Yes. Fr Wilson OP God rest his soul. He related two frightening things he knew first hand. Two teenagers--Catholic--had been playing the ouija board at a party and were on their way home. The board was in the back seat. They stopped at a traffic light and heard a funny noise. They turned around and saw the planchet spinning around the board on its own spelling things out. Terrifued they went to their priest. I think their parents destroyed the board. The other story involved a young girl who didn't want her boyfriend to be shipped over seas so she said in her mind she would sell her soul to keep him with her. The next day his orders were changed. He stayed right there. At that time This girl was staying at the monastery I think while they tried to free her. I don't know the end of the story. This is serious deadly stuff.
I cam across, 'by chance', the most wonderful timely message to Luisa Piscaretta from Jesus on the Holy Souls and the current virus. Which I quote. Recall that this message from Jesus was given March 9th 1906 before any of us were even born and long before the Great Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918. Yet it speaks of the, 'scourges of infectious diseases' and of how the Holy Souls can help. Amazing 'Continuing in my usual state, I saw my blessed Jesus and many souls of Purgatory . These were sent by Jesus to help the nations, where it seemed many disasters would occur: calamities like contagious diseases, earthquakes and suicides, because man- being tired of himself and living without God - no longer feels the strength to go on living.'
In modern times we tend to think of what we can do for the Holy Souls but never what the Holy Souls can do for us. But the Holy Souls are not like us. They are always grateful and always always do pay back, a thousand times over for what we give. In ancient times merchants used to give 10% of their income for the relief of the Holy Souls and always reported getting massive pay back. Not that we shoudla ct selfishly, but still payback is there. I remember my mother saying she did not believe in ghosts. To which I quoted a short Scripture passage, 'The dead arose and appeared to many' (after the death of Jesus) Matthew 27:52 The Death of Jesus …51At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs broke open, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53After Jesus’ resurrection, when they had come out of the tombs, they entered the holy city and appeared to many people.… Well what could these be but ghosts? The spirits of the dead? Another Scripture story which springs to mind is that of the witch of Endor>
A number of years ago at a very vulnerable state, just after my wife's announcement that our marriage was over, I went into apostasy and became a follower of the Baha'i Faith. A totally syncretic faith with elements of Islam and Christianity and Judaism all mashed together. During this vulnerable time an acquaintance invited me to attend with her a "spiritualist church" in Belfast. There was nothing religious nor even pseudo religious about it. Just three people sitting at a table claiming to have messages from the afterlife. One of them claimed to have a"message" for me from my grandfather. In my naivety I had no idea of the potential danger in which I was putting myself, however I did ave a sense of foreboding and never returned. My Guardian Angel and St Michael were protecting me a lost sheep. I have since confessed this great sin and received absolution and I no longer dwell on this episode. I just want to share this experience with you all
Oddly enough, I'm currently reading 1st Kings/1st Samuel, and noticing the behaviour of King Saul, he is told again and again, and admits himself again and again; that he is in the wrong. Yet despite all that, he doesn't repent, he keeps going, all the way to his terrible demise, why? Well it seems to me that it's because he despaired, he gave up the hope of repenting and saving his soul. So too with modern humanity, we've gone from adoring humanity to resenting and despairing of it; it's now considered arrogant and prideful to believe that we can know and love the Truth, and that we have the Natural Law written on our hearts.
The final temptation is always to despair. It is the one we will all of us face at the end of the day on our Death Beds. The Ultimate trial. Which is why we are taught every day , when we say the hail Mary, 'Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death'. When we despair we turn our backs on Mercy. I herd recently that the biggest search term on Google the last few months has been, 'How to pray'. People who search for how to pray are seeking hope. There have been other signs of people who abandoning any call for conversion are turning all out to Satan.
It's difficult "figuring" some other people. Not that I'm perfect either (*polite cough*). I've an in-law (could be a flesh & blood relative, my thoughts would be the same) who's been to Israel twice (claims to be a Christian for 30+ years), yet received scant blessing from it (a litany of complaints & criticisms & scorn of fellow tourists). On return from 2nd trip to Israel, had nothing to say about it. Is actually more rude, rejecting, critical, and colder than before. Has recently begun lying. My door is always open to this in-law. Often in prayer. And gently placed into File 13. I honestly don't understand.
This picture horrifies me. The battle lines are no longer blurred. They are clearly drawn. At Mass tonight our priest spoke on taking the right path (line from today's psalm) and ended up by saying that for all the paths we take and all our gifts and accomplishments ultimately there is the final path and he said what will we say when we meet God? We won't speak of our accomplishments. We will need only 3 words: Jesus have mercy. If we cling to His mercy we will make it. Good thing we will have Our Lady with us "now and at the hour of our death"
Interesting stories in this thread. Have a story to tell. One day I was sitting on a chair, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a black shadow as I was quite shocked to see it. Then I tried it again to see out of corner of my eye if it show up again. It did. So I went to see the monk(deceased) known for healing and discussed it with him re black shadow. He asked me all sort of questions. Then I suddenly realised that black shadow was in brother bedroom and told him. Then he suggested that I pray for my brother(deceased) as I didn't understand it. Then few weeks later or I can't rem exactly when, brother was dead as I was just stunned and astounded all the same. I realised it later this was a warning that he was going to die anyway as I had no inkling of that. We hadn't spoken for years as it was trying to tell me re this. Now i understood it. Funeral went off peacefully as black shadow didn't come back since then. It was a shocking and unreal experience for me personally.
Just wondering if anyone else remembers this ... Back in 2009 there was a series on NBC (in America) called "Kings". It was a modern retelling of the story of King Saul and David. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was disappointed when it wasn't renewed, as I had gotten caught up in some of the stories of the smaller characters -- the guards and the servants. etc. There's a scene in one episode that shows when Saul lost favor with G_D. Saul knew he had been chosen to be king when a flutter of orange butterflies suddenly arose and landed on and around him. The flag to his kingdom was a representation of one such butterfly. When Saul needed help with knowing what to do, a flutter of these butterflies would appear. Then, after a series of missteps, when Saul asks G_D for direction, no butterflies appeared, but a flock of crows or ravens instead. And in the next scene, David is walking in the garden, when suddenly a flutter of these orange butterflies appear and land on and around him. It's clear on his face that he doesn't recognize the significance, but he is delighted by them. IIRC, it was not renewed not due to lack of viewers, but because most of the city and backgrounds were CGI, and at the time (11 years ago!) it just cost too much to build the backgrounds.
The Golden Arrow, in reparation for the wicked abuse of Holy Eucharist, and Holy Relics. May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most incomprehensible and ineffable Name of God, Be forever praised, blessed, loved, adored and glorified in Heaven, on earth, and in hell, by all the Creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Most Holy Sacrament of Altar. Amen Eternal Father, I offer Thee the adorable Face of Thy Beloved Son, for the honour and glory of Thy Name, for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of the dying. Oh Jesus, through the merits of Thy Holy Face, have pity on us and on the whole world. (3 times)
The only answer I can think of is “ humility”. He chose humble peasants, in humble locations as God Himself chose a humbling stable for the birth of His own son whose life was the ultimate in humility. It just goes to show us that God highly values humility over prominence, wealth, or notoriety.
'He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.'
Your post mentions your relatives "scorn of fellow tourists". Therein lies the problem, obviously he went as a tourist rather than as a pilgrim. What's in the heart is very telling.
