The prayer to Blessed Michael the Archangel is very powerful in these times and its origins is interesting. On September 25, 1888, following his morning Mass, Pope Leo XIII became traumatized to the point that he collapsed. Those in attendance thought that he was dead. After coming to consciousness, the pope described a frightful conversation that he had heard coming from near the tabernacle. The conversation consisted of two voices – voices which Pope Leo XIII clearly understood to be the voices of Jesus Christ and the Devil. The Devil boasted that he could destroy the Church, if he were granted 75 years to carry out his -plan (or 100 years, according to some accounts). The Devil also asked permission for “a greater influence over those who will give themselves to my service.” To the Devil’s requests, Our Lord reportedly replied: “you will be given the time and the power.” Shaken deeply by what he had heard, Pope Leo XIII composed the Prayer to St. Michael and ordered it to be recited after all Low Masses as a protection for the Church against the attacks from Hell. This was clearly a prophetic dream or vision but it has come to remarkable fruition in that we live in extraordinarily evil times. Clearly God has allowed Satan to have greater power in these times [but surely there can be no communication between God and Satan as in the vision?] Why has God let Satan have greater power? How has Satan got greater power - were legions of demons unleashed from hell? Will Satan and his minions be cast down to hell at the end of time or before? I look forward to the thoughts of the forum on this one!!
garabandal, A look at the first chapter of the Book of Job might help. 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, "Whence have you come?" Satan answered the LORD, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." 8 And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?" 9 Then Satan answered the LORD, "Does Job fear God for nought? 10 Hast thou not put a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse thee to thy face." 12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only upon himself do not put forth your hand." So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. I think two truths are clearly discernable from the above. Communication between God and satan is possible. Secondly, God determines the extent to which satan can afflict us. And the comforting fact is that 1Cor 10:13 promises that God will not allow us to be tested without providing the grace to endure. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Now the vision of Leo XIII pertained to the Church as a whole rather than one individual, but I believe the principles remain the same. Safe in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
Yes I think , as Terry says Satan is in communication with God, not only God but the other angels and Our lady. There is a curious passage in the Book of Jude of St Michael the Arcangel and Satan arguing over the body of Moses!! Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!'' Jude 1.9 Also Pere Lamy recounts that Mary and Satan had an altercation in front of the altar when he was saying mass. The reason why Satan can appeal to God is as a kind of Public Prosecutor. So he can appeal to God's justice. God's justice is not deaf and always listens if God did not listen He would not be just. They used to call Satan , 'God's monkey' because he serves God even when he does not wish to do so, when in rebellion. Satan gains greater power because of free will and the God;s justice. Consider the world as a boat . A monster attacks it and she begins to let in water, the more water she lets in the deeper she sinks and the more the world and its crew falls into the power of the monster. So , too with the world as she lets in the waters of sin more and more. Or, again consider the world as balanced on a set of scales measuring its good and evil. The scales when they bend to evil open the doors of hell so more devils can escape. Or again consider the devil as being a great dragon tied in great chains at the depths of a huge pit. Evry sin severs the chains a little and so as people give themselves more and more to sin and Satan is freed. For the more we sin , the more just his accusations, the more he is set free. Sin is, if you like a food that feeds him and gives him power.
Thanks for that, The angels as pure spirits then have direct communication with God. Even though Lucifer is fallen and hates God, communication is still possible: God has allowed evil to spread to test our faith, hope and love. Like Job we are being challenged to love God in the midst of afflictions. It is so easy to be tempted by the 'fruits of the world and flesh' but by deciding for Christ and dying to self we prove our love of God. So many have been snared by the addiction of sin in these end-times for anyone who sins is a slave to sin, especially young people and teenagers caught up under enormous peer pressure. How difficult it is for the youth of our generation. I really feel so sorry for them as they face enormous pressure and propaganda from the mass media, which is anti-Christian. In fact, our whole culture has become infected and sin has become a cancer in our civilization. And this cancer needs to be surgically removed. I think that the warning of Garabandal or the Illumination is like that - it will penetrate to the marow of the soul revealing the cancer of sin and everyone will be in no doubt about the reality of sin and its ugliness. It seems that part of the conversation between God and the devil may be missing from the Pope's vision. Satan may well have been given extra power but it may well be that our Lady was given a special role and a greater say hence the Marian Age. That is God's way of promoting Marian devotion. Also the Warning is an enormous grace so perhaps God is pouring out His mercy and grace because evil abounds. I for one cannot wait for the secrets for I look forward to the back of Satan being broken and an end to our civilzations addiction to sin. Ave Maria
In many ways I am two minded about what is to come. Certainly I look forward to the Triumph of Mary and the end of this present rwign of sin, the worst since the beginning of the world. I particularly look forward to the great slaughter of the innocent which is abortion, an atrocity that cries to the throne of God for vengeance. On the other hand I enjoy life very,very much. Its like a rich deep wine I drink from every day and which brings me great, great joy. The reason for this is that I love God very much and this love touches every second of my day and all whom I meet. I also was looking forward to retiring and there was just so many things I was looking forward to spending times doing so many things...so part of me wants to say to God, no , hold on on these things wait a while. Another part is very aware of how the future trials will affect me family and those I love and this frightens me, I want to hug and protect them. For the huge cancer in our world will never be removed without huge harm to many who are innocent. Also when I look at young people, they are so beautiful, their lives just starting and I no in my heart so very, very many of them will not finish the full course of their lives, so many hopes ended.... Also I know I myself will suffer very,very greatly and die a very hard death..all these things give me great pause. Yet at the end of all I am filled with hope and joy. For in my experience the Cross leads no where but to the feet of Jesus and Mary, to holiness, to being changed into the image of Christ. So my heart says ,yes to the Cross and to what is to come. But I cannot say I do so without a certain trepidation and, yes, fear. Perfect love casts out fear its true, but I am very little and my love is far from perfect. So I do as Mary asks and keep my eyes fixed on heaven each day and walk forward in confidence. God knows what he is doing. He steers the Barque of the Church, He holds the world in His hands with love. Since Thou Hast Given Me This Good Hope, O God by Robert Louis Stevenson SINCE thou hast given me this good hope, O God, That while my footsteps tread the flowery sod And the great woods embower me, and white dawn And purple even sweetly lead me on From day to day, and night to night, O God, My life shall no wise miss the light of love; But ever climbing, climb above Man's one poor star, man's supine lands, Into the azure steadfastness of death, My life shall no wise lack the light of love, My hands not lack the loving touch of hands; But day by day, while yet I draw my breath, And day by day, unto my last of years, I shall be one that has a perfect friend. Her heart shall taste my laughter and my tears, And her kind eyes shall lead me to the end.
Well said Padraig and I understand the tension between the two scenarios; it would be nice to live out retirement catching up on the things that we always had planned to do. This is a very attractive prospect [and I really loved that poem by RL Stevenson] Yet like you I have always sensed that this present period is 'preparation time'. For a very long time I have been waiting expectantly [like the Jews awaiting the Messiah] for the Holy Spirit to come to convict the world of its sins. So I have lived a hidden life, an ordinary Christian life, father, husband, son, brother, teacher, but I have sensed since childhood that my life one day would be radically altered by the intervention of God. I see the Illumination of the Holy Spirit as the day when I will no longer be hidden. I see it as a day of instruction, a day when our future destiny will be set by God. I wait expectantly and joyfully for that day like a pregnant mother awits the day of birth - I have a feeling that we will all be given a certain mandate on that day that for Christians it is more than a mini-judgement but also a day of destiny when God will instruct the hidden army of Mary to rise to become the apostles of the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The difference will be like the apostles before and after Pentecost. The power of God is going to come upon us believers. My feeling for you Padraig is that you are an important player in the preparation with this beautiful little forum [which I love do much because it is where I can truely be myself]. And also Padraig you are a general awaiting instruction from on high! That's what I sense that you will be an important player in the post- Illumination period. Christians are going to be so precious to sinners and unbeleivers during the Tribulations - people are going to come to us, they will knock on our door and come to us seeking instruction on how to come to know God's love. At the moment I feel ill-prepared for all that is to come. This week I have been praying to the Holy Spirit for the gift of fortitude and perseverance. For in the tribulation times also comes persecution. For those reading this please discern asking the Holy Sprit to sift the chaff from the wheat. We need to pray about everything that we read asking for discernment. But most of all we need to prepare well - this is preparation time and it takes courage, self-discipline, and desire with sanctifying grace to become a saint. God Bless you all for I see a desire amongst you all to know God's love and this is a desire given from Heaven for even our desires are graces.
Garabandal I think we all have the sense of waiting for the intervention but I whilst looking forward to abetter world eventually also fear for my children. I really cling to Our lady every day and I am heartned by the Medugorje visionaries who say dont fear or worry about the future just conscentrate on Our Lady and her requests. I have decided to return to Medugorje just one more time. I am going on Sept 12th P.G. Padraig I was going to ask your discernment but then I thought what the heck Ill risk it. Mary
maryrose, I'm so pleased you have been led to carve out some time to revisit Medjugorje. I believe the last quarter of the year will be tumultuous. September is a wise choice to honor Our Lady! Safe in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
I feel too that this Winter will be very harsh and cold [I have re-constructed a shed at the back of my house and I am filling it with bags of coal, logs and peat]. I also sense that the Swine flu will mutate into something serious and that we will have a major pandemic. Also at the same time the economies will continue to suffer recession/depression. A combination of weather/disease/economic distress will cause serious difficulties and I think governments are already away ahead and planning for these things. But this is not the chastisement, just one of the signs of the times. Chastisement won't come before a warning so our kids and families will have a chance to turn to God and they will see the miracle of God at Medjugorje and other places with the permanent signs. We who are further on the path need to be ready to teach, instruct and comfort after the secrets are revealed and prepare ourselves for the tribualtions that lie ahead. God is with us through all of these events. He knows even the number of hairs on our heads [and I have less and less these days!!]. I see it like enduring through a war - people will have to stay close in families/small communities to support one another through the troubles. We will also be consoled by the Holy Spirit and legions of angels who will be sent to help us. We will see daily miracles in our lives and have no need to fear. Ave Maria
