Today is Friday, Fasting day,people in medjugorje fast on bread and water for this 2 days on top of that they give up meat for 40 days for lent.
Mirjana told me that she fast on bread and water more than 2 day for Lent too.
My D/H went to pray at Bluecross early morning . All 4 of us decide to to up to cross mountain ,cause it was a sunny and very beautiful winter day after morning mass.
We walk from the church, stop to pray by the Risen Christ , stop to pray at Fr Slavko tome and walk to cross mountain.
Today I offer my Plenary Indulgent to a departed son of one of our forum member his name " Michael Miles"
Before we start to claim up the mountain I pick up a stone- unusual color , it had light blue/green color( representing Michael and carry it in my hand the whole time up cross mountain)
We used "The station of the Cross book with Refections by St. Pio of Pierelcina" for our prayer. Snow still on the ground up the hill, so the soil saturate and slippery.
But we make it! All the way up, I talk to the rock(Michael) meditate on station of the cross with him.My heart was burning for Our Lord Jesus Christ love.The more we go up the harder it get.
By St Pio reflections I fell as tho Our Lord had let us along side with him in his Passion. The second station hit me hard , as you know I just came out of very bad injury of my shoulder.
Here what St Pio said "
I have no wish whatsoever to have my cross lightened, for it is a joy for me to suffer with Jesus. when I contemplate the cross on the shoulders of Jesus,I feel myself strengthened, and I exult with holy joy." I feel no joy, I still remember how painful it was for me and can not comprehend on this reflection at all.I was sad that I can not put myself into joy. The way of the cross become harder for me.
Then when we get to the thirst station the reflection go like this
"The most certain proof of love is to suffer for the one we love, and since the Son of God suffered so much for pure love, there can no longer be any doubt that the crosses we carry for Him become lovable in proportion to our love."That was it! Love I have to show Him that I do love him for real, forget about my pain, OK Michael you have to help me show that we love him too.
God is So Good. The fourth station St. Pio said "
May the most holy Virgin obtain for us the love of the cross, of suffering, and of sorrow, and may she who was the first to live the Gospel in all it perfection and in all it severity, gain for us the willingness to follow her completely."That reflection remind me of why I am here in Medjugorje, I want to get closer to Our Lord Jesus through the help from Our Lady. This is it, this is the way! this way of the cross will bring me joy and strength not just for cross mountain but for all mountain for the rest of my life. Yes, I love the cross and only the cross, I love it because I see it always on the shoulder of Jesus, and I feel it cause of my own shoulder injury.
When we get to the top of the mountain I kneel down and pray and said a prayer for Michael. I put the rock down on top of the base of the cross (this big white cross has the piece of the real cross in it) I pray to Jesus "' dear Lord please take care of Michael and let me know that he with you now and sent me a sign"
I walk to the back of the cross I want to wrap my arm around it but it so big, I can only do it in one corner, I stretch out my arm and put my face against it lay in that position for a long time, I never want to let go, I feel like giving Jesus a hug and rest in his chest. Suddenly I see the eye looking at me from the clement cross , starring at my eye, I don't know what it all about, both our eyes keep looking at each other for a long time. I ask my self, Is this the eyes from heaven ? and then it gone. I stay in that corner and pray more. before we get down I took some snap shot up there.
It did not take me a long time to come down at all , I feel more like flying down from the mountain. I told every one what happen and Maureen said that was Jesus eyes. I went to confession again that night, I did tell Fr that it was part of my offering to do plenary indulgent., so he would not think I am crazy.
After rosary and international mass and station of the cross in the church , we head to Colombo, you would think after all of the things we did today we would be hungry, No
We so full of joy, did not eat ( bread) much at all.
Praise to the Lord Our God cause he is Good.
[justify]