[Maryh]

Well I'm not surprised the US is being made into the big bad wolf again.
Again Assad has more enemies than just the ISIS. Russia & Assad & Iran are all each other's allies.
There were peaceful protests against the Assad Regime
that sparked the chaos in the first place. This Arab spring happened in lots of countries, American can't take responsibility for it all.
They were wrong to bomb Iraq of course.
The middle east seems to need dictators to keep the terrorists under control. Its a desperate situation.
Both Assad & Putin & Iran have no trust in the 'west' and western values so I'm not surprised to hear this.
I don't really like to think about it too much anymore to be honest. I just pray that God will get justice that's all I can do.

Read another worrying development today. Honestly I think this refugee crisis calls for nothing short of absolute saint hood from us all.
Unconditional love & mercy & self- sacrifice & trust to have hospitality for strangers and loving our enemies.

http://www.ionainstitute.ie/index.php?i ... OA.twitter

Looks like peace is going to be put at risk.
I truly struggle to love my enemies. I feel uncomfortable around them & tend to avoid if at all possible.
I'm not always going to turn the other cheek & let them strike the other one. I'm not going to let myself be subjected to it.
I'm not going to put up with people trying to dominate & Lord it over me with a superior authoritarian attitude & arrogance.
I don't think God wants that for us either. I'm going to protect myself.
Still pessimistic about it all here.

Anyone know how to love their enemies?

[mamamary]

who is our enemy? christ was betrayed by those closest to him. judas was one of the 12.

[Maryh]

The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from our enemies.


How do I obey God and love them? That is my question.

[bluecross]

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[Gael]

Food for thought BC...very good post!

[Medjugorjeprayers]

MV, Putin is a man of half truths which can be the most dangerous kind. He has already shown his dark side with the take over of Crimea and the attempt to overthrow the rest of Ukraine. His comment that the collapse of the Soviet Union “was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century” speaks volumes to me. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/7632057/ns/wo ... gxWLY9VhBc

Some with any influence in his country that have opposed him were either imprisoned, killed (or attempted), or removed from their position. http://www.businessinsider.com/7-storie ... our-2013-6

Putins involvement with the brutal Russian KGB is also troublesome - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/in ... /putin.htm

The Moscow Times lists 10 good things about Putin: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/a ... 94178.html

Like most everyone else, I wish Putin's motives in Syria were sincere but given their history, it is hard not to believe that he is only there to prop up their longtime Syrian ally.

Of course Putin is bashing and blaming the US for the instability in the Middle East, that's his job. If it weren't for the US and its allies, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and a host of other countries would be controlled by Iraq or a world war would have broken out when Israel was forced to go alone against those who continually launch rockets at them. And given enough time, Saddam Hussein really would have weapons of mass destruction. Of Course, the US made many mistakes in the Gulf war but remember, there were plenty of other nations involved in that coalition. War is never a clean proposition. More importantly, when you lose over three thousand citizens to a terrorist attack something has to give. I can't even image how bad it would have been if the US and its allies had done nothing. We are getting a little glimpse but our inaction in the Middle East under the Obama administration. When the cat is away the mice will play. Unfortunately, they are not playing but rather are brutally killing the innocent...

[bluecross]

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[Maryh]

Thanks Bluecross for answering my question. I'm actually going to write out what you said about how to love your enemies and read it every day before I start my day.
I do pray to God to teach me how to be a more loving person. What is that statement; 'for God's love to reach perfection in me.'
Its a very tall order at times, it really is. I probably need to up my prayer game. Drastically.

If your living alongside your enemy on a daily basis you have to forgive 70,000+ times.
Are we to just accept the onslaught of our enemies as just our daily cross to bear?
I find blessing my enemies much easier when they are at a safe distance.

I'm horrified with society and find no comfort in it. Never really did. Only aggravation & pressure. Never any kind of security nor consolation anyways. Truly I never look to it for comfort.
I do forget that God provides totally however, I really relate to what you said there.
All I ever knew was the pressure from 'society' to perform, do well at college, bust your butt trying to make a living. etc. etc.
Nobody likes changes if its going to mean civil unrest and more cultural and religious segregations.
That's what I foresee is going to happen.
I'm not hopeful of peace in the future because of this crisis. Just more divisions and inequalities.

I find even amongst ourselves, if you don't say what people what to hear they will zone you out and refuse to communicate with you.
Ignore you completely. Or rail road you in other ways.


World leaders make me feel really insecure & threatened by the crazy laws they introduce and the crazy unjust actions they take.
Blood is boiling here tonight learning that Putin is backing a man who murders his own people and is now bombing Syrian Rebels and not just ISIS. The suffering they cause to others, I see it, it drives me crazy and its all I can think about.
Even bombing ISIS will mean killing all their innocent slaves they have imprisoned.
I don't want to make scapegoats out world leaders, I want the responsibility to lie where it's truly meant to and for justice to happen.
I do blame them & will complain and protest. They are responsible for their actions.
There will never be peace without justice. Never.

Yes your right I should just look to God for the solutions and not even try to think about it. Zone it out.

I'm actually so overburdened by this topic,, It feels futile.
I'm not posting anymore, you all will probably be relieved to hear.

[Medjugorjeprayers]

BC, Why is it when I respond to political posts you single me out amongst the many others who have already posted about this on this forum? I would appreciate it if you could show me a little more love and forgiveness similar to what you advised in your well written post prior to this one...

[Maryh]

Medjugorje Prayers, I'm sure BC was including me too & just trying to stop all the political talk because it's
not really centred on the topic of the refugee crisis.
Sorry if I spoke too much about politics. Its just really rattling my cage at the moment.
I was going to just keep it between myself and God because I know how hot headed I feel about it.
Injustice makes me go ballistic altogether.

I think politics is a spiritual matter too & I'm grateful for everyone who helped me see the situation with a little more hope or
reminded me about what it is that God really expects of us.

I didn't realise there was a policy not to talk politics. Religion and Politics together.
They are weighty issues alright.

[bluecross]

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[ministryvalues]

About politics and Medjugorje...

AT Fatima the secrets were political in nature "Certain nations would error and nations would be annihilated"
and Our Lady requested that certain countries be "consecrated" to her heart.

Medjugorje's secrets involve the world and nations as well.

There is much speculation on this forum about the politics of the Vatican and how they might rule on the status of Medjugorje.
It seems logical when the "winds of war" emerge onto the world stage that discussion seems appropriate.

A few years ago the visionaries went to Lebanon to pray. Those prayers now seem to have been a harbinger of the refugee crisis and emerging tensions around the world.

[bluecross]

/

[ministryvalues]

I dont think anyone here wants to discuss "politics" without an attempt to tie it into Medjugorje . Like gay marriage or "why does Our Lady not speak out against planned parenthood."

The messages, by the way, are not always about peace. They talk of satan and evil and secrets and this side of the Medjugorje ledger can lead to talk about geopolitical issues.

"August 25, 1991 "Dear Children! Today also I invite you to prayer, now as never before when my plan has begun to be realized. Satan is strong and wants to sweep away my plans of peace and joy and make you think that my Son is not strong in His decisions. Therefore, I call all of you, dear children, to pray and fast still more firmly. I invite you to self-renunciation for nine days so that, with your help, everything that I desire to realize through the secrets I began in Fatima, may be fulfilled. I call you, dear children, to now grasp the importance of my coming and the seriousness of the situation. I want to save all souls and present them to God. Therefore, let us pray that everything I have begun be fully realized. Thank you for having responded to my call."

[bluecross]

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[bluecross]

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[Medjugorjeprayers]

BC, Just because I comment on something that may be political such as the present Gulf crisis doesn't mean I am advocating war and not peace. Of Course, I want peace in the region and and in the world just as you and others desire and also agree that Prayer is the best way to obtain peace in our world.
I think the greatest "danger" is not when politics are discussed but rather when someone (including myself) tries to sensor certain thoughts they might not agree on when their own views cannot be challenged. I agree with you completely that we have a moral and civil responsibility to keep our discussions at a kind, peaceful, respectable tone. I have heard some pretty controversial comments here from myself and others including some from you that I chose to ignore and not bring up. For the most part this forum is a wonderful place to share our common interest in Medjugorje with others.
There is no doubt you have much to contribute here and I and others have learned a lot from you, however, I just respectfully ask that you show a little more patience and tolerance towards my posts. With a few differences here and there, we are all on the same team and need to learn how to work together despite our differences

[bluecross]

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[bluecross]

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[Medjugorjeprayers]

From this perspective, it is important to view migrants not only on the basis of their status as regular or irregular, but above all as people whose dignity is to be protected and who are capable of contributing to progress and the general welfare. This is especially the case when they responsibly assume their obligations towards those who receive them, gratefully respecting the material and spiritual heritage of the host country, obeying its laws and helping with its needs.

Excellent statement by the Vatican. The part I highlighted in red was something that was not being clarified in recent statements (at least I didn't hear it) so I very much appreciated them including this.

Thanks for posting Bluecross.

[bluecross]

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[Maryh]

Delighted to see the Pope's comments. I will be going over it with a fine tooth comb now!

Thanks so much for posting them; I wouldn't have known where to find this.

[bluecross]

/

[Maryh]

That's right Bluecross! Your spiritual growth is like a big leafy tree & mine is at times, just a little spring trying to
emerge out of the crusty soil! Thanks for your patience & encouragement.

I do pray every day but that needs to be to pray very, very much to have all the more love.

I love this latest message because it feels as though Our Lady really knows what's going on.
To quote my miserable self in addition I wrote:

I'm not hopeful of peace in the future because of this crisis. Just more divisions and inequalities.

Then Our Lady's message seems to refer to this:

Many of my children do not have hope, they do not have peace, they do not have love.



Just this morning I (randomly?) got this page from my 'moments of peace for the morning' book:

Practice & Perfection
Love is a gift from God that must be used in order to be useful. The more you love others, the more your capacity to love will grow.
The more you sacrifice for others, the more deeply you will care for all people.
You also have the wonderful promise that if you love others, God-the source of love-lives in you.
The more you practice his unfailing love, the more his presence is perfected in you. The blessing of love is twofold.
Love others, and not only will your love grow, but God- the spring from which all love flows-will show himself more powerfully within you.

Dear God, Thank you for your loving presence. Help me practice being loving toward others so that your love is fully expressed through me. Amen.

If we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us.
1 John 4:12 NLT.

May the Lord make your love for each other and for everyone else grow by leaps & bounds.
1 Thessalonians 3:12


I do want to love others more but this won't happen unless
I spend more time with God & then practice doing the 'loving' thing.

[Maryh]

This is my last contribution of a political nature.

They are all just so cute here! ♥