Ten O'Clock Mass!
(c)Mary TV 2013
J.M.J.
September 28, 2013
St. Wenceslaus, Saint Lawrence Ruiz and companions
Dear Family of Mary!
"Dear children! Also today I call you to prayer. May your relationship with prayer be a daily one. Prayer works miracles in you and through you, therefore, little children, may prayer be a joy for you. Then your relationship with life will be deeper and more open and you will comprehend that life is a gift for each of you. Thank you for having responded to my call."(September 25, 2013)
Yesterday, Denis and I had
the joy of praying our Daily Rosary in our Medjugorje Studio with
several pilgrims, and our entire staff present. It was a little
different for Denis and me, because we are used to being "alone" in our
studio at home. We know that so many of you are praying with us, but we
can't see you, so I feel a little less shy!
Not today! We could see
pilgrims from Ireland, England, and the USA, face to face! But it only
took a moment to realize that these dear ones are our friends, our
companions on the road with Our Lady, and it was a comfort to be
together. It was great to have other voices joining ours as we prayed
the decades and their smiles encouraging us as we spoke!
As we prayed the Sorrowful
Mysteries, and we came to the fifth mystery, the Crucifixion and Death
of Jesus, I was reminded of something I wrote about a few weeks ago. It
was a quote from Sr. Briege McKenna. She said:
Our Lady is
the Queen of Prophets. I remember one day in prayer getting this
insight that at the foot of Calvary, that up until that moment Mary was
known as the mother of Jesus. She was the biological mother of Jesus.
That's what the people knew her as. At the very moment when Jesus said
to John, "Behold your mother..." I got a vision of Mary's heart just
expanding, so that the same love that she had for Jesus as a mother, at
that very moment, as a gift from the Father, she was given for each of
us. I said to Fr. Kevin, I had a sense of the tremendous love of the
mother, so that she wants to protect her children. She is absolutely
desperate. The Father gave her this mission at the foot of the Cross
through Jesus to be the Mother of all Humanity. So it is only right that
a mother will announce "Prepare yourself, keep away from danger, let me
show you the road." (Fruit of Medjugorje, Episode 30 - Sr. Briege
McKenna)
The Crucifix in the Sacristy of St. Stephen's Cathedral
I am still amazed at the
power of Sr. Briege's vision. It makes sense out of so much! And as I
thought again about the Crucifixion, and Our Lady under the Cross,
suffering with Jesus, her heart expanding, I had the thought that just
as Our Lady's heart expanded with love for us at that moment, we could
ask for the grace that our hearts would expand as well, expand to be
able to accept Mary as our Mother just as John did. We could ask for the
grace to be her children, who love her as their true Mother. So we
prayed for that grace today during the Rosary.
As if to accentuate the reality of Mary's Motherhood, on Thursday
evening, Denis and I had the privilege of joining a pilgrimage group on
their last night in Medjugorje. Traditionally, on the last night, the
group will gather and share their experiences in Medjugorje. Almost
always, on the last night the group shows a big change from the
beginning of the pilgrimage. After several days in Our Lady's presence,
struggling up mountains and persevering through long rosaries and
masses, walking through the fields and sharing meals at the pension, the
group finds that their rough edges have been worn off, and they
actually fit together very well. They know each other very much like
family members know each other. They laugh together at their little
foibles, they cry together over their woundedness and loss, they smile
with such knowing smiles as they share their experiences. It is truly a
miraculous moment.
This group was no different.
Such joy, such laughter, and such deep sharing!! I felt so privileged
to join them. One woman shared that she felt that she was called on the
pilgrimage for one purpose, to go to confession. It was the perfect
priest, the perfect time, and the perfect message for her! Another woman
shared that she came from a background of abuse, and that her
pilgrimage was to pray for all those who were abused like she was, and
to forgive and be freed. Her face was filled with peace, and though she
cried, it was a cry of relief. All the sharings were deep, pure and
honest! It was incredible.
The group was made up of all
ages, many different nationalities and backgrounds, but they fit
together in a beautiful and harmonious community. This is the genius of
Our Lady! She shows us love, real love that can only exist in God. She
makes us family!
Sunset on September 27!
And so, after several hours
of rejoicing with this beautiful pilgrimage group, I went to bed, very
late, and very happy. And today was filled with Mary TV tasks! The
Rosary, filming another Fruit of Medjugorje testimony, and meeting as a
team. I must say that after Holy Mass tonight, I am beat!
So, for now, Ta Ta!! I will send another reflection tomorrow, and hope to have my act together by then!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2013
PS. Here is a little report on the glowing statue in Vicka's house:
As we arrived in Medjugorje
on September 25, we were greeted with excitement about an unusual event
in Medjugorje. A statue of Our Lady of Lourdes in Vicka's childhood home
near Apparition Hill where Vicka has shared her testimony for years on
the blue steps had begun to glow with a soft greenish light. People from
the area had been filing through the little room with the statue during
the night to view this unusual event.
Vicka was interviewed by Slobodna Dalmacija,
the Croatian newspaper about this event. Here is a short synopsis of
this interview published by MedjugorjeToday.TV. It seems that Vicka
believes it is a sign for us:
.
"I was on
the road when my mother called and told me. I just told her, "This is
Our Lady's will. Pray!" Vicka tells the Croatian daily Slobodna Dalmacija.
"I neither asked [her], nor did she mention. She would tell me if it
was needed. But I believe that the light on the statue is just another
message of Our Lady to turn to the light, peace, joy, and prayer. Our
souls are filled with darkness, the world is immersed in the darkness"
Vicka says. "Our Lady has appeared here for so many years, she is
constantly sending us messages, and for us to understand them, we just
have to open our hearts to them. Any man can do that, and Our Lady
speaks to everyone".
"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world!"
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