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Fr. Stephen Shin’s Reflections on the Messages
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December 25, 2013
"Dear children! I am carrying to you the King of Peace that He may give you His peace. You, little children, pray, pray, pray. The fruit of prayer will be seen on the faces of the people who have decided for God and His Kingdom. I, with my Son Jesus, bless you all with a blessing of peace. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! I am carrying to you the King of Peace that He may give you His peace. 

On June 26, 1981, two days after the first apparition of the Blessed Mother in Medjugorje, visionary Marija Pavlovic, along with the five other visionaries, witnessed the apparitions on Apparition Hill. As they descended the hill, they experienced another apparition. Behind the Blessed Mother was a cross, and she said, "Peace, peace, peace! You must reconcile. Peace must reign between God and humanity and among all people." Through these words, the Blessed Mother clearly revealed the reason for her apparitions in Medjugorje: to show the way to peace. By appearing with the cross behind her, she also showed that true peace can only come from Jesus, who brought peace through His sacrifice on the cross.

You, little children, pray, pray, pray. The fruit of prayer will be seen on the faces of the people who have decided for God and His Kingdom.

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, once said, "By the time a person is forty, they are responsible for their own face." This is because a person’s face reflects the trajectory of their life. Our faces are not only a mirror of our physical life but also of our spiritual life. The faces of those who live a truly spiritual life and who have maintained a deep prayer life are different from others. Those who have decided to live for God and His kingdom reflect this in their prayerful lives, and their faces become bright, radiant, and filled with joy and peace without them even realizing it.

I, with my Son Jesus, bless you all with a blessing of peace. Thank you for having responded to my call.

Recently, I visited an elderly American woman in the hospital. As soon as I entered the room, she said, "Oh, Father, this year has been so difficult for me. My son lost his job, my daughter got divorced, and I’ve been in the hospital because of my illness." Tears filled her eyes. I held her hand and suggested we pray to the Lord, who knows everything. I asked if she wanted to receive the Eucharist, and her eyes lit up. "Father, if you’ve brought Jesus, of course I must receive Him," she said. After receiving the Eucharist with great devotion, she closed her eyes and prayed in thanksgiving. A short while later, I gave her a priestly blessing and laid my hands on her. When she opened her eyes, she said joyfully, "I am a new person now. Jesus has renewed me and given me strength. I am better than I was before." Seeing the transformation in her, even in such a short time, I was deeply moved.
       While we, along with all of humanity, must strive to promote peace, true peace can only come from God. This Christmas, the Blessed Mother reminds us of this truth and tells us that she is bringing the King of Peace to us. Although she does not explicitly ask us to receive Him, she implicitly calls us to do so. How should we respond? The answer is simple: the Blessed Mother wants us to follow the example of the Magi, who, guided by the star, traveled a great distance to Bethlehem to worship the Infant Jesus. She also desires that we be like the shepherds, who, upon hearing the angel’s announcement, left everything behind to worship the newborn Savior. But how can we become like the Magi and the shepherds? How can we make sacrifices, believe with simplicity, and remain steadfast in seeking and accepting Jesus as the Savior in all circumstances? This is possible through prayer, which is why the Blessed Mother urges us to pray.
      Let us take time to quietly reflect in front of the mirror, not just to see our external appearance but to discern whether our faces reflect our spiritual lives. Of course, we already know whether we are people of prayer and whether we live for God and His kingdom, but it is still beneficial to spend time examining our faces, reflecting on how they need to change, and contemplating how we can deepen our prayer lives.
      The Blessed Mother says, "I, with my Son Jesus, bless you all with a blessing of peace." We constantly receive a double blessing: one from Jesus and one from the Blessed Mother. With the strength of this blessing, we can live each day anew. The first thing we should do upon rising in the morning is kneel, thank Jesus for the new day, and, with the sign of the cross, ask for the blessing of the day from Him and the Blessed Mother. Let us live each day with strength, knowing that Jesus and the Blessed Mother bless us daily.
   
 
 
November 25, 2013
"Dear children! Today I call all of you to prayer. Open the doors of your heart profoundly to prayer, little children, to prayer with the heart; and then the Most High will be able to act upon your freedom and conversion will begin. Your faith will become firm so that you will be able to say with all your heart: 'My God, my all.' You will comprehend, little children, that here on earth everything is passing. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Today, I call all of you to prayer.

As I reflect on this month’s message, the word "today," which the Blessed Mother frequently uses in her messages, stands out. The message would be complete without it, so why does she use the word “today”? It is to emphasize that we must not delay or postpone prayer. The moment we receive the message, we should begin praying immediately—starting today.
      Some people tend to put off everything until tomorrow. "I’m busy and tired today, so I’ll do it tomorrow." But then, the next day, they find another excuse. If you don’t pray today, it becomes even harder to pray tomorrow. Prayer that is postponed because of busyness and fatigue might never happen. However, those who pray today, despite being busy and tired, will find it easier to pray even more fervently tomorrow, no matter how much busier or more tired they are.

Open the doors of your heart profoundly to prayer, little children, to prayer with the heart; and then the Most High will be able to act upon your freedom and conversion will begin. Your faith will become firm so that you will be able to say with all your heart: 'My God, my all.'

There is an old saying, “Everything depends on the mind.” In other words, how we approach something determines the outcome. The way we approach prayer shapes its content and quality. To offer prayer with our whole heart, we must open the doors of our hearts wide to it. The more we open ourselves to prayer, the more we will be able to pray with all our heart.
      Offering prayer with our whole heart and opening our hearts are deeply interconnected. If our hearts are open to something other than prayer, we are divided and cannot pray wholeheartedly. Therefore, we must first reflect on what is preventing us from fully opening our hearts to prayer, remove those obstacles, and then approach prayer with an attitude of openness and sincerity.
      And then the Most High will be able to act upon your freedom and conversion will begin. Your faith will become firm so that you will be able to say with all your heart: 'My God, my all.'
The phrase, "Then the Most High will be able to act upon your freedom," reveals God’s profound humility. The Most High God, who created humans and the entire universe, can only move freely in us when we open the doors of our hearts through prayer. This shows the incredible depth of God's humility. The God we believe in respects the freedom of His creatures and begins great works in us only when we open our hearts to Him through wholehearted prayer. He fills our hearts with His love, leading us to conversion. Without the entrance of God's freedom, power, grace, and love into our hearts, conversion cannot occur.
      Wholehearted prayer is not only essential for conversion but also closely tied to faith. The Blessed Mother tells us that when we pray with all our heart, our faith will be strengthened, and we will be able to confess that God alone is our everything. That is why the Blessed Mother continues to call us to prayer and urges us to open our hearts wide to it.

You will comprehend, little children, that here on earth everything is passing. Thank you for having responded to my call.

Life is fleeting. Everything in this world changes and eventually disappears. Only the Lord and His Word remain forever. This is why the Apostle Peter says, "All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the field; the grass withers, and the flower wilts; but the word of the Lord remains forever.” This is the word that has been proclaimed to you” (1 Pt 1:24-25). The Old Testament also speaks of this truth: "As for man, his days are like the grass; he blossoms like a flower in the field. A wind sweeps over it and it is gone; its place knows it no more. But the LORD’s mercy is from age to age, toward those who fear him. His salvation is for the children’s children" (Ps 103:15-17).
      Yet, despite this truth, people often live as if everything on earth will last forever, investing all their value and efforts into earthly things, much like the foolish rich man in the parable from the Gospel of Luke. This man was wealthy and harvested a great deal from his land. He built larger barns to store his crops, planning to eat, drink, and enjoy life. But that very night, God took his life (cf. Lk 12:16-21). He had forgotten that both his life and his wealth were fleeting.
       Following this parable, Jesus tells us not to worry about worldly things but to seek first the kingdom of God and store up treasures in heaven. That’s right—earthly things will fade away, so they should not be the center of our lives. Of course, while living on this earth, we need material things, but they should only be means to obtain what is eternal. The eternal God, His righteousness, and His kingdom should be our ultimate focus.

"Let nothing trouble you, let nothing frighten you. Everything passes; God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone is enough." (St. Teresa of Avila)
   
 
 
October 25, 2013
"Dear children! Today I call you to open yourselves to prayer. Prayer works miracles in you and through you. Therefore, little children, in the simplicity of heart seek of the Most High to give you the strength to be God's children and for Satan not to shake you like the wind shakes the branches. Little children, decide for God anew and seek only His will, and then you will find joy and peace in Him. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Today I call you to open yourselves to prayer. Prayer works miracles in you and through you. 

From September 26 to October 8, I went on a pilgrimage to Italy and Medjugorje with 58 pilgrims. On the first day of the pilgrimage, I emphasized the importance of prayer. I told them that without prayer, we would not encounter God or be transformed, and I encouraged them to pray throughout the pilgrimage. Whenever I had the opportunity, I prayed with the pilgrims, and though the timing varied for each individual, everyone eventually opened themselves to prayer, offering many prayers throughout the journey. As early as Italy, I noticed changes in many people’s faces, and by the end of the pilgrimage in Medjugorje, everyone's faces were glowing with light. This transformation was a gift and a miracle from God for those who opened themselves to prayer. The greatest miracle in the world is the transformation of a person into someone who firmly believes in the existence and power of God. That transformation is reflected in faces and lives filled with God’s peace and joy. Furthermore, through such transformed individuals, God works miracles in others who are in need of the same change.

Therefore, little children, in the simplicity of heart seek of the Most High to give you the strength to be God's children and for Satan not to shake you like the wind shakes the branches.

When someone behaves in an unworthy manner, we often say, "First, become a person." Just as humans are constantly evolving, we, who have become children of God through baptism, must continually become "children of God." Although we were made God’s children through baptism, without the strength that God gives, we cannot live as His children. The more we strive to live as children of God, the more Satan, out of envy, tries to turn us into his pawns, tempting us in every way. When we succumb to Satan’s temptations, we sin, and the dignity God has given us as His children is greatly damaged. This is why, as the Blessed Mother says, we must ask the Most High God with a simple heart to give us the strength to be His children and to prevent Satan from shaking us like branches in the wind. God is our Father, and He will never reject our plea to live rightly as His children or to protect us from Satan’s temptations and attacks. Jesus said, "Ask and it will be given to you; 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. Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asks for a fish? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him" (Mt 7:7-11).

Little children, decide for God anew and seek only His will, and then you will find joy and peace in Him. Thank you for having responded to my call.

As the Blessed Mother says, in order to make a new commitment for God and seek only His will, the center of our lives must shift from ourselves to God. As the Lord said, "The desires of the human heart are evil from youth" (Gn 8:21), due to original sin, humans tend to gravitate towards sin and evil, being self-centered and selfish. We cannot free ourselves from this condition by our own strength.
      So who can save us from sin and evil and transform us into new beings who live for God and others? It is Jesus Christ. Through His Passion, death, and Resurrection, He paved the way for the renewal of humanity. Those who believe in Him shed their old selves and are reborn as new beings through baptism. This is why the Apostle Paul says, “For through the law I died to the law, that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me" (Gal 2:19-20).
      As the Apostle Paul teaches, we have died with Christ on the cross, and since Christ lives in us, we no longer live for ourselves. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can live for God the Father, who saved us through Christ, and continually seek His will. To live this way every day, we must listen to the voice of Jesus, who lives in us and constantly tells us, "Seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness" (Mt 6:33). "This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven" (Mt 6:9-10).
   
 
 
September 25, 2013
"Dear children! Also today I call you to prayer. May your relationship with prayer be a daily one. Prayer works miracles in you and through you, therefore, little children, may prayer be a joy for you. Then your relationship with life will be deeper and more open and you will comprehend that life is a gift for each of you. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Also today I call you to prayer. May your relationship with prayer be a daily one. 

At the beginning of the apparitions in Medjugorje, the Blessed Mother directly led a “school of prayer” for the youth of Medjugorje and two locutionists, who heard the voice of the Blessed Mother internally, unlike the six visionaries who saw her physically. On one particular day, unlike other days when she would teach different forms of prayer, the Blessed Mother prayed only three decades of the Rosary with the children before sending them home. As she dismissed them, she said, "Children, today we will pray only three decades of the Rosary with me. Then, on your way home, pray the fourth decade. When you arrive home, help with the house chores, eat dinner, do your homework, and before you go to bed, pray the last decade. Then the Holy Spirit of prayer will continue praying with you throughout the night." In this way, the Blessed Mother taught the children that prayer should be integrated into everyday life. In another message, she said, "Fill your day with short, fervent prayers," "Pray so that prayer becomes part of your daily life," and "Start and end your day with prayer."
      The Blessed Mother wants prayer to be an integral part of our lives, not something separate from it. Prayer is like the act of breathing, constantly taking in new air into our bodies. A body that does not breathe is dead, and similarly, a soul that does not pray is spiritually dead, as it cannot receive the life of God.
      That is why, in this month’s message, the Blessed Mother says, "Dear children! Also today I call you to prayer. May your relationship with prayer be a daily one." Prayer should not be something we postpone for days and then try to do all at once when we have time. It is something we must practice daily, alongside our everyday lives.
      Many times, we place prayer at the very end of our priorities, citing how busy we are. This is a mistake. Prayer must take the first place in our lives above all else. When prayer is at the center of our daily life, God is also at the center of our lives, and we can live each day with His strength.

Prayer works miracles in you and through you, therefore, little children, may prayer be a joy for you. Then your relationship with life will be deeper and more open and you will comprehend that life is a gift for each of you. Thank you for having responded to my call.

Jesus fed a crowd of five thousand men with just five loaves of bread and two fish. Before performing this miracle, Jesus took the loaves and fish, lifted them to God the Father, and prayed. This demonstrates that prayer, when offered with a pure heart, moves God the Father, and He works miracles through that prayer.
      Yes, when we pray, our hearts become aligned with God’s heart, transforming our thoughts and desires. Instead of focusing on our own will, we begin to consider what God’s will is. This is the miracle that God works within us. Additionally, when we pray for someone else with good intentions, God the Father can work miracles through our prayers.
      Those who experience God’s miracles through prayer develop a deeper longing for God and spiritual things. They pray more than before and strive to draw closer to God. As a result, their attachment to worldly and material things diminishes, giving their lives greater depth and openness to God and spiritual matters. They begin to feel truly alive in God, realizing that life is a profound gift of love from God, and they live a life filled with gratitude. It is in prayer that we truly feel alive!
   
 
 
August 25, 2013
“Dear children! Also today, the Most High is giving me the grace to be with you and to lead you towards conversion. Every day I am sowing and am calling you to conversion, that you may be prayer, peace, love - the grain that by dying will give birth a hundredfold. I do not desire for you, dear children, to have to repent for everything that you could have done but did not want to. Therefore, little children, again, with enthusiasm say: ‘I want to be a sign to others.’ Thank you for having responded to my call.”

Dear children! Also today, the Most High is giving me the grace to be with you and to lead you towards conversion.

We always desire that God bless us and grant us His grace. This is entirely natural. However, we often have a tendency to confine those blessings and graces to ourselves or, at most, to our families. While it is true that God blesses us, those blessings and graces are not meant to remain solely with us. Instead, they are to flow through us to our neighbors, communities, nations, and ultimately to all people across the world.
      A clear example of this can be seen in the scene where God blesses Abraham. God commands Abraham to leave his homeland and his father’s house and go to the land He will show him, saying:
      "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and 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 shall find blessing in you." (Genesis 12:2-3)
      This passage reveals God’s will that His blessings not remain with a single individual or family but spread to the broader world.
However, she clarifies that the grace she receives is not for herself alone but is given so that she can lead us to conversion. Our Lady deeply understands that the grace bestowed upon her is not for her own sake but must be used for her children—that is, for us. She openly acknowledges this and actively uses that grace as an instrument for our benefit.
      This attitude of Our Lady is a profound example for us. We, too, should not seek grace and blessings solely for ourselves. Instead, we must resolve to use all the blessings and grace we receive for the needs of others beyond ourselves. By living out this resolution, we can become instruments through which God’s grace reaches the world.

Every day I am sowing and am calling you to conversion, that you may be prayer, peace, love - the grain that by dying will give birth a hundredfold. 

Our Lady knows exactly where the grace given to her is most valuably used. As our heavenly Mother, she lovingly uses it for our conversion. Every day, she sows the seeds of repentance, calling us to live lives of prayer, peace, and love, and to become grains of wheat that yield a hundredfold through our sacrifice and death.
      The word “daily” reveals her unwavering faithfulness and resolute commitment. Her daily sowing of the seeds of repentance, without missing a single day, reflects the heart of a heavenly Mother who does not wish to lose even one of her children. In this, we see her boundless love and devotion toward us.

I do not desire for you, dear children, to have to repent for everything that you could have done but did not want to. Therefore, little children, again, with enthusiasm say: ‘I want to be a sign to others.’ Thank you for having responded to my call.

Our Lady understands that repentance is what we need most because without it, there can be no salvation. Yet, she does not wish to force us to repent for what we have failed to do or even for what we have been unwilling to do.
      Why? Because, like God the Father, Our Lady deeply respects our free will. She knows that love always involves respect for the other person’s freedom. Even though we may be like little children, weak and imperfect, her respect for our free will and intentions reveals how much she treasures and loves each one of us.
       When we are loved and respected, our self-esteem grows, and we open our hearts to those who love and respect us, listening to their words and willingly following their guidance. In the same way, when we wholeheartedly respond to Our Lady’s invitation—one that respects our freedom without imposing on us—we can live with passion as prayer, peace, and love. By doing so, through repentance, we can become grains of wheat that bear a hundredfold and serve as signs for others.

   
 
 
July 25, 2013
"Dear children! With joy in my heart I call all of you to live your faith and to witness it with your heart and by your example in every way. Decide, little children, to be far from sin and temptation and may there be joy and love for holiness in your hearts. I love you, little children, and accompany you with my intercession before the Most High. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! With joy in my heart I call all of you to live your faith and to witness it with your heart and by your example in every way. 

In Jesus’ time, there were the Pharisees. The term Pharisee means “separated ones.” The Pharisees, from the mid-2nd century BC, advocated for a stricter interpretation and practice of Moses’ Law. They distinguished themselves from others who could not adhere to the Law and often looked down upon or opposed them. However, in the eyes of Jesus, they were seen as hypocrites who outwardly followed the Law but lacked its true spirit, for which they, along with the scribes, received strong rebukes from Jesus (cf. Mt 23).
      Even today, there are people around us who resemble the Pharisees. They may appear devout in their religious life but do not live by the spirit of the Gospel. These modern-day Pharisees confess faith with their mouths but do not live according to their beliefs in their daily lives.
      In this month’s message, the Blessed Mother asks us to live out our faith and bear witness by giving our whole heart and setting an example in every aspect. That’s right. We must live our faith, set an example, and bear witness to it in the world. This is why Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father" (Mt 5:14-16.)
      The Apostle James also emphasizes living faith, saying, "Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves" (Jas 1:22). He continues, "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone may say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble. Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called “the friend of God.” See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route? For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead" (Jas 2:14-26).
      Faith is not in our words but in our actions. No matter how deeply we speak of our faith, it is meaningless if that faith is not evident in our lives. As Jesus said, "By their fruits you will know them" (Mt 7:16). When we show our living, active faith, people will recognize that our faith is genuine.

Decide, little children, to be far from sin and temptation and may there be joy and love for holiness in your hearts. 

In a previous message, the Blessed Mother once said, "Your freedom is your weakness." I believe she said this because she knows how often we misuse our freedom, falling into sin when faced with temptation. We are weaker before temptation than we realize. Therefore, it is better not to overestimate our strength against temptation, but instead, to avoid it entirely. That is the wise choice. By doing so, we can protect ourselves from temptation and avoid the chance of falling into sin. Staying away from sin and temptation requires our will and determination. The Blessed Mother tells us that if we make this resolution, joy and a love for holiness will grow in our hearts.

I love you, little children, and accompany you with my intercession before the Most High. Thank you for having responded to my call.

In this month’s message, the Blessed Mother refers to us as "little children" twice. Children, more than anyone, long for their mother’s love and care and are entirely dependent on her. Likewise, as children of the Blessed Mother, we need her love and protection just as much. As her children, our role is simple: to entrust everything to her. Let us give thanks to the Blessed Mother, who remembers each one of us before the Most High God, constantly interceding for us, and let us entrust everything to her.
      Jesus, You said, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven" (Mt 7:21). Jesus, just as You said, I do not want to merely confess faith with my mouth but wish to reveal my faith through my actions and live according to the will of God the Father. Jesus, through the witness of my faith, let those around me recognize You and join the ranks of faith with me.
      Blessed Mother, I am always small and insignificant in your eyes. Yet, despite this, You are my loving mother, always watching over me with tender eyes and guiding me on the right path. Mother, as you have said, I resolve to stay away from sin and temptation, so please continue to intercede for me before God the Father.
   
 
 
June 25, 2013
"Dear children! With joy in the heart I love you all and call you to draw closer to my Immaculate Heart so I can draw you still closer to my Son Jesus, and that He can give you His peace and love, which are nourishment for each one of you. Open yourselves, little children, to prayer - open yourselves to my love. I am your mother and cannot leave you alone in wandering and sin. You are called, little children, to be my children, my beloved children, so I can present you all to my Son. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! With joy in the heart I love you all and call you to draw closer to my Immaculate Heart so I can draw you still closer to my Son Jesus, and that He can give you His peace and love, which are nourishment for each one of you. 

The heart is the center of human existence. The same is true for the Blessed Mother. Her heart is not just any heart; it is the "Immaculate Heart." This is because it was her heart that first accepted the conception of Jesus, the Son of God. She was born without original sin and lived without sin. And because her heart holds only love for the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and for humanity, it is a holy heart, her Sacred Heart.
      Jesus came into this world through the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Mother, and because He always remains within that heart, the closer we get to the Sacred Heart of Mary, the closer we naturally come to Jesus. The Blessed Mother's goal is to bring us closer to Jesus so we can enjoy His peace and love. This peace and love are not things we can buy or find anywhere in the world. They are the nourishment that sustains us, as the Blessed Mother tells us. Without God's peace and love, a person may be physically alive, but it would be just an empty shell. The quickest and most complete way to receive this peace and love is through the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Mother. Once we know the right path, the next step is to walk steadily along that path. Draw closer to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Mother.

Open yourselves, little children, to prayer - open yourselves to my love. I am your mother and cannot leave you alone in wandering and sin. You are called, little children, to be my children, my beloved children, so I can present you all to my Son. Thank you for having responded to my call.

The Blessed Mother asks us to open ourselves to prayer and her love, but she never forces our freedom. Although she uses the command, "open," she does not compel us to do so. The Blessed Mother fully respects our freedom and choices.
      But why does the Blessed Mother ask us to open ourselves to prayer and her love? She answers this in her message. First, because she is our mother. As our mother, she knows exactly what we need and wishes to pour her love upon us. Secondly, she does not want us to wander or fall into sin. We must pray to understand God's plan and will for our lives and to avoid sin. If we open ourselves to the Blessed Mother's love and entrust ourselves to her protection, she will hold us close, helping us not to wander or fall into sin.
      Before leaving this world, Jesus, from the cross, looked at the apostle John, who was standing there representing all humanity and the Church, and said to His mother, "Woman, here is your son." Then, He said to John, "Here is your mother" (cf. Jn 19:26-27). By the command of Jesus, the Blessed Mother became the mother of all humanity, and humanity was given the Blessed Mother as their own. Becoming a child of the Blessed Mother is a command of Jesus, a heavenly call, a vocation. Being a child of the Blessed Mother is not a matter of choice; it is something all people must accept. Rejecting the Blessed Mother as our mother and refusing to become her child is to go against Jesus' command. In obedience to Jesus' words, "Here is your mother," let us joyfully accept the Blessed Mother as our mother and respond to the Lord's call to be her children.
      Jesus, You did not want to leave us as orphans. On the cross, in Your final moments before departing from this world, You made Your mother our mother and us her children. Jesus, never let me forget that I am part of the family of the Blessed Mother. Help me remember that all those around me are also her children, and therefore, my brothers and sisters. Jesus, grant me the grace to love Your mother Mary more and to open myself more to her love, the precious gift You gave us just before Your death.
      Blessed Mother, thank you for your love. As you have asked, I come closer to your Immaculate Heart, so that my entire being may become one with your heart. Through your heart, which is always united with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, may I draw closer to Jesus and become one with Him. I wish to open myself fully to prayer, so please guide me constantly.
   
 
 
May 25, 2013
"Dear children! Today I call you to be strong and resolute in faith and prayer, until your prayers are so strong so as to open the Heart of my beloved Son Jesus. Pray little children, pray without ceasing until your heart opens to God's love. I am with you and I intercede for all of you and I pray for your conversion. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Today I call you to be strong and resolute in faith and prayer, until your prayers are so strong so as to open the Heart of my beloved Son Jesus. 

In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 18, verses 35 to 43, we read the story of Jesus healing a blind man in Jericho. It happened when Jesus was approaching the city of Jericho, located 36 kilometers northeast of Jerusalem. A blind man was sitting by the roadside, begging, and when he heard the crowd passing by, he asked what was happening. When he was told that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, he cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" In this short cry was a profound confession of faith. He called Jesus the "Son of David," acknowledging Him as the Messiah born from the house of David. But how did this blind man know about Jesus? Being blind, he had never seen Him in person. He had only heard about Him through others. Yet, based on what he had heard, he believed that Jesus, the Son of David, was truly the Savior. The blind beggar in this story exemplifies the saying of Jesus: "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed" (Jn 20:29).
      Did this blind beggar in Jericho suddenly develop such great faith one day? No. From the day he first heard about Jesus until the day Jesus passed by him, he must have thought, meditated, and prayed about the words and deeds of Jesus every day. His faith matured over time, and that time was filled with meditation and prayer. Even before meeting Jesus, he believed in Him, had opened the door of his heart to Him, and his soul and spiritual eyes were already open.
      When Jesus passed by, as if in a dream, the blind man cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" But those who were leading the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet. However, he shouted all the louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" His cry stopped Jesus in His tracks, and it opened the door of Jesus' heart. Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The man replied, "Lord, I want to see." And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." Immediately, he regained his sight.
      This story of the blind beggar in Jericho is a perfect example of Our Lady's message: "\ Dear children! Today I call you to be strong and resolute in faith and prayer, until your prayers are so strong so as to open the Heart of my beloved Son Jesus." In her message last month, Our Lady said, "May Sacred scripture always be an incentive for you." The story of the blind beggar from the Gospel of Luke will always serve as an inspiration for us.

Pray little children, pray without ceasing until your heart opens to God's love. I am with you and I intercede for all of you and I pray for your conversion. Thank you for having responded to my call.

The heart is the center of our being. The direction and pattern of our lives depend on the condition of our hearts. To avoid evil and live righteously, our hearts must be filled with God's love. We see a prime example of this in the story of Zacchaeus in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 19. Though Zacchaeus was ostracized by others, Jesus knew his name at their first meeting and chose to stay at his house, showering him with love. Even though people condemned him as a sinner, Jesus did not care about their judgments. Jesus accepted Zacchaeus as he was and loved him. Moved by Jesus’ love, Zacchaeus stood up and voluntarily said, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
      Zacchaeus' heart was opened wide by the love of Jesus, and his open heart led him to acts of charity and kindness. To live a truly righteous life, we must experience the love of the good God and fill our hearts with His love.
      Zacchaeus, the tax collector in Jericho, must have gone through the same process as the blind beggar. Though he was not blind and could see Jesus, he had never actually met Him before. The Gospel tells us that Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was, which implies that he had never seen Him before. He must have heard stories about Jesus from various sources and spent time reflecting and praying. Although he climbed the sycamore tree because he was too short to see over the crowd, it wasn’t just out of simple curiosity. His heart longed for Jesus. He dreamed of meeting the one who did not condemn sinners and the sick, but instead befriended them, shared God's love and His word with them, and ultimately saved them. And finally, he met Jesus and experienced love and salvation.
      God has incredibly sharp hearing. Even before we speak, He hears the small cries of our hearts and listens to every single one of our prayers. What we need most right now is God's love. Let us pray and continue to pray without ceasing, so that our hearts may be opened to His love, or rather, so that our hearts may be attuned to the love that He is already offering us.
   
 
 
April 25, 2013
"Dear children! Pray, pray, keep praying until your heart opens in faith as a flower opens to the warm rays of the sun. This is a time of grace which God gives you through my presence but you are far from my heart, therefore, I call you to personal conversion and to family prayer. May Sacred scripture always be an incentive for you. I bless you all with my motherly blessing. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Pray, pray, keep praying until your heart opens in faith as a flower opens to the warm rays of the sun. 

Jesus said: "‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith" (Mk 9:23). "Have faith in God. Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him. Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours" (Mk 11:22-24).
      As these words tell us, nothing is impossible for those who believe in God. However, this faith does not come naturally. Faith is born through prayer and grows increasingly stronger. The depth and quantity of our faith are absolutely proportional to the depth and amount of prayer we offer. That is why Our Lady says, "Pray, pray, keep praying until your heart opens in faith," emphasizing the importance of persistent prayer. If we haven't yet experienced the opening of our hearts in faith, we must continue to pray even more diligently.
      There is an English proverb that says, "Practice makes perfect." It means that repeating something is the only way to truly master it. I believe this principle applies equally to our spiritual lives. To pray well, we must pray diligently and repeatedly. When we see someone who excels in a particular field, we can be sure that behind their achievement lies an immense amount of effort and practice, often unnoticed by others. Similarly, a spiritually mature person prays with twice the effort of others.
      By saying, "until you heart opens in faith," Our Lady reveals the extent of how long we should pray. Only we, ourselves, know whether or not our hearts have truly opened in faith. God and Our Lady also know this. In Our Lady's eyes, our hearts have not yet opened in faith, which is why she urges us, "Pray, pray, keep praying until your heart opens in faith." Faith is the fruit of prayer, and it is the key that opens the door of our hearts.

This is a time of grace which God gives you through my presence but you are far from my heart, therefore, I call you to personal conversion and to family prayer. May Sacred scripture always be an incentive for you. I bless you all with my motherly blessing. Thank you for having responded to my call.

Our Lady began her first apparition in Medjugorje on June 24, 1981, which coincidentally was the feast of St. John the Baptist, the one who called for repentance to prepare people for the coming of Jesus. Jesus chose that very day to send His Mother to earth as a prophet. If Jesus no longer cared for this world or no longer loved humanity, He would not have sent His Mother and might have chosen to bring everything to a sudden end. However, Jesus sent His Mother, Our Lady, as the Queen of Peace to the world, and through Medjugorje, she continues to show us her presence daily. Thus, the mere fact of her presence is a great gift of grace for us because we still have time to repent and return to the house of God the Father.
      Through Medjugorje, Our Lady appears daily and remains present among us, helping us to repent and leading us toward holiness, salvation, and peace.
    Yet, one must question how seriously we have taken this and whether we are making efforts for our conversion and salvation. If we had fully understood the significance of her apparitions and presence, Our Lady might not still be saying, "You are far from my heart." These words are not a rebuke; they express her sorrow. She does not want us to remain far from her heart. Therefore, she offers us a way to draw closer to her heart by saying: “Therefore, I call you to personal conversion and to family prayer. May Sacred scripture always be an incentive for you. I bless you all with my motherly blessing. Thank you for having responded to my call."
   
 
 
March 25, 2013
"Dear children! In this time of grace I call you to take the cross of my beloved Son Jesus in your hands and to meditate on His passion and death. May your suffering be united in His suffering and love will win, because He who is love gave Himself out of love to save each of you. Pray, pray, pray until love and peace begin to reign in your hearts. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! In this time of grace I call you to take the cross of my beloved Son Jesus in your hands and to meditate on His passion and death. 

On the afternoon of Monday, March 25, 2013, while I was attending a one-day retreat with the priests of the Diocese of Harrisburg to begin Holy Week, a priest gave a talk that profoundly resonated with me. Around the same time that the Blessed Mother’s message was given in Medjugorje, the priest shared a story from a previous retreat. During that retreat, the retreat leader invited all the attending priests to participate in a public examination of conscience. He asked them to place their finger on their wristwatch and reflect, "How much time do you spend in prayer each day?" He then asked them to point to their glasses, reflecting on, "What are you looking at and spending your time on?"
      This story aligns with the Blessed Mother's invitation to us. She doesn’t just ask us to look at the cross from a distance but to hold it in our hands, to bring it close, and to meditate deeply on Jesus' suffering and death. The Blessed Mother calls us to take the crucifix in our hands, just as during the Good Friday service when we reverence the cross by kissing it or bowing before it. Reflect on the meaning of Jesus' Passion and death, acknowledging that the one who suffered and died on the cross is our God, our Lord, and our Savior. Offer gratitude by kissing the cross and, like the Blessed Mother holding Jesus' body after He was taken down from the cross, embrace the crucifix, expressing your love and offering prayers of thanksgiving.

May your suffering be united in His suffering and love will win, because He who is love gave Himself out of love to save each of you. 

Suffering is something that all of us naturally want to avoid. When we experience pain, we want it to go away as quickly as possible, and we try to do everything we can to alleviate it. However, as Christians, we are called to a different understanding of suffering. Jesus, who bore the cross of suffering for our salvation, teaches us that to be His disciples, we must take up our cross daily and follow Him. For Christians, suffering is not something to be avoided, but a gift to be embraced with gratitude, just as Jesus embraced His cross before His crucifixion and thanked the Father for the strength to carry it.
      No matter what suffering we endure in life, it cannot compare to the suffering Jesus experienced in His Passion and death. By uniting our suffering with His, we find great comfort and realize that our pain is small in comparison. When we offer our suffering to Jesus, it becomes not just human suffering but a spiritual sacrifice for the salvation of others. Whatever pain we face, we should bring it before Jesus on the cross and say, "Lord, I bring this suffering as a gift to You. Unite it with Your suffering, and use it as a tool for the salvation of others."
      The cross of Jesus symbolizes suffering and death, but at its core, it is a symbol of love. The cross is where God's love for humanity is most clearly revealed. This love was not given because of any righteousness or worthiness on our part but because God's love is so vast. As St. Paul says, "Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us" (Rom 5:7-8).
      When we gaze upon the cross, we must always first remember God’s immense love for us, sinners. We should also recall that God, through the power of His love, overcame death by raising Jesus from the dead and opened the door to new life for us. The cross of Jesus is the ultimate sign of the triumph of God’s love.

Pray, pray, pray until love and peace begin to reign in your hearts. Thank you for having responded to my call. 

As St. Paul says, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal 5:22-23). Love and peace are gifts from heaven—fruits of the Holy Spirit that cannot be obtained unless God grants them. How do we receive these fruits of the Spirit? Through prayer. This is why the Blessed Mother calls us to pray, pray, and pray until love and peace begin to reign in our hearts.
       When Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, He instructed His disciples to stay in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came. Following His command, they gathered in the Upper Room, where Jesus instituted the Eucharist, and devoted themselves to prayer with the Blessed Mother (cf. Acts 1:12-14). The word "devoted" shows us that they prayed with full concentration, putting aside all distractions, just as the Blessed Mother encourages us to do—pray and pray and pray. It was through their devoted prayer that the Holy Spirit descended upon them at Pentecost.
       Each of us has our regular times of prayer, but what might happen if we dedicated an entire day solely to prayer? If we want to live out the Blessed Mother’s call to “pray, pray, pray,” perhaps we need to set aside special times for nothing but prayer.

      Loving God, we thank You for sending Your only Son, Jesus, to be our Savior. Jesus did not shrink from suffering but offered His life on the cross out of love for us. We are grateful for the mercy, love, and forgiveness revealed in His Passion and death. We also praise You for Your power in raising Jesus from the dead, showing that love, even when sacrificed, leads to victory and new life. Help us always to keep this truth in our hearts and follow Jesus' example. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
   
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