Mrs Rani John Kanjikode
The strange spiritual experiences that Mrs Rani John from Kanjikode has had, are now the subject of animated discussion among Christians. As Archbishop Jacob Thumkuzhy said, this is a phenomenon that merits special study. It is not for man to place limits to God's plans and actions. At the same time it is not possible to ignore the criterion of common sense and reason. Before giving our opinion, we need to know the facts. Vachanolsavam, therefore, publishes the spiritual experiences that Mrs Rani John shared with the tens of thousands gathered at Potta to listen to the word of God.
-Editor
My native place is Mannampetta, near Trichur. I am the last of seven children. My parents brought us up in a strong Christian faith. From the age of three, we had to kneel down and recite the Rosary. If we sat down, dozed or turned back, a whipping would be the consequence. I used to wonder why such strictness was exercised right from our childhood. Dear friends, it is because of that strict upbringing that I stand before you now - the insistence on attendance at daily Mass, recitation of the Rosary on our knees, an unlimited devotion to Our Lady-because of it I’m standing before you today. We were taught to love Our Lady with great freedom of spirit. Pointing to the image of Mary, my mother used to tell me, "Dear child, I’m your foster mother. Your real mother-there she stands."
When my mother put me to sleep narrating the stories of saints, I too developed the desire to become a saint. My mother was a great devotee of Our Lady. I remember her relating the incident when Mary directly told her about a medicine. It was before my birth. It was to remove the poison of a deadly snake-bite. One night Our Lady appeared to my mother and told her to mix five kinds of herbal juices in ghee and take it. The names of those herbs were to be kept confidential. When my mum followed those directives of Our Lady, her ailment, which till then could not be cured, was healed. Jesus was working in us from that time onwards through my mother.
The beginning of the apparitions
Let me share with you the great treasure that Jesus, Our Lord gave me through the Blessed Virgin. I was fasting on October 8th 1996. At about 12 noon, I was busy weeding the front yard. All of a sudden I felt a terrible exhaustion and restlessness. I went indoors to lie down on the bed but could not. A strong impulse drove me to go before the statue of Our Lady and pray despite the weariness. As I was praying I heard a sudden sound like the roar of thunder. With that I lost consciousness of the surroundings. In the midst of a great cluster of clouds I saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus with a dove near by and hosts of angels circling round and heard heavenly music and songs of praise to the accompaniment of the flute and other musical instruments. At that moment, my husband John came in to feed our daughter Sneha. I heard a strong voice saying, "Listen to me. Listen to me. Listen to me." And then three paragraphs were dictated in English. My husband and I took down those words. A terrible thirst overtook me. I asked my husband to get me some water. He went to the kitchen to get it. It was then that I saw a large hand stretching out towards me. Water was gushing out of that hand. I placed both my hands on my heart and wept. That was the hand of Jesus. I drank of that water till my thirst was quenched.
From that day began the experience of Jesus leading me through visible signs. Another day while I was prasing God and praying, I saw milk and honey in my cupped hands. This experience has occurred several times subsequently in the presence of priests.
On October 30th 1996, I had a great vision of the passion of Jesus. All during that time my whole body was writhing with pain. When the scene of nailing Jesus’ hands to the Cross appeared in the vision, suddenly blood spurted from those wounds on to my face. And then I saw a sweat of blood on my limbs, face and chest. Later, I have often had the signs and pain of the stigmata (five wounds) on my body.
The miraculous rosary
On November 2nd 1996 we went to Vellankanni. We reached there by 12 noon. Mass was going on. After Mass I went to the front of the church and knelt down near a grille and prayed with my eyes open. After ten minutes I had a strange experience. Rays of pale blue and white coloured light fell on my eyes. As I was blinking continuously I could not pray with eyes open. I was exhausted. So I sat down, closed my eyes, spread out my arms and prayed. At that moment I saw the statue of Mother Mary moving and the whole church was filled with a bright light. In the middle of that circle of light was a tall female figure. When I looked carefully I saw the Blessed Virgin’s face clearly like the rising sun. In her left arm was a fair, chubby boy about eight months old. In the same hand was a big rosary. In her right hand was another rosary of black beads. I saw Mother Mary and the child descending step by step. There was a great radiance on their faces. I could not look at a point for more than a second. So intense was the brightness of the light. In a trice they were standing in front of me, smiling. Mother Mary bent down and placed the black rosary in my hand . My hand froze like a piece of ice. The rosary was very heavy as if the beads were immersed in oil. I cried out, "Mary, my mother, what should I do with this?" Mother Mary said, "Daughter, place this rosary with my image in a glass case in your house." I could not ask anything more. Placing her right hand on my head she blessed me. I then saw her rising upwards with her hand in the same position.
The next morning after we returned from Mass, following the instruction given by Mother Mary, we entwined that rosary around a statuette of Mary and began to pray. From that time onwards a heavenly fragrance began to emanate from it. It spread around even to a distance if one km. When the vegetable vendor came home he wanted to know whence this strange scent. We told him the facts. He circulated the news and people began coming to pray and Mary began giving some messages.
A lot of criticism arose about this perfume-that it was only a hoax, a particular kind of scent was being used and so on. Mother Mary gave me a specific message: "I gave this fragrance as a special sign. But they are defying me. Therefore I withdraw it from this day forth. Only those who weep and pray will have the experience of this scent."
Thus after December 25th 1996 it became less and eventually was lost completely. However, those who pray with tears are still able to experience it.
The miracle of the Eucharist
On October 26th 1997 Bishop Mar Jacob Manathodath of Palghat was celebrating the Eucharist in the Good Shepherd church at Kanjikode. At this Mass the Sacred Host I received on my tongue became flesh and blood. When I prayed over this phenomenon, I got this message: "The contempt and scorn that people show me, the victim Lamb on the altar of sacrifice, and to the love of God the Father, are increasing rapidly. It is high time that they understood that I come to each of them with longing as a living God, as a loving God. Daughter, the Word became Flesh, the Flesh became a sacrificial Victim and the Sacrifice gave new life. This great salvific event that took place in the past is in reality renewed on every altar of sacrifice. Is that not what you tasted, daughter?"
After that Jesus revealed these two Scriptural texts: "This is the Lord’s doing, it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Ps 118:23-24). "Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day, for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever" (Jn 6:53-59). It is the Body of Jesus that is sacrificed in the Holy Mass. The greatest power that can counter the diabolical forces of today’s world is the Blessed Virgin-the rosary given to us by her. It is the strongest weapon that we can wield against Satan. It is ten times more powerful than the atom bomb. With the rosary that looks insignificant in human eyes, we can bind any evil power. Mary wishes that we invite her before we start reciting the rosary. When we do this, we obtain Mary’s intercession. We should remember that it is Mary and not we who offer our petitions in the presence of God. We should pray to Jesus through Mary. We are then adoring God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. The intimate relationship that Mary has with Jesus becomes ours also. Mary will help us. Let us invite this Mother into our life. Let us ask her intercession to triumph over every obstacle and to defeat all the wiles of Satan.
