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From the Desk of Sr. Emmanuel Maillard
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Medjugorje, June 21, 2016
Dear Children of Medjugorje, Praised be Jesus and Mary!
1. On June 2, 2016, Mirjana received her monthly apparition at the Blue Cross, in the presence of a fairly large crowd. After the apparition, she shared the following message:
"Dear children! as the Mother of the Church, as your mother, I am smiling as I look at you: how you are coming to me, how you are gathering around me, how you are seeking me. My comings among you are proof of how much Heaven loves you. They indicate to you the way to eternal life, to salvation. My apostles, you who strive to have a pure heart and to have my Son in it, you are on the good way. You who are seeking my Son are seeking the good way. He left many signs of His love. He left hope. It is easy to find Him if you are ready for sacrifice and penance-if you have patience, mercy and love for your neighbors. Many of my children do not see and do not hear because they do not want to. They do not accept my words and my works, yet through me, my Son calls everyone. His Spirit illuminates all of my children in the light of the Heavenly Father, in the unity of Heaven and Earth, in mutual love-because love invokes love and makes works more important than words. Therefore, my apostles, pray for your Church, love it and do works of love. No matter how betrayed or wounded, it is here because it comes from the Heavenly Father. Pray for your shepherds so that in them you may see the greatness of the love of my Son. Thank you."
2. Back from Asia
Please forgive me for the delay in sending this report to you, I have just returned from a long trip to Asia where I visited Mongolia (in the North of China) and Indonesia. Here are a few short stories to share with you. On the first night we stayed in a simple village, yet we were received with so much warmth that tears came to my eyes. These people had nothing, but they gave us a real treat!
In the morning, since there was no running water and not even a bathroom, we took a basin outside to wash ourselves. Even the "toilets" put up in the yard had no door, something common in China, especially in the countryside. And in such precariousness, I was filled with admiration for our host's goodness and deep joy.
We stayed with a local from the village. When we arrived at this mere little house composed of 2 rooms, we looked for beds but there was none. In one of the rooms there was a kind of dais (like a wooden platform) which had underneath it a heating system where coal was burnt in the winter. It turned out it was the dais that would be the bed for the three of us! It was normal for my 2 Chinese assistants but hard for the French woman I am who is used to sleeping on a mattress.
With her modest income, she had stitched some new blankets together for us. Her treasures were her pictures on the wall: the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, her greatest friends! Faded and a little warped by the smoke and the humidity in winter, I looked at them, praying, "O Jesus, if there is a place in the world where you love to stay and be consoled, this is it!" There I was, an eye-witness of the 1st Beatitude, "Happy are the poor in spirit, for the Kingdom of God is theirs."
In the parish, the young priest found just 12 believers when he arrived 2 years ago. Today there are 200. When they asked us to share with them the wonders of our lives, how many came? 200!
The 2nd part of this trip was in Indonesia, but the report of that will come later.
3. The Medjugorje effect!
Writing a letter to Our Lady is never fruitless (See PS7). As all mothers, she loves to receive mail from her children, and as our Heavenly Mother she answers divinely. Martina (from Milan) shares her own experience:
"Shorly after writing to the Gospa, I understood that we should go to Medjugorje as a family. Great news, my parents accepted to joins us. Of course, for them, the touristic side of the trip on the Adriatic coast was the most important.
From an early age, I had seen my parents fight. My brothers and I suffered a lot from this. Their emotions, crises, and arguing always ended badly: One of them would leave home for a few hours while the other one would weep. The worst was that their reputation for constant fighting stuck to them. Our friends were aware of it and we could feel it.
We did not know what peace was. The threat of divorce was constant. As a little girl, I would tell myself, "Well, let them divorce, that will make them happier!" Yet, during 40 years of marriage, the divorce did not happen, thanks be to God!
In October 2015, there we were in Medjugorje. How did grace reach my parents' hearts? On the first evening, my mother agreed to go to confession, dragging her feet. She joined a long line in front of a confessional. But tired of waiting, she left her spot and I found her sitting in a coffee bar. I thought, "Well, this is a bad start to the pilgrimage!" She bombarded me with questions, "God exists, yes, but what does he want from me? My life is fine! God, OK, I don't mind a little bit, but I like my life. I don't want to end up in a convent. And then confession... I never know what to say to the priest, and I am not sure it is worth anything. The last time i went was 7 years ago."
However, she gave it a go the next day. Surprise! There was a free confessional, so she entered it right away. What happened inside that confessional? I have no idea! But several weeks later, I happened to spend a few days at my parents'. I was anticipating the atmosphere and I prepared myself to be hurt as usual. But to my great surprise no fight started between them during that time, absolutely none! Even better, my parents invited me to share their morning prayers, the rosary and other prayers, on our knees in front of a nicely displayed small altar - something new- and my mother wanted to close the prayers singing the Ave Maria with her beautiful voice.
Peace and reconciliation was restored again after 40 years of quarrels. This is one of the gifts I had asked for in my letter to the Gospa. Since then, my parents have become the model couple of my Christian faith. I am so happy to think that this radical change in them, towards peace and love, will inspire many people."
4. Thank you, Martina for giving this beautiful testimony! It reveals to us several things that many still find hard to believe:
- With God, it is never too late! "Patience obtains everything" (Teresa of Avila).
- Our Blessed Mother unfailingly works on everything we confide to her with faith and she ultimately wins the case one day or another.
- Divorce is not the best solution, "For God," Mary said. "Divorce does not exist." If divorce does not exist for God, it is because he has a better solution in store for us and he will reveal it to us in prayer.
- If there is a major obstacle in your life, impossible to overcome with human means, remember that nothing is impossible for God. Pray and trust! Also, as Martina did, write a letter to the Blessed Mother: There are countless examples where she has answered positively. Does she not come every day particularly to help us? In your letter to her, start with a warm thank you! "Prayers of thanksgiving are the first ones to reach heaven", said Vicka.
On June 25 we will celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the Apparitions. Let us prepare for this blessed day in prayer! Everyone will find in their own hearts what present to offer her. For example, read again some of the key-messages that we have never lived so far. We can share this with her in our letters! We will then console her Immaculate Heart that "is bleeding as I look at you in sin and sinful habits", as she said on April 25.
5. Mother Teresa will be canonized on September 4th in Rome. This summer it could be very helpful for us to read or reread her writings, to let her voice resonate in our hearts! Her voice expresses bright lights for our time, which is so confused and so poor in spiritual warfare. Happy are those who will put into practice the wisdom of this great saint! She certainly does not show an easy way, for those who want an effortless life, but she shows the way of holiness!
Her path is one highlighted in the Gospel in its purity. As Jesus clearly said, "narrow is the door that leads to God's kingdom!" (Matt 7:13) When a saint is canonized, he or she sends exceptional graces on that day. So let us grab them and not miss the boat! (See PS1).
I happened to meet Mother Teresa in Calcutta in 1975, a year before I entered my Community, and she blessed me, looking at me straight in the eyes. A look of fire, indeed! Please ask her to remember me from Above, as I'm asking her to remember you too in her prayers!
May she inspire us on the way to holiness, the way that Mary calls us to be "My apostles" and also the "Apostles of Revelation" (See PS2).
The following quote is an adaptation of the Paradoxical Commandments by Dr. Kent M. Keith. Mother Teresa asked that it be painted on the wall of her orphanage in Calcutta for all who visited there to see:
"People are often unreasonable and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are honest people may cheat you.
Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, may be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."
6. The Next Live Talk From Sr. Emmanuel In French
On June 26th at 9 pm, Bosnian time. I will speak in French about the 35th Anniversary.
On July 3 and August 3, there won't be a Live, the next one will be on Sept. 3.
For English Speaking friends, watch the videos with my 10-minute "Pearls of the Gospel" which can be found on our website: https://sremmanuel.org/video/
Dearest Gospa, Mother and Queen of peace, please come in our homes, our buildings, our families so threatened by division and destruction! Your mere presence attracts so much peace, we need you more than ever!
Sister Emmanuel +
(Translated from French)
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P.S. 1. "Come, Be My Light!" By Mother Teresa, edited by Brian Kolodiejchuk.
P.S. 2. See the report of May 13, 2016 where sister Emmanuel talks about "the broken crosses".
P.S. 3. We are looking for a good Italian-chinese translator to translate 30 pages from sister Emmanuel's book on Fasting. Please pray for this intention! Contact gospa.fr@gmail.com
P.S. 4. Get this smartphone application! Here you will find Mary's official messages since 1984. It's free and available in English and in other languages on app store. In the search box, type Medjugorje Friends of Mary. Share this great news with your friends! Evangelize!
You'll find the messages of Mary, the monthly Medjugorje News, other news, etc. You can send in your prayer intentions, and subscribe to the News by email.
P.S. 6. The Youth Festival August 1 to 6, 2016. Send young people that you know here for the festival! It is a great opportunity for them to open their hearts and to find the direction they need.
P.S. 7. Write a letter to your Blessed Mother! She will answer you during prayer! Mail it to "Queen of Peace", BP 2157, F-06103 Nice cedex, France. We will deliver it to a visionary.
P.S. 8. Sister Emmanuel's Newsletter can be received in many languages!
Children of Medjugorje, INC, PO Box 18430, Denver, CO 80218
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