38th Anniversary of Medjugorje Celebration: Native Americans in Medjugorje

Join in the celebration of 38 years that Our Lady has come to Medjugorje with an urgent call to prayer and peace!  For 38 years we have been blessed with her visitation and guiding words.

Tuesday, June 25, 2016

St. Francis of Assisi Church

861 N. Socoro, Wichita, KS

Evening Mass at 5:30pm

~ Will follow with Rosary, Vespers, Chaplet ~

Then pot luck and presentation in Boneventure Room 

(food can be dropped of in Boneventure before Mass)

Join us for prayer, community, celebration, and to refresh our memories as to why Our Lady has come for 38 years!  Learn the messages, the prescription she has given humanity for peace in our hearts, our families, our lives, and in the world.

Why has she continued to visit this long?  How has the world changed since the apparitions began?  How are we to respond?  Find out this, as well as see a special presentation:

"Native Americans in Medjugorje"

-presented by Julie Buresh 

In '97 there was a special call to all Native American Leaders and Chiefs.  Fr. Jozo invited them to Medjugorje for a special retreat, called "A Call to the Eagle's Nest".

66 Canadian Chiefs/Leaders, and 28 from the United States, gathered to pray, learn, heal and listen to Our Lady.  They were called there during the Bosnian war when the Native Yugoslavians were in the midst of massive genocide and war.  But they braved the journey, to a place of peace.  It was a fascinating journey, and amazing spiritual events took place.

 Come, bring your family, a favorite dish to share, and learn how to have greater peace and surrender in your life.    For further information, contact:   Julie Buresh, 316-734-1822

Urgent Prayer Call for President Trump, and to Save America

Please join in this prayer campaign to pray for our President, his administration, all the white hats behind the scenes, our military and for the citizens of this country to unite, pray and save America.  In the last month or so, there has been a blatant move by globalists and the media to rebel against our president and openly attack him.

Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer have been kingpens in an effort to stop our government and this president from operating and fulfilling their roles as leaders, and to protect the citizens.  It is almost like they have tried to seize power and form a coup.  Rumblings from underground sources believe that is exactly what is going on behind the scenes.  The mainstream media has fed the frenzy and fed the public lies to further confuse and mislead the people.

Then this past week, we watched at the wonderful March for Life, some radical fringe protestors attack some innocent pro-life high school boys, who now have received death threats and all sorts of hate rhetoric, much of it from media sources and Liberal celebs and entertainers.  On the heels of that, New York legalized abortion up to birth!!

I saw this prophecy posted on social media.  I firmly believe it is a wake up call.  Here it is:

This powerful prophecy is from Ramin Parsa, ex-Muslim, Christian evangelist, who wrote this on Facebook: I got this message from a friend:
(He had a powerful disturbing dream about how president Trump was being devoured by symbolic alligators in a drowning ship. He received this prophecy afterward)

 .."the Lord spoke to me and said,
“Jeremiah, My people do not recognize the demonic warfare from hell that is being unleashed upon the United States and Donald Trump. Even as a wall is being built, why are My people refusing to build a wall of intercession and prayer around their President and around their nation? Yes, the borders are unsecured but they are far more unsecured in the Spirit realm than you could ever imagine. How is it that a man would see the necessity of building a wall to protect a country but My people cannot even recognize their desperate need to build a wall of intercession and prayer around their own lives and churches? How the American Church continues to sleep and slumber in these days of history has come before My throne and it has greatly grieved My heart!

I warn you Jeremiah, that as Donald tries to drain the Swamp, the Swamp is going to drain him. His heart will become hardened, his resolve will become dangerous, and the attack’s upon his life and presidency will only get bigger and bigger. This will be a result in large part due to a prayerless Church in America that has refused to pray for their President and that has ignored the demonic agendas in Washington. If My people do not begin to gather and call upon My name, great danger will come upon the shores of the United States of America, says God.”

I truly believe this is a call to prayer that we are to answer to.  I urge you all to gather your families in prayer, urge friends to start praying!  Fast on Weds. and Fridays, pray the rosary every day and/or go to Holy Mass, or read scripture daily, make sacrifices, offer your suffering, and cling to the sacraments.  It is also recommended to use the sacramentals for protection more than usual; holy water, blessed salt, wearing blessed objects.  We are Christians.  God's power is so immense and his plan is so beautiful.  But He truly needs us to get on our knees and pray!  Call upon the Holy Angels.  Let us pray for the protection of our president, for the conversion of the media, and for Truth to prevail!! 

Call upon the Queen of Peace!  She has come since 1981 to assist and pray with us, for God's plan to be unfolded to save humanity!  Read up on her messages, and follow the 5 stones!  Her presence here is crucial and important!

Go, Children of God!  Do what you were created to do!  Bring graces and peace upon this land.  God always hears the cries of His faithful, and He has great plans for the United States.  We must heed this call, and pray in this spiritual war for our survival.  The world is depending on us.  We are the last stand.  If the United States falls, many nations will also fall right into the hands of the enemy!  May peace and healing bless this great land.  God Bless America!

Novena to the Immaculate Conception for the US Elections!

Novena to the Immaculate Conception starts today for the upcoming all important US election!

In 1791, America's first bishop, John Carroll, entrusted his diocese - which was the entire country at the time - to Mary. The U.S. bishops affirmed that dedication in 1846, declaring Mary the Immaculate Conception to be patroness of the United States.

The novena prayer comes from the 1959 dedication of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. It was approved that year by Cardinal Patrick O'Boyle, then-archbishop of Washington.

Novena to Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the US

Most Holy Trinity: Our Father in Heaven, who chose Mary as the fairest of your daughters; Holy Spirit, who chose Mary as your Spouse; God the Son, who chose Mary as your Mother, in union with Mary we adore your majesty and acknowledge your supreme, eternal dominion and authority.

Most Holy Trinity, we put the United States of America into the hands of Mary Immaculate in order that she may present the country to you. Through her we wish to thank you for the great resources of this land and for the freedom which has been its heritage.

Through the intercession of Mary, have mercy on the Catholic Church in America. Grant us peace. Have mercy on our President and on all the officers of our government. Grant us a fruitful economy, born of justice and charity. Have mercy on capital and industry and labor. Protect the family life of the nation. Guard the precious gift of many religious vocations. Through the intercession of our Mother, have mercy on the sick, the tempted, sinners - on all who are in need.

Mary, Immaculate Virgin, our Mother, Patroness of our land, we praise you and honor you and give ourselves to you. Protect us from every harm. Pray for us, that acting always according to your will and the will of your divine Son, we may live and die pleasing to God.

Amen.

**Might I ask you all to consecrate these elections to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Sacred Hearts of Jesus, asking for voters to open their hearts and vote for good, upright, just and righteous leaders to govern the people.  That fraud and cheating and illegal votes be prevented and stopped; the perpetrators caught and subject to due justice.

100th Anniversary Fatima Novena for Peace and for Protection of the Holy Mass

Calling all prayer warriors.  There are many things commencing over this month, and next month.  There are signs in the sky, and celestial events that are all connecting with Marian feast days and events.  The eclipse is this week, and alignment of the stars for coming in Sept is the fulfillment of Rev 12, the Woman Clothed with the Sun.  These will be actual star constellations, that are forthcoming.

Some say the eclipse is a direct warning to America:

The "Great American Eclipse" and the Catholic Liturgical Calendar

The "Great American Eclipse" and the Catholic Liturgical Calendar People from all over the world are flocking to the United States to witness a phenomenal astronomical event. A t...

Here is information about the Sept 21st celestial event:

Revelation 12 Sign Begins on the Very Day Year of Mercy Ends - Roman Catholic Man

Revelation 12 Sign Begins on the Very Day Year of Mercy Ends - Roman Cathol... “Speak to the world about My mercy … It is a sign for the end times. After it will come the Day of Justice. Whil...

So today we are starting a novena  to honor the 100th anniversary of Fatima, in union with the church calendar and feast days:

For peace on all levels of human existence; in our hearts, our world, among all nations, and for special blessing upon world leaders in their role for God's desire for peace.  In this special plan of peace, in particular we pray for the Holy Mass, the greatest gift which Christ gave mankind to preserve and maintain heavenly peace upon earth and within the heart of Man.  To redo, renew and recreate God's Divine Order by praying into existence, the true Divine Will of God, and to end all offenses against God.  The Holy Mass is threatened by offenses, liturgical changes and invalidations, and we pray to protect and preserve Christ's great paschal sacrifice and true hope to save mankind.  Pray the Holy Mass and our priests be protected since the persecutions are increasing here and around the world.  This novena is offered as reparation for all sins against the Holy Mass; past, present and future.

For the novena:

• Go to Confession during the Novena, attend as many daily Masses as possible,
• Pray the Fatima Novena Prayer daily,
• Offer Holy Communions, 
• Pray at least one Rosary daily, 
• Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy daily at 3pm, if possible,
• Fast on Wed. and Friday. 
• Offer daily sacrifices and sufferings, etc...

Fatima Novena Prayer:

"Most Holy Virgin, who deigned to come to Fatima to reveal to the three little shepherds the treasures of graces hidden in the recitation of the Rosary, inspire our hearts with a sincere love of this devotion. By meditating on the mysteries of our redemption that are recalled in your Rosary, may we gather the fruits contained therein and obtain the conversion of sinners, the conversion of Russia, the Peace of Christ for the world, and this favor that I so earnestly seek of you in this novena (here mention your request) I ask this of you, for the greater glory of God, for your own honor, and for the good of all people.  Amen"  

Say the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be (three times each)

Tonight EWTN is having a live event, HOLY HOUR for world peace, please join in, at 8pm ET.  Here is some other wonderful programming from EWTN about Fatima, and the messages.  Catholic Television Network | EWTN

Catholic Television Network | EWTN EWTN catholic television programming can be seen and heard throughout the world by TV, Radio, and Internet strea...

9 day Novena for the Pope, Cardinals, Bishops & Priests

Dear Children of the Queen of Peace;

What a journey we have been on!  Many souls are suffering, and I know you all have made the novenas we have done for years, a part of your daily life.  You have been trained.  However, we shall join again to gather a beautiful spiritual bouquet for Our Lady, as a special novena we are being called to do at this very turbulent time in world history.  Along with praying for our Pope, Cardinals, Bishops and Priests, continue to pray for peace, and for America, and all nations, and leaders who are constantly under attack, including our president and current leadership.  The enemy wants to take America down.  May our prayers hold us up to Our Lady, that she may be crowned Our Queen, and may we serve in her plan for peace!

9 day Novena for the Pope, Cardinals, Bishops & Priests.

        July 5th (feast of St. Anthony Zacharia) thru July 13th (Feast of Rosa Mystica)

• Go to Confession during the Novena, attend as many daily Masses as possible, 
• Offer Holy Communions for them, 
• Pray at least one Rosary daily for them, 
• Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy daily at 3pm, if possible, for them, 
• Fast on Wed. and Friday. 
• Offer daily sacrifices and sufferings for them, etc...

Daily Prayer for Priests by Cardinal Cushing & Daily Rosa Mystica Litany.
http://www.catholictradition. org/Mary/rosa-mystica3b.htm
http://www.catholicity.com/ prayer/prayer-for-priests-2. html

Please review these links to understand the significance and Rosa Mystica, and how it ties to Our Lady's messages thru Medjugorje.  She has implored us for over two years now, to pray for her priests and "Sheperds".  This novena is dedicated to the Pope, Cardinals, Bishops and Priests.  Her chosen, beloved sons.

The best explanation of the "Rosa Mystica" in relation to Her Priests was in the second apparition, (which I have pasted in purple) details in link below.

On June 13, 1947, Our Lady appeared again in the hospital early one Sunday. morning. This time she was dressed in white and instead of the three swords she had three roses: a white one, a red one, and a golden one. Pierina Gilli asked her, "Please tell me who you are." The Lady answered, smiling, "I am the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of all of you." 

Here she paused, then she went on, "Our Lord sends me to bring a new Marian devotion for all male and female institutes, religious orders, and secular priests. I promise those religious institutes, orders, and secular priests who venerate me in this special way my special protection, an increase of spiritual vocations, fewer betrayed vocations, and great sanctity among the servants of God. I wish the 13th of each month to be celebrated as the day of Mary. 

On the twelve preceding days, special prayers of preparation should be said." 

With an expression of great joy, she went on, "On this day I shall send to these religious institutes, members of orders, and secular priests who have honored me in this way, a superabundance of graces and great sanctity. I wish the 13th of July of each year to be celebrated in honor of the 'Rosa Mystica,' the Mystical Rose." 

Pierina asked whether she would perform a miracle. Our Lady answered, "The most evident miracle will be the godly souls, who for some time, especially during the last war, became lukewarm, so that they were unfaithful or even betrayed their vocation, will cease to offend Our Lord gravely. By their great offenses, they brought punishment and persecution upon the Church-----as we experience it in our days-----but then the original spirit of their holy founders will blossom again." With these words the conversation ended. Now Our Lady explained to Pierina the meaning of the three swords and the three roses. A moving explanation which is to taken quite seriously! 

The first sword means loss of the vocation as a priest or a monk. The second sword means priests, monks, and nuns who live in deadly sin. The third sword means priests and monks who commit the treason of Judas. While giving up their vocation, they often lose also their faith, their eternal beatitude, and become enemies of the Church. The white rose means the spirit of prayer. The red rose means the spirit of expiation and sacrifice. The yellow or golden rose means the spirit of penitence. 

Mystical Rose or Rosa Mystica-Feast Day, July 13 | Women of Grace

Mystical Rose or Rosa Mystica-Feast Day, July 13 | Women of Grace

ROSA MYSTICA

ROSA MYSTICA

“Dear friends, may no adversity paralyze you. Be afraid neither of the world, nor of the future, nor of your weakness. The Lord has allowed you to live in this moment of history so that, by your faith, his name will continue to resound throughout the world.” 
― Pope Benedict XVI

July 2, 2017 Message to Mirjana 

"Dear children, Thank you for continuing to respond to my invitations and for gathering here around me, your heavenly mother. I know that you are thinking of me with love and hope. I, too, feel love for all of you, just as my most beloved Son also feels it: He who, through his merciful love, is always sending me to you anew; He who was man; He who was and is God - one and triune; He who suffered in body and soul for your sake; He who made Himself bread to feed your souls and thus to save them. My children, I am teaching you how to be worthy of His love, to direct your thoughts to Him, to live my Son. Apostles of my love, I am covering you with my mantle, because as a mother I desire to protect you. I am imploring you to pray for the whole world. My heart is suffering. Sins are multiplying, they are too numerous. But with the help of those of you who are humble, modest, filled with love, hidden and holy, my heart will triumph. Love my Son above all and the whole world through Him. Never forget that each of your brothers, within himself, carries something precious – the soul. Therefore, my children, love all those who do not know my Son, so that through prayer and the love which comes through prayer, they may become better; that the goodness in them could win; that souls could be saved and have eternal life. My apostles, my children, my Son told you to love one another. May this be inscribed in your hearts and with prayer, try to live that love. Thank you."

Novena to Restore the Foundation and Pillar of the Family; Men and Fathers

Novena to St. Joseph; Husband of Mary, Earthly Father of Jesus

With all the assaults against the family which is the foundation of humanity; we are called to join in prayer, asking the intercession of the pillar and model of the human family. We look to St. Joseph and the Holy Family.  Please join in praying this novena to correct the many disorders tearing apart families in this hour of great distress.  Share and have others join.

"Dearest St. Joseph; Husband of Mary, Earthly Father of Jesus;

You are a model of devotion, fidelity, holiness, and fatherhood.  Our model of the family of Christ, we call upon you to intercede for all men.  Men who have lost their sense of duty to family, devotion to their spouse, their role as the spiritual godhead of the family.  Men who no longer defend or protect their family.  Please pray that men will cherish their wives and and place the value and sacredness of marriage and family in the way God designed it.  Intercede to help them restore their great duty to be prayerful, spiritual heads and guardians of their families.  Pray that they will return to a state of humility and purity, honoring their wives without taking them for granted.  

Pray that men will rediscover ways to create unity and peace in their homes.  St. Joseph, tender spouse of Mary, you kept your household a place of holiness and sanctuary.  Many homes now lack this.  Pray for our homes to be specially protected from demonic influence.  Show us how to make our homes holy and good, where we are always free to honor and love God.  

St. Joseph, you know that rejection and exclusion destroys intimacy in the marital bonds that God created.  Ask Jesus to help heal this disorder, which has created tragic consequences and led to the dissolving of many marriages. May men respect their wives again, show them great healing love, devotion and dignity. Help couples and families forgive one another, bringing forth new life and healing to old wounds.  Help us all to accept faults and failings in ourselves as well as others, in true charity and love.  

St. Joseph, for families who are fatherless, and the husband is gone - either from abandonment, divorce, sexual confusion, death or addiction, we ask that you personally guard and direct them always to the sanctuary of Our Father in Heaven.  

Dear Father in Heaven, the Father of every created human being, there is no greater Father than you.  We place every family and marriage in your Holy Hands and within Your heart. May every fatherless home have the favor of Your Almighty and powerful Fatherhood, the the tenderness of Your Love; to nurture, fortify, guide, and protect.

For the families destroyed and marred by the evil of pornography, please pour forth Your Holy Spirit and powerfully heal renew and repair all damage and disorder.  We pray Jesus will deliver humanity from this horrific blight of evil which feeds into so many other sexual sins.  We know that abortion, homosexuality and contraception have stemmed from and is connected to this, so we pray for these evils to be crushed out and delivered from the earth forever.

In a special way, we ask for the sexually confused, to be healed.  That the splendor of sexual identity and marriage, which is so under attack in this hour of history, be healed and restored, so that all may see that God Father makes no mistakes.  May it be revealed and understood that Our Father has a powerful destiny, manifested in the sacredness of the sexual identity of every human being.  May each come to see that their path to heaven is rooted in living out their vocation within the order of creation that He set forth upon each of us uniquely and perfectly.  May each of those suffering with sexual disorders, discover the mystery and splendor of their true sexual identity and be blessed with joy, for living as God intended. 

St. Joseph, we know that when the family, the domestic church, has been restored; society, and the universal church will be restored!  Families will again be strong and magnificent!  St. Joseph, model of family love, hear our prayer."

Queen of Peace Rosary Crusade to end Terrorism and War

This generation has been given a phenominal gift.  From eternity, the Queen of Peace has entered "time" to issue important messages to a lost humanity.  She has urged:  "Return to My Son!", "Pray, pray, pray", and "return to the ancient practice of fasting on bread and water" asking the world to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays.  This began June 24, 1981, and she used 6 people, who were children at the time, to spread to the world these messages, in a small village in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Hercegovina.  In the late 80s there was moderate interest in these messages.  The local bishop was at first supportive, then later unsupportive which is where it is today.  The Vatican has tried to step in and investigate the apparitions, and it remains under investigation; but for 33 years no church authority has been able to condemn this phenomenon.  In the last couple of decades, interest has waned.  Church officials are weary to allow any credence to these messages, none of which contradict any church teaching.  This "inaction" has lead to a lukewarmness or indifference to them as well as to what the apparitions mean.  You can research Medjugorje and this phenomenon all you want, but I am here to blare a horn to anyone who will listen, that world events are culminating to beg for a response to the the drastic and exponential rise of global evil in our lifetimes.  This response is clearly a Rosary Crusade, and a sincere response to these messages from the Queen of Peace.  The fact that Our Lady titles herself in these apparitions as "Queen of Peace", as we stand here and watch nation rise against nation, evil terrorism threaten nations and civilizations all over the globe - isn't it time we should perhaps take this supernatural gift of her visitation seriously?

I call to everyone who will listen:  Please accept the pledge to accept joining the Queen of Peace Rosary Crusade, and pray the Holy Rosary every day for peace, and the end of terrorism.  Tell your family, friends -  people at work, anyone - spread peace through prayer.  Through the Holy Rosary.  Saints throughout the ages all said the Holy Rosary is "The Weapon" against evil.  There are hundreds, possibly thousands of books claiming testimony to this reality.  We also know historical facts about how the Holy Rosary stopped wars and evil invasions throughout the centuries.  I will post a few examples below.  It is clear this must be our response.

It makes no difference what the denomination or faith tradition.  The Holy Rosary is ancient and powerful. Anyone can learn it.  I call it the 3D Jesus Life prayer.  It is a 3 dimensional prayer reflecting and contemplating upon the life of Christ.  We pray the prayers, and upon each decade, we meditate upon an event in the life of Jesus.  How cannot the power of Jesus in this manner, not CRUSH the enemy and all of his power?  The Rosary has stopped many wars, and we need it to stop the wars developing right now!  We have wars rising against Christians, against religious liberty, against Israel, against America - against life in the womb!!  We even have satanists trying to hold public black masses to unleash demonic power upon our land.  We absolutely must act, and do it now.

Please ask your loved ones to join in this crusade and to tell others.  Heaven is with us.  They will pray with us and for us.  God's love and power must prevail.  But His victory will come by seeking refuge in HIM, by his small ones, his children.  That is us.  Calling upon the powers and principalities not of this world, but of His Kingdom. Where all might and glory and power is infinite!!  Let us proclaim with joy.  "Glory to God in the Highest!  And Peace to His people on earth!!"

In your committment to pledge to the Queen of Peace Rosary Crusade, we will do as she, the Queen of Peace, has asked:

• Holy Rosary - every day; with family, friends, alone or in a crowd.
• Eucharist - recieve the Holy Eucharist and attend Mass as often as possible.
• Bible - read the Bible every day.  It is the living, breathing Word of God.  It moves and acts within us.
• Fast - every Weds and Friday, on bread and water if possible.  If not; according to your ability.  Also learn to fast from the most important thing of all: sin.  Fast from gossip, complaining, criticizing; fast from conveniences; from ice, coffee, pop, candy or any pleasure that would be a sacrifice.
• Go to monthly confession.  Free yourself of past sins.  Forgive yourself and others.
• Pray with the heart every day.  Talk to Our Lord as if he is a dear family member who can keep your deepest secrets, and greatest joys. Share with Him your inmost self.
• Do this with JOY and CONFIDENCE!  Know that every prayer is heard upon High.  Pray for your families and all who are ill or in need.  Pray for unbelievers.  Pray the crusade with confidence that your life, and the life of others will change!  In a heavenly way.  Know that you will see miracles produced from your prayer of the Holy Rosary.
• Recognise the fruits!  Pay attention to interior changes within yourself, your family/spouse, enemies.  Notice the return of hope and faith.  Embrace the peace that will come.  Share it with others.

Please share the Queen of Peace Rosary Crusade for Peace and the End of War and Terrorism!   Feel free to share this site with others to answer the call to bring peace through prayer!!

Here is how to pray the Holy Rosary:

http://www.theholyrosary.org/

Historical victories from praying the Holy Rosary:

http://www.how-to-pray-the-rosary-everyday.com/military-victories-through-the-rosary.html

What the saints have said about the Holy Rosary:

http://www.whitelilyoftrinity.com/saints_quotes_holyrosary.html

http://www.tfpstudentaction.org/get-involved/campus-rosary-crusade/quotes-of-our-lady-popes-and-saints.html

This photo is of Fr. Slavko; a very holy priest who served millions at the parish in Medjugorje before he died.  He spoke 4 languages fluently and held Holy Mass, speaking in all 4, so no one would feel left out.  He has written amazing books about spiritual growth.  Get ahold of his stuff and read it!  Grow with it!  We love you, Fr. Slavko!!  Pray this crusade with us, dear friend.

Hunger and the Body of Christ

                                     Fasting Reflection

Hunger:  What is it?  An primal instinct (managed by brain chemistry) to eat.  God created us this way.  If we didn't have it, humans as a species, would cease to exist.  Same for animals, fish, even insects.  All creatures have this instinct.  But do angels?  They are pure spirit, so probably not.  It is something that only earthlings possess.

It is also a primal instinct to care for our young.  Part of caring for them is to feed them.  If we love them and do all sorts of things for them, but do not feed them, we are completely negligent and considered inflicting a sinful deprivation of primal need.  By not feeding our young at all, we would cause their death.  By not feeding them with healthy food, we cause them illness.  Both of these are severe nurturing failures which are punishable by natural and civil law.

The instinct of hunger is the most powerful instinct we possess.  As creatures, if we are deprived of food, we become desperate to eat.  Advancing hunger changes behavior, to become animalistic; we either reduce ourselves to eating something disgusting just to satisfy this intense need, or it has been known to drive some to kill one another for food.  And the strange thing about eating to satisfy the hunger is, that the satisfaction only lasts a few hours.  So, in essence - we were created "hungry".  Almost all the time we are instinctively needing food to sustain the flesh.

As a mother who has to spend a great deal of my life, resources and time to plan meals, purchase food, store it, preserve it, then prepare it...then clean up after it, over and over 3 times a day - I have often asked God:  "Lord, what were you thinking?  Why do we have to eat so danged much?"  I still ask Him this question.  

One of the answers is that it forces us to sit down and converse, share, build relationship.  God created meals to be the center of family unity.  Jesus taught us this by often using a meal as the center of an important social event or connection between people, cultures, classes of people.  He spoke of wedding feasts often in his parables.

As prayer warriors we have been taught that fasting has incredible power, and that God wants us to fast and pray often, especially now in this age of sin and evil.  Our Lady of Medjugorje has been begging us to fulfill a strict bread and water fast 2 days a week since 1981.  That is far stricter than the church requires during lent!  As Children of the Tears we see her tears which are caused by the loss of souls, and are absolutely grieved by it - so we have profound motivation to fulfill her instruction to fast.  So fasting obviously has power.  She told the visionaries that fasting and prayer can even stop wars, and suspend the laws of nature.  Those are bold words!

Now, why, Lord, would you place this intense need to eat within us, then urge us not to do it?  It's got to be all about the will.  We are being challenged to place the will of sacrifice over primal instinct.  It's all about self control.  Control of the flesh.

We all know it's difficult to fast.  I used to be good at it back before I had a family to feed.  And to be honest, I grew weary of eating.  I whispered at times, 'Lord I am sick of eating - all the time and all the time and all the time'.  In fact, I fasted so much, I developed an illness which resulted in a health fragility that I suffer to this day, which requires delicate management of.  Now that I have to prepare and cook meals and spend so much time, money resources, to feed my family, I find it nearly impossible to fast.  I have had to learn to fast from other things, but the Lord still wants us to fast with our stomachs.  So this lent we shall intensify effort to master this difficult challenge.

The other thing worth reflecting, is how much importance Christ placed on the eating of His flesh in the Holy Eucharist.  He didn't just say to eat it on occasion when we wanted to feel good, or needed to be holy.  His command was so powerful, that He lost a huge swath of his followers over this teaching.  And - He didn't seem to care that he lost them.  They were instantly disgusted with Him and accused Him of cannibalism.  Yet, He was totally okay with that.  He didn't sit around and lament that they walked off, or try to go back and get them, or try to explain it in a different way.  He remained hard core about it.  He so firmly commanded us to eat his body and blood - that He proclaimed we would not have life in us, period.  Declaring we wouldn't make it to heaven without it!  There is nothing so bold as his teaching on the Holy Eucharist in John 6.  Sadly, protestants to this day have rejected this teaching.

The other thing I find fascinating, is that God uses our fasting as a doorway to the Holy Spirit.   By prayerfully offering our fasts, we become clay for the Holy Spirit to shape, form us, infuse knowledge, wisdom, enlightenment.

So - here we are.  It's 2013.  We live in the most sinful age known to mankind.  We also live in the most technologically advanced age.  Most civilized nations have every sort of convenience.  Advanced transportation allows us almost every sort of food, flavor.  And we are pretty darned addicted to our spices, flavors, cuisines.

Why did God equate penance and sacrifice with starvation?  John the Baptist, and Jesus - both set profound examples of fasting.  John the Baptist lived in the desert, wandered around like a savage, and ate locusts and honey.  This seems so repulsive to us; even if we were dying we would probably refuse chewing on locusts.  Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights.   Sheesh, the longest I ever fasted was nine days on bread and water and I thought I was going to die.  I couldn't wait to sink my teeth back into regular food again.  And for weeks after that long fast, I didn't even want to LOOK at bread.

So, here I sit, still asking God.  "What gives?"  Such a profound dichotomy.  'Lord, why did you choose hunger, as the means to save souls?  To suspend the laws of nature, and stop wars?  Why is it so spiritually powerful?'  It makes me think our bodies contain such interesting secrets of the spirit, from which we have no idea.  We are flesh and spirit.  And God gave us hunger.  In this age of overwhelming sin - He calls us to offer this incense to Him.  It has eternal consequences - of life and death.  To His people; who were so important to Him that He died for them.

I guess we are not meant to understand.  Instead, just.... mind our Mother.