November 24, 2017
St. Andrew Dung-Lac and companions
Dear Family of Mary!
Today we remember the death of Fr. Slavko Barbaric, OFM. Fr. Slavko was a great pastoral guide to the parish and to pilgrims for most of the early years of the apparitions. He died, suddenly, at the summit of Mt. Krizevac, having prayed the Way of the Cross, as was his almost daily practice. He was Our Lady’s champion, giving over to her mission his great intellect and giant heart.
I would like to share the transcript of his last homily, given on this day in 2000. We thank Medjugorje.ie for posting this homily. It is prophetic, and brilliant. Thank you, Fr. Slavko! We miss you and know that you are interceding for us now.
THE LAST HOMILY OF FR. SLAVKO BARBARIC O.F.M., given on the morning of his last day on earth, November 24, 2000, at 9.00am Mass in St James’ Church, Medjugorje.
http://medjugorje.ie/the-last-homily-of–fr-slavko.html
THANK YOU!
The unity of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Almost every message of Our Lady ends with the sentence, ‘Thank you for having responded to my call’. I have often asked myself, to whom does Our Lady give thanks, who is so important that she comes down from Heaven to say ‘Thank you’ to that person? She does not expect a lot from us, but she sees everything good we have done already and that is why she thanks us.
Everyone who, by using his or her talents, serves, loves, believes and hopes, is helping and respects others. We all are essential, in our time, at our place in our life, where God has decided us to be. I have often said this to people who criticize others a lot, or to those who believe they themselves would have done better had they been in God’s position. If God would have thought that you would have lived and served better at a different time or at a different place, then He would not have put you where you are now, but at that other place. Never say ‘I’ in God’s place, but rather open your eyes and ears to your time and to your neighbor with whom you live. This is your very first task; this is where you are irreplaceable; this is where you are important for God and this is where God cannot do anything without your help. In that way we experience God’s love and, His love, that same love, reaches others through us.
I believe we still must change quite a lot ourselves, for instance, to be able to see the Church and our families with the eyes of Mary. We are often inclined to judge and to complain about people and our time when we look at the world around us. Of course, there are a lot of problems. But Mary looks upon this world with different eyes than we do. She sees the good, however small, however insignificant. She recognizes it and is grateful for it.
I believe Fr. Slavko was seeing the “springtime of a new decision” with prophetic sight at the moment he gave this homily. He was drawing near to heaven in his own life. And the veil was lifting. His words are for us very important. Our Lady is calling us because she needs us, each, right where we are, with the people we are with, to be her apostles of love. This is critical at this moment, for her plan to succeed. Be love and light for others, be peace and prayer.
Thank you Fr. Slavko, for all you did for us on earth and all you are doing for us in heaven. We join you in intercession today for Gospa’s plans!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2017
PS. Mike Nolan has produced a new CD called “Oh Jesus, we adore You!” It has many of the adoration songs you hear in Medjugorje on it. He also has a CD of the Mary TV music you hear every day on our website! Both are beautiful CDs and will make nice Christmas presents for those who are connected to Mary TV! The music brings us back to all the graces Our Lady is giving us through Medjugorje.
You can order both CDs from Mike. He will arrange for credit card transactions and the CDs will be shipped to you.
Mike Nolan
574-335-9952
Easiest way to order is by email. $15.00 per CD.
