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

25^th January 2018

“Dear children, May this time be for you a time of prayer, so that the Holy Spirit, through prayer, may descend upon you and give you conversion. Open your hearts and read the Sacred Scripture, that through the testimonies you also may be closer to God. Above everything, little children, seek God and the things of God and leave earthly ones to the earth, because Satan is attracting you to the dust and sin. You are called to holiness and created for Heaven; therefore, seek Heaven and the things of Heaven. Thank you for having responded to my call.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters of Medjugorje North East and beyond, 

Mary Queen and Mother of Peace is our Heavenly Mother and our teacher too.  In the school of Prayer that is called 'Medjugorje', a school of love, Mary as Mother of the Church, teaches us how to receive the divine life of her Son, and calls us to the Gospel message of conversion and repentance.

Act of the Apostle 1: 12-14 we read of the situation of the early believers after Our Lord's Ascension into heaven.  Following the names of the twelve apostles we read, “All these joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the Mother of Jesus.”

Mary is the woman of Prayer and Adoration who gathers the first believers together around her in the upper room, and there they are joined in 'continuous' prayer.  Before everything else, the Church in it's very infancy recognises that it's path forward is determined in Prayer. So too, for all of us in the school of Our Lady, are called by her to enter more fully into the divine life of her Son.

"May this time be for you a time of Prayer."  Finding time for Prayer is not a problem of time, but of love.  if we only Pray when time allows then we may not pray at all.  Mary teaches us how to weave into our days the very rhythm of prayer, for Prayer is the key to unlocking all the graces from the heart of Jesus.  In the early days of the apparitions Our Lady said,”Dear Children, you want to receive graces, but without praying. I desire that you begin to work on your hearts like a farmer ploughing the earth." (1987) 

Let us make the decision for prayer out of love, because in last month's message Our Lady told us that only in prayer can we receive the promised gift of the Holy Spirit.  

"So that the Holy Spirit, through Prayer, may descend on you and give you conversion." 

Let us remember the importance of devotion to the Holy Spirit. Our calling upon the Spirit is fundamental to our Spiritual growth.  I would recommend the regular praying of the Veni Creator Spiritus, or the Sequence to the Holy Spirit, in this time of Grace. For three months now, Mary has reminded us of the importance of the Holy Spirit. 

Mary then calls us to open the Holy Scriptures, "The testimonies' will draw us closer to God. Let us take the Holy Scriptures and reverence them.  The Bible contains Gods own Word.  With a power to heal and to inspire.  If we start holding the Bible in our hands and reverencing it, Jesus will put a love for his word in your heart.  He will also Bless you and speak to you.  Trace over yourself the three crosses as at Mass, when hear the Gospels proclaimed, and ask the Lord to fill your mind, words and heart with the saving power of his word.  Place the Scriptures in a visible place in your home, and as Mary says, "The Testimonies will lead you closer to God."

"Above everything seek God and the things of God"

Dear Brothers and Sisters how easily distracted we become and lose sight of our true priorities.  "Above all else" says Our Lady, she wants us to recognise what is truly important in our lives, that is seeking God.  To seek him in Holy Scripture, to seek him in Holy Mass, in Holy Confession, these are the things that should be "Above all else" Let us search for him, call on him, seek him out, and make the Sacrifice to encounter him in prayer.  May we know earthly desires, Television, internet, endless socialising, shopping, etc, and recognise the moment to choose the greater good of Prayer and spiritual reflection.  "Leave earthly ones to the earth." None of us wants to be in the dust of the earth and in sin, so Mary points our way ahead Our dignity as Children of God is far greater, far more beautiful. For we are called to holiness and are created for heaven.  

Dear Friends, Mary calls us once again to have trust in her and to start again, because our time is growing short. Take time for holy Scripture, to Confess, to go to Holy Mass. We should not forget that these are Mary's times, and that she comes to us so that we may stay with her and find our way to Heaven.

St. John Paul II ...Pray for us

Fr. Slavko... Pray for us

Praise be Jesus and Mary, Fr. Martin