Posted on 10/13/2015 8:08:21 AM PDT by Salvation
This week on October 13 and 14th I am in Fatima. Such a profound apparition occurred there, and so accurately prophetic of our times!
Our Lady’s warnings of the consequences if we did not pray and convert have proven to be sadly accurate. She warned of another, more terrible war (World War II). She spoke of great lights in the sky that would serve as a final warning before the terrible war. (They appeared all over Europe just before Hitler invaded Poland, in the form of a stunning display of the Aurora Borealis.) She said that Russia would spread her errors, that the Church would have much to suffer, and she warned of a pope who would be struck down.
A final and belated prophecy from Fatima seems to have come in the form of a letter written by Sister Lucia to Cardinal Carlo Caffara. He had written to her asking for her prayers as he had been commissioned by Pope John Paul II to establish the Pontifical Institute for the Studies on Marriage and the Family. The year was 1981. According to Cardinal Caffara, she wrote back with the following:
[T]he final battle between the Lord and the reign of Satan will be about marriage and the family. Don’t be afraid, she added, because anyone who operates for the sanctity of marriage and the family will always be contended and opposed in every way, because this is the decisive issue. And then she concluded: however, Our Lady has already crushed its head. [*]
Thus, from Fatima comes one accurate prophecy after another. Here we are today, locked in a terrible battle over the most basic units of any civilization: families and the marriages that form them. Fatima, the great prophecy of our time and a summons to sobriety and prayer!
Something else that has always intrigued me about Fatima is the name of the town itself. Fatima is a town bearing the name of the daughter of Mohammed; this is so stunning! Why of all places would Mary appear there? Is it just coincidence? If you think so, you have not pondered that everything about the apparition of Fatima is prophetic.
The great Archbishop Fulton Sheen, in his book The World’s First Love, reflected on its significance and posed a few questions. Please note that the book was written in 1952 and therefore some of the spellings are not the modern ones. Here are some excerpts:
The Koran, which is the Bible of the Moslems, has many passages concerning the Blessed Virgin. First of all, the Koran believes in her Immaculate Conception, and also, in her Virgin Birth … The Koran also has verses on the Annunciation, Visitation, and Nativity. Angels are pictured as accompanying the Blessed Mother and saying, Oh Mary, God has chosen you and purified you, and elected you above all the women of the earth. In the 19th chapter of the Koran there are 41 verses on Jesus and Mary. There is such a strong defense of the virginity of Mary here that the Koran in the fourth book, attributes the condemnation of the Jews to their monstrous calumny against the Virgin Mary.
Mary, then, is for the Moslems the true Sayyida, or Lady. The only possible serious rival to her in their creed would be Fatima, the daughter of Mohammed himself. But after the death of Fatima, Mohammed wrote: Thou shalt be the most blessed of women in Paradise, after Mary. In a variant of the text Fatima is made to say; I surpass all the women, except Mary.
This brings us to our second point; namely, why the Blessed Mother, in this 20th Century should have revealed herself in the significant little village of Fatima, so that to all future generations she would be known as “Our Lady of Fatima.” Since nothing ever happens out of Heaven except with a finesse of all details, I believe that the Blessed Virgin chose to be known as “Our Lady of Fatima” as pledge and a sign of hope to the Moslem people, and as an assurance that they, who show her so much respect, will one day accept her divine Son too.
Evidence to support these views is found in the historical fact that the Moslems occupied Portugal for centuries. At the time when they were finally driven out, the last Moslem chief had a beautiful daughter by the name of Fatima. A Catholic boy fell in love with her, and for him she not only stayed behind when the Moslems left, but even embraced the Faith. The young husband was so much in love with her that he changed the name of the town where he lived to Fatima. Thus the very place where our Lady appeared in 1917 bears a historical connection to Fatima, the daughter of Mohammed.
Missionaries, in the future will, more and more, see that their apostolate among the Moslems will be successful in the measure that they preach Our Lady of Fatima. Mary is the advent of Christ, bringing Christ to the people before Christ himself is born. In any apologetic endeavor, it is always best to start with that which the people already accept. Because the Moslems have devotion to Mary, our missionaries should be satisfied merely to expand and develop that devotion, with the full realization that our Blessed Lady will carry the Moslems the rest of the way to her divine Son. She is forever a “traitor,” in the sense that she will not accept any devotion for herself, bit will always bring anyone who is devoted to her to her divine Son.
A beautiful reflection by Archbishop Sheen and one we can surely hope will come to pass! Relations are much tenser between Christians and Muslims today than in 1952. But Fatima is the apparition that just keeps prophesying.
It is nothing less than astonishing that Mary should appear in a town with the name of Fatima. Surely this is no mere coincidence. As Sheen points out, Heaven does nothing without purpose. It is very clear to me that we are not to pass over this detail. “Our Lady of Fatima” has a different ring to it when we consider that Fatima is more than a place; Fatima is the daughter of Muhammad and the greatest woman in Islam. “Our Lady of Fatima” sounds and feels so different when it is heard in this context of person rather than place. It is hugely significant.
It seems clear that Mary will play an important role in the years ahead as the Muslim/Christian conflict likely grows sharper. Perhaps, as Sheen notes, she will be the bridge that connects two vastly different cultures; the common mother who keeps her children talking. Right now this connection seems little pursued, even (as far as I can tell) by the Vatican.
The Guadalupe connection – I wonder, too, if the history of Our Lady of Guadalupe presents some historical parallels to our current struggle with the Muslim world. In the early 16th Century in Mexico, missionaries had made only meager progress in bringing the Aztec people to Christ. This was a combination of the sometimes rude and cruel treatment of the indigenous people by the Spanish soldiers, and also of the fearful superstition surrounding the Aztec gods. The people were locked in with the fear that unless they fed these gods with horrific human sacrifices, their greatest god, the sun, would no longer shine.
Into this fearful and suspicious setting entered Mother Mary. The miraculous image she left in 1531 was richly symbolic. Her face is that of a mother: gentle and compassionate, unlike the appearance of the frightening Aztec gods, who wore fierce masks. Her features seem to be both Aztec and European, two cultures combined in kindness and peace. Her attitude is one of humble prayer, so she is clearly not a god(dess). She is a merciful mother who consoles and prays for us. She is to be honored but not adored. The black band around her waist means that she is with child and offers Jesus to the people. Her message is about Him. The sun was the greatest of the Aztec gods, so by standing in front of it, Mary shows that she is greater than even their greatest god. To the Aztecs, the moon represented the god of darkness and death. That Mary is standing on the moon is a sign that these powers, too, are defeated by the Son she bears.
Mary brought the breakthrough. Within ten years, over twelve million Mexicans came to Christ and entered the Catholic Church.
This history is paralleled in many ways today in the current tensions with the Muslim World. In many Muslim lands today, conversions are few. Part of the reason for this is a strong aversion to the Western culture from which Catholicism comes. Many Muslims also hold grievances due to alleged American and Western “mistreatment.” Finally, a large factor is fear. In many parts of the Muslim world, leaving the Muslim faith is likely to get one killed. So, it is a combination of a wide cultural gulf, grievances, and fear that keep conversions low. All of this is not unlike the situation in 16th century Mexico.
Is Mary key to this? It took Mary to bridge all these similar gaps between the Aztecs and the Christian missionaries. Might Mary also be that bridge today when similar gaps divide people? Time will tell, but one of her greatest modern titles is “Our Lady of Fatima.” And then there is the crescent moon, upon which Mary stands in the image of Guadalupe. In modern times the crescent moon is the symbol of Islam. By God’s grace, and with love and humility, Mother Mary of Guadalupe was victorious in overcoming the false religion of the Aztecs.
Might this crescent moon on which Our Lady of Guadalupe stands also point to our times and the crescent moon of Islam? Might it indicate that her victories, by God’s grace, are not at an end? Perhaps we can hope that what our Lady of Guadalupe was to the Aztec people of Mexico, Our Lady of Fatima will be to the Muslim people of the world.
As always, I invite your comments and answers to my questions.
Here is “Immaculate Mary,” sung in Arabic:
Being a catholic, even a devout catholic, is no ticket to heaven. Trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and not being afraid to say so, well that’s a lot more certain to have you in the Family of God (born from above by His Holy Spirit into your human spirit).Just being a faithful catholic is no ticket to heaven ... and tinkerbell, you don’t know me ‘cause if you did you wouldn’t make a fool of yourself calling me a coward. Keep believing you eat the literal body, blood, soul, AND DIVINITY of Jesus, just as the pagans believed with their idols, and we’ll see if you have a Heaven ticket. But in all sincerity, I would caution you, even begging you to, stop playing at self aggrandizing by believing you can eat God into your spirit. Hell awaits such foolery and that’s why satan does such a powerful job of convincing the lost that they must do it, as if they can have God owe them ...
I do.
Thank you for answering.
Your welcome Ealgeone.
I know....who is doing that?? Tsk...tsk.....and don’t say we IDOLIZE Mary because you would look ignorant.
Just for everyone’s information: (so that all can know there is indeed an answer for the objections raised here). Devotion to Mary is not breaking any commandment or violating Scripture because she is alive “in Christ”. Everything she has and or does is through Him because of Him.
As I said upthread I don’t have any particular devotion to Our Lady but those that do actually honor Him by honoring Her. Why? Because again all she is and does is through Him. So by honoring her one actually honors Her Son. That’s how it works in traditional Orthodox Christianity. We are all part of one Body, His Body; so any honor given to any member is honor given to Him.
To separate Mary from Her Son, by saying we shouldn’t honor her (because it is “worshipping her like God” or similar nonsense) is to literally RIP her from the Body of Christ. It makes a mockery of the very Scriptural teaching that all who are in Christ are part of one Body. So for this reason, one should be very careful about being too critical of Marian devotions. It borders on heresy (if not blasphemy).
This is all Catholic teaching. If one doesn’t like it, fine, we Catholics “get” that you don’t like it. But you should keep the above in mind when you (falsely) claim we are anti-Scriptural in such devotion(s). The fact is we are only “anti Scriptural” in your own opinion. Your own personal opinion of Scripture.
And we all know how much “opinions” are worth.
So why don’t you all find a better use of your time? Seems to me a giant waste of time to boldly (proudly) claim that your opinion of Scripture is somehow superior to ours, for no other reason than it just “is” (apparently).
These threads are a giant waste of time for that precise reason: all these ever are are exercises in “my opinion of Scripture is better than yours”. Probably makes God sick at the whole affair.
And it's only scriptural in your own personal opinion.
Catholics can NEVER get away from their own personal interpretation of Scripture, the CCC, the magisterium, whatever.
EVERYTHING we read or hear, we interpret.
Your personal interpretation is that the Catholic church is correct. But it is still simply your interpretation, no better, no worse, and NO DIFFERENT than what you accuse others of.
So what kind of interpretation of Scripture gives license to pray to someone besides God?
What kind of interpretation of Scripture tells us that apparitions that tell people there's another way to God and heaven besides Jesus is from God?
I'd hazard a guess that what makes God sick is that someone would come along and posit a way of salvation that does not include the death of Jesus after seeing the great price He paid in coming to this earth, living a life from conception to a horrible, brutal death and deceiving people into thinking that it was all unnecessary because simply praying the rosary and appealing to Mary is good enough.
People's eternity is at stake. Telling them to trust something or someone besides Jesus will send them to hell.
That alone is enough to tell me that the apparition is demonic. Only Satan would point to someone besides Jesus for salvation.
Which is done in attempting to avoid the charge of circularity, since Rome supposes to validate the Scriptures as being of God based upon her claim to infallibility, while supposing to validate her claim to infallibility by the Scriptures.
Since it cannot be allowed that the laity could assuredly discern what (writings and men) are of God apart from Rome, then Scripture is appealed to as merely reliable historical sources. Then once convinced of the validity of RC claims by the former, then they can assuredly know that this merely reliable historical source is wholly inspired of God.
However, besides the fact that the NT church began with souls rightly discerning an that itinerant Preacher and preachers were of God, whom the historical authorities on Divine revelation rejected, by allowing that the laity can even discern what is of God via a merely reliable historical source means that they must be also allowed to see this source as being of God without submission to Rome, and that she is a serious deformity of what is therein.
In the second half you lost me. I can't think of a better use of my time than to convince someone of God's Truth.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3300611/posts?page=94#94
Note that we are not to carry debates from thread to thread, but while referencing such can be sanctioned, further debate requires one do so on that page.
And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
There was NO ZERO NADA theology having anything to do with the “Rapture” prior to the 1820s.
It was made up like a fairy tale - a total air ball.
The woman is Israel, as shown with the twelve stars reference. The man-child is Jesus, Jeshua, Messiah.
Amen.
If you were shown proof that you are mistaken, would you read it?
Frank Marotta, a brethren researcher, believes that Thomas Collier in 1674 makes reference to a pretribulational rapture, but rejects the view, thus showing his awareness that such a view was being taught in the late seventeenth century.
There is the interesting case of John Asgill, who wrote a book in 1700 about the possibility of translation (i.e. rapture) without seeing death.
Perhaps the clearest reference to a pretrib rapture, if not the most developed system, before Darby comes from Baptist Morgan Edwards (founder of the Ivey League school, Brown University) who saw a distinct rapture three and a half years before the start of the millennium. The discovery of Edwards, who wrote about his pretrib beliefs in 1744 and later published them in 1788, is hard to dismiss. He taught the following:
II. The distance between the first and second resurrection will be somewhat more than a thousand years. I say, somewhat more—, because the dead saints will be raised, and the living changed at Christ's "appearing in the air" (I Thes. iv. 17); and this will be about three years and a half before the millennium, as we shall see hereafter:
but will he and they abide in the air all that time? No: they will ascend to paradise, or to some one of those many "mansions in the father's house" (John xiv. 2), and disappear during the foresaid period of time. The design of this retreat and disappearing will be to judge the risen and changed saints; for "now the time is come that judgment must begin," and that will be "at the house of God" (I Pet iv. 17) . . . (p. 7; The spelling of all Edwards quotes have been modernized.)
And from the conclusion of Ice's paper:
What these pre-Darby rapture statements prove, if nothing else, is that indeed others did see the rapture taught in Scripture similar to the way that pretribulationists in our own day teach. Thus, the argument that no one ever taught pretribulationism until J. N. Darby in 1830 is just not historically true and it is becoming increasingly clear with each passing year. Maranatha!
Quote-The woman is Israel, as shown with the twelve stars reference. The man-child is Jesus, Jeshua, Messiah.
Not that most care,but the ‘sign’ in the heavens of the woman ‘clothed with the sun’ and the moon ‘under her feet’ happened LITERALLY Tonight..
That raw and real astronomical event happened September 26 in 2014 too.
It will happen again in October next year- October 3rd or 4th 2016- not exactly sure which day..
That ‘day’ that the signs happens to occur on represents an appointed day He taught Israel.
And what is really neat is to know it happened in the ‘summer’ 2,000 years ago because the earth wobbles and all those things He Created up there are moving too .
With study, it is a sign of His Birth on a New Moon Day- the 1st Day of one of His months..
That sign signified the end of a New Moon Day,not the beginning. new moon day is just another way of saying ‘first day of the month’ in Scripture.
Today,it was His 8th month starting. In 2014, it should have been His 7th month(I say shoukd because Rabbinic Judaism ignores Revelation 12- so they start the Day, Rosh Hashanah on the wrong Day- I dare say that because of His Word and His Creation telling us what begins a month, with His Son’s birth as our standard)
In 2016, it is back in His 7th month(true Day of Trumpets- not sure if Judaism will miss it or not). And 2000 years ago, it represented the beginning of His 6th month..
but most don’t pay too much attention to those lights in the firmament He gave us for signs and appointed times(hebrew word MOED- poor English translation of ‘seasons’ )and days and years..
Sad..
The wisemen were wise because they knew when and where to look.. We have technology today that should increase knowledge.
That knowledge coupled with Scripture would be an eye opening exercise in how Satan can deceive the whole world.
A blessing I pray more receive
Thank you for the ‘extra’. Your offerings always regale the soul.
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