Apparitions

The LORD said to Moses,
“Go down at once to your people,
whom you brought out of the land of Egypt,
for they have become depraved.
They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them.

Sadly, it seems as though our national symbol of the beautiful eagle has been replaced by that of the Golden Calf.

Today, in His desperation to reach into the heart of falling humanity…Our Lord sends another down the mountain…who like Moses had received the Word of God. Though instead of stone, she received His flesh and blood within her womb so as to give birth to our salvation.

In salvation history, the Blessed Virgin Mary has been as constantly present to all mankind as the skies above…keeping an ever faithful vigil of love, prayer and intercession for all our needs. Having once been assumed into Heaven body and soul, she now frequently, especially in dark and trying times, descends from Heaven.

Unlike Moses, there is no anger in her heart…she has not come to condemn and destroy…rather to gather up the broken pieces of all our lives, and repairing the damage of sin committed and sin endured, remake us in the image and likeness of her Son, Jesus Christ. She comes as our Mother, who seeing her children wounded and lost, desperately comes to their aid with only love and healing.

The history of Mary’s appearing on earth, or Marian apparitions, began as early as the year 40 when she appeared to Saint James the Apostle in Saragossa, Spain. While there, he became disheartened because of the failure of his mission. While deep in prayer Our Lady appeared to him and gave him a small wooden statue and a column of jasper wood and instructed him to build a church in her honor.

This magnificent Cathedral and beautiful statue and column is still venerated today…and Spain is one of the largest pilgrimage sites in the world, especially Compastella where Saint James is buried.

And if there is a common thread to Our Lady’s appearances throughout history, it is to bring relief to broken hearts: strength and courage through her insistence that we hand over our lives completely to Jesus Christ.

In Walsingham, England, as though anticipating the coming bloodshed and distress of the Protestant Revolt, she appeared to a widow asking for a replica of the holy house of Nazareth to be built: “Let all who are in any way distressed or in need seek me there in that small house that you maintain for me at Walsingham. To all that seek me there shall be given relief.”

Closer to home, there is the more incredible appearance of Mary to Saint Juan Diego in Mexico… Where human and child sacrifice was horrifically out of control. Perhaps in all her appearances, never has Our Lady spoken with more profound compassion and comfort: “"My dear little son, I love you. I desire you to know who I am. I am the ever-virgin Mary, Mother of the true God who gives life and maintains its existence. He created all things. He is in all places. He is Lord of Heaven and Earth.

I desire a church in this place where your people may experience my compassion. All those who sincerely ask my help in their work and in their sorrows will know my Mother's Heart in this place. Here I will see their tears; I will console them and they will be at peace." The sacrifices ended, replaced by the one Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the conversion of hundreds and thousands of Indians to the Catholic faith.

Then there are the countless stories of approved devotions through appearances like the Brown Scapular, the Miraculous Medal, the Rosary and the great shrine of God’s healing within the waters at Lourdes. And then there are the occasions when Our Lady appears with heart broken, tears in her eyes because of how hard the hearts of men and women have become…the violence, the hatred, the lust.

In LaSallete France Our Lady appeared to the Children with her head in her hands weeping: "The times are very evil. Sorrows will befall France ; the throne will be overturned. The whole world will be plunged into every kind of misery." There is Fatima…perhaps the greatest event in modern history which is the compass point that is directed toward the definitive preparation for Christ’s Second Coming.

Having appeared during World War I, she pleaded for an avoidance of another which too sadly did not come to pass because of man’s refusal to seek the peace of Christ, convert and pray the Rosary. And then the vision of Hell to the children and the terrible reality of hell’s existence and the people who wind up there.

In November 1981, Mary also appeared to seven visionaries in Kibeho, Rwanda. Again desperate to avoid the horrific genocide that was to come years later…and having come because man once again refused the love of God, and did not convert: Our Lady lamented:

“'There isn't much time left in preparing for the Last Judgment. We must change our live, renounce sin. Pray and prepare for our own death and for the end of the world. We must prepare while there is still time. Those who do well will go to Heaven. If they do evil, they will condemn themselves with no hope of appeal.

Do not lose time in doing good and praying. There is not much time and Jesus will come.'

There is also Nicaragua, Italy, Belgium, Venezuela, Japan and so many others all of which the Church has investigated and has given her approval for the faithful to believe. And then there are those reported apparitions that the Church is still investigating and reserving judgment upon…the most famous in Medjugorde and closer to home here in Illinois is Our Lady of America, whose statue is currently making its way around the tri-state area.

Reported to have appeared to a Nun in 1956, Our Lady is reported to have said: “My child, I entrust you with this message that you must make known to my children in AMERICA . I wish it to be the country dedicated to my purity. The wonders I will work will be the wonders of the soul. They must have faith and believe firmly in my love for them.

I desire that they be the children of my Pure Heart. I desire, through my children in AMERICAto further the cause of faith and purity among peoples and nations. Let them come with confidence and simplicity, and I, their Mother, will teach them to become pure like to my Heart that their own hearts may be more pleasing to the Heart of my Son."

In Medjugorde, the message has been consistent: “Dear Children, I invite you for your individual conversion. This time is for you! Without you God’s plan cannot be realized. Dear children grow day by day closer to God through prayer. I give you the weapon against your Goliath.

Here are your little stones: Praying the Rosary, the Eucharist, the Holy Bible, Fasting, and monthly Confession.” Though still under investigation and having just returned from there I can only say this.

At its yearly Youth Festival, with over 40,000 plus young people of teenage and college age, including more than a dozen from our diocese we experienced these highlights: 30,000 people attending Adoration at 10:00 in each night in silent and profound prayer…

Over 30,000 gathered together from all nations and speaking all different languages at one and the same time daily praying the Rosary…thousands of Confessions heard well passed midnight into the arriving dawn. Tens of thousands gathered together to celebrate the sanctifying power of the Mass.

God is our Father, Jesus is our Savior and Mary is truly our Mother. Heaven is not deaf to our needs…nor is Heaven somewhere far away…it is in our midst if only we turn to Mary and through Mary to Christ most present in the Eucharist, Christ most present in the Confessional. The time of conversion is right now.