possibly to the final Apocalypse...Physically speaking, the earth will be miraculously renewed and mankind will be blessed by God in every way (according to many messages). This necessarily seems to indicate that we will have undergone a chastisement by God after which we will "awaken to a new dawn"...
5) Divine Justice Withheld
..We are God's creatures, but have drifted away from our creator. If we don't make the necessary changes (even in spite of the Warning - God's final "remedy" to alert people to their sinfulness), He will send a chastisement, not so much as punishment, but to encourage, in no uncertain terms, His children to return to Him. God permits tribulation & chastisement to perfect and save souls...
6): Likely Future Scenarios
..Certainly, at least one date *has* been definitely set. At Garabandal in the early 1960's, a precise date for the Miracle *was* given. But overall, God is "managing" the timeframe - preordained events that are to transpire before and after the "set" Miracle may be "changed" (timewise and intensity-wise. All time intervals are "flexible". ...
7) Seeking Spiritual Refuge
..So devotion to Mary - veneration, confidence and love - especially through the Brown Scapular and the Rosary, is how we mystically seek refuge in Mary's Immaculate Heart. St. Louis de Montfort tells us that such devotion "is a sure means of going to Jesus, because the attribute of the Blessed Virgin is to lead us surely to Christ, just as Jesus Christ's attribute is to lead us surely to the Eternal Father..."...
PERSONAL STATEMENTS
Please be assured that I claim no degree of pious-ity nor to be on a deeper spiritual level than anyone else. I am simply reporting on an event I have studied, and reiterating information obtainable from the Bible, the Religious community, and visionaries in contact with Heavenly Intercessors.
Standard caveats:
1) It is not recommended for anyone to dwell SOLELY on such matters (Marian Visions/End Times). Rather, the apparitions and any associated speculation should ENRICH one's spirituality.
2) PLEASE understand that this subject is NOT meant to be "frightening" but, rather, *informative*. Any predicted events are Biblically based and in no way intended to create "worry". As we are *reminded* of the possible imminence of such events, the key is *preparedness*.
3) And PLEASE don't consider that what I have speculated on *will definitely* happen. It is simply hypothesis based on available evidence; an extrapolation of clues.
4) Allow me to emphasize that I am IN NO WAY a prophet (or anything close to one) myself. I'm far (VERY FAR) from being infallible.
5) Although manifestations of the past and present seemingly (CLEARLY, to me) indicate that End Time issues are rapidly approaching, *I could be wrong* - in these interpretations.
6) Not that they're *my* interpretations so much as they are those based on private revelation received through, Catholic for the most part, visionaries and other cited sources. I deem the information to be reliable, but that is my viewpoint.
7) Although I believe that the described events will undoubtedly take place in time, I'm not forcing these views on anyone. They may or may not come to pass in the near future.
8) Please be assured that I claim no degree of pious-ity nor to be on a deeper spiritual level than anyone else. I am simply reporting on matters I have studied, and reiterating information obtainable from the Bible, the Religious community, and visionaries in contact with Heavenly Intercessors.
9) Not that I'm comparing myself to him AT ALL, but I could end up going the way of Jonah. Come to think of it, I think I'll go plant a few gourd seeds right now. Maybe even get a little insecticide to keep the worms off.
10) These disclaimers are not meant to protect *me* so much as they are meant to prevent anyone *else* from being led astray by "undue" expectations.
Should anyone care to, they are free to reprint anything I have posted in this forum. The material is not Coppi-righted. (It's a good thing the Bible isn't copyrighted, and that Matthew/Mark/Luke/John, et al, didn't complain of infringement). Not that I'm comparing myself in ANY WAY to the writers of the Gospel. I'm far (VERY FAR) from being infallible.
- Mike Coppi, 76726.2533@compuserve.com
From: "Michael J. Coppi" <Michael_J_Coppi@compuserve.com
Date: Sat, 2 Aug 1997 15:33:44 -0400
IT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD THAT IT'S NOT THE "END OF THE WORLD" THAT WE ARE APPROACHING, IT IS "THE END TIMES".
There are several indications that lead to this conclusion. Here is one:
Conchita of Garabandal revealed that she was told (by Our Lady) that after the death of John XXIII that there would be only 3 more Popes to the end of times.
She never defined what these times that are ending are, but we may safely conclude that they refer to the Satanic times. Specifically this century during which he has been unleashed, and generally - the time between the First Coming and the Second Coming of Jesus.
At any rate, John Paul II will certainly be the last Pope before Marian prophecies are fulfilled, the last Pope before the triumph of her Immaculate Heart, the last Pope before the end of this era ("the end times" - the end of the world's present way of existence [sinful, Godless, materialistic - worse than in the days of Noah - see Matt:24 36-39]) - the last Pope of the Marian age.
It does not in any way mean the end of mankind, but to the ending of an old "style" of life. Even when the Last Judgment Day eventually comes, it will not be an "end", but a "change" (to "glorified bodies").
Based on all that is transpiring, it seems that that the end of "time" will come soon, and that an era of peace will follow (perhaps 1000 years) Time will cease to be recorded as it has in the past when the era of peace dawns. Afterall, that is one definition of the "end times". Possibly, time will no longer have meaning, or we will cease to be conscious of its passage.
Larry Mayka of this forum once gave a very good description of the "end times"...
[The] belief [was] common for almost 2000 years among both mystics and (until recently) theologians, that after a great period of tribulation the Church would enjoy a long era of peace; such would then by followed by a final attack on the Church, at which point God would intervene and bring history to an end. The commentary in the Bible [Catholic Press, 1950, imprimatur by Cardinal Stritch] interprets Apocalypse 20:2 as follows:
"...that, after the destruction of hostile kings and the chaining of the dragon, the Church will enjoy a long era of peace. During this era Christ will reign over the souls of men, and Christians, through their influence over the world, will reign with Christ. Satan will be prevented from extending his kingdom."<
Larry is referring to the "7 day =3D 7000 years" concept. The period of tribulation referred to is the combination of apostasy, schism, and chastisement which we are beginning to experience, will worsen during the reign of the Antichrist, culminate with the 3 Days of Darkness, and end with the dawning of the new era.
Another "indication" that was recently pointed out by Richard Ryzner is the probable:
...significance of one generation (40 years in Biblical times) with Pentecost. He [theologian "Scott Hahn"] develops the significance from both Old and New Testament documents. He also indicates that in 1960 Pope John XXIII invoked the Holy Spirit and called for "A New Pentecost for the Church". The Biblical basis shows that during these 40 year periods much chaos and turmoil exists which is completed by renewal. Of course, the year 2000 would complete the 40 year period since Pope John invoked the Holy Spirit.<
Lest any Catholics deny that we anticipate such events, remember that at Mass we pray...
In the CREED: "We LOOK for the resurrection of the dead, and life everlasting."
During the Eucharistic prayer: ...CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN.
In the "Our Father": THY KINGDOM COME... As WE WAIT IN JOYFUL HOPE FOR THE COMING OF OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.
A few weeks ago, Mark Lerch pointed out the following:
*****
It is easy to use and abuse Scripture to toss arguments back and forth: "You know not the hour nor the day" <-->"Cannot you see the signs of= the times?"
One thing is for certain. If Jesus did not want us to look for the signs of his return, he most certainly would have informed the Holy Spirit to avoid inspiring the authors of the gospels to load them with passages concerning the signs of his return.
*****
There is confusion to be sure, but it's evident that *something's* going on. It seems that this *something* has a lot to do with the coming Reign of Mary's Immaculate Heart, and the accompanying return of Christ's Peace to the world. And it's only logical to assume that a great Miracle, as foretold of at Garabandal, to be preceded by a worldwide Warning, will usher in this new era.
...
But even if there are still some people held back from receiving this evangelization ..., that situation will surely change quickly following the Warning.
These very people will tend to overwhelm nearby missionaries in their quest for guidance in the Faith, just as priests will be overloaded by people seeking Confession. Thus mankind *will* quickly come to know God We're not yet "perfected", but the Warning will hasten our perfection.
Fr. Jacov Martin, theologian, indicates that we have apparently come to an important cross-road in the history of the world:
"...it is my opinion that all the apparitions of Our Lady that appear today in the world, together with the apparitions in Medjugorje, are indeed the last ones, and after that, Our Lady will not appear anymore, any place else."
This directly corresponds to the widely held theory that Mary is here, through God's special Grace, to help guide us through these troubled times, and that the visions will cease before the Warning. She has constantly told us that the time of suffering has been shortened - of which we should be eternally greatful - but if the Warning is to come first before the trials, chastisements and Miracle, the apparitions wil end soon.
Indeed, Marian experts say, that John Paul II's actions, on a whole, are to be taken as another sign of the times, since he is said to be the Pope that Our Lady spoke of at Fatima - the Pope who will bring into the world the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart.
To backtrack a little, let's review some very significant words spoken by Pope Paul VI in 1977, one year before his death:
"There is a great uneasiness, at this time, in the world and in the Church, and that which is in question is the faith. It so happens now that I repeat to myself the obscure phrase of Jesus in the Gospel of St. Luke: 'When the Son of Man returns, will He still find faith on the earth?'
It so happens that there are books coming out in which the faith is in retreat on some important points, that the episcopates are remaining silent and these books are not looked upon as strange. This, to me, is strange. I sometimes read the Gospel passage of the end times and I attest that, at this time, some signs of the end are emerging..."
Now, in his book "Crossing the Threshold of Faith", John Paul II states:
"If victory comes it will be through Mary. Christ will conquer through her, because He wants the Church's victories now and in the future to be linked to her."
Later speaking of Fatima, he noted the words spoken by Our Lady which "NOW, AT THE END OF THIS CENTURY, SEEM TO BE CLOSE TO THEIR FULFILLMENT."=
Those words of Mary were, of course, the promise of THE TRIUMPH OF HER IMMACULATE HEART and "AN ERA OF PEACE FOR MANKIND."
And just as John Paul II speaks of Mary, so she speaks of him and his sufferings due to errors in the faith and division in the Church. She tells us how, in these final times of trial and purification, after which "there will spring up...the new era foretold and announced by the Pope [recall his forecast that the year 2000 will see a "change in men's hearts"]... he invites us all to cross the bright thresholds of hope."
Some say the Pope has specifically stated that we are approaching the final times [that is, the end times followed after some period by the Last Day]. It is alleged that he is the only Pope in all of mankind's history, to say that "we are living in the time of the Apocalypse".
To us, the Blessed Virgin Mary is a sign of sure hope, a sign of motherly love, a sign of Divine Mercy. Since 1981, reports of her intercessions are constant and everywhere. She has intervened in such a way as to shorten the great period of trial which mankind must endure due to being "dominated by the Spirits of Evil." She has set back "further and further" the spiritual warfare which already exists from fully manifesting itself in a physical way.
- Mike Coppi, 76726.2533@compuserve.com
From: "Michael J. Coppi" <Michael_J_Coppi@compuserve.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Aug 1997 21:47:54 -0400
The purpose of Marian Apparitions...............
We forget, too often, that God has created the world, that He governs it and that His Mother is Queen not only of Heaven, but also of earth. She therefore has the right to come when she wants, where she wants, as she wants: She is in her domain! She is here to "wake us up".
Jesus through Julia Kim in Naju, Korea on 5/16/91 -
"My Mother came into this world as the Heavenly Prophetess and My Helper who will lead you to My brilliant and glorious revelations."
With the world in such a condition as it now is, when so many souls are being lost, how can the Mother of men, who is so powerful, not come quickly to rescue her children? She is powerful enough and good enough to concern herself with us by using all the means God places at her disposal
Mary through Julia Kim in Naju, Korea on 8/27/91 -
"I came to the world as the Lord's Helper to save you in this age fallen into danger. When you renounce everything and follow me completely, my role as your true Mother and the Lord's helper in saving the world will soon be manifested clearly...
... The reason why I was chosen to be the Lord's Helper was to give the opportunity of salvation to everyone. Keep in mind that you were also chosen to be my helpers."
from "Mary's Touch":
>>In concerning ourselves with Marian messages and signs, it is important that we go deeper than what we can see and hear externally and try to understand the motives in the Hearts of OurLord and Our Lady for giving us messages and signs. Undoubtedly, Our Lord is giving us supernatural signs not to satisfy our curiosity but to induce some important changes in our hearts and in our lives, as He changed water into wine at the wedding in Cana.
The nature of the changes God desires in us has already been explaind in the Gospels. The Church that Our Lord established has been guiding, healing and nurturing the faithful in their efforts to live Our Lord's teachings for the past 2000 years.
The saints have been the living examples of how we must conduct our lives But human minds are weak and unsteady, and easily get distracted and misled. Frequently we read and ear the Gospels, but remain spiritually blind and deaf to the contents.
Invaluable spiritual treasures are always available to us through the Church, but we often turn our eyes elsewhere, following erroneus ideas and pursuing vain goals.
It is because of such spiritual complacency, apathy and unreliability that God has been prodding, encouraging and warning us by sending us the Mother of the Savior, who is also our true spiritual Mother.
Our Lady is the ultimate reflection of God's Love and Mercy. God filled her with such an abundance of His Love, Mercy ad Goodness that she could identify herself as te Immaculate Conception Itself in Lourdes, totally free from aything that is evil or unholy.
God created this Mother of God the Son in order to reveal His infinite Goodness and Love for us. By God's Will and by the merits of her Divine Son, she is the only one who can turn the tide of evil which is currently enwraping and pressing down heavily upon the entire world<<..........
Mary through Julia Kim in Naju, Korea on 2/2/95 -
"My messages of love will be the brake that suppresses disorder. All the children in the world must hurriedly understand my messages of love and accept them."
Thus, what is at stake is the salvation of each one of us as well as the status of the Church and the fate of the world. Our Lady is bringing to us the message of hope that God wills to rescue us from our current spiritual and moral crisis.
Mary through Julia Kim in Naju, Korea on 2/4/88 -
"As my messages are founded on love, mercy will overflow into any soul who repents and practices the messages." In order to help this happen, we must make a drastic rearrangement of our priorities, and begin living Our Lord's teachings faithfully as explained in the Gospels and as taught by His Church.
Jesus through Julia Kim in Naju, Korea on 7/1/96 -
"When you make Me known, follow Me, and make My Mother known...you must lighten the dark world by hurriedly propagating to everyone the salvation that has been won through My immeasurable pains on the Cross..."
By means of her spiritual messages, Our Lady is repeating and explaining to us the Lord's teachings in the most loving and persuasive manner as our Mother and as the final attempt by Heaven to change us.
Mary through Julia Kim in Naju, Korea on 1/30/88 -
"Those who practice my messages are accepting me and, therefore, wlll experience a renewal of their souls."
So, when The Blessed Virgin Mary says that we should understand, practice and spread her messages, she is actually asking us to return to the original teachings entrusted to the Church by Christ, and to evangelize the whole world with these teachings.
St. Augustine -
"If you love God, draw all to the love of God."
>>We should never treat the messages frm Mary like the daily newspaper, which we read, and then throw away. God's truth is eternally beautiful and life-giving. He entrusted this precious, awesome truth to His Catholic Church for us and is now refreshing our faith by means of Our Lady's messages and signs.<<
Everywhere that the Most Holy Virgin appears, she insists, without tiring, upon the necessity of returning to God our Savior. As Mother of Christ, she wants to lead us to Him Whom she gave us.
The world needs to be reminded of this reality - to be told that the Infinitely Just God will punish those who obstinately reject His love; that He will chastise those nations in the world who are guilty and hardened in evil............
Jesus through Julia Kim in Naju, Korea on 9/22/95 -
"Because My Mother's loving and kind words from the past several centuries have been ignored, sin has reached a saturation point, even within the Church."
Message from the Blessed Virgin as "Queen of Prophets" to a Priest from the Marian Movement:
"Many among you will wait until it is too late, and then, as in the times of Noah, what will you say when the Ark is closed and the deluge comes? So it will be in the end times...the Ark will close on those who will be saved, but the others will be destroyed..."
Mary through Julia Kim in Naju, Korea on 6/27/96 -
"...This is an age of a great degradation, more corrupt than at the time of Noah and the Deluge and at the age of Sodom and Gomorrah. For this reason, a great disaster lies ahead, but the release of God's wrath is being delayed because you gather and pray together... Open your hearts widely and accept the grace mhumbly and meekly.
However much grace I bestow on you, you cannot receive it unless you open your hearts. There may be souls near you who had received graces but turned against them. See to it that nobody is forgotten or given up, because they have to overcome temptations that entail deceptions and refuse all the compromises that are being made at the secular spirit..."
1/15/89 -
"I wish to rescue the world by the victory of my mercy and love. Therefore, if you pray with me, with confidence in me, holdinnng my hands, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. It will surely triumph."
6/27/93 -
"...If my words are well accepted and practiced, the chastisement to fall upon all of you will turn into a Second Pentecost, and the Church will be renewed by the irresistable power of the Holy Spirit and Love."
2/4/94 -
"Depending on whether you accept my words well or reject them, the time of the Second Pentecost and Purification can be advanced or delayed. Therefore, become simple and innocent...listening to your Mother and rushing to her. Then, you will be saved through a new Resurrection and a new birth, and this world will surely be saved..."
11/21/95 -
"When you follow me believing, trusting and relying on me, I will carry out my plan at your side through amazing methods. God the Son, Who is my Son, will establish a Kingdom of Glory filled with Love, Peace and Joy through you; and, through Him, there will be a Resurrection and a new Pentecost in this world."
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, eminent Prelate of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, reminds us that Mary's primary exhortation, issued with maternal solicitude, is "Do whatever He tells you."
- Mike Coppi, 76726.2533@compuserve.com
From: "Michael J. Coppi" <Michael_J_Coppi@compuserve.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Jul 1997 02:31:32 -0400
As the debate over the necessity of physical protection during times of tribulation is waged, it is perhaps most important to note the 3 places of refuge described by Our Lord:
"MY DIVINE HEART", "MY DIVINE CROSS" "MY BELOVED IMMACULATE MOTHER"
...
Our Blessed Mother at Fatima in 1917:
"My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God"
Let's examine just how we go about seeking Mary's "refuge". Is she going to throw down some sort of impermeable tarp for us to hide under? That would hardly be the *spiritual* refuge expected of a Divine Mother. Pope John Paul II effectively summed up that the ROSARY is our primary link to our mother in heaven:
"The call for repentance is maternal and...is associated, as always, with the call for prayer...Our Lady of Fatima points to the ROSARY, which can justly be defined as 'MARY'S prayer' - the prayer in which she feels particularly united with us...That is why the maternal message [of the Mother who desires every man's salvation]...recommends the ROSARY."
At Medjugorje, Mary says:
"...surrender to God that day after day you will discover His Will through prayer." And Pope Leo XIII once said: "There is nothing more excellent than...lifting up supplications to the Blessed Virgin Mary as [we] meditate on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary...The Rosary is the protection of the Mother of God against the enemies of the Catholic Church...The great Virgin of the Rosary is the most potent help of Christians."
Sister Lucia of Fatima also urges us to pray the Rosary......
"... there is no problem... no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary. With the Holy Rosary we will save ourselves. We will console Our Lord and obtain the salvation of many souls."
Fr. Ignatius O'Brien, O.P. (a Dominican thelogian) says:
"The Rosary is the prayer that unites us to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for with our attention focused on the [particular] mystery...our hearts beat in unison with hers...we keep her company and become *Children of her Heart*...through this...PRAYER OF THE HEART...she opens wide her heart to us... Our union with [God] is assured through her; it is impossiblle to find Our Lady and not experience the Divine attraction. It is through her that Christ draws all things to Himself...She does not stand in His way...He is sovereign in Her Heart...Our union with God is assured through her..."
Fr. Bertrand de Margerie, SJ, (a Jesuit theologian) says:
"...In [the mysteries] we meditate on the virtues of the Mother of God and her Son. In the Rosary, we open ourselves to receive spiritual visits from Mary, who is eager to share with us the virtues of her Immaculate Heart...Through the Rosary, the Mother of God comes to us with Him and imprints His image on...our stained hearts..If we place no obstacle to thee grace she wishes to obtain for us, we wil experience...Mary's presence...The recitation of the Rosary is thus transformed, if God so wills, into an intimate experience..."
Regarding the Rosary, St. Dominic put it simply:
"God has left us the ROSARY that we may learn with Mary's help to pray easily, and simply in holy trust".
The Brown SCAPULAR is the other badge we wear to show our devotion to, and desire to be protected by Mary. The great promise made by the Blessed Virgin given to Saint Simon Stock on July 16, 1251 concerning the Brown Scapular was: "Whoever dies wearing this Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire."
The Brown Scapular is a Sacramental, and is a sign of salvation, a protection in danger, and a pledge of peace. The Scapular is the promise of Mary's prayer. It is the masterpiece of the love of the Heart of Mary Pope Pius XII commented:
"The SCAPULAR will be for all the sign of our consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary."
...
The Miraculous Medal is another important "gift" from Mary.
The Miraculous Medal, with an image personally dictated by Our Lady, is also very important. She appeared to St. Catherine Laboure' with an image of this Medal, saying: "Have a medal struck after this model. All who wear it will receive great graces; it should be worn around the neck."
So devotion to Mary - veneration, confidence and love - especially through the Brown Scapular and the Rosary, is how we mystically seek refuge in Mary's Immaculate Heart. St. Louis de Montfort tells us that such devotion "is a sure means of going to Jesus, because the attribute of the Blessed Virgin is to lead us surely to Christ, just as Jesus Christ's attribute is to lead us surely to the Eternal Father.."
In his spiritual program proposed for the last three years of the millennium, Pope John Paul II also speaks of the value of personal consecration to Mary, portraying her as a model of faith, radiant hope, and of love towards both God and neighbor. He expounds on the Blessed Virgin as a model in worship, since she is the creature most closely associated with the Messiah. We are encouraged to associate ourselves with Mary in a new Advent. Jesus Christ is formed in the souls of those devoted to the Immaculate Heart. And, in turn, the Father manifests Himself through Jesus Christ.
The ever-virgin mother of Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, occupies a place in the Church second only to that of Christ. Since Christ became human through Mary, and since the Church is Christ's Mystical body, she holds this pre-eminent position. The Blessed Virgin is close to us as our spiritual mother, and deserving of the special love due her as mother of Christ and mother of the Church.
As we already know, God willed that Christ come to us through Mary. The Son entered our world through her and He alone brought salvation. The key to the Divine plan for this understanding therefore is that Mary was the door through which God willed salvation to come. For she is "full of grace" and as Mother of God is more intimately associated with the mysteries of Jesus Christ. True, Mary is but a creature, but she is the only other being in Heaven (besides Christ Himself) in bodily (glorified) form (due to her Assumption).
The *easiest* route to Heaven is: Mary ---> Jesus ---> the Father. God gives His Graces through Mary's Immaculate Heart (united with the Sacred Heart of Jesus). And so we can begin to understand the meaning of the Gospa's messages of Medjugorje: "Members of all faiths are equal before God...Salvation is available to everyone, without exception. Only those who refuse God deliberately are condemned."
Seeking Mary's intercession, then, is the safest course of action for those of us who "know" her but she, on the other hand, "knows" all men, and therefore excludes none of them from the love of her Immaculate Heart. In other words, when we say that Mary is the Mother of all men, it does not necessarily mean that all men believe in her and accept her as Mother but that she accepts them anyways. That is her great mystery as Mother and as Queen.
On November 13, 1965, during her last apparition at Garabaandal, the Blessed Mother said, "I have come for all my children, with the desire to draw them closer to our Hearts..I hold them all in my mantle." She thus universally extended her motherhood to all people. Mari Loli said, "There is no mother as good and understanding as the one we have in heaven."
Mary is our spiritual mother.
Here is a stanza composed by the Garabandal visionaries while in ecstasy:
Christians, follow the Virgin
With humility and fervor,
Ask her that she prepare you a place
In the heavenly dwellings.
It is true that Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5), but the Blessed Virgin Mary is a mediatrix with her Son, but His heart pierced with a lance and the Immaculate Heart of Mary transfixed with a sword of sorrow, were made one when the Sacrifice of the Cross was offered for our salvation.
Because of this, the Church has honored Mary with the title of Co-Redemptrix since the very first century of Christianity. Although she has, of course, received much praise from being considered as our Advocate a dogma offically declaring her as Coredemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate is expected, but has yet to be proclaimed.
Certainly she deserves this distinction. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), No. 969-970 (Lumen Getium):
"The motherhood of Mary...continues uninterrupted... Taken up to Heaven, Mary did not lay aside this saving office, but her manifold intercession continues to bring us gifts of eternal salvation...Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.
Mary's function as mother of men in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its power. But the Blessed Virgin's salutary influence on men...flows forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on His mediation, depends entirely on it, and draws all its power from it".
As Co-Redemptrix, Mary was called in a unique way to share the suffering endured by her Divine Son for our Redemption. On Calvary, Mary stands alone among all creatures in her knowedge and understanding of the sad and tragic consequences of sin. In her Immaculate Heart, the Most Holy Virgin sees the beauty and value of each immortal soul and the heights of holiness to which the grace of God can lead it. Mary knows the great dignity of the human person as a child of God.
Is it possible that God does not grant Mary's requests? Every prayer that comes from her mouth is like a law emanating from the Lord: "The law of clemency is upon her tongue" (Pr 31:26).
St. Bernard wonders why the Church calls Mary "Queen of Mercy"; he replies ("Salve Regina," Serm. I, No. 3): "It is because she opens at her will the abyss of divine mercy, so that no sinner, whatever the enormity of his crimes, can perish, if he is protected by Mary".
Saint Gregory VII adds (Register, letter 47):
"The more she is holy, the more eminent is her dignity, the sweeter she is toward the sinner who wishes to be converted."
300 years ago, St. Louis de Montfort wrote: "It is through the most Blessed Virgin Mary that Jesus Christ has come into the world and it is also through her that he ought to reign in the world...In these last times she will be better known and revealed by the Holy Spirit in order to make her Son better known, loved, and served..
In these last times, Mary must show forth more than ever her mercy, to bring back and lovingly receive poor sinners who will be converted, and her strength against the enemies of God, wicked and hardened, who will cause terrible revolutions and seduce many by their promises and threats!...Mary will be terrible to the devil and his followers, like an army set in battle array."
The Virgin Mary is making her final appeals at Medjugorje, et al. They are made in the most loving way, because love is the essence of human life. As quoted from the Imaculata:
"Love is the charity of the Holy Spirit - the very breath of the soul. The body is subject to the soul and the soul must be subject to God who made it. The infernal goal of the enemy of souls is to destroy all moral order and to foment hate in order to destroy all that is of God, who is Love Itself. The malignant cancer of materialistic humanism has infected the entire world. The devil has come to wage war against the Woman and her offspring who keep the commandments of God and give witness to Jesus Christ. It is not possible to be constantly exposed to this deadly virus of hate and not become infected with it, unless we give ourselves absolutely and unconditionally to the Immaculate. Listen to the requests of your Mother and beg her for the grace to obey them perfectly. The very least that is commanded of all Christians is a radical amendment of life."
At Fatima, Mary came as our Mother to plead with her children to unite their hearts in prayer and to cease offending God, Who is Love and, "...Who is already so much offended".
>>Jesus told us love is the very basis of everything. We have to remember what St John says in 1 Jn. 4:18 - "In love there can be no fear, but fear is driven out by perfect love."<<
Our Lady on December 4th, 1996:
"...if you live united with God who is Love itself, He will fill you with His Grace, and filled with His Love you wll be able to bring it to your neighbors..."
Mary's primary messages lead us back to Jesus. She encourages prayer, sacrifice, fastig and conversion to the Gospels. As our Mother, she is consoler of our souls, leading us back to God's grace. Through her intercession, and by her example of humble submission, she desires that all hearts be open to our Lord.
In an Address given at Rome on 10 January 1979 Pope John Paul II said:
"The Church's veneration for the Madonna - a veneration which surpasses the cult of any other Saint and takes the name 'hyperdulia'..."
The highest type of worship or adoration, referred to by theologians as "Latria", is accorded to Jesus Christ. The honor paid to Mary and the saints is infinitely lower. When it is given to the saints, it is referred to as "dulia" and when it is given to Mary it is referred to as "hyperdulia" because it surpasses the veneration given to the angels and saints combined.
Veneration given to Mary is in no way idolatrous, because it is rendered to a creature and is not a substitute or an alteration to the worship owed to the Divinity. Indeed, the more Mary is venerated, the more she draws all mankind to her Divine Son and to the Father.
We do not "worship" Mary. Worship can ONLY be offered to the Creator, God Himself as well as Jesus Christ His only begotten Son.
We "honor" and "venerate" Mary according to her dignity as Mother of Jesus. By honoring her, it is the Catholic intention of praising God for creating her.
- Mike Coppi, 76726.2533@compuserve.com =
[ed. note by ARB: Originally posted on the Marian Apparitions List of Catholicity. Very similar to Bud Macfarlane, Sr.'s talks on Marian Apparitions: for information on free tapes of his talks and other Catholic audio tapes, see the Mary Foundation's Web page]