24 March 2012: Our Lady of the Dove

‘Nuestra Señora de la Paloma’
This devotion celebrates the mystery of the Incarnation. In her image, the doctrine of the virgin birth is presaged by presence of the symbolic dove, representing the Holy Spirit; and lilies and roses, symbols of her purity. She is crowned by cherubs as the ‘Virgin of virgins’. (Fr Charles Belmonte, “Aba Ginoong Maria”, 1990, p27)

Conversion, God’s Gift to the Church
The Church converts to Christ to renew consciousness and certainty of all His gifts, with which she was endowed by him through the Cross and Resurrection. Christ is at the same time the Church’s Redeemer and her Spouse.
As Redeemer and Spouse, Christ established the Church among weak, sinful and fallible men; but he established her at the same time strong, holy and infallible not through the work of men.
Believing in the Church’s strength is believing in that power which “in weakness reaches perfection” (2 Cor 12:9).
Believing in the Church’s holiness means believing in that gift which makes us heirs of the divine holiness.
Believing in the Church’s infallibility means believing in Christ’s gift which permits fallible men to infallibly proclaim and confess the truth revealed for our salvation.
The Church of our time -- this critical epoch -- ought to have particular certainty regarding Christ’s gift, the gift of strength, the gift of holiness, the gift of infallibility.
The more she is conscious of the weakness, sinfulness, fallibility of man, the more she should maintain her certainty of those gifts, coming from Her Redeemer and Her Spouse.
Ref: Cf Pope John Paul II, “Prayers and Devotions”, 1994, pp133-4

Love of God
God expects from each one of us an unconditional response to his love for us. Our love for God is shown in numerous little incidents of each day.
We love God through our work done well, how we live our family life, our social interactions, the use we make of our leisure time. Everything can be converted into a deed of love.
“While we carry out as perfectly as we can (with all our mistakes and limitations) the tasks allotted to us by our situation and duties, our soul longs to escape. It is drawn towards God like iron drawn by a magnet. One begins to love Jesus in a more effective way, with the sweet and gentle surprise of his encounter.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Friends of God”, 296)
“... all sorts of setbacks are encountered as difficult by those who do not love; those who do love, on the contrary, find them trivial and easily manageable. There is no suffering, however cruel or violent it may be, which is not made bearable or even reduced to nothing by love.” (St Augustine, “Sermon 70”)
Our love for God has to be supreme and absolute. Within this love all the noble loves of the earth are found, according to each one’s vocation and with naturalness.
“It would not be fair to say ‘either God or man’. They ought to love ‘God and man’ ... In other words, love for God is certainly dominant, but is not exclusive. ...” (John Paul I, ‘General Audience’, 27 September 1978)
Love for God is necessarily shown in love for others; in the way we live charity with whoever are with us everyday. “In this they will know you are my disciples ...” (Jn 13:35)
In refined dealings with others; in mutual respect. In thinking favorably of others, in helping in little things at home or at work, in a loving and appropriate fraternal correction, in prayer for the one who needs it most ...
Let us ask Our Lady to teach us to respond to the love of her Son, so that we may also know how to love, with deeds, her other children who are our brothers.
Ref: Cf Francis Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:148-150

Joy of the children of this world and sorrow of the children of God
Our Lord was about to leave this world when he told his disciples, “A little while, and you shall not see me, because I go to the Father. You shall lament and weep, but the world shall rejoice.” (Jn 16:16, 30)
Our Lord has apportioned the goods of this life: to the righteous he gives crosses and tears; to the worldly, the ‘children of the world’, riches and material enjoyments. Why so?
In his sovereign justice, God desires that the former should be purified by brief sufferings from the smallest stains of sin. The others are rewarded for their naturally good actions, but no merit in eternity.
Apparently happy, the latter are really always tormented by the thirst for gaining something and the fear of losing it; bending under the yoke of violent, disgraceful and insatiable passions; plagued by remorse of conscience; terrified at the thought of death and eternity.
Do we share this view of worldy happiness? Do we say, ‘I could as easily have saved my soul while living in the world, enjoying my liberty, taking part in innocent pleasures’? If this is so, lukewarmness has allowed ill-regulated affections to possess our heart.
As St Paul said, “I exceedingly abound with joy in all our tribulation”; and St Augustine, about his severe penances, “The tears that you see me shed are sweeter than all the pleasures that I ever tasted in the world”.
The words 'tears' and 'sorrow' were meant by our Lord in exactly opposite to the senseless laughter and sinful joys of the world.
“There is a sorrow of the world, and a sorrow that is according to God.” (St Paul) The latter is an apparent sorrow only. In the depths of the soul is a foretaste of the joys of heaven, of which the worldly cannot imagine. ‘As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.’
‘I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no man shall take from you.’ An assurance that the privations, tears, and passing sorrow of the ‘children of God’ will lead to an eternal joy in heaven.
Our Lord also said -- “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Mt 5:4) But to the ‘children of this world’: “Woe to you that now laugh for you shall mourn and weep.” (Lk 6:25)
An instant of joy, eternal suffering; an instant of suffering, eternal joy. What a contrast!
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp230-32

The Tongue
920 -- “This has to be your attitude when faced by defamation. First, forgive everyone from the very beginning and with all your heart. Then love. Never fall into a single uncharitable act.
"Always respond with love. But if your Mother the Church is being attacked, defend her courageously. Keep calm, but firm. Have the strength no to give in, and prevent anyone fouling up or blocking the way ahead for Christian souls when they in their turn are eager to forgive and respond with charity to personal insults.”
Ref: St Josemaria Escrivá, “Furrow”, 327

• Eve of the Annunciation of Our Lady, instituted by Gregory II. On this day, Our Lady kept the Passover at Jerusalem, in the year of Our Lord 49. Balingham, Metaphrastes.) (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Eve of the Annunciation, instituted by Gregory II. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)
• Vigil of the Annunciation. Instituted by Pope Gregory II. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of the Thorn (1400). Chalons sur Marne, France. (http://mariedenazareth.com)