Posted on 06/06/2003 5:00:11 PM PDT by Salvation
SEER FROM CHURCH-APPROVED SITE CLAIMS CHRIST IS PREPARING FOR A MANIFESTATION
Maria Esperanza with Mother Teresa of Calcutta in 1982
www.spiritdaily.com
In the revised version of a book based on her visions, seer Maria Esperanza Bianchini of Caracas, Venezuela, claims that Jesus is on the verge of a major appearance or manifestation. The assertion is made in The Bridge To Heaven, a collection of interviews originally published in 1993 and set for re-release this week with updated interviews and information.
A manifestation or the Final Coming? We are leaving this for your own determination and make this distinction because there have been a myriad of similar prophecies since the first century -- when indeed even Christ's disciples expected Him to return within their lifetimes. Similar expectations have been held since, especially during a major chastisement during the Middle Ages, when apocalyptic prophecies reached a special fervor as Europe and Asia suffered through tremendous upheavals in weather and bubonic plague. Speculation has surged in the years following 1981 -- when word came of seers granted secrets by the Blessed Virgin at Medjugorje in Bosnia-Hercegovina, secrets that have not yet been revealed but that some believe have apocalyptic elements.
It was five years before Medjugorje -- in 1976 -- that apparitions began at a smaller spot called Betania (for "Bethany") near Caracas in Venezuela. Those apparitions were followed in 1984 by a major appearance of the Blessed Mother that was witnessed not only by Esperanza (the main seer at Betania) but also at least 490 who wrote declarations for the local bishop, Most Reverend Pio Bello Ricardo, a trained psychologist who personally interviewed the witnesses, consulted the Vatican, and formally declared the apparitions authentic in 1987.
The bishop, who has himself testified to witnessing other forms of phenomena around Esperanza, took the additional extraordinary measure of formally declaring Betania to be "sacred ground."
The site thus became one of only a handful of Church-approved apparitions during the 20th century and for that reason many take the prophecies of Esperanza, whose phenomena have been documented by scientists, into special consideration. Those phenomena include stigmata, visions, apparitions, "reading" souls, healing, bilocation, and other gifts similar to those of Pio, whom Esperanza knew when she was a young woman living in Italy with husband Geo, a native of that country.
In the original version of The Bridge to Heaven, Esperanza had said, "Jesus is coming. His coming is near. Perhaps I will not live to see this, but the Lord is coming. Little time will pass. It will be in a way never before imagined by man, because the Light of His New Rising will be evident to everyone. Jesus will be felt very clearly in our hearts and you will see Him just as on that great day of His resurrection into Heaven."
While, as we have often emphasized, Scripture itself warns that no prophecy (save that of Jesus) is perfect [1 Corinthians 13:8], and while predictions are often conditional, Esperanza has had some impressive "hits" -- including predictions related to September 11. When asked during interviews last autumn and winter for the new book if she believes He is really coming and if so how it might be, Esperanza, who often sees things in ethereal symbolism, elaborated on what seems at the least like a major manifestation. We offer it for your own interpretation.
"It will be very different than what people think," she told writer Michael H. Brown. "He’s going to come in silence. People will realize He is among us little by little. I’m seeing Him right now. He has His mantle covering His hair. He has a robe like white and black. His first presentation will be like this, because in those days an innocent person whom He loves a lot will die, an innocent person. This will shock the world, will move the world. Many people will believe. He will disappear for some days and appear again.
"And when He disappears, people will go back again to the mess, to the disordered things. He will bilocate, He will multiply Himself, to assist everyone, in their homes, because this will be a definite thing. He will come and knock on every door. And then people will realize it is truly Him. He will let Himself be seen for a little while and then will disappear until God decrees what has to be done. And then people will understand what is happening and begin preparing themselves. There is not much time for that. I will say from ten to twenty years. Everything is already in place, in motion. I see palm trees, and they will say again, 'Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord.' We are being prepared right now. I know what I am saying sounds crazy, but I have to say what I have to say. Sometimes I am like St. Thomas, who has to put his finger in His side."
The distinction is made between a "manifestation" and the actual, formal Second Coming because the Church teaches that the Second or at least Final Coming of Christ will be followed by the end of the world. When asked: "Are you speaking of visions, or maybe dreams? That Christ will return in visions? We look at Matthew 24 and Luke 21 and it says when He comes again it will be in glory on a cloud. So you’re speaking of a manifestation – not the Second Coming?" Maria replied:
"The same way He resurrected, that is how God is going to appear to you, to me, in that way, the same way as He resurrected, as an apparition. That’s the way He is going to appear, to you, to me, to everyone in that way. He is going to start appearing. He already is among us but is not letting us see Him. With our brains, in this physical reality, we can only see what God wants us to see, but it only needs a little touch from God to open another little door in our brains to see Jesus whenever He wants us to see Him. That’s why I have been saying to be ready, because things are starting to happen.
"The Catechism says the Second Coming is followed by the end of the world. How do you respond to that?" she was asked, at which point her husband Geo, who often speaks for her because an illness prevents her answering questions in depth, said:
"It is an interpretation. Read Psalm 71. When He comes in glory is the Final Judgment, it is the end of this world. If He comes now, the ones who will receive Him will be the Pope and all the faithful souls in the world, no one else, because they are expecting Him and waiting for Him. We are also waiting."
The years before such a manifestation will include a special light from Heaven, says Esperanza, and many natural and geopolitical events meant as purification and preparation.
[later this week: what Esperanza has to say about souls in purgatory]
[resources: The Bridge to Heaven, The Day Will Come, The Final Hour, Betania Video: Land of Grace]
On page 3, he writes, "Maria Esperanza is not of God. The church, meaning the local bishop who is the sole authority appointed by God, approved the apparitions of Our Lady to the people and the Eucharistic miracle as being supernatural, meaning "From God". The Church did not investigate Maria Esperanza. Her claims of messages came after the apparitions. And most of her messages are after the Church approval." (emphasis by the author of booklet).
The bishop of Akita approved that event, but I have since come to disbelieve in it.
There are too many weird things going on in the church today. I think people should stay on the narrow road and leave this stuff alone.
Mat 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here [is] Christ, or there; believe [it] not.
Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Mat 24:25 Behold, I have told you before.
Mat 24:26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, [he is] in the secret chambers; believe [it] not.
Mat 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Everyone will know at the same time when Christ has arrived. The bible says we should not believe anyone who has seen him before then.
Interpreting dreams, visions, experiences, etc is a very tricky matter. People have a tendency to interpret them on a literal basis, in context of their own understanding and/or without the benefit of a good spiritual director. It is always important to check any type of supernatural experience against Scripture, established doctrines and traditional teachings.
We know that a soul with an advanced level of spiritual development is open to supernatural experiences and gifts of the Spirit. That same soul however is an open portal to the unseen and subject to the attacks and deceptions of the dark and ambivalent residing in other realms. An individual in a spiritual process will frequently experience things before they have the ability to discern what is truth and what is not. This further underscores the necessity for a good spiritual director, particularly one who has achieved a certain level of spiritual development him/herself. In these times this can be difficult to find. Conversely, we are living in times where many souls are being called to higher levels. We are experiencing a great numbers of souls being propelled along a path with no map or experienced guidance.
Do I think Maria Esperanza is a fraud? No. Do I think these are legitimate prophecies? Doubtful. Maria Esperanza is in process. I believe she is the one who has experienced the stigmata on several occasions? Her husband, Godly man that he may be, is not equipped to interpret her visions. Does Maria have a spiritual director and where is he? In times past the Church recognized the delicate nature of such situations and kept a watchful eye on these souls. Her spiritual director should be the recipient of these visions and the confidant. It is irresponsible and unwise to release them to the public as is being done. There is no discernment being exercised. We have no idea whether these experiences are meant for Maria alone, symbolic and solely applicable to her life or meant for the world at large. I lean towards the former if they are of a legitimate source.
We need to be very careful and change how we look at spiritual experience.
While it is good to be cautious concerning these matters, gifts of the Spirit are not distributed according to gender. God gives any gift he wishes to any soul he wishes, regardless of gender.
I used to think that, too, but I don't really know for sure. It's just my opinion. I do not believe that a lay woman would be given a gift of reading souls. I'm not really certain that it is a good thing for a priest to have hidden knowledge about a soul. In the scriptures, only Jesus had that gift as far as I can tell.
Only men were given the privilege of writing scripture. Only men are given the privilege of writing encyclicals. Only men can administer the sacraments.
I didn't say I like it or it is fair. That's just the way it is. When I see women exhibiting some of these so-called gifts usually given to men, I get suspicious. Why have a woman lay hands on you non-sacramentally when you can request and receive the sacrament of annointing?
I'm not sure that women spoke in tongues back when that gift was genuine.
I think we are getting close to something momentous. If Jesus decides to manifest Himself, that's fine, but it is the icing on the cake so to speak, just as all apparitions are.
We have the Church, we have the Bible, and, if we want, we have Church-approved apparitions.
But we must not become "sign and wonder" junkies.
That is not an indictment of ANYONE else nor of the supposed seers.
I just find it easier to ignore all of them now (except the old approved ones) than try to figure out which ones might be legit and which ones are not, and just stick with Apostolic and Scriptural Christian belief.
If they are legit, they can only repeat that which we already know and should be doing and believing already as committed Christians. There can be no new revelation.
For some, running after the latest messages and seers and apparition pilgrimage sites almost seemed to eclipse basic Christian orthopraxy. That cannot be of God.
I understand the 'spark' to be Our Holy Father.
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