On this day, in 1879, just after 3:00 o’clock PM, Sister Marie Bernarde, a Crucifix tightly clasped to her breast, left this life as a Sister of Nevers at St Gildard. (G Menotti, “Lourdes”, p16) Thirty years later, her body was exhumed and found to be quite incorrupt and flexible. Her body, clothed in the habit of her Congregation, reposes in a crystal casket near the high altar in the Mother House at Nevers. (C C Martindale, “St Bernadette”, p74)
‘... into the whole world’
Our Lord’s Resurrection is a call to apostolate. Each of his appearances ends with an apostolic command. To Mary Magdalene, Jesus says: “Go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and to your Father” (Jn 20:17); and to the other women, “Go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee and that they shall see me there” (Mt 28:10).
The disciples of Emmaus reported that same night that Jesus is alive. (cf Lk 24:35) “Afterwards he appeared to the eleven as they sat at table ... he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation’”(cf Mk 16:14-5). The Apostles began to preach “repentance and forgiveness of sins ...” (cf Lk 24:44-7)
What they preach and testify to, are not mere speculations but salvific facts they have personally witnessed. The death of Judas brought the need to complete the number of twelve apostles. One condition is the candidate must be a witness to the Resurrection. (cf Acts 1:21-2)
“The Christian vocation is by its very nature a vocation to the apostolate” (Second Vatican Council, “Apostolicam actuositatem”, 2) and “all the faithful, from the Pope to the child who has just been baptized, share one and the same vocation, the same faith, the same Spirit, the same grace ... They all have an active and appropriate share in the single mission of Christ and of the Church.” (cf A Del Portillo, “Faithful and Laity in the Church”)
We cannot be prevented from exercising the right in fulfilling this duty. Nor can we remain silent. So much ignorance is around; error, too. Numerous people go through life lost and confused because they don’t know Christ. We must communicate daily to all, the doctrine and the faith.
“No one after lighting a lamp puts it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all ... Let your light shine before men, so they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (cf Mt 5:15-6)
“At the end of his time on earth, Christ commanded: go out and teach. He wants his light to shine in the words and behaviour of his disciples, and in yours, too.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Furrow”, 930)
Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:329-31
The Resurrection Shows the Mission of Christians
“Jesus came and stood before them. ‘Peace be with you’, he said ... ‘As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’” The Apostles were sent out with the same mission with which Christ was sent to earth by the Father -- to all the world, to announce the Gospel of peace. Only they? The Second Vatican Council teaches that the whole People of God is called ‘to participate in Christ’s mission’: of Christ, Priest, Prophet, and King.
He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’. Have you received the Holy Spirit? Have you ‘accepted’ him? Do you know well what ‘receiving and accepting’ the Spirit means? Remember particularly the Sacraments of Baptism, of Confirmation, of Penance, of the Eucharist, in which the gift of the Spirit is conferred or increased.
Remember again, that the Spirit is a gift -- prayer is always necessary for obtaining it. With prayer, too, we dispose ourselves to accepting it properly. The Spirit is actually given to us for active sharing in the Resurrection of Christ.
“So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is ...” (Col 3:1). At the very center of this mission is found the new ‘man open to the Father’ who lives in the fulness of his humanity only when he is capable of surpassing himself with the power of truth and love.
Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, 1984, pp167-8
The Resurrection Points to the Real Humanism
Why did Christ speak of remission of sins immediately after the words, “Receive the Holy Spirit”? He said, “If you forgive men’s sins, they are forgiven them; if you hold them bound, they are held bound” (Jn 20:23).
Remission of sins supposes knowledge and confession of sins. Both signify ‘effort to live in truth and love’. It means the action of ‘the power of truth and love’, which forms the new man and transforms the world.
The contradiction is ‘falsification’ of the truth and ‘simulation’ of love. Contradiction is removing the line of demarcation between good and evil; calling humanism what is actually ‘sin’. It would be very easy, unfortunately, to cite examples.
Terrorism is rightly condemned as an attack upon and violation of elementary rights of man. Killing of man is condemned as something manifestly contrary to man’s very existence.
At the same time, however, depriving a human being ‘not yet born’ of life is called ‘humanism’; a ‘proof of progress’, emancipation; conforming with human dignity!
Let us not deceive ourselves! We must all denounce such contradictions. Remember, only “the truth will set you free” (Jn 8:32). Only the truth has power to transform the world towards authentic progress and real ‘humanism’. And let us not call the demands of truth, conscience and dignity a purely ‘political’ choice. Man may not renounce them.
Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, 1984, pp172-3
Last Things -- “Listen to me you who are up to your neck in science: your science cannot deny the reality of diabolic activities. My Mother, the holy Church, for many years -- and it is also a praiseworthy private devotion -- required the priests each day at the foot of the altar to invoke St Michael -- ‘against the wickedness and snares of the devil’.” (Cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 750)
Our Lady -- “The love of our Mother will be the breath that kindles into a living flame the embers of virtue that are hidden under the ashes of your indifference.” (Cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 492)
Our Lady -- “The holy Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, will bring relief to your heart, when it feels as if it’s made of flesh, if you have recourse to her with confidence.” (Cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 504)
• Our Lady of Victories, in the Church of St Mark, at Venice. This is the famous image which the Emperors John Zimisces and John Comnenus carried in a triumphal car; it is now borne in procession at Venice to obtain rain or fine weather. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of Victory / Victories. Church of St Mark, Venice. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of Victories in the Church of St. Mark, Venice. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)
• Our Lady of Victory (celebrated in the church of St Mark, Venice). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
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