Medjugorje Message: July 25, 2022
Dear children! I am with you to lead you on the way of conversion, because, little children, with your lives you can draw many souls closer to my Son. You be joyful witnesses of God’s word and love, and with hope in the heart which conquers every evil. Forgive those who inflict evil on you, and go on the way of holiness. I am leading you to my Son, for Him to be the way, the truth and the life for you. Thank you for having responded to my call.
River of Light
August 2022
Our Lady’s message was given on July 25th, the Feast of St. James, who was the first of the twelve Apostles to be martyred, and also the patron saint of the parish of Medjugorje—St. James Church—where Our Lady’s apparitions began in June 1981, and still continue, now in their 41st year. The first great Christian pilgrimage site outside the Holy Land was the Shrine of St. James: Santiago de Compostela, in Spain, where the Apostle had carried the Gospel and was buried after being beheaded by order of Herod Agrippa in 44 AD. It is significant that Our Lady uses the phrase “the way” three times in this short message given on St. James Day, for the 500-mile walking pilgrimage route through Europe to St. James’ burial site at the Shrine of Compostela is known as “THE WAY” (“Camino” in Spanish). And many of us have surely seen the Martin Sheen film by the same name, about a father’s personal journey of grief and love on this famous Catholic spiritual trek to Santiago de Compostela, known by pilgrims who walk it, simply as, “THE WAY.”
First Our Lady refers to “the way of conversion” ; then to “the way of holiness” ; and finally to, “my Son, for Him to be the way, the truth and the life for you.” Whether or not we ever experience walking the “Camino” to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, we are certainly ALL on the sacred pilgrimage of our spiritual journey through this life toward our ultimate destination of Heaven—a pilgrimage of faith walked on roads of conversion, holiness, and Christ himself as the “Way” home to our Source.
Our Lady begins: “I am with you to lead you on the way of conversion, because, little children, with your lives you can draw many souls closer to my Son.” So the “way of conversion” is not only about our own conversion, but how it can have a powerful, influential ripple-effect on “many souls” —leading to other conversions. In Medjugorje, “conversion” always means “conversion of HEART” —that vital interior transformation that is “metanoia,” when we radically “change the direction in which we’re looking for happiness.” Our former emotional programs, centered on safety/security; affection/esteem; power/control; and sensory pleasure give way to a whole new focus: living in the Divine Will for our life, in the faith, hope, and love flowing from the Indwelling Presence of God at the core of all creation and at the center of our inmost being. This new direction will become visible to others in all that we THINK, SAY, and DO—bringing healing salvation to many whose lives we touch.
How can we know we are “on the way of conversion” so that our lives “can draw many souls closer” to Jesus? Our Lady describes clearly what this converted “WAY” of life looks like: “You [will] be joyful witnesses of God’s word and love, and with hope in the heart which conquers every evil.” We’re being told that “conversion of heart” does not produce “sour-faced saints,” as St. Teresa called them, and as the French Jesuit priest, Teilhard de Chardin, affirmed, “JOY is the infallible sign of the presence of God.” Thus Our Lady says that we who are on “the way of conversion” must be “joyful witnesses of God’s word and love” —not doom-and-gloom-sayers. As the Covid pandemic lingers on with new variants; as the war in Ukraine drags on with its unjust destruction and domino-effect on nations; as the worldwide economy struggles on with inflation and supply shortages; and as the earth itself burns on with life-threatening climate change, to be “JOYFUL witnesses of God’s word and love” seems counter-intuitive at the least, and a “tall order” on most days!
Perhaps even more daunting is Our Lady’s call for our “way of conversion” to always maintain “HOPE IN THE HEART which conquers every evil.” Indeed she has told us repeatedly that satanic evil is rampant in our midst during this current Dark Age for humanity. The false-self EGO-BRAIN is the inner “satanic evil” with which EACH PERSON must wrestle, for if we do not transform its negative, critical, judgmental, accusing and condemning stance of hopelessness toward the world, we will definitely transmit it to others. And when enough people are “possessed” by hopelessly negative satanic ego, destructive decisions are made on a large scale which send our entire culture, society, democracy, and biosphere “over a cliff” and into a downward spiral of disintegration. (Sadly, this summarizes our situation in the USA today.)
But Our Lady calls us OUT of this satanic “ego-brain” and INTO “hope in the heart which conquers every evil.” Without “hope in the heart,” it’s impossible to be “joyful witnesses of God’s word and love,” for HOPE and JOY are mutually empowering emotional forces—a “two-fer” package deal—that illuminate our “way of conversion.” Despite the awful present condition of our planet; despite the gridlock of insanely-extreme partisan politics in Washington; despite the tragic erosion of democratic values and disregard for the social justice teachings of our Gospel and Church, as followers of the Risen Christ, centered in the Divine Indwelling Presence of the God-Who-Is-Love, we can always have “HOPE IN THE HEART which conquers every evil.” Let us follow St. Francis’ request to “turn our frown upside-down” and put a smile of Hope and Joy on our face every day—no matter what! This small gesture can heal our world!
Next Our Lady says: “Forgive those who inflict evil on you, and go on the way of holiness.” Deepening her teaching, now that we have embraced conversion away from our false self programs for happiness and instead centered ourselves in the Presence of God and the Divine Will (which fills us with joy and hope), Our Lady calls us to a more profound level, a “higher ground” on the spiritual journey, in which we must confront the fact that EVIL STILL EXISTS and sometimes victimizes us, even though our heart is converted. How will we handle this unavoidable reality of life? We move now onto the more demanding “WAY of HOLINESS,” which means we “FORGIVE THOSE WHO INFLICT EVIL ON US.” The willingness and ability to FORGIVE is the “gold standard” of authentic Christianity and the lynchpin of the Gospel message of humanity’s salvation through Divine Mercy. For what problem exists between any conflicted persons, races, creeds, or nations on earth that could not be healed by forgiveness?
But again, the false self “ego-brain” fixates on wrongs done, clinging to anger, woundedness, accusations, grudges and revenge. This stance opens us up to a world of trouble as the misery of feeling oneself a victim of evil drives us into deadly addictions, compulsions, and dysfunctional coping behaviors of every kind. Ironically, by clinging to our wounds we drink a daily poison of bitterness and resentment that keeps us victimized even more by our own unforgiveness than by the original evil we suffered from someone else. Our Lady tells us simply, “Forgive those who inflict evil on you” —be it a parent or grandparent decades ago, a relative, friend, or stranger, an institution, law, or government—“and go on the way of holiness.” Holiness means “WHOLENESS,” having the assurance of “Our Father” that our sins will also be forgiven, just as we forgive others. An important key to going “on the way of holiness” is to always remember SELF-FORGIVENESS, also—for the “evil” we have done to ourselves along the way, in the many forms of self-harm we have practiced in our life.
Our Lady’s third and final “WAY” statement says: “I am leading you to my Son, for Him to be the way, the truth and the life for you.” Once more advancing on the “way,” Our Lady calls us even higher, farther, and deeper than the ways of “conversion” and “holiness,” to the point of UNITY CONSCIOUSNESS, where, as St. Paul says, “I live now, no longer I, but Christ lives in me.” (Gal 2:20) At this point, “conversion” is no longer the way…and “holiness” is no longer the way—though both of these paths have been completely integrated and internalized into our being, so that a joyful, hopeful focus on the Divine Indwelling Presence (rather than worldly emotional programs) is constant (the “way of conversion” ); and forgiveness of evil is automatic and instantaneous (the “way of holiness” ). At this point, Our Lady says, “the WAY” for us is no longer a practice, discipline, or path. The “WAY” is a PERSON: Jesus Christ, the Great “I AM” who declared in John 14:6: “I AM the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE.” Our own identity is now in total unity with this “I AM” of our Lord, for we have realized our complete nothingness apart from him. Now empty of self and yielded to God, we can say with St. Catherine of Genoa: “My very me is God.”
Wherever we may find ourselves on the pilgrimage paths of our spiritual journey home to God, as we travel through this earthly life, may we be JOYFUL WITNESSES of God’s word and love, who “conquer every evil” by the presence of HOPE in our hearts, FORGIVING all who harm us, and making it clear to “many souls” that Jesus Christ is our “WAY.”
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Empty yourself. Sit quietly, content with the grace of God.
—St. Romuald
The purpose of silence is to break through the crust of the false self.
—Fr. Thomas Keating, OCSO
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WE CANNOT SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME THINKING THAT WE USED WHEN WE CREATED THEM.
—Albert Einstein
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AUGUST 15th: The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Taken up into heaven, Mary shows us
the WAY to God,
the WAY to Heaven,
the WAY to Life.
—Pope St. John Paul II
O Virgin Mother, Daughter of your Son,
humbler and loftier than any creature,
eternal counsel’s predetermined goal…
All there is of Goodness in a creature meets in you.
—Dante
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We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.
—Marion Wright Edelman
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Life changes when we realize that the little things are actually big. When we occupy our moments as though they are all we have. When we tend each person we see as a singular cause to show love. When we experience the capacities and functions of our body as worthy of awe. When we allow the minutiae of the natural world to become our grandeur. When we trust that the smallest of actions can ignite great healing and hope.
There can be a simplicity to joy. It arises in the moments when we choose to see what is ordinary as extraordinary. When we notice, appreciate, and engage with what is available to us as though it is all there is, as though it truly matters. Are you willing to be so vulnerable? So courageous?
—Gratefulness.org Team
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CHRIST is not only Jesus of Nazareth but something much more immense, even cosmic, in significance. This vision can radically alter how we see others and relate to them, and our understanding of what the Creator is doing in our world. A cosmic notion of the Christ excludes no one, but includes everyone and everything. Any mental distinction between “natural” and “supernatural” falls apart. When I know that the world around me is both the hiding place and revelation place of God, I can no longer maintain a distance between the holy and the profane.
Everything I see is indeed one “universe” that revolves around one center. This Divine Presence seeks connection and communion, not separation or division—except for the sake of an even deeper future union. What a difference this makes in the way we walk through the world! Everything that seemed disappointing and “fallen” can now be seen as one whole movement, still enchanted and made useful by God’s love…even the things that appear as betrayals or crucifixions.
—Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM
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There is an enormous difference between the perspective of rational consciousness and the intuitive or unitive experience of contemplative prayer. Without the latter, people don’t see the real meaning of scripture or of doctrine or of events in everyday life.
—Fr. Thomas Keating, OCSO
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True silence is the speech of lovers. It is the beginning of a divine courtship that will end only in the immense, creative, fruitful, loving silence of final union with the Beloved. True silence leads to the final prayer of the constant presence of God, to the heights of contemplation, when the soul, finally at peace, lives by the will of God whom she loves totally, utterly, and completely. Availability will become easy, for in each person the soul will see the face of her Love.
This simple silence should be everybody’s silence. Deserts, silence, solitudes are not necessarily places but states of mind and heart. How can one achieve such solitude? By standing still! Stand still, and allow the deadly restlessness of our tragic age to fall away…a running away from oneself, a turning from the journey inward that all must undertake to meet God dwelling within the depths of their souls.
—Catherine de Hueck Doherty
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To listen closely, with every fiber of our being, at every moment of the day, is one of the most difficult things in the world, and yet it is essential if we mean to find the God whom we are seeking. If we stop listening to what we find hard to take, then “we’re likely to pass God by without even noticing.”
—Esther de Waal
One of the most precious and powerful gifts we can give another person is to really listen to them, to listen with quiet attention, with our whole being, fully present. This sounds simple, but we do not often listen so completely. Listening well takes time, skill, and a readiness to slow down, let go of expectations, judgments, boredom, self-assertiveness, defensiveness. The skills for deep listening share the same foundation as contemplative practice: Silence, Reflection, and Presence. Heart communication and communion can then happen.
—Kay Lindahl
The primary goal of listening is to deepen my own understanding. Deep listening is an act of surrender. We risk being changed by what we hear. I try to understand what matters to the other person. How do we listen to someone when their beliefs are disgusting, or enraging, or terrifying? An invisible wall forms between us and them. In these moments, we can choose to remember that our goal is to understand them. Such listening does not grant the other person legitimacy, but humanity—and preserves our own.
—Valerie Kaur
Opposition gives us a false sense of independence, power, and control. Compassion and humility don’t give us a sense of control or comfort. We have to be willing to let go of our moral high ground and hear the truth that the other person may be speaking, even if it is only 10% of what they are saying. Compassion and dialogue are vulnerable positions. If we are into control and predictability, we will seldom descend into undefended listening. If we are incapable of hearing others, we will also be incapable of hearing God.
—Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM
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Wisdom from Pope Francis
Today, looking at Mary assumed into heaven, we can say that humility is the way that leads to heaven. Jesus teaches this: “The one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Lk 14:11) God does not exalt us because of our gifts, our wealth, or how well we do things, but because of humility. It is of fundamental importance for Christians to be poor in spirit—that is, in need of God. Those who are filled with themselves have no space for God. And many times, we are full of ourselves, and the one who is filled with him or herself gives no space to God, but those who remain humble allow the Lord to accomplish great things.
Do I want to be recognized by others, to affirm myself and be praised, or do I think rather about serving? Do I know how to listen, like Mary, or do I want only to speak and receive attention? Do I know how to keep silence, like Mary, or am I always chattering? Do I know how to take a step back, defuse quarrels and arguments, or do I always want to excel? Let us think about these questions. The human eye tends to allow itself to be dazzled by what is flashy, but God looks not at appearances; God looks at the heart and is enchanted by humility. Mary’s secret is humility.
It is beautiful to think that the humblest and loftiest creature in history, the first to win heaven with her entire being, in soul and body, lived out her life for the most part within the domestic walls, in the ordinary, in humility. Let us celebrate her joyfully but humbly, enlivened by the hope of one day being with her in Heaven.
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Mark Your Calendar [ai1ec view=”agenda”]
To reject the contemplative dimension of any religion is to reject the religion itself, however loyal one may be to its externals and rituals. This is because the contemplative dimension is the heart and soul of every religion. It initiates the movement into higher states of consciousness. The great wisdom teachings of the Vedas, Upanishads, Buddhist Sutras, Old and New Testaments, and the Koran bear witness to this truth. Right now there are about two billion Christians on the planet. If a significant portion of them were to embrace the contemplative dimension of the gospel, the emerging global society would experience a powerful surge toward enduring peace. If this contemplative dimension of the Christian religion is not presented, the Gospel is not being adequately preached.
– Fr. Thomas Keating, OCSO
