What is it about fire?
We’ve asked this before. We’ve asked it a number of times. We reported on what Saint Padre Pio said when he was asked, once, about the future (“Can’t you see the fire?” he responded).
Fire figures into Scripture, of course.
Stop to consider:
Isaiah 66:15-16: “See, the Lord is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.”
Malachi 4: 1: “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace…”
2 Thessalonians 1:7-8: “The Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God.”
Matthew 13:40-42: “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age…”
2 Peter 3:7, 10: “…the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment…” “The elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.”
Obviously, fire is not just in the mix but takes precedence.
We’ve seen the same with apparitions of the Virgin Mary.
In Ukraine, she showed mystic Josyp Terelya fires erupting across Russia.
That was in the 1970s and 1980s.
Years before—tag this 1955—the Blessed Mother spoke at a hill in Seredne, Ukraine, to a peasant girl named Anna. “I greatly desire to help poor sinners. A catastrophe is imminent—just as in the time of Noah. Many will die—not from flood but by fire, because certain of God’s children have so seriously disobeyed Him. Their offense has consequences that will harm many innocent people. Never in its history has humanity fallen so low. This is the age of the kingdom of Satan.”
That evening, the villagers saw the mountain ablaze in an orange flame.
On one particular occasion, March 25, 1978, at Betania, Venezuela, many saw a radiant mist coming from the woods. As the mist settled on top of a large tree, visionary Maria Esperanza—with fifteen others—saw Our Lady materialize with hands on her chest.
Maria heard, “Little daughter, this is not a dream. My presence among you is real.”
“Then her hands opened up, and I saw what appeared to be rays coming from her hands. They came directly toward us, bathing us with light—and one man cried out, ‘Everything is burning up!’ The whole area appeared to be on fire. It was beautiful. The sun began to gyrate, and everyone was shouting with emotion.”
Many times we have reviewed the incredible events that occurred in connection with an apparition near Green Bay (Champion) in Wisconsin.
On October 9, 1859, a young girl named Adele Brise, her sister Isabelle, and their good friend, Mrs. Theresa Vander Niessen, were walking the eleven miles together to the Sunday Mass at the nearest church in Bay Settlement.
As the three women approached the spot where the two trees stood, Adele again saw the lady in white. She got excited and told her sister what she was seeing. Adele froze, staring at the woman, but the other two could see nothing.
But they could see that Adele was indeed staring at something, and they could see fear in her eyes.
Then the lady disappeared, and they all agreed to pray for the “poor soul.”
Adele confessed to the priest what she had seen, and he spoke to her about the matter, suggesting that she ask the lady who she is and what she wants. Adele felt comforted and believed by Father Verhoeff. On the way home the three women were joined by a man who was clearing the land for the Holy Cross Fathers.
When they came to the place with the two trees, Adele stopped because she saw the lady again. She could clearly see that she was dressed in a white gown which fell to her feet in graceful folds. There was a yellow sash around her waist. Long wavy golden hair fell loosely over her shoulders. On her head was a crown of twelve stars. The bright light surrounding her made it difficult for Adele to look at her for very long. Adele saw that the lady had a very sweet, gentle face. Surprisingly, she felt no fear this time. Instead, she was completely filled with joy and peace. She walked closer and fell to her knees before her.
A: “In God’s name, who are you, and what do you desire of me?”
VM: “I am the Queen of Heaven, who prays for the conversion of sinners, and I wish you to do the same.” (She spoke in a soft, sweet voice—”the sound was heavenly.”) “You were at Holy Communion this morning.”
A: “Yes, dear lady.”
VM: “You have done well, but I wish you to do more. Pray for nine days. Go and make a general confession and offer your Holy Communion for the conversion of sinners. If they do not convert themselves and do penance, my Son will be obliged to punish them.”
Twelve years later this region of Wisconsin was hit by the greatest wildfire in U.S. history, the same day as a massive fire in Michigan and the Great Chicago Fire.