Today, on September 19, 2024, the day when the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith published the Note “The Queen of Peace” about the spiritual experience connected to Medjugorje, the evening Holy Mass in Medjugorje was celebrated by the parish priest of Medjugorje, Br. Zvonimir Pavičić, in the concelebration of 96 priests.

At the beginning of the Holy Mass, Br. Zvonimir said that since the very beginning of the apparitions, the people of God have been gathering here in the church to pray the Rosary, to celebrate Holy Mass and to Adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

“Then the church became too small for Our Lady’s call, so we had to build this outside altar so that we could all stand and pray together.” So many prayers flowed there, so many cries to God, so many life stories…but God listens to the cries of his people,” said Br. Zvonimir Pavičić, who, introducing into the mass celebration, said that at the core of the word eucharist is thanks, thanks to God, gratitude…

“We are today especially grateful to dear God for this wonderful news from the Vatican, we are grateful to Pope Francis that he has this little place of great faith in his heart. We are grateful to God because he calls us to his closeness again and again and feeds us with His word and the body of Christ, we are grateful to the Mother of God, the Queen of Peace who started all this and guides it all. We are also grateful for those who came before us, who bore all the weight and grace of these events, and now celebrate the Eucharist with us in heaven. It is the Eucharist that connects us. We are grateful for every pilgrim, for every testimony of faith, hope and love. Finally, we are grateful that God always, always shows us his mercy,” said Br. Zvonimir, and in his homily, and looking back at today’s Gospel passage that puts before us the sinner whom Jesus forgives, he said that Jesus teaches us that the one who is forgiven a lot, loves a lot.

“We said that this woman was a sinner in the city. Everyone knew her sins. Anyone could say anything to her, shame her, spit on her, reject her… But not Jesus. He does not reject. He kisses. He forgives. He calls to life. He does not want the death of the sinner, but to be converted and saved. Yet, between the hands that slapped her, she suddenly felt a hand that lifted her up, that helped her rise from the mire of sin. She felt a heart that loves her and forgives her sins and gives her life. She then does not see Jesus, but sees the Bridegroom, the one whom her soul loves, because He rescued her from death and gave her meaning and life. Then, there is no one else for her. She sees only Jesus, her Savior, and she wants to use every moment and everything she has to express her gratitude, to love him back. She doesn’t have much, but she has what He gave her. She has tears to wash His feet, tears that flew so many times from the pain of the soul and despair. She has hair that she uses to wipe his legs, the same hair that seduced others and was her beauty, but only now she discovers that true beauty is in serving Jesus. There is something of a sweet-smelling ointment that no longer serves to emphasize her, but rather the one to whom everything lives. She gives everything she has to Jesus, because she is aware that Jesus gave her everything,” said Br. Zvonimir, and he also referred to those who left their sins in Medjugorje.

“Oh how much they felt here exactly like this woman! How many people have come to Medjugorje with the weight of their sins during all these years and how many of them fell before the Lord with their tears in the sacrament of confession, in the Eucharist, in Adoration, in prayer of the Rosary, in fasting! How many have learned to love here! Not to curse, not to destroy, not to hate, but to love and forgive. Because he who loves much forgives much. So many beautiful life stories in this little place, Our Lady’s place. It is Our Lady who, through all these years, teaches us to love and imitate her Son, to be the ones who will spread the good news in this world. She, who had nothing to forgive, because she was full of grace and full of love, knows that only with God is life meaningful. And that’s why he tries to bring us all closer to God. It calls for prayer, fasting, reading the Holy Scriptures, the Eucharist, confession. All this is what brings us close to Jesus and makes us feel the bliss of His presence, just as this woman had felt. Although everyone around her had a negative attitude towards her, she is at peace, because her peace comes from the Lord. That is how everyone who comes to this holy place finds peace, if they find the Lord in prayer and the sacraments,” said Br. Zvonimir, referring to what Our Lady teaches and encourages us in Medjugorje: “Pray, pray, pray…”

Today, when our hearts are especially joyful because of the positive news from the heart of the Church, we want to respond even more strongly to the Mother’s call and continue: pray, pray, pray. We do that knowing that this is where the wisdom of life is hidden, because the meeting with Jesus is hidden in prayer, and in Jesus is every grace and every good that we need.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, let us respond to Our Lady’s call. Let us renew our hearts. Let us renew prayer in our families. Let us pray the Rosary together and discover the grace of God’s closeness. Let us forgive each other and ask the Lord for forgiveness. That way we will always be on the path of love that leads to the one who is Love itself, to God,” said Br. Zvonimir, referring to Paul’s words to the Corinthians in which he says: “I bring to your mind the gospel that I announced…”

“That is the gospel of Christ. Paul’s experience comes to mind. He repeats the same thing over and over again. That is how we listen to Our Lady’s exhortations here for so many years, she calls to mind the gospel – Christ. Let us be those who will accept this good news with open hearts and who will build their lives with Christ and thus bring peace to this world that needs it so much”, said Br. Zvonimir Pavičić, pointing out that “many people heard these words right here after the confession from the Gospel: “The Lord has forgiven your sins, go in peace!” and at the end of his homily he repeated the words from the psalm:

Give thanks to Yahweh for he is good,

for his faithful love endures for ever.

 Let the House of Israel say,

‘His faithful love endures for ever.’

Yahweh’s right hand is victorious,

Yahweh’s right hand is triumphant!’

I shall not die, I shall live to

recount the great deeds of Yahweh.

You are my God, I thank you,

all praise to you, my God.

I thank you for hearing me,

and making yourself my Savior.