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

25th September 2020

 

Our Lady of MedjugorjeDear children,   I am with you for so long because God is great in His love and in my presence. I am calling you, little children: return to God and to prayer. May the measure of your [way of] living be love and do not forget, little children, that prayer and fasting work miracles in you and around you. May everything you do be for the glory of God, and then Heaven will fill your heart with joy and you will feel that God loves you and is sending me to save you and the earth on which you live. Thank you for having responded to my call.

 

 

 

 

Dear Brother's and Sisters of Medjugorje North East and beyond, 

Our Lady begins this month's message by reminding us of the length of time she has been with us.  " I am with you for so long."

The coming of the Queen of Peace since 24th June 1981 has been a gift to the whole Church and the world.  For it is out of the sheer free, Gratuitous Love of our Heavenly Father that Our Lady comes to us with the Gospel message of conversion. 

We often hear objections to the length of time concerning the apparitions.  Some say, “Why so long?"  or " What's the point of the repetitive nature of the apparitions?" 

Well here Our Lady shows us. "I am with you so long because God is great in his love, and in my presence." 

The apparitions have continued because of God’s Love, and His Love in Mary.  The one who is full of Grace.  

So, with Our Lady's coming we see something of the generous outpouring of the Father's Love and mercy through Her, for the whole Church and for the whole of humanity.  For no other reason but because of God's love! 

In the coming of Mary, we each see our true dignity as son's and daughter's of God.  The Father is calling us!

"I am calling you, little children:  return to God and to prayer”

To a great extent humanity has lost its way, and is wandering in an aimless drift.  The result is much disorientation and confusion in people's lives, and so the result can be to despair, to live without any hope or direction. 

Mary shows us the route map, how to exit the situation of drift.   Her call is for us all to return to the Heavenly Father, through prayer, like the prodigal son, " and he came to his senses."   (Luke. 15: 17)              

From the outset of the apparitions Our Lady has shown us how to exit the Crisis of Faith in the Church and the world today.  i.e. Prayer of the Heart is Prayer filled with Faith and Love.  The type of prayer that leads to the encounter with Her risen Son Jesus.  So, in the School of Our Lady we discover where all our solutions are to be found.

" May the measure of your way of living be love."  God is Love, St. John the apostle tells us.  The very source of our Faith is in the Love of God, made visible in Christ Jesus. 

When we are in contact with God we are in contact with Divine Love.  So, this same love builds on our lives, and changes our situation.  We can measure our lives by all sorts of means, i.e. success, career, family, achievements, how much money we have etc.  Whilst these things can be good, they should never become the soul measure of our lives.  The measure of our lives is Love.  The source is Gods Love, when His love flows into our daily living, we then know the real value of everything-the real quality and depth of living. 

" My vocation is Love." said St. Teresa.

" And do not forget little children that prayer and fasting work miracles in you and around you."  From the very beginning of Our Lady's coming she has placed Prayer and Fasting together.  On one occasion she told us that Prayer and fasting could even suspend laws of nature, wars and famine.  Prayer and fasting are powerful because together they purify the inner spirit of man and give us clear vision to see the things of God.  They prepare us for the coming of the Holy Spirit into our personal situation.  Our Lady asks us not to forget this, then we shall miracles.  If we are not seeing the miracles around us and within, maybe it is because our Faith has grown weak!  

" May everything you do be for the glory of God."  In all our actions we can choose to make it an offering to Our Heavenly Father for His Glory.  It can be something as simple as our daily chores, some penance, some Cross we may be carrying.  The point is to see nothing in our lives as worthless but having transforming power.  St. Teresa called this her  Little Way."  The smallest action offered with Love to God can fill our hearts with his life. 

The little children of Fatima said this with the offering of little sacrifices.  Do we want to experience Heaven on earth?  Then may everything we do be for the Glory and Honour of God.  

Our Lady concludes by reminding us why she is being sent in these times.  " To save you and the earth on which you live." 

It is for our Salvation that Mary is with us for so long  .  There is a connection between how we live our lives and the stability of the very earth on which we live.

Without Faith and our right relationship with God and neighbour, the sinful consequences of man's actions reverberate on earth. " Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." 

Our Lady does not say "The world."  But " The Earth."   

Natural catastrophes can be the result of man's disorientation without God. 

We begin the Creed with, "God the Father Almighty creator of Heaven and earth"   For it is only in Him and with Him that we can live in earthly Peace and Harmony.

 

God Bless, Fr. Martin