“... 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
Indulgenced Aspirations to the Blessed Virgin -- 1) ‘Mary.’ 2) ‘Mary, Virgin Mother of God, pray to Jesus for me.’ 3) ‘Mary our hope, have pity on us.’ 4) ‘Holy Mary, deliver us from the pains of hell.’ (Very Rev Charles J Callan, OP, STM and Very Rev John A McHugh, OP, STM, “Blessed Be God”, 1925, p436)
Motives for penance: The thought of judgment
Three things are to be feared in the particular judgment: 1) The judge, 2) the account to be rendered, and 3) the sentence. By penance we may make the judge, our Lord himself, favorable to us. The judge whom we have neglected, offended and injured, with all the malice of sin, and so often, deliberately, although he favored us with benefits.
A God of mercy, he is quick to pardon at the first sign of repentance; but then he will be a God of justice. Not the smallest fault, not an idle word, will pass unperceived; but will be severely punished in purgatory. What have we to fear from our judge? For one, lukewarmness which blinds man as to the number and gravity of his faults; or maintains him in false security.
What, then, should we do? “When you go with your accuser before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to settle the case.” (Lk 12:58) That is, according to St Augustine, with God who is your judge, and whom sin has made you an enemy. You can do so, if “you be humble ... under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in the time of visitation” (1 Pet 5:6).
Penance may lighten the account we shall give. Everything will be reviewed by One from whom nothing can be hidden-- time lost in useless things; the good left undone, the good ill-done; all our thoughts, intentions, words, actions. The judgment will be severe in proportion to the grace received: “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required.” (Lk 12:48)
These truths filled with fear even the penitents of the desert who never thought they had atoned enough for their past lives. Their only means of consolation was unending penance until death. Let us strive to imitate them and try to lighten by such penance and mortification our heavy account of sin, faultiness and negligence.
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp157-9
Who Is My Neighbor?
Do you remember? Was it not with the parable of the Good Samaritan that Jesus answered a question put by a doctor of the Law? The doctor had just quoted the Law: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.” (Lk 10:27)
‘The Good Samaritan is Christ.’ It is he who comes to us first, making us his neighbor, to succor us, heal us, save us. But if there be still some distance between God and us, that depends only on us, on the obstacles which we put up against such rapprochement.
The sin in our hearts, the injustices we commit, the hatred and divisions which we nourish -- all these things cause us not to love God yet with all our souls, with all our strength. The season of lent is the privileged time for ‘purification’ and ‘penitence’, for letting the Lord make us his neighbor and save us with his love.
The second commandment is like the first (cf Mt 22:39) and forms one whole with it. We must love others with the same love which God pours into our hearts and with which he himself loves us. Here, too, what obstacles stand in the way of making the other our neighbor: we do not love God and our brethren enough.
Why still so many difficulties, raised against leaving the important but insufficient stage of reflections, declarations and professions, to become emigrants with emigrants, refugees with refugees, poor with those lacking everything?
Ref: Cf Pope John Paul II, “Prayers and Devotions”, 1994, pp146-7
The Heart of the World
“Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! ... Let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!” (Is 25:9) These words of Isaiah invite us to trust in the Lord ...
On the mountain of victory he is preparing a festive banquet for all peoples. Tears will be wiped away from all faces and death will be eliminated for ever. Peace will reign. Christ, Son of the Virgin Mary, will be the heart of the world.
Let us pray that the Father’s will may be done, making all people children of God through the unifying action of the Spirit.
Ref: “Breakfast with the Pope, Daily Readings”, Pope John Paul II, 1995, p120
• Our Lady of Miracles, in the cloister of St Maur des Fosses, near Paris. It is said that this image was found made when the sculptor, named, Rumold, was about to begin it. — Du Breuil, Theatre des Antiquites, lib. iv. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of Miracles. St. Maur des Fosses. France. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of Miracles. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
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