Why Catholic?

Questions & Answers about the Catholic faith

What is meant by the term “Revelation”? How does God “reveal” himself to us?

There are two ways in which we can come to “know” God: (1) through the use of our reason, and; (2) through God’s own direct initiative to make himself known. So in the first case we can come to a certain knowledge or faith in God by contemplating the traces of his presence in the order and beauty of creation. But the term “revelation” really refers to the second category of knowledge – that which can be known about God through God’s own initiative.

Here the Church makes a further distinction between two types of revelation – Public and Private. By “public” is meant the self-manifestation of God to his people through Abraham and the prophets of the Old Testament to the definite fulfillment of that revelation present in Jesus Christ his Son as described in the writings of the New Testament. Because, as the Catechism affirms, “Christ, the Son of God made man, is the Father’s one, perfect, and unsurpassable Word” in whom “he has said everything” so that “there will be no other word than this one” (No. 65); the Church considers public revelation to have ended with the death of the last of the apostles who alone have had a particular direct experience of him.

Private Revelation, on the other hand, refers to all that God has made known and continues to make known about himself from the death of the last apostle to the present time. This is especially reflected in the testimony of the saints who were at various times privy to special manifestations of Our Lord, Our Lady or some other heavenly persons. Great caution has to be exerted on the part of the Church in discerning these because it is possible for the evil one to disguise himself as an “angel of light” in order to lead many astray. Therefore the final authority for such approval must always rest with the Church.

But even when recognized by the Church as authentic, the role of “private” revelation can never be to “improve or complete Christ’s definitive Revelation” but only to help people “live more fully by it in a certain period of history” (No. 67). Therefore even though one may profit from such revelations, one is never bound to express absolute belief in them.

Under the category of “private” revelation would also belong the special inspirations that each one of us receives in our daily attempts to follow the Lord. The mystics oftentimes referred to these as God’s special “touches” or “kisses”. They are generally from God when they help us to grow in greater virtues of humility, obedience, faith, hope and love and are to be considered as not coming from God when they lead to pride, vainglory or some other defect of character. But even if authentic, one should be cautious to never seek them for themselves and live in a state of willingness to be rid of them if they should fail to promote God’s greater glory and honor and one’s own true good in Him.

Answered by Fr. John P. Grigus, OFM Conv

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For more information on the topic, read Catechism paragraphs 50 - 73.