Fr. Martin’s reflection on - Our Lady’s Message

25^th August 2026

“Dear children, today I am calling you: return to God, return to prayer, so that you may become carriers of peace. Pray, little children, for peace that is in danger; and may prayer begin to flow anew from your hearts and from your families, so that, in joy, you may feel the voice of Jesus in your hearts: 'Peace be with you.' Be, little children, carriers of peace and prayer for all those who do not pray. I am with you and I pray for you before my Son Jesus. Thank you for having responded to my call.”

(With Ecclesiastical approval)

Dear Brother’s and Sister’s of Medjugorje North east and beyond, let us begin our reflection on this month’s message from Our Lady, Queen of Peace by listening to the Holy Scripture.

In St. John’s Gospel, (19. 20-22. ) We read how the Apostles following the death of Jesus were afraid and hiding in the upper room in Jerusalem. When the Risen Jesus suddenly appears to them he says, “Peace be with you.” Their Joy is so overwhelming, and repeats to them. “Peace be with you.” The original word in the Greek for ‘peace’ would have been, ‘shalom’, ‘May the Shalom of God be with you.” ‘Shalom means – the deepest peace of God.’ The Apostles then felt the voice of Jesus in their hearts, a voice that strengthened and prepared them for their Mission. “A voice that speaks of Peace.” ( Psalm 85.) This voice, who is the eternal word from heaven, Jesus the eternal word , speaks today to our hearts , and Our Lady calls us to feel this voice within us.

The word ‘Prayer’ is used six times in this message. The word ‘Peace’ is mentioned four times. The fruit of prayer is peace. There can be no real and lasting peace in human hearts if it does not flow from prayer. This is why the Blessed virgin has emphasised from the beginning of the apparitions the importance of time spent in prayer.

“Today I am calling you; return to God, return to prayer, so that you may become carriers of Peace.” When Our Lady asks us to return to God, we need to ask ourselves, if we have become distant from God ? If we have then we will have ceased speaking to him. In a very frightening way we see how far the world has distanced itself from God, and now experiences the fruits of that distance. The closer we are to God, the more we will pray, and become carriers of his peace. Let us think of the parable of the prodigal Son in st Luke’s Gospel. The one who had distanced himself from his Father, now, ‘comes to his senses’ and returns to the house of the Father. This is what Our Lady asks of us all, and the whole world.

“Pray, little children, for peace that is in danger, and may prayer begin to flow anew from your hearts, and from your families, so that in joy, you may feel the voice of Jesus in your hearts. ‘Peace be with you.’ ”

Thousands of pilgrims experience in Medjugorje the return of their Faith, and renewed prayer in their hearts. They throw themselves into the embrace of the merciful Father, just like the prodigal Son. They are healed of the wounds caused by distance and lack of peace. The long lines of people waiting for confession is proof that this distance can be overcome. Through Mary, Queen of Peace, God has come very close to his people, and pulls us out of isolation. In the joy of that encounter, the words of St. Teresa of Avila become real for so many people. ‘God alone is enough.’ God created the human heart for himself, and we cannot have real peace without our creator. The wars that are currently raging throughout the world, and the breakdown of societies, along with family breakdown, is a sign that we have to return to God. Our Lady teaches us that prayer is the beginning of this return. When Mary, speaks about ‘feeling’ the voice of Jesus in our hearts, she is reminding us the through prayer. God can penetrate the human heart and soul, then great peace can enter that life. In this way, the Kingdom of heaven can begin on earth now. Jesus has conquered and lived the kingdom of peace on the Cross. He overcame the hatred and enmity of those who mocked him, and returned it with love and forgiveness. In this sense we can all live the words of Jesus, as we pray them in the prayer before Holy Communion. “I give you my peace, a peace the world cannot give.” ‘My peace I leave you, my peace I give you.’ It is at the moment of the Eucharist that we can feel the peace of Christ, our union with him. Let us pray often, “You are my peace, my security, my fortress and my protection.”

So let us approach him, who has given us life, who alone can save and grant us peace. This begins with personal prayer. Let us make a personal appearance before God, and be alone with him. In this aloneness with him, we will experience a renewed inner life of the soul, a reviving of the soul, and a personal deepening of peace. By praying the Rosary with faith and love, by listening to the Word of God, going to Adoration, alone or with the Family, this closeness with the Lord should be created. Faith tells us that it is Jesus who is offering himself in the bread of life, the Eucharist, and he can be met there. One can also find the closeness of his Sacramental presence in Holy confession.

As Our Lady says in this message, we pray not only for ourselves, but for all those who do not pray. She is asking us to decide for prayer.

Our Lady finishes this message by telling us she is with us and is praying for us. In saying this she is offering us her protection. Let us open our hearts to her love.

God Bless,

Fr. Martin