In the famous story of David and Goliath, David conquered a seemingly invincible warrior with only a sling and five stones. "He took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine."
1 Samuel 17:40 (NIV)
In the small village of Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the blessed virgin Mary has been appearing to a group of visionaries since 1981 and the apparitions continue to this day. She calls the world to conversion in this time of grace so that there can be peace among men, and peace between God and men. Her five stones to defeat evil in this world are:
- Praying the Rosary with our heart every day
- Fasting twice every week
- Visiting the Holy Confession every month
- Receiving the Eucharist every Sunday
- Reading the Bible every day
I went on pilgrimage to this holy place and found it to be a deeply moving and spiritually transformative. As such, I was convinced that for Trail Guide, I wanted core values that remind me of David's courage and Mary's wisdom.