The Great Illumination of Conscience and the Mark of the Beast

Susan Skinner | 10/21/2020

"Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." Revelation 7:3

I am always hesitant to write things like what I am about to write today. I am not schooled in eschatology, nor do I pretend to be. I am simply a woman who prays and writes down my thoughts. What I am about to share, if the church came out and said it was wrong, then the church would be correct, and I would be wrong. Everything I write is for your own discernment and prayer and I submit fully to the authority of the church.

What I am about to share came from a conversation where I was lamenting to God. This is not a conversation about masks. I am not seek anyone’s medical advice; I am simply sharing my thoughts and feelings. I will not allow comments through that seek to push an opinion about masks on other people who are capable of their own discernment.

I hate the masks. I wear them because of my close proximity to my elderly parents. But I hate them. I feel as though they remove real relationship and have us treat one another as lepers. I do not judge what others decide, it is between them and God and I am not here to control people.

I was speaking to the Lord about the masks and he simply said to me, "If I could show you all the harm your past words have caused and who they caused them to, you would want to wear the mask. Though you are forgiven, you could never repair the harm that was done, that is why you need me."

In that moment, I had a flash in my head of all the words I had screamed at people in anger from long, long ago. One instance in particular from when I was 10 years old and spoke hurtful words to a classmate. Though I had confessed the sin and know wholeheartedly that I am forgiven, the words were already out there waiting for a demon to attach to them and carry them out.

When the Lord revealed this to me the other day, I knew I could spend all my days trying to repair what I had said, and it would never be enough. It was like a ripple from my mouth into the lives of others that brought judgment, despair and loneliness to them. If I didn't know of His mercy and healing power, I would have caved at the weight of it all. His mercy and healing power are my only recourse. So I handed it to Him. I trust in Him to heal it.

I decided then and there to look at these masks as reparation, as a way to make a good out of a suffering. I cannot tell you how much my words have hurt others. It makes me never ever want to complain again, and I am asking the Lord to hold my tongue and bring praise and joy to the world. It is still hard though; concupiscence is deeply ingrained.

"I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak." - Matthew 12:36

This moment brought me to the realization that there will someday be a great illumination of conscience. And I saw just how hard it would be for even the most faithful. When we see ourselves as how we are and the ripple effect of what we have done, it will be astonishingly hard. It will be hard to accept His mercy because we will realize just how much we don't deserve it. It may seem impossible that anyone would reject His mercy, but after this experience I know some souls will reject it as a lie because they will not be able to accept how sinful their own actions were. And either through shame and despair, or pride and envy, they will reject him.

I believe the message of Divine Mercy that was brought to us through Saint Faustina will culminate with this Illumination of Conscience. God prepared us through Saint Faustina, because when we see the reality of who we are, we will be profoundly ashamed. But the Lord doesn't want that. He wants us profoundly healed. And when this illumination happens, I believe in the interior of each soul he will show the image of Mercy that Saint Faustina had painted so that we will recognize His mercy and accept it. He sent a prophet to pave the way. A voice crying out in the wilderness.

Jesus, I trust in you.

This illumination will not be a judgment, but a gift of mercy, though it may feel like a judgment, hence why some will reject Him. This rejection is actually a blasphemy of the Holy Spirit – the unforgivable sin.

It is here that we will be marked.

“He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice.” Diary of Saint Faustina, 1146

It is important to understand that this “marking” is not a thing, but a decision, a choice of free will. We will have the opportunity to accept or to reject Mercy. Could things be used in forming our decision, yes, but a thing cannot force us to choose something against our will. If someone were to force something upon you that was evil (whether it be a tracker or vaccine or whatever you hear these days), if it is forced, your will was not involved in that. It is a decision of our own will that marks us. We get to choose how we are marked.

We will either be marked as servants of God or marked with the beast.

After this marking, the battle will rage fiercely. But because of our experience with Divine Mercy, we will know for sure the loving mercy of our God, so we can enter the battle prepared, for He does not leave His children orphaned. We will all suffer, but we will know the loving goodness of our God which will help us persevere.

I see this marking with the acceptance of Divine Mercy, as the beginnings of God's will on earth as it is in heaven. He is purifying us. This will usher in the era of the Divine Will, and I see beauty, peace and glory, much like the Apostles experienced at Pentecost.

"Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles." Acts 2:43

When we walk in the Divine Will, true peace on earth happens. I do not think this is the end of the world but the beginning of a better one. I see joy and hope in the future. A people who rely on their God instead of themselves.

I have no idea about timelines or how it happens or what exactly happens, and though I think we should watch and pay attention and be watchers, the most important thing is our cooperative effort to allow God to purify us so that when the time comes we accept His mercy and His will and His glory fill us.

He wants us resting in the bosom of the Father. Resting in the Sacred Heart, like Mary and Joseph are. Sacred. Immaculate. Guardian. Beloved (you).