Jun 5
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| The Cross on Mt. Krizevac climbed by many pilgrims at Medjugroje |
Celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Blessed Mother's appearance at Medjugorje
On May 31, the liturgy celebrated the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Visitation is much more than the coming together of two pregnant women. The encounter between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth shows the presence of the Infant Jesus in her womb as the unborn baby St. John the Baptist leaps for joy. We too can experience that divine presence, as Elizabeth and her child did, if we listen to what Jesus tells us do during Christ's passion, "Behold your Mother."
The Gospel reading for the Visitation comes from St. Luke 1: 39-56:
Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”
And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”
Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.
Our Blessed Mother continues her Visitation most recently in places such as Lourdes, Fatima, Tepeyac Hill and currently in Medjugorje. On May 25, the Blessed Mother in her appearance to Mirjana reminded us that her presence in the world is a great gift from God and an invitation to prayer, penance and conversion. This month marks the 35 anniversary of her first appearance in Medjugorje. Now is the perfect time to ask ourselves if we are aware of this extraordinary grace and have we appropriately responded to her call as our Mother.
Here's Our Lady of Medjugorje's message to Mirjana for May 25:
Dear children! My presence is a gift from God for all of you and an encouragement for conversion. Satan is strong and wants to put disorder and unrest in your hearts and thoughts. Therefore, you, little children, pray so that the Holy Spirit may lead you on the real way of joy and peace. I am with you and intercede before my Son for you. Thank you for having responded to my call.
On June 2, Our Lady Queen of Peace gave this message to Mirjana:
Dear children, as the Mother of the Church, as your mother, I am smiling as I look at you: how you are coming to me, how you are gathering around me, how you are seeking me. My comings among you are proof of how much Heaven loves you. They indicate to you the way to eternal life, to salvation. My apostles, you who strive to have a pure heart and to have my Son in it, you are on the good way. You who are seeking my Son are seeking the good way. He left many signs of His love. He left hope. It is easy to find Him if you are ready for sacrifice and penance—if you have patience, mercy and love for your neighbors. Many of my children do not see and do not hear because they do not want to. They do not accept my words and my works, yet through me, my Son calls everyone. His Spirit illuminates all of my children in the light of the Heavenly Father, in the unity of Heaven and Earth, in mutual love—because love invokes love and makes works more important than words. Therefore, my apostles, pray for your Church, love it and do works of love. No matter how betrayed or wounded, it is here because it comes from the Heavenly Father. Pray for your shepherds so that in them you may see the greatness of the love of my Son. Thank you.
May the Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth and her presence today at Medjugorje help us to accept Christ in our lives and praise him and his mother forever.
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