Test All Things
"......And his coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs of lying wonders, and with all wicked deception to those who are perishing. For they have not received the love in truth that they might be saved. Therefore God sends them a misleading influence that they may believe falsehood, that all may be judged who have not believed the truth, but have preferred wickedness."
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
The word "apparition" comes from the late-latin word "apparatio" which means "appearance" or "presence." An apparition refers to the sudden appearance of a supernatural entity which directly manifests itself to a human individual or group. We must first establish that we already know that apparitions exist solely on the millions of people that have witnessed and come into contact with apparitions of Mary.
One of the first documented apparitions (of over 21,000 recorded in history) was that of Mary that appeared before Dominic de Guzman in the summer of 1206. "According to an ancient tradition the rosary was given by Our Lady to Saint Dominic to aid him in his mission against the Albigensian heresy in France as he was praying in the chapel at his headquarters Prouille, Mary appeared to him and told him to spread devotion to her "Psalter" (150 Hail Mary's) and his mission would be successful." "The Rosary", Catholic press Bible 1965)
The statement goes on to say " Whatever its origin, the rosary has proved an amazing instrument of grace." Now I need to pause for a moment to call attention to the underlined statement " Whatever its origin" this is a statement of doubt that one needs to examine. We need to know exactly what the origin is, but how do we examine it.
According to The Bible, John, the most beloved disciple, wrote a letter to Christians to warn them against dangerous false teachers who were trying to mislead them. In this letter John states " Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone forth into the world. By this is the spirit of God known: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is of God. And every spirit that severs Jesus, is not of God, but is of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard he is coming, and now is already in the world." 1 John 4:1-3
Jesus warns us of false teachers and false prophets and gives us a guide to recognize all false teachings " By their fruits you will know them. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit." Matthew 7:8-20
As we have already read in Luke 1:38,46-55 we are well aware of Mary's role as a faithful and humble servant of God. Comparing the documented attributes given by those who were closest to Mary we begin to see a clear separation from the historical Mary and that of the apparitions. If Mary was indeed a faithful and humble servant of God, why then would the apparitions of Mary be in total contradiction of what she was like on earth, for example, self promoting titles given to herself that are exclusively reserved for God alone.
In fact there have been Roman Catholic clergy that have warned against some of these apparitions, yet millions make annual pilgrimages to these sites. In an interview of Bishop Pavao Zanic on September 17th, 1990 by Kenneth R. Samples begins: Kenneth: Bishop Zanic, I have come to Medjugorje to investigate the so-called apparitions. I believe it is important for me to speak with you if I am going to understand this complex phenomenon. I know that you are convinced that the apparitions in Medjugorje are fraudulent. However, I would like to ask you some questions. Bishop: Please. Kenneth: Who decided that the second commission was necessary? Bishop: The Congregation for the Faith. Five or six years before the apparitions began, the congregation made our certain rules to govern the research. These said that if the bishop's commission does not reach a certain conclusion, and if the phenomenon rises up more than it should, then the whole process is to go to the Commission of the Bishop's Conference. And if it is necessary then it will go to a third commission, which would be international. For the third commission there would be necessary transferring of books and things. Kenneth: So the calling of the second commission was merely normal procedure, not criticism of you and your initial commission. Bishop: In the world it was understood as if the Holy Father had rejected me and my commission. But those in Rome haven't even asked me to see what the commission was working on. Kenneth: So you have not received criticism from anyone in Rome about your commission. Bishop: No. On the contrary, I have had good things said about it. Kenneth: How did your initial commission vote regarding Medjugorje? Bishop: Two friars voted that the supernatural happened in the beginning. One didn't want to vote. And eleven persons voted that they found nothing supernatural. Kenneth: You say in your booklet that the vast majority of priests and bishops in Yugoslovia reject the apparitions in Medjugorje. Is it then probable that the second commission will agree with your initial commission? Bishop: I hope that no one on the commission will say that there is something supernatural going on there. There is a line of thinking and opinion prevailing that we should not say whether it is appearing or not appearing, but simply let the people come and pray. This is dangerous, because the faith of the people will be based on untruth. Kenneth: Do you believe that the seers have put their visions above the authority of the church? Bishop: For sure. They do not listen to the bishop. Kenneth: If the church fails to give its approval, what should the proper response on the part of the pilgrims who visit Medjugorje? Bishop: It is very hard when obedience is lost. The church said that there was nothing supernatural about the apparitions in Garabandal, Spain. But until now there are many pilgrims pushing to reach the place. Kenneth: Are the priests who have come out in support of Medjugorje being presumptuous in that they have not yet heard the official word of the church? Bishop: They know that I do not approve of it. They are attacking me terribly. Look at how far this naive thing has gone. There is a place in Austria where a chemical herbicide created a cross-like shape in the grass of someone's garden. People claimed that it was from heaven and supernatural. The local bishop investigated and found nothing supernatural. Nevertheless, ten years later the family who owns the garden still lives well from the many pilgrims. Kenneth: Did your commission find any evidence of the occult? Bishop: What is happening in these places can be supernatural, or paraphsychological, or someone simply making up an untruth. It is very hard to say what it is. I am sure that it is not supernatural. Kenneth: But your commission found no evidence of the occult. Bishop: No. Kenneth: Is there any evidence to support the so-called miracles which are claimed to have taken place in Medjugorje - things like solar miracles, crosses spinning, and rosaries turning to gold? Bishop: Nothing ! Kenneth: How would you explain the so-called solar miracles? Are they merely psychological? Bishop: Nothing! Once I heard that the miracle was to occur, so I took my camera and went to the hill and nothing happened. They said that very same day something happened. I saw nothing. Kenneth: In your booklet, you wrote that Mirjana has stated that the apparition says that all faiths are equal. Bishop: Our Lady cannot say that. Kenneth: Does that trouble you? Bishop: It convinces me that it is not Our Lady. Kenneth: Some argue that, that statement is not addressed to non-Christian religions, so it is not advocating pluralism. I believe that Laurentin argues this way. Bishop: That is his personal understanding. Kenneth: Do you think that medical exams which were performed on the seers were adequate and reliable? Bishop: No. Kenneth: You say in your booklet that Vicka, Ivan, and Mirjana have lied to you. Do you have evidence of this? Tape recordings? Bishop: I have tapes. There are also written contradictions. Kenneth: Are you writing a book on Medjugorje? Bishop: I am very, very busy, so it is going slowly, but I am working on that. Kenneth: Thank you for you frankness, your honesty, and your kindness. Bishop: You are welcome. (interview taken from " The Cult of the Virgin" by Elliot Miller and Kenneth R.Samples)
Then certain of the Scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying , "Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said to them, " An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, and no sign shall be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet...." Matthew 12:38-39a
"I am the Lord; this is my name! my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols." Isaiah 42:8
Inventions of Man
Mary was conceived without original sin
Mary also remained sinless
Mary was assumed bodily into heaven
Mary is the mediatrix
Mary is the co-redemtrix
Biblical Truth
Jesus was born without sin
Jesus lived a sinless life
Jesus ascended into heaven
Jesus is the Mediator
Jesus is the Redeemer
If these apparitions were of Mary then why do they only threaten Christ's preeminence and blur his exclusive role as Redeemer and Mediator? or give a different gospel.
"But even if we or an angel of heaven should preach a gospel to you other than that which we preached to you, let him be anathema!" Galatians 1: 8
These apparitions only dilute and detract from the work of Christ as they continue to confirm the distinct and contradicting beliefs of Roman Catholic doctrines. Having said this I leave you with these warnings from the apostle Paul.
"For they are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light". 2 Corinthians 11:13-14