Do you want God or not? June 2, 2011 Message to Mirjana

Message to Mirjana – June 2, 2011

Look into your hearts dear children....

Dear children,

As I call you to prayer for those who have not come to know the love of God, if you were to look into your hearts you would comprehend that I am speaking about many of you. With an open heart, sincerely ask yourselves if you want the Living God or do you want to eliminate Him and live as you want.

Look around you, my children, and see where the world is going, the world that thinks of doing everything without the Father, and which wanders in the darkness of temptation. I am offering to you the light of the Truth and the Holy Spirit. According to God’s plan I am with you to help you to have my Son, His Cross and Resurrection, triumph in your hearts. As a mother, I desire and pray for your unity with my Son and His works. I am with you; you decide. Thank you.

This is a serious message my friends. I have written on many occasions explaining that everybody is an unbeliever in one way or another. When we lack faith, we are an unbeliever. Today Our Lady is affirming these words. It boils down to do you want God in your life or not. Plain and simple.

We do not comprehend the great grace that has been given to us in this time. Our lady has been with us for 30 years this month. Many of us grew up with her and nothing different that being with her in the world. it is almost a whole lifetime for most.

But Our Lady made it very clear at one time when she said, “when I am gone, you will lament for the message…”

What little importance do we give to her in this time.

How many realize that the sin in this world is so severe that we as a human race are unworthy of the goodness of God in our life. Jesus told St. Faustina that we could not even accept His grace if it weren’t for His love for His creatures, and special help from Him. And here again, the Lord in His goodness has sent His Mother to the earth to warn the people for the LAST TIME.

God keeps bringing to my heart the days of Noah. I do not like to be what many call a dooms dayer, but truth must be spoken here. The day of Justice is near. And by the tone of the Mother of God in this message, and the signs that are being given in the world, there is no doubt there is something looming for the world. What we are experiencing in natural disasters today is nothing and but a small taste of what is to come.

Our Lady said above…“Look around you and see where the world is going…”

Isn’t it obvious? The world is spiraling down into a cesspool of slimy filth. But remember, just like in the days of Noah, the people we still making merry and mocking those who believed until the day Noah entered the Ark, and the doors were closed. And they all perished in the flood.

God is offering a New Ark to His people for this time and for this generation. She is a refuge of Hope with the Ark of the New Covenant; the Mother of God. She once said in my prayer, that “all good things pass through her hands“. It takes wisdom to understand these words.

To keep it simple however, just look at the picture of Our Lady of Grace, and the rays that pour forth from her hands. She is the vessel and worthy spouse of the Holy Spirit. Every grace, every treasure from Heaven, every gift from God passes through her as if she were the bridge to heaven. Jesus once described the abyss that separates God and the Creatures. In this abyss His mercy fills the chasm, but we forget who was there at the cross with him praying.

I once prayed about this, and I saw in the abyss the crucified Christ who was suffering in great agony, and blood was pouring from His wounds upon the earth as the Father was above Him looking only at His Son. But beneath the Lord was Our Lady off to the side. As the Lord agonized all the more in His suffering rays of light burst forth from His wounds and poured out as if filling up the Mother of God, and through Her hands the rays were filled with color that fell upon the earth, and the world lit up like the sun.

He explains the difference here, as through His blood we have been saved, but we forget the cost and the price He paid for our sins, as atonement to the Father in the perfect sacrifice. This justice will have to be addressed in the final day to the Father, if we have not taken the cost of our salvation with seriousness. St. Paul said one must discern the body and his sins before receiving the perfect sacrifice of the altar in the Eucharist. And it is a fact that men receive the Eucharist who never confess their sins, or habitual sinners and taking the Lord for granted.

But with Our Lady in this image with Jesus Crucified, the sacrifice of Jesus united with her suffering softens the just anger of God. For the mother loves her children, her people, and has accepted her vocation in its fullness, and desires to bring the blessing of her Son no matter how bad or disobedient her children are. She wants to clothe them in her grace, redress them, clean them up, to make them presentable to the loving Father.

But my friends, guess what we are doing, when we do not accept this grace from Heaven and do not put to life her messages, or as the Blessed Mother just said “do not choose God’s way in this time”?

We are shoving the holy Mother aside as if to say she is not important enough, and boldly approach His Majesty, the King, the Almighty God alone without an advocate to come to our aide. And the ancient custom for this was death! WOE TO THE ONE WHO IGNORES HIS MOTHER!

This is a gift from heaven dear people of God, and those who claim to be God’s people. How would it be for you if you handed a gift to someone and they looked at you in the eyes, and threw the gift aside and said, “Oh, that’s nice…” and then just put it on the shelf or throw it away, ignoring the giver of the gift, and what was in the box!

Do we realize what we are doing? Stupid, stupid people! Wake up!

Why can’t we see this my friends. Why do we choose to ignore the abomination of sin and do nothing about it and remain silent? What is wrong with us?

Many may say that they go to confession, and are living out their faith in the best way. I see and hear this all the time. And I see at the same time the same people boasting in themselves because they are in their “own eyes” proudly living their faith. And I see the same people judging others because they are not like them.

But to hear these words of the Mother of God, it is not enough to talk about the faith or study the faith, it must be lived. There is a level of conversion she wants to bring us to, and she is very FIRM IN HER WORDS, THIS GENERATION OF PEOPLE ARE NOT THERE YET, as much as we like to think we are. And this generation is not speaking out boldly against sin.

We need to hear our priests preach the gospel. Not just tell stories that have nothing to do with the gospel. Jesus said PREACH THE GOSPEL dear apostles. We the lay need to be fed the living Word of God. Preach it boldly! And call sin what it is, SIN! Sin is an abomination to God. God hates sin…loves the sinner but hates sin. Jesus was kind, but when sin was committed He called it out, and shut it down! Then families can take what is preached into the home, and teach these children to be children of God. There is no more room for error. We all have a part in this plan. It’s time to buck up and walk the talk!

The human race is at emnity with its Creator, and is choosing to be its own God. You heard it above from the Mother herself, who of course does not speak on her own, but is sent from God to convey the Word.

It is sickening to me to see how people react when I bring up Medjugorje. Some say they want to wait until the Church approves it. For you dear friends who think this way…I will say to you boldly – it will be too late! The Blessed Mother has made that very clear. She said, “DO NOT WAIT, FOR THE UNBELIEVERS IT WILL BE TOO LATE.” If you choose to wait, and not to believe, you are counted among this number that she speaks of as “unbeliever.” There is no gray here. It will be too late.

Do we know that the apparitions of Rue de Bac have never been approved by the Church to this day, but we all still wear the miraculous medals? Are you still waiting for the approval of this? But the visionary St. Catherine was made a saint, the medal was struck in her time, and it was worn, and miracles occurred.

A Cardinal just recently said, that the pastoral plan of the Mother of God is not always the same as the Theological plan of the Church; (Lourdes for example). But the Church did adapt the plan, and still today people still come to Lourdes France right?

Today the pastoral service of the Church is to serve the people of God and help support pilgrims coming to Medjugorje. He said that Blessed Mother is giving practical guidelines to living out the Christian vocation. And that the Mother of God is THE PERFECT THEOLOGIAN. He affirmed that the Church cannot exclude Medjugorje but provide the pastoral support that it needs. These apparitions will not be approved until the apparitions cease or a visionary dies. Neither of these have happened yet. Cardinal Schonborn advised that God’s people need to be patient as God has been patient with us for these 30 years.

Parishes and diocese should help give pastoral support to those called to go to Medjugorje. This is declared from the Church.

Well, is God’s patience running thin? I think we only need to hear this message and practically think, YES IS THE APPROPRIATE WORD! I can see my self in this parental role telling my own child, when I have had enough of the antics boldly saying to them. Here it is. This is your choice right now. You either decide to do such and such or not. If you do not, I cannot help you and you are on your own. If you do what I suggest, then I can help you this way. From there, the child needs to decide.

This is where the Mother of God has left it for you. Not for the one next door, not for the one in the other city. It is for you dear reader. You decide.

The apostles taught about what Jesus was going to do to the Lawless one. This is the one who does not live the Law “the Commandments of God.” But is one who puts himself above the law, declaring he is a god, who in truth comes from satan. If we are seeing in truth, I think we can recognize many lawless ones in our midst who are declaring their own laws for the people. But the Lord will kill them with His breath. This same scripture says, that those who in alliance with this lawless one, the Lord has sent upon them a deceiving spirit that they would believe the lie. (2 Thes. 2)

Do we see what is happening here? The Blessed Mother says she is bringing with her the Spirit of Truth, that is the Holy Spirit that Jesus spoke of in John 14 and 15. She wants us to have the truth and to see the truth. Jesus said the world does not know the truth, but when the Holy Spirit comes He will convict the world in truth and remind us of all that He taught us.

Today is the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord. Today marks the beginning of the novena to the Holy Spirit, for the Day of Pentecost. My dear friends. beg the Father to send the Holy Spirit of Truth. We need it more than ever! And offer a Fast and renunciation that He may come to your spirit house in your body, that you may be a fit sacrifice to God. Ave Maria!

Come Holy Spirit, come!

“Christ’s call to conversion continues to resound in the lives of Christians. The “second conversion” is an uninterrupted task for the whole Church who ‘clasping sinners to her bosom is at once holy and always in need of purification, and follows constantly the path of penance and renewal. This endeavor of conversion is not just a human work. It is the movement of a ‘contrite heart’ drawn and moved by grace to respond to the merciful love of God who loved us first.” (CCC 1428, Ps. 51:17, Jn.6:44, 12:32, 1 Jn. 4:10)

Coming out of the Desert-Passion Week Reflections

Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me

Our Lady once said in Medjugorje, “Great is the love of God. I repeat Great is His love…” This coming week we will walk with the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary as we enter into Holy Week, mindful of the Passion of the Lord.

Take time this week to go into solitude and silence, and reflect in deep contemplation the mystery of man’s redemption.

These reflections are the beginning of the way of the Cross, and through the week, I will post the remaining reflections to complete the Passion of the Lord. Let us never forget all that the Lord has done for us. For we have been purchased at the price of His blood.

Remember also, Our Lady never left his side on the way of the Cross. She is always with us as well in our times of trial and stuggles.

At the cross her station keeping,
stood the mournful mother weeping,
close to Jesus to the last…

Opening reflection:
“Dear children! Rejoice with me in this time of spring when all nature is awakening and your hearts long for change. Open yourselves, little children and pray. Do not forget that I am with you and I desire to take you all to my Son and He may give you the gift of sincere love towards God and everything that is from Him. Open yourselves to prayer and seek a conversion of your hearts from God; everything else He sees and provides. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (4/25/02)

Day 1 – “The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward.” (Mt. 26:59-60)

Jesus: “Do not be surprised that you are sometimes unjustly accused. I myself first drank this cup of undeserved suffering for love of you (289). When I was before Herod, I obtained a grace for you; namely that you would be able to rise above human scorn and follow faithfully in my footsteps.”

Blessed Mother: “I am teaching you love and I am showing you that the dear Father has loved you…He sacrificed His Son for your salvation, my children. I am leading you children towards love, towards the dear Father. I am leading you toward eternal life. Eternal life is my Son. Accept him and you will have accepted love.”

St. Faustina: We are sensitive to words and quickly want to answer back without taking any regard as to whether it is God’s will that we should speak. A slient soul is strong; no adversities will harm it if it perseveres in silence. The silent soul is capable of attaining the closest union with God.

Songs 4:11, Songs 1:1-2, Songs 2:8, Songs 4:16

Day 2 – “Pilate took Jesus and had Him scourged. And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on His head, and clothed Him in a purple cloak, and they came to him and said, “Hail King of the Jews!” So Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak. Pilate said to them, ‘behold the man!’ When the chief priests and the guards saw Him, they cried out, ‘crucify Him!’” (John 19:1-6)

Jesus – “Do not be afraid of sufferings, I am with you. The more you will come to love suffering the purer your love for me will be.”

Blessed Mother: “I am always with you, and do not be afraid of temptations because God is always watching over us. Also I have given myself to you and I sympathize with you even in the smallest temptation.”

St. Faustina: Jesus, I thank you for the little daily crosses, for opposition to my endeavors, for the hardships of communal life, for the misinterpretation of my intentions, for humiliations at the hands of others, for the harsh way in which we are treated, for false suspicions, for poor health and loss of strength, for self denial, for dying to myself, for lack of recognition in everything, for the upsetting of all my plans…

Songs 5:1, Rev. 21:2, Gen. 3:1-5, Rev. 12:13-17

Day 3 – “We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; but the Lord laid upon Him the guilt of us all…” (Is. 53:6, 12)

Jesus: “Involuntary offenses of souls do not hinder my love for them or prevent me from uniting myself with them. But voluntary offenses, even the smallest obstruct my graces and I cannot lavish my gifts on such souls.” (1641).

Blessed Mother: “I call all of you to decide for holiness. May for you little children, always in your thoughts and in such situations holiness be in the first place, in work and in speech. In this way you will also put it into practice; little by little, step by step prayer and a decision for holiness will enter your family. Be sure with yourselves and do not bind yourselves to material things but to God.”

St. Faustina: My Jesus, despite your graces, I see and feel all my misery O my Jesus how prone I am to evil, and this forces me to be constantly vigilant. But I do not lose heart. I trust God’s grace, which abounds in the worst misery.

Lk. 1:30, Ps. 19:5-6, Songs 8:6

Day 4 – “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. And you yourself a sword will pierce…” (Lk. 2:34-35)

Jesus: “Although all the works that come into being by My will are exposed to great sufferings, consider whether any of them has been subject to greater difficulties than that work which is directly mine – the work of redemption. You should not worry too much about adversities.” (1643)

Blessed Mother: “I thank you for every sacrifice you have offered. And now I urge you to offer every sacrifice with love. I wish you, the helpless ones to begin helping with confidence and the Lord will keep on giving to you in confidence…(Queen of Peace)

“I am Mother to you all, thanks to the unfathomable mercy of God. Most pleasing to me is that soul which faithfully carries out the will of God. Be courageous. Do not fear apparent obstacles, but fix your gaze upon the passion of my Son, and in this way you will be victorious…” (1643)

St. Faustina; Mary, Mother of Mercy be near me always, especially in suffering as you were on your Son’s way of the cross.

Eph. 3:17-19, Eph. 5:21, Hos. 2:21-22

Day 5 – “As they led Him away they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country; and after laying the cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus…” (Lk. 23:26)
Jesus: “Write that by day and by night My gaze is fixed upon him, and I permit these adversities in order to increase your merit. I do not reward for good results but for the patience and hardships undergone for my sake.” (86)

Blessed Mother: “I wish to tell you to open your hearts to the Master of all hearts. Give me all your feelings and all your problems! I wish to comfort you in all your trials. I wish to fill you with peace, joy and love of God.”

St. Faustina: “Jesus, you do not give a reward for the successful performance of a work, but for the good will and the labor undertaken. Therefore, I am completely at peace, even if all my undertakings and efforts should be thwarted or should come to naught. If I do all that is in my power, the rest is not my business.”

Hos. 2:16, Songs 2:13-14, Luke 1:46-55, John 19:26-27

Day 6 – “He grew up like a sapling before him, like a shoot from the parched earth there was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him, no appearance that would attract us to him. He was spurned and avoided by men, a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity. One of those from whom men hide their faces spurned, and we held him in no esteem.” (Is. 53:2-3)

Jesus: “Know that whatever good you do to any soul, I accept it as if you had done it to me.” (1768)

Blessed Mother: “I see that you are tired. I wish to support you in your effort, to take you in my arms so that you may be close to me. I give you my heart; accept it. I wish to be constantly with you, with the heart.”

St. Faustina: I am learning how to be good from Jesus, from Him who is goodness itself, so that I may be called a child of the Heavenly Father (669). Great love can change small things into great ones, and it is only love which lends value to our actions. (303)

2 Cor. 12:9, Gal. 5:22-23, Rev. 22:17, Is. 55:1

Day 7 Review

Week 5-Lenten Exercise “Lord Grant Us Perseverence”

The Bride must resemble her betrothed...

The Lord has asked me to slow down for this week, as there are many who are struggling with being able to keep up with this exercise. DO NOT GIVE UP, PRESS ON ALL THE MORE AND KEEP YOUR FOCUS. For this reason the gift we will work on is the gfit of Fortitude and the strength to carry the cross all the way to calvary.

Living the life of Jesus and the way of the cross is not easy, but it comes with a triumph in the end. If we do not believe this, then meditate on the death and passion of the Lord. He has risen and is fully alive today and in our midst. But we must see with the eyes of faith, and firmly believe that Jesus makes all things new!

We are coming to the end of this Lenten journey in just a mere couple of weeks. Review and look back to see how far you have come. Where are the areas of growth for you and reflect about what you have experienced thus far with this walk through the desert with Jesus and Mary, and what gift of grace the Lord has prepared for you. Keep your focus on the vision of the plan of God for you. Do not be dismayed if this plan is not exactly the way you imagined it would be, for all too often we put our human expectations and emotions in the plan.

God seeks only our salvation. And His plan will acheive that end in its perfection, and is contrary to our own way of thinking. IF YOU HAVE NOT MADE IT TO CONFESSION YET THIS MONTH, DO SO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO PREPARE YOUR HEART FOR THE RISEN LORD TO ENTER.

Throughout this week pray for a deep gift of fortitude to continue the journey.

REMEMBER PRAY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT BEFORE WORKING ON THE DAILY EXERCISES

Daily Meditation:

“Dear children! I invite you to reflect about your future. You are creating a new world without God, only with your own strength and that is why you are unsatisfied and without joy in the heart. This time is my time and that is why, little children, I invite you again to pray. When you find unity with God, you will feel hunger for the Word of God and your heart, little children, will overflow with joy. You will witness God’s love wherever you are. I bless you and I repeat to you that I am with you to help you. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (1/25/97)

Day 1
“Dear children! Also today I am with you and I again call all of you to come closer to me through your prayers. In a special way I call you to renunciation in this time of grace. Little children, meditate on and live, through your little sacrifices, the passion and death of Jesus for each of you…” (2/25/98)

“My daughter, I am always with you. I have given you the opportunity to practice deeds of mercy which you will perform according to obedience. You will give me much pleasure if each evening you will speak to me especially about this task.” (Jesus – Diary #1267)

Jn. 10:17-18, Jn. 15:5, Rom. 8:29, 1 Jn. 4:18

Day 2
“…Only if you come closer to Jesus will you comprehend the immeasurable love He has for each of you. Through prayer and your renunciation you will become more open to the gift of faith and love toward the Church and the people who are around you. I love you and bless you. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (2/25/98)

“…suffering will be a sign to you that I am with you…” (Jesus-Diary #869)

Is. 40:31, Ps. 18:1-2, Mt. 27:39-42

Day 3
“Dear children! Also today I call you to fasting and renunciation. Little children, renounce that which hinders you from being closer to Jesus. In a special way I call you; pray, because only through prayer will you be able to overcome your will and discover the Will of God even in the smallest things. By your daily life, little children, you will become an example and witness that you live for Jesus or against Him and His will.” (3/25/98)

“…It is in My Passion that you must seek light and strength…Fear nothing, I am with you.” (Jesus – Diary #654-55)

1 Cor. 13:4-8, Jn. 19:26, Mt. 16:21, Jn 13:37

Day 4
“….Little children, I desire that you become apostles of love. By loving, little children, it will be recognized that you are mine. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (3/25/98)

“Do not fear anything. I am with you. These matters are in My hands and I will bring them to fruition according to My mercy, for nothing can oppose my will…I am always in your heart; not only when you receive Me in holy Communion, but always.” (Jesus-Diary #573, 575)

Jn. 21:18, Jn. 21:19, Jn. 20:19, Acts 4:29-31

Day 5

“Dear children! Today I invite you to come still closer to me through prayer. Little children, I am your mother, I love you and I desire that each of you be saved and thus be with me in Heaven. That is why little children, pray, pray, pray until your life becomes prayer. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (8/25/98)

“…My delight is to be united with you. With great desire, I wait and long for the time when I shall take up My residence sacramentally in your convent. My spirit will rest in that convent and I will bless its neighborhood in a special way. Out of love for you all, I will avert any punishments which are rightly meted out by My Father’s justice…I have inclined my heart to your requests…” (Jesus – Diary #570)

Ex. 14:13-14, Eph. 6:11-13, Lk. 4:18, 2 Cor. 1:22

Day 6
“Dear children! Today I call you to become my witnesses by living the faith of your fathers. Little children, you seek signs and messages and do not see that with every morning sunrise, God calls you to convert and to return to the way of truth and salvation. You speak much little children, but you work little on your conversion. That is why, convert and start to live my messages, not with your words but with your life. In this way, little children you will have the strength to decide for the true conversion of the heart. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (9/25/98)

“…Your assignment and duty here on earth is to beg for mercy for the whole world. No soul will be justified until it turns with confidence to My mercy, and this is why the first Sunday after Easter is to be the Feast of Mercy. On that day, priests are to tell everyone about My great and unfathomable mercy….tell the confessor that the Image is to be on view in the church and not within the enclosure in that convent. By means of this image I shall be granting many graces to souls; so let every soul have access to it.” (Jesus – Diary 570)

Is. 53:5-6, Jn. 16:33, Rev. 2:10-11, Mt. 7:13

Day 7 – Review

Week 4-Forty Days in the Desert-Lord Quench My Thirst

Lord quench my thirst for you...

Pray this week in a special way for the gift of an open and receiving heart, as a bride who receives her bridegroom in love and mercy.

Remember to begin each day with the prayer to the Holy Spirit. Really take the time this week to reflect on the theme of the Catechism of the Catholic Church with the weekly reflections. The Lord is moving a step forward and calling us into deeper union with Him. Remember to keep track of the way the Lord is moving in you through your prayer journal, and the areas of growth or healing He desires to accomplish through your heart.

A quick note – work at your own pace in these exercises according to your schedule in your state in life. Some days you may not be able to rest with the Lord as you are with other days. God honors your time you give to him, and can multiply the graces all the more.

Catechism of the Catholic Church – CCC 2655-2679

“Dear children, today I thank you for every opening of your hearts. Joy overtakes me for every heart that is opened to God especially from the parish. Rejoice with me! Pray all the prayers for the opening of sinful hearts. I desire that, God desires that through me. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (4/18/85)

Day 1

“Dear children, today I want to tell you to begin to work in your hearts as you are working in the fields. Work and change your hearts so that a new spirit from God can take its place in your hearts…” (4/25/85)

“…My beloved daughter, you have come to know well the depths of my mercy. I will do what you ask, but unite yourself continually with my agonizing heart and make reparation to my justice. Know that you have asked me for a great thing, but I see that this was dictated by your pure love for me, that is why I am complying with your requests…” (diary 873)

Ps. 19:10, Ps. 111:10, Jn. 21:16-17

Day 2

“Dear children, today I call you to prayer with the heart, and not just from habit. Some are coming but do not wish to move ahead in prayer. Therefore, I wish to warn you like a Mother. Pray that prayer prevails in your hearts in every moment. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (5/2/85)

“It is my Passion that you must seek light and strength…fear nothing, I am with you.” (Diary 654-55)

Jn. 21:15, Jn. 13:34, 2 Cor. 5:20-21

Day 3

“Dear children, no; you do not know how many graces God is giving you. You do not want to move ahead during these days when the Holy Spirit is working in a special way. Your hearts are turned toward the things of earth and they preoccupy you. Turn your hearts toward prayer and seek the Holy Spirit to be poured out on you….” (5/9/85)

“…My omnipotent mercy is active here. Happy the soul that takes advantage of this grace. What joy fills my heart when you return to me. Because you are weak, I take you in My arms and carry you to the home of my Father…” (diary 1486)

Rom. 8:19, Lk. 24:47, Acts 9:31

Day 4

“…I am calling you to more active prayer and attendance at Holy Mass. I wish your Mass to be an experience of God. I wish especially to say to the young people; be open to the Holy Spirit because God wishes to draw you to Himself in these days when satan is at work…” (5/16/85)

“…You have a special claim on my mercy. Let it act in your poor soul; let the rays of grace enter your soul; they bring with them light, warmth and life. My child, all your sins have not wounded my heart as painfully as your present lack of trust does; that after so many efforts of my love and mercy you shouldn’t doubt my mercy…” (Diary 1486)

2 Cor. 4:10-12, 1 Jn. 4:19, Jn. 15:12-13

Day 5

“Dear children, these days I call you especially to open your hearts to the Holy Spirit. Especially during these days the Holy Spirit is working through you. Open your hearts and surrender your lives to Jesus so that He works through your hearts and strengthens you in faith…” (5/23/85)

“Here soul, are all the treasures of my heart. Take everything you need from it. Tell me all, my child, hide nothing from me because My loving heart, the Heart of your best friend is listening to you.”

Matt. 9:11-13, Matt. 11:29-30, Is. 45:3

Day 6

“Dear children, I call you again to prayer with the heart. Let prayer, dear children be your everyday food in a special way when your work in the fields is so wearing you out, that you cannot pray with the heart. Pray, and then you shall overcome even every weariness. Prayer will be your joy and your rest. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (5/30/85)

“Poor soul, I see that you suffer much and that you do not have even the strength to converse with me. So I will speak to you. Even though your sufferings were very great, do not lose heart or give in to despondency. But tell Me my child, who has dared to wound your heart? Tell me about everything; be sincere in dealing with Me, reveal all the wounds of your heart. I will heal them, and your suffering will become a source of your sanctification…do not be discouraged. I know your boundless trust in me; I know you are aware of my goodness and mercy. Let us talk in detail about everything that weights so heavily upon your heart..talk to me simply as a friend to a friend. Tell me now, my child what hinders you from advancing in holiness?”

Rev. 21:3-5, 1 Jn. 1:3-4, Jn 3:16, Jer. 1:5-8

Day 7 Review

“I Desire to SEE Your Yes…”

Dear children, I am with you and I pray for you before my Son...

“Dear children! In a special way today I desire to call you to conversion. As of today, may new life begin in your heart. Children, I desire to see your ‘yes’, and may your life be a joyful living of God’s will at every moment of your life. In a special way today, I bless you with my motherly blessing of peace, love and unity in my heart and in the heart of my Son Jesus. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (3/25/2011)

Whew, it does not seem to be enough hours in the day these days. But I’ve been feeling Our Lady tugging my heart for these recent words she spoke to the world about.

As we seek wisdom with the Holy Spirit in this holy time of Lent, our Lady is reminding us what Lent is all about… “conversion of heart.” To experience conversion of heart we enter into a new birthing so to say; a new life in Christ in a new way.

Our Lady is here today very near to us. As the scripture says, “the Kingdom of God is at hand…” Our Lady brings to us her Son Jesus. He is the Kingdom in fullness.

Blessed Mother wants to obtain for us the graces we need to go deeper into our conversions. She asks us to press tightly to her motherly heart as an infant child would; who would want to be comforted, held and loved with the warmth of her embrace.

We are in the spring time of season…Our Lady desires a new life to come forth from our hearts. She has repeated this in her message of 2/25/2011. As with all of God’s creation on earth, the buds are coming forth and so are the flowers beginning to sprout from the earth. It is the same for us. These are signs for us to seek anew the beauty of God’s creation in the human being and the dignity of another.

She said in the above message, “Children, I desire to see your ‘yes’, and may your life be a joyful living of God’s will at every moment of your life…”

There is no play on words here. She did not say I desire to “hear your yes”. But she desires to see our yes. When we give her our hearts and we consecrate ourselves to her, she wants to see us take action. She wants to see we really mean what we say to her.

Now I am a mother. When my child makes a promise to me that they will do something, I have a level of expectation that they will complete what they have promised to do. If we say I give you everything of myself dear Mother, but I do not love my neighbor, or I go on committing the same sins, then I have fallen, and I must show that I am remorseful for the wrong I have done.

Can we make a promise to the Mother of God, and underneath our breath say no way, I’m not going to do that. She may be asking us to carry a burden or a cross that may help us to grow more in holiness. This cross may birth new graces for others to help them in their conversion.

Intercession is a powerful tool to obtain graces for others. It is the mission of Jesus in the most personal and intimate way, and the highest form of prayer to offer of oneself in the body through a simple word, “yes”.

If we say yes to our dear Mother in heaven for our crosses, then she is able to take us with seriousness, and pass our deeds of mercy on to her Son, who can multiply those graces to where ever they need to go.

For example, I had a recent experience through some dreams I have been having. They seem to be of the same meaning, but they’ve come in different ways. Most prominent was the one I just had last night. The Lord will often use dreams in our subconscience to convey to us what He wants to bring to conscience for us, or what He wants us to do for Him.

In this particular dream I saw two people, they seemed to be Japaneese in my dream, at least I awoke thinking this. But these two people were sinking in a mud pit, reaching out for help. Now in hindsight I would say the recent tsunami victims, at least I felt this in my heart. When I took this to prayer, the Lord was showing me, these were souls in Purgatory who are in need of prayer. So I understood they were souls crying out for prayer in their suffering state. So through the holy Mass today, with Our Lady I prayed for the poor souls.

Our Lady often says, “dear children, you are all important in this plan…with out you I cannot fullfill my plans….” If you are willing and you give your yes to her, when things such as dreams or inspirations come forth our prayer becomes one with the will of God, and the prayer is answered.

Isn’t that logical? If we know what God wants us to pray for, then the prayer will be answered? We must always be quiet to listen for those promptings of the Holy Spirit.

I get numerous requests from people who ask me to pray to God for discernment for themselves. My response always is, “I cannot discern anything for you that you don’t already know, because the Kingdom of God is within.” The problem is we are not listening, and we are deaf to His Word. I will pray with the one who asks, but in truth the discernment is between God and the one discerning.

The Lord will use the voice of others to confirm something we are discerning, the voice of His Church or his prophets. The ones who are open, who say “yes” to be empty vessels of the Holy Spirit, are the ones hearing the voice of the Lord. These are the ones who are being stripped of everything from worldly standards, and allowing more of the spirit of Jesus to dwell within. Remember, God is Spirit. He desires to be in full Spirit in the human being made in His image and likeness. We have to desire this, and work for this. That means sin has to go!

How are we living her call as being that joyful witness of living God’s call in our life? Are you ready to go to the cross if that be the will of God for you, in joy?

Living God’s will is not always easy. That means our will has to go. We have to pray as Jesus prayed, “not my will but yours be done in me.” This by the way was a prayer while Jesus was in the Garden in Agony. He layed down His will as much as He was suffering, and surrendered it all to the Father, because He had the full vision of the plan of God, knowing what He was going to endure was not in vain. In your prayer, beg God for the vision to help you press into the time of trial and not run from that cross.

That is the prayer that will be answered. Suffering always has redemptive value. But when we surrender to the perfect will of God, the pain of the suffering is lessened, and we are able to drink the chalice and go on.

This is the grace Jesus received from the angel. His surrender to the will of the Father strengthened Him to say yes every step of the way. It is the same for us. We have to say yes every step during our way of the cross, no matter how hard, how difficult or how many times we may fall. It is YES LORD, YES LORD, YES, YES, YES!!! This is when the grace comes, this is when the healing comes. With every crucifixion there is a resurrection and triumph.

Our Lady concludes her message with her blessing. Here is our consolation and hope. Remember the movie the The Passion of the Christ? Focus on this movie if you watch it again. Notice every time Jesus fell, and where was Our Lady in the scene? He looked at her, and he found strength to go forward. We are in Lent in this time. Our Mother is with us, as Jesus is becoming more incarnate in us. She is here to encourage us, to love us, and to help us gain strength for the sake of our salvation, and win the victory.

With her blessing, contains a tremendous gift and grace from God. Our Mother comes every day to bless the world. Every day you are getting blessed and you do not even know it.

Take it to prayer sometime and ask what this blessing really means and how often we take it for granted when we get blessed. Something happens to our souls in this blessing my friends. We should stop every day, and welcome her and her blessing in our hearts, to receive it with love and in fullness of the gift she is bringing us from heaven. It is a blessing she has obtained from the Father and the Son, fully packed with the Holy Spirit.

Let us all continue on with open hearts to her maternal love. And please thank God every day for this great gift that we are able to grow up with her, just like Jesus did in Nazareth.

There is a great mystery in this gift of our Nazareth years with the Mother of God. But remember, it came a time when Jesus was ready for his public mission and made His way to the Cross. We do not know how long the Father will permit her to be with us, but many of us feel the days are numbered my friends. Continue on and work all the more harder on the conversion of heart, so we are ready for the day that comes.

Ave Maria!

“For though we live in the world we are not carrying on a worldly war, for the weapons of our warfare are not worldly; but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguements and every proud obstacles to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete!” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

Week 3-Forty Days in the Desert-An Oasis of Peace

Through prayer become friends with Jesus

It’s been a little harder this week to get this post out. Seems there have been some technical difficulties taking place with the host company. There must be some good fruit coming. I hope the Lord is touching your hearts as He is with us and our family.

The beauty of this is to see my children dialoging with the Lord and the scriptures. Not only do we encourage relationships and build unity in the family, but we encourage them to have a heart to heart relationship with their eternal family.

Remember the Holy Spirit is the author of the Word. Never begin your prayer without the help of the Holy Spirit.

Also be sure to make a conscious effor to get to the sacrament of reconciliation during this time to fortify your strength for the continued journey and refresh your soul in the ocean of mercy. Remember our Lady just said, it is through the priests that she will triumph. Really ponder these words for her purpose for coming into the world.

Catechism of the Catholic Church References: 737-741, 797-98, 1472-74, 1502

Daily Reflection:

“Dear children, tonight your Mother is happy, joyful together with you. I would like to extend happiness to you. I would like to give you love, so you can bring this love and spread it to others. I would like to give you peace, so you can give this peace to others, so you can give this peace especially to families where hatred exists. I would like you, dear children to renew the family prayer, all of you. I would like you to encourage others to renew this prayer. Your Mother will help you.” (10/17/88)

Day 1

“Dear children, with motherly perseverance and love I am brining you the light of life to destroy the darkness of death in you. Do not reject me, my children. Stop and look within yourselves and see how sinful you are. Be aware of your sins and pray for forgiveness…” (11/2/10)

“…It should be of no concern to you how anyone else acts; you are to be My living reflection through love and mercy.” (St. Faustina replied, ‘Lord but they often take advantage of my goodness.’) “That makes no difference, My daughter. That is no concern of yours. As for you, be always merciful toward other people, and especially toward sinners.” (Diary 1446)

Jn. 11:1-4, Mt. 10:8, Mk. 14:12-15, Jn. 20:20-23

Day 2

“…My children you do not desire to accept that you are weak and little, but you can be strong and great by doing God’s will. Give me your cleansed hearts that I may illuminate them with the light of life, my Son. Thank you.” (11/2/10)

“…Oh how painful it is to me that souls so seldom unite themselves to Me in holy Communion. I wait for souls and they are indifferent toward Me. I love them tenderly and sincerely, and they distrust Me. I want to lavish my graces on them, and they do not want to accept them. They treat me as a dead object, whereas my Heart is full of love and mercy. In order that you may know at least some of my pain, imagine the most tender of mothers who has great love for her children, while those children spurn her love. Consider her pain. No one is in a position to console her. This is but a feeble image and likeness of my love.” (Diary 1447)

2 Cor. 10:3-6, Rev. 21:2-4, Acts 3:16-23, 4:10-12

Day 3

“Dear children! Today I call you to come closer to my Immaculate Heart…” (10/25/98)

“…Tell souls where they are to look for solace; that is in the Tribunal of Mercy. (Sacrament of Reconciliation). There the greatest miracles take place and are incessantly repeated. To avail oneself of this miracle, it is not necessary to go on a great pilgrimage or to carry out some external ceremony; it suffices to come with faith to the feet of My representative and to reveal to him one’s misery, and the miracle of Divine Mercy will be fully demonstrated. Were a soul like a decaying corpse so that from a human standpoint, there would be no restoration and everything would have already be lost. It is not so with God. The miracle of Divine Mercy restores that souls in full. Oh how miserable are those who do not take advantage of the miracle of God’s mercy. You will call out in vain, but it will be too late…” (Diary 1448)

Lk. 8:43-47, Prov. 3:1-12, Ez. 36:26, Act 4:16-20

Day 4

“….I call you to renew in your families the fervor of the first days when I called you to fasting, prayer and conversion. Little children, you accepted my messages with open hearts, although you did not know what prayer was. Today, I call you to open yourselves completely to me so that I may transform you and lead you to the heart of my Son Jesus, so that He can fill you with His love. Only in this way, little children, will you find true peace – the peace that only God gives you. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (10/25/98)

“…First, do not fight against a temptation by yourself, but disclose it to the confessor at once, and then the temptation will lose all its force. Second, during these ordeals do not lose you peace; live in My presence; ask My Mother and the Saints for help. Third, have the certitude that I am looking at you and supporting you. Fourth do not fear either struggles of the soul or any temptation because I am supporting you; if only you are willing to fight, know that the victory is always on your side. Fifth, know that by fighting bravely you give Me great glory and amass merits for yourself. Temptation gives you a change to show Me your fidelity.” (Diary 1560)

Mt. 26:35, Lk. 22:33-34, Gal 2:20, Ps. 46, Jn 11:39-40

Day 5

“Dear children! Also today I am with you in a special way contemplating and living the passion of Jesus in my heart. Little children, open your hearts and give me everything that is in them; joys, sorrows, and even the smallest pain that I may offer them to Jesus; so that with His immeasurable love, He may burn and transform your sorrows into the joy of His resurrection…” (2/25/99)

“…I remind you my daughter, that as often as you heart the clock strike the third hour, immerse yourself completely in My mercy, adoring and glorifying it; invoke its omnipotence for the whole world, and particularly for poor sinners; for at that moment mercy was opened wide for every soul. In this hour you can obtain everything for yourself and for others for the asking. It was the hour of grace for the whole world – mercy triumphed over justice. (Diary 1572)

Jn. 11:44, Is. 55:8-9, Jn. 2:5, Lk. 23:43

Day 6

“…I now call you in a special way, little children for your hearts to open to prayer, so that through prayer you may become friends of Jesus. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (2/25/99)

“…My daughter, try your best to make the Stations of the Cross in this hour, provided that your duties permit it; and if you are not able to make the Stations of the Cross, then at least step into the chapel for a moment and adore in the Blessed Sacrament, My heart, which is full of mercy; and should you be unable to step into the chapel, immerse yourself in prayer there where you happen to be, if only for a very brief instant, I claim veneration for my mercy from every creature, but above all from you, since it is to you that I have given the most profound understanding of this mystery.” (Diary 1572)

Jn. 15:11-17, Heb. 11:8-11, Jn. 10:27-29, Rev. 7:14-17

Day 7 Review

St. Faustina’s Prayer to be Merciful

Unless I wash you, you will not have inheritance with me

As we enter more deeply into the Spirit of Lent in this desert time, it is a good time to reflect with Jesus in our solitude how we treat our neighbors. Let this prayer be our daily bread to love God and neighbor. This is also a great reflection before going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

O Most Holy Trinity! As many times as I breathe, as many times as my heart beats, as many times as my blood pulsates through my body, so many thousand times do I want to glorify your mercy.

I want to be completely transformed into your mercy and to be Your living reflection O Lord. May the greatest of all divine attributes, that of your unfathomable mercy pass through my heart and soul to my neighbor.

Help me O Lord that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbors souls and come to their rescue.

Help me O Lord that my ears may be merciful, so that I may give heed to my neighbors needs and not be indifferent to their pains and moanings.

Help me O Lord that my tongue may be merciful so that I should never speak negatively of my neighbor, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all.

Help me O Lord that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds, so that I may do only good to my neighbors and take upon my self the more difficult and toilsome tasks.

Help me O Lord that my feet may be merciful, so that I may hurry to assist my neighbor, overcoming my own fatigue and weariness. My true rest is in the service of my neighbor.

Help me O Lord that my heart may be merciful so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of my neighbor. I will refuse my heart to no one. I will be sincere even with those who will abuse my kindness. And I will lock myself up in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. I will bear my own suffering in silence. May your mercy O Lord rest upon me.

You yourself command me to exercise the three degrees of mercy. The first; the act of mercy of whatever kind. The second; the word of mercy – if I cannot carry our a work of mercy, I will assist by my words. The third; prayer – if I cannot show mercy by deeds or words, I can always do so by prayer. My prayer reaches out even there where I cannot reach out physically. O my Jesus, transform me into yourself, for you can do all things.

Conclude with the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy

Week 2-Spiritual Exercise-Food for the Journey

"Open yourselves to God the Creator..."

Our journey has begun with Jesus and Mary in the desert. As with most journey’s we need to make sure we have enough food and water to make the journey. In this case spiritual food (the Eucharist) and water (the waters of the baptism graces that we received from this past week).

I am already experiencing the movements of the Holy Spirit as certain areas in my heart are being broken open, in the way the Lord is going to do a deeper healing in my heart. I hope you are all witnessing the same. As I mentioned, we are in this journey together.

Feel free to share your thoughts in this post with others. You do not need to include your name, but only your experiences through your prayer, and journaling with the Lord through His Word, and the messages given.

Pray for a greater understanding of the presence of the Lord in the Eucharist, and to remain in the love of God.

REMEMBER TO PRAY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, FOR YOU MUST GO TO THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR TO UNDERSTAND HIS WORDS. COME HOLY SPIRIT…

Pay very close attention to how the Lord is moving in your heart with open eyes and hearts to understand the areas in your life where you may be experiencing troubles, or of constant conflicts over the same issues. The Lord may be getting your attention to these areas that are in need of healing, reconciliation, or to be used in a way for spiritual growth…Keep asking the Holy Spirit to reveal these areas if you are unsure.

Brief opening reflection….
(From Dialogue of St. Catherine of Sienna with the Father, “How God grieves over the Christian people, and particularly over His ministers, and touches on the subject of the Sacrament of Christ’s body and the benefit of the Incarnation”)

“…See how my spouse has defiled her face, and become leprous on account of her filthiness and self love, and swollen with the pride and avarice of those who feed on their own sin, what I say of the universal body and the mystical body of the Holy Church, I also say of my ministers, who stand and feed at the breasts of the Holy Church …

…Wishing however to restore man, who was enfeebled and could not satisfy for the above reasons my justice, the sins committed against Me, who am the Infinite good, I sent My Word, My own Son, clothed in your own very nature the corrupted clay of Adam, in order that He might endure suffering in the self same nature in which man had offended, suffering in His body even to the opprobitious death of the cross, and so He satisfied my justice and My divine mercy. For My mercy willed to make satisfaction for the sin of man and to dispose him to the good for which I had created him. This human nature joined with the Divine nature was sufficient to satisfy for the whole human race, not only on account of the pain which it sustained in its finite nature, but by virtue of the eternal Deity, the Divine and infinite nature joined to it…”

Catechism of the Catholic Church – CCC 1434 – 1460

Weekly Reflection:

“Dear children! Today I invite you in a special way to open yourselves to God the Creator and to become active. I invite you little children to see at this time who needs your spiritual or material help. By your example, little children you will be the extended hands of God, which mankind is called to witness and to become joyful carriers of God’s Word and of His love. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (2/25/97)

Day 1

“Dear children, at this time, do not only think of rest for your body but, little children seek time also for the soul. In silence may the Holy Spirit speak to you and permit Him to convert and change you. I am with you and before God I intercede for each of you. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (7/25/06)

“…strengthen yourself for combat” (Diary #145 – In reference to when the soul displeases the Lord in sin. St. Faustina was running away from the Lord in facing certain things within her. In what way am I running from the Lord and not wanting to defeat the sin in me?)

Eph. 4:23-24, Prov. 4:1-7, Luke 22:19, Isaiah 41:10, Rev. 5:11-14

Day 2

“…today as never before I invite you to live my messages and put them into practice in your life. I have come to you to help you and therefore I invite you to change your life because you have taken a path of misery, a path of ruin. When I told you, ‘convert, pray, fast, be reconciled,’ you took these messages superficially. You started to live them and then you stopped, because it was difficult for you. No dear children when something is good, you have to persevere in the good and not think, “God does not see me, He is not listening, He is not helping.” And so you have gone away from God and from me because of your miserable interest…” (3/25/92 in part)

“…Be not afraid of you Savior O sinful soul, I make the first move to come to you, for I know that by yourself you are unable to lift yourself to me. Child, do not run away from your Father; be willing to talk openly with your God of mercy who wants to speak words of pardon and lavish his graces on you. How dear your soul is to Me! I have inscribed your name upon My hand; you are engraved as a deep wound in My heart…” (Diary 1485)

Eph. 2:19-22, 6:16, 1 Thes. 5:8, John 14:23-27, Isaiah 45:3

Day 3

“…I wanted to create of you an oasis of peace, love and goodness. God wanted you with your love and with His help to do miracles and thus give an example. Therefore, here is what I say to you, ‘satan is playing with you and with your souls and I cannot help you because you are far from my heart. Therefore, pray, live my messages and then you will see the miracles of God’s love in your every day life. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (3/25/92 in part)

“…I am your strength, I will help you in the struggle. My child, do you fear the God of mercy? My holiness does not prevent Me from being merciful. Behold, for you I have established a throne of mercy on earth – the tabernacle; and from this throne I desire to enter into your heart. I am surrounded by a retinue of guards. You can come to me at any moment, at any time; I want to speak to you and desire to grant you grace…” (Diary 1485)

Lk. 24:13-16, Lk 24:30-35, Is. 40:31, Mt. 13:1-9
(Ask the Lord in a special way to open your eyes to see, and your ears to hear for a greater knowledge and understanding of the Word He speaks here today for you personally. Write down what comes to your heart)

Day 4

“Dear children, today I invite you to prayer. Only by prayer and fasting can war be stopped. Therefore my dear little children pray and by your life give witness that you are mine and that you belong to me, because satan wishes in these turbulent days to seduce as many souls as possible. Therefore, I invite you to decide for God and He will protect you and show you what you should do and which path to take….” (4/25/92)

“…My mercy is greater than your sins and those of the entire world. Who can measure the extent of my goodness? For you I descended from heaven to earth; for you I allowed myself to be nailed to the cross, for you I let my Sacred Heart be pierced with a lance, thus opening wide the source of mercy for you. Come then with trust to draw graces from this fountain. I never reject a contrite heart. Your misery has disappeared in the depths of My mercy. Do not argue with me about your wretchedness. You will give me pleasure if you hand over to me all your troubles and grief. I shall heap upon you the treasures of My grace…” (Diary 1485)

(Meditate on the wounds of Jesus)

Mt. 13:10-17, Lk. 24:32, 2 Cor. 5:7, Ps. 36:6-13, Mt. 7:24-29

Day 5

“…I invite all those who have said, ‘yes’ to me to renew their consecration to my Son Jesus and to His heart and to me so we can take you more intensely as instruments of peace in this unpeaceful world…(4/25/92)

“Child speak no more of your misery; it is already forgotten. Listen My child to what I desire to tell you. Come close to my wounds and draw from the Fountain of Life whatever your heart desires. Drink copiously from the Fountain of Life and you will not weary on your journey. Look at the splendors of my mercy and do not fear the enemies of your salvation. Glorify My mercy…” (Diary 1485)

Mt. 10:24-26, Acts 8:26-40, Is. 53:7-12, Ps. 33:10-22

Day 6

“…Medjugorje is a sign to all of you and a call to pray and live the days of grace that God is giving you. Therefore, dear children, accept the call to prayer with seriousness. I am with you and your suffering is also mine. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (4/25/92)

“…My daughter tell souls that I am giving them My mercy as a defense. I Myself am fighting for them and am bearing the just anger of My Father. (Diary 1516) I have opened my heart as a living fountain of mercy. Let all souls draw from it. Let them approach this sea of mercy with great trust. Sinners will attain justification and the just will be confirmed in good. Whoever places his trust in My mercy will be filled with My divine peace at the hour of death.” (Diary 1520)

Jn. 10:10-15, Jn. 10:16-18, Jn. 4:23-24, Jn. 1:11-14, 1 Cor. 2:9-16

Day 7

Review

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he gained us in the beloved…” (Eph. 1:3-6)

Week 1 – Lenten Exercise; Setting out on the Journey

FORTY DAYS IN THE DESERT

Try to Begin on Ash Wednesday. This exercise will continue through the GREAT FEAST OF DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY!

Do not begin this exercise without the help of the Holy Spirit. Pray every day for the Holy Spirit to come with His gifts, especially for the Spirit of Truth, that the Word spoken is taken into the heart in fullness of truth.

We will post these exercises week by week.

Remember we are walking with Jesus and Mary in the desert and with several hundred others who are joining us. You are not alone.

Each day you will find short scriptures to reflect with, along with the words of Jesus through Divine Mercy and Our Lady. Use these reflections as if both Jesus and Mary are speaking to you in the present moment as you would with Sacred Scripture.

It is best to record and dialog with the Lord and/or Blessed Mother with each reflection and scripture. And review at the end of the week what has come out of your thoughts and your heart. Begin to focus on areas that are repeated often, or things the Lord may reveal about you, or himself. God always speaks in repetition when He is conveying His Word, and what He desires to accomplish.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph(s) are provided for your reference to seek a deeper understanding of the faith and can be used at any time during this week.

This exercise may also be put to use with your family prayer and/or prayer groups. A member of the family or prayer group may keep a log of the family’s sharing time with the reflections and the scriptures given. This is an excellent way to see how the Holy Spirit is moving in your domestic church or within your parish.

Please remember, we are all on this journey together in this walk of faith with God. Feel free to share your experience through these exercises on this post, so that others can see that they are not alone on this journey through the desert. You may experience things or hear a Word from God that may inspire another soul. As the psalmist says, “Encourage each other daily while it is still today…”

Tips to help you in your journey when you thirst through the desert….

Keep a balanced diet each day of your Lenten sacrficies and time with God. No time given to God is ever wasted, even if it were just for a few moments of the day. The Lord can multiply the grace of time as He desire for you.

In your fasting and penances, make note of your successes and failures as you see yourself in growth with the Spirit. It will help encourage you when the journey in the desert feels taxing and your are quenched with thirst. Let God love you as the gift you are!

Most important make time for Eucharistic Adoration a minimum of 1 hour a week; more if possible; and holy mass daily if possible as your schedule permits. Frequent the Sacrament of Reconciliation as often as you feel called…there is no limit to God’s Mercy for a soul that is open to His mercy.

Week 1 – Setting out on the Journey

Passing through Your Baptismal Gifts – CCC 538-550

This week pray for the gifts of your baptismal graces to be renewed in your heart, and to experience the love of God for you.

Week 1 – Daily Meditation:

“Dear children! Today I call you to unite with Jesus in prayer. Open your heart to Him and give Him everything that is in it; joy, sorrows, and illnesses. May this be a time of grace for you. Pray, little children, and may every moment belong to Jesus. I am with you and I intercede for you. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (3/25/02)

Day 1

“…today again I invite you to pray, so that through prayer, fasting and small sacrifices you may prepare yourself for the coming of Jesus…” (11/25/96)

“My daughter, be always like a little child toward those who represent Me, otherwise you will not benefit from the graces I bestow on you through them.” (Diary 1260)

Matt. 13:17, 1 Cor. 6:19, Gal. 4:6, John 17:22-23, 1 Pet. 1:3

Day 2

“…May this time, little children be a time of grace for you. Use every moment and do good for only in this way will you feel the birth of Jesus in your hearts…” (11/25/96)

“…You see my daughter that my will must be done and that which I had promised you, I shall do. Through him I spread comfort to suffering and careworn souls. Through him it pleased me to proclaim the worship of my mercy. And through this work of mercy more souls will come close to me than otherwise would have even if he had kept giving absolution day and night for the rest of his life, because by so doing he would have labored only for as long as he lived; whereas, thanks to this work of mercy, he will be laboring till the end of the world…” (Diary 1256)

Luke 11:2-4, Matt. 18:3, Rom. 5:2-5, Col. 1:24-27

Day 3

“…If with your life you give an example and become a sign of God’s love, joy will prevail in the hearts of men. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (11/25/96)

“…I desire to unite myself with human souls: My greatest delight is to unite Myself with souls…” (Diary 1385)

1 Peter 3:15-17, Ps. 119:49, Ps. 119:81, Matt. 17:5, John 6:63-69

Day 4

“Dear children! Today I am with you in a special way, holding little Jesus in my lap and I invite you, little children to open yourselves to His call. He calls you to joy. Little children, joyfully live the messages of the Gospel, which I am repeating in the time since I am with you…” (12/25/96)

“…Know my daughter, that when I come to a human heart in holy Communion, my hands are full of all kinds of graces which I want to give to the soul. But souls do not even pay any attention to me; they leave me to myself and busy themselves with other things. Oh how sad I am that souls do not recognize Love! They treat me like a dead object…” (Diary 1385)

John 15:9-10, John 16:13, Eph. 1:16-18, John 8:27-29, John 7:37-39

Day 5

“…Little children, I am your Mother and I desire to reveal to you the God of love and the God of peace. I do not desire for your life to be in sadness but that it be realized in joy for eternity, according to the Gospel. Only in this way will your life have meaning. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (12/25/96)

“…as you are united with me in life, so will you be united at the moment of death…” (Diary 1552)

Ex. 34:29-30, John 10:29-30, Matt. 5:3-9, Rom. 12:9-18

Day 6

“Today in a special way, I invite you to take the cross in the hands and to meditate on the wounds of Jesus. Ask of Jesus to heal your wounds, which you dear children during your life sustained because of your sins or the sins of your parents. Only in this way, dear children will you understand that the world is in need of healing of faith in God the Creator. By Jesus’ passion and death on the cross, you will understand that only through prayer you too can become true apostles of faith, when in simplicity and pray, you live faith which is a gift. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (3/25/97)

“Write down everything that occurs to you regarding my goodness…” (Diary 1605)

Phil. 4:11-14, 1 John 3:2, Isaiah 43:1-4, Jer. 29:11-13, Matt. 28:19-20

Day 7 Review

Lent- 40 Days in the Desert – Are we Ready?

Jesus went up to the mountain to pray...

Lent is speedily approaching, and we have been given firm and clear direction of the Mother of God of what needs to be done this Lenten season. That is to work on our conversion for a new growth to spring forth in our hearts; (from her message of 2/25/11) and with fasting and prayer to strengthen our spirits to be able to do what she is asking of us in our conversion, so that we can live as her apostles of love.

There have been a few inquiries made to me about the spiritual practices that I live and what we live in our family together to help us grow in holiness. I am going to share some of the things that we will be doing as a family in later posts.

I have been getting inspirations of spiritual exercises to work on in my own conversion for the coming weeks of the Lenten season. God bless my family, as they usually work these exercises with me, and we are able to faith share in our evening prayer time and grow together in faith.

These will be exercises to use every day, based on daily scripture readings as we use them as the Word of God speaking to us directly to our hearts; along with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. We will also incorporate the messages of our Lady, and some reflections from the saints. Through them it will be easy to see how walking with Our Lady and her Son, will be the quickest and fasted way out of the desert and defeating areas of sin in us.

We strongly recommend to frequent the sacrament of reconciliation to obtain the sacramental grace of Jesus to conquer and win small victories, pecking away at the vices and sin within.

This will be used on a daily basis during the 40 days of Lent, as the stones needed to fight the big Goliath sin in our hearts.

I hope you will join us on this journey together in these coming forty days, and maybe even dialog and faith share your experiences through these exercises as we get them posted. Let us know how you are doing, and we can all pray for each other.

This is a time to experience the love of God, and our opportunity to be reconciled with Him in the areas He desires to purge in us.

We are not leading ourselves, but the Holy Spirit will lead us into the desert as He did with Jesus. (Luke 4:1-2)

We will be tried and reproved to help make us stronger to defeat the sin in ourselves, just as the Lord was tempted in His weak moments. There is nothing to fear, for God will be our strength and Our Lady is with us every step of the way as she was with her Son on the way of the Cross. You will be able to experience the Lord in a way you did not know could be possible. Do not take your eyes off of Jesus or Mary; this is where you will draw your strength, and where you will find countless oasis of peace to quench your thirst.

Let us hold each other up, and any trials we may encounter, let us offer them up for each other to help us all make the Passover into the resurrection of a new way of life with God!

Hear the encouraging words of Our Lady as we begin to embark on this journey…

“Dear children! Also today, I call you to open yourselves to prayer. Especially now, in this time of grace, open your hearts little children and express your love to the Crucified. Only in this way will you discover peace, and prayer will begin to flow from your heart into the world. Be an example little children, and an incentive for the good. I am close to you and I love you all. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (3/25/04)

OPENING REFLECTION:

As we begin to contemplate with the Lord the areas that we will be battling in ourselves, I ask that you give some thought to the following.

I heard an awesome homily this morning about the need for fasting and prayer. It was a recording from a former priest who has since passed away. And the way he spoke about the times we are in, it was like the light bulb just clicked for me, and I said to myself, ‘that makes perfect sense…”

I hope I can do it justice and articulate what this beautiful priest said.

The homily was from the scripture in Luke’s gospel chapter 11:23-26 which says, “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man he passes through waterless places seeking rest; and finding none he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes he finds it swept and put into order. Then he goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than himself and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”

The priest began to explain that there are now in the world today perfect possessions. There are people who willingly and knowingly choose satan and evil, and will these spirits into their being. Sick to imagine, but this is a fact.

But the worst situation right now for the Church is those baptized Christians, who are not living their baptismal promises. Keep in mind, that the rite of Baptism is an exorcism rite in the Catholic Church. For this purpose we are going to talk about the baptized Christian who has fallen from faith, and these of the ones Our Lady is sad about as she just spoke on 3/2/11.

Because of their willingness to reject their faith and their God by choosing worldly things and human ways, from their original state as baptized into the life of Christ, their current state of their soul is worst than their former state says this priest. In other words, they are willfully permitting evil spirits to enter their minds and hearts, because of their way of life and rejecting their baptismal life in Christ from the beginning.

In this scripture quoted, Jesus spoke of seven other spirits more evil than the former way which enter the man who is in this state. It could be that these seven spirits are seven capital sins, which most often are usually behind the driving force of all inherited sin in men from the beginning, but in a worst condition in the human person that rejects their baptismal promises.

This priest said, that any focus in ministry today, should be directed specifically at spiritual warfare ministry. And the way to defeat this battle is through fasting and prayer… “certain spirits only come out through fasting and prayer…” said Jesus to his apostles. And it is the same that Our Lady is saying to her apostles.

Countless times in sacred scripture the Lord had called the people to proclaim a fast. Armies fasted before the entered into battle with the enemy. And of course what we practice is for this Lenten season celebrating the forty days of Jesus in the desert who fasted and prayed to strengthen Him for His public mission.

Jesus was going to contend with not only sin in the desert, but He would come face to face with the many faces of satan and evil in His public mission. Empowered and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, He cast out evil, and His apostles did the same in His name throughout the book of Acts, throughout all of the Church fathers accounts.

Today is not any different. Only in this time of grace and mercy today, Jesus wants to encounter every individual heart. This battleground is in every human person in one way or another. It is time to make more room for Jesus to gain territory in the heart so He can conquer the evil and sin in us. There is nobody on this earth that is an exception. It does not matter how far advanced you may think of yourself as one growing in grace…you are already operating in your pride if you think so.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) says this (paraphrase), “Jesus’ call to conversion and penance is like the prophets before Him, does not aim at the outward signs like the sackcloth and ashes, fasting and mortification; but of the conversion of the heart, interior conversion….interior conversion is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart and an end to sin turning away from evil with hatred for the sin we have committed; the human heart is hardened and God wants to give a new heart… (CCC 1430-32)

Can men do horrible things? Absolutely!

Let’s look at the baptized person who is under the influence of evil and habitual sin for example, steeped in darkness, doing evil deeds that is incomprehensible to themselves and to other human beings. They are driven by evil, and building evil upon evil, plagued, bound and chained to the evil, not knowing how to conquer it.

These are some of the major sins of the world today that are committed against the human body, and this list is not all inclusive; pornography, contraception, or other forms of sterilization, homosexuality, concentration camps (with wars); biotechnology, adultery (post marital sex outside of marriage, fornication (pre-marital sex); prostitutions, abortion, terrorist attacks such as blowing up the human body or directed at other human beings; cloning, experimentation on human beings, abuses, masturbation, and exploitation or immodest effects of the media that promotes such things.

We are so ingrained in these vices no one gives it any thought that it these are grave and moral offenses against God and His Commandments. We have made these practices a way of life which is even worst.

In both the gospel of Matthew and Luke, the scripture says, “…your eye is the light lamp of the body; when your eye is sound, your whole body is full of light, but when it is not sound, your body is full of darkness, therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright as when a lamp with its rays gives you light…” (Luke 11)

What are the things we are viewing most in our every day life?

The eyes are the window through to the soul. If we are viewing things on a regular basis filled with filth and disgust and all kinds of darkness, the mind and the heart are being filled with such darkness; which then bring thoughts to the conscience and sub-conscience evil thoughts, which are eventually acted out upon.

Children are at great risk today, because of the forms of media and entertainment they are exposed to, and parents are allowing them to view such things, thinking nothing of it. Parents are responsible for guarding and protecting the purity and innocence of their children and not to expose them to such darkness. Is it no wonder Our Lady says that parents are teaching their children the “wrong way” and leading them to perdition?

It all needs to be cut off. Adults aren’t any stronger in the spirit and willfully allow these vices through media to enter the homes. And then they wonder why their lives have become such upheaval and such a mess.

The human race is in a need of a new baptism of the Holy Spirit. A new Pentacost; or should I say a double dose of the Holy Ghost!

Our Lady said in January 2011 that the Holy Spirit is a work in the world through those who have said yes to her. The Holy Spirit is going to kick up the dust so to say, and begin to stir up a lot of things inside the human heart, bringing to light what must go!

As the great prophet St. John the Baptist said, “I must decrease, so that he may increase in me. Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his path…” Where ever you find Our Lady, you will find the Holy Spirit. And when the great spouse of the Mother of God are united in one, Jesus Christ will be made incarnate in the flesh in your human body. Our Lady is determined to make it so, that Jesus become visible in you.

Christians must live their baptismal promises, that is to REJECT satan, vice and sin and all evil. And take up prayer, fasting and renunciation to defeat and conquer all darkness.
Our Lady often calls us to fasting with the heart. This could be in way of behavior and/ or attitudes, such as works of charity or mercy done in love…FIRST IN THE HOME and then out to others. Yes husbands and wives, this means with your spouses first!

Charity begins in the home, and needs to be modeled for your children as much.

Consecrate yourselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to the Sacred Heart of Jesus daily. The St. Louis deMonfort total consecration prayer and formula is a great way to learn how to renounce sin.

For this purpose, we will close at this time, and will continue in other postings for further reflections. And look forward to the upcoming spiritual exercises for the Lenten practices coming soon.

“…this rather is the fasting that I wish; release those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting the oppressed free, breaking every yoke, sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless, clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn and your wound shall be quickly healed. Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call the Lord and He will answer you. You will cry for help and He will say, ‘here I am!’” (Isaiah 58:6-9)