(B) THE "MESSAGE" AS RADICAL EVANGELICAL CRITERION OF THE SUPERNATURAL/DIVINE AUTHENTICITY OF GARABANDAL

Thus, the "particular revelation" represented by Garabandal as a whole, first of all its quintessential Message, was to fully manifest its specific "charismatic truth," according to an admirable divine Plan, in the transcendent light of Revelation and of its supreme "messenger," the Word of God made Man. The Apostle's magnificent initial words of his Letter to the Hebrews carry in such a twofold resonance: ". . . God, in these 'last days' (a typical prophetic expression of divine eschatological intervention) . . ., has spoken to us by His Son . . ., through whom He has also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God's Glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and He (the Son) sustains all things by His powerful Word. When He had made purification for sins (through the sufferings of His Passion) . . ." (Heb. 1:1-3). Now the Glory (Hebrew: Kabod) which implies splendor, amazement, lightning brilliance and which, on earth, is perceived only indirectly in the reflection of its visible manifestations, if we except the theophany of Mount Tabor, that Glory above all designates, here below, the "Servant of Yahweh," Christ Jesus in His Passion, Him, "the most handsome of men" (Ps. 45:2) whose Face was then to appear "marred and without glamor" (Isa. 52:14), Him, the "Word of Yahweh made flesh," who, paradoxically, was to be the One responsible for "making the divine Glory shine unto the extremities of the earth."

These fundamental perspectives will doubtless allow us to consider, later and in more profound light, the Message given at Garabandal. That Message, as we know now, was to be truly that of the Son of the Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel (see January 1, 1965 post); these perspectives will also invite us to give very special attention to some of Christ's last words to Conchita (February 13, 1966): "Do not be preoccupied: I will do everything . . .". We cannot but marvel, then, before these divine dispositions concerning the grace, both particular and universal, of Garabandal, nor remain insensitive to its Message of conversion, of love and of salvation. Although a feeble echo, no doubt, of the unfathomable "Splendor of Truth" proper to the absolute Message, the Gospel, it nonetheless testifies in a most remarkable way to the unfailing "divine philanthropy" that St. Paul summed up, when he hailed "( . . .) the day when the goodness and the loving kindness of God our Saviour for men appeared . . ." (Tim. 3:4). All these well-known Christian truths were to be made more accessible to us, thanks to the motherly intervention of the Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel.
[From 'Garabandal' Book, page 252]

Whew! I leave it to you scholars to grasp what was just written and to send me some highlights and inspirations that come to your delicate minds. My mind is at a blur right now. But there is a lot more coming up and I hope all these fine words don't scare you off! Stay tuned. . . .
Roman Deacon