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Fr. Stephen Shin’s Reflections on the Messages
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December 25, 2012
Our Lady came with little Jesus in her arms and she did not give a message, but little Jesus began to speak and said: “I am your peace, live my commandments.”
With a sign of the cross, Our Lady and little Jesus blessed us together.

The Blessed Mother first appeared in Medjugorje on June 24, 1981. However, she officially began giving messages to the parish of Medjugorje and the world on March 1, 1984. Initially, the messages were given every Thursday. Yet, there were exceptions, as no messages were given on May 31, June 14, June 28 of 1984, and September 19, 1985.
      Since January 25, 1987, the Blessed Mother has been giving messages on the 25th of every month without interruption. However, this month marks the first time she did not deliver a monthly message. Instead, the Infant Jesus, whom she carried in her arms, spoke directly: “I am your peace. Live according to my commandments.”
      The Blessed Mother traditionally speaks about peace in her messages given on Christmas Day. For instance, on December 25, 2011, her message was as follows:

“Dear children! Today I am carrying my Son Jesus to you, for Him to give you His peace. Little children, through prayer and your witness, may God’s peace dwell in your hearts and the hearts of all people. That peace, which no one can destroy, is the peace God gives to those He loves. You have been called in a special way and are loved through baptism, so that as my extended hands in this world, thirsting for peace with God, you may bear witness and pray. Thank you for having responded to my call.”

As seen in this message, the Blessed Mother often mentions carrying the Infant Jesus to us in her arms during her Christmas messages. This year, too, she came holding the Infant Jesus. However, instead of speaking herself, the Infant Jesus proclaimed, “I am your peace. Live according to my commandments.”
      This moment reminds us once again that it is Jesus, the King of Peace, who sends the Blessed Mother to Medjugorje. The Blessed Mother desires that we find peace in Jesus. She also teaches us that true peace can only be attained when we live according to Jesus’ commandments—loving God above all things and loving our neighbors as ourselves. Only by doing so can we unite with Jesus, who is peace itself.
       Christmas is a time to deeply recognize that Jesus Himself is the source of our peace and to welcome Him into the center of our lives. It is also a time to renew our determination to live according to His commandments and to put them into practice in our daily lives.
      May we celebrate this Christmas filled with the joy and peace bestowed upon us by the blessings of the Blessed Mother and the Infant Jesus.
   
 
 
November 25, 2012
"Dear children! In this time of grace, I call all of you to renew prayer. Open yourselves to Holy Confession so that each of you may accept my call with the whole heart. I am with you and I protect you from the ruin of sin, but you must open yourselves to the way of conversion and holiness, that your heart may burn out of love for God. Give Him time and He will give Himself to you and thus, in the will of God you will discover the love and the joy of living. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! In this time of grace, I call all of you to renew prayer. 

For an athlete to achieve good results in a competition, they must train daily. No matter how much they suddenly decide to do well one day, they won’t achieve success without regular practice. Daily training may seem repetitive and tiring, but through consistent effort, the athlete unknowingly prepares themselves for future success. Later, when reflecting on the hardship of training, they realize how precious those moments were.
      This simple principle applies to every area of life, including our spiritual life. Daily prayer, the foundation of spiritual growth, is not easy. We have to resist distractions and make a conscious effort to place ourselves before God continually. There are many moments when we feel tempted to give up due to distractions or the excuses of a busy life. Prayer can often seem less important compared to television, entertainment, or other activities that vie for our attention. Yet, if we acknowledge the importance of prayer and strive to make it a daily practice, we will gradually transform into people of prayer. Without even realizing it, we will begin to see God’s presence and grace more clearly in our daily lives. With time and growth, when we look back, we will be filled with joy, realizing that every moment was indeed filled with grace.
      In this month's message, the Blessed Mother says, "In this time of grace, I call all of you to renew prayer." To truly recognize this time as one filled with God’s grace, we must renew our commitment to prayer. Those who pray diligently should pray even more earnestly, those who have been lax in prayer should increase their devotion, and those who have not prayed at all should begin by simply praying a single Hail Mary each day. The grace of God is given to us daily, but without prayer, we cannot experience it.

Open yourselves to Holy Confession so that each of you may accept my call with the whole heart.

Satan tempts us to sin with the aim of leading us to destruction and separating us from God. But through the sacrament of confession, God forgives our sins and restores us to unity with Him. Confession renews us, restoring the purity we received at baptism. Given our human weakness and frequent fall into sin, the sacrament of confession is a tremendous gift of grace. Seeing the green light outside the confessional should fill us with joy, for stepping through that door is like diving into the ocean of God’s mercy and forgiveness. There is no reason to fear confession; rather, we should embrace it with gratitude and joy.
      The core message of the Blessed Mother's apparitions in Medjugorje is that humanity must return to the living God and place Jesus at the center of our lives. For over 31 years, she has been calling all her children to respond to this invitation. The first essential step in answering her call is conversion, and the first step in conversion is confession. Today is the moment to open ourselves to the sacrament of confession and respond to the Blessed Mother's call.

I am with you and I protect you from the ruin of sin, but you must open yourselves to the way of conversion and holiness, that your heart may burn out of love for God.

The Blessed Mother has said that she is with us whenever we pray the Rosary. In the Hail Mary, we ask for her intercession, saying, "Pray for us sinners." By acknowledging ourselves as sinners and asking her to intercede for us before God, she graciously does so, protecting us from the destruction of sin. However, for true conversion and holiness, our own will and effort are essential. Without the Blessed Mother’s intercession, combined with our strong resolution and ongoing efforts toward repentance and holiness, our transformation won’t occur automatically.
Love for God does not arise by itself. As we consciously repent and strive for holiness, love for God will begin to grow and flourish within our hearts. As the saying goes, "Heaven helps those who help themselves." When we truly seek to live a life of conversion and holiness, God will grant us His grace and dwell in our hearts.

Give Him time and He will give Himself to you and thus, in the will of God you will discover the love and the joy of living. Thank you for having responded to my call.

Giving time to God is a reflection of how much we love Him. The more we love Him, the more time we willingly dedicate to Him. The more time we offer to God, the more He gives of Himself to us—indeed, far more than we could ever give to Him. All our time is a gift from God, and when we return a portion of it to Him, He responds with the gift of Himself. What a marvelous mystery of love! Those who are generous in giving time to God will be richly blessed.
      We only find true joy in life when we live according to God’s will. If any aspect of our lives goes against His will, we won’t experience the full meaning or joy of life. Therefore, as we pray daily in the Lord’s Prayer, we must always ask for God’s will to be done, not ours, and strive to live according to His plan.

Jesus, You said You came not to call the righteous but sinners and that You are the friend of sinners. Jesus, I am that sinner, so please continue to call me and be my friend. Help me never to fear approaching the confessional, knowing that You sit there in the person of the priest, ready to offer me boundless forgiveness and mercy. I am truly grateful for the grace of confession within the Catholic Church.

Blessed Mother, I know that all the time given to me is a great gift from God. I will no longer use all my time to satisfy my desires. I will follow your message and give time to God. Mother, please continually guide me so that I not only speak your message but also live it in my daily life.
   
 
 
October 25, 2012
"Dear children! Today I call you to pray for my intentions. Renew fasting and prayer because Satan is cunning and attracts many hearts to sin and perdition. I call you, little children, to holiness and to live in grace. Adore my Son so that He may fill you with His peace and love for which you yearn. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Today I call you to pray for my intentions. 

The Blessed Mother doesn’t specify what her intentions are, but simply asks us to pray for them. Even though we may not know their exact nature, we can trust that they are good and ultimately aimed at our salvation and peace, as well as the world’s. Therefore, praying for the Blessed Mother’s intentions is, in essence, praying for ourselves and our own well-being.
      Like a small child helping their mother around the house, even in small ways, the mother’s heart is touched by the child’s effort. This is the same when we pray for the Blessed Mother’s intentions—our small devotion brings her joy. As her children, it is natural that we prioritize her will above our own, and by doing so, we grow closer and more united with her. Praying for her intentions deepens our relationship with the Blessed Mother, going beyond mere cooperation to a profound unity with her.

Renew fasting and prayer because Satan is cunning and attracts many hearts to sin and perdition.

We are living in the time of Revelation 12, a time of spiritual warfare. The battle between the woman (the Blessed Mother) and the red dragon (Satan) is fierce. Today, Satan does not appear to us with horns and a frightening form; as a supernatural being, he is invisible but constantly works by infiltrating people’s hearts, thoughts, and emotions to incite evil. His goal is to lead as many as possible into sin and drag them to hell. On the other hand, the Blessed Mother desires that we avoid sin, strengthen our faith in God, and be saved. As soldiers in the army of the Blessed Mother, we must stand by her side and assist her. How can we do this? Through fasting and prayer. These two practices are our most powerful weapons. Not only do they protect us and others from Satan’s attacks, but they also help the Blessed Mother in her ultimate victory over Satan.

I call you, little children, to holiness and to live in grace. Adore my Son so that He may fill you with His peace and love for which you yearn. Thank you for having responded to my call.

To be holy and live in grace, we must stay close to the One who is holiness itself and the source of grace. How can we do this practically? Through Eucharistic adoration. Jesus, both fully God and fully man, is present in the Eucharist. Though hidden under the appearance of bread, He is truly there. We should go as often as we can to adore Him in the Eucharist. By spending time in His presence, gazing upon Him, feeling His heart, and experiencing His love and peace, we grow in holiness and grace.
      Visiting the tabernacle, where the Eucharist is reserved, with the same eagerness as meeting a beloved friend, brings immense joy to Jesus. He will respond by pouring out His love and peace into our hearts. If we cannot physically visit the Eucharist, we can spiritually place ourselves before the tabernacle by recalling its presence in our local church and offering a prayer.

Jesus, thank You for inviting me through the Blessed Mother to adore You in the Eucharist. Guide my life so that I may come before You in the Blessed Sacrament every day. If I am unable to do so, let me pray the following prayer of St. Francis: “We adore You, O Lord Jesus Christ, here and in all the churches of the world, and we bless You, because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.”

Blessed Mother, I know that all your intentions are good. I will prioritize praying for your intentions before my own. With firm trust and love, I offer all my prayers for the fulfillment of your intentions.
   
 
 
September 25, 2012
"Dear children! When in nature you look at the richness of the colors which the Most High gives to you, open your heart and pray with gratitude for all the good that you have and say: 'I am here created for eternity' - and yearn for heavenly things because God loves you with immeasurable love. This is why He also gave me to you to tell you: 'Only in God is your peace and hope, dear children'. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! When in nature you look at the richness of the colors which the Most High gives to you, open your heart and pray with gratitude for all the good that you have and say: 'I am here created for eternity.' 

As the autumn leaves turn red and yellow, delighting our eyes, the Blessed Mother invites us not to simply focus on the beauty of the leaves, but to turn our attention to the Most High God, who creates this beauty. She encourages us to offer prayers of gratitude for all the good things we have, acknowledging that they all come from God. Indeed, every good thing in our lives is a gift from God, and it is He who blesses us with these things. Therefore, our first and foremost action should be to always give thanks. We need to cultivate the habit of seeing God in every situation and offering Him gratitude, regardless of the size of the blessings we receive.
      However, no matter how good the things we possess may be, they are not complete or final. This world, as we see it, is passing away, and we too will eventually leave this world. We are travelers, pilgrims, and our ultimate destination is eternal life in heaven. God's ultimate gift to us is eternal life, and our life on earth is merely a preparation for that eternal life. Just as nature perfectly aligns with God's providence, we must also completely surrender ourselves to God's guidance. We must allow His hand to touch our souls, His word to direct our lives, and His Spirit to transform us. Only by surrendering ourselves entirely to Him will we become people who are truly being made for eternity.

And yearn for heavenly things because God loves you with immeasurable love. This is why He also gave me to you to tell you: 'Only in God is your peace and hope, dear children'. Thank you for having responded to my call.

There are countless signs of God’s immeasurable love for us, but in connection with this month’s message, the most significant one that comes to mind is the apparitions of the Blessed Mother in Medjugorje. No matter how much humanity rejects or ignores Him, God never forgets us. He never cuts off His relationship with us. Instead, He sends the Blessed Mother to invite us once again to return to His love. Even when humanity forgets God and strays from His love, He sends the Blessed Mother to remind us that He is alive, that He loves us, and that we can only find peace and hope in Him. The very appearance of the Blessed Mother in Medjugorje is a powerful sign of God's love for us.
      As humanity, we must deeply thank God for the Blessed Mother’s apparitions in Medjugorje and wholeheartedly respond to His call through her. By choosing the eternal, heavenly, and holy over the passing and material things of this world, we can attain eternal life, which is the culmination of God's immeasurable love.

Jesus, thank You for opening the gates of heaven through Your death and resurrection. You came to this world to guide me to heaven, and by following the path You showed, I can ultimately receive eternal life. Jesus, even as I live in this world, help me always to long for eternal life and the things of heaven.

Blessed Mother, You come to this world to teach us that God is alive and that we can only find peace and hope in Him. Yet, many still refuse to accept that God is sending You as His prophet through Medjugorje. Blessed Mother, I pray for those who do not accept Your apparitions, that their hearts may open and they may listen to the heavenly messages You bring.
   
 
 
August 25, 2012
"Dear children! Also today, with hope in the heart, I am praying for you and am thanking the Most High for every one of you who lives my messages with the heart. Give thanks to God's love that I can love and lead each of you through my Immaculate Heart also toward conversion. Open your hearts and decide for holiness, and hope will give birth to joy in your hearts. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Also today, with hope in the heart, I am praying for you and am thanking the Most High for every one of you who lives my messages with the heart. 

The Blessed Mother's words that she is praying for us with hope in her heart reveal her warm, motherly love. She knows our faults, weaknesses, shortcomings, and even our sins, yet she prays for us, believing that we will improve and grow. Just as the Blessed Mother does not give up on us, we too must have faith in ourselves and continually hold onto hope. We should believe and hope that through the prayers of the Blessed Mother, the grace of God, and our own efforts and cooperation, we can become more spiritual and holy.
      The relationship between the Blessed Mother and us is deeply personal. She says that she is giving thanks to the Most High God for each one of us who lives her message. The Blessed Mother knows each of us individually—our names, faces, lives, thoughts, struggles, good deeds, and failings. She knows how much we are living her message, and with this knowledge, she gives thanks to God for each one of us.

Give thanks to God's love that I can love and lead each of you through my Immaculate Heart also toward conversion. Open your hearts and decide for holiness, and hope will give birth to joy in your hearts. Thank you for having responded to my call.

The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Mother is the garden where the Triune God resides, a place wholly consecrated to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. When we consecrate ourselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, she renews us within the furnace of her heart and presents us to God. Let us make it a habit to consecrate ourselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary every day by praying the morning offering. Through this, our conversion will accelerate, as our efforts combined with the Blessed Mother's assistance are far more powerful and effective than relying solely on our strength.
      Everything depends on our intentions. If we choose to live a holy life and decide to pursue holiness, God will abundantly bless our hearts. Our hearts will be filled with heavenly joy, a joy incomparable to anything the world can offer.

Jesus, after the Last Supper, said to Peter, "Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers" (Lk 22:31-32). Jesus, just as You prayed for Peter's faith not to fail, You are now praying for my faith as well. When my faith is tested, help me remember that You are praying for me.

Blessed Mother, I consecrate my heart to your Immaculate Heart. Cleanse my heart and make it as pure as yours, filled with a burning desire to love only God.
   
 
 
July 25, 2012
"Dear children! Today I call you to the 'good'. Be carriers of peace and goodness in this world. Pray that God may give you the strength so that hope and pride may always reign in your heart and life because you are God's children and carriers of His hope to this world that is without joy in the heart, and is without a future, because it does not have its heart open to God who is your salvation. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Today I call you to the 'good'. Be carriers of peace and goodness in this world. Pray that God may give you the strength so that hope and pride may always reign in your heart and life. 

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (Jn 10:11).  The goodness of Jesus is not just a matter of a kind heart; it includes the ultimate sacrifice of laying down His life for humanity. The Apostle Paul speaks of the peace achieved through the sacrifice of our good shepherd, Jesus, on the cross: “For he is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims, that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile both with God, in one body, through the cross, putting that enmity to death by it. He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near” (Eph 2:14-17).
      Since the peace and goodness of Jesus were fulfilled through His death on the cross, the Blessed Mother's call, “I am calling you to goodness. Be people of peace and goodness in this world,” is an invitation to become like Jesus crucified. A person who obeys God’s will and willingly offers themselves in love for the salvation of others is the kind of person who carries peace and goodness in this world.
      To follow the Blessed Mother's words, “Pray that God may give you the strength,” we must first recognize that we do not stand on our own strength. We must acknowledge that without God’s strength, we are weak and cannot survive. The second condition is faith and a confession of God’s omnipotence. We must believe that God is almighty and that nothing is impossible for Him. Prayer offered from the admission of our own frailty and the acknowledgment of God’s omnipotence will be answered, and God will give us the strength to achieve peace and goodness.

Because you are God's children and carriers of His hope to this world that is without joy in the heart, and is without a future, because it does not have its heart open to God who is your salvation. Thank you for having responded to my call.

In Genesis 12, God says to Abraham: “The Lord said to Abram: Go forth from your land, your relatives, and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will find blessing in you” (Gn 12:1-3). This shows that God intended not only to bless Abraham but to bless all people through him.
      Similarly, God has made us His children not only for ourselves but also for those who do not know Him, who even reject Him and close their hearts and lives to Him. More precisely, God is the Creator and Father of all, but He has helped us recognize Him as our Father first. We have a great mission to lead those who have not yet accepted God as Father to Him. By always opening our hearts to God and finding joy and a future in Him, we can show those who have not yet opened their hearts to God that He is our salvation and our Father.

Jesus, You are my good shepherd, and You laid down Your life for me. Following Your example, guide me on the path of goodness and peace so that I may also dedicate myself to my family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and all people.

Blessed Mother, do not let me become a selfish person who thinks only of myself and my family while claiming to be a child of God. Mother, use me as an instrument to help more people open their hearts and lives to God through me.
   
 
 
June 25, 2012
"Dear children! With great hope in the heart, also today I call you to prayer. If you pray, little children, you are with me and you are seeking the will of my Son and are living it. Be open and live prayer and, at every moment, may it be for you the savor and joy of your soul. I am with you and I intercede for all of you before my Son Jesus. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! With great hope in the heart, also today I call you to prayer. 

“Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you* like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers” (Lk 22:31-32). These are the words Jesus spoke to the Apostle Peter after the Last Supper. This statement was given after Jesus had predicted Peter's denial. Jesus knew that Peter, whom He chose to be the leader of the apostles and the rock of the Church, would fall to Satan's temptation and deny Him three times. Yet, Jesus did not give up on Peter. Through His grace, He forgave Peter’s betrayal and prayed for his strength and renewal. Even though Peter, in his human weakness, betrayed Jesus at a critical moment, Jesus also knew that Peter would immediately repent, weeping with sorrow for his sin. That’s why Jesus never stopped hoping for Peter, and Peter later bore witness to his faith in Jesus by being martyred in Rome as the first Pope.
      Through her messages, the Blessed Mother has repeatedly said, “Also today I call you to prayer." However, in this month's message, she used the expression "with great hope in the heart," which she hasn’t used before. This shows how much the Blessed Mother trusts and expects great things from each of us. Just because we are not praying right now, it doesn't mean the Blessed Mother has given up on us. She knows that even if we are not praying at this moment, there is a deep longing for prayer within our hearts, and our souls are constantly thirsting for God. However, this does not mean she excuses or tolerates our lack of prayer. She desires that we pray. Since she hasn’t given up hope on us, she calls us to start praying now. Thoughts like, "I've not prayed for a long time, can I start now?" or "It's not necessary to start praying now" are temptations from Satan. This moment is the time to begin praying, and any prayer offered with sincerity will have meaning and be received by God. It’s time to start praying with the Blessed Mother, who never stops hoping for us.

If you pray, little children, you are with me and you are seeking the will of my Son and are living it.

As Catholics, when we pray, we usually begin by making the sign of the cross. We pray in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, addressing our prayers to the Triune God. When we pray to God, our guardian angels continuously present our prayers before the Heavenly Father, and our souls are lifted into His presence. The Blessed Mother, who is the daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, and the spouse of the Holy Spirit, is there in the heavenly court of the Triune God. Therefore, when we pray, we naturally are in her presence as well.
      Prayer is a conversation with Jesus. Simply pouring out our thoughts and desires without listening to His voice is not true prayer. Of course, prayer is a dialogue, so our words are important, but even more essential is listening to His words. By following this order—listening first and then responding—we align ourselves with what Jesus wants. Through prayer, we discover and live according to His will.

Be open and live prayer and, at every moment, may it be for you the savor and joy of your soul 

Each of us has a daily routine—whether precise or flexible—that includes waking up, meals, and other activities that sustain our physical life. However, often missing from this routine are the time and space for our spiritual lives. To fulfill the Blessed Mother’s call to make prayer a part of our lives, we must schedule specific times for prayer throughout the day. Setting these times doesn't mean we don't pray at other moments. We can keep the spirit of prayer alive throughout our day by continually being aware of God's presence and offering short prayers in the midst of our activities. This way, our entire lives can become spiritual, and the fragrance of prayer will emanate from our souls, positively influencing ourselves and those around us.

I am with you and I intercede for all of you before my Son Jesus. Thank you for having responded to my call.

The Blessed Mother, as the Mother of all people, loves everyone equally—not just the righteous, but also the sinful. She loves everyone, whether they are saints or sinners, because they are all her children. As she says, “I intercede for all of you before my Son Jesus,” she prays not only for us but also for those we may dislike or consider enemies. She prays even for sinners, for she is their hope, knowing that they must repent to receive salvation.
      Her love and intercession for all people should also become our example. Let us ask to imitate the Blessed Mother's care for all, praying for everyone—including those who have wronged us or whom we have judged.

Jesus, you knew the weaknesses and sins of Peter and the other disciples, but you never gave up on them. You forgave and prayed for them, allowing them to begin anew. Jesus, you know my weaknesses and sins, but you have still called me to be your disciple, giving me endless opportunities to repent and follow you. Help me, through your grace, to repent and walk the right path as your true disciple.

Blessed Mother, you know how I have been neglecting prayer and letting myself get caught up in daily life. But instead of rebuking or rejecting me, you gently call me back to prayer with hope. Thank you for interceding for me before our Lord, Jesus. Blessed Mother, as you intercede for all people, help me also to pray for everyone, especially for those I have disliked or judged. Allow me to sit beside you in prayer, interceding before Jesus for all souls.
   
 
 
May 25, 2012
"Dear children! Also today I call you to conversion and to holiness. God desires to give you joy and peace through prayer but you, little children, are still far away - attached to the earth and to earthly things. Therefore, I call you anew: open your heart and your sight towards God and the things of God - and joy and peace will come to reign in your hearts. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Also today I call you to conversion and to holiness. 

There is a saying, 'Yesterday's sinner is today's saint.' No one is born holy; there are no saints from birth. All saints were born and sinned, but they became holy through repentance and striving for holiness. For example, consider the two great saints, Peter and Paul, who form the foundation of our Church. Peter was called by Jesus to be an apostle and was established as the rock of the Church, but at a crucial moment, he committed the grave sin of denying Jesus three times. However, he repented, received the Lord’s forgiveness, faithfully followed Jesus, and ultimately became a saint, being martyred by crucifixion in Rome, hung upside down. Paul, unlike the twelve apostles, was called later as the apostle to the Gentiles after Jesus' ascension. He was a fervent Jew and was at the forefront of persecuting the disciples of Jesus. But on the road to Damascus, he encountered the risen Jesus, repented of all his past sins, and dedicated his life to preaching the gospel of Jesus, eventually being martyred by beheading in Rome, becoming a saint.
      Saints are not those who never sinned, but those who sinned, repented, and strove to be holy, entrusting themselves fully to God’s grace. The Blessed Mother’s call to 'repent and be holy' is a call for us to become saints. Yesterday's sinner can become today's saint, and today’s sinner can become tomorrow’s saint, so let us respond to this call 'today as well.'

God desires to give you joy and peace through prayer but you, little children, are still far away - attached to the earth and to earthly things. Therefore, I call you anew: open your heart and your sight towards God and the things of God - and joy and peace will come to reign in your hearts. Thank you for having responded to my call.

As Saint Paul says in Galatians 5:22-23, 'joy and peace' are the fruits of the Holy Spirit. They are not achieved by our own strength but are given as gifts through the power of the Holy Spirit. To receive these gifts that the Holy Spirit bestows, what we must do is pray. We must earnestly ask in prayer for God’s Holy Spirit to come upon us.
      Jesus clearly promised this with His words: “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit* to those who ask him?” (Lk 11:9-13). Relying on these words of Jesus, we should fervently pray to God the Father to send us the Holy Spirit, who grants us not only joy and peace but also love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
      However, we still find no time to pray. Even though Jesus has spoken, and the Blessed Mother has reaffirmed it, our hearts are still captivated by the world and worldly things, and we do not take the time to pray. We flit about like moths, seeking joy in the world and worldly things, but instead of finding joy, our hearts are always anxious and restless. We already know well through experience that nothing in the world can give us true joy and peace.
      Now the Blessed Mother calls us once again to turn our hearts and gaze away from the world and worldly things and towards God and what He holds dear. This is so that our hearts may be filled with joy and peace. Now, the choice is ours. If we pray with all our hearts and open our hearts and eyes to God and what He holds dear, we will enjoy joy and peace. But if we still do not pray and continue to cling to the world and worldly things, allowing them to capture our hearts, we will never taste joy and peace in our hearts.

Jesus, you know my shortcomings and sins. Yet you desire that I repent and live a holy life once more. Jesus, I wish to cut off my attachments and affections to the world and worldly things so that I may always hold joy and peace, the fruits of the Holy Spirit, in my heart. Please help me with your grace.

Blessed Mother, you are my true spiritual mother, and you are concerned about the state of my heart and the salvation of my soul above all else. Mother, please continue to teach and guide me so that my heart and eyes may be open only to God and what He holds dear.
   
 
 
April 25, 2012
"Dear children! Also today I am calling you to prayer, and may your heart, little children, open towards God as a flower opens towards the warmth of the sun. I am with you and I intercede for all of you. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Also today I am calling you to prayer.

When I read the Blessed Mother’s message this month, beginning with "Also today I am calling you to prayer," the first thought that came to mind was, “Shouldn’t we reach a point where the Blessed Mother no longer has to say “also today?” If we had been praying with all our hearts every day, as the core of her countless repeated messages, she wouldn’t need to say "also today." But since we still haven’t fully responded to her call for prayer, she continues to say "also today" and urges us to pray.
      The Blessed Mother calls us to prayer not to bind us, but to set us free, and to help us attain the abundant life that God offers. Yet we, who still do not pray, are truly pitiable.
     We often say we have no time because of the many daily tasks that occupy us. We naturally claim that we have no time to pray. We might even resolve to pray when we find time. However, those who say they have no time to pray today will never find time to pray tomorrow. If we do find some free time, we often fill it with other busy activities. That is why we must "today again" make time to pray.

And may your heart, little children, open towards God as a flower opens towards the warmth of the sun. 

It is spring, and flowers are blooming everywhere. Our eyes rejoice at the sight of these beautiful flowers. But the Blessed Mother, rather than focusing on the flowers themselves, draws our attention to what makes them bloom. She says, "May your heart, little children, open towards God as a flower opens towards the warmth of the sun." No flower can bloom without the warmth of the sun. The warmth of the sun is essential, and thus, all flowers turn towards it.
      For our hearts to open to God, we must turn our hearts toward Him. But how can our hearts turn toward God? Jesus said, "Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God" (Mt 5:8). When our hearts are pure, we can see God. But what purifies our hearts? Confession is, of course, essential, but in our daily lives, prayer constantly purifies our hearts. Through prayer, our hearts are cleansed, opened to God, and we come to see Him.
      A flower does not command the sun to warm it but instead exposes itself to the sun's warmth. Similarly, for our hearts to open to God, we must entrust our entire being to Him. We cannot force God to act according to our timing or will. We must entrust everything to Him, praying and relying on Him to move and open our hearts. Surrendering to God may seem passive, but it is the most active posture we can take.
      Recently, someone shared how comforted they felt upon seeing a bumper sticker that read, "Relax, God is in control." Indeed, in total surrender, without tension, we can trust God to move, and our hearts will naturally open to Him. Prayer, coupled with surrender and docility, helps our hearts open to God.

I am with you and I intercede for all of you. Thank you for having responded to my call.

Recently, after lunch, I went to a local park with a soccer field. There was a youth soccer game in progress, and outside the field, parents, siblings, and friends were cheering on the players with enthusiasm. Their cheers and sighs followed the movements of the players. Watching this, I was reminded of how important it is to have someone cheering for us and supporting us.
      As we go through life, whether in joy or sorrow, we desire the presence of someone to share in those moments, someone to encourage and support us. The Blessed Mother, though invisible to our eyes, is always with us. Especially when we carry heavy burdens or face difficulties, she stays close, offering us strength. She speaks to God the Father on our behalf, asking Him to give us the grace we need to overcome our challenges. The Blessed Mother is always on our side, our greatest supporter. Let us draw strength from her words, "I am with you, and I intercede for all of you."

Jesus, You told Your disciples that without You, they could do nothing. Jesus, I believe in Your words. Without You, I can do nothing. You are my source of strength and life. Help me to always open myself fully to the strength and life that come from You.

Blessed Mother, You care for me and desire that I walk the right path, no matter what situation I find myself in. Mother, I firmly believe that You are always with me. Please intercede with God the Father so that I may become more deeply aware of Your presence.
   
 
 
March 25, 2012
"Dear children! Also today, with joy, I desire to give you my motherly blessing and to call you to prayer. May prayer become a need for you to grow more in holiness every day. Work more on your conversion because you are far away, little children. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Also today, with joy, I desire to give you my motherly blessing and to call you to prayer. May prayer become a need for you to grow more in holiness every day. 

This month, I guided several Lenten retreats, focusing on God's mercy and the Cross, as it was the Lenten season. Although I did talk about the Blessed Mother, it wasn't the primary focus of the retreats. However, after one of the retreats, I received an email from a participant saying, "Father, after hearing your Lenten retreat talks, I missed the Blessed Mother so much that I cried all day. Thank you for loving her so much." Reading this, I realized that the Blessed Mother was present at the retreat, touching the heart of that sister.
      All mothers in the world are willing to make any sacrifice for their children, always wishing for their well-being. Our spiritual mother, the Blessed Mother, desires our well-being even more than our earthly mothers and does not hesitate to come to this world for our sake. As her children, she loves and blesses us all equally, with a joyful heart. If you do not feel her blessing, try bowing your head before a statue of the Blessed Mother at home or in church, making the sign of the cross, and saying, "Mother, I know that you joyfully wish to bless me. Please bless me." Feel her hand resting on your head.
      Prayer is not an option for us; it is essential. It is something we must do. Prayer has many effects, but it primarily makes us holy. Prayer brings us closer to God, who is holiness itself, and unites us with Him. Thus, as we pray, we gradually become holy. Without prayer, we cannot attain holiness. To grow in holiness day by day, we must pray daily. No matter how busy we are, we should never skip prayer, even for a day. Just as we eat three meals a day and sometimes take supplements for our physical health, we must set aside fixed times for prayer daily for the well-being of our souls. As emphasized before, prayer is not just essential; it is the core of our journey toward holiness and the life of our soul.

Work more on your conversion because you are far away, little children. Thank you for having responded to my call.

The Blessed Mother mentions that we are distant, but what are we distant from? We are distant from God the Father. We are also distant from His word, the Church, the sacraments, salvation, peace, holiness, and prayer. Therefore, we need both a change of heart and concrete actions to close the gap between us and these things—this is true conversion. If we are far from God, we need to find concrete ways to draw closer to Him and act upon them. This requires setting specific times and making concrete plans to put these actions into practice. Instead of doing the minimum, we should ask ourselves, "What more can I do?" and strive to do the maximum.

Jesus, You are the holy God, the source of all holiness. I desire that my heart and life be holy, so please, by Your grace, make me holy. Hear my prayers offered for holiness.

Blessed Mother, I am sincerely grateful for the blessing you bestow upon me. I want to make becoming a saint my life's first goal, just as you have asked. Please accompany me on this journey, always guiding and supporting me.
   
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