PEACE

The following about Our Lady’s call to peace is taken from the book, Words From Heaven, by a Friend of Mejdugorje.

“I AM THE QUEEN OF PEACE”

The first call and invitation of Our Lady is peace. She said on the third day of Her apparitions:

“Peace, peace, peace! Be reconciled! Only peace. Make your peace with God and among yourselves. For that, it is necessary to believe, to pray, to fast, and to go to confession.”

Medjugorje visionary Marija (Pavlovic) Lunetti received this message on June 26, 1981, after she had the apparition with the other visionaries on top of Apparition Mountain. While Marija went down the mountain, she was mysteriously pushed to the side of the trail by an unseen force. She saw the Virgin again. Our Lady was crying and there was a bare wooden cross behind Her. On August 6, 1981, the Mother of God gave Her title for these apparitions of Medjugorje. She said on that day: “I am the Queen of Peace.” Just days before that on July 31, 1981, many people in Medjugorje saw a large inscription in the sky over Mount Krizevac. The word “MIR” appeared in large burning letters. “MIR” is Croatian for “peace.” This is the central message of Medjugorje.*

What is the meaning of the word “peace” in Christian tradition? In Hebrew, “shalom” indicates an idea of wholeness and unity. Jerusalem, for instance, means the “City of Peace,” or more accurately, the “Seeing of Peace.” This city is symbolically the place of unity between God and man. In Psalm 122, we have a song of peace for the “City of Peace.” And in verse 3, we find the idea of wholeness and harmony: “Jerusalem built as a city with compact unity.” Jerusalem is the place of peace not only because it is on, and united as a city, but also because this city is called to have complete unity with God, to be in harmony with God. From all this we can discover the real meaning of peace. Peace is harmony between God and man.

“Shalom” also includes the idea of happiness, joy, and prosperity. But real happiness, joy, and prosperity can come only through this peace, which comes from God and is a direct gift from the Holy Spirit:

October 1984

“…When the Holy Spirit comes, peace will be established…”

Our Lady says on December 25, 1988:

“…I call you to peace. Live it in your heart and all around you so that all will know peace – peace which does not come from you but from God…”

Vicka says that Our Lady loves the feast of Christmas very much. She always appears on Christmas in golden vestments with Baby Jesus in Her arms, with immense joy. She gave one of Her main messages about peace on Christmas day, December 25, 1988:

“…Glorify the Nativity of Jesus through the peace that I give. It is for this peace that I have come as your Mother, Queen of Peace…”

Christmas time is a period of harmony between God and man because God becomes man! Christmas, Our Lady says on December 25, 1988, “…is a great day! Rejoice with me!…” Here we find the joy aspect of peace, peace brought to every creature by the Incarnation, which brings harmony to the world. At Christmas we feel and live this special spirit of harmony and beauty where the whole creation is as if touched by the love of God. The angels sang:

“Glory to God in the highest and on earth PEACE to those on whom His favor rests.” _{(Luke 2:14)}

From this quote, we receive an even clearer bit of information about the nature of peace. Peace is a relationship between God and man. Peace is harmony between God in the highest who incarnates Himself to become man, and human beings who receive peace and blessing from above. Christmas has a lot to do with unity and harmony between Heaven and earth. Peace is a blessing from God. Our Lady wants us to extend Her own blessing to all to help the harmony to come to reality. On Christmas Day, 1988, She said:

December 25, 1988

“…I give you my Special Blessing. Bring it to all creation, so that all creation will know peace…”

Before we start to speak about the path of holiness, we have to realize that a holy person or a saint is one who has achieved peace in his heart, which means one has achieved a high degree of harmony between himself and God. Peace – harmony – is a gift from God; only God can give it:

December 25, 1988

 “…peace – peace which does not come from you but from God…”

Christmas is the coming of the Prince of Peace as foretold in Isaiah 9:5:

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name Him… Prince of Peace.”

And the Queen of Peace said on July 31, 1986:

“…I call you always to bring harmony and peace…”

If we know a little bit about what the “Christmas spirit” is, we can begin to understand what the word “PEACE” means.

[End of excerpt from Words From Heaven, by a Friend of Medjugorje.]

Following below are a few quotes about peace from the Medjugorje visionaries, Fr. Jozo Zovko and a Friend of Medjugorje:

Marija:

“Our Lady invites all of us to peace. She always invites and insists from day to day. Through it, She does not intend it only of certain groups but of the whole world.”¹

Vicka:

“Our Lady has invited all of us to peace, not only certain individuals, but all the people of the world.”²

Ivanka:

“When I pray, I feel much peace. The Blessed Mother promised that if families pray together, they will have peace in their families. Please do what the Blessed Mother asks, then you will have great peace and joy on this earth…”³

Ivan:

“…Be confident of the love of God for all His children. Trust in the mercy of God. All people in the world are being called to respond faithfully to these messages of the Mother of God. Then all people will have peace…”⁴

Fr. Jozo:

“…It’s the basic message of the Gospel, communication between God and man. ‘Peace to men of goodwill.’ Peace is the union of God and man. It is the grace to which we are invited and which is guaranteed us. Peace is when a man turns completely to God as his source. Man’s heart longs after this peace and seeks it. Peace is freeing oneself from fear, conflicts, weakness, useless suffering and maledictions.”⁵

A Friend of Medjugorje:

“Many times we experience the greatest peace in the midst of trials, suffering, persecution, etc. The contrast is so vast that it is easily distinguishable. Struggles and conflicts are sometimes the greatest contributors to peace because they put us on our knees, and through these strong prayers from the heart, we receive the grace of peace in our hearts which eventually leads to peace in our surroundings” ⁶ 

*The word MIR (PEACE) was written in the sky. 

1. Words of the Harvesters Vol #107, by a Friend of Medjugorje, July 2004.
2. Ibid.
3. Queen of the Cosmos, Janice Connell, Paraclete Press, 1990, pp. 47, 49.
4. Ibid, p. 95.
5. Encounters With Fr. Jozo, by Sabrina Covic.
6. “Crisis/Discipline”, a Friend of Medjugorj, Saint James Publishing, 2009, p. 17.

The other three Basic Messages of Our Lady are explained in greater detail below: