June 24, 2021 Reflection – The Nativity of St. John the Baptist
The Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist The Day Our Lady first appeared in 1981 June 24, 2021 Dear Family of Mary!Wednesday, June 24, 1981 The visionaries see a distant apparition of a young woman in a long grey dress holding a baby in her arms on the hill of Crnica (now known as Apparition Hill). Forty years ago, today, Our Lady first appeared. It was the feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. She was high up on the hill of Crnica. But from below the young people saw her, holding a baby in her arms. They were frightened and confused. And they ran away!! I have recently wondered what it must have been like to suddenly see a heavenly being standing among the brambles and bushes of a rugged hill that had always been there, empty and barren. Think about it. What was it like for everyone in Medjugorje 15 days before Our Lady came? The grownups were working very hard to feed their families. Poverty was a constant. They worked in their vineyards and tobacco fields for long hours every day. And they lived a humble rural life. I am absolutely sure that no one had ever thought or even imagined that Our Lady would appear to 6 of the young people in their village. The idea would not have entered their minds. Not for a moment. Never! And yet it happened. And when it did the event triggered a huge change in that village. Our Lady came that first day, and the next, and the next, and the next. And as her coming became a daily event, the village had to come to terms with the presence of the Mother of God in their midst. And here we are 40 years later, coming to Medjugorje in order to be near to the presence of the Blessed Mother, who has not left the village for all these years. We come to be near her. We come to give our hearts to her and to experience her love. We come to learn from her how to love her Son. And we snuggle close to her as little ones who need the security of their mother. Medjugorje has become for us all a home, a family gathering. It is the same this year as all the others. Our Lady is here, quietly and gently loving us into holiness. We are the most blessed of children with such a Mother!! As she once told us: March 18, 2014 “Dear children! As a mother, I desire to be of help to you. With my motherly love, I desire to help you to open your heart and to put my Son in the first place in it. Through your love for my Son and through your prayer, I desire for God’s light to illuminate you and God’s mercy to fill you. In this way, I desire for the darkness, and the shadow of death which wants to encompass and mislead you, to be driven away. I desire for you to feel the joy of the blessing of God’s promise. You, children of man, you are God’s children – you are my children. Therefore, my children, set out on the ways on which my love leads you, teaches you humility and wisdom, and finds the way to the Heavenly Father. Pray with me for those who do not accept me and do not follow me – those who, because of hardness of their hearts, cannot feel the joy of humility, devotion, peace and love – the joy of my Son. Pray that your shepherds, with their blessed hands, may always give you the joy of God’s blessing. Thank you.” Thank you, dearest Mother. We will pray as you ask! We love you. In Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Cathy Nolan (c) Mary TV 2021 The schedule for Mary TV Live for this great anniversary is as follows: 24th of June 3:00 – 4:00 – Daily Rosary 6:00 – 9:00 – Evening Program 25th of June 3:00 – 3:30 pm – Daily Rosary 3:30 – 4:25 pm 40 memorable moments video 4:30 – 10:00 – Procession and 40th Anniversary Evening Program