Fr. Martin’s
reflection on - Our Lady’s Message
25th
October 2017
“Dear children, I am calling you to be prayer in this time of grace.
You all have problems, afflictions, sufferings and lack of peace. May saints be
models to you and an encouragement for holiness; God will be near you and you
will be renewed in seeking through your personal conversion. Faith will be hope
to you and joy will begin to reign in your hearts. Thank you for having
responded to my call.”
Dear Brothers
and Sisters of Medjugorje North East and beyond,
Our Blessed
Mother the Queen of Peace is with us. Mary Mother of the Church, star of
the new evangelisation is with us. As we say in the prayer, ‘The Hail
Holy Queen’, "Turn then most gracious advocate, thine eyes of Mercy
towards us."
The merciful
eyes of Mary are upon us, Motherly eyes, eyes full of compassion and
understanding, as this month’s message tells us. "You all have problems,
afflictions, suffering's and lack of peace."
Her maternal
heart understands, and she shows us the answer. " I am calling you
to be prayer in this time of Grace." What does it mean to be
prayer?"
In this
world, so exposed to evil, we may feel more our vulnerability, and thus also
the need for Motherly love. With her tender love, Mary accompanies and
heals us, and protects us.
Threatened by
so many evil forces today this world needs the light and hope of forgiveness,
the truth that sets us free.
Prayerful
people who in the face of insurmountable difficulties show by the light of
Faith the direction to God.
Prayerful
people who have a great confidence in recourse to prayer are those who in
seemingly hopeless situations, persevere and show us where all our answers are.
to be prayer means to have confidence always in prayer, in every situation to
believe that prayer makes the difference. Prayer like this makes a gift of
ourselves where there is bitterness and unforgiveness. to become Prayer means
to say with Mary, "Yes" your will be done, thy Kingdom
come. To become prayer means to reflect the light of faith and its
fruit in our words and actions.
"May
Saints be models for you and an encouragement to holiness." Who
inspires us today, who encourages us. At times witnesses can be lacking,
Christian witness can be shadowed. But Mary reminds us what we say each
time when we pray the Creed. " I believe in the Communion of
Saints."
Let us
reflect on the true meaning of becoming Holy. We must always
remember that holiness begins in the human heart. It needs to be a free
heart that continues to become increasingly free of the spirit of the world, of
the flesh, of the material. In this freedom the heart can then continue
to open itself to the Word of God and to his Spirit.
The Saints
are living witnesses to this openness, and to the Joy of Christian
living. They have become true and genuine people, living in the
Spirit. We know that they were flawed human beings, but who had a longing
for God in their own weakness and imperfection. they overcame these
things by the Grace of God. in the lives of the Saints, Prayer was
certainly first, and through Prayer their love for God grew, and service to
neighbour. So, like them, let us make a true decision for holiness on a daily basis, we must decide against sin, and against
the negative in us.
Let us turn
to the Saints for their Intercession, their help and encouragement, and with
Fr. Slavko let us Pray,
Lord we thank
you
for having
given us Mary.
Through her
intercession and through the intercession of all Saints
In whose
lives you were glorified,
we ask you to
open our hearts
to your Word
so that we
may allow ourselves to be taught.
May we allow
Mary, your humble servant, to guide us on the way to perfection.
Grant us your
Spirit so that we may come to understand what it means to have Saints as
an example.
Grant us the
strength in your Spirit to follow the Saints
and to reach
you one day-together with all the Saints and with Mary Queen of
Saints.
Through
Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Fr. Martin