Divine Mercy Today

By Louise Lotze

    I found an amazing story about the Divine Mercy of God in our present day when I was reading the book Triumph Through Trial by Joseph P. Kenney, copyright 2008.  This book is the untold story behind the canonization of Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska.  A Slovak-American family was instrumental in getting the final miracle attributed to Sister Faustina's intervention approved and accepted in Rome for her canonization

   It was in the epilogue, however, where I discovered the connection of the Divine Mercy Image and Medjugorje.  Father Seraphim Michalenko, MIC, from Stockbridge, Massachusetts, told Mr. Kenney to be sure to see “The Miraculous Image of Divine Mercy” while on his pilgrimage to Medjugorje.  He told him to contact his friend, Dragan Kozina, for help.  Father Seraphim stated that this painting got its name after the healing of a paralyzed man in Italy.  While he was venerating the image, Jesus reportedly told him:  “Stand up and come forward.”  He did, leaving his wheelchair behind forever.  The painting eventually made its way to a small chapel in a cemetery just east of Medjugorje.  Dragan had the key to the chapel from the Franciscans, to whom it was entrusted, and he showed Mr. Kenney and Sonia Kulhan the image. (The Kulhan family was instrumental in getting the final miracle approved for Sister Faustina's canonization.)

   Dragan revealed a startling story about this icon.  He told them about the power of the Miraculous Image of Divine Mercy and how it had saved Medjugorje during the Bosnian Civil War.  He had been a colonel and was the commander responsible for defending Medjugorje against the Serbian advance.

   Mr. Kenney stated:  “Dragan's unit had been battered and morale was low after years of fighting the larger, better-equipped Serbian army.  Enemy forces were massing just east of the city for what appeared to be a final, major offensive.  It was at this time that the Miraculous Image of Divine Mercy arrived from Rome.  Upon seeing it, the villagers immediately felt inspired to publicly invoke God's mercy to save their town.  Dragan objected, as doing so would expose the population to enemy air strikes.  Undaunted, the citizens rallied behind the image, marching through the city in a solemn prayer procession. The Croatian army, inspired by the faith of their fellow villagers, launched a daring counter-offensive the next day.

    Mr. Kenney was astonished at the outcome after viewing the battlefield.  The Serbs were on high ground, had tanks, artillery, and aircraft, and a river running in front of them.  The success was instant as the Croatian forces surprised the much larger Serbian army.  The only explanation was divine intervention.  This was even more convincing by the fact that never again would Serbian forces threaten Medjugorje.  In towns just 10 miles away from Medjugorje one could still notice the still scarred houses with bullet holes in them and many reduced to rubble.  Throughout it all, Medjugorje had remained an “Oasis of Peace.”

    The Miraculous Image of Divine Mercy eventually was placed in a church in the village of Surmanci (where the Croatians defeated the Serbs) in honor of its powerful intercession, to be venerated by future generations.  “Such would be the fruits of this additional, and also previously untold, story of Divine Mercy,” relates Mr. Kenney.  He concludes this story with an appeal to our great nation at this most critical time in world history.  The message of Divine Mercy to “Trust in Jesus” gave the Kulhan family the strength to triumph over their trials and it became the true source of power that saved Medjugorje from destruction.  He feels it can save our great nation at this most critical time in world history, for it is only through divine intervention that we will prevail against the evil forces that attack us today.

Editor’s note: Louise is from Ashtabula, OH.

Taking the Hit for the Blessed Mother

By June Klins

    “Phil LOVES your book, takes it with him everywhere he goes, recommends it to everyone,” wrote one of our readers named Donna. Donna then shared that when Phil had to go to the emergency room recently, he brought the book ( I Have Come to Tell the World that God Exists: The Best of “The Spirit of Medjugorje,” Volume III)  to read in the waiting room.

    Fortunately, Phil did not have to wait, and was promptly escorted into a room. When the nurse came in to give him a needle for pain, she noticed Phil’s book sitting there, got interested and distracted by it, and poked him in the wrong spot. Donna wrote, “Oh boy, did he ever bleed!”   Then while the nurse was trying to hold a swab on it to stop the bleeding, she seemed to be staring off at the ceiling as if in deep thought.  When Donna asked her, "Can you ask Doc to give him pills to take home, so I don't have to keep bringing him in for needles?" the nurse replied, "Yes, I'll ask MY PRIEST." 

   After the nurse left, Donna asked Phil what the nurse said, and he repeated, "I'll ask my priest."  They burst out laughing, filled with such joy, knowing that Our Lady put those thoughts in that young nurse's head. For what they believed she meant was, "I'll ask my priest about Medjugorje!" 

   Donna wrote, “Phil will be HAPPY to ‘take the hit’ any time for our Blessed Mother; and now, more than ever, he's going to make your book and Medjugorje known!  It amazes me that we don't need to say or do anything except lay the book down and everyone notices it, asks about it, and it spreads around. God is at work in the least expected ways!!!”

   Phil mused that he never even got to read the book at the hospital. He said, “I guess it wasn't for me – it was for the nurse." Donna said, “Looks like the needle wasn't for you, either, because she missed!" 

   “And there, in the middle of our worries and pain,” Donna reflected, “Our Blessed Mother gave us some humor, and we were laughing so much, we forgot our troubles!” 

Editor’s note: I Have Come to Tell the World that God Exists can be ordered from most bookstores, Amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com. 

Conquering Doubt

By Wendy Ripple

   It was a beautiful summer day in 2007, and business was as usual in the office.  That is, until one of my colleagues asked if I had a minute – one of his patients wanted to see me.  I thought this a bit odd, but agreed.  I walked into the exam room and was introduced to a man holding “The Spirit of Medjugorje” newsletter in his hand.          

   Without hesitation, and all in one breath, he exclaimed, “I am Tom Vinca.  I used to be a priest.  I had doubts and left.  I still have doubts; but, I read your article and I believe in Medjugorje.  It is the only thing that keeps me hanging on.”

   Thomas.  I marveled at the truth in his name.  I thought about the significance of names, and how oftentimes we have no idea!  And, I thought, I have to get him to Medjugorje! 

   Tom was born October 26, 1933, the same year the villagers erected the Cross on Mt. Krizevac in Medjugorje.  He felt called to priesthood in the second semester of his senior year of high school.  He felt called to “help people get to Heaven.”  Tom entered seminary and completed his studies at Catholic University in Washington D.C.  It was during this period of his life that the doubts began. 

   Tom recalled that he always had a very intellectual approach to Scripture which was reinforced by the teaching at seminary.  His professors taught –  in complete agreement with the Church – that the events of the Old Testament were not a literal representation of events that had actually occurred, but rather stories to explain God’s relationship with His creation. Tom accepted this without question, but thought that it would change with discussion of the New Testament.  However, it did not.  In fact, the teaching of the time encouraged the ‘new way’ of interpreting Scripture, including the New Testament.  In accordance with this, Tom was taught that not everything written in the New Testament concerning Jesus had actually or literally occurred as written.

   As a result, he began to doubt the authenticity of Holy Scripture, particularly as it pertained to Jesus Christ. He wondered if the miracles of Jesus were real.  2000 year old miracles could not be proven.  He wondered if Jesus had actually founded the Church. He began to ask himself, “Who really is Jesus Christ?”

   Despite the growing questions and doubts with regard to Holy Scripture, Tom continued to believe in the other teachings of the Catholic Church, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1959.  He enjoyed the priesthood.  And like Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta who suffered from doubts –  her ‘dark night’ –  through most of her adult life and ministry, Tom continued in his ministry for ten years.  His constant and favored prayer, from the Gospel of Mark, became: “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.”

     Daily Tom struggled in his mind and in his heart to reconcile the ‘Historical Jesus’ of the scholarly works with the Christ of Holy Scripture.  He sought answers by delving further into the academic works – all which continued to fuel the fire of doubt.  He read volumes and volumes on the subject, and was careful, by his account, to avoid authors that were too extreme in their views, either liberal or conservative.  Tom was also careful to read mainstream Catholic writers of the time, as well as some non-Catholic writers.  He even consulted several prominent Scripture scholars personally, but was always left with the same questions but no answers.

   Finally, in 1969, Tom enrolled in two courses at Notre Dame; he was certain that the information from these classes would remedy his doubts.  However, the opposite proved to be true.  The courses seemed to validate his doubts.  He found himself convinced that the historical Jesus was not Jesus, the Christ.  He came to the conclusion that he could no longer preach with certitude some of the doctrines of the Catholic Church.

   As a result, Tom left the priesthood, and received dispensation from the pope shortly thereafter. He pursued studies in social work, married and raised a family – and continued to search for the truth of Jesus Christ in scholarly works.  He never abandoned the Faith completely.  Tom continued, all the while, attending Mass and receiving the Sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation. He seemed to be hanging on by a thread – doubting doctrine regarding Jesus, but clinging to the Sacraments of His Body and Blood, and of His Forgiveness.  Perhaps the thread was a thread from the Blessed Mother’s mantle...or, perhaps, Our Lady was the one holding onto Tom.  After all, he, as a priest, had been chosen by Her Son, and was one of Her own.

   Tom admits that one of the reasons that he was unable to completely walk away from the Catholic Church was his intrigue with Marian apparitions. Early in his journey he became familiar with the events of Fatima and Lourdes.  He had read much about these.  There was something about the Marian apparitions and messages that kept him hanging onto hope.

   Then came Medjugorje – more messages, more miracles  –  in this ‘time’ –  not 2000 years ago – miracles witnessed first hand by people of our times; not those recorded thousands of years ago – miracles and events that could not be disproven by the technology of the times.  And six visionaries –  not one – tested and probed by science with no evidence to deny the supernatural.  Tom explained further, “The children were not lying, were not mentally ill, were gaining nothing from the visions; in fact, they suffered immensely from church authorities, the people, and especially the communist authorities, who threatened them repeatedly with prison.”

   So, 38 years after leaving the priesthood, and after more than 38 years of being plagued and consumed on a daily basis by doubts regarding the authenticity of Scripture regarding Jesus Christ – Tom walked into my office carrying the article that I had written about our conversion which occurred through the grace of Medjugorje.  Naturally, I was ecstatic!  I thought that all I had to do was to invite him to join us on an upcoming pilgrimage, and the Blessed Mother and God would do the rest....

   For two years, however, Tom would not join us on a pilgrimage.  He couldn’t – because our trips were usually the first week in November.  This was Tom’s “best hunting week.”  He had doubts over his Faith for some 38 years, no longer believed that Jesus was our Savior, was hanging on by a thread – was finding it more and more difficult to continue to accept the Sacraments, especially Holy Communion – but  HE HAD TO GO HUNTING!!!  Only in hindsight, does he see how utterly ridiculous this was!

   Finally, after much prayer, Michael and I decided to change the date from November to May for one of our pilgrimages so that Tom could join us. Tom decided that since May did not interfere with hunting, he would join us on pilgrimage.  So, in May, 2011 – 40 years, now, after the inception of his doubt – Tom answered the call of Our Lady to go to Medjugorje.

   The group arrived in Medjugorje, and as is to be expected, God’s grace became visibly apparent for many pilgrims in many ways.  But, not for Tom.  He recalled that nothing hit him the first six or seven days of the pilgrimage.  Even I was beginning to wonder....

   Two days before our return home, Tom listened to the testimony of a young college- age man in our group. This young man was conceived after his mother went to Medjugorje and prayed for a son.  His pilgrimage was one of thanksgiving for his gift of life.  One night, around midnight, he was praying all alone at the statue of the Risen Christ.  He suddenly felt compelled to sing, out loud, the Salve Regina.  Near the end of the song, he heard someone clearly and loudly harmonizing with his own singing.  When he had finished, he turned to see who was singing, and – no one was to be found.

   This account seemed to strike Tom someplace deep within his soul.  It was a gentle stirring, but not enough to dispel the doubt.  In fact, the last night in Medjugorje, he phoned his wife at home.  She had asked if anything had happened yet.  He said, “No.”  She replied, “Just come home.”

   That same night, a few people from our group went to the Blue Cross to pray.  While there, one of the group, then the next, then the next, noticed the miracle of the sun – it was spinning and dancing as it had done countless times since the apparitions began.  Tom looked up and saw it.  In his own words, “That was it!” 

   At that moment he again felt something deep inside himself stir. This time, though, it was bigger and stronger.  He, himself, was witness to a miracle.  He did not have to rely on any second hand accounts.  He saw it with his own eyes.  He knew it was true.  He knew miracles happened.  He suddenly knew that he would be okay.  He did not feel all of his doubt completely lift from him, but he knew there was Truth. 

   When Tom arrived home, he still wondered how he could reconcile the ‘Historical’ Jesus with the Christ of his returning faith.  He turned to a familiar author from his past and wrote him this simple email: Dear Professor Meier, I have read all your volumes on the Historical Jesus with great interest.  I have read many, many others, including James D.G. Dunn's Volume I and II of Christianity in the Making.  You both are at the top of my list. What keeps me still a Catholic is Medjugorje, which I believe is still occurring. I read many books about that also, and just came back from a trip there. Going from the historical Jesus to the Christ of Faith is what I need someone to help me with.  I know you and James Dunn count yourselves among the community of believers. I know you are a busy person.  If you do not have time for me,I totally understand. Is there someone you know that could assist me?  I have read the books of conservative authors such as, N.T. Wright, but they do not make the sense that your works do, and others like you.

   This was the reply: Dear Tom, Thank you for your e-mail.  My basic view is that, while a study of the historical Jesus may show the believer that his or her faith is not irrational or the suicide of the intellect, no amount of study of the historical Jesus can generate or create faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  Such faith comes from the gift (grace) of God alone, or, to phrase it in keeping with the coming Solemnity of Pentecost, by the coming of the Holy Spirit. Hence, while I think study is important for the well-educated Christian, prayer and silence in the presence of God are more important, indeed, essential. For me, this is the core of the question of faith, and all the reading, study, and debates in the world cannot take the place of encountering God in grace-filled prayer. (emphasis added) With all best wishes for your own journey, I remain Sincerely yours, (Prof.) John P. Meier

   After 40 years in the desert, quite literally, it was precisely what J.P. Meier described that brought Tom out of the wilderness – “grace-filled prayer,” in Medjugorje, through the intercession of Our Lady, Mary –  Full of Grace.  And, one of the same men whose writings once served as much to support Tom’s doubt, now sent words to confirm his belief!

   When considering this story, Tom explained his continuing conversion this way, “Mary took hold of me, and I WILL NOT DISAPPOINT HER!  She and the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and the Father, are all friends of mine. My prayer time tripled...I am trying to keep Her messages, though imperfectly. I will talk to anyone who will listen about what I have learned.  And every time I do, I cry.”

   He continued, “My struggle now is to find ways to bring others to know and love Her and Her Son.  I am still searching how to do that fully.  In the meantime, I continue to read Her messages and continue to discover so many things about Her that I did not know about Her. During one of my first Communions when I returned, I said to Jesus, “You did not tell me what a wonderful mother you had!"

   Now, 40 years after leaving the priesthood, Tom still feels called to “help people get to Heaven” by spreading the messages of Our Lady of Medjugorje to all who will listen.

   And, back to the name... Thomas, the doubter... But, Vinca(t)... in Latin, “He/She conquers.” 

Editor’s note: Wendy, Michael and their son Isaac live in Fairview, PA. Michael’s book about his conversion, A Lost Shepherd: An Ex-Priest's Journey from Sin to Salvation, should be in print by late spring, 2012.

subscriber recently suggested that our readers ask their pastors to have Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament to pray for our coming national election. This is a wonderful idea. The following prayer can be prayed daily also.  If you would like to have a Word document with three copies of this prayer to print and distribute, email June at jklins1981@verizon.net.

Election Prayer

Mirjana Speaks to Pilgrims

The following is an excerpt from a talk given by Mirjana in Medjugorje on May 5, 2008. We thank Judy Pellatt of England for transcribing it and sharing it with us.

   What is going to happen in the future is God's will and our task is to be ready for that. These apparitions on every 2nd of the month, that you also had a chance to participate in with me, are also like a prayer for unbelievers, but Our Lady never uses that term “unbelievers.” She always says “those who have not come to know the love of God yet.” And Our Lady asks our help. When Our Lady says “our” help, She doesn't just mean only us six visionaries, but help of all those people who accept Her as Mother. Because Our Lady says that we are capable to change unbelievers, but only with our own prayer and our own example. She is asking for us to put in our daily prayers a first place for prayers for unbelievers, because when you pray for them, you also pray for yourselves and your own future. Besides our prayer, Our Lady is asking our example. She doesn't ask from us to preach. She would like for us to talk with our own life so that unbelievers can see God and God's love within ourselves.

   And I would like to ask you to accept this in a most serious way, because if you were able just once to see the tears on the face of Our Lady because of unbelievers, I am so certain that you would pray from the bottom of your hearts, because Our Lady says this time is time of decisions. She says that we who call ourselves God's children, we have great responsibility. When Our Lady asks from us to pray for unbelievers, She decides that we do it in Her way and that would be first to feel love for them –  to feel them as our own brothers and sisters who were not lucky enough as we were to come to know the love of God. And only once we feel like that, we will be able to pray for them. We should never judge or criticize then. We should simply love them, pray for them and offer them our own example…

   When we look at Our Lady's messages, when we talk about the privileged ones then we can talk about priests. Because Our Lady never said what they should do, but only and always what we should do for them. She said they don't need you to judge and criticize them, but they need you to pray for them and love them. My children, if you lose respect for priests, then you will lose respect for the Church and in the end, Dear God as well. Once again I repeat, God will judge the priests they way they were as priests. Recently, almost every 2nd of the month, Our Lady has been emphasizing the importance of praying for priests. For example when She is blessing us and the things that are for blessing, She always says, “I am giving you my motherly blessing but the greatest blessing you can receive on earth is a blessing coming from your priest. That is my Son Himself blessing you.”  And She says, “Do not forget to pray for your shepherds. Their priestly hands are blessed by my Son.”  Even in this latest message, She invited us to pray for our priests. What I can say – and you can make the same conclusion when you look at Our Lady's messages, between good and evil, between what is supposed to happen because you have to know what Our Lady said, what She started in Fatima, She will accomplish in Medjugorje. She said, “My Immaculate Heart will triumph.”  So from this moment that we are living now, until Her triumph, there is a bridge and that bridge are the priests. And Our Lady decided we pray for them so that this bridge may be firm, so that we can all cross that bridge to be able to reach, to come to Our Lady's triumph. 

Mirjana’s Message, March 18, 2012

The visionary Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo had daily apparitions from June 24,1981 to December 25,1982. During the last daily apparition, Our Lady gave her the 10th secret, and told her that She would appear to her every year on March 18. It has been this way through the years. Several thousand pilgrims gathered in prayer of the Rosary at the Blue Cross. The apparition lasted from 2:00 PM to 2:05 PM.

"Dear children! I am coming among you because I desire to be your mother - your intercessor. I desire to be the bond between you and the Heavenly Father - your mediatrix. I desire to take you by the hand and to walk with you in the battle against the impure spirit. My children, consecrate yourselves to me completely. I will take your lives into my motherly hands and I will teach them peace and love, and then I will give them over to my Son. I am asking of you to pray and fast because only in this way will you know how to witness my Son in the right way through my motherly heart. Pray for your shepherds that, united in my Son, they can always joyfully proclaim the Word of God. Thank you."

My Fasting Testimony

By Jill Demeniuk

    Until almost a year ago, I knew nothing about Medjugorje. When my mom gave me a book called The Visions of the Children, that book hit me like a ton of bricks.  I am just coming off eight years of being chronically ill. I went through some amazing spiritual changes over the past few years during my illness, which included coming back to the Catholic Church. I had been at a Protestant church for quite some time, and was told we don’t talk to Mary and the saints.  I was "bored" at the Catholic church growing up because I had NO CLUE what treasures there were – until I was taught the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Novena and "re-taught" the Rosary by my mother. Through St. Faustina's Diary and Mother Teresa's book Come Be My Light, I learned about the Eucharist.  Since then, I've learned about the treasures of the daily Mass.  My daughter, Faith, was born almost four years ago on Easter Sunday, and I completely owe it to the Divine Mercy.  She was due three days before Easter, and I prayed for months she would be born on Easter.  I started the Divine Mercy Novena on Good Friday and guess who came on Easter?!!
   So, throughout the past eight years of my being ill – which meant I was in constant pain and fatigue throughout my whole body every day and couldn't sleep every night – I stayed very close to prayer, the Bible and other spiritual tools to get me through my sleepless nights and days. I watched the world spin round and round, and saw exactly what was happening.  When you're sick and can't get around very much, you have a lot of time to lie down and watch.  I saw a world whose main desire is to achieve more, do more, and push each other more. I saw people not wanting to stick it out through the hard times, but give up on every little thing they went through.  Giving up can come in many forms (divorce, abortion of a living human being, using drugs, overeating, etc.).  I see a technology world where society believes faster is better.  Our kids are being pushed to the brink in schools.  Families run constantly, but leave no time for family prayer;  plenty of time for pleasure, but time for God is last on the list, and it doesn't seem to fit in with the "pleasure" schedule.  I could go on and on.  All I know is that my kids are four and nine, and they have no one to play with in the neighborhood because kids don't play outside anymore.  Again, technology and material things have won them over (TV, WII, XBOX, Cell phones, IPOD's). 
   When my mom gave me The Visions of the Children book, I couldn't believe what I was reading!  All that was in the book, I had been saying out loud to my friend, Mary, for the past several years. She would keep saying to me, "Jill, something is going on in your life, and God is preparing you for something.  I don't know what it is, but keep following your heart."  After I read the book, I knew I had to follow what Mary was telling the world. 

   From what I was reading, Mary was asking the world to do five things, and one of them was fasting, in addition to going to Mass more.  I was heavily involved in a 12-step program for food addiction, and was terrified.  I had been free from anorexia and bulimia for 17 years, and was scared to leave the program (which is what I felt I needed to do to follow what was in my heart). I felt a calling, but didn't know how it would look for me.  I knew I wanted to go to Mass every day and fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. This was a HUGE conflict with my 12-step program and the time involved with my group. I talked to a very spirit-filled Franciscan priest whom God put in my life about two years ago.  I met him after the Feast of Divine Mercy Mass; and ever since, have been blessed with his guidance and help.  I talked all of this through with him and a couple other people, and prayed over it for five months.  At the end of five months, I was watching something on EWTN and it all clicked.  I was no longer afraid to leave my 12-step program and I felt peace about it for the first time.    

   Ever since I left, I started going to Mass daily and began following the messages.  I felt a strong desire to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, per our Blessed Mother’s request.  Some people in my 12-step program and others were trying to discourage me from fasting, but I'll be honest – if Mary is asking the world to do this, I couldn't let other people's fears scare me.  I remember saying to a friend of mine, "Who am I going to follow –  Mary or people?"  The answer was pretty clear to me. This is a VERY small sacrifice our Mother asks of us in comparison to the VERY large sacrifice of our Redeemer during His Passion. When I fast, I offer up the fast for Mary's intentions and for anything else I feel I need to offer for that day.  Sometimes, when I find it a challenge, I say Matthew 4:4 out loud…. “One does not live by bread alone, but only from every word that comes from the mouth of God.”  I believe we are all called to holiness, and I long for this more in my heart and soul.   I know what it's like to have lots of material things, but be horribly lacking in the spiritual.  I would much rather have the spiritual because that's only where the peace can be found.  The material leads to emptiness, and the spiritual leads to contentment.
   I love attending Mass daily, and learning more and more about the treasures of the Mass, etc.  I had NO IDEA what was happening in the Mass my ENTIRE life, and I'm so grateful that God continues to show me these treasures through daily Mass, meditation, and my favorite verse, Jeremiah 33:3.

   My journey will continue, and I pray for a deeper union with Mary and Jesus. I am a work in progress, but I trust and believe that trying to live the messages with all my heart and soul will help me be all that God would want me to be.  I feel a deeper sense of peace now than I’ve felt in years.  I hope to encourage all followers of our Mother’s messages to fast – no excuses!  We can stop wars and save souls, including our own!  Fast – not just out of obligation –  but fast with the heart and a smile!!

Vatican Commission to Conclude in 2012

   The Italian news agency ASCA reported in February that Cardinal Vinko Puljic, Archbishop of Sarajevo and a member of the Vatican Commission investigating the Medjugorje phenomenon,said he expects the Commission’s work will be completed this year and a final report presented by the end of 2012.

  The head of the Bosnia & Herzegovina bishops’ conference stated, “Later this year we want to finish our work and give our opinion to the Pope.  I cannot talk about what the commission does because I am bound to secrecy.  Our work is still going on, but this year we must finish it.”

   A few days after this report, the Medjugorje visionaries, Ivan Dragicevic and Jakov Colo, were in Rome to meet with the Commission.  It was also speculated that Marija and Mirjana had been recalled at the same time, but not for interview.

                                                                                                                      The Medjugorje Message, UK

The Book of the Risen Christ

By June Klins

   With the backdrop of a huge image of the Risen Christ above the altar in Mt. Calvary Church (in Erie, PA), Fr. Mike began our study of the Book of Revelation by calling it “The Book of the Risen Christ.” This book deals with the end times, that Jesus has conquered death, and that Jesus is coming victorious. It gives us hope that we will be with Him forever.

   This mysterious last book of the Bible is apocalyptic literature, not to be taken literally. It deals with good and evil, with rewards and penalties, despair and hope.  Of the 400 verses in Revelation, 300 of them come from the Old Testament, but none of them are word for word, because in Revelation everything is being made “new.” “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev 21:5).

   Revelation is written in highly symbolic language, because symbols can be stronger than words.  The number 7, which is considered a perfect number along with the number 3, is splashed throughout this book. The number 12, representing the 12 Tribes in the Old Testament and the 12 apostles in the New Testament, is also prevalent. The number 6 was considered imperfect because it was one away from 7, so the number 666 in the book of Revelation represents “perfect imperfection” or pure evil.

   Halfway through the book, we read about a dragon, a beast and a false prophet. Fr. Mike said that each of these unsavory characters is the antithesis of one of the Persons of the Holy Trinity. Father called it the “unholy trinity.” The dragon, who is Satan himself, is the antithesis of God the Father; the beast is the antithesis of Jesus Christ, and the false prophet is the antithesis of the Holy Spirit.

   Father said to note that the last three books of Revelation relate to the first three books of Genesis. Although there is not enough room here to elaborate on this, I hope this will whet your appetite to read these books. The more you read and learn about Scripture, the more you will want to learn. And that will make Our Lady smile.  Try it.  You’ll like it.