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www.medjugorje.ws » Echo of Mary Queen of Peace » Echo of Mary Queen of Peace 188 (July-August 2006)

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Our Lady’s message, 25 May 2006:
“Dear Children, Also today I call you
to put into practice and to live the
messages I give you. Decide for holiness,
my Children, and think of heaven. Only
in this way will you have peace in your
hearts that no one will be able to destroy.
Peace is a gift that God gives to you in
prayer. My Children, seek and work with
all your strength for peace to win in your
hearts and in the world. Thank you for
responding to my call.”
That Peace May Win
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy
peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow
love; where there is injury, forgiveness
.
Thus begins the simple prayer attributed
to St. Francis. Peace is a rare and precious
good, not easily found in the world, and
even when it is found it is very fragile.
Such are the relations which govern
peoples, nations, cultures; and also cities
and families. Even within a person there
is often division. If a kingdom is divided
against itself, that kingdom cannot stand,
and if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand
(Mk
3:24-25).
From division comes ruin. The enemy
which divides cannot be defeated with
sole human strength. Similarly, peace -
true peace - cannot be conquered through
sole human effort. Peace I leave with you,
my peace I give to you; not as the world
gives do I give to you
(Jn 14:27) says
Jesus. His peace, the peace that He gives,
has nothing to do with our peace, which
i s f r u i t o f h u m a n n eg o t i a t i o n s a n d
worldly relations.
How can this peace be attained? Mary
gives us the answer: “Decide for holiness,
my Children, and think of Paradise.
Only this way will you have peace in
your heart that no one can destroy.”
It
is the only way, Mary stresses. To decide
for holiness means to decide to reserve
oneself entirely for God, to be wholly His.
It means to ardently desire to live in His
Presence. It means to orient all our
faculties to Him. It means to be no longer
scattered in the thoughts of our hearts (cf.
Lk 1:51), but to already hold our gaze on
Paradise: all things under Him, in Christ
Jesus, that God may be everything to
everyone
(1 Co 15:28). Thus, peace is a
product of this unity of Love, and is
indestructible.
“Peace is a gift that God gives in
prayer,” says Our Lady. Last month she
said. “You do not see God, but if you pray
you will feel His closeness.” It is precisely
this closeness, this Presence, that produces
this peace. Prayer is necessary so we can
relate with God, commune with Him, be
assimilated into the Son. Prayer is
indispensable because it is the space where
the Spirit acts, it is where He intercedes
for us, with sighs too deep for words
(cf.
Rom 8:26).
Prayer is listening and
accepting the Word. In the silence of a heart
in prayer, His presence is perceived.
Through surrendering ourselves and our
lives to God, we can walk on the waters
(cf. Mt 14:29).
Peace, however, is a gift of
God, and as such must be cultivated.
“My Children, seek and work with
all your strength, that peace might win
in your hearts and in the world,”
concludes Our Lady in a call we must take
seriously and responsibly. Each of us must
examine his own conscience to understand
which peace he believes in, hopes in and
bears to others. Each must ask himself if
he is putting into practice and living
Mary’s messages
.
This is the key that allows us to open
our hearts to Love raised up on the wood
of the Cross, whilst abstaining from
behaviour that causes division and spiritual
death that would mortify the Presence of
the Spirit in others, such as judging, or
condemning. Before the great banner of
crucified Love, we must withdraw every
other banner, and bury our humanity so we
can rise with our Lord Jesus.
Nuccio Quattrocchi
MARY’S GRAND JUBILEE
25th anniversary message, 25 June 2006:
“Dear Children, With great joy in my
heart I thank you for all the prayers that
in these days you have offered up for my
intentions. Know, my Children, that
neither you nor your children will regret
it. God will reward you with great graces
and you will earn eternal life.
I am close to you and I thank all those
who over these years have accepted my
messages, have turned them into life and
have decided for holiness and peace.
Thank you for responding to my call.”
Thank you!
On the 25
th
anniversary of the
apparitions at Medjugorje our Blessed
Mother has given a message of
thanksgiving and great hope for those who
have responded to her call. Could it be a
message of farewell? The message doesn’t
contain indications to this, and it seems
more of a report – and a positive one I
would say – of this long time during which
the skies have remained open over
Medjugorje and the entire world.
Above all, Mary has great joy in her
heart for all the prayers that were
offered up for her intentions
. This first
“thank you” by Mary embraces all without
distinction: those who prayed at the first
hour and at the last (cf. Mt 20:8-10). It is
gratitude for the rosaries offered up for her
intentions especially for the 25
th
anniversary. To pray for her intentions
should not scandalize anyone, for her
intentions are those of the Divine Will. She
watched her Son agonize on the Cross
without ever doubting the Father’s Love;
she felt the chill of death race through her
veins and never opened her mouth to try to
condition Divine Will. This wonderful,
unattainable woman is the perfect Guide
on the way of surrender to God’s Will. It is
this surrender that we must ask for in our
prayers and teach to our children.
Know, my Children, that neither
you nor your children will regret it,” says
Mary. Steadfast love surrounds him who
trusts in the Lord
(Ps 32). Those who trust
in the Lord are like mount Zion, which
cannot be moved, but abides for ever
(Ps
125)
. He who trusts the Lord will not suffer
loss (Sir 32), is safe (Prov 29), and happy
(Prov 16).
“God will reward you with
great graces and you will earn eternal
life”
continues Mary. This is eternal life:
that they know thee the only true God, and
Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent
(Jn 17:3),
where know is much more than knowing
that God exists, and that our God is the God
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, even though
this is already much. Not even knowing that
our God revealed Himself in Jesus is
July-August 2006 - Echo of Mary Ass., Admin. Bessica, PO Box 47, I-31037 Loria (TV), Italy. Yr 22 #4
Ph/fax 0423-470331 - E-mail: info@ecodimaria.net- A translation of the original Italian: Eco di Maria
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sufficient. To know God one must know
Jesus (cf. Jn 14:7), and we can know Jesus
if we stay with Him, live with Him: Have I
been with you so long and yet you do not
know me, Philip?
(Jn 14:9).
And us? For how long have we been
communing with Him? Can we say we
know Him? What do we do with His Body
and His Blood? Do we let ourselves be
regenerated and assimilated into Him, or
do we commit sacrilegious Communion?
The second “thank you” of Mary is for
all those who over these years have
accepted her messages, have turned
them into life and have decided for
holiness and peace.
These are as the good
soil,
able to bring forth grain (cf. Mt 13).
The fruit is holiness, and peace: God has
the seeds, but the soil is our heart. Is it good
soil? With the help of Mary we must plough
and till it and keep it such. Is it a bad soil?
Then let us pray to God with all our might
to make it become good; if Mary intercedes
for us it will be easily gained if it is what
we truly desire.
Mary’s presence at Medjugorje over
these 25 years has wrought a profound
change in many souls, and “the more the
Holy Spirit finds Mary in a soul, the more
active and mighty He becomes in
producing Jesus Christ in that soul, and that
soul in Jesus Christ” (Montfort, Treatise on
True Devotion to Mary
, #20).
Thank you Mary for your presence at
Medjugorje, thank you for your patience;
thank you because your intercession brings
down upon us the Holy Spirit who helps
us become true children of God.
N.Q.
Gathered Round Vicar of Christ
Ecclesial movements and
new Communities
Approximately 400,000 faithful from
around the world gathered in St. Peter’s on
the Pentecost vigil (3 June) to be confirmed
and sent to the fields of the Lord by his Vicar.
This 2nd world congress was summoned by
Benedict XVI, who followed in the footsteps
of John Paul II who for first had summoned
the ecclesial communities and new
movements eight years ago on the eve of
Pentecost.
When the great flourishing of move-
ments and communities came as a fruit of
Vatican Council II, the then Cardinal
Ratzinger acknowledged them as a sign of
the Spirit who works unceasingly within the
Church to make her rich with life and
youthfulness. He sustained those new forms
of lay aggregation which at the time
“weren’t to the liking” of many, and he
called them “hope of the Church.” Already
as a cardinal he saw in them a silent
efficacious renewal: a surprise of the Spirit
who overrides human planning to realize
God’s promises in wonderful ways.
Card. Ratzinger felt the need to open the
door and prepare a suitable place for this
newness of the Spirit that works
“unexpectedly, in unexpected places and
in previous unimagined forms.”
This
congress is a sign of progress towards the
goal of full “ecclesial maturity” hoped for
by John Paul II.
Prior to the solemn liturgy of Vespers,
Benedict XVI travelled in the midst of the
crowd, greeting and blessing them all as
he went; and was received with great
enthusiasm. The immense crowd of
participants represented a sign of diversity
in unity
: committed, each in his own way,
to the building up of one Body, and desirous
of being well integrated in the communion
with the entire Church, at the service of her
growth.
During the Vigil, the Holy Father
listened to representatives of the ecclesial
movements before addressing the crowd:
“The world does not exist of itself, it
comes from the creative Spirit of God.
Pentecost is not only the origin of the
Church and, therefore, in a special way,
her feast; Pentecost is also the feast of the
creation,”
began the Pope as he recalled
the first pages of the Bible that recounts
how the Spirit of God moved above the
waters of the abyss. In this context, he
spoke of man’s responsibility towards
creation which must be respected.
In his message the Pontiff stressed three
elements which can be considered both as
gifts and the “effect” of the Holy Spirit.
These gifts, for which we all yearn, are
inseparable from one another. They are
LIFE, FREEDOM
and UNITY.
“It is only in giving life that it is
found; life is not found by seeking to
possess it. This is what we must learn from
Christ; and the Holy Spirit teaches us that
it is a pure gift; that it is God’s gift of
Himself. The more one gives one’s life for
others, for goodness itself, the more
abundantly the river of life flows. The
Movements were born precisely of the
thirst for true life
; they are Movements
for life in every sense,”
the successor of
Peter clearly affirmed, contradicting the
dominant logic of the world.
“True freedom is demonstrated in
responsibility, in a way of behaving in
which one takes upon oneself a shared
responsibility for the world, for oneself and
for others. We do not do good as slaves who
are not free to act otherwise, but we do it
because we are personally responsible for
the world; because we love truth and
goodness, because we love God himself and
therefore, also his creatures,”
and he
highlighted: “The Ecclesial Movements
want to and must be schools of freedom
,
of this true freedom,”
also to warn
Christians against the “false freedom”
offered by the world.
On the theme of unity the Holy Father
said: “Multiplicity and unity go hand in
hand,”
twice underlining that “the Spirit
breathes where He wills… but His will is
unity. His unity encounters the world and
transforms it
.” He then called upon those
present to “take part in the edification of
the one body!”
and inviting Pastors to
ensure that the Spirit is not extinguished.
“Dear Friends, I ask you to collaborate
even more, very much more, in the Pope’s
universal apostolic ministry, opening doors
to Christ,”
which is the best service of the
Church to mankind - said Benedict XVI -
for the building up of the civilization of
love.
Ana Simic
The case of the Da Vinci Code
Seek truth in God!
by Stefania Caterina
Catholics, and not only Catholics are
asking themselves about Dan Brown’s
book, “The Da Vinci Code” the film version
of which was recently shown at cinemas
the world round. The book sold more than
20 m. copies around the world, and was
the number one seller in some countries.
The book, riddled with gross
inconsistencies and outright calumny, has
put in the mouths of its various characters
lies about Jesus, the Catholic church, Opus
Dei
, and the history of Christianity. Many
illustrious experts in the fields of history,
religion, and literature have entirely
confuted these, and thanks to this, there has
been a renewed interest in Christianity and
its message of salvation.
Of course this isn’t the first time that
the figure of Jesus Christ and Christianity
in general have become objects of slander
and attacks of every type. Jesus Christ is
and will remain a sign of contradiction for
men of all times (cf. Lk 2:3-35). It is not
even surprising that the mass media should
give so much attention to the book/film,
because we live in a time dominated by an
aggressively exertive media which plays on
seducing us, and the game seems to be:
“let’s see how far we can get,” as they
manipulate minds to create desires and
fears, idealizing and demonizing at
pleasure.
What does strike you is the fact that so
many of the faithful should come out so
confused and doubtful after reading/
watching the book/film. Readers/viewers
are confounded by the author’s claims that
he has based his revelations on historical
documents – but in reality they are not.
We ask ourselves, then, what
attitude a Christian should assume in
the face of such events, so as not to be
troubled by them.
What do we do in the
face of evil, of scandal, of deceit? How
can we resist against the attacks of the evil
one?
In his letter to the Ephesians St. Paul
says that the battle against dark forces is
a real part of the life of Christians, and he
points out the weapons we need for the
fight (Eph 6:10-20). Also at Medjugorje
Our Lady has taught us that a Christian
can and must fight against the evil with
the help of the powerful weapons of
prayer, fasting, and partaking of the
sacraments. She has never hidden from us
that we must be real Christians, which
means above all to witness through a
simple and virtuous life(style) that we
belong to Jesus, even when this means
going against the mentality of the world.
Also the Church reminds us of this
necessity constantly, and Holy Scripture
introduces us into divine life which must
be alive in us, and that does not fear trials
but is rather strengthened in these.
Without listening to the word of God,
without prayer, we cannot attain
knowledge of God or the life which He
revealed to us in Jesus Christ. God is
2
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found in silence, humility, and sincerity
of heart, which is what our Blessed
Mother teaches us. When we love the Lord
with all our being, He communicates
Himself to each of us in many and diverse
ways, according to one’s individuality and
circumstances, without preference. He
makes Himself present in our lives,
tangibly and unequivocally.
I think each of us has experienced
in prayer the consoling closeness of
God, and His concrete help.
To seek God
in profound and humble prayer means to
find Him. In difficult situations we are
given to experience the goodness and
mercy of God which are able to overcome
every obstacle, even that of our own
poverty. If we desire knowing Him (where
“know” is to “love”) the Father will reveal
Himself in full to us through Jesus Christ:
Way, Truth and Life. We will recognize
His voice; discover Him in our brethren,
and follow Him, our sole Shepherd who
neither deceives nor allows others to
deceive us (Jn 10:4-5). Having
experienced God as such, one could not
believe the lies that are said about Him.
Jesus had foretold to his apostles the
persecutions and the hatred of the world
(Jn 15:18-21),
and at the same time He
invited them not to be scandalized (Jn
16:2-3),
or perturbed, but to keep the faith
and remain open to God (Jn 14:1). I think
this is the true and only defence against
the attacks of the evil one who tries to
make us doubt the power of God and the
love He has for us. We are called to
remain faithful to the eternal truth that
lives in us
, according to what the Church
teaches us, and this is our daily task and
commitment.
No man can ever show us who Jesus
Christ is or not is, or what He has or has
not done. There are no codes to decipher
to enable man to know God and His
salvific truth. Only the Holy Spirit can
guide us to the truth of God (Jn 16:13-14),
who is eternal and unchanging, and that
has been revealed to us in Jesus Christ.
His truth elevates us and purifies us from
evil. It is through the Holy Spirit that we
can comprehend that Jesus is Lord and
Saviour, who died to snatch us from death,
and rose to give us new life. We need
only make the decision and change life
to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Our
faith will then grow and along with it, our
security, and we shall no longer be tossed
around by the fantasies of the world.
To conclude I think it necessary, in this
case, that we reaffirm the authenticity of
the Christian message which has been
handed down to us by the Apostles, and
taught to us by the Catholic Church. Not
only, but the opportunity to read what the
various experts have written in defence of
Christianity can become for us all a chance
to deepen our knowledge of our Christian
roots, and thus turn bad into good.
I personally believe it is also our duty
to live out the truths which Christianity
teaches, and to witness them. The truth
of God, when truly lived by the faithful,
will lead us to reject every lie – without
any particular effort – by virtue of the
power of this truth. It is a power that
unmasks evil and defeats even death. #
“Don’t worry too much over your
problems: let God solve them. Surrender
yourselves to Him!”
(Medjugorje, message
of 4 Jan. 1982)
“Worry, agitation and thinking about the
consequences of a fact are counter-
productive to surrender” (the Servant of
God, Fr. Dolindo Ruotolo, 1882–1970)
Do you complicate your life? Do you
worry, and fear? Well, our Blessed Mother
at Medjugorje has been teaching us for 25
years how to be happy. In 1982 she gave
us a recipe for happiness: “live a simple
and humble life… pray much”
(4 Jan.
1982), and added a piece of advice that
appears in many of her messages:
“surrender yourselves to God.”
We must have the courage to let go of
our bundle of preoccupation and problems.
I say let go because we may have the
tendency to hold onto it tightly, even when
we think we’ve entrusted things over to
Him, because deep in our conscience we
don’t really trust that anyone else could
solve it. Therefore, it takes an act of trust
on our part to let go of that bundle and to
deposit it in front of Jesus, and allow Him
to take it up into His hands - knowing that
He will take care of it.
Fr. Dolindo Ruotolo, a holy priest
from Naples, had an admirer in Padre Pio
who would sometimes chide his visitors
from Naples: “You have Fr. Dolindo; why
come to me!” Like Padre Pio, also Fr.
Dolindo quickly understood the great
value of suffering,
and would ask for more
from the Lord for the salvation of souls.
However, here in these lines we are
concerned with trying to understand what
it means to surrender, and we shall find
help precisely in the inspired writings of
Fr. Dolindo, who teaches that:
surrender is
changing agitation into prayer
“Jesus to the soul: Surrendering
yourself to me doesn’t mean to rack your
brains, to fret, and despair, then pray to
me with agitation, asking Me to follow you.
Surrender means to placidly close the eyes
of the soul, turn away from thoughts of
tribulation, and entrust yourself to Me so
that I alone can work, saying (to Me): You
resolve it.
I can do so much when the
soul - in its spiritual and temporal needs -
turns to Me, and says: You see to it…”
“JESUS, YOU RESOLVE IT!”
At Medjugorje we know that Our
Lady speaks on behalf of her Son: “You
want to change persons and situations so
you rapidly attain your purpose. Don’t fret,
but let yourselves be guided by me and
you’ll see how all will go well”
(4 July
1983). Instead, when we want at all costs
to deal personally with what afflicts us we
end up harming ourselves: “You want to
evaluate, inquire into, reason out
everything, and you give in to human
strength.. It is this that hinders my
words and ways…
Do not act this way,
but pray as I have taught you in the Our
Father; and if you tell me sincerely: Thy
will be done –
which is the same as
saying: You resolve it – I will intervene
with all my omnipotence and resolve the
most difficult situations.” (Fr. Dolindo)
This requires on our part a continuous
act of faith and great trust. From the pages
of the Gospel we learn that the Lord cannot
do miracles when faith in Him is lacking.
Do we really believe? Do we believe that
He is really God, that He is almighty? Do
we believe that He loves us madly, and that
He works miracles also for us, especially
for us? John says that the world could not
hold all the books if all His works were
written down. Well, Jesus works miracles
today too, but He needs our trust and our
faith in Him. With the writings of Fr.
Dolindo, Jesus speaks to you: “How I
desire this surrender from you, for your
own good, and how I suffer when I see you
so agitated! Satan wants precisely this:
to upset you and remove you from my
action
and throw you into the jaws of
human initiative. Thus, trust in Me alone;
rest in Me; surrender yourself up to Me in
everything. I work miracles in the
measure that you surrender to Me.
Also at Medjugorje Our Lady warns us
against Satan’s evil action: “Be prudent
because Satan particularly tries those who
have decided to surrender themselves to
God”
(24 June 1983). The Lord, however,
says to you: “Do you see that calamity
increases instead of declining? Do not be
upset. Close your eyes and tell Me with
trust: Jesus, You resolve it! And I say to
you that I do indeed see to it, and I
intervene and work miracles when
required.” (Fr. Dolindo).
Pray for us Dolindo, that we may obtain
in this jubilee year (of the 25th anniversary
of Medjugorje) the grace of faith and
conversion, and true surrender to God!
by B.K. Drabsch
* The Eucharist is the life of souls and of societies, just as the sun is the life of the
body and of the earth. Without the sun, the earth would be sterile, it is the sun which
makes it fertile, renders it beautiful and rich; it is the sun which provides agility,
strength and beauty to the body. Hence, it is not astonishing that the pagans should
have adored it as the god of the world. In fact, the sun obeys a supreme Sun, the
divine Word, Jesus Christ, who illumines everyone coming into this world and who,
through the Eucharist, Sacrament of life, acts in person in the very depths of souls in
order to form Christian families and peoples. Oh a thousand times happy is the
faithful soul who has found this hidden treasure, who goes to drink at this fountain
of living water, who eats often this Bread of eternal life! (St. Peter Julian Eymard)
3
Echo 188
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25 June... 25 years!
by Stefania Consoli
The air of Medjugorje is bubbling with
joy, faces are radiant, everyone is grateful
for being here for this important and long
awaited occasion: the 25th Anniversary
of Mary’s apparitions at Medjugorje.
Everyone feels grateful, even
privileged, as though each had received a
personal invitation. Everyone certainly
feels loved. It is as though the Gospa had
“arranged things” in the life of each person
to make it possible for him or her to be here.
It hasn’t got to do with favouritism, but of
being called. We are all called to become
apostles, mediators of a grace that is too
big to be contained. It is a gratuitous call
by God that ought not make us feel better
than others, but only responsible
administrators of a good destined for all.
So, on this solemn day each person has
become a vehicle of blessing for those he
has carried in his heart and prayer. Tens of
thousands
of people are present in
Medjugorje, but many more are those
present in spirit, who cannot be seen but
by Our Lady alone – and she knows how
to reach out to each of her children to bring
them the grace and blessing of this special
occasion.
Mary was here, waiting for us. No
doubt, she too was anxious for the arrival
of those who desired embracing their
Mother and receiving her embrace in
exchange. People came to renew their
“yes” and to ask for the strength to remain
faithful. Our Lady’s welcome, is as usual,
warm and generous. For each person She
has a caress, a word, a piece of advice, a
confirmation or a correction useful for the
journey ahead. Mary’s presence – silent
and eloquent – reaches out to every corner
of the earth.
Whole groups started to arrive here
days ago from all over the planet to live
with enthusiasm this event of grace.
Prayers in various languages can be heard
along the streets, in the houses, in front of
the statue and along the stations of the Way
of the Cross.
In the days coming up to the
anniversary the hill of apparitions was
crowded with people. In the early hours
of the morning people could be seen
climbing up, or sitting down to meditate
on the rocks made smooth by the
thousands of pilgrims who’ve been coming
here for the last 25 years. The Blessed
Virgin chose this inaccessible place to be
in our midst. It is a place which lacks
commodities and attractions but which
makes us feel well, with ourselves and with
the world – a kind of Mount Tabor where
one would like to put up a tent and remain.
The descent, however, is necessary
because the seed of conversion received
demands a response on our part so it can
become mission. And the best place to
verify one’s commitment is down in the
church in a heart-to-heart encounter with
Jesus in the Eucharist.
Every day Mass in the
various languages is
celebrated in the morning.
In the evening, before an
enormous Host exposed on
the external altar, amid
thousands of silent hearts,
the common language of
Love unites all.
The parish teems with
people despite the intense
heat. Long lines in front of
the confessionals tell of the
desire for reconciliation
which serves to create
within souls the space to
receive the peace of the
Queen of Peace. She asks us
to entrust to her Son every sin, concern and
burden, for it is the only way space is made
for Jesus.
In the air there’s a certain feeling,
everything seems simplified, though
pilgrim guides at times arrange days filled
with a hundred things to do which aren’t
always necessary. For really, the only thing
that matters is meeting Her, and for this
one needs time and rest.
At 6 pm the esplanade behind the
Church is already full. The Rosary begins
with the joyful and glorious mysteries. The
Hail Marys ring throughout the air, and at
the moment of the apparition every voice
suddenly stops, and hearts open to receive
the Mother. Moments of eternity dilate the
soul and allow God to enter.
On the altar there are hundreds of
priests from all over the world, together
with the friars of the Parish who animate
the services, beginning with Fr. Jozo Zovko
who was parish priest when the apparitions
first began, up to the present parish priest,
Fr. Ivan Sesar. And of course, it is the
Eucharistic celebration – thanksgiving par
excellence – that crowns this day of
celebration. Here, everything becomes
clear, and the response is given to those
who still ask the reason for Our Lady’s
apparitions: it is to take us to Jesus… in
Him alone is our salvation!
Then, at the end of Mass, the
visionaries lead the prayer of the seven Our
Fathers, Hail Marys and Glory Be’s. This
is followed by the third part of the Rosary.
One of the visionaries, Ivanka, received her
annual apparition today. In 1985 she
received the 10
th
secret and stopped having
daily apparitions. The emotion of the
encounter could still be perceived in her
voice as she transmitted Our Lady’s
message: “Dear Children, thank you for
responding to my call. Pray, pray, pray.”
What we have lived today we will
discover with time. Grace was very intense
and penetrated deeply into each of us.
Which fruits come of this depends on the
measure of our own response.
The sensation is that a phase has come
to a conclusion: a preparatory phase. Now
begins the time of action, which isn’t
activism, but full participation in the
movements of the Spirit to prepare for the
triumph of the Immaculate Heart. It will
be a silent, yet convinced, courageous and
radical participation. It is time for summing
up and drawing up balance sheets: what
has Mary told us so far, against what have
we done so far. What awaits us in the
future, and what can already be seen on
the horizon?
After all this there remains profound
silence in the soul, an absence of words
that “obliges” us to plunge ourselves into
the mystery and contemplate, without
trying to direct it according to personal
tastes and expectations. A way has been
surely opened: the way that leads to GOD,
to the Father, to union with Him, to the
fullness of the Trinitarian life where
everything is made clear and compre-
hensible. As we journey along it, we will
understand that we do not need to do
anything, but simply be in God and allow
Him to be in us. We must go beyond all
visions, desires and programmes, even
beyond the messages, because it is only this
way that He will be able to live in and
become life in us.
A new space will open up, in and
around us, where Mary will be alive and
visible to our inner gaze and will live in
our heart. Then, her face will emerge on
our own and the world will be able to see
Her.
So we do not ask how long this will
last; how long will the Virgin continue to
appear. We do not fear the end of the
apparitions because we shall be Medju-
gorje. The Mother will be in us; we shall
offer up our own lives, and through us Mary
will be given as a gift to the world.
News from the Blessed Land
The Grand Jubilee of Mary
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I WAS THERE TOO!
From amongst the thousands of
persons present at Medjugorje we asked
a handful to tell us about their
experience of Medjugorje and the grace
of the anniversary. We asked them:
“Medjugorje 25 years later: What does it
mean to you?
One of the doctors who
examined the visionaries
Dr. Giancarlo
“Twenty-five years later… I asked
myself the meaning of Medjugorje, as
perhaps we all do, and I think that today’s
liturgy gives us an answer. St. Paul says:
“You must become new creatures.” Behind
all the Blessed Virgin’s messages we see
how a new generation is emerging, but it
depends on our
response to Christ,
who is alive in history.
The Emmanuel, God-
with-us, is the answer
to man’s endless
searching. Our Lady,
after all, in one of her
earliest apparitions at
Medjugorje revealed
the meaning of her
earthly visits when she
said: “I have come to tell the world that
God exists. He exists. To encounter God
is to encounter life, and joy.”
A distributor of Echo:
Romano
“To be here in Medjugorje today makes
me think of the first time I came with my
wife and 7 children. It was in 1984 and it
was an experience not without difficulties.
We didn’t even have anything to eat, as
we hadn’t brought anything with us, and
t h e r e wa s n o w h e r e w e c o u l d bu y
anything. We thought we would have been
able to buy whatever we needed… and Our
Lady left us without food! However, she
did not leave us alone. On the evening of
the 4
th
August during the Mass my wife
took ill and we had to take her outside.
The efforts of three doctors could not make
her come back round. The children were
under an awning near the church. It was
then that Our Lady spoke to my heart. I
didn’t go to Medju of my own accord,
but to keep Dada happy. She had been once
and wanted us to go too. I remember that
we used to make fun of all her praying
and fasting, but in the end she got us to
come, and it was there that my conversion
began. I don’t know about the children;
they were respectful and observed. Inside
of me, however, was born the desire to
know why Our Lady had called me in that
way; and what she wanted to tell me.
My interest in Medjugorje continued
and I tried to follow the messages and put
them into practice – as much as I could –
and then one day there was another
encounter. It was with Fr. Tomislav Vlasic.
I had heard him speak in 1984 and on that
occasion I told my wife that I thought his
words corresponded to what I thought Our
Lady was trying to tell us. So from that day
I sought out his news and publications. I
kept them as I would a treasure, and when
he began holding public meetings I
attended, and it was from him that I heard
the echo of Mary’s call: to offer one’s life
as a sacrifice for the whole world. Since
then I have felt new life blossom within
me. The fatigue and danger of sin continue
to follow me like a shadow, but this
spirituality has dilated my heart and soul.
It is truly wonderful.”
A Family:
Davide
“Today, for me, is a departure. I
discovered Medjugorje 10 years ago, and
in the beginning I thought it was all crazy.
I thought it would have been my one and
only time here, but this is now my fifth
time. I’ve discovered that
Mary and the Lord
transmit above all a
message of love, and that
love bears everything,
and opens doors. That is
what I’m seeking to fulfil
in my life, even though it
isn’t always easy,
especially within the
family, with children…
There’s always need of a
word of love, but it doesn’t always come
easy.
Every time I have come here I have left
with a new heart; with a more serene,
joyous and happy disposition, but
unfortunately this fades after a while of
being back in the world that tends to “kill”
what we bring back from Medjugorje.
That’s why I think it important to come here
every now and again.
Here I feel the presence of Mary at my
side. I’ve never felt this anywhere else. I
feel myself under her mantle. I think that
in these 25 years Our Lady has shown her
firm will to save us, because in our time
the values of man are decidedly
impoverished. We’ve become ever more
materialistic, we judge others by their
importance, we’re full of personal
ambition, pride, etc. And all this makes us
think we’re happy, but it is quite to the
contrary. After these 25 years, I hope that
Mary’s visits continue into time, even
though it would be a sign that we still
haven’t understood, but it would be nice to
hear Our Lady one day say that we have
listened, that all mankind has listened, and
that her presence could therefore be less
frequent.”
Dedi
“At the strike of the clock which
marked this 25
th
anniversary my heart sang
its gratitude. All that has happened in these
last ten years prepared me to face a harsh
trial. Our Lady has been close to me and
has helped me to overcome it. Mary helped
me find my way to God who doesn’t
abandon us. He made me meet the right
people and at the right moment they gave
me a hand. Gradually, I made my way back
to the top.
Today I feel Mary urging me to
continue, and especially to be a good
mother, because in the meantime I’ve had
four children. Then, I was helping out with
bringing aid during the war years, but now
I have to be a good example for my
children. When they were born I
consecrated them to Mary, and now I have
to help them grow up for her.”
M. Chiara
“I’m 14, and the second child. This is
my third time at Medju, but this time I’m a
bit older and better able to understand the
importance of this place, and of what
happens here. I look in awe at the number
of people present here, and if they’ve come
it means there is a lot of faith!”
Marco
“I’m 9, and the thing I’ve liked best is
Sr. Elvira because she’s so nice. But it’s
really neat everywhere here because of
Our Lady’s presence. Things are peaceful
here, not like other parts of the world
where there is conflict.”
Benefactors, promoters of the
message...
Giancarlo
“When we first came there was nothing
here. We stayed in the families and were
happy with little. I see that today pilgrims
seek comfort, and perhaps miss out on
the essence…”
Luigina
“Here at Medjugorje there’s nothing
pretty that could be considered an
attraction. It is only the presence of Mary
that makes this place attractive and that
fills your heart with love and peace. All
pilgrims that come here feel good, and
would like to stay. When you go back home
you can’t wait to come back. Here I am
extremely happy!”
Michela
“I first came in 1988. I’ve been several
times here as a volunteer, and so I’ve spent
quite some time all round. Each time has
been a step ahead in the journey. Today I
feel it is useless to seek what I wanted the
first times, such as meeting the visionaries,
and listening to the witness of the friars. I
prefer to experience the presence of Mary
and encounter her in my heart. I also realize
that many new-comers necessarily seek out
those same experiences we’ve all lived as
first-timers, and it makes me realize how
Mary continues to call her children, and how
she is
here for
everyone,
and how
the grace
of Medj-
u g o r j e
continues
to flow
for all.”
5
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Luisa
“With Our Lady there is so much to
meditate. I feel we have reached a peak. I
came for the first time 20 years ago, and
today I feel truly grateful for the time
spent here. At first I was curious about
what was going on; today I feel the joy
and concern of Our Lady who wants to
nourish me. I thank her because she has
helped me change. Over these years I have
become less controversial, less aggressive,
and less critical, and I more easily accept
adversity because I have seen that the only
thing that counts is love.
I’ve understood that Our Lady works
a lot in people’s hearts. She calls each
person individually, even silently, without
others knowing - not everything can be
shared with others. Many people remain
on the superficial level, especially those
who don’t want to change, that don’t open
the door of their heart to allow Jesus in.
My husband and I began this journey
together; which is a good thing, as life as
a couple isn’t always that easy. When I
invoke Mary in moments of trial, she
comes and changes my husband’s heart,
making it more docile. I have practically
become a different person - and also my
husband. God is now of utmost
importance for us both.
I would like to thank Our Lady today
for everything that she has given us. I have
understood how she calls us personally to
become strong, and to become light for
the others. At least I hope.”
For the first time…
Silvie
“It has been very moving; a moment of
grace that I hope to take back home,
together with the peace. I was moved
especially by the people, their faith, by the
emotions.”
A pilgrimage leader:
Gigi
“I’ve been organizing pilgrimages to
Medjugorje for years, and I’ve noticed that
today’s youth - those who think they’ve
found paradise of one sort or another, but
which turn out to be false - are in search
of the truth. Many young people come to
us and ask to be accompanied, so the
buses I bring here contain many young
people. So this is our scope. Together with
other people we have offered up our free
time to Our Lady, asking her to use it. The
day we will not be of any more use, she
will make us understand. At the moment I
am at the disposal of people that want to
come here. Some are quite confused
because there is some negative propaganda
going around. However, those who come
are always happy. The young people, in
particular, respond marvellously.”
The Youth:
Matteo
It is an immense gift to be here. It’s a
call, and I even feel a bit privileged, in the
sense that I’ve done nothing extra to have
been called here, and besides, one receives
much more here than one gives (such as
the sacrifice of the voyage).
Personally, my wife and I felt we had
to come here for this occasion to offer up
our gratitude, because you see, we met at a
Medjugorje prayer group, and we
experience how Our Lady continues to help
us in our married life.
There’s a thing I’ve noticed. A lot of
people arrive, and
they come with –
shall we say:
worldly faces, but
whilst here they
acquire new ones,
with a special light
in their eyes.
For the future I
see shall try to keep
my resolutions. I also see how Our Lady is
preparing a people to bring peace to this
world that does not have peace. When a
family doesn’t pray it doesn’t have peace.”
Simon
“I have felt such a special peace whilst
here; and new vigour penetrating and
accompanying me. I usually come to
Medju by car, but this time I came on foot,
in the style of true pilgrims. It was
certainly hard with the heat, but I felt Jesus’
constant presence, walking beside me.”
A Priest:
Fr. Andrea, Pompei
“I need to come to Medjugorje because
it allows me to make contact anew with
God, to “tune in” to Him, and my soul
finds comfort and consolation. There are
no human factors that create this
atmosphere, not even the witness of the
visionaries, or the messages in themselves.
It is the encounter with Our Lady truly
alive and present, that opens the way for
the soul to enter this dimension. In this
encounter Mary continues to repeat the
words she pronounced at Cana of Galilee:
“Do what He tells you…” There’s always
the risk that our ardour is quashed once
we go back home. This is why I come
here often!”
And:
Anna
“I felt a very strong call to come here
and give thanks to Our Lady, also for all
those who perhaps didn’t give thanks.”
Giuseppe Ferraro Interviewed
Medjugorje for me!
Giuseppe Ferraro normally writes for
us in his column entitled “Return to your
initial fervour”
to help us understand the
themes contained in the messages of the
Queen of Peace. On this 25
th
anniversary
we asked him to tell us about the
importance of Medjugorje in his life.
Beppe, what does this anniversary
mean to you?
This has definitely been a moment of
extraordinary grace that has brought great
transformation to the way one relates not
only with others but also with God. The
grace of Medjugorje has brought about a
great transformation to life in its deepest
level. It has been a new birth.
When did you first come?
It was 1st June 1986. Medjugorje was
still at its beginning then. There was such
a powerful Grace that it practically
knocked you over, almost with violence,
and was impossible not to receive. I recall
that two things were made clear to me.
The first was that I had come home, the
home my soul was searching for and had
not found till that moment. I clearly
remember the feeling of “having come
home.” The second was that the Grace of
Medjugorje would defeat the world and its
logic, and all the demons that roam the
world trying to destroy us.
Was your response immediate?
Yes, but the “incarnation” of this
response has been taking years of
purification - a process that is still
underway. Time plays an important role
in this process.
So was there a spring cleaning?
There was a stripping away in different
moments - not without suffering - of a
series of false idols and false security. Even
external circumstances converged to help
this stripping away of everything that
wasn’t pivoted in God, who alone is our
security and foundation on which to build
one’s life.
Who is Our Lady of Medju for you?
She is a mother who accompanies you,
at times urges you on, as she drives you
towards that Easter passover that opens
up into the risen life, the new life. We do
not see the passover because it is as if it
were veiled; veiled by the original sin and
the logic of the world that darken our
vision. Ever so delicately, but resolutely,
she helps you to break the veil, to help
you see that it is only through love offered
up that you are able to find the way for
the fullness of life, of that life that your
soul yearns for so ardently. She wants us
to understand that it is only through that
passover that we can come into contact
with this life and be fulfilled.
6
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At Medjugorje much good is done;
what about wasted occasions?
For me Medjugorje is a place of intense
spiritual battle between the powers of
darkness and the action of Grace which is
expressed particularly through Mary’s
presence. The senses of the heart and soul
must be extremely attentive at Medjugorje,
and if they aren’t you can end up being
dispersed. This is not a place where you
find pious satisfaction for devotions. The
danger is that this powerful Grace in many
(even those behind the organization are at
risk) can get buried in the logic of the
Shrine, while its true purpose is to activate
a response in the many souls that Our Lady
has chosen so they can become yeast and a
vehicle for God’s love in the world. The
danger is in getting caught up in
devotionalism, and of not accepting the
dynamic of Medjugorje from which all
things are made fertile, and which gives
true meaning to Our Lady’s presence.
Do you see these 25 years as an
arrival, a stopover, or a departure?
A very important moment: an arrival in
the sense that Our Lady has lit up the way,
has given the grace, but it is also a moment
in which we are urged to become
missionaries and to understand that we
have been chosen by Mary for this
purpose. Hence, it is a moment of
departure, of a new mission, for the
Church and the world… in simplicity and
humility, but with a level of new awareness
that will be urged on also by facts at the
end when we’ll all have to take a stand.
You mean the sign that Our Lady has
promised to leave?
Yes, but also external events. Mary
speaks of secrets: an apocalyptic chapter,
we would say, of the message – a chapter
that is often shelved, but in reality is an
integral part of the message of the Queen
of Peace. It will be a time of unequivocal
witness, where there’ll be no space for
compromise.
You collaborate with the publication of
Echo. How do you see this instrument,
and its purpose?
I am convinced that Echo is one of the
instruments that Our Lady has chosen in
our time to bring to others not only the
message but also the grace, the living
water, that is flowing forth from her
Immaculate Heart. We need to be its
vehicles so it can reach the whole world,
and the Echo is one of the medias that Mary
uses to communicate the grace of
Medjugorje, not so much the news of
Medjugorje.
Do you have a word for readers today?
To open the senses of the soul and
recognize that Mary is calling each of you,
and to respond with all the generosity of
your heart. Her plans are plans of life, and
joy, and heavenly peace for each of her
children; all the more for those who place
themselves more directly at the service of
her plans.
*
The Call and the Response for the
Transformation of Life
also flees.
In the soul, space is thus dilated, to
receive light, joy, security and strength.
Once the decision is made to follow God
above and beyond all else, a new step is
asked of us. It is the same already taken by
those whom God called to open the way of
salvation: Abraham… Moses… the prophet
Elias… Mary Most Holy who was asked to
pass over from the impossible to the
possible, and she experienced first hand
God’s omnipotence. Her unreserved “yes”
to God (to receive the Son of God) ushered
in the Saviour of mankind into history in a
definite manner. In this passover every soul
blossoms in the omnipotence of God and is
fulfilled.
Not making this passover means to close
oneself up in what is human, in oneself, in
the egocentrism that takes on various hues,
and that can break out into satanic egotism.
This was the mistake of the young rich man
who desired “having eternal life” but who
was not ready to renounce the wealth he
possessed, so the “young man went away
sad”
(Mt 19:16-22). Why sad? He was sad
because grace had opened the passage-way
in his soul but he resisted. Grace withdrew
because he clashed with it and was left with
suffering and inner struggles and sadness.
He returned to his daily routine with a feeling
of defeat. Likewise, each soul, if it is not ready
to receive the call of God, closes itself up in
the darkness and in suffering. In the same
way also humanity, after having rejected great
graces, goes back on its steps to its condition
of slavery and becomes even worse, and thus
prepares for God’s judgement, which man in
his ignorance, calls God’s chastisement.
He who desires following Our Lady’s call
must be ready to take continual leaps ahead
in the faith. These leaps or steps are the
passover towards newness in God, towards
the entrance to man’s transformation into the
image of God. In the person who makes this
passover God manifests Himself and gives
testimony to Himself, just as He has done in
the apparitions of Our Lady.
Do you have the courage to make this
passover? Take the first step, then the
second… learn to walk in the faith. Lift
yourself up out of the spirit of the world
where there is always someone wanting to
pull you down. This person might be your
father, mother, boy/girlfriend, friend… Place
yourself amongst those who make the faith
journey together, where there will be someone
to help and accompany you, and sustain you
in your call… You need the support of the
Communion of the Church.
To give everything to God means wanting
to multiply one’s own good, to allow God to
transform everything and be completely
fulfilled. So there is no deception, but only
reward.
Renouncing self is the first step towards
the newness of life in God, who never
disappears. Choosing the Cross is to
renounce the bitterness of the crosses that
make up our corruptible life; this choice of
the Cross defeats death. Thus, one
Man is offered two fundamental
prospects: one is that of human science, and
the other is that of the faith. One should not
exclude the other, but it is up to man to orient
himself and become an instrument of
orientation for mankind.
Human science offers ample views on
the future of the human body. A magazine,
Focus Extra (24/‘06) suggests man will live
to be over 100, maybe 200. What will he be
like? The article suggests he will have:
“…artificial hands, legs, knees… also his
heart, eyes and bladder will be produced in
the lab, where technology will supply ‘spare
parts’ for future generatons.”
(Leaving aside the question of ethics) the
prospect of the faith goes way beyond, and
opens up for man a space which is completely
new, where life does not end, where there is
no death. Through His Resurrection, Jesus
speaks and witnesses to us about man’s own
rebirth and resurrection (Mt 22:30-31). This
is amply developed by St. Paul (1Cor:15),
and by St. John the apostle who announces
something completely new: “Behold, I make
all things new”
(Rev 21:5).
The best example of the prospect for
man-created-by-God is Mary Most Holy, who
was assumed into heaven, soul and body
according to God’s plan. Mary has appeared
to mankind various times, and she has allowed
herself to be seen, touched, and felt. She calls
each of us to convert and to enter into the
prospect of the full life. Mary has thus
appeared in the parish of Medjugorje,
according to testimonies by the visionaries
and many others.
It is not enough, however, that Our Lady
should have appeared. One must hear the call,
and respond to the call to attain its purpose.
God grants the grace and leaves man free to
choose. Man must develop and mature till he
can take his future into his hands according
to the prospect of God. This way, man puts
himself at the service of the transformation
of mankind. The renewal of humanity has
always passed through courageous people;
those who knew how to detach themselves
from the spirit of the world, choose the narrow
way, go upstream - thus opening the way for
the transformation of mankind. After the
courageous few came the people, en masse.
It is always in the faith that the passover
is made. Neither power nor wisdom can be of
help here. The way for the soul is not opened
for those who fool around in city squares
immersed in the spirit of the world, but for
those who sincerely seek in prayer God’s plan
and the grace to live according to His will.
God is above everything and everyone.
He is the fullness and perfection. In each step
towards the participation in His fullness and
glory, man will burn with only one desire: to
know the will of God and to put it into
practice. But this implies that he has decided
to strip away his old self and has chosen God
above everything and everyone else. The truth
of God is thus clearly revealed, and from the
soul all shadows, darkness, fears, and
weaknesses flee; and Satan, unable to find
anything in it to cling to, becomes irate and
by
Fr. Tomislav Vlasic
7
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Sped.Abb.Post.3/70, Aut.Trib.Mant.#13-8,11.86; Legal Dir. A.Lanzani; Printed by DIPRO Treviso
ECHO is distributed freely. We fully rely
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message of peace to her Children
around the world.
1. Personal cheques payable to “Echo of
Mary.”
See address below.
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3. If convenient by bank transfer into one
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progressively enters into the triumph of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary, and hastens the
coming of Christ who will renew the universe.
Mary, at the foot of the cross, is
completely united to the offering of the Son
and thus makes the definitive passover to
enter into the glory – soul and body – and
become an instrument: Mother of the Church
and of new humanity.
To offer God everything through Mary’s
Immaculate Heart means to give to God the
possibility of governing perfectly. Then,
neither sorrow nor humiliation nor death will
leave their bitter taste in you, but they will
serve for your transformation. Satan will not
be able to use you, nor hurl his hatred against
you; and God, through you, will speak to the
world, and open the way for mankind.
Queen of Peace, wholly Thine, to Jesus
through Mary!
Living Jubilee
We are celebrating the jubilee of the
Queen of Peace. It has not been officially
proclaimed, but I – along with many others I
think - strongly feel in my heart that it is so.
Twenty-five years ago Our Lady appeared
to six visionaries, but then – to use St. Paul’s
language – “She appeared to many! She
appeared also to you!” I hope that each of
you saw her within yourselves, and that you
recognized and welcomed her.
But today’s celebration is not only to
recall what happened 25 years ago, as that
was just the beginning. Today we are more
mature than 25 years ago, and in us there
should be only one desire: to want Our Lady
to be alive in our midst; that she not be
present just through visions, but that she live
here! We have to desire this, however, and
thus we must offer up our “yes.”
With her spirituality Mary brings about
a radical change in mankind. It was for this
that she appeared and said that these were
the last apparitions. This does not exclude
that one day there may be others, but includes
them. In substance, Mary has opened up a
new way for mankind.
But what is revealed Marian spirituality?
In brief it is essentially the living relationship
with the living God without the use of
methods or philosophies – and it is for this
that the simple motherly message awakens
receptive souls. Instead, for those who have
built castles within their heads, this message
is a scandal. That’s how it was in the Gospels,
and in the lives of the saints.
The Mother of God is in our midst! What
does this mean? It means that the Triumphant
Church descends from heaven; that to us is
manifested the life of a wholly fulfilled
creature; that our Mother desires generating
mankind.
The Militant Church (on earth) looks up
at the Triumphant Church, and in particular
looks up to Mary Most Holy as her model.
The Mother of God, who is fully united to
the Most Holy Trinity in soul and body,
comes to us, and wants to abide in us as
Mother - Mother of the Church - and we
desire through her intercession being
received into the glory of heaven. We want
to be instruments of her Love to spread the
kingdom of God which in her is fulfilled.
Fr. Tomislav Vlasic
Loving Countenance
(simple thoughts)
by Pietro Squassabia
The love of Jesus is merciful; it
abounds in mercy; it overflows with
mercy
. If you meet Him you realize it
because He emanates mercy. Without
mercy, it could not be Jesus, but another.
With mercy, Jesus loves all creation, each
person, and also His Father. Also the Father
loves with mercy, and the Holy Spirit is
merciful love. If it weren’t so, Love could
not reach us, and we would not be able to
feel, know or accept God’s love.
And if we want to love with true
love, we also must use mercy.
Without mercy would be to demand that
God were different to what He is; to
demand that others be different. It would
mean that we did not agree with the way
God expresses Himself in us and in others.
Without mercy we would not be able
to accept Jesus who comes to visit us, we
would not be able to accept Him as He is,
it would never be the right moment for His
visit, He would never be able to present
Himself in a way pleasing to us. Or rather,
without mercy we would not be able to
recognize Jesus who comes to us to give
us His love, but we would exchange Him
for a stranger, as an unwelcome visitor.
Without mercy, we would not be able
to recognize the face of the Father when
we meet Him in heaven, or that of the
saints, and we would thus be unable to
take part in the joy of heaven, as we would
not be attracted by that place of delights.
Mercy loves everything and
everyone, without distinction. Mercy,
which is the same as love, never ends, just
as love never ends (1 Co 13:8). Mercy is an
indicator of love: only if we are merciful
are we able to love. If we are not merciful
then we surely don’t love. Our love, in this
case, is apparent, fruit of arrogance, and
probably comes from the evil one.
Only if we use mercy are we able to
love God and our brethren; only if we use
mercy with others, and with God, can we
truly love. Just as on the face of a person
his personality shines through, hence does
mercy make Love shine through. So we
c a n s a y t h a t t h e f a c e o f L o v e i s
merciful.
If we see mercy, then behind
mercy is Love. If we see a merciful person,
then surely that person loves: a merciful
person cannot but love, and one who loves
cannot but be merciful. Thus, in heaven,
place of Love, I think we shall see merciful
faces everywhere, but we would never see
merciful faces in hell. If we truly realized
that mercy is synonymous with paradise,
and that lack of mercy is synonymous with
hell, how we would seek it out, how we
would like its company, how we would
prefer it to malicious judgement and
contempt of others!
Thank you Jesus because with your
example you showed us mercy. Thank
you for becoming similar to us and close
to us, even though you are God. Thank
you because with mercy you showed us
Love. Thank you because you placed in
us the seed of mercy, and you make us
able to put it into practice. Thank you
because you taught us that Love is
nourished with mercy rather than sacrifice
when you said: “Learn what this means:
‘I want mercy, not sacrifice’ ”
(Mt 9:13).
May Mary, Mother of Mercy, help us
to understand how to put into practice
Jesus’ words: “Be merciful, even as your
Father is merciful”
(Lk 6:36). May she
obtain for us the merciful love of the Son.
Then, we would understand that even the
best of our deeds has no value, and may
even be harmful, if it is not nourished by
mercy; and we would also understand that
every person, no matter how negative or
irritating, deserves above all to be treated
with mercy. And we will find that mercy
has granted us a heart capable of accepting
and keeping peace, so we can transmit it
to others, and to all.
My thought is that Medjugorje is the
greatest manifestation of God’s mercy
since the coming of Jesus on the earth.
Then, the Father sent to the earth for thirty-
three years the humble Son in the most
humble of conditions. Now, for the past
twenty-five years He has been sending in
our midst the Mother, the most humble of
creatures, the Little One. I can imagine the
glory the Father had in reserve for the Son,
and for the Mother, for that coming; I can
imagine the glory He has in reserve for the
Mother, for the Son and for the sons and
daughters for this coming.
So let us hurry to draw abundantly
from this fount of grace, and let us ask
that many people, that everyone, may
enjoy this fruit, even those who do not
know from whence it comes.
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May Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy
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9 July 2006
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