Fr. Martin’s
reflection on - Our Lady’s Message
25th
December 2016
“ Dear children! With great joy, today I am carrying my Son Jesus to
you, for Him to give you His peace. Open your hearts, little children, and be
joyful that you can receive it. Heaven is with you and is fighting for peace in
your hearts, in the families and in the world; and you, little children, help
with your prayers for it to be so. I bless you with my Son Jesus and call you
not to lose hope; and for your gaze and heart to always be directed towards
Heaven and eternity. In this way, you will be open to God and to His plans.
Thank you for having responded to my call. ”
Dear Brothers and Sisters of Medjugorje North east and
beyond,
we begin this New Year
of 2017, with Mary queen of Peace, who brings us the Christ Child, the Prince
of Peace.
Let us recall Mary's
coming at Fatima, one hundred years ago, when Mary promised an "Era of
Peace", and let us remember Mirjana's words at the Youth Festival in 2012,
when she told us that the Blessed Mother had spoken to her about Fatima, and
that Medjugorje was “the continuation and fulfilment" of what Our Lady had begun in 1917. Mirjana added, "I can say that the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of
Mary will take place through the Shepherds." Let us thank God for this anniversary, and Mary's call to
be open to the Lord and his plans.
Mary is "Theotokos" The God Bearer. She tells us, "With great Joy today I am carrying my Son Jesus to you, for him to
give you Peace."
Mary is the cause of our Joy, for she who
is "Full of Grace" overflowingly lovely, Paradise restored, brings us our
salvation. Mary's Joy becomes our Joy, the Joy of the Children of God. Let us
ponder on this image of Mary carrying to us little Jesus, Prince of Peace. Gift
of Gifts.
"Heaven is with you, and is
fighting for Peace in your hearts, in the families, and in the world, and you little children, help with your
Prayers."
Mary is reminding us here,
that we are in a Spiritual Battle, and that we are not alone. "I Believe in the Communion of Saints, the Resurrection of
the dead, and the life of the world to come" we profess in
the Creed. Mary tells us that Heaven is on our side, "Fighting" -referring
to the intensity of intercession we have from the Angels, Saints, Thrones and
Dominations. St. Teresa of Lisieux said, "I will spend my eternity in doing good on earth." and St. Padre Pio said, "I will not
rest in Heaven until the last of my Spiritual Children have been saved." all the heavenly powers are coming to our aid with
Mary Queen of Peace, so that the reign of God's kingdom might be in every human
heart-the reign of Peace.
"I bless you with my Son Jesus, and
call you not to lose hope." We are used to hearing Mary tell us she
blesses us with her Son Jesus, and in the past, has called us to carry this
blessing to others. The first blessing that Mary gives us is her presence in
Medjugorje. Her Blessing flows from her Son Jesus. Mary as Mother gave
birth to Jesus and his name is Emmanuel-God with us. He came to save us, and he
is for us. He came to show us the path of love, peace, light and truth,
and to remove us from evil.
With Sin, came the curse,
with Jesus and Mary comes the Blessing. From the Hebrew, the word, "Blessing" also means gift,
grace and peace. In Latin, this word also has the significance of saying
something good about someone else, or to do good towards others. Whoever blesses
gives something and they become a new person for someone else. It is a
new relationship. When God Blesses us, then we know he loves us, and that
he is with us.
When Mary brings us God's
Blessing with the Christ Child then we are reminded that we have the gift of a
new relationship restored that was lost in Paradise by way of sin. we are no
longer under the curse, but under the Blessing.
Dear Friends in Christ, in
this New Year, a time of Grace, let us all become conscious in a deep way, that
we are Blessed by Heaven, and that we must carry that Blessing from little
Jesus and his Mother to others. Peace is the first fruit of this Christmas
Blessing that we need for all time, so let us open our hearts to the
blessing of his outstretched arms so that all distress leaves us and the Peace
of Heaven comes upon us.
A Happy and Blessed New Year
to you all.
Fr. Martin