Medjugorje visionary encourages Christians to be more responsible 

The future will be great, but mankind must help by conversion and prayer. The world is much in need of peace, and so the Virgin Mary seeks people who pray, says Medjugorje seer Ivan Dragičević. He adds that Mary has come to bring renewal to the Church which is exactly as weak or as strong as Christians make it. 

(c) Spirit Daily 

By Jakob Marschner in Bosnia-Hercegovina 

MEDJUGORJE – After almost twenty years of daily apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, visionary Ivan Dragičević is very well aware that his responsibility is as big as the gift he was given by God. Yet during a lecture to pilgrims last week the visionary stressed that the lengthy Medjugorje apparitions should truly be seen as a gift to all of humanity. Therefore the challenge to respond to the grace should be felt by every Christian alive.  

That the medal of grace is a two-sided one was the dominant theme of the visionary’s half-hour lecture. Briefly announcing that the future will be great, Ivan underlined the crucial need for cooperation on behalf of the faithful. Seeing things from the Virgin’s viewpoint at first, he presented her offer as a big one: 

“Our Lady is bringing us many things from God. Many things to help our illness and pain. She would so much like to help us, and she is so concerned for us – she would like to lift up people in her hands. This is why she says I am with you. She would so much like to wake us up from the spiritual coma we are resting in today,” Ivan said.

And then, turning the coin to the side of the ordinary Christian, the visionary stressed that the Virgin is depending on humanity’s help:

  “Our Lady also says that she needs us as well. Only with our participation can she help us fight against evil. This world is so much in need of peace – and so Our Lady seeks men, women and children who pray. If we don’t have peace in our own hearts, there will not be peace in the world. Each of us are important to Our Lady, and no one is rejected by her, for we are all her children,” he said.

 At a time when many Christians, both inside and outside the Catholic Church, are worried and concerned about the state of the Church, the Medjugorje visionary reminded the audience that the strength of the Church corresponds to the strength of the faithful:

 “Our Lady has come as the Mother of Hope, and she has come to lead us to a great future, but we have to change and put God in the first place in our life. We have to start walking through life with Him. And Our Lady has come to bring renewal to the very tired Church of today. Our Lady says that if we are strong, the Church is also strong – but if we are weak, so is the Church,” Ivan said.

 Making only brief mention of fasting, confession, the Mass and the Bible, the other four parts of the program for Christian renewal that the Virgin Mary has taught from the start in Medjugorje, the visionary focused on prayer as the Christian’s primary tool to help both himself, the Virgin Mary and the rest of the world. Specifically stressing  the Rosary (as the Virgin also does in her new monthly message), prayer must become a priority, he said:

 “First of all Our Lady wants us to start opening the door to our own hearts. To do the best we can. The door to our hearts and the door to The Holy Spirit is prayer, and any prayer from our hearts is very dear to God. But we have to decide for prayer, and as always the biggest problem is time. At least we think so, but Our Lady tells us something else. She said Dear children, if you love something, you will always have time for it,” the seer quoted the Virgin.  

“If we want to pray better, we have to pray more. To pray better is a grace of God – given to those who pray more. Our Lady also said Dear children, do not forget that in the school of prayer, there are no weekends,” he added.

 Ivan presented real and true prayer as something much more profound than a thoughtless repetitions of words, a caricature of prayer he has warned about before. Instead he recommended to seek deeper into prayer:

 “Prayer should become a joyful meeting, a friendship and a conversation with Jesus. If you want to talk on the phone with someone, you first have to lift the receiver. This is the decision for prayer. Then you have to dial the number, and that is to enter into prayer,” he said.

 Humble and unspoiled like all of the five other Medjugorje seers Ivan repeated his often stated plea to be seen as a man and not as a Saint. On this point also he sees the true reality as bigger, more profound and meaningful. Seeing himself as an instrument of God, he is no more than any other Christian should be:

 “Do not look upon me as a saint, for I am not. Every day I am thinking: ‘Why me?’ and one day I asked Our Lady about it: ‘Could you not find any better?’ I am not looking for the best was her answer. So I am chosen to be an instrument in her and God’s hands”.

  “I have been in her school for for twenty years, and even today I would not receive a diploma. I know that my conversion will go on for the rest of my life. The diploma we can get must be in our hearts, and imprinted on my heart I have a desire to grow in holiness,” Ivan said.

 “I hope we will accept her call. And decide for goodness, hope and peace.”