From Private Revelation to Shared Mission

Divine Appeal Reflection - 24

Today, consider in Divine Appeal 24: "I order you after writing My Words not to keep it to yourself. The evil one is now very much against you because through you I have started converting souls in a very private way; for this reason if you keep My Words yourself it will be very dangerous. The evil one will try to use one of your own in order to destroy My Messages through you. So I command you not to keep them to yourself. This is what I want."

Though the words were given personally to Sr. Anna Ali of the Most Holy Eucharist, the principle applies universally to every baptized soul entrusted with light. The Divine Appeals are entrusted by Christ not as private possessions but as living seeds meant to pass quietly from heart to heart within the Body of the Church. When such words are withheld through fear or false humility, grace is constrained; when they are shared in obedience, love is multiplied and souls are gently drawn back to God. Divine Appeal 24 reveals a striking spiritual law long recognized by Scripture and the saints: grace received but withheld becomes a vulnerability rather than a refuge. Jesus’ instruction against keeping the gift confined to oneself reflects the Gospel image that light concealed does not protect but allows darkness to spread (cf. Mt 5:15). The Catechism clarifies that faith is never meant to remain enclosed within the individual but is given for communion and outward mission (cf. CCC 849). Scripture further shows that when divine revelation is withheld through fear or misplaced humility, it becomes vulnerable to distortion and opposition. Jeremiah tried to keep God’s word silent within him, yet found it became “a fire shut up in my bones” (cf. Jer 20:9). The saints understood this interior pressure not as ambition, but as obedience ripening into charity. Saint Catherine of Siena warned that unspoken truth corrodes the soul from within, while Saint Teresa of Ávila taught that humility never contradicts obedience to God’s prompting. In daily life, this Appeal confronts professionals who hide faith at work, parents who avoid spiritual leadership at home, and consecrated souls tempted to reduce revelation to interior consolation alone. Christ here reveals that silence motivated by fear is not neutrality—it becomes a spiritual exposure.

Jesus’ warning that “the evil one is now very much against you” unveils another sober reality: fruitful souls attract resistance. Scripture consistently affirms that conversion provokes opposition, not peace with darkness (cf. Jn 15:19). Yet the Appeal clarifies that the danger is not persecution itself, but isolation. The Catechism teaches that temptation intensifies when one acts outside ecclesial communion (cf. CCC 409). The devil’s strategy, as seen in Eden and later in the life of David, often begins not with overt sin but with withdrawal into self-reliance (cf. Gen 3:1–6; 2 Sam 11). Jesus warns that if the words are kept private, the enemy will exploit familiarity—“one of your own”—to distort or destroy the message. Saints such as John Chrysostom observed that the devil prefers subtle sabotage through trusted voices rather than open assault. In family life, this may appear as discouragement from sharing faith openly; in parish life, as suspicion toward spiritual initiatives; in religious life, as pressure to dilute charisms. The practical safeguard Christ gives is not secrecy but obedient transparency. Saint Ignatius of Loyola taught that consolation shared under obedience loses its venom, while unshared consolation often becomes deception. Thus, Jesus reveals that sharing God’s work—prudently, humbly, within the Church—is not exposure; it is protection.

The command “So I command you not to keep them to yourself” must be read through the lens of biblical obedience, which is always relational and salvific. Obedience in Scripture is not submission to control, but alignment with truth (cf. Jn 8:31–32). Abraham’s faith matured only when expressed outwardly, leaving private certainty behind (cf. Gen 12:1–4). Mary’s fiat became salvific not because it was interior alone, but because it was spoken and lived publicly (cf. Lk 1:38). The Catechism affirms that God’s initiatives demand human cooperation expressed through concrete acts (cf. CCC 2008). For laypeople, this Appeal becomes a call to simple, faithful witness—sharing spiritual fruits naturally in conversation, integrity in work, and mercy in conflict. For priests and religious, it guards against the illusion that hidden grace excuses disengagement. Saint Francis de Sales insisted that holiness grows when communicated gently, not when preserved anxiously. Importantly, Christ does not command indiscriminate broadcasting, but faithful transmission according to one’s state of life. Even silence, when chosen obediently, differs radically from silence born of fear. This Appeal teaches discernment: what God gives for others must eventually reach others, lest the gift decay into self-protection. The Christian vocation, in every form, becomes missionary not by strategy, but by obedience.

Jesus’ words reveal a merciful paradox: what feels safer to hide is often safer to offer. The Catechism reminds us that grace deepens when it is lived in love (cf. CCC 1827). Scripture reveals that hiding God’s gifts leads to loss, while placing them in God’s hands brings growth and strength (cf. Mt 25:24–30). Saint Gregory the Great affirmed that spiritual insight expands only when it is shared. In daily life, this Appeal confronts the temptation to privatize faith—to pray but not speak, to believe but not act, to receive but not give. Parents may fear imposing faith; professionals fear appearing unmodern; consecrated souls fear misunderstanding. Yet Jesus reveals that withholding divine words creates interior pressure where the enemy finds entry. Biblical characters such as Esther and Peter demonstrate how delayed bravery puts oneself and others in jeopardy, (cf. Est 4:14; Acts 4:20) whereas obedient witness releases grace . Practically, this may mean sharing a testimony at the right moment, writing what God inspires under guidance, or simply refusing to hide one’s Christian identity. Christ’s command is not burdensome—it is liberating. What is given in trust must move in love.

Finally, Divine Appeal 24 situates personal revelation within the heart of the Church. Though entrusted to Sr. Anna Ali of the Most Holy Eucharist, its purpose is ecclesial, not individualistic. Thus, what Christ entrusts in silence must one day be offered in obedience, for love sealed within the heart is not preserved but diminished. When the Divine Appeals are shared humbly and within the Church, they remain protected, fruitful, and alive—accomplishing quietly what God alone desires for the salvation of souls.The Catechism teaches that private revelations help believers live the Gospel more fully in a particular time, never replacing it (cf. CCC 67). Jesus’ insistence—“This is what I want”—reveals divine urgency shaped by mercy. Ezekiel reveals that God’s word is always spoken with life in view, calling His people to change course so that they may live (cf. Ez 33:11). Saints such as Peter, who trembled yet still spoke, and Joan of Arc, who obeyed God despite fear and misunderstanding, discovered that fidelity in passing on what was entrusted to them kept their mission honest and alive. Their humanity reminds every Christian vocation that God’s gifts are not given for safe keeping, but for courageous stewardship ordered toward the saving of others. Silence may feel humble, but obedience is the truest humility. In families, workplaces, parishes, and cloisters, Christ continues converting souls “in a very private way”—through faithful witnesses who refuse fear-driven silence. Divine Appeal 24 is thus not a threat but a protection, not pressure but grace. Jesus commands sharing because love cannot survive confinement. When the Word is given away, it remains alive.

Prayer 

Our Adorable Jesus, You entrust Your words not for possession but for love. Free us from fearful silence. Teach us obedient courage, gentle discernment, and humble fidelity. Let what You give flow through us for souls, protected by Your will and hidden in Your Heart. Amen.

Sr. Anna Ali of the Most Holy Eucharist, intercede for us.