39th Anniversary of the Apparitions
On June 24 & 25, we will celebrate the 39th anniversary of our Lady’s apparitions to the children of Medugorje. Even in the early years, some people claimed that our Lady would never appear so long. “It is unprecedented in the history of apparition.”
So why has our Lady continued to appear every day for 39 years? I don’t think the answer is an easy one. But there are many things we can point to that suggest her reasons. The first reason our Lady is still appearing at Medugorje is that so many people have been exposed to her messages, yet, so few are living them.
Even if we leave fasting aside, all of the other messages seem to be ignored by many. So, let’s go over the core of the Medugorje message.
- Convert – it seems that the world is much further away from God than when our Lady began appearing in 1981. Everything is upside down. People have rejected the morals of the Gospel and accepted everything that is contrary.
- Faith – People say they believe, but our churches are emptying by the day. It is like a massive hemorrhage that is unstoppable. Not only do people not go to church, they live as if there were no God, no heaven, and no hell.
- Prayer – With the decrease in faith, prayer diminishes also. Although most people are searching for supernatural, they look in the wrong places. The practice of the faith has waned, practice of the occult has grown exponentially. It is a reversal of order. When we take God out of the picture, the devil and his minions rush right in.
- Fasting – We are now at the hight of consumerism. It is impossible to fast when one is so focused on self and ones personal needs/ desires. “Me first.” How can one fast when we run to every self-gratification possible. We have filled our lives with things in place of God.
- Peace – Just turn on the news. We have a few generations that have been raised without God. And when you don’t have God in your life, there will never be peace. Because true peace comes from God alone. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.” Jn 14:27
- Reconciliation – There is no forgiveness, only retaliation. Our whole society is on the brink of chaos. The whole world is at unrest because there is no reconciliation. But that reconciliation begins with one self. First I must be reconciled with God. I have to leave behind my sins through repentance and the Sacrament of Penance. After that, and only after that am I ready to be reconciled with my brother. But if I don’t repent, and I don’t see my sins, how will I ever forgive “those who trespass against us.” I am only worried about me.
All of our Lady’s messages work together. They are like bricks in a foundation. You can’t leave one out or there is a hole, and eventually the weak foundation falls. Our Lady continually asks us to go to confession frequently. She once said that if all Catholics go to confession monthly, the world would be healed. On this 39th anniversary of our Lady’s apparitions, why don’t we all giver her a gift? Go to confession and not only look for the latest message with curiosity, but live them. As St. Francis of Assisi said: “Let us begin, brothers, to serve the Lord God, for up until now we have done little or nothing.”
Hi Fr. Finelli
The world is in a rather depressing situation but I try to hang on to the fact that there is a purpose to all this, that God is with us and that everything we are experiencing is God’s will. Thus, things may seem and be bad but good will come out of it eventually because God is involved. I think there will be fruits of the COVID crisis when it is all over.
+Dear Father Finelli,
First and foremost . . . I want to thank you . . . so very much . . .for faithfully sharing the sweet blessing of Our Lady’s messages with us lo these many, many years . . . I can’t even begin to express what a . . . profound blessing . . . it is to have had their sweetness from Our Lady’s holy presence with us . . . flowing in and through daily life here . . . and the affording of the blessed opportunity to share them on . . . as the Sweet Spirit of our Wonderful LORD leads . . . which opportunities have often been presented throughout the years . . .
During this time . . . when the Truth, the health, and the peace of our world are all under such wicked, violent, open attack . . . as I read the above essential . . . “foundation bricks” . . . sharing above . . . I was reminded of a portion of Our Lady of Medugorje’s message which she shared on . . . January 25, 2014 . . . which God had us take deeply to heart in this little home . . . and has continued to bless us with as we have personally followed this holy guidance . . . daily . . . year by year by year . . . (the portion of the January 25, 2014 sharing from Our Lady of Medugorje is quoted below):
“PUT THE SACRED SCRIPTURE IN A VISIBLE PLACE IN YOUR FAMILIES AND READ IT, SO THAT THE WORDS OF PEACE MAY BEGIN TO FLOW IN YOUR HEARTS.” – Our Lady of Medugorje
Not a day has gone by that . . . manifold Sacred Scriptures . . . haven’t flowed out as encouragement and strength for living daily life in this God-graced little household over the years. Perhaps this encouragement could also be called an essential . . . “foundation brick” . . . as put forth, encouraged and blessed by Our Lady herself . . . ? . . .
The Sweet Spirit of our Holy God has . . . truly and wonderfully . . . blessed life richly and abundantly here . . . above and beyond all boundaries and expectations . . . with the daily . . . life giving . . . flow of the Holy Thoughts of God from Sacred Scripture flowing through our lives . . .
“Faith then cometh by hearing; and hearing by the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17
And recently . . . during this particularly difficult time throughout our world . . . near and far . . . our Crucified Resurrected LORD Jesus . . . the Blessed Christ of our Wonderful God . . . has tenderly lifted up . . . and richly and sweetly blessed our souls in Him with His . . . ABUNDANT PEACE . . . above and beyond all understanding . . . through the below EXTRAORDINARY Psalm’s . . . flowing . . . like a river of . . . holy . . . heavenly . . . peaceful encouragement . . . and Godly wisdom . . . for our souls good . . . throughout these unusual days . . .
DOUAY-RHEIMS BIBLE
Book of Psalms
Psalm 90
“Qui habitat. The just is secure under the protection of God.
[1]
The praise of a canticle for David. He that dwelleth in the aid of the most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of Jacob.
[2]
He shall say to the LORD: Thou art my protector, and my refuge: my God, in him will I trust.
[3]
For he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters: and from the sharp word.
[4]
He will overshadow thee with his shoulders: and under his wings thou shalt trust.
[5]
His truth shall compass thee with a shield: thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night.
[6]
Of the arrow that flieth in the day, of the business that walketh about in the dark: of invasion, or of the noonday devil.
[7]
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee.
[8]
But thou shalt consider with thy eyes: and shalt see the reward of the wicked.
[9]
Because thou, O LORD, art my hope: thou hast made the most High thy refuge.
[10]
There shall no evil come to thee: nor shall the scourge come near thy dwelling.
[11]
For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways.
[12]
In their hands they shall bear thee up: lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
[13]
Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk: and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon.
[14]
Because he hoped in me I will deliver him: I will protect him because he hath known my name.
[15]
He shall cry to me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him, and I will glorify him.
[16] I will fill him with length of days; and I will shew him my salvation.”
God’s Sweetest Blessings be upon you dear Father Finelli and upon your mission in our Wonderful LORD . . .
Prayerfully In Jesus Dear and Holy Name . . .
in Dedication to the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of the Dear Blessed Virgin Mary . . . Our Lady
of Medugorje . . . Our Mother . . .
Thank You Gracious Heavenly Father,
Jesus, Mary & Joseph . . . we love you . . . save souls . . . ! . . .
Mary C. McMurchie
. . . thank You Dear Lord Jesus
. . . thank You Sweet Spirit of Our Holy God
. . . all for Jesus+