5 April 2010: Mother of Fair Love

“... like the vine I sprouted beautiful branches and my blossoms gave forth savory and rich fruits.” (Sir 24:17) May our souls and the souls of all Christians be full of that sweet fragrance which is devotion to our Mother; and may it bring us to trust entirely in her who watches over us at all times.

“I am the Mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope.” (Sir 24:18) This is a lesson on living a clean life, of having a sensitive and passionate heart, so that we may learn to be faithful in our service to the Church.

This is no ordinary love; but Love itself. There is no room here for betrayal, or calculation, or forgetfulness. It is a beautiful love because its beginning and end is God, who is thrice Holy, all beauty, all goodness, and all greatness.

The reference to fear, for myself, is that of turning away from Love. God our Lord certainly does not want us to be inhibited, timid, or lukewarm about our dedication to him. He wants us to be daring, courageous, and refined. When the sacred text speaks of fear here, I am reminded of a complaint we find elsewhere in scripture: “I searched for my heart’s love, but found him not.” (Cant 3:1)

This can happen if one has not yet fully understood what it means to love God. Then our hearts can be swayed by things which do not lead to our Lord and so we lose sight of him.

Ref: cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “Friends of God”, 277

Fulfilling our professional and social duties

Our professional duties are an exceptional means of living the virtue of justice. Giving to each one his due means in this case fulfilling the terms of our contract. The business proprietor, the mistress of the household with domestics, the chief executive of an organization, all are obliged to give just compensation to their workers.

For their part, workers and employees have the grave duty of working responsibly, in a professional manner, using their time well. Thus industriousness is a practical manifestation of justice. “I don’t believe in the justice of idle people, because they fail, sometimes seriously, in that most fundamental principle of equity, which is work.” (cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “Friends of God”, 169)

The same principle applies to students whose work is to study. They are obliged to render justice to their family and society, who together support them economically, so they may prepare themselves to give effective service. Our professional duties also involve solving social problems for a more just world.

The Second Vatican Council reminds us that “every citizen ought to be mindful of his duty to promote the common good by using his vote” (“Gaudium et spes”, 75).

Ref: cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:205-7

Unbounded Liberty, the Same as Slavery

‘Creating God’s kingdom means being with Christ.’

Creating the unity which ought to exist in us and among us means gathering (accumulating) together with Him. This is the basic program of God’s kingdom. In His statements, Christ sets it in opposition to the evil spirit’s activity which stakes its program on apparently unbounded liberty for man.

It flatters man with a liberty which is not his own. ... It flatters to make clear in the end that this liberty is nothing but adaptation to manifold constraints of the senses and instincts. Can man awaken? Can he say to himself clearly that in the end this unlimited liberty becomes slavery?

Christ does not flatter man with the semblance of ‘unrestricted’ liberty. He says, “Know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn 8:32). He shows that liberty was not given to man only as a gift but also as a duty which measures life. It is not a property which we may make use of in any way whatever and squander as well.

Ref: cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, 1984, p119

Beginning again many times

The Christian’s daily struggle will entail fighting on very minor matters. Fortitude will be necessary to sincerely fulfil our acts of piety towards God despite setbacks or our state of mind during the course of the day.

There will be moments of falling and of rising again. We must always begin again ...; it is what God asks of all of us. The struggle demands a love that is vigilant and an effective desire to seek God throughout the day. This cheerful struggle is the exact opposite of lukewarmness which means carelessness, laziness and sadness in fulfilling our obligations towards God and other people.

In this struggle we can always count on the help of Mary our Mother, who follows step by step our journey towards her Son. Each time we begin again, we receive the help of Our Lady, ‘Mediatrix of all graces’.

We must turn to her with complete abandonment whenever temptations become stronger. ‘My Mother! Mothers on earth look with greater love upon the weakest of their children, the one with the worst health, or who is the least intelligent, or is a poor cripple.
“Sweet Lady, I know you are more of a Mother than all other mothers put together. And, since I am your son, since I am weak, and ill, and crippled, and ugly ...” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Forge”, 234)

Ref: cf F Fernandez, Op cit, 4:89-90

Apparition of Our Lady to Pope Honorius IV, for confirmation of the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. — Balingham on Calend. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; http://www.bethlehemobserver.com); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)

Our Lady of Divine Providence. Cuassanio, Italy. 1856. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)