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(c)Mary TV 2011
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September 1, 2011 Dear Family of Mary! "Dear children! Today I call you to pray and fast for my intentions, because Satan wants to destroy my plan. Here I began with this parish and invited the entire world. Many have responded, but there is an enormous number of those who do not want to hear or accept my call. Therefore, you who have said 'yes', be strong and resolute. Thank you for having responded to my call." (August 25, 2011) Ivan continues speaking about Our Lady, her messages, and the times we live in, in his talk on June 24, 2011: Our Lady talks so much about peace. She talks about prayer. I would say that these two messages are probably the messages that are being repeated more than any other messages during these years of apparitions. Why are these two messages so important so that Our Lady keeps calling us to live them? These two messages, prayer and peace, are the foundation on which we have to place the other messages - all her messages depend on these two messages. For example, the message of conversion: our conversion should start in our heart... In our heart... So how could it happen that we don't have that peace in our heart? How can it happen if we don't pray? [If we don't pray] we won't be able to recognize the things that are not good. We won't be able to recognize what the sin is. We won't be able to be open to the Holy Spirit. Indeed conversion is very important to each one of us. But conversion is a process. It is a program for our life, and we have to make a decision for it, we have to be persistent. We have to change ourselves every day. To leave sin and evil behind us every day. And to be open on this path. It doesn't mean that I am converted overnight just because I have seen Our Lady. No. My conversion is going on every day. And I still want to improve some things every day. Once time there was a pilgrim who asked me, "Ivan, what about your life, how did it change?" You see, I experience all kinds of changes in my life.... It is also a change for me as father to change the diapers of my youngest son! This is the way you change, it is the kind of scenary that you have in front of you -direction in which you know something has to be corrected. And you see in these little things we can recognize huge things. And peace! We can say that this world really doesn't have any peace. Why is it like that, that the world doesn't have any peace? Because there is no peace in the human heart. Everything comes from the human heart. All the problems that are happening in the family, in society, talking about divorces, talking about all evil things in the family, but also we go for other considerations in the world, talking about wars. Because the human heart is not at peace within itself. The heart is not reconciled with God. And this is so important. And this is the reason why Our Lady keeps calling us to place God in the first place, to walk together with Him to the better future. And then everything else will be added to it. And then everything else will work smoothly the way we want. But of course the cross is a part of our life. We have to embrace our crosses. We have to carry our crosses. And some people have to carry very heavy crosses, and the others, those that are not that heavy. We have to accept the cross as the will of God, so that God may be glorified through us. It is very important to be ready to accept the cross. It is probably human that we make those comments when something goes wrong, "God, why did you do it to me? I did so many good things in your name, on behalf of you. I went to church, I prayed with my family. Why me? Why do I have to carry such a heavy cross? Why do you allow illness to come to my family?" But the cross is the gift. And we have to accept this gift. I will say again, this gift could be called the will of God. It is probably through this cross we will be glorified...we will receive much more than without the cross! Everything has its meaning and the reason why. Everything! We don't see it from this point. But we have to think that way. And this is the reason why Our Lady keeps calling us for such a long time. She asks us to forgive. Forgiveness is such an important thing in this world. To forgive yourself first. Sometimes it is probably the most difficult thing - to forgive yourself! How to forgive yourself ?! If I cannot forgive myself, how could I forgive others? How could my heart be open - without forgiveness there is no healing, there is no spiritual fruit, no physical healing, and therefore I say again it is so important to forgive. To have confession. To have your own confessor. Not to be afraid to meet the priest in confession. May your confessor be the priest to whom you could open your heart, sit together and you can talk. Then you'll feel after the confession how free you are. You're not going to fly, but you will be free - free from inside. So once again, forgiveness is very important. (Ivan Dragicevic, on June 24, 2011, sharing about Our Lady, her messages and their meaning for our times) In Ivan's gentle words we hear the echo of Our Lady's voice. Ivan has conversed with her for so long, that his words have become similar to hers. He speaks from his heart, he speaks with love, and gentleness, and with hope. Peace, prayer, confession, forgiveness, conversion, the cross - these are some of the themes that have been woven into such a beautiful tapestry of holiness in Medjugorje. This is the legacy that will be left for the world even after the apparitions cease. These themes, these messages are a great gift for our age, the key to lasting peace. May we be strong and resolute in our commitment to respond to Our Lady in these days, for the sake of souls! |
In Jesus and Mary! 
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2011
PS. You can watch the video of this talk on our web page:
http://www.marytv.tv/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=310&Itemid=40
Click the title "Ivan reflects on 30 years of apparitions - June 24, 2011"
www.marytv.tv
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