This parable has the same end as that of the lost sheep, but the application of the types are different. What “woman”, said Jesus, still addressing the Pharisees, “having ten silver coins, if she loses one, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search diligently until she finds it?” (Lk 15:8)
Interpreters tell us that this woman is the type of the Christian who has lost sanctifying grace; but how far short is the type from reality! The coin is but of small value; sanctifying grace is of infinite price: the blood of our Lord.
The first can only get us a few earthly advantages. The second can give us the right to a heavenly inheritance. And yet this woman thinks it a great misfortune to have lost her coin, and will not rest till she finds it.
Blind and miserable are the many Christians who have lost sanctifying grace by mortal sin and do nothing to recover it. They are indeed miserable; for in losing it they have lost God’s friendship, and the right acquired in baptism to the kingdom of heaven. If death surprises them in this state, they are damned forever!
Let us compassionate their blindness; and make it practical by seizing every occasion to enlighten and inspire them with holy fear, or at least pray for them.
In the woman in this parable we can see, in the second place, the person who has lost the grace of devotion, or that piety which made him so happy in his vocation. It made the practice of virtue so easy, united him to God. It made him find a charm in his spiritual duties, humiliations, mortifications, and privations.
There is no loss, we ought to feel so sensibly, as the loss of this grace of devotion. It is the source of all our blessings.
And yet how do we try to recover it once lost? Are we like Job in saying, “Who will grant me that I might be as in the days of my youth (ie, my first fervor), when the Almighty was with me?” (Job 29:2)
Let us do better and resume our habits of regularity, recollection, and mortification; and especially of our fidelity in performing our spiritual duties. We shall recover the lost coin, the grace of devotion.
Consider the joy this woman felt on finding the coin. Extremely happy, she called “together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the coin I had lost’.” (Lk 15:9)
What is the truth behind this figurative language? No one would ever have discovered it if Jesus had not told it to us. “For so”, he concluded, “there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Lk 15:10). We may add, ‘And also when a lukewarm person becomes fervent again’.
What an encouragement! We, then, by our long negligence have saddened these angels. We must hasten to console them, and to give them joy by a prompt and perfect conversion. Great will be our blessings!
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp667-9
The Interior Struggle
The Christian’s life is a fight, a war, a beautiful war of peace and completely different human warfare which results from division and often hatred. The war of the sons of God is a war against their own selfishness. It is based on unity and love. “Though we live in the world, we are not carrying on a worldly war, for the weapons of our war are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God.” (2 Cor 10:3-5) St Paul is referring to our relentless fight against pride, against our tendency to do evil and our exaltation of self.
Look: what we must try to do is to get to heaven. If we don’t, nothing is worth while. Faithfulness to Christ’s doctrine is absolutely essential to our getting to heaven. To be faithful it is absolutely essential to strive doggedly against anything that blocks our way to eternal happiness.
I know that the moment we talk about fighting we recall our weakness and foresee falls and mistakes. God takes this into account. As we walk along it is inevitable that we will raise dust; we are creatures and full of defects.
I would almost say that we will always ‘need’ defects. They are the shadow which shows up the light of God’s grace and our resolve to respond to God’s kindness. And this ‘chiaroscuro’ will make us human, humble, understanding and generous.
Let’s not deceive ourselves: in our life we will find vigor and victory ‘and’ depression and defeat. This has always been true of the earthly pilgrimage of Christians, even of those we venerate on the altars.
Don’t you remember Peter, Augustine, Francis? I have never liked biographies of saints which naively present their deeds as if they had been confirmed in grace from birth. No. The true life stories of christian heroes resemble our own experience: they fought and won; they fought and lost. Repentant, they returned to the fray.
Ref: Cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “Christ is passing by”, 76
Meditations on the Litany of Loreto
‘Refuge of sinners’ -- Yes, of all sinners; for as the Abbot of Celles says, ‘she can despise no sinner, but receives all, and welcomes all, the moment they have recourse to her’. Hence, St John Damascene affirms that Mary is not only the refuge of the innocent, but also of the wicked, who implore her protection.
Therefore, St Bonaventure says: ‘You embrace with maternal affection a sinner who is even despised by the whole world, nor do you cease your embrace until you have reconciled him with his judge.’
By this the saint makes us understand that a sinner being hated by God is also odious and abominable to all creatures; but if he has recourse to Mary, the refuge of sinners, not only does she not despise him, but affectionately embraces him and stays with him until her Son Jesus Christ, who is our Judge, has forgiven him.
Since, O my Lady, you are the refuge of all sinners, you are also my refuge. You, who despises no one who has recourse to you, despise me not, who recommend myself to you: ‘Refuge of sinners, pray for us.’
‘O Mary, pray for us, and save us.’
Ref: “The Glories of Mary.” In “Documentation Service”, V:326-7 25
• Dedication of Our Lady of Toledo, in Spain, about the year 1075, by Bernard, archbishop of that city. This cathedral has a revenue of more than 300,000 livres. — John Marian, lib. ix., c. 18. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Dedication of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Toledo, Spain (1075). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (http://www/mariedenazareth.com); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
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