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Official Commentary on the
monthly message of December 25th 2005, the monthly reflection & other
Christmas meditations
Below
is the official English translation of this month's commentary on Our Lady's
message to the world through the visionary Marija & also a monthly reflection,
both provided by the
Medjugorje Information
Centre usually via The
Medjugorje Web™
Some other material is via "The
Medjugorje Message" All are gratefully acknowledged
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PAGE
COME,
Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart
of Mary, your well beloved spouse. X3.
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, in my arms I bring you little Jesus, the King of
Peace, to bless you with His peace. Little children, in a special way
today I call you to be my carriers of peace in this peaceless world. God
will bless you. Little children, do not forget that I am your mother. I
bless you all with a special blessing, with little Jesus in my arms. Thank
you for having responded to my call." Monthly message
to the world, December 25, 2005
Some
other Christmas messages to the world from
Our Lady of
Medjugorje
< click here
Scroll
down for Christmas meditations by Father Slavko and Father Jozo
Our
Lady's message to the visionary Jakov Colo on his annual apparition on
25th December 2005
At the last daily apparition to Jakov Colo on September 12th, 1998,
Our Lady told him that henceforth he would have one apparition a year,
every December 25th, on Christmas Day. This is also how it was this year.
The apparition began at 2:45 pm and lasted 7 minutes. Our Lady gave the
following message:
"Dear children! Today, with Jesus in my arms, in a special way I call
you to conversion. Children, through all this time which God permitted me
to be with you, I continuously called you to conversion. Many of your
hearts remained closed. Little children, Jesus is peace, love and joy;
therefore now decide for Jesus. Start to pray. Pray to Him for the gift of
conversion. Little children, only with Jesus can you have peace, joy and a
heart filled with love. Little children, I love you. I am your mother and
give you my motherly blessing.
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.
top Official
message commentary:-
IN MY ARMS, I BRING YOU LITTLE JESUS, THE KING OF PEACE Today
also, in her arms and in her heart, the Blessed Virgin Mary brings and
gives Jesus, the King of Peace. She is doing this throughout the
history, since Jesus was conceived in her womb. Saint Elisabeth was the
first who had the privilege to meet Mary, full of grace, who carries and
gives Jesus. Mary wants to lead us all to Jesus; she wants to give Jesus
to us all. She does not keep Him for herself, because she knows that He
is a gift offered to her, too. Mary knows that Jesus is a gift of God
not only for her, but for all humanity. The meaning of life is to give,
not only things, but life. This is why she is teaching: "Dear
children, your life does not belong to you, but is a gift with which you
must bring joy to others." (Message of 25.12.1992)
Only human being is able to recognize and receive God. Human being alone
can receive the fullness of the love of God, and love in a manner worthy
of God. Jesus has descended from heaven for our salvation. Love, only
love motivated Him to come down from heaven because of us. God is love
and all that He does, He does it out of love.
The Virgin Mary appears and she calls us, her children, for so many
years now, only because she loves us. Our response to her calls and her
messages should be only love. With the help of Mary, we can also grow in
holiness and be those who will be able to carry Jesus to others. Jesus
that we receive in the Holy Communion is the same Jesus that Mary
received, the One that she is giving us.
Mary fully believed in the accomplishment of all that was told to her on
behalf of the Lord. Today, she believes that God wants and can perform
in our lives his works of peace and of love. In her life, she made the
experience of the absolute power of the love of God who governs and who
leads the history of humanity, and each heart, which opens to Him. Mary
is the person who knows Jesus best, because He grew in her most pure
womb, under her heart, and because she followed Him by her tender love
until the Calvary. This is why we are sure that we will arrive to Jesus
if we listen to Mary and follow her maternal words, which do not compel,
but which attract by love. She came here to us. We did not call her, she
came to call us. She went by herself towards her cousin Elisabeth when
she felt invaded by the grace, full with Jesus. Today also, she is full
with Jesus and she brings Him to us, she gives Him to us. Mary receives
everything from Jesus, King of Peace, and she gives us all that is from
Jesus.
In many messages, Mary invites us to pray for peace. The world
languishes for peace, but it is unable to set up the conditions
necessary for peace. Human happiness is unimaginable without the peace
of the heart. Peace generates a deep security. Peace is the major desire
of the human heart, but cannot be realised without God. To wait until
the world, human forces and powers give us peace, this means to advance
on the way of the lie and disappointment.
Mary never misled nor disappointed anybody. It was never heard that she
abandoned someone who sought her help and her protection. Let us pray to
Mary, and let us open ourselves to her heart, so that we can make a deep
experience of peace and carry peace to all around us.
Fr.
Ljubo Kurtovic
~ Medjugorje, 26th December, 2005 ~ Official English
Translation
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down for Christmas meditations by Father Slavko and Father Jozo
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top Monthly
Reflection :- SPIRITUAL KITSCH
I
would like to cite an example in order to show the spiritual reality
surrounding us. A couple of years ago a team of basketball players had
been preparing for a match for quite some time. They had been
practising a lot, coordinating their game, working out the strategy....
Several days prior to the already scheduled match another player
joined them. However, he did not show up for training. In fact, he did
not practise at all and eventually did not pass the performance test.
Despite that, he still thought that he deserved to play in the first
team. Just before the beginning of the match, he entered the court
thinking he would be among the five players to start the game, which
provoked a reaction from his team mates. They were appalled by his
attitude. They could not understand that there was actually someone that
wanted to be "on stage" without any preparation, practice and
hard work that had to be put in before that match.
This is an example that reminds me strongly of those Christians who
want to enjoy the fruits of Christian life without any effort at
all.
We are aware that God gives us time to prepare for the great holidays.
God knows that without preparation, self-sacrifice and effort put in
oneself, man cannot grasp important things. However, it seems that man
always wants to get something quickly, without much effort. As if he
cannot wait. Always in a hurry, losing pace with himself, with
others, and with God. In such situations, sensing his own pending
failure, man starts searching for satisfaction in a different direction
trying to compensate the essential with unimportant things.
One does not have to be wise to be able to say that this is futile. This
is a path leading to absurdity: searching for earthly things in order to
compensate for the heavenly. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise
that people plunge into consumerism before Christmas. In such an
environment people invest much of their time making themselves more
beautiful on the outside, they put shining lights everywhere, they buy
and give presents. They are busy doing everything but
true and sincere preparation for adorning themselves with the fruits of
spiritual richness that would bring more light to their lives and
bestow on themselves the most precious gift of all - God.
In the light of the example of the basketball players mentioned
above, we can say that many will turn out silly this Christmas once
again. On Christmas Day they will appear "on stage" wanting to
squeeze their religiosity into 24 hours of this great and joyful
holiday. They, of course, will understand nothing of the greatest gift
coming from the Bethlehem stable. Such people will always be poor in
spirit fulfilling their hearts and lives with kitsch offered on every
corner while being convinced that this is the Bethlehem
light.
Fr. Mario Knezovic
~
(Medjugorje Information Centre Press Bulletin
#217, 26th December, ‘05)
Scroll
down for Christmas meditations by Father Slavko and Father Jozo
top
Other Christmas
Meditations etc.
This
is the 2005 Christmas message given in Medjugorje by the parish priest, Fr
Ivan Sesar: For
two thousand years now, the words of the angel of the Lord resound in
the world. He announced to us the Good News, the joy for all the people:
the Saviour is born, Christ, the Lord (Luke 2,11). By His birth, the
mercy of God came to the poor, the purity is offered to the impure, the
grace is given to sinners. Brothers and sisters, this year also, like
the shepherds of Bethlehem, let us go to meet Him; let us adore Him, let
us offer ourselves to Him fully, because only thus we will be able to
live the life of the children of God and become heirs of the eternal
life. On behalf of the Parish office – Franciscan brothers and sisters
- to all the parishioners from the youngest to the oldest, to the
pilgrims and to all the men of goodwill, Merry Christmas and abundance
of the grace of God in the New year. Dr.
Fr. Ivan Sesar, pastor
A
Christmas Meditation ~ The Healing Power of the Eucharist… by Fr. Slavko
A priest
from whom I heard recently was telling me that
a group had asked him to hold an all-night vigil before the Blessed Sacrament exposed. As he examined
the programme that had been drawn up by the group, he noticed that the emphasis was much more on healing in
general than on the power of the Eucharist. He was asking me what one
should think of the link between healing and the Eucharist. An excellent question
indeed which should be examined and not merely glossed over.
The Ministry of Healing…
First of all, it should be clear that we are not concerned here with healing as charisma given to
certain people independently of the sacraments Saint Paul is referring to such charisma when he writes
"The particular way in which the Spirit is given to each person is for a good purpose…One may have the
gift of healing through this one Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:11). Some of you may hav met such gifted people or
even experienced the power of their God given ministry.
The Sacrament of Anointing…
Before healing through the Eucharist is considered, a few words must be said about the Sacrament of the sick
which although meant for a spiritual purpose is secondary for a bodily effect. Priests who minister
to the sick all remember witnessing on more than one occasion a marked improvement in the patient they had
anointed. Psychologist and theologians agree that «on account of the interdependence between soul and body
in psychosomatic unity of human beings, the spiritual comfort of the soul resulting from the sacramental
grace reacts on the body and so many influence its cure. » Such is the secondary effect ot the sacrament
given not only « to free the patient from sin and save him » but also »to raise him up. »
Healing Through The Holy Eucharist
Our belief in the healing effect of the sacrament of the sick makes us ask ourselves when another sacrament
could at times produce the same effect how much the world will be renewed. Mary reminds us of what Jesus
tells us in the Gospel, and…
That You Are Today The Salt Of The Earth And The Light Of The World
We also know other words of Jesus but when the salt is no longer worth anything, with what then
shall one salt anything? And it is a great intention of Mary’s for us to become the salt and the light of the world.
(MT. 5 :13-16) She asks of us a radical decision against evil as well as a radical decision for the
good. We can also think this way. For instance when parents live love and hate, prayer and lack of prayer,
trust and distrust, mercy and mercilessness, than their children will also become confused and one does
not show them the right way. In this manner we must really become the salt and the light for our children.
In order to put out the light we must truly decide for God who in turn wishes to light the way for us
through this life, and who really wishes to give us the true content of the whole world. At the end of
the message Mary tells us that…I Invite You And Love You And In A Special Way Implore
: Convert!…
In so many of Jesus’ talks that we find in the Gospel He say, « Convert. If you do not convert, you will be
destroyed, you will die. » (Lk 13 :1-9) Conversion is the condition for life. It means to fee oneself of
evil in the name of God. To decide for the good and to take the path with Mary means to live. Conversion
means to turn away from sin, from evil, from the world and from darkness, and to turn toward life, to light,
toward love and toward joy. We need conversion, God does not! » When we convert we really begin to live,
and if we do not we will destroy ourselves. In this message Mary is also preparing us for the end of the
liturgical year and the beginning of the next liturgical year which in turn is the
preparation for the Christmas feast. Let us pray…
God, the Father and Creator of the world, my Creator, thank You for creating me, and others around me and
the entire world. Thank You for creating my heart and that You call me through Mary to open my heart to You
and that You change me. I do not know how to open my heart and I do not understand what I am supposed to
find there, but I, along with Mary, ask You to open my heart and to free it of
everything that closes me from You, and change me, O Father! Help me change my
relationships toward myself, toward others and toward You. Give me the grace through Mary that I can come
closer to You. Give me the grace that I can love her Immaculate Heart more fervently and that I thereby
can discover the heart of Your Son, Jesus. Give me the grace to understand what it means that the heart
of Your Son , O Father, still suffers for me today and
thereby calls me to convert and to renewal. I beg You, O Father, renew me and through me, renew the world.
Give me the grace that I can become available for others and that I become an instrument for renewal.
Give me, all Christians and all the Baptised the grace of becoming the salt and the light for the world.
Free me and all others of nay darkness, and of anything that leads us to destruction. Give us the
grace of conversion, that we can live our conversion and praise You through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Fr. Slavko
Meditation at Christmas
~ By Father Jozo Zovko. The Mystery of Christmas, as all other mysteries of
faith, is much more than we think, more truthful than we can experience, more powerful than the fruit which
it produces within us.
God wanted to save man; to restore in him what suffered at the shattering of the first sin. He
attains this accomplishment miraculously, divinely : He becomes man who does not lack anything of man
himself, and in the same person remains God, Who is in all of us in man in the Divinity.
In order to more deeply comprehend how to love and live this miraculous unity of God and man we will try
to illustrate it with this comparison :
There was once a doll make out of salt who was filled with curiosity and wanted to know everything. So she
decided to travel the world. On her path she found herself in a forest.
"Who are you?" asked the doll.
"I am the forest."
"What is your purpose?"
"As wood I give warmth; as a tree I live with others and for others."
The doll understood nothing of this. Walking out of the woods she saw a huge field in front of her.
"Who are you?" asked the doll."
"I am a field."
"What does this mean?"
" I feed the wheat and through it the people."
The doll did not understand any of it. She walked through the field and in the distance saw an unusual
surface which was moving. "This I have never seen before!" she exclaimed.
She grew scared and asked aloud from a distance, "Who are You ?",
Who are You?
"I am the sea, Come closer if you wish to understand me. Do not be
afraid"
" I am afraid. You are big. You will destroy me."
"No!"
The doll, encouraged, walked to the very shore of the sea. "Who are you ?" she asked again.
"I am the sea. I told you that already."
" I do not understand you."
"If you wish to understand, you have to come into me."
"I am afraid."
"Do not fear!"
The doll, encouraged, dipped her foot into the sea. She felt a wonderful comfort and a new experience.
"I feel you, sea!" she exclaimed. She pulled her foot out and discovered
that her toes were gone, They had melted. She cried. And the sea tried to comfort her.
"If you wish to fully understand me you have to completely immerse yourself in me."
And the doll decided to do it. She felt her presence in the sea. While she was melting and disappearing
into the sea, her remaining part cried out! "Now I know who I am . I am the sea!"
In front of the mystery you are incarnated; by the sea of life, the sea of love, the sea of joy and peace.
Do not fear if you cannot understand; if you cannot comprehend all of it with your mind because it is
overwhelming. Close your eyes, relax and enter into the area of your heart. Stand before the manger. It
is calling you. It is the sea which you cannot understand if you stay outside its shores.
May the sea of God’s humbleness melt away your pride…
May the sea of the manger be the place which was deserted by all, but is accepted by you : the
humbleness.
Enter into the sea of God’s love!
"For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son so that whoever believes does not perish…"
He forgives all who shut the door to Him…
Our Lady is forgiving, and does not remember that many have remained hard, locked, occupied. You also
forgive all those who did not enable you to enter into where you had planned; to all of those who sent you to
the manger, to the edge, to the last place…
When you have forgiven all; when you have wished only good to all and reconciled with all, then go a step
forward. Give glory to God Join the praising of angels, shepherds, kings and nations. Enter into the
sea of singing choruses and churches and happy families and glorify with your
heart, sing and praise in every heart…
Lord, be you praised in every heart of good will.
Be praised and glorified in every heart that has opened up to you; in every heart which overcame the
hurt and forgave and which will forgive all this Christmas time and begin from the beginning.
Be praised and blessed in all of those who will share the joy and unity of the midnight Mass; in all of
those who will express their greeting with heart; in all of those who, even this year, will not be able to
buy a candle, coffee, wine, cake…
The mystery of Christmas is in the salvation of man, in forgiveness to man. The mystery of love is to live
for others. Everyone knows and feels : This child is born for me; this child is a sign of peace among men,
the spring of brotherhood is among men. Everyone is seeking Him, but not everyone finds Him. I wish to
find Him. He was given as gift. The crib is the outstretched hand of the Father Who is giving Him to
me. He, the Son of the Father says :
"Who eats of me will live through me.. as the vine and the branches…
"
"It is not I who lives anymore….in me lives Christ, " says St. Paul.
Enter through the Eucharist into this sea of the mystery of life. Abandon yourself to the Spirit of
God who transforms all and makes it new. You are not changing Jesus into yourself but He is changing you
into Himself! God, change all of me according to your will. You want me to be more beautiful and better
than I am because you love me more than I. Therefore I have to trust in You. Change and
realise my big plans, so that I do not live outside of others, but for others.
Destroy and change my palaces and castles into a simple stable, approachable by all, so that it belong
to all. Destroy all insulations which are dividing me from others. Place me in the hands of your Son…as a
gift and joy to all. Change my plan which is short changing others. Make me
the bread for others, the bread for every table. Destroy all privileges. Change the feeling in me,
that only a chosen few have the rights to me. I wish to melt away in You, Who are :
The gift to all; Peace to all; Joy to all; Food to all; Song to all; Greeting to all;
Bread to all; Crib to all; Reconciliation to all; Lighted candle to all…
Now I know who I am!
Fr. Jozo Zovko.
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Acknowledgments:- Official English translations of messages, commentaries
and reflections are provided by the
Medjugorje Information
Centre - often via
The Medjugorje Web™
and gratefully
acknowledged. Sign up for their free
e-mail information service.
Some
other material is occasionally via "The
Medjugorje Message" and "Children
of Medjugorje"
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January,
2006 - Praised be Jesus and Mary - His Peace to all! - ê¿ê
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