You may be right, but I tend to think that the prophecies which turn out to be most true will be quite literally so. Applying your broader interpretation allows one to define the future in such a varied way that the whole notion of prophesy is perhaps nullified. To put it another way, such broad interpretation would allow one to find validity in any but the most absurd prophesy. When Our Lady promised a miracle at Fatima, it wasn't just a spiritual experience, but a physical phenomenon witnessed by thousands, including atheists. The errors of Russia are real enough. When Our Lord prophesied the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, it didn't just happen 'spiritually'. It was utterly destroyed in the most physical sense, also. Likewise, we won't be resurrected merely in a spiritual fashion on the Last Day, but bodily similar to Our Lord Himself. I'm confident that the Three Days of Darkness, whenever they occur, will be just that.
So true DeGaulle, Today we have people who look upon prophesy in scripture as a metaphor with only a spiritual meaning. But this is very dangerous as it leads to great heresies! One of the greatest heresies is that Jesus did not physically rise from the dead but only spiritually or symbolically? Amazingly, today some people still hold this heretical belief! Even though we have the words of Saint Paul who rebuked this heresy! St Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:17 "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins!"
The old heresy of Gnosticism has never really gone away. Not only is it manifest in the tendency to limit the Supernatural to a vague 'spiritual' plane, it is rampant within the liberal insanity, particularly amongst those who believe they can superimpose their will upon biological reality-hence gender theory and same-sex 'marriage'. Genuine prophesy has a specific meaning, in my opinion. If we lack understanding it is most likely because we, and maybe the prophet too, have insufficient data or inadequate mental capacity. Or perhaps we aren't virtuous enough. Or not meant to know the full story.
With all due respect, I never said all prophesy should not be taken literally. I believe in Our Lord's resurrection. And of course the Temple was destroyed twice, and yes Russia's errors when it was ruled by communism spread to the world. But not all scripture should be taken literally. This is what Catholicism teaches. Perfect example of this is the word Israel. To many it still only means literally the physical country of Israel. According to our Catholic beliefs, Israel also spiritually means Christianity.
I can fully relate to Byron's post, I read the prophecy of the 3 days of darkness and I that is one that I pray will not come to pass. I hope that they are not from heaven, it is possible because the bible states there will be many false prophets but I do also realize that the bible speaks of some of the same elements of 3 days of darkness, we just don't know for certain when this will happen and I am pretty certain that it does not state 3/4 of humanity will perish at one time, which is what some prophets have said. What we know for certain about Fatima is that it appears that the BVM intervenes for us but many believe that we don't know all of the 3rd secret. If Garabandal is from heaven then the Chastisement is conditional, I don't believe that Akita's prophecy gives specifics on the amount of people who will perish. I have never sat down and gone through the parts of scripture which state that 1/4 perish and then another fraction here and there but I know other's have and they say it adds up to 2/3 but does this need to happen all at once or is over the course of several hundreds of years? https://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/will-two-thirds-of-earths-population-die/ The key thing seems to be when will the 70th week of Daniel truly occur, personally I would prefer if would occur towards the end of the world. It is just very difficult to think of the Earth being so scourged and people having to live in apocalyptic type of situation but I guess that Hollywood movies have tainted my mind on this. http://www.3daysofdarkness.com/ Personally, I don't want to think about it much until after the Warning occurs, then I'll think about it more - I get overwhelmed lately.
May Our Lord Bless you, Carol55, you have just verbalized how I feel, today, overwhelmed. Our Mother's answer is to pray the rosary, like little children, with faith.
I agree with you both. We are beginning to feel things slipping. I read here everyday and feel there is a tone of denial in some posts . I watched a presentation at a meeting last week about the wipe out of Christianity in the Middle East. Pure evil is wandering in those parts. We need to stick together in prayer for our communities, and support each other here.
Byron' I understand what you are saying and I agree! My reply to DeGaulle's post, has nothing to do with well thought out, sane Catholic interpretations of prophesy However, at the moment on some of the MoG site threads we have a few members, [who will remain unnamed] who seem to be suggesting that most prophesy even scriptual prophesy is metaphoric or symbolic and that most prophesy is never to be taken literally! Hence my affirmation of DeGaulle's statement......... "Applying broad interpretation allows one to define the future in such a varied way that the whole notion of prophesy is perhaps nullified. To put it another way, such broad interpretation would allow one to find validity in any but the most absurd prophesy.
The 'three days of darkness' feature prominently in Catholic Church-approved prophesy. This means that, although we are not bound to believe this prophesy, we can be assured that it has not come from 'false prophets'. Yet some here are expounding upon prophesies that have not received approval, at all.
DeGaulle, No chance the church would be wrong? I assume the likelihood is poor when multiple people are stating the same thing. I realize that once approved that does not mean that everything the seers states is approved, correct? But is goes back to my previous statement that the likelihood of this prophecy coming to fruition is pretty good, especially when means of communication was not very good. Nowadays when people speak of the same prophecy or similar prophecy there is always a possibility that they copied it.
I'm sticking with The Church. I would think that approval only applies to the specific prophesy approved, rather than everything stated by the seer. If an item is not positively approved, it's not approved. That is my understanding, for what it's worth!
But how do we know for sure the 3 days of darkness is not just a spiritual encounter? When has the Church ever spoken about this prophecy? Does the Church believe we have to keep our windows covered and not answer the doors to the voices?
I imagine that if/when the 3dd are in effect, I for one won't take any chances and remain inside with doors and windows closed, blessed candle lit. Better safe than sorry
I feel awful that I need to use Wikipedia for this sort of information but unless someone provides a better source here is the link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Days_of_Darkness It states that this belief is not endorsed by the Holy See. Personally, I think there is some truth to it but I think we will never know the specifics until it happens. I think you are smart to question it but as DivineMercy has stated better safe than sorry. I would be weary of the other link that I posted, I didn't realize that they believe in some conspiracies and such. I think it is always best to go back to the basics which would be to research the prophecies themselves.
Padre Pio and the Three Days of Darkness... From translation of a copy of a personal letter written by Padre Pio addressed to the Commission of Heroldsbach appointed by the Vatican that testifies to the truth and reality of these revelations on the Three Days of Darkness given by Our Lord to Padre Pio, a Capuchin priest who bore the stigmata. JANUARY 28, 1950 Keep your windows well covered. Do not look out. Light a blessed candle, which will suffice for many days. Pray the rosary. Read spiritual books. Make acts of Spiritual Communion, also acts of love, which are so pleasing to Us. Pray with outstretched arms, or prostrate on the ground, in order that many souls may be saved. Do not go outside the house. Provide yourself with sufficient food. The powers of nature shall be moved and a rain of fire shall make people tremble with fear. Have courage! I am in the midst of you. FEBRUARY 7, 1950 Take care of the animals during these days. I am the Creator and Preserver of all animals as well as man. I shall give you a Few signs beforehand, at which time you should place more food before them. I will preserve the property of the elect, including the animals, for they shall be in need of sustenance afterwards as well. Let no one go across the yard, even to feed the animals--he who steps outside will perish! Cover your windows carefully. My elect shall not see My wrath. Have confidence in Me, and I will be your protection. Your confidence obliges Me to come to your aid. The hour of My coming is near! But I will show mercy. A most dreadful punishment will bear witness to the times. My angels, who are to be the executioners of this work, are ready with their pointed swords! They will take special care to annihilate all those who mocked Me and would not believe in My revelations. Hurricanes of fire will pour forth from the clouds and spread over the entire earth! Storms, bad weather, thunderbolts and earthquakes will cover the earth for two days. An uninterrupted rain of fire will take place! It will begin during a very cold night. All this is to prove that God is the Master of Creation. Those who hope in Me, and believe in my words, have nothing to fear because I will not forsake them, nor those who spread My message. No harm will come to those who are in the state of grace and who seek My mother's protection. That you may be prepared for these visitations, I will give you the following signs and instructions: The night will be very cold. The wind will roar. After a time, thunderbolts will be heard. Lock all the doors and windows. Talk to no one outside the house. Kneel down before a crucifix, be sorry for your sins, and beg My Mother's protection. Do not look during the earthquake, because the anger of God is holy! Jesus does not want us to behold the anger of God, because God's anger must be contemplated with fear and trembling. Those who disregard this advice will be killed instantly. The wind will carry with it poisonous gases which will be diffused over the entire earth. Those who suffer and die innocently will be martyrs and they will be with Me in My Kingdom. Satan will triumph! But after three nights, the earthquake and fire will cease. On the following day the sun will shine again. angels will descend from Heaven and will spread the spirit of peace over the earth. A feeling of immeasurable gratitude will take possession of those who survive this terrible ordeal-the impending punishment-with which God has visited the earth since creation. I have chosen souls in other countries too, such as Belgium, Switzerland. Spain, who have received these revelations so that other countries also may be prepared. Pray much during this Holy Year of 1950. Pray the Rosary, but pray it well, so that your prayers may reach Heaven. Soon a more terrible catastrophe shall come upon the entire world, such as never before has been witnessed, a terrible chastisement never before experienced! The war of 1950 shall be the introduction to these things. How unconcerned men are regarding these things! which shall so soon come upon them, contrary to all expectations. How indifferent they are in preparing themselves for these unheard of events, through which they will have to pass so shortly! The weight of the Divine balance has reached the earth! The wrath of My Father shall be poured out over the entire world! I am again warning the world through your instrumentality, as I have so often done heretofore. The sins of men have multiplied beyond measure: Irreverence in Church, sinful pride committed in sham religious activities, lack of true brotherly love, indecency in dress, especially at summer seasons...The world is filled with iniquity. This catastrophe shall come upon the earth like a flash of lightning at which moment the light of the morning sun shall be replaced by black darkness! No one shall leave the house or look out of a window from that moment on. I Myself shall come amidst thunder and lightning. The wicked shall behold My Divine Heart. There shall be great confusion because of this utter darkness in which the entire earth shall be enveloped, and many, many shall die from fear and despair. Those who shall fight for My cause shall receive grace from My Divine Heart; and the cry: "WHO IS LIKE UNTO GOD!" shall serve as a means of protection to many. However, many shall burn in the open fields like withered grass! The godless shall be annihilated, so that afterwards the just shall be able to stand afresh. On the day, as soon as complete darkness has set in, no one shall leave the house or look from out of the window. The darkness shall last a day and a night, followed by another day and a night, and another day--but on the night following, the stars will shine again, and on the next morning the sun shall rise again, and it will be SPRINGTIME!! In the days of darkness, My elect shall not sleep, as did the disciples in the garden of olives. They, shall pray incessantly, and they shall not be disappointed in Me. I shall gather My elect. Hell will believe itself to be in possession of the entire earth, but I shall reclaim it! Do you, perhaps, think that I would permit My Father to have such terrible chastisements come upon the world, if the world would turn from iniquity to justice? But because of My great love, these afflictions shall be permitted to come upon man. Although many shall curse Me, yet thousands of souls shall be saved through them. No human understanding can fathom the depth of My love! Pray! Pray! I desire your prayers. My Dear Mother Mary, Saint Joseph, Saint Elizabeth, Saint Conrad, Saint Michael. Saint Peter, the Little Therese, Your Holy Angels, shall be your intercessors. Implore their aid! Be courageous soldiers of Christ! At the return of light, let everyone give thanks to the Holy Trinity for Their protection! The devastation shall be very great! But I, Your God, will have purified the earth. I am with you. Have confidence!
Many say that Padre Pio stated that this is an error, he never received a vision/locution about the 3DofD.
The Church has not said that the Three Days of Darkness will happen. As it has also not said that Rome will be overrun or anything about many of the other approved prophecies. It is true what you state that some prophecy is of a spiritual nature or of a physical nature but not the way we understand things. The Three Days of Darkness however is one of those prophecies that clearly speaks of an event of a physical (and possibly spiritual as well) nature. We are told to make physical preparations for it. If we are going to go so far as to say it was referring to lighting the "Blessed beeswax candles of our souls" or not to open the "Doors of our spiritual homes" then you almost have to throw all prophecy out the window because we could never know what any of it was about.
The text I quoted is thus false? I expected it, but I wanted not challenge it. It would be very cool, because this text is in contradiction with other prophecies.
