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Fr. Stephen Shin’s Reflections on the Messages
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January 25, 2017
"Dear children! Today I am calling you to pray for peace: peace in human hearts, peace in the families and peace in the world. Satan is strong and wants to turn all of you against God, and to return you to everything that is human, and to destroy in the heart all feelings towards God and the things of God. You, little children, pray and fight against materialism, modernism and egoism, which the world offers to you. Little children, you decide for holiness and I, with my Son Jesus, intercede for you. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Today I am calling you to pray for peace: peace in human hearts, peace in the families and peace in the world.

On June 24, 1981, the Virgin Mary appeared for the first time in Medjugorje. The next day, on the 25th, all six visionaries gathered together on Apparition Hill and witnessed the apparition of the Virgin Mary. On the third day, June 26, the Virgin Mary introduced herself as the "Queen of Peace." After the apparition to the six children on the hill, Mary appeared again to the visionary Marija as they were descending the hill. The pilgrimage guide Miki Musa described that apparition as follows: "That day, the third apparition to Marija was completely cold and cloudy. The Virgin Mary appeared with a cross beside her. Tears welled up in her eyes. At that moment, she gave her first message to the world: 'My beloved children, peace, peace, peace. Peace must be established between God and people. And peace must be established among all people.'" The message of 'peace' was the first message Mary gave to the world, and it has been a central theme in many of her subsequent messages. In this month’s message, she again speaks of peace: "Dear children! Today I am calling you to pray for peace: peace in human hearts, peace in the families and peace in the world.” Mary knows well how much peace is lacking in the hearts of people, in families, and in the world today, and so she calls us to pray for peace in these areas. Every time we attend Mass, just before Communion, we exchange a sign of peace. Even if the people around us are not personally close to us, we smile and wish them peace. With that same heart, we must pray and wish for peace to reign in the hearts of all people, in all families, and throughout the entire world. The following psalm should echo in our hearts always: "I rejoiced when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” And now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem. Jerusalem, built as a city, walled round about. There the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as it was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. There are the thrones of justice, the thrones of the house of David. For the peace of Jerusalem pray: “May those who love you prosper! May peace be within your ramparts, prosperity within your towers.” For the sake of my brothers and friends I say, “Peace be with you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord, our God, I pray for your good" (Ps 122).

Satan is strong and wants to turn all of you against God, and to return you to everything that is human, and to destroy in the heart all feelings towards God and the things of God.

As the Virgin Mary said, Satan is strong. Because he is a supernatural spiritual being, he is stronger than we might think. Even the Apostle Paul, who said, "For to me life is Christ... For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him" (Phil 1:21; 3:8-9), expressed his struggle against evil and Satan’s power as follows: "What I do, I do not understand. For I do not do what I want, but I do what I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I concur that the law is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh. The willing is ready at hand, but doing the good is not. For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want
Now if [I] do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. So, then, I discover the principle that when I want to do right, evil is at hand” (Rom 7:15-21). Even though we may not always realize it, Satan certainly exists and wants to turn us away from God. His sole purpose is to separate us from God and lead us down the path of destruction, to hell. To achieve this, Satan cunningly tempts us with his supernatural powers. He leads us to be captivated by worldly, materialistic, and purely human things, causing us to sin. After falling into temptation and committing sin, our hearts darken, and we begin to avoid God. The feelings we had toward God are destroyed, and we lose the desire to pray. If we experience such things happening to us, we must recognize that Satan is behind them. On October 13, 1884, after receiving a vision of the 100-year period of Satan's reign, Pope Leo XIII composed the following prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, which was to be recited at the end of every Mass. Although this prayer is no longer recited after Mass since the Second Vatican Council, in today's times, when Satan's influence is more rampant than ever, it is necessary to recite this prayer frequently and daily.
      "St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen."

You, little children, pray and fight against materialism, modernism and egoism, which the world offers to you. Little children, you decide for holiness and I, with my Son Jesus, intercede for you. Thank you for having responded to my call.

The Virgin Mary calls us her dear children. To her, all people in the world are like little children. Regardless of how much power, position, or wealth one may have, everyone looks small and young in her eyes. We, who are small and weak, have only one way to fight against Satan’s great power and the materialism, modernism, and selfishness the world presents to us: to pray. We must entrust ourselves to God, rely on His strength, and believe in the power of His name. We must choose holiness. Then we can be like David, the young shepherd who defeated the giant Goliath with a single stone (cf. 1 Sm 17). With the intercession of Mary and Jesus, we can receive their strength and become warriors for God, like David.
   
 
 
December 25, 2016
"Dear children! With great joy, today I am carrying my Son Jesus to you, for Him to give you His peace. Open your hearts, little children, and be joyful that you can receive it. Heaven is with you and is fighting for peace in your hearts, in the families and in the world; and you, little children, help with your prayers for it to be so. I bless you with my Son Jesus and call you not to lose hope; and for your gaze and heart to always be directed towards Heaven and eternity. In this way, you will be open to God and to His plans. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! With great joy, today I am carrying my Son Jesus to you, for Him to give you His peace. Open your hearts, little children, and be joyful that you can receive it. Heaven is with you and is fighting for peace in your hearts, in the families and in the world; and you, little children, help with your prayers for it to be so. 

Just as the Blessed Mother brought Jesus to us on His first Christmas in Bethlehem, through Medjugorje, she continues to bring Jesus to us today. The reason the Blessed Mother has been appearing daily for 35 and a half years is to bring us Jesus, who desires to give us His peace, and to help us open our hearts so that we can receive His peace. Just as the shepherds of Bethlehem were filled with joy when they went to the cave and saw Jesus lying in the manger, as the angel had told them, and just as the wise men from the East rejoiced to see the Savior and offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, we too must open our hearts, joyfully welcome Jesus, and gratefully receive the gift of peace that He offers.
      Jesus Himself is Heaven. Every time the Mass is celebrated, Jesus comes to us, and Heaven descends to earth. Through His birth at Christmas and His presence at every Mass, Jesus continues to bring Heaven to remain with us here on earth. Jesus desires that our hearts, our families, and the world may fully accept Him, and thus be filled with peace, becoming like Heaven.
      The Blessed Mother and Jesus are fighting tirelessly to fill our hearts, families, and the world with the peace that Jesus offers. We are called to join their efforts. The Blessed Mother tells us, "Therefore, dear children, help heaven with your prayers so that it may succeed." We may not fully comprehend how much our prayers can help, but if they can be of any assistance, we must willingly offer them to help heaven through our prayers.

I bless you with my Son Jesus and call you not to lose hope; and for your gaze and heart to always be directed towards Heaven and eternity. In this way, you will be open to God and to His plans. Thank you for having responded to my call.

The more blessings we receive, the better. The Blessed Mother blesses us together with her Son, Jesus, meaning we receive a double blessing. The blessings we receive are heavenly blessings, incomparable to any earthly blessings. Who are we to receive such heavenly blessings, let alone a double portion of them? It is an amazing and awe-inspiring gift, one for which we should offer unceasing gratitude. As insignificant as we are, we receive these heavenly blessings, and we should rejoice in this fact. Like the psalmist, we should continually ask, "What is man that you are mindful of him, and a son of man that you care for him?" (Ps 8:5).
       As we receive the blessings of Jesus and the Blessed Mother, we are always under their care. Therefore, we must never lose hope, no matter the circumstances. To live forever with them in heaven, where they dwell, we must keep our eyes and hearts fixed on heaven and eternity. The Blessed Mother is here to help us, and she is calling us to this very purpose. Everything we need is being given to us. We only need to open our hearts, give thanks, and respond. Let us continually pray, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven," and open our hearts in response.
   
 
 
November 25, 2016
"Dear children! Also today, I am calling you to return to prayer. In this time of grace, God has permitted me to lead you towards holiness and a simple life - that in little things you discover God the Creator; that you fall in love with Him; and that your life be a thanksgiving to the Most High for everything He is giving you. Little children, in love, may your life be a gift for others and God will bless you; but you, witness without interest - out of love for God. I am with you and intercede before my Son for all of you. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Also today, I am calling you to return to prayer. In this time of grace, God has permitted me to lead you towards holiness and a simple life - that in little things you discover God the Creator; that you fall in love with Him; and that your life be a thanksgiving to the Most High for everything He is giving you. 

The Blessed Mother's coming to this earth is God's will. As she says in this month's message, she is coming with God's permission to lead us to holiness and a simple life. This means that ultimately, God desires us to live a holy and simple life. So how can we live a holy and simple life? The answer is quite simple: through prayer. If we pray, we can live a holy and simple life. That is why the Blessed Mother says, "Dear children! Also today, I am calling you to return to prayer."
      A simple life in which you discover the Creator God in small things, fall in love with Him, and let your life become a thanksgiving offering to the Most High for everything He is giving you.
The Blessed Mother tells us that only through prayer can we live a holy and simple life. She then explains what a simple life specifically entails. A simple life means discovering the Creator God in small things. What are the small things in which we can discover the Creator? They may be the everyday occurrences that we don't consciously notice or assign great significance to. For example, the sun, moon, and stars rise and set every day, and the seasons change to sustain life on earth. The Creator God, who made us and all living things, continues to do great things for us every day, though we often fail to notice them. If we recognize that the sun rises and sets daily because God commands it to, we realize that even things we previously didn't notice or thought insignificant are, in fact, immense blessings. Moreover, think about the fact that we breathe to stay alive every moment. It may seem natural and insignificant, but without God's permission, we would not be able to live even for a second, and our bodies would be lifeless as soon as we stop breathing.
      Secondly, the Blessed Mother tells us that a simple life means falling in love with God. True love requires no calculation. A person with an undivided heart can love. When we truly fall in love, we often say we are "blinded by love" for someone. To fall in love with God, we must be "blinded" by Him—giving no attention to anything else but God. When our hearts are entirely focused on Him, falling in love with God becomes a simple life.
      Finally, the Blessed Mother says that when our life becomes a thanksgiving offering for everything God is giving us, that is a simple life. To live this kind of life, we must first reflect on everything God has given us. How can we give thanks if we don't even know what we have received? And we must first find and give thanks for the small things we may have overlooked or taken for granted. The Blessed Mother has said, "If you are grateful for the small things, you will also be grateful for the big things." Our gratitude to God should be expressed concretely in our lives—through prayer, attending Mass, and performing acts of charity for others. We should express gratitude every morning, every evening, and in every moment. This is the simple life the Blessed Mother teaches us, and the simple life God desires for us.

Little children, in love, may your life be a gift for others and God will bless you; but you, witness without interest - out of love for God. I am with you and intercede before my Son for all of you. Thank you for having responded to my call.

In 1 Corinthians 13, the Apostle Paul speaks of love, saying, "If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing" (v. 3). The Blessed Mother's words, "Dear children, I hope that in love, your life becomes a gift for others," echo this sentiment. Without love, our lives cannot become a gift for others. This is why the Blessed Mother emphasizes the phrase "in love." The reason we must become a gift for others in love is simple—God, who is Love itself, has given everything to us out of love. Therefore, we cannot help but love Him, and we cannot help but give thanks to Him. As Jesus said, "Freely you have received; freely give" (Matthew 10:8). Since we have received everything freely from God, we must give freely, expecting nothing in return. Our selflessness will bring joy to God, and He will bless us even more.
   
 
 
October 25, 2016
"Dear children! Today I am calling you: pray for peace. Leave selfishness and live the messages which I am giving you. Without them, you cannot change your life. By living prayer, you will have peace. By living in peace, you will feel the need to witness, because you will discover God whom you now feel to be far away. Therefore, little children, pray, pray, pray and permit God to enter into your hearts. Return to fasting and confession so as to overcome the evil in you and around you. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Today I am calling you: pray for peace. Leave selfishness and live the messages which I am giving you. Without them, you cannot change your life. 

King Solomon, the son of David, went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices. There, the Lord appeared to him in a dream at night and said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." Solomon answered, "O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, but I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?" The Lord was pleased with Solomon’s request and said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have you asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life” (1 Kgs 3:4-14, paraphrased).
      Through this story, we learn what we should ask for in our prayers and the focus of our intentions. God highly valued Solomon, who thought of the people before himself and asked for wisdom and discernment to govern them well. Solomon’s request to govern the people justly and distinguish right from wrong was granted, and he also received wealth and honor that he did not ask for, as well as a promise of a long life on the condition of obedience.
      In this month's message, the Blessed Mother says, "Dear children! Today I am calling you to pray for peace." When she asks us to "pray for peace," no possessive pronoun precedes the word "peace." The Blessed Mother is calling us to pray for peace—peace for all. It is peace for our neighbors, for our country, and for the world. What we must ask for before God is precisely this peace. To pray for peace for all, we must not put ourselves first. That is why the Blessed Mother says, "Leave selfishness and live the messages which I am giving you. Without them, you cannot change your life.”

By living prayer, you will have peace. By living in peace, you will feel the need to witness, because you will discover God whom you now feel to be far away.

When we pray sincerely for the peace of all people and the world, without first considering our own comfort, we will also share in this gift of peace. God will see our sincere prayers for the peace of others and will grant us an immense peace in our hearts and lives that we had not even thought of. We will also deeply experience that God is near us. Thus, praying for the peace of all people and the world ultimately becomes a prayer for our own peace and a time to experience God more deeply in our lives.

Therefore, little children, pray, pray, pray and permit God to enter into your hearts. 

Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with" (Rev 3:20). Just like this, Jesus is knocking on the door of our hearts, asking us to open it. Now it is our turn. We must first listen to the voice of Jesus, who is knocking and asking to be let in, and then open the door for Him. How can this happen? It can only happen through prayer. Through prayer, we can hear His voice knocking at the door of our hearts, and only through prayer can we open that door for Him. That is why the Blessed Mother says, "Therefore, dear children, pray, pray, and pray, and let God enter your hearts." Not just pray once, but like the triple repetition used to emphasize finality, "pray, pray, and pray." She calls us to pray with all our strength and with all our hearts.

Return to fasting and confession so as to overcome the evil in you and around you. Thank you for having responded to my call.

The Blessed Mother has already asked us to fast on bread and water on Wednesdays and Fridays and to go to confession at least once a month. She says, " Return to fasting and confession so as to overcome the evil in you and around you," making the purpose clear. Although fasting and confession have many other effects, the Blessed Mother teaches in this month's message that they give us the strength to overcome the evil within us and around us. Indeed, fasting and confession have an exorcistic effect, helping us to overcome and cast out the evil within us and around us, and the devil, the source of that evil. Let us live according to her message and change our lives by fasting and going to confession, as she said, "Live according to the messages I am giving you. Without my messages, you cannot change your lives."
   
 
 
September 25, 2016
"Dear children! Today, I am calling you to prayer. May prayer be life to you. Only in this way will your heart be filled with peace and joy. God will be near you and you will feel Him in your heart as a friend. You will speak with Him as with someone whom you know and, little children, you will have a need to witness, because Jesus will be in your heart and you, united in Him. I am with you and love all of you with my motherly love. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Today, I am calling you to prayer. May prayer be life to you. 

The Blessed Mother calls us to prayer and wishes for prayer to become our life. How much prayer is necessary for it to become our life? Just as continuous breathing sustains life, we must fill our day with prayer so that prayer becomes our life. Does this mean we should neglect all other things we need to do to maintain our daily lives? No, it doesn’t. Prayer must become the center of our lives, and our lives should harmonize with prayer. A good example of this is when the Blessed Mother, in the early days of the Medjugorje apparitions, directly led the prayer group of young people through the visionaries. She taught them how to pray and prayed the rosary with them. One day, while praying the rosary with the children, she stopped after the third decade and said to them, "Let us stop here for today. As you walk home, pray the fourth decade. When you arrive home, do your homework, help with housework, and pray the fifth decade before you go to bed. And when you go to sleep, the spirit of prayer will continue to pray with you while you sleep." In this way, the Blessed Mother taught the children how to make prayer the center of their lives and how to harmonize prayer with daily life.

Only in this way will your heart be filled with peace and joy. God will be near you and you will feel Him in your heart as a friend. You will speak with Him as with someone whom you know.

The phrase "only through this way" shows us that the Blessed Mother teaches that prayer is the only way to attain peace and joy in our hearts. Peace and joy are the fruits of prayer, and they are gifts of grace bestowed by God. So, if you have not yet felt peace and joy in your heart, follow the Blessed Mother's call and start praying. If you have already prayed but still do not feel peace and joy in your heart, double or triple the amount of prayer you offer from your heart. Pray until prayer becomes your life.
      To become close to someone, we must start a conversation and continue talking with them to deepen our relationship. In the same way, to grow closer to God, we must communicate with Him, and the means to do this is through prayer. Through prayer, we can become close to God, and through continued prayer, we experience His presence near us. As we keep praying, our intimacy with God deepens. God becomes no longer distant but a close friend to us. Therefore, we should remember that prayer is not primarily about asking for something but about becoming closer to God.

And, little children, you will have a need to witness, because Jesus will be in your heart and you, united in Him. I am with you and love all of you with my motherly love. Thank you for having responded to my call.

The effects of prayer do not end there. Through prayer, Jesus becomes our friend, and because of this, He does not leave us. Just as we do not want to part from someone we are close to and always want to be with them, Jesus, who has become our friend, does not want to leave us. He wants to remain in our hearts and be one with us. When we are people of prayer and Jesus dwells in our hearts and is united with us, this will naturally be reflected in our faces, words, and actions. If we do not pray, or if we do not invite Jesus into our hearts and become one with Him, we cannot be witnesses to Him.
   
 
 
August 25, 2016

"Dear children! Today I desire to share Heavenly joy with you. You, little children, open the door of your heart so that hope, peace and love, which only God gives, may grow in your heart. Little children, you are too bound to the earth and earthly things, that is why, Satan is rolling you like the wind rolls the waves of the sea. Therefore, may the chain of your life be prayer with the heart and Adoration of my Son Jesus. Give over your future to Him so that, in Him, you may be joy and an example with your lives to others. Thank you for having responded to my call."


Dear children! Today I desire to share Heavenly joy with you. You, little children, open the door of your heart so that hope, peace and love, which only God gives, may grow in your heart. 


We remember what Mirjana, one of the visionaries, once said: "After witnessing the apparition of the Blessed Mother, returning to the reality of this world is not easy. I have to enter my room and pray for a long time to calm my heart. Only when my heart is finally at peace can I return to daily life." Why is this so? Because she has tasted the joy of heaven. After experiencing the heavenly joy brought by the Queen of Heaven, the Blessed Mother, one realizes that nothing on this earth can satisfy the heart in the same way. Although we cannot see the Blessed Mother directly like the visionaries, she still desires to share her heavenly joy with us. How can we feel the heavenly joy that she wants to share with us? It is possible when we open our hearts to God through prayer. Just like the psalmist who says, "As the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God" (Ps 42:2), when our souls long for God and we open our hearts wide to Him, we can feel the heavenly joy that the Blessed Mother wants to share with us. When we open the doors of our hearts to God, He plants the seeds of hope, peace, and love that only He can give, and these will grow within us.


Little children, you are too bound to the earth and earthly things, that is why, Satan is rolling you like the wind rolls the waves of the sea. Therefore, may the chain of your life be prayer with the heart and Adoration of my Son Jesus.


Even though we know in our minds that we should open our hearts to God, we often do not because we are still too attached to earthly things. Satan sows seeds of evil such as worry, anxiety, fear, doubt, greed, and anger in our hearts, tempting us and leading us into sin. This is why we must boldly break the chains that bind our hearts to earthly things and fill our hearts with prayer and love for Jesus. Just as Jesus, when casting out the mute and deaf spirit from a child, said to His disciples, "This kind can only come out by prayer" (Mark 9:29), only prayer can drive Satan out of our hearts and free us from the things of this earth that bind us.


Give over your future to Him so that, in Him, you may be joy and an example with your lives to others. Thank you for having responded to my call.


To entrust our future to Jesus, we must first firmly believe in His goodness and providential care. When we wholeheartedly entrust everything to Him without hesitation or regret, Jesus will give us the best future. Just as children trust and follow their parents, leaving everything in their hands, and the parents are pleased, so too, if we entrust our future to Jesus and follow Him, His heart will be filled with joy and delight.

      Let us read and meditate on the following scripture, which the Blessed Mother of Medjugorje specifically recommended we reflect on every Thursday in front of the Blessed Sacrament, and let us learn to entrust our future to Jesus.

      “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil” (Mt 6:25-34).

 
   
 
 
July 25, 2016
"Dear children! I am looking at you and I see you lost; and you do not have prayer or joy in your heart. Return to prayer, little children, and put God in the first place and not man. Do not lose the hope which I am carrying to you. May this time, little children, every day, be a greater seeking of God in the silence of your heart; and pray, pray, pray until prayer becomes joy for you. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! I am looking at you and I see you lost; and you do not have prayer or joy in your heart. Return to prayer, little children, and put God in the first place and not man. Do not lose the hope which I am carrying to you. 

Just as a mother never takes her eyes off her baby, always watching with care and concern, the Blessed Mother constantly keeps her loving gaze on us, her children. Although we are her little ones, she respects our free will, never forcing us to follow her. Even when we make wrong choices and lose our way, she does not interfere, but like God, she permits us to choose freely. However, she does not wish for us to continue down the path of destruction. Instead, she gently reminds us of our current state and encourages us to return to the right path.
In her words, “Dear children! I am looking at you and I see you lost; and you do not have prayer or joy in your heart,” there is no judgment or condemnation, but rather deep concern and love. The Blessed Mother knows that we are lost and that our hearts are empty of both prayer and joy.
      So, how can we regain our way and find joy and prayer in our hearts again? The first step is prayer. The Blessed Mother tells us, “Return to prayer.” Only through prayer can we find our way back. Only through prayer can we return to Jesus, who is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Only through prayer can our hearts be filled with joy.
       The Blessed Mother also emphasizes, “Put God in the first place, not man.” When God is in the first place in our lives, He becomes the center of everything we do. With God at the center, we will never stop praying, and we will never lose hope.

May this time, little children, every day, be a greater seeking of God in the silence of your heart. 

Bad habits come easily without effort, but good habits require conscious effort to develop. Silence of the heart and time spent in prayer are no different. If we do not intentionally create moments of silence and prayer, they will not become a part of our lives. Just as an elite athlete must train daily to stay at the top of their game, we must also dedicate ourselves daily to silence of the heart and constant prayer in order to become truly spiritual. Only when our hearts are silent will there be space for God to enter.

And pray, pray, pray until prayer becomes joy for you. Thank you for having responded to my call.

It is easy to become addicted to games or TV dramas, but it is much harder to immerse ourselves fully in prayer. Games and dramas provide instant gratification and excitement, while prayer does not always bring immediate joy or pleasure. However, when we pray with all our heart and persevere in it, we eventually discover that prayer is a source of joy like no other. It brings us peace and happiness that nothing in the world can provide.
      Jesus taught, “Pray always without becoming weary” (Lk 18:1), and St. Paul said, “Persevere in prayer” (Romans 12:12). and “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thes 5:17). Like them, the Blessed Mother also urges us to pray constantly until prayer becomes joy for us. Those who have experienced the joy that comes from prayer will never stop praying.
   
 
 
June 25, 2016
"Dear children! Give thanks to God with me for the gift of my being with you. Pray, little children, and live God's commandments that it may be good for you on earth. Today, on this day of grace, I desire to give you my motherly blessing of peace and of my love. I intercede for you with my Son and call you to persevere in prayer so that, with you, I can realize my plans. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Give thanks to God with me for the gift of my being with you. 

The Blessed Mother emphasizes that it is God Himself who has sent her to be with us. She highlights that God is the true author of the Medjugorje apparitions. Therefore, whenever we think about the apparitions of the Blessed Mother, we must first acknowledge God, who has sent her for our salvation, and offer Him our gratitude. The fact that God sends the Blessed Mother to dwell among us is a powerful testament that He has not forgotten us and is deeply concerned about our salvation. Despite our lack of faith and ingratitude, He still sends the Blessed Mother to guide us. This is a precious and incomparable gift from God. In return, we should not only express our gratitude but also show our faith and love to the God who has sent this gift.

Pray, little children, and live God's commandments that it may be good for you on earth. 

The Blessed Mother’s ultimate purpose for coming to us is to lead us toward the path of salvation and to heaven. However, this does not mean she overlooks our earthly lives. This life on earth is a great blessing from God, and the Blessed Mother desires that we live well during our time here. The way to achieve this, she says, is through prayer and living by God's commandments. To pray and to follow God's commandments means to completely entrust everything to God and live according to His will. When we dedicate our time and hearts to God in prayer and love Him with all our soul, mind, and strength, while loving our neighbors as ourselves, we will prosper here on earth. The true meaning of “doing well” on earth goes beyond material blessings or prosperity. It involves living in the peace and joy that only God can give. By seeking God alone and striving to do His will, He will pour out abundant blessings upon us, and everything we do will bear good fruit.

Today, on this day of grace, I desire to give you my motherly blessing of peace and of my love.

The Blessed Mother first appeared in Medjugorje on June 24, 1981. However, she remained silent during that first appearance, and it was on June 25 that she spoke to the visionaries for the first time. For this reason, June 25 has been celebrated as the anniversary of the Medjugorje apparitions each year. The message for this month was given on the 35th anniversary of the apparitions, and the Blessed Mother refers to this day as a “day of grace.” Indeed, it is a day of grace because it marks the beginning of her mission to come to us for the salvation of her children, and after 35 years, she continues to be with us. On this special day, the Blessed Mother wishes to bestow her motherly blessing of peace and love upon us.

I intercede for you with my Son and call you to persevere in prayer so that, with you, I can realize my plans. Thank you for having responded to my call.

How amazing is it to know that both Jesus and the Blessed Mother are interceding for us! We are never alone. Whether we are aware of it or not, Jesus and the Blessed Mother are praying for us and always remain by our side.
      The Blessed Mother calls us to be her collaborators in her work. Just as Jesus said, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you” (Jn 15:16), the Blessed Mother has chosen us to assist in her mission. She has many plans for humanity, all of which are for the salvation of souls. In order for her plans to be realized, she invites us to persevere in prayer. We can offer our prayers by saying, “Mother, if this small prayer of mine can help in the salvation of souls, nothing will make me happier. Thank you for calling me to assist in your work of saving souls.”
     Let us always remember that the prayers we offer for the salvation of humanity also contribute to our own salvation. Grateful for being called to assist the Blessed Mother, let us continually respond to her call through unceasing prayer and collaboration in her divine plans.
   
 
 
2016년 5월 25일
"Dear children! My presence is a gift from God for all of you and an encouragement for conversion. Satan is strong and wants to put disorder and unrest in your hearts and thoughts. Therefore, you, little children, pray so that the Holy Spirit may lead you on the real way of joy and peace. I am with you and intercede before my Son for you. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! My presence is a gift from God for all of you and an encouragement for conversion. 

The Blessed Mother tells us that her apparition in Medjugorje is a gift from God for all of us. We should be deeply grateful for this gift because it is a sign that God has not forgotten us. Through her presence, God is giving us an opportunity to turn back to Him, showing us that there is still hope. This gift of her presence is not something we earned but comes from God’s overflowing love and mercy.
      The Blessed Mother's apparitions are meant for every person; no one is excluded from this gift. Her purpose is to lead us all to conversion. This means confessing our sins, rejecting evil, and completely surrendering ourselves to God. Without conversion, there can be no salvation. Thus, each time we reflect on the continuous presence of the Blessed Mother, we should remember God’s immense desire for our salvation and respond with gratitude and a heart open to conversion.

Satan is strong and wants to put disorder and unrest in your hearts and thoughts. Therefore, you, little children, pray so that the Holy Spirit may lead you on the real way of joy and peace. 

Satan is a spiritual being, unseen by our eyes, but his influence is real. He uses his supernatural power to tempt us into sin and seeks to destroy our souls. The Blessed Mother warns us, “Satan is strong and desires to sow disorder and unrest in your hearts and minds,” reminding us that we need to stay vigilant. If we notice disorder or unrest creeping into our hearts and thoughts, we must recognize it as Satan’s influence and immediately turn to prayer, inviting the Holy Spirit into our hearts.
      When we pray to the Holy Spirit, we can use powerful invocations like: "Come, Holy Spirit, through the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Your beloved spouse." By doing so, we invite the Holy Spirit to guide us toward true joy and peace, shielding us from Satan’s efforts to cause chaos and anxiety.

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

The scene of the crucifixion in the Gospel of John reminds us of how Jesus entrusted us to the care of His Blessed Mother: “Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home” (Jn 19:25-27).
      Through this scripture, we see how Jesus gave His mother to all humanity, represented by the disciple John. Even though we were not physically present at the crucifixion, John stood there on our behalf, making all of us the spiritual children of the Blessed Mother. From that moment on, she became the mother of all believers.
      Just as earthly mothers stay close to their children, caring for them, the Blessed Mother remains close to us spiritually, caring for us and interceding for us before Jesus. She is with us, supporting and praying for us, always acting as our loving mother and advocate.
      In this message, the Blessed Mother invites us to embrace God’s gift of her presence, to stay vigilant against Satan’s attempts to disrupt our peace, and to rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance. Her motherly care is constant, and she is always interceding for us before her Son.
   
 
 
April 25, 2016
"Dear children! My Immaculate Heart bleeds as I look at you in sin and sinful habits. I am calling you: return to God and to prayer that it may be good for you on earth. God is calling you through me for your hearts to be hope and joy for all those who are far away. May my call be for you a balm for the soul and heart so that you may glorify God, the Creator, who loves you and is calling you to eternity. Little children, life is short; you, make good use of this time and do what is good. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! My Immaculate Heart bleeds as I look at you in sin and sinful habits. 

When I first became a priest, I was introduced to a group for alcoholics who were working toward sobriety. One thing that struck me was how participants introduced themselves without using their real names, saying instead, "I am Mr. Alcoholic." Admitting their addiction to others was not an easy thing. Most alcoholics refuse to admit they have a problem, but those in this group openly acknowledged their struggle. It was a demonstration of true humility and marked the beginning of their healing.
      In the same way, the road to overcoming sin begins with recognizing and admitting our sins. In the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15), the son’s return home begins when he recognizes his wrongdoings and decides to turn back to his father. Each time we attend Mass and confess, “through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault,” we follow the path of the prodigal son. Acknowledging our sins and seeking forgiveness from God the Father is the first step toward reconciliation.
      One of the greatest problems in our modern world is that people commit countless sins but fail to recognize them or feel any guilt. Many indulge in sinful habits, mistaking them for freedom, and have become desensitized to their own wrongdoing. In this message, the Blessed Mother implores us to reflect on our sins and seek true repentance: "As I look at you, living in sin and sinful habits, my Immaculate Heart bleeds."
      Our sins and sinful habits cause the Immaculate Heart of Mary to bleed because they destroy our souls and lead us down the path of ruin. Her heart aches as she watches us turn away from the path of salvation.

I am calling you: return to God and to prayer that it may be good for you on earth. 

The Blessed Mother has said that her ultimate goal is to lead us to Heaven, where we can share in eternal life with her. But she also desires that we live well here on earth. This means not in material terms, but in spiritual fulfillment. The Blessed Mother wishes for us to find true peace and joy in this life, and that can only be achieved through prayer and returning to God. Without God and prayer, we cannot thrive or live joyfully. True peace and happiness can only come through communion with God.
      As it says in Psalm 1: "Happy the man who does not follow the counsel of the wicked but finds delight in the law of the Lord. He is like a tree planted beside the flowing waters, that yields its fruit in due season, and its leaves never wither. Whatever he does prospers."
      Likewise, in Deuteronomy 30: "See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, you shall live and multiply, and the Lord will bless you. But if your heart turns away, and you do not listen but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you will surely perish."
      Thus, for us to live well on earth, we must serve God and follow His path through prayer.

God is calling you through me for your hearts to be hope and joy for all those who are far away.

The calling of Abraham shows us how God chooses certain people to be a blessing to others: "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 12:2-3). In the same way, God calls us to be channels of His grace and blessings for others.
      But to be a source of hope and joy for others, we must first be filled with hope and joy ourselves. Our hearts must be close to God so that He can fill them with His love, peace, and joy. Only then can we bring that hope to those who are far from Him.

May my call be for you a balm for the soul and heart so that you may glorify God, the Creator, who loves you and is calling you to eternity. 

God did not create us because He needed anything from us. Out of His overflowing love, He brought us into being. His love for us is endless and unconditional, and He calls us to spend eternity with Him. Our response to this love should be to glorify Him in everything we do.
      The Blessed Mother invites us to turn our gaze toward our Creator, to recognize His immense love and respond by glorifying Him. This invitation to praise God is a source of joy and comfort for our souls, reminding us that we are infinitely loved and called to eternal life with Him.

Little children, life is short; you, make good use of this time and do what is good. Thank you for having responded to my call.

Our lives are shorter than we often realize. Time passes quickly, and we cannot change the past. But we can make choices in the present and future. The Blessed Mother urges us to use our time wisely and to do good. How can we best use our time? By praying, attending Mass regularly, reading scripture, and making acts of love and sacrifice. If we live this way, we will be prepared to answer God's call and enter into eternal life with Him.
   
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