Reflection on the Message of November 25, 2005

I PRAY BEFORE GOD TO GIVE YOU THE GIFT OF FAITH

“Dear children! Also today I call you to pray, pray, pray until prayer becomes life for you. Little children, at this time, in a special way, I pray before God to give you the gift of faith. Only in faith will you discover the joy of the gift of life that God has given you. Your heart will be joyful thinking of eternity. I am with you and love you with a tender love. Thank you for having responded to my call.” Message of November 25, 2005

During 24 years and 5 months of apparitions in the parish Medjugorje, the love of Gospa remained unchanged, as much as her maternal messages, messages with which she wants to attract us – as with cords of love – towards the heart of Jesus, so that we can live and not barely subsist. Today also, she says: pray, pray, pray. Today also, she calls to what is most difficult for contemporary man, and it is prayer. There is no other way to arrive to God; there is no more comfortable or easier way, than the way of prayer. She is not only calling to prayer, but she is praying in front of God for us, she is asking God to grant us the gift of faith. In faith, Mary pronounced the words of her abandonment to God: “Be it done to me according to your word” and ” Behold the handmaid of the Lord”. These short words contain the whole life of Mary. In these words, she said everything, and she has completely given herself to God.

Faith is a gracious gift of God, gift that we can and must ask from God. God gives us what we ask. Mary is praying with all those who pray. As a Mother, she is praying for us all, she is asking from God the invaluable gift of faith. She knows well that, without faith, we live in darkness and ignorance. Without faith, life is impossible. When we live without faith and trust, we are under the influence of fear, and we feel threatened and insecure. Fear kills life much more than work. The reason for which worries kill more people than work is in the fact that people worry more than they work. Against fear, only faith is successful. Faith means to rely on God who remains invisible for us, God whom we nevertheless experience as our fundamental support. Faith is a support that we cannot see. Faith is the sure ground on which you can stand; faith is the light that you light in the darkness of your heart. Faith means to open the door to confidence, to open the windows to love, to accept smile, joy, light and health.

Faith is like a jump in a parachute from the plane. If you jump from the plane, you see only the ground, and yourself inevitably precipitating towards the ground, on which you will be pulverized. It is a jump into nothingness, into destruction, into death. But, after this dreadful experience, another incredible experience comes: if you draw the grip of the parachute, above you a cord opens, which holds you attached to a tissue. You left the safety of the plane, you were precipitated towards death which awaits you down there, on the firm ground, and what stopped you, it is the solidity of a piece of tissue – the parachute. This small piece of silk preserved you from death; it gave you the force to leave the safety of the plane. This is faith. When you start to entrust yourself to somebody, you have the impression to jump into emptiness. The fear seizes you, and you have the impression that you are going towards nothingness. But it is enough to light in oneself the certainty that all will go well, and fear is cut.

We do not put our faith in a tissue, nor in a cord, but in a Mother who walked the same ways that we walk, who lived the same anguishes, apprehensions and sufferings, which we live. This is why she is our certainty, and she is promising never to deceive us, she could never deceive us.

In faith and trust in God open up for us spaces of light, of truth, of certainty that God is showing us. In faith and trust, we realize that all in life was given to us, and that nothing belongs to us: neither life, nor people, nor this earth. We are created for eternity. Mary wishes that now, today, we start to live this eternity. She wishes that we decide for eternity now, so that it may not be too late tomorrow.

Fr. Ljubo Kurtovic

Medjugorje 26.11.2005

Reflection on the Message of December 25, 2005

IN MY ARMS, I BRING YOU LITTLE JESUS, THE KING OF PEACE

“Dear children! Also today, in my arms I bring you little Jesus, the King of Peace, to bless you with His peace. Little children, in a special way today I call you to be my carriers of peace in this peaceless world. God will bless you. Little children, do not forget that I am your mother. I bless you all with a special blessing, with little Jesus in my arms. Thank you for having responded to my call.” Message of December 25, 2005

Today also, in her arms and in her heart, the Blessed Virgin Mary brings and gives Jesus, the King of Peace. She is doing this throughout the history, since Jesus was conceived in her womb. Saint Elisabeth was the first who had the privilege to meet Mary, full of grace, who carries and gives Jesus. Mary wants to lead us all to Jesus; she wants to give Jesus to us all. She does not keep Him for herself, because she knows that He is a gift offered to her, too. Mary knows that Jesus is a gift of God not only for her, but for all humanity. The meaning of life is to give, not only things, but life. This is why she is teaching: “Dear children, your life does not belong to you, but is a gift with which you must bring joy to others.” (Message of 25.12.1992)

Only human being is able to recognize and receive God. Human being alone can receive the fullness of the love of God, and love in a manner worthy of God. Jesus has descended from heaven for our salvation. Love, only love motivated Him to come down from heaven because of us. God is love and all that He does, He does it out of love.

The Virgin Mary appears and she calls us, her children, for so many years now, only because she loves us. Our response to her calls and her messages should be only love. With the help of Mary, we can also grow in holiness and be those who will be able to carry Jesus to others. Jesus that we receive in the Holy Communion is the same Jesus that Mary received, the One that she is giving us.

Mary fully believed in the accomplishment of all that was told to her on behalf of the Lord. Today, she believes that God wants and can perform in our lives his works of peace and of love. In her life, she made the experience of the absolute power of the love of God who governs and who leads the history of humanity, and each heart, which opens to Him. Mary is the person who knows Jesus best, because He grew in her most pure womb, under her heart, and because she followed Him by her tender love until the Calvary. This is why we are sure that we will arrive to Jesus if we listen to Mary and follow her maternal words, which do not compel, but which attract by love. She came here to us. We did not call her, she came to call us. She went by herself towards her cousin Elisabeth when she felt invaded by the grace, full with Jesus. Today also, she is full with Jesus and she brings Him to us, she gives Him to us. Mary receives everything from Jesus, King of Peace, and she gives us all that is from Jesus.

In many messages, Mary invites us to pray for peace. The world languishes for peace, but it is unable to set up the conditions necessary for peace. Human happiness is unimaginable without the peace of the heart. Peace generates a deep security. Peace is the major desire of the human heart, but cannot be realised without God. To wait until the world, human forces and powers give us peace, this means to advance on the way of the lie and disappointment.

Mary never misled nor disappointed anybody. It was never heard that she abandoned someone who sought her help and her protection. Let us pray to Mary, and let us open ourselves to her heart, so that we can make a deep experience of peace and carry peace to all around us.

Fr. Ljubo Kurtovic
Medjugorje 26.12.2005