Dear Children of Medjugorje, Praised be Jesus!
* Here Christmas was
a feast of real intimacy with Heaven! After the beautiful message
of the 25th, we could read in Marija's eyes all the sweetness and radiant
joy brought by the Infant Jesus. He was reaching "very peacefully"
against his Mother according to Marija who had just seen Him with her own
eyes, like every Christmas evening. He comes as a newborn baby, and
this incredible proximity with mystery of Bethlehem just overwhelms us.
I entrusted to the Infant
Jesus each one of you, your families, your sufferings and your
hopes.
Mary brought us "all the good of her Son Jesus", let's take her child in
our arms without fear, and let him heal us from all that still troubles
the peace of our hearts.
* "Receiving a special saint" for the New Year has become a tradition for many families (we pray together and pass a basket with names of saints on little papers and each one is given the saint who will help him throughout the year). For the Children of Medjugorje family we received Saint Paul the Apostle along with this passage: "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit" (Gal 5:25) and our special task is to "pray for evangelization". Isn't it wonderful! As the Gospa has but been repeating the Gospel to us for so many years, St. Paul will help us to live it and to bring it to others. With him, not only shall we fall in love with Jesus but we'll also become imaginative to make Him known, especially to those "who have not yet experienced the love of God".
* All the visionaries were in Medjugorje for Christmas, except Ivan (who is in Boston and will probably be back around Easter). N.B. I've never written that he had "settled" in the States. Regarding this, I would like to remind the magazines how important it is not to change my words or to add others when quoting my be-monthly reports. Thank you for playing fair, so as to stop mistakes from spreading. (For original copy see below).
* At the dawn of this
New Year, as "I want the good for you", I cannot help but invite you to
save as from today a date in your program for 1998 to come on pilgrimage
to Medjugorje. The fruits are so abundant! Those who help the
pilgrims here are witnessing marvels daily (for instance during these days
people shared about their being cured from alcohol abuse, others have
regained
peace of heart after years of anguish due to the death of a dear one, many
young people have decided for chastity before marriage, etc.).
Fr. Jozo used to say that
"those who come to Medjugorje have been called by the Gospa in a special
way." This is a great gift! Why not ask for it?
Sometimes,
the young people say, "I dream of going there but I can't afford
it."
Then we suggest to them to pray in this way, "Mother, you have already
invited millions of people to Medjugorje, why not me? Am I not also
your beloved child? Don't I also badly need to join your school of
love? Please, arrange everything to make this trip possible!"
Most of the time, the year isn't over before they hear someone tell them,
"Well, I have a spare ticket to Medjugorje, would you like it for free?"
Dearest Mother, as a present for your Feast day, we offer you our
hands,
so that you can guide us better to Jesus throughout this year.
Sr. Emmanuel
To receive Sr. Emmanuel's report by fax, dial from your fax machine (219) 287-5683; e-mail address: Theology.Mary.1@nd.edu ; internet: http://www.nd.edu/~Mary/Emmanuel.html
A suggestion from Denis Nolan: read the chapter "A Pal From Heaven" (p. 198, October 25, 1994 message) in "Medjugorje: the 90's", available from St. Andrews Productions; 6111 Steubenville Pike' McKees Rocks, PA 15136; Tel: (412) 787 - 9735 ; Fax: (412) 787 - 5204 Visionary Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti encourages everyone to read this book. She says: "This book is important! It reveals the marvels our Mother works out in our hearts, through Medjugorje."