The
Lord constantly communicates with
mankind through visionaries, mystics and prophets. Why does Heaven act in this way, and how can we discern the authenticity of the messengers? |
- If the Lord has decided to transmit teachings to all mankind through messengers, it's because He wants us to take note of them and put this knowledge into practice.
- The official catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 66 and 67) teaches the following:
- CCC 66 : "The Christian Economy, being the New and Definitive Covenant, will never pass away, and no new public revelation is therefore to be expected before the glorious manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ" (DV 4). However, even if Revelation is complete, it is not completely explicit; it will remain for the Christian faith to gradually grasp its full scope in the course of the centuries.
- CCC 67: Over the centuries there have been so-called "private" revelations, some of which have been recognized by the authority of the Church. They do not, however, belong to the deposit of faith. Their role is not to "improve" or "complete" the definitive Revelation of Christ, but to help us live it more fully at a particular time in history. Guided by the Church's Magisterium, the sense of the faithful knows how to discern and welcome what in these revelations constitutes an authentic call from Christ or his saints to the Church. The Christian faith cannot accept "revelations" that claim to surpass or correct the Revelation of which Christ is the culmination. This is the case of certain non-Christian religions, and also of certain recent sects which base themselves on such "revelations".
- God has always spoken through the prophets. The Lord remains the same, He acted this way in the past, He still acts this way (Being risen and alive), and He will continue to do so in the future.
- About 2,000 years ago, the Lord Jesus taught mankind through his apostles and disciples. He told us: "I still have many things to say to you, but for the moment you cannot bear them. When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will lead you into all truth. For what he says will not come from himself, but what he hears he will say; and what is to come he will make known to you." (John 16, 12-13)
- The Book of Revelation prepares mankind for the end of time and the end of the world. It is thanks to the light received by the prophets of this last century that we can better interpret and understand these prophecies of Saint John.
- By studying the new doctrine of the Divine Will, transmitted by Jesus to Luisa Piccarreta (details here), the Lord reveals to us the profound meaning of the 3rd petition of the Our Father: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven". The essence of the message is actually present in the Bible and, thanks to the mystics and prophets, we can gradually grasp its full scope.
- Bible quotes about prophets :
- "Many times and in many ways, God in the past spoke to our fathers through the prophets." (Heb 1.01)
- "Do not quench the Spirit, do not despise prophecies, but discern the value of everything: what is good, keep." (1 Thess 5:19-21)
- If anyone does not listen to the words this prophet will speak in my name, I myself will call him to account." (Dt 18.19)
- "Then he said to them, 'Spirits without understanding! How slow is your heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!" (Lk 24.25)
- "This mystery had not been made known to men of past generations, as it has now been revealed to His holy Apostles and prophets, in the Spirit." (Eph 3.05)
- "For you have been incorporated into the building which has the Apostles and the Prophets as its foundation; and the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself" (Eph 2.20).
- "Among those whom God has thus placed in the Church, there are firstly apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly those who have charge of teaching; then there are miracles, then the gifts of healing, assistance, government, the gift of speaking various mysterious languages." (1 Cor 12.28)
- "Whoever welcomes a prophet in his capacity as a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; whoever welcomes a righteous man in his capacity as a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward." (Mt 10.41)
- "In the days when the voice of the seventh angel sounds, when he blows the trumpet, then the mystery of God will be fulfilled, according to the good news he proclaimed to his servants the prophets."(Revelation 10:7)