30 December 2010: “Do not be afraid, Mary.”

Jesus Christ is always our safeguard against the difficulties and temptations before us. We win every battle with him on our side. Do not be afraid.

The history of the Incarnation opens with these words: “Do not be afraid, Mary.” (Lk 1:30) And the angel of the Lord says to St Joseph: “Do not be afraid, Joseph, son of David.” (Mt 1:20) And to the shepherds, the angel repeats: “Do not be afraid.” (Lk 2:10) This advice in God’s coming into the world marks a style proper to the presence of Jesus.

The evening of the day when Jesus had narrated the parables about the kingdom of heaven, he and his disciples were crossing the sea of Galilee. Our Lord, very tired after hours of preaching, was asleep. Soon, a great storm arose, the waves swamping the boat.

The veterans of the sea sensed danger. Despite their vast experience and power, they failed to avert the danger. Overcome with fear, their only recourse was to turn to our Lord. They went and woke him up, saying, “Save us Lord; we are perishing”. And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?” (Mt 8:25-6)

How little too is our faith when we doubt if the storms in life will abate! Often we get discouraged by sickness, work, money problems, opposition. Fear is a basic instinct of life, the consequence of ignorance or of selfishness; or of needless anxiety. Fear arises when our security in life is founded on very weak premises.

We forget an essential truth: Jesus Christ is our constant security. When we are confused and unpleasant times seem to overwhelm us, Jesus does not forget us. “He never fails his friends.” (St Theresa, “Life”, 2, 4) He is never late. We resolve to go to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament whenever the contradictions, difficulties or trials of life upset our happiness and peace of mind.

Let us go close to Mary, to her son whom we contemplate in the stable. She will teach us in these days full of the peace of Christmas; how to conduct ourselves like children of God even in the most difficult circumstances.

Ref: cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:269-75

“Why are you afraid ...?”

The remarkable miracle about the calming of the storm left a deep impression on Jesus’ disciples, as can be seen from the fact that the first three evangelists all report it. Christian Tradition has applied this miracle in various ways to the life of the Church and the experience of the individual soul.

From earliest times Christian art and literature have seen the boat as representing the Church, which also has to make its way around hazards that threaten to capsize it. Indeed, very early, Christians were persecuted in various ways by Jews of their time, and were misunderstood by the public opinion of a pagan society -- which also began to persecute them. Jesus’ sleeping through the storm has been applied to the fact that sometimes God seems not to come to the Church’s rescue during persecution.

Following the example of the Apostles in the boat, Christians should seek Jesus’ help, borrowing their words, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing”. “He rose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” -- but first rebuking us for being men of little faith. Quite often Gospel accounts serve as examples to us: they epitomise the future history of the Church and of the individual Christian soul.

Ref: “The Navarre Bible, The Gospel of St Matthew”, 1988, pp88-9

Mary comforts us in all of our afflictions

‘Mary is the comforter of all humanity.’ -- The great Woman, promised by God, who was to crush the infernal enemy’s head; the new Eve who was to repair the ruin caused by the first Eve and cure poor humanity. Guilty, miserable and suffering, man turned to her uplifting tear-filled eyes and oppressed heart.

‘Mary is the comforter of the Church.’ -- She conversed with the Apostles and the early faithful; she saw her own Son in them. She prayed for all who suffered; she was the Consolatrix of the Church.

‘Mary is the comforter of the individual faithful.’ -- The history of thousands of Shrines and millions of ex voto offerings reveals this to us. How many tears are wiped away, how many spiritual and even temporal wounds are medicated, treated and healed! Innumerable souls have stretched out their beseeching hands to Mary in these Shrines. They have trustingly invoked her in their sorrows, in their dangers; and have been heard.

Many great Saints in deep anguish, in many interior afflictions, in physical and material needs experienced the help and comfort of Mary! She sees our afflictions. Mary feels them in her most sensitive heart. Mary is an all-powerful intercessor before her Adorable Son. Mary wants to console everyone. According to St Anselm, “She is the solace of the afflicted”.

Ref: Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p31

‘Comforter of the afflicted. Pray for us.’

God’s Presence in Time

Before the Crib, with adoring souls, let us reflect first of all on time that passes, flows on inexorably and bears our brief existences away with it. With his divine words, Jesus relieves us of the anxiety of senseless vacuity and tells us that, on the gigantic and mysterious curve of time, all human history is simply a return to the Father’s house.

As we think particularly of this troubled year, let us remember, the Christmas message affirms with absolute certainty that ‘God is always present’, even in the contradictions of human history. By creating man intelligent and free, He willed this history spangled with sublime peaks and tragic abysses, and He does not abandon mankind. The Nativity is the guarantee we are loved by the Most High, His Omnipotence is interwoven with His Providence in a way almost always obscure and unfathomable to us. ...

As Cardinal Newman said: “God’s hand is always upon those who belong to Him, and leads them by unknown paths. The most they can do is to believe what they cannot yet manage to see but will see later on, and, remaining firm in their faith, work with God in that direction.”

Ref: cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, 1984, p42

St Mary’s of Boulogne, in Picardy. This church was founded by the hermits of St Augustine in 1159; it was pillaged by Henry VIII, King of England, in 1544, secularized and made a cathedral in 1559, according to Locrius. — Gallia Christiana, t. iv. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; http://www.bethlehemobserver.com); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)

‘Madonna della Bologna’ (‘Boulougne’). Picardy, Italy. 1193. Order of Gaudenti of Our Lady of Bologna. (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)

Our Lady of Bologna, Italy (1193). (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)

St Mary of Boulougne (Picardy, France). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)