What About Prophecy and Recent Events?

The month of October 2023 has thus far been a month of extraordinary occurrences.  Thus far, we have seen the opening of the Synod on Synodality’s General Assembly in Rome which many believe is seeking to alter traditional Catholic teachings on LGBTQ+ issues, marriage and divorce and women clergy.  There was a series of devastating earthquakes in Afghanistan that have killed over 2,000 people thus far.  There is continued fighting in the Ukraine.  There is political turmoil in the U.S. Congress, and legal controversies embroiling the current U.S. President Joe Biden and his presumptive 2024 electoral challenger (and former U.S. President) Donald Trump.  The Palestinian Muslim Hamas terrorist group launched a horrific surprise assault upon Israel that murdered hundreds of innocent civilians and abducted over 200 more.  Israel has launched a massive military retaliatory response against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The war in the Middle East is threatening to expand beyond Israel and Hamas and beyond the region as well.

For decades, prophetic voices have been saying that humanity is heading towards the culmination of human history with the rise of the Anti-Christ and the return of Jesus Christ, as predicted in Holy Scripture and specifically, the Book of Revelation.  In the last several weeks especially, some prophetic voices have been pointing to October 2023 as a decisive month in the rise of Evil prior to Christ’s triumphant return.  These prophets and visionaries claim to be relaying messages from Jesus, His Mother Mary and St. Michael the Archangel.

You can find these recent prophecies posted on a number of websites that report on modern day Christian prophecy.  Two of the more noteworthy prophecy websites are Michael Brown’s www.spiritdaily.com and Mark Mallett and Daniel O’Connor’s www.countdowntothekingdom.com

Throughout human history, God has chosen to speak with humankind either directly or through persons chosen by Him to serve as prophets.  Those called by God for this extraordinary vocation have included Jeremiah, Isaiah, Elijah, Elisha, Hosea, and Samuel.   Prophetic messages have included those for specific situations and those of a more general sense.  Some messages have been directed against specific individuals and specific nations such as Babylon.  Others have called Israel to repentance and have offered encouragement during times of tribulation. 

At various times, prophets of God have brought messages promising a Savior and Messiah.  Most notable was Isaiah, whose prophesies included the birth of Jesus and his suffering and death. These prophesies have been fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. Contemporary with Jesus, St. John the Baptist prophesied and preached in preparation for Jesus’s public ministry and his mission of salvation.

While God has used prophets to convey messages to His people, He has used His Son in the culmination of revelation.  As the Letter to the Hebrews proclaims:

"In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe, who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word.  When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, as far superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs."  (Hebrews 1:1-4)

The Catholic Church teaches that public revelation ended with Jesus.   The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:  “God has revealed  himself fully by sending his own Son, in which he has established his covenant forever.  The Son is his Father’s definitive Word; so there will be no further Revelation after him.”  (See Paragraph 73). 

Since the time of Jesus, there have been other faiths which have claimed other revelations from God that do not coincide with that given by Jesus Christ.  On this topic, the Catechism of the Catholic Church  states: “Christian faith cannot accept ‘revelations’ that claim to surpass or correct the Revelation of which Christ is the fulfillment, as is the case in certain non-Christian religions and also in certain recent sects which base themselves on such ‘revelations.’”  (See Paragraph 67.)

While the Catechism does not name names, two examples immediately spring to mind of unacceptable private revelations:  Islam and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons).  The former denies the Divinity of Jesus Christ.  The latter believe in Jesus Christ but their theology is far, far different than the theology of Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and Protestants.  Muslims and Mormons both believe that their respective religions originated from private revelations by an angel to a human, ie. Muhammad for the former and Joseph Smith for the latter.  Both of these private revelations introduced teachings that are vastly different from those in the Jewish and Christian Scriptures. 

In his 1994 world best seller Crossing the Threshold of Hope, St. Pope John Paul II discussed the differences between Islam and Christianity.  He wrote:

"Some of the most beautiful names in the human language are given to the God of the Koran, but He is ultimately a God outside of the world, a God who is only Majesty, never Emmanuel, God-with-us.  Islam is not a religion of redemption.  There is no room for the Cross and the Resurrection.  Jesus is mentioned, but only as a prophet who prepares for the last prophet, Muhammad" (pp. 92-93).

The Catholic Church does recognize the legitimacy of some private revelations.  On this subject, the Catechism states:

"Throughout the ages, there have been so-called “private” revelations, some of which have been recognized by the authority of the Church.  They do not belong, however, to the deposit of faith.  It is not their role to improve or complete Christ’s definitive Revelation, but to help live more fully by it in a certain period of history.  Guided by the magisterium of the Church, the sensus fidelium knows how to discern and welcome  these revelations whatever constitutes an authentic call of Christ or his saints to the Church."  (See Paragraph 67).

Private revelation calls special attention to an aspect of Jesus’s Revelation and/or adds special emphasis to a teaching of Jesus.  Legitimate private revelation does not correct, improve or alter what Jesus handed down to the Apostles and through them to us. 

Knowing the precise role of private revelation in the Church’s teachings is vitally important in discerning the signs of the times. 

Jesus tells us “““See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them!” (Luke 21:8).  In the past, there have been times when persons have claimed to have messages from God or Jesus and been disproved, and there will be more such persons in the future, especially as we approach his triumphant Return. 

Prophecy and Revelation took a dramatic change when the Son of God entered into the human world.  God was no longer speaking through a human ‘messenger;’  He spoke directly to humanity as Jesus - the Son of God, then followed it up with the descent of the Third Person of God – the Holy Spirit – upon the Apostles and Mary at Pentecost. 

Prophecy took another dramatic change after the Ascension of Jesus Christ.  In addition to private Revelations given by the Son of God, God sent the Blessed Mary Mother of God the Son to convey messages to humanity.  He has also used the Saints on occasion as well.

At various times since Jesus’s Ascension, Jesus and Mary have appeared to individuals and/or groups of individuals with messages from the Almighty.  St. Paul may be considered the very first to experience a visit from post-Ascension Jesus when he encountered him on the road to Damascus  (See Acts of the Apostles 9:1-17).  Jesus has also appeared to St. Faustina Kowalska, and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.  The Blessed Mother has appeared to St. Dominic, St. Simon Stock, St. Catherine Laboure,  and St. Bernadette, among others.

Some of the most beloved and important Catholic devotions have resulted from individual encounters / private revelations with Jesus and Mary.  St. Dominic obtained the Marian Rosary from the Blessed Mother.  Jesus introduced the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus via St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.  St. Simon Stock obtained the Brown Scapular from the Blessed Mother.  The Miraculous Medal was given to St. Catherine Laboure by the Blessed Mother.  Jesus gave the Divine Mercy Devotion and extensive teachings related to it to St. Faustina Kowalska. 

Rightfully so, the Catholic Church has always treated private revelations with prudence and intense scrutiny.  There are literally thousands of apparitions of the Blessed Mother and of Jesus Christ alleged to have occurred.   The Catholic Church, at either the Diocesan or Magisterium levels, has officially recognized a mere fraction of the total number reported to have occurred.  

The reported apparitions authenticated and approved by the Catholic Church have been of the greatest importance.  These include the Blessed Mother’s visits to St. Juan Diego at Guadalupe, Mexico in 1531, St. Catherine Laboure at Rue de Bac in 1830, and St. Bernadette at Lourdes in 1858.  Other approved apparitions include Knock, Ireland in 1879, Banneux, Belgium in 1933, and Kibeho, Rwanda in 1981.  The most important apparition of the Blessed Mother of the 20th Century and possibly of all time occurred at Fatima, Portugal in 1917.   Jesus appeared to St. Faustina Kowalska in Poland in the years between World Wars One and Two. 

Over the last 200 years or so, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of reported apparitions of the Blessed Mother and Jesus.  Again, the Church has been very cautious in evaluating these reports.  The vast majority of these have not been approved, either because no decision was rendered or the incident was disproved.  Just a cursory glance at a list of approved apparitions will show how many of the most important apparitions have occurred in the last 200 years or so.  They include Rue de Bac (1830), Lourdes (1858), Fatima (1917), Banneux (1933), Divine Mercy (1930s), and Kibeho (1981). 

There is also another late 20th Century apparition that has gained widespread attention and devotion but has not yet been approved.  Beginning in 1981, the Blessed Mother appeared to six young people in the village of Medjugorje in what was then Yugoslavia.  Several continue to receive visits from the Blessed Mother, monthly or annually. 

Again I must reiterate that public Revelation has ended and that the Church takes a very prudent view of private revelations.  Legitimate private revelations do not alter the public Revelation given by Jesus Christ; they amplify and draw special attention to his teachings.  This must be kept in mind as we discern the signs of the times and the private revelations that speak to the End Times. 

Acceptance of private revelation is not mandated by the Church.  Many of the alleged apparitions contain rather dire predictions on the future and even some of the approved apparitions as well, most notably Fatima.  Pray for discernment and carefully study the messages.  Some of these private revelations contain extremely important messages but the Gospel messages are of much greater importance.  The Gospels are the Word of God given directly by Jesus Christ.

If you are uncomfortable accepting the message of a private revelation, there is no harm in that so long as you accept the message of the Gospels and are living accordingly. 

If you believe and live the Gospels and are open to promptings of the Holy Spirit, you will be led to the Truth.

In his First Letter, St. John advises us on testing the spirits so as not to be deceived.   He writes:

 "Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  This is how you can know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh belongs to God, and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus does not belong to God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that, as you heard, is to come, but in fact is already in the world. You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them, for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They belong to the world; accordingly, their teaching belongs to the world, and the world listens to them. We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us, while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us. This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit"  (1 John 4:1-6).

Prophecy and private revelation have an important role to play in the history of salvation.  We need to be careful and properly discern those prophecies and private revelations.  When properly utilized under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they can be very valuable in our faith journey and in us being a light for Christ. 

Especially now with recent events, prudence dictates that we carefully discern these events and what prophetic voices are saying about them.  May the Holy Spirit lead us all to the true interpretation and discernment of the Signs of the Times.

Author’s Note:  If you made it to the end of my article, I am greatly appreciative of your time and effort.  Prophecy and the Church’s teachings are not an easy topic to discuss in just a few words.