Episode Transcript  

One

Today is the Feast of the Queenship of Mary

World War One began in August 1914. In the end, more than sixteen million people would lose their lives. By early 1917, after two and a half years, the war had made no progress except in the death toll. The trench lines had hardly moved. There was no end in sight, and neither side would give in.

Pope Benedict XV pleaded for peace, offering himself as a mediator. But the leaders of Europe would not listen. It was, as he said, the suicide of civilized Europe. So, on May 5, 1917, Pope Benedict XV asked the Christians of the world to pray to Mary under the specific title of “Queen of Peace” that She would come to the world’s assistance at this dark moment. He formally added this title, “Queen of Peace,” to the Litany of Loretto at that moment. 

Remarkably, just eight days later, Sunday, May 13th, she appeared to three children in Fatima, Portugal: Lucia (10), Jacinta (7), and Francesco (8).   

Two

The Queen of Peace 

When Mary first appeared to the three children at Fatima, little Lucia asked Our Lady, “What do you want of me?”

“I want you to come here on the 13th of next month and to continue to pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war, because only she can help you.”

Lucia then said to Our Lady, “I have many petitions from many people. Will you grant them?” She replied, “Some I shall grant, and others I must deny. They must amend their lives and ask forgiveness for their sins. Do not offend the Lord our God any more, because He is already so much offended.”

Lucia said, “Is that all you have to ask?” And Our Lady replied, “There is nothing more.”

If we desire peace in our hearts, in our marriages, in our families, and in the world, there is only one path: personal conversion. As Our Lady said, “There is nothing more.”

To bring about this conversion that leads to lasting peace, she gave us five clear requests: that we consecrate ourselves to the Heart of Mary, turn back to God by prayer, especially the Rosary. That we seek forgiveness and healing in the Sacrament of Reconciliation on the First Saturdays of five consecutive months. That we amend or change our lives. And finally, that we offer sacrifice for the conversion of sinners.

Our Lady said, “Sacrifice yourselves for sinners, and say many times, especially when you make a sacrifice: O Jesus, it is for love of You, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”

Sin is the root of every disorder, within our hearts, our families, and our world. If we truly want peace, we must turn away from sin and allow God to transform our lives. There is no other way.

Three

Medjugorje 

Since June 24th, 1981, Our Lady has been appearing to six visionaries in Medjugorje, a village in Bosnia-Herzegovina. When asked who she was, she said, “I am the Queen of Peace,” and she said, “What I have started in Fatima, I will complete in Medjugorje. My heart will triumph.” 

On September 19th, 2024, the Vatican, through the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, gave Medjugorje a nihil obstat, the highest positive evaluation possible under the new guidelines. This means the faithful are free to go, to pray, and to take seriously the spiritual fruits of this ongoing call to conversion.

At Medjugorje, Mary reiterates her call from Fatima, but with practical tools for daily living. She offers us five spiritual stones, like David’s five stones to slay Goliath. These are her weapons for peace:

1. Daily prayer, especially the Rosary

2. Fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays

3. Monthly Confession

4. Daily reading of Sacred Scripture

5. Making the Holy Mass the center of our life

Everyone wants to change the world; no one wants to change themselves. But the Queen of Peace tells us, the world will not change until we change. Peace begins with my conversion, your conversion. 

Four

Rosary Groups

On May 25th, 2024, Our Lady said, “Dear children! In this time of grace, I am calling you to prayer with the heart. Little children, create prayer groups where you will encourage each other to the good and grow in joy. Little children, you are still far away. That is why continue to convert anew and choose the way of holiness and hope so that God may give you peace in abundance. Thank you for having responded to my call.”

She said, “Create prayer groups where you will encourage each other to the good and grow in joy.”

I once asked Mirjana, one of the six visionaries, about this specific call for prayer groups. She confirmed: this has been part of Our Lady’s plan from the very beginning. Why? Because spiritual isolation is dangerous. A single ember left alone quickly grows cold. But when joined with others, it becomes a blazing fire.

In our culture of radical individualism, we must resist the temptation to try to live the faith alone. We need small groups of family and friends where we share life, pray together, and grow in holiness. This is not optional. It is how grace spreads.

Five

Peace through Surrender: The Queen’s Final Gift

After we’ve prayed, fasted, confessed, and gathered in community, there’s still one more step: surrender. Peace does not come from control. It comes from trust. Do what you can. Leave the rest to God.

And when that surrender feels impossible, when life is painful or confusing, Mary offers us a final gift: the prayer of surrender. Pray it today. Pray it often. It will bring peace.

The Suscipe Prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will—
all I have and call my own.

You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours;
do with it what you will.

Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.

Suggested Resolutions:

Choose one resolution for today to help you grow closer to God, or create your own. Here are some ideas to inspire you. 

• Fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, either from meat or from something more specific to you, like your phone, snacks, or habits like gossip and complaining.

• Make Mass the center of your life: find time for daily Mass throughout the week and clear out your Sundays to make Mass your priority.

If you enjoyed this meditation, subscribe below.