I have been going to knock shrine for years now. But I never figured out why did Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist appeared at the South gable of the church. And especially why did St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist come when no other appearance witness these two people with the blessed mother of god?? If you think that strange what do you think of this “On the altar stood a lamb, facing the west and behind the lamb a large cross stood upright? Angels hovered around the lamb for the duration of the apparition” the lamb was the sign of the lamb of god. And what is the lamb of god meant to mean???. Also was St. John the Evangelist a bishop on earth??. Is their mass in heaven??
Over the years I have pondered the Apparition at Knock and have come to understand that the Apparition of Mary, Joseph and John is a very strong message for the family and linked to that a very strong message about the centrality of the Holy Mass within the Catholic family.
Think about it: Mary and Joseph are husband and wife and John is the one entrusted to Mary as her son at the foot of the Cross. This speaks very strongly to me of the importance of the nuclear family in Ireland. The family has always been strong but in these days is under radical attack from political powers, self interest pressure groups and personal greed.
Yes! St John the Evangelist was a Bishop on earth just as all the Apostles were.
And yes as the book of revelation tells us the marriage feast of the Lamb, the Holy Mass is in Heaven now for them. It is a perpetual Mass.
The lamb on the altar is Christ. This imagery is in keeping with the reality that the 'lamb of God, Jesus himself is the sacrifice offered once and for all. The sacrifice being represented, or made present again, i an unbloody manner on our Altars every time Holy Mass is offered. The Cross behind the Lamb links the sacrifice of the Lamb (Jesus) to the Cross where the Sacrifice was effected in history.
Perhaps most incredible is the fact that there were no words spoken by any of those Heavenly Visitors through the whole apparition, yet Knock gives one of the most powerful messages any Apparition has ever given on the nuclear family.
These are only my own musings so do forgive me if I am way off! You should find the
Keep going to Knock shrine. It is a special place of great graces and blessings. I love to go there when I can. It is only 3 hours away from where I live.