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Official Commentary on the
monthly message of May 25th 2006 & a Reflection
by Fr. Jozo OFM
Below
is the official English translation of this month's commentary on Our Lady's
message to the world through the visionary Marija, provided by The Medjugorje Information Centre
~ Acknowledgements information and
links
COME,
Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart
of Mary, your well beloved spouse.
Most
Holy Spirit, open my heart, soften it, and fill it with light and love so that I
may understand clearly what I will read, and act on it for my own spiritual
benefit and for the delight of my Heavenly Mother, Your Beloved Spouse. May I
read each word under Your guidance so that, free of all worldly desires and
distractions, I may grow in wisdom and prudence enough to follow perfectly the
wishes of the Most Blessed Trinity. Amen
"Dear children! Also today I call you
to put into practice and to live my messages that I am giving you. Decide
for holiness, little children, and think of heaven. Only in this way, will
you have peace in your heart that no one will be able to destroy. Peace is
a gift, which God gives you in prayer. Little children, seek and work with
all your strength for peace to win in your hearts and in the world. Thank
you for having responded to my call."
Monthly message
to the world, May 25, 2006
Our
Lady has regularly said the messages are for each one of us individually so try reading them as if your own name was
there; "Dear .........." - it can
make them so much more personal, challenging and effective.
O
Blessed Mother, help us hear your words to us. Teach us to listen ever
more carefully to the words of your Son. Pray that our hearts will be
transformed into the hearts he would have us have, and that we will
always be open to His call. Amen.
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message commentary:- PEACE IS THE GIFT GOD GIVES TO YOU
In
many messages the Blessed Virgin Mary cautions us of the importance of
her words which she has imparted to us through years of apparitions. She
has said: "Dear children! You are not conscious of every message
which I am giving you" (15. 11 1984). "I call you to
live and accept my messages!" (21.3.1985). "Live in
humility all the messages which I am giving you." (20.9.1985). "Renew
the messages which I am giving you." (26.9.1985). "If
you live the messages, you are living the seed of holiness"
(10.10.1985). "Dear children! My invitation that you live the
messages which I am giving you is a daily one, specially, little
children, because I want to draw you closer to the Heart of Jesus."
(25.10.1988). "Therefore, little children, every day read the
messages that I have given you and transform them into life."
(25.12.1989). "Live my messages and put into life every word
that I am giving you." (25.6.2002).
Our
Lady's messages are nothing less than the Gospel spoken in simpler words
and with a mother's heart. These words can be understood by all. It is
certain that Mary is serious; she does not intend to play with our
lives. Holiness is what Mother Mary wants us to achieve and live daily
in our lives. A mother always wants what's best for her children. In her
message on the 25.5.1987 she says: "I want each one of you to be
happy here on earth and to be with me in Heaven." Certainly she
has not come to take something from us or take away the joys of life.
She knows well that only with God may we truly be happy here on earth.
She is filled with mercy because she is filled with the Lord who she
gives to us and to whom she leads us.
Saint
Paul tells us: "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also
we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phl 3, 20). In
this message our Heavenly Mother Mary wants to direct our hearts by
telling us to think about paradise. It is today that we enter paradise
and heaven, here on earth we decide to which side we will go. It is here
that we decide whether we will trust in God and surrender all our
troubles to Him or whether we will carry our burdens on our own.
Experience tells us that there is much that robs man of peace. There are
many causes of anxiety. Worries, haste, intemperance, non acceptance of
ourselves and life situations are only some of the causes of anxiety.
Mary knows our fears, anxieties and anxious worries well. It is because
of this that she approaches us with this message as a mother.
"Commit
thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring [it] to
pass." (Ps 37, 5). This is the path to peace given to us by Jesus.
He tells us: "And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the
lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin.
for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these
things." (Matthew 6). We must certainly do everything in our power
and then filled with trust surrender to God. Mary has spoken about it so
many times and the entire Christian tradition speaks of ways to achieve
peace. They are prayer and fasting. They serve not for us to appear good
before others. The purpose of prayer and fasting is to find a place
inside where man can be alone with God. In this place anxious worries
disappear. When I come to peace, to God in my own heart then I do not
have to worry about whether I will fulfil the demands of others. People
with their expectations and judgements do not have access to this place
in which God resides in us. God is the true liberation of man's worries.
Let the words of Our Lady's message even today lead us to experience
peace and union with God.
Fr. Ljubo Kurtovic ~ Medjugorje, 26th May, 2006 ~ Official
English Translation
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Fr Jozo's
May Reflection:
Dear
Brothers and Sisters, Gathered around the Queen of Peace at our 13th
Annual Meeting, we listen to her message, so concretely and powerfully
expressed. Her message is to those of us gathered here and to those
prevented from coming but nonetheless participating in our prayers and
sacrifices thus contributing immeasurably. Messages without practical
application in life would be empty desires and fruitless discussions.
Our Lady accentuates that it is necessary to "live and witness the
messages" which she is giving us.
There are also false transmitters and visionaries. There are sick
individuals and those who speak irresponsibly in houses and on hill tops
about what they are experiencing or receiving. They are those who
falsely spread unrest and, at times, alarming lies that fill the hearts
and souls of pilgrims. Around all chosen places like Medjugorje,
confused individuals also gather, often speaking about themselves and
their sick messages. Often, pilgrims meet self-proclaimed guides and
self-serving interpreters of Our Lady’s messages. All of this burdens
the truth of Medjugorje and Our Lady’s messages. Our Lady warns us to
accept and to live the messages which ‘she’ is giving to us. There
are also false writers who attribute false messages to Our Lady or
interpret them falsely, thinking that they will destroy Medjugorje and
Our Lady’s plans in this way. This is why we are blessed and grateful
to God and Our Lady for the authentic chosen witnesses - the visionaries
- who have transmitted only truth to us for 25 years. To live Our Lady’s
messages, as we are called to, is not easy at all. A person who is not
used to self-renunciation does not understand why he must fast or of
what use his sacrifice is. There are pilgrims who come only to fulfill a
promise and to again try to obtain the necessary grace without asking
Our Lady what she wants them to do. Others who are not used to prayers
and the Sacraments seem to be distant observers who collect their
impressions and return home with no specific decisions or new practices.
Such pilgrims require concrete homilies and teachings which we rarely
hear. Medjugorje, a wondrous phenomenon, is persecuted along with its
messages and fruits. This is why some priests, out of fear not to be
persecuted, remain silent about the messages and neglect to teach.
The essence of the messages is their practical and daily application to
life. A fruitful life witnesses to the messages, to Our Lady and to
Medjugorje. It is not in conflict with the Church but a renewal of the
Church. Without fruit, messages would be empty letters which kill. For a
thought in the heart of a person to be transmitted on paper, a pen, a
computer or the like is required. A musician cannot describe the beauty
of a melody in words but must play it on an instrument. An artist cannot
transmit his experience on canvas with his eyes but with his paintbrush.
Likewise, Our Lady’s messages need to be lived and bear fruit.
For this reason, the Queen of Peace calls us to decide for holiness.
Holiness is a practical life and a following of Jesus Christ, the
Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints of the Church. It is not a theory
about something great and holy but a concrete way filled with fasting,
prayer, sacrifices and self-renunciation - a way which gives birth to
enthusiasm and the need for the living Word of God and the Sacraments,
especially Confession and the Eucharist.
Holiness and the saints are not covered over by the graves, by the
curtain of time or by history. They are individuals for all times. When
we decide for holiness and live it, our life becomes filled with peace,
that priceless treasure which the moth does not eat away, the thief
cannot steal, and the violator cannot destroy. This is why the martyrs
are wondrous individuals who continually inspire us with their witness
of love and faithfulness to Jesus. As our Mother tells us, it is
necessary to pray to find and to receive that gift from the Lord. She
calls us to be tireless carriers of peace in our hearts and in the
world. These days we have read and heard how some godless, unscrupulous
people are promoting ‘The Gospel of Judas’ and the film "The
DaVinci Code" thus proclaiming war against the Lord, our Church,
the saints and Revelation.
Our Lady’s messages teach us how it is possible to stop every war
including this one against Jesus and the Church. It is through fasting
and prayer.
We ask the Lord to inspire the Bishops and the Holy Father to call the
Church to fast and pray in order to stop this filthy wave muddying the
face of the Church and the Lord Himself. May a living desire be born in
our hearts to do what the great Veronica did on the Way of the Cross.
She resolutely spread her handkerchief and wiped the spat-upon face of
the Lord. Today, I feel that our prayer community is called to do this
through fasting and prayer. We are called to wipe the face of our Lord
with our holiness, sacrifice, prayer and our Apostolate. Peace cannot be
realised if we remain indifferent to what is happening in the world
today. How many false articles and writings there are against the Queen
of Peace who has shown her presence in the past 25 years through her
fruits. How many of those who converted speak of the grace-filled
meeting with the Mother. How many of those cured of incurable illnesses
speak of their healing. How many of those whose prayers were heard
witness of the fruits of those prayers. Are we permitted to be silent?
No, we are called to witness and to live the messages.
Today, at Siroki Brijeg, a young lady witnessed, in a full Church, about
the healing of her father who had lung cancer. The doctor advised her
mother of 12 children about the illness but she was not frightened.
Instead, she said: "Children, God did not intend you to be born and
to remain orphans. We must pray and God will hear us." The father,
came to Medjugorje, together with his friends, just before his surgery
was scheduled. In Medjugorje, Our Lady granted a miracle and he was
healed. He is with them today. The necessary medical records were sent
by the doctors to the Church. This daughter came to Medjugorje again to
thank Our Lady for everything. She came as a volunteer to work with the
refugees in Capljina.
How many similar moving witnesses there are. How many conversions. So
often we are sad when we read false accusations that Medjugorje has no
fruit or proof that it is a gift from Heaven. We pray also for those who
try to put the messages and the apparitions down. May nothing discourage
us. All of this is a sign that Medjugorje is from God and that it must
be observed and lived humbly and with surrender on our knees.
I am pleased that once again we have received such a direct message and
call particularly pertaining to us and to our promise: ‘to humbly live
Our lady’s messages and to witness them to others.’ I pray for each
of you and for the entire community to day by day grow and be a means of
peace and conversion in Our Lady’s hands. This month we will pray for
the following intentions:
1.
That we may be able to put into practice the conclusions of our 13th
Annual Meeting, inspired by the Holy Spirit and the messages of the
Queen of Peace. For all the pilgrims who will visit Medjugorje for the
25th Anniversary of the apparitions.
2.
For the Holy Father and his intentions. For the entire Church that it
may not lose a single son in the shameless attack against it.
3.
For the youth, that they may not be misled by any false teachers or
prophets but that they may discover their God and Master, that their way
and truth is Christ.
Dear
Brothers and Sisters, with great joy and hope, I write this meditation
on the message to you, so that it may become an even more clear call for
us. Fear not little flock. David, fear not the Goliath. In the name of
Jesus, we overcome every evil.
I greet you all warmly and pray and fast with you and for each of
you.
08.06.2006., Siroki Brijeg Yours sincerely, Fra Jozo Zovko, O.F.M.
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Apparition
to Mirjana on June 2, 2006 -
message via Sister Emmanuel www.childrenofmedjugorje.com
"Dear Children of Medjugorje, Praised be Jesus and Mary! We do not
always have the ability to share with you the content of Mirjana Soldo's
monthly apparitions. However, we are blessed to be able to share with
you Mirjana's description of her most recent visit from Our Lady on June
2, 2006. After the Apparition Mirjana shared with us the following:
"Our
Lady did not give a classical message. She blessed all of us who were
present and all the religious articles that we brought with us for
blessing. With a serious expression on her face, Our Lady emphasized
again the priestly blessing. With pain and love at the same time Our
Lady said: 'Remember, children of mine, that it is my Son blessing you.
Do not accept it so lightly'. "After that Our Lady told me about
some things that are supposed to happen and she said: 'There is no way
without my Son. Do not think that you will have peace and joy if you do
not have Him in the first place'." Mirjana said: "I cannot say
that Our Lady was sad or joyful; she was preoccupied, with loving care
on her face."
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last
updated 16th
June,
2006 - Praised be Jesus and Mary - His Peace to all! - ê¿ê
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