On this day, in 1879, just after 3:00 o’clock PM, Sister Marie Bernarde, a Crucifix tightly clasped to her breast, left this life as a Sister of Nevers at St Gildard. (G Menotti, “Lourdes”, p16) Thirty years later, her body was exhumed and found to be quite incorrupt and flexible. Her body, clothed in the habit of her Congregation, reposes in a crystal casket near the high altar in the Mother House at Nevers. (C C Martindale, “St Bernadette”, p74)
Jesus appears to St Mary Magdalene
The two other Marys left to announce the joyful news of the Resurrection, but Mary Magdalene stands “weeping outside the sepulchre” (Jn 20:11). Love for the Beloved of her soul, made her stay and caused those tears.
St Mary Magdalene offers us an example of a perfect contemplative. How close are we in being like her? Despite all our advantages how come we are far from being one? “Because there are few who know how to remove themselves entirely from perishable creatures.” (Thomas à Kempis, “Imitation of Christ”)
St Mary Magdalene, lost in contemplation, remained with her eyes fixed upon the sepulchre. She saw “two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the Body of Jesus had been laid. They say to her, ‘Woman, why do you weep?’ She told them, ‘Because they took away my Lord; I know not where they have laid him’.” (Jn 20:13)
The only cause of St Mary Magdalene’s deep affliction was loss of the sensible presence of Jesus. How happy should we be if this were the only, or at least the primary, cause of our sorrows. The loss which once made us rejoice in our vocation; and find peace and consolation in the practice of virtue amidst privations and difficulties!
Jesus had been present invisibly while his faithful servant gave proofs of her love and sorrow. Pleased, he desired to reward her. “... she turned around and saw Jesus standing, she thought he is the gardener ... She said to him, ‘Sir, if you have taken him, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away’. Jesus said, ‘Mary!’” (Jn 20:14-6)
At that word she recognized her Lord, and threw herself at his feet. What consoling lessons! He appeared to whom? A penitent sinner! How did she merit such great favor? The generosity of her love, her share in the Passion, ardent desire of seeing Jesus, and perseverance in seeking him.
Let us also desire to see Jesus glorified in heaven. Tell him often our love and prove it by our generosity in his service. Whatever may have been our past infidelity, we may be certain of a large share in his favors.
Ref: cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp204-6
The Truth, Source of True Liberty
This marvelous task of liberty is accomplished according to Christ’s program and His Kingdom on the terrain of truth. Being free means achieving the fruits of liberty, acting in the truth. Also knowing how to yield, how to submit to the truth; not to subject truth to oneself, to one’s fancies and will, to one’s interests at the moment.
Being free is not passive enjoyment, but the labor of liberty. At the price of such effort, man does not ‘waste’; but ‘gathers’ and ‘accumulates’ with Christ. Man also obtains that unity in himself which is proper to the Kingdom of God. At the same price, too, families, social groups, societies, achieve similar unity: of truth with liberty; and of liberty with truth.
My dear friends! This unity is your particular task, unless you wish to want to surrender to the unity of that other program, that which seeks to accomplish itself in the world, in mankind, in our generation and in each of us, the program of whom Holy Scripture calls “the father of lies” (Jn 8:44).
Do not permit destruction of this interior unity, which, through the Holy Spirit, Christ constructs in the conscience of every one of you. Unity, where liberty grows out of truth; and truth is the measure of liberty.
Learn to think, speak and act according to principles of evangelical simplicity and clarity: ‘Yes, yes; no, no.’ Learn to call white white, black black -- bad bad, good good.
Ref: cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, p120
Charity unites, pride divides
St Paul wrote to the Christians of Ephesus: “I beg you to lead a life worthy of the vocation to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, with forbearing for one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (cf “The Navarre Bible, Captivity Epistles”)
He lists the virtues: humility, gentleness, longanimity; various manifestations of charity, the bond of unity in the Church. “The temple of the King is not ruined, or cracked or divided: the cement of the living stones is charity.” (St Augustine, “Commentary on Psalm 44”)
Charity unites, pride separates. The first Christians showed their love for the Church through a charity which overcame all barriers.
One of the earliest Apologists, in the second century, described the behaviour of the first Christians as follows: “they love one another, they do not despise widows and they rescue orphans from those who treat them with violence; and he who has, gives unbegrudgingly to him who has not.” (Aristides, “Apology”, XV, 5-7)
However, the greatest charity was directed towards strengthening the brethren in the faith. The ‘Acts of the Martyrs’ recount in almost every page specific details of this concern for fidelity of the others. Truly “it was Love that enabled them to make their way through that corrupt pagan world”. (St Josemaria Escrivá, "Friends of God", 172) Love for the brethren and the pagans.
Let us have recourse to our Mother Mary. “May she, the Mother of love and unity, bind us closely, in order that, like the first community born from the Cenacle, we may be ‘one heart and one soul’. May she, the ‘Mother of Unity’, in whose womb the Son of God was united to humanity, inaugurating mystically the nuptial union of the Lord with all men, help us to be ‘one’ and to become instruments of unity, among Christians and among all men.” (John Paul II, “Homily”, 24 March 1980)
Ref:. cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:352-4
Our Lady of Victories, in the Church of St Mark, at Venice. This is the famous image which the Emperors John Zimisces and John Comnenus carried in a triumphal car; it is now borne in procession at Venice to obtain rain or fine weather. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; http://www.bethlehemobserver.com)
Our Lady of Victory / Victories (celebrated in the church of St Mark, Venice). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
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