FIRST PRINCIPLES REVISTED

Two of the first things one learns about revelation (in the Catholic Church especially) is that, firstly, Jesus is the fullness of revelation.  He is the final “Word” when it comes to the understanding of our faith in this world.  Because of this, the second point is that all revelation came to and end with the death of the last Apostle.  The reason for this is that they walked and talked with Jesus and are the last of those who could let us know what Jesus revealed to them.

This is taken into account when the Blessed Virgin or another saint or angel is said to be appearing and giving messages or locutions.  If anything new is being said, the claim that such an event is taking place is not recognized as being true.  So, for example, when Mary was purported to be appearing in Barberton, as long as she was saying things such as, “Pray,” and, “Listen to my Son,” we as Church were at least open (and extremely curious.)  But when the message changed to the end of the world being upon us, on a certain date, and that we should get cabins in the woods and stock up, it was all over.  Jesus never revealed that.  In fact, He revealed quite the opposite.  This is also the reason that an apparition will not be reported as being worthy of attention until it is over and everything is reported.

We may be accused as Church of defining things as dogma as late as the 1950s.  But even these things had to be in line with what was believed since Apostolic times, with the teachings of the Church Fathers, and held in belief by the earliest times in the Church.  They have simply recently been defined.  If it invents something or runs counter to the past 2,000 years of faith and Tradition, it is to be thrown out.  This is how we keep on track.  We can’t say, “Now we know better!  We were wrong the last 2,000 years!”

Which brings me to a sign I saw on a local church building the other day.  Printed over a rainbow was the slogan, “God is still speaking.”  What does this imply exactly?  It seems that the banner makers are saying that some of the ways of believing that sexuality has been revealed to us has changed.  If this is the case there are only two possibilities.  1) Revelation has somehow reopened.  2)  Somehow the modern movement in the understanding of sexualtiy, gender and related issues IS in keeping with 2,000 years of belief.  Proving this would be an onerous undertaking.  

I DO believe God is still speaking.  Which, now that I think about it, means that I could have misunderstood the banner.  God is still saying, pray, love, forgive, unity, hope.  On that I think all agree.  But as for the how we need to look to the Fullness of Revelation as the true fullness of revelation.  If you want to challenge the Catholic Church on these topics, these are the playing grounds on which to engage it; more ancient than the death of the Apostle John, more stable than the Coliseum.