Days Of Darkness

Evangelizing Catholic Culture with Father David Tickerhoof

Days of Darkness

Have you heard about the three days of darkness? About thirty- five years ago in spiritual renewal circles, a call went forth by some proclaiming that a period of three days of darkness was coming soon. This darkness was to be so thick that people would not be able to see well what was in front of them. When this event happened a period of enlightenment was to occur. This enlightenment was to be so profound that a person would see the sinfulness of their life in one moment. This experience would be a powerful call to repentance and conversion greater than one had ever experienced before. It was predicted that this was going to happen very soon. Individuals went out and purchased candles and food, expecting everyone to be sequestered for some time. The three days of darkness never happened!

This inspiring book by Father David Tickerhoof, Third Order Regular (TOR), on the role of Merciful Penitents in the Renewal and Reform of the Church

Father David’s book is available! “Evangelizing Catholic Culture,” get your copy today.

Recently a few videos appeared on YouTube again predicting a coming event of tremendous enlightenment, and the drastic consequences of unfaithfulness to God and the way he wants humans to live. No doubt surfacing because of the advent of the coronavirus and the ethical/moral conditions of the whole human community, at least in part. How should we respond to this situation? I am sure individuals have a goodly number of suggestions about these matters. Without attempting to exhaust all the possibilities, I would like to express my opinion as humbly as possible. The ideas I present in this “show” do not represent the opinions or policies of any of the communities or institutions to which I belong. The following are simply my beliefs about the matter.

I realized that the human community would be stressfully and painfully dealing with the coronavirus pandemic for a long time to come. It is important to understand that this issue is a major matter among the whole human community. Its very life and existence before God and his plan and will for the future of all human beings is at stake. I did a quick survey of the major and a few minor prophets in the Old Testaments. What happened when the Hebrew nation was unfaithful and rebellious to the Covenant and promises that God gave to them because he loved them?

When the Hebrew people were disobedient to the way of life He revealed and gave to the people, He would allow, (God does not directly will evil), other nations around them to punish and invade them. In other words, He permitted an extended time of severe purification on them. After many painful tribulations, the people would come to a clear understanding of how great their offenses were before God, and they would repent of their sins and unfaithfulness, and sincerely attempt to change. He would then pour out his abundant mercy upon them and their situation would be changed in a magnificent manner. You may want to check out chapters 55 to 66 in the Book of Isaiah.

When I saw how consistent the Lord’s plan of conversion was for the people he loved, I was taken back at what was happening in the wake of the coronavirus. A similar or identical conversion pattern seems to be happening to us within the whole human community. This virus may have been made in a test tube, and probably was unintentionally released through experimental animals. Man’s sinful ingenuity apart from the Lord’s revealed plan, plus a multitude of moral and ethical violations worldwide in the universal human community, may have placed us under a time of major purification greater than any three days of darkness.

I think what happened in the past in reference to “three days of darkness” many innocently gave a literal interpretation to the “three days.” However, these types of revelation should be understood to be in the category of “prophetic symbolism.” Even when presented by certain mystics or the Mother of the Lord. The exception to this is when a great “wonder of God”, a miracle, takes place; such as the Miracle of the Sun during the apparitions of Fatima, or other signs and wonders. These happenings and predictions are usually presented as prophesy, it is wise to appreciate the awareness that prophesies many times includes progressive or successive stages of fulfillment. So just a literal interpretation of a specific time or date may set us up for misguided predictions. In the spirit of Fatima, we are invited by the glorified Lord Jesus to share in his atonement by a ministry of reparation; uniting our sufferings and sacrifices with his own to atone for the sins of the world and the Church. As we do, they become a powerful source of grace. Pope Benedict XVI said that “the Cross of Christ is the goal and guide of history. The Cross both stands for and transforms human misery into the means of salvation. It is therefore a sign of hope.” So what can appear on the outside during this pandemic as a desolate time can actually be a powerful opportunity spiritually? (Ann Pozuc)

In the years of 1961 to 1965 three powerful happenings took place in the Catholic Church. The first was the creation and completion of The Second Vatican Council. The second was a profound spiritual renewal entitled the Charismatic Renewal. And the third was a lengthy apparition of Mary the Mother of the Lord in Garabandal, Spain. All three of these events were initiated by the Lord during the same time frame. In this “show” I want to present the content of the messages presented to the visionaries, which relates to a series of prophetic messages. In summary, Mary proclaimed that a great chastisement would become on the world because the human community has abandoned faith in God and the ways he wants human beings to live.

“The cup is filling up”, pray for those who are unwilling or have not changed their sinful ways of life, or those who do not know him. The world must change much or soon a great chastisement will come. She asked that individuals be holy, live good lives, pray often, and do much penance, make many sacrifices; make visits to the Blessed Sacrament. Ask for forgiveness, sacrifice more, and meditate on the passion of Christ and live the Paschal Mystery. The time is short and many clergies are on the path to perdition; the devil is working among many in the Catholic Church. Much change must take place! Is it possible that what we are currently experiencing in the world and the Church is at least a part of the darkness and chastisement, which Mary prophesied would take place? The Virgin’s messages at Medjugorje are consistent with the previous two.

My first visit was in 1988 before the commercialization started. The apparitions had been moved from the church to a large room in the rectory. The crowd was pushing hard at the door. As soon as the door opened, I went across the front of the room instead of moving to the back. From this position, I was standing ten feet from the faces of the three visionaries, who were kneeling quietly with heads bowed in prayer. At six o’clock on the button their heads raised up and beautiful smiles appeared on their faces, recognizing someone for whom they had deep love and affection, their lips began to move in prayer. At that moment I became a believer! I had no doubt that we’re seeing Mary. The message: pray, sacrifice, fast, and do penance.

For sure we need to come to a special period of enlightenment. The Lord sometimes uses a period of pain and suffering to give those he loves a “new spiritual awakening”. When this experience happens, it may inspire people to do sincere full-hearted repentance and penance. This is necessary in order that righteousness may be restored. This means making the necessary changes in our lives, which will bring from the Lord a period of wonderful and abundant mercy. There surely is hope for wonderful things ahead. Let hear from you, what do you think? May we pray!

Dear Father, you have given the Human Community so many wonderful gifts and blessings, yet we have misused some of them in immoral and hurtful ways to others. Please forgive us and show us how to use your gifts for others in a merciful and compassionate way. Teach us to love the truth, which flows from your loving mercy and enlightenment, and give us the wisdom and courage to find ways to serve you and our brothers and sisters in all the world. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.

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