Our Lady Calls Us To Holiness

Our Lady of Medjugorje has been appearing to the visionaries for over 30 years*. Through the visionaries, she asks all of us to pray diligently for world peace. She invites us to personal holiness. The visionaries let us know that Our Lady requests everyone to do the following five things for personal conversion and to help accomplish her mission.

Holy Eucharist: She asks us to receive Jesus in the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist often. Mary requests we attend Mass more than just on our Sunday obligation. She wants us to receive Holy Eucharist at least twice a week.

I believe we should receive Jesus in the Eucharist during Mass every single day if possible. If we do this our soul will be saturated with grace. Make it a goal to keep our soul and body as a purified temple to receive the body and blood of Christ.

"You do not celebrate the Eucharist as you should. If you would know what grace and what gifts you receive, you would prepare yourselves for it each day for an hour at least." (1985)

Penance: Mary asks us to take advantage of the Sacrament of Penance at least once a month. When we are absolved of our sins in the sacrament of penance we receive special grace. Besides purifying our souls the grace we receive at this sacrament also helps up to keep from repeating the sins we just confessed.

“Monthly confession will be a remedy for the Church in the West. One must convey this message to the West."(August 6, 1982)

Pray (especially the Rosary): Mary asks repeatedly for us to pray to her Son. She often say, “pray, pray, pray.” Mary asks us to say the Rosary every day. Our Lady inspired St. Dominic to develop this beautiful prayer. The Rosary is a powerful weapon against the devil. The rosary is even more powerful when said in large numbers. The rosary has been known to stop wars.

"Today also I am calling you to prayer. You know, dear children, that God grants special graces in prayer... I call you, dear children, to prayer with the heart." (April 25, 1987)

Holy Bible: Our Holy Mother asks us to read Sacred Scripture every day. Who can hear the mighty voice of God? We can when we read the Holy Bible, the Word of God. Before reading the Bible pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance to understand the message God is giving. Pray to the Holy Spirit for open hearts and minds to hear God’s message, to gain wisdom from the message God is giving and ask for the grace to follow God’s will.

"Dear children, today I call you to read the Bible everyday in your homes and let it be in a visible place so as always to encourage you to read it and pray." (October 18, 1984)

Fast: Mary would have us fast on bread and water two days a week, preferably Wednesday and Friday. Why is this important? Everything our Blessed Mother asks us to do is to help us achieve the goodness and holiness we need to be close to Her Son. How can fasting help us accomplish this goal? Fasting is a training of the will. It helps us learn to eliminate sin through self-control. Also when we fast we see what it feels like not to have enough food to eat, to be hungry. We empathize with those less fortunate. When we fast, food is replaced with a hunger and yearning for God. Most of us have the means to have whatever we want. When we fast God hears us and takes our petitions very seriously. Fasting and heartfelt petition go well together for this reason.

"The best fast is on bread and water. Through fasting and prayer one can stop wars, one can suspend the natural laws of nature. Works of charity cannot replace fasting... Everyone except the sick, has to fast." (July 21, 1982)

[*Editor's Note: the apparitions at Medjugorje are under Church investigation]