Medjugorje Day by Day: August 13th Reflection

Here is the August 13th reflection from one of my favorite Medjugorje-themed books: Medjugorje Day by Day, by Richard J. Beyer:

AUGUST 13

There are souls in purgatory

To the visionary Mirjana, regarding purgatory:

There are souls in purgatory who pray ardently to God, but for whom no relative or friend prays on earth. But God allows them to benefit from the prayers of other people (FY 1-10-83).

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And in Psalm 73, the author expresses confidence in God, both now and in the hereafter:

Nevertheless I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me with honor.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire
   other than you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

--Psalm 73:23-26

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Reflection: Through the dogma of the communion of saints, the church teaches that the living can actively help those who have died through prayer, sacrifice, and especially the Mass, "the greatest prayer," as Mary says elsewhere.

It is common practice to arrange for Masses to be offered for loved ones, often on the anniversary of their death, but any time is appropriate. Your parish secretary or priest can assist you in this; Mass intentions are normally announced in the church bulletin, unless you wish otherwise (it is customary, though not required, to give an offering).

Application: Today, pray for the souls in purgatory, especially the forgotten dead.

Medjugorje Day by Day - July 17th Reflection

Here is the July 17th reflection from one of my favorite Medjugorje-themed books: Medjugorje Day by Day, by Richard J. Beyer:

JULY 17

Prevent Satan from entering

The Virgin speaks of Satan to Ivan's prayer group:

Dear children, again today your Mother wants to warn you that Satan, by every means possible, wants to ruin everything in you, but your prayers prevent him from succeeding. When you fill up all the empty space in your soul with prayer, you prevent Satan from entering. Pray, dear children, and your Mother will pray with you to defeat Satan.

May this be a time when all of us convey peace to others. And so please spread peace within your homes, in your families, in the streets, and everywhere (VPG 3-21-88).

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In strong, clear language, Paul identifies and warns the Ephesians of Satan and the powers of evil:

Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wile of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm (Eph 6:11-13).

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Reflection: Both St. Paul and Our Lady wish us to recognize the reality and danger of Satan and the demonic, that we might be prepared and armed to defeat him. This is of such consequence to Mary that she has given over twenty-five messages on Lucifer.

Obviously Satan is not to be taken lightly. The trouble is that he usually works undercover, subtly plying us with temptations and eroding our faith. He can also be overt and dramatic, as in some of the exorcisms that have occurred in Medjugorje, but this is rare behavior for him, for he does not like to show his face.

Our defense? Our Lady gives us five weapons: Prayer, fasting, scripture reading, monthly confession, and the Mass. She asks that we wear blessed objects, make use of holy water, and "to let the rosary in your hands be a sign to Satan that you belong to me."

Application: In prayer today, call to mind those temptations that bother you the most. See these as your weakest links, and place them before God in prayer each morning, asking for his protection again the Evil One.

Medjugorje Day by Day - March 23rd Reflection

Here is the March 23rd reflection from one of my favorite Medjugorje-themed books: Medjugorje Day by Day, by Richard J. Beyer:

MARCH 23

Renounce those things
which are hurting you

During Lent of 1990 Our Lady spoke of attachments:

Dear children, I invite you to surrender to God. In this  season of Lent, I ask you to especially renounce those things to which you are attached but which are hurting you and your spiritual life. Therefore, little children, decide completely for God, and do not allow Satan into your life through those things that hurt both you and your spiritual life.

Little children, God is offering himself totally to you, but you can discover and recognize him only in prayer. Therefore, make a decision for prayer! (MM 2-25-90).

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St. Paul also warns of worldly attachments:

Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil 3:17-20).

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Reflection: St. Paul criticizes the self-indulgent Christians of his day, for although they claim allegiance to Christ, they ignore his model of servanthood and sacrifice. THey seem to satisfy their own desires even before thinking about the needs of others; to their detriment, they are "set upon the things of this world."

Our Lady of Medjugorje points to the same danger: "I ask you to especially renounce," she says, "those things to which you are attached, but which are hurting you and your spiritual life."

Application: Today, take the time to identify those attachments or addictions that hurt you spiritually. They could include alcohol, drugs, shopping, television, status seeking, power games, manipulation of others, and materialism in many forms. After you identify your own harmful attachments, isolate one and consciously work on moderating or even eliminating it for one week. At the same time, pray to the Blessed Mother for the special grace you will need; she will generously provide it.

[Note from Erik: This is, bar-none, my favorite Medjugorje-related book. Each daily reflection takes no more than a couple of minutes to read and, therefore, provides an easy way to enrich your life and live the messages Our Lady has given to us for the past 30 years. You can read the cover and a few pages, and purchase your copy from Amazon by clicking the image to the left.]

Medjugorje Day by Day - March 6th Reflection

Here is the March 6th reflection of Medjugorje, Day by Day, by Richard J. Beyer:

MARCH 6

Be converted!

The season of Lent has always been a time repentance, conversion, and penance - a time for turning back to the Lord, renouncing sin, and beginning anew. This is the call of Our Lady today:

Be converted! It will be too late when the sign comes. Beforehand, several warnings will be given to the world. Have people hurry to be converted. I need your prayers and your penance.

My heart is burning with love for you. It suffices for you to be converted. To ask questions is unimportant. Be converted. Hurry to proclaim it. Tell everyone it is my wish, and that I do not cease repeating it. Be converted, be converted. It is not difficult for me to suffer for you. I beg you, be converted.

I will pray to my Son to spare you the punishment. Be converted without delay. You do not know the plans of God; you will not be able to know them. You will not know what God will send, nor what he will do. I ask you only to be converted. That is what I wish.

Be converted! Be ready for everything, but be converted. That is all I wish to say to you. Renounce everything else. All that is part of conversion. Good bye, and may peace be with you (LJM 4-25-83).

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Our Lady's message is echoed in the Acts of the Apostles:

In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus (Acts 3:18-20).

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Reflection: During this Lenten season, let us take the Blessed Mother seriously and seek conversion in renewed prayer, penance, and works of love. This will bring us great joy at Easter and a confirmation of the Gospa's words today: "My heart is burning with love for you."

Application: During Lent, set aside extra time for prayer and works of charity. Be active in the special Lenten devotions of your local parish. Go the extra mile for Our Lord and Our Lady.

 

 

 

 

Medjugorje Day by Day - February 27th Reflection

Many of you know by now Medjugorje Day By Day, by Richard J. Beyer, is one of my favorite books about the apparitions of Our Lady of Medjugorje.

Here is today's reflection:

FEBRUARY 27

Ask then, for all that you need

The following message was given to Marija while she was in America in November, 1988:

I invite you to pray and to give yourselves completely to God. I will give you strength and help you whenever you are in need; ask then, for all that you need, for I will interceded for you in God's presence (SM 11 - 23 - 88).

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While trusting Our Lady to give us all that we need, we will find at the same time that our trust in God will grow ever stronger:

The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,

     a stronghold in times of trouble.

And those who know your name put their trust in you,

for you, O Lord, have not foresaken those who

      seek you.

 - Psalm 9:9-10 

 

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Reflection: The Lord never forsakes those who seek and trust him; nor can Our Lady, who is forever faithful as her Son. Although loss or suffering may wound us deeply, our God is as close as a whispered prayer. We can trust him to heal us.

     This is the spirit of trust that John Cardinal Newman expressed in the following prayer:

God has created me to do some definite service; he has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. I have my mission - I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.

      I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good. I shall do his work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place while not intending it - if I do but keep his commandments.

     Whatever where I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what he is about. He may take away my friends, he may throw me among strangers, he may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me - still he knows what he is about. Therefore I will trust him.

Application: Simply reflect on Cardinal Newman's prayer once more today. You may wish to offer it especially in anxious or troubled times.

 

 

Medjugorje Day by Day - January 30th Reflection

Today's reflection is something I've experienced: That feeling of trusting God enough to let go during difficult times.

All of us encounter difficulty in our lives, whether it's with our jobs, relationships, physical ailments ... And all of us - especially those who place their faith at the center of their lives - wonder "Why is this happening?".

We're always told at Mass God is listening, Jesus is walking with us during our difficult time. But when we're going through a really rough patch it can be difficult to believe things will get better soon. Not all of us hear a voice booming from Heaven, saying "Hang of for three more days, then it will be great!". Not all of us have the privilege of seeing the Virgin Mary, as do the Medjugorje visionaries, to console and encourage us during our tough times. Ever wonder why, when these tough things happen, we feel a little alone?

I'm not an authority, but I really think God allows us to face challenges as our way of drawing closer to Him.

I've had many moments in my 31 years during which I felt up against a wall. Frustrated, scared, not sure what will come next. And what I've come to understand is that if I turn to prayer and faith (the "X" factor) in prayer, I will not only be heard (we always are), but that moment when things get better will be this awesome, tear-jerking moment when I realize God did listen. God was helping me. He didn't just let me figure this out. He had a plan, and looking back at how the problem was solved, I can see how. It just took time. It was on God's time, not mine. And now I understand. And now I know where to turn the next time I have a problem.

Believe me, it's not an overnight conversion to total belief. I think God presents us with big challenges and then, at times, little challenges that are easier for us, to help us take small steps toward total faith in Him.

Enjoy today's reflection. And if you feel during difficult times in your life you don't quite have 100% faith it will work out, begin to believe. God will carry you through.

January 30

Surrender yourselves to God

In this weekly message, Our Lady speaks of surrender:

Dear children, I invite you to decide completely for God. I beseech you, dear children, to surrender yourselves totally, and then you will be able to live everything I have been telling you. Truly, it will not be difficult for you to surrender yourselves to God in this way (WM 1-2-86).

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Surrender to God presupposes faith and trust, which Jesus asks of Nicodemus - and us:

Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen: yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? (Jn 3:11-12).

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Reflection: Surrender to God means trusting him enough to carry our problems, worries, relationships, and joys. It means falling backwards into his arms, like the game a child might play with his parents. This trust usually comes by degrees rather than all at once, but it still requires an element of risk. Are we getting better in taking a risk on God?

Application: Today, offer the following Prayer of Abandonment; you may wish to pray it each day this week as a special gift of yourself to the Lord.

Father, I abandon myself into your hands; 

do with me what you will.

Whatever you may do, I thank you;

I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only your will be done in me,

and in all your creatures.

I wish no more than this, O Lord.

Into your hands I commend my soul;

I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,

for I love you, Lord,

and so need to give myself,

to surrender myself into your hands,

without reserve and with boundless confidence

For you are my Father.

 - Charles de Foucauld 

 

 

 

Medjugorje Day by Day - December 31st Reflection

Today's reflection, from Medjugorje: Day by Day, by Richard J. Beyer:

December 31

When you hear the bells at midnight

The Mother of God speaks of peace in the new year:

Next year will be a year of peace - not because men have named it so - but because God has planned it. You will not have peace through presidents, but through prayer (LJM 12-31-85).

At the same time, to another of the little seers in Jelena's prayer group, Jesus said the following:

When you hear the bells at midnight, you shall fall on your knees, bow your head to the ground, so that the King of Peace will come. This year I will offer my peace to the world. But afterwards, I will ask where you were when I offered it (LJM 12-31-85).

Five years later, on New Year's Eve in 1990, the Gospa said to Ivan's prayer group:

Dear children, tonight your Mother invites you to go together with me to the church in joy and prayerfullness (there was a special Mass at 11:30 p.m.). In tonight's special joy, pray in church for the intention of peace (VPG 12-31-90).

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And in Romans, Paul echoes the Virgin's call to peace:

For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval. Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding (Rom 14:17-19).

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Reflection: The Queen of Peace fittingly closes the year with a call to peace. This has always been her central message, the primary reason for her apparitions in Medjugorje. And, with the prayers of her children, what wonders she has achieved! The fall of the Berlin Wall, the liberation of Eastern Europe, the collapse of Communism, the rebirth of the Russian republics, the rise of both democracy and the philosophy of human rights.

     A new age of peace has dawned "Not through the presidents, but through prayer." All of us who have helped Our Lady through prayer, fasting, and sacrifice; all of us who have tried to live her messages; all of us who have believed in her and trusted her - we too have had a part in ushering in this new age.

In decades to come historians will puzzle over the cataclysmic events of the 1980s and 90s, trying to figure out how it all could have happened. And most will be unaware that it was the work of a young maiden on a hillside in Yugoslavia, who wept for peace. Gathering the faithful from every land, she worked miracles. She continues to this day.

Application: On New Year's Eve in 1985, Jesus said "When you hear the bells at midnight, you will fall on your knees, bow your head to the ground, so that the King of Peace will come." Let us live that message tonight.

Medjugorje Day by Day - December 21st Reflection

Merry Christmas!

I like, from time to time, to share readings from one of my favorite Medjugorje - related books, Medjugorje: Day by Day by Richard J. Beyer. The December 21st reflection is especially important in our current age:

December 21

Do not look toward material things

During Advent of 1985 Our Lady said:

Dear children I am calling you to prepare yourselves for Christmas by means of penance, prayer, and works of charity. Dear children do not look toward material things, because then you will not be able to experience Christmas. (WM 12-5-85)

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St. Paul also warns of materialism or "worldly desires":

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Ti 2:11-13).

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Reflection: Many of us are aware of the hollowness of a materialistic attitude during the Christmas season, of how it can smother the spiritual message of Christ's birth. In this vein, the Second Vatican Council stated:

     Since in our times, variations of materialism are rampant everywhere, even among Catholics, the laity should not only learn doctrine more carefully, especially those main points which are the subjects of controversy, but should also provide the witness of an evangelical life in contrast to all forms of materialism (The Laity, 31).

    
We are called, then, not just to avoid materialism in our own lives, but to serve as an example to others of simplicity of lifestyle and the priority of spiritual values over the material. 

Application: Let us simply take Our Lady's advice today to, "prepare ... for Christmas by means of penance, prayer, and works of charity ... do not look toward material things because then you will not be able to experience Christmas."

Medjugorje Day by Day - November 7th Reflection

Hello, everyone.

I thought today I would share with you the November 7th reflection from Medjugorje Day by Day, by Richard J. Beyer. This is one of my favorite Medjugorje-themed books because it offers short daily reflections on a past message from Our Lady. I highly recommend adding it to your library if you're seeking an easy and effective way to apply what Our Lady is teaching us through the Medjugorje visionaries to your life. Used copies are currently selling for as little as $0.45 at Amazon.com.

The reflection below covers a topic near and dear to my heart: The idea prayer should be slow, deliberate, and deep. Words alone do not hold meaning. It is the conversation with God we experience while praying which gives us the benefit.

Erik Haan
Medjugorje Book Reviews



Here is today's reflection:

"May true prayer fill your hearts

The Blessed Mother speaks of prayers in the following message:

Dear children, today I call you to prayer with the heart, and not just through habit. Some come here but do not want to make progress in prayer. Therefore, as your Mother, I want to warn you: pray that true prayer may fill our hearts at every moment (WM 5-2-85). [Message from Our Lady May 5th, 1985].

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And from Psalm 141:
I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me;
give ear to my voice when I call to you.
Let my prayer be as incense before you,
and the lifting up of my hands as an evening
sacrifice.
-- Psalm 141:1-2

Reflection: Again Our Lady speaks of prayer with the heart and the tremendous grace it gives. Perhaps the highest form of this prayer is the "prayer of quiet" or "centering prayer," in which we experience God in the very depths of our being. To experience this prayer, the following guidelines will be helpful:

   A. Choose a place where you can be alone without distraction. Take a comfortable bodily position, close our eyes, and put everything out of our mind.

   B. Physically relax and let all tensions leave you. Deep, deliberate breathing will aid this process. Let your total being, mind and body, arrive at a gentle silence.

   C. Center all your attention on God and let a word or phrase form in your consciousness. You can use "Jesus," or "Jesus, have mercy," or "Come Holy Spirit," or whatever else will relate you to the Lord.

   D. The word or phrase ma be repeated often or interspersed with periods of complete silence. This is your way of reaching out for and receiving the Lord.

   E. Your prayer should end slowly and quietly. You may wish to recite an Our Father or Hail Mary meditatively. On occasion the Lord ma invite you to a deeper silence or listening and you will come to know the joy of his Spirit in fullest measure, even in ecstasy.


Application: Practice the prayer of quiet withing the next several days. For a fuller explanation consult the books by Fr. Basil Pennington on centering prayer."

Book Review - Medjugorje Day by Day

Hello, everyone. I started reading Medjugorje Day by Day, by Richard J. Beyer book a couple of weeks ago and I'm really enjoying it, so I wanted to share it with you, my faithful readers!

Okay, so admittedly the book's cover doesn't teem with excitement (the cover reminds me of old books from the 1960's I would find in my parent's attic when I would go up there searching for something else) ... but this really is a great resource. "You can't judge a book by its cover", right? :) I've been waiting for an opportunity to use that cliche on this blog. I just had to. :)

Anyways, here are a few thoughts:

Good resource for: 

Anyone looking for brief, daily meditations on Our Lady of Medjugorje's messages

Summary:

This is a great book for busy people (like myself), who have little time to read each day, to reflect daily on what Our Lady is trying to get across to us. It also does a great job of linking the messages to scripture.

Each daily meditation takes no more than three minutes to read, so if you're telling yourself you don't have time to reflect on the messages Our Lady gives us at Medjugorje, you have now officially run out of excuses. :)

The format is this:

• Past message from Our Lady
• Brief scripture passage, which relates to the message
• Reflection on the message
• Application (how to apply what Our Lady requests to our own life)

Here's what it looks like:

Purchase Medjugorje Day by Day at Amazon.com

(currently selling from $0.01 used!!!)

Or read reviews from others