June 1, 2021 Reflection – “Leave sin and evil…”

Dear Family of Mary!

“Leave sin and evil…” (May 25, 2021)

Our Lady has tried to build into our lives the gift of repentance. In so many ways she has tried to help us root out sin from our lives. As long as we cling to our sins and failings, we will not advance on the road to holiness. But we need help.

Fr. Slavko Barbaric wrote a lovely book “Pray with the Heart!” In it he actually prays with us for the graces we need. I want to share with you part of the evening prayer that Fr. Slavko composed, in which he so gently and lovingly helps us to recognize and root out the sins of the day and give them to Jesus. May this prayer be a help to us in leaving sin and evil behind.

Pray with the Heart! by Fr. Slavko Barbaric
Evening Prayer

Father, the day has passed and the evening has come. I pray to You to send me Your Spirit that I may, in Your light, consciously spend these moments which I want to dedicate to You and to myself. Thank you for being ready to listen to me as Your child.

Father, hush my heart as the heart of a child is hushed in its father’s arms. Hush my heart at the sunset of this day as a baby is hushed in its mother’ arms. As everything around me is falling into the darkness of the night, send me Your light which never passes. Appease my soul as a doe is appeased at a water spring and as the earth is appeased after a fruitful rain.

Mary, so many times you hushed Jesus, your Son, as a child in your motherly arms and committed Him to the calm of the night. So I, too, ask you to be with me in these moments, that peace and tranquility may enter into my heart, that they may affect my soul and body.

Mary, thank you for having called me to change my heart. You said:

“Dear children! I would like to tell you today to start working on your hearts like you work in your fields. Work and change your hearts that a new spirit from God may settle down in them. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (April 25, 1985)

(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be)

Father, I have worked today and have become tired. Thank you for my having had a chance to make use of the gifts You gave me for my own good and for the good of others. Thank you that I have worked hard today too. And now I pray to You to give me grace to cultivate my heart, as I was ready to do other jobs during the day. Father, I pray to You that I may, at Mary’s intercession, redecorate and cultivate my heart, that it may change and become good and pure. Remove from it the dust of sin and evil. Let a new Spirit make its abode in me. Father, I admit that I have sinned today, too. At times selfishness and haughtiness took hold of me. I was angry and impatient. Others around me have sinned, too, uttering blasphemies, curses, lies and slanders. Father, all this has burdened my heart. So, cleanse and wash me. Cleanse my consciousness and subconsciousness that peace may settle down in me.

Mary, thank you for your call to cleanse ourselves of sin:

“Dear children! Today, too, I invite you to prepare your hearts for all the days when the Lord especially wants to cleanse you of all sins from your past. You, dear children, are not able to do it alone. That is why I am here to help you. Pray, dear children. Only in this way will you be able to recognize all the evil that is in you and to deliver it to the Lord in order that He may completely cleanse your hearts. So, dear children, pray without ceasing and prepare your hearts in penance and fasting. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (December 4, 1986)

Mary, thank you for being here to help us to cleanse ourselves. O Mother, take me on your lap now. A mother makes little of how dirty and soiled her child is, she rather helps it to be clean and nice. Do so with me now. Let the Lord, at your intercession, take the burdens from my heart.

(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be…)

From Fr. Slavko Barbaric. Pray with the Heart. Information Center, Mir Medjugorje. P26-28)

May we turn to the Lord, in this beautiful and gentle manor, and allow Him to cleanse our hearts each night. What a beautiful way to leave sin and evil!!

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
Mary TV 2021