(c) Mateo Ivankovic 2017
J.M.J.
January 24, 2017
St. Francis de Sales
Dear Family of Mary!
Here is another excerpt from Fr. Slavko’s book, “Mother! Lead us to peace!”
Message of October 25, 1991:
Pray! Pray! Pray!
This is the shortest message that Mary has given to us to date…
PRAY!
The apparitions and the messages do not merely concern the situation in Croatia alone, but also in the entire world. They are, according to the message of last August, related to the events and messages of Fatima that, in turn, point us toward great events occurring in the entire world. First plans of peace and joy are implied, but then they are being born in suffering. Mary has not appeared here for such a long time to tell us that difficult times are upon us. These which already have come upon the Croatian people, are very obvious even without her company. She comes to help us remain on the path of peace and in the meantime not to become discouraged in spite of all the problems. This is a great sign for hope! In other words, the problems do not come because Mary is appearing but she appears here to help us solve the problems and to suffer through the hard situations just as she herself and her Son, Jesus Christ, did. This is the path of renewal and resurrection. This war that is fought in Croatia against Croatians is a war that has moved many millions of people and especially the pilgrims of Medjugorje, to prayer, to fasting, to sacrifices and to acts of love.
PRAY!
No war to date has been so accompanied by prayers from around the entire world. This fact speaks for itself. Mary, as the woman clothed with the sun, fights the evil enemy along with her descendants. Therefore, it proves to be no coincidence that one of the first targets of the aggressor has been the churches. According to the reports from Zagreb more than 210 churches are today damaged or entirely destroyed. The victory that we ARE expecting could be a new beginning for Europe because this war is the only open on being waged in Europe. We should all learn something very important from it and we pray that humanity truly does learn! It is high time for us all to become conscious of what great possibilities of destruction exist in the world today.
PRAY!
Something that arrived at the Parish Office can put a light on this war from a very important perspective. It was a letter written and signed by 80 Croatian soldiers on the front near Osijek. It was entitled “An Appeal from the Front Line of Battle.” The message of peace, brought to us by the Queen of Peace, does not only consist of an appeal to stop wars but also to stop any destruction of life. It involves protection of life from the very beginning, protection of nature and of all of creation, deep peace between God and man, between man and woman and between man and nature. The relationship should be based on respect, on reverence, on protection and on love. The advancing battle line of death could be restrained in this way and life in peace, as it is God’s will, could really be attained. If the word ‘pray’ is repeated, as it is, three times in this month’s message, then we should simply pray without many more explanations. For this reason, I permit myself here to repeat in a school book style what we were until now told about prayer.
1) Who is supposed to pray? – Every person without exception. Every country, every Parish, every family and then every prayer group.
2) What is to be prayed? – The Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Hail Mary, the Holy Mass as often as possible, novenas, the Bible should be read, twice a week one should fast and these alone, with the family and within groups.
3) How are we all to pray? – With the heart and that means with love and with trust in God’s love and mercy.
4) For which intentions ought we t pray/ – We should pray for our Blessed Mother’s intentions. She then promises to present our prayers to the father for his plans as He desires and then also explicitly for the Triumph of Her Immaculate Heart.
PRAY!
As we participate in all these prayers, Masses, fasts and novenas, none of us may forget that each one of us is not merely important, but truly indispensable for Mary’s intentions! Again this gives us a new purpose for our lives, for our prayers and for our work. Then lastly we may also occasionally think of ourselves. Our Lady said in one message that we should pray and that we will not regret it.
Our Heavenly Father, You call upon us through Mary with a threefold urgency to pray, pray, pray! Send the spirit of prayer into our hearts, into our families, into the prayer groups, into the communities and into the entire Church. Help us to become during these times Your people of prayer, that we may adore and praise You in all situations of joy as well as suffering, because You are the Lord who loves us. Bless all who have been following the messages and who are praying with all their hearts. Give all who have not yet accepted the message and decided for prayer a renewed strength and new decisions to do so through the intercession of our Most Holy Mother! Hear us, O Lord, and give us peace with your son, Jesus Christ, the King of Peace. Amen. (Medjugorje: November 4, 1991)
(Fr. Slavko Barbaric, “Mother! Lead us to Peace”. p. 98-100)
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2017
