Medjugorje Day By Day Apr 01 - May you be the hope and joy of mankind
FOR THE LITURGICAL CHURCH
One day St Faustina asked for a soul for every stitch she made while knitting.
Jesus granted her request
ASK FOR A SOUL for every Hail Mary you say on your Rosary on Good Friday
and also on every Rosary you say from now on.
I sent this to a friend and she said ask for a soul for every word!
So this is what I am doing now.
Our Lady said she needs us, Needs our prayers.
God has all the Grace we need. All we have to do is ask for them.
Don't limit God
"Mankind will not have
"Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy," Jesus
told St. Maria Faustina of the Blessed Sacrament, "Adore, in the Blessed
Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of mercy." "I want Adoration to take place . . .
for the intention of imploring Mercy for the world." (Divine Mercy Diary,
300, 1572, & 1070)
Mother Teresa -
"The cross is the proof that He loved us and the Tabernacle is the proof that He loves us now with tender compassion".
The Cross is a thorny fruit which outside is most pungent. After the thorns and bark are removed, one finds a precious and savory fruit, that only she who has the patience to endure the annoyance of the punctures, can come to discover the secret of the preciousness and the taste of that fruit. And only she who has come to discover this secret keeps it with love. And all the others look at it with contempt and despise it.
Meditations by Padre Pio -
Apr 1 Doesn't the Holy Spirit tells us that when the soul approaches God it must be prepared for temptations? Courage, therefore, courage my good daughter. Fight valiantly and you will receive the prize of strong souls (Letters III, p. 427).
Archbishop Fulton Sheen -
The Passion of Love and Hate
"The root of all passions are love and its opposite, hate. Hence our passions are either for the pursuit of what we love, or escape from what we hate."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html -
Jesus, lover of human salvation, draw all souls to the divine life. May the greatness of Your mercy be praised here on earth and in eternity. O great lover of souls, who in Your boundless compassion opened the salutary fountains of mercy so that weak souls may be fortified in this life's pilgrimage, Your mercy runs through our life like a golden thread and maintains in good order the contact of our being with God. For He does not need anything to make Him happy; so everything is solely the work of His mercy. My senses are transfixed with joy when God grants me a deeper awareness of that great attribute of His; namely, His unfathomable mercy. (1466)
Jesus, hide me in Your mercy and shield me against everything that might terrify my soul. Do not let my trust in Your mercy be disappointed. Shield me with the omnipotence of Your mercy, and judge me leniently as well. (1480)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
These thoughts for a day are taken from a daily meditation book based on the Messages of Our Lady of Medjugorje by Father Richard J. Beyer, Ave Maria Press.
APRIL 1 - MAY YOU BE THE JOY OF MANKIND
The Blessed Virgin speaks of joy today:
"Dear Children, persevere in prayer so that your hearts may be filled with joy. Dear children, may you be the hope and joy of mankind, But you can only achieve this through prayer. Pray, pray! (Visionary Prayer Group May 3rd, 1986).
In his prayer to the Father, Jesus speaks of conveying his joy to his disciples:
While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded the, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves (Jn17:12-13)
Reflection:
Joy is a unique quality of the Christian life. It seems to be born of trust in God's love for us and for all aspects of our lives. Fr. Slavko Barbaric, spiritual director to the visionaries, recently gave a sermon on Our Lady's messages of prayer and joy.
Here, in part, is what he said:
Normally, after meeting someone, you need time to get to know him, tell him about yourself, exchange views, and so forth. However, if our prayer only consists of an occasional "hello" to someone who only occupies a corner of our lives, then we probably aren't going to experience great joy.
The problem is that we all want joy but we're not willing to follow the path that leads to its source: prayer from the heart. That is why Our Lady asks us so urgently to, "pray, pray!" It is the means to happiness.
Application:
Today the Mother of God asks that we make our hearts, "joyful through the means of prayer." To this end, try to extend and deepen your prayer so that you will more fully experience that joy.
Medjugorje Day By Day Mar 31 - Open your hearts to the Holy Spirit
Bl. Elizabeth of the Trinity, Carmelite Nun (1880-1906) France:
Bl. Elizabeth wrote, "When Our Lord was on earth, the Gospel says `a secret power went out from Him,' at His touch the sick recovered their health, the dead were restored to life. Well, He is still living! living in the tabernacle in His adorable Sacrament." "When you are close to the tabernacle in which love incarnate dwells, there is no distance."
Mother Teresa -
We must say, " I belong to you. You can do whatever you like. "
And this is our strength and this is the joy of the Lord.
Meditations by Padre Pio -
Accept all the suffering and incomprehension that comes from Above. In this way you will perfect and sanctity yourself (FSP, 119).
Archbishop Fulton Sheen -
Passion is not unconscious!
"The eye has a reflex action when someone is about to thrust his finger into it, but passion is a conscious affair; it is something that happens to a creature endowed with reason and free will."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html -
After I had gone into the refectory, during the reading, my whole being found itself plunged in God. Interiorly, I saw God looking at us with great pleasure. I remained alone with the Heavenly Father. At that moment, I had a deeper knowledge of the Three Divine Persons, whom we shall contemplate for all eternity and, after millions of years, shall discover that we have just barely begun our contemplation. Oh, how great is the mercy of God, who allows man to participate in such a high degree in His divine happiness! At the same time, what great pain pierces my heart [at the thought] that so many souls have spurned this happiness. (1439)
Write, speak of My mercy. Tell souls where they are to look for solace; that is, in the Tribunal of Mercy [the Sacrament of Reconciliation] There the greatest miracles take place [and] are incessantly repeated. To avail oneself of this miracle, it is not necessary to go on a great pilgrimage or to carry out some external ceremony; it suffices to come with faith to the feet of My representative and to reveal to him one's misery, and the miracle of Divine Mercy will be fully demonstrated.
Were a soul like a decaying corpse so that from a human standpoint, there would be no [hope of] restoration and everything would already be lost, it is not so with God. The miracle of Divine Mercy restores that soul in full. Oh, how miserable are those who do not take advantage of the miracle of God's mercy!... (1448)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
Mar 31 - OPEN YOUR HEARTS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is the topic of Our Lady's message today:
"Dear Children, during these days I call you to especially open your hearts to the Holy Spirit, who is working through you. Open your hearts and surrender your lives to Jesus so that he can work through your hearts and strengthen you in faith (Weekly Message May 23, 1985).
And from Acts:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon yon; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
Reflections:
Jesus wishes to give us the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Blessed Mother asks us to be open to receive his power. With faith and openness, then let us pray to the Spirit using The Sequence of the Holy Spirit, one of the loveliest prayer-poems of the church:
Holy Spirit, Lord of light, from the clear celestial height Thy pure beaming radiance give. Come, thou Father of the poor, Come, with treasures which endure; Come, thou light of all that live!
Thou, of all consolers best, Thou, the soul's delightful guest, Dost refreshing peace bestow; Thou in toil art comfort sweet; Pleasant coolness in the heat; Solace in the midst of woe.
Light immortal, light divine, Visit thou these hearts of thine, And our inmost being fill: If thou take thy grace away, Nothing pure in man will stay; All his good is turned to ill.
Heal our wounds, our strength renew; On our dryness pour thy dew; Wash the stains of guilt away; Bend the stubborn heart and will; Melt the frozen, warm the chill; Guide the steps that go astray.
Thou, on us who evermore Thee confess and thee adore, With thy sevenfold gifts descend: Give us comfort when we die; Give us life with thee on high; Give us joys that never end.
Application:
Make it a habit to pray to the Holy Spirit each day, as the Virgin asks of us.
Medjugorje Day By Day Mar 30 - REFLECT ON JESUS PASSION
"The privileged place where we can find this Jesus 'in agony until the end of the world' is the Eucharist. Jesus instituted it immediately before going to the Garden of Olives so that his disciples would be able, in every age, to make themselves 'contemporary' with his Passion. If the Spirit inspires in us the desire to be one hour at the side of Jesus in Gethsemane this Lent, the simplest way to achieve it is to spend, on Thursday afternoon, one hour before the Blessed Sacrament" (Father Raniero
Cantalamessa, March 17, 2006).
"This practice of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, repeatedly praised and recommended by the Magisterium, is supported by the example of many saints. Particularly outstanding in this regard was Saint Alphonsus Liguori, who wrote: `Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest after the sacraments, the one dearest to God and the one most helpful to us'.
The Eucharist is a priceless treasure: by not only celebrating it but also by praying before it outside of Mass we are enabled to make contact with the very wellspring of grace. A Christian community desirous of contemplating the face of Christ . . . cannot fail also to develop this aspect of Eucharistic worship, which prolongs and increases the fruits of our communion in the body and blood of the Lord."
"Like the woman who anointed Jesus in Bethany, the Church has feared no `extravagance', devoting the best of her resources to expressing her wonder and adoration before the unsurpassable gift of the Eucharist" (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Pope John Paul II, 25 and 48
Mother Teresa -
Our yes to God is without any reservations.
We are at Jesus' disposal.
If He wants you to be sick in bed,
if He wants you to proclaim His word in the street,
that's all right, everything is all right.
Meditations by Padre Pio -
. I am extremely pleased to hear that the Lord is always generous with His caresses towards your souls. I know you are suffering, but isn't this suffering a sure sign that God loves you? (Letters III, p. 707).
Archbishop Fulton Sheen-
Passion is blind without knowledge
"Passion is not a reflex like the watering of a dog's mouth in the presence of food. It is true that there are many similarities between passion in animals and passion in man, but it must never be forgotten that in man, passion cannot operate unless something is known."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html -
When I entered the chapel for a moment in the evening, I felt a terrible thorn in my head. This lasted for a short time, but the pricking was so painful that in an instant my head dropped onto the communion rail. It seemed to me that the thorn had thrust itself into my brain. But all this is nothing; it is all for the sake of souls, to obtain God's mercy for them. (1399)
Christ, give me souls. Let anything You like happen to me, but give me souls in return. I want the salvation of souls. I want souls to know Your mercy. I have nothing left for myself, because I have given everything away to souls, with the result that on the day of judgment I will stand before You empty-handed, since I have given everything away to souls. Thus You will have nothing on which to judge me, and we shall meet on that day: Love and mercy... (1426)
Today during confession, breaking the wafer with me spiritually, he [my confessor] gave me the following wishes: "Be as faithful as you can to the grace of God; secondly, beg God's mercy for yourself and for the whole world, because we are all in great need of God's mercy." (1432)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
Mar 30 - REFLECT ON JESUS' PASSION
The Blessed Virgin speaks of the cross and prayer today:
Dear children, here is my second message for Lent. Renew your prayer before the cross. Dear children, I offer you special graces and Jesus offers you the extraordinary merits of the cross. Accept them and live! Reflect on Jesus ` passion. Unite your life to his (Weekly Message February 20, 1986).
Scripture and Reflection:
In view of Our Lady's message today, it might be well for us to simple meditate on the Passion of her Son, rather than engage in commentary St. Thomas a Kempis emphasized this as well when he wrote, "Take comfort in the Passion of Christ, and dwell willingly in his sacred wounds. Endure with Christ, suffer for him, if you wish to reign with him."
As you meditate on the passion narrative of St. Mark, read the lines unhurriedly, and pause in silent prayer if a phrase or word strikes you, for this is the Holy Spirit at work.
Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. And they began saluting him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
…Then they brought Jesus to the placed called Golgotha (which means the place of the skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them. Casting lots to decide what each should take.
…When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi. Lema sabachtani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, «Listen, he calling for Elijah." And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down."
Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last breath. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way be breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was God's Son!" (Mk 15:16-20, 22-24, 33-39).
Application:
Today, spend five minutes in meditation before the cross.
Medjugorje Day By Day Mar 29 - Wipe the tears from my face
"The Way of the Cross is thus a path leading to the heart of the Eucharistic mystery: popular piety and sacramental piety of the Church blend together and become one" (Pope Benedict XVI).
"O my Holy Jesus, give me an upright and just heart, that I may love Thee, the King of Jerusalem, and wait for Thy coming, and feed upon the Bread of God. Jesus, teach me the hidden secrets of Thy love" (Fr. Frederick A. Reuter, K.C.B.S.).
Mother Teresa -
The first step to becoming holy is to will it. St. Thomas says, " Sanctity consists in nothing else than a firm resolve, the heroic act of a soul abandoning himself to God. By an upright will we love God, we choose God, we run toward God, we reach Him, we possess Him."
O good, good Will which transforms me into the image of God and makes me like Him! We will be in Steubenville the next few days, so have posted 6 days of Mother Teresa's words of wisdom for everyone. God bless each of you. We must know exactly when we say yes to God what is in that yes.
Yes means " I surrender," totally, fully, without any counting the cost, without any examination, " Is it all right? Is it convenient?"
Meditations by Padre Pio -
Bearing physical and moral ailments is the worthiest offering you can make to He who saved us through suffering (Letters III, p. 487).
Archbishop Fulton Sheen -
Passion is merely the echo of knowledge!
"Passion has its seat in the body or the animal nature of man. It is the echo of the knowledge in our physical structure but it is not knowledge. Passion implies sensible changes, such as the flushing of the cheeks, the dilating of the pupils and the tensing of many muscles."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html -
As I was praying before the Blessed Sacrament and greeting the five wounds of Jesus, at each salutation I felt a torrent of graces gushing into my soul, giving me a foretaste of heaven and absolute confidence in God's mercy. (1337)
O merciful God, You do not despise us, but lavish Your graces on us continuously. You make us fit to enter Your kingdom, and in Your goodness You grant that human beings may fill the places vacated by the ungrateful Angels. O God of great mercy, who turned Your sacred gaze away from the rebellious Angels and turned it upon contrite man, praise and glory be to Your unfathomable mercy, O God who do not despise the lowly heart. (1339)v
My Jesus, let my sacrifice burn before Your throne in all silence, but with the full force of love, as I beg You to have mercy on souls. (1342)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
Mar 29 - WIPE THE TEARS FROM MY FACE
The following message from the Queen of Peace is her lengthiest—and one of the most important. Along with a short passage from scripture, it will serve as our reading and reflection for this Lenten day.
My Dear Children! I came to you in order to lead you to purity of soul and then to God. But how did you receive me? At first with disbelief, fearful and suspicious of the children I had chosen. Later on, most of you received me in your hearts and began to live your Mother's messages. But that did not last for long.
Whenever I come to you my Son comes with me, but so does Satan. You unwittingly permitted him to influence you and now he drives you on. It is up to you to recognize when your behaviour is displeasing to God, but you often stifle the thought.
Do not give in, dear children. Wipe from my face the tears that I shed when I see you acting like this. Rouse yourselves. Take the time to meet God in your church. Come into your Father's house. Take time for family prayer so you can receive God's grace. Remember your deceased; give them joy by offering a Mass for them.
Do not be scornful of those who beg you for a piece of bread. Do not turn them away from your overladen tables. Help them and God will help you. Perhaps this is the way in which God will hear you and bestow upon you blessings in thanksgiving.
You have forgotten all this, my children, under Satan's influence. Be wary! Pray with me! Do not deceive yourselves in thinking, "I am good, but my brother next door is not." You would be wrong. Your Mother loves you and so I warn you.
People do not know the secrets, my children, but when they learn of them it will be too late. Return to prayer! Nothing is more important. I wish the Lord would permit to enlighten you a little more about the secrets, but the graces you have already received are great enough.
Think how much you have offended him What have you given him of yourself? When was the last time you gave up something for the Lord? I do not want to reprimand you further, but to call you once again to prayer, fasting, and penance. If you wish to obtain a special grace from God by fasting, then let no one know you are fasting. If you wish to obtain a certain grace from God through a gift to the poor, then keep your almsgiving a secret between you and the Lord.
Listen to me, my children! Meditate on my message in prayer (Special Message January 28, 1987).
And from the Acts of the Apostles, this quote from Isaiah echoes Our Lady's words:
For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn—and I would heal them (Acts 28:27).
Application:
Simply heed the Gospa's advice in the last sentence of her message today: "Meditate on my message in prayer."
Medjugorje Day By Day Mar 28 - Encounter the living God
Message of March 25, 2006
"Courage, little children! I decided to lead you on the way of
holiness. Renounce sin and set out on the way of salvation, the way which my Son has chosen. Through each of your tribulations and sufferings God will find the way of joy for you. Therefore, little
children, pray. We are close to you with our love. Thank you for
having responded to my call."
Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord:
"In an instant the Holy Spirit overshadows her [Mary], making her a living ciborium privileged to bear within herself for nine months the Guest who is the Host of the world" (Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen).
"Our Father Who are in Heaven in the heaven of the Eucharist . . . may we in all humility and zeal make You known, loved and adored by all men in the Holy Eucharist . . . Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Eucharistic Kingdom. Rule Thou alone forever over us for Your greater glory through the power of your love" (St. Peter Julian Eymard).
Mother Teresa -
We obtain grace in proportion to our sanctity, to our fervor, and to our degree of union with our Lord.
Meditations by Padre Pio -
The angels are jealous of us for one reason only; they are not able to suffer for God. Only through suffering can a soul say the certainty, "My God, You see I do love You!" (FM, 166).
Archbishop Fulton Sheen -
If we don't know about something we can't get passionate about it!
"Passion cannot operate unless we have an idea about something. A woman will not `get mad' at a bargain counter, unless she knows that someone is getting the better selection. We speak of people becoming `enthused' about some idea - and an idea is knowledge. No one undergoes the passion of sadness without first having a knowledge of a loss or a disaster."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html -
You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. (1319)
At three o'clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy for the whole world. I will allow you to enter into My mortal sorrow. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion.... (1320)
As I was meditating on the sin of the Angels and their immediate punishment, I asked Jesus why the Angels had been punished as soon as they had sinned. I heard a voice: Because of their profound knowledge of God. No person on earth, even though a great saint, has such knowledge of God as an Angel has. Nevertheless, to me who am so miserable, You have shown Your mercy, O God, and this, time and time again. You carry me in the bosom of Your mercy and forgive me every time that I ask Your forgiveness with a contrite heart. (1332
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
MARCH 28 - ENCOUNTER THE LIVING GOD
Our Lady speaks of encountering the Lord today:
"Dear Children, today I wish to call you to prayer so that you may encounter the living God. He offers and give himself to you, asking only that you freely answer his call.
Therefore, little children, set aside a special time each day when you pray in peace and humility, meeting with God the Creator. I am with you and intercede to God for you. Be alert that your prayer truly be a joyful encounter with God. (Monthly Message November 25, 1988)
In this passage, Paul gives us an example of intercessory prayer:
For this reason, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding… (Col 1: 9)
Reflection:
As Our Lady stresses today, prayer is the most essential component of our lives, for it is a direct encounter with the living God.
Elsewhere, the Madonna asks that we pray for a number of her intentions (peace, conversion of sinners, the sick, etc.), as well as our own. As this array of prayer intentions can sometimes be difficult to remember or fit into one day, the following suggestions may help.
First, you many wish to write down on an index card the intentions you wish to pray for every day. Place the card in your wallet or purse (or in a prayerbook you use each day). Consult it as you pray the rosary, offering one decade for each intention; this will allow you to pray for 5 to 15 intentions each day.
Second, just as a priest normally has an intention for each Mass he offers, so you too can offer the Masses you attend for one or more special intentions. The same can be done for other prayer forms which the church offers us, such as the Stations of the Cross, litanies, and of course novenas.
Another form is conversational prayer with God. Here we simply speak to the Lord about our prayer intention, describing it and lifting it up, so to speak, for him to see and bless. But the most beautiful form of prayer may be that of sheer praise and gratitude, with the Lord himself searching our hearts for our special needs and intentions.
Application:
If advisable, write down your prayer intentions today. Remember that they can be prayed for in a variety of ways. It is our faithfulness that is most important.
Medjugorje Day By Day Mar 27 - Honor the wounds of my Son
Message of March 25, 2006
"Courage, little children! I decided to lead you on the way of
holiness. Renounce sin and set out on the way of salvation, the way
which my Son has chosen. Through each of your tribulations and
sufferings God will find the way of joy for you. Therefore, little
children, pray. We are close to you with our love. Thank you for
having responded to my call."
The air that we breathe, the bread that we eat, the heart which throbs in our bosoms, are not more necessary for man that he may live as a human being, than is prayer for the Christian that he may live as a Christian. - St. John Eudes
"My soul, if you wish to be intimate with Mary, let yourself be carried between her arms and nourished with her blood . . . . Let this ineffable, chaste thought accompany you to the Banquet of God and you will find in the Blood of the Son the nourishment of the Mother" (St. Albert the Great).
Mother Teresa -
A day alone with Jesus is apt to spur us on in the vigorous pursuit of holiness through personal love for Jesus.
Jesus desires our perfection with unspeakable ardor. " For this is the will of God, your sanctification. " We are but instruments that God deigns to use; these instruments bring forth fruit in the measure that they are united to God......
Meditations by Padre Pio -
The God of Christians is the God of metamorphosis; you throw your sufferings into His bosom and you draw out peace; you throw in despair and you see hope coming to the surface (FM, 166).
Archbishop Fulton Sheen -
Why do we put so much credence on what `they' say?
"Many live under the illusion that their rejection of religious faith is a proof that they are immune from credulity. The truth is that they too accept authority, but it is the vague, vaporous, anonymous authority of `they.' `They' are wearing green, and the like. Who are `they'? The person of faith at least knows the One Whose guidance he accepts."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html -
When I make the Way of the Cross, I am deeply moved at the twelfth station. Here I reflect on the omnipotence of God's mercy which passed through the Heart of Jesus. In this open wound of the Heart of Jesus I enclose all poor humans... and those individuals whom I love, as often as I make the Way of the Cross. From that Fount of Mercy issued the two rays; that is, the Blood and the Water. With the immensity of their grace they flood the whole world.... (1309)
O my Jesus, now everything is clear to me, and I understand all that has just happened. I somehow felt and asked myself what sort of a poor man is this who radiates such modesty. From that moment on, there was stirred up in my heart an even purer love toward the poor and the needy. Oh, how happy I am that my superiors have given me such a task! I understand that mercy is manifold; one can do good always and everywhere and at all times. An ardent love of God sees all around itself constant opportunities to share itself through deed, word and prayer. Now I understand the words which You spoke to me, O Lord, some time ago. (1313)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
Mar 27 - HONOR THE WOUNDS OF MY SON
Today the Gospa gives a Lenten message on the passion of Christ:
"Dear Children, in a special way this evening, I am calling you during Lent to honor the wounds of my Son, which he received from the sins of this parish. Unite yourselves with my prayers for the parish so that his sufferings may be bearable." (Weekly Message March 22, 1984).
In the prophet Isaiah we find the image of the suffering servant:
Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. ---Isaiah 53:4-6
Reflection:
Both the Blessed Virgin and Isaiah speak of the Savior who suffered for our sins: "By his wounds are we healed," the prophet writes. No one in Isaiah's day would have dreamed that God would choose to save the world through a suffering servant, rather than a messianic king. The idea was contrary to human pride and logic. True, the Israelites offered animals as sacrifices for their sins. But a human being? The Messiah himself?
He was the Lamb of God, the sinless servant who offered himself in sacrifice for the sins of mankind; the Anointed One who suffered in place of the guilty.
How can we fathom such love? Today the Virgin tells us it is through prayer: "Honor the wounds of my Son. …Unite yourselves with my prayers." The Holy Spirit will give us insight into these deep currents of love which can be understood in no other way.
Application:
From The Imitation of Christ: "Take comfort in the passion of Christ, and dwell willingly in his sacred wounds. Endure with Christ, suffer for him, if you wish to reign with him."
Today, with a crucifix in your hands, offer the Lord's Prayer in honor of each of the Savior's wounds, concluding with your own prayer of dedication.
Medjugorje Day By Day Mar 26 - See How He Was Martyred
"The Hail Mary is completely impregnated both with a Trinitarian and a Eucharistic sense. The first words were dictated by the Father to the Angel when He sent him to announce the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word: `Hail [Mary] full of grace, the Lord is with thee.'
You are full of grace because in you dwells the fountain of grace, and also because of your union with the most Blessed Trinity. Moved by the Holy Spirit, St. Elizabeth said: `Blessed art thou among women, and Blessed is the Fruit of they womb [Jesus].'" (Sr. Lucia of Fatima)
"Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. AMEN." (Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great)
Mother Teresa -
Let Jesus use you without consulting you, and you will be holy because you belong to Him.
Meditations by Padre Pio -
. Life is a Calvary; but we must climb it cheerfully. Crosses are the jewels of the Bridegroom and I am jealous of them. My sufferings are pleasing. I suffer only when I have nothing to suffer (CE, 22).
Archbishop Fulton Sheen-
Faith is fathomless
"Faith in a human being is not like sawdust in a doll. You cannot rip it open, shake out the sawdust on a couch, analyze its tree origins, put it back and make a new creature."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html -
When I make the Way of the Cross, I am deeply moved at the twelfth station. Here I reflect on the omnipotence of God's mercy which passed through the Heart of Jesus. In this open wound of the Heart of Jesus I enclose all poor humans... and those individuals whom I love, as often as I make the Way of the Cross. From that Fount of Mercy issued the two rays; that is, the Blood and the Water. With the immensity of their grace they flood the whole world.... (1309)
O my Jesus, now everything is clear to me, and I understand all that has just happened. I somehow felt and asked myself what sort of a poor man is this who radiates such modesty. From that moment on, there was stirred up in my heart an even purer love toward the poor and the needy. Oh, how happy I am that my superiors have given me such a task! I understand that mercy is manifold; one can do good always and everywhere and at all times. An ardent love of God sees all around itself constant opportunities to share itself through deed, word and prayer. Now I understand the words which You spoke to me, O Lord, some time ago. (1313)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
Mar 26 - SEE HOW HE WAS MARTYRED
Asked by the visionaries why she showed them heaven, Our Lady responded:
"I did so that you could see the happiness which awaits those who love God." During the same apparition, Jesus appears to the seers with injuries covering his body, wearing a crown of thorns. The Virgin says: "Do not be afraid. It is my Son. See how he was martyred. But despite it all, he was joyful and endured all with patience. (Then Jesus himself says:) See how I was wounded and martyred! But in spite of all, I have won the victory. My angels, you also be persevering in your faith and pray that you may overcome every obstacle (First Years November 2, 1981).
In his letter to the Romans, Paul speaks of Christ's blood as the price of our redemption and forgiveness:
For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith…(Rom 3:22-25).
Reflection:
Paul speaks of the Passion and death of Christ as effecting two great miracles: redemption indicated the price paid to gain freedom for a slave (Lv25:47-54). Through his death, Jesus paid the price to release us from slavery to sin. Forgiveness was granted in ancient Israel on the basis of the shedding of animals' blood in sacrifice (Lv17:11). Now we are forgiven on the basis of the shedding of Jesus' blood, for he died as the perfect and final sacrifice.
The mystery of redemption holds the secret of unimaginable love, which can be penetrated only through prayer. Thus Jesus says today: "Persevere in your faith---and pray…."
Application:
Today, holding a crucifix in your hands, reflect of the love of Christ as expressed in his redemptive Passion and death.
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