Words of the Harvesters March 2004 Vol. 103
The following was a Words of the Harvesters newsletter recently sent to the Caritas mailing list. Permission has been granted to re-publish for web viewing.
March 2004 Vol. 103
Dear Children of Our Lady,
With Our Lady coming to Caritas in just two short months, the anticipation of Her apparitions has placed a fervor in our hearts, and in the hearts of all those who are coming. We have heard from many of you who are traveling from as far as California, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, to those in towns right here in Alabama, who are bringing friends, family members and loved ones to be in the presence of Our Lady, and striving with your whole hearts to do all that is possible to spread the word. Our excitement builds each time we receive an order for the May 1-5 Brochure or Poster. They have been going out by the hundreds. One family in Nashville, Tennessee has even rented a billboard to advertise May 1-5! All of this shows that you have taken the last Words of the Harvesters to heart and acted on it. You have chosen to do more, and the conversions that will take place because of your decision will make waves in Heaven! Already, within a short time of the announcement, over five hotels are booked up, and more reservations are coming in by the minute.
For those of you who are still uncertain about coming, or have run into roadblocks that may seem insurmountable at this time, we wanted to share a few stories that we have received either by phone or in the mail. One woman has shown an unbelievable amount of determination to be with Our Lady. In order to be here in May, she must take a plane from Honolulu, Hawaii to Las Vegas, Nevada (tickets are cheap to Las Vegas), and then, because of finances, she will be taking a bus from Las Vegas to Birmingham. When it was mentioned that it would be a difficult trip for her, she made it clear that this was a dream come true for her and that nothing would be too difficult to stop her from coming. Another group from Miami, Florida is only able to come for one day. Just to be with Our Lady, they will be chartering a bus, driving fourteen hours, staying for one apparition, and driving fourteen hours home. Another family from Puerto Rico has never been able to afford to go to Medjugorje, but with Marija coming in May, they have worked it out to be here for the apparitions. One of our Field Angels, who is 81 years-old, called to reserve four rooms for May for herself and her friends. She explained that this was also a dream come true for her and went on to explain that she had been the sole caretaker of her husband for several years. He died a month ago, after much suffering, but before he died he encouraged his wife to make the trip here to be with her loved ones and Our Lady.
And, for those of you who have been wanting to come but have been discouraged by someone or something, we encourage you to proceed with prayer and to know that the entire community prays daily for all those who wish to be here, in Our Lady’s presence. A woman from Huntsville, Alabama recently called because she is in a wheelchair. Her friends have discouraged her from coming because of her handicap. She told us of her predicament and asked what we would suggest. We told her to come no matter what, be with Our Lady, come to the Bedroom and to the Field. She began to cry, explaining that it took her several hours to gather the courage to even call. She was afraid we would also discourage her, but when she heard, “just come,” she felt a flood of grace come upon her. She made reservations for the full five days. We pray many of you who are still undecided will be encouraged by these stories, and in a special way, be encouraged by what follows. It was arranged for you.
Over the past two weeks, the founder of the Community of Caritas and his wife have been with Marija and her family, both at their home in Monza, Italy, and in Medjugorje. He has been able to share the excitement and stories of all those who will be here when Marija comes in May. He was also able to present this entire event before Our Lady, praying for Her intentions for May 1-5, and all those coming. During the first apparition in which he and his wife were present, they placed copies of the May 1-5 Brochure and Poster at the foot of Our Lady’s statue, which is where Marija kneels to receive Our Lady in Her apparition. He was also able to interview Marija. We are including this interview in order to share the importance of what you are able to be part of in May, and to prepare your hearts for Our Lady’s coming. This interview took place on February 24, 2004, the day before Marija received the monthly message to the world, in her home in Medjugorje. Our founder and his wife were also present when Marija received the monthly message to the world, given on February 25, 2004. That message is printed here, after the interview. It is incredible to see Our Lady’s words immediately after Marija’s interview. It is as if She was confirming Marija’s words with Her own. Please pause and pray before reading it as the words have the ability to penetrate your heart and place a fire in it. (Parts of Marija’s responses may not flow perfectly as she was answering in English.)
Q: Marija, why did Our Lady say that She is happy to see us in such large numbers when she is referring to those gathered?
A: Every time I receive Our Lady, when there are many numbers present in the apparitions, Our Lady blesses us and She asks, really from everyone of us, to be more near to Her and to be Her instruments. More people are with Her, the more Her plan is fulfilled.
Q: So you would say it is important to be in the presence of Our Lady?
A: Yes. Also the blessing of Our Lady is important.
Q: How does the apparition affect our soul when we are in Her presence?
A: Always we should be open for the graces Our Lady wishes to give us. Our Lady has said, “Pray for My intentions. The moment you pray for my intentions, it is then possible I can help you.” Then our hearts, our minds are open for the blessing of Our Lady, of the presence of Our Lady, and so in this way you become more open to receive grace from Our Lady and your soul is affected.
Q: So, being in the presence of Our Lady, even if loved ones are not with us, does it affect our loved ones and our family back home?
A: Yes. Our Lady always says, “You are instruments. I invite you, dear children,” and so Our Lady said that you will become more of an example for others, when you’re back with them. You bring blessings to them of the apparitions. To us, Our Lady gives graces in the apparitions, when we are present with Her. For our family, our loved ones, the people who are near to us in our family, who thought it may not be possible for them to come and be blessed by Our Lady in an apparition, they, too will receive blessings from those who pray for them in preparation for and during the apparition. And so, every blessing from Our Lady that we receive in the apparition is not only a grace for us, but also…our families will receive blessings and we are able to give these graces to other people.
Q: Our Lady said in 1984 that there are particular graces available during the moment of the apparition. Can you explain what some of these graces are?
A: I always say, the presence of Our Lady is a “big” grace for every one of us. Many times it is possible that we are tired, we don’t understand, we have unimportant problems, sicknesses, and we always are asking Our Lady only for help with these situations. But Our Lady desires to give us more, much more larger number of graces. Not only does Our Lady give the grace of blessing you, but also She grants many other gifts for those present, to be more open for God’s Word and more open for graces that She desires to give to us, not only these days, but also throughout all our life. Also, She desires to give the grace for us to give thanksgiving to God for Her presence in the apparitions. This is a great grace. Our Lady said pray. The moment when you pray, you become more open and your heart is more open, and it is then that She can intercede before God and help you with many other graces She wishes to give you.
Q: Marija, when everything in your day goes wrong and your crosses bear down real hard on you, what happens to those life burdens at the moment you see Our Lady?
A: Every time at the moment of the apparition, we, the visionaries, forget everything and we then become aware only of Our Lady and Her presence and more beautiful things are in our hearts. But in our mind, ‘we remember’ also those people who are present for the apparition near us, who are asking for graces. Every apparition I pray for these people present and in a special way, those who are physically sick, and those who are spiritually sick.
Q: So, if we are in the presence of Our Lady with you, can we experience the same grace of our life’s burden being lifted as you, and how do we do this?
A: Yes. Our Lady said pray. And I have seen, from the beginning, that Our Lady asks from us to be more open for prayer everyday, more open for sacrifice, for fasting and after, we will see the fruit of prayer in our personal conversion, and with our conversion, we help also other people to convert and to be near to God.
Q: So, we can experience, in a sense, the same thing you experience in the apparition in regards to our life burdens being lifted?
A: Yes. We have this experience in the beginning- Our Lady appeared and She became more important for us, and life’s problems, less important. Then, little by little Our Lady said, “I am not important. God needs to be in the center of your life.” In this way, Our Lady helped us to give our problems to God and instead of having problems, we have God.
Q: Why does Our Lady bless everyday in Her apparitions?
A: Our Lady blesses us and I think the most beautiful thing is this blessing of Our Lady that is for everyone.
Q: In the early days, one priest said, we do not clearly understand the full significance of this daily blessing, but that it has some profound affect upon the whole world. Do you understand what he means by that?
A: I think Our Lady’s presence is the same for us. We do not understand it at the moment, but one day, God will give us the possibility to understand more.
Q: Marija, several of the visionaries on various occasions said that these are the last apparitions on earth. What did Our Lady say to you about this?
A: Our Lady said from the beginning that these are the last apparitions on earth in which we can hear Our Lady, touch Our Lady, speak with Our Lady, where we can pray with Our Lady, apparitions where it is possible that we ‘have’ Our Lady. In other apparitions- people have spiritual experiences- but not like us, the six visionaries of Medjugorje; where Our Lady speaks to us. This is really the last and special grace. Normally one person may see Our Lady (like Bernadette or St. Catherine of the Miraculous Medal who also touched Our Lady). But here, six visionaries are a number which is very credible. But this is the last where we can touch Our Lady, speak to Her, etc., in this way.
(On May 7, 1985, Our Lady said, “…No one in the world has had the grace which you, your brothers and sisters (the visionaries) have received…”)
Q: So why are these the last apparitions on earth?
A: Our Lady wants to help teach us and to help us understand everyday more and more that Her presence and God’s presence are to be always in our daily lives.
Q: Also, is it after the secrets are revealed, will there not be any need for the apparitions?
A: Our Lady is with us so She can give us knowledge of the secrets and to help us through the secrets. After the secrets are realized, Our Lady will not need to come anymore. Also, I always say that the secrets are a secret at this moment. It is not possible for me to speak of the secrets.
Q: So, is it also because so much is being given through these apparitions of the Blessed Mother that these manifestations of the real, physical presence of the Virgin Mary is sufficient to the end of the world, whether it be 100 years or 2000 years away?
A: Also because Our Lady gives everyday so many graces that we, everyday, are able to live more and more this presence of Our Lady.
On March 18, 1996, Our Lady said, “…My eyes and my heart will be here, even when I will no longer appear…” (Perhaps this means that Our Lady will be with us in a new way that She wasn’t before the apparitions began.)
Q: Vicka has also said very clearly that these are the last apparitions on earth. What would you say to those who try to re-qualify that Our Lady didn’t really mean this, that this is not really what Our Lady said?
A: I say always, for us, who accept Our Lady’s words, this is a big grace…for others, we must pray. Here, we receive many graces and so for other people to be close with Our Lady, to live Our Lady’s messages, we must pray more and more everyday for them that they become more and more closer to God. And through Our Lady, as with us, God will become the center of their life. Not only is holiness for priests, but also for mothers and fathers and others. In this way, holiness spreads as Our Lady invites us all here in Medjugorje.
Q: So, what do you say in regards to the importance of those who can come be in the presence of Our Lady in Alabama- for your visit and for Our Lady’s apparitions?
A: What I always say. To be ready to pray. Come and be ready to open your heart to Our Lady’s messages, and that Our Lady will help us all the more everyday.
Q: So, what would you tell people in preparation for the pilgrimage to Alabama, May 1-5?
A: To prepare through prayer and sacrifice. Make sure you give Our Lady many prayers each day before you come.