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Michael
Cho
is
the third
one
from
the
left
on second
row.
The Retreat that Led Me to Self -
Reflection and Enlightenment
I had a great change of heart through this
retreat so I decided to write my testimony. This serves to remind me how the
Retreat was a truly special day for me.
My first visit to Naju was in August 15,
2009. At that time, Í received some special graces among which were the
stream of the Water of Mercy, the
Precious Blood of Our Lord in 2010. and
obtaining the grace of repentance and enlightenment this year.I
receved
something
special
signs
for
me
whenever
I
came
to
Naju
anyway.
Nothing new to say, but I give thanks to
the Lord and the Blessed Mother.
I love you !
In addition, I'd like to thank Julia and
all the volunteer helpers who prepared this wonderful retreat for us. It was the first time for me to sign up and
participate in this retreat. It was totally days of extraordinary graces.
I had then completely fallen into
frustration. As someone already perceived, I had already made up my mind to
reject the Lord and the Blessed Mother. Therefore, I intentionally skipped the
first Saturday prayer meeting, and on the last Saturday, I did not join the
street rally to disseminate information about Naju I would not have the chance to join this
retreat, nay I would not have come at all. I was really disappointed and frustrated
with the Lord and the Blessed Mother. I thought to myself that I just wanted to
be wayward.
My brain was besieged with thoughts that nothing
is real - Jesus, the Blessed Mother, heaven, hell and so on. I was mad and wished
I would not be able to open my eyes when morning comes. I had disturbing thoughts of jumping off from
the 11th floor of where I lived and many other dismal thoughts came to my mind.
Nevertheless, I still came to Naju for the first Saturday prayer meeting, and
on the spot, I promised to join the Retreat on Aug 13-14 and 15th for the
Solemnity of the Assumption. I was inspired by the Lord and the Blessed Mother,
am I right ?
It was truly special experiences on the Way
of the Cross during this retreat. I started crying as we watched the DVD
entitled ̈The Passion of
Christ & Julia’s sufferings ̈ just before doing the Way of the Cross. I did
not feel anything about it before when I watched the same DVD last year.
After watching the DVD, I realized the
significance of true Love and that all the thoughts I had harbored so far were
wrong and how crazy I was in the meantime ... and also that I was very
selfish...
Finally, I deeply felt how for our sake,
Jesus endured all kinds of humiliation
and sufferings without giving up . Things that no human being could never ever
endure.
In the beginning of the Stations of the
Cross, I saw that the postulants walked on their knees with the Cross.
Our team was standing behind them, and according
to the instruction of the team leader, we were supposed to kneel at each
Station. When we reached the first
station and I knelt down, I felt such extreme pains as if my knees were being
pierced.
It was too painful and difficult to finish.
But I made up my mind and I offered up all my pains with the spirit of offering
it for the conversion of sinners according to the words of Julia Kim. Then, I
felt that the pain decreased gradually from the next Station to the next. In
the beginning, due to severe pain, I thought that I may have to give up in the
middle of the Stations of the Cross. But the Lord sustained me with the grace
to endure and finish it.
This time, doing the Stations of the Cross
and meditating on it was a different case from the previous ones.
Mama Julia Kim received the pains from the
Crown of Thorns during the Stations of the Cross. Once again, I could not control weeping
copious tears as I thought and meditated that for our sake, Mama Julia Kim is
now enduring and offering sufferings that ordinary people could never endure.
Also during the Veneration of the Cross, I
used to always pray with egotistical intentions like, " Please heal my body ” ,etc...
But this time, I prayed ̈ Lord ! I am so
sorry !" I will not be frustrated again.
I did not offer up my sufferings well and did not practice the five ways
of Naju Spiritualities well, but I will try to do it better from now on. At
that moment, Julia Kim's pains became extremely excessive.
Upon looking at Julia Kim, I could not help
crying and I said to the Lord ̈ I am sorry !̈ as I prayed
inwardly. I didn’t know if in this case it could be called as
repentance, but I wanted to believe that
this is surely “ the grace of repentance.”
Someone would ponder about it and say, this
is not a big deal, but for me, it was a great enlightenment because I finally
recognized what really is true love. My prayers before were all so self
centered. Just after completing the
stations of the Cross, I made up my mind to offer up all my
difficulties to God and I promised that from now on I will trust completely in
the Lord and the Blessed Mother .
Looking back on my life, The
Lord was always inundating
me with so much love but I could not feel the love of the Lord due
to my pride and selfishness. From now
on, I will start a new life. I am too
unworthy but I will do my best to become the person whose faith others will deem
worthy of emulation. Even when I encounter again a lot of challenges and
frustrations, I will try to overcome all the difficulties that come my way no
matter what by remembering this retreat and meditating on the deep love of our
Lord through Julia Kim.
Thanks to all of you in reading my
testimony written by one who doesn't have a talent for writing. I wish you all will be filled with the love
of the Lord and the Blessed Mother.
P.S
I found A WORD OF TODAY ( called "word
candy" in Korean) in my bag while I was unpacking. This word was imprinted
on my mind as a message of love given by the Blessed Mother on June 27,1996.
" Entrust to me today your sorrows,
agonies, conflicts, ordeals, physical pains, numerous spiritual wounds and
everything that can be a cause of affliction to you" ̈
Through this opportunity of attending this RETREAT,
I am now so happy to respond to the Lord with " Amen" from the bottom
of my heart whereas before I used to always respond with "Amen" only as lip service and not
from the heart.
Thank you so much.
Michael Cho
from Seoul
Aug 17,2011
The
5
ways
of
the
spiritualities
of
Naju
:
Amen,
It
is
my
fault,
Offering
up
everything
as
a
sacrifice,
Self-denial
for
other's
sake
(SemChiGo-As
if
Something
have
done),The
prayers
of
life
at
every
moment,every
day.
43
male-participants
and
47
female-participants
were
joined
the
5th
retreat
for
the
youth
from
on
Aug
13
thru
14
followed
by
they
also
attended
the
Solemnity
of
the
Assumption
of
the
Blessed
Virgin
Mary
conducted
by
the
Sodality
of
Mary's
Ark
Salvation.
Watching
the
DVD
which
titled
"
The
passion
of
Christ
&
Julia's
sufferings."
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|
|
|
The
Stations
of
the
Cross
|
 |
|
The
pains
from
the
Crown
of
Thorns
started
when
Julia
Kim
reached
to
the
11th
Station. |
 |
|
She
offered
severe
pains
from
the
Crown
of
Thorns
at
the
12th
Station. |
 |
| Bleeding
again
at
the
12th
Station. |
At
the
Mt.Calvary,
blood
trickling
down
from
her
forehead.
 |
|
Julia
Kim
embracing
each
one
of
the
retreat
participants
while
she
receiving
the
extreme
sufferings. |
|
 |
|
|
|
Julia
Kim
stood
in
front
of
the
Blessed
Mother,
gazing
at
Jesus
,and
praying
to
Him while
she
offering
up
all
the
painful
sufferings
graciously
for
the
conversion
of
sinners
as
well
as
for
the
transformation
of
all
the
participants
of
this
retreat.
and
also
for
the
all
the
pilgrims
who
will
come
and
attend
the
Solemnity
of
the
Assumption
tomorrow
on
Aug
15,2011.
"No matter how unworthy I am and continuously groaning from the sufferings
caused by illnesses, how graciously and happily I receive the
sufferings so that my little offering though like specks of dust
may contribute to the work of salvation by the Lord." Amen
! |
♥The
Solemnity
of
the
Assumption-Vigil♥
Father.
Mike
who
is
Singaporean
, now assistant
pastor
of
Mary
Queen
of
Apostles
parish
Church
,
ordained
priesthood
in
Canberra,Australia
on
March
25,this
year.
Julia
Kim
giving
her
testimony
during
the
vigil
of
the
Solemnity
of
the
Assumption
of
the
Blessed
Virgin
Mary.
The
Message
from
the
Blessed
Mother
on
Jan
5,2002
THE BLESSED MOTHER:
My beloved daughter! My lovable daughter who finds happiness in
suffering pains because you want to become a handkerchief of love to wipe away
my Son Jesus's blood and sweat and my tears of blood, become pliers of love to
pull out nails from my Son's Sacred Heart and my Immaculate Heart, and become a
tailor to mend the Sacred Heart of Jesus and my Immaculate Heart which have been
torn! Your bloody pains will not be fruitless, and, through the sacrifices and
reparations that you (plural) offer up, many souls will receive the grace of
repentance. Therefore, become a net of even greater love and go forward doing
your best in a heroic way in response to my wish to save all the children in the
world.
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