Through these years I see your love and openness to my call
This was the great affirmation made by Our Lady of Medjugorje in her latest message of June 25, 2021. In this message, which was received by a packed Medjugorje, Gospa appreciate your and my love and openness to her call.
But what is our love for Mary? A glance through her messages our Lady listed what does she by your love for her. Hence, we love her by going to Mass. In her message of November 21, 1985, she says: What I want from you is to show me your love by coming to Mass, and the Lord will reward you abundantly. Secondly, we love her when we love Her Son Jesus and make Him loved by others. In her message of March 2, 2016 she says: Do not live only for what is earthly and material. Love my Son and make it so that others may see His face through your love for Him. I will help you to come to know Him all the more. I will speak to you about Him.
Thirdly, we love Mary when we are apostles of her love towards all her children. In her message of 2 January, 2020, she says: Dear children, I know that I am present in your lives and in your hearts. I feel your love, I hear your prayers and direct them to my Son. But, my children, according to motherly love, I desire to be in the lives of all of my children. I desire to gather all of my children around me, beneath my motherly mantle. This is why I am inviting you and calling you, apostles of my love, to help me.
Fourthly, we love our Heavenly Mother when we do sacrifices for God’s love. In her Message of March 13, 1986, Our Lady says: “Dear children! Today I call you to live Lent by means of your little sacrifices. Thank you for every sacrifice you have brought me. Dear children, live that way continuously, and with your love help me to present the sacrifice. God will reward you for that. Fifth, we love Our Lady when we give God the first place in our families. She tells us on December 25, 1991: You say that Christmas is a family feast. Therefore, dear children, put God in the first place in your families, so that He may give you peace and may protect you not only from war, but also in peace protect you from every satanic attack. When God is with you, you have everything. But when you do not want Him, then you are miserable and lost, and you do not know on whose side you are. Therefore, dear children, decide for God. Then you will get everything.
Sixth, we love Mary when we pray and live her messages. On March 25, 1992, Our Lady told us: I wanted to create of you an oasis of peace, love and goodness. God wanted you, with your love and with His help, to do miracles and, thus, give an example. Therefore, here is what I say to you: Satan is playing with you and with your souls and I cannot help you because you are far away from my heart. Therefore, pray, live my messages and then you will see the miracles of God’s love in your everyday life. Seventh, we love Mary when we are close to her and her Immaculate Heart. The latter is our greatest help for our conversion. On October 25, 1996, She tells us: Little children, you are dear to me. I love you all and I call you to be closer to me and that your love towards my Immaculate Heart be more fervent. I wish to renew you and lead you with my Heart to the Heart of Jesus, which still today suffers for you and calls you to conversion and renewal. Through you, I wish to renew the world. Comprehend, little children, that you are today the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Little children, I invite you and I love you and in a special way implore: Convert!”
Eighth, we love Mary, Our Mother when we pray to Christ Crucified. In her message of March 25, 2004, She said: Dear children! Also today, I call you to open yourselves to prayer. Especially now, in this time of grace, open your hearts, little children, and express your love to the Crucified. Only in this way, will you discover peace, and prayer will begin to flow from your heart into the world. Be an example, little children, and an incentive for the good. I am close to you and I love you all. In here message of April 25, 2005, the Gospa said the same thing and then she added the reading of the sacred scripture. Dear children ! Also today, I call you to renew prayer in your families. By prayer and the reading of Sacred Scripture, may the Holy Spirit, who will renew you, enter into your families. In this way, you will become teachers of the faith in your family. By prayer and your love, the world will set out on a better way and love will begin to rule in the world.
Ninth, we love Our Lady when we love our neighbour. In her message of July 2, 2008, Gospa says: Dear children! With motherly love I desire to encourage you to love your neighbour. May my Son be the source of that love. He, who could have done everything by force, chose love and gave an example to you. Also today, through me, God expresses immeasurable goodness to you and, you children, are obliged to respond to it. With equal goodness and generosity behave towards the souls whom you meet. May your love convert them. In that way my Son and His love will resurrect in you.
Tenth, we love Mary when we consecrate our heart to Her and she instructs us on how to forgive. In her message of February 2, 2013, Our Lady said: Dear children; Love is bringing me to you – the love which I desire to teach you also – real love; the love which my Son showed you when He died on the Cross out of love for you; the love which is always ready to forgive and to ask for forgiveness. How great is your love? My Motherly heart is sorrowful as it searches for love in your hearts. You are not ready to submit your will to God’s will out of love. You cannot help me to have those who have not come to know God’s love to come to know it, because you do not have real love. Consecrate your hearts to me and I will lead you. I will teach you to forgive, to love your enemies and to live according to my Son. Do not be afraid for yourselves. In afflictions my Son does not forget those who love. I will be beside you. I will implore the Heavenly Father for the light of eternal truth and love to illuminate you. Pray for your shepherds so that through your fasting and prayer they can lead you in love.
Eleventh, we love Our Lady when we, the disciples of Christ, are one Church, one family. In her message of October 2, 2013, she tells us: “Dear children, I love you with a motherly love and with a motherly patience I wait for your love and unity. I pray that you may be a community of God’s children, of my children. I pray that as a community you may joyfully come back to life in the faith and in the love of my Son. My children, I am gathering you as my apostles and am teaching you how to bring others to come to know the love of my Son; how to bring to them the Good News, which is my Son. Give me your open, purified hearts and I will fill them with the love for my Son. His love will give meaning to your life and I will walk with you. I will be with you until the meeting with the Heavenly Father. My children, it is those who walk towards the Heavenly Father with love and faith who will be saved. Do not be afraid, I am with you. Put your trust in your shepherds as my Son trusted when he chose them, and pray that they may have the strength and the love to lead you.
These reasons of why you and me are to love Mary, Our Heavenly Mother, are so strong that they compel you and me to decide for God so that it may be good for you on the earth which God gave you. As Gospa told us on June 25, 2021. Lets us love her and be more open to her loving motherly call!
Fr Mario Attard OFM Cap
