The Sword of Justice

The Sword of Justice

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes will be those of his own household." Matthew 10:34-36

Christian iconography depicts St. Michael the Archangel, as a knight-warrior, wearing battle armor, and wielding a sword. St. Michael, whose name means, “one who is like God,” led the army of angels who cast Satan and the rebellious angels into Hell; at the end of time, he will wield the sword of justice to separate the righteous from the evil.

Book of Heaven, July 9, 1899:  “My daughter, I make use of you in order to continue my Passion. Since my glorified body can no longer be capable of suffering, by coming into you, I make use of your body just as I used mine during the course of my mortal life, to be able to continue to suffer my Passion, and therefore to be able to offer you as living victim of reparation and propitiation before Divine Justice.” 

After this, it seemed that Heaven opened and a multitude of Saints came down, all armed with swords. A voice like thunder came out from within that multitude, saying: “We come to defend the Justice of God, and to take revenge on men, who have so much abused His Mercy!” Who can say what was happening on earth at this descent of the Saints? I can only say that some were fighting at one point, some at another; some were fleeing, and some were hiding. It seemed that all were in dismay. 

Book of Heaven, July 20, 1900:  I spent one night and one day being restless. From the very beginning I felt I was going outside of myself, without being able to find my adorable Jesus; I could see nothing but things that struck terror and fright in me. I could see that a fire was flaring up in Italy, and another one had flared up in China, and little by little, uniting together, they were blending into one. In this fire I could see the king of Italy who had suddenly died by a trick, and this was the means to ignite and expand the fire. In sum, I could see a revolt, a tumult, a killing of people. After having seen these things, I felt I was inside myself and I felt my soul being tortured, to the point of feeling I was dying; more so, since I could not see my adorable Jesus. Then, after much waiting, He made Himself seen with a sword in His hand, in the act of throwing it over the people. All frightened, and made a little daring, I took the sword in my hand, telling Him: ‘Lord, what are You doing? Don’t You see how many disasters will occur if You throw this sword? What grieves me the most is that I see that You are putting Italy in the middle. Ah, Lord, placate Yourself, have pity on your images! And if You say that You love me, spare me this bitter sorrow.’ And while saying this, I held on to that sword as tightly as I could.

Heaving a sigh, all afflicted, Jesus said to me: “My daughter, let it go - let it fall upon the people, for I can take no more.” And I, holding it more tightly: ‘I cannot let it go, I do not have the heart to do it.’ And He: “Have I not told you many times that I am forced not to let you see anything, otherwise I am not free to do what I want?” And while saying this, He lowered His arm with the sword, and placed Himself in the act of calming His fury.

Book of Heaven, Oct. 19, 1900:  As my adorable Jesus continued to come, I seemed to see Him in such great suffering as to arouse compassion. Throwing Himself into my arms, He said to me: “My daughter, break the fury of my Justice, otherwise….” At that moment, I seemed to see divine Justice, armed with swords, with darts of fire, such as to strike terror; and also the fortitude with which She can act. 

Book of Heaven, Oct. 31, 1900:  I felt myself outside of myself and I found the Queen Mama. As She saw me, She began to speak about Justice, and how It is about to clash with all Its fury against the people. She said many things about this, but I don’t have the words to express them. In the meantime I could see the whole of heaven filled with points of swords against the world. Then She added: “My daughter, you have disarmed divine Justice many times, contenting yourself with receiving Its blows upon yourself. Now that you see It at the summit of Its fury, do not lose heart, but be courageous; with heart full of holy fortitude, enter into this Justice and disarm It. Do not be afraid of the swords, of the fire, or of anything you may encounter; in order to obtain the intent, if you see yourself wounded, beaten, burned, rejected, do not draw back, but rather, let this be a spur for you to move on. See, so that you may do this, I Myself have come to your help by bringing you a garment; as your soul wears it, you will acquire courage and fortitude so as to fear nothing.” 

Book of Heaven, March 22, 1901: “Daughter, the chastisements are absolutely necessary. Rot and gangrene have entered all classes, therefore, fire and sword are necessary so that not everyone may perish.”

Book of Heaven, October 20, 1905: “My daughter, sin is fire, my Justice is fire. Now, since my Justice must remain always the same, just always in Its operating, without receiving any profane fire into Itself, when the fire of sin wants to unite to Its own fire, it pours it over the earth, converting it into fire of chastisement.”

Book of Heaven, Oct. 16, 1918: “There will be a general uproar - confusion everywhere; by the sword, by fire and by water, by sudden deaths, by contagious diseases, I will renew the world - I will make new things. The nations will form a sort of tower of Babel; they will reach the point of being unable even to understand one another; the peoples will rebel among themselves, they will no longer want kings. All will be humiliated, and peace will come only from Me. And if you hear them say ‘peace’, it will not be true, but apparent. Once I have purged everything, I will place my finger in a surprising way, and will give the true peace. …There will be the great triumph and the union of peoples. Therefore, pray - and it takes patience, because this will not be so soon, but it will take time.”

Book of Heaven, September 1, 1922:  “The earth is about to unleash flames to chastise the creatures. My love, which runs toward them to cover them with graces, being rejected, turns into fire to strike them. So, humanity finds itself between two fires - fire from Heaven and fire from the earth.”

Sister Marianne de Jesus Torres:  While watching Our Lord’s agony on the Cross, God the Father said, “This punishment will be for the 20^th century.”  Then she saw three swords over the head of Christ.  On each was written, “I shall punish heresy, blasphemy, and impurity.”  (from a compendium of the Caudernon, by Frias Francisco Anquita and Angel Francisco Perez)

“For My Sword is inebriated in heaven: behold it shall come down upon…the people of my slaughter unto judgement.”  “’…A nation’, Isaiah says, ‘will be struck by Justice’s sword’ but many more will be struck, since the world has fornicated with the devil in many of its parts.  And others yet are about to sin, despite everything I have done to keep the on the way of Life.”  “And how can I reign where hearts have turned into the homes of Lucifer’s children?”  (“The End Times”, Maria Valtorta)

And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed (Luke 2:35)

“…the world will be shattered at the triumph of my Divine Son.  Nevertheless, I am a mother, and I am grieved at the loss of many souls without faith, blind and obstinate in their errors.  Simeon said, ‘This child is destined for the ruin and the resurrection of many in Israel, and as a sign of contradiction.’  Then he continued immediately prophesying, ‘And a sword shall pierce your own soul.’  What sword?  To see my children wander down the slope of vice, scorning the Gospels.”  (“Roses and Thorns”, Concepcion Cabrera de Armida)

What dark thoughts the heretics have in their disregard for the Mother of God! They see her soul pierced with that lance on Calvary and they are unmoved. They will not call her “Blessed.” They will not proclaim her perpetual virginity, her Immaculate Conception, and sinlessness. Their protests of “Lord, Lord” will be of no avail before the Judge. Love of Mary is the sign of contradiction for all who claim to be Christian. He who will not have Mary for his mother cannot have God for his Father.  (Brian Kelly, The Sword Revealeth the Heart)

Blessed Catherine Emmerich often saw St. Michael with a flaming sword.  As the rosary is a weapon and the Word of God a two-edged sword, so here on earth the real St. Michael’s flaming sword is none other than the St. Michael prayer.  When we pray the St. Michael prayer, we are like the angel in Book of Genesis (3:24) with, “a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way.”

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle! Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into Hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who roam about the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Lynne Bauer, JMJ - Feb. 26, 2019