The Secrets of Medjugorje: A Commentary
by Michael H. Brown
On Tuesday we released much of what was contained in a 1985 interview with Medjugorje seer Mirjana Dragicevic Soldo about secret prophecies she was given by the Virgin Mary. We took it very seriously; only the Fatima secrets have drawn more attention in the history of the Virgin's apparitions, and the details of her hints were remarkable. (The most detailed to date; see the interview on the front page in the left column.)
What did Mirjana reveal? What do her comments portend?
First off, let me say this: while the Virgin does not want us to obsess on bad happenings, she wants us to be aware of what may transpire in the future and Mirjana has made it plain that certain of her secret contain "horrors." She said if people could just peek at some of them, they would change their lives right away, they would be shocked, they would see the world in a new light. It's hard to sugarcoat that and it's getting to the point where I'm tired of people soft-pedaling a serious world situation that has grown more serious each day. Anyone who believes in Medjugorje (and I respect those who are skeptical, since it has not yet been approved by the Church) has to also believe in the dangerous world situation in our current time.
Abortion. Euthanasia. Fornication. Lewdness. The legalization of gay marriage. Scandal in the Church. The horrors of Hollywood. Satanic music. Public cursing with Jesus's name. Murder. Divorce. Globalization. New Age. Genetic manipulation. Atheism. The corruption of our young. We are in times when the evil one is showing his shameful face as never.
And that is why the secrets are serious. When they begin, they will break the hold of the devil, and right now there's a lot to break.
The indication that Mirjana's first secrets have to do with regional events was fascinating. While we don't know what the other seers have been given in prophecy (their secrets may differ), Mirjana's flow perfectly with what we see in the world around us. She indicates that her first secret involves an event that is not a global catastrophe (that the entire world will not see it at once, like some fantastic Hollywood production), but that it will be something that lasts a little while, occurs at a specific place or places, and is heard "very far." Mirjana hinted that "everyone everywhere" will be aware of it immediately.
This certainly seems like some sort of disaster (a word she herself used) that we will see on the news unless we're unlucky enough to be where it happens -- some kind of disaster that draws world attention either because it's unusual or because it's so damaging, or both. The eruption of a supervolcano, the shaking from a massive quake, or inundation by a mega-hurricane would be candidates for an especially terrible regional event -- one that would cause us to all pause and reflect, which is what Mirjana said we would do -- and the possibilities in this vein are endless. There are landslides in the ocean that could send up towering waves (some believe Lanai in Hawaii was once hit by a localized one hundreds of feet high), and then there are man-made threats like nuclear reactors or terrorists equipped with nuclear, chemical, or biological devices. The imagination rockets: it could be anything from a dam breaking (an analogy Mirjana used) to a hit by a small asteroid (such as one that struck Siberia in 1908; in a populated area it would be devastating).
While these are all unusual and serious events, they're also plausible. They could easily happen. Someday, they will happen. While less sensational than some of the claims we have heard from other alleged seers, what Mirjana says has the ring of authenticity. The type of event she describes as happening in her first secret would be one of several warnings and would serve as a build up. It would lead to other secrets -- graver events. It would give people time to reassess themselves. And it would fit with what we see around us: the storms, earthquakes, droughts, climate changes, and epidemics occurring with increasing frequency and intensity. It is only a matter of time before something busts out in a truly traumatic way -- given not only how long we have gone without such an occurrence, but also the density of modern population, which has put more people in harm's way.
The event in Mirjana's first secret will be supernatural because it will be known beforehand, and possibly even announced. It will not be the end. It is a warning, but there is at least one other warning and possible two before a great sign is to be given as part of the third warning. Mirjana has been given ten secrets and the last secrets, especially the ninth and tenth, involve especially grave events, more like huge catastrophes.
We'll be discussing these issues in the weeks ahead. The important point today is that we must prepare in all parts of the world for various traumas. The seasons are shifting, the earth rumbles on almost a daily basis in places like Taiwan, and lightning is striking as never (with thunderstorms now averaging $5 billion annual damages in the U.S.). Actually, these are miniature precursors or "warnings" -- and if we don't heed them we will be seeing much more.
When will it happen? The year 2000 means nothing. God does not use our calendar. We know only that Mirjana believes she will live to see at least the first ones, and she is in her thirties. If she has an average life span, that means her secrets will begin to unfold by the midpoint of the century. Since the priest she chose to receive her first secret is about twenty years older, we can probably narrow it down to between now and 2020 or 2030.
But, then again, no one but Mirjana (and of course the Blessed Mother) knows.
In 1985 the seer had said her first secret was "approaching." That was 15 years ago. Did the time change, or was that a more general expression, a wider view, a manner of speech?
We know only this: the first secret could be several decades in the making -- or it could be in the next hour.