SOME say it heresy to say that Jesus Christ will soon come a second time after His first in Bethlehem, since it is held that His second coming would be at the end of the world which, mystics say, is not yet.
To this, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI had this to day during his active pontificate: "Whereas people had previously spoken only of a twofold coming of Christ -- once in Bethlehem and again at the end of time -- Saint Bernard of Clairvaux spoke of an adventus medius, an intermediate coming, thanks to which he periodically renews His intervention in history. I believe that Bernard's distinction strikes just the right note..."
St. Bernard said that such "intermediate coming is a hidden one; in it only the elect see the Lord within their own selves, and they are saved."
It's an intermediate coming that will pave the way for an era of peace prophesied by the Blessed Mother, an event that will answer the Faithfull's
2,000-year-old petition to the Father, as taught by Jesus Christ Himself: "thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth at it is in Heaven."
This is the view of many credible Catholic evangelists and, as pointed out, by Benedict XVI himself in quoting St. Bernard of Clairvaux.
Unfortunately, it will be a coming that will be preceded by tribulations unprecedented, in keeping with the last ditch effort needed to save the most number of souls from eternal damnation. Thus, the explosion of dire messages from Heaven being conveyed to a growing number of credible mystics.
(Before I proceed, my apologies for my editorial oversight in the last column when, referring to the Catechism's provision on the need for the use of the lips when sacramentally confessing sins, I horrendously wrote: "I don't think it should not be taken too literally." That's a double negative that makes for a positive. I just meant the Catechism provision should not be taken literally, since there are people born without the capacity to speak. They too are entitled to sacramental absolution.)
To go on with recent messages from the mystics, I am quoting the Queen of the Rosary and Peace in her message to mystic Edson Glauber on October 11, 2020, amid the need to fortify ourselves in these trying times:
"Peace, my beloved children, peace! My children, I am calling you to God. I lead you along the road to Heaven. I come to console your souls and hearts regarding all your burdens, fatigue and tribulation. I come to restore your strength, giving you the love of my Son, who is the life and strength of each one of you. Take care of your families-praying, fasting and entrusting yourselves into the hands of Jesus, daily. With Jesus you have all graces; without Jesus you cannot do anything. The more painful and difficult times become, the more you must increase your confidence in the Heart of my Divine Son. He loves you and is by your side to bless you and heal you from all ills. Courage, my children; have faith and you will overcome all evil. I bless you: in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen!"
Meanwhile, despite negative assessment by some in the case of mystic Gisella Cardia, the website countdowntothekingdom.com- which is maintained by otherwise credible people such as Daniel O'Connor, Mark Mallett and Christine Watkins -- insists on her credibility, quoting through her the Blessed Mother as saying as follows on October 10th, 2020:
"My children, thank you for having responded to the call in your hearts. Dear children, I have again come down to touch this sinful earth in order to help you, to ask and beseech you to help me save the lost souls of my children. Evil is gripping my children as never before; at the moment the Devil is more unleashed than ever because he knows that his days are numbered. Your love must be total. You will see people going mad, you will see unexpected reactions, people cursing God for no reason, and all this is the fruit of the Devil; but you must love, forgive and offer up all your discomfort so that Jesus might transform it into Graces. Children, the God of humanity has been replaced by technology.
"Be ready at any time for when the Illumination [of Conscience] will arrive. Children, your prayers mitigate future events: pray, pray, pray; do not continue thinking about trivial things, but spend your time in prayer rather than in speaking. Pray for America. Children, all is prepared for war: pray, pray, pray! Now I bless you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen."
The "illumination of conscience" is also known as the Warning which I have written about repeatedly in this column.
Now. Let be do on sharing with readers the continuation of my series on the Manuscript of Purgatory, a historical publication documenting the conversations between the then living Sr. Mary of the Cross and the deceased Sr. Mary Gabriel who was still then in Purgatory.
In the face of All Saints' Day amid a pandemic that will keep us away from the tombs of loved departed, there is some worth contemplating on what Sr. Mary Gabriel had revealed about the perspective and condition of those on the other side, as follows:
"While you are still on earth, it is impossible to understand what God demands of a soul expiating its sins in Purgatory. You are under the impression that many prayers, well said, will place a soul almost at once in possession of eternal happiness. It is nothing of the kind. Who can fathom the judgments of God? Who can understand how pure a soul must be before He admits it to share His eternal happiness?
"Alas, if people only knew, if they would only consider it while still on earth, what different lives they would lead! Seriously reflect how many venial sins one who is careless about her eternal salvation commits in one day. How many minutes does she offer up to God? Does she think of Him seriously at all? Well, there are 365 days in one year, and if there are many such years, that person dies charged with a multitude of venial sins which have not been blotted out because she has not even thought of them.
"When such a soul appears before God to be judged there is scarcely a spark of love left in that soul when she comes to render an account of her life to Him who demands it back from her. Such all but sterile lives have to be begun all over again, when they reach this place of expiation. Lives lived without love for God will have to be atoned for here in Purgatory with intense sufferings. Whilst on earth, they did not profit by the mercy of God, but lived merely for the sake of the body. Now to regain their first splendor, they have to make satisfaction to the last farthing. That is what happens to indifferent souls." (To be continued)