Pillars of Fire In My Soul

“private revelations”, lumping together in the second category all the supernatural communications made to the “mystics”. We usually add that only the first is of obligation, the second, at the most, being allowed to be accepted and held as true with a purely human faith, that is, resting on human testimony. For several years now, however, certain theologians have felt obliged to make distinctions between, on the one hand, those supernatural communications whose immediate object is the good and the management of the souls of those to whom they are made, and, on the other hand, those made to the recipients to be communicated by them to the whole Church. And they arrive at the conviction that, from the moment it is established that God is speaking to us, by Himself or by a messenger, His word justi- fies an act of faith which belongs in a certain manner to the supernatural order . God’s word is the basis of it and demands it; there is an obligation to believe and therefore to obey. For it is a question, these theologians tell us, of prophecy. In very forceful words St. Paul clearly stated: “The Church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Eph. 2: 30), meaning the prophets of the New Testament, as is shown beyond the shadow of doubt in the context. He also stated: “Extinguish not the Spirit. Despise not prophesies. Hold fast that which is good” (Thess. 5: 19-20). Saying: “Hold fast”, St. Paul is here giving an order. That is why St. Thomas Aquinas himself went as far as to say that “Prophecy is necessary for the government of the people and [ he adds in an emphatic way ] principally on what concerns divine worship, for which nature is not adequate: grace is necessary.” Following St. Augustine, St. Thomas affirmed also that “there was never a lack of men possessing the spirit of prophecy, not to propose new doctrine of faith but to direct man in his actions,” “so far as that was necessary for the salvation of the elect..” That necessity would have no meaning if it did not include the obligation to believe in prophecy. Divine Mercy … We Trust in You! 73