WhatHappensinanApparition?

"Inthepast,Ihadalwaysstudiedapparitionsasanhistorian.Now,forthefirsttime,Ihavefoundmyselfinthemidstofone.Thereis

nosubstituteforthatexperienceandnowIunderstandmanyofthethingsthatescapedmeitthepast."(IsTheVirginMaryAppearing

atMedjugorje,backcover)

“Dearchildren!Onthismessage,whichIgiveyoutoday

throughmyservant,Idesireforyoutoreflectalongtime.

Mychildren,greatistheloveofGod.Donotcloseyour

eyes,donotcloseyourearswhileIrepeattoyou:Greatis

Hislove!HearmycallandmysupplicationwhichIdirect

toyou.Consecrateyourheartandmakeinitthehomeof

theLord.MayHedwellinitforever.Myeyesandmyheart

willbehere,evenwhenIwillnolongerappear.Actin

everythingasIaskyouandleadyoutotheLord.Donot

rejectfromyourselfthenameofGod,thatyoumaynotbe

rejected.Acceptmymessagesthatyoumaybeaccepted.

Decide,mychildren,itisthetimeofdecision.Beofjustand

innocentheart,thatImayleadyoutoYourFather,for

this,thatIamhere,isHisgreatlove.Thankyouforbeing

here.”

Theapparitionlastedsixminutes.Afterwards,Mirjanawrotethefollowing:“We

prayedtwoOurFather’sandtwoGloryBe’sforthosepresentandforthosewho

havenotyetcometoknowtheloveofGod.Wealsospokeofotherthings,butI

cannotspeakofthem.Therewasnotalkofthesecrets.OurLadyblessedallthose

presentandallreligiousarticles.Atthebeginningoftheapparition,OurLadywas

joyfulandgentle.Afterthat,Shewassadforawhileandintheendwasagain

joyful.I,Mirjana,whosawandfeltOurLady’slove,callyoutotrulyreflectonand

tolivethismessage!”

WhenIbegantospeakofMirjana’sannualbirthdayapparitionthatshehadhad

fivedaysearlier,sheshowedsurpriseandinterestinmyobservations.Ihadseveral

questionsIwantedtoaskMirjanaconcerningherapparitiononMarch18th.

Halfwaythroughtheapparition,IsawMirjanabendherheaddown,foronlya

second,andthenliftitbackuptolookatOurLadyagain.Ihadneverseenthis

happeninanyapparitionbefore.IwonderedifMirjanahadbeenchastisedbyOur

Ladyfordoingsomethingwrong.WhenIaskedheraboutthis,shesaidno,it

wasn’tareprimand.ShebentherheaddowntoreceiveOurLady’sblessing.Thisis

normalforhertodothis.

Somethinghadpuzzledmeaboutthisapparitionatthatparticularperiodofthe

apparition.Ithadbeensoshortforanannualapparition.OurLadyusuallystays

longerontheseoccasions.Ihadasensethatmaybetheapparitionwaslongerthan

whatIsaw.ThiswouldbeauniqueexperiencebecauseIhadneverheardMarija

expressthis,noranyoftheothervisionaries.Atthemosttheyhaveexpressedthat

theysimplylosetrackoftime.

ButthefactthatMirjanasaidshewasreceivingOurLady’sblessingduringthetime

thatshebentherheadgavecredencetothistheorybecauseOurLadydoesn’tbless

thatquickly.Infact,justlastweekendwhenIhadbeenwithMarijaandher

husband,Paolo,IaskedMarijahowOurLadyblesses.MarijasaidthatShemakes

theSignoftheCrossslowly,sayingthewords:“InthenameoftheFather…andof

theSon…andoftheHolySpirit..Amen.”Withthesethoughtsinmind,Ithensaidto

Mirjana,“Theapparitionwasonlysixminutes,butforyou,howlongwasthe

apparition?”Sheexclaimed,“OH—hours!ThisiswhyIcouldn’ttalkaboutwhat

happenedduringthemiddleoftheapparition,becausetherewereotherthingsOur

Ladysaid.WhatIsaidhappened,happened,butthereweremanyotherthingsOur

Ladyspokeabout.”

IrespondedbysayingthatIsawMirjanaspeakbackandforthwithOurLadybut

thattheconversationdidn’tlastthatlong,onlyamatterofminutes.Mirjana

answeredbackthatshehadalengthydiscussionwithOurLadyconcerningcertain

mattersthatshecannotreveal.

IthenaskedMirjanawhenshecameoutecstasy,didshefeelthatthisapparition

wasalotlonger?Wassheconcernedduringtheapparitionthatitwaslastingso

long,andthatthepeoplewouldbegrowingtired?Evidently,thiswassomething

extraordinarytoherbecausesheexclaimed,“Yes!”Herfirstthoughtafterthe

apparitionhadendedwas,“Ohmy,I’vebeenonmykneesallthistime.Howdid

thesepoorpeoplekneelthislong.Itwentonforhours.”Shesaidshefeltitwaslike

whatsheexperiencesonthesecondofthemonthbecauseshekneelsdownforalong

time,soshewasreallythinkingaboutthesepeople.Sheturnedtoherhusband,

Marco,andaskedhimhowlongwastheapparition,andhesaid,“Sixminutes.”

Mirjanawasshockedandsaid,“Sixminutes?”So,forher,thiswasabig

revelation.Itwasreallyexcitingtohearthat.ThefactthatMirjanalookeddownfor

onlyasecondtoreceiveOurLady’sblessingwasthekey.OurLadydoesn’tblessin

thismanner(veryquickly),whichShewouldhavehadtohavedoneintheamount

oftimeIsawMirjana’sheadgodownandbackupagain.Itwasasthoughthere

hadbeentwobodiesthere.

Ithenbroughtupanotherquestion.ItoldMirjanathatwhenIhavewitnessedmy

wifegivebirthtoourchildren,shehasthenormaltremendousurgeinhertopush

andIhaveseenshecouldnotresistthisurgetopush.Wehadfivechildrenatthe

timeandeverytime,it’swithallhermight,allherforce,shewantstopush.There

werechildbirthclassesthatweattendedtolearnhownottopushuntilthedoctor

saysto.Butit’smorethanshecanbare,shejusthastodoit.

IaskedMirjanatotellmeifIwaswrong,butIsawthisinherfacetheotherday.I

notedtoMirjanathatOurLadycame10minutesearlierthanwhatShehad

announced.Isawhergetupfromherchairandthatshehadthissamelookof

feeling—asthoughshewasgivingbirth.Isaiditwasunmistakabletomeand

Mirjanainterruptedmeandimmediatelybegantospeak,explainingthatFr.Slavko

hadcomeuptoherandsaidhewantedhertosayanotherdecadeoftheRosary

andaskedifshecouldsayit.Shesaidshereallydidn’tknow,andsohecontinued

recitingtheprayershimself.ThensuddenlyMirjanareachedouttotugFr.Slavko’s

robe,saying“Ihavetopraynow!”Mirjanatoldmethatthisexampleofchildbirth

isexactlywhatitfeltlike.Everythinginherwholeemotionwascomingout,likeshe

wasgivingbirth.Andsothiswasarealjoy,thisdiscovery.ButthiswaswhatIhad

seenonherface,thisiswhatimmediatelyhadcometomyheart.Whywouldthat

evenbethoughtof?AndyetIsawit,theexactsamething,nottoanylessdegree

thanmywife’sfaceatthemomentofgivingbirth.Itwasthere.Anditwassomething

shecouldn’tresist,somethingshecouldn’tholdback.IrelayedtoMirjanathatthe

wholeexpressiononherfaceturnedserious;allthejoyleftherbecauseitwaslike

shecouldn’tholdthisanymore,thistremendousurgethatOurLadywasaboutto

appear.Itoldhershehadalookonherfaceofavery‘uncontrollableurge’which

immediatelyturnedintoarelievedjoywhenOurLadyappeared,justasifabirth

hadtakenplace.ThiswasarealbigthinginthewayMirjanareactedbecauseit

showedwhileMirjanawasanticipatingthattherewere10moreminutesbeforeOur

Ladywouldcome,something,atremendousurgecameoverhertoprayandtopray

now.OurLadywasabouttoappear.Thisprecededthethreeflashesoflightthat

normallycomesbeforeeveryapparition.IhadaskedhertotellmeifIwaswrong,

butinstead,sheconfirmeditcompletely.

Accordingtothetestsconductedonthevisionaries,thereisverylittleeyemovement

recordedduringecstasy.Rather,theireyesareintenselytransfixedonthelocationof

theapparition,andnothingdistractsthemfromwhattheyseebeforetheireyes.

However,ononeoccasiontherewasanapparitioninwhichtherewasachange

fromthisnormalpatternofbehavior.MarijawaspresentatCaritasfortheAugust

1-5,2005publicapparitionsforalargegatheringofpeoplefromacrossthe

countrytopubliclycelebrateOurLady’sbirthday.Thedaybeforetheeventwasto

begin,theCaritasCommunitywasgatheredinthelivingroomofmyhomeforthe

apparition.AlsopresentwasMarija’shusband,Paolo,andtheirfouryoungsons.

OneofmysonswaskneelingrightnexttoMarijaandthroughouttheapparition,he

noticedMarija’seyesweredartingbackandforth,veryunusualforMarija,whose

normalecstatic,contemplativestarewhilesheispeeringintothefaceofOurLadyis

socommonlyknown.Itpuzzledhimwhenhesawthisinhereyes.

Itbecameevidenttoeveryoneintheapparitionthatsomethingdifferentwas

happeningthanwhatisnormalforMarija’sapparitions.Halfwaythroughthe

apparition,Marijabegantoprayoutloudwhilestillinecstasy,whichhasn’t

happenedinmanyyearswithMarija,thoughitiscommonwithIvanwhenheison

ApparitionHillforprayergroupmeetingsinMedjugorje.EveryoneheardMarija

prayanOurFatherandaGloryBewithOurLadyintheapparition.Wewereall

shockedwhenthishappened,includingMarija’shusbandandchildrenwhoalso

noticedthishighlyunusualdeparturefromwhatisnormalinherapparitions.

Marija’ssons,infact,hadneverheardMarija’svoicewhileinecstasy.Paolowas

verysurprisedandeventranslatedintoItalianfromMarija’sexplanationinEnglish

tohisboyswhattheirmotherwassaying.ThenhequestionedMarijainItalianand

explainedmoretohissons.Thesecondfactorwasthattheapparitionlastedan

unusuallylongtime—almostsixminutes.

Attheendoftheapparition,Marijawasexcited.Shehadjusthadasimilar

experienceastowhatwasdescribedinMirjana’sappartionofMarch18,1996.To

Marija,theapparitionhadbeenaverylongtime.ShesaidthatOurLadyprayed

overeveryonepresent,whatseemedlikeatleastfiveminutesapiece.Butwhatwas

reallyunique,evenforMarija,wasthatOurLadywasstretchingoverMarijato

reachthedifferentcommunitymemberstoprayoverthemindividuallywithHer

hands.MarijasaidshefeltlikeshewasafenceorabarriertoOurLadywhose

bodywasactuallyleaningrightnearMarija’sface,asHerarmsreachedpastHer.

MarijafeltshewasinthewayofOurLady,orratherthatOurLadywastooclose,

thatMarijaneededtomoveback.Marijasaiditwassomethinglikethefirstdays,

whenOurLadysaidpeoplecouldcomeuptoapproachHer.Thishadnever

happenedtoherinanapparition,anditwassomethingthatbroughtherspecial

joy.

WhatmysonwasseeinginwatchingMarija’seyesmovingbackandforth,was

MarijawatchingOurLadyprayingovereachperson,althoughMarijacouldnot

seeeachindiviaulasOurLadyprayedoverthem.Butjustasmentionedinthe

previousstory,thatOurLadyisneverinarushwhenSheisblessing,Marija’seyes

wereinsomethingofatimewarp,movingquicklyinourtime,butinthetimeshe

waswithOurLady,shewasfollowingHermovementsmuchslower.Whatwasalso

difficulttocomprehendwashowOurLadyreachedeachperson,aswewereall

scatteredthroughoutalargeroom.Itwasimpossibleinhumanterms,forOurLady

toreacheveryone,withoutphysicallywalkingtothoseinthemiddleorinthebackof

theroom,andyetMarijasaidthatOurLadyhadplaceHerhandsovereachofour

heads.

Again,thiswassomethingthathadadoctorofsciencebeenpresent,hecouldhave

madetheobservationofseeingMarija’seyesmovingbackandforthasmysonhad.

Hecouldhavenotedthiswashighlyunusualbehaviorofthevisionariesas

comparedtowhattheyhaveobservedoveralltheseyears.Butwithoutfaith,there

canbelittlemeaningattachedtothisuniquemovementofMarija’seyesoutsideof

thefactthatitwasoutsidetherealmofwhathasbecomeknownas“normal”

behaviorinthevisionaries.However,thisobservationofMarija’seyemovementwas

importanttousasitconfirmedMarija’stestimonyoftheactualeventofOurLady

prayingovereachpersonintheapparition.Wedidnotneedtheknowledgeofthis

tobelievewhatMarijahadtoldus,butitgaveusagreaterjoyandactuallyledto

greaterfaithandbeliefintheapparitionsthemselves.

Anotherexampleofthiswasanapparitioninwhichthescientistsperformingthe

testsobservedthatJakovstoppedbreathingfora10fullsecondsduringthe

apparition.Thenotationwasmade,buttheimpactofthatobservationwasn’tfelt

untilJakovrevealedthathewasshownoneofthesecrets,achastisementforthe

MedjugorjeVisionsProvenNotADeception PsychologicalTesting AnInterviewwithDr.HenriJoyeux

First,DiscernforYourself DoNotPersistinYourUnbelief,ButBelieve MedjugorjeisUniqueAmongAllOtherApparitions

WhatHappensinanApparition? AChronologyofTesting—From1981toPresent

TheScientificallyUnexplainableResultsfromTestingtheVisionaries

French-ItalianCommission’s12-PointConclusion-January14,1986 Dr.GiorgioSanguinetti,Italy-April,1985

MichaelW.Petrides,USA-September10,1993 JamesPaulPandarakalam,UK-2001

world,duringtheapparition.Hestoppedbreathinginresponsetotheshockofwhat

hewasseeing.Suddenly,thesimpleobservationofseeingJakovstopbreathinghad

amuchgreaterimpactuponthosewhocombinedthatinformationwiththeirfaith

thatthevisionariesaretrulyseeingOurLady.