In 1981, Bob Rindos came into our lives (he is now a priest) & got us into the Legion of Mary, the Third Order of St. Francis and the Charismatic Renewal. As you can probably see, nothing will stop this man from exhausting us. He really made sure we got the ropes, he showed us how to work them, then barely did we know, he had already left us cold turkey. Now, however, looking back, I can’t help but cherish this privilege that God had given us – that through Bob we met God in many many different faces of people. I pray Bob may touch many more lives and that his priestly vocation will be one fruitful vine in God’s vineyard, for taste and see. My career in reference to the Gift of the Holy Spirit of Prophecy started with my association with the Charismatic Renewal in St. Lucy’s Church, Jersey City, N.J. In 1982, I completed a Life in the Spirit seminar and received my baptism in the Holy Spirit. I saw St. Lucy on a stained glass shine as bright as the sun. My sense of sight has never been the same again, although I still see everything in the world as actual as they are appearing to normal, ordinary people. What I wasn’t too clear about were those Gifts of the Holy Spirit which I had been hearing around yet I had not given much study. I couldn’t ask God for something I hardly knew except for a sincere desire to serve Him only. I didn’t know what God was giving me until I was almost pushed to use it. Then I was told I had the Gifts of the Holy Spirit of Interpretation and Prophecy via God’s, I believe, rare use of channels of vision using my sight – insight and foresight. It’s through these gifts and channels of vision that I’ve been able to discern God’s Word, Its truth and Its reality, versus hallucination. And it’s through these same that I’ve been able to take a closer look at the Blessed Trinity and learn about them whenever They possess me at my most wholesome, opportune moments, sometimes sending even Virgin Mother Mary and certain saints to use me to speak and advise for them. On April 6, 1985, Bishop Jerome Pechillo (may he be eternally rejoicing in God’s Kingdom) gave me the rite of confirmation. The next month, at a rosary for peace gathering, Mary, I believe, appeared to me which you will find interesting. On the same day next year, St. Lucy’s Church closed. Our Charismatic prayer meetings came to a halt. Nevertheless, God’s Word continues to seemingly submerge my head with the illuminating alpha ray of light. In other words, God continues to use me to convey His messages which may be less obvious to the ordinary eye but are His manifestations through visions He so richly bestows upon me. In daily masses I’ve many times tasted and seen the goodness of the Lord in His precious Blood and Body in the consecrated wine and bread, our spiritual drink and bread of life. I’ll be a fool to say I have dimystified God’s Word, lest I forget GOD is the General sense of the Word. Well, even though our Charismatic activity had gone on to a brief cessation, God’s Word in visions have remained active, like film slides in my head or an encyclopedia of slides in my journal but then I couldn’t prophesy to any group. Instead, I translated God’s messages outwardly by means of our apostolic works as active legionnaires and Franciscans. Naturally, God continues to pour His graces and blessings upon His faithful servants and I’m blissful over mine. “My branch will bear fruits,” I thought in a prayer. Sure enough in 1989, St. Aedan’s Church opened a Charismatic Prayer Group. Ever since, I’ve been able to exercise the Gifts of the Holy Spirit over and over again. Unluckily, some gifts once open either don’t please some people or surprise others in a negative way. It’s a no-win situation & being that as it may, of course the Gift of the Holy Spirit of Prophecy to me met up with some hard-knock doubting Thomases. Did Thomas peek through the holes in Jesus’ hands to see the other side? They simply don’t appreciate the gifts I’m commanded to share under a vow of obedience to my Master, the Blessed Trinity. They insist I keep quiet iin my seat in compliance with the pastoral team of the Charismatic Renewal under the Archdiocese of Newark. They’ve argued the veracity of the prophetic messages which God is using me to transmit to them. Many people have tried to discourage me and stop me but they can’t stop me now. God’s gifts are too rich & plenty all for myself. I believe He loves us enough to give us access to the good things in life. This book is really good. In my analysis & with the help of many homilies of priests & religious, I’ve come to realize God’s Word, specifically His Wisdom, is surely sharper than a two-edged sword cutting through anything. No possible evil in any shape, way, kind or form can be as tough as God. Lucifer tried to be tough at one time but he failed. Now Lucifer, alias Satan, is under the point of St. Michael the Archangel’s sword. I’m with the solid-rock belief that the Gift of the Holy Spirit of Prophecy to me is truthfully & straight-to-the-point the Living Word of the Blessed Trinity, et al, & no evil can possibly prevail against it. Evil in the form of envy, lies & hallucination have no place in my head for God’s use of me. I give you the benefit of the doubt or should I put it another way? Feel free to eat this book if you wish, just like St. John the Evangelist ate a small scroll from an angel. Perhaps you’ll see visions of different nations, countries and emperors too, just like he did (Rev. 10). Don’t magicians swallow swords? I’m no magician, but if swords are God’s Word, which indeed they are, I hope I have swallowed a good number of them, enough so that my own tongue may be as sharp as the dullest of God’s swords to speak wisely at all times under His reign. I’m with the impression the Gift of the Holy Spirit of Wisdom must carry more weight than the other gifts in spiritual riches to the throne of God. I’m not sure I’ve got it. All I’m sure of is I’m praying unceasingly for it. Even if it should take me another 8 years to get it, just as it took me that long to receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit of Tongues (1982 to 1990, at an Archdiocesan Charismatic retreat in St. Mary’s Abbey, Morristown, N.J., one weekend coordinator, Fr. Phil Rotunno taught us how to speak in tongues). So far, I believe God has endowed me with 3 gifts, namely, Prophecy, Tongues & Interpretation. St. Paul talks about these 3 interrelatedly & independently in His first letter to the Corinthians, chap. 14. In verse 32, he says, “Prophets can always control their prophetic spirits.” This best explains why I take suppression, such as coming from the pastoral team, with a grain of salt. Like St. Paul, I’d dare say, “…by all means be ambitious to prophesy, do not suppress the gift of tongues…” (verse 39) God sends me forth to prophesy “for the benefit of the community.” But it turns out, some of them on the team and in the community are unbelievers & on the contrary, probably believing I had completely gone crazy. I didn’t protest the issue. “I know God will make a way for His messages to come through,” I thought. Whether or not this book cuts through you substantially sharp in its impact in your life is something between you and God.