Approved Apparitions... and Fear

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Holy Week blessings, everyone. Let me begin with a few disclaimers:
  1. I know it’s up to us whether or not we put credence in apparitions.
  2. I know that God takes care of us, no matter what.
  3. I know that Christ says we are not to know the exact time of the last days.
  4. My view of Revalation jibes with that given to me by a Paulist priest, who explained that it concerned the Apostle John’s “here and now.”
That said, I am seeking to lighten my heart regarding the approved apparitions of Our Lady of Akita and certain predictions revealed to Sr. Faustina. I have to admit that they absolutely terrify me (and yes, I know this contradicts #2-- but even Christ felt fear in the Garden, did He not?)

The idea of the chastisements and tribulations suggested in these revelations make me very frightened. I love the Blessed Mother very much and have heard of great spiritual fruit resulting from Divine Mercy devotions, and don’t want to deprive myself of them due to fear.

Help me feel better, please?

I thank you.
 
Tink said:
Holy Week blessings, everyone. Let me begin with a few disclaimers:
  1. I know it’s up to us whether or not we put credence in apparitions.
  2. I know that God takes care of us, no matter what.
  3. I know that Christ says we are not to know the exact time of the last days.
  4. My view of Revalation jibes with that given to me by a Paulist priest, who explained that it concerned the Apostle John’s “here and now.”
That said, I am seeking to lighten my heart regarding the approved apparitions of Our Lady of Akita and certain predictions revealed to Sr. Faustina. I have to admit that they absolutely terrify me (and yes, I know this contradicts #2-- but even Christ felt fear in the Garden, did He not?)

The idea of the chastisements and tribulations suggested in these revelations make me very frightened. I love the Blessed Mother very much and have heard of great spiritual fruit resulting from Divine Mercy devotions, and don’t want to deprive myself of them due to fear.

Help me feel better, please?

I thank you.
Click to expand...
  1. You don’t have to believe even approved apparitions.
  2. Chastisements and tribulations are not to be feared. For those in a state of grace, these can even be welcome manifestations of God’s justice.
I for one, and I’m sure others do, even think that the chastisements and tribulations are long overdue. Many Christians echo the cry of the martyrs in Revelation: “O Lord how long before you come and judge?” Revelation 6:10. Only the unrepentant have any reason to fear.

This may not make you feel better, but you and all of us must be brave.
 
Tink said:
Holy Week blessings, everyone. Let me begin with a few disclaimers:
  1. I know it’s up to us whether or not we put credence in apparitions.
  2. I know that God takes care of us, no matter what.
  3. I know that Christ says we are not to know the exact time of the last days.
  4. My view of Revalation jibes with that given to me by a Paulist priest, who explained that it concerned the Apostle John’s “here and now.”
That said, I am seeking to lighten my heart regarding the approved apparitions of Our Lady of Akita and certain predictions revealed to Sr. Faustina. I have to admit that they absolutely terrify me (and yes, I know this contradicts #2-- but even Christ felt fear in the Garden, did He not?)

The idea of the chastisements and tribulations suggested in these revelations make me very frightened. I love the Blessed Mother very much and have heard of great spiritual fruit resulting from Divine Mercy devotions, and don’t want to deprive myself of them due to fear.

Help me feel better, please?

I thank you.
Click to expand...
Such things can be scary, but my sense of them is more along the lines of them being given us to keep us on the straight and narrow.

God doesn’t simply want to scare us to no purpose, now, does he? That’s why even the worst apparitions also focus on the works and devotions we can do to help sinners and the souls in purgatory, since we gain great merit for ourselves by doing so.

Just keep your focus, for example, on the devotions of the Rosary and the Divine Mercy and place yourself in God’s hands. Trust that he desires to help and save us even more than we want to be helped and saved (imagine it!)
 
One of the 15 promises of the rosary is that the devotee will not be chastised by God’s justice. Maybe that’s something there. Pray the rosary !
 
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