Medjugorje, November 19, 2022
Dear Friends, praise be to Jesus and Mary!
1. On October 25, 2022, visionary Marija received the following monthly message:
“Dear children! The Most High permits me to be with you, and to be joy for you and the way in hope, because mankind has decided for death. That is why He sent me to keep instructing you that without God you do not have a future. Little children, be instruments of love for all those who have not come to know the God of love. Witness joyfully your faith and do not lose hope in a change of the human heart. I am with you and am blessing you with my motherly blessing. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
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2. November is not over! It is beautiful to see how much the Croatian people take their deceased loved ones to heart. Cemeteries here look like blossoming colorful gardens! And above all, masses and prayers are said every day for the deceased. This is a great act of charity towards those who have left this world before us and it is something that we can all do.
In the 80s, the visionaries told us that one day, at the time of the apparition, they saw the Blessed Mother moving amongst the crowd that prayed with them, and she blessed all those present (PS 1). But they also noticed that she was making a sign of the cross on some people’s foreheads, people of different ages. So, they asked her why she was doing this to some people and not to others? She told them that she was doing this on the foreheads of those who would soon die. Through this simple motherly gesture, we understand that Mary mysteriously prepares each of her children to present themselves before God.
Sometimes, signs are given regarding the imminent departure of some people. I know a priest who devotes a lot of time to prayer. One day as he was walking to the church in Medjugorje, he saw Father Slavko about 10 meters away from him. Suddenly, he saw Fr Slavko’s body turn into a skeleton. Shocked by this vision, my priest friend tried to catch up to Father Slavko, but he had already walked ahead. Of course, the priest applied himself to praying a lot for his fellow priest, because he saw this sign as a warning. And indeed, just a few days later, at the end of a Way of the Cross at the top of Mount Križevac, to everyone’s surprise, Father Slavko gave up his soul to God.
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3. On November 24th, Father Slavko was born in heaven. On the anniversary of his birth into heaven, I wish to share with you a powerful piece of advice he gave in his homily about the danger of slander, speaking ill of your neighbor and indulging in malicious conversations. Here are his words in essence:
“When you see someone committing a sin, or you hear that someone has made a mistake, you quickly pick up your phone and tell your friends, “Look at what so-and-so did…!” No! Don’t do that! I suggest another attitude, that of a Christian: Take your phone and tell your friends: “You know, I heard bad news! Someone has committed a significant mistake and I am very saddened. I do not want to tell you now what it is, nor who it is, but I suggest that you pray a novena and fast with me for this person, so that God will help him. I can assure you that you will lose many of your friends!”
This is how Father Slavko would evangelize. He always invited us to experience a very hands-on conversion. As a good confessor, he helped us detect the bad habits that we may have without even realizing it which defile our souls. As we became aware of our transgressions, he helped us to get rid of them.
On November 24th, many villagers walk from Cerin, his native village, to his grave, begging him to intercede powerfully for peace in our hearts, peace in our families and peace in the world.
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Nasty gossip is detestable! Maria Simma (PS2), told me about it during my conversations with her. She actually had the gift of seeing souls suffering in Purgatory. She said that gossip, and even more so slander, were great sins with consequences that can be disastrous. You can destroy a reputation, or even drive someone to suicide. Because of this sin, many souls find themselves at the bottom of Purgatory and suffer a great deal while they are purified before going to heaven. The apostle Saint James already warned us against the harm that can be inflicted by the tongue. “No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be!” (James 3:8-10).
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Sister Emmanuel and Maria Simma
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