All the great and holy things that happen in Medjugorje take place because Mary is with us. She is the reason for our joy.
Her joy is God. Where Mary is there is also Jesus. She never points to Herself but always leads us to Him. That is the
meaning of Medjugorje – to lead us to Jesus. To rejoice with Mary means to be with Jesus, to be aware that He is with
me, He loves me and guides me in spite of everything.
Mary’s joy is not simply good mood or a smile that pretends everything is fine. She knows what it means to rejoice even
in the midst of difficulties. Her Heart was pierced by suffering many times but She has never lost hope. She knew that
God is faithful to His promises. Today in a world full of suffering She says to us: “Rejoice with Me”. She does not say:
“Rejoice when everything is resolved and when you manage everything well”. Instead She teaches us to rejoice right
now because God is with us and joy is with us. The world can neither give us this joy nor take it away from us. St Paul
writes about it from prison: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”(Philippians 4:4)
Let us imagine a ship sailing through a stormy sea. On the surface high waves are rising, the wind is growing stronger
and everything seems frightening. Yet just a few meters below the surface, the sea is calm. The same is true of Christian
joy. On the surface of our lives many storms may come – diseases, uncertainty, failures or losses… However in the depth
of our hearts peace may remain because there Jesus dwells. Our Lady said to us several years ago: “Little children,
pray and rejoice over everything that God does here, despite that satan provokes quarrels and unrest” (July, 25
1999).
This is a challenge. She does not say to rejoice only when there are no worries. Instead She says: “Rejoice despite
everything because God is at work even when it seems that evil is winning”. Christian joy is a decision to trust in God
in every circumstance and every day. This is not an emotion which comes and disappears. This is a choice. Pope Francis
said: “A Christian is a man of joy. It is not because he does not have a cross but because he knows that he is not alone.
Jesus is with him”. For 45 years in Medjugorje Mary has been inviting us to prayer, fasting, the Word of God, the
Eucharist and Holy Confession. Here we encounter living Jesus, here true joy is born.
At the end of the message She tells us: “..you will have the strength, because you will be aware that you are transient
and you will know to offer everything to God”. Mary connects joy with the awareness of our transience. The world
teaches us the opposite. It tells us to build our security on possession, success and health. When we stop holding on
tightly to what we will lose anyway then our hearts open to God and at that very moment we discover true joy. It means
to place our joy, pain, success, disappointment, our plans and future into God’s hands. Such a heart remains calm even
in the midst of trials because it knows Whom it belongs to.
Prayer
Mary, teach us to rejoice with You not only in times of peace but in a special way in trials and difficulties. Obtain for us
the grace so that our joy may flow from God’s presence but not from the transient things of this world. Change us, Mary,
so that through our lives God may touch those who seek joy in the transient things of this world. Amen