January 12, 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)
Our Lady always asks us through Mirjana to pray for our priests and bishops. She reminds us in this message that Jesus chose our shepherds, just as he chose the Apostles. Though they are from among us, human beings in need of grace and conversion, they have a special role in God's plan. And so they need our respect and our intercession.
But she goes further in this message with a warning: "Do not judge because you will all be judged." Chilling words. I must admit that I am tempted to make judgments all the time. It seems that the enemy works overtime to instill critical thoughts in my mind, thoughts that divide me from others, and create negative attitudes. And priests and bishops make easy targets for these thoughts because they are in public view and make decisions every day that affect us. And once a negative attitude has settled into my mind, it is hard to overcome it with love.
I want to quote from Father Lovasik's book, The Hidden Power of Kindness, as it may be a practical help for us all in eradicating judgmental thoughts from our hearts:
The best remedy for the habit of judging others is the practice of thinking of your own guilt and demerits before God when you are tempted to judge the guilt of somebody else. If you remember your own past secret sins, you will always be grateful that others do not know them, and you will be generous and kindly in any judgment you pass on others. St. Paul says, "Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or...why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God." (Rom 14:10)
St. James says, "There is one lawgiver and judge: He who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you that you judge your neighbor?" (James 4:12). Are you the right person to condemn anybody? Although you may not have some of the human weaknesses of your neighbor, you are not exempt from human frailty. The more deeply you look into yourself, the more clearly will you notice your own sinfulness. David prayed, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Ps. 51:5) Once you have come to know yourself, you will lose all desire to sit in judgment upon others.
Both justice and charity demand not only that you keep from judging the actions of others, but also that you interpret their actions in the best possible light. Nobody can judge people fairly except God, for He alone judges with perfect knowledge, certainty, and compassion. God is merciful because He is all-knowing and all-wise. In imitation of God, you must learn to interpret the motives and actions of others kindly before you can arrive at perfect love of your neighbor. Your kind interpretations are images of the merciful compassion of the Creator, who can find excuses for His creatures. Therefore, kindness in judging is true wisdom, because it is an imitation of the wisdom of God. (Rev. Lawrence G. Lovasik. The Hidden Power of Kindness.Sophia Institute Press. 1999. p. 53-54)
Our lives will become more peaceful, more content, more filled with hope and joy if we can begin to share the mercy and love of our Savior. As Our Lady tells us, "your life will be hope and truth which is my Son." As we open our hearts to the Father, and accept His love, we will become more and more like Jesus, Our Savior, who is all mercy. Then judgment will be a thing of the past!
In Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2012
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