Hello Michael, I’m a young Orthodox priest (I think about your age) who started reading your articles at the American conservative while I was in seminary and have followed your work closely ever since. Thank you for sharing this beautiful story. Fr. A’s answer struck me by its innocence and humility. God doesn’t give signs the way we want him to, bright clear flashing “YES” or “NO”. God bless you in your journey. Welcome home.
Amen! Thank you Fr. Mark. Someone posted a quote from Cormac McCarthy yesterday: "I don’t believe anything about God. I just believe in God." That's a pretty good summary of apophatic theology! What's better than having the correct opinions about God is having... God.
How God speaks to us is generally not in riddles. Some would argue against that with quotes from the scriptures, but language is easily misused. And what can be misused, will be. We are like that.
Remarkable incident. Thank you so much for sharing.
At the great risk of overstepping bounds, given my ignorance of your situation and no doubt less mature faith, I nonetheless feel compelled to point out that, if in real life you ask someone "Should I do this?" and they start crying, normally that would mean "No."
I've reread and still don't really know how you took it as a "yes." I'm missing something.
My apologies if this was out of line. God bless you.
I had originally addressed this in the article but decided to take it out. I didn't want this to be about Catholicism vs. Orthodoxy, but about a certain experience I had.
Also, if I'm not mistaken, while the Orthodox certainly revere our Lady as the theotokos, they don't believe in her Immaculate Conception.
But as it happens, Our Lady confirmed her Immaculate Conception with two major miracles: the Miraculous Medal and no less than the apparitions at Lourdes, where she announced "I am the Immaculate Conception"... a few years after the pope had finally settled the matter and declared it dogma.
No doubt there are better links out there, but for now:
I believe that the reason only Catholicism has such apparitions is because only Catholicism has the Virgin Mary in her fullness. Everyone can draw their own conclusions about what that must mean.
Hello Michael, I’m a young Orthodox priest (I think about your age) who started reading your articles at the American conservative while I was in seminary and have followed your work closely ever since. Thank you for sharing this beautiful story. Fr. A’s answer struck me by its innocence and humility. God doesn’t give signs the way we want him to, bright clear flashing “YES” or “NO”. God bless you in your journey. Welcome home.
Amen! Thank you Fr. Mark. Someone posted a quote from Cormac McCarthy yesterday: "I don’t believe anything about God. I just believe in God." That's a pretty good summary of apophatic theology! What's better than having the correct opinions about God is having... God.
How God speaks to us is generally not in riddles. Some would argue against that with quotes from the scriptures, but language is easily misused. And what can be misused, will be. We are like that.
Michael, the circumstances, the perfect timing … the thanksgiving for His gracious presence and that we are His instruments…
Glory to God. Thank you Mike.
I needed to see this today. Thank you
Remarkable incident. Thank you so much for sharing.
At the great risk of overstepping bounds, given my ignorance of your situation and no doubt less mature faith, I nonetheless feel compelled to point out that, if in real life you ask someone "Should I do this?" and they start crying, normally that would mean "No."
I've reread and still don't really know how you took it as a "yes." I'm missing something.
My apologies if this was out of line. God bless you.
I had originally addressed this in the article but decided to take it out. I didn't want this to be about Catholicism vs. Orthodoxy, but about a certain experience I had.
Fair enough. Duly noted. Thank you.
Also, if I'm not mistaken, while the Orthodox certainly revere our Lady as the theotokos, they don't believe in her Immaculate Conception.
But as it happens, Our Lady confirmed her Immaculate Conception with two major miracles: the Miraculous Medal and no less than the apparitions at Lourdes, where she announced "I am the Immaculate Conception"... a few years after the pope had finally settled the matter and declared it dogma.
No doubt there are better links out there, but for now:
https://sclhbg.org/parish/about/about-the-miraculous-medal/#:~:text=The%20Medal%20of%20the%20Immaculate,du%20Bac%2C%20Paris%2C%20France.
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/our-lady-of-lourdes/
On another note.... I can't help but notice:
Where is the "Our Lady of Guadalupe" of the protestants?
Where is the "Our Lady of Lourdes" of the Orthodox?
Where is the "Our Lady of Fatima /Miracle of the Sun" of any faith?
Catholicism is the only religion which can claim major public religious miracles (as opposed to private miracles). Surely that is no accident.
The only apparition of the Virgin for non-Catholics was Our Lady of Zeitoun in Egypt. But even this seems to be a Catholic miracle for non-Catholics. Our Lady calling other Christians to the fold. https://catholicexchange.com/the-unlikely-marian-apparition-at-zeitoun-egypt/
I believe that the reason only Catholicism has such apparitions is because only Catholicism has the Virgin Mary in her fullness. Everyone can draw their own conclusions about what that must mean.