Medjugorje: how Our Lady taught us to pray

Jelena: How Our Lady taught us to pray
Medjugorje 12.8.98

Jelena: "how Our Lady taught us to pray" - interview of 12.8.98

This is how Jelena Vasilj spoke to the Italian and French pilgrims on August 12 '98: "The most precious journey we made with Our Lady was that of the prayer group. Maria had invited the young people from this parish and she had offered herself as a guide. At the beginning he had talked about four years, then we didn't know how to break away, and so we continued for another four years. I think that those who pray can experience what Jesus wanted to say to John when he entrusted the Mother to him. In fact, through this journey, Our Lady truly gave us life and became our Mother in prayer; for this reason we always let ourselves be accompanied by you. What did you say about prayer? Very simple things, because we had no other spiritual references. I had never read S. Giovanni della Croce or S. Teresa d'Avila, but through prayer the Madonna made us discover the dynamics of interior life. As a first step there is openness to God, especially through conversion. Free the heart from any impediment in order to meet God. So here is the role of prayer: to continue to convert and become like Christ.

The first time it was an angel who spoke to me telling me to leave sin and then, through a prayer of abandonment, to seek peace of heart. Peace of heart is first of all getting rid of all those things that are an obstacle to meeting God. Our Lady told us that only with this peace and liberation of the heart can we begin to pray. This prayer, which is also of monastic spirituality, is called recollection. It is important to understand, however, that the goal is not only a peace, a quiet, but the encounter with God. In prayer, however, we cannot speak of phases, of segments, because all this is met even though I now I'm doing an analysis. I cannot say that peace, the encounter with God comes at such a minute, but I am encouraging you to seek this peace. When we free ourselves, something must fill us, in fact God does not want us to remain orphaned in prayer, but fills us with his Holy Spirit, with his life. For this we read the Scriptures, for this in particular we pray the Holy Rosary.

To many people the Rosary seems a contradiction to fruitful prayer, but Our Lady taught us how much this is a contemplative prayer. What is prayer if not this continuous immersion in the life of God? The Rosary allows us to enter into the mystery of the Incarnation, Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ. Repetition is useful because our human nature needs this to give birth to a virtue. Do not be afraid of repetition, even if there is a risk that prayer will become external. St. Augustine teaches us that the more we repeat, the more we pray, the more our heart grows. So when you insist on your prayer, you are faithful and do nothing but invite the grace of God into your life: everything depends on our freedom and our yes. And then Our Lady taught us not to forget that prayer is a form of thanksgiving which is a true inner attitude of gratitude to God for all the wonderful things she has done. This thanksgiving is also a sign of the depth of our faith. Then Our Lady invited us to always bless, certainly I am not speaking of the priestly blessing, but of the invitation to place ourselves in the presence of God in every circumstance of our life. To bless means to live like Elizabeth who recognized the presence of God in Mary: thus must our eyes become; I think this is the greatest fruit of prayer, because all things are full of God and the more we pray, the more our eyes heal to recognize. This, in summary, is how we have structured the experience of prayer ".

Question: I have heard that Our Lady has a mandolin voice.
Answer: It wouldn't be right for the other tools! I can't comment on this, because I don't hear an external voice.

Question: Is discouragement something human or can it come from the evil one?
Answer: It can be a great temptation linked to our pride, when we do not rely on divine providence and the plan that God has for us. Thus we often lose patience with God and therefore also our hope. As St. Paul says, patience generates hope, so look truly at your life as a path.
You have to be patient with yourself, but also with others. Sometimes there is a need for special healing and more specific help is needed. I think, however, that in spiritual life one must get used to this paradox of experiencing true sadness for our sins; but this must not be an occasion for despair. If we despair over our sins or the sins of others, it is a sign that we have not entrusted ourselves to God. Satan knows that this is our weakness and therefore tempts us so. Need for a group and a spiritual guide

Question: What can you tell us to follow the same path?
Answer: Before thinking about the day of prayer, think of a prayer group, especially young people. It is very important to live our spirituality not only in the vertical dimension, but also in the horizontal dimension. This leads to personal daily loyalty. As for both young and old, Our Lady recommends I do not know how many times the prayer in the family. Sometimes when we pray she makes us pray for families, because she sees the solution of many problems in family prayer. The family is the first group of prayer and for this reason it recommended that we start our day by praying in the family, because the one who makes the true union between family members is only Christ. Then he recommends daily Mass; and if out of necessity the prayer is skipped, go at least to the Holy Mass, because that is the greatest prayer and gives meaning to all the other prayers. All graces come from the Eucharist and when we pray alone, we are still nourished by the graces we receive in the Holy Mass. In addition to the Mass, Our Lady recommended to pray many times during the day, also taking 10-15 minutes to enter into the spirit of prayer. It would be nice if you could stay a little silent, a little in adoration. Our Lady said to pray for three hours; spiritual reading is included in these hours which is very important because it recalls the spiritual life of the whole Church.

Question: Before having the locutions what was your prayer like?
Answer: I prayed like many of you who come here, a righteous life, I went to Mass on Sunday, I prayed before eating and during some particular feast I prayed more, but certainly there was no familiarity with God. An invitation came after strong in union with God in prayer. God does not invite us to pray just to make ourselves right: maybe I do many things, I satisfy many people and so does God. He calls us to have a common life together with Him and this happens in most of the prayer.

Question: How did you understand that these phrases did not come from the evil one?
Answer: By means of a friar, Father Tomislav Vlasic, whom you certainly know. Discernment of gifts is essential for a spiritual life.

Question: How was your spiritual transformation with locutions?
Answer: It is a bit difficult for me to talk about it because I was 10 when the locutions started and then God transforms every day. Man is the only unfinished creation; if we give our freedom to God, we become complete and this journey lasts a lifetime, therefore I too am alone on the journey.

Question: Were you afraid in the beginning?
Answer: Fear no, but perhaps a little confusion, a little uncertainty.

Q. When we make spiritual choices, how can we recognize true discernment?
Answer: I think we often seek God only when we have to make a decision or would like to know what we have to do in our life and expect an immediate, almost miraculous response. God does not do this. To solve problems we must become men and women of prayer; we have to get used to listening to his voice and this will allow us to recognize him. Because God is not a jukebox where you put a coin and what you want to hear comes out; in any case, if it is an important choice, I would recommend the help of a priest, a constant spiritual guide.

Question: Have you experienced spiritual deserts?
R. Travel to Africa for free! Yes, of course it is very positive to live in the deserts and I think that Our Lady sends this heat to Medjugorje, so you get used to it! There is no other way to purify our being from so many negative things, but you know that there are also oases in the desert: so here we are no longer afraid. A chaotic, hectic life is a sign that we try to escape from this desert because in the desert we have to look at ourselves, but since God is not afraid to look at us, we can see ourselves with his gaze.
I think that the spiritual guide is very useful in this case, also to be encouraged, because I often see that people get tired, forget their first love. Temptations are also strong and a prayer group can help a lot; this is part of the journey.

Question: Have you had any phrases with Jesus?
Answer: Also.

Question: Have you ever had the chance to recommend or report something to someone in particular through the phrases?
Answer: Few times, because Our Lady did not give the gift in this sense. Sometimes Our Lady has encouraged particular people through the locutions, but very rarely.

Question: In the messages that Our Lady sends you, did she ever say something to you for young people and in particular for young women?
Answer: Our Lady invites young people and said that young people are her hope, but the messages are for everyone.

Question: Our Lady spoke of prayer groups. What characteristics should these groups have, what should they do?
R. Regarding a group of young people, above all we must pray and live a friendship that is formed through this common good that is God. God is the most beautiful thing that a friend can give. In such a friendship there is no room for jealousy; if you give God to someone, you don't take anything away from yourself, on the contrary, you own it even more. As young people, seek the answer to your life. We together read a lot of the Holy Scriptures, meditated on it and discussed a lot, because it is important that you also meet God on an intellectual level. You must know that you are young people who belong to Christ, otherwise the world will soon pull you away from God. There was much talk in the meetings, but above all we prayed together, perhaps on Podbrdo or Krizevac. We prayed and meditated in silence and together with the Rosary. Another element has always been spontaneous prayers, important in a community. We met for prayer three times a week.

Question: What can you say to parents who want to give God to their children, but they reject it?
Answer: I am also a daughter and I have parents who want to do the same thing. Parents need to be aware of their role. My father always says to me: "I have to call you back, because God will ask me what I have done with my children." It is not an option to give only physical life to children, because, as Jesus says, bread is not enough to survive, but it is important to give them their own spiritual life. If they refuse, perhaps the Lord has a plan there too, He has his appointment with everyone. So if it is difficult to turn to your children, turn to God again, because "if I cannot speak to others about God, I can speak to God about others." I would say to be very careful with enthusiasm: often we are not yet mature and we want to convert everyone. I am not saying this to criticize, but this is an opportunity to mature even more in your faith, because I do not believe that the children will remain indifferent to your holiness. Put them in Mary's hands, because she is also a mother and she will bring them to Christ. If you approach your children with the truth, approach in charity and love, because truth without charity can destroy. But when we invite others to God, we are careful not to judge.

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