Fr. Martin’s
reflection on - Our Lady’s Message
25th
May 2019
“ Dear children, God permitted
me, out of His mercy, to be with you, to instruct and lead you towards the way
of conversion. Little children, you are all called to pray with all your heart
for the plan of salvation to be realized for you and through you. Be aware,
little children, that life is short and eternal life waits for you according to
your merit. Therefore, pray, pray, pray to be worthy instruments in God's
hands. Thank you for having responded to my call. ”
Dear Brothers and Sisters of Medjugorje North East and beyond,
In St. Luke's Gospel 15: 1-33 we read the parable of the Prodigal son.
Here we encounter the merciful face of our Heavenly Father. In telling
this story Jesus showed us the true nature of God. The Father who embraces the
wounded child, and clothes him in the garments of Salvation. Here is the
Father who does not judge, does not berate, but truly one who is
prodigal-extravagant in mercy. "The face of God is mercy" says
pope Francis, and Our Lady begins this month's message saying, "God
permitted me out of his mercy to be with you, to instruct, and lead you towards
conversion."
Our Lady comes to us as Mother of Mercy, sent with the Gospel message of
Conversion. We are the "Dear children” like the prodigal child
to whom the Father's mercy is bestowed upon to keep us on the road of
Salvation.
The apparitions of Our Lady at Medjugorje have their source in God's
mercy, which is why the place is called 'The confessional of the world.'
We are in a time of growth, love and mercy with the coming of Our Lady,
who continues, "to instruct, and lead you towards the way of
conversion."
There exists a real danger that we begin to think that we are totally
converted. Conversion is first of all a battle
against sin-sin in us and around us. Conversion is the constant turning
of our hearts to God, and his revelation in Jesus Christ. It is the
immersion of our whole lives into God's presence and love. Then we grow
in mercy, in forgiveness and love. Jesus tells us to be merciful as our
Heavenly Father is merciful, and to be perfect as he is perfect. This
striving for conversion requires a guide, and so Our Lady says, “to instruct
and lead you."
We need instruction in the Faith, in Truth and, we need a
guide. Mary is the perfect disciple, who walked the path of Faith, and so
she is also our Mother and Teacher. She is like a bright light guiding us
through the storms and confusion of our lives. Like all the saints Mary
was never idle on the path of Faith, following her Son, so we too look towards
her for hope in her instruction her teaching.
If your life has become confused, or you are worried then this is your
time for deeper conversion, to entrust yourself to Our Lady and her
teaching.
"Little children you are called to pray with all your heart for the
plan of Salvation to be realised for you and through you." Our lives are part of a greater plan and Our Lady calls us to co-operate
with God's grace. Mary asks us to 'pray with all your heart' a
phrase she has used many times over the years. To pray with all your
heart means to pray with Faith and Love, and with conviction and believing.
The salvation won for us in the Saving death and resurrection of her Son is the
plan that must become real in our lives and in our experience.
So, this means going deep into our souls and asking what it is that
blocks us from opening our hearts to God.
Our desire for God and Faith is suffocated at times because somehow, we
allow it to be suffocated. Our Lady knows how many people have lost their
inner peace, and their way on the path of salvation in our own times.
"For us men and for our salvation" we say in the Nicene
Creed' and we too become signs of this salvation when we pray it from the
heart.
"Be aware little children that life is short, and eternal life
waits for you according to your merit." The world with all its disordered desires is passing away, but whoever
does the will of God remains forever." (1 John: 2: 16-17)
Heaven is our goal, the completion of the plan. Eternal life is the free
gratuitous gift of our saviour, but we have to claim
this salvation, with God's grace, and our co-operation. Because as Our
Lady says this is according to our merit, we have to
enter into this gift with increased faith and love for God. The
experience of Heaven isn't necessarily going to be the same for everyone.
Our Lady is full of Grace therefore her sharing in the eternal life of God is
great. We will experience Heaven to the level that we are able to.
According to what we have merited in this life. That's why we have nine choirs
of angels, "There are many rooms in my Father's house." We have to
co-operate with grace here in this world.
Our Lady concludes this message asking us to "Pray,
Pray, Pray." So that we become worthy instruments in God's
hands. This threefold call to prayer emphasises the
perseverance necessary to be an instrument in the hands of the Father.
What a beautiful and sacred gift. Mary knows how we can so easily give up on
prayers or limit them to a minimum. A generous heart filled with
confident prayer enables us to become “Worthy instruments in God's
hands.”
God Bless, Fr. Martin