Dear Children of Medjugorje, praise be to Jesus and Mary!
1 – On November 2, 2017, Mirjana received her monthly apparition at the Blue Cross in the presence of a large crowd. After the apparition, she conveyed the message Our Lady gave us:
“Dear children! As I am looking at you gathered around me, your mother, I see many pure souls, many of my children who are seeking love and consolation, but no one is offering it to them. I also see those who are doing evil, because they do not have good examples; they have not come to know my Son. The good which is silent and is spread through pure souls is the strength which sustains this world. There is much sin, but there is also love. My Son is sending me to you – the mother who is the same for everyone – that I may teach you to love, to comprehend that you are brothers. He desires to help you.
Apostles of my love, a living desire of faith and love is sufficient, and my Son will accept it. But you must be worthy, you must have good will and open hearts. My Son enters into open hearts. I, as a mother, desire that you may all the better come to know my Son – God born of God – to come to know the greatness of His love which you need so much. He accepted your sins upon Himself and obtained redemption for you, and in return He asked that you love each other. My Son is love.
He loves all people without difference, all people of all countries and of all nations. If you, my children, would live the love of my Son, His kingdom would already be on earth. Therefore, apostles of my love, pray, pray that my Son and His love may be all the closer to you; that you may be an example of love and may help all those who have not come to know my Son. Never forget that my Son, one and triune, loves you. Love your shepherds and pray for them. Thank you. “
This testimony by Saint Mechtild of Hackeborn (1241-1299) inspires us to pray in a powerful way for those who have left us for a time:
When she had finished reciting her Sunday prayer for the souls in purgatory, she had a vision of a large number of souls who, in an immense bliss, gave thanks to God for their release.
Mechthild rejoiced, and then learned of the death of a certain person. She hastened to recite five Our Fathers in honor of the five wounds of Christ on the Cross. One day, anxious to know what relief this soul had received as a result of her prayer, the Lord answered her: “The soul received five favors: on its right, the angels spread their protection over it; on its left, they gave it consolation; in front, they gave it hope; behind, confidence and above, heavenly joy.” Then the Lord added: “Anyone who, in a spirit of compassion and charity, intercedes for a deceased person also participates in all the good that the soul did for the Church. The day the intercessor leaves this world, he will find all these favors prepared for his own relief and for the salvation of his soul.”
Why deprive them, and deprive ourselves of such treasures?
(See Scandalous Mercy, chapter 38 on Purgatory).
3. Thieves in our midst! Every day, new means of communication are made available and placed on the market for us to buy. They are touted everywhere: television, radio, mobile phones, twitter, WhatsApp, Internet, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, WeChat, etc. If these “modes” are supposed to help us communicate, then why has fellowship and relationships between people deteriorated? Why are families increasingly torn apart? Who are these thieves who come to subtly steal away our time of listening to one another, to participate in the joy of fellowship and unity of hearts?
A trap for our relationships with others. Families should be “a place of understanding and kindness,” Mary told us on Oct. 2nd. But through television and all these different devices, too many families have allowed thieves to sneak into their midst. Thieves who steal their time, family conversations, and paying attention to one another. Of course, these technologies are not all bad! They are often very useful and the only means of communication between house-holds miles/kilometers apart. But their frantic, systematic and indiscriminate use has turned them into real domestic tyrants that control us. These new forms of communication, among other things, steal our ability to have a deep inner life, to listen to God and to our neighbor; they steal our ability to adore the Living God, which makes the grandeur of man. They suspend us in a state of distressing superficiality that we are getting used to, and it is a disaster. It is almost like a drug addiction. When we worship God, we become what we truly are in the eyes of the Creator, while these impostors deprive us little by little of our beautiful identity.
Many families are suffering from a critical lack of communion. Where love is not expressed, every person tries to survive his imprisonment by seeking compensation through all-out communication. Oh if only we knew how much God wants to talk to us! After all, His first commandment begins with“Shema Israel”, (Listen Israel)!
A pitfall in our relationship with God
The Lord said to St. Faustina: “In a chatty soul, I find no rest. The incessant turmoil exhausts me, and in this tumult, the soul cannot hear my voice.” God indeed speaks to every soul, but only a small number of them hear the murmur of His voice. Today, many people are afraid of silence; afraid of having to face themselves. Noise enables us to forget our inner emptiness by pretending to fill it. What an illusion! Poor heart, it cannot find true joy! Poor heart that does not know that only God can fill it, and which forgets its capacity to be filled!
4. How can we keep a pure heart?
When we are criticized or we hear unkind words, we are hit by them like the shore is hit by a wave. It can hit a rock and bounce back with even greater violence: this is what happens when we respond, justify ourselves or further spread these words around. But the wave can also run aground on the sand, lose its strength and end up disappearing: that is when we oppose criticism, slander and hatred with silence, as Jesus did during His Passion. Thus, violence runs aground in our silence, and simply disappears.
“Never enter into a [combative] discussion,” said the Mother of God! For instance, if someone curses God in your presence, pretend not to hear it. Do not respond, do not argue back. But in your heart, bless the Lord with all your heart, say as many praises as you can. Your blessing will cancel out the effect of the blasphemy, and God will be glorified.
The three filters: the philosopher Socrates gave us some very good advice. When we hear something bad being said, and we want to repeat it to others, let’s first put it to the test of the “three filters”:
a.) Is it absolutely true? b.) Is it a good thing to say? c.) Is it useful to say it?
If it is neither true, nor good, nor useful… then let’s forget it!
Advent is nearing, this is the time when the Mother of God was silent as she carried Baby Jesus in the quiet of her heart. She did not cry out from the rooftops: “Guess what! I have the best news ever for you!”
5. “Silence is a sword
in spiritual struggle,” says St. Faustina.
“A talkative soul will never attain sanctity. The sword of silence will cut off everything that would like to cling to the soul. We are sensitive to words, and quickly want to answer back, without having any regard as to whether it is God’s will that we should speak.”
“A silent soul is strong. If it perseveres in silence, no adversities will harm it. The silent soul is capable of attaining the closest union with God. It lives almost always under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In a silent soul, God works without hindrance,” (Diary §477).
“The Holy Spirit does not speak to the dissipated and talkative soul, but speaks by silent inspiration to the soul that knows how to keep silent. If silence were strictly observed, there would be no murmurs, no bitterness, no slander and gossip. Love of neighbor would not be tarnished. In a word, many flaws would cease to exist. A mouth that keeps silent is pure gold and is a testament to inner holiness,” (Diary §145).
Elsewhere, Jesus also said to her: “Try to live in silent reflection in order to hear my voice, which is a murmur; only souls remaining in silent recollection can hear it,” (Diary §1779).
Dearest Gospa, we want to hasten your Triumph! You said to St. Faustina, “Your life must be like mine, quiet and hidden. Unite yourself to God constantly, pleading for humanity and preparing the world for the Second Coming of God,” (Diary, §625).
Please protect us and guide us, dear Mother, we won’t make it without you!
Sister Emmanuel +
(Translated from French)
PS 1. Production has begun in the U.S.A. for Sister’s newest book:The Scandalous Mercy of God!
Get prepared, this book may change the way you see the world! It will be out mid-December, just in time for Christmas! Stay tuned for pre-order specials.
PS 2. On November 24th, we will celebrate the 17th Anniversary of Fr Slavko Barbaric’s birthday in Heaven. On this occasion, I suggest that we pray this beautiful prayer that he wrote:
“Holy Spirit, I choose you today as master of my whole being. In faith and with hope in your infinite love as it manifested in Mary, I renounce every evil spirit and I accept you, Spirit of Love, Light, Peace and Order. I dedicate all my talents to you, and wish to act only in your light. I give you all rights on my life. Watch over me, guide me to the Father, I beg you with Mary through Jesus, Amen!”
Watch this beautiful video (7′), it’s a simple prayer on Fr Slavko’s tomb with Sr Em in French :
PS 4. Our future missions – the fruits of which will depend very much on your intercession: Argentina, Uruguay and Chile in these days. China next year, God willing.
PS 5. Follow the evening program of the parish of Medjugorje, translated into all languages. See the parish site at:http://www.centremedjugorje.org/
PS 6. Our Heavenly Mother really appreciates your letters! Write to her at “Reine de la Paix”, BP 2157, F – 06103 Nice cedex, France. We’ll deliver your letter to a visionary, and Our Lady will answer you in prayer.
PS 7. Sign up to receive the ‘Monthly reports from Medjugorje’ by Sr. Emmanuel