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

A Child’s Prayer-Reflection on 4/2/11 Medjugorje Message

If you do not believe my words, at least believe my wounds...

“Dear children, with motherly love I desire to open the heart of each of you and to teach you personal unity with The Father. To accept this, you must comprehend that you are important to God and that He is calling you individually. You must comprehend that your prayer is a conversion of a child with The Father; that love is the way by which you must set out – love for God and for your neighbor.

That is, my children, the love that has no boundaries, that is the love that emanates from truth and goes to the end. Follow me, my children, so that also others, in recognizing the truth and love in you, may follow you. Thank you.

[Once again Our Lady called us to pray for our shepherds, our priests, and said: “They have a special place in my heart. They represent my Son.”]

When our Lady first gave this message what stood out for me was one her desire to ‘open the heart’ and to teach us how to have a relationship with God the Father.

Our Lady said that in order for us to accept this, we must comprehend that we are important to God, and that He is calling us individually.

Let’s look at this a little closer. How many of us think that God does not notice me? God doesn’t love me, or God won’t care? You know that the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, when there is doubt, there is spiritual blindness.

I had to think back, and still sometimes I find myself saying do you really love me Lord, do you really care that much? For most of us, it is easy to say that. Why? Because we’ve grown up with so little love from childhood on. We grew up with conditional love…for someone to love us unconditional is not natural for us to believe in, because we do not naturally know it. But its real.

Our Lady once said that children learn the love of God through mother and father loving each other, and through the love that parents give their children. If God is Father, and our relationship with our maternal father has been wounded or severed, then we are not going to know a fathers love, and will not come to know especially the love of God as Father. Our view of an imperfect father’s love will be distorted, to the point we say, I don’t need God because He was never there for me.

I cannot count how many times I hear this said by those who do not believe especially with teens-gosh the crisis with teens is so great right now. But yet they are still miserable, and bring misery into the lives of those around them.

Contrary to what we think, Our Lady makes it clear. YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO GOD. God knows us by name. God knew us before we were formed in the womb. (Jer.1) Not one child is an accident, NOT ONE!

Every human being was born out of the heart of the Father, out of love. The gift of baptism awakened the spirit within us to share in this life with the Father. It is God the Father that put your spirit in the womb of your Mother, and gave you a body to exist. The body is the vessel that carries your human spirit, united with the divine Spirit of God as a baptized Christian.

So why is it that so many do not know God’s love? Why is the world so cold to the love of God? Why is it so hard for anyone to enter into a loving relationship with their Creator and pretend to say He does not exist? How can we love or believe in something or someone that we cannot see?

Well like most relationships…it takes effort. You are going to get out of the relationship as much as you put in to the relationship.

We under estimate the power of the Word of God. If God who is all omnipotent can create such a vast and majestic universe has the power to do this by His spoken Word, how can we doubt when He said that (1) He will be with us to the end of time; (2) This is my body (my blood) given up for you; (3) If you see me you have seen the Father, for the Father is in me…and I can go on and on.

The Word of God (Jesus) came in the flesh so tell the world that the Father is real, and a living being. The Word of God allowed Himself to be handed over by men to be tortured and beaten to prove to the world that even to this kind of death, it is worth it to seek the Father.

Our Lady comes with the same message. It only takes an open heart to begin to understand that YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO GOD whether you want to believe it or not.

YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO GOD ENOUGH FOR HIM TO KEEP SENDING HIS OWN MOTHER INTO THE WORLD TO TELL YOU SO. If you are not feeling loved in your home, with your family, your spouse, community or work place you only have need to go so far as to your local parish the ark of salvation for all mankind, and sit before the Most Blessed Sacrament or the tabernacle where God Himself is fully present as He promised He would be, and let Him love you, and bathe you in His love. Here is the refuge for the human heart. The world cannot offer this love. Only God can offer the love the human heart desires.

I heard in the gospel yesterday the voice of the Lord say these words from John 8:47.

He said, “whoever belongs to God hears the Word of God; for this reason you do not listen because you do not belong to God…”

You belong to God if you hear the Word of God, and later he says, if you hear the word and ACT ON IT. This is Jesus saying this to those who did not believe in Him or His Word, which He said that He spoke from what He heard from His Father. He came to testify to the truth.

Jesus said, “no one can come to the Father except through me.” Saints Peter and Paul both said that there is no other name given to mankind for salvation except the name of Jesus Christ. So then why are we chasing after false prophets? The name of Jesus Christ every knee must bow in the heavens, on earth and under the earth.

The name of Jesus Christ is the ONLY WAY TOWARD SALVATION. Jesus Christ is the only acceptable sacrifice pleasing in the eyes of the Father. If we want to know the Father, we must know the Son. We must look like Jesus. We must come to know Jesus in the most intimate way as a Bride who desires to be one with her Spouse.

The Father is offering a love and is extending his hand in mercy to a world that is in desperate need of it. Jesus, Who is Divine Mercy said His mercy is unfathomable, incomprehensible; that means there is no limit, no end, no boundaries as our Lady just said. His mercy and love is eternal…never ending. We only have need to “open our hearts to receive it.”

So we have to ask ourselves, what is standing in the way of me receiving the love of God. What do I give more importance to in my life that is more important to God?

Who is the father we believe? The father of lies that says you are no good, that God does not love you? Or do you believe the Word of God in the flesh Who says, “I am love and mercy itself; put great trust in my unfathomable mercy…” God does not create junk. On the contrary God said what He has created is good.

The Lord began to teach more on the scripture from the gospel of John 8:42-46. He had me focus on these words all the more…

“If God were your Father you would love me for I come from God and am here, I did not come on my own, but He sent me. Why do you not understand what I am saying? Because you cannot bear to hear my word…”

Jesus is asking those who are questioning him “Why do you not understand what I am saying?” He repeats often, that those who know Him, know His voice and will recognize truth. If we do not know Him, then we do not know truth, and will not recognize nor accept His voice in the Word.

But the Lord made it clear, if we do not listen to His voice, then there is only one other voice that we welcome, as he said because we cannot bear to hear the truth-because that would mean we would have to change our life-and we get too comfortable in our sin; or we cannot bear to think we have to put effort into changinig for the good….

“Because you cannot bear to hear my word you belong to your father the devil and you willingly carry out your fathers desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie he speaks in character because he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth, you do not believe me…If I am telling you the truth why do you not believe me?”

There is the truth and there is the lie. Which is easier to believe? Truth cuts through the heart. Truth breaks open the heart, and often comes with pain. Human nature naturally hides from truth. The Lord is revealing Himself in fullness of truth, but we cannot bear to hear it.

I find it is no different today. Our Lady in her messages is offering a remedy to the whole human race to reconcile with God. The outreach of heaven is incomprehensible at this time, and yet still so many are rejecting her love. She wants to teach us how to pray to the Father, she wants to teach us how to love her Son, and remind us of how He suffered for us so patiently with such great love. And what is the typical response of most of her children; “ah, that’s nice, Oh so what..or I cannot live that kind of life, that is for someone else…”

Really? If we are rejecting her, we are rejecting the one who sent her. In the gospel of John, the Lord spoke to us about the world’s hatred. He said if they rejected you, remember they rejected Him first. How so true do I find these words to be with the obstinacy of human creatures, even among those closest to me who have seen and witnessed great things.

And for this and the hardness of hearts, the Lord said he would send a deceiving spirit so that they would believe the lie. And so dear friends, here we are today. If we reject the one Whom the Lord sends, then we are rejecting him, and we have chosen another god in the making, the father of lies.

Our Lady calls us little children. Do we know the power of the prayer of a little child? A child who speaks only from the heart when a child is in need of the love of mother or father?

I remember when my girls were little, and to hear the words…’mommy or daddy’ would just melt my heart with their tiny little voices. How do you think the Father would respond to such love and innocence of a child who cries out to him in love.

This is what Our Lady means when she says, “…you must comprehend that your prayer is a conversation of a child with the Father; that love is the way by which you must set out, love for God and neighbor….”

Jesus taught us how to pray to the Father. Read the gospels. Seek out how many times He went off to pray to His Father in secret. John chapter 17 is a good reflection on the prayer of Jesus. Now put love to this prayer as you hear the words, “Father, they are your gift to me…”

We can hear these words as parent with our children, or we can hear it as Jesus praying for me; or we can hear it as Blessed Mother praying the words of her Son to the Father for our sake….the depth of the Word of God is boundless and eternal. If we only knew the power of His mercy in it.

Once we understand this and the Word of God becomes flesh in us, and who we are, then the love of God will emanate from us TRUTH, and nothing can stop His truth from moving forward. Others will begin to see that living love is within the heart, and others will desire this love and long for it. And before you know, conversion of heart is moving ahead.

My friends, the only way the fruit of Medjugorje will be known in the world is if the pilgrims of Medjugorje are living in the world as a witness to Our Lady’s time of visitation with her Son. One cannot go to Medjugorje and go back to his former way of life…woe to you if you did not take to heart the seriousness of the grace that had been given you. The more evil tries to end what is good, the more accountable the children of Our Lady must be for truth and to live the truth as what she calls apostles of love. We are responsible to make Medjugorje known by our deeds, not just in words.

YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO GOD IN THIS TIME. WITHOUT YOU GOD’S PLAN CANNOT BE REALIZED. BE A WITNESS THAT YOU LOVE GOD ABOVE EVERYTHING. HOLY MARTYRS DIED WITNESSING, I AM A CHRISTIAN AND I LOVE GOD OVER EVERTHING…DO NOT SURRENDER!

Debates can go on and on in word, but deeds do not lie. Your actions must speak louder than your preaching…it is required! Christians can no longer shrink from their Christian vocation.

Remember these words of Jesus to St. Faustina… “If you do not believe my word, at least believe my wounds.” Now, there is truth. Live out the remaining days of your Lenten season gazing at Jesus Crucified, and thank him with all your heart for the immeasurable love He has for you, and on Good Friday beg the Lord for mercy upon the whole world and be reconciled to God.

Let us all pray for our shepherds and priests, and for the fulfillment of the great plan of God.
Ave Maria!

“Do not be afraid of sufferings; I am with you (151). The more you will come to love suffering, the purer your love for me will be. (279)” (Diary of St. Faustina)

Be sure to take to prayer you call to go to Medjugorje. We are taking pilgrims, especailly young people on August 4th through 8/16. Click on the tab for the 22nd Annual Youth Prayer Festival for more information. A great gift for one who is graduating and beginning their adult life preparing for their vocation.

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

Prepare this Lent to defeat Sin

My soul longs for thee my God...

God the Father said to St. Catherine of Sienna, “Dost thou not know dear daughter that all the suffering which the soul endures or can endure in this life are insufficient to punish one smallest fault, because the offense being done to Me who am the infinite Good, calls for infinite satisfaction? However, I wish that though should know, that not all the pains that are given to men in this life are given as a punishment but as corrections, in order to chastise a son when he offends; though it is true that both the guilt and the penalty can be expiated by the desire of the soul, that is by true contrition, not through the finite pain endured but through the infinite desire; because God who is infinite wishes for infinite love and infinite grief…” (The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Sienna)

Can the human heart refrain from partaking in His pain of the savior crucified?

Can we avoid or resist from uniting our suffering with Jesus? We can try to avoid all we want, but suffering is going to come in our life.

According to the Father our suffering alone is of no avail, and is not sufficient to atone the offenses of sin that is committed to God eternal. He said that our suffering must be united with the eternal, that is the one whose suffering was the only acceptable sacrifice pleasing to the Father, the Son Jesus Christ crucified.

When I read these great words of wisdom spoken by the Father to his servant St. Catherine saying that “not all pains that are given to men in this life are given as punishment, but as corrections, in order to chastise a son when he offends…” I was led to the following scripture as St. Paul said;

“As to the extraordinary revelations in order that I might not become conceited I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of satan to beat me and keep me from getting proud. Three times I begged the Lord that this might leave me. He said to me, ‘my grace is enough for you, for in weakness power reaches perfection.’ And so I willingly boast of my weakness instead that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I am content with weakness, with mistreatment, with distress, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ; for when I am powerless, it is then that I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

I gave great thought to these words, reflecting on the passion of Jesus, and with this great doctor of the Church St. Catherine of Sienna who suffered the stigmata; or the wounds of Christ in her body.

Be weary dear friends of those who boast in the gifts given from God as someone too special, and lifting and raising them to high esteem. No one could comprehend the workings of God in the human soul, and for what reason such extraordinary events come to certain souls.

Our Lady has said on many occasions when the visionaries of Mejugorje have asked, why did she come to them. Her response alone is filled with wisdom as she said, “she does not always choose the best.” It is the very least likely souls that God will choose, which often is through children who are innocent before becoming too seasoned and tainted by the world.

So let’s understand in truth that many would think of these extraordinary events as one who has become special and chosen in the eyes of God…yes this it true. But to remind the reader, if one has been given much, much is expected, and this soul is called to severe judgment if the grace given is not upheld in humility.

But what about to the one who bears the wounds of Christ in the body?

Has anyone ever given thought to why the Lord has permitted such afflictions on the body of a particular soul? Yes, of course for the Lord to manifest His power, but satan can also deceive in this extraordinary event as well. So we have to think more with great prudence in such suffering.

St. Catherine asked the Lord to suffer for the sins of humanity yes, but in order for her not to boast in her heroic deed, she suffered affliction in many ways to keep her humble. In reality when someone is in agony, it is hard to be so proud in these moments. It is a humble and contrite heart that pleases the Lord.

As I reflect on this mystery in my own life, and looking at a quick glimpse of my life review and the experiences I have encountered, I am in awe for I recognize the inflated pride in my own soul, knowing that this pride, my stubbornness, my selfishness had to go at whatever cost for the sake of saving my soul.

My friends, the battle was and is still fierce within me. The words of St. Paul who said, “he learned obedience through what he suffered…” rings oh so true to the depth of this soul, this one who is speaking to you. So much so, in the spirit of Fear of the Lord, that is the fear of offending my God, I shrink at the thought of getting a divine spanking from God for my behavior and my own actions when I disobey. I am the worst of the sinners.

When you have experienced the Love of God in truth, and see who you are in fullness of truth from the beginning of your existence through today, that is I mean by saying, where I was at one time in my life, in wasting my human life, to passing through the fiery furnace and coming out as gold being refined in the fire, that no one could comprehend the depth and the length and the breathe of God which passes through the human soul. And I know after 24 years of working on my conversion, I am not done yet!

Our Lady has given me this message for my personal life on many occasions. It has come at the height of the greatest trials in my life. She said,

“Dear children, today I am calling you to the love which is loyal and pleasing to God. Little children, love bears everything bitter and difficult for the sake of Jesus Who is love. Therefore, dear children, pray God to come to your aid, not however according to your desires but according to His love. Surrender yourselves to God so that He may heal you, console you, and forgive everything inside you which is a hindrance on the way of love. Dear children, glorify God with the canticle of love so that God’s love may be able to grow in you day by day to its fullness. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (6/25/88)

Again dear friends united with Our Lady, I ask you to again take the crucifix in your hands and meditate on the wounds of Jesus. Here in this way you are now looking at the love that is loyal and pleasing to God.

Look at Jesus crucified Who in His love bears everything for you. The suffering and death of Jesus was most bitter, most loathful, most painful, in agonizing grief, and He endured it with great difficulty for yours and my sake. This is love my friends. There is no greater love that ever came to mankind than Divine Love.

I recently wrote that Our Lady is leading us to her Son by the way of the Cross. Here we are on the cusp of Lent, with Ash Wednesday just around the corner.

How are you preparing yourself for this coming Lent?

Are you asking Jesus what sin He wants to put to death in you?

You will need to spend the time in the desert facing this sin that He wants to defeat in you. And you will be tempted and tried in many ways and wrestle with it in the darkest moments, to put it to the sword, because the enemy has the stronghold on you in this sin, and it will not let it go without a fight in you. It will be your will against God’s will for you.

Our Lady says in this message…

“…Therefore, dear children, pray God to come to your aid, not however according to your desires but according to His love. Surrender yourselves to God so that He may heal you, console you, and forgive everything inside you which is a hindrance on the way of love…”

In these moments, call out to God as you ask in the Lord’s prayer, ‘lead us not into temptation, deliver us from evil…’ Beg the Father to come in the way He desires for you, for He knows what is best for you, according to the love He has for you. Take the correction with joy, knowing what affliction He imposes on you is for your own good, and surrender as Our Lady and Jesus did saying, “thy will be done in me!”

This way, even in the midst of the pain, God will either heal you, console you, and forgive you for every darkness inside of you that blocks you from loving in perfect love. The trial is worst when we suffer alone, and we find ourselves locked up in our own self pity and pride, and then satan begins to work on us, as we find ourselves blaming others for our misery.

Our Lady says accept everything that comes from God with love. Here is where the grace will come. And the burden you carry will be lighter.

Our Lady then says to do as she did with St. Joseph and the apostles,

“….Dear children, glorify God with the canticle of love so that God’s love may be able to grow in you day by day to its fullness…”

Sing! Rejoice in your suffering and in your weakness. Joy is the sign of God’s presence in the soul. Sing as she sang her canticle of love in her Magnificat, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord!!!” Give all glory to God and thank HIM.

You are going through the fire because the Lord wills the life of your soul! For no other reason, but to share in the divine life with Him, and come to a deeper knowledge of His omnipotence. Your consolation is the taste of heaven and a greater love and appreciation for the profoundness of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ crucified.

Do not rely on your feelings in the desert says the Lord to St. Faustina. Your feelings are not in your control, and are powered by your human emotions.

How many times I have heard, “I FEEL CALLED to such and such…” Life with God is not based on feelings, but it is the desire of the eternal who moves the heart to act in such a way as it does.

TEST EVERYTHING, and do not be deceived by false human consolations that only feed to your pride all the more.

Thy Kingdom come we pray! Pray for the triumphant victory of Jesus in you. Surrender to Him that He may triumph in your heart and in the hearts of those surrounding you! Surrender and lay down your sin in humble submission to the King, and pay Him homage that is due to a righteous King and defeat satan’s angel in your sin so that it has no more power over you.

May the eyes of your heart be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you to and what are the riches of His glory in His saints, to come to know His immeasurable power and His greatness for those of us who believe according to the works of His great might, for remembering that He said, “I will draw all men to myself…” (Eph. 1)

Jesus will draw all men to Himself. It is not men who draw men to themselves in the name of the Lord. These are those who are seeking the light for themsleves and blinded by their own light, lost in their imaginations and sin. Only the Lord will lead us to the cross for His glory, not ours. Keep your pride in check my friends, and seek no honor from men, but let your merit be only known by the Almight above.

We are all united as one body suffering with the One Lord Jesus Christ, as one Church, one God, one faith, one truth. May we all remain united in prayer for each other, and give Him the absolute glory due to Him!

Ave Maria!

Build a New Foundation on Rock….”Holy Family Workshop, Tools for Today’s Marriage and Family, Live the Message of Medjugorje…”

We Walk By Faith not by Sight

"Lord open his eyes that he may see" (2 King 6)

Believe the invisible…hard to swallow isn’t it? Believe the invisible. To believe in something we cannot see, and to trust in something we do not know, or do we?

Yet we walk by faith and not by sight right? St. Paul said, “no one comprehends the thoughts of God, except the Spirit of God…” (1 Cor. 12:3)

I often reflect on the people of Israel and how hard it had to be for them to believe in just a word of the testimony and witness of the prophets, and yet I find myself today in the same struggles. If it weren’t for the crucified, how difficult it would be for me to just believe a word…yet the Word of God was alive for this people who lived it and experienced it.

The Lord spoke to me on one occasion, and it was a powerful prayer experience with God. He spoke and said the same words given to St. John the Baptist by his father Zachariah… the Words were to me, “you my child shall be called the prophet of the most high, for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way, to give His people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of sins. In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall come upon you, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide their feet on to the path of peace.”

Now most of us have heard and prayed these words, and maybe feel it in your heart as you pray it, as it is part of the morning prayer in the divine office of the Church.

But it was different for me. This word was enfleshed in me. I felt these words in the very depth of my soul. My heart burns when I hear them, and the Lord has consumed me with such zeal for His house no words can describe. I was called “sunshine” by my birth father even to this day, affirming the words “the dawn from on high shall shine upon you…”

This prophetic voice came to my soul over 10 years ago at a time I was naïve, yet wisdom and experience have proven to me to be careful and prudent of what you say yes to.

I don’t want to be mis-understood here, because where I am today verses where I was then is clearly night and day, literally. But the Lord has raised me up as a prophet, and well we all know a prophet is never welcomed at his home town…that is those who know me cannot believe it is really me.

What I didn’t know then, and what I know now, but most especially by experience, none the less, is that a prophet lives in his body what God is conveying to His people by voice.

You see then I used to say like many unbelievers, “the bible is just a bunch of words written by men, and it doesn’t even apply today…”

God in His infinite wisdom called me out on this, in a most powerful way. Here I am today to say, “watch out unbelievers! You will be made an example of, if you don’t believe the spoken word of God in His holy text!”

I don’t even want to ask any more when I am reflecting about what something means in the bible, because the minute I ask, the Lord will show me, right in my own home…now I’m just kidding to some respect, but there is truth to this.

Why am I saying this? All of the experiences I have had to go through, not just myself, but with my husband, our marriage sacrament, our children, our family, has been nothing short of the crucible, the fiery furnace. When you walk with God, it will be so for your own good and salvation. I’ve had to live it to tell it!

I can honestly speak with experience the lessons taught in the bible first hand experience by living it first hand, and say with confidence this is why I am experiencing this, as atonement for sin, for intercession, for my own conversion, for the greater good of another and so on…

Now do I do this perfectly…ABSOLUTELY NOT. Because I never know when I am in the storm or going through the fire why it has come until I pass through and see it from the other side.

We have been writing a series of articles just about what has been on my own heart in prayer as I feel Our Lady and the Lord moving in my own private life. However, I am convicted in many ways, by the calls, e-mails and conversations I have with many that we are all in similar ways going through the same thing.

Our Lady just spoke to the world again yesterday about the way we pray (2/2/2011). I felt as if she is enforcing what we’ve already been talking about which I will put in another posting.

However as to continue from what we began last week, on the series of messages from 1992 and with her help in her recent messages, she said in my heart just today… “keep writing.” I said, “who is really listening, I am just a voice? Who wants to hear me?”

Ah ha, then the word came quickly, St. John the Baptist, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord…”

Oh but a heavy sigh, I said again, “Yes! Ok. I am just a voice of one, and I emphasize the word ‘one.’

There is a difference between a voice and the Word. You see Jesus is the Word flesh. Meaning His word is alive in the flesh.

I am a voice. A voice is empty and just makes noise and chatters. But if it has the Word of God, then there is some content to what is spoken. There is an experience in the Word, and this word can be lived and put to life.

The Lord has declared that His spoken word is made flesh in me. (Now of course this does not mean just me, because He is in all of us, but what He is saying to me in my own heart He is trying to get my attention to something more deeper inside of me).

So now I have to believe in faith, BY HIS WORD that what He said is true and that my one voice will be heard and stir the spirit in another. I can only speak by what He has put on my heart to speak, and trust that what is spoken He will do the work on His own in the heart of another and meet them where they are at.

So to continue with Our Lady message below which she gave to the world in 1992 is still present for today even though it was given 9 yrs ago-just like scripture it is a living word and used in the present moment.

What we do not understand my friends is heaven is on earth. Our Lady is bringing heaven to us; Yes! Just like we ask in the Lord’s prayer.

So we are in God’s time, her time right now in heaven. We are in a suspended time of history where heaven has come to meet earth and God wants His people to look toward Him again. Hence the meaning “time of grace, time of mercy.”

Mirjana (Medjugorje visionary) had an experience with Our Lady when she was a child in the early days. It was that her watch was running backwards. Keep in mind Fatima at this time and the third secret untold, which eventually made public was found that a nuclear war was to occur in the mid-80’s. This was a time of the cold war, between Russia and the United States. The threat of nuclear war was emanate. Lucia the Fatima visionary confirmed this in her testimony before she died and Pope John Paul II knew about it.

The visionary (Mirjana) understood that time was being reversed when she prayed about its meaning. Time was being suspended. The earth was given more time to convert; Blessed Mother obtained that grace from her Son.

And now Our Lady has as I have said in the past posting, ‘rolled up her sleeves, and is getting down to business to clean up the house of God, and tell her children its time for them to come home from their non-sense.’

Blessed Mother has just proclaimed to the world that hearts are changing now. In 30 years of apparitions, the Mother has never said this. She is saying this now! Hearts are changing and the Holy Spirit is at work! (1/25/2011) Praise God my friends, praise God!

But now, she doesn’t want us just to pray with our lips, she wants us to pray with our hearts, our whole being, not to pray for our gain, but to seek God for who He is. (2/2/2011). Well here’s a twist.

Do you know God? Do you know who He is? How are you going to know of Him if you do not spend time with Him and experience Him?

So I ask that you read the below message and ask yourself, is this the way I pray?

“Dear children, today also I invite you to prayer so that through prayer you come yet closer to God. I am with you and wish to lead you on the path to salvation which Jesus gives. From day to day I am closer and closer to you, although you are not conscious of it and do not want to admit that you are connected to me in prayer only a little bit. When temptations and problems arise you say: “Oh God, O Mother, where are you?” And I only wait for you to give me your yes so that I pass it on to Jesus and that He may bestow with you graces. Therefore, once again accept my call and begin anew to pray, until prayer becomes a joy for you. And then you will discover that God is Almighty in your everyday life. I am with you and I wait for you. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (5/25/92)

Let’s begin with the first part; Our Lady begins with her invitation to prayer. “…also today I invite you to prayer….SO THAT THROUGH PRAYER YOU COME YET CLOSER TO GOD….”

Prayer is a way to bring us closer to God. How can anyone say He knows God, if He is not praying? That’s a hypocrite! You don’t know anyone unless you spend time with them and they share their deepest darkest thoughts of their heart with you.

Jesus said, “I have called you friend, because I tell you everything I have heard from the father…” (Jn. 15:15)

Jesus wants to share in the most intimate way what we should know about the Father. However, to get close to the Father, we must pass through His Son.

Friend? Are we friends of Jesus? He said we are friends if we live His commandments, just as previously posted. (Jn. 15:14)

But most of us are not even living the commandments. A friend of Jesus is one who lays His life down for another because of love. This is friendship with God. Isn’t this what Jesus did?

Our Lady said at another occasion, “I call you to the love that is loyal and pleasing to God…” There was only one love that was loyal and pleasing to God, and that was His only begotten Son crucified on the cross. This is the love that is loyal and pleasing to God. You allow yourself to be crucified, and die to yourself because of love for another and for God.

That is true friendship. That is true love of a spouse or a husband for His bride. He’s not complaining, not begrudging, not accusing, but to do it because Jesus did it for you in love. This is only one part of your Christian vocation my friends.

Then our Lady continues, and she said…

“…I am with you and wish to lead you on the path to salvation which Jesus gives. From day to day I am closer and closer to you, although you are not conscious of it and do not want to admit that you are connected to me in prayer only a little bit.

The path to salvation is where she wants to lead us which Jesus gave is the “way of the cross.” That is the path to salvation. That means, your trials, your suffering, your burdens is your path to your salvation…taking up your “daily crosses” and follow Jesus the way He carried the cross and the way you carry your cross will determine how heavy or light the burden will be for you.

She is with us from day to day, and she is coming closer to us. Her holiness, her presence is going to stir up dust in us, because we cannot remain close to her nor to her Son if we have a spot of darkness. She will make sure is it wiped spotless from us. So you may experience stirrings of agitations around you, that are to get your attention to say… “hmm I am not liking this, I want this to change.” Yep! She wants it to change also!

I will share with you a moment of agony and suffering in my own life. Now I have experienced God’s power in my life in a most tremendous way on multiple occasions. I have seen and witnessed things that there is no doubt in my mind God exists.

But even because of this I am fully aware of the weakness in my own humanity, of who I am, and knowing I am powerless.

Our family is going through a tremendous trial in this time. Now, no body would know this, because it is a silent suffering. Those on the outside would never know if we did not bring it to light. But all the more, knowing what I know about God, travailing is not any less, because we are human, we have emotions, we exist in this world, and we are not always going to be strong and for certain we are going to suffer.

But I got to experience today the power of the sacrament of marriage in a way that I have not before. I was consumed with anxiety and a fear today over a situation with our family, feeling helpless and desperate, still knowing nothing is in my control, nothing is in my power to change it. I had to just press into the pain, and seek refuge with the Lord.

I went deeper into my prayer, talking to Jesus and Blessed Mother in my heart telling them all my feelings about what was going on. I grabbed my crucifix and I carried it around the house with me, holding my mystical spouse tightly, and looking at him, knowing I was in the marriage bed with him on the cross in agony and in tears; and with all my heart in one breath asking why, and the other breath saying let it be.

The struggle within me was intense, and I clutched Jesus all the more, and my tears are covering the crucifix pouring over him.

My husband in the midst of all of this called me on the phone demanding to talk to me through my daughter. I said I was not able to talk right now, because I did not want him to know how much pain I was carrying, because I did not want him to worry about me.

When I took his call however, he began to share with me, how he was feeling this weight come over him of this cross we are carrying and asked me if we could just sit together tonight, that we didn’t even have to pray, but to be silent together. I could hardly hold back the tears. He didn’t know what I was experiencing in this time, because I never told him. Only Jesus crucified knew who I was holding in my arms in this moment.

But you see what you all don’t know is that I have been praying to see Jesus in my spouse for many years, to open my eyes so I could love my spouse the way I love Jesus and love Jesus in him.

And through this agonizing experience, I was able to unite my suffering on the cross, struggle in it, and a beautiful grace came in it. The burden is still there, but there was a peace that came in the voice of my spouse; that is my husband and Jesus speaking through him. I can hardly hold back the tears as I am writing about this now.

The Lord then gave me a flash of an image. I saw my husband in the person of Jesus. First it was Jesus and then it was him, flashing in and out, carrying the cross. I then experienced Jesus’ love for me carrying this burden on His shoulders as my own mystical husband, and is giving my husband the grace to carry it for me.

I don’t understand why God does what He does and His ways, but this is a most intimate experience that know body knows about (of course until now because I have just shared this in the book of my life).

So as I reflect today on this message of Our Lady when she said…

“… When temptations and problems arise you say: “Oh God, O Mother, where are you?” And I only wait for you to give me your yes so that I pass it on to Jesus and that He may bestow with you graces…”

I had to find the strength in my heart knowing God was listening to me, to cry out and say … “Yes! I will carry this cross! I remember you Blessed Mother with St. Joseph and your struggles as a husband and wife waiting upon the Lord, and I affirm loudly, “I believe in the love of God for me, I believe He has the power to deliver us from this darkness, this is why I need you God in my life! I cannot carry these burdens alone…”

And then the Lord proved by this experience, He not only heard my prayer, but He let me experience the power of my vocation and the sacramental grace in it with a small consolation of His love for me in my spouse.

In this moment, I was able to experience “God Almighty” today in my life as our Lady promised in this message through prayer. I don’t know the future, I only know what is present and I am here to proclaim, “My God reigns!”

Maybe this will help someone reading this, to go deeper into their heart in the midst of the fire, and cling to Jesus as He has taught me. Let the Church the bride of Christ, cling to her spouse! Ave Maria!

“I am the true vine and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit and everyone that does He prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word I spoke to you. Remain in me as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit because without me you can do nothing….” (Jn. 15:1-5)

Commandments a Bunch of Rules?

If you love me, you will keep my Commandments

“Son though He was, He learned obedience through what he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8)

“Dear children, these years I have been calling you to pray, to live what I am telling you, but you are living my message a little. You talk but do not live, that is why dear little children this war is lasting so long. I invite you to open yourselves to God and to live with God in your hearts, living the good and giving witness to my messages. I love you and wish to protect you from every evil, but you do not desire it.

Dear children, I cannot help you if you do not live God’s commandments, if you do not live the Mass, if you do not abandon sin.

I invite you to become Apostles of love and goodness. In this world without peace, give witness to God and God’s love and God will bless you and give you what you seek of Him. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (10/25/93)

Our Lady is speaking of a war, at a time of war in a region, where there has been deep seeded hatreds for centuries among a race and culture of people. And here she is coming with open arms telling her children, I am here to help you. I have been repeating to you to pray and live what I am asking. But it appears that this message was just not sinking in. And because of that, the end result was sin manifesting into a horrible war.

As I have already quoted in previous postings, the Mother of God said that war begins in the heart FIRST. That is the stirring of sinfulness in the hearts of men. Then there are wars between spouses, in the family and then among neighbors.

God desires the good for His people. He desires peace in the hearts of men. Wars in the heart bring about evil and sin and several, hundreds or thousands of people are affected by it.

Here in this message though Our Lady said, “we do not desire her protection…” but instead we are choosing evil and war. What little child does not need a mother or father there to keep them out of trouble? And what happens to the child when the child doesn’t do what mother or father say? Trouble begins right?

In this case she gave the remedy for her protection…

(1) Live God’s Commandments,

(2) live the Holy Mass;

(3) abandon sin.

That is obey my house rules, feed on spiritual food to strengthen you so you can live my house rules, and stop getting into trouble. Maybe the child needs to receive a spanking in order to correct the action. As with all behavior there is a cause and effect of the behavior.

In her motherly love she is inviting us to be Apostles of love and goodness. When Jesus called the apostles to follow Him they had to leave their former way of live without hesitation, and begin a new way. We are a chosen people of this present time in the world. We are being called just in the same way as the apostles of old, to leave our former way of sinful lives and choose the good in love, and bring peace into a world that does not know peace.

If we live in this way, there comes the blessing of God, and He will hear your prayer when you call to him.

So let’s go deeper reflecting on why it is most important to living the Commandments of God in a simple view of a child.

In every household there are established rules to follow, and children must obey their parent’s right? Games have rules, so all are playing fair. Schools have rules to follow to keep students safe and to teach them responsibility; businesses have rules, by-laws, covenants, contracts etc.

Government has laws established to maintain order and peace for that nation, country, state or city. Initially most laws were founded on the commandments of God for established justice in the land and for the common good; however, not so in most countries, cities or states…because many have omitted the commandments of God, and what is resulting is chaotic disorder among nations and laws are skewed and misused.

None the less, for God’s house that is God’s family there has to be and established order of sanctity and holiness; if someone is going to be a child of God. A child most often models the parent. God the Eternal Father is holy therefore His children must model after Him. We have to try to achieve our identity as a child of God. If the Father has established house rules then we the children must obey the rules to live in God’s Kingdom and God’s Palace and God’s house; that is to be a member of the Catholic Church and to call yourself Catholic, you must live the Law of God and His Church!

In the beginning of the apparitions, our Lady was asked many questions by the visionaries, and those who were testing the spirit in that time.

On 10/1/1981 a question was asked, ‘are all religions good?’

The response given by our Lady was this;
“Members of all faiths are equal before God. God rules over each faith just like a soverign over his Kingdom. In the world, all religions are not the same because all people have not complied with the commandments of God. They reject and disparage them…”

Hence here is why there is so much divisions and wars among men especially the wars in the name of God. The result is “because all the people have not complied with the commandments of God…and have rejected them!” But God rules over the world, and His creation. It is the influences in the world that corrupts the hearts of men. When someone is reflecting on these words he must reflect in universal terms beyond human comprehension. As a whole human race we are one people in the eyes of God, but a people whose hearts are far from God.

Then the next question that came on this same day was; ‘are all Churches the same?’

Our Lady responded…
“In some, the strength of prayer to God is greater, in others smaller. That depends on the priests who motivate others to pray. It depends also on the power which they have?”

The strength of the priest that is his faith, his prayer, and his sacramental power given to him is the key to a strong Church for God. The priest is at the front line of his parish. He is the head in the person of Christ to lead the body in sound doctrine of faith, preaching the gospel, and living the mandate handed down to Him by His head, Jesus Christ!

What is this mandate? Heal the sick (spiritually and physically); cast out demons, give sight to the blind (spiritual and physical); cleanse the lepers (spiritual and physical); heal the lame (spiritual and physical); raise the dead (spiritual and physical).

They are to go out to all nations to proclaim the gospel with boldness!

Again in earlier messages again enforcing what she said above, there was a dispute over a Catholic priest healing an Orthodox child. Remember this region had many hatreds and divisions against religions and cultures, same people, but different faiths. The response of Our Lady was a great admonishment; and she said,

“Tell the priests, tell everyone that it is you who are divided on earth. The Muslims, and the Orthodox, for the same reason as Catholics are equal before my Son and me. You are all my children. Certainly all religions are not equal, but all men are equal before God, as St. Paul says. It does not suffice to belong to the Catholic Church to be saved but it is necessary to respect the Commandments of God to following ones conscience.

Those who are NOT Catholic are no less creatures made in the image of God, and destined to rejoin someday the House of the Father. Salvation is available to everyone without exception. Only those who refuse God deliberately are condemned. To him who has been given little, little will be asked for. To whom ever has been given much very much will be required. It is God alone, in His infinite justice, Who determines the degree of responsibility and pronounces judgment.”

Now there are many who call themselves Catholic only in name, and do not live their Catholic faith. Much will be expected of you. If you are Jewish, live your Jewish faith faithfully. If you are a Muslim, live it in faith all for the good. All have come from the same God, under the blessing of Abraham. But all must live and respect the commandments of God and have a formed conscience for the dignity of the human person, from conception to natural death.

All will have to give an account of their life. Heaven is not made up of just Catholics or Christians. God is the final judge, not men! But you Catholics, Christians who say you know Jesus Christ, will be held at a high expectation of law to love neighbor as yourself, to love your enemies, pray for the persecutors, and put God above everything. This is the core of your faith! That enemy may be in your own home, or in your own family….

I cannot count how many times I have heard someone who is against Christianity or the Catholic Church say…”I hate the Catholic Church, it has too many rules to follow.”

Really? Then I would say to you, your life is disordered from the beginning and you have lost your meaning for existence.

Is it the Catholic Church that made up these rules? NO. It is a mandate from God from the beginning. The Catholic Church enforces and teaches these rules and is the conscience of the world, from her head who has established them from the beginning.

The Church is Jesus Christ. It is a living being with a head and a body. The body of the Church is made up of broken sinners. Therefore if you hate the rules of God, then you hate the one who has established the rules from the beginning and were never taught how to follow rules in your home; or you were rebellious from the start.

You cannot say that you believe in Jesus Christ, but only believe in part who He is. To believe you must believe in the whole person, the whole truth of who He is and what He has become by His very nature and his essence of divinity, in every name, title and law established and fulfilled in Him.

To error is human. God cannot error. Thousands of years have been proven and tested over time the end result of one generation to another of what happened to the race of people for the rebellion and disobedience of the commandments of God; divisions and war have resulted, and the dignity of the human person has been dismantled and the enemy pillaged the land in which they lived, and evil became the stronghold over men.

God never changes. He is eternal that is He is the same yesterday, today and will be for the future generations to come.

This so called progressive modern society is duped to think that he will skate by, because he wants to have someone say it is okay to live a licentious life to justify his own sin, and lead others because he has watered down his existence to just a bunch of rules, because he/she is too lazy to follow them; nor do they want to change to better themselves. They are in the grips of satan and choose death over life.

Yet poor sinner when you are confronted and convicted of your sin, your pride blinds you and you hide your shame behind your malice, and accuse and blame the Lord and His Church! Blaspheme! How blind you are oh wicked man. Is there any love in your hearts?

It’s not about rules, it’s about love… Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (Jn. 14:15)

Satan is the one who said, ‘I will not serve…I will not follow rules…and will con you as it did from the beginning with the first man and woman telling you that you don’t have to follow a bunch of rules, here do it your own way, you can be your own God-go ahead, have that affair, nobody will know…go ahead take that drink who really cares…go ahead this or that.’

Commandments are a universal mandate for the sovereignty and protection of the people of God, there is no option! Without the Commandments, that is these rules, just like in the family, workplace, sporting game, etc. if there were no rules, there will be nothing but chaos and confusion, and then great divisions occur, riots and fighting and war among spouses, family members, co-workers, neighbors, and ultimately it spills over into the world, where there is violence, hatred and unrest. And ultimately it will not just end in this generation, but will be for multiple generations to come.

Yes, the blessing and the curse, handed down from the beginning of time, starting with Adam and Eve through today, and will be in the future if men do not change their hearts toward the good.

Imagine what the history books of your grandchildren will read about this generation that is called a godless society, a peaceless world.

What kind of a future do our children have to look forward to? Is there hope? Our Lady is not giviing up hope, and she is praying that we will come to this realization.

But many of young people do not have hope and believe there is hope. There is no value for life in their hearts, and they are wandering with unformed consciences, because of those who hate rules.

They go on killing sprees, because they are not held accountable for their actions, and do not know how to take correction, they kill themselves, they degrade one another, use and abuse their bodies, and the bodies of others. This is the generation we are raising today.

But dear friends God is a God of authority and order. There is a proper order of all things in His Kingdom, and it must begin here on earth or will be atoned for not only on earth but also in eternity. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven! We ask for this every time we pray the Lord’s prayer. God! Establish your Kingdom on earth the way you have it in heaven. And then for someone to say he does not like the rules of God is a hypocrite!

The human race is greatly disordered. Marriages are disordered, families are disordered, business is disordered and corrupted, religions have become disordered, governments are disordered, and we wonder why we are lacking peace! Why? Because the Church is disordered. As go God’s people, so goes the world!

Obedience to the Commands and precepts of God in proper order will crush satan under your heel. (Romans 16:19-20) Live the Commandments! Put God in the first place in your life. Keep Sunday as the Lord’s Day of solemn rest…study and live the commandments!

Blessed Mother has so often called us to read Sacred Scripture, and to pray and live her messages. It is in sacred scripture that the moral lessens are learned. We learn about the life of Jesus and how to live with God and have a relationship with the Eternal Father.

In the scriptures we will learn from the Old Testament that God calls His people, His family to living the Commandments. It is the most repeated theme in the bible. If the Commandments and the precepts of his Kingdom are not met then there comes not only sin, but the curse (or the sour fruit of the sin committed).

The Commandments are for our own good, for our livelihood, and for peace to reign in the hearts of men. There is a freedom to choose to do good and a sound peace of mind that comes when the right is done-even though one in darkness may object.

Our Lady is inviting. She cannot force you to do what you do not want to do. But the mother is inviting you for your own good, for your own sake, and for the good of God’s people to usher this human race into an era of peace. Do we want this? I should hope so.

“All wisdom is FEAR OF THE LORD, perfect wisdom is fulfillment of the Law…” (Sirach 19:17)

As a closing note to Catholics; we urge you to open your Catechism of the Catholic Church and study the Ten Commandments in detail. It will be an eye opener for you!

Accept the Call with Seriousness

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful...

God is good! Picking up from where we left off yesterday, and reflecting on the series of the messages of Medjugorje from the spring of 1992, I came across a reflection from St. Louis deMonfort from “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

If you recall the message I posted on 1/24/2011 from 3/25/92, the Blessed Mother said that her children were losing interest in her and her messages, and taking the message “superficially” as if this word was carefully used to describe the lukewarmness of the hearts of many so called devotees of Our Lady.

This is what the great Marian saint said about “superficial devotees.”

“Superficial devotees are people whose entire devotion to Our Lady consists in exterior practices. Only the externals of devotion appeal to them because they have no interior spirit. They say many rosaries with great haste and assist at many Masses distractedly. They take part in processions of our Lady without inner fervor. They join her confraternities without reforming their lives or restraining their passions or imitating Mary’s virtues. All that appeals to them is the emotional aspect of this devotion, but the substance of it has no appeal at all. If they do not feel a warmth in their devotions, they think they are doing nothing; they become upset, and give up everything or else do things only when they feel like it. The world is full of these shallow devotees, and there are none more critical of men of prayer who regard the interior devotion as the essential aspect and strive to acquire it, without however neglecting a reasonable external expression which always accompanies true devotion.” (96)

St. Louis deMonfort is describing those literally who just go through the motion; for example let’s say just praying the rosary with the lips, but there is no heart to heart union or contemplative reflection on the life of Jesus in the rosary. The rosary is a prayer of the gospels. They rush through the rosary, and are seen in the church as pious devotees however, there is no relationship with Our Lady or their God.

They have no interest in changing their lives or following the way of the cross as true devotees, in fact are put off by it. They look for spiritual consolations to make themselves feel good, but quickly find dryness in their prayer; kind of a “what’s in it for me attitude.”

St. Louis de Montfort called them ‘shallow devotees’ and are very critical of those seeking the interior life. They will not go deep into their hearts to look at themselves.

There is a danger here in this practice, because of self-righteousness, and false piety.

In her message of 3/25/92, the Blessed Mother admonished these superficial devotees, and said because of their coldness and disinterest in her, the messages or her Son, they leave themselves prey for the enemy. Simply because they are not seeking holiness, nor do they desire holiness, they do not root out the sin inside of them, nor practice their virtues and do not move toward conversion of heart.

So their spirits are left empty and void of God’s grace. If God is not filling the soul or spirit, there is only one thing left that can fill the spirit, and that is the wiles of the enemy.

Again, for your discernment dear reader, contemplate and read this slowly and prayerfully with the heart with the help of the Holy Spirit to help understand a deeper meaning for you.

It is very easy for anyone to fall into complacency; but there comes a point to where we have to pick ourselves up, and seek again that ardent and fervent desire to press on in the journey.

The following message came the next month. Keep in mind of the war that was occurring in the region at the time of this message.

Again I also remind the reader that Our Lady was sent by God to call the world to conversion, which she began at Fatima. The world rejected her call and World War II began as she said it would, and the spread of communism and godlessness throughout the world.

So here we are on the verge of a heated war ensuing in the Baltic region in 1990’s which was waged against Christian Catholics, (a sign perhaps foreshadowing the attack on the Church, Christians of the world…who knows-that is for your discernment); but keeing in mind that Our Lady just said to the world the month prior that we were not taking her messages with seriousness, and because of this, she is not able to help us.

I am sure those who lived in the region seeing the effects of the war, and their loved ones whose lives are threatened, were most likely listening very intently to what she was saying, and increased their prayer to God for help. Here is her message:

“Dear children, today also 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 paths to take. 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. 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)

“…but woe to you earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in a great fury for he knows he has but a short time…” (Rev. 12:12)

Here it is the remedy to defeat the enemy and sin…”prayer and fasting” Prayer and fasting can stop wars! Now look throughout biblical history how many times God wanted to chastise the people because of their sin. But when the people repented of their sin, they prayed and fasted, and put on sack cloth as a sign to God of their repentance.

Here in lies the majority of the call of Medjugorje, “prayer, penance and fasting…”

Through this form of penance there is a dying to ourselves in the flesh, which brings greater strength in our spirits.

Many are familiar with this message from Our Lady, which is common on many of her prayer cards. For this purpose though it bears repeating. She said:

“Dear children, I invite you for your individual conversion. This time is for you! Without you God’s plan cannot be realized. Dear children, grow day by day closer to God through prayer. I give you the weapon AGAINST YOUR GOLIATH, here are your little stones: (1) Prayer WITH THE HEART: ROSARY, (2) Eucharist; (3) Holy Bible, (4) Fasting, (5) Monthly confession.” (emphasis added)

Your Goliath, that is your giant sin that you just cannot defeat in you. The big sin in you where the enemy has the stronghold over you, where he agitates you, salts the wound, triggers you to react and fall into further sin. The weapons she is leading you to are the core themes of her messages.

So if we go back to her invitation to prayer and fasting to stop wars, the first step is to stop the war that is going on inside of the heart. Because war begins in the heart, with anger, hatreds, revenge, retaliation and so on. Your weapons to defeat this battle is the use of unceasing prayer, the sacraments and practice of penances, frequenting the sacrament of reconciliation.

The second part of this message of 4/25/92 she said;

…”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…”

Give witness that you are hers, she wants to protect us from the attacks of satan as in the way I said above. These are turbulent days she said.

Keep in mind of the words our Lady carefully uses here “turbulent”. The meaning of this word from the dictionary is, confusing, unstable, disordered, disorderly, chaotic, tumultuous, in turmoil, violent, rowdy, unruly, riotous, quarrelsome, restless…does this describe our world today? I should say so. And who is behind it? She named it, satan.

How many can honestly say that our surrounding enviornment most often is filled with as we described above “turbulence?”

These people of that region had to choose God or satan. It was a matter of life or death for them. They were facing possible death by the effects of war, a war that resulted in deep seeded hatreds of culture, religion, politics and race. Our Lady was asking them to be a witness of good against evil, as a sign that she was really appearing there. She gave a promise and said,

“Therefore, I invite you to decide for God and He will protect you and show you what you should do and which paths to take. 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…”

“Decide for God”…to decide for God is an act of the will and a conscious choice, one that we make with firm decision in our hearts first, and then we bring this witness to life. If you decide for God, you will show others that the Cross is worth living, and you can live it without fear. You decide by living His Commandments, obeying His Word and His authority.

Our Lady promised protection for those who “decided for God.” And by this firm decision, God protected the children of Our Lady and showed them how to avert the war and bring peace to the region. It began with reconciling among themselves, and lowering their egos to be humble enough to take the first step of reconciliation with their enemies and neighbors.

Now realistically this did not occur over night. The war went on for a few years, because to convert a region there has to be the cooperation of many hearts. Now we are lookiing at a conversion of the whole world. It is no wonder she remains with us for this long.

Fr. Jozo gave an incredible witness and testimony to this type of reconciliation, by stopping in the mass, and everyone that is everyone in the Church needed to go and reconcile before he would continue the mass. It was a powerful witness to the people, but it birthed a grace for the world to becoming still what it is today.

Our Lady didn’t stop there, not only did she say decide for God, but in addition invited all those now who did decide, those who said yes, no matter if it meant life or death, to now make an act of consecration, so that she could see not just in word, but now in deed that they really meant what they say in their choosing.

Therefore, trials would come their way, persecutions and tests of faith, which they would all have to persevere through still in virtue and as a witness to peace.
At the conclusion of this message she made a bold statement to the world about Medjugorje. She said,

… “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.”

“Medjugorje is a sign to all of you and a call to pray and live the days of grace that God is giving you. I hear and feel the firmness and seriousness of these words in the depth on my heart. Accept this call with seriousness.”

Let’s just understand here for a moment, not in human terms, but in eternal, universal Godly terms, the words…”accept the call with seriousness.” God is serious, and means business.

If a father is serious about something with his child, how does a father respond to the child? Now let’s step it up for example in a family environment. If the mother is disciplining the child and the child does not respond to the mother, most often the mother turns to the father to intercede with greater authority. Is it any different for an Eternal Father? Actually most severe, and a great spanking is warranted.

Our Lady is determined to defeat satan in the world. (Rev. 12) Our Lady is fighting this battle along side of us, those who are devoted to her, she is there on the front lines with us, and with Jesus who is the General, the King leading the battle.

Our weapon is her weapon, the weapon of the King of Peace, who carries to two edge flaming sword into battle. Ephesians 6 describes this part of the armor as the “sword of the spirit” or the living Word of God, powered by the Holy Spirit. The breath of God will defeat the enemy, and Our Lady is carrying the full armor and clothing her children in it.

We need to be clothed with the power of the Most High God to win. We need the Holy Spirit fully alive in our hearts to defeat evil and sin in the heart, first in our own hearts, and then around us.

Folks the battle is “not out there,” the battle is in the heart. If every human being lived this call of conversion, frequently lived the sacraments given by the Church, how much more of the Spirit of Jesus will be in the world?

Instead because of sin and the infestation of sin, the spirit of evil is triumphant in many, many hearts.

The mother said that the world is spiraling into sin and it cannot help itself. She came to help pull it out of the pit of darkness. She comes with a great plan of God who is the master builder to reconstruct the human temple, and build a kingdom for her Son, to reign triumphant in us.

So the question comes again…”what are you devoted to?” Is it important enough for you to act and begin a new?

“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. But the one who restrains is to do so only for the present, until he is removed from the scene. And then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and render powerless by the manifestation of his coming…” (2 Thes. 2:7-8)

You Started to Live the Message, but…

Dear children, hasten your conversion

Medjugorje? Fact or Fiction?
As we continue the teaching of the Holy Spirit and with the wisdom behind the messages of the Mother of God through Medjugorje, I ask that you reflect on this word from the holy gospel of Luke, chapter 14.

“Who ever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work, the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘this one began to build but did not have the resources to finish. Or what king marching in battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him twenty thousand troops?… In the same way, anyone who does not renounce his possessions cannot be my disciple.” (Lk. 14:27-33)

My friends if I can give any witness to faith, it is just this. I have never been one to be able to complete what I have started on my own account. However, for over 20+ years, the Lord has had me on a journey to this day as though I had been prepared for this day, pressing on, begrudging at most and joyful in other times in the trenches of this spiritual battle, to hopefully one day finish the race, with the hopes of ending in heavenly beatitude with God.

Here is it, and to be very frank, it’s all about love and devotion. Yes I am using the word again, “devotion.” That word that means loyalty, fidelity, dedication, commitment, loving and affectionate word, with an ardent and fervent desire to make Our Lady known, so that Jesus will triumph in human hearts.

Heaven has a plan. This is a master plan for the whole universe to accomplish one thing and that is to convert the entire world. It is a calculated plan, and the Lord will see it through its completion. This plan is set in course and the plan of reconstruction is almost completed.

At the bottom of this posting I concluded with the message of Our Lady, which was an urgent call to conversion. Multiple times in the messages she said to “be converted.” I cannot stress enough how important this is.

Can one calculate the time it will take for God to “re-create His creatures” to be the living temples of the Holy Spirit? And knowing He needs the act of the will to do so.

Yes my friends it is almost a whole generation that is passed, 29 years almost 30 that Our Lady has been with us, but we her children still are far from completing the task that she is asking of us.

How long will God permit Our Lady to be with us, is unknown. But gratitude is the word I would say that comes to my heart, great gratitude to God for the gift of Our Lady with us. I say this because I am grateful that I was able to grow up with her, and enter my adulthood with her, and to teach me how to be a good wife and mother, and so that she could Mother me in a way that is impossible for human beings.

We have to pick up from where we left off in the previous teaching titled, “the Path less followed” that is. To continue, we are going to focus on four distinct messages that the Mother of God gave to the world on 3/25/92, 4/25/92, 5/25/92, and 6/25/92 over the next few postings.

Our Lady is determined to make her point to those who began to walk with her, and then stopped, and what the end result was to them for not listening to her and living her messages. Some of you reading this may already be convicted by her words.

She said that in the beginning of her coming, many were excited and received her messages with joy, but then time went on and the excitement went away. The visionaries speak of this, that there would come a time when many would not believe in Medjugorje, even the faithful who have come there. I know this to be true, because this is the attitude of the majority of the Church today.

Many who were called to go to Medjugorje at one time in years past were there, experienced the grace, then left and returned to their usual way of life, as if nothing happened. Some were on fire, but that fire was quickly put out because of road blocks along the way.

On 3/25/92 this is the message from the Mother to the world…

“Dear children! Today as never before I invite you to live my messages and put them to practice in your life. I have come 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 to convert, pray, fast, be reconciled you took these messages superficially…”

Let’s begin with these words, “you took these messages superficially…” Are we really taking the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven superficially? Oh this saddens my heart! But its true. She is “a matter of fact…’ to many. Many are so used to her being here, it is just normal every day stuff, and just like normal every day stuff, she has become routine. Danger!

I cannot count how many times I have brought up the subject of Medjugorje just in my own personal experiences, and immediately people throw up the guard saying, ‘the church has not approved it…or she is saying the same thing over and over, there is nothing different being said, or God would not send our Lady to the world like that, and so on etc.” St. Louis deMonfort describes these false devotees in great detail.

Or there are those who will address the Mother of God as just Mary this, Mary that, forgetting that she is the Queen of heaven and earth and the Mother of God, as if she is just a friend or even say, ‘our sister.’ Yikes!

Several priests run from the word Medjugorje who have never been there, and in secret tell the people, don’t go there, don’t believe it, its not approved, and so on.

(This is no disrespect to the priesthood at all, but to say there is a great fear and unknown for many, and priests do not know how to address the issue).

Many priests have not been to Medjugorje to even give an account or witness, and many do not believe in praying the rosary or even believe in private revelations, which have been occurring since the beginning of creation, as if this is impossible for God to communicate and have a relationship with His people.

For certain, the church must go with caution, to test and discern the spirit, and the fruits of such events. It bears repeating then, to make known, the Catholic Church has NEVER CONDEMNED Medjugorje, and is open, and is testing the spirit as the events continue to occur. In the mean time one is free to go to Medjugorje, to pilgrim and retreat there.

Those priests however who have experienced Medjugorje, there is no question by their experience that the Mother of God is appearing, and hopefully are living out the call in their priesthood. Their parishes are thriving, and the Holy Spirit is alive in them!

If these people of doubt researches their Catholic faith, they will find that the Church has always been open to private revelation. But all private revelation must lead one to divine revelation that is to Jesus Christ.

After the Fatima apparitions, the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith issued a document addressing its position with private revelation, which cited first the Catechism of the Catholic church paragraph 67. I will not quote it here, but it can be looked up by anyone who has a desire to know, but simply to say the Church is open.

This document from the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith does state however that “private revelations” have occurred to help one understand further the faith… they must be taken with prudence and piety. There are three criteria in how to address private revelations; (1) that the said revelation is not contrary to faith and morals; (2) it is lawful to make it public; (3) the faithful are authorized to accept it with prudence. Such a message can be a genuine help to understanding the Gospel and living it better at a particular moment in time; therefore it should NOT BE DISREGARDED. It is a help which is offered, but not obliged to use.”

The document continues, “if this private revelation leads us in another direction different from the one direction, that is Jesus Christ, or it becomes independent of Him or even presents itself of a better plan of salvation more important than the Gospel then it does not come from the Holy Spirit who guides us more deeply into the Gospel and not away from it. This does not mean that a private revelation will not offer a new emphasis or give rise to other forms of devotional forms, or deepen and spread older forms, but to deepen faith, hope and love….”

Many devotions in the church have come from private revelations. One very well known is the devotion to the Divine Mercy, or to the Sacred Heart, etc. These were all private revelations to mystics, some who even became doctors of the church.

Therefore, why is there so much warfare surrounding Medjugoje? Often by the intensity of the warfare is a good indication of the authenticity of a private revelation. Because satan would not waste his time trying to destroy it, and would leave it alone if it were not authentic. But prudence is important to test the spirit, but do not quench the spirit as is said 1 Thes. 5:19-21, test and retain what is good!

Even the dogmatic constitution of the Catholic Church, Lumen Gentium says it is good to believe, and you will be blessed as if you did believe it to be true even if it were not. Because you are open to the Holy Spirit, and believe. There be of open mind!

So to address those who say, she is saying nothing new, or I do not believe, how sad it will be for you if you did not act, or take what is good, and put it to life.

Think about this for a moment. What mother does not repeat to a child over and over when a child is not correcting a behavior that she knows is wrong? Yes Blessed Mother repeats many things in her messages, because she is not teaching anything new! And we are not doing what she is asking. She repeats herself with love and great patience I may add as a perfect mother would.

I know I don’t have this kind of patience with my own children. When I ask for something I want it done now! If not there are consequences. Right?

So let’s go back to this message continuing on, (here I am speaking to those who have been to Medjugorje, who say they are her children, but do not live the message with fervor)…she said, “you started to live the message, then you stopped because it was too difficult for you…” Ouch!

Well isn’t this just who we are today, weak, lazy, sinful creatures when it comes to practicing our faith?

We want our salvation, we want heaven, but we want it to come with the icing and dessert, the easy way, and handed to us. We don’t want to work for it. We are like the rich young man who wanted to buy his way in.

We go to Medjugorje out of curiosity, received many spiritual consolations as if though we were special, bragging about what happened in our experiences, but we don’t want to put forth the effort to begin a new life or do as she is saying.

Isn’t this just like the way we handle pain in the world, we medicate it to take it away quickly. “Oh, I can’t fast, or what do you mean three hours of prayer? I don’t have time for this or that…its too hard….”

How difficult it will be for you dear friends who have experienced such a great grace, and you have failed to live the call to be her witness. Do not delay further, be converted!

The Mother of God in her wisdom continues in the same message, “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…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 a good example…”

My friends, you who think of yourself as the children of the Mother of God, you are being called to the cross. Blessed Mother is leading you to the cross. This is the path which leads to the good that she speaks of-to die to yourself! Remember, Calvary is the day of “Good Friday.” The way of the cross, and it is not easy.

God sees everything an knows everything that you do, everything that you say, but is waiting on you to begin and commit to Him.

You who went to Medjugorje, do you remember the climb up the mountains, especially in the early days? It is easier now after so many years and millions of pilgrims who have gone since. It is a rocky, rough and difficult climb that takes careful calculation of your steps. It all means something! The way of the cross is not easy, nor is it meant to be easy.

On the path to holiness, you are going to suffer, and its going to be hard, but we still must persevere to the top! And just like the road to Calvary with Jesus, Blessed Mother will be with us every step of the way, encouraging us, strengthening us, and loving us through it.

At the conclusion of this message, keeping in mind Our Lady said that many have “left the path she has begun” because of giving up on living her messages and/or did not live them with seriousness and ignored her voice. Remember she used the word “superficial”. Some will pick or choose what they most like to feel good, just like the gospels and ignore the rest as a cafeteria way of practicing the faith.

Dear church! You are choosing by your own free will to separate yourself, that is divorce yourself from your spouse Jesus Christ, your Father and Mother, your heavenly family, and have become a spiritual orphan left to wander astray. You choose to ignore the “invitation” or the call of the Mother, who is looking for her children to come home.

What happens to a wandering child who is a run-a-way? They are left to prey for the wolves in the world on the streets…and will fall into licentiousness and sin.

The Mother concludes by saying, “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 everyday life…” (3/25/92)

I repeat her words, dear church, dear children of the Mother of God, “you are far from her heart!” What a heart ache for her! Imagine how intently she is praying for you, that you comprehend who you are and find the strength to welcome her embrace, and walk with her on the path to Jesus so He can lead you to the Father.

It is just like Jesus said to the rich young man as previously reported, ‘give up all you have and give it to the poor, AND THEN COME FOLLOW ME.” (Mt. 19)

There is no more time to waste! Now is the time of decision. Now is the time for conversion! After Medjugorje is concluded on earth, there will be no more time for those who chose to ignore!

I will conclude on this message given in 1983…Note the number of times she has asked for your conversion….therefore I repeat…Be converted.

“Hasten your conversion. Do not await the great sign which has been announced for those who do not believe; it will be too late. You who believe, be converted and deepen your faith…

The sign will come, you must not worry about it. The only thing that I would want to tell you is to be converted. Make that known to all my children as quickly as possible. No pain, no suffering is too great for me in order to save you. I will pray to my Son not to punish the world; but I plead with you, be converted.

You cannot imagine what is going to happen nor what the Eternal Father will send to earth. That is why you must be converted! Renounce everything. Do penance. Express my thanks to all my children who have prayed and fasted. I carry all this to my Divine Son in order to obtain an alleviation of His justice against the sins of mankind. I thank the people who have prayed and fasted. Persevere and help me to convert the world.”

Jesus cleans the interior temple part 2

My heart is ready Father....

“Dear children, with motherly perseverance and love I am bringing 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.

My children, yo 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)

I sigh as I continue to write this. As though the Lord continued to confirm the Word and His teaching, after I had posted last nights article in part 1, together our family prayed the novena, with the liturgy of hours (the prayer of the Church).

The evening prayer in the psalms were confirming again the teaching of the ‘rich young man’ and attachment to sin. The evening prayer began with as said above, ‘you cannot serve God and mammon…” Psalm 49 was the theme titled “Emptiness of Riches.”

My heart was grieving as I could see visibly what attachment of sin has done to the human person, and the though of souls being lost for this, whew…it is hard to think, because it is just not necessary!

Our Lady just two months ago, gave the above message to the world, echoing further what we are talking about. She said she is persevering in her motherly love desiring what is best for her little children, knowing her children continue to find themselves in great trouble, in jepardy of losing their souls.

She said to stop! Look within yourself! See how sinful you are! Be aware of your sins and pray for forgiveness!

Let’s just take a moment on just these words. I am a mother. There have been many times I have had to stop and sit down with my children, to take strong corrective measures to stop the behavior they were doing causing much disruption in the home, or harm to themselves.

Maybe my child hurt someone else. I would march them over to that person, and make them apologize for what they had done. Now, a child being a child as they are, don’t always like to admit that they are wrong. They may refuse to apologize and may throw a fit of a temper.

How does a parent respond to this? Any good parent will take corrective action to stop the fit, and stay the course of making sure the child does the right thing.

It is no different for Our Lady who is the perfect mother. She is the same mother who is sitting us down, telling us that we are being hard hearted and stubborn, and we need to take corrective measures and stop committing the habitual sins we are committing. She calls us out in our pride, saying we cannot admit we are weak. Just like the little child who does not want to admit they are wrong.

However in her case, if we are able to humble ourselves confess our sins, receive absolution from the priest then we receive the light of Jesus in our hearts to strengthen us, and come back into communion with God.

So why is it so hard to do? Because the bigger the pride the bigger the stronghold over us.

The Lord continues the teaching. It becomes harder for me to write with understanding He has given, however in the end my dear friends there is hope. So please bear with me as the Lord continues to pierce hearts in truth. Come Holy Spirit!

From the liturgy of hours, here is a quote from Ps. 49 begins with “Hear this all you peoples, give heed all you who dwell in the world, men both low and high, rich and poor alike!”

There is no body excluded in these words; God speaks to all. Yes, even the poor have attachments to sin and the material. The psalmist continues and said, “why should I fear in evil days this malice of the foes who surround me, men who trust in their wealth, and boast of the vastness of their riches? For no man can buy his own ransom, or pray a price to God for his life. The ransom of his soul is beyond him. He cannot buy life without end, nor avoid coming to the grave….”

The rich young man in the previous parable sought to buy his way into eternal life, and Jesus countered the offer, telling him to strip himself of everything he had and give it to the poor, then to follow Jesus. The wealthy cannot buy their way into God’s Kingdom, and the psalmist says further, “…in his riches, man lacks wisdom; he is like the beasts that are destroyed. This is the lot of those who trust in themselves…like sheep driven to the grave, where death shall be their shepherd…”

My friends, this is the Word of God; the unchanging Word of God that is firm in heaven. Conversion is the only answer, and detachment from selfish passions, desires, material, money, wealth and sin must begin now.

Make no mistake, the Lord is determined to get our hearts in property order, and cleaned out. Thy Kingdom Come!

After the Lord gave the examination of conscience in the first part, the Lord then led me to Psalm 73, and spoke future about those who practice such deeds. No! It does not end yet but heavier I am afraid.

I cry out, “Lord have mercy on us sinners! Do not look upon what we truly deserve dear Father, but see us through the Sacred Heart of your Son who offered Himself up as ransom for our souls! I heard Him say in my heart, “How much more can I bear of this generation?”

The Lord went on to say through the psalm, when we see the prosperity of those who have much, we become envy of the arrogant, and then we lose our balance; or in other words, we fall off the path God has chosen for us.

Here the psalmist wonders if he is suffering in vain, while the rich get richer, and the poor just continue to suffer more.

He speaks of the rich as being adorned in their pride as a necklace; that is they are yoked and chained to their sin. He said, violence clothes them as a robe; or in other word, they are covered in a stronghold of evil which controls them and over powers them. Out of their stupidity comes sin…stupid? Evil thoughts, flood their hearts; that is their hearts are cluttered in their own selfish passions and desires.

They scoff and spout their malice; that is they brag out into the world boasting in their own self proclaimed goodness which is contrary to God. Remember, God opposes the proud! They may say, ‘see look at all I have done; now god helped me.’ From on high they utter threats and set their mouths against heaven; that is in their pride and arrogance, they boast they do not need God, because of their self proclaimed greatness and riches, and blaspheme the holy name and His holy ones and drag others with them, making prisoners of those who are near them and leading them into the pit.

They ask proudly, does God really know? Does the most High have any knowledge? Such then are the wicked always carefree, increasing more in their wealth. Their hearts become hardened towards God and to those around them.

They have no room left inside of them for God because of their attachment to their sin, and because of this, they stay and swim in their own misery always blaming others for what ever may be wrong in their lives, because they cannot see themselves, they are too blinded by their folly.

The spiritual house of such a soul is so cluttered with things and self love, filled with entertainment, and making merry of themselves hiding behind the mask, while the whole world is passing away in front of their very eyes.

They do not know the love of God, which why they ask, “Does God really know or see anything?” They are the ones called spiritually blind and steeped so deep into darkness almost without hope of seeing no light to guide them out of darkness. And thus for this they find themselves prey for the enemy, and bring death to those around them.

Every door and window of the soul of this spiritual house is left wide open for hell to enter and have its way with them.

If any light comes their way, in their shame they hide and quickly blow it out for they prefer the darkness over light.

The Lord then said again, “How long must I put up with such creatures? For thus it is written zeal for my house shall consume me, says the Lord.”

Here is where the Lord stopped. I felt the bitterness and pain He was suffering in His heart, longing for men to turn from the path of wickedness and turn to God.

Our Lady has been coming to the world for over 29 years, and has been calling the world to pray for unbelievers, that is those who do not know the love of God yet.

How is a soul such as this as just described from the scriptures going to come to know God’s love? One would think that it is hopeless to the point of despair. Ah my friends, do not under estimate the power of God’s mercy. It is for such souls that Jesus came to the world. It is for this very reason the mercy of God sent His mother to come and touch hearts.

Remember Jesus said he did not come for the righteous, but for sinners! Understand however, what was just described above, is in every man’s heart in some way or another. We all carry a form of pride, envy, and selfish passions in our hearts. Do not think you have escaped and say thank God I am not like that! You would be wrong! If you don’t believe me. Ask the Lord yourself, to show you who you are in TRUTH by His truth.

A side note. I did this. I wanted to know my sins. I was determined to conquer the sin in me. I ask the Lord to allow me to experience His love, or as some know what will come in the event of the illumination of souls. I wanted to know so I could amend my sin. My friends, the Lord honored my request. And that very day when it occurred, I was before the Most Blessed Sacrament, and I saw all in truth right before my eyes, every ugly feature in my soul. Shame consumed me, and I stayed hidden in the chapel for 4 hours not able to face one soul.

The Lord in His mercy took pity on me however, and in an instant it would seem He clothed me with His love, and encourged me to work all the more harder, and persevere to the end, and He and I will accomplished the task to my last dying breath.

Therefore, you dear family of God who call yourselves children of God, and children of the dear Mother. Does this sound like your former way as just described? I know and have affirmed it describes my former way.

You have been called out of darkness and are now in the light. You know what suffering is and know the pain of the loss of God. Should not your heart take pity and compassion on such a soul, who needs more of the divine love than what you seek for your self.

To love such a sinner takes heroic virtue. From this we learn from the saints who have witnessed before us, and learn from their example of faith and their love for hardened sinners. It is the love that Jesus has even for those who commit the worst sin against Him, and for those who still crucify him today. It is not a love of this world, but a love that is eternal. Draw from this source of love…we need it in the world today! We need a mother. We need a Father. Embrace them!

Be a witness to those who do not know the love of God, and proclaim the word, not only by word but in deed.

Our Lady said if someone is proud, show them what it looks like to be humble. If someone asks you for something, give it to them freely. If you have a special attachment to something, give it up and give it to the poor. Sure, you may have harassment or may be laughed at for your good deed; but triumph in this moment, because in your heart you know you did what was right.

These are just little ways of light. Begin to store up treasure in heaven today. You must realize there is already enough treasure stored here in your possession on earth. Remember you cannot take it with you, it stays in this world. The only thing that goes with you into eternal life is your soul and your sins that remain with you; unless you have worked to make yourself clean and spotless without blemish, and persevere to the end. It all stays with you.

Yes my friends it does matter how you live your life on this earth. Do not be the foolish rich man who sought to buy his inheritance, who left in His shame faced with truth and chose the world over God.

Become the poor beggar who has need of everything from God, especially His mercy and humble yourselves before His almighty throne, and beg for mercy for poor sinners. Maybe He will take pity upon you.

“The justice of God has been manifested apart from the law, even though both law and prophets bear witness to it – that justice of God which works through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. All men have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. All men are no undeservedly justified by the gift of God through the redemption wrought in Christ Jesus. Through His blood, God made him the means of expiation for all who believe, He did so to manifest his own justice, for the sake of remitting sins committed in the past – to manifest his justice in the present…” (Romans 3:21-26)