Thursday, April 10, 2014

Mary TV Daily Reflection 4/10/2014


 
Peace, Peace, Peace.

(c) Mary TV 2013



J.M.J
April 10, 2014
 
Dear Family of Mary!

"Dear Children, do not tire of prayer. Pray for peace, peace, peace." (June 25, 2002, Ivanka)
 
"Dear children! Do not be afraid, I am always with you. Open your heart for love and peace to enter into it. Pray for peace, peace, peace." (June 25, 2003 Ivanka)

"Dear children, love each other with the love of my Son. Peace, peace, peace." (June 25, 2005 Ivanka)

"Dear children, I call you to be apostles of peace. Peace, peace, peace." (June 25, 2009 Ivanka)

Ivanka's messages, given on June 25 each year, are brief and to the point. And it seems the main point is peace. She is the visionary who saw the terrible bloodbath in Rwanda, in a vision. Our Lady wanted us to pray for peace in that country. And she still calls us to pray for peace, in our own countries and in our own hearts.

Fr. Slavko wrote a book "Follow Me With Your Heart" which is a guide for pilgrims coming to Medjugorje. He characterizes Medjugorje as a "School of Peace". I believe this is the main charism of Medjugorje. Peace. This is the gift God is giving to us in Medjugorje, a gift we may not value or understand deeply enough. It is the basic need of our time.

I want to quote a bit of Fr. Slavko's introduction, because it says so well what I am trying to say!

The moment you decided to be a pilgrim and to come to this holy Sanctuary, either consciously or unconsciously, you decided to enroll in the "School of Peace". The teacher of this school is Mary, the Queen of Peace. In Her messages, She often repeats that She has come to help us find peace. This school, like any other, is not easy. In fact, it can be very difficult. Yet, in this world without peace, the most beneficial study you can ever decide for is to learn to live peace in your heart and to become an apostle of peace.

The goal of this school is PEACE. The main subjects are CONVERSION, PRAYER, FASTING and FAITH. Mary, as a mother, is very practical and calls us to pray the Rosary daily, to celebrate the holy Mass every Sunday and feast day, to confess monthly, and to read the holy Bible daily.
 
All these practical 'exercises' have a single goal which is to teach us to grow in the love for every life; "respecting, defending, loving and serving every life". (The Gospel of Life, no. 5 - Holy Father, Pope John Paul II). It is in this way that the conditions for peace, which are very concrete, are fulfilled. Every day and every encounter with others in our life reveals how far we have progressed towards peace.

In other words, in this school, you find yourself in the same school in which Jesus found Himself. He, who is our Peace, passed His last examination as the King of Peace when He forgave from the Cross. This was also the moment when Mary passed Her examination in becoming the Queen of Peace. That is why it is not strange at all that she teaches us unconditional love towards every person. This last test of unconditional love in the School of Peace is before our own cross. It is there that we look to the Cross of Jesus, beneath which Mary stood and taught us to forgive. She calls us to come to the Cross of Jesus, to discover His love in suffering and to forgive.

By accepting the curriculum of this school, you have started the journey on the most beautiful road for which every human heart longs. Fear not. Proceed courageously with Mary. (Fr. Slavko Barbaric. "Follow me with Your Heart." p. 7,8)

We are approaching Holy Week, the final exam for Jesus and Mary. As we accompany them through the Passion, may we learn well from them how to pass our own exam. May we learn to embrace our cross, and forgive, forgive, forgive. May we pray for peace, peace, peace!

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2014

 






"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world."
Blessed John Paul II
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