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Fr. Stephen Shin’s Reflections on the Messages
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September 25, 2018
"Dear children! Also nature extends signs of its love to you through the fruits which it gives you. Also, you, by my coming, have received an abundance of gifts and fruits. Little children, how much you have answered to my call, God knows. I am calling you - it is not late - decide for holiness and a life with God, in grace and in peace. God will bless you and give to you a hundred-fold, if you trust in Him. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Also nature extends signs of its love to you through the fruits which it gives you. Also, you, by my coming, have received an abundance of gifts and fruits.

It is now the season of harvest. During this time, we gather the fruits from various trees. These fruits delight our taste buds and provide our bodies with essential nutrients and freshness. These are the blessings that nature bestows upon us. However, in this month's message, Our Lady goes further by saying, " Also nature extends signs of its love to you through the fruits which it gives you." This statement might be a bit difficult to understand.
      How does nature love humans? How does nature, by giving its fruits, express its love for us? In Genesis 1, before God created humanity, He created everything necessary for life. He designed an optimal environment for humans to live in. After creating everything in nature, God created humans and said: “See, I give you every seed-bearing plant on all the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food” (Gn 1:29). Nature was created for humans, and God commanded it to produce fruits to be their nourishment. Nature, by following God’s command, bears fruits faithfully and offers them to humans, serving humanity. By giving its fruits without asking for anything in return, nature and the fruits it produces are expressions of God’s love for humanity. Nature, through its fruits, communicates this love and follows God's example by freely giving its bounty to humanity.
      God promised that even though the first humans, Adam and Eve, lost eternal life due to original sin, He would send a Savior and the Savior’s Mother to open the gates of eternal life again. He created the most perfect creature, Mary, and through her, sent Jesus, the Savior, into the world, reopening the gates of eternal life. However, after more than 2,000 years, many people have forgotten about Jesus and do not believe in Him, walking the path of destruction. Therefore, through Medjugorje, God is sending Mary once again into the world.
      Since June 24, 1981, Our Lady’s apparitions in Medjugorje have continued daily, and through them, God has been bestowing countless graces upon humanity. Millions of people have visited Medjugorje, and countless fruits of conversion and faith have resulted from putting Our Lady’s messages into practice. The fact that Our Lady continues to visit us on earth through Medjugorje, guiding us with her messages and leading us to Jesus, who grants eternal life, is itself a tremendous gift from God.

Little children, how much you have answered to my call, God knows. I am calling you - it is not late - decide for holiness and a life with God, in grace and in peace. God will bless you and give to you a hundred-fold, if you trust in Him. Thank you for having responded to my call.

Through her messages in Medjugorje, Our Lady has been urging us to pray, repent, believe, and live in peace. At the end of each message, she always says, "Thank you for having responded to my call." In this month’s message, she adds, "How much you have answered to my call, God knows," reminding us that our response to her call is ultimately a response to God’s call. Since Our Lady is God’s messenger, her messages are God’s words to us, and God Himself is calling us through her. Therefore, she says, "How much you have answered to my call, God knows."
      Our Lady is still calling us because many have yet to respond, and even some who did respond have returned to their old ways. She reassures us that it is not too late. Just as Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house... For the Son of Man has come to seek and save what was lost” (Lk 19:9-10), we too must respond to Our Lady’s call at this very moment. She says, "Decide for holiness and a life with God, in grace and in peace. God will bless you and give to you a hundred-fold, if you trust in Him.”
   
 
 
August 25, 2018
"Dear children! This is a time of grace. Little children, pray more, speak less and permit God to lead you on the way of conversion. I am with you and love you with my motherly love. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! This is a time of grace. 

When Our Lady speaks of this being a "time of grace," it reminds me of the moment when Jesus wept over Jerusalem, foretelling its destruction. The Gospel describes it as follows: "As he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation'" (Lk 19:41-44).
      Why did Jesus weep over Jerusalem? Because they did not recognize the time of grace, failing to accept it, choosing instead the path of destruction. As Jesus predicted, Jerusalem was utterly destroyed by the Roman Empire in 70 AD.
      Only God and Our Lady know how long this time of grace we have been given will last. First, we must thank God for this time of grace and for Our Lady, who reminds us of it. Then, we must deeply reflect on why this time of grace has been granted and how we should use it to prepare for our salvation. Our Lady shows us how to make the best use of this time of grace, which is directly linked to our salvation and peace.

Little children, pray more, speak less and permit God to lead you on the way of conversion. 

First, we need to recognize that we are "little children." A child needs the help and protection of adults. We are not beings capable of everything on our own; we can only live with God's help and protection. Therefore, we must humble ourselves before God, entrust ourselves to Him, and seek His help and protection. We are also children of God, not belonging to the world or Satan but to God and His kingdom. We must live with God and lead lives worthy of our status as His children. God is the Father and center of the family we belong to, and we should live centered around Him.
      Secondly, since we belong to God as His children, we must constantly communicate with Him and maintain a loving relationship. This requires prayer. Prayer is a conversation with God; it is the key that opens the hearts of God and us. It is the bond that sustains our relationship of love with God. That is why Our Lady urges us to pray more. The more we pray, the better. Prayer should not be minimal, nor should we merely create the atmosphere of prayer without actually praying. Each person’s daily life circumstances are different, but we must create as much time and space as possible for prayer. And our prayers must be heartfelt, not mechanical or routine.
      Thirdly, we must speak less. While communication is necessary for relationships, many people waste time with unnecessary words. Besides being a waste of time, excessive talking often leads to gossip or mistakes. In his letter, the Apostle James says:
      "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. It is the same with ships: even though they are so large and driven by fierce winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination wishes. In the same way the tongue is a small member and yet has great pretensions. Consider how small a fire can set a huge forest ablaze. The tongue is also a fire. It exists among our members as a world of malice, defiling the whole body and setting the entire course of our lives on fire, itself set on fire by Gehenna. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. This need not be so, my brothers” (Jas 3:2-10).
       We are created for God's glory, and everything we do finds its true meaning in being used for His glory. Our mouths were created not only for eating, drinking, and speaking but, above all, for giving thanks, praising God, and glorifying Him. Let us restrain our speech about ourselves, others, and the world and direct it toward prayer. Let God take the first place in our mouths, hearts, time, and space, allowing Him to be the center of everything.
      Finally, as John the Baptist said, "He must increase, and I must decrease" (John 3:30). God must become greater, and we must become smaller so that He can take the lead in our lives and we can fully surrender to His guidance. This is the beginning of allowing God to lead us on the path of conversion. The journey of conversion is a lifelong process, requiring us to humble ourselves before God continually. Humility is the essential foundation for conversion, which is why Jesus said, "Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 18:3).

I am with you and love you with my motherly love. Thank you for having responded to my call.

As our Mother, Our Lady does not leave her children alone. Just as a physical mother always wants to be near her young child, so too does Our Lady want to be with us, and she assures us that she is. We can find peace and reassurance in the knowledge that Our Lady is by our side, just as a child feels safe and secure with their mother nearby.
       A symbol of motherhood is devotion. A mother with a maternal heart dedicates everything to her children, making sacrifices and caring for them. This devotion defines Our Lady. She is the Mother who cherishes her children's lives more than her own and who dedicates herself entirely to us.
   
 
 
July 25, 2018
"Dear children! God called me to lead you to Him because He is your strength. That is why I am calling you to pray to Him and to trust in Him, because He is your refuge from every evil that lurks and carries souls far from the grace and joy to which you are all called. Little children, live Heaven here on earth so that it will be good for you; and may the commandments of God be a light on your way. I am with you and I love you all with my motherly love. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! God called me to lead you to Him because He is your strength. That is why I am calling you to pray to Him and to trust in Him, because He is your refuge from every evil that lurks and carries souls far from the grace and joy to which you are all called. 

In this month’s message, Our Lady emphasizes once again that the true source behind the apparitions in Medjugorje is God. She comes to this world not by her own will, but by God’s will. It is not her choice to come, but God who sends her to guide us. Therefore, we must give endless thanks to God for sending Our Lady to us, for remembering and loving us.
      Our Lady knows and follows God's will better than anyone. Even now, she obeys His will and comes to be with us. She has fully immersed herself in God, putting His work first above all else. To her, God is the only Lord, the only love, and her everything. This is why she is like God's echo. When we call on "Our Lady," she responds with "God."
      Our Lady has experienced God’s immense power more than anyone. She conceived Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit and could sing, “The Mighty One has done great things for me” (Lk 1:49). She lived with Jesus, witnessing God the Father’s and the Holy Spirit’s power through Him countless times, pondering everything in her heart.
      Now, she has been called by God to guide us to Him, who is our strength. In this dangerous time, when humanity is prideful and believes it can do everything through its own power, Our Lady comes to remind us of the truth. She offers the remedy to heal this serious illness—prayer and trust in God. "That is why I am calling you to pray to Him and to trust in Him,” Our Lady says.
       The devil is very cunning. He never openly reveals himself but works in secret, hiding his actions. Evil creeps into people’s hearts, leading them to focus on worldly pleasures, pulling their lives and hearts away from God and spiritual matters. In this way, evil robs them of the grace and joy that God has placed in their souls. In severe cases, evil can blind people to the fact that they are even sinning.
      The only one who can protect us from all evil is God. He alone is our refuge. To protect ourselves from evil and find refuge, we must pray to God and entrust ourselves to Him. The psalmist sings:
“Had not the Lord been with us, let Israel say, Had not the Lord been with us, when people rose against us, Then they would have swallowed us alive, for their fury blazed against us. Then the waters would have engulfed us, the torrent overwhelmed us; then seething water would have drowned us. Blessed is the LORD, who did not leave us to be torn by their teeth. We escaped with our lives like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare was broken, and we escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth” (Ps 124).

Little children, live Heaven here on earth so that it will be good for you; and may the commandments of God be a light on your way.

Many who have visited Medjugorje long to return because they experienced something there that they cannot find elsewhere—an encounter with heaven. Some describe Medjugorje as a place where "heaven touches earth." Through daily Masses, rosary prayers, confessions, and spiritual talks, pilgrims experience conversion, draw closer to God, and taste heaven on earth. This profound spiritual experience is possible through the guidance and presence of Our Lady.
      For those who cannot travel to Medjugorje, does that mean they cannot live heaven on earth? Not at all. While the experience may differ, you can live the spirit of Medjugorje wherever you are. By making Jesus the center of your life, praying at least 20 decades of the rosary daily, attending Mass regularly, reading the Bible, offering sacrifices, and going to confession at least once a month, you can live heaven in your daily life.
      Just as we use GPS to guide us when driving to unfamiliar places, God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments as a spiritual GPS after their exodus from Egypt. These commandments served as guidelines for the Israelites to live a life in accordance with God's will. When they obeyed His commandments, they walked in the light and received blessings; when they disobeyed, they fell into darkness.
      God's commandments still guide us today, illuminating our path and leading us toward His salvation.

I am with you and I love you all with my motherly love. Thank you for having responded to my call.

On our journey through life, we are never alone. Just as a mother carries or holds her child’s hand, Our Lady walks with us, guiding us to God, peace, and salvation. She is our true mother, and she loves us with her motherly heart.
Our Lady once said, "Again I say to you, if you knew how much I love you, you would cry with happiness. Thank you." (Message to Mirjana, March 18, 2009) Let us be grateful for her constant love and presence.
   
 
 
June 25, 2018
"Dear children! This is the day that the Lord gave me to give Him thanks for each of you, for those who have converted and have accepted my messages and have set out on the way of conversion and holiness. Rejoice, little children, because God is merciful and loves you all with His immeasurable love and leads you to the way of salvation through my coming here. I love you all and give you my Son that He may give you peace. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! This is the day that the Lord gave me to give Him thanks for each of you, for those who have converted and have accepted my messages and have set out on the way of conversion and holiness.

Today marks the 37th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady in Medjugorje. In this message, she begins by telling us that this day has been given to her by the Lord as a day of thanksgiving—for each one of us who has repented and accepted her messages. She gives thanks to the Lord not based on our achievements or circumstances but simply because we are her beloved children. She thanks the Lord for entrusting us to her care and for allowing her to guide us to Him. Her words reflect the love of a mother who never gives up on her children, always trusting in them until the very end.
      When she says, "for each of you," it shows that her relationship with each of us is personal and intimate. Our relationship with her is not general or distant; it is deeply individual and personal, and she recognizes each one of us in a unique way.
      She goes on to say that she gives thanks to the Lord for those who have begun to walk the path of conversion and holiness after accepting her messages. This is because those who repent and embrace a life of holiness have entered the door to salvation. For a mother to witness her child turning away from destruction and towards a path of holiness must bring unimaginable joy. If an earthly mother feels such joy over her child's transformation, how much more would our Heavenly Mother, who cares for our eternal souls, rejoice? This joy is beyond words, and it is only natural that she would give thanks to the Lord for it.
      This reminds us of the parable of the prodigal son (cf. Lk 15:11-32), where the father rejoices and holds a great feast for his son who has returned. Similarly, Our Lady reflects the heart of our Heavenly Father, who does not desire the destruction of sinners but rather rejoices in their conversion.
      Today, as Our Lady gives thanks for us, we should also give thanks to her. Let us show her that we have repented by changing our hearts and lives and turning entirely to God. Let us accept her messages and strive for holiness every day, and let us thank both Our Lady and the Lord for sending her as our spiritual guide.

Rejoice, little children, because God is merciful and loves you all with His immeasurable love and leads you to the way of salvation through my coming here. 

The fact that God has sent His beloved daughter, Our Lady, to Medjugorje for 37 years to serve as a messenger of His mercy and love reveals the depth of His compassion. The apparitions of Our Lady in Medjugorje are a great sign of God's mercy and love for us. God has not forgotten us. He does not want us to walk the path of destruction but desires our repentance so that we may experience His mercy. God wants us to recognize the immeasurable love that He has shown us through the incarnation and sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus Christ. He desires that all of us be saved. Our Lady's continuous apparitions in Medjugorje are a reminder of this great truth.
       How can we not rejoice at this? God is a merciful Father who continues to send Our Lady to guide us along the path of salvation. As St. Paul says, "Rejoice always" (1 Thes 5:16), so we too must live in joy, knowing that God is with us and continually offering us the way to salvation through Our Lady.

I love you all and give you my Son that He may give you peace. Thank you for having responded to my call.

Jesus once said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). We are happy when we love, because love naturally desires to give. Love seeks to offer precious and meaningful gifts. Because Our Lady loves us all, she offers us the most precious gift—her Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus, in turn, gives us something the world cannot: peace. Before His crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid" (Jn 14:27). After His resurrection, when He appeared to His disciples who were hiding behind locked doors out of fear, He said, "Peace be with you" (Jn 20:19). Peace is a gift that only Jesus can give, and it is the greatest gift for our souls.
      If we find ourselves lacking peace in our lives, let us ask Our Lady to bring Jesus to us so that He may grant us His peace. By responding to Our Lady’s call and living according to her messages, we invite Jesus into our hearts and lives, and in doing so, we receive the peace that only He can offer.
   
 
 
May 25, 2018
"Dear children! In this peaceless time, I am calling you to have more trust in God who is your Father in Heaven and who has sent me to lead you to Him. You, open your hearts to the gifts which He desires to give you and, in the silence of your heart, adore my Son Jesus who has given His life so that you may live in eternity - where He desires to lead you. May your hope be the joy of a meeting with the Most High in everyday life. Therefore, I am calling you: do not neglect prayer because prayer works miracles. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! In this peaceless time, I am calling you to have more trust in God who is your Father in Heaven and who has sent me to lead you to Him. 

At the wedding feast in Cana, there was a shortage of wine, and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, approached Him, saying, “They have no wine.” This led to Jesus performing His first miracle—turning water into wine (cf. Jn 2:1-11).
      In Jesus' time, a wedding feast in Israel lasted seven days at the groom’s house. Wine was essential, symbolizing joy and celebration. Running out of wine during the festivities would ruin the event. Mary, though just a guest, noticed the shortage before the host did and brought the matter to Jesus. Her action, though she was a guest, shows her sense of responsibility for the joy and well-being of others at the feast.
      In this month’s message, Our Lady similarly expresses her deep concern for us, her children, living in a world without peace. Just as she acted at Cana, she now points out that peace is lacking in our time. But her words are not just observations; they reflect her deep concern and desire for us to find peace. She does not stop at expressing her concern—she provides the way to find peace: trust more in God, your Heavenly Father, who sent her to guide us to Him.
      The peace that God gives is different from worldly peace, and true peace can only come from Him. As our mother, Mary longs for us to live in peace, and she is here to guide us towards that peace, just as she once guided those at the wedding in Cana.

You, open your hearts to the gifts which He desires to give you and, in the silence of your heart, adore my Son Jesus who has given His life so that you may live in eternity - where He desires to lead you. May your hope be the joy of a meeting with the Most High in everyday life. 

“Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as Sheol, or high as the sky! But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the Lord!” (Is 7:10-12). Ahaz’s response seemed humble, as if he was showing faith in God, but it was not genuine. He had already sought military support from Egypt, relying on human strength rather than God's power. God wanted to help Ahaz and the people of Judah, but Ahaz closed his heart to God’s gifts, and his reign ended in tragedy.
      Mary calls us to open our hearts to the gifts that God wishes to give us. God, our loving Father, wants to bestow good gifts upon us, as Jesus reminds us in Luke 11:11-13: “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”
     We must trust in God completely, open our hearts to Him, and gratefully accept the gifts He offers. Only an empty vessel can be filled with new water; similarly, we must empty our hearts of worldly distractions to receive the divine gifts God wishes to pour into us. Mary invites us to a pure and silent heart focused solely on Jesus, to adore Him who gave His life for us.
      Jesus desires to lead us to eternal life, a hope that is meant for all of us. If we sincerely respond to this invitation with faith and action, we will surely be led to eternity. St. Paul tells us, “Rejoice in hope” (Rom 12:12). Hope allows us to look forward to a better future, and as Christians, we know that Christ is alive and desires to bring us to eternal life.

Therefore, I am calling you: do not neglect prayer because prayer works miracles. Thank you for having responded to my call.

Mary is constantly calling us, reminding us of her care and guidance. Even though we may forget or neglect this relationship, she never forgets. Her call is rooted in love and concern for our salvation and eternal life. For 37 years and 11 months, through her apparitions in Medjugorje, she has consistently urged us to “pray, pray, and pray.” In this month’s message, she assures us that "prayer works miracles."
      Prayer has the power to change hearts and move God to act. Wherever God moves, miracles happen. Therefore, we must not neglect prayer but embrace it as the key to the peace, joy, and miracles that God desires for us. This is the best way to respond to Mary’s call and to live in union with God’s plan for our salvation.
   
 
 
April 25, 2018
"Dear children! Today I am calling you to live your new life with Jesus. May the Risen One give you strength to always be strong in the trials of life and to be faithful and persevering in prayer; because Jesus saved you by His wounds and by His Resurrection gave you new life. Pray, little children, and do not lose hope. May joy and peace be in your hearts and witness the joy that you are mine. I am with you and love you all with my motherly love. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Today I am calling you to live your new life with Jesus. May the Risen One give you strength to always be strong in the trials of life and to be faithful and persevering in prayer; because Jesus saved you by His wounds and by His Resurrection gave you new life. 

To better understand this message from Our Lady, it would be helpful to meditate on the Gospel for the Second Sunday of Easter, which is the same across all three liturgical years (ABC), found in John 20:19-31. This Gospel passage is divided into three parts.
      The first part recounts Jesus' first appearance to His disciples after His Resurrection. The disciples, filled with fear of the Jews, had locked themselves in a room. This room was the same Upper Room in Jerusalem where they had shared the Last Supper with Jesus just a few days earlier. But now, unlike the joy they had felt during that meal, they were consumed by fear and anxiety. After Jesus' arrest, their betrayal, and witnessing Jesus' suffering and death, the joy they once had was completely gone. The Upper Room, which once brought them comfort, now felt empty and fearful. The disciples were afraid the Jews might kill them too, so they kept the doors locked. Although they were physically alive, spiritually, they were dead—without Jesus, their lives felt like death itself, stripped of joy, happiness, peace, and hope.
      Then, the Risen Jesus appeared to them and said, "Peace be with you!" He showed them His hands and side, and they were overjoyed to see Him. Jesus gave them peace and joy, and the disciples rejoiced. Jesus said again, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." Despite their betrayal, Jesus reaffirmed their role as His apostles and sent them out to continue His mission. He then breathed on them, saying, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." Jesus breathed new life into them, reminding us of Genesis 2:7, where God breathed the breath of life into Adam. The disciples were now reborn with new life through Jesus' Resurrection and forgiveness.
       The second part of the story takes place a week later when Jesus appeared to the disciples again. This time, Thomas was present. Although the doors were locked, there is no mention of the disciples being afraid of the Jews. They no longer feared death because they had seen the Risen Lord. When Jesus appeared, He said again, "Peace be with you!" He then invited Thomas to touch His wounds and believe. Thomas responded, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus replied, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Through this second encounter, Jesus dispelled Thomas' doubts and deepened the faith of all the disciples.
      The third and final part of this Gospel is found in verses 30-31, where the purpose of John's Gospel is explained: "Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name."
Jesus came to give life to those who believe in Him, and through His Resurrection, He gave the disciples new life and the strength to live as His followers. Our Lady is calling us to live this new life with Jesus. Without faith in Jesus, especially in His Passion, Death, and Resurrection, we cannot fully understand that we have received new life in Him.
      Jesus knew the weakness and limitations of His disciples, and He knows ours too. He knew they would betray Him, yet He did not abandon them. Jesus, our High Priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses (cf. Heb 4:15), desires that we overcome our limitations through faith, and He helps us do so. "Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested" (Heb 2:18).
      Our lives are filled with trials. Just as one trial seems to pass, another often follows unexpectedly. However, in these moments, we must firmly believe that the Risen Jesus will give us the strength to remain steadfast, faithful, and patient, just as He gave strength to His disciples who trembled in fear. Jesus, who calmed their fears and brought them peace and joy, offers us the same through His Resurrection.
     Isaiah's prophecy, "By his wounds we were healed" (Is 53:5), reminds us that Jesus' wounds on the Cross were for our healing and salvation. Through His Resurrection, He gives us new life. His Passion, Death, and Resurrection are the Gospel of peace, salvation, and new life.

Pray, little children, and do not lose hope. May joy and peace be in your hearts and witness the joy that you are mine. I am with you and love you all with my motherly love. Thank you for having responded to my call.

Our Lady urges us to "pray and do not lose hope." As Christians, we are people of prayer and hope because we believe in the Risen Jesus, who is alive and with us. Therefore, no matter what situation we face, we should never lose hope. "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me" (Ps 23:4).
As we have seen in John 20, wherever the Risen Jesus is present, there is peace and joy. Let us invite Him into our hearts, homes, communities, and the world through prayer, so that His peace and joy may fill our lives.
      It is a great honor and joy to be children of Our Lady. She wants us to share the joy of being her children with the world. How can we do this? First, we must love Our Lady with all our hearts, just as Jesus did. The best way to express our love for her is through prayer, especially the Rosary. By calling upon her name and praying the Rosary humbly, we draw closer to her, and she comes into our hearts.
      When we hold the Rosary and pray with love for Our Lady, we can feel her presence with us. Praying the Rosary is like holding Our Lady's hand, allowing us to feel her maternal love.
   
 
 
March 25, 2018
"Dear children! I am calling you to be with me in prayer in this time of grace when darkness is fighting against the light. Pray, little children, confess and begin a new life in grace. Decide for God and He will lead you towards holiness; and the cross will be a sign of victory and hope for you. Be proud that you are baptized and grateful in your heart that you are a part of God’s plan. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! I am calling you to be with me in prayer in this time of grace when darkness is fighting against the light. Pray, little children, confess and begin a new life in grace. 

Jesus overcame the powers of evil and death through His crucifixion and resurrection. However, Satan, who is behind these powers, has not yet been completely defeated and continues to wreak havoc. At the end of time, when Jesus returns in glory, Satan will be utterly defeated and cast into eternal hell. Until then, Satan will fight fiercely, trying to distance us from Jesus and Our Lady. Although we know that Satan will ultimately lose, we must still be vigilant and avoid being influenced by his power. Satan, the force of darkness, attacks us at the moment we feel self-sufficient and think we are standing firm in our own strength. Our pride blocks Jesus and Mary from entering our hearts, leaving us defenseless and vulnerable to Satan's attacks. With his supernatural powers, Satan is a formidable foe, and we cannot defeat him with our own strength. We need a stronger ally, and that ally is Our Lady. Only she, the "woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars" (Rev 12:1), can stand by our side and protect us in the battle against Satan, the red dragon. That is why Our Lady says, "My dear children! In this time of grace, I am calling you to be with me in prayer as darkness battles against light. My dear children, pray and confess, and begin a new life in grace."
      Through the rosary and other prayers with Our Lady, we are protected from Satan's attacks, which seek to lead us into darkness, sin, and evil. At the same time, through the grace of prayer, we are drawn closer to the light, to goodness, and to Jesus, the source of all goodness.
      Jesus also taught us, "Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test" (Mk 14:38). He revealed the existence of temptation and the way to protect ourselves from it. Those who pray are on God's side and receive His strength, enabling them to resist Satan's temptations. That is why Our Lady continually urges us to "pray." She also tells us to "confess" in order to cleanse our souls from sin and evil. Through prayer and confession, our souls are purified, allowing us to live in a state of grace and begin a new life. As we approach the end of Lent, a time meant for spiritual rebirth in Jesus, prayer and confession are tools to prepare our souls for this new spring of life.

Decide for God and He will lead you towards holiness; and the cross will be a sign of victory and hope for you. 

Moses urged the Israelites to choose life, that is, to choose God, saying: "See, I have today set before you life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord, your God, which I am giving you today, loving the Lord, your God, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and ordinances, you will live and grow numerous, and the Lord, your God, will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. If, however, your heart turns away and you do not obey, but are led astray and bow down to other gods and serve them, I tell you today that you will certainly perish; you will not have a long life on the land which you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, obeying his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you" (Dt 30:15-20).
      Moses' call to choose God is a message that echoes throughout the Bible, from the time of creation through both the Old and New Testaments. The simple but profound truth is that those who choose God and follow His commandments will receive life, happiness, and blessing, while those who turn away from Him and follow false idols will experience death, misery, and curses. Our Lady reminds us of this truth by saying, "Decide for God." She encourages us because choosing God leads us to life, love, and the blessings He wants to give us. When we choose God, He draws us closer to Himself, allowing us to participate in His holiness and live more holy lives.
       It is not always easy to choose God, as illustrated by the Israelites who, despite witnessing firsthand the plagues of Egypt and the miracle of the Red Sea, abandoned God and worshipped a golden calf in Moses' absence (cf. Ex 32:1-6). Even after witnessing God's mighty works, they faltered. This story shows that choosing God is not always easy.
But just because it is difficult does not mean we should give up. Even Jesus, fully human like us, found it difficult to choose God's will when faced with the agony of the cross. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me" (Lk 22:42a). Yet, despite His distress, Jesus ultimately said, "Still, not my will but yours be done" (Lk 22:42b), choosing the Father's will. Through His passion and death, Jesus showed us that when we choose God and His will, the cross becomes a sign of victory and hope, bringing salvation and eternal life.

Be proud that you are baptized and grateful in your heart that you are a part of God’s plan. Thank you for having responded to my call.

Through baptism, we became part of God's people, disciples of Jesus, and members of the Church. We were forgiven of original and personal sin. We belong solely to God. What an incredible honor it is to be children of the Creator of all things! This is a privilege that cannot be traded for anything in this world. The fact that God is our Father should fill our hearts with pride and joy.
      Jesus revealed this heavenly Father to us. Before His ascension, He commanded His disciples, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit" (Mt 28:19). Through this command, countless people have been baptized, becoming disciples of Jesus, just as we were baptized. Baptism unites us with Jesus in a life-giving relationship. As Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). How could we not be proud of our baptism?
      St. Paul teaches us, “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit" (1 Cor 12:13). Through baptism, we have become members of the Body of Christ, the Church. This is an extraordinary grace and something for which we should be eternally grateful.
      Through baptism, we were freed from original sin and personal sin because we participated in the death and resurrection of Christ. As St. Paul explains, “Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life" (Rom 6:3-4).
      Our birth into this world and our baptism are not accidents. They are part of God's great plan for our salvation through Jesus Christ. St. Paul confirms this by saying, “He chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will" (Eph 1:4-5).
      Let us always give thanks to God for choosing us before the foundation of the world and making us part of His plan.
   
 
 
February 25, 2018
"Dear children! In this time of grace I am calling all of you to open yourselves and to live the commandments which God has given you, that they may lead you through the Sacraments on the way of conversion. The world and worldly temptations are testing you, but you, little children, look at God’s creatures which He has given to you in beauty and humility and, little children, love God above everything and He will lead you on the way of salvation. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! In this time of grace I am calling all of you to open yourselves and to live the commandments which God has given you, that they may lead you through the Sacraments on the way of conversion. 

Nothing can enter a closed space. If we close ourselves off to the grace that God offers us, no matter how much grace He wants to give, it will not be able to reach us. First, we must open ourselves to God so that His grace can enter our hearts and souls. Our Lady asks us to open ourselves during this time of grace. Let us open the doors of our hearts and souls to the grace that God wishes to give us.
      To live according to God's commandments, we must first have a sense of reverence and fear of God. Without this reverence, how can we live by His commandments? God gave us these commandments not to restrict our freedom but to make us more free and happy.
      Our Catholic Church accepts the Ten Commandments given through Moses as the main commandments that we Christians must follow as the new people of God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that the Ten Commandments are to be observed by Christians as guidelines for living as God’s people. These commandments were given to the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt so that they could continue living in freedom, life, happiness, and blessing.
     In addition, Jesus stated that He did not come to abolish the commandments but to fulfill them. (cf. Mt 5:17). He summarized all the commandments into love of God and love of neighbor, saying that we must love God with all our heart, mind, and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves (cf. Mk 12:28-34). Furthermore, Jesus gave us a new commandment: "Love one another as I have loved you" (Jn 13:34).
      Loving God and loving our neighbor are not optional but are commandments that we must follow. Yet, because we have not been living by these commandments, Our Lady reminds us, "I am calling all of you to live the commandments that God has given you." To live these commandments faithfully, we must first reflect on how our lives have strayed from them. We need to examine our consciences and lives to see where we have failed to love God and our neighbor, and take time for conversion. Through the Sacrament of Confession, we can acknowledge our sins, receive forgiveness, and resolve to live by the commandments again.

The world and worldly temptations are testing you, but you, little children, look at God’s creatures which He has given to you in beauty and humility and, little children, love God above everything and He will lead you on the way of salvation. Thank you for having responded to my call.

In Genesis 1, after God created the world, including humans and all that is within it, He saw that it was good. All of God's creations are good because they were created by a good and loving God. The relationships between God and His creations, between God and humanity, and between humans and all other creatures were harmonious. However, this good relationship was shattered by original sin, triggered by disobedience to God's word and excessive human desire. The pride, unrestrained desires, and thoughtless actions of Adam and Eve, who succumbed to Satan’s temptation to "become like God," caused this fall.
      This story from Genesis continues to play out today. Satan still tries to convince humanity that we can be the masters of the world, and he manipulates human minds through various media to believe this. He tempts us to place worldly things above God and inflames immoral, excessive, and reckless desires. To protect ourselves from these temptations, we must first recognize that God is the creator and master of all creation, including ourselves. We must acknowledge that the created world is not an object for our domination or desires but a precious gift from God, and humbly thank Him for the goodness He has embedded in it.
      The relationship between the Creator and creation is clear: only God is the Creator, and everything else is His creation. Therefore, God alone deserves all glory, honor, and love above everything else. The Bible tells us repeatedly to love God above all, and only then will He show us the path of salvation. Our Lady, knowing this well, says to us, "Little children, love God above everything and He will lead you on the way of salvation. Thank you for having responded to my call."
   
 
 
January 25, 2018
"Dear children! May this time be for you a time of prayer, so that the Holy Spirit, through prayer, may descend upon you and give you conversion. Open your hearts and read the Sacred scripture, that through the testimonies you also may be closer to God. Above everything, little children, seek God and the things of God and leave earthly ones to the earth, because Satan is attracting you to the dust and sin. You are called to holiness and created for Heaven; therefore, seek Heaven and the things of Heaven. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! May this time be for you a time of prayer, so that the Holy Spirit, through prayer, may descend upon you and give you conversion.

It is now the year 2018, and as always, Our Lady begins the first message of the year with the words, "Dear children!" These words, though repeated in each message, carry a deep meaning. They remind us that Our Lady loves us constantly and unconditionally. Throughout the 36 years and 7 months of her apparitions in Medjugorje, except for a few rare cases, she has addressed us as "beloved children" in every message. Even when we distance ourselves from her, she has said, "I love you," showing her unwavering love for us. As we begin this new year of 2018, we must remember that we are still loved by Our Lady, that she is our mother, and that she is with us.
      All of Our Lady’s messages come from her maternal love for us. As children, our response should be to open our hearts to these messages, accept them deeply, and strive to live according to them. She tells us, "May this time be for you a time of prayer," emphasizing the urgency of prayer. Therefore, we cannot say, "I’ll pray tomorrow or later when I have time." We must commit to prayer now, regardless of our circumstances. When we put prayer first and act on it, we can begin to pray "here and now." This prayer is for ourselves. Our Lady knows that what we need most right now is prayer for our own well-being, which is why she says, "I hope that this time will become a time of prayer for you."
      Just before His Ascension, Jesus told His apostles, "And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49). The apostles followed this command and remained in Jerusalem, but they did not wait idly. Together with Our Lady and other disciples, they gathered in the Upper Room, where the Last Supper took place, and devoted themselves to prayer. As recorded in Acts:
      "Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. The First Community in Jerusalem. When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers” (Acts 1:12-14).
      They prayed constantly, and after several days of prayer, on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon the 120 members of the early Church. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter and the other apostles began to boldly proclaim the death and resurrection of Jesus, leading 3,000 people to conversion through baptism. The Holy Spirit transformed the apostles and disciples into new people, unafraid to spread the Gospel of Jesus. They received the grace of true conversion.
      Our Lady, having experienced the descent of the Holy Spirit both in private prayer and within the early Church, knows that prayer invites the Holy Spirit, who brings conversion. That is why she tells us, "Through prayer, the Holy Spirit will come down upon you, and you will experience conversion."

Open your hearts and read the Sacred scripture, that through the testimonies you also may be closer to God. 

Our actions stem from our hearts, not just our minds. When we make decisions, we often say, "I will do what my heart desires." If we desire holiness, we seek and act in holy ways. If we desire worldly things, we pursue worldly actions. Our Lady urges us to open our hearts to holiness, to open our hearts to God. She invites us to read the scriptures, where we encounter God’s love, His works, and His desire for us to live faithfully. The Bible is full of stories of faith and betrayal, of how humanity has responded to God. By reading scripture, we learn more about God and how we should live.
      St. Jerome said, "Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ." The best way to know the scriptures is to read them. While Bible study can help, nothing compares to reading scripture prayerfully. We mustn’t claim ignorance as a reason to avoid scripture. Our Lady encourages us, "Open your hearts and read the scriptures." When we pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and read the scriptures with an open heart, the Holy Spirit will help us understand and grow closer to God. Let’s make time daily to read scripture.

Above everything, little children, seek God and the things of God and leave earthly ones to the earth, because Satan is attracting you to the dust and sin.

According to Genesis, God formed man from the dust of the earth, but it was only after He breathed life into him that man became alive. Without God’s breath, we are mere dust. Satan wants to rob us of God’s breath, suffocating us spiritually and reducing us to dust. He tempts us to sin because sin blocks our access to God, preventing us from receiving true life and freedom. Without God, even if we possess everything in this world, our lives are empty. Satan knows this well, so he distracts us with earthly things and keeps us from seeking God. Jesus warns us, “No one can serve two masters.He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon" (Mt 6:24).
      While we need food, clothing, and shelter, these should not dominate our lives. They are tools, not our life’s purpose. Jesus tells us to seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness,* and all these things will be given you besides" (Mt 6:33). Trust in God to provide what we need.

You are called to holiness and created for Heaven; therefore, seek Heaven and the things of Heaven. Thank you for having responded to my call.

God created us in His image, so we are called to live holy lives. St. Paul reminds us that “God did not call us to impurity but to holiness” (1 The 4:7), and St. Peter urges us to "be holy in all your conduct" (1 Pt 1:15). Our Lady reaffirms this, reminding us that we are called to holiness.
      The letter to the Hebrews tells us, "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). Holiness is the condition for seeing God, both in this life and in Heaven.
      Some argue that we should focus on living in harmony here on Earth rather than seeking Heaven. While it is essential to create peace on Earth, this world is not eternal; it will pass away. Our final destination is Heaven, where we will see God face to face. Our Lady tells us to seek Heaven and eternal life with God, and in doing so, we will also find peace and joy on Earth.
   
 
 
December 25, 2017
"Dear children! Today I am bringing to you my Son Jesus for Him to give you His peace and blessing. I am calling all of you, little children, to live and witness the graces and the gifts which you have received. Do not be afraid. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give you the strength to be joyful witnesses and people of peace and hope. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Dear children! Today I am bringing to you my Son Jesus for Him to give you His peace and blessing. 

In this month’s message, Mary, referring to Jesus as her Son, reminds us of her humble origins as a virgin from Nazareth, a small village of only 400 people at the time. When Philip told Nathanael about Jesus, the latter expressed doubt, saying, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" (Jn 1:46). Yet, God chose this insignificant town and a humble woman, Mary, to be the mother of His Son, Jesus.
      Mary was supposed to give birth in Nazareth, but God had other plans. Jesus, as the Messiah, had to be born in Bethlehem, the city of David, to fulfill the prophecy. Due to a Roman census, Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. This shows God’s providence in ensuring His Son was born in Bethlehem, the ancestral home of David.
Bethlehem, too, was a small town with only about 300 residents, compared to Jerusalem’s 40,000. Yet, it was in this small village that God chose to bring His Son into the world. The first people to witness the newborn Jesus, apart from Mary and Joseph, were shepherds in the nearby fields, as described in the Gospel of Luke:
      "Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest. and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Lk 2:8-14).
      The shepherds believed the message and went to Bethlehem to see the child. They were filled with joy and praised God for what they had witnessed.
This event from 2,000 years ago is not merely a story of the past. Just as Mary brought the Savior into the world in Bethlehem, she continues to bring Jesus to us today through places like Medjugorje. In the same way Bethlehem was a small, unnoticed village, so was Medjugorje, where the Virgin Mary has appeared since 1981. The population of Medjugorje in 1981 was very small, much like Bethlehem, but it has grown over the years.
      God chose Medjugorje to be a new Bethlehem, where through Mary’s apparitions, we are reminded that Jesus lives and that He alone can bring us true peace and blessing. Just as the shepherds hurried to Bethlehem to see Jesus, we too must respond to Mary’s call, listen to her message, and adore Jesus as our living God, King of Peace, and Savior.

I am calling all of you, little children, to live and witness the graces and the gifts which you have received. Do not be afraid. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give you the strength to be joyful witnesses and people of peace and hope. Thank you for having responded to my call.

God is merciful and love itself. The graces He gives us are expressions of His boundless mercy and love. These graces, freely given, must be received with gratitude and treasured.
The Holy Spirit bestows different gifts upon us for the common good. When we humbly use these gifts for God’s glory and the salvation of others, they are put to their proper use. St. Paul speaks of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the following way:
      "Now in regard to spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be unaware. You know how, when you were pagans, you were constantly attracted and led away to mute idols. Therefore, I tell you that nobody speaking by the spirit of God says, “Jesus be accursed.” And no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the holy Spirit. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit” (1 Cor 12:1-7).
      God, in His great love, has given us many graces and gifts. These gifts are not meant to be kept to ourselves but should be used for the glory of God and the good of others. Let us reflect on the specific gifts we have received, give thanks for them, and make a plan for how we can better use them to serve God and others.
      As St. Paul says, "If we live by the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit" (Gal 5:25). We have nothing to fear because the Holy Spirit is with us. We are never alone. Having received the fullness of the Holy Spirit through baptism and confirmation, we live with the Spirit’s guidance and should always pray for His help. Whenever we feel fear or uncertainty, we must kneel and pray for the Holy Spirit to come and dispel our fears.
      "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law" (Gal 5:22-23). When we pray earnestly for the fruits of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit will not refuse. By relying on the strength and fruits the Holy Spirit provides, we can live out and bear witness to the graces and gifts we have received from God. We will become people who seek peace and never lose hope in any situation.
   
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