Oblate Program at Belmont Abbey, NC

Are We Praying to Avert Catastrophe or Just Waiting for It?

Fatima_May-webAll prophecies — at least, the vast majority — are conditional. Perhaps one can say: all prophecies since the New Testament. For prophesied events change, it seems — or can change — because conditions change. They are fluid situations.

Note some major apparitions of the Blessed Mother and her qualifications:

— at Fatima: “If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end: but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out…” 

— at LaSalette: If my people do not wish to submit themselves, I am forced to let go of the hand of my Son…” 

— At Champion, Wisconsin: “If they do not convert and do penance, my Son will be obliged to punish them.”

— at Medjugorje: “I have prayed; the punishment has been softened. Repeated prayers and fasting reduce punishments from God.”

— at Kibeho: “It is the one who does evil who will be met by fire” and “I will save the one who puts his trust in Me during the time of trial and hardship.”

— at Cuapa, Nicaragua: “Nicaragua has suffered much since the earthquake. She is threatened with even more suffering. She will continue to suffer if you don’t change.”

And so forth

Predictions flow with time. They alter. Many times, they are erased or delayed. There are stipulations.

It strikes one, while at places like Fatima, that we simply do not pray enough to reduce punishments; that we become too caught up in talking about the disasters that we expect to occur — that we have heard predictions about — instead of praying to mitigate them.

Conditions. Promises. Stipulations. How often do we follow or even recognize Our Lady’s admonitions to pray for the lessening of punishments — even those of us who regularly attend Mass and pray the Rosary and exercise other devotions?

Do we really want an epidemic? Do we really want a terrorist attack that will take down a city? Do we really want a blackout the persists for weeks or months; do we want the “big one” [see the next “special report”]? Are we waiting for excitement?

Or praying.

It won’t be exciting if expected events come.

“If, if, if”: we see the Blessed Mother using that word time and again.

Conditions. Repentance.

Are we exercising the First Saturday devotions, as requested at Fatima — as a stipulation for putting off chastisements? (Or only concentrating on the Consecration?) Are we “devout” devoted enough to prayer in the right direction — of prayer even for those who detest us, for those whose evil has led to the breakdown of society? Or just railing against them?

Events loom. At Kibeho, one alleged seer who did not receive official recognition quoted Jesus as telling him that major events would come — “that I am on my way” — when “you hear of and see the wars of religion.”

Yes, society has to convert. We can blame non-believers. We can blame secularism. But are we praying enough for them? Are we praying to stave off major chastisements, which every year inch closer to realization?

Michael Brown

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