Illumination of conscience?

[Monica4316]

I experienced a profound inner light, showing me the evil of my heresies and just how loathsome is any division from the Church. That light has never left me. I saw how I was living in darkness, in several ways, and I saw the Church’s extreme beauty. She is so beautiful, no one here on Earth can conceive of her glory. Only in Heaven will we really appreciate her as deeply as we should. But I caught a glimpse of part of what is and that beauty rips at my soul whenever I think of her. I still sin a lot, God help me, but I know that I could never touch a heresy again. The Church is too beautiful and too good for me to ever have anything to do with anything else. May God bring me into perfect unity with her perfection, which is the perfection of Jesus Christ, her Head, in Whom we are all one. Praise God; praise God.

that’s awesome and amen!

 

[Claire_from_DE]

Shortly after I started spiritual direction I went to an evening of prayer and praise in a nearby parish. I was interested in hearing the praise music of the visiting musician. Near the beginning of the program, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed. I merely glanced up at the crucifix above the altar and that was it. I was so struck down by the enormity of my sins and the fact that my sins had put Him on that cross that I couldn’t sing or do anything the rest of the evening except kneel there and say, ‘I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry, have mercy.’ Outwardly I tried to act like nothing had happened. The next day I called my parish and made an appointment for confession. The day after that I made a general confession of my whole life, four pages of notes.

I don’t know if this was what you would call an illumination of conscience but I never felt anything like that before or since and it sure had an effect on my life since then. I have met one other person that this thing also happened to. Her priest told her that it was a great grace. The odd thing is that I remember exactly what happened but I can’t feel that intensity of guilt over those sins that I felt then. After that confession I felt like God had drenched me in mercy. Now I try to go to confession every two weeks, sometimes more often. Mostly I feel a huge thankfulness for God’s mercy.

 

[TiggerS]

In my own feeble attempt to answer that question, I would have to say that substantially there is no difference between the regular examination of conscience and an illumination of conscience. The process is the same, but with the illumination of conscience one experiences a new insight in understanding of the principals previously known in the discipline of the examination of conscience. That illumination, or revelation, transforms the will.
Where previously the examination of conscience might be limited to a set of preconceived notions of what God Will’s for me, now a moment of illumination diminishes my will in a new way, and aids in the surrender to the Will of God. It also has a fundamental impact on the course of actions a person would take. For example, a man has a desire to be a doctor. He is convinced that it is in God’s Will for him to become a doctor, so he dutifully goes to medical school and eventually becomes a doctor. But during the regular exercise of his examination of conscience, he experiences an illumination that being a doctor wasn’t all that God Willed for him, and in fact, it was only part of the journey. He has to fight a new struggle in the examination of conscience which finally results, through an illumination stemming from a deeper surrender to the Will of God, that he might be called to priesthood. He wants to be a doctor, but through an honest examination of conscience, he begins to understand that he has some selfish desires in wanting to be a doctor or possibly he was so set in his way of conducting his life, he deluded himself about what God’s has in store for him. Now, through an illuminative moment, he finally surrenders his will to God’s Will.
It changes more than that. Now he more clearly understands the Commandments, the Deposit of the Faith, the precepts of the Church, etc., and if makes him more compliant to the Truth.
I believe that is why we see what appears to us as sudden changes in a person’s life, they way they behave, their ability to forgive, and they way they treat others.

Thank you for sharing your understandings above, Jimmy - it struck a cord with me.

TS

 

[Monica4316]

Shortly after I started spiritual direction I went to an evening of prayer and praise in a nearby parish. I was interested in hearing the praise music of the visiting musician. Near the beginning of the program, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed. I merely glanced up at the crucifix above the altar and that was it. I was so struck down by the enormity of my sins and the fact that my sins had put Him on that cross that I couldn’t sing or do anything the rest of the evening except kneel there and say, ‘I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry, have mercy.’ Outwardly I tried to act like nothing had happened. The next day I called my parish and made an appointment for confession. The day after that I made a general confession of my whole life, four pages of notes.

I don’t know if this was what you would call an illumination of conscience but I never felt anything like that before or since and it sure had an effect on my life since then. I have met one other person that this thing also happened to. Her priest told her that it was a great grace. The odd thing is that I remember exactly what happened but I can’t feel that intensity of guilt over those sins that I felt then. After that confession I felt like God had drenched me in mercy. Now I try to go to confession every two weeks, sometimes more often. Mostly I feel a huge thankfulness for God’s mercy.

wow

I remember before my first Confession in the Church, I felt so guilty for all of my sins, but now when I look back on them, I can tell they were horrible but I no longer feel that guilt… I feel forgiven. I can relate to this… God’s mercy is truly endless!

 

[tbel1ma57]

According to St. Bonaventure. He says, “It is possible to contemplate God not only outside us and within us but also above us: outside, through vestiges of Him; within, through His image; and above, through the light that shines upon our mind”.1 St. Bonaventure will take these three illuminations and show how they will lead us to God. This “light” which is quoted above is the same light talked about by St. Augustine. He says, “This is the light of Eternal Truth, since our very mind is formed immediately by Truth Itself’”.2 We see this reference to St. Augustine concerning the Divine light which helps us see Eternal Truths. Unlike St. Augustine, St. Bonaventure will systematically show how the outward, inward, and upward light leads to glory, praise, and honor of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.St. Bonaventure talks about a light outside of us in Creation which shines forth to reveal the power, wisdom and benevolence of God. He says, “The Supreme power, wisdom, and benevolence of the Creator shine forth in created things in so far as the bodily senses inform the interior senses”.3 The shining forth in created things is done in a threefold way: by the potential excellence of things, the habitual course of things, and the actual existence of things

Now, there are people who have experinced this type of experience given only by God to be witness to us who are working on our way to God with his graces and practicing our faith within the holy faith. Now, I learned of a man named “Marino Restrepo” who had such experience and he has his testimony in Spanish and English in You tube. He left the church when he was 13 years old and talks about what happned to him when he started adapting his own philosophies, tarot, new age, etc, etc and not God. It is a powerful testominy and urge all of you to listen and reflect on what he said that makes a lot os sense and is on line to what our Lord Jesus teaches us in our holy church.The lord that only wants us to obey him in love and not by force because that is who he is L-O-V-E and infinite compassion something what we to strive at all times.
:harp:

 

[tbel1ma57]

After l listened to Mr Restrepo who had an illumination of concience. I relaized what I have felt all my life in my church. The knowledge of God which in nothing if we the curch does not share it and spread it aorund the world. We as the church militan have a tremndous duty to do everything in our power to help our brothers and sister to come to the fullness of the truth. The “protetan sects” do not have the fullness of the truth and what is most important which is the holy "eucharist"is there where our true source of truth comes from. It is our Lord who is there in our altars patiently waiting to catholics that even doubt that he is there. Imagine that to doubt such a thing that is what I called “lack” of faith. If you as a catholic can’t even believe that is there in the altar what is it that you believe? Do you need to touch our side like St Thomas? to believe? As acatholic you must spend at least a hour a week with our Lord to go deeper in your faith and grow in him because otherwise you will become stronger in seculism and not catholism which is God on earth. The “enemy” wins and you lose what keep us close to God and that is our soul. Then at the end of our life what do you have to show God, you car, your house, your position? your language, your skin color? your birth place? what is going to help you? but the obedience you have practice throughout your life in accordance to our Lord Jesus teaching.:byzsoc::harp:

 

[tbel1ma57]

Most people live in love with this world and do not reflect on the next life. Church becomes just an exercise or a duty we have impose on ourselves just because without really putting our hearts into it. Our actions are the evidence that we are taking with us when we die. We do not fool God in any kind of way. Our conscience will not allows to do so and not in front of God. For example, on sunday mass some people can’t wait to leave the church and leave before even before the priest blessing. Some catholics won’t even talk about God outside the church are they ashamed of God? Well, I got news for some who are “ashamed” of him on the last day he will not recognize you and will send you the everlasting fire that by the way does E-X-I-S-T. This is one of the biggest lie promoted by the “enemy” that hell does not exist.

 

[cseg]

Here is a story of a non-catholic man who experienced the illumination of conscience:

bellsouthpwp.net/l/a/lasereye/warning5.html

Gary (not his real name) is of the Anglican faith.
…
I later told him that they were starting a Perpetual Adoration Chapel at the parish of St. Louis de Montfort. He could go there and participate in the Eucharist as a Protestant by worshiping Jesus present in the Sacrament even though he could not consume the Body of Christ.
…
“After about a year of worshiping the Eucharist at the Chapel, he called me one day and said. “I need to go to confession to a Catholic priest.” I told him that under normal circumstances one had to be a member of the Church in order to go to confession to a Catholic priest.
…
Then he said, “I’ve had the warning.” I asked him what he meant by saying I’ve had the warning? He replied, “I’ve had the great purification as I prayed before the Eucharist, and I need to go to confession very badly.”
…
I need your help. I have to have this thing called absolution.
…
I have seen my soul. God has shown me my soul as He sees it. It was the worst experience I have ever had in my life, but at the same time it was the greatest experience of Love I’ve ever had.
…
He explained, “It comes in three waves. The first thing I began to see was every instance in my life that I committed a serious sin since the time I was about 7 or 8 years old. Very vividly I remembered all the people who were there, the room, the scene, everything. It flashed before my eyes.” I asked him if it was like a vision. He said, “No it was like a reawaking of a very vivid memory, switching from each instance to the next. That’s what Catholics call mortal sins.” I asked him how he knew that. He answered, “Because part of the experience is infused knowledge. I was given a teaching on the Catholic Church-the one true Church- the only true Church, that the other churches are mistaken.”
…
He continued, “Well, I saw all the deadly sins I committed. Then it started all over again, and I saw all of the intentional sins that are not deadly. There were occasions where I knew better than to say something bad about a person, but I was in a group and people were making negative comments about a person and putting someone down. I just went ahead and joined the conversation. Although I had a little twinge of conscience, I went ahead because everyone else was doing it. I saw every instance of that in my entire life.”
…
Gary continued, “Now I will tell you the bad news and the good news. The good news for you is that you will not get wave one and wave two. You go to Mass and communion every day and confession often. But you will get wave three.” I asked him, “What is wave three?” He said, “I saw every time that I went into a Catholic Church and did not genuflect and give reverence in front of the tabernacle of the Blessed Sacrament. I would rather experience anything than what I experienced in that third wave, let alone the first two waves. No one is going to be prepared for this.”
…
Gary said, “Look, I believe that if I don’t go and get this thing called absolution from a Catholic priest today, that I will be dead tonight.”
…
I asked God, Please let this man make a perfect confession. He made a 1-1/2 hour confession, and he came back and is the most well balanced happiest man I know. He is now in the process of becoming Catholic.”

 

[fred_conty]

And here is the rest of the story.

If Jesus had not come and redeemed us, we would have no way out from under those sins but to pay for them for all eternity. This is what he made possible. What a wonderful God we have.​

“I sing of the joy which your love gives to me, and I draw deeply from the springs of your
great kindness.” (hymn)