A couple of days ago I was thinking about the scene in the Resurrection, where Mary Magdalene was outside the tomb, looking for Jesus’ body. When Jesus called her name, she recognized him. He said “Do not hold onto me. I have not yet ascended to my Father in Heaven.”

It seemed that there was a contradiction. He appeared to his disciples and allowed them to touch him before his ascension.

Then a thought was “ given” to me.

I knew a lot about Mary Magdalene from the visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich.

Mary, a sister of Lazarus and Martha, was a beautiful, woman, accustomed to luxury. She was known to be having affairs with different men. She went through two dramatic exorcisms through her encounters with Jesus, and from then on was a faithful follower.

Since she had been so active sexually, and since her feelings of attraction were accustomed to be expressed sensually, she needed some time to outgrow this aberration.

Gradually, through her relationships with the apostles and the Holy Spirit after Jesus’ ascension, she would “catch up” with the others.

The thought was: Mary would be a useful teaching point in Marriage Counseling classes. So many couple’s relationships are initiated through sensual, sexual attraction before they have had a chance to know what each other are like. Often they put on false personas in order to attract each other. Later, when the masks are dropped, the attraction, and the relationship can suffer.

This is a wonderful time in our country’s history. The obvious corruption and paralysis in our government clearly calls for a radical overhaul. The lack of supervision and control of the public medias has obviously led to the misleading and confusion of the populace. Greedy corrupt media moguls are raking in fortunes by controlling the tastes of the populace.

The present electoral system doesn’t work. We have to overhaul it so that the individual voter’s wishes directly affect the outcome. No electoral districts that can be manipulated, etc.

Then we need a board of impeccable people to insist that any material presented on the public media has been carefully screened to eliminate false or distorted facts – “facts” that could mislead simple uneducated people. No Pornography, etc.!

The evidence for the truth, intelligence and benefits of the Judaeo/Christian system has to be made evident. The history of the last 4000 years, showing how error crept in and the results, all will help to convince people to go along with the necessary reforms.

Let us clearly expose the unhappy fates of greedy people who met unhappy ends by ignoring the teachings of God which have been written on their hearts.

During civilized times in Europe, when parents still had their children’s’ best interests in mind, and when children still respected their parents, the parents would choose or suggest possible mates for the children. Knowing the families of the prospective mate, their interests, talents, etc., they would arrange some social gatherings to enable the children to see “how things fit”, before “chemistry” set in and confused the judgment of the youngsters.

Today, the media portray the parents as fools and set up unrealistic romantic, chemical, idealic dream liaisons to be pursued. (And if the resulting relationship ever falls below that level, then end it and seek a new one.)

Why aren’t we allowed to insist that our country’s managers exercise the same level of intelligence as that of a healthy family? How has it happened that the principle of “freedom of speech” has been allowed to force us to be exposed to obviously destructive filth?

Just think of the good that would come about if we allowed/required our discussions to be ruled by honesty and the principles of Chapter 73 – HOW TO HAVE PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS.

Going on 32 years ago, God started something spectacular in a tiny village in a communist country. Six young Croatian children claimed to be seeing the Virgin Mary every day, talking with her, touching her, and exhibiting unusual physical behavior.

Soon everyone in the surrounding villages was following the children to be near during their visits.

Enter the communist authorities who tried to discourage the events.

For a while, the growth of crowds was inhibited, both to avoid persecution, and because there were no accommodations in the village for pilgrims.

When the government found that there was financial gain to be had from the pilgrims, the barriers were removed, and the villagers (and foreign investors also) looked into providing amenities for the visitors. Restaurants, souvenir shops, public toilets and rental apartments appeared.

Then the Balkan war slowed everything down, and some investors lost bundles.

When peace returned and communism collapsed, things picked up again. St. James expanded its facilities and the crowds kept growing.

From the beginning, the secular media has not shown any interest in these events. They could see nothing in these religious events that would attract the interest (and therefore, the money) of their “enslaved” audiences.

Let’s look at the state of progress today. I’m always astounded when I ask Catholics if they’ve heard about Medjugorje and get a blank look – the same response from “devout” Croatian Catholics, living or visiting the US.

Mary has said emphatically “Do not wait for the Sign. For many, it will be too late (to convert)”.

As of today (3/12/13), only a very small percentage of the Earth’s population has even heard about these apparitions.

Three of the visionaries still have not received their 10th secret. When they do, then Mirjana will start (how soon?) revealing the secrets in the manner she has described.

With all the distractions bombarding us every day, from every direction, the word-of-mouth method of spreading the story is very slow, and the expense of travelling there is prohibitive for most people.

Enter the internet – inexpensive communication available to almost anyone with hardly any international boundaries/barriers.

Young people who trust each other across geographic borders are bringing down oppressive rulers.

How to get them interested in a religious phenomenon? How do we reach the NOW generation?

Let’s stop for a minute and look back over this whole event in time.

There’s no doubt in most people’s minds who have been touched by Medjugorje, that this is a project of God’s. He certainly could have allowed-caused some more spectacular miracles if He was in a hurry. But too much too soon would have caused serious problems with the premature hordes of pilgrims descending on the unprepared village and church.

It appears that He would allow a little pulse of interest, and then put a damper on for a while, then another pulse.

But now there is not much more construction that can be done in the village and surroundings without destroying the little remaining charm.

What’s His next move?

I think MARYTV.TV has the answer. Live streaming the apparitions with the accompanying supernatural graces. Inexpensive (relatively speaking – compared to mainstream TV), and a lot less expensive then traveling there.

OK. But what will attract them?

“You can receive a blessing from Mary if you are watching an apparition live over the internet.”

“Really, Ho Hum…I’ve got to check out my Facebook.”

“You can have your religious articles receive Mary’s motherly blessing over the internet.”

“I already had them blessed by a priest.”

”You can present your petitions during a streamed apparition.”

“More Ho Hums.”

What method did Jesus use?

He performed miracles.

Has He run out of them?

Unlikely.

What if a “non-Ho Hum” Catholic decides to ask for healing for himself or a loved one, (assuming the requisite faith and attitude) during a live streaming apparition…….and gets it?!!!

And has the medical records establishing the healing as (miraculous) unexplainable medically.

What if we were to say that such healings could reasonably be expected to occur, and people were asked to report them, with medical records, to the Parish of St. James (which already has over 600 accredited healings so far)?

I think we have the beginnings of Medjugorje going “Viral”!

Mary is not limited by time or space and can “easily” get her message out to the whole world in a couple of years, release the 10 secrets, and retire from her demanding daily apparitions.

Certainly not for devout cradle Catholics. Some of them may feel I take too many liberties with our Lord and Lady.

Not for devout atheists. Their hearts are petrified. They have their questions all answered with irrefutable logic.

I guess I’m writing it for my former self – a person who was not given the truth, but who sensed that there was such a truth – who felt a sense of awe when looking at photos of the immense galaxies, and at the same time, a feeling of coldness – “Where am I in this immensity? Does it care about me? Does it know that I exist? Do I matter at all?”

I’m writing it for someone, like myself, who enjoyed using the gifts I found I had –logic, mathematics, reasoning abilities, linguistic and writing skills.

Someone who, for a while, could be satisfied with the admiration and compliments of his friends, but which food became tasteless over the years.

Someone, who wanted to be loved for “himself”, but what did that mean? If it doesn’t mean being loved for my abilities ( so that I can stop parading them to get this love), then who/what is this “self” that I am, and who can love it?

I have always “known”, (since I reached the “age of reason”) that there must some kind of super intelligence behind all the laws of physics, biology and chemistry, but I could not find any evidence of love, compassion, recognition of me-us as suffering individuals.

Perhaps there is someone like I was, who can be helped to recognize the beginnings of tastelessness of their present “food”, earlier, and not have to wait so long to be open to the new, completely fulfilling food.

When I finished writing this, I suddenly had an “image” of myself – I am like a well-loved pet dog – I know that my master loves me and so I am content, but it’s like I’m lying outside the closed door to the kitchen and I can smell the most delicious smells coming out. I would love to have some of what is being cooked, but it’s not meant for dogs. Occasionally I get to lick the plates.

We were talking this evening about the feeling that something was going to happen – that with the increasing blatant secularization of society, the church scandals and the retiring of Benedict, God was going to have to do something.

But then I returned to my thinking that Mary was a very skillful “fisherman”. She has been slowly playing with her secrets, plying her time patiently until the tiny village of Medjugorje could physically be able to handle the hordes who would be coming for inspiration and healing.

Why would she give the last three visionaries their last secret when there are still the majority of the world’s humans who have not even heard about her activities in that tiny spot on the map?

No, I think she’ll wait a little longer, let the word get out that a person can be present at her apparitions without having to spend the plane, boat and bus fare and ten days of vacation time.

And if she allows healings to take place in the privacy of your home while viewing a live apparition over the internet, the word will “become viral” in no time at all.

Then people would have a little time to repent before the secrets are revealed.

Remember, she said “Do not wait for the secrets – for many it will be too late.”

I was thinking about how to get people to go out of their way to be present on the internet during one of the visionary’s apparitions.

Getting Mary’s blessing has a limited appeal – maybe once would be nice. The same for getting her motherly blessing on religious articles.

But how about having someone experience a miraculous healing while simply being present through the internet during an apparition – a healing with the authenticating medical records.

Now I guarantee, that would attract a lot of intention –secular media or not!

346 – MARY’S NEXT MOVE

Last nite, March 2nd, we were able to watch Mirjana’s apparition, live, on the internet, thanks to Denis Nolan’s work and MARYTV.TV.

Those who were “in the know” were able to be prayed over by Mary, have religious articles blessed by her, and their petitions presented, just as if they had been physically present at the Blue Cross (and $3000 cheaper).

This breaks through the secular monopoly on what can be presented to the masses. The incredibly prohibitive expense of paying for time on the TV networks has been eliminated by the internet. Young people are using it to take down tyrannical regimes.

I remember once reading about an advertisement for a life-sized plastic female “doll”, complete with the appropriate female anatomy, which one could have “sex” with.(Control your imagination!)

It’s not too hard to imagine how unsatisfying such a “relationship” would be when compared to one with a partner who freely accepts you after getting to know you (before “chemistry” sets in).

God doesn’t want to spend eternity with plastic dolls he has created, and He doesn’t want to entice us by revealing himself and his love for us too soon.

Just like the on-line dating services, we can read about what God is like (although we can’t see him), and if we find him “interesting” we can ask to meet him (and he can decide how soon, and how close he wants to allow us to come to him).

I was struck today (Feb. 22 – The Chair of Peter) by the following fragment of one of Mary’s messages.

“Only if you come closer to Jesus will you comprehend the immeasurable love he has for each of you.”

My scientific faithless mind immediately came up with several questions.

How do I come closer? Why doesn’t he come closer? What does it feel like to be loved immeasurably? Will I feel smothered? Etc.

For now we will leave aside questions as to whether Jesus exists, whether he created us, is he vengeful, etc.

I’ve had some experiences of his love. Usually I only discover it by going back, later to the event and removing the hastily applied “coincidence” label. That tells me that I’m the one who is reluctant to quickly recognize and label something as from God. (I’m a scientist, not some over-emotional woman.)

I can also detect a nervousness at the idea that some higher being can move pieces/events around at will, even if it’s done in my favor. If I had previously prayed for that outcome, that would be different, but not having seen the possibility in advance opens up the idea of being a “puppet”.

So it is becoming clearer that I’m the one who is resisting coming closer to Jesus. It shows me that my free will is ferociously important to me, and since that is part of my makeup as designed by God, he has it there for a good reason.

As I continue growing in my faith, I find a greater willingness to allow him to have a hand in my life and to gain in trusting him when I can’t see where today’s events are going.

My most valuable asset, at 82 years of age, is hindsight – all those past tragedies which can now be seen as his gentle, protective, guiding hand.

I had been trying for the past several days to bring into focus the emotions I have been feeling and suddenly the song of the title answered it.

My recovery from my mysterious illness is still slow, and there are nagging possibilities of it not being complete.

But at the same time, what has, or may be, taken away seems to only more clearly reveal what I have been given, which has been obscured or hidden by the noisy, non-essentials.

Today, we have been celebrating Sister Mary’s 93rd birthday. As we wheeled her in to the living room, she was gently crying because she wanted to go “home”, even though she is not suffering at all.

I could sympathize with her. Our heavenly home is becoming more real and attractive as this temporary way station increasingly reveals its shabbiness.