February 2, 2019 – “…My children, live the Gospel, live merciful love for your neighbors, and, above all, live love for the Heavenly Father. My children, you are not united by chance. The Heavenly Father does not unite anyone by chance…”
I remember reading once a great quote from Mother Teresa that I’ll never forget because it’s so true:
“Some people come in our life as blessings. Some come in your life as lessons.”
It’s a mystery sometimes why we are united with certain people in our lives. But Our Lady is right; it’s never by chance. We may or may not realize the reasons why right now, and someday we might. But God certainly knows why. I can say from my own personal experience that, indeed, some people I’ve known were lessons, and others wonderful blessings. I honestly believe even the ones who played as bad influencers in the past inadvertently helped lead me to a conversion of heart later; and because of that I’ve learned not to desire to be bitter toward them, but to pray and forgive them instead.
We’re all connected to each other in both a profound and inexplicable way. And no, I’m not saying this as a cliche or trying to sound like Disney’s Pocahontas (good movie though!). But we’re all made of flesh and blood, are made in the image of God, and each contain a precious soul within us. In a way, we, humanity, are responsible for one another.
Father Slavko Barbaric once gave a beautiful homily in 1986, talking about Our Lady’s messages and how the Medjugorje parish would play a part in helping God’s plan of salvation to be realized. I initially thought about putting only an excerpt, but I find this homily to be just too good to cut up. And I find it really connects rather well with the above message.
“All those who listen to my messages and live them are my parish.”
Our Lady insists on prayer in a special way in her January messages, “I invite you to prayer”, “I invite you once again to prayer”, “I invite you especially to prayer of the heart”, and also in her latest message, “Today I invite all of you to pray so that all the plans God has for you may be fulfilled together with everything that God wishes to realize through you.”
This is a very simple message, but also very profound. Our Lady tells us that our prayer helps God to realize all the plans He has for us, for each one of us.
When she says, “Today I invite all of you”, we can say that she is thinking of all those who have accepted these apparitions and these messages. So, God has some plans for us and in us, to bring about peace in our hearts, love, reconciliation, the spirit of prayer and fasting.
If God has been able to realize His plans with us, He has another plan – to bring about the same things for others through us. Our Lady tells us, “God cannot do anything without you.”
Our Lady is not calling us to ask for peace from others or reconciliation from others in her messages. Our Lady always wants us to be the ones to bring peace, for us to start to be reconciled, for us to begin and not wait for others to do so. There is no human being in the world who does not wish to be loved, to have peace. But if no one loves and if no one brings peace, who will have peace, who will be loved? Our Lady is not calling us to criticize our neighbor because we already know how to criticize and judge others, but to bring peace, love and reconciliation to others.
Her message continues, “Help others to be converted, especially those who come to Medjugorje”.
In her last message, too, she also asked us to pray for others and their conversion and said that the ice of their hearts would be melted if we pray; she is making us responsible for the conversion of others. Many times, we say, “Leave him alone, if he doesn’t want to. He is an atheist, he doesn’t go to Mass, he doesn’t pray, leave him alone.” Our Lady doesn’t want us to judge or leave someone alone; we must pray day by day for the conversion of others.
It would be a big mistake to think, “Others need to be converted, not me.” We all need to be converted every day. By inviting us to pray for others, Our Lady is asking us to bring love to others, to everyone. She said, “Especially those who come to Medjugorje.” So she is making the parishioners responsible for our conversion.
We do all we can here; I do not know if you will return home converted as Our Lady desires…
Every evening Mass is celebrated here for all the pilgrims, for all those who come here and for all those who ask us; and we priests ask the people here to accept you, with love if possible.
When you return home you should become Medjugorje for others, like a sign and invitation towards conversion and prayer. We must be conscious of this reality – people will ask your help, just as Our Lady has asked your help. You are Medjugorje too.
Our Lady once said, “All those who listen to my messages and live them are my parish.” So, there are no boundaries to the Medjugorje parish; all those who live with us in prayer and fasting are parishioners. We feel responsible for your conversion, and when you return to your homes you at once become responsible for the conversion of others. In this way Our Lady’s wishes will be spread.
Now something very important. Our Lady said, “Dear children. Do not allow satan to take control of your hearts.” How does one become an image of satan? Look, if there is hate, bitterness, jealousy in your heart, if we quarrel with others, if we do not forgive, if we are not reconciled, who is in our heart? Certainly not Our Lady, not God, because God always asks us for love, peace, reconciliation and forgiveness.
If we want to become the image of Our Lady then it is necessary to open ourselves to peace, love, reconciliation, to God and to others.
Once again,“I invite you to pray so that you may become witnesses of my presence.” If we have now decided to become Our Lady’s witnesses, if we want to help towards conversion and the grace of peace, we must pray, fast and open ourselves to God and He will fill us. If we want to become witnesses of her presence we must pray.
Our Lady has also said, “Without you, God cannot fulfill His plans.” So, we are important.
A young man asked me why God who is almighty cannot realize what He wants without us. I explained that we have been created free; God respects our freedom and says to us, “If you wish…” It is in this sense that we can say God cannot do everything without us, because if God is love – as St. John tells us – He cannot and does not want to act by force.
In this message, too, Our Lady says, “God has given everyone a free will and it is in your control.” Our Lady knew that she was free when the Angel came and asked her, “Do you want to become the Mother of God?” She thought for a little and replied, “Yes”. She was free, even if she was full of grace; freedom was not taken from her and neither was responsibility. We must feel free, and in freedom and love answer the messages.”
(Fr. Slavko Barbaric – 1st February 1986)
Saint Paul said:
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. [1 Corinthians 10:23-24]
Indeed God has given us free will, and how we use it is up to us. If we desire peace, love, and forgiveness then it must start with ourselves first. May the Holy Spirit grant us the discernment and virtue to do so, and help us see a brother/sister in all we meet. May we strive to respond with love and prayer, and not violence and hate.
Revelation Twelve 
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