date: 27.06.2021.
On June 25, 2021, the 40th Anniversary of Our Lady’s apparitions was celebrated in Medjugorje. Fr. MiljenkoSteko, the Provincial of Herzegovinian Franciscan Province was the main celebrant of the solemn Holy Mass, along with 368 priests concelebrating, which was the highest number in all these years for this occasion.
“Dear brothers and sisters, dear children of Our Lady, may this 40th Anniversary of graces be blessed and happy to all of us. I am passing on congratulations wishes from His Excellency, Msgr. Henryk Hoser, the Apostolic Visitor for the parish of Medjugorje. After being in a hospital due to coronavirus, he is finally out, he is recovering well, and he said that he offered all of his sufferings to do Lord for Medjugorje. Great anniversaries, birthdays are usually marked by some sort of a gift. What has matured in us in these 40 years, what have we brought to Gospa as a gift. As I walked behind the statue of Our Lady in the procession, I was able to see so many tears in your eyes. That is it…All that you brought with yourself, all of your pains, wounds, let us give all to Our Lady, including our weakness and sinfulness. May she intercede for us. Let us also present all the sick, all those who recommended themselves in our prayers, all who were not able to be with us physically, but are united in the spirit now. Let us recommend them all”, said Fr. Miljenko at the beginning of Holy Mass and after the procession with the statue of Our Lady.
In his homily, after he spoke about the events that took place four decades ago, Fr. MiljenkoŠtekosaid that“with the utmost attention, collecting the fruits of all of the graces that good and gracious God poured on us here, we exalt in humility and simplicity of our hearts tonight along with the Psalmist: How precious is your mercy, o God. For with you is the fountain of life and in your light we see light. Show your mercy on those who know you, your just defence to the upright of heart (Ps 36). Tonight in Medjugorje, full of gratitude, let us bless the Father and the Son with the Holy Spirit!”, and he thanked Gospa, the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, for this historical grace.
“The Queen of Peace, thank you, for you have imprinted your kiss of love into our lives above thorns in these rocks, for you have embraced us with your heavenly embrace and gave us the warmth of your motherly heart! Thank you for each time we felt peace when we come from hasty everyday rush before your Statue and we just stop and pause. We pause and put our hands to prayer grateful that you have embraced us and these suffering people with your goodness and grace. You embraced people who for centuries rang bells for Angelus, greeted you in the morning, at noon and in the sunset, took you as a Mother, as one lyric writer of Biblical texts said: “as the creature in his first honour and in the ultimate blossom, coming from God in the dawn of its genuine splendour”, said Fr. MiljenkoŠtekoexplaining that “invitations to prayer, sacramental life, penance and conversion for mankind have been coming from this place for four decades now, mankind that lives in a very dangerous and grave situation, caused by human sins.”
''It is the mankind that exceeded all limits in insulting God and His holy and sacred things and it drives away many human souls to Satan. This prophetic voice from Medjugorje tirelessly invites to conversion, uniting with the ancient plea of Isiah, the prophet: “Cease doing evil! Learn to do good, make justice your aim!” (Is 1,16) This is a cry to the world that is snagged and it lost its vertical dimension, its orientation to God. This is a cry to the world that leaves as if God does not exist, the world that is heading to the edge of abyss of its unbelief”, said Fr. Miljenko in his homily and added that there must be a special reason why God sends us the Blessed Virgin Mary to our historical walk on the earth.
''Mary’s mediation in the history is always related to her motherly role. We know that the role of all parents is to do all they can so their child would be born for Heaven, for they received a child with God’s strength and through His grace. Only this would be true competition of the birth of children. Those parents who fail to do that, they have not done much, even though they might have given all else to their children”, said Fr. Miljenko and emphasised that “today we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Our Lady’s special care over this place and her messages from this place to the entire world”.
''We should not forget the reminder from the Old Testament when certain individuals, among chosen people, in their 40 years walk in the desert, have turned their hearts and their gaze to Egypt, they mumbled and desired to have golden calf for worshipping”, said Fr. Miljenko as he spoke of symbolism of number 40 and added “there is no doubt that some people are always prepared to leave the path of holiness and to turn to golden calf, as the world today offers so many golden calves for worshipping.”
''Our Lady is still here and she gazes upon her children and she is waiting. In her whiteness and simplicity, she is waiting and praying for her children. She is waiting that her children would look with the heart and be filled with genuine God’s goodness and mercy. “Mary is totally dependent on her Son, and completely directed towards him by the impulse of her faith. It is to her as Mother and Model that the Church must look in order to understand in its completeness the meaning of her own mission.“ (CDF, Libertatisconscientia, 22. 3. 1986., no. 97)Our Mother and the Queen of Peace, at the palm of our fidelity and infidelity, tonight we give you our hearts and we pray to you: Make our hearts according to your heart and the heart of your Son! Amen!”, said Fr. Miljenko in conclusion of his homily.
The Procession from Apparition Hill to the church of St. James was held for the first time this year, with many pilgrims participating, parishioners and people from surrounding areas.
Fr. MarinkoŠakota, Medjugorje parish priest said that this procession from the Statue of Our Lady to the church is symbolic of how “Our Lady is leading us to Jesus.”
“In all that she has been doing here, Gospa is leading us to Jesus, to the Eucharist”, said Fr. Marinko, who also led this Procession.
“This is a miracle of Medjugorje. Some people still seek for what is supernatural, however this is a great miracle. The whole world is in panic and fear because of the pandemic, yet something magnificent takes place here”, said Sr. Marina Ivankovic, who was born in Medjugorje parish and who took part in the procession and was thrilled by the number of participants and pilgrims who arrived here. (PHOTO)
