Pray as much as you can!
(c) Mary TV 2013
J.M.J.
December 23, 2013
Dear Family of Mary!
Sunday, December 18, 1983, to Jelena:
"In this Novena for Christmas, pray as much as you can. I ask you."
Today is
the last day of the Christmas Novena, prayed by the parish in
Medjugorje. Each day from December 15 to December 23, the parishioners
of St. James Parish climbed Apparition Hill at 2:00 pm. They have been
led by the Franciscans. They have prayed two sets of mysteries of the
Rosary as they climbed, ending at the site of the first apparitions of
Our Lady to the six visionaries, back in 1981. There they have prayed
the chaplet of 7 sets of the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
As
you can imagine, this has been quite a time commitment for the
parishioners, especially before Christmas. But it is clear that there is
no better way to prepare for Christmas than to "pray as much as you
can." Our Lady knows how we need to prepare for the Feast of Christmas.
She knows that it is the manger of our hearts that needs to be prepared
for the coming of Jesus. Little by little, through prayer, our mangers
have been swept clean and made ready.
This
year, Mary TV has been blessed to be able to stream this daily climb up
Apparition Hill, Live!! Denis and I have been able to pray with the
parish from our home in Indiana! What a joy, and what a humbling
experience it has been. To see the parish climb each day, setting aside
their normal activity to respond to Our Lady's call to prayer, has been a
real example for us.
Also,
I know that people from around the world have taken this time to pray
with the parish, even if it is in the middle of the night for them. This
is another form of sacrifice! Here is the response of Perla, from Las
Vegas:
First
I want to thank Michael your beautiful son. What a sweet heart and
gentle spirit and awesome job he is doing with the Novena.... We are so
mightily blessed through this technology. It is impossible to understand
it fully. I am sure that [this] is a result of the intercession of Our
Beloved Pope John Paul II and [our] "yes" to Our Lady. Josip and his
crew are "AMAZING"
The
funny part: it is 5:00 am here for the novena so I am still not quite
awake. Anyway there is this prayer I always add before I begin my
rosary: " May the graces, the fruits, gifts and all the blessings of
these mysteries, by the power of the Holy Spirit descend deeply into our
souls" well I added "May the fruits and vegetables" I could not stop
laughing when I realized what I said and really felt Our Lady laughing
with me.
Because of all of the Mary TV family ... This is the "Best Advent Ever" THANK YOU!!!
Fruits
and vegetables!! Why not! Praise God we can all pray the novena
together!! As we conclude the novena today, may the graces flow over us
and over our families, and over the entire world, so much in need of the
love of God. There was an optional Solemn Blessing for Mass yesterday,
the Fourth Sunday of Advent. I think it makes a fitting prayer for the
end of the Christmas Novena. Here is a layman's version of it:
May
the almighty and merciful God, by whose grace [we] have placed [our]
faith in the First Coming of His Only Begotten Son and yearn for His
coming again, sanctify [us] by the radiance of Christ's Advent and
enrich [us] with His blessing. [Amen]
As [we] run the race of this present life, may He make [us] firm in faith, joyful in hope and active in charity. [Amen]
So
that, rejoicing now with devotion at the Redeemer's coming in the
flesh, [we] may be endowed with the rich reward of eternal life when He
comes again in majesty. [Amen]
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2013
PS.
"Fruit of Medjugorje" airs tonight at 8:00 pm EST. This episode
features Immaculee Ilibagiza. She remembers again her experience during
the Rwanda genocide, especially what the Lord and Our Lady taught her
during her prayer of the Rosary. She also testifies to the presence of
Our Lady in Medjugorje!!
One last day!!! Please join us for this live broadcast from Medjugorje:
Christmas Novena of St. James Parish, Medjugorje!
St. James Parish will climb Apparition Hill, praying the Rosary, for nine days before Christmas.
The novena began on December 15, and will end on December 23.
Mary TV will stream the novena - live - starting Monday, December 16,
2:00 pm Medjugorje time (8:00 am EST).
Join the parish in this wonderful novena in preparation for the coming of Baby Jesus at Christmas!
"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world!"
Blessed John Paul II -
Be connected!
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