Some thoughts on illumination of conscience

I love Mario's conversion story. Powerful!!!!

 

I was just reading something to the effect that God sends abundant grace to everyone & the graces sent to the non-believer are to bring them into the Church.

Can you imagine the line-ups for baptism for those of good will disposed to receive that grace!?!

 

Thank you for sharing. Praying the Rosary faithfully every day eventually brings peace and strength and makes you strong.

 

ACTS 8;26-38
26 The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, 'Set out at noon and go along the road that leads from Jerusalem down to Gaza, the desert road.'

27 So he set off on his journey. Now an Ethiopian had been on pilgrimage to Jerusalem; he was a eunuch and an officer at the court of the kandake, or queen, of Ethiopia; he was her chief treasurer.

28 He was now on his way home; and as he sat in his chariot he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

29 The Spirit said to Philip, 'Go up and join that chariot.'

30 When Philip ran up, he heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, 'Do you understand what you are reading?'

31 He replied, 'How could I, unless I have someone to guide me?' So he urged Philip to get in and sit by his side.

32 Now the passage of scripture he was reading was this: Like a lamb led to the slaughter-house, like a sheep dumb in front of its shearers, he never opens his mouth.

33 In his humiliation fair judgement was denied him. Who will ever talk about his descendants, since his life on earth has been cut short?

34 The eunuch addressed Philip and said, 'Tell me, is the prophet referring to himself or someone else?'

35 Starting, therefore, with this text of scripture Philip proceeded to explain the good news of Jesus to him.

36 Further along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, 'Look,is some water; is there anything to prevent my being baptised?'

37

38 He ordered the chariot to stop, then Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and he baptised him.
https://www.catholic.org/bible/book.php?id=51&bible_chapter=8

 

I hope to watch this. Thanks.

 

I just realised these verses contradict the protestant doctrine of Sola Scriptura, the Bible alone through personal interpretation.

Do you understand what you are reading?'

31 He replied, 'How could I, unless I have someone to guide me?' So he urged Philip to get in and sit by his side.

Philip represents the Church the authentic interpreter of Holy Scriptures.

 

Great post. Hard journey. Happy ending.

 

When I got back from camping I found the light in my bathroom would not come on. So I bought a new light bulb and put it in , still no joy.

So then I went down to the electric wholesalers and got a new fitting. It was one of the new LED ones with a hundred little LED lights and they told me it would make the room much brighter. So it did, it was like a new bathroom making everything look like new. However it also exposed how the place needed a really good clean out.

I suppose what is coming will be a little like this, a huge light of the Holy Spirit making old things new and showing light in dark places. It is meant as a gift , not a curse, but I suppose it depends on whether or not you like cleaning.

I had a series of dreams about Ireland in the days right after the Illumination, years and years ago. I dreamt I was walking down and looking in the houses I passed as I walked past. There was an air of huge spiritual excitement and freshness. Groups of people were gathering in each house to pray and sing and worship. In a way each house had turned into a little Church. I recall one house in particular a very large crowd in it. The joy, the excitement.

The prayer of the ages being fulfilled.

Come Holy Spirit,
Fill the Hearts of your Faithful.
Enkindle in them the Fire of your love.
Then you will renew the Face of the Earth.

 

Beautiful, Padraig. I have long yearned for this life.
But God grant me the grace to withstand and to accept in humility what I must see of myself first.

 

I also had dreams about the period just before the Illumination. I dreamt I was looking at a very Dark Sky and the Stars danced in a way that gave me butterflies in my stomache. I can't imagine what people will feel when they actually see this live.

Then there was a Great a Huge silence in the Heavens as though even the blades of grass had stopped to listen. Then I felt something truly huge moving from a Great Distance towards us, from heaven. It was the Cross with Mary standing beneath it , gazing upwards.

Revelation 12 1

A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.

 

A life time of regular confession will be a big help then, I suppose.

Spring cleaning is easier if we have been doing regular cleaning anyway.

 

yes indeed Luther himself with his free examination and free interpretation ended up rejecting the book of Revelation as inspired; I imagine that today this still occurs with people who read without accompaniment and literally interpret the description of the beasts and the 10-horned dragon as something mythological.

 

Very good. So true. Great insight. This was also I believe the first know instance of bilocation in the history of the Church.

 

Thank you for sharing this. I have sent it to others! What a wonderful testimony!