May Your Hears Open Toward God

Our Lady Queen of Peace gave her monthly message to Marija on April 25, 2012.

Her beautiful words invite and encourage us like only a loving mother could do;  she shows her faith in us by using the words, “Thank you for having responded to my call”.

“Dear children! Also today, I am calling you to prayer, and may your heart, littler children, open toward God as a flower opens toward the sun. I am with you and I intercede for all of you. Thank you for having responded to my call.” 

 "Everything in Mary leads us toward her Son, our only Savior, by whose foreseen merits she was preserved immaculate and full of grace; everything in Mary lifts up our hearts to the praise of the Holy Trinity." Pope Paul VI

 

St. Louis de Montfort himself said, when he spoke of the necessity of devotion to Our Lady, “….God has decided to begin and accomplish his greatest works through the Blessed Virgin ever since he created her, we can safely believe that he will not change his plan in the time to come, for he is God and therefore does not change in his thoughts or his way of acting.” 1 

Mary has been made a full sharer in the Resurrection of her Son. She is clothed with the beauty of his risen glory. Through he intercession as mediatrix of all of all graces…2

 

Today, Magnificat, A Ministry to Catholic Women, invites you to join them in the Annual Consecration  to Jesus through the hands of Mary beginning this Saturday, April 28 and ending May 31, the Feast of the Visitation.

 

I made my consecration to Jesus through Mary on December 8, 2009, the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception. And every year, as I prepare for renewal of my consecration, I feel that Our Lady shows me new areas of my life that she still would like to see transformed, so that I, too, could be come a bearer of the Good News.

Scripture tells us that Mary set out in haste to see Elizabeth and that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting that the child leapt within her womb. Lk 1: 39-41

Mary, the “God Bearer” brings the joy of her Son to all of us. We, too, can bring the joy of Jesus to our families, our neighbors and our world. All we have to do is be open.

And as Our Lady assured Lucy, at Fatima on June 13, 1917: "I will never abandon you, my child. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God."

 1 St. Louis De Montfort

2.Magnificate April 2012-Vol.14, No. 2 pg 292

 For your spiritual reading they also recommend "True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin" by St. Louis De Montfort and also the encyclical letter, Mother of the Redeemer.   John Paul II.

Be Not Afraid ~ Totus Tuus

“Be not afraid”, these are the beautiful words that Pope John Paul II began and ended his papacy with.

The exhortation "Be not afraid!" should be interpreted as having a very broad meaning. In a certain sense it was an exhortation addressed to all people, an exhortation to conquer fear in the present world situation, as much in the East as in the West, as much in the North as in the South. Have no fear of that which you yourselves have created, have no fear of all that man has produced, and that every day is becoming more dangerous for him! Finally, have no fear of yourselves! 1

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. John 3:16.

God’s ultimate gift to us was his Son, our Redeemer, that all who believe in him might not perish, but instead might have eternal life.

Like many of us, there have been times in my life when fear has gripped my heart and stolen my peace. This might have been caused by something I had done or something that had been done to me. Recently, I was talking to my mother about a situation that had left me shaken and distraught and I said to her, “Mama, I am afraid”. She looked at me with such compassion and assurance, in a way that only a loving mother could , and she said, “Do not be afraid, pray”. I told her that I could not pray at this time and she told me, “don’t worry, I will pray for you”.

During that time, though I could not pray, I held my rosary in my hand, like it was my shield, my protection. I believed that both my earthly mother and my heavenly mother’s prayers would lead me to the peace I needed.My trust in their prayer carried me forward.Shortly after, I received the peace I needed. My fear left me and I was able to pray and to thank God for the gift of my two mothers.

On April 2, 2012 Our Lady Queen of Peace gave the following message to Mirjana:

"Dear children, As the Queen of Peace, I desire to give peace to you, my children, true peace which comes through the heart of my Divine Son. As a mother I pray that wisdom, humility and goodness may come to reign in your hearts; that peace may reign; that my Son may reign. When my Son will be the ruler in your hearts, you will be able to help others to come to know Him. When heavenly peace comes to rule over you, those who are seeking it in the wrong places, thus causing pain to my motherly heart, will recognize it. My children, great will be my joy when I see that you are accepting my words and that you desire to follow me. Do not be afraid, you are not alone. Give me your hands and I will lead you. Do not forget your shepherds. Pray that in their thoughts they may always be with my Son who called them to witness Him. Thank you."

The word desire means a longing or a hope for. Our Lady longs for us to have a peace in our souls, peace that only comes through her Son. This is her constant prayer for us. Only through peace will wisdom, humility and goodness reign in our hearts. Only through peace will true change come into our lives. Only then will we be able to bring change into our families, our neighborhoods and the world we live in.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14: 27

1. Reflections on the Philosopher Pope

 

He Died for Me

As Archbishop Fulton Sheen wrote once “Simeon had foretold that a sword her own soul would pierce; this time it came through the riven side of Her Son. Literally in his case, metaphorically in hers, it was a piercing of two hearts with one sword.”

 

Mary revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden some extraordinarily painful details in one of many private revelations which have been approved by the church as having nothing in them contrary to faith and morals.

She told her that “A man [the soldier, commonly known to us today as Longinus] came up and drove a spear so forcefully into His [Jesus’] side that it almost came out of the other side. And as soon as he drew it out, its point was all red with blood. The Heart of my beloved Son was so violently and mercilessly pierced that the spear split His heart in two. When I saw that my Son’s Heart had been stabbed through, I felt that my own heart was likewise pierced, and it was a wonder that it did not break.” 1 

I found this beautiful image of Our Lady on Holy Cards for Your Inspiration .

A simple caption was posted that said,

" HE died for me
I live for HIM."

May we all hold this image in our hearts as we wait the final hours.

1. Taken from Our Catholic Prayers

He Loved Them to The End

They watched him, with eyes full of wonder, as he rose from the table, removed his outer garment and tied a towel around his waist.

What was he doing, was the question going through their minds.

He filled the earthen basin with water, knelt down before them, and like a lowly servant, began to wash the feet of his disciples. One by one he washed them, tenderly drying their feet with his towel.

The sound of silence filled the room as each one present watched this humble act of love and they were instantly aware of their own unworthiness as he bent  low before them.

But only Simon Peter protests, “Master, you will never wash my feet!

….”Unless I wash your feet”, he replies, “You will have no inheritance with me.”

Peter surrenders himself completely, his hands and his head as well.

Cleansed now by the Master, they are being prepared for what would lie ahead.
 

Each of us, from the day of our own baptism, has been prepared to participate in the dying and rising of Christ. We have all been called to die to ourselves, to surrender our obstinacy and to serve him by serving each other according to his teachings and example.

As we enter in to this last week of lent, may we all pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit  for ourselves, for our families, for our country and especially for all that will be joining our Catholic family as we celebrate The Great Vigil of Easter.

"Dear children! In this time, I call you
all to pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit upon every baptized
creature, so that the Holy Spirit may renew you all and lead you
on the way of witnessing your faith – you and all those who are
far from God and His love. I am with you and intercede for you
before the Most High. Thank you for having responded to my call." 

BVM, Medjugorje, May 25, 2009

“ He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.” John 13:1