Seal of the Living God According To Maria Divine Mercy

Introduction

Maria Divine Mercy claims, absurdly, that she is the Seventh Angel of the Apocalypse who will declare the seventh seal in Revelation 7. She claims that her 'Seal' prayer is the seal which will promise protection to her believers during the persecution of Antichrist.

The seal is actually a reference to Ezekiel 9: the seal, or 'mark' upon the forehead, would in Old Testament times have been the Hebrew letter 'Tav', which looked like a cross. This prophecy, as the Fathers made clear, is fulfilled in Baptism, when we are sealed with a Cross on the forehead, and given a permanent sacramental 'mark' on our souls. 

Seal of the Living God According to Maria Divine Mercy

In one of her recent messages, MDM warns:

“You must keep the Seal of the Living God in your home and on you if possible. I now request you, child, to have the Medal of Salvation produced now and a SCAPULAR OF THE SEAL OF THE LIVING GOD made.”Mother of Salvation to MDM, Aug.23, 2013.

What is this seal of the Living God according to MDM? Well, the first one mentioned by MDM is a piece of paper with a prayer for protection; whereas the second one is to be worn as a scapular around the neck likewise, for protection. 

What do Scripture and the Magisterium teach about the seal? Begin with the book of Revelation:

“Then I saw another angel ascend from the rising of the sun, with THE SEAL of the LIVING GOD, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, ‘Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads.’” (7:2-3)

This establishes where is the seal: upon the forehead; not hanging on a wall; crumpled on a piece of paper in one’s pocket or hanging from one’s neck. 

Now what does this seal do? Again, in Revelation:

“they {the angels} were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green growth or any tree, bu t only those of mankind who have not the seal of God upon their foreheads ...” (9:4)

So MDM has this point correct. The seal of the Living God protects the faithful. Even so, the question remains is the seal she offers legitimate? Reading St. Paul we learn:

“In Him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in Him, were SEALED with the promised Holy Spirit . . .” Ephesians 1:13

“Do not grieve the HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, IN WHOM YOU WERE SEALED FOR THE DAY OF REDEMPTION.” Ephesians 4:30

How and when is a Christian “sealed for the day of redemption?”

“Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with all his household; and many of the Corinthians hearing Paul BELIEVED and were BAPTIZED.” Acts18:8

According to the catechism, the Catholic Church understands conversion to Christ means joining Him through the sacrament of baptism and accepting His seal:

“CHRISTIANS ARE . . . MARKED WITH A SEAL: ‘It is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has commissioned us; HE HAS PUT HIS SEAL ON US and given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.’ (2 Cor 1:21-22; Eph 1:13; 4:30) THIS SEAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT MARKS OUR TOTAL BELONGING TO CHRIST, our enrollment in His service forever, as well l as THE PROMISE OF DIVINE PROTECTION IN THE GREAT ESCHATOLOGICAL TRIAL.” {Eschatology: the branch of theology dealing with death, the end of the world, the Second Coming, the resurrection and the Last Judgement.} CCC # 1296 

So the Church does indeed understand the seal is a promise of divine protection as described earlier in Rev. 7 Christians receive this seal of the Holy Spirit not only through baptism but in the anointing with holy oil in confirmation and holy orders. Refer to CCC # 698; 1121; 1262-1274; 1216; 1293- 1300; 1303-1305; 1320. In point of fact, the Church puts a lot of emphasis on the seal and stresses it is an unerasable mark, so there is no chance of losing it even when in a state of grave sin.

“Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. BAPTISM SEALS THE CHRISTIAN WITH THE INDELIBLE SPIRITUAL MARK  (character) OF HIS BELONGING TO CHRIST. NO SIN CAN ERASE THIS MARK,  even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation.” CCC #1272

The catechism repeats the words of St. Paul to the Ephesians: 

“The Holy Spirit has marked us with the seal of the Lord ‘for the day of redemption.’ ‘BAPTISM indeed IS THE SEAL OF ETERNAL LIFE.’ The faithful Christian who has ‘kept the seal’ until the end, remaining faithful to the demands of his Baptism, will be able to depart this life ‘marked with the sign of faith,’ with his baptismal faith, in expectation of the blessed vision of God - the consummation of faith - and in the hope of resurrection.” CCC #1274

What Protection Does The Seal of The Living God Promise

Since baptism is the seal which makes us members of the Church and promises Divine protection during suffering, trials and tribulation, it is astonishing how MDM’ers can be so anxious to procure her seals. They have no power because they have no Church approval and hence no divine authority. What MDM has done is to create a problem and offer the solution: all nicely packaged. She has alarmed the faithful to the point where they have shifted their allegiance; they no longer trust Divine providence or their pastors and they seem to have lost confidence in the power of the sacraments to seal them for the day of redemption. 

When all is said and done, no one needs any seal other than the sacraments Christ instituted.

Superstitious Faith 

We are sealed with the Spirit as a guarantee that we belong to Christ and his mystical body. The promise of divine protection may take many forms. In the approach to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, the Christians in the city were reminded of the signs of the coming desolation foretold by Christ, and fled Jerusalem. 

There was not, and never has been promised any protection against persecution. Our Lord said believers would be hounded and handed over to Sanhedrins and many were put to death for His name. They were promised that the Holy Spirit would give them words that they should speak that none of their accusers would be able to contradict. 

Those who held fast under persecution would be saved, as they would be given the strength in the Lord to stand firm. There was no promise of protection from physical suffering and deprivation, torture, imprisonment etc., as the many brutal persecutions and martyrdoms in Church history will prove. Our Lord warns us that in the final persecution under Antichrist, sufferings would be so terrible many will fall away, but the time would be shortened.

Siege of Jerusalem, 70 A.D. 

According to MDM, Seal-prayer promises that anyone who says it will 'escape the notice' of those wicked governments who seize control in their countries. They will, I suppose, become invisible to their pursuers! As I said, this treats the prayer as a kind of magic charm which will render those who say it invincible against the evil power. Absolute nonsense! No prayer will or should claim to do that. 

We don't know what protection God will give under the Great Chastisement of Antichrist. MDM doesn't seem to believe in it herself. Some messages tell her followers to stockpile food against the coming trial, as the Antichrist will prevent them from getting any. 

Our Lord said 'Why are you worried about what you will eat, or what you will wear? Your Father in Heaven knows you need these things. Seek first the Kingdom of heaven and all these things will be added to you.' What trust to MDM' s followers have in God's providence?

MDM is luring the faithful out of the Kindgom of Heaven (i.e., the Church) and into schism. There will be no seeking the Kingdom where she is leading them. 

(Authors: David Moorcroft, PocketSketch)