Queenship of Mary
One
Today is the Feast of the Queenship of Mary
World War One began in August of 1914. In the end, more than 16 million people had lost their lives. By early 1917, after two and a half years, the war had made no progress except in the death toll. The trench lines had hardly moved. There was no end in sight and neither side would give in. Pope Benedict XV tried in vain to negotiate peace but no European leader would listen. They seemed to be bent on the suicide of Europe.
So, on May 5th, 1917, Pope Benedict XV asked the Christians of the world to pray to Mary under the specific title of “Queen of Peace” that She would come to the world’s assistance at this dark moment. Eight days later, Sunday, May 13th, She came in person to three children in Fatima Portugal Lucia (10), Jacinta (7), and Francesco (8).
Two
The Queen of Peace
When Mary first appeared to the three children at Fatima, little Lucia asked Our Lady, “What do you want of me?”
Mary answered, “I want you to come here on the 13th of next month and to continue to pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war, because only she can help you.”
Lucia then asked, “I have many petitions from many people. Will you grant them?”
“Some I shall grant, and others I must deny. They must amend their lives and ask forgiveness for their sins. Do not offend the Lord our God any more, because He is already so much offended.”
“Is that all you have to ask?” Lucia asked and Our Lady answered, “There is nothing more.”
The Queen of Peace gives us the only peace plan that will work. Turn back to God by prayer, especially the Rosary every day. Seek forgiveness from God by admitting our sins and asking forgiveness in the Sacrament of Confession, and then amend or change our lives.
Sin is the root cause of all problems, all divisions, all war. So, if we want peace on any level, if we want to prevent war, we must convert and stop sinning. There is no other way to personal or world peace.
Three
Medjugorje
Since June 24th, 1981, Our Lady is reported to have been appearing to six visionaries in Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina. When asked who she was she said, “I am the Queen of Peace” and she said, “What I have started in Fatima, I will complete in Medjugorje. My heart will triumph.”
Everyone wants to change the world, but no one wants to change themselves. Our Lady comes to lead the world to peace but world peace must by necessity begin in the souls of individuals, in you and me. So, the Queen of Peace comes to give testimony that God is real and that Her Son Jesus is the only Savior of the World. That peace comes only through union with Him. So she calls us to return to Jesus by prayer (especially the daily Rosary), confession at least once a month, by meeting Jesus every day in the Bible, fasting so that we remove our disordered attachments that keep us from Jesus, and most importantly, by making the Holy Mass the center of our lives.
That is the weapon against our Goliath of war, these are our five little stones that bring peace.
Four
Rosary Groups
On May 25th, 2024, Our Lady said, “Dear children! In this time of grace, I am calling you to prayer with the heart. Little children, create prayer groups where you will encourage each other to the good and grow in joy. Little children, you are still far away. That is why continue to convert anew and choose the way of holiness and hope so that God may give you peace in abundance. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
She said, “Create prayer groups where you will encourage each other to the good and grow in joy.”
I asked Mirjana, one of the six visionaries of Medjugorje about this specific request of Our Lady and Mirjana confirmed that it has been a constant essential part of Our Lady’s plan for peace.
Why is this? Two reasons are captured in this single phrase: A single ember left alone will soon grow cold, but when joined with others, it will ignite a blazing fire.
The rugged individualist DNA of the American culture is deadly. Don’t give in to spiritual pride. We all need a small group of family and friends with whom we share life and share faith regularly if we want to survive and grow in faith. Secondly, We want to help our family and friends to heaven, so just as we need them, they also need us. We need each other. Bottom line, it’s actually really selfish to live your faith as a lone wolf and that is hardly Christian.
Five
Peace comes from conversion
From Fatima to today Our Lady has come with a straightforward message: The world has forgotten God and turned away from him to self-destruction. She comes, calling us to return to God by prayer, confession, fasting, and making Jesus in the Holy Mass the center of our lives. This is the only path to peace.
It is reported that each of the visionaries at Medjugorje like those at Fatima, received a number of secrets. A report sent to Pope John Paul II on December 2nd, 1983 stated, “There will be three warnings to the world. The warnings will be in the form of events on Earth.”
After the warnings, the visible sign will appear on the site of the apparitions in Medjugorje for all the world to see as a testimony to the apparitions and to call people back to faith. The ninth and the tenth secrets are serious. They concern chastisement for the sins of the world. Punishment is inevitable, for we cannot expect the whole world to be converted. The punishment can be diminished by prayer and penance, but it cannot be eliminated. One of the evils that threatened the world, the one contained in the 7th secret has been averted thanks to prayer and fasting. That is why the Blessed Virgin continues to encourage prayer and fasting: “You have forgotten that through prayer and fasting you can avert war and suspend the laws of nature.”
The invitation to prayer and penance is meant to avert evil and war, but most of all to save souls.