"In prayer you shall perceive ... the way out of every situation that has no exit." 
                                                                                                           - Medjugorje March 28, 1985

"Do novenas of fasting and renunciation so that satan be far from you and grace be around you"                                                                                                             -  Medjugorje July 25, 2005

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As we begin our fast today, unlocking power over evil with our little sacrifice, consider the most studied gospel verse in the world that the Spirit chose to highlight. This was the Spirit’s choice for our age and for this moment.  It is from Matthew 15 when the power of belief yields invaluable blessings:

21And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon." 23But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us." 24He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." 25But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me."26And he answered, "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." 27She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." 28Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.

Juxtapose this scene that is inspirational to us as believers and is so relevant to our lives with a similar interaction Jesus had with Mary in Cana.

Mary asked Jesus for a seemingly far more trivial request – Please create some wine for these partiers here at the wedding we are attending. Akin to Jesus’ treatment of this Canaanite woman, when Mary asks Jesus for this miracle, Jesus’ initial response is to dismiss Mary as He did the Canaanite without any encouragement. In John 2:4 His words to Mary are specifically:

“Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

But what transpires next is unlike any other relationship we see in scripture with Jesus.

Mary does not debate Him as to why her request merits His help.

Mary doesn’t even respond to his rebuke.

As The Poem of the God Man describes Mary’s gaze upon Jesus at the wedding feast, her look to Him is that of a chaste lover. In the scene she gently touches His hair – her look and her mannerisms are what one may expect from a mother who so deeply loves her son.

As Mary smiles, it is as if her eyes are silently saying silently to Him “I know you will perform this miracle as I have asked you.  Thank you, my Jesus.” Then Mary tells the party staff:

“Do whatever He tells you.”

This will prove Mary’s last words in scripture – Her signature verse and her counsel that she shares with all generations.

Mary didn’t know exactly how Jesus would perform the miracle for all to see. But she knew He would perform it – because she asked Him to do so. Her quiet confidence in her relationship with her son is a unique dynamic we don’t see repeated in scripture. 

In her generosity and compassion for the young (what a blessing today for our young!) this woman asked for this great grace for them. And obtained it.  

Scripture shows repeatedly Jesus subjected Himself to the law and the law clearly says obey your parents. Jesus obviously would not obey a parental command to do anything vs. the Lord … but we never see Mary come close to that line.

Only something relevant to Jesus as a boy? Cana and scripture contradict that.

There is something to John 19 and the gift from Jesus of Mary as a spiritual mother. Clearly heaven has chosen to highlight this with the most extraordinary miracles in recent centuries that are still visible today.

On Friday we mark August 5^th, the date according to Medjugorje Mary stated is her birthday.

Perhaps as a gesture of a gift towards her in light of John 19, no matter what denomination you are, look for fifteen minutes into Medjugorje. Attacked by the Catholic bishops, no other movement has won tens of millions of conversions to Christ as this has in recent years.  How can one who wishes to evangelize not study its success?

It is an event that science says is supernatural and that we submit scripture confirms is from heaven. Why?

Jesus told us demons do not fast – Medjugorje has preached fasting unlike any other source.

Jesus said evil will not battle itself – Medjugorje calls out the war with evil and the need to fight it unlike potentially any other source worldwide.

And thirdly as Jesus told the pharisees who were running 100 mph in the wrong direction with their foolish interpretations of individual scripture verses,  judge the fruits of his work – The fruits of Medjugorje are global.

Specifically, perhaps you will ask the Spirit to guide you as to how Mary can show you to better love Jesus - the way He wants to be loved.

It is her favorite job and will make her day to ask the Father for this gift for you in the name of her Son and our savior.

Then you for fasting with us today. You will be glad you made the effort for all of eternity.

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