September 24, 2020 Reflection – “Pray, Pray, Pray!
(c) Mary TV September 24, 2020 Dear Family of Mary! As we approach the 25th, and the hopes of a new message, it is always good to take a good look at the previous message. On August 25th, Our Lady said to us: “Dear children! This is a time of grace. I am with you and anew am calling you, little children: return to God and to prayer until prayer will be a joy for you. Little children, you do not have a future or peace until your life begins with a personal conversion and a change to the good. Evil will cease and peace will begin to reign in your hearts and in the world. Therefore, little children, pray, pray, pray. I am with you and intercede before my Son Jesus for each of you. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (August 25, 2020) I am always drawn to the words “pray, pray, pray.” Repeating the word “pray” three times is something Our Lady has done at least 73 times in her messages. This repetition from Our Lady tells us that she really means it!! She really, really, really means it!! We need to pray. I found a teaching by Fr. Slavko in which he discusses the strong desire of Our Lady that we pray, pray, pray! In this commentary on the message of March 25, 1993, Fr. Slavko was encouraging the people of Medjugorje and the whole world to pray, pray, pray for peace as Our Lady asked. At that time, Medjugorje was surrounded by the terrible war in the Balkans. But Our Lady did not abandon the people, and her messages helped them to stay on the path of peace. Fr. Slavko explained how living Our Lady’s messages would make for peace, and the defeat of Satan. Twenty-seven years later, we are still facing conflicts and wars in our families, our communities, and our countries. His words are equally timely for us today. He wrote: Therefore, Dear Children, Pray, Pray, Pray. In this message we again feel a premonition of Mary’s role – the woman clothed in the sun, with the moon at her feet and a crown of stars on her head – who with her offspring is defeating satan, casting him under her feet and then crushing his head. By God’s goodness we are, as was Jesus, her chosen offspring. Victory is promised to us but only on the condition that we cooperate in the battle against evil and decide for goodness. Consequently it is very important for us to recognize and accept our weakness and wickedness, that we renounce it and in that way put a stop to every cooperation with the enemy of peace. That is the call for every Christian but especially for the friends of Mary, the Queen of Peace. Due to her apparitions in Medjugorje we have consciously and firmly decided to stand beneath her banner. We decided against all wickedness that could give the evil one an opportunity to act through us. Every sin, by which we provoke little wars and unrest, kills goodness around us. Sin threatens the divine program of peace in and around us and thus bursts out in the flames of world conflicts and destruction. This month’s triple call to peace must, by all means, be taken urgently by us. There is not time for waiting! Through prayer we must put to an end the interior and exterior destruction of man, of the Church, of the nations and of the world. Through prayer, man’s heart and soul will be healed and then it will be easy to find the means to restoring a just and lasting peace. In this war-torn season, when such great evils have been poured into the laps of individuals, of families and of the world that we must through faith accept as crosses, let us take the time and dedicate each other to God. He is powerful and wishes to give life and peace and spare us from war and destruction. Although it may in many instances appear already too late, the Easter message clearly tells us that life was born on the Cross. There invincibility sprouted from the grave, the One who was rejected and died between two thieves has crushed hatred and stands gloriously with His Easter banner and, as Victor, walks before us. Let us now pray, convert, fast, and reconcile so that He may draw us as individuals, as families and as nations from darkness and death to the light and to life! (Fr. Slavko Barbaric, Marcy 30, 1993. “Mother! Lead us to Peace!! Copywright:Nicolas Maria Eltz, 1995) When we respond to Our Lady’s call to pray, we open the doors of our hearts to the Lord. We open our lives up to Jesus, so He can become our Lord and lead us into peace. Prayer is essential. If we are going to renounce satan and all his evil promises, we must pray. Prayer protects us from sin. Prayer gives us peace. Prayer brings us into communion with God. So as we wait for another message, let’s pray, pray, pray! Let’s never give up on prayer. Our Lady needs us. In Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! Cathy Nolan ©Mary TV 2020