March 18, 2014 A.D.
When Our Lady stopped appearing to Medjugorje visionary Mirjana in 1982, She told Mirjana that She would appear every year to her on March 18, for the rest of her life. A beautiful, near full moon and clear night sky gave way to the sun at around 6:00 in the morning, as pilgrims who had arrived early for the apparition were waking up and settling into the spots they would occupy for the next 6 hours in anticipation of Our Lady’s annual apparition to Mirjana on March 18, 2014. Mirjana arrived at the Blue Cross full of smiles and greetings for the sizable crowd. As soon as she knelt in front of the Blue Cross Mirjana’s countenance turned very serious as she prayed the rosary. While she prayed, Mirjana cast her eyes mostly downward and sometimes forward, lost in her thoughts as the moment of apparition approached. Our Lady appeared to Mirjana at approximately 1:49 p.m. as Mirjana greeted Our Lady with a bright smile and open arms. The apparition lasted for 5 minutes and saw Mirjana go through a range of emotions and expressions as is typical to see during her apparitions at Blue Cross – sometimes smiling and joyful, sometimes serious, a few glistening tears rolling down her cheek, and then sadness at the departure of Our Lady. The transcription of the message took almost 9 minutes, and Mirjana knelt with her head down as the message was read first in Croatian.
After the message was read, pilgrims shouted “Happy Birthday!” to Mirjana. Little groups of pilgrims here and there broke into song singing the “Happy Birthday” song to Mirjana as well. Mirjana left slowly, surrounded by pilgrims as she descended the walkway at the bottom of the mountain. She greeted people continuously, almost all the way back to her house, as individuals continued to wish her a happy birthday. Following is Our Lady’s message given during today’s apparition:
Our Lady blessed everyone present and all the religious articles brought for blessing. Mirjana noted that when Our Lady spoke the sentence: “In this way, I desire for the darkness, and the shadow of death which wants to encompass and mislead you, to be driven away,” some kind of a shadow of gray was seen. When Our Lady continued the next sentence, “I desire for you to feel the joy of the blessing of God’s promise,” the grayness disappeared.
Pictures from the Apparition
Among thousands of other pilgrims, a young girl awaits the apparition of Our Lady on the side of Apparition Mountain at the Blue Cross this morning, March 18, 2014, in Medjugorje. She represents one story, one unfolding life in the sea of mankind upon the earth in which 6 ½ billion souls live. Out of the billions, from the continent she lives upon, from her nation, from her state, her city, her town, her neighborhood, her house—hearing a call, feeling an impulse she “set out” for an encounter of her own. Is it possible that Our Lady saw her, among the thousands, saw her face, heard her prayer, touched her heart? That question hits the very heart of each of us because we all want to know that Our Lady knows us and sees us, individually, and that we are Her cherished children. Those who have been to Medjugorje, even if just in their hearts, know that it is true.
Another pilgrim, after spending an uncomfortable night on the mountain, waits through the night, then daybreak, morning and early afternoon without leaving the spot that placed him directly in front of where Mirjana would kneel to receive Our Lady. Holiness, reverence and devotion do not necessarily fill the heart when one is uncomfortable, cold, stiff, tired—but there are moments the spirit transcends the flesh and a glimpse is given of the beauty and the reality of Our Lady’s presence. For many who have experienced it, that glimpse is life-changing, a fragrance, an illumination that stays with them their entire lives.
Mirjana is transformed into joy at Our Lady’s appearance during her apparition today, on her birthday, March 18. However, Our Lady said years ago that She did not pick the date because of Mirjana’s birthday, rather that, the date of March 18 is important in the future.
Our Lady gave beautiful words, words that echo Sacred Scripture, words that are just as applicable in our time as in centuries ago:
Deuteronomy 11:26 states:
A tear streaks down Mirjana’s face as Our Lady speaks to her in today’s March 18, apparition, in which a gray shadow appeared and then disappeared according to Our Lady’s words. A Friend of Medjugorje casts light upon this “shadow of death” that Our Lady warns is trying to “encompass and mislead.”
“Throughout our culture, there are agendas set in motion with countless efforts to force society to accept as normal behavior, abnormal behavior. This always, always leads to the destruction of the culture, turning it into a past civilization, if there is no public resistance and the reversing of these agendas and laws. Many Christians think: “Well, if this group or another group wants the right to live sin, they should have that right. It’s their business.”…Then who are you to say a stoplight runner, who believes it is his right to run red lights, should not have that right? Of course, you would say, “No, you have no right even though you believe you should have the right to run a red light.” But why? Because there are things that are right and wrong by nature. There is a black and white difference. There is no gray zone.”
From A Friend of Medjugorje’s writing,
From “Witnessing the Death of Civilization”
In an interview Mirjana gave in recent years, she was asked about the early days of the apparitions when she was persecuted for her testimony as a visionary of Our Lady. Mirjana explains how Our Lady softened her heart towards her accusers who were often full of hatred and insults.
“I was able to endure everything through prayer. I actually felt sorry for these people. While they were cursing, threatening and yelling at me, they acted like characters you see in the movies—they played good guy/bad guy – I somehow learned how to cope with them and how to act. While they were acting their roles, I thought to myself: My Lord, how unhappy these people must be, how restless they must be, how much pain they must be carrying inside. I felt that only really unhappy people could act this way towards others, so I prayed for them from my heart. I prayed that God may let them find peace because, when they would find peace, they would change and understand. I was never capable of hating them, never.”1
Our Lady speaks today of darkness vs. light, of shadows vs. illuminations, of the children of man vs. the children of God, of hardness of hearts vs. humility.
“Our Lady uses words ‘armor’ and ‘battle’ on purpose (in Her messages) so we may realize that the activity of satan is like the invasion of a country by a foreign army. he takes strongholds and destroys. his only purpose is actually to use us for his purposes, and his main purpose is destruction…this war is the war of love against destruction. The goal of this struggle is the reign of love.”
From the writing of A Friend of Medjugorje
“World War I, World War II, War of the World’s III?
Today, March 18, 2014, was visionary Mirjana’s birthday. As she descended the mountain after the apparition, hundreds of pilgrims rushed up to her to wish her a Happy Birthday. Very graciously, Mirjana took her time going through the crowds to give the pilgrims this joy. The pilgrims above stayed in their places when they saw her stopping and greeting different people, knowing she would eventually pass their way as well. It is not hard to imagine that the beautiful words of Our Lady spoken to Mirjana today so “encompassed” her that she could not help but share this joy with all those she encountered.
Footnotes:
1. From “A Conversation with the Visionaries” by Kresimir Sego
For more, never before heard insight to Our Lady’s March 18, 29014 message, listen to Radio WAVE, with A Friend of Medjugorje, sharing today’s message. To listen to the March 18, 2014 Radio WAVE show titled, “Midnight Ride”, visit here…
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