The major and now authenticated apparition site of Medjugorje in Hercegovina is approaching its forty-fifth anniversary, with as many pilgrims as or more than ever (at least a million a year). It now has its own, Vatican-sent bishop, and some new developments when it comes to the apparitions themselves, which remain ongoing for three of the original six seers.

Through one of them, Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti, Our Lady asked on June 16 for a nine-day novena leading up to the anniversary (June 25, this Thursday) and began special apparitions on Apparition Hill at ten p.m. each day as part of it (four p.m. EST). See here.

The apparitions thus far have yielded intriguingly powerful new aspects.

Paraphrasing the seer, Marija quoted Our Lady as saying on June 18 to “pray for all our deceased, and for the whole family tree. That Our Lord may free us from every evil – from all evil that our relatives have done,” that “with our prayer, with our penance, pray for mercy that they come out of purgatory and go to Heaven.” At the end, the Blessed Mother “with the Sign of the Cross blessed us all, and she left in peace.”

This was a fascinating confirmation of what many have claimed (with no little controversy over the years) is a crucial component of deliverance: purifying the “family tree.” Perfectly timed for not only the anniversary but Father’s Day.

Think about it—meditate upon it—again: “pray for all our deceased, and for the whole family tree. That Our Lord may free us from every evil – from all evil that our relatives have done.”

None of us have any idea what sins may taint our lineages going back generations. But problems? There is baggage, for sure.

In short, the message speaks to demons and earthbound spirits that attach to family lines due to rubbing up against evil and seems in accord to what Scripture says about the “sins of the fathers” (Exodus 20:5–6, Deuteronomy 5:9–10, Numbers 14:18, and Jeremiah 32:18).

Many are the families that suffer generation after generation with various diseases, alcoholism, accidents, obesity, suicide, slothfulness, anger, anxiety, depression, division, divorce, argumentation, negativity, and other maladies.

These need to be prayed out of lineage such that our children and theirs don’t suffer the same things we may have.

Our Lady in another message (on June 19) said something equally intriguing.

Reported Marija: “Tonight at the time of the apparition when Our Lady came, I recommended to Our Lady all of us, all of our intentions, and everything that we have in our hearts. And all the people that we recommended in our prayers, and couldn’t be here physically who are connected spiritually with us.

“Our Lady prayed over us and we asked her to intercede in front of her son Jesus for peace in our hearts, for peace in our families and peace in the whole world —and in a special way where war is taking place. Our Lady extended her hands and looked over all of us and prayed over us.

“She told us that our life here on earth is temporary and that we need to leave a trail of our presence. That we direct our thoughts towards and prepare for eternal life. At the end, Our Lady extended her hands and with the Sign of the Cross she blessed us all and went into Heaven.”

We need to leave a trail of our presence.

Noted a viewer: “Look what I found! The phrase, ‘Leave a trace!’ And ‘prepare for eternity’ is a philosophical and spiritual quote by the German theologian and Protestant martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer lived out this philosophy intensely. He actively resisted the Nazi regime during World War II, defending the oppressed and risking his life for his faith. For him, “leaving a trace” meant standing up against evil, even if it cost him his earthly life, because his ultimate allegiance was to eternity.”

The apparition with Marija can be seen on MaryTV Medjugorje in the Live Channel at the top of the home page.

Stay tuned. Purify.

[resources: books on Family Healing and Medjugorje]

[We are thinking about another future pilgrimage to Medjugorje. It’s been a while! Let us know here (mbrown4537@aol.com) if you may be interested]