date: 28.02.2023.
The XV General Assembly of the Union of Fraternities of Europe - UFME (Unio Fratrum Minorum Europae began with the Holy Mass in the Church of St. James in Medjugorje on Monday, February 27, 2023. This assembly will last until March 3, 2023.
The Holy Mass was celebrated by the current president of the UFME, Fr. Miljenko Šteko, OFM, PhD, with the concelebration of 28 priests, among whom were the Provincial of the Franciscan Province of Herzegovina, Fr. Jozo Grbes.
Fr. Miljenko spoke about the Lent at the beginning of his homily, when the Church invites the faithful to live their faith more strongly and perform penance and acts of mercy more intensively.
“All this makes our celebration of God in the liturgy more perfect, that we cooperate more richly with God in our salvation, and that we more credibly proclaim Christ and the Church to the world. We have just started Lent. Let us try to confirm in practice that the liturgy is the pinnacle towards which all the activities of the Church aspire, and the source from which all the strength of the Church comes, with which it can go through even the most difficult times, endure even the most difficult persecutions, and go through its Good Friday until the resurrection”, said Fr. Miljenko, who, speaking about today's Gospel passage about the Last Judgment, said that we must all inspect our faith and love in order to be able to understand and accept Jesus' request that we see in every person "no one less than Him alone and confirm this with our actions".
"Firstly, the love that Jesus talks about and that He lives. We are not prepared the way Jesus broke himself and shared himself for food - to break himself, his time, his material possessions, his abilities and share them with people where Christ is hungry, thirsty or in need in some other way.
Secondly, we don't have the faith to believe we can do it... Saints have no problem in breaking down and sharing themselves with others. I will mention only one of those wonderful examples: When St. Pope John Paul II, twenty years ago canonized his compatriot Ursula Ledóchowska, he quoted these words from her writings: "I must love my neighbor as Jesus loved me. Take this and eat of it ... Eat my strengths, they are at your disposal ... Take and eat my abilities, my talent ... my heart, so that it warms and illuminates your being with its love ... Take and eat my time, that it belongs to you ... I am yours as Jesus is in my host." After that quote, the Pope added: "Don’t you hear in these words the echo of the tradition with which Christ offered himself in the hall of the Last Supper to the disciples of all times”?'', said Fr. Miljenko with an emphasis that "In today's Gospel, Jesus mentions only the hungry, thirsty, naked, barefoot... that is, he mentions only some of the needs of our neighbors, whom we are obliged to help in order to help Christ".
''What about the others? Did Jesus stop at providing people with food, drink, clothing...? Of course not! He gave people the meaning of life!
When we supply all the hungry, thirsty, naked and barefoot in the world with food, drink, clothes and shoes, when we eradicate all the diseases in the world, we have still done very little. We are just at the beginning. The world is full of people who have lost their meaning and live on the edge between "living" or "taking their own life". The world is full of people who do not know what joy is. There are many who walk around with a grim face, and smile has not been seen for years on their faces. What about them?
The Holy Scripture commands us in many places to "Rejoice!", and already at the beginning of humanity, God asked Cain: Why are you angry? Why is your face frowning? Because if you do the right thing, you shine with cheerfulness." (Genesis 4, 6-7)
Many pilgrims who came and continue to come here to Medjugorje experienced their own transformation - the transformation of one's own heart. They felt the warmth of their mother's lap and joy took place in their lives. Many human hearts, which before that were almost inaccessible to all that is holy, were softened here. Here, with the sacrament of confession, millions of human sins were washed away and gone forever. Here, millions of souls wept before something that transcends them as human beings,'' said Fr. Miljenko Šteko, who at the end of his homily referred to the General Assembly of the Union of Friars Minor of Europe, that is being held in Medjugorje.
"Our Lady's Church -Portiuncula, was the most important to St. Francis. Thomas of Celano says about this: "When the saint saw her... he was moved by love; since he was just burning with devotion to the all-good Mother..." (1 Ch. 9, 21).
We, the Franciscans, are starting our convocation tonight here in Our Lady's shelter, with Mary, the Queen of Peace. We need her heavenly intercession for life amidst the challenges of our world. Amidst the worries and anxiety of today's Europe and the world. We came to our Mother Mary, for whom we say she is the Mediatrix of all graces!
With Mary's intercession, we become particularly aware that the Church needs us in its mission, but not just any mission. It needs us as saints. "Be holy, for I am holy" (Lev 19, 2), says the Lord. And with holiness comes the joy of life! We recommend ourselves, dear faithful, to your prayers as well,'' Fr. Miljenko Šteko concluded.
