Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 2009
Near the end of July 2009, adversaries of the reputed apparitions of Our Lady in Medjugorje were taking advantage of an unfortunate situation (regarding a former priest who serverd in Medjugorje many years ago) to further their (not authoritative) condemnation of the apparitions of Our Blessed Mother. Click here for a balanced report.
So what did the Holy Spirit manifest on behalf of Our Lady’s apparitions just a few days later (perhaps as refutation)? What follows are excerpts from an account of the apparition to Mirjana that took place on August 2nd.
“A massive amount of people gathered today for Our Lady’s apparition, reminiscent of the crowds that were typically present in Medjugorje during the late 80’s and early 90’s at the height of pilgrims coming to Medjugorje before the war came to the region. By 5:00 a.m. the whole inner section surrounding the Blue Cross was filled with pilgrims, and there were many youth who were sprawled out in sleeping bags having spent the night on Apparition Mountain in anticipation of Our Lady’s early morning apparition. By 7:00 a.m. both wide paths heading up and all the way to the top of the mountain were completely filled with people, many of them mistakenly believing Our Lady would be appearing on top of the mountain, not realizing the location was the Blue Cross. Though there can be no accurate measure of the amount of people present, we are confident in saying there were 50,000 people on and surrounding Apparition Mountain today. It was an incredible sight—a sea of faces everywhere you looked. Perhaps that is why Our Lady gave an awesome, special “Fatima” type gift today in the apparition.”
“… Shortly after the apparition began, cries of surprise, shock, deep emotion and awe were heard rippling through the crowd from different directions, growing in magnitude.”
“… As for the pilgrims themselves, they had also seen a miracle. The sun became a miraculous sign for them. More and more people began looking where the first ones were pointing—at the sun. Many were seeing the sun “dancing” or “spinning,” others saw a cross illuminated in the sun, still others saw different colors within or streaming out of the sun. Tears were streaming down many faces, others stared in wonder, others in joy. And there were those who did not look up at all, so intense in their prayer as the apparition was still taking place. It swept through the crowd what the early days of Medjugorje were like when physical miracles abounded. It was very moving as the people knew what a chance of a lifetime it was to see the actions of God take place right before their eyes. To know after the apparition that Mirjana also had the sun in her apparition behind Our Lady confirmed the pilgrims’ “vision,” and the pilgrims confirmed Mirjana’s vision that the miracle was wed to each other.”
To read the full account and view photos, click here. To view a video during which you can hear the sounds of the pilgrims, click here or below. Look for the reflection of the sun on Mirjana’s face.
And what did Our Lady have to say on August 2nd?
“Dear children, I am coming, with my Motherly love, to point out the way by which you are to set out, in order that you may be all the more like my Son; and by that, closer to and more pleasing to God. Do not refuse my love. Do not renounce salvation and eternal life for the sake of transience and frivolity of this life. I am coming to lead you and, as a mother, to caution you. Come with me.”
Perhaps that’s just too simple of a message for those Catholics who think they have all the answers and are the source of all knowledge and wisdom.
For myself I say, thank you Mother, I love you too.
