Day 2 of The 42nd Anniversary Novena to Our Lady The Queen of Peace

Day 2 of The 42nd Anniversary Novena to Our Lady The Queen of Peace

2nd day: We pray for all Priests who Minister at the Sanctuary

Let us pray for all the priests who have ministered in Medjugorje in the past and for all who will come in the future, and for all those who come as spiritual guides and help to minister the Sacraments to the millions who journey to Medjugorje each year.
(We will pray specifically for Archbishop Hoser, the Pope's Official Emissary and Apostolic Visitor in Medjugorje, on Day 4 of the Novena, when we pray for the leaders of the Church).

Father Jozo Zovko 

Brief history and the importance of the First Pastor

"Fr. Jozo Zovko was the recently appointed pastor of St. James parish in Medjugorje, and he initially did not believe the story that his young parishioners were telling everyone, and wondered why everyone was going to the hill, when they should really be in the church praying. He struggled with how to handle this situation, which he viewed as dangerous, because in Communist Yugoslavia it was well known that people could be imprisoned and even killed, simply for publicly expressing their faith as Catholics.  

The Persecution 
The Yugoslav Communist authorities heard about these events within a matter of days, and immediately came to Medjugorje to put a stop to what they considered to be dangerous, anti-Communist gatherings. Public expressions of faith were strictly forbidden in Communist Yugoslavia, and the Communists would not tolerate thousands of people gathering daily on a hill to pray because of some alleged “apparitions.” The police subjected the children to intense scrutiny, extensive questioning, threats and persecution. The Communists threatened them, their families and all their loved ones, but despite all that, the visionaries never wavered in their story. One day, the Communists wanted to take the visionaries in for additional questioning, but the terrified children ran away from them, running through the tobacco fields and vineyards, towards the direction of St. James Church. The Communist police were chasing them. At the same time, Fr. Jozo was alone inside the church, praying about how to handle the situation that was developing on the hill. As he was contemplating this, he heard the audible voice of a woman, who said to him “go out and protect the children.” Fr. Jozo immediately got up and stood in front of the church, and at that exact time, the visionaries came running to him from the fields and gathered around him, begging him to protect them from the Communists who were chasing them. Fr. Jozo hid the children in the rectory basement. From that point on, Fr. Jozo became a fervent believer in these events, and was an incredible source of hope and inspiration to the multitudes who were coming to Medjugorje daily.The Communists couldn’t seem to put a stop to the events happening on the hill, so they decided to forbid the people from climbing the hill, thinking that if the people could not climb the hill to go to the place of the apparitions, then these treasonous events would come to a stop. They encircled the hill
with guard dogs and soldiers and prohibited everyone from going up the hill. As a result, the children began having their apparitions in their homes and other secret places. The multitudes of people who had been gathering on the hill every evening still wanted to spend that time in prayer so, because they could no longer go to the hill, the people began gathering in the church. 

The Evening Program of Prayer

When the overflowing crowds started gathering in the church, Fr. Jozo had to offer something to them, so he created an evening program of prayer, which included the Rosary, Mass, Adoration, opportunities for Confession, and other prayers. The official program lasted 3-4 hours every night, but people wanted more! They would stay in the church until midnight or later, longing for the spiritual content they were discovering through the apparitions of Our Lady. Fr. Jozo’s preaching was powerful, filled with the Spirit, and deeply inspiring! His homilies would sometimes last 45 minutes, but everyone would be sad when he finished preaching, because they could not get enough of his powerful words and soul stirring preaching. That evening program of prayer which was started by Fr. Jozo Zovko continues to this day and is the heart and soul of the spiritual life of Medjugorje. 

The Arrest 

The Communists viewed Fr. Jozo to be as great of a threat as the visionaries and with their tale of the apparitions. One day, about seven weeks after the apparitions began, the Communists arrested Fr. Jozo. He was put on trial for treason, convicted, and given a prison sentence of 3 ½ years. He was treated harshly during his imprisonment, sometimes even being subjected to torture. He was eventually released from prison after 1 ½ years, due to pressure from the Vatican." https://www.tektonministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Medjugorje-Guide.pdf

Dr. Father Slavko Barbaric, OFM

"Father Slavko Barbaric died on November 24, 2000 at 3.30 p.m. After the Way of the Cross, that he animated usually every Friday on the Hill of Krizevac for parishioners and pilgrims, he felt some pain. He sat down on a rock, then lay down on the ground, lost consciousness and gave his soul over to the Lord.
Father Slavko Barbaric was born on March 11, 1946 ...and obtained his doctorate in religious pedagogy and the title of psychotherapist.
As Franciscan priest, he was in Capljina from 1973 to 1978. From the spring of 1982 to September 1984, he was chaplain for students at Mostar, and he held retreats in the house of religious sisters at Bijelo Polje near Mostar. His fruitful work with the students and his retreats very well accepted by the students, however, the Communist government in power at that time persecuted him. In those difficult moments, his eminence, Cardinal Franjo Kuharic, protected father Slavko’s mission.
Thanks to his knowledge of the main European language and despite his numerous obligations in different parishes, Father Slavko put himself ceaselessly at the service of Medjugorje pilgrims from the time he finished his studies and came back to the country in 1982. He was officially sent to Medjugorje in 1983.
At the beginning of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, when all elderly friars were exiled to Tucepi, with the oral accord of + father Drago Tolj, former provincial, father Slavko remained at Medjugorje.
From the very beginning of his mission in Medjugorje, father Slavko has been writing spiritual books: «Pray With the Heart», «Give Me Your Wounded Heart», «Celebrate Mass With the Heart», «In the School of Love», «Adore my Son With the Heart», «With Jesus and Mary Climbing the Golgotha to Meet the Risen Lord», «Pray Together with a Joyful Heart», Interviews, and «Fast With the Heart», which is now in print. Fr. Slavko Barbaric’s books have been translated in twenty languages and more than 20 million copies have been printed in the whole world. He published also numerous articles in various publications...
He gave unceasingly conferences for pilgrims, animated adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, veneration of the Cross, the rosary up the Apparition Hill, the Way of the Cross on the Mount Krizevac, where he finished his earthly life.
He animated annual meetings for priests and youth, in the prayer house of the Franciscan province “Domus Pacis” he animated “Fasting and prayer retreats”.
The destructions of the war inspired him to found and lead an institution for the education and care of the young, the “Mother’s Village”, where more than 60 persons have found their home (war orphans, children from separated families, unwed mothers, elderly abandoned persons and sick children). If there was a man who loved children, it was Fr. Slavko. Children loved him in return: they always gathered around him and he knew always how to gather them – just like Jesus!
His psychotherapeutic formation and education allowed him to work with drug addicts in the Community of the Cenacolo, founded by Sister Elvira, mostly in their house in Medjugorje, “Campo della vita”. He oriented the help received from the whole world in two directions: “Foundation for children of deceased defenders” who died during the war, and “Foundation of friends of talents” to help students.
... Father Slavko Barbaric has travelled throughout the whole world, spreading the message of peace and reconciliation of Our Lady. He was the soul and the heart of the peace movement born in Medjugorje 19 1/2 years ago. He had wonderful gifts: knowledge of languages, facility of communicating with people, education, simplicity, care for human beings in need, inexhaustible energy – one could not believe that one single man could have it, diligence, and above all piety, humility, charity. He prayed and he fasted a lot, he loved Our Lady with a childlike love. It was, in fact, the essence of his life: through prayer and fasting to take souls to God through Mary - the Queen of Peace.
It seemed sometimes above the reality to live near him – he was here, in the world, but at the same time so much out of the world. In his presence, the words of Jesus from his high priestly prayer became reality: “They do not belong to the world, as I myself do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, I sent them into the world. I sanctify myself for them, in order that they may be sanctified by the truth…” (Jn 17,16-19)"
Tribute found at the Parish of Medjugorje Website 

 Archbishop Henryk Hoser

“On February 11, 2017, the Holy Father entrusted Archbishop Henryk Hoser, S.A.C., bishop of Warsaw-Prague (Poland), to go to Medjugorje as special envoy of the Holy See. The mission has the aim of acquiring a deeper knowledge of the pastoral situation there and above all, of the needs of the faithful who go there in pilgrimage...” secretariat of state press communique:special envoy of the holy see named for Medjugorje

 As the Vatican Press Release made clear, Archbishop Hoser’s mission as Papal Envoy was to assess the pastoral needs of Medjugorje, for the purpose of future planning, so that the needs of the millions of pilgrims who travel to Medjugorje, can be better met. Archbishop Hoser’s role as Papal Envoy ended in May, 2017, when he submitted his report to the Vatican. 

On May 31, 2018, he was appointed by Pope Francis as Apostolic Visitor to Medjugorje, for an undetermined period of time beginning on July 22, 2018. As such, he reports directly to the Holy Father.

 “On 31 May 2018 the Holy Father appointed H.E. Msgr. Henryk Hoser, S.A.C., archbishop-bishop emeritus of Warszawa-Praga, Poland, as special apostolic visitor for the parish of Medjugorje, for an undefined period and at nutum Sanctae Sedis...”

 Archbishop Hoser remarked:

 “We call Her here, the Queen of Peace. ... Therefore, that honoring, so intensive here, is of the greatest importance and is necessary to the whole world. ... We need a Heavenly intervention. The presence of our Blessed Virgin Mary – that is this intervention. It is God’s initiative. ... Therefore, I would like to encourage and fortify all of you, on behalf of the Pope, as his Emissary ... Those who come here discover something extraordinary ...They discover a huge range of profound spirituality. We can see that devotion in Medjugorje is very Christ-centered

 

Archbishop Aldo Cavalli arrived in Medjugorje

date: 12.02.2022.

On the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes (February 11, 2022), a new Apostolic Visitor arrived to Medjugorje with a special role for the parish of Medjugorje for an indefinite period and ad nutum Sanctae Sedis - Archbishop Msgr.  Aldo Cavalli, Archbishop Vibo Valentie, and former Apostolic Nuncio to the Netherlands.

Archbishop Cavalli will celebrate the first Holy Mass with parishioners and pilgrims in Medjugorje tomorrow (February 13, 2022) at 11 am in the Church of St. James inMedjugorje.

On November 27, 2021, the Press Office of the Holy See published the news that Pope Francis had appointed Archbishop Msgr. Aldo Cavalli, titular Archbishop Vibo Valentia (Vibo Valentia - lat. Dioecesis Vibonensis), former Apostolic Nuncio to the Netherlands, as the Apostolic Visitor with a special role for the parish of Medjugorje, indefinitely and ad nutum Sanctae Sedis.

This is a continuation of the mission carried out in Medjugorje by Archbishop Henryk Hoser, S.A.C., who passed away on August 13, 2021 in Warsaw.

 Msgr. Aldo Cavalli was born on October 18, 1946 in Lecco (Italy).  He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Bergamo on March 18, 1971.  After his ordination to the priesthood, he taught literature at the Seminary, during which time he completed his studies in political science at a Catholic university.  Since 1975, he has been at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome, crowning his stay with a postgraduate degree in theology and ecclesiastical law.  He served in several nunciatures as the secretary and in the State Secretariat of the Holy See.  He was ordained a bishop on August 26, 1996 in the Cathedral of Bergamo.  He has been the Apostolic Nuncio to Chile, Colombia, Malta and Libya, and since March 21, 2015 he has been the Nuncio to the Netherlands and the Permanent Representative of the Holy See to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Archbishop Cavalli stands outside of the Church most evenings greeting pilgrims. His love is infectious! He is a joy!

Dr. Father Leon Pereira, OP - Chaplain to the English Speaking Pilgrims

Fr. Leon Pereira, OP, is the Chaplain to the English-speaking pilgrims in Medjugorje. He speaks with wit and insight as he shares his own amazing testimony and speaks about Our Lady’s Messages. 
You can find videos of his homilies, teachings and insights at Marytv.tv: https://marytv.tv/sanctuary-snippets-2/

This is a video of his testimony and the talk on Medjugorje he gave at St. Francis of Assisi Parish here in Wichita, Kansas.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUwVvuPr87Q&t=10s

Pastoral staff Parish of St. James the Apostle – Medjugorje Parish priest: Fr. Zvonimir Pavičić (Mostar, 1989) completed primary and secondary school in Široki Brijeg.  He graduated from the Catholic Theological Faculty of the University of Zagreb in 2017.  He was ordained a deacon in Zagreb on February 26, 2017, and as a priest in Mostar on June 25, 2017.  As a deacon, he came to serve in Medjugorje, and from his priestly ordination in the same parish, he served as parish vicar until August 2022, when he took over the service of Medjugorje parish priest.   See recent talk he gave to us here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-s0DB5wEPM     Parish vicars: Fr. Karlo Lovrić was born on December 12, 1941, in Uzarici, where he attended the elementary school. He continued his classes at the school in Siroki Brijeg. In 1957, he entered the Seminary and attended the classic college, first in Sinj and then at the Jesuit Classic College in Dubrovnik, where he made his baccalaureate. After he had completed his military service, he received the Franciscan habit and entered the noviciate in Humac, in 1963. He studied philosophy and theology in Visoko and Sarajevo, and then in Königstein near Frankfurt a.M., where he graduated and was ordained a priest on June 29, 1968. From 1969 to 1971, he was a spiritual assistant in Humac/Ljubuški, from August 1971 to the end of the year in KHM Zürich, and from 1972 to 1980, he was the founder and in charge of the Croatian Catholic Mission St. Gallen in Switzerland. From October 1980 to 1982, he was the Pastor in Siroki Brijeg. From September 1982 to December 1988, he was again in Switzerland, where he founded and led the Croatian Catholic Mission Lausanne. From 1988 to the end of January 2005, he was in charge of the Croatian Catholic Mission Zürich. In Switzerland, he was the National delegate for the Croatian Catholic Missions in Switzerland from 1989 to 2001, as well as the Provincial delegate from 1999 to 2001. He came to Medjugorje in May 2005, and he is serving as a spiritual assistant. Fr. Ivan Dugandžić (Born in Krehin Gradac in 1943). He attended high school in Zadar and Dubrovnik and entered Faculty of Theology in Visoko, but he continues his studies and graduated in Konigstein. He was ordained as a priest in 1969 in Frohnleiten. He achieved his Doctor’s Thesis in 1976 in Wurzburg and it was in Theology of Holy Scripture. He served in the parish of Medjugorje from 1970 to 1972 and from 1985 to 1988. He was also a Secretary of Herzegovina Franciscan Province, educator of young novices, seminarians, guardian of the monastery of Herzegovina Franciscan Province in Zagreb. He was professor at the Catholic Theology Faculty of the University in Zagreb. He writes books, articles and columns, he translates and participates in various events. He is also a member of the expertise boards. Manuscript of his book “Biblical Theology of the New Testament” from 2004 was taken as a university student book at the University of Zagreb. He is now parish assistant priest in Medjugorje since August 2013.           Fr. Dragan Ružić (Born in Sarajevo in 1962) He completed his high school in Visoko, and studied Philosophy and Theology in Sarajevo and Bologna, while he did his post-graduate studies in Rome. He completed his Magistrate Studies in 1997 in Salesianum with theme of influence of TV-advertisements on underage children. He was ordained as a priest in Bologna in 1989. He served as the spiritual assistant in Mostar and Tomislavgrad, and he was a Secretary of Herzegovina Franciscan Province. He was in Rome in General Curia since February 1999 until August 2013 when he was moved to the parish of Medjugorje.             Fr. Slavko Soldo (Međugorje, 1946.) He finished his high school in Dubrovnik, and started Theology College in Sarajevo, continued it in Trento and completed in Rome. He was ordained as priest in 1972 in Königstein. In 1973, he went to Custody of Herzegovina Franciscan Province in the United States, to the monastery of St. Anthony in Chicago. Soon he moved to Washington DC, where he studied English at the Georgetown University. The services he obtained in the Custody were as follows: the spiritual assistant in the parish of St. Augustin in West Allis from 1974-1975; the spiritual assistant in the parish of St. Cyrill and Methodius in New York from 1975-1977, the spiritual assistant in the parish of St. Jerome from 1977 – 1979; the spiritual assistant in New York from 1979 -1986; parish priest in the parish of St. Augutin in West Allis from 1986 – 1988; parish priest in the parish of St. Mary in Steeltone from 1988-1989; parish priest in the parish of St. Cyrill and Methodius in New York from 1989 – 1994. He was elected as the Custodian of the Franciscan Custody, seated in Chicago, in 1994 and remained at that service until 2001. He was the Provincial of Herzegovina Franciscan Province seated in Mostar from June 29, 2001 to April 2007. He was mentor of novices in the monastery of St. Anthony in Humac from September 18, 2007 to July 15, 2016. In 1987, in West Allis he founded and conducted “Croatian Religious Radio programme”. He established the Foundation for Aid to Victims of Homeland War in New York in 1991, and this Foundation was active all the time during the war. He was editor of “Custodian Bulletin” from 1994-2001. Ever since August 2016, he has been appointed as the parish vicar in Medjugorje parish.   Fr. Antonio Primorac (Stuttgart, 1993) attended primary school in Humac and secondary school in Ljubuški.  He put his Franciscan habit on July 13, 2014 in Mostar.  He began his theological studies in Zagreb and finished in Rome.  He was ordained as a deacon on November 21, 2020 in the cathedral in Mostar, and as a priest on June 29, 2021  also in Mostar, after which he remains active in the parish.         Fr. Jure Barišić (Tomislavgrad, 1979) completed primary and secondary school in Velika Gorica, Republic of Croatia.  He put on the Franciscan habit on July 17, 2011 in Široki Brijeg.  He graduated at the Catholic Theological Faculty of the University of Zagreb in 2017.  He was ordained a deacon in Kongora on December 26, 2017, and as a priest in Mostar on June 29, 2018.  He served as a deacon in the Monastery of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Široki Brijeg, then from 2018 to 2022, he was the parish vicar in the parish of St. Stephen in Čerin.  Since August 2022, he has been serving as parish vicar in Medjugorje. Fr. Ivan Hrkać (born in Posušje, 1996) completed primary school in Široki Brijeg and secondary school in Visoko.  He put on the Franciscan habit on July 12, 2015 in Mostar.  Graduated in 2021 at FTIDA in Zagreb.  He was ordained as a deacon on October 30, 2021 in the cathedral in Mostar, and as a priest on June 29, 2022, also in the cathedral in Mostar.     Deacon: Fr. Marin Mikulić was born on September 9, 1993 in Kočerin.  He completed his primary school in Kočerin, and secondary school in Široki Brijeg.  He puts on the Franciscan habit in Mostar on July 17, 2016. He professed the solemn vows on September 4, 2021 in Medjugorje.  He graduated in 2022, at the Philosophical and Theological Institute of the Society of Jesus (FTIDI) in Zagreb.  According to the decision of the Franciscan Province of Herzegovina, he was appointed to serve in Medjugorje. He was ordained deacon on October 22, 2022 in Mostar.     Lay Brother: Br. Josip Marija Katalinić, OFM, was born on November 22, 1952 in Pepelana near Virovitica, where he also attended primary school. He entered the Franciscan noviciate in 1989 in Humac, where he made his final vows on September 17, 1994. He was serving in Franciscan monasteries in Mostar and Široki Brijeg. Since July 20, 2002, he has been serving in Medjugorje.             Franciscan School Sisters Franciscan School Sisters are also active in this parish and those are: Sr. Blanka Vukadin, Sr. Robertina Barbaric, Sr. Mila Mikulić, Sr. Anđela Radić, Sr. Nera Glavas, Sr. Irena Azinović  and  Sr. Vesna Glavota. They take care of the sacristy and music ministry as well as for all other house works.

1. Prayer to the Queen of Peace

Mary, Mother of God and Our Mother, Queen of Peace! You came to us to lead us to God. Obtain for us the grace not only to say: "Be it done to me according to Your will!", but to live it, as You did.

Into Your hands we put our hands, so that You may lead us to Him amidst these afflictions and woes. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

2. Veni Creator Spiritus 

Experience adoration and the singing of Veni Sancte Spiritus in Medjugorje 

Come Holy Spirit, Creator, come
best gift of God above,
the living spring, the living fire,
sweet unction and true love.

Thou Who are called the Paraclete,
from Thy bright heavenly throne,
come, take possession of our souls,
and make them all Thine own.

3. Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary

This first video is a slide slow of music and images of the entire mysteries of the Rosary found in Medjugorje. There are no words. 
  

Texts for Meditation

SCRIPTURE

Jesus said to his disciples: "Amen, amen I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it." (Jn 14,12-14)

MESSAGE FROM HEAVEN

"Dear children! Today I am with you in a special way and I bring you my motherly blessing of peace. I pray for you and I intercede for you before God, so that you may comprehend that each of you is a carrier of peace. You cannot have peace if your heart is not at peace with God. That is why, little children, pray, pray, pray, because prayer is the foundation of your peace. Open your heart and give time to God so that He will be your friend. When true friendship with God is realized, no storm can destroy it. Thank you for having responded to my call." (Message, June 25, 1997)

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

"If you knew the gift of God!" The wonder of prayer is revealed beside the well where we come seeking water: there, Christ comes to meet every human being. It is he who first seeks us and asks us for a drink. Jesus thirsts; his asking arises from the depths of God's desire for us. Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God's thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him. "You would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." Paradoxically our prayer of petition is a response to the plea of the living God: "They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water!" Prayer is the response of faith to the free promise of salvation and also a response of love to the thirst of the only Son of God. (2560 2561)

4. The Litany of the Blessed Virgin

Concluding prayer: 

Concluding prayer: Lord, You are the only source of life, the only One who can quench our thirst for love and friendship. We thank You for Your humility in working through a simple man, a priest, giving Yourself to Your people in Holy Mass, in the Sacraments, in Benedictions… Today, we invoke in a special way Your blessing on all priests who minister at the Sanctuary of the Queen of Peace. May they further discover the power of faith through which You grant them whatever they ask of You. May they also become true carriers of peace, fruits of their deeply felt friendship with You. Amen.

The Medjugorje Hymn
To the Mother and Queen of Peace
Click Here for .mp3 -
We come to you, dearest Mother,
from all quarters, from all nations;
bringing to you all our troubles
ardent wishes, aspirations.
Look upon us and console us,
lay your gentle hands upon us;
intercede with Jesus for us,
Mother of Peace, do pray for us.
All the faithful look up to you,
you the lodestar of salvation;
cleanse, embrace us, we pray to you,
bless all in the congregation.
Bijakovo, Medjugorje,
little hamlets spread the story,
bearing witness to your beauty
to your name and to your glory.
For all your love, dearest Mother
all the wonders that we have seen,
we give to you solemn promise
to be better than we have been.

Complete Novena found here: 
http://medjugorje.org/anniversarynovena.htm

© Updated 2021. Janet Moore 2019. All Rights Reserved. 

"Dear children, you forget that you are all important." Medjugorje Lenten Homily by Father Slavko

Help for us to "Live the Fast" on this Friday of the Third Week of Lent

We cannot live our fast without prayer, or by forgetting that we are all important in fulfilling God's plans - for He chooses to need us.
This powerful Lenten homily about prayer, fasting and conversion was given by Father Slavko Barbaric on April 26, 1986 in Medjugorje. 
May it be a grace for you, and may we not forget to pray for one another and Our Lady's intentions this day, as we read and ponder Our Mother's words:

"Dear children, you forget that you are all important." 

I will read you last Thursday's message and try to explain it in the context of all the other messages: 

"Dear children, today I invite you to pray. Dear children, you forget that you are all important. The elderly are especially important in the family. Urge them to pray. Let young people be an example to others by their lives and let them give witness to Jesus. Dear children, I beseech you, begin to change through prayer and you will know then what you need to do. Thank you for having responded to my call." 

The apparitions show us in a practical way how to go towards peace and how to achieve peace. I think that all of us can find the answer to "Why am I here?" from this fact. Perhaps because I believe that this place ... has become a place of prayer, of fasting, of re-awakening of faith, where peace is found, where it is possible to live reconciliation with God and other people. 

In her first five messages, Our Lady said, "Pray." Since 1st March 1984, she has been giving us a message every Thursday. When we read these messages, it can be seen that no message is without this strong invitation to "Pray". 

Naturally we must ask ourselves why there is this invitation to pray. If you read the messages you will understand the reason. Our Lady repeats many times, "Pray and you will have all you desire", "Pray and you will have peace, a deeper joy, you will overcome your tiredness, you will have love, strength for reconciliation", and much else. 

Many people have discovered something very important here: that they can pray and that they have time for prayer. 

Many of us caught up in the hectic routine of our modern world lose the time to pray and many people excuse themselves, "I haven't enough time". It would be more honest to say, "I don't see the need for prayer." We can't see the value of prayer anymore. Thinking of all of us who wish to peace, wish to love and be loved, it is true what Our Lady is telling us, "Pray and you will have all of this."And what do we do? We leave prayer, we haven't got the time for it, we believe that we can resolve everything with our money, by our devices, and I don't know what else. This is a great mistake, also in the lives of us Christians. 

But when we discover the value of prayer, then we find the time for prayer and we start again to organize our life with God. 

This is our conversion. This is the significance of the words in the messages where Our Lady says,"Abandon yourselves, let yourselves be guided by me." 

In her last but one message, she said, "You are too preoccupied with material goods, and in these goods, you lose everything that God wishes to give you." 

In other words, in the first place in your lives there is not God, love of God, or peace; material goods take the first place. 

Naturally, if we do not meet each other through our hearts, but with our money, our muscle, our heads, then conflicts and wars must follow. I would like to explain to you that Our Lady has never spoken against our belongings, against our money or against our work, never. But she has spoken many times about changing our relationship with all our possessions and finding a new order of values in our lives. This is what the apparitions are for, to produce this new order of values in our life. 

God is not inviting us, through Our Lady, to lose something, but to change our values in the light of our faith. This is why Our Lady is always telling us, "Pray." Without prayer, this change is not possible. But not all prayer helps us to change our lives and to bring harmony to them. You know that Jesus told us not to pray as the pagans do, only with our lips, but to pray from the heart; seeking first of all the will of God and the Kingdom of Heaven and then all else will be given to us. Here Our Lady is inviting us to heartfelt prayer and asks that it be active prayer, that the words be active. She said, "I invite you once again to pray." 

What does heartfelt prayer mean? It means feeling the words of God in our heart and allowing ourselves to be moved by these words. Do God's words move me or not? What does it mean to me when God says, "I give you my love", "I give you My Body", "Here is My Word for you", and from the Cross, "Here is your Mother. Here is your son", "Be reconciled to your neighbor", "Love your neighbor, love your God above all else, love yourself, do not destroy yourself." 

If these words leave us indifferent and if we continue to find excuses it means that prayer is not active, it cannot move us, and we are closed. Or in other words, what does the Cross mean for you in your family? When you look at it does it invite you to love and to reconciliation? Does it help you not to blaspheme and not to use swear words? Does it help you to love your neighbor? Does it help you to accept Our Lady? To pray or not? 

If we continue to behave selfishly in front of the Cross, if we affirm that we cannot forgive when someone has offended us, then it means that the Cross is silent and is no longer speaking to us. Our Lady, by inviting us to pray, wants us to be touched by God's Word once again, and not to be afraid in the face of these things. Like a Mother, Our Lady invites us, "Do this and you will receive all that you need." In one of her message, she said, "I know that you want to live all that I tell you, but you are not able to do so because you haven't yet started praying." 

In this message too, we have an example of whether the word moves us or not; Our Lady said, "Dear children, you forget that all of you are important." These words said by Our Lady are serious. She is telling each one of us personally, "You are important."

Sometimes we talk about inferiority complexes in psychology; how many people, especially amongst the young, have lost the meaning of life, of sacrifice, of love and many other aspects and do not want to live life, and so the way is opened for drugs, alcohol, crime and all that is negative. Our Lady says to each one of us, "You are important." I believe that these words must heal our soul and our heart of every fear and worry. We are important for Our Lady and important for each other. 

If we accept this and begin to live it, who will dare to hate someone anymore, or with hate destroy someone? What parent will dare to fight or get divorced if they become important to each other, and if their children become important to them? Look how important what Our Lady is telling us is. In the Kingdom of Heaven no one can be idle because no human being refuses love.

So, if I make up my mind to love I will always have much to do. Do not complain that you do not have any work to do. You have work. Many people are waiting for your help, a word from you, and your presence."

In this message we have an example, “The elderly are especially important in the family.” Guided by this message, I often ask myself and I ask you too, when did you last tell some elderly person in the corner in our home, or in the family: you are very important? Perhaps because we have never said this they have lost every desire in life, and all joy in it. Many of them have lived in the belief that someone is of value if they work, and after retiring they lose the meaning of living, they lose joy, and they feel of no importance.

Look at how Our Lady is educating us, how she wants to open our eyes to each other’s needs. From my words, perhaps from the words of a young person, depend the parent’s joy: and from the words of a parent depend the children’s lives. So, you see how important we are to each other, the life of another person can really depend on me, on you. If we discover these values life will change and perhaps we will have a new chance to discover and realize the nonsense of our fights, our hate, our envy, of our being closed and looking just for something for ourselves.

Our Lady said for the elderly people, “Urge them to pray.” These words must be understood in connection with the last words of this message. “Begin to change through prayer and you will know then what you need to do.” Through this message, prayer is once again a way to discover that I am important, that you are, that each one of us is. Through prayer, we can discover what we must do.

In her last but one message, she said, “Dear children, I want to guide you completely.” Why say, I don’t know what to do? I am frightened. If Our Lady tells us seriously, “I want to guide you completely,” then we must give Her our hand. I am sure that by coming here this is what you want to do.

And now a few words for the young people. Our Lady is asking a lot from you. She said, “Let young people be an example to others by their lives and let them give witness to Jesus.”

If you ask me how to give witness, I say, “Try.” How can you be an example for Jesus? By testifying. Jesus has invited us to live a life full of joy, of love for everyone, a life full of peace and a heart ready to bring peace. Jesus has invited us all to forgive when we are offended and not to be revenged; He has invited us to develop the gifts we have been given by God, and this is particularly valid for young people.

You have many possibilities of developing them. In the life of a young person, all laziness, all letting one’s self go is really a sin against the Holy Spirit. Our Lady has suggested two day’s fasting and prayer; why? Not in order to annihilate us. If a trainer wants to get the young people in his team ready, he doesn’t train them to reduce them to nothing, but to prepare them in order to have a good team for the new season. In the same way, Our Lady is asking certain things in order to prepare you young people to be able to face up to life, not to make you tired. We elderly can also be young on one condition, to be young in our spirit and soul. Someone who wants to renew his life doesn’t lose hope and even if difficulties come remains youthful.

What does Our Lady want of us? She wants to help us to open our hearts to peace, be ready to live the fullness of life; then it doesn’t matter how old we are.

We must be ready to open ourselves in prayer; as I open myself when I am with a friend, so I open myself to God. If I don’t spend time with someone, I will never open myself up; and it is the same with prayer.

Now I beseech you all to begin to change yourselves by prayer. I have already told you that Our Lady is asking for active prayer; this means that she is inviting us to be changed. If we accept the Word of God with our heart, then it will speak to us. The condition required to accept it with a new heart is prayer. If you read the messages you will realize that this is repeated in other words in every message.

But there is another important means available to us and that is fasting. It is a specialty of Our Lady. All our cookery recipes have become very complicated, but Our Lady has remained just as two thousand years ago; She has not changed the recipes of her kitchen which she is suggesting to us in our modern world where we have everything available. She says: the ideal is bread and water. But the stress is on bread.

When we come to Italy we find your specialties and, when you come to Medjugorje, you find this specialty. Why: Our Lady is not asking us for fasting because she is happy if we are hungry. This is not so. This is the chance to live on bread and it is an aspect, perhaps the first which we should discover, the Eucharistic aspect of this fasting. By living on bread for two days a week we will discover how important bread is and by discovering our daily bread we will more easily be brought to realize our Eucharistic bread. This will come to us step by step, slowly.

Fasting has its own value; it serves as a means, it serves us for our faith, for our prayer, for love and for reconciliation.

In the Beatitudes Jesus said that those who are poor of heart before God are blessed. He did not say blessed are those who do not have anything, but those who are poor of heart. We can interpret this as meaning blessed are all those who feel a need for God. This is what being poor means, that is, open.

Today, the editors of ... a local magazine asked Vicka how Our Lady guides her, how she could describe Our Lady: friend, mother, unapproachable being from above? Vicka described her in the loveliest way, “Mary is Mother.”

Afterwards they asked her, “What do you like most about this Mother?” She said, “Her exceptional goodness and tenderness. She is a Mother who loves everyone and wants us all to be saved, the whole of humanity.”

I tell you this because we must understand that everything Our Lady offers us, she offers to us as a mother who has understood and taken seriously the words of Jesus, “Here is your son.” She has kept these words in her heart. They are words which have moved Our Lady.

If someone says, “She is asking a lot, it is not possible,” we must accept. Our Lady loves us, and this is why she is inviting us, and I am sure that by coming here you will have understood and accepted her voice and will wish to continue.

I am inviting you. Our conversion will never be finished. So, be patient with yourselves. Conversion means growing in love, in peace, and in the spirit of prayer and penance.

Who of us is able to say that they have already grown enough, cannot love any more and cannot grow any further in faith? 

(Fr. Slavko Barbaric - 26th April 1986)

First shared by:

Cathy Nolan 
©Mary TV 2019
https://marytv.tv

"Grasp the Seriousness of the Situation: Much of What Will Happen Depends on Your Fasting and Prayers!" Our Lady of Medjugorje's Call for Fasting and Prayer in Families

May Our Lady's words inspire and inflame us to desire to fast and pray - knowing that our very future depends on it:

“…today I invite you to pray for peace. At this time, peace is threatened in a special way and I am seeking from you to renew fasting and prayer in your families. Dear children, I desire you to grasp the seriousness of the situation and that much of what will happen depends on your prayers, and you are praying a little bit! Dear children, I am with you and I am inviting you to begin to pray and fast seriously as in the first days of my coming…” (7/25/91)

Father Slavko replied in an interview when asked why Our Lady didn't stop the war - [think of any type of evil, including the evils of our day]. 
He said, 
"She told us, without you I cannot do anything. It is the mystery of our freedom. It's like mother giving the car to the son and saying be careful - an accident is possible. 
What can a mother do more? 
So I see Our Lady the same.... God doesn't want to take away our freedom and the war is the decision of the people.
God's will is clear. Stop the war. Pray and Fast.
...The war didn't come because Our Lady came. ...
For example, we had the same situation with Fatima. After that came the Russian Revolution....
Our Lady knew what is going on and wanted to help us.
Who knows what would happen without her intervention here?" His words about this begin at 2:01 in the video.

Our Lady has been coming daily for nearly 40 years for a reason. 

May we grasp the seriousness of the situation and respond to Our Lady's call to fast and pray as she asks, for she has come to save us by drawing us back to her Son through prayer and fasting.  
Our Father isn't sending her to us on a whim, or for fun.
Her messages and calls are heaven's answer for our needs.
 
Janet Moore. 2019. All Rights Reserved.