16 March 2011: The Charity of Good Example

Penitence is synonymous with conversion which means overcoming everything contrary to the dignity of the children of God; it is a sincere return to the heavenly Father, who is infinitely good and merciful. ...

This return is the fruit of an act of love. It will be more expressive and pleasing to him the more it is accompanied by the sacrifice of something necessary and, above all, of superfluous things.

A very vast range of acts is open to our initiative, from assiduous, generous doing of our daily duties to humble, joyful acceptance of annoying disappointments which can be endured in the course of the day; up to renunciation of something very pleasant in order to be able to succor someone in a state of need.

However, ‘the charity of good example’ is above all most pleasing to the Lord. Good example is required by the fact that we belong to a family of the faithful whose members are independent; but still need help and support from the others.

Good example does not affect only exterior action but goes deep and builds up the most precious and most active gifts in the other; namely, adherence to one’s own Christian vocation.

All these things are difficult to put into practice, for our weak powers need a supplement of energies. Where can we find them?

Let us recall the words of the Divine Savior: “Apart from me you can do nothing.” (Jn 15:5) ‘We must turn to him.’ You know, anyhow, that Christ is to be found in the personal dialogue of ‘prayer’, particularly in the ‘reality of the sacraments’.

We reconcile ourselves to God and the brethren through the Sacrament of Penance; we receive Christ in the Eucharist, which sustains our weak and wavering wills.

Ref: Cf Pope John Paul II, “Prayers and Devotions”, 1994, p153

Sincerity against deliberate venial sin

“The restoration of ‘a proper sense of sin’ is the first step that must be taken in facing the grave spiritual crisis looming over man today.” (cf John Paul II, “Reconciliatio et Poenitentia”, 18) In a determined fight against venial sin, one must recognize it as an offence against God which delays and can prevent union with him.

We must call it by its name, ... without reducing its transcendental importance for a soul truly wishing to go to God. Flashes of anger, promptings of envy or sensuality not immediately rejected; a desire to be the centre of attention; not being concerned with anyone but oneself; acts of piety routinely performed are ‘venial sins’.

We ought to ask the Holy Spirit to help us sincerely recognize our faults and sins, to have a sensitive conscience which seeks pardon and does not look for ways to justify our errors.

The saints have clearly understood, in the light of love and of faith, that a single sin -- especially mortal, but venial, too -- is a disorder greater than any natural catastrophe “for the goodness of grace in one single person is greater than the material good of the entire universe”. (St Thomas, “Summa Theologiae”, I-II, q113, a)

A committed fight to banish all sin from our lives demands that we show Our Lord love and readiness to correspond with his grace. “How sad you make me feel when you are not sorry for your venial sins! For until you are, you will not begin to live a real interior life.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 330)

“However small the sins you confess may be, always have sincere sorrow ... with a firm resolution to correct them in the future. Many who confess their venial sins out of custom and concern for order, but without thought of amendment, remain burdened with them for their whole lives and thus lose many spiritual benefits and advantages.” (St Francis de Sales, “Introduction to the Devout Life”, II, 19)

The Virgin Mary, ‘Refuge of sinners’, will help us to have a refined conscience, to love Christ and all men, to be sincere with ourselves: in Confession, to recount our weaknesses and to be prompt in repenting for them.

Ref: Cf Francis Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:103-6

On generosity

If, despite our struggle we still persist in selfishness, we will look again at Our Lady with the desire of imitating her in her generosity, in the joy of giving ourselves to others. We must understand better how generosity enriches and widens the heart. And we must realize that selfishness, like a slow-acting poison, acts insidiously but with deadly effect.

Close to Mary, we perceive that God has made us for himself. Each time we give ourselves exclusively to our own plans, concentrating on ourselves and our personal affairs while ignoring him, we die a little more.

Generosity to God must be shown by generosity to our fellowmen. A characteristic of generosity is knowing how to ignore little irritations that can arise in daily life-- knowing how to smile and make life more agreeable to those around us, although they may be suffering setbacks; give others the benefit of the doubt; accept people as they are.

When we approach the altar, let us endeavor to bring as many deeds of understanding for others, courtesy, generosity and mercy. Our Mother, Mary, will help us discover many opportunities in our everyday occupations of giving ourselves generously to the people around us.

Ref: Cf Francis Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:192; 2:59-60

• Our Lady of the Fountain. (“Panaghia Krena”, “Panayia tis Vrysis”, “Kyra-Vrysiani”. “La Virgen de la Fuente”, “Notre-Dame de la Fontaine”). Constantinople. 460. Church on Greek Island of Chios. Monastary on Greek Island of Sifnos. Hermitage in Aragon, Spain. Pope John Paul II speech at the shrine in Caravaggio, Italy, 1992; the shrine was built as a result of a woman's vision of Mary on May 16, 1432. In Robin Hood story. Story of pilgrim's 1494 visit to the chapel in Jersusalem.

Chapel in Chièvres, France: "Legend has it that a miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary was tied to a tree near this fountain. A chapel was built on that spot by Eve de Chièvres, and became a 'sanctuary of grace' where still-born babies were presented in the hope that a last breath of life would allow them to enter heaven. The chapel was torn down and rebuilt several times, the last being in the 1890s in a neo-gothic style popular at the time." (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of the Fountain, at Constantinople, built by the Emperor Leo in the year 460, in thanksgiving for the apparition of the Blessed Virgin to him, near a spring to which he was charitably leading a blind man, when he was merely a common soldier; and the fact that she foretold he would be emperor. — Nicephorus, lib. xv., c. 15. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of the Fountain, Constantinople. 460. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)
• Our Lady of the Fountain (Constantinople). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)