If you knew how much I love you you’d cry of joy
By Gabriel Fung
When I hear the word “Medjugorje” I get hyped up instantly, and feel the urge to share with everybody a series of images that would be flashing right in front of my eyes.
In the first image, I see myself
from two years ago listening to a sharing from two friends who have just returned from their Medjugorje pilgrimage. At that moment, I was intrigued by the miracles happening in this place – the miracle of the dancing sun, the miracle of the oil leaking from the knee of the Risen Christ statue, and most importantly, the miracle of conversion.The week after my friends’ sharing, I picked up a Medjugorje newsletter by chance. It tells of the whole story starting from the inception of the Marian apparitions. At this time, my parish was organizing the pilgrimage to this little village. Everything seemed to happen coincidently. I felt like God was telling me that I had to go to this place and see for myself. It was indeed a calling. Answering His call, I went to Medjugorje in June 2005, during the 24th anniversary of the apparitions.
When I got there, I was a little disappointed by the boring, repetitive schedule – hours and hours of praying the Rosary and going to Mass, day after day. However, things seemed to come to pass quite quickly, and I’ve unconsciously fallen in love with praying as we approached the end of the 10-day pilgrimage. It was a miracle!
Upon returning to Canada, my life has become more spiritually oriented: I pray the Rosary more frequently and I fast on bread and water once a week; I love going to daily mass and I long to receive the Eucharist.
Looking back, I have to thank all of my friends who inspired me to go on this pilgrimage. Most importantly, I have to thank God for such a calling and Mother Mary for her blessings.
In closing, allow me to share with you one of my favourite Medjugorje messages: “If you knew how much I love you you’d cry of joy.”