Introduction

On June 30, 1985, in Naju, Jeollanamdo province, located in the southwestern part of Korea, a statue of the Blessed Mother, enshrined in the home of a devout woman, began to shed tears. From July 18, the Blessed Mother began giving Her Messages of Love through this woman. Over time, Jesus and God the Father also started giving Messages.

To understand these messages well, let us first look at the origins of the apparitions in Naju. Since the creation of the world, human corruption has worsened day by day. To save humanity from sin, God sent His only begotten Son to this world two thousand years ago. However, humanity continued to commit increasingly vile sins, rushing headlong toward destruction.

The Blessed Mother, the Co-Redemptrix, felt so regrettable over it that She asked Her Son, Jesus, to find a soul who would help Her to work for the salvation of humanity. Jesus, in response, personally chose a soul from among the countless people, as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the sea shore, and prepared and guided this soul throughout her life from birth.

“My beloved little soul! I have chosen you because of My Mother Mary’s request. Look back at the life that you have led thus far! Since the time when you were growing up to be mature, your life has been interspersed with tough and extreme sufferings where you have had to plow barefoot through a rough and thorny path. It was, however, the path prepared by My Mother and Me for these current times.” (From Jesus’ Words on May 3, 1984, in the Book “The Way of Love for the Lord”)

The path prepared by the Lord was never a luxurious silk road or a flower-strewn path but a blood-soaked, thorny road filled with trials and hardships unimaginable to humans. (Refer to the episodes “The Life Prepared by the Lord”)

She was born on March 3, 1947, in Naju, South Korea. From her infancy, Jesus tempered her in the charcoal brazier of pains, and tested her countless times, personally nurturing her to become a little soul worthy as His instrument. Though she was born into a wealthy family, she lost her family and all possessions at the age of four during the Korean War, a fratricidal tragedy, leaving her alone with her mother. At the age of 27, her mother became a widow. She started peddling to support her daughter and ensure she was well cared for, thus she left her daughter in the care of her own family.

Her mother provided ample compensation hoping she would be well cared for, but her maternal family made her do all sorts of work from the age of five. At the age of six, she was put to do household chores, and by the age of seven, she was even taking on tasks typically reserved for adults. Despite facing oppression, abuse, verbal assaults, and beatings from her maternal uncle and others around her, she lived with a good heart, seeking only the peace of her neighbors with Semchigo as if she were loved.

After she grew up this way, endless hardships and adversities continued to follow her. Driven by the sole desire to provide a comfortable life for her widowed mother, she tirelessly worked various jobs, including running a beauty parlor and operating an academy. Despite facing numerous over-death experiences in all kinds of suffering, including being subjected to mob violence by those seeking to exploit her at work, she maintained her unique kindness and did not harbor any resentment toward anyone.

In order to avoid the many men who liked her, she had to move her work place frequently, therefore she never received a salary despite working various jobs. Nevertheless, she accepted all hardships as her own fault and practiced Semchigo as if she had been paid, she navigated adversity with a loving heart. Her exceptional appearance and kind nature attracted many great marriage proposals from wealthy families, but longing for a father's love and sibling affection, she married the eldest son of the head family among the lineage with eight siblings, despite almost everyone's opposition.

Instead of a honeymoon, she served at the reception which was held for two days at her family-in-law. On the third day, despite all the wedding gift money having been given to the groom's side, her mother-in-law told her "We went into debt to arrange your wedding. You must repay all the debt," her mother-in-law urged her. Consequently, she had to dispose of her thriving beauty parlor through a quick sale to repay the debt.

Before long, she had to repay numerous debts, including those taken on by her parents-in-law as guarantors. Facing her mother-in-law's ongoing demands for money, she managed to give her the money by doing private hairdressing (which means providing the same hairdressing skills but going around individually and offering services at a lower price since she no longer had a salon). However, it was not enough. Therefore, she barely ate or rested, working with her child on her back to earn money. As she had done since childhood, she fed beggars who came to her, even letting her own children go hungry saying, "Since we can eat next time, let us practice Semchigo as if we ate it." One day, upon her mother-in-law’s request, she moved into her in-law’s house while pregnant with her third child, bringing her two other children along.

Although completely unable to take care of herself, she had to manage the household for a family of fifteen, including her husband’s maternal grandmother and two sons of her husband’s maternal uncle. The constant hard work led to a miscarriage. For five months, she suffered severe bleeding but could not afford to go to the hospital, and her mother-in-law's demands for money never ceased. With no more places to borrow money from, she promised her mother-in-law to earn it and went down to Naju. One day during her private hairdressing work, eventually, she collapsed and died, but through God's love, she was brought back to life.

After that, she was advised that giving birth subsequently and postnatal care would help her recover from her illness, so she got pregnant again. While working and carrying her second child on her back, a superbaby who weighed over 20 kg, she experienced minor bleeding in the fourth month of pregnancy and went to a gynecologist. The doctor, enslaved by money, falsely claimed that the fetus was dead despite detecting fetal movement. Even as she tried to escape running away, they dragged her, tied her limbs, and ended up performing a forced abortion.

Immediately after the surgery, she suffered severe bleeding, and on the seventh day, she had to undergo another surgery. However, the following day, she died. The Lord brought her back to life, but on the 13th day after the surgery, the placenta was expelled, and due to the incident, she experienced recurrent miscarriages in subsequent pregnancies.

Later, four months after giving birth to her fourth child, she underwent a medical mishap during acute appendicitis surgery, where gauze was accidentally left inside her abdomen and sewn up. As a result, her precarious health rapidly deteriorated. She persevered with a worn-down and fragile body, hiding her pain while practicing Semchigo as if she received love, even crawling to continue her work. Even while earning money, she could not afford proper medication for herself but ensured to provide all the money her mother-in-law desired.

Taking responsibility for the family's livelihood in place of her government-employed husband, she took sincere care of her four children and financed all the expenses for her three younger siblings-in-law until their college graduation. While earning money for all these, unaware of her cancer, she faced near-death situations dozens of times. Her pains transcended human limits. Yet, she overcame everything with love. At its foundation lay the Five Spiritualities, fulfilled through the life of the little soul, the Lord's far-reaching plan to redeem humanity. The Five Spiritualities that can fill the abyss between the Lord’s Greatness and our lowliness are: the Spiritualities of “The Prayers of Life,” “Semchigo,” “Life of Offering Up,” “Amen,” and “It’s My Fault.”

Since before she came to know God, she has been living her challenging and arduous daily life, offering it up with Prayers of Life and Semchigo. When there was nothing to eat and she faced with starvation, she practiced Semchigo as if she had eaten a sumptuous meal. Despite crawling in pain, she practiced Semchigo as if she were healthy. Amidst unhappy moments, she practiced Semchigo as if she were happy. Never once complaining, she offered everything up with Semchigo and responded joyfully with Amen under any situation.

Moreover, whenever something happened, she accepted it with "It was my fault for being there," and she did her best as a wife, daughter-in-law, and mother with silence and love. In this way, she graciously sublimed the harsh trials of every moment of life through the Five Spiritualities. As her bodily condition worsened due to the terminal cancer, cancerous masses completely blocked her throat and anus, preventing her from swallowing even a sip of water and passing stool. Her blood pressure could not be measured at all, and she could not even receive intravenous injections. Artificial anus procedures were not possible, leaving her with no way out. Eventually, she developed various complications, and in a state where doctors had completely given up, she was sentenced to death with her days numbered.

In the summer of 1980, as she was preparing for death to avoid becoming an obstructing stone for her family, God called her to the Catholic church. Three days after first visiting the Catholic church, she heard the voice of Jesus saying, “Remain close to the Bible. The Bible is My living word.” Immediately, I opened the Bible, and the words from Luke 8:40 appeared before me.

The verse where Jesus said to the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years, “Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace,” and to Jairus, “Do not be afraid; just have faith and she will be saved.” She accepted these words spoken to her as her own, responding with “Amen!” In that moment, amazingly, the cancerous masses that had spread from her throat, where she couldn't even swallow a drop of water, to her anus and even between her toes, disappeared completely.

Even her previously unmeasurable blood pressure returned to a normal 120/70, and all complications were completely healed, which meant she gained a new life. The Lord transformed her from a 33-year-old to a healthy 19-year-old. Having been brought back to life from death, she burned with such love for Jesus that she was called "the woman crazy for the Sacred Heart of Jesus."

On Easter Sunday in 1981, she was baptized with the name “Julia,” and together with her family, she became a child of God, newly reborn. She confessed to the Lord Who gave her a new life, saying, “Whether I live or die, I am the Lord’s,” and she resolved to live solely for Him. Restored to health by the miracle of the Lord's amazing love, due to her mother-in-law’s continual demands for money she opened a beauty parlor again after getting a loan.

With the skills that earned her the gold prize at the International Beauty Show (I.B.S.), she did hairstyling with love and wholeheartedly, offering “Turning our daily lives into Prayers”. As a result, customers even came from Seoul, and many waited 3-4 hours to have their hair done.

During her time running the beauty parlor, she encountered a variety of clients, which allowed her to experience directly and also indirectly the many facets of people in a world filled with sin. This was all according to God's far-reaching plan, preparing her to be an instrument for the salvation of souls. The little soul Julia styled the hair of numerous people who were spiritually and physically diseased and tainted by sin, offering them up every moment through deep Prayers of Life united with the Lord, asking Him to cut away hatred, resentment, and anger, and so forth. and to make their souls beautiful. In doing so, she helped wounded souls and families be reborn with love.

Jesus personally nurtured the little soul both spiritually and physically, as if she were a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. Jesus revealed to her scenes of the world, which had fallen into great degradation. He also vividly showed His Sacred Heart torn apart into many pieces pouring out the Precious Blood in lumps, and His harsh suffering, being nailed to the Cross.

The little soul was so heartbroken that she sought to completely surrender herself to His pain to alleviate even a little of Jesus' suffering. Therefore, during Lent in 1982, the little soul prayed asking for pain, "Jesus, even if this frail flesh of mine groans incessantly with unending suffering, if it could be of the slightest help in Your work, how happy my pain would be." Upon this plea, Jesus immediately allowed her to suffer the pains in reparations for the sins of others.

From the very beginning, Jesus allowed her to suffer the pains of the crown of thorns, of the stigmata, the crucifixion, the burning heart, the piercing of the heart with burning arrows or swords, the piercing on the side with the spear that penetrated even to the heart, the pain of wearing the crown of thorns that pierced to the skull, and the scourging all over her body.

Besides, the little soul suffers the fires of purgatory and the fires of hell, the pain of martyrs, pains in reparation for sins in the world including the sins of sacrilegious Communions, abortions, obscenities, and homosexuality; the pain in her head in reparation for sins made in thoughts; the excruciating pain of being unable to open her eyes and the pains of shedding tears of blood in reparation for sins committed through sight; the pain of burning her tongue in reparation for sins unceasingly committed through mouths like gossip, mockery, and so on; and the agonizing pain in her ears to the extent of being unable to hear, in reparation of sacrilege, insults, blasphemy, and the pain received on behalf of neighbors for their healing, and all kinds of relentless attacks from Satan and devils aimed at killing the little soul; the little soul began to receive countless sufferings.

Seeing her with compassion for these situations, the Lord and the Blessed Mother also have pity on her, describing them “Pains surpassing even the suffering of crucifixion and death on the cross.” Those sufferings are simultaneously Julia’s pains, as well as the pains directly endured by the Lord and the Blessed Mother through Julia’s body. Reflecting on the words spoken by the Blessed Mother on October 20, 1986, “Let me borrow your body and your mouth,” makes it easy to understand.

Throughout her lifetime, tempered in the intense charcoal brazier of pains, the little soul has offered up all suffering graciously and solely to comfort Jesus, fervently praying for the repentance of sinners. Three years after offering up her suffering in this manner, on June 30, 1985, tears flowed from the statue of the Blessed Mother that she had enshrined. And starting from July 18, Jesus and the Blessed Mother began giving Messages of Love.

To devote herself fully to the work of the Lord and the Blessed Mother, the little soul, Julia, closed down her thriving beauty parlor without a moment of hesitation and began to deliver the Love of Jesus and the Blessed Mother. Even until now, after 40 years since offering up her suffering, the little soul continues to participate in the pain of the Lord and the Blessed Mother, caring not for her own comfort, steadfastly dedicating herself in body and heart to work for Them.

Having directly experienced the suffering of hell, the little soul understood well what hell's torment entails. Yet, despite this knowledge, she prayed, “By my going to hell, if only all the children of the world could repent and be saved, I would willingly go to hell,” completely surrendering herself. From that moment on, the Lord allowed her more suffering for the sake of the salvation of His children of the world.

Therefore, the little soul has died more than 20 times, yet each time God the Father or Jesus saved her, and she experienced countless situations where she was on the brink of death. However, even though her entire life has been interspersed by pains leading to death, the little soul graciously offers up all those pains, practicing Semchigo as if she received love, saying, “It is happy suffering that brings hope.” It is because the pains offered up by the little soul are filled with hope that through her suffering many souls can be spiritually and physically healed and saved.

Due to the sufferings in reparation offered by the little soul, the cup of God's just wrath, which should deservedly descend upon this world overflowing with sins greater than those of the times of Noah's Deluge, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Tower of Babel, is being delayed, countless sinners have been repenting and returning to the path of salvation. Through the Messages of Love, Our Lord and Blessed Mother have revealed it.

The Holy Eucharist that descended from Heaven, the miracle of the Eucharist that transformed into lively moving Flesh and Blood in her mouth, the Precious Blood shed by Jesus on the Way of the Cross, Tears and Tears of Blood shed through the Blessed Mother’s statue, the Fragrant Oil exuded from Her body and Mother’s Thick Milk, the streams of Water of Mercy, the Miraculous Spring Water, the Fragrance of roses, the pains of stigmata, scourging, and burning the Sacred Heart, and so on. All the Signs of Naju Shrine accompany Messages of Love.

This serves as a sign confirming the truth of the Messages of Love from Naju, also indicates that the little soul is deeply spiritually connected to Jesus and the Blessed Mother. Dr. Ricardo, tasked by the Vatican to investigate visionaries worldwide and discern the truth of the manifestations or revelations, states that through brainwave tests, it is possible to ascertain whether receiving messages or experiencing visions originates from supernatural sources or from a brain disorder.

In this field, Dr. Ricardo, a world-renowned authority and professor of neurophysiology, discovered that when visionaries see Jesus or hear His voice, delta waves are detected in their brainwave patterns. Since it's impossible to generate delta waves through external stimuli or deception, delta waves serve as crucial clues in distinguishing truth from falsehood.

Dr. Ricardo came to Naju and organized the brainwave examination of the little soul. Typically, brainwave tests are conducted in quiet rooms, but the little soul underwent the examination in an unsettled environment. Nevertheless, delta waves appeared even three, and Dr. Ricardo was overjoyed, saying that each wave seemed to belong to Jesus, the Blessed Mother, and Julia. Stating that such results were medically or scientifically inexplicable, he asserted, “Now, no one in this world can call Julia mentally ill.” This further solidifies the truth of all phenomena in Naju.

Furthermore, genetic testing conducted on the samples of the Precious Blood that descended in Naju revealed that DNA analysis of eight different samples, despite originating from different times and places in Naju, all matched the AB blood type of the same male individual. The chief researcher who led the test stated, "The probability of the genes matching identically is less than one in 10 billion." Even without such scientific validation, the truthfulness of the miracles and signs of love in Naju has become undeniable to everyone. Countless people have witnessed these events, which have been captured in photographs and videos, and miraculous healing cases through them are pouring in.

Jesus and the Blessed Mother have given numerous Messages of Love in Naju, and through unprecedented signs in Church history, They have confirmed the supernatural origin and importance of the Messages of Love. The special revelations from Jesus in Naju, namely the Messages of Love and miraculous signs, are not intended to reveal new truths to us but rather to help us deepen our understanding and faithfully practice the teachings that have already been entrusted to the Church. (See First Vatican Council, DS #3009 for reference)

The Messages of Love serve as a special love from Jesus and the Blessed Mother aimed at saving the souls of all people. They function as a guidebook to help us better understand and practice the teachings of the Bible. The inaugural diocesan bishop in Incheon diocese Most Rev. William J. McNaughton, M.M.,D.D., also declared, “The Messages of the Blessed Mother in Naju are like a commentary of the Bible,” as a clear definition.

The Messages of Love often include Chinese four-character idioms. This means that Our Lord and Blessed Mother use those Chinese idioms to connotatively convey or emphasize what They desire to speak to us. There were many Chinese four-character idioms of which the little soul did not know the meaning from the Messages of Love when she was documenting them. This confirms that they are not based on the little soul’s own knowledge. 

When contemplating the meaning inherent in the Chinese four-character idiom along with its context, one comes to admire the profundity of the words given by the Lord and Blessed Mother. Reflecting on their meaning brings a deep resonance of the intentions of Jesus and the Blessed Mother, leading to great enlightenment. This is regarded as love from Jesus and the Blessed Mother, intended to nurture us more effectively. Although it is difficult for us to dare make a hasty conclusion about Their profound intentions, we can infer that they wish to guide us toward greater spiritual maturity through continuous self-discipline in our daily lives.

Over the years, the Messages of Love have been translated and published in dozens of languages by volunteers from various countries. These Messages have deeply inspired countless people around the world, including many Catholics, followers of other religions, and even atheists. By reading the Messages of Love from the Blessed Mother of Naju and doing pilgrimages, many have emerged from lapsed Catholicism of decades, restored discord among relatives and family to loving relationships, been healed of incurable diseases, overcame challenges in daily lives gaining strength to offer them up, and strengthened their faith in Jesus and the Blessed Mother, receiving significant help in their spiritual lives.

The Vatican has considered everything happening in Naju to be important and closely observed showing deep interest in all events unfolding in Naju. Pope John Paul II who is now a saint, sent his personal secretary, Monsignor Vincent Thu, to Naju on September 18, 1995. The Pope expressed extreme love and respect for the Blessed Mother of Naju, and also for Julia, who offers up suffering and who receives and delivers Messages.

And he invited the little soul to Rome, where on October 31, 1995, during his private Mass, the Holy Eucharist he gave to Julia was transformed into the living visible Flesh and Blood. Afterward, during his visit to the Apostolic See, Pope John Paul II told Archbishop Gulielmo Kil-mo Na of the Incheon Diocese, "I also saw the change in the Eucharist in Julia’s mouth.” He said to the bishops of Korea, “Share the wonderful grace in Naju with other countries in Asia.”

The late Pope Benedict XVI expressed, "I am favorable on Naju." When the miraculous Host, from which Precious Blood flowed, was delivered to the Pope at the request of the Blessed Mother, he gazed solemnly and prayed for some time. And he instructed his secretary priest, “Preserve the Eucharist with utmost care and respect.”

In September 1990, the Roman theologian Matthias Perez Merino Monsignor, who visited Naju, said, "Naju is the synthesis of all the Marian Messages (*apparitions) & Julia is the completion of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus”.

The Pope, Apostolic Nuncios, foreign Cardinals, and many domestic and international Diocesan Bishops and Bishops who have visited Naju or met the little soul have positively testified to the truthfulness of Naju. Also, countless priests and laypeople continue to give testimony and participate in pilgrimages to Naju.

Events that clearly manifest the work of Jesus and the Blessed Mother should be viewed and interpreted from the perspective of faith. It can also be the right path to prevent the infiltration of errors. To this day, numerous people, including clergy, religious, and laypeople from both domestic and international locations, continue to make pilgrimages on the First Saturdays of each month and on special Anniversaries. The main reason they make pilgrimages to Naju is because they have directly and vividly experienced the love and presence of Jesus and the Blessed Mother Who appeared in Naju.

Such experiences strengthen faith and foster a personal relationship with Jesus and the Blessed Mother. Thus, it makes us that we cannot deny what we have seen with our own eyes, nor can we claim not to have experienced what we have personally gone through. Truth must remain true to its essence, because truth is inherently true.

If one were to say otherwise, it would be a false testimony that opposes the Holy Spirit, which leads to sin against God. Just observing the regular pilgrimages of countless pilgrims, the religious, priests, and bishops from around the world despite the persecution from opponents allows us to estimate the abundance and significance of the fruits that are being borne.

In this way, through the Messages and the Miracles of Love performed by Jesus and the Blessed Mother Who appeared in Naju, Korea, abundant fruits of great love are blossoming with many people repenting and returning to the Bosom of the Lord and the Blessed Mother, and so forth. Through this, the work of the Lord and the Blessed Mother will bear fruit and be completed.

Jesus said the following on March 1, 2008. “I tell you clearly. Worries bound up in religious precepts are but a waste of time. Even Solomon, who enjoyed all kinds of prosperity, did not receive these immeasurably valuable graces that you have received and still are receiving here. Those who obstruct the truths and spread errors will surely beat their breasts and wail on the last day, but, if you put into practice the Messages of Love that My Mother and I have given you, arm yourselves by turning everything in your life into a prayer, and gracefully offer it up, you will not only enjoy eternal happiness in the next world but receive everything in this world as well.”

Furthermore, on the first Saturday of October 7, 2023, the Blessed Mother said, “In Naju, Korea, I have manifested unprecedented and countless miracles and signs that even the prophets and kings of ancient times longed to witness and hear but could not. With these miracles, I have implored all of the world through My chosen little soul, to encourage the practice of the Messages of Love and the Five Spiritualities, even by repeating the same words.”

Thus, the Messages of Love inform us in detail on how we should live rightly in the eyes of Jesus and the Blessed Mother, and how we can draw closer to Them. The Messages of Love are expressions of God's love, urging us sinful humans to repent quickly and return to the embrace of Jesus and the Blessed Mother, as well as His solemn command.

It is important to remember that it contains warnings and encouragements that are desperately needed especially in the present era, and we should strive to respond correspondingly to them. Therefore, we should not fall into the mistake of resigning ourselves to thinking, “It is not something for insignificant people like me to be concerned about or participate in.” in Jesus’ work of human salvation.

It is a fact that Jesus knows well that we are imperfect and inadequate. Nevertheless, what Jesus desires are our little efforts filled with sincerity and love, and our attitude to do our best in anything that is the Lord's will even though we are unworthy. All of our efforts can gain eternal value not because we perform well, but because our imperfect prayers and efforts, through the intercession of the Blessed Mother, obtain the grace of Jesus and become super-naturalized.

Since God has granted us free will, no matter how much grace He may wish to give us, He cannot force us to accept it if we choose not to. To the little soul, He also said as follows: "You have lived a life of showing love and generosity to your neighbors from childhood, not caring about yourself. It was, of course, the way that I prepared for you, but if you had rejected it through your own free will, I could not have forced it." (From the Words of Jesus in "The Way of Love for the Lord," on January 18, 1990)

Therefore, for all our shortcomings and constraints that humble us, we should thank Jesus. With our free will granted, we must fulfill our important and essential roles entrusted to us to the best of our abilities. Now, let us endeavor to read and meditate even if only a little, on the Messages of Love given through the little soul each day, with sincerity. Through this effort, let us strive to better understand the Will of Jesus and the Blessed Mother, and practice it in our daily lives.

Jesus and the Blessed Mother have continuously given Messages of Love, resulting in a large volume of Messages being gathered. Therefore, there arose a necessity to produce an expanded edition by adding new Messages. This book contains all the Messages from the early days up to the present year of 2024. This book will surely confirm the steadfast love of the Lord and the Blessed Mother towards us, strengthening our faith to receive and embrace the Love.

Jesus and the Blessed Mother have been working in Naju and nurturing us through Messages of Love, which are the key that open the gates of Heaven and are invincible weapons. May You receive praise, gratitude, and glory forever and ever. Amen!

Mary’s Ark of Salvation Foundation Inc.

June 27, 2024