The reflection of Medjugorje Message, August 25, 2005

In her preceding messages, Our Lady was telling us: “Live my messages; open your hearts for my messages; live my messages in humility and in love; be open for my messages; with a great joy, I am inviting you to live my messages; I am praying, that the Holy Spirit helps you and increases your faith, so that you can still more accept the messages that I give you here, in this holy place; live my messages and put into practice each word that I give you, let them be precious for you, because they come from Heaven; with me, little children, you are in safety, I wish all to lead you on the way of holiness.” This is the goal of Our Lady’s apparitions, of Her presence and of each word that She is addressing to us in love.

“God gave you a gift of this time as a time of grace”, tells us Mary. We have received everything from God as a gift: life, time and eternity. Often, we have the impression that time is running, that we have wasted our time. People often say: I have no time. And this is why so many live under stress, are tensed, nervous and empty. Each one finds time for what he likes. We deceive ourselves when we say not to have time. If we do not have time for God, this is the sign of our lack of faith, heart and love, not only for God but also for ourselves. Those who really love themselves will find time for God, for prayer, for the encounter with themselves and with God.

We ask ourselves: why do we have to live this strange life with all its difficulties and sufferings, sins and failures, before the door of eternity opens? If God is Love, if He is so good, why didn't He give us everything at the same time? Why such a long time, before arriving at the goal? God created us imperfect, not to make life difficult to us, but to allow us to have share in his Trinitarian life. God does not want that we only receive, but that we learn how to give too. Love is giving and receiving.

God lives outside of time, in the eternal now, in the bliss of happiness where He is missing nothing. From this bliss of happiness, in this time, is coming the Virgin Mary to help us, so that we can arrive where She is. God has not created us perfect, but He gave us possibilities, which we have to develop ourselves. God gave us free will, with which we can reject Him or choose Him.

The meaning of time is in the fact that we can progress and grow. The time, in which we live, can become for us a time of grace if we choose Mary and listen to Her, who is speaking to us. This is our chance for growth. Like Mary, saint Paul recommends to Ephesians, but to us also: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ep 5,16-17) Saint Paul has written to the Colossians: “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” (Col 4,5) We should not waste our time, because it is precious and limited. To make use of it intelligently and to take guard of it, means to redeem it. Each time that we renounce to our selfishness and choose love, we transform our time into eternity, in life, which does not pass. Love alone is eternal and preserves us from corruption. Only the time spent in prayer is a time that is made use of. Only the time used for God and for men - in love - is a redeemed time. Let us help the Virgin Mary to lead us already now towards eternity.

Fr. Ljubo Kurtovic
Medugorje 26.8.2005.

Source: © Information Centre "Mir" Medjugorje ( www.medjugorje.hr )