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Signs

Discussion in 'The Signs of the Times' started by themilitantcatholic, Sep 3, 2015.

Page 39 of 1103

Byron Powers

djmoforegon said: ↑

There are also signs of wonderful things happening. She is with us. (Read the short story-the second photo is amazing.)

https://sideofthehouse.wordpress.co...his-as-a-test/?iframe=true&theme_preview=true

That remarkable photo from the Grotto at Notre Dame

(Part 1 of 3)

I posted something 8 days ago on my Facebook page that has kept me busy with correspondence all week. It’s been shared and re-shared over 500 (Update: 1,000+) times and I’ve heard from people from all around the world. Up to this point, I have not shared any thoughts about it. I’ve simply shared the photo without much comment. However, since this image was entrusted to me, I feel a responsibility to say a few things. First, let me rehash the story:

A week ago Sunday, due to my poor shower time management (1 shower for 6 people), we experienced a “shower production bottleneck” and couldn’t get everyone through in time to make our customary 11:00 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral. So I bailed out and hit the 11:45 a.m. Mass at Sacred Heart Basilica at Notre Dame. Afterwards, it was snowing that wet and heavy snow. On my way to the parking lot, I instinctively stopped at the Grotto where I was touched by the presence of one lone student kneeling devoutly in prayer. I decided to take a photo because this guy – he looked like some kind of athlete – didn’t move the whole time. Snow was piling up on him. As soon as I took the photo, my iPhone suddenly shut down despite the fact that I had a 42% charge. It was 1:50 p.m.

Nine hours later, when everyone was in bed, I had forgotten all about taking this photo and I went to free up some memory from my phone by deleting things. As I sat at our dining room table, I was astonished to see this image of a vertical cloud directly above the student. When I took the picture, I can assure you that there was nothing there.

During the past eight days, I’ve been quite busy answering questions and enjoying the great beauty of Our Lady at work. After receiving ten individual messages from friends and strangers telling me that they were spontaneously moved to tears by the photo, I quit counting. Let’s just say that the number is now a whole lot more than ten.

A day after I posted the original photo above (which has not been altered in any way), my older sister’s high school classmate lifted the image off her page and enhanced it by Photoshop. Because I knew people were going to ask, I asked him to tell me exactly what he did to it. This is his reply: “About a minute’s worth of Photoshop. Highlighted the area and turned the brightness and contrast down on the background to see it better. That’s a remarkable image that you took. It’s making the internet rounds and strengthening Faith everywhere! “

You might see this photo as simply a beautiful photo of a person praying at the Grotto. You might see it as something more. You might think that it has a natural cause. You might think that the cause is supernatural.

What do I think?

Well, first let me explain some context. I’ve had an ongoing relationship with the Blessed Mother for a very long time. Were it not for her, I think I would have abandoned Christ a long time ago. She comforted me as a young man when I was in the midst of extreme emotional pain and utter despair. Then for a while as I was struggling to develop a mature faith, she kept intervening to bring me back to her Son, Jesus. Every time, she always seemed to say, “Do whatever He tells you!” So I’ve tried my best to follow her advice for the past 30 years or so. Most of this has all been very ordinary without any signs and wonders. I do admit that I’ve had a handful of extraordinary experiences, but then again, what praying, committed person of faith has not? Since she saved me from abandoning Christ which easily would have been the greatest mistake of my life, I’ve grown to be quite devoted to her. Still, I automatically looked for reasonable natural explanation for this photo. It doesn’t look like a flash of light to me. It certainly was not snow falling off of the rocks (wrong kind of snow – plus I’d have seen it).

I think this photo is probably a result of Our Lady somehow arranging ordinary natural elements (maybe a snowflake falling a few feet in front of the camera) with astonishing timing to remind the world that she is with us, prayer is real, and everything is going to be alright.

Let’s say it was a snowflake falling. What are the chances that a snowflake falling hundreds of feet from the sky would appear in the exact position necessary to form a “cloud” over the praying student? What are the odds that camera shutter would open and close during the only millisecond possible to create such an image. How did I choose to stand at precisely the right angle to capture all this? Why did the snowflake seem to perfectly highlight the rocks in such a way that dozens of people are telling me that they think they see the image of a mother with child? But most of all, why are so many, many people crying when they look at it?

This is how Our Lady works. She uses natural things to touch her children deeply: elements, situations, “coincidences”, etc. In this way, she ALWAYS leads us back to her Son, Jesus. Please stop for a moment and consider the implications for your own life if indeed Our Lady is behind this photo. If she is, then she intended for you to be reading these words right now. If this is the case, then this whole thing is not some strange and distant event. This is personal. It is not an accident. She is calling to you.

As Jesus hung dying on a cross, during the moments of His greatest physical, spiritual and emotional agony, it was only Our Lady, a couple of her friends, and the apostle John that remained with Him. The apostles, of course, are considered by Catholics to be the first bishops. All validly ordained Catholic bishops since then derive their authority in an unbroken line from one of the twelve. Notably, John was the ONLY apostle with the courage to stay with Jesus to the bitter end. Then somehow, despite His unimaginable suffering, Jesus had the presence of mind to notice his mother and John keeping vigil. The following is an eyewitness account of what happened as told by John himself,

“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son.‘ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.” (Jn 19:26-27)

We Catholics have always believed that from that moment on, Jesus’ mother officially became the mother of all of us. He bound His mother to the Church and the Church to His mother.

Whatever you believe about the above photos is fine by me. One can certainly have faith without paying any heed whatsoever to these images. If they enhance your faith, great. If they are a distraction, then just ignore them. Everyone is on his or her own journey. It’s up to you to seek the truth and love what’s good.

Regardless of you what you think, I hope that at least you have enjoyed the beauty that I just happened to witness. Please know that I take it as my responsibility to pray for every person who is the least bit interested in this photo. By reading this far, you can be assured that I’ve already prayed for you. Please pray for me too. In fact, let’s all pray for each other.
Click to expand...

Wow DJ this is remarkable! Thank you so much for sharing. I promise to pray for you. Today is my anniversary. Please pray for my husband and children too.

Byron, Dec 21, 2016

#761

sterph, CrewDog, Carol55 and 1 other person like this.
djmoforegon Powers

Byron said: ↑

Wow DJ this is remarkable! Thank you so much for sharing. I promise to pray for you. Today is my anniversary. Please pray for my husband and children too.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much, Byron. Of course I will pray for your family and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

djmoforegon, Dec 21, 2016

#762

sterph, Amazing Grace, Carol55 and 1 other person like this.
DeGaulle Powers

earthtoangels said: ↑

Yes, those lovely Christmas markets are the center of the Season there....for families and little ones. With of course some gluhwein to "keep the chill off" of course! When we lived around Munich we loved that one but also used to visit the Nuremburg famous one. Why does evil always destroy the best of things....the good....the forever war is now in the open since evil has grown. The Berlin killings give off the stench of the diabolical with its lingering darkness and gloom. Such monsters always kill the light....or try to.
Click to expand...

ENVY.

DeGaulle, Dec 21, 2016

#763
earthtoangels Guest

Naples astride a rumbling mega-volcano

A slumbering Campi Flegrei volcano under the Italian city of Naples shows signs of "reawakening" and may be nearing a critical pressure point, according to a study published Tuesday.

Italian and French scientists have for the first time identified a threshold beyond which rising magma under the Earth's surface could trigger the release of fluids and gases at a 10-fold increased rate.

......
Two other active volcanoes—Rabaul in Papua New Guinea, and Sierra Negra in the Galapagos—"both showed acceleration in ground deformation before eruption with a pattern similar to that observed at Campi Flegrei," Chiodini said.

Nearby Mount Vesuvius, whose massive eruption just over 2,000 years buried several Roman settlements in the area, including Pompeii, is also classified as an active volcano.

The dense urban population at risk "highlights the urgency of obtaining a better understanding of Campi Flegrei's behaviour," Chiodini said.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-12-naples-astride-rumbling-mega-volcano.html#jCp

earthtoangels, Dec 21, 2016

#764
earthtoangels Guest

From the latest, yet to be translated, message to Luz de Maria, Dec. 19, 2016 (from Jesus).....via Google translate:

........The geography of the Earth will be mostly transformed, the water of the seas will penetrate the earth. My children must warn what their rulers do not mention for fear of truth.

The high technology will lead to major clashes that add to those already existing between the great powers, and so at sea will trigger a series of events that are part of the dreaded Third World War.

In space, fire moves towards the Earth with great speed, it comes against all human injustice, that with its bad acts, it attracts from the outside the Purification like a magnet that will cause him pain. Some of My children deny these My Callings and it is not pleasant for them to hear about the causes of their own sin. It is true that thousands of children die of hunger in the world, in a world they call "globalized." This is to speak with objectivity and truth. Therefore, would my judges call negative? Or will they say that it is apocalyptic that he mentions the death of innocents by famine or war? When that apocalypse has been created by the same man! I CALL YOU TO REFLECT SINCERELY.

Pray My children for the United States, do not quench their thirst for arrogance, the scourge arrives, their land is strongly shaken, their people shake, the uprising does not wait.
............
Pray, My children, the earth continues to tremble with force, foreshadows great geographical changes.

Pray My children, social upheavals are more frequent, man is waking up to oppression, the great powers will be destabilized.

Pray, the danger is near for humanity, and it vibrates strongly shaking Nature and exerting on man a more unexpected act and action.
.............
Humanity must look where it goes.

I OFFER YOU MY CONTINUOUS PROTECTION ...

MY LEGIONS ARE LOOKING TO LOOK AT YOU TO DRIVE YOU ON THE CORRECT ROAD.

DO NOT SEEK ME AWAY FROM YOU, I DWELL INSIDE EVERYONE.

earthtoangels, Dec 21, 2016

#765
Beth B Beth Marie

djmoforegon said: ↑

There are also signs of wonderful things happening. She is with us. (Read the short story-the second photo is amazing.)

https://sideofthehouse.wordpress.co...his-as-a-test/?iframe=true&theme_preview=true

That remarkable photo from the Grotto at Notre Dame

(Part 1 of 3)

I posted something 8 days ago on my Facebook page that has kept me busy with correspondence all week. It’s been shared and re-shared over 500 (Update: 1,000+) times and I’ve heard from people from all around the world. Up to this point, I have not shared any thoughts about it. I’ve simply shared the photo without much comment. However, since this image was entrusted to me, I feel a responsibility to say a few things. First, let me rehash the story:

A week ago Sunday, due to my poor shower time management (1 shower for 6 people), we experienced a “shower production bottleneck” and couldn’t get everyone through in time to make our customary 11:00 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral. So I bailed out and hit the 11:45 a.m. Mass at Sacred Heart Basilica at Notre Dame. Afterwards, it was snowing that wet and heavy snow. On my way to the parking lot, I instinctively stopped at the Grotto where I was touched by the presence of one lone student kneeling devoutly in prayer. I decided to take a photo because this guy – he looked like some kind of athlete – didn’t move the whole time. Snow was piling up on him. As soon as I took the photo, my iPhone suddenly shut down despite the fact that I had a 42% charge. It was 1:50 p.m.

Nine hours later, when everyone was in bed, I had forgotten all about taking this photo and I went to free up some memory from my phone by deleting things. As I sat at our dining room table, I was astonished to see this image of a vertical cloud directly above the student. When I took the picture, I can assure you that there was nothing there.

During the past eight days, I’ve been quite busy answering questions and enjoying the great beauty of Our Lady at work. After receiving ten individual messages from friends and strangers telling me that they were spontaneously moved to tears by the photo, I quit counting. Let’s just say that the number is now a whole lot more than ten.

A day after I posted the original photo above (which has not been altered in any way), my older sister’s high school classmate lifted the image off her page and enhanced it by Photoshop. Because I knew people were going to ask, I asked him to tell me exactly what he did to it. This is his reply: “About a minute’s worth of Photoshop. Highlighted the area and turned the brightness and contrast down on the background to see it better. That’s a remarkable image that you took. It’s making the internet rounds and strengthening Faith everywhere! “

You might see this photo as simply a beautiful photo of a person praying at the Grotto. You might see it as something more. You might think that it has a natural cause. You might think that the cause is supernatural.

What do I think?

Well, first let me explain some context. I’ve had an ongoing relationship with the Blessed Mother for a very long time. Were it not for her, I think I would have abandoned Christ a long time ago. She comforted me as a young man when I was in the midst of extreme emotional pain and utter despair. Then for a while as I was struggling to develop a mature faith, she kept intervening to bring me back to her Son, Jesus. Every time, she always seemed to say, “Do whatever He tells you!” So I’ve tried my best to follow her advice for the past 30 years or so. Most of this has all been very ordinary without any signs and wonders. I do admit that I’ve had a handful of extraordinary experiences, but then again, what praying, committed person of faith has not? Since she saved me from abandoning Christ which easily would have been the greatest mistake of my life, I’ve grown to be quite devoted to her. Still, I automatically looked for reasonable natural explanation for this photo. It doesn’t look like a flash of light to me. It certainly was not snow falling off of the rocks (wrong kind of snow – plus I’d have seen it).

I think this photo is probably a result of Our Lady somehow arranging ordinary natural elements (maybe a snowflake falling a few feet in front of the camera) with astonishing timing to remind the world that she is with us, prayer is real, and everything is going to be alright.

Let’s say it was a snowflake falling. What are the chances that a snowflake falling hundreds of feet from the sky would appear in the exact position necessary to form a “cloud” over the praying student? What are the odds that camera shutter would open and close during the only millisecond possible to create such an image. How did I choose to stand at precisely the right angle to capture all this? Why did the snowflake seem to perfectly highlight the rocks in such a way that dozens of people are telling me that they think they see the image of a mother with child? But most of all, why are so many, many people crying when they look at it?

This is how Our Lady works. She uses natural things to touch her children deeply: elements, situations, “coincidences”, etc. In this way, she ALWAYS leads us back to her Son, Jesus. Please stop for a moment and consider the implications for your own life if indeed Our Lady is behind this photo. If she is, then she intended for you to be reading these words right now. If this is the case, then this whole thing is not some strange and distant event. This is personal. It is not an accident. She is calling to you.

As Jesus hung dying on a cross, during the moments of His greatest physical, spiritual and emotional agony, it was only Our Lady, a couple of her friends, and the apostle John that remained with Him. The apostles, of course, are considered by Catholics to be the first bishops. All validly ordained Catholic bishops since then derive their authority in an unbroken line from one of the twelve. Notably, John was the ONLY apostle with the courage to stay with Jesus to the bitter end. Then somehow, despite His unimaginable suffering, Jesus had the presence of mind to notice his mother and John keeping vigil. The following is an eyewitness account of what happened as told by John himself,

“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son.‘ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.” (Jn 19:26-27)

We Catholics have always believed that from that moment on, Jesus’ mother officially became the mother of all of us. He bound His mother to the Church and the Church to His mother.

Whatever you believe about the above photos is fine by me. One can certainly have faith without paying any heed whatsoever to these images. If they enhance your faith, great. If they are a distraction, then just ignore them. Everyone is on his or her own journey. It’s up to you to seek the truth and love what’s good.

Regardless of you what you think, I hope that at least you have enjoyed the beauty that I just happened to witness. Please know that I take it as my responsibility to pray for every person who is the least bit interested in this photo. By reading this far, you can be assured that I’ve already prayed for you. Please pray for me too. In fact, let’s all pray for each other.
Click to expand...

I read this story....Our Lady is with us.....and the young man who is praying to her! What a wonderful story...thank u for posting!

Beth B, Dec 21, 2016

#766

FatimaPilgrim likes this.
earthtoangels Guest

Beth B said: ↑

I read this story....Our Lady is with us.....and the young man who is praying to her! What a wonderful story...thank u for posting!
Click to expand...

Mark's latest also speaks to our Lady's visitation/s:

IN the Spring of 2014, I went through a terrible darkness. I felt tremendous doubts, surges of fear, despair, terror, and abandonment. I began one day with prayer as usual, and then… she came.

Our Lady’s presence was so beautiful, so powerful, so gentle, so in control, so reassuring, so consoling…. The effects of that afternoon still linger on. I fell in love with our Mother even more that day because I felt how in love she is with Jesus.

Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said… how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (Today’s Gospel)

but Mark also speaks to the realities that surround us in these times which can't be avoided; so we get courage through our Mother's presence and desire to help us. We hold on by holding on to her!:

...............
As Christmas draws near, I have sensed the Lord tell me again that every day counts, every writing counts… time is short. I don’t fully understand what that means, but the urgency of it is unmistakable. I believe we are now entering a most painful part of the Storm for the Church and the world. Would I write such a thing to scare you? Of course not… only to prepare you, to awaken you, to urge you on, to tell you to grab Mother’s hand and get up again, to not be afraid, to be a light and comfort to others, and to trust in Jesus with all your heart—despite the trials that will assail the world—trials which He permits through His sovereign will.

earthtoangels, Dec 21, 2016

#767

Jeanne, Sam, Beth B and 1 other person like this.
earthtoangels Guest

Link to Mark's writing within comment above:

http://www.markmallett.com/blog/our-compass/

earthtoangels, Dec 21, 2016

#768
FatimaPilgrim Powers

Beth B said: ↑

I read this story....Our Lady is with us.....and the young man who is praying to her! What a wonderful story...thank u for posting!
Click to expand...

Our Lady is with us. I'm not sure how many closely follow Notre Dame (Our Lady's University) but as my dad was a grad and I grew up going to ND often for football games, I've closely followed it over the years. ND has been a source of sorrow for me as the once great university has turned so against the faith, lauding Obama, allowed the V. Monologues on campus, allowing pro abortion groups, chastizing pro-life groups. But I see this picture and story above as more proof that no matter how far we fall, no matter how far astray we are from Truth, that Our Blessed Mother is still there to comfort us and guide us back to her son. Just beautiful.

And I think Mark's writing today is spot on, as usual. He really is very spiritually aware and I think many of us agree that time is short, but I feel very very at peace lately. A very strange peace which I can only think comes from an outpouring of Grace that I don't deserve, but most certainly welcome. If we're going to take on the greatest trial the world has ever seen, we're going to need all the Graces they can give us. If you think we're ready, Lord then let your Will be done

FatimaPilgrim, Dec 21, 2016

#769

Patty, Sam, Beth B and 5 others like this.
Beth B Beth Marie

FatimaPilgrim said: ↑

Our Lady is with us. I'm not sure how many closely follow Notre Dame (Our Lady's University) but as my dad was a grad and I grew up going to ND often for football games, I've closely followed it over the years. ND has been a source of sorrow for me as the once great university has turned so against the faith, lauding Obama, allowed the V. Monologues on campus, allowing pro abortion groups, chastizing pro-life groups. But I see this picture and story above as more proof that no matter how far we fall, no matter how far astray we are from Truth, that Our Blessed Mother is still there to comfort us and guide us back to her son. Just beautiful.

And I think Mark's writing today is spot on, as usual. He really is very spiritually aware and I think many of us agree that time is short, but I feel very very at peace lately. A very strange peace which I can only think comes from an outpouring of Grace that I don't deserve, but most certainly welcome. If we're going to take on the greatest trial the world has ever seen, we're going to need all the Graces they can give us. If you think we're ready, Lord then let your Will be done
Click to expand...

Amen !

Beth B, Dec 22, 2016

#770
Carol55 Ave Maria

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/is...ay-attacks/ar-BBxsvf5?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=UE07DHP
ISIL issues hit list of U.S. churches for holiday attacks

Carol55, Dec 22, 2016

#771
Carol55 Ave Maria

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...-melbourne/ar-BBxsO3G?li=BBnbcA1&ocid=UE07DHP
Seven arrested as police foil alleged Christmas Day 'terrorist plot' in Melbourne

Has it been like this in the past? These news stories seem to be at an all time high.

Carol55, Dec 23, 2016

#772

BrianK likes this.
Martina Pray Hope and don't worry: Padre Pio

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38416112

Martina, Dec 23, 2016

#773
djmoforegon Powers

Some very interesting things happening around the world, especially to our planet and notable political machinations.

djmoforegon, Dec 23, 2016

#774
paddymclovin40 New Member

Happy Christmas to one and all for several months I wanted to comment on this site but some force would not allow me to do so. Then this morning after dawn mass while walking a cliff walk on the South coast of Ireland I looked up at the Sun to my amazement I could look at the Sun as if there was a disc in front of the Sun protecting my eyes. Around the sides of the Sun went from a colour of white to red. After watching for 10 mins I returned home with no affect on my eyes. The Sun cannot be loosing energy as it is the warmest Christmas on record. Be CAREFUL if you choose to look at the Sun as it will damage your eyes. I cannot explain what happened to me.

paddymclovin40, Dec 25, 2016

#775

DeGaulle, Seagrace, DonnaS and 3 others like this.
Beth B Beth Marie

paddymclovin40 said: ↑

Happy Christmas to one and all for several months I wanted to comment on this site but some force would not allow me to do so. Then this morning after dawn mass while walking a cliff walk on the South coast of Ireland I looked up at the Sun to my amazement I could look at the Sun as if there was a disc in front of the Sun protecting my eyes. Around the sides of the Sun went from a colour of white to red. After watching for 10 mins I returned home with no affect on my eyes. The Sun cannot be loosing energy as it is the warmest Christmas on record. Be CAREFUL if you choose to look at the Sun as it will damage your eyes. I cannot explain what happened to me.
Click to expand...

Merry Christmas to you too Paddy. What a wonderful Christmas gift! When I witnessed the miracle of the sun many years ago, the sun was covered with a white disc as well...Our Lady always protecting us!

Thinking of the beautiful view you wittness walking on the Irish coast this morning makes me jealous!

Glad you shared this on Christmas morning. Thank you.

God bless!

Beth B, Dec 25, 2016

#776

Seagrace and DonnaS like this.
Martina Pray Hope and don't worry: Padre Pio

paddymclovin40 said: ↑

Happy Christmas to one and all for several months I wanted to comment on this site but some force would not allow me to do so. Then this morning after dawn mass while walking a cliff walk on the South coast of Ireland I looked up at the Sun to my amazement I could look at the Sun as if there was a disc in front of the Sun protecting my eyes. Around the sides of the Sun went from a colour of white to red. After watching for 10 mins I returned home with no affect on my eyes. The Sun cannot be loosing energy as it is the warmest Christmas on record. Be CAREFUL if you choose to look at the Sun as it will damage your eyes. I cannot explain what happened to me.
Click to expand...

Happy Christmas Paddy glad you did comment today with such a wonderful piece.
God bless

Martina, Dec 25, 2016

#777
earthtoangels Guest

Magnitude 7.6 earthquake hits coast of southern Chile
A tsunami warning has been lifted after a major 7.6 magnitude earthquake in southern Chile. No fatalities were reported but 21,000 homes were reported to be without power.

http://www.dw.com/en/magnitude-76-earthquake-hits-coast-of-southern-chile/a-36907801

earthtoangels, Dec 26, 2016

#778
earthtoangels Guest

earthtoangels, Dec 26, 2016

#779

Carol55 likes this.
Carol55 Ave Maria

earthtoangels said: ↑

Click to expand...

ETA, Thank you for keeping us updated.

Carol55, Dec 26, 2016

#780

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