Is Medjugorje Moving To Close?

Perhaps the Marian apparitions at Medjugorje are simmering to a boiling point as the latest revelation we received via e-mail contained an odd disclaimer:

"I have never [emphasis added] seen Our Lady address us in this manner. She extended her hands towards us and with her hands extended in this way, she said."

The decades long saga of Medjugorje is complicated involving no less than six visionaries who are receiving messages from the Holy Mother at various intervals and have been doing so since the phenomenon started in back in 1981 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The messages themselves are straightforward, simple and, for the most part, positive. One can sign up to receive e-mail alerts containing the revelations at the official Medjugorje site. All has not been revealed to the public, however, as each of the six visionaries have been given a series of ten secrets, some are still receiving their allotment of ten secrets and only one of what will be a total sixty secrets has been revealed to the public. This secret warns:

"Our Lady has promised to leave a supernatural, indestructable [sic], and visible sign on the mountain where she first appeared. Our Lady said: 'This sign will be given for the atheists. You faithful already have signs and you have become the sign for the atheists. You faithful must not wait for the sign before you convert; convert soon. This time is a time of grace for you. You can never thank God enough for His grace. The time is for deepening your faith and for your conversion. When the sign comes, it will be too late for many.'"

The secrets have nearly all been revealed to each of the six visionaries; only three of them await their respective tenth secrets. According to the Medjugorje site:

"The ninth and tenth secrets are grave matters. They are a chastisement for the sins of the world. The punishment is inevitable because we can not expect the conversion of the entire world. The chastisement can be lessened by prayers and penance, but it can not be suppressed entirely."

The revealed messages often speak of the necessity of prayer, conversion and fasting which are universal, religious concepts. Occasionally, however, specific mentions are made of rituals unique to the Catholic Church, i.e. the Rosary, penance and confession. These mentions, in our opinion, put a tinge on the credibility of the entire revelation as it is our opinion that such divine proclamations would never be denomination specific. The 89 pages of messages from God (through Mary) are so contrary to the modern concepts of "thou shalt not" do this and "thou shalt not" do that that we are looking at them as quite possibly an attempt at correction of, or at counterbalance to the tenets of the modern church. According to the Holy Mother, prayer and fasting are vastly powerful tools and can redirect worldly events in a a tangible way, enough to ward off wars and "suspend natural laws". It is even stated that one of the evils of the already given secrets was averted through the use of these simple tools.

Normally the monthly messages from Medjugorje come on their own, without editorial comment from the visionaries. Then, days later, follows an official interpretation filtered through the mind of a priest. Apparently this latest vision, which lasted seven minutes, is part of what once was a daily apparition but is now an annual event occurring on the 18th of March. The unusual fact about this event is the stance that Mary took in her delivery. She had never reached out her hands before. Is this a sign that we are nearing the end of the revelation of secrets and are quickly approaching chastisement of some sort? When you approach your mother she might well reach her hands out to you.

Here is the text of the latest message from Medjugorje:

"Dear children, today I extend my hands towards you. Do not be afraid to accept them. They desire to give you love and peace and to help you in salvation. Therefore, my children, receive them. Fill my heart with joy and I will lead you towards holiness. The way on which I lead you is difficult and full of temptations and falls. I will be with you and my hands will hold you. Be persevering so that, at the end of the way, we can all together, in joy and love, hold the hands of my Son. Come with me; fear not. Thank you."

TO BE CONTINUED......