10 May 2011: “Go ... and preach the Gospel to every creature”

Jesus said to his disciples, “All power is given to me in heaven and on earth” (Mt 28:18).

What an exalted idea these few words give us of our Lord in his human nature! He reigns over all countless legions of angels in heaven; bestows offices and kingdoms on whomsoever he wills: “I will dispose to you”, he said to his apostles, “as my Father has disposed to me, a kingdom” (Lk 22:29).

He causes the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the treasures of sanctifying grace, to descend upon his friends. These gifts can raise us to greatest heights of perfection. The arbiter of life and death, nothing can resist him; neither the world nor the devil. Nor can the combined powers of hell hurt a hair of the head of those he protects.

Let us praise Jesus for the power and glory he won by his sufferings and humiliations. Let us rejoice for obeying his invitation to serve so powerful and generous King who promised, “Every one who has left house or brethren or sister or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold; will possess life everlasting” (Lk 18:29).

‘All power is given to me ...’ had prepared the apostles to receive the mission Jesus will soon confide to them: to preach the Gospel in all the world, to bring all men into the one Fold of the Church, and to lay the foundation of that kingdom he had so often spoken before and after his resurrection.

His words are — “Go into the whole world, and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mk 16:15).

Observe that Jesus did not execute the great work of converting the world himself, but entrusted it to his apostles — men who were unfit for such a mission.

Learn from this. If elected to any office, we must not depend alone on ourself as though we are indispensable. Also, never decline any office which obedience may impose on us, reasoning that we are unfit. Trust in the help of Almighty God who delights in doing great things through weak instruments.

After saying, “Teach ye all nations”, Jesus added, “baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19). Thus, the conditions of admission into his Church are: profession of faith in the Holy Trinity and baptism in the name of the Three Divine Persons.

To invoke the Most Holy Trinity is also the best safeguard against all dangers. By making at the same time the sign of the cross, the instrument of our redemption, we make a public profession of our faith, and acknowledge the benefits we have received from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp256-8

` ` ` MAY DEVOTIONS ` ` `

Mary presents Jesus in the Temple

“She teaches us to have charity. Remember the scene of the presentation of Jesus in the temple. An old man, Simeon said to his mother Mary, ‘Behold this child is destined to bring about the fall of many and the rise of many in Israel; and to be a sign which men will refuse to acknowledge; and so thoughts of many hearts shall be made manifest; as for your own soul, it shall have a sword to pierce it’.

"So great is Mary’s love for all mankind that she, too, fulfilled Christ’s words when he affirmed: ‘Greater love has no man than this, that he should lay down his life for his friends’.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Friends of God”, 287)

Let us offer our Mother: ‘A pilgrimage to one of her shrines.’

Ref: Fr Charles Belmonte and Fr James Socias (Eds), “Handbook of Prayers”, 1988, p307

One more marvel of the Rosary

Blessed Thomas of St John was famous for his sermons on the Most Holy Rosary. The devil, jealous of his success with souls, tortured him so much that he fell ill so long and the doctors gave him up. One night when he really thought that he was dying, the devil appeared to him in the most horrible form imaginable.

There was a picture of Our Lady near his bed; he looked at it and cried with all his heart and soul and strength: “Help me, save me, my sweet, sweet Mother!” Soon the picture seemed to come alive and Our Lady put out her hand, took him by the arm and said:

“Do not be afraid, Thomas my son, here I am and I am going to save you: get up now and go on preaching my Rosary as you used to do. I promise to shield you from your enemies.”

The devil fled and Blessed Thomas got up in perfect health. He then thanked the Blessed Mother with tears of joy. He resumed his Rosary apostolate and his sermons were marvelously successful. Our Lady blesses those who preach her Rosary and she highly rewards all those who get others to say it by their example.

Ref: St Louis de Montfort, “The Secret of the Rosary”, 1954, p28

More on the Rosary

John Paul II declared: “Against the background of the words ‘Ave, Maria’ (“Hail, Mary”) there pass before the eyes of the soul the main episodes of the life of Jesus Christ ... and put us in living communion with Jesus through His Mother’s heart.

“At the same time our heart can enclose in these decades of the Rosary all the facts that make up the life of the individual, the family, the nation, the Church and mankind. Personal matters and those of one’s neighbor, and particularly of those who are closest to us, who are dearest to us. Thus in the simple prayer of the Rosary beats the rhythm of human life.” (In Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p48)

· “Pray the Rosary every day in order to obtain peace for the world.” -- Mary to the children of Fatima. (In Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p37)

• Dedication of the city of Constantinople to Our Lady, by Constantine the Great, under the patriarch Alexander. — (Nicephorus, lib. viii., c. 26.) Our Lady of Saussaie, near Paris. The church of his Benedictine priory was dedicated to Our Lady, in the year 1305, by Pope Clement V. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Dedication of Constantinople to Our Lady by Constantine the Great (4th Century). (www.divinewill.orgfeastofourlady.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)
• Constantinople is dedicated to Mary. 4th Century. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of Saussai (Near Paris). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
• Our Lady of Saussaie, Paris (1305). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)
• Our Lady of Saussai / Saussaie. France. 1305. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)