"Dear children! At this time, in a special way I call you: 'pray with the heart'. Little children, you speak much and pray little. Read and meditate on Sacred scripture, and may the words written in it be life for you. I encourage and love you, so that in God you may find your peace and the joy of living. Thank you for having responded to my call."
Dear children! At this time, in a special way I call you: 'pray with the heart'. Little children, you speak much and pray little.
We often cannot avoid speaking to communicate with others. Indeed, speech is necessary, and there are times when we must speak a lot due to compelling reasons or unavoidable circumstances. However, we often speak more than necessary. We waste time on unnecessary words, such as gossip, trivial daily matters, self-promotion, or criticism of others.
The Apostle James reminds us, "We all fall short in many respects. If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body also. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we also guide their whole bodies" (Jas 3:2-3). Our tongues indeed require much control, and we must strive to speak only what is necessary.
In this month’s message, the Blessed Mother tells us, "You speak much and pray little." Therefore, we must reduce our words and increase our prayers. Instead of wasting time on idle talk, we should use that time for prayer. The more we pray, the more we will understand what is truly necessary to say and what is not, transforming us into people who speak only what is essential.
The Blessed Mother also says, "Dear children! At this time, in a special way I call you: 'pray with the heart.'” To pray with our hearts, we must ensure that idle words and worldly distractions do not dominate our hearts. Our hearts must be calm, requiring both external and internal silence. To truly pray with our hearts, we need more prayer and silence, so that our hearts become accustomed to and suitable for prayer.
Read and meditate on Sacred scripture, and may the words written in it be life for you.
God gave us two eyes, two ears, and one mouth. Seeing and listening come first, followed by speaking. Therefore, we should first read the Lord's words contained in Sacred scripture with our eyes, listen to His words with our ears, and engrave them in our hearts. The scriptures are not just words from the past but the living word of God, continually given to us now and in the future, offering us life when we read and meditate on them. Thus, like the Apostle Peter, we can confess, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (Jn 6:68).
We should start by taking our Bible off the shelf and placing it permanently on our reading table or prayer altar. Before reading, it’s good to offer a simple prayer like Samuel: "Speak, for your servant is listening" (1 Sm 3:10). Even if deep meditation does not occur, do not be discouraged. What is important is consistently reading scripture daily with a simple heart, willing to listen and follow the Lord’s words. When we open our hearts to reading the Bible, the Lord will send His Spirit to help us understand the true meaning of His words.
Moreover, if we read and meditate on the readings and Gospel before attending Sunday or daily Mass, we will better hear the Word proclaimed during Mass and engage in deeper meditation.
Finally, as we read the Bible daily, certain words or phrases may particularly resonate with us. If we reflect on these throughout the day, scripture will not be separate from our lives. We will experience how the Word of God brings life and positively influences our daily existence.
I encourage and love you, so that in God you may find your peace and the joy of living. Thank you for having responded to my call.
Some people express concern that the apparitions of the Blessed Mother in Medjugorje emphasize her more than Jesus. However, this view stems from a misunderstanding of the Medjugorje apparitions. The central figure of these apparitions is Jesus Christ, not the Blessed Mother. Jesus sent the Blessed Mother as a prophet to lead people back to Him, to recognize Him as Lord, and to center their lives on Him. The Blessed Mother urges us to participate in the Mass and Adoration, read and meditate on scripture, and even tells us to prioritize Mass or Adoration over her apparitions if they coincide.
The Blessed Mother desires us to experience true peace and joy in our lives, knowing that these gifts can only be found in God. As our Mother, she encourages and assists us in this journey. It is only natural that she, given to us by Jesus as our Mother, would guide and love us so that we can draw closer to Jesus and find peace and joy in Him. The Blessed Mother’s role is profoundly humble, as she works to bring us to her Son, Jesus.
Jesus, I am your creation, formed by Your Word. Please help me to live by Your Word, reading and meditating on it so that it may live within me and transform me. Make me new through Your Word.
Blessed Mother, you listened to the Lord's Word in prayer and conceived the Word, Jesus, in your womb. Hold me in your heart so that I may become one with Jesus, discovering life through His Word.
