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Friday, October 1, 2021

The Visions of Roman Catholic Mystics

 

We have our reservations about the experiences of the Roman Catholic mystics (see below), but it is not our intention to completely dismiss them.  And that is because in an age of pride and all kinds of depravity, many of their words and actions (poverty, fasting, constant prayers, etc.) do encourage folks to reject those corruptions.

That said, there are dangerous distortions that are part of the Roman Catholic system that lead to spiritual shipwreck.  As an ensample, we turn to the life of Faustina of Poland (1905-38), proclaimed a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. 

Visions of the Lord Jesus Christ

In relating the appearances of the Lord Jesus Christ to Faustina, and conversations between them, it is generally described as happening in a casual atmosphere.  There is a hint of power immediately below, but ‘talking with Jesus’ overall seems to be so underwhelming an experience that she takes to journaling about it like a junior high student would about what went on in homeroom each day:


On February 22, 1931, Faustina was visited by Jesus, who presented himself as the "King of Divine Mercy" wearing a white garment with red and pale rays coming from his heart. She was asked to become the apostle and secretary of God's mercy, a model of how to be merciful to others, and an instrument for reemphasizing God's plan of mercy for the world.


In her diary, Faustina writes:


"In the evening, when I was in my cell, I became aware of the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From the opening of the garment at the breast there came forth two large rays, one red and the other pale. In silence I gazed intently at the Lord; my soul was overwhelmed with fear, but also with great joy. After a while Jesus said to me, 'paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You.'"


--https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=510


After taking her vows, Faustina was transferred to Vilnius, where she met Father Michael Sopocko, the appointed confessor to the nuns. During her first confession with Sopocko, Faustina told him about her conversations with Jesus and his plan for her. Father Sopocko insisted she be evaluated by a psychiatrist. Faustina passed all the required tests and was determined sane, leading Sopocko to support her religious efforts.


Sopocko encouraged her to start keeping a diary and to record all of her conversations with Jesus. Faustina told Sopocko about the Divine Mercy image and it was Sopocko who introduced her to Kazimierowski, the artist of the first Divine Mercy painting.


--Ibid.

The experience of the Orthodox Saints is quite different.  Let us look at two of them, St Alexander of Svir to begin with:


In 1508, twenty-three years after he came to this secluded spot, the Life-Creating Trinity appeared to Saint Alexander. One night he was praying in his cell. Suddenly, there was a dazzling light, and he saw three Angels in resplendent white garments approaching him. They shone with a pure brightness greater than the sun. Each held a staff in His hand. Saint Alexander fell down in terror, and after recovering his senses, he prostrated himself upon the ground. Raising him by the hand, the Angels said: “Have faith, blessed one, and do not be afraid.”


--https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2021/08/30/102423-venerable-alexander-abbot-of-svir

And St Sergius of Radonezh and his disciple St Micah next:


Saint Micah of Radonezh was one of the first disciples of Saint Sergius of Radonezh, and lived with him in the same cell, and under his guidance he attained a high degree of spiritual perfection. For his meekness of soul and purity of heart, Saint Micah was permitted to witness the appearance of the Mother of God to his great teacher. Once, after Saint Sergius had completed the morning Rule of prayer, he sat down to rest for awhile; but suddenly he said to his disciple, “Be alert, my child, for we shall have a wondrous visitation.”


Hardly had he uttered these words when a voice was heard, “The All-Pure One draws near.” Suddenly there shone a light brighter than the sun. Saint Micah fell down upon the ground in fear, and lay there as if he were dead. When Saint Sergius lifted up his disciple, he asked, “Tell me, Father, what is the reason for this wondrous vision? My soul has nearly parted from my body from fright.” Saint Sergius then informed his disciple about the appearance of the Most Holy Theotokos.


--https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2021/05/06/101307-venerable-micah-disciple-of-venerable-sergius-of-radonezh

The second is particularly instructive, as St Micah was so overwhelmed by the Grace present in the Most Pure Lady that he came near to death.  How much more should we expect to fall down senseless when in the full presence of God!  Exactly the latter is seen in other Saints’ lives, such as the Holy Apostle John (Rev. 1:17), the Apostles Peter, James, and John at the Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-8), St Seraphim of Sarov, and St Silouan of Mt Athos.

Even the presence of angels is enough to scramble our senses (Daniel 8:16-18, Rev. 19:9-10).  Yet with Faustina and other Roman Catholic mystics, in the presence and voice of God, their minds and bodies carry on mostly as per normal.

New Revelations

This is something one encounters with regularity amongst the Roman Catholic mystics, that God has revealed some new teaching to them that they are then to carry into the world.  For Margaret Mary Alacoque it was the veneration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; for Teilhard de Chardin, it was the arrival of the Omega Point.  For Faustina, it was Divine Mercy:


In her diary (Notebook I, Items 47 and 48), she wrote that Jesus told her:


Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: "Jesus, I trust in You" (in Polish: "Jezu, ufam Tobie"). I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and then throughout the world. I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish.


 . . .


Pope John Paul II said, "The message she brought is the appropriate and incisive answer that God wanted to offer to the questions and expectations of human beings in our time, marked by terrible tragedies. Jesus said to Sr. Faustina one day: 'Humanity will never find peace until it turns with trust to the Divine Mercy.'"


--https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faustina_Kowalska


“Speak to the world about My mercy… it is a sign for the end times. After it will come the day of justice (Diary 848)…Souls perish in spite of My bitter passion…I am giving them the last hope of salvation; that is, the Feast of Mercy. If they will not adore My Mercy, they will perish for all eternity.  Secretary of My mercy, write, tell souls about this great mercy of Mine, because the awful day, the day of My justice, is near” (Diary #965).


--https://feastofmercy.net/pages/custom-frames (bolding added)

The Orthodox would answer with St Paul’s statement to the Hebrews:  ‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever’ (Letter to the Hebrews 13:8).  The same experience of Christ, and how to attain it, is detailed from the Apostles to today.  The path of purification, illumination, and deification; the union with the Uncreated Energies of God the All-Holy Trinity – this is the unchanging life and witness and goal of the Orthodox Church in all the ages.  Therefore, one will not find St Paisios of Mt Athos declaring a secret message unknown to St Irenaeus of Lyons or St John Chrysostom.  All proclaim the same revelation:  Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, through union with Whom we are taken up into the very Life of the Holy Trinity.

The Roman Catholics’ assent to an evolving Church message will make the acceptance of Antichrist all the easier, he who will bring another ‘new teaching’ – that he is ‘god’!

Unfortunately, many Protestants fall into this trap as well:


“God is about to do something new and glorious,” says Rev. Kevin Jessip, president of The Return International. “This new thing is beyond revival, beyond an awakening. It is a work of God that He alone initiates when He can no longer endure the polluting of His holy name.”


--https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel/2021/september/lsquo-the-return-israel-rsquo-calls-on-the-nations-to-pray-repent-in-jerusalem

Strange Lights during Visions

The beams of light coming from the ‘heart of Jesus’ during Faustina’s vision described above are curious also.  It is well documented that certain flashes of light can be used to alter the mind/memory/consciousness, whether during MKUltra experiments,

https://blog.nomorefakenews.com/2021/09/17/how-cia-hid-their-mkultra-mind-control-program/

During so-called UFO/alien encounters (i.e., encounters with demons),

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2003/02/alien-abduction-claims-examined-2/

And now with optogenetics:

https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/qa-how-to-control-the-brain-with-light/

https://www.popsci.com/science/article/2009-10/scientists-implant-false-memories-brains-flies/

It is not out of the realm of possibility that the demons would use this sort of light trick to manipulate the mind of a young novice like Faustina, thus making her more susceptible of accepting her visions and conversations with ‘Jesus’ as being authentic.

Image via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faustina_Kowalska#/media/File:Kazimirowski_Eugeniusz,_Divine_Mercy,_1934.jpg

The Orthodox experience with the Uncreated Light of God is, once again, something different from what we have just seen in Faustina.  When a man or woman experiences the Uncreated Light, it is not a strangely colored beam emanating from a body part of Christ, but an all-encompassing blueish-white or white Light that enraptures the whole man, taking him out of the physical world and causing him to weep with tears of joy.  St Symeon the New Theologian (+1022) and St Sophrony of Essex (+1993) have described their experiences in detail.  Some of St Sophrony’s descriptions are recounted here:

https://iconandlight.wordpress.com/2017/08/08/18939/

We do appreciate the good things Roman Catholic ascetics like Faustina have left us, but their departure from the Orthodox way has led them down false paths, which we would do well to avoid.

--

Holy Ælfred the Great, King of England, South Patron, pray for us sinners at the Souð, unworthy though we are!

Anathema to the Union!

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