 The Return of the Prodigal Son - Murillo |
| January 11, 2012
Dear Family of Mary!
"Dear children; with motherly concern I look in your hearts. In them I see pain and suffering; I see a wounded past and an incessant search; I see my children who desire to be happy but do not know how. Open yourselves to the Father. That is the way to happiness, the way by which I desire to lead you. God the Father never leaves his children alone, especially not in pain and despair. When you comprehend and accept this you will be happy; your search will end; you will love and you will not be afraid; your life will be hope and truth which is my Son. Thank you. I implore you, pray for those whom my Son has chosen. Do not judge because you will all be judged." (January 2, 2012)
I think it is significant that Our Lady would give us this beautiful message at the beginning of the New Year, 2012. In her motherly concern, she wants to draw us into the peace and protection of the Father. She sees that we do not know how to be happy! We seek, we desire, we work hard, we try to make happiness, to no avail. Happiness is not to be found through our own puny efforts. Happiness is something totally different than what we think it is.
"Open yourselves to the Father. That is the way to happiness, the way by which I desire to lead you." This is the key to Our Lady's plan for us. She wants us to be happy. And she knows where happiness resides. It is in "openness" to the Father.
I often wonder what "openness" to the Father means. Why is it so hard for us to be open to Him, ready to communicate with him, present to Him. Why is the Father such a mystery to us? The answer must lie in our common state of being, original sin. Because of original sin, we find ourselves separated from God. We live with the inherited disposition to live without the Father, to be our own fathers in a sense. We want to define happiness for ourselves and go after it as we will. But that plan always fails!
We, the fallen children of Adam and Eve, need to return to our Father. Like the prodigal son in Luke 15:11 ff. we find ourselves in foreign lands, having spent all our money in pursuit of happiness, only to find ourselves broke, lonely, and hungry. Our only hope is to return to our Father, in humility and contrition, ready to live with Him again. In that is our happiness.
The Father waits for our return with open arms. He runs to meet us. The Father wants us to return to Him. But it requires our free choice. We must consent to His fatherhood. We must be open to being His children. If we recognize our mistakes, understand that we are only creatures, dependent upon God for our every breath, and if we consent to this truth, accepting our dependence with peace and trust, we will be ready to return to His embrace.
Our Lady is with us to lead us back to our Father. She is showing us the way to happiness. Happiness is life with our Father in heaven. And it can begin here on earth, if we open ourselves to His Fatherly care. "God the Father never leaves his children alone, especially not in pain and despair. When you comprehend and accept this you will be happy; your search will end; you will love and you will not be afraid; your life will be hope and truth which is my Son." This is the care of the Father. When we live in total surrender and trust in Him, we will never be alone, never. We will not be afraid. We will learn to love. And we will live in hope and truth.
Happiness is living with God as our Father!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Cathy Nolan ©Mary TV 2012 |
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