Amazing Grace

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“In an altered age we worship the dead forms of our forefathers. The world holds onto a formal Christianity, 

and nobody dares to talk about the heart of Christianity for fear of shocking.”

 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

 

This Prayer for Our Lands can not be rightly understood, Klaus, without an understanding — if not appreciation — for its inspiration. Such beneficence is invoked in the following words:

 

“Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is With Thee.

Blessed Art Thou among Women....”

 

“The 4th revolution is not coming like the waves in the ocean, small waves,” you stated, Klaus, all-knowingly. “It’s coming like a tsunami!”

 

Your revolution, tsunami aside, would you be surprised to discover that an even MIGHTIER and more MAGNIFICENT wave is poised, old friend? I commend to you the following revelation that bespeaks the heart and soul of this Prayer for Our Lands.

 

 

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February, 1986, The Month and Year of the Lord and Our Lady

 

 

“The masses of people in the streets continued to pray the Rosary endlessly. Some offered garlands of flowers to the soldiers who stood guard. Some brave nuns climbed up on the tanks that were approaching. Those who stayed in their homes sent supplies of food and drink.”

 

The powers that [would] be — intent on retaining their control of the government, despite the clear elections results, the will of the people — had sent a “full army,” with tanks and armored vehicles, to quell the rising demonstrations, the mounting wave of humanity. Whatever it would take the leader ordered, including massacring the thronging crowds that filled the streets.

 

“As the soldiers tried to advance,” Klaus, “they saw in the sky what appeared to be a cross-like figure, but this did not hinder them from proceeding. The soldiers continued to press on toward the crowd.”

 

The Rosary was recited continuously; the melody of Ave Maria sounded after each decade [10 recitations]. And then . . . .

 

“All of a sudden, the soldiers stopped dead in their tracks, awestruck. A magnificent woman encased in immense bright light and dressed as a nun became clearly visible, standing in front of the tanks.”

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“The light was dazzling as the crowds beheld her. According to the soldiers, the beautiful woman dressed in blue with heavenly eyes appeared in front of them, extended her arms outward and spoke in a voice that was clearly audible to everyone:

 

‘Dear soldiers, stop! Do not proceed. Do not harm my children. I am the queen of this land’.”

 

The soldiers dropped their weapons, ceased pressing forward and........ “joined the throngs of people to turn and fight with them” — against Marcos’ Philippines regime.

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So it was, Klaus. So it is, with regard, as noted, to the Real, real world, the world of miracles, grace, Amazing /Saving Grace.

 

“The soldiers claimed that the woman who appeared to them was the Virgin Mary. A television station was covering the event, which prompted thousands of residents of the Philippines to run out of their homes in celebration: ‘Mother Mary is with us!’ ”

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Cardinal Jaime Sin vouchsafed the truth of the apparition:

 

“Yes, my heart was telling me that this was indeed Mary. And since the soldiers obeyed this woman who appeared to them — and did not follow orders to fire upon the people — President Marcos found himself without power or support.”

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The worldly powers bowed down, Klaus, to the Heavenly Power.

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The Cardinal continued, “This is when Marcos fled from the Philippines. That was the end of him.” The Cardinal paused, reflected — before adding, deeply moved: “I did not know the soldiers, but they came to me in tears, awestruck by the ‘beautiful heavenly lady’.”

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That love, brother, I can vouch for. For, it has been granted me these last months, baptized by the veil of tears of which the Cardinal, our “Blessed Mother,” herself, speaks — to our heart of hearts.

 

The Cardinal further revealed that he met with Sister Lucia, the only living visionary from Fatima, just before he departed for a press conference in United States to tell of the Virgin’s appearance in Manilla. Although the Sister, St. Lucia had no access to newspapers, radio, television, or magazines, the Cardinal was amazed that she knew and recounted to him every detail of what had happened.

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This Open Letter / Prayer is inspired, Klaus, by one — an intercessor — near and dear to many a heart: that Mother, who was first glimpsed in an annunciation: “Hail Mary, Full of Grace” and later envisioned in the opening passage of the Book of Revelations that was granted to a beloved disciple named John on the island of Patmos in Greece.​​​​​​​​​​​​

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“Travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered”........ the Mother was the original tabernacle in whose womb/ sanctuary the “host,” itself, did abide, was housed, preserved, safe-guarded and sanctified.

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The Blessed Mother has accompanied us, humankind, on down through the ages: Patmos, Zaragoza, Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima, Beauraing accompanied us in ways, apparitions — above all to children, the innocents — that even the greatest of skeptics, men and women not only of science but of the Church, itself, have proven powerless to refute.

 

Ever, she appears, at our side, holding/beholding us within her loving gaze, her eternal embrace. Indeed, Klaus, should we expect otherwise of a mother, a True Mother?

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Quietly her words re-sound:

 

“Dear Children, if you only knew how much I love you, every one of you, you would cry with joy.”

 

Cry with joy. If only we knew........ such LOVE in these otherwise troubled and benighted times.

 

Can it be, Klaus?

 

Can it be that such blessed love not only exists but abounds?

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"Lourdes Apparition"

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