La Revelación de Dios

La Revelación de Dios

Por

Angel R. Cepeda Dovala

Significado de la palabra Revelación

La palabra “Revelación” proviene del latín “revelatio”, “revelare”, que traducido del griego “apokalitein” significa “quitar el velo”, “desvelar”. En sentido literal hablar de Revelación divina es lo mismo que decir que Dios se desvela, se despoja del velo que le cubre mostrando su rostro.

La Revelación según Juan

Juan nos dice en que consiste la Revelación: “...la Palabra de vida. pues la vida se manifestó, y nosotros la hemos visto, y damos testimonio y os anunciamos la Vida eterna, que estaba junto al Padre y se nos manifestó, lo que hemos visto y oído os lo anunciamos para que también vosotros estéis en comunión con nosotros. Nosotros estamos en comunión con el Padre y con su hijo Jesucristo” (1Jn 1.2-4).

Objeto de la Revelación

El objeto de esta Revelación es para el autor sagrado, “ la vida eterna que estaba junto al padre”, la misma vida de Dios que manifiesta su vida en Jesucristo.

El N°2 de Dei Verbum, presenta la Revelación como una conversación entre Dios y los hombres, entablada por iniciativa divina a impulsos de su amor; y esta conversación se realiza mediante hechos y palabras a lo largo de la Historia de la Salvación; y del texto conciliar se deducen tres rasgos que caracterizan la Revelación divina: es un diálogo entre Dios y el hombre, que acontece en la historia (encarnación) y se realiza mediante palabras y signos.

Fr. Jose´s Near-Death Experience by Roger Behra

SHORT COMMUNICATION 19

Fr. Jose´s Near-Death Experience

By

Roger Behra, B. S. Education *

* Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, Western New Mexico University, Silver City, New Mexico. He took five courses, 15 graduate hours, University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. 19 years experience teaching language arts in Arizona and Ohio, U.S.A. 10 years teaching religion in St. Ann Catholic School in Ohio, in addition.

Below is the near-death experience of Father Jose Maniyangat. After he was involved in a very serious motorcycle-jeep accident caused by the jeep driver he was pronounced dead. Later he came back to life. In between death and life again his Guardian Angel took him on spiritual journey to Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell, first to Hell, then to Purgatory, and finally to Heaven. Read on. [1]

Heaven

Next, my angel escorted me to heaven passing through a big dazzling white tunnel. I never experienced this much peace and joy in my life. Then immediately the heaven opened up and I heard the most delightful music, which I never heard before. The angels were singing and praising God. I saw all the saints, especially the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, and many dedicated holy Bishops and Priests who were shining like stars. And when I appeared before the Lord, Jesus told me: “I want you to go back to the world. In your second life you will be an instrument of peace and healing to my people. You will walk in a foreign land and you will speak in a foreign tongue. Everything is possible for you with my grace”. After these words, the Blessed Mother told me: “Do whatever He tells you. I will help you in your ministries”.

Words can not express the beauty of heaven. There we find so much peace and happiness, which exceed a million times our imagination. Our Lord is far more beautiful than any image can convey. His face is radiant and luminous and more beautiful than a thousand rising suns. The pictures we see in the world are only a shadow of His magnificence. The Blessed Mother was next to Jesus; she was so beautiful and radiant. None of the images we see in this world can compare with her real beauty. Heaven is our real home, we are all created to reach heaven and enjoy God forever. Then, I came back to the world with my angel.

Purgatory

After the visit to hell, my Guardian angel escorted me to Purgatory. Here too, there are seven degrees of suffering and unquenchable fire. But it is far less intense than hell and there was neither quarreling nor fighting. The main suffering of these souls is their separation from God. Some of those who are in Purgatory committed numerous mortal sins; but they were reconciled with God before their death. Even though these souls are suffering, they enjoy peace and the knowledge that one day they will see God face to face.

I had a chance to communicate with the souls in Purgatory. They asked me to pray for them and to tell the people to pray for them as well, so they can go to heaven quickly. When we pray for these souls we will receive their gratitude through their prayers and once they enter heaven their prayers become even more meritorious.

Hell

First, the angel escorted me to hell. It was an awful sight! I saw Satan and the devils, an unquenchable fire of about 2,000 Fahrenheit degrees, worms crawling, people screaming and fighting, others being tortured by demons. The angel told me that all these sufferings were due to unrepented mortal sins. Then, I understood that there are seven degrees of suffering or levels according to the number and kinds of mortal sins committed in their earthly lives. The souls looked very ugly, cruel and horrific. It was a fearful experience. I saw people whom I knew but I am not allowed to reveal their identities. The sins that convicted them were mainly abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia, hatefulness, unforgiveness and sacrilege. The angel told me that if they had repented they would have avoided hell and gone instead to purgatory. I also understood that some people who repent from these sins might be purified on earth through their sufferings. This way they can avoid purgatory and go straight to heaven.

I was surprised when I saw in hell even Priests and Bishops, some of whom I never expected to see. Many of them were there because they had misled the people with false teaching and bad example.

Note

[1] See more in:

Father Jose Life After Death Experience written by Father Jose Maniyangat; too in Spanish and in French.

http://www.stmarymacclenny.com/fatherJstory.htm http://www.stmarymacclenny.com/spanish_story.htm
http://www.stmarymacclenny.com/french_story.htm

Tres Interrogantes sobre Teología Fundamental

Tres Interrogantes sobre Teología Fundamental

Por

Angel R. Cepeda Dovala

1. ¿Qué se ha entendido tradicionalmente por Teología Fundamental? Se a entendido tradicionalmente como una introducción al misterio cristiano en donde se tocan algunos temas relacionados con: Iniciación Bíblica, Introducción a la Historia, Historia Sagrada de Israel 1 y 2, Teología Bíblica, Eclesiología y Cristología.

2. ¿Cómo se estructura hoy este tratado de Teología Fundamental? Acorde con el Concilio Vaticano II, en particular en la Encíclica Conciliar Dei Verbum, la Teología Fundamental se estructura considerando tres elementos: 1° El de la Revelación; 2° el de la Fe; y, 3° El de las relaciones entre Revelación y Fe.

3. ¿Cuáles son los objetivos de aprendizaje propuestos? El objetivo de la Teología Fundamental es descubrir y conocer el Misterio=Plan de Dios, porque el misterio tiene que saberse, ¿Que quiere Dios de mi o de nosotros?

Una guía de estudios podría ser a través de tres objetivos de aprendizaje:

1. Ver: Conocer las características de la Revelación a la luz de la Sagrada Escritura, de la Tradición y de los signos de los tiempos.

2. Juzgar: Fundamentar críticamente la posición personal ante la naturaleza de la Fe como Don de Dios y la respuesta libre del hombre.

3. Actuar: Dar la apreciación personal de lo que significa la Fe como compromiso ante la interpretación de Dios que se revela en la existencia. (1° Revelación; 2° Fe; y, 3° Compromiso histórico).

The Best Plan by Roger Behra

18. The Best Plan

By

Roger Behra, B. S. Education *

* Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, Western New Mexico University, Silver City, New Mexico. He took five courses, 15 graduate hours, University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. 19 years experience teaching language arts in Arizona and Ohio, U.S.A. 10 years teaching religion in St. Ann Catholic School in Ohio, in addition.

Everyone makes plans for one reason or another. We plan for new items. We plan for vacations. We plan for the future. We hope that our plans become a reality. All the planning is worthwhile. But the one plan that we should have ready from minute to minute is not in our thinking for the most of us. And that is the plan for how we are going to spend our eternity.

Our eternity can start at any minute, hour, day, or week. As the Bible states, “you know not the hour or day the Lord will call you to judgment and your eternity.” So the best plan is to be ready every single moment of our life. And we do that by always living in their friendship of the Lord. And how do we do that?

For those not spiritually minded, we remain in the friendship of the Lord by avoiding SIN at all times, at all costs. We must also sincerely be repentant of all past sinfulness. We must pray daily and do penance, and thank God for all His graces and blessings. Jesus and His Blessed Mother Mary, should be our most important to please each day. They provide all the graces and blessings. Live by the 10 Commandments. Get in the habit of saying a very personal or formalized contrition prayer every morning and evening for daily and past sinfulness. And avoid sin at all costs.

Remaining in the friendship of the Lord is MOST IMPORTANT. IT IS NOT EASY. ONLYN GOD´S AND MARY´S HELPS, GRACES, AND BLESSINGS MAKE IT EASIER. If we are not in the friend ship of the Lord at the moment of death, the grace to be saved for all eternity will not be there. It will be missing. And of all the plans we have made, the most best plan we should have will also be missing.

Has Immorality Replaced Morality by Roger Behra

17. Has Immorality Replaced Morality

By

Roger Behra, B. S. Education *

* Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, Western New Mexico University, Silver City, New Mexico. He took five courses, 15 graduate hours, University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. 19 years experience teaching language arts in Arizona and Ohio, U.S.A. 10 years teaching religion in St. Ann Catholic School in Ohio, in addition.

The answer communication title is an absolute – YES!
It is not arguable. The evidence around us speaks for itself. Morally grounded persons can tell quite clearly. It all started in the United States. Now immorality is evident.

From the beginning in the United States until 1960’s when the counter-culture movement began and spread to other countries, morality was regarded very highly. For those who are not convinced morality means doing what is right or good at all times. Immorality is quite the opposite-doing what suites one’s desires whether right or wrong.

When the counter-culture people pushed God aside and removed Godly type living from daily type living and from our schools, immorality took over. It was easier to be immoral. Throw out the old thinking, if it feels good do it were the mottos. The ten Commandments were obsolete and ignored. Church attendance greatly declined.
The counter-culture world we live in now, inhabited by the original counter-culture persons and their descendants, is not a good one, not a good and wholesome one. And we are headed for a very rude awakening. If Americans in particular and everyone in general around the world think God´s patience will last forever, let us think seriously again, please. None of us is immune from God´s judgment and punishment. And God´s action is coming more sooner than later. It may already be happening in various forms-great floods, big earthquakes, massive destructive fires, draught, severe weather changes, very high destructive winds, new viruses, Middle-east chaos, etc.

Immorality is such a slippery slope. We must bring God and morality back into our lives. The sooner the better. WE AL HAVE THE POWER.

Two Great Gifts by Roger Behra

16. Two Great Gifts

By

Roger Behra, B. S. Education *

* Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, Western New Mexico University, Silver City, New Mexico. He took five courses, 15 graduate hours, University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. 19 years experience teaching language arts in Arizona and Ohio, U.S.A. 10 years teaching religion in St. Ann Catholic School in Ohio, in addition.

God has given us His two greatest gifts, and they are as follows:

1. The gift of life here on earth, which is temporary.
2. The gift of happy eternal life, which lasts FOREVER.

Our earthly life, being temporary, and what we do with it, decides what kind of eternal life we shall have later on. Only God knows how long our earthly life will last. Therefore, we must live the most pleasing earthly life possible to God. A most pleasing earthly life includes love of God, love of our neighbor, leading a good Christian moral life personally, making good use of our intelligence and talents, care of our health, prayer, sorrow for our sins and offences, and penance. All of this insures that God’s graces and blessings will be abundantly bestowed upon us and that we will be daily in the friendship of the Lord. Being in the friendship of the Lord is most important, as dying in the friendship of the Lord insures an unimaginable happy eternal life.

Only Lord knows how long our earthly life will last. It can end at a moments notice. For an untold number of people their earthly life very quickly ends outside the friendship of the Lord. And that means the most unhappy eternal life is in store for them.

The key words in this communication are:

1. Earthly- -of this world
2. Eternal- -going on forever, without end
3. Eternity- - time without beginning or end
4. Friendship- -likeable persons who share similar ideas and behavior (God´s and man´s blend together)

God and person sharing similar ideas and behavior during earthly life, so that eternal life for all eternity will be unimaginably happy. That should be everyone´s main goal in life - - - achieved, actually finished successfully.

The Power of Prayer by Roger Behra

15. The Power of Prayer

By

Roger Behra, B. S. Education *

* Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, Western New Mexico University, Silver City, New Mexico. He took five courses, 15 graduate hours, University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. 19 years experience teaching language arts in Arizona and Ohio, U.S.A. 10 years teaching religion in St. Ann Catholic School in Ohio, in addition.

A large part of the world’s population does not take advantage of a powerful spiritual tool at their disposal. The powerful tool I refer to here is……PRAYER.
Prayer is defined as words that you can say when you speak to God or the Blessed Virgin or to the Saints to ask for help or to give thanks.

Prayer, when used properly can yield very quick and/or powerful results. There are three kinds of prayer as followes:

1. Individual good prayer
2. Group good prayer
3. Evil individual or group prayer (not to be discussed here)

Good prayer, individual or group, is defined as words that you can say you speak to God, the Blessed Virgin, or a Saint to ask for help or to give thanks.
Good prayer can be formalized (written to be said over again) or said in one’s own words spontaneously. Good prayer brings graces and blessings from God. No prayer brings no graces or blessings from God. God’s graces and blessings are always available, but we must ask for them.

The Catholic Church has many formalized prayers that yield great results. Some are: the Rosary, the Hail Mary, the Act of Contrition, the prayer to release 1000 souls from purgatory each time it is said, and the Seven Graces Prayer to mention a few.
It is very advantageous to be counted among the large number of the world’s population that prays daily. Good and devout daily prayer should a practice in everyone’s life. Try it. It works.

Thank God often. Thank God morning and evening each day without fail, and His graces and blessings will continue without fail.

The prayer to release 1000 souls from Purgatory is a follows:

“Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most precious blood of the Divine Son, Jesus, in union with Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinner in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.”

Each time this prayer is said 1000 souls are realized. This prayer was given to St. Gertrude by our Lord, and the Blessed Virgin made the promise, we’ll deliver so many souls, so many souls!”

R. B.

Extraordinary Events by Roger Behra.

14. Extraordinary Events

By

Roger Behra, B. S. Education *

* Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, Western New Mexico University, Silver City, New Mexico. He took five courses, 15 graduate hours, University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. 19 years experience teaching language arts in Arizona and Ohio, U.S.A. 10 years teaching religion in St. Ann Catholic School in Ohio, in addition.


Let me tell you the story of the near death experience of Father Jose Maniyangat who is currently pastor of St. Mary’s Mother of Mercy Catholic Church in Macclenny, Florida. His native country is India, where the following event took place. I shall paraphrase his story for the sake of this communication and give his computer internet address at the end of this communication.

On Sunday, April 14, 1985, on his way to say Mass in Kerala, India, Fr. Jose had a fatal accident caused by a man who was intoxicated. On the way to the hospital he had a near death experience where his soul left his body. Immediately he met his Guardian Angel, and the people who were administering to him. The doctor pronounced him dead.

He began his revelation of the trip his Guardian Angel took him on. Fr. Jose remarked how radiant and bright his Guardian Angel is and how grateful hi is for the protection given to him. Fr. Jose saw his body taken to the morgue family and his family notified.

As they were moving his body to the morgue, his soul came back to his body, but before his Guardian Angel took his soul on a trip and showed him Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven in this order. To use Fr. Jose’s own words:

Hell was an awful sight. There was Satan and the devils. The fire was unquenchable, about 2,000 degrees, worms were crawling. People were screaming and fighting. Demons were torturing others. The angel told Fr. Jose people were there because of unrepented mortal sins. He understood the seven levels of suffering according to the number and kinds of mortal sins. He saw people he knew. He was surprised when he saw priests and Bishops there. Sins of abortion, homosexuality, hatefulness, unforgiveness, sacrilege put souls there. The souls looked ugly, cruel and horrific. It was a very fearful experience.

After to visit hell, his Guardian Angel escorted him to Purgatory. There were also seven levels of suffering and unquenchable fire, but for less intense than hell. No quarreling or fighting existed.

The suffering existed because the souls were separated from God, the souls were there because numerous mortal sins committed, but they were reconciled with God before, their death. The souls were suffering but were at peace with the knowledge that one day they will see Good face to face. You can help souls (1,000 each time) get out of purgatory each time you say this prayer:

“Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most precious blood of the Divine Son, Jesus, in union with Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinner in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. –Amen”. The Blessed Virgin promises that 1,000 souls released each time prayer is said.

Finally, after the visit to purgatory, came the visit to heaven. Words cannot express the beauty of heaven. There was so much peace and happiness and the most delightful music. He saw angels, saints, our Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, dedicated Bishops and priests all shining like stars. The peacefulness and joy are unimaginable.

On earth as they were placing Fr. Jose’s body at the morgue, the angel brought his soul back to his body. It was not his time to stay dead. When the morgue doctor came to examine his body, he found father was still alive. It seemed like a miracle, and he was taken back to the hospital.

A thorough examination at the hospital showed he was very badly injured and needed surgery to repair his broken body. After 2 months of hospitalization he was released to go home, but he would never walk again.

The extraordinary tour given by his Guardian Angel was not the end. One day while praying he felt an extraordinary pain in his pelvic area. Shortly the pain disappeared, and he felt peaceful and healing power on his body. He was able to get up and walk immediately. He knew it was a miracle from God and praised and thanked Him.

Later he reached his doctor with the news of his healing. His doctor was astounded and decided to follow Fr. Jose’s God. The doctor learned about the Catholic Church, studied the Catholic faith, and later was baptized and became Catholic.

On November 10, 1986, Father Jose followed his Angel’s message and came to the United States a missionary priest who learned a new language and his now pastor of Saint Mary’s Mother of Mercy Catholic Church in Macclenny, Florida.

After reading about these extraordinary events, maybe we can allow some extraordinary time to think about becoming extraordinary individuals. That would do us well now as well as letter when our life here on earth is over.

Father Jose’s internet address is:
http://www.stmarynacc/enny.com/fatherjstory.htm

P.S. I have heard people tell about their own near-death experiences, both good and bad. But none compares with Father Jose’s. It is, indeed, most extraordinary as well as miracle outcome from his accident, that he could walk again spontaneously. It is well worth it to read his full-length story on the internet. In fact, it is must reading.

R. B.

MORAL DEVIATION

SHORT COMMUNICATION 13

MORAL DEVIATION

By

Roger Behra, B. S. Education *

* Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, Western New Mexico University, Silver City, New Mexico. He took five courses, 15 graduate hours, University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. 19 years experience teaching language arts in Arizona and Ohio, U.S.A. 10 years teaching religion in St. Ann Catholic School in Ohio, in addition.

Moral Deviation has been increasing rapidly since the middle 1960´s in most cultures of the word, and in the United States of America leads the way in most categories. And this ignominious leadership has greatly hurt the position of the U. S. A. in the word.

Moral deviation can be defined as the ignoring of the difference between right and wrong, between good and evil and a noticeable difference from acceptable standards of moral behavior. You can witness this abundantly as you live from day to day in the world´s cultures.

Moral deviation takes various forms and leads one toward different directions. All moral deviations are gravely sinful and in at least one individual from greatly disordered. More on that individual from is explained later.

Examples of moral deviation are:

1. Co-habitations – living together before marriage.
2. Adultery – married peoples having sex outside of this marriage.
3. Fornication – sexual relations outside of marriage.
4. Promiscuity – not limited to one sex partner.
5. Teen-age sex – sex before adulthood before marriage.
6. Homosexuality – sex between same sex members, greatly disordered.
7. Other breeches of morality – disregard for right or good noon – sexual behavior.

The areas of moral deviation can overlap each other making the deviation much more gravely sinful. For example someone can be a promiscuous adulterer or co-habit with a homosexual and engage in homosexual sex Regardless, all moral deviation is gravely sinful and is a matter of degree of sinfulness.

In matters homosexuality, a person attracted to a person of the same sex is not necessarily a sinful person. It can lead to sinfulness when sexual behavior, becomes a reality. We can accept the homosexual but no accept homosexual behavior, which is gravely disordered and totally unacceptable.

What must one do to avoid moral deviation? One must adjust his/her moral compass to start with. And that might be very difficult. It cannot be done without God´s help and graces. So, prayer, sincere prayers is the first step. Choose moral friends and places. Know the 10 commandments. Attend church regularly. The need to rid one´s life of moral deviation is so important. Failure to do so can lead to Satan opening the door very wide to other evils, to demonic promptings, to demonic influence, to demonic affliction, and even to demonic possession. And that is absolutely most serious. Satan would gladly like to be a very strong part of one´s life, active daily in one´s life, controlling one´s thoughts and actions. May God forbid that ever happening.

R.B.