A Way of Salvation - A Way of Life
The spirituality of Our Lady’s Ranch is intended for families, and has been designed to coincide with a homesteading lifestyle. The following guidelines describe individual, family, and community activities meant to nurture a common understanding of a common way of life. It is important that individuals and families maintain certain consistencies in their behaviors and attitudes in order to sustain a way of life that is conducive to mutual principles (for further reading, explore our previous journal entry, Family and Community). But variety and flexibility are also important, so that The Way of Life enhances each individual’s daily experience of God, without subjecting Divine Providence to human limitations or schedules.
These guidelines that describe A Way of Salvation are the result of following Our Lady’s messages of Medjugorje for many years, and they promote a Christ-centered life.* However, it is up to the members of each household to discern how they wish to live, including how they wish to pray and how they wish to conduct themselves within a framework of Christian morality. It is not appropriate for any person to decide for another family how they ought to live. Rather, it is for the parents to decide, in God’s grace, how they wish to live and how they wish to raise their children.
*All of the messages that are highlighted on this site are taken from the book, “Words from Heaven,” a compilation of the messages of our Blessed Mother Mary, who has been appearing in Medjugorje, Bosnia daily for over 40 years. It is produced by St. James Publishing, copyright 2000. The dates shown indicate the day Our Lady gave the message to one or more of the six visionaries. The publisher realizes and accepts that the final authority regarding the Medjugorje Apparitions rests with the Holy See of Rome. They willingly submit to that judgment, and so do we.
“Little children, I desire that through your lives you are witnesses, that you are my extended hands, my instruments. Get as many hearts as you can close to my heart and lead them to God, to A Way of Salvation.” (May 31, 1995 – emphasis added)
“A WAY OF SALVATION” is the spirituality of Our Lady’s Ranch and the excerpts below are an abbreviated version of our “Way of Life”…
1. Gospel Values
We earnestly strive to live a Christ-centered life so we read his Words, reflect on them, and practice them every day.
“Read the Bible every day.” (Medjugorje, Oct. 18, 1984)
2. Prayer
Individual Meditation
Verbal Family Prayers
Spiritual Reading
Mass & Confession
Making a Daily Routine
3. Gift
We receive everyone and everything in the spirit of “Gift,” for all is truly a gift from our Father in Heaven.
4. Relationships
Only love matters! Our only important memories will be the experiences we enjoyed and the people we loved.
We will remember the experiences we enjoyed and the people we loved.
5. Obedience to Relationships
“If anyone asks you to go with him one mile, go with him for two.” (Mathew 5:41)
6. Grace of the Moment
Grace is favor — the free and undeserved help that God gives us.
Every moment contains grace - sometimes tears, sometimes laughter, sometimes power, and sometimes peace; but always grace - given to anyone and everyone who desires it.
7. Obedience to the Church
Pastor, Bishop, Pope.
“Pray very much for the bishop and those who hold positions in the church.” (Medjugorje, Jun. 16, 1983)
8. Sacrifice
Offer up everything - the easy and the difficult - for the glory of God and the Salvation of Souls.
9. Culture
The world is drifting toward a “mono-culture.”
We found roots in our “Catholic Culture.”
10. Traditions
All Saints Day: instead of dressing up as ghosts for Halloween, we dress as our favorite Saint and enjoy a day of games and treats with friends.
The Feast Day of St. Nicholas: on December 6th every year, the kids put out their shoes in front of the fire after our evening Rosary. In the morning, their shoe is filled with treats from Good Ol’ Saint Nick.
The Last Supper: The meal of The Last Supper has become a very important tradition for us as we return to our roots with lamb, hummus, and unleavened bread, trying to imitate what Christ and the Disciples would have eaten that night.
Easter Basket: every Easter it’s dad’s job to hide the Easter Baskets that Mom packed. It’s only through the riddles that he writes that the kids can find them!
11. The Sabbath
“Remember to keep holy the sabbath day. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord, your God. No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter, or your male or female slave, or your beast, or by the alien who lives with you.” (Exodus 20: 8-10)
12. Simplicity
Play in the dirt, cook at home, and enjoy what you have.
13. Time Together
Praying, working, eating, playing, and resting together.
14. Love, Forgiveness, & Joy
We are learning to love as Jesus loves, with our whole mind, heart, soul, and strength.
15. Security
We put our trust in the Lord, as opposed to money, materials, or people.
16. The Spirit of Poverty
It is important for us to recognize that all things first belong to God.
17. The Spirit of Chastity
No suggestive behavior or dirty jokes, no flirty language or movies/songs that would be inappropriate for children.
We try to model ourselves after Our Blessed Mother Mary and St. Maria Goretti.
18. Freedom
True freedom is saying “yes” to God.
19. Electronic Games, Computers, & Television
Eliminating video games promotes creativity and imagination
Monitoring internet use protects purity
When it comes to movies, ask yourself if it will bring you closer to God; yes/no, why?
20. Only God
Every person or thing that enters Our Lady’s Ranch must be in or of God, or it must not enter.
21. Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco
Hard alcohol is discouraged, but beer and wine are enjoyed socially within reason.
An occasional cigar or pipe may be enjoyed socially, but cigarettes and vapes are discouraged and don’t have a place for those committed to a Christ-centered life.
22. Settling Disputes
The order of the family as ordained by God brings harmony and peace. Holy fatherhood and holy motherhood move in obedience to one another, with respect and trust in each other’s love. The mother trusts that God is guiding the father in providence, and the father is ready to lay down his life for the mother. The father makes any final decisions needed for the household, but with a prudence that is so sensitive to the inspirations and intuitions of the mother that no self-interest remains, and his authority is not perceived, being overshadowed by extraordinary humility, kindness, and compassion.
23. Attitude
Always serve with a joyful heart!
24. Discipline
Personal discipline, punctuality, and personal prayer
25. Order
We take care of the things that God has blessed us with.
We keep our living spaces clean and orderly.
26. Health
The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit - We seek Health and Wellness of Mind, Body, and Soul
27. Nature
“The Lord, God then took the man and settled him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and care for it.” (Genesis 2:15)
28. Hospitality
Our home is always open for those seeking to grow in their faith and learn about the teachings of Christ.
29. Sacraments
We attend Mass every Sunday and usually a few days during the week as well.
We attend Confession as often as we can (at least once per month but better every two weeks).
30. Fasting
“Through fasting and prayer one can stop wars, one can suspend the laws of nature...” (Medjugorje, July 21, 1982).
Through her messages of Medjugorje, Our Lady gives us “A Way of Salvation,” by teaching us how to live. “Get as many hearts as you can close to my heart and lead them to God, to A Way of Salvation.” (May 31, 1995 – emphasis added) She explains to us the meaning of the Gospel and shows us how to live it in the practical applications of everyday life. She leads us to Jesus by drawing us into His Gospel message of love. Through her witness of love and her role as Mother, she inspires us to pray and work each day for the Glory of God and the Salvation of Souls.
“Do not forget that I am your Mother and that I love you.”
(Our Lady of Medjugorje, May 23, 1988)
Until next time — Blessings and Peace to you and your family!
Philip Zeiter and Mario John Chris of Our Lady’s Ranch, California