|
|
|
 |
Life Ways Private Revelations What is one to think about the flurry of reported apparitions of the Blessed Mother? It seems that such accounts crop up everywhere. Perhaps the most talked about apparitions today are those at Medjugorje. But other visions are being reported all over the world.... Reactions to such allegations vary from complete skepticism to uncritical acceptance. But what is a reasonable attitude to take? In this article, it is not my intention to discuss the merits of any particular apparition. It is up to the Church to decide on that. But I hope to offer some principles that will serve as a guide to assess them. I am indebted for much of this material to the book A Still Small Voice by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR. Any reader who is especially interested in this subject will find that book very informative. What place do such apparitions have in Catholic life? They are termed private revelations to emphasize the fact that they are just that--private. They are not meant to be a substitute for the public divine revelation which has been entrusted to the Church. God has revealed Himself to us, and that revelation came to its fullness in Jesus. This divine revelation is the really important revelation, and nothing can take its place. Our salvation depends on it. It is much more vital for our Christian life to spend time and energy studying and living the truths of faith. That should always be our first priority. So the first guideline about private revelations is to keep them in perspective. They should not be valued above the revelation of God in Jesus Christ. For example, it would be an inversion of values if a person was very concerned to learn about the secret of Fatima but had little interest in deepening their understanding of Catholic doctrine. Concerning apparitions in themselves, Fr. Groeschel offers an important principle: "No private revelation comes directly from God, and therefore none can be assumed to be inherently true." This idea is most important when we try to evaluate any reported revelation. It means that any authentic revelation comes through the medium of the person who experienced it. That person receives it according to his or her own understanding of what is taking place. So it is very possible for errors to occur. A little further on we'll take a look at some specific sources of error. It is vital to keep in mind--and this cannot be stressed too much--that any revelation is filtered through the subjectivity of the person who receives it. So, an error made by a visionary does not automatically disprove that report. But the possibility of error highlights the need to carefully discern what may be taking place. A principle often quoted in this context is the theological axiom: "Whatever is received, is received according to the manner of the recipient. "Whenever God communicates to human beings, He does so through the medium of our human experience. As long as we are on earth, we can never have a direct experience of the vision of God. Such knowledge is reserved to the beatific vision in heaven. A person will perceive even an authentic divine communication through the basic frame of reference with which they view everything else. This perspective is always subjective. So the possibility of error is always present. Consequently, any belief given to a reported revelation is a matter of human faith. It is not a matter of the divine or Catholic faith by which we believe what the Church teaches about the truths revealed by God. Even in cases where the Church approves a revelation, no Catholic is ever obliged to believe in that apparition--it is not a matter of Catholic faith or official Church teaching. Any belief given is a matter of human faith. The approval of the Church simply means that the reported apparition, after suitable investigation, has been found worthy of belief. This approval excludes fraud and deception. But it remains only a prudential judgment on the part of the Church authorities. It is not an infallible decision. A second principle offered by Fr. Groeschel is: "A private revelation by definition is personal and therefore must be carefully applied by those for whom it was meant and only within the limits of ordinary human prudence and never in an unreasonable way or against the teaching of the Church. It must never be considered an infallible guide in any situation." If a message is given to a particular person, it must be carefully determined if it is meant for that person alone or intended to have a wider application. An example that comes to mind is fasting. The Blessed Mother at Medjugorje is reported to have recommended fasting on Wednesday and Friday. Even if Medjugorje is approved by the Church in the future, it would not mean that every Catholic is required to do such fasting. Fasting is certainly a laudable penitential practice, but no one could ever impose it on anyone else because it was recommended in an apparition. The next area to consider is sources of error in regard to apparitions. As was mentioned before, it is possible for the recipient of a revelation to make mistakes in understanding it. Fr. Groeschel lists some common errors: 1) Faulty interpretation. The person can incorrectly interpret what is heard or said. Very often, the revelation takes the form of a locution--that is, words which are heard internally. Since the external senses do not operate in this situation, it is easy to misunderstand a locution. 2) The subjective needs of the individual also play a part. For example, preconceived ideas can be read into a vision, which can result in error. 3) Errors in remembering and reporting. A visionary may not recall accurately what was heard or said. Visionary experiences are subject to the same process of remembering as ordinary events are. We all know from experience how difficult it can be to recall the exact words of another person even only a short while after a conversation. 4) Errors in recording. Other people who write reports of such events are even more apt to make mistakes in reporting them. All of this should make us wary about accepting reports of apparitions. It is necessary to ask a lot of questions before giving credence to such accounts. For example, one can inquire about the background of the alleged visionaries and ask how it has changed their lives. Is the content of the message reasonable? Does it contradict the teaching of the Church in any way? Is the matter currently under investigation by the Church? What has the local bishop said? It is not easy to decide on the authenticity of alleged apparitions. The Church is very slow to approve them and most reported apparitions are never given official approbation. What should be avoided is a naive enthusiasm that tends to uncritically accept any report. On the other hand, in the case of authentic revelation, we can benefit if the message leads to a deeper living of the Christian life. However, it should also be said that if we really took the Gospel seriously, we would not need apparitions to spur us to greater devotion. One is reminded of the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, who requested that someone from heaven be sent to warn his brothers to repent. He was firmly reminded: "They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them!" (Luke 16:29) What is a good overall attitude to take concerning visions and revelations? In the book The Fire Within, Fr. Thomas Dubay offers some insights. He says that God certainly can and does communicate with us in extraordinary ways. When this happens, it should be esteemed as a gift. But deception and illusion are not rare, so there is a great need for objective ecclesial discernment. Then he gives the following principle, which, he says, "surprises almost everyone when they first hear of it: private divine communications are relatively unimportant." He goes on to quote St. John of the Cross, who wrote: "one act done in charity is more precious in God's sight than all the visions and communications possible." It is so easy to be caught up in the thrill of spectacular events. But virtue lies more often in humility, in the humdrum tasks of everyday which are done for the love of God. St. Therese of Lisieux, who became a saint without extraordinary visions, said, "To ecstasy, I prefer the monotony of sacrifice."
Copyright © 1999-2003, Daughters of St. Paul. All Rights Reserved.
|
