Peace to All! Below is the official English translation of the Commentary on Our Lady's monthly message of November 25, 2001 as provided by the Information Centre in Medjugorje.

LET US PREPARE OUR HEARTS

Message of November 25, 2001 "Dear children! In this time of grace, I call you anew to prayer. Little children, pray and prepare your hearts for the coming of the King of Peace, that with His blessing He may give peace to the whole world. Peacelessness has begun to reign in hearts and hatred reigns in the world. That is why, you who live my messages be the light and extended hands to this faithless world that all may come to know the God of Love. Do not forget, little children, I am with you and bless you all. Thank you for having responded to my call."

In the message of the last month, Our Lady told us: "Little children, you are chosen to witness peace and joy", and today she tells us about restlessness in hearts and hatred in the world.

Everyone seeks joy. Everybody wants to be happy and seeks joy. We all want to be happy. The good and the bad are equal in their desire to be happy. The good ones are good to be happy, and the bad ones would not be bad if they would not hope to become happy in such a way. In his Confessions, the great St. Augustine told us: If we all love joy, it is because we have already known it in a mysterious way. If we had not come to know it - if we were not created for it - we would not love it. The one who knocks at the door of a church - even it he does it with violence and anger - does so because he seeks joy. However, we see that the world around us is mostly sad. Sadness and restlessness strangle our throats and almost suffocate us. There are less and less joyful people and joyful Christians. Nietsche has already criticised Christians because their faces were too gloomy frowning.

Sadness and restlessness walk on our streets, in our villages and in our cities. Sadness has even sneaked into our families. Sadness and restlessness infect even our children to whom, instead of joy, we give things to eat, bigger and bigger and more and more ugly toys to destroy. Joy does not come from things, from toys, from food, from cars, motors, techniques, money or
pleasure. Our heart and our soul seek the real food. You cannot cheat your soul while giving it things. If you don't feed it with God and His Word, it will rebel and seek vengeance. Your soul gives you signs like emptiness, lack of meaning, nervousness, aggressiveness, anger against everything and everybody. You have to recognize these signs, you have to learn again to enjoy in little things and to recognize so many things around us - that everything is given, and that we hove not earned or merited anything.

Gospa, our Mother, walks with us for more than twenty years now. By this message, she prepares us for the time of Advent, which is approaching, and she puts in front of our eyes the King of Peace. Restlessness and hatred govern the world, our Mother tells us in this message, and we know and see that very well. And not only in the world, but they sneaked also into human relationships, families, amongst nations. Our Lady shows us the way, she puts into our hands a powerful means with which we can reach peace, if only we want it and seek it. It is not enough to see and to understand the state of your heart and your soul, of your family. It is not enough to know it, as it is of no use to a hungry man to know that bread is good. It is of no use for us to know that God is love, of no use to know that Our Lady is here out for love for us. We have to follow her words, to make the decision, to start today. We need the encounter and the experience of the God of Love. It is useless to curse darkness; let us light a lamp instead, and darkness is already gone. Sometimes it is enough to lift our eyes just a bit above the mud of this world, above our heads, to pronounce a good and positive word, and darkness is already gone. We have to heal our negative, black, tragic thoughts and pronounce pure words, so that God's health and peace may reach us. It is not enough to say that there is no prayer in my family, that we can never get together, that every one goes his own way and after his own business. If nobody wants, then you start, have the courage to say to God a word of prayer and a cry, so that through you the light may come down, little by little, on those who are with you.

There are many hearts that follow Our Lady's messages, which she gives to us still today. Our Lady counts on us, who want to hear her messages; she counts on our perseverance, even when we do not see immediately the fruits and successes. Our security is her presence, her words that she is with us in spite of everything. Let us be and let us remain with Her. Peace and good to you.

Medjugorje, November 26th, 2001
Fr. Ljubo Kurtovic

Message from Steve Shawl - The Medjugorje Web. "All of you know that we do not solicit our subscribers or recommend products or causes. But, we have been involved for over one year with an incredible relief effort called "Rebuild for Bosnia". The organization provides assistance to the forgotten victims of the horrors of the war in Bosnia-Hercegovina. The effort provides homes, medical attention, and help to the most severe and needy cases. Please take a look at the following page on our site: http://www.medjugorje.org/rebuildforbosnia.htm To help raise funds for this effort, we are selling excellent quality and unique videos about Fr. Slavko, and Medjugorje. Please note that all videos are in NTSC format only for the US & Canada. There is also a secure donation page for those who would just like to contribute to the cause. This initiative is a grass roots expression of living the Gospel and Our Lady's messages in Medjugorje!!" God Bless! - Steve Shawl - The Medjugorje Web - http://www.medjugorje.org