Legio Maria Faith: We Have Seen the Glory
of God
A Pamphlet of Legio Maria
Baba Simeo Melkio: The Glory of God
Produced by Romanus On’gombe in 2010
Edited and Published by Deacon Tobias
Daniel Oloo
In
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Introduction
I,
Romanus On’gombe, was an auxiliary catechist in the Roman Catholic Church. I
went around teaching the way of our Lord Jesus Christ and helping believers to
learn the ways of God, to believe in Jesus Christ and to wait for his second
coming. I was a man of faith and unshakeable devotion in the Christian faith,
according to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. But when I heard the
call of the glory of God, I responded and took heed of the call. And now, I
trust that the God who called me will lead me through to the pearly gates of
heaven.
I
was led into the path of glory by my relentless inner desire for the knowledge
of God. So, when I heard that Virgin Mary had appeared in Bukoba, I went to see
and experience the healing water she had left behind. I also went all the way
to Nyabondo, in Nyakach, to see and experience the spiritual power that Virgin
Mary had given to Maria Ragot. By mid-1950s, several appearances of Virgin Mary
to many Roman Catholic faithful had occurred and her message to all of them
made me even more hopeful. All those who reported to have been visited by
Virgin Mary affirmed that she said to them that “her son Jesus Christ had
returned to earth.”
Therefore,
when I heard that Vitalis Okelo had died and had risen from the dead to be a
prophet among his people, I became eager and decided to visit him in order to
witness and hear what Virgin Mary had sent him to do and preach. Vitalis
Okelo’s message resonated with what had been reported by the other Virgin Mary
witnesses. He reported that he had gone to heaven and saw a black Virgin Mary
and Black Jesus Christ who sent him to cast out evil spirits in preparation for
the work of the glory of God. The sweet message given to Vitalis excited me and
made me ever more hopeful of the day of the revelation of the glory of God.
A
few days after I had teamed up with Vitalis Okelo and other lay members of the
Legion of Mary group, word went round that a very charismatic prophet had
appeared, who knew everything and who enchanted people with his preaching. This
prophet, then only called as the risen prophet, was Baba Simeo Melkio. I got
interested in him and soon we went to visit him in order to hear from him.
Simple and lowly, Simeo had nothing on him that could make a passer-by stop to
worship him. But when you lived with him for a short while and experienced the
spiritual power that oozed from his aura, you would easily call him God.
Therefore, it did not take me long before I realized that Simeo is God and
began to accord him the honor that is due to him.
The
Basis of Our Faith
For
me, it did not take long before I realized that Simeo Ondeto is the son of God,
the second Christ who was promised to appear in his glory during a second
coming. But for many people who visited him and went to different prayer
meetings with him, he remained a very powerful prophet until March 9th,
1962. On that Friday evening, the Holy Spirit descended upon us and revealed to
us that Jesus Christ had returned as Simeo Ondeto. It was an evening just like
all other evenings and Simeo Ondeto was with us at John Baru’s home. Her
mother, Mama Maria too was with us. But when it turned 6.00 p.m. a huge
multitude of singers began to sing from Kachola Hill towards John Baru’s home.
We were all amazed at what was happening and so we gathered outside, around the
central point of the home, to witness what was happening.
The
voices sung straight into John’s home. When they were about to finish the
fourth of the four songs that they were singing, a sudden strong wind blew
through the home and our eyes were suddenly opened. By that time, even Simeo
was speaking in tongues and calling himself different names as he darted about
the home compound. The ecstasy and rapture took over 2 hours, with over 1, 000
people who were gathered in the home speaking in tongues and seeing visions. A
multitude of saints and angels descended from heaven into the home. They were
the singers of the four songs. When they entered the home, they worshipped
Simeo Ondeto, with each of the falling down on their stomachs and worshipping him.
When we saw this, with each of us who experienced the ecstasy, rapture and
heavenly visions sharing the same experience, we realized that Simeo is God.
At
the end of the spiritual experience, the Holy Spirit also confirmed our visions
in words. The spirit fell upon Siprianus Ochieng and spoke to us, telling us
that Simeo Ondeto is the promised glory who was to come according to the
Bible’s New Testament writings, in order to reward the faithful with the glory
of God. The spirit called Simeo Ondeto to say his names and when he made known
his true identity, there was joy in heaven, with the ecstasy, rapture and
visions falling upon us again so we could experience the heavenly joy. From
that day onwards, we knew Simeo Ondeto as the glory of God, the second Christ.
And it is that experience that we had together that is the true source of our
faith.
He
Called Himself the Son of God
Before
the spiritual experience of the second Pentecost, Simeo had already stated
several times that he was sent by his father to come and reveal his glory and
to lead people to eternal life. But in all those previous occasions, his most
common theme was that a time was coming when the heavens would open and the
Glory of God would be revealed. In fact, Simeo often promised that the sign of his
coming would be the filling of his followers with the Holy Spirit. Therefore,
after the Holy Spirit had revealed him, Baba Simeo went on to preach that he
was the glory of God and the second Christ. He always stated that the son of
God had been revealed on earth three times to fulfill the three decades of
God’s redemption of humankind. The first revelation was as Melchizedek; the
second revelation was as Jesus; and the third revelation was as Simeo.
Our
Lord taught us that Melchizedek came to call humanity back to God. Melchizedek,
king of righteousness and peace came to call the world to the worship of one
God, who was previously worshipped in his many attributes, resulting in the
worship of God’s attributes as gods. Our Lord taught that the climax of Melchizedek’s
work was the call of Abraham, resulting in God’s covenant with humans. And our
Lord also taught that he had been revealed as Jesus the savior to bridge the
gap between humanity and divinity and to lead humans into personal commitment
with God, which brings salvation. Moreover, the Lord taught that he had to come
a third time as the glory of God to usher in the era of glorification of the
faithful of God. Therefore, Baba Simeo Melkio always taught that he was the
second person of the holy trinity and affirmed that through him has come the
fulfillment of the New Testament’s promise of the second coming of Christ.
Why
Baba Simeo Melkio Is God
Baba
Simeo was revealed as God the Son by the Holy Spirit that poured on Legios at
John Baru’s home in Suna, Migori. But there were also other incidences that
demonstrated he was God. He could appear to different people in different
places at the same time. While still alive in human body, he could enter,
possess, control, and speak through other people. He turned himself into
spiritual form at will in order to converse with God the Father, angels, and
saints at will. There were four incidences (at Nyandago Catholic Church, Sori,
Efeso, and Amoyo Jerusalem Legio Church) when a voice came from heaven and said
that Simeo is the Son and Glory of God. His brothers worshipped him as God and
testified that he was a mysterious child right from birth. He knew everything,
including the names, family, and backgrounds of people even before he met them
physically.
His
promises never fail. Angels Michael and Gabriel and Virgin Mary visited him
while he was a shepherd at Anton Ooro’s home in Nyabinga. Evil spirits and
demons are cast out in his name. Two times he was pronounced dead, early on
when he was at their home in Awasi and later on in Jerusalem Amoyo in 1988, and
in both occasions he lived again. He did countless miracles: raised the dead
(Amoke of Asembo, Angelina of Seme, a Roho adherent at Gombania Roho church
Tanzania, and son of Kalaudia in Nairobi, among others), healed Dalmas Oyier
the lame and Obote the Dumb, calmed a storm at Wath On’ger on his way to
Nazareth, and healed Salome Owiny who had bled for more than ten years. He
spoke to his followers through the spirit when he was dead and appeared to many
people after he was dead, including Salome and Dalmas Oyier.
Both
Man and God
While
many worship God, not one person has ever seen God because in his full and
unreduced sense, God is incomprehensible by the created and finite human mind.
Therefore, whatever people know about God has come through revelation. Besides,
God has revealed himself to humans in countless ways: through his creations,
his just laws, impeccable beauty, his prophets, and his Son. The highest
revelation of God to humanity is his appearance in human form so that the gap
between divinity and humanity is completely shattered. However, God is one and
his son is only one. So while that son of God can incarnate and become man at
different times of the earth’s history, he remains just one son. Therefore,
Jesus and Baba Simeo is just one person, one son of God, who has become man at
different times and existed in different earthly cultures.
The
God of people must be a person. If he is not a person, he cannot communicate
with persons. This is why Jesus had to be fully man while remaining fully God.
Similarly, Baba Simeo was fully man and fully God. Both ways the God of humans
appeared in a fully human form in order to commune with humans. And in both
instances, the Son of God was born, he grew, he ate, he drunk, and he died.
These are things that are a must for all humans and they must also apply to the
God of humans when he appears in human form. Besides, it is only when God takes
full humanity that he can show humans how to be holy, to love, to be truthful,
and to live for eternal treasures.
Baba
Simeo Fulfilled All Prophecies of the Second Coming of Christ
Baba
Simeo demonstrated he was the return of Jesus by fulfilling all Bible
prophesies about the second coming. He also fulfilled all prophesies of the
second coming of Jesus as predicted in the New Testament. He came like a thief,
unknown to the world. He came when times of the Gentiles had been fulfilled and
Israel had been restored as a nation. He came after two of the world’s greatest wars, World
War I and World War II, and after the immense rumors of War and rise of nations
against nations that preceded and followed these wars. He sat on a lowly-throne
where all who approached him prostrated (fell) on the ground and worshipped
him.
All
Legios sat on the floor when he sat on the single symbolic seat that is found
in Legio Maria churches. While on his seat (throne), He passed judgment on both
the living and the dead, pronouncing some as saints and denouncing some as
going to eternal darkness (hell). He also came with the saints and angels
(hosts of heaven), who engaged actively in his ministry. Here are prophesies
and how he fulfilled them:
1.
1st prophecy: When the Son of man shall come in his glory,
and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his
glory (Matthew 25:31-46; Mathew 16:27-reward people; Mark 8:36-38; Mark
13:26-27; Luke 9:26-27; 2 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 4:8)
·
Fulfilled by Baba Simeo’s Most Blessed Seat
(Throne): he sat on his seat and blessed those who went to him. There was only
one seat and when Baba was seated the rest sat on the floor.
·
People bowed to his seat and prostrated
completely on the ground before his Most Blessed Seat of God’s glory.
·
Holy angels always appeared in many occasions.
And in prayers, holy angels helped Legios.
·
During the Legio Pentecostal Day, the holy
angels sang from Kachola hill to Kabaru. And at Raha, holy angels sang and sprayed
faithful Legios with water.
·
Baba Simeo passed judgment and made people
saints.
2.
2nd prophecy: He comes in the
name of the Lord; The Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father (Mathew
23:39; Mark 8:36-38; Matt. 16:27; Matt. 25:31)
·
He is Lodvikus: one like God or one like
the Father.
·
He preached and affirmed that God sent
him.
·
He said he is the son of God.
3.
3rd prophecy: He comes like a
thief (Matthew 24: 36-39; Matthew 24:42; Mark 13:35-37; Luke 17:28-30; 1
Thessalonians 4:15-5:4; Revelation 16:15; Matt. 24:36)
·
Baba Simeo was unknown to many as God;
·
He came in a way that not many Christians
expected;
·
Only his deeds and revelation of the Holy
Spirit made people realize he was God the Son.
·
Nothing changed; people just married, ate,
drunk, and did their usual things.
4.
4th prophecy: He comes in the
cloud with power and glory (Mark 13:26-27; Mathew 26:64; Matthew 24:30; Mark
14:61-62; Luke 21:25-28; Dan. 7:13; Acts 1:11; Revelation 1:7)
·
Baba Simeo came in the clouds according to
the Holy Spirit and took up flesh at Joseph Obimbo’s home. At birth, he was
indwelled with the spirit of the Christ, making him the person of Christ.
·
His coming on the clouds was revealed to Silvester
Okweto in a vision. Overwhelmed with the exciting vision, Silvester shouted
loudly, waking people from their sleep.
·
Wilfrida Magel also saw a vision of him in the
clouds and proclaimed it amongst Legios.
5.
5th prophecy: He will come; He
will be revealed; He will appear (1 Corinthians 1:7; Acts 3:19-21; 1 Corinthians
4:5; 1 Corinthians 11:26; 1 Corinthians 15:23-24; Philippians 1:10; 1
Thessalonians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Thessalonians
1:7; 2 Thessalonians 2:1; 1 Timothy 6:13-16; 2 Timothy 4:8; Titus 2:12; Hebrews
3:7; James 5:7-9; 1 Peter 1:13; 1 Peter 2:12; 2 Peter 3:3; 2 Peter 3:8-10; 1
John 2:28; Revelation 1:4; Revelation 3:11; John 14:1-4; Luke 18:8; Job 19:25).
·
Baba Simeo came and was revealed as the
second coming of Jesus by the Holy Spirit.
·
Baba Simeo said, “Children, I have come
again. Truly I have come.”
6.
6th prophecy: He will glorify
the saints; saints will appear with him in Glory; each faithful receives praise
from God (1 Corinthians 4:5; Colossians 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 1 John 3:2;
Revelation 22:12).
·
When he was revealed during the second
Pentecost, the saints and angels of heaven were revealed in song, coming from
Kachola Hill to John Baru’s home.
·
Saints featured prominently in Baba Simeo’s ministry, with Legios
using Cassocks (Kanzus),
candles and flags of different colors to glorify and acknowledge the saints.
Huts (houses) are also built for different saints to represent their heavenly
mansions where they now serve God and bask in his glory.
7.
7th prophecy: He will come with
his holy ones (1 Thessalonians 3:13; Jude 1:14).
·
Baba Simeo brought with him his holy
saints, including virgin Mary (Mama Maria or St. Mary), Abraham, Catherine,
George, Agatha, Samson, Paul, Peter, James, and many others. He also made
saints from amongst his followers and brought them back to serve in his
ministry.
8.
8th prophecy: We will go to
heaven; we will live eternally (Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-5:4; Jude
1:21; John 14:1-4).
·
Baba Simeo gave people eternal life during
his ministry. He made Tobias Oongo, Angi Clement, Philip Odero, Silvester
Okweto, and many Legio Marias saints.
·
All believers now go to heaven when they
die because the Lord has ordained the times of rewarding his faithful servants
with eternal life immediately after the end of their earthly ministries.
9.
9th prophecy: He will overthrow
evil with breath from his mouth (2 Thessalonians 2:8).
·
Baba Simeo breathed on Legio Marias with
his mouth.
·
When he breathed, evil spirits cried and
left.
10.
10th prophecy: He will be the
Glory of God; He will bring glorification (Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 Peter
4:13; 1 Peter 5:4).
·
Baba Simeo appeared as the Glory of God.
·
He glorified saints and made their living
presence known.
·
He
shone brightly and many who approached him saw different faces of him.
11.
11th prophecy: His Kingdom will
not come with signs to observe (Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom
of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with
signs to be observed Luke 17:20), and also Luke 17:21 (Nor will they say, “Look,
here it is! or “There! for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of
you.”)
·
There were no signs that marked Baba Simeo’s coming. He was just
revealed in our midst without us knowing it.
·
Baba Simeo taught and practiced continuous
communion with the Holy Spirit.
12.
12th prophecy: He will be seen
by all (Matthew 24:27).
·
Though he was denied by many, he preached
in public and said that he was the glory of God.
·
People came from different places across the
globe, and from different religious groups, to witness his glorious presence.
The
Spiritual Fulfillment of the Second Coming Prophecies
It
is one thing to receive good news, but it is another to understand its meaning.
Many Legios who were present at John Baru’s home learned that they were hosting the Son of God
in their midst, but few realized the implications of this revelation. One of the
titles of Baba Simeo that Legio Marias learned during the Pentecostal Day is
Lodvikus, which originate from two words, LORD and VICAR. The name Lodvikus
means “One like God” or “One like the Father”. The other titles, such as
Laurida, Hosea, Enure, Santa Maria, and Melkio also have their spiritual
meanings. Simply expressed, Baba Simeo is One like God or rather the reflection
or revelation of God. Typically, the revelation comes in a glorious form, often
dazzling human expectations. Baba Simeo is the Glory of God.
Reference
to the Glory of God is extensive in the journeys of the Israelites in the
wilderness. They always had the Glory of God expressed in a pillar of cloud and
fire. And every time when they saw the cloud descend upon them, they knew that
the Glory of God was with them. Prophet Ezekiel also talks about the Glory of
God appearing and descending in the form of clouds. Prophet Daniel talks about
one like the son of man who would descend upon the clouds, while the New
Testament affirms the return of Jesus Christ upon the clouds.
While,
indeed, it is true that the return of Jesus Christ has to occur from the clouds
(i.e. from above), the real spiritual meaning of coming from the clouds is not
the Son of God sitting physically on the clouds and astounding the world as he
approaches. No. Not at all! After all, the Son of God exists not in the human
form up in the heavens, but in a spiritual form. Where would he get the
physical human body from up there in the heavens? Would the body be created for
him up in the heavens just for use to return to earth? And if the Son of God
would take up a body without birth on earth, why did he not do so the first
time and opted for birth by Mary? But as Baba Simeo has said “the human body is
an earthly vessel” and it belongs here, on earth.
Therefore,
to come upon the clouds is to come from “above”, to come from the heavens. It
is a spiritual event not a physical event. Sadly, Christianity that started on
a spiritual platform has fallen to a physical (materialistic) plane. When Jews
waited for a physical savior and read their scriptures to apply physical
(materialistic) fulfillment, they could not avoid denying Jesus Christ. The
same has happened to Christians who have denied Baba Simeo. Christian
preachers, priests, and pastors are the modern day High priests, Sadducees, and
Pharisees, who deny Baba Simeo. As the Jews waited for a physical King, Jesus
led a spiritual Kingdom. Similarly, as Christians wait for a physical second
coming upon the cloud, Baba Simeo has led a spiritual second coming and
glorification of the saints.
And
as Christians across the globe adore and honor Jesus as the Messiah, the Jews
deny him till today. According to the Jews, Jesus was not the Messiah and can
never be the Son of God. In fact, Jews consider Christians as a lost race,
people who follow an imposter. They (Jews) still worship Jehovah and ask him to
send his Messiah to bring the Kingdom of God on earth where the capitol of the
world will be in Jerusalem (Israel) and the whole world will be led by a Jew.
Sadly, two thousand years after Jesus, that Messiah they are waiting for has
not come. Similarly, Christians have denied Baba Simeo and called him a liar
and an imposter. Many Christian pastors talk nastily about him every crusade
day. Nonetheless, Baba Simeo has fulfilled God’s promise of a second coming and those who are waiting
for the son of God to come physically on the clouds will do so for thousands of
years and see nothing.
As
It Was Spiritual In the First Coming So It Is In the Second Coming
Jesus
did not remove the Roman yoke from his people. He left the Jews under the
Romans and instead warned Jews of the coming catastrophe upon Jerusalem. In the
year 70 A.D. the warnings of Jesus about Jerusalem’s destruction came true.
Therefore, as a physical King, Jesus was an absolute failure. He never sat on
the throne. He never restored freedom to his people. He never won any battle.
He was betrayed and killed by his own people. If Christians today are to talk
about physical things, then they would be wrong followers of a messiah who
failed to fulfill physical and temporal expectations.
Nonetheless,
Jesus succeeded as a Spiritual King. He healed the sick, raised the dead,
comforted the poor, and offered hope of eternal life. His death on the cross
came as a supreme sacrifice for all who believe that holiness has rewards. At
his cross, people remember their sins, repent, and seek holiness. He asked
people not to trust fleeting wealth and the treasures of the world. Instead he
asked the wealthy to give up their wealth and seek spiritual treasures. He also
preached love and made it a supreme commandment. Before his death, he washed
his disciples’ feet
as a sign of servant-hood, and promised those who live the simple lives of
service to humanity that they would be rewarded in heaven. He also said that
his father’s
house had many mansions and he would be going to heaven to prepare places for
his faithful in those mansions. He promised his faithful that he would be returning
to take them with him so that where he is they can be together.
So,
where would his kingdom be? Where is the Kingdom of God? Is it to be on earth
or in heaven? Many Christians believe that Jesus would come to reign on earth
as a physical King and the world would be transformed into a better place. They
believe that paradise will be on earth one day. This belief comes directly from
the Jews who still hope that a time will come when their awaited Messiah would
take over the earth and lead a global Kingdom under Israel. This same messiah
is the one that will raise the dead from their graves to enjoy his reign of
peace and prosperity on earth. Indeed, those who believe in the resurrection of
the body still insist that until the messiah comes, the dead are still on their
graves. In fact, some even insist that Mary is still dead. Abraham is still
dead. Simon Peter, John the Baptist, Paul, and all the great people of God are
still dead. On the basis of this belief, only Jesus is alive because he
resurrected.
Sadly,
the unfortunate belief about an earthly Messiah fails on its own merits. It is
an absurd and a hopeless faith which affirms that people will enjoy eternity in
their physical bodies. It is also absurd because it makes God so cold that he
has to keep all his faithful servants, from Enoch, Moses, Elijah, Abraham, John
the Baptist, Paul, and all other great and faithful people asleep till Jesus
comes. In fact, it is a belief that contradicts a spiritual religion by
implying that humans are just materials that cannot live on without their
bodies and must be asleep as long as their bodies are not resurrected. The
belief also contradicts the fact that God is a spirit. How can humans be purely
materials while their God is purely spiritual? If our God is spiritual then we
must be spiritual too, even if to a lesser extent. And if the spiritual element
of God does not need a body to exist then ours too does not need a body to
exist forever. Apostle Paul knew that religion is simply spiritual not material
so he refused to ask Gentile Christians to be physically circumcised!
Certainly, any person insisting on physical things is simply unreligious, but
all believers should know that the kingdom of God is in the heavens and
eternity is spiritual and changeless.
The
body changes every day because it is made of chemicals that change and wane.
One day you are young, a few days later you are old and incapacitated. Physical
bodies cannot live forever, that is why people eat and drink each day to remain
alive. Besides, death is only a form of transformation and life energy roars on
and flees the material form to the spiritual form. Life energy is never lost;
it is just transformed. Likewise, the Kingdom of God where humans live forever
cannot be an earthly one. Otherwise, Jesus would have made the earth his
Kingdom the first time he came because he had the power to do so. But Jesus
counted the Kingdoms of earth as nothing and did not claim the Kingdoms of the
earth even when Satan tempted him to do so. And while about to return to heaven,
he promised that he was going to prepare mansions for the faithful and would
return to pick them and take them to heaven. We are going to heaven because
there is our home. We are going to heaven because our savior and glorifier is a
spiritual king who reigns in us spiritually.
To
have a clear picture of the spiritual treasures we seek, it is important we
assess the war between good and evil. The Kingdom of God is always opposed by
evil and this is why Jesus exorcised evil spirits. Baba Simeo also cast out demons
and evil spirits from countless people. But who has seen evil spirits in
physical form? If Christians say they fight against the devil and his spirits,
and yet the devil is not physical but spiritual, then how can they insist on a
physical paradise on earth? How can they claim that Jesus will physically come
upon the clouds to take up the reigns from the devil and its agents, when they
know that the devil is only spiritual? Certainly, the second coming of Jesus Christ
is spiritual and Baba Simeo is that spiritual fulfillment.
We
Have Seen the Glory of God
The
history of Israel is three-fold: they were called, they were saved, and they
were glorified. Abraham was called out by God, his descendants were saved from
slavery in Egypt, and Israel received glory when they won and settled in
Canaan. Similarly, the three decades of God’s dealing with humankind feature in the call, Atonement,
and Glory. Abraham was called and the law came through his covenant with God,
Jesus atoned for the sins of humankind, and Baba Simeo has glorified God’s faithful. The
priesthood of Melchizedek, the sacrifice of Jesus, and the Glory of Baba Simeo
represent the three decades of the incarnation of the son of God. The
three-decade journey to glory appears in every person’s experience of life,
which presents the moment of the call when one hears the voice of God, comes to
the moment of belief and ultimately ends in the moment of triumph when the
crown of eternal life is given to the unwavering believer.
Jesus
came to atone (pay the price) for human sin and rebellion. He was crucified
because he stood for what was true spiritual worship. He castigated the
ceremonialism of the Pharisees and taught against the hypocrisy of the priests
and religious people of his time. He taught the Samaritan woman that people
need not pursue God in earthly temples at Jerusalem and Samaria, but should
worship God in truth and spirit. He promised that he would destroy the earthly
temple and rebuild it in three days. Jesus battled sin and evil, and died for
the sinful. After the ministry of Jesus and his sacrificial death, sinful
humanity has found favor with God. So, what next after salvation? The saved of
God hope for heavenly rewards, the greatest of which is eternal bliss.
Salvation justifies us and makes us worthy of those rewards. When we receive
our rewards we are glorified. We shine as members of God’s holy family. We see God
because we are like him and we enjoy his company and radiate in his glorious
presence forever. Salvation makes us just and holy, but glorification is the
reception of our heavenly crowns. Therefore, after salvation come
glorification, after grace come crowns, and after Jesus comes Baba Simeo.
Salvation ministry is fulfilled in the glorification ministry.
Baba
Simeo is the Glory of God
The
Glory of God is holiness (Romans 3:24), devouring fire (Exodus 24:17), radiating
presence (Hebrews 1:3; Revelation 21:11), cloud that fills the tabernacle
(Exodus 40:34-35), and God’s
very presence (John 17:4-5). Baba Simeo’s ministry was a ministry of the faithful of God. The
radiating presence of God and the devouring fire of the glorified presence of
the saints marked Baba Simeo’s
ministry. He came to glorify the saints and the heavenly family of God in order
to bring those on earth to the realization that they too can be glorified. Baba
Simeo not only taught that all the holy people of God were alive in eternity
with God, but also affirmed that all the holy ones are active in the Kingdom of
God. Instead of dominating his ministry by himself, he allowed God’s saints and angels to
dominate.
For
instance, the Holy Spirit that he gave Legio Marias was characteristically a
spiritual possession and communion with different saints and angels. Angel
Michael is active in Legio Maria’s Order of the Michaels while St. Catherine is active
in Legio Maria’s
Order of the Catherine. Abraham heads the Order of Letters while Joseph heads
the Order of Checking. Saints like Agatha, George, David, Samson, Paul, Titus,
Peter, and James, among thousands of other saints, also feature prominently. Furthermore,
Virgin Mary is the most prominent of the saints in Baba Simeo’s ministry, even
existing physically as Mama Maria. In addition, Baba Simeo made glorified
saints of his African converts. Philip Odero, Mumbo Carilus, Petro Otieno, Tobias
Oongo, Timotheo Atila, and Silvester Okweto are among the glorified African
saints. They have even spiritually ministered to Legio Marias after their
bodily deaths.
Baba
Simeo has made life after death a reality. He has not revealed this in words of
hope, but has brought all those justified and glorified people of God to
minister to the world. In Legio Maria, we know that God has made his promise of
eternal life real to the many who labored in the past. We who live in the
present not only hope for a heavenly paradise, but we also have the strongest
evidence of our spiritual existence after bodily death. The ministry of our
dead brethren such as that of Atila Timotheo, Tobias Oongo, Silvester Okweto,
and other Legio Maria saints points to us that we who are alive on earth are
not toiling in vain. We are indeed going to meet our Lord, to receive our
crowns, and to be with God forever!