Easter wishes of Mons. Henryk Hoser, Apostolic Visitator

date: 11.04.2020.

Dear priests, religious brothers and nuns, dear pilgrims and parishioners of Medjugorje parish,

Brothers and sisters,

The social life as it was interrupted in the whole world. We live painful and surreal time in which, along with changing many life habits, we had to give up regular life and meeting other people, spending time with them, as well as Eucharistic celebrations. Surely, the most painful is the “eucharistic fasting”, sacrifice required from us only in love towards the other.

More less, that is the picture of Medjugorje nowadays. Medjugorje is immersed in peace and fearful silence, paths of many pilgrims are nearly empty, accommodation homes and church is closed.

This is opportunity for us to live more profoundly the Holy Week, the mystery of Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection. This is opportunity for us to see in our troubles and in afflictions of the others the face of Christ - of the One who was innocent, accused and condemned to death, scourged, tortured and deprived of every human dignity.

How did our Lord feel? He felt immense physical suffering, but what was greater was the suffering of His soul. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He sweat blood seeing the sins of the world and his death that was approaching.

He lived abandonment and isolation, everyone left Him and ran away. He went through a horrible feeling of solitude. Left from people, he also felt left alone from God and he exclaimed on the cross: „My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?“During this entire terrifying time, Jesus was aware He was a Servant. He only thought about the others: apostles, crying women, criminals who were crucified at the same time with Him, he thought about the whole world – let us meditate on the Seven Words of Jesus on the Cross!

Today, the world also lives its suffering. There are many of those who died, who are left alone, many live by themselves and do not have financial funds, many who are disabled. Let us all become servants! Let us help one another. Let us help those who are old, poor, who live without any help, families with children, above all, let us help parents who are alone without their spouses. We can break this isolation, not just in our families, but with all neighbours and people who live in our vicinity.

After death and silence of death, the Resurrection shall come. After this pandemic, there will be again normal life, but in a different way – this shall be the time of thanking God for our life, for its every breath, for getting back to normal circumstances, for opened churches and intensive sacramental life.

Dear brothers and sisters, we have one powerful instrument before this catastrophe: the prayer of trust, fervent and permanent prayer. Medjugorje church seems to be temporary immersed in the outer silence, but prayer is still alive in it. In prayer communion with all Medjugorje priests, nuns, religious, different communities and parishioners, you can join us now every night through different media instruments, and thus make a “little church” in your own homes.

Be assured that I am blessing you and praying daily for your intentions. I entrust you all to intercession of Risen Christ and Mary, the Queen of Peace.

+ HenrykHoser, S.A.C, the Apostolic Visitor for Medjugorje parish