Our Lady’s Armor

If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the Rosary. Let not even one day pass without saying it, no matter how burdened you may be…….Pope Pius XI


“Among all the devotions approved by the Church, none has been so favored by so many miracles as the Rosary devotion.” Pope Pius IX

I can’t ever remember a time while growing up that our family went on car trip without reciting the Rosary. My dad, always the driver, would only be on the road for just a few minutes before mom would reach down for her purse. My younger sister Mary knew exactly what that meant and would immediately close her eyes pretending that she was asleep. So, as soon as I heard the beads rattle and mom say, “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”, I would loudly protest, “Mary’s not sleeping. She has to say the Rosary too!”

This seen played out each and every time we went on a trip. Who would have known that years later I would be carrying on the same tradition with my family, and they in turn would be offering me similar forms of protest!

Many miracles throughout history have been attributed to devoutly praying the Holy Rosary. Wars have been won, the sick have been healed, marriages have been saved and family members have come back to the faith, all because people have believed in the power of the Rosary.

I read a article yesterday about a young British soldier in Afghanistan,  Glen Hockton, who believes that the Rosary saved his life, just like his great-grandfather in WWII.

While Glenn was on patrol with his unit, his rosary suddenly fell from his neck. Thinking it was broken, he bent down to pick it up and realized he was on a landmine.

After 45 terrifying minutes, his colleagues managed to rescue him.

His great-grandfather Joseph ‘Sunny’ Truman also credited a rosary with saving his life in World War II. He was walking across a field with half a dozen of his platoon. He bent down to pick something up and was the only one to survive a sudden bomb blast. He had picked up a rosary.

For these men and many others, the Rosary truly was Our Lady's armor.

"Pray the Rosary everyday in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war." Our Lady of Fatima May 13, 1917


"Dear children! Today I call you especially now to advance against Satan by means of prayer. Satan wants to work still more now that you know he is at work. Dear children, put on the armor for battle and with the Rosary in your hand defeat him! Thank you for having responded to my call." BVM, Medjugorje August 8, 1985

Behold, I Have Prepared My Banquet

“Behold, I have prepared my banquet,

my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast…..” Matthew 22:4

But they refused to come.



Lord, you have prepared a seat at your table for me,
my invitation has arrived.

Excitedly, I tear open the envelope to see what hides inside.

The elegant design and fine script give only a small hint of what is in store for me,

But as I see the date and time of the event, I realize that I can’t make it. I must decline.


What keeps us from the banquet of life to which the Lord has called us? For some of us, it could be past hurts, for some of us it could be the inability to forgive, for many of us it could be the inability to forgive ourselves.

Whatever the reason is that separates us from the banquet of life, we can be assured that the divine mercy of our Lord Jesus can reunite us. A broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not scorn. Psalm 51:17

The Sacrament of Reconciliation gives us the grace to conquer sin, from the greatest offenses down to the least.

Our Lady asks us to go to monthly confession. Pilgrims who come to Medjugorje are always impressed by the number of people waiting in line for confession and the number of priests hearing confession. Many priests have had extraordinary experiences during confessions in Medjugorje. Many of pilgrims who have come to Medjugorje go to Confession for the first time in 20, 30, 40, even 50 years. It is one of the fruits and miracles of Medjugorje.

"Make your peace with God and among yourselves. For that, it is necessary to believe, to pray, to fast, and to go to confession." BVM (June 26, 1981)

"Pray, pray! It is necessary to believe firmly, to go to confession regularly and, likewise, to receive Holy Communion. It is the only salvation." BVM (February 10, 1982)

"Whoever has done very much evil during his life can go straight to Heaven if he confesses, is sorry for what he has done, and receives Communion at the end of his life."BVM  (July 24, 1982)

Show Unto Us The Blessed Fruit of Thy Womb Jesus

"Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God, above all the women on earth; and blessed be the Lord God, the creator of heaven and earth.......” Judith 13:18


Oh Mary most holy
Mother of our Lord,
Mother of us all

Ark of the Covenant
You carried Him in your womb,
The bread of Life

In humble obedience your bore Him,
Mother of the Redeemer

In silence you watched Him grow,
Cause of  joy

You shared in His suffering,
Our Lady of Sorrows

Remaining sinless throughout your life,
You were assumed body and soul into Heaven

Oh Queen of the angels,
You continue to show sinners the way


"....after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus."



"Dear children! Today I call you, together with me, to begin to build the Kingdom of Heaven in your hearts; that you may forget that what is personal and – led by the example of my Son – think of what is of God. What does He desire of you? Do not permit Satan to open the paths of earthly happiness, the paths without my Son. My children, they are false and last a short while. My Son exists. I offer you eternal happiness and peace and unity with my Son, with God; I offer you the Kingdom of God. Thank you." BVM August 2, 2010 Medjugorje

Troops Suprising Loved Ones

This afternoon I came home and read this beautiful post by feminie-genius.  Please check it out, it is very powerful.

God bless our troops and their wonderful families that keep the fires of  love burning brightly for those that wait for them.

Motherhood, A Vocation of Life

She often thought of those days, long ago, when she held him in her arms soothing him to sleep with a gentle lullaby. The shape of his little fingers that clenched tightly to hers, the softness of his skin, the warmth of his little body as he smuggled close to her heart; time goes so quickly.

He was her eldest son and brilliant by all accounts. Yet, in his youth he had grown lazy and rebellious. He had cast aside the religious beliefs that his mother had strived so hard to instill in him. Self-indulgence and the endless pursuit of pleasure had long replaced that guiding light; spiritual darkness was the direction he seemed to follow.

As his mother watched the path her son had chosen, her grief intensified. Yet, she never gave up on him. She prayed for him continually; morning and night she prayed. In anguish she consulted a bishop who had once followed a similar path before becoming a Christian. But, he could not help at this point because her son was not open to hearing the truth. Nevertheless, the bishop did console her by saying that "the child of those tears shall never perish", which she took as a sign from God. For nine more years he continued his behavior and his mother continued her prayers for his conversion.

This mother's name was Monica and her son was St. Augustine, one of the most influential thinkers in the entire history of the Church. ~

One of God’s greatest gifts to us is motherhood, for He has blessed a mother in such a way that she becomes a dwelling place for an immortal soul; not even the holy angels have been given such grace.

But with this gift comes tremendous responsibility. We must care for and nurture His little ones in the ways of the faith in a world that cares little for the things of God.

We must be an example to them of purity and virtue amongst those who have lost the meaning and value of such things.

A mother’s love is always constant, ever tireless and forever steadfast. Her love knows no boundaries. She gives her all for her children and would go to great lengths to help them when they are troubled or in danger.


Let us pray today for all mothers, especially those that struggle in their vocations that they find the strength and courage they need to embrace the many challenges that come their way by knowing that the Lord is always by their side. In Jesus name….

Lift Me Up, Oh Lord

 "When he perceived how strong the wind was, becoming frightened, he began to sink." –Matthew 14:30

How often Lord, have I been like Peter,

ready to step out in faith.

I look into the gentle beauty of your eyes,

Your arms stretched out,

our fingers almost touch,

almost intertwine.

Then I take my eyes off you,

I lose focus 

only to hear the howling of the wind

and feel the cold, strong churning of the sea.

Fear takes over faith

and I begin to slowly sink.

"Lord, save me!", I cry.

But your focus, Oh Lord,

does not waver like mine

and your eyes remain upon me always.

Lovingly, you reach out for me

and lift me up to safety.

"O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

 

“Dear children! God wants to make you holy. Therefore, through me He is inviting you to complete surrender. Let holy mass be your life. Understand that the church is God's palace, the place in which I gather you and want to show you the way to God. Come and pray. Neither look at others nor slander them, but rather, let your life be a testimony on the way of holiness. Churches deserve respect and are set apart as holy because God, who became man, dwells in them day and night. Therefore, little children, believe and pray that the Father increase your faith, and then ask for whatever you need. I am with you and I am rejoicing because of you conversion and I am protecting you with my motherly mantle. Thank you for having responded to my call. ”
BVM, Medjugorje, April 25, 1988