An excellent African resource Black Saints’ Mystics, Holy Folk’s 456 pages illuminates our ancient story. More comprehensive information can be obtained shortly in Google book search sites.
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Book URL: http://www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/BlackSaintsMysticsHoly.html
The Rev. Fr. Melvin Doucette, M.Afr
Sunday, February 06, 2011
"Follow My teachings"
Dear Friends,
The First Prediction of the Passion
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." (Passage from the Gospel of St. Matthew 16:21–23)
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Redeemer given to Joseph Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
"I bless you, My brother Joseph Melvin, and all My brothers and sisters spread all over the world. I am your Savior who suffered and died on the cross to pay the price for your sins.
When I was on earth, during My public life, I told the Apostles more than once I would be arrested in Jerusalem, suffer much from the priests and elders and at the end I would die nailed to a cross. As the Son of God I knew exactly what was coming and after the event the Apostles would remember that I had told them all about My sacrifice. Peter though did not want to hear about this but I had to tell him that he was thinking like a human being and not as God. The other Apostles could not believe what I was saying especially that I would be raised from the dead on the third day after My death. However you, who are living after the event, know that what I predicted was the truth. I am the way, the truth and the life. I will not lie to anyone for I am the Son of God who knows everything. My friends, believe all I have said and follow My teachings."
Father Melvin
Saturday, February 05, 2011
"I am praying for you all"
Dear Friends,
Our Blessed Mother at the Foot of the Cross
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son." Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. (Passage from the Gospel of St. John 19:25-27)
The next Newsletter will be at the beginning of April and it will contain the message that Our Blessed Mother will give me on March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation. She always comes to visit on that day. Please pray that what Our Blessed Mother asked concerning the big Shrine and the houses for the Contemplative Brothers and the Contemplative Sisters of Jesus will begin soon.
Below you will find the message of Our Blessed Mother given to Joseph Melvin. She spoke to him these words,
"I bless you, My son Joseph Melvin, and all My sons and daughters living in every part of the world. Your faith is so precious to Me and you are great warriors who pray regularly. Continue your life of prayer and do not be afraid to defend My Son Jesus who is your Savior and defend Me too, your Mother.
I bring you back to the foot of the Cross of My Son as He hung upon it in great suffering, offering Himself in sacrifice to His Father for the atonement of your sins. I stood there at the cross and indeed a sword pierced My heart that day. The Father gave Me great graces otherwise I would have died from this suffering. Indeed I suffered together with Him for you all that you might repent of your sins and work hard for your salvation and the salvation of all the people. You too will suffer at times, then you can join your suffering to the suffering of Jesus, My Son, for the salvation of all the people of the world. In this way you can play your role too like I did so that the whole world will become Christian and all will walk with Jesus, My Son. I am praying for you all every day."
Father Melvin
Friday, February 04, 2011
"Believe his teachings"
Dear Friends,
Peter's Confession about Jesus
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah. (Passage from the Gospel of St. Matthew 16:13-20)
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Redeemer given to Joseph Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
"You who believe in Me as the Savior of the world, I bless you, especially Joseph Melvin My brother, and all My brothers and sisters living in every country in the world. It is important that your faith be strong so that you will never doubt that I am the Son of God who came into the world to suffer and die on the cross to atone for all your sins. I am now raised from the dead and sitting at the right hand of My Father in heaven and at the same time I am the King of the whole world.
It was the Apostle Peter who was the first among the Apostles to believe in the truth about Me. He said these words, 'You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.' That was a perfect act of faith and I appointed him the Head of My Church. I gave him great power to lead My Church. The evil one will never win over My Church. I gave Peter power to bind and to loose in the Church and what he will decide will be accepted in heaven. Today his successor, the Pope of Rome, has all the power of St. Peter. Accept the Pope as your Head on earth who represents Me. Believe His teachings. I bless you."
Father Melvin
Thursday, February 03, 2011
"Come and be My friends"
Dear Friends,
The Canaanite Woman's Faith
Then Jesus went from that place and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, "Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon." But he did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, "Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us." He said in reply, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But the woman came and did him homage, saying, "Lord, help me." He said in reply, "It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters." Then Jesus said to her in reply, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed from that hour. (Passage from the Gospel of St. Matthew 15:21-28)
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior given to Joseph Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
"I love you, My brother Joseph Melvin, and My brothers and sisters from all over the world. I have come for the salvation not only of the Jews but for all the people of the world. It is often the non-Jews who have great faith in Me and are ready to give their lives for their belief in Me. It is true of course that all the twelve Apostles were Jews and they had great faith and they are all saints.
In the case of the Canaanite woman, she asked Me to liberate her daughter from a demon. It was only when I saw her faith that I consented to liberate her daughter. It is very important that you have great faith if you wish to be healed. I am still healing people every day. People have been healed from cancer, sore knees, blindness, lack of hearing and many other sicknesses. What I desire though is faith in Me as your Savior. Come and be My friends and remain united with Me all the days of your life."
Father Melvin
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
"Offer yourselves completely to Me"
Dear Friends,
The Walking on the Water
Then Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came toward them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. "It is a ghost," they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." Peter said to him in reply, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, "Truly, you are the Son of God." (Passage from the Gospel of St. Matthew 14:22-33)
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior given to Joseph Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
"I bless you with special graces today, My brother Joseph Melvin and all My brothers and sisters living in the world. I want you all to have an increase of faith so that you can believe in Me with all your heart. I told Peter at the beginning of My ministry that he was of little faith. Nothing much can be done if your faith is not strong.
When I was on earth I performed many miracles such as walking on the water, which no human being can do. In this way I wished to show the Apostles and you all who read about it that indeed I am the Son of God, the Savior of the world. Another great miracle I performed was the Transfiguration on the top of the mountain. The three Apostles who witnessed what happened could not doubt that indeed I was the Messiah, who was sent by My Father in heaven to offer Myself in sacrifice to atone for your sins. I also healed many people by My own power for I am divine and I have all the power of God. I call you all to make an act of faith in Me and offer yourselves completely to Me. I love you."
Father Melvin
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
"Have great respect for the Eucharist"
Dear Friends,
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
When Jesus heard of it (the death of John the Baptist), he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, "This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves." Jesus said to them, "There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves." But they said to him, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have here." Then he said, "Bring them here to me," and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over -- twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children. (Passage from the Gospel of St. Matthew 14:13-21)
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Redeemer given to Joseph Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
"I bless all those who believe in Me, especially you Joseph Melvin, and all My brothers and sisters living in the world. I would go into the desert at times when I was on earth, and many people would follow Me and I would heal the sick and speak to them. On one occasion I fed over 5,000 men without counting the women and the children with five loaves of bread and two fish. After blessing this food, they all ate and were satisfied. At the end the disciples collected twelve baskets of fragments. The disciples were astonished to see this.
This miracle would bring the people back to the time that the Father fed the Jewish nation in the desert with manna every day. For you today it brings you to the realization that I have given you the Eucharist, this great miracle where I am present under the species of bread and wine, and this gift is spread all over the world. This is a miracle that happens at every Mass every day. I am still feeding you with My own Body and Blood. I ask you to have great respect for the Eucharist and to partake of it as often as possible. I bless you."
Father Melvin
Monday, January 31, 2011
"He is the greatest prophet"
Dear Friends,
The Death of John the Baptist
Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." Although Herod wanted to kill him, he feared the people, for they regarded him as a prophet. But at a birthday celebration for Herod, the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests and delighted Herod so much that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for. Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist." The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. His disciples came and took away the corpse and buried him; and they went and told Jesus. (Passage from the Gospel of St. Matthew 14:3-12)
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior given to Joseph Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
"All of you who have devotions to the saints, I bless you all, especially My brother Joseph Melvin and all My brothers and sisters living throughout the world. I have a special love for all the saints who have lived in union with Me while on earth. There is one that is very special indeed and that saint is John the Baptist. We first met as unborn infants in our mother's womb and John recognized Me. He is the one who baptized Me in the Jordan River and pointed Me out as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
John was a very holy man who lived all his life for God. He preached with great power and called all the people to repent of their sins by being baptized. He is the greatest prophet that ever lived. At the end he was beheaded at the request of Herod's wife, Herodias. He is a great martyr who loved Me. Have a special devotion to him."
Father Melvin
Sunday, January 30, 2011
"You are all My friends"
Dear Friends,
The Rejection at Nazareth
When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there. He came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, "Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter's son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?" And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house." And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith. (Passage from the Gospel of St. Matthew 13:53-58)
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Redeemer given to Joseph Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
"I bless you and greet you, My brother Joseph Melvin, and all my brothers and sisters who believe in Me, Your Savior. During My public life I came home to Nazareth and I spoke to the people in the Synagogue but they refused to believe in Me. They knew who I was because I had grown up in this place. They knew My mother and all My cousins and friends. So they refused to accept Me or to believe that I was the one sent by the Father. Because of their lack of faith, I could not perform many miracles in their village.
The people today in many parts of the world are like the people of Nazareth. Many of them have rejected Me as their Savior. Because of this there will be no peace in their hearts or in their communities. They will persecute My followers and many have been martyred and others still will be martyred. You who believe in Me, do not be afraid; I am with you and I am leading you up the mountain and to your heavenly home. If you suffer at times, remember that I suffered much and at the end I was nailed to a cross and died in great pain. I endured all this for you to atone for your sins. You are all My friends."
Father Melvin
Saturday, January 29, 2011
"Become a lasting member"
Dear Friends,
Jesus gives more Parables
Jesus said in reply... "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth." (Passage taken from the Gospel of St. Matthew 13:37a,44-50)
Below you will find the message of Our Blessed Mother given to Joseph Melvin. She spoke to him these words,
"I love you, Joseph Melvin My Son, and I love all My sons and daughters living in the world. I ask you to take My hand and I will bring you all to My Son Jesus, who is your Savior and your Friend.
When on earth, Jesus established the Kingdom of God, which can be considered as the greatest treasure you can find. It can also be compared to a very rich pearl for the Kingdom of God is of greater value than any pearl. My Son also compares the Kingdom to a net that catches all kinds of fish, good or bad. The good you keep and the bad you throw away. That is what will happen at the Judgment Day. The good people will be invited to enter heaven but the evil ones will be thrown into hell. My dear sons and daughters, I want all of you to follow Jesus, My Son, so that one day you will be in heaven with us. Never lose sight of the great treasure that Jesus has brought you but work hard with His grace to become a lasting member in this world and in the next. I bless you."
Father Melvin
Holy Sacrifice!
Nor was it to offer Himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the Holy Place yearly with blood not his own; for then He would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, He has appeared once for all at the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Hebrews 9:25-26
Today's verse is one of the all-time favorites among critics of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Such critics allege that the Mass "sacrifices Jesus again and again." In reality, however, the Mass is a participation in the one and only sacrifice there ever has been, will be, or even could be for the sins of the world: the sacrifice of Christ. Since it is a real participation, it is a real sacrifice, for Christ is our Paschal Sacrifice. But since it is a participation, it is not a repetition. The Christ Who is present on the altar under the appearance of bread and wine is the very same Christ Who died on the cross two thousand years ago. The sacrifice into which we enter is the one and only sacrifice He ever offered on Calvary. And the new life we receive from Him Who is really present in the Eucharist is the Risen Life He brought with Him out of the tomb.
St. Francis de Sales, Bishop, Doctor, France (1567-1622)—Jan. 24
"In receiving the Blessed Sacrament, always use words of love and hope toward
our Lord, such as: 'You are my Father, O Lord! You are the spouse of my
soul, the King of my love and the well-beloved of my soul! O good
Jesus, you are
my dear Master, my aid, my refuge!"
"Who can see you, O Sacred Host, without being moved? Who is not attracted by your Divine beauty? Who on feeling your burning rays does not feel your warmth, and drink of the fountain of life?" Concepcion Cabrera de Armida, Servant of God
Mother Teresa
Let us keep the joy of loving Jesus in our hearts. And let's share that joy with everyone we meet. Passing on joy is something which is very natural. We have no reason for not being joyful, since Christ is with us.
Christ is in our hearts.
Meditations by Padre Pio - We don't reach salvation without crossing the stormy sea continually threatened with disaster. Calvary is the hill of the saints, but from there we pass on to another mountain which is called Tabor.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen -
If there is no outrage, evil will continue
"As long as the people are not aroused to abuses or evil, they will not support social legislation. It must be remembered that all crimes against society are founded on false and wicked ideas, and until these are altered, society will not be altered. A lion is not gentle once it is behind a cage; a wild horse is not less ill-tempered because of a bridle and kicking stirrups put on it."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html -
I feel that God will let me draw aside the veils [of heaven] so that the earth will not doubt His goodness. God is not subject to eclipse or change. He is forever one and the same; nothing can contradict His will. I feel within myself a power greater than human. I feel courage and strength thanks to the grace that dwells in me. I understand souls who are suffering against hope, for I have gone through that fire myself. But God will not give [us anything] beyond our strength. Often have I lived hoping against hope, and have advanced my hope to complete trust in God. Let that which He has ordained from all ages happen to me. (386)
On one occasion, the Lord said to me, Why are you fearful and why do you tremble when you are united to Me? I am displeased when a soul yields to vain terrors. Who will dare to touch you when you are with Me? Most dear to Me is the soul that strongly believes in My goodness and has complete trust in Me. I heap My confidence upon it and give it all it asks. (453)
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.
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Jan 29 - THROUGH FASTING
In the second year of the apparitions, the Blessed Virgin gave the following message on fasting :
The best fast is on bread and water. Through fasting and prayer, one can stop wars, one can suspend the laws of nature. Charity cannot replace fasting. Those who are not able to fast can sometimes replace it with prayer, works of love, and confession; but everyone, except the sick, must fast (First Years July 21,1982).
Fasting was a common practice in the early church. In this passage, Paul and Barnabas fast and pray for the new church leaders :
And after they has appointed elders for them in each church, with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe (Acts 1 4 :23).
Reflection :
In the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer wrote, Who will pray, he must fast and be clean, And fat his soul, and make his body lean.
Fasting is a difficult teaching, for it entails sacrifice and self-denial. And yet Our Lord and his Mother would not ask it of us unless it were vitally important, as Mary says, to " the salvation of the world, " to the fulfillment of her plans in Medjugorje. And as she has told us many times, those plans are totally dependent on our prayers and sacrifices.
If we feel trepidation at the prospect of fasting, it is best simply to confide this to Our Lady and ask for the special graces we need to live this message. We can be sure that she will answer this prayer without delay, for she urgently needs our help.
Application :
Asking boldly for Mary's help, make a decision to fast this Friday. Be sure to offer this sacrifice for one of your prayer intentions, or those of Our Lady, since fasting greatly amplifies the power of prayer, even to working the miraculous.
Divine Liturgy!
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God Who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb!" Revelation 7:9-10
The Mass is called the Divine Liturgy because it is our participation - right now, here and on earth - in what is eternally going on in Heaven. The Son offers Himself eternally to the Father and, with Himself, all that is in Him, which includes all creation itself. It is not our participation in that self-offering that makes it Holy and Divine, it is His. Apart from Him you can do nothing. Today, receive the Eucharist and continue to be nourished by the Vine along with all the hosts of heaven and all the saints on earth.
"It is not possible to experience faith without participating regularly in
Sunday Mass: the sacrifice of redemption, the shared banquet of the Word of God and of the Bread of the Eucharist, heart of Christian life." "It is
necessary to concentrate efforts on a better and more careful education and
catechesis of the faithful about the Eucharist . . . so that it inspires true respect and authentic piety in the face of the greatness of the Eucharistic mystery."
"Awaken an ever greater love for the Mystery of the Eucharist" (Pope John Paul II, Jan. 21, 2005).
St. Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop, Doctor, Italy (1696-1787),Feast, 
Aug. 1 "
Upon her entrance into heaven, our dear Mother humbly presented herself before God himself. She adored him and thanked him for all the graces bestowed upon her in life. Then our almighty God embraced his beloved daughter, blessed her, and declared her Queen of the universe, exalted above all the angels and saints."
Mother Teresa
We need to be able to pray.
We need prayer just like we need air.
Without prayer, we can do nothing.
Meditations by Padre Pio
I have no desire except to die or to love God; either death or love, since life without this love is worse than death and for me it would be more unbearable than it is at present.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen
Our exterior behavior is revealed by what is within
"Only in a limited sense is it true that circumstances make us who we are; they do so only to the extent that we permit them to form us. It is not so much the outward that influences the inward, as the inward that influences the outward. If the reservoir is to be kept clean, all the streams that pour into it must be pure."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html
On one occasion, I saw the throne of the Lamb of God and before the throne three Saints: Stanislaus Kostka, Andrew Bobola and Prince Casimir, who were interceding for Poland. All at once I saw a large book which stands before the throne, and it was given to me to read. The book was written in blood. Still, I could not read anything but the name, Jesus. Then I heard a voice which said to me, Your hour has not yet come. Then the book was taken away from me, and I heard these words: You will bear witness to My infinite mercy. In this book are written the names of the souls that have glorified My mercy. I was overwhelmed with joy at the sight of such great goodness of God. (689)
O Jesus, I understand that Your mercy is beyond all imagining, and therefore I ask You to make my heart so big that there will be room in it for the needs of all the souls living on the face of the earth. O Jesus, my love extends beyond the world, to the souls suffering in purgatory, and I want to exercise mercy toward them by means of indulgenced prayers. God's mercy is unfathomable and inexhaustible, just as God himself is unfathomable. Even if I were to use the strongest words there are to express this mercy of God, all this would be nothing in comparison with what it is in reality. O Jesus, make my heart sensitive to all the sufferings of my neighbor, whether of body or of soul. O my Jesus, I know that You act toward us as we act toward our neighbor.
My Jesus, make my heart like unto Your merciful Heart. Jesus, help me to go through life doing good to everyone. (692)
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. To order 1-866-726-5865
Jan 30 - SURRENDER YOURSELVES TO GOD
In this weekly message, Our Lady speaks of surrender:
Dear children, I invite you to decide completely for
God. I beseech you, dear children, to surrender yourselves totally, and then you will be able to live everything I have been telling you. Truly, it will not be difficult for your to surrender yourselves to God in this way (Weekly Message Jan 2, 1986).
Surrender to God presupposes faith and trust, which Jesus asks of Nicodemus and us:
Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen: yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? (Jn 3:11-12).
Reflection:
Surrender to God means trusting him enough to carry our problems, worries, relationships, and joys. It means falling backwards into his arms, like the game a child might play with his parents. This trust usually comes by degrees rather than all at once, but it still requires an element of risk. Are we getting better in taking a risk on God?
Application:
Today, offer the following Prayer of Abandonment; you may wish to pray it each day this week as a special gift of yourself to the Lord.
Father, I abandon myself into your hands;
Do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me,
And in all your creatures.
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into your hands I commend my soul;
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
For I love you, Lord,
And so need to give myself,
To surrender myself into your hands,
To surrender myself into your hands,
Without reserve, and with boundless confidence
For you are my Father.
Charles de Foucauld
St. Peter Julian Eymard, Priest of the Eucharist, France (1811-1868), Feast, Aug. 2
"The Eucharist is the supreme proof of the love of Jesus."
Mother Teresa
God is always there.
He never leaves our prayers unanswered.
Meditations by Padre Pio
I must not let the first month of the year pass without sending your soul greetings from mine, and to assure you more and more of the affection my heart nurtures for yours, never ceasing to desire for both, all sorts of blessings and spiritual happiness. But I warmly recommend that poor heart of yours, to you. Take care to render it daily, more and more pleasing to our most sweet Saviour, and see to it that the present year is more fertile in good works than the last, as, with the same speed with which the years pass by and eternity becomes closer, we must redouble our courage and raise our spirit to God, serving Him with greater diligence in everything that our vocation and Christian profession requires of us.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen
Reaching the masses has turned into a mess
"Our complex modern society is directed to the creation of mass entertainment rather than individual pleasure. Movies, television, advertising are geared to the masses, and generally to their lowest common denominator. Their aim is to satisfy what all have in common, rather than what they have individually."
St. Faustina's diary
On one occasion, I heard these words: My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flows are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of Angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy. (699)
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.
Jan 31 - GO TO CONFESSION
In the first months of the apparitions, the following was given to Vicka and Jakov:
Pray, pray! It is necessary to believe firmly, to go to confession regularly, and also to receive Holy Communion. It is the only salvation (First Years February 19, 1982).
The confession of sins was an ancient practice in Israel. It was also a major element in John the Baptist's evangelization:
Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins (Mt 3:4-6).
Reflection:
Confession is the gateway to salvation. It removes the obstacles of sin that we have erected that keep God at a distance. With this guilt and shame dissipated, we can encounter the Lord anew and experience more fully his mercy and love.
In addition, confession creates in us a grateful heart, for we know in faith that God holds nothing against us. We begin a new life, as if we were newly baptized. Last, the power and grace of this sacrament uplifts and strengthens us for the future. It is so powerful, in fact that Our Lady has said that it will be the remedy for the church of the West, which she had once said was lost. What a gift we have received!
Application:
Consult your parish bulletin for the times when confessions are heard at your local church. On your calendar, choose a time each month when you can receive the sacrament.
Prayer for Priests by St. Therese of Lisieux
O Jesus, eternal Priest, keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred
Heart, where none may touch them. Keep unstained their anointed hands, which
daily touch Your Sacred Body. Keep unsullied their lips, daily purpled with
your Precious Blood. Keep pure and unearthly their hearts, sealed with the
sublime mark of the priesthood. Let Your holy love surround them and shield
them from the world's contagion. Bless their labors with abundant fruit and
may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and in
heaven their beautiful and everlasting crown. Amen.
Mother Teresa -
It is possible that I may not be able to keep my attention fully on God while I work, but God doesn't demand that I do so. Yet I can fully desire and intend that my work be done with Jesus and for Jesus.
This is beautiful and what God wants.
Meditations by Padre Pio -
Prayer is the effusion of our heart into God's… when it is well done, it moves the Divine Heart and makes Him always more inclined to grant our requests. Let us pour out our whole soul to God in prayer. He is captivated by our prayers and comes to our aid.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen -
Parenting can be God's kiln of kindness
"The duty of parents to children is to rule while avoiding exasperating severity on the one hand and excessive indulgences on the other. God gives parents a child as so much plastic material that can be molded for good or evil."
St. Faustina's diary At present, the topic of my particular examen is my union with the Merciful Christ. This practice gives me unusual strength; my heart is always united with the One it desires, and its actions are regulated by mercy, which flows from love. (703)
Today I received a letter from Father Sopocko. I learned that he intends to publish a holy card of the Merciful Christ. He asked me to send him a certain prayer which he wants to put on the back, if he receives the Archbishop's approbation. Oh, what great joy fills my heart that God has let me see this work of His mercy! How great is this work of the Most High God! I am but His instrument. Oh, how ardently I desire to see this Feast of the Divine Mercy which God is demanding through me. But if it is the will of God that it be celebrated solemnly only after my death, even so I rejoice in it already, and I celebrate it interiorly with my confessor's permission. (711)
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. To order 1-866-726-5865
Feb 1 - PRAY FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT
Today Our Lady speaks of the Holy Spirit :
Dear children, during these days of the Pentecost novena, pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on your families and on your parish.
You will never regret prayer. God will give you the gifts by which you will glorify him until the end of your life on earth (Weekly Message June 2, 1984).
And in Galatians, Paul speaks of the Spirit's gifts :
Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law (Gal 5 :16-18).
Reflection :
Echoing the Blessed Mother and St.Paul, Pope Leo XIII once wrote : "Each one of us greatly needs the protection and help of the Holy Spirit. The more one is lacking in wisdom, weak in strength, born down with trouble, prone to sin, the more he ought to fly to him who is the never-ceasing fount of light, strength, consolation, and holiness. "
With this encouragement, let us offer this prayer for the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit :
O Lord Jesus Christ, who, before ascending into heaven, did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish your work in the souls of your apostles and disciples deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me, to perfect in my soul the work of your grace and your love.
Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom, that I many not be attached to the perishable things of this world, but aspire only after the things that are eternal. The Spirit of Understanding, to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth. The Spirit of Counsel, that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven. The Spirit of Fortitude, that I may bear my cross with you, and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation.
The Spirit of Knowledge, that I may know God and know myself, and grow perfect in the science of the saints. The Spirit of Piety, that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable. The Spirit of Fear, that I may be filled with a loving reverence toward God and may avoid anything that may displease him. Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of your true disciples, and animate me in all things with your Spirit. Amen.
Application :
Add to your daily prayers a petition for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as Our Lady encourages us today.
"After partaking of the Living Bread, remember what our Lady must have felt when the Holy Spirit overpowered her, and she who was full of grace became full with the body of Christ" (Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta).
"The only way to fail is to stop." St. Teresa of Avila
"O my God, when Thou dost condescend to suffer me to receive Thee, to eat and drink Thee, and Thou for awhile takest up Thy abode within me, O make my heart beat with Thy Heart." (Cardinal Newman)
Mother Teresa -
We must join our prayer with work. How is it possible to change one's work into a prayer?
Meditations by Padre Pio -
I want to be only a poor friar who prays… God sees blemishes even in the angels, can you imagine what He sees in me!
Archbishop Fulton Sheen -
We must treasure our parental duty
"What if God placed a precious diamond in the hands of parents and told them to inscribe on it a sentence which would be read on the Last Day, and shown as an index of their thoughts and ideals? What caution they would exercise in their selection! And yet the example parents give their children will be that by which they will be judged on the Last Day."
St. Faustina's diary
O my Jesus, You are the life of my life. You know only too well that I long for nothing but the glory of Your Name and that souls come to know Your goodness. Why do souls avoid You, Jesus?-I don't understand that. Oh, if I could only cut my heart into tiny pieces and in this way offer to You, O Jesus, each piece as a heart whole and entire, to make up in part for the hearts that do not love You! I love You, Jesus, with every drop of my blood, and I would gladly shed my blood for You to give You a proof of the sincerity of my love.
O God, the more I know You the less I can comprehend You, but this "non-comprehension" lets me realize how great You are! And it is this impossibility of comprehending You which enflames my heart anew for You, O Lord. From the moment when You let me fix the eyes of my soul on You, O Jesus, I have been at peace and desired nothing else. I found my destiny at the moment when my soul lost itself in You, the only object of my love. In comparison with You, everything is nothing. Sufferings, adversities, humiliations, failures, and suspicions that have come my way are splinters that keep alive the fire of my love for You, O Jesus... (57)
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.
Feb 2 - THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD
On the feast of the Presentation, Our Lady seeks to present us to God:
"Dear children, again today, I invite you to abandon yourself completely to me. Only then, in turn, can I present each of you to God. Dear children, you know that I love you immeasurably, and I wish each of you to be mine. But God gives everyone freedom, which I lovingly respect, and to which I humbly submit.
Dear children, I wish that God's plan regarding this parish be realized. But, if you do not pray, you will not be able to recognize my love, nor God's plan for this parish, and for each of you.
Pray that Satan does not entice you with his pride and deceptive strength. I am with you and want you to believe that I love you. (Monthly Message November 25, 1987)
From St.Luke, the story of the Presentation:
When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon...Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God saying, "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." (Lk 2:22-32)
Reflection:
From a sermon by St. Sophronius, the 7th century bishop: "Rejoicing with old Simeon with the Christ child in his arms, let us sing a hymn of thanksgiving to God, the Father of Light, who sent the true Light to dispel the darkness and to give us all a share in his splendor." This is a day of joy, for the Lord was presented to God in the temple, and by extension, presented to his people of Israel and to all humankind. The Son of God is among us !
As a baby, Jesus was of course small and vulnerable when he presented by Mary and Joseph. In the same way, we are called to become open and vulnerable in order to present ourselves to the Lord. The Blessed Virgin urges us to give up our false security in material things so that, like a child, we become dependent on our parent, on God, for our safety and security to let go and let God.
In such a way, Our Lady can then ask us "to decide to surrender again everything completely to me... Only that way will I be able to present each of you to God."
Application:
So that Mary can present us to the Lord, let us now present and dedicate ourselves to her through the prayer of consecration she gave to Jelena:
The Presentation of the Lord
"Simeon gave back Jesus to His Mother, he was only suffered to keep Him for one moment. But we are far happier than Simeon. We may keep Him always if we will. In Communion He comes not only into our arms but into our hearts" (St. John Vianney).
"Love keep Him there [in the Blessed Sacrament] as a victim completely and perpetually delivered over to sacrifice for the glory of the Father and for our salvation. Unite yourself with Him, then, in all that you do. Refer everything to His glory. Set up your abode in this loving Heart of Jesus and you will there find lasting peace and strength both to bring to fruition all the good desires He inspires in you, and to avoid every deliberate fault.
Place in this Heart all your sufferings and difficulties. Everything that comes from the Sacred Heart is sweet. He changes everything into love." St.Margaret Mary
Mother Teresa
Work cannot substitute for prayer.
Nevertheless, we can learn to make work a prayer.
How can we do this?
By doing our work with Jesus and for Jesus.
Meditations by Padre Pio -
Pray, hope and don't worry. Worry is useless.
God is merciful and will hear your prayer.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen -
Nurturing with encouragement, not discouragement!
"Parents hold the place of God in the home. If they act as tyrants they will develop unconsciously anti-religious sentiments in their children. Children love approbation and can be easily cast down into despair when blamed excessively for trivial faults. With great difficulty can children ever be taught the Love and Mercy of God if His vice-regents in the home act without it and are so difficult to please. When good intentions are rated low, and children are put under the ban of dishonor, they are likely to show they are no better than their parents think they are."
St. Faustina's diary
Though these [dark nights of the soul] are frightening things, the soul should not be too fearful, because God will never test us beyond what we are able to bear. On the other hand, He may never send us such sufferings, but I write this because, if it pleases the Lord to let a soul pass through such sufferings, it should not be afraid but, insofar as this depends on the soul itself, it should remain faithful to God. God will do a soul no harm, because He is Love itself, and in this unfathomable love has called it into being. However, when I was so tormented, I myself did not understand this. (106)
Pure love is capable of great deeds, and it is not broken by difficulty or adversity. As it remains strong in the midst of great difficulties, so too it perseveres in the toilsome and drab life of each day. It knows that only one thing is needed to please God: to do even the smallest things out of great love - love, and always love.
Pure love never errs. Its light is strangely plentiful. It will not do anything that might displease God. It is ingenious at doing what is more pleasing to God, and no one will equal it. It is happy when it can empty itself and burn like a pure offering. The more it gives of itself, the happier it is. But also, no one can sense dangers from afar as can love; it knows how to unmask and also knows with whom it has to deal. (140)
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.
Feb 3 - BEGIN WORKING ON YOUR HEARTS
The Blessed Virgin speaks of our hearts today:
"Dear Children, there is a time for everything. Today I call you to begin working on your hearts. Now that all the work in the fields is over, you have found time to clean even the most neglected places--but you have left your hearts aside. I ask you now to work with love in cleansing the recesses of your own hearts. (Weekly Message October 17,1985)
Jesus also affirms the need to cleanse our hearts:
Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart comes evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person...(Mt 15:17-20)
Reflection:
400 years before Christ, Socrates wrote, "I pray thee, O God, that I may be beautiful within." The urgings of Christ and the Blessed Mother that we cleanse our hearts is due in part to their being the dwelling places of god himself. In this vein the psychiatrist Carl Jung wrote, "Too few people have experienced the divine image as the innermost possession of their own souls. Christ only meets them form without, never within the heart."
The great mystics of the church would agree with this. In the 16th century St. John of the Cross affirmed that, "In the center of the soul is God." His contemporary, St. Teresa of Avila, based her spiritual masterpiece The Way of Perfection on the same truth--the spiritual life was primarily a journey inward to discover the presence of God within one's soul. It is this priceless treasure, the gift of God within that urges us to faith, to prayer, the sacraments, and to love--the means by which we cleanse our hearts for the indwelling Spirit of God.
Application:
In prayer today, reflect on the following: "The gift of the Holy Spirit closes the last gap between the life of God and our...When we allow the love of God to move in us, we can no longer distinguish ours and his; he becomes us, he lives us" (Austin Farrer)
Here is the message Our Lady gave to Mirjana this morning on Apparition
Hill.Our Lady's message to Mirjana Soldo of February, 2nd 2011.
Dear children;
You are gathering around me, you are seeking your way, you are seeking,
you are seeking the truth but are forgetting what is the most important,
you are forgetting to pray properly. Your lips pronounce countless
words, but your spirit does not feel anything. Wandering in darkness,
you even imagine God Himself according to yourselves, and not such as He
really is in His love. Dear children, proper prayer comes from the depth
of your heart, from your suffering, from your joy, from your seeking the
forgiveness of sins. This is the way to come to know the right God and
by that also yourselves, because you are created according to Him.
Prayer will bring you to the fulfillment of my desire, of my mission
here with you, to the unity in God's family. Thank you.
Our Lady blessed everyone present, thanked them and called us to pray
for priests.
I was told that these messages are mainly for those who are there with
Mirjana at the time and also unbelievers but we still can apply it to
ourselves to make sure we are on the right path. Ana
Mother Teresa
Faith is a gift from God.
When God comes to you or you go to God, then you will have the chance to accept Him or reject Him.
Accepting Him is the gift of faith.
Padre Pio -
Prayer is the best weapon we have; it is the key to God's heart. You must speak to Jesus not only with your lips but with your heart; in fact on certain occasions you should speak to Him only with your heart.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen -
"Wings of aspiration"
"The nation of tomorrow is the youth of today. They are the assurance of progress; the fresh arrows to a better future; the wings of aspiration. Even in war the strength of a nation is not in its bombs, but in the soldiers, who defend it. In peace, it is not economics or politics that save, but good economists and good politicians - to be that, they must be good children. To be that, there must in the first place be the grace of God; in the second place, in the home lessons of love and truth; in the schools, knowledge and self-control."
St. Faustina's diary
No one can comprehend what my heart feels when I meditate on the fact that God unites me with himself through the vows. God makes known to me, even now, the immensity of the love He already had for me before time began; and as for me, I have just begun to love Him, in time. His love was [ever] great, pure and disinterested, and my love for Him comes from the fact that I am beginning to know Him. The more I come to know Him, the more ardently, the more fiercely I love Him, and the more perfect my acts become. Meanwhile, each time I call to mind that in a few days I am to become one with the Lord through perpetual vows, a joy beyond all description floods my soul. From the very first time that I came to know the Lord, the gaze of my soul became drowned in Him for all eternity. Each time the Lord draws close to me and my knowledge of Him grows deeper, a more perfect love grows within my soul. (231)
Prayer during the Mass on the day of the perpetual vows. Today I place my heart on the paten where Your Heart has been placed, O Jesus, and today I offer myself together with You to God, Your Father and mine, as a sacrifice of love and praise. Father of Mercy, look upon the sacrifice of my heart, but through the wound in the Heart of Jesus. (239)
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.
Feb 4 - LOVE ALL WITH MY LOVE
A Message from the Madonna on love:
"Dear children, I am call in you to a complete surrender to God. Pray, little children, that Satan does not sway you like branches in the wind. Be strong in God. I desire that through you the whole world may get to know the God of joy. Neither be anxious nor worried. God will help you and show you the way. I want you to love all with love, both the good and the bad. Only that way will love conquer the world. (Monthly Message May 25, 1988)
Christ gives us an example of indiscriminate love in this scene from Luke's gospel:
After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up, left everything, and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus answered, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance" (Lk 5:27-32)
Reflection:
The visit to Matthew's home hurt Jesus' reputation, yet Matthew's soul was obviously worth the price, and more. God values and loves all of us, whether saint or sinner, beyond our comprehension. And he asks us in turn to reach out in love to others, especially the sinful and the hurting, that he might heal them through our touch. In the words of an anonymous poet:
Love has a hem to its garment That touches the very dust; It can reach the stains of the streets and lanes, And because it can, it must. This is also the core of Our Lady's message today: "I want you to love all men with my love, both the good and the bad. Only that way will love conquer the world..."
Application:
Let us pray with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who wrote these words while in a Nazi concentration camp: "Give me such love for you, O Lord, and for all men, as will blot out all hatred and bitterness."
After our affections have been moved in prayer, we need not multiply considerations, but stop a little and dwell upon those already made; then from time to time, say to Our Lord some word of compunction, love or resignation, according as we feel ourselves inclined. This is the best kind of prayer. -- St. Jane Frances de Chantal (BC Catholic)
"Eucharistic adoration is the greatest of actions. To adore is to share the life of Mary on earth when she adored the Word Incarnate in her virginal womb, when she adored Him in the Crib, on Calvary, in the divine Eucharist" (St. Peter Julian Eymard).
"Living on Love is living on your life,
Glorious King, delight of the elect.
You live for me, hidden in a host.
I want to hide myself for you, O Jesus!
Lovers must have solitude,
A heart-to-heart lasting night and day.
Just one glance of yours makes my beatitude.
I live on Love!..."
(From the poem "Living on Love," by St. Therese of Lisieux)
Mother Teresa
Every time we need to make a decision concerning our families, we need to pray. Jesus said, "Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened."
Nothing will be denied you.
Meditations by Padre Pio -
Be assiduous in your prayers and meditations. You have already told me that you have started. Oh, my God, what a great consolation this is for a Father who loves you as much as His own soul! Continue to always make progress in the holy exercise of the love of God. Spin a little each day, whether it be by the dim light of the lamp and the dryness and desolation of the spirit, or by the day in the joyful and dazzling light of the soul.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen -
Our Education system must be on the right target
"Someday our educators will awaken to several basic facts about youth: (1) Youth has an intellect and a will. The intellect is the source of his knowledge; the will, the source of his decisions. If his choices are wrong, the youth will be wrong regardless of how much he knows. (2) Education through the communication of knowledge does not necessarily make a good man; it can conceivably make learned devils instead of stupid devils. (3) Education is successful when it trains the mind to see the right targets, and disciplines the will to choose them rather than the wrong targets."
St. Faustina's diary O Supreme Good, I want to love You as no one on earth has ever loved You before! I want to adore You with every moment of my life and unite my will closely to Your holy will. My life is not drab or monotonous, but it is varied like a garden of fragrant flowers, so that I don't know which flower to pick first, the lily of suffering or the rose of love of neighbor or the violet of humility. I will not enumerate these treasures in which my every day abounds. It is a great thing to know how to make use of the present moment. (296)
Great love can change small things into great ones, and it is only love which lends value to our actions. And the purer our love becomes, the less there will be within us for the flames of suffering to feed upon, and the suffering will cease to be a suffering for us; it will become a delight! By the grace of God, I have received such a disposition of heart that I am never so happy as when I suffer for Jesus, whom I love with every beat of my heart. (303a)
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.
Feb 6 - PRAY ESPECIALLY FOR THE YOUNG
On Mt. Podbrdo, the Blessed Mother speaks of families and young people to Ivan's prayer group and visiting pilgrims :
Dear children, I would like to tell you tonight to pray especially for the young. I would like to recommend to my priest that they create and organize groups where young people can be taught and given good advice for their lives. You, dear children, who are here tonight, must be messengers of peace to others, especially to young people (Visionary Prayer Group September 9, 1988).
In Ephesians, Paul also speaks of children and parents: Children, obey our parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother " this is the first commandment with a promise : "so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth " (Eph 6 :1-3).
Reflection :
These are troubled times for the family, for so many factors in our culture mitigate against it. Thus Our Lady is tireless in her request for family prayer, knowing that when her Son is invited into a family, his grace, protection, and love immediately surround and support it.
Application :
Call the family together this week for prayer, even if it is only an extended prayer time at the evening meal. Suggest that each member voice a prayer intention, and then all join in the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
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