Our Lady of Naju shedding Tears of Blood

Dear beloved bishop and all the priests, our beloved Mama Julia, and Mr. Julio, and all the pilgrims, and the faithful who come from all corners of Korea and of the world.

Today, we celebrate the 28th anniversary of shedding Tears of Blood of Mama Mary here in Naju.

This year the Anniversary coincides with the Mission Sunday. What does Mission Sunday mean? It means that we pray for the evangelization of all the nations to become the disciples of Jesus.

What I am telling you is happening now. Here in Naju, we are from all nations. It is really great. What happened 2,000 years ago, is happening now in front of us in our midst. The Good Lord would like that the good news be brought to the whole world to convert people. And Mama Mary, our Blessed Virgin Mary carries out this mission for all generations even until now. And Mama Mary asks the humble Mrs. Julia to join her in converting the people to Her Son Jesus. And the sign that Mama Mary gave to her is the shedding of tears of blood.

Thank God, Mama Julia believed in her. If Mama Julia didn’t believe at that time 28 years ago, then nothing would happen now. It is because of her belief, and her willingness to join Mama Mary in converting the people to Her Son that we are gathered here to celebrate that Message. And so while celebrating this anniversary, we thank God, we thank Mama Mary, we also thank Mrs. Julia for accepting this message to spread to all the people. And also we thank all the volunteers, and all the people who work to support Mama Julia to spread this message especially, the sisters that pray for all of us. But dear brothers and sisters, I have to add something more.

I tell you the reason why we have to join Mama Mary, Mrs. Julia to convert the world, to convert the church, to convert all others including ourselves. The church is consisted of us, the sinners. We don’t claim ourselves as holy people when compared to the people outside. No, we must humbly say that we are all sinners and we need to be converted.

After being converted, and experienced the grace of God, then that is the time when we also have to do something. It is no need for you to go out to all the world. If the parents, mother or father, bring their children to Jesus, they are actually doing the mission already. That is great for the parents to bring their children to God.

If you say, “Well, Father, I tried my best to bring my children to Jesus by bringing them to the Church. But they don’t like it. They don’t listen to me. So what shall I do?” Then I will tell you “Do it again! Don’t give up, and then tell to Mama Mary and complain, saying ‘Mama Mary, I tried my best, I failed, now you do it yourself.’” Do the same with your husband, the same with your wife, the same with your friends.

Now dear brothers and sisters, we do not expect that we will be successful all the times. We fail, but that is not the main problem. The main problem is if we fail we don’t like to start anew. Once a business man told me that his wife got mad with him because of what? Gambling! He wasted all the family resources in gambling. And so the wife chased him away. Then he told me “Father! You do something.”

Then I said “What shall I do? I am not the one who gambles.” Then I said “Your wife is doing a mission for you. Then I said “You go back, and say ‘I am sorry!’ Now I would reform my life.” Then he said, “You sound like my wife.” But I kept on trying and wife kept on trying and finally got him back. That is the mission. There is no need to go out with a thick book, preaching to people saying: “I am doing the mission.” No need for that.

Mama Mary shed Tears of blood, witnessed by Mrs. Julia and spread to all the world and gather all of us together here. Then what shall we do then? Look! If you help people so that they would believe in God again, that is the mission. If you cannot do anything then, let us pray. At least we can pray for the mission.

I think the bishop and all the priests pray in the same manner: “Lord, Mama Mary, listen to the prayer of your faithful people.” So when we go back home after the celebration, you say to yourself ‘I will carry out the mission. Bring even one person to Our Lord Jesus. If I fail today, I will do it again from tomorrow, to another day. Do it again and again until the end of time. Then Mama Mary will be happy that you have tried your best. The shedding and weeping of tears of blood means that our Blessed Virgin Mary is extremely sad. Let us console Mama Mary, by telling her not to cry and that we will do our best. Let us ask Mama Julia to pray for all of us, so that we can carry out this mission.

Once I was called to bring Holy Communion to a man in the hospital. So I carried with me the Sacrament. When I entered the room, the man said “Who are you?” I am with my habit like this as a priest. “Are you sure?” Then he said “Get out!”

I went back to the chapel and I cried. So now I could understand why Mama Mary cries. If the man refused me, it is OK. Who am I? But he refused Our Lord Himself. That’s why I cried in the chapel.

On another occasion I saw a mother crying in the chapel. I noticed this woman was not praying but crying. So I approached her and I said, “Mom, what happened?” she said “Oh father! My son.” “what happened with your son?” “Taking drugs.”

The mother cried, I cried, and Mama Mary cried. Now we can understand why Mama Mary was crying and shedding tears of blood. It is more serious than ever. This is the message for us if you cry and then convert one person to Christ, Mama Mary would be happy and this celebration will be meaningful for all of us. We thank Mama Mary again, for giving us the shrine, and Mrs. Julia for accepting this message and spreading it to all of us and let us carry it out. Amen.