sacraconTemplatio
[sacredconTemplation]
Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον·
Matthew 6:11
NOLI REDIRE AD NORMALEM…
SED CONVERTE AD BONITAS, PULCHRITUDO, ET VERITAS.
LET US RETURN NOT TO NORMAL…
…BUT TO THE TRANSCENDENTALS…
…TO THE FULLNESS OF GOODNESS, BEAUTY, AND TRUTH.
Putting Our Site in Context
LET US RETURN TO SPIRITUAL BASICS... TO CONTEMPLATION OF THE SACRED
Fatima Visionaries
In light of so much unrest in the world… and so many signs of our times, it is time for a return to the basics, to the sacred. It has long been time for such a return. Of course, it was time in Jesus’ special time (kairos). And, of course, it is always a good time to return or to repent, as Jesus says in the opening chapter of Mark’s Gospel (___). But it’s no less clear in our “modern” times. In 1917, Our Lady of Fatima appeared in Portugal requesting our return. In the 1980s she appeared again in Medjugorje… pleading again for our repentance, our return to a profound love and obedience to her Divine Son, Jesus and to God, the source of all Goodness, Beauty, and Truth.
On June 24th, 1981,
Our Lady began appearing to six young children in Medjugorje, Yugoslavia (formerly).
But why should we listen to Mary, the Virgin Mother of Our Lord? Yes, she’s a child of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and the spouse of God the Holy Ghost. And yes, she is our mother (___). But she is also the first to receive the fullness of grace given us through the merits of Jesus Christ. She was even given the title “Full of Grace” by the messenger of God Gabriel (___). But as the most humble recipient of God’s Grace, her soul magnifies, not herself, but the Lord (___). Therefore, she not only pleads for us but directs us always to “do whatever He tells you” (___).
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
~John 2:5
In Medjugorje, for more than 40 years, she has been asking us to (1) read our Bibles, the Word of God daily; (2) to Fast originally on Fridays, then later Wednesdays and Fridays; (3) to attend Mass and receive Holy Communion at least weekly; (4) to Pray, especially the Rosary; and (5) to Confess our sins to a priest at least monthly. She continues to encourage us to take up these five stones in our ongoing battle against our Goliath, the evils of our day. But again, these are nothing new, but what Christ and His Church have taught for centuries.
David…
chose five smooth stones from the stream
~1 Samuel 17:40
We’ve structured our site around these same “stones”… not only Jesus’ Mother has asked, but because it’s what God had planned for us from the beginning, since the Garden of Eden: “In the beginning was the WORD and the Word was with God and the Word was God” (___). To follow, to obey the Word of God would have been to live eternally with Him.
But in the face of temptation, instead of choosing to follow God – the source of all Goodness, Beauty, and Truth – we chose a lesser “good for food” (___)… we chose a lesser beauty or “delight to the eyes” (___)… we desired a lesser truth “to make [ourselves] wise”, to decide for ourselves good from evil (___).
Adam and Eve…
choose a lesser, secular, worldly goodness, beaty, and truth
~Genesis 3:6
When facing the demonic, taking the form of a serpent, we did not take into battle our stones. Having heard His WORD, we already knew “good” from “evil”, “right” from “wrong”, “life” from “death”… but we did not (1) obey the Holy WORD OF GOD.
And after having contemplated His Word and even having decided to not even “touch” the forbidden fruit (___)… (2) we did not FAST from the one and only forbidden tree among the thousands of trees given us within the Garden of Eden.
Nor did we (3) GIVE or GIVE THANKS for the thousands of trees and fruits within the garden, most especially the Tree of Life, from which we might have reached out his hand to take fruit and eat of it and live forever (Genesis 3:22).
And having been made by God – already sharing His image and likeness – still we exalted ourselves dictating “right” from “wrong”… rather than (4) humbling ourselves in PRAYER to the God, Who Himself prayed “not my will but yours be done” (___) and deemed not equality with God something to be grasped at (___).
And having fallen from grace and from a life of sanctity into the depths of shame, (5) we did not CONFESS our fault to Our loving, merciful God but hid and covered ourselves, blaming not only one another but even the God who made us (___).
Though banned from Eden…
Ephesians 1:3-14
Fatima Visionaries
NOLI REDIRE AD NORMALEM…
SED CONVERTE AD BONITAS, PULCHRITUDO, ET VERITAS.
LET US RETURN NOT TO NORMAL…
…BUT TO THE TRANSCENDENTALS…
…TO THE FULLNESS OF GOODNESS, BEAUTY, AND TRUTH.
Putting Our Site in Context
LET US RETURN TO SPIRITUAL BASICS... TO CONTEMPLATION OF THE SACRED In light of so much unrest in the world… and so many signs of our times, it is time for a return to the basics, to the sacred. It has long been time for such a return. Of course, it was time in Jesus’ special time (kairos). And, of course, it is always a good time to return or to repent, as Jesus says in the opening chapter of Mark’s Gospel (___). But it’s no less clear in our “modern” times. In 1917, Our Lady of Fatima appeared in Portugal requesting our return. In the 1980s she appeared again in Medjugorje… pleading again for our repentance, our return to a profound love and obedience to her Divine Son, Jesus and to God, the source of all Goodness, Beauty, and Truth.
Fatima Visionaries
But why should we listen to Mary, the Virgin Mother of Our Lord? Yes, she’s a child of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and the spouse of God the Holy Ghost. And yes, she is our mother (___). But she is also the first to receive the fullness of grace given us through the merits of Jesus Christ. She was even given the title “Full of Grace” by the messenger of God Gabriel (___). But as the most humble recipient of God’s Grace, her soul magnifies, not herself, but the Lord (___). Therefore, she not only pleads for us but directs us always to “do whatever He tells you” (___).
On June 24th, 1981,
Our Lady began appearing to six young children in Medjugorje, Yugoslavia (formerly).
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5)
In Medjugorje, for more than 40 years, she has been asking us to (1) read our Bibles daily; (2) to Fast on Wednesdays and Fridays (the traditional Judeo-Christian days of fasting, even affirmed in the first-century Didache); (3) to attend Mass, receive Holy Communion as often as possible; (4) to Pray, especially the Rosary; and (5) to at least monthly Confess our sins to a priest.
David…
chose five smooth stones from the stream (1 Samuel 17:40)
Today, she continues to encourage us to take up these five stones in our daily battle against our Goliath, the evils of our day. But again, they are nothing new, but what Christ and His Church have taught for centuries.
Select messages
from Our Lady of Medjugorje…
“Dear children! Today I call on you to read the Bible every day in your homes and let it be in a visible place so as always to encourage you to read it and to pray. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
October 18, 1984
“The best fast is on bread and water. Through fasting and prayer one can stop wars, one can suspend the natural laws of nature. Works of charity cannot replace fasting… Everyone except the sick, has to fast.”
July 21, 1982
“Dear children! I am calling you to a more active prayer and attendance at Holy Mass. I wish your Mass to be an experience of God. I wish especially to say to the young people: be open to the Holy Spirit because God wishes to draw you to Himself in these days when Satan is at work. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
May 16, 1985
“I would like the people to pray along with me these days. And to pray as much as possible! And to fast strictly on Wednesdays and Fridays, and every day to pray at least one Rosary: the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries.”
August 14, 1984
“Dear children! I call you also today to conversion. Open your heart to God, little children, through Holy Confession and prepare your soul so that little Jesus can be born anew in your heart. Permit Him to transform you and lead you on the way of peace and joy. Little children, decide for prayer. Especially now, in this time of grace, may your heart yearn for prayer. I am close to you and intercede before God for all of you. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
November 25, 2002
Adam…
contemplating the transcendent
Word of God
We’ve structured our site around these same “stones”… not only Jesus’ Mother has asked, but because it’s what God had planned for us from the beginning, since the Garden of Eden: “In the beginning was the WORD and the Word was with God and the Word was God” (___). To follow, to obey the Word of God… to have eaten instead from the Tree of Life… would have been to live with Him eternally.
Adam and Eve…
chose a lesser, secular, worldly goodness, beauty, and truth
(Genesis 3:6)
But in the face of temptation, instead of choosing the transcendent source of all Goodness, Beauty, and Truth, we chose a lesser “good for food”, a lesser beauty or “delight to the eyes”, a lesser truth “to make [ourselves] wise” (Genesis 3:6) and to decide for ourselves good from evil.
When first battling the demonic in the form of a serpent, we did not take into battle our stones. Having heard His WORD, we already knew “good” from “evil”, “life” from “death”… but we did not (1) heed the Holy WORD OF GOD.
And after having contemplated His Word and even having decided to not even “touch” the forbidden fruit (___)… (2) we did not FAST from the one and only forbidden tree among the thousands of trees given us within the Garden of Eden.
Nor did we (3) GIVE or GIVE THANKS for the thousands of trees and fruits within the garden, most especially the Tree of Life, from which we might have reached out his hand to take fruit and eat of it and live forever (Genesis 3:22).
And having been made by God, sharing His image and likeness, still we exalted ourselves dictating “right” from “wrong”… vs (4) a humble PRAYER to God, Who Himself prayed “not my will but yours be done” (___) and deemed not “equality with God something to be grasped at” (___).
And having fallen from grace, from a life of sanctity into the depths of shame, (5) we did not CONFESS our fault to Our loving, merciful God but hid and covered and blamed not only one another but even the God who made us (___).
Though banned from Eden…
Ephesians 1:3-14
Fatima Visionaries
NOLI REDIRE AD NORMALEM…
SED CONVERTE AD BONITAS, PULCHRITUDO, ET VERITAS.
LET US RETURN NOT TO NORMAL…
…BUT TO THE TRANSCENDENTALS…
…TO THE FULLNESS OF GOODNESS, BEAUTY, AND TRUTH.
Putting Our Site in Context
LET US RETURN TO SPIRITUAL BASICS... TO CONTEMPLATION OF THE SACREDIn light of so much global unrest… and so many signs of our times, it is time for a return to the basics, to the sacred. It has long been time for such a return. Of course, it was time in Jesus’ special time (kairos). And, of course, it is always a good time to return or to repent, as Jesus says in the opening chapter of Mark’s Gospel (___). But it’s no less clear in our “modern” times. In 1917, Our Lady of Fatima appeared in Portugal requesting our return. In the 1980s she appeared again in Medjugorje… pleading again for our repentance, our return to a profound love and obedience to her Divine Son, Jesus and to God, the source of all Goodness, Beauty, and Truth.
Fatima Visionaries
On June 24th, 1981,
Our Lady began appearing to six young children in Medjugorje, Yugoslavia (formerly).
But why should we listen to Mary, the Virgin Mother of Our Lord? Yes, she’s a child of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and the spouse of God the Holy Ghost. And yes, she is our mother (___). But she is also the first to receive the fullness of grace given us through the merits of Jesus Christ. She was even given the title “Full of Grace” by the messenger of God Gabriel (___). But as the most humble recipient of God’s Grace, her soul magnifies, not herself, but the Lord (___). Therefore, she not only pleads for us but directs us always to “do whatever He tells you” (___).
In light of so much unrest in the world… and so many signs of our times, it is time for a return to the basics, to the sacred. It has long been time for such a return. Of course, it was time in Jesus’ special time (kairos). And, of course, it is always a good time to return or to repent, as Jesus says in the opening chapter of Mark’s Gospel (___). But it’s no less clear in our “modern” times. In 1917, Our Lady of Fatima appeared in Portugal requesting our return. In the 1980s she appeared again in Medjugorje… pleading again for our repentance, our return to a profound love and obedience to her Divine Son, Jesus and to God, the source of all Goodness, Beauty, and Truth.
Fatima Visionaries
But why should we listen to Mary, the Virgin Mother of Our Lord? Yes, she’s a child of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and the spouse of God the Holy Ghost. And yes, she is our mother (___). But she is also the first to receive the fullness of grace given us through the merits of Jesus Christ. She was even given the title “Full of Grace” by the messenger of God Gabriel (___). But as the most humble recipient of God’s Grace, her soul magnifies, not herself, but the Lord (___). Therefore, she not only pleads for us but directs us always to “do whatever He tells you” (___).
On June 24th, 1981,
Our Lady began appearing to six young children in Medjugorje, Yugoslavia (formerly).
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5)
In Medjugorje, for more than 40 years, she has been asking us to (1) read our Bibles daily; (2) to Fast on Wednesdays and Fridays (the traditional Judeo-Christian days of fasting, even affirmed in the first-century Didache); (3) to attend Mass, receive Holy Communion as often as possible; (4) to Pray, especially the Rosary; and (5) to at least monthly Confess our sins to a priest.
David…
chose five smooth stones from the stream (1 Samuel 17:40)
Today, she continues to encourage us to take up these five stones in our daily battle against our Goliath, the evils of our day. But again, they are nothing new, but what Christ and His Church have taught for centuries.
Select messages
from Our Lady of Medjugorje…
“Dear children! Today I call on you to read the Bible every day in your homes and let it be in a visible place so as always to encourage you to read it and to pray. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
October 18, 1984
“The best fast is on bread and water. Through fasting and prayer one can stop wars, one can suspend the natural laws of nature. Works of charity cannot replace fasting… Everyone except the sick, has to fast.”
July 21, 1982
“Dear children! I am calling you to a more active prayer and attendance at Holy Mass. I wish your Mass to be an experience of God. I wish especially to say to the young people: be open to the Holy Spirit because God wishes to draw you to Himself in these days when Satan is at work. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
May 16, 1985
“I would like the people to pray along with me these days. And to pray as much as possible! And to fast strictly on Wednesdays and Fridays, and every day to pray at least one Rosary: the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries.”
August 14, 1984
“Dear children! I call you also today to conversion. Open your heart to God, little children, through Holy Confession and prepare your soul so that little Jesus can be born anew in your heart. Permit Him to transform you and lead you on the way of peace and joy. Little children, decide for prayer. Especially now, in this time of grace, may your heart yearn for prayer. I am close to you and intercede before God for all of you. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
November 25, 2002
Adam…
contemplating the transcendent
Word of God
We’ve structured our site around these same “stones”… not only Jesus’ Mother has asked, but because it’s what God had planned for us from the beginning, since the Garden of Eden: “In the beginning was the WORD and the Word was with God and the Word was God” (___). To follow, to obey the Word of God… to have eaten instead from the Tree of Life… would have been to live with Him eternally.
Adam and Eve…
chose a lesser, secular, worldly goodness, beauty, and truth
(Genesis 3:6)
But in the face of temptation, instead of choosing the transcendent source of all Goodness, Beauty, and Truth, we chose a lesser “good for food”, a lesser beauty or “delight to the eyes”, a lesser truth “to make [ourselves] wise” (Genesis 3:6) and to decide for ourselves good from evil.
When first battling the demonic in the form of a serpent, we did not take into battle our stones. Having heard His WORD, we already knew “good” from “evil”, “life” from “death”… but we did not (1) heed the Holy WORD OF GOD.
And after having contemplated His Word and even having decided to not even “touch” the forbidden fruit (___)… (2) we did not FAST from the one and only forbidden tree among the thousands of trees given us within the Garden of Eden.
Nor did we (3) GIVE or GIVE THANKS for the thousands of trees and fruits within the garden, most especially the Tree of Life, from which we might have reached out his hand to take fruit and eat of it and live forever (Genesis 3:22).
And having been made by God, sharing His image and likeness, still we exalted ourselves dictating “right” from “wrong”… vs (4) a humble PRAYER to God, Who Himself prayed “not my will but yours be done” (___) and deemed not “equality with God something to be grasped at” (___).
And having fallen from grace, from a life of sanctity into the depths of shame, (5) we did not CONFESS our fault to Our loving, merciful God but hid and covered and blamed not only one another but even the God who made us (___).
Though banned from Eden…
Ephesians 1:3-14
Fatima Visionaries
NOLI REDIRE AD VOCEM SERPENTES…
…SED CONVERTE AD VERBUM DEI.
LET US RETURN NOT TO THE VOICE OF SERPENTS…
…BUT TO THE WORD OF GOD.
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CONVERTE AD DEI VERBUM
LET US RETURN TO THE WORD OF GOD...
…to reading the Word of God… and to Christ, the Word become flesh dwelling among us, full of grace and truth.
“Do whatever he tells you.”
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CONVERTE AD JEJUNIO
LET US RETURN TO FASTING...
…until our bridegroom comes, Christ, the source of all GOODNESS.
“When the bridegroom is taken away from them… then they will fast.”
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CONVERTE AD MISSAM SANCTAM
LET US RETURN TO HOLY MASS
…to the sacraments, and to our source and summit, the fount of all BEAUTY.
“This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
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LET US RETURN TO PRAYER...
…to humbly seeking the Will of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit of TRUTH.
“But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit…”
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CONVERTE AD CONFESSIO
LET US RETURN TO CONFESSION...
…to forgiving, to embracing the Divine Mercy of God.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
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LET US RETURN NOT TO NORMAL…
…BUT TO THE TRANSCENDENTALS…
…TO THE FULLNESS OF GOODNESS, BEAUTY, AND TRUTH.
I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
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CONVERTE AD DEI VERBUM
LET US RETURN TO THE WORD OF GOD...
…to reading the Word of God… and to Christ, the Word become flesh dwelling among us, full of grace and truth.
“Do whatever he tells you.”
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CONVERTE AD JEJUNIO
LET US RETURN TO FASTING...
…until our bridegroom comes, Christ, the source of all GOODNESS.
“When the bridegroom is taken away from them… then they will fast.”
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CONVERTE AD MISSAM SANCTAM
LET US RETURN TO HOLY MASS
…to the sacraments, and to our source and summit, the fount of all BEAUTY.
“This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
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LET US RETURN TO PRAYER...
…to humbly seeking the Will of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit of TRUTH.
“But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit…”
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CONVERTE AD CONFESSIO
LET US RETURN TO CONFESSION...
…to forgiving, to embracing the Divine Mercy of God.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
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Why focus on the Word of God?
On Fasting, Mass, and Prayer?
And on the Sacrament of Confession?
Initially,
because we learned
Our Lady of Medjugorje
has been recommending these disciplines for years.
She’s given us these five core disciplines,
like King David’s five stones,
to fight the “Goliath” of our times.
If we’re in a spiritual battle with our new Goliath,
the stones given by Our Lady must have a profound spiritual significance.
What has she said and asked
regarding these spiritual disciplines?
Copied below are some of her messages
taken from the medjugorje.org website…
Dei Verbum
Our Lady is asking us to read Sacred Scripture daily.
October 18, 1984:
“Dear children! Today I call on you to read the Bible every day in your homes and let it be in a visible place so as always to encourage you to read it and to pray. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
August 25, 1993:
“Dear children! I want you to understand that I am your Mother, that I want to help you and call you to prayer. Only by prayer can you understand and accept my messages and practice them in your life. Read Sacred Scripture, live it, and pray to understand the signs of the times. This is a special time, therefore, I am with you to draw you close to my heart and the heart of my Son, Jesus. Dear little children, I want you to be children of the light and not of the darkness. Therefore, live what I am telling you. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
January 25, 1999:
“Dear children! I again invite you to prayer. You have no excuse to work more because nature still lies in deep sleep. Open yourselves in prayer. Renew prayer in your families. Put Holy Scripture in a visible place in your families, read it, reflect on it and learn how God loves His people. His love shows itself also in present times because He sends me to call you upon the path of salvation. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
September 4, 1986
“Dear children! Today again I am calling you to prayer and fasting. You know, dear children, that with your help I am able to accomplish everything and force Satan not to be seducing to evil and to remove himself from this place. Dear children, Satan is lurking for each individual. Especially in everyday affairs he wants to spread confusion among each one of you. Therefore, dear children, my call to you is that your day would be only prayer and complete surrender to God. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
April 25, 2005:
“Dear children! Also today, I call you to renew prayer in your families. By prayer and the reading of Sacred Scripture, may the Holy Spirit, who will renew you, enter into your families. In this way, you will become teachers of the faith in your family. By prayer and your love, the world will set out on a better way and love will begin to rule in the world. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
January 25, 2006:
“Dear children! Also today I call you to be carriers of the Gospel in your families. Do not forget, little children, to read Sacred Scripture. Put it in a visible place and witness with your life that you believe and live the Word of God. I am close to you with my love and intercede before my Son for each of you. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
January 25, 2007:
“Dear children! Put Sacred Scripture in a visible place in your family and read it. In this way, you will come to know prayer with the heart and your thoughts will be on God. Do not forget that you are passing like a flower in a field, which is visible from afar but disappears in a moment. Little children, leave a sign of goodness and love wherever you pass and God will bless you with an abundance of His blessing. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
Serpentium Verbum
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
Luke 1:38
Dei Verbum
Our Lady is asking us to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays… the traditional Judeo-Christian days of fasting, even affirmed in the first-century Didache.
July 21, 1982:
“The best fast is on bread and water. Through fasting and prayer one can stop wars, one can suspend the natural laws of nature. Works of charity cannot replace fasting… Everyone except the sick, has to fast.”
September 26, 1985:
“Dear children! I thank you for all the prayers. Thank you for all the sacrifices. I wish to tell you, dear children, to renew the messages which I am giving you. Especially live the fast, because by fasting you will achieve and cause me the joy of the whole plan, which God is planning here in Medjugorje, being fulfilled. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
March 25, 2007:
“Dear children! I desire to thank you from my heart for your Lenten renunciations. I desire to inspire you to continue to live fasting with an open heart. By fasting and renunciation, little children, you will be stronger in faith. In God you will find true peace through daily prayer. I am with you and I am not tired. I desire to take you all with me to Heaven, therefore, decide daily for holiness. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
September 25, 2001:
“Dear children! Also today I call you to prayer, especially today when Satan wants war and hatred. I call you anew, little children: pray and fast that God may give you peace. Witness peace to every heart and be carriers of peace in this world without peace. I am with you and intercede before God for each of you. And you do not be afraid because the one who prays is not afraid of evil and has no hatred in the heart. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
September 4, 1986:
“Dear children! Today again I am calling you to prayer and fasting. You know, dear children, that with your help I am able to accomplish everything and force Satan not to be seducing to evil and to remove himself from this place. Dear children, Satan is lurking for each individual. Especially in everyday affairs he wants to spread confusion among each one of you. Therefore, dear children, my call to you is that your day would be only prayer and complete surrender to God. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
October 25, 2008:
“Dear children! In a special way I call you all to pray for my intentions so that, through your prayers, you may stop Satan’s plan over this world, which is further from God every day, and which puts itself in the place of God and is destroying everything that is beautiful and good in the souls of each of you. Therefore, little children, arm yourselves with prayer and fasting so that you may be conscious of how much God loves you and may carry out God’s will. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
Serpentium Verbum
And Mary said to the angel, “how shall this be done because I know not man?”
(Luke 31:34)
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do. And they cast lots to divide his garments.
(Luke 23:34)
Dei Verbum
Our Lady is asking us to attend Mass as often as possible.
March 7, 1985:
“Dear children! Today I call you to renew prayer in your families. Dear children, encourage the very young to prayer and the children to go to Holy Mass. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
May 16, 1985:
“Dear children! I am calling you to a more active prayer and attendance at Holy Mass. I wish your Mass to be an experience of God. I wish especially to say to the young people: be open to the Holy Spirit because God wishes to draw you to Himself in these days when Satan is at work. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
April 3, 1986:
“Dear children! I wish to call you to a living of the Holy Mass. There are many of you who have sensed the beauty of the Holy Mass, but there are also those who come unwillingly. I have chosen you, dear children, but Jesus gives you His graces in the Mass. Therefore, consciously live the Holy Mass and let your coming to it be a joyful one. Come to it with love and make the Mass your own. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
October 25, 1993:
“Dear children! These years I have been calling you to pray, to live what I am telling you, but you are living my messages a little. You talk, but do not live, that is why little children, this war is lasting so long. I invite you to open yourselves to God and in your hearts to live with God, living the good and giving witness to my messages. I love you and wish to protect you from every evil, but you do not desire it. Dear children, I cannot help you if you do not live God’s commandments, if you do not live the mass, if you do not give up sin. I invite you to be apostles of love and goodness. In this world of unrest give witness to God and God’s love, and God will bless you and give you what you seek from Him. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
January 25, 1998:
“Dear children! Today again I call all of you to prayer. Only with prayer, dear children, will your heart change, become better, and be more sensitive to the Word of God. Little children, do not permit Satan to pull you apart and to do with you what he wants. I call you to be responsible and determined and to consecrate each day to God in prayer. May Holy Mass, little children, not be a habit for you, but life. By living Holy Mass each day, you will feel the need for holiness and you will grow in holiness. I am close to you and intercede before God for each of you, so that He may give you strength to change your heart. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
Marija tells us Our Lady wants us to see the Holy Mass as “the highest form of prayer” and “the center of our lives”.
Vicka tells us that the Blessed Mother sees the Mass as “the most important and the most holy moment in our lives. We have to be prepared and pure to receive Jesus with a great respect. The Mass should be the center of our lives”.
Serpentium Verbum
…and his mother said to him, “Son… behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” And he said to them, “… did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house.”
(Luke 2:48-49)
After this Jesus, knowing that all was now Finished, said (to fulfill the scripture), “I thirst.”
(John 19:28)
Dei Verbum
Our Lady is asking us to pray daily… at least 3 hours a day.
August 14, 1984
“I would like the people to pray along with me these days. And to pray as much as possible! And to fast strictly on Wednesdays and Fridays, and every day to pray at least one Rosary: the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries.”
August 8, 1985
“Dear children! Today I call you especially now to advance against Satan by means of prayer. Satan wants to work still more now that you know he is at work. Dear children, put on the armor for battle and with the Rosary in your hand defeat him! Thank you for having responded to my call.”
June 12, 1986
“Dear children! Today I call you to begin to pray the Rosary with a living faith. That way I will be able to help you. You, dear children, wish to obtain graces, but you are not praying. I am not able to help you because you do not want to get started. Dear children, I am calling you to pray the Rosary and that your Rosary be an obligation which you shall fulfill with joy. That way you shall understand the reason I am with you this long. I desire to teach you to pray. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
January 25, 1991
“Dear children! Today, like never before, I invite you to prayer. Let your prayer be a prayer for peace. Satan is strong and desires to destroy not only human life, but also nature and the planet on which you live. Therefore, dear children, pray that through prayer you can protect yourselves with God’s blessing of peace. God has sent me among you so that I may help you. If you so wish, grasp for the rosary. Even the rosary alone can work miracles in the world and in your lives. I bless you and I remain with you for as long as it is God’s will. Thank you for not betraying my presence here and I thank you because your response is serving the good and the peace.”
Serpentium Verbum
And Mary said, “My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid…”
(Luke 1:46-48)
Dei Verbum
Our Lady is asking us to go to confession once a month.
January 25, 1995:
“Dear children! I invite you to open the door of your heart to Jesus as the flower opens itself to the sun. Jesus desires to fill your hearts with peace and joy. You cannot, little children, realize peace if your are not at peace with Jesus. Therefore, I invite you to confession so Jesus may be your truth and peace. So, little children, pray to have the strength to realize what I am telling you. I am with your and I love your. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
November 25, 1998:
“Dear children! Today I call you to prepare yourselves for the coming of Jesus. In a special way, prepare your hearts. May holy Confession be the first act of conversion for you and then, dear children, decide for holiness. May your conversion and decision for holiness begin today and not tomorrow. Little children, I call you all to the way of salvation and I desire to show you the way to Heaven. That is why, little children, be mine and decide with me for holiness. Little children, accept prayer with seriousness and pray, pray, pray. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
November 25, 2002:
“Dear children! I call you also today to conversion. Open your heart to God, little children, through Holy Confession and prepare your soul so that little Jesus can be born anew in your heart. Permit Him to transform you and lead you on the way of peace and joy. Little children, decide for prayer. Especially now, in this time of grace, may your heart yearn for prayer. I am close to you and intercede before God for all of you. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
February 25, 2007:
“Dear children! Open your heart to God’s mercy in this lenten time. The heavenly Father desires to deliver each of you from the slavery of sin. Therefore, little children, make good use of this time and through meeting with God in confession, leave sin and decide for holiness. Do this out of love for Jesus, who redeemed you all with his blood, that you may be happy and in peace. Do not forget, little children: your freedom is your weakness, therefore follow my messages with seriousness. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
Serpentium Verbum
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you…”
(John 2:5)
Why are we focused on
the Word of God?
On Fasting, Mass, and Prayer?
And on the Sacrament of Confession?
Initially,
because we learned
Our Lady of Medjugorje
has been recommending these disciplines for years.
She’s given us these five core disciplines,
like King David’s five stones,
to fight the “Goliath” of our times.
If we’re in a spiritual battle with our new Goliath,
the stones given by Our Lady must have a profound spiritual significance.
What has she said and asked
regarding these spiritual disciplines?
Copied below are some of her messages
taken from the medjugorje.org website…
Unless You Eat My Flesh and Drink My Blood…
Our Lady is asking us to read Sacred Scripture daily.
October 18, 1984:
“Dear children! Today I call on you to read the Bible every day in your homes and let it be in a visible place so as always to encourage you to read it and to pray. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
August 25, 1993:
“Dear children! I want you to understand that I am your Mother, that I want to help you and call you to prayer. Only by prayer can you understand and accept my messages and practice them in your life. Read Sacred Scripture, live it, and pray to understand the signs of the times. This is a special time, therefore, I am with you to draw you close to my heart and the heart of my Son, Jesus. Dear little children, I want you to be children of the light and not of the darkness. Therefore, live what I am telling you. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
January 25, 1999:
“Dear children! I again invite you to prayer. You have no excuse to work more because nature still lies in deep sleep. Open yourselves in prayer. Renew prayer in your families. Put Holy Scripture in a visible place in your families, read it, reflect on it and learn how God loves His people. His love shows itself also in present times because He sends me to call you upon the path of salvation. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
September 4, 1986
“Dear children! Today again I am calling you to prayer and fasting. You know, dear children, that with your help I am able to accomplish everything and force Satan not to be seducing to evil and to remove himself from this place. Dear children, Satan is lurking for each individual. Especially in everyday affairs he wants to spread confusion among each one of you. Therefore, dear children, my call to you is that your day would be only prayer and complete surrender to God. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
April 25, 2005:
“Dear children! Also today, I call you to renew prayer in your families. By prayer and the reading of Sacred Scripture, may the Holy Spirit, who will renew you, enter into your families. In this way, you will become teachers of the faith in your family. By prayer and your love, the world will set out on a better way and love will begin to rule in the world. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
January 25, 2006:
“Dear children! Also today I call you to be carriers of the Gospel in your families. Do not forget, little children, to read Sacred Scripture. Put it in a visible place and witness with your life that you believe and live the Word of God. I am close to you with my love and intercede before my Son for each of you. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
January 25, 2007:
“Dear children! Put Sacred Scripture in a visible place in your family and read it. In this way, you will come to know prayer with the heart and your thoughts will be on God. Do not forget that you are passing like a flower in a field, which is visible from afar but disappears in a moment. Little children, leave a sign of goodness and love wherever you pass and God will bless you with an abundance of His blessing. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
And their Eyes were Opened and They Recognized Him…
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
Luke 1:38
Dei Verbum
Our Lady is asking us to fast twice a week on Wednesdays and Fridays… the traditional Judeo-Christian days of fasting, even affirmed in the first-century Didache.
July 21, 1982:
“The best fast is on bread and water. Through fasting and prayer one can stop wars, one can suspend the natural laws of nature. Works of charity cannot replace fasting… Everyone except the sick, has to fast.”
September 26, 1985:
“Dear children! I thank you for all the prayers. Thank you for all the sacrifices. I wish to tell you, dear children, to renew the messages which I am giving you. Especially live the fast, because by fasting you will achieve and cause me the joy of the whole plan, which God is planning here in Medjugorje, being fulfilled. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
March 25, 2007:
“Dear children! I desire to thank you from my heart for your Lenten renunciations. I desire to inspire you to continue to live fasting with an open heart. By fasting and renunciation, little children, you will be stronger in faith. In God you will find true peace through daily prayer. I am with you and I am not tired. I desire to take you all with me to Heaven, therefore, decide daily for holiness. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
September 25, 2001:
“Dear children! Also today I call you to prayer, especially today when Satan wants war and hatred. I call you anew, little children: pray and fast that God may give you peace. Witness peace to every heart and be carriers of peace in this world without peace. I am with you and intercede before God for each of you. And you do not be afraid because the one who prays is not afraid of evil and has no hatred in the heart. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
September 4, 1986:
“Dear children! Today again I am calling you to prayer and fasting. You know, dear children, that with your help I am able to accomplish everything and force Satan not to be seducing to evil and to remove himself from this place. Dear children, Satan is lurking for each individual. Especially in everyday affairs he wants to spread confusion among each one of you. Therefore, dear children, my call to you is that your day would be only prayer and complete surrender to God. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
October 25, 2008:
“Dear children! In a special way I call you all to pray for my intentions so that, through your prayers, you may stop Satan’s plan over this world, which is further from God every day, and which puts itself in the place of God and is destroying everything that is beautiful and good in the souls of each of you. Therefore, little children, arm yourselves with prayer and fasting so that you may be conscious of how much God loves you and may carry out God’s will. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
Serpentium Verbum
And Mary said to the angel, “how shall this be done because I know not man?”
(Luke 31:34)
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do. And they cast lots to divide his garments.
(Luke 23:34)
Dei Verbum
Our Lady is asking us to attend Mass as often as possible.
March 7, 1985:
“Dear children! Today I call you to renew prayer in your families. Dear children, encourage the very young to prayer and the children to go to Holy Mass. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
May 16, 1985:
“Dear children! I am calling you to a more active prayer and attendance at Holy Mass. I wish your Mass to be an experience of God. I wish especially to say to the young people: be open to the Holy Spirit because God wishes to draw you to Himself in these days when Satan is at work. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
April 3, 1986:
“Dear children! I wish to call you to a living of the Holy Mass. There are many of you who have sensed the beauty of the Holy Mass, but there are also those who come unwillingly. I have chosen you, dear children, but Jesus gives you His graces in the Mass. Therefore, consciously live the Holy Mass and let your coming to it be a joyful one. Come to it with love and make the Mass your own. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
October 25, 1993:
“Dear children! These years I have been calling you to pray, to live what I am telling you, but you are living my messages a little. You talk, but do not live, that is why little children, this war is lasting so long. I invite you to open yourselves to God and in your hearts to live with God, living the good and giving witness to my messages. I love you and wish to protect you from every evil, but you do not desire it. Dear children, I cannot help you if you do not live God’s commandments, if you do not live the mass, if you do not give up sin. I invite you to be apostles of love and goodness. In this world of unrest give witness to God and God’s love, and God will bless you and give you what you seek from Him. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
January 25, 1998:
“Dear children! Today again I call all of you to prayer. Only with prayer, dear children, will your heart change, become better, and be more sensitive to the Word of God. Little children, do not permit Satan to pull you apart and to do with you what he wants. I call you to be responsible and determined and to consecrate each day to God in prayer. May Holy Mass, little children, not be a habit for you, but life. By living Holy Mass each day, you will feel the need for holiness and you will grow in holiness. I am close to you and intercede before God for each of you, so that He may give you strength to change your heart. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
Marija tells us Our Lady wants us to see the Holy Mass as “the highest form of prayer” and “the center of our lives”.
Vicka tells us that the Blessed Mother sees the Mass as “the most important and the most holy moment in our lives. We have to be prepared and pure to receive Jesus with a great respect. The Mass should be the center of our lives”.
Serpentium Verbum
…and his mother said to him, “Son… behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” And he said to them, “… did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house.”
(Luke 2:48-49)
After this Jesus, knowing that all was now Finished, said (to fulfill the scripture), “I thirst.”
(John 19:28)
Dei Verbum
Our Lady is asking us to pray daily… at least 3 hours a day.
August 14, 1984
“I would like the people to pray along with me these days. And to pray as much as possible! And to fast strictly on Wednesdays and Fridays, and every day to pray at least one Rosary: the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries.”
August 8, 1985
“Dear children! Today I call you especially now to advance against Satan by means of prayer. Satan wants to work still more now that you know he is at work. Dear children, put on the armor for battle and with the Rosary in your hand defeat him! Thank you for having responded to my call.”
June 12, 1986
“Dear children! Today I call you to begin to pray the Rosary with a living faith. That way I will be able to help you. You, dear children, wish to obtain graces, but you are not praying. I am not able to help you because you do not want to get started. Dear children, I am calling you to pray the Rosary and that your Rosary be an obligation which you shall fulfill with joy. That way you shall understand the reason I am with you this long. I desire to teach you to pray. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
January 25, 1991
“Dear children! Today, like never before, I invite you to prayer. Let your prayer be a prayer for peace. Satan is strong and desires to destroy not only human life, but also nature and the planet on which you live. Therefore, dear children, pray that through prayer you can protect yourselves with God’s blessing of peace. God has sent me among you so that I may help you. If you so wish, grasp for the rosary. Even the rosary alone can work miracles in the world and in your lives. I bless you and I remain with you for as long as it is God’s will. Thank you for not betraying my presence here and I thank you because your response is serving the good and the peace.”
Serpentium Verbum
And Mary said, “My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid…”
(Luke 1:46-48)
Dei Verbum
Our Lady is asking us to go to confession once a month.
January 25, 1995:
“Dear children! I invite you to open the door of your heart to Jesus as the flower opens itself to the sun. Jesus desires to fill your hearts with peace and joy. You cannot, little children, realize peace if your are not at peace with Jesus. Therefore, I invite you to confession so Jesus may be your truth and peace. So, little children, pray to have the strength to realize what I am telling you. I am with your and I love your. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
November 25, 1998:
“Dear children! Today I call you to prepare yourselves for the coming of Jesus. In a special way, prepare your hearts. May holy Confession be the first act of conversion for you and then, dear children, decide for holiness. May your conversion and decision for holiness begin today and not tomorrow. Little children, I call you all to the way of salvation and I desire to show you the way to Heaven. That is why, little children, be mine and decide with me for holiness. Little children, accept prayer with seriousness and pray, pray, pray. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
November 25, 2002:
“Dear children! I call you also today to conversion. Open your heart to God, little children, through Holy Confession and prepare your soul so that little Jesus can be born anew in your heart. Permit Him to transform you and lead you on the way of peace and joy. Little children, decide for prayer. Especially now, in this time of grace, may your heart yearn for prayer. I am close to you and intercede before God for all of you. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
February 25, 2007:
“Dear children! Open your heart to God’s mercy in this lenten time. The heavenly Father desires to deliver each of you from the slavery of sin. Therefore, little children, make good use of this time and through meeting with God in confession, leave sin and decide for holiness. Do this out of love for Jesus, who redeemed you all with his blood, that you may be happy and in peace. Do not forget, little children: your freedom is your weakness, therefore follow my messages with seriousness. Thank you for having responded to my call.”