What do you like most about Medjugorje?

medjugorje-statue-peopleBy Mary Chiu

“What do you like most about Medjugorje?” I get asked that question a lot when I returned from Medjugorje in June 2006.

I would answer, “It gave me a chance to be in solitude, and to be in union with God.”

Living a typical life in the city of Toronto – working in the lab 7 to 7 as a graduate student, teaching piano part-time, singing in 3 community choirs and trying to manage a social life on top of all these – didn’t leave me much time to be in solitude. Although I was leading a busy life, there was this big void in my heart that none of the above could fill.

Read MoreIn Medjugorje, I learned to slow down. I learned to do nothing but pray. I was reminded that the life that I have is a gift from God, and that it is time for me to put God, my Creator, back into the first priority.

One of the most empowering moments of my pilgrimage was during the public Marian apparition on Podbrdo one night. Thousands of people were up on the hill. It was 10pm. Mother Mary was giving her message to Ivan, one of the visionaries. Complete silence surrounded us for 10 minutes. I could not see Mother Mary nor could I hear Her but I felt like I was in Heaven. I realized at that moment exactly what can fill that big void in my heart; and the answer is, simply, peace.

Where do I find peace? From Jesus. How do you find Jesus? By chatting with Him.

“Pray, pray and pray; and I’ll intercede for you!” That’s all Mother Mary was trying to tell us for the past 25 years. If only we would listen.

Medjugorje is the place where you learn to filter out all noises in life and listen only to Jesus. Medjugorje is a place where you see people truly in love with Jesus and the Eucharist. Medjugorje is, as one of my friends put it, indeed the closest place to Heaven here on earth. Go experience it yourself. Now.