Understanding & Achieving Our Lady's Key Message

PEACE
FAITH
PRAYER / THE ROSARY REVISITED
PENANCE / HELPING WITH CONFESSION
FASTING
CONVERSION

C: PRAYER - THE ROSARY

Almost daily, from the fifth day of apparitions onwards Our Lady recommends prayer. She requests everyone to "pray without ceasing" just as Christ himself taught (Mark 9:29, Matthew 9:38; Luke 11:5-13). Prayer, therefore stimulates and strengthens our faith, without which our relationship with God is disordered - as is our relationship with each other. Prayer also reminds us of how close God is to us even in our daily lives. In prayer we acknowledge Him, we give Him thanks for His gifts to us, and we are filled with a hopeful expectancy of that which we need, but particularly our redemption. Prayer solidifies the equilibrium of the individual, and aids us in our 'ordered relationship with God', without which it is impossible to maintain peace either with God or with our neighbour.

The Word of the Lord acquainted itself with all humanity and awaits humanity's response. It is precisely this which gives prayer it's "justification". Our response should be "spoken faith", or "prayer". In prayer, faith animates, renews, strengthens and sustains itself. In addition to this, man's prayer really bears witness to the Gospel, and to the existence of God, thus provoking a response of faith in others.

Fr. Ljudevit Rupcic
Professor of Theology and translator of Sacred Scripture into the Croatian language Fr. Rupcic is resident in Medjugorje
http://medjugorje.hr.nt4.ims.hr/News.aspx (select English translation at bottom of text).

SELECTED MESSAGES ON "PRAYER"

  • May 24, 1984: "Dear children! I have told you already that I have chosen you in a special way, the way you are. I, your Mother, love you all. And in any moment when it is difficult for you don't be afraid. I love you even when you are far away from me and my Son. I ask you not to allow my heart to cry with tears of blood because of the souls who are being lost in sin. Therefore, dear children, pray, pray, pray! Thank you for having responded to my call."


  • August 14, 1984: "I ask the people to pray with me these days. Pray all the more. Fast strictly on Wednesday and Friday: say every day at least one rosary: joyful, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries. Thank you for having responded to my call."


  • August 8, 1985: "Dear children! Today I am calling you to pray against satan in a special way. Satan wants to work more now that you know he is active. Dear children, dress up in clothes of armor against satan; with rosaries in your hands you will conquer. Thank you for having responded to my call."


  • July 3, 1986: "Dear children! Today, I am calling you to prayer. Without prayer you cannot feel me, nor God, nor the graces I am giving you. Therefore, I call you always to begin and end each with prayer. Dear children, I wish to lead you evermore in prayer, but you cannot grow because you don't want it. I invite you to let prayer have the first place. Thank you for having responded to my call."


  • November 6, 1986: "Today, I would like to invite you to pray day by day for the souls in purgatory. Every soul needs prayer and grace to reach God and His love. Thank you for having responded to my call."


  • January 25, 1991: "Dear Children. Today, like never before, I invite you to prayer. May your prayer be a prayer for peace. Satan is strong and wishes to destroy not only human lives, but also nature and the planet on which you live. Therefore, dear children, pray that you can protect yourselves through prayer with the blessings of God's peace. God sent me to be among you so that I can help you if you wish to accept the Rosary. Even the Rosary alone can do miracles in the world, and in your lives. Thank you for having responded to my call."


  • August 25, 1991: "Dear Children, Today also I invite you to prayer, now as never before, when my plan has begun to be realized. Satan is strong and wants to sweep away the plan of peace and joy and make you thing that my son is not strong in His decision. Therefore, I call all of you, dear children, to pray and fast still more firmly. I invite you to renunciation for nine days so that, with your help, everything I wanted to realize through the secrets I began in Fatima may be fulfilled. I call you, dear children, to grasp the importance of my coming, and the seriousness of the situation. I want to save all souls and present them to God. Therefore, let us pray that everything that I have begun be fully realized. Thank you for having responded to my call."


  • March 25, 1993: "Dear children! Today, like never, I call you to pray for peace-peace in your hearts, peace in your families, and peace in the whole world, because Satan wants war, wants unrest, wants to destroy all which is good. Therefore, dear children, pray, pray, pray. Thank you for having responded to my call."


  • August 25, 1995: "Dear Children! Today I invite you to prayer. Let prayer be life for you. A family can not say that it is in peace if it does not pray. Therefore, let your morning begin with morning prayer, and the evening end with thanksgiving. Little children, I am with you, and I love you and I bless you and I wish for every one of you to be in my embrace. You cannot be in my embrace if you are not ready to pray every day. Thank you for having responded to my call."


  • September 25, 2001: "Dear children! Also today I call you to prayer, especially today when Satan wants war and hatred. I call you anew, little children: pray and fast that God may give you peace. Witness peace to every heart and be carriers of peace in this world without peace. I am with you and intercede before God for each of you. And you do not be afraid because the one who prays is not afraid of evil and has no hatred in the heart. Thank you for having responded to my call."


  • November 25, 2001: "Dear children! In this time of grace, I call you anew to prayer. Little children, pray and prepare your hearts for the coming of the King of Peace, that with His blessing He may give peace to the whole world. Peacelessness has begun to reign in hearts and hatred reigns in the world. That is why, you who live my messages be the light and extended hands to this faithless world that all may come to know the God of Love. Do not forget, little children, I am with you and bless you all. Thank you for having responded to my call."


  • October 25, 2002: Dear children! Also today I call you to prayer. Little children, believe that by simple prayer miracles can be worked. Through your prayer you open your heart to God and He works miracles in your life. By looking at the fruits, your heart fills with joy and gratitude to God for everything He does in your life and, through you, also to others. Pray and believe little children, God gives you graces and you do not see them. Pray and you will see them. May your day be filled with prayer and thanksgiving for everything that God gives you. Thank you for having responded to my call."


  • January 25, 2007: "Dear children! Put Sacred Scripture in a visible place in your family and read it. In this way, you will come to know prayer with the heart and your thoughts will be on God. Do not forget that you are passing like a flower in a field, which is visible from afar but disappears in a moment. Little children, leave a sign of goodness and love wherever you pass and God will bless you with an abundance of His blessing. Thank you for having responded to my call."

  • March 25, 2007: "Dear children! I desire to thank you from my heart for your Lenten renunciations. I desire to inspire you to continue to live fasting with an open heart. By fasting and renunciation, little children, you will be stronger in faith. In God you will find true peace through daily prayer. I am with you and I am not tired. I desire to take you all with me to Heaven, therefore, decide daily for holiness. Thank you for having responded to my call."

  • February 25, 2008: "Dear children! In this time of grace, I call you anew to prayer and renunciation. May your day be interwoven with little ardent prayers for all those who have not come to know God's love. Thank you for having responded to my call."

  • October 25, 2008: "Dear children! In a special way I call you all to pray for my intentions so that, through your prayers, you may stop Satan's plan over this world, which is further from God every day, and which puts itself in the place of God and is destroying everything that is beautiful and good in the souls of each of you. Therefore, little children, arm yourselves with prayer and fasting so that you may be conscious of how much God loves you and may carry out God's will. Thank you for having responded to my call."

  • November 25, 2008: "Dear children! Also today I call you, in this time of grace, to pray for little Jesus to be born in your heart. May He, who is peace itself, give peace to the entire world through you. Therefore, little children, pray without ceasing for this turbulent world without hope, so that you may become witnesses of peace for all. May hope begin to flow through your hearts as a river of grace. Thank you for having responded to my call."

  • April 25, 2009: "Dear children! Today I call you all to pray for peace and to witness it in your families so that peace may become the highest treasure on this peaceless earth. I am your Queen of Peace and your mother. I desire to lead you on the way of peace, which comes only from God. Therefore, pray, pray, pray. Thank you for having responded to my call."

  • July 25, 2009: "Dear children! May this time be a time of prayer for you. Thank you for having responded to my call."

THE ROSARY

The Rosary is the fundamental form of devotional prayer. Many may have forgotten exactly how to pray the Rosary. Material for this section has been kindly provided by the Ave Maria group (P.O. Box 40, Glenbrook, NSW. 2773. Australia) and the Voices of Charity (22 Frank Street, Mt Druitt, NSW. 2770).

HOW TO SAY THE ROSARY

The Rosary is made up of "decades". A decade is one "Our Father" followed by ten "Hail Marys" and a "Glory be". One can say five decades at a time, though one decade said well is better than five decades said badly.

Beginning: Make the sign of the cross.

Then: Pray the "Apostle's Creed" holding the crucifix. Then continue on the straight piece on the Rosary with one Our Father, three Hail Marys and a Glory Be, for the intentions of his holiness, the Pope.

Start the first Decade: Pray one Our Father and move along the circular piece of the Rosary with ten Hail Marys and finish the first decade with one Glory Be. The Fatima prayer should be said at the end of each decade. A complete circuit of the beads involves five decades.

Finish: After completing the chosen number of decades, the "Hail Holy Queen" should be prayed.

Mysteries: As each decade is said, one can think about a story in the life of Mary and Jesus. There are 20 stories, each called a Mystery.

  • 5 Joyful Mysteries
  • 5 Mysteries of the Light
  • 5 Sorrowful Mysteries
  • 5 Glorious Mysteries

    • PRAYERS OF THE ROSARY

    SIGN OF THE CROSS

    In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN

    APOSTLE'S CREED

    I believe in God, The Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

    I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, Our Lord.
    He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
    and born of the Virgin Mary.
    He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
    was crucified, died and was buried.
    He descended to the dead.
    On the third day, he rose again. He ascended into Heaven,
    and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
    He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church,
    the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
    the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. AMEN.

    OUR FATHER

    Our father, who art in heaven;
    hallowed be Thy Name;
    Thy kingdom come;
    Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
    Give us this day our daily bread;
    and forgive us our trespasses
    as we forgive those who trespass against us,
    and lead us not in to temptation;
    but deliver us from evil. AMEN

    HAIL MARY

    Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;
    blessed art thou among women,
    and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

    Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners,
    now and at the hour of our death. AMEN

    GLORY BE TO THE FATHER

    Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
    and to the Holy Spirit,
    as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
    world without end. AMEN

    FATIMA PRAYER

    O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell.
    Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of
    thy Mercy.

    HAIL HOLY QUEEN

    Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
    hail our life, our sweetness and our hope!
    To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
    to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
    Turn then, O most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us
    and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus;
    O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
    Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
    That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

    Let Us Pray:

    O God, whose only-begotton Son, by his life, death and resurrection
    has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life;
    grant we beseech thee, that meditating on these
    Mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
    we may both imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise,
    through the same Christ our Lord. AMEN

    The Joyful Mysteries

     

    The Mysteries of Light

     

    The Sorrowful Mysteries

     

    The Glorious Mysteries

     





    AVE MARIA group (P.O. Box 40, Glenbrook, NSW. 2773. Australia)

    Email: maplebluff@bigpond.com