THERE'S hardly any doubt that many people are worldly because of concrete attractions - latest smartphones, grand vacations, posh cars, assorted leisures, etc.
So whenever the priest preaches about invisible spirituality, one can suspect that many listeners are soporific, at times attentive but only as a matter of courtesy or mere culture upbringing or both, leaving to prayers and miracle the matter of their deep conversion.
Thus, I have devoted research on how it is in the afterlife, beyond the clouds where Heaven supposedly is and underneath the ground where Purgatory and hell are believed to be located on top of the other (location in a sense beyond the grasp of hopelessly limited science). It was in this course that I stumbled gladly upon mystic Maria Simma and the Unpublished Manuscript on Purgatory.
And, yes, too, even more happily, I came across testimonies on Heaven from people privileged to have been taken there or at least were given a vision of it even before their deaths. I have shared in this space some information on this, zeroing in on the experiences of some visionaries of Medjugorje.
Not as happily were testimonies of people who had actually experienced hell and survived to tell all that hell truly exists deep under every foot trodding the earth.
Please standby for more data on all these in the next columns.
Meantime, in an effort to assure people that there's more to afterlife than harp and clouds, I am sharing more information on the “humanity” of the denizens of Heaven, particularly of Our Blessed Mother, to dispel the feeling that afterlife is so mysterious as to be boring or even feared like a scenario from Train to Busan.
Again, I am sharing events that happened during the Marian apparitions in Garabandal, Spain from 1961 to 1965.
(To review: the Blessed Mother appeared to four girls aged 10 to 12 in Garabandal. Padre Pio, who was alive at that time, confirmed the authenticity of the apparitions wherein the Blessed Mother prophesied the Warning, the Miracle and the Chastisement.)
Local folk and curious visitors were initially doubtful over the claims of the Garabandal visionaries that they were having encounters with the Blessed Mother, so the girls nagged her for proof so they would believe.
Because of the people’s disbelief, the visionaries even tried to make the Blessed Mother feel guilt by reminding her that she had performed “big miracles” during her apparitions in Fatima and Lourdes. They suggested to her that they be allowed to fly with the people witnessing, or that at least the day turned suddenly into night. Through these, the Blessed Mother remained silent and appeared serious.
So humanly at one time, visionary Mari-Loli urged immediate miracle from the Blessed Mother, saying: “Give it right now, right away. You always say you will give it in time, in time...”
Another of the girls' idea of lesser degree was for the Blessed Mother to speak into a tape recorder that could be replayed for people to hear.
Later, with some 50 people around, one with a tape recorder on, the girls again prodded the Blessed Mother to at least allow her voice to be recorded. When the tape was replayed, the people heard the girls appealing to the Blessed Mother but were flabbergasted to also hear the Blessed Mother reply “No, No hablo.” This heavenly sounding voice, however, vanished when the tape was replayed again and again. But witnesses later signed a testimony to their hearing the Blessed Mother’s voice, prompting more people to believe in the apparitions.
At the start of the Garabandal apparitions, St. Michael the Archangel would frequently distribute communion to the girls on days when the village pastor, based in another area, wasn’t able to visit the remote village. He also said that he pilfered the Eucharist from one of the tabernacles on earth. One time when the parish priest heard about this, he counted the number of consecrated hosts in his tabernacle and found them lacking in the number that was supposed to have been given by St. Michael to the girls.
The host that St. Michael gave to the girls was visible only to them. With the girls adamant in their demand for miracles so that people would believe them, St. Michael announced that he would give Conchita, one of the visionaries, a visible Eucharist on July 18, 1962 so that people would see.
Conchita was disappointed over St. Michael’s promised Eucharistic miracle and complained that it would be just a “tiny miracle.” This elicited a big laugh from St. Michael. The miracle later happened and was witnessed by many who took photographs that exist to this day.
And so, you see, Heaven isn't full of boring people playing harps for all eternity. They can just keep silent when nagged, tease with voices that later vanish, or laugh over silly complaints.
Meanwhile, more recent prophecies from modern mystics keep coming. Last Feb. 6, Our Blessed Mother told Pedro Regis as follows.
“Dear children, be meek and humble of heart. Repent and be reconciled to God. Seek His Mercy through the Sacrament of Confession. My Lord is waiting for you. Open your hearts and accept God’s Will for your lives. Do not allow the devil to enslave you. You are the Lord’s Possession and He awaits you with Open Arms.
“Accept My Appeals. I have come from Heaven to help you. Listen to Me. You are in the world, but not of the world. Take care of your spiritual life. Live out the Gospel of My Jesus and also the teachings of the true Magisterium of His Church. Difficult times will come and only those who pray will be able to bear the weight of the cross. Do not fold your arms.
“The enemies will act to confuse you and lead you away from the truth. Stay with Jesus. In Him is your victory. Courage! I love you and will always be with you! This is the message that I give you today in the name of the Most Holy Trinity. Thank you for having allowed Me to gather you here once more. I bless you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Be at peace."