Mary TV Daily Reflection 4/12/2011

April 12, 2011 Dear Family of Mary! The Divine Mercy Novena, given to the Church through St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, begins on Good Friday, April 22.  Denis and I believe that this year the Novena of Divine Mercy is going to be very grace-filled, very powerful.  Here is why:  Pope John Paul II was really the Divine Mercy Pope.  During his pontificate, he cleared St. Faustina's writings of any misunderstanding; then he helped initiate her beatification and then her canonization, which happened on the Sunday after Easter in 2000!  As he canonized St. Faustina, he also instituted the Feast of Divine Mercy to be observed on the first Sunday after Easter, as had been requested by Jesus to the saint so many years before.  It was a tremendous way to begin the Third Millennium.   And it seems that Pope John Paul II was actually a gift of the Divine Mercy to the Church.  His prolonged pontificate was filled with signal graces.  His teachings and example transformed the way we think about ourselves and about God.  He is probably the Spark from Poland that St. Faustina wrote about.  "As I was praying for Poland, I heard the words: I bear a special love for Poland, and if she will be obedient to My will, I will exalt her in might and holiness.  From her will come forth the spark that will prepare the world for My final coming" (1732, Diary).  As the Pope whose reign spanned the 20th and 21st Centuries, he truly carried us into the Third Millennium on a wave of grace. So now we find ourselves approaching May 1, 2011, when our beloved John Paul the Great will be beatified.  This great celebration will happen on Divine Mercy Sunday!  Incredible!  And it will coincide with the Feast of St. Joseph and the first day of May, the month of Mary!  This is no accident.  Divine Providence has arranged this special moment. When Denis was in Medjugorje last week, he heard a short talk by Vicka.  In it she mentioned a prayer request:  "Gospa asks us to pray for the Pope, bishops and priests, the whole church needs prayers.  In a special way pray for one plan that is supposed to be realized soon."  When we realized the amazing timing of this Divine Mercy Novena, ending on the beatification of Pope John Paul II, we felt sure that it was somehow connected with Vicka's request.  Some part of Our Lady's plan which involves the Church, especially the Pope, bishops and priests, is about to unfold.   Our prayers are needed, and what better prayer than the Divine Mercy Novena!   So, Denis and I are going to go "live" at 3:00 pm EST every day from April 22 to April 30, and pray the novena with all who will join us, for this prayer request from Vicka.  We believe it will bring about a part of Our Lady's plan.  You can join us at www.marytv.tv !      Denis says that the Divine Mercy Novena is such a simple request of Jesus.  Just nine days of praying the chaplet of Divine Mercy, plus celebrating the Feast of Divine Mercy with Holy Mass, confession, and prayer for the Pope.  And yet, through this Novena and Feast, we are promised that all temporal consequences of sin will be wiped away, and anything we ask of God (that is in harmony with His will) will be granted!   Denis compares it to the request that Elisha made of Naaman, the Syrian general, who had leprosy (see II Kings 5:1-14).  All he had to do was wash 7 times in the Jordan River and he would be healed.  Naaman at first rebelled at this simple request.  Were not the rivers of his homeland better than the Jordan?  But, he chose to wash, and was healed.  Denis says that the whole world has leprosy right now and needs to be washed clean.  Our Novena is like this washing, it is simple and yet anointed by God with great grace!   Our Lady of Medjugorje once gave a message for Pope John Paul II.  In it she said:  "In my messages I recommend to everyone, and to the Holy Father in particular, to spread the message which I have received from my son here at Medjugorje."  (September 16, 1983) Our Lady began to come to Medjugorje during Pope John Paul II's pontificate.  Her messages and His teaching are deeply harmonious.   It is as if the two of them were given to us simultaneously, to help us move forward in God's plan for the new spring time.  Medjugorje is a decisive step in the Lord's plan to save His people in these momentous days, and Pope John Paul II was the Spark from Poland given to prepare the Church for Jesus' coming.  Our Novena will be another small step towards the fulfillment of all God has planned! In Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Cathy Nolan PS. Don't forget, 3:00 pm EST on April 22 to 30! At Mary TV!    www.marytv.tv

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