Private Revelation

22 December 2000 07:56

The following is a very good essay explaining why it is important to listen to contemporary prophecy.

Those who emphasize that the fullness of Revelation has already been given to us in the Sacred Scriptures and in the Sacred Tradition of the Church are certainly correct.

However, those who ignore all private revelations under the assumption that Scripture is all they need are often not hearing the messages of Scripture. If we truly understood the Scriptures and lived the Gospel, it is true that we would have no need for the warnings given through modern day prophets and visionaries. But God would not send His most Holy Mother, nor would He appear Himself to so many if it were not necessary or helpful.

Private revelation has an important role in the Church for awakening and warning those who have not paid enough attention to the Scriptures and teachings of the Church, and for those who are not living the Gospel messages.

What parent would not warn his or her children to stop playing in the street because of the danger of passing vehicles? How foolish would the child be to ignore his or her parent’s warnings by saying, “I don’t need to listen to what you are saying today, since you taught me all I needed to know prior to today?”

Better still, how foolish would the child playing in the street be, who ignores a messenger sent by the parent to remind him to get out of the street before the Truck comes, by saying, “I don’t want to listen to a mere messenger, when my parents taught me from the beginning what was right and what was safe.”

When people are living in states of darkness, they can’t see the signs of the times for what they are, and they need to be awakened. Yet, these can be the very people who refuse the wakeup calls.

I think many good Catholics are too quick to warn against following false prophets, to the extent that they detract from the true prophets, and thus risk endangering the sleeping souls who could otherwise be called out of the darkness and into the light before it is too late.

I am really tired of seeing so many arguments against interest in these modern day prophets and visionaries. God will not allow us to be misled through our earnest and honest desire to seek and follow him. He gave us the formulas with which to test the prophets. He also told us, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and no town or house divided against itself will stand. And if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself; how, then, will his kingdom stand?” (Matthew 12:25-26)

In Genesis 3

9-10, God converses with Adam: The LORD God then called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” If we are hearing the voice of God, but are afraid because of the spiritual nakedness caused by the state of our souls, then I think that the tendency and temptation is to hide. But, when we begin and persist in a true conversion of heart, with frequent reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and Eucharist, we lose that fear, and it is easier to hear and follow the voice of the True Shepherd without being afraid that we will follow the wrong voice.

In John 10

2-5, Jesus says, “But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”

This is a promise from Jesus that the sheep who hear and recognize his voice will not follow false prophets, as they will not recognize their voices. They will know when they are hearing their Good Shepherd.

By evidence of the sheer number and volume of this century’s visions and messages, it appears that God is virtually shouting to his lost sheep because of imminent dangers. Surely God would not do this if it were his will for us to ignore all of them.

It is true that there are false prophets who will mislead some, but if the sheep that are being mislead are truly seeking the Good shepherd, I know that Jesus will not fail to read the good will in their hearts, to seek them out, and to bring them safely home. The greatest peril, therefore, is in refusing to listen to any of the prophets’ voices, for in doing so those in greatest danger are risking missing the voice of their Good Shepherd who is trying to save them from the wolves.

Yes, Sacred Scriptures and Sacred Tradition contain all that is necessary for salvation, but many of the people I know, (including myself a few years ago) would have to be hit over the head repeatedly with the scriptures to be awakened by them. This is because they can’t help when they sit dusty and unopened on a shelf or in a box. God fortunately has other ways to awaken us.

Robert J. Butler, MD