Day: September 13, 2016

       (c)Mateo Ivankovic 2016 JMJ September 13, 2016 St. John Chrysostom Dear Family of Mary! Message of September 2, 2016 “Dear children, according to the will of my Son and my motherly love, I am coming to you, my children, but especially to those who have not yet come to know the love of my Son. I am coming to you who think of me and who invoke me. To you, I am giving my motherly love and I am carrying the blessing of my Son. Do you have pure and open hearts, and do you see the gifts, the signs of my presence and love?…” Didn’t Mary come to Elizabeth and didn’t Elizabeth receive a great gift: “And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?’” (Lk 1:42-43) We could say the same thing because Mary is coming to us with the same haste and the same love that she had in coming to Elizabeth. She is coming to us carrying the blessing of her Son, as she came to Elizabeth and little John. We should be leaping for joy! We should be filled with the Holy Spirit, exclaiming “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” In fact, we do say this many times each day when we pray our Rosary! This cry is the cry of joy that is released when Mary comes to us! We are filled with the joy of her presence and the power of the Holy Spirit when she comes. But she seems to be a bit disappointed with our response. We may not see the gifts she brings and the signs of her presence of love. Our hearts may be hard and closed. Her coming may not bear fruit as it should. Unlike John the Baptist, we are not pure enough to soak up the graces coming to us with our Mother. What can be done? Our Lady gives us the answer: “My children, in your earthly life, be led by my example. My life was pain, silence and immeasurable faith and trust in the Heavenly Father. Nothing is by chance: neither pain, nor joy, nor suffering, nor love. All of these are graces which my Son grants to you and which lead you to eternal life. Of you, my Son asks for love and prayer in Him. As a mother I will teach you: to love and to pray in Him means to pray in the silence of your soul and not only reciting with your lips; it is even the least beautiful gesture done in the name of my Son – it is patience, mercy, the acceptance of pain and sacrifice done for the sake of another…” We can grow in our purity and openness, our ability to see and receive the gifts she brings and the signs of her presence and love. She will teach us. She will guide us and show us how to become able to receive her coming and gifts. She continues to teach us: “My children, my Son is looking at you. Pray that you also may see His face and that it may be revealed to you. My children, I am revealing to you the only and real truth. Pray that you may comprehend it and be able to spread love and hope; that you may be able to be apostles of my love…” Our Lady wants to make us apostles of her love. She wants us to see her Son, face to face! She needs us because it will be through us that many other souls will find the way to eternal life. We must respond to her coming like Elizabeth, and be filled with the Spirit like John. Then we will be able to help her. “In a special way, my motherly heart loves the shepherds. Pray for their blessed hands. Thank you.” (September 2, 2016) Of course it is our priests who make all this possible through the Sacraments they give to us. Our gratitude should be great. So with each Hail Mary we pray, let’s realize that Our Lady is coming to us, and bringing all of heaven with her, so that we can be transformed.  And let’s respond like Elizabeth and John, with a bit of leaping!! In Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Cathy Nolan ©Mary TV 2016 PS.  The pilgrimage that Mike Nolan is leading on October 3 – 14 still has room. Pray about coming!!  The air fares are quite low. If you have been waiting for the right time to go to Medjugorje, this may be it!! Mike Nolan 574-335-9952