12 April 2011: Personal holiness

As soon as the Apostles began with courage and daring to teach the truth about Christ, the obstacles also began to arise. Eventually, persecution and martyrdom followed. However, soon belief in Christ had extended beyond Palestine, arriving in Asia Minor, Greece and Italy; reaching men of every culture, social position and race.

We, too can expect to meet with misunderstanding, a sure sign of divine disposition, certain we are following the footsteps of Our Lord, because “a disciple is not above his teacher” (Mt 10:24). We accept our setbacks joyfully as being permitted by God for our own good.

We welcome them as opportunities to enliven our faith and hope and love. They help us to persevere in our prayer and mortification, because “the Lord’s chosen ones will” not labour in vain (Isaiah 65:23). And we always treat other people well, with understanding, “drowning evil in abundance of good” (cf Rom 12:21). It should not be surprising that very often, we have to go against the current.

In this world that seems to distance itself every day more and more from God, material well-being is its goal, giving no importance to spiritual values or simply relegating them to a low-priority. Along with the deep and disordered attraction to material goods, there is the added unfortunate bad example of some Christians.

Thus, “when religious education is neglected, doctrine misleadingly expounded or shortcomings made evident in religious, moral and social life of believers, then we must admit the true face of God and of religion is veiled rather than revealed” (Second Vatican Council, “Gaudium et spes”, 19). As in the early Christians, “what is truly important is to deal with souls one by one ...” (Alvaro del Portillo, “Letter”, 25 December 1985, 9)

Holy Mary, ‘Queen of Apostles’, will set us aflame with faith, hope and love for her Son so we may effectively contribute in and from our environment, to christianization of today’s world as the Pope encourages us to do.

Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:331-5

A Path of Faith

Lent is presented ‘in the likeness of a path’, like that to which God called Abraham: “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land I will show you.” (Gen 12:1) He set off, without lingering nor any support other than the divine promise.

Lent is a journey for us, too. We are called to face it with determination; to entrust ourselves to the plans God has for us. Even though the journey may be full of trials, St Paul assures us that, like Timothy, each of us is helped by “the strength which comes from God” (2 Tim 1:8).

And the country toward which we are heading is ‘the Christian’s new life’. It is a paschal Life, which can be realized only through the ‘power’ and the ‘grace’ of God: a mysterious power, “the grace held out to us in Christ Jesus before the world began; but now made manifest by the appearance of our Savior. He has robbed death of its power and has brought life and immortality into clear light through the gospel.” (2 Tim 1:9-10)

The letter to Timothy also points out that the bread of new life is given to us because of a mysterious calling and assignment on God’s part “not because of any merit of ours but according to His own design” (2 Tim 1:9). So we ought to be men and women of faith, like Abraham; that is, who do not count so much on themselves as on the word, the grace and the power of God.

The Lord Jesus, while living on earth, personally revealed this way to His disciples.

Ref: Cf Pope John Paul II, “Prayers and Devotions”, 1994, pp113-4

Mary’s feelings before and after the Resurrection

What greater grief can afflict a mother violently parted from an only son? What must have been the depth of Mary’s grief during the interval between the burial and resurrection of Jesus! How long must the time have felt to this most loving Mother, sighing for the Son so cruelly snatched from her, ardently longing to behold him again!

Do I, an exile from the sensible presence of my Lord, sigh for the moment when I shall behold his glorified humanity, and be eternally united to him in heaven? Alas, no! And why? Because I know and love him so little; because I am so attached to earth and creatures.

Imagine the joy of a mother who unexpectedly sees the son she has believed dead, and for whom she has long wept. We will then have a faint idea of our Lady’s joy when Jesus appeared to her after his glorious resurrection. Her joy was in proportion to her grief and to the glory she was to share with her Son in heaven.

To her applies the words of King David, “According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, Thy comforts have given joy to my soul” (Psalm).

Here we find powerful motives for rejoicing in slights and crosses suffered for our Lord, for self-sacrifice and continual mortification. These things are naturally hard and bitter; but the joys of the resurrection will enable us to bear them and will make them sweet and easy.

Let us remember the words of the Apostle, verified in our blessed Mother, “As you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall you be also of the consolation” (2 Cor 1:7).

Beyond doubt our Lord who appeared so often to his apostles, appeared still oftener to his Mother, always filling her heart with fresh joy by his presence. But these appearances were brief, leaving a void in her loving heart. Thus, during the forty days between the Resurrection and Ascension, Our Lady experienced alternating joys and sorrows.

Our Lord treats his servants in like manner. Sometimes he overwhelms them with consolation and sweeetness of his presence. Then leaves, their mind and heart dry.
We, too frequently experience such cycles.

Let us learn to profit by them, to grow strong; and advance in service and love of God as advised by all masters of spiritual life. How has my conduct been in conforming to such teaching?

Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp198-200

Examination of Conscience

A daily task. Book-keeping -- never neglected by anyone in business. And is there any busness worth more than that of eternal life? (St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 235)

Examine yourself: slowly, with courage. Isn’t it true that your bad temper and your sadness -- both without cause, without apparent cause -- are due to your lack of determination in breaking the subtle but real snares laid for you -- cunningly and attractively -- by your concupiscence? (St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 237)

The general examination is a weapon of defense. The particular [examination], of attack. The first is the shield, The second, the sword. (St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 238)

• Our Lady of Charity, in the Abbey of the Feuillants, seven leagues from Toulouse. It is said that this image has several times wept. — Triple Couronne, n. 34. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of Charity. Toulouse, France; Cobre, Cuba. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of Charity (near Toulouse, France). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
• Our Lady of Charity, Cobre, Cuba. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)
• Interior Life of the Blessed Virgin (Marianist Missal). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)