17 September 2012 A Samaritan village refuses to receive Jesus At one place on our Lord’s journey through Samaria the inhabitants refuse to receive him due to their ancient enmity against the Jews. “His disciples, James and John said, ‘Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy them?’ He turned and scolded them; then proceeded to another village.” (cf Lk 9:54-6) Jesus warns against a spirit of bitterness or cruelty under the guise of zeal. We are all prone to do this; but we are mistaken if we think it can be pleasing to God. We deceive ourselves when we ask God to punish soonest the wicked or persecutors. Such is not the spirit of Jesus Christ, who came not to destroy, but to save; who bids us to pray for our persecutors; who Himself prayed for them on the cross; “deals patiently, not willing that any should perish, but that all should return to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9-10). When our Lord was repulsed from the city whose hospitality He had deigned to ask, He made no complaint, but ‘went into another town’. O Jesus, take possession of my heart and dwell therein. Make it all your very own. May that blessed promise be fulfilled in me -- ‘If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.’ Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp586-8 The Cross, a Living Call to Conversion The Church, desirous to enliven herself with particular commitment to the mission of her Lord and Master in all its salvific value, listens to Christ’s words with greatest attention. He unchangingly announces the Kingdom of God, independently of the mutations of temporal events in human life. His last word is ‘the cross on Mt Calvary’, the sacrifice of love to reconcile man with God. We must all look at the Cross with special attention in order to comprehend its eloquence anew. We must not see it only as a memorial of events which occurred two-thousand years ago. We must grasp the teaching of the Cross as it speaks to man of today: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Heb 13:8) In the Cross of Jesus Christ a living call to ‘metanoia’, to conversion, is expressed: “Reform your lives and believe in the Gospel.” (Mk 1:15) We have to accept this call as being addressed to each and all of us in a particular manner. Christ himself indicates the rich program of conversion to us in the gospel. Christ -- and the Church, after him -- also offers us the means for such conversion. It is a question of ‘prayer’, above all, then of ‘almsgiving’, then of ‘fasting’. We must accept these means and bring them into our lives in proportion with the needs and possibilities of a Christian of our time. Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, pp143-4 A continuous prayer to the Mother of Heaven “Raised to the glory of Heaven, she cares for the pilgrim Church with a mother’s love, following its progress homeward until the day of the Lord dawns in splendour.” (“Roman Missal”, Preface, Mass for Mary, Mother of the Church) In the “Hail, Mary”, we ask for her help: “... now and at the hour of our death. ...” This ‘now’ is repeated throughout the world for the “grace of the present moment.” (cf R Garrigou-Lagrange, “The Three Ages of the Interior Life”, I, 6) This is a most personal grace which varies according to each person and every situation. We may occasionally be distracted from our prayers, but Our Lady never loses her attention. She knows our every need. She prays for us and wins for us what we should have. A continuous prayer rises to her: “Pray for us sinners, now ...” “Mary is always the road that leads to Christ. Each encounter with Mary, therefore, turns out to be an encounter with Christ himself: through her, with her and in her. For what other purpose could we have in mind by going to her than to find her Son and our Saviour? He is there in her arms.” (Paul VI, Encyclical, “Mense Maio”, 29 April 1965) We have endless reasons for going to Mary because she always hears our prayers. “Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly to you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions but in your mercy hear and answer me. Amen.” (St Bernard, “The Memorare Prayer”. In “Our Sunday Visitor’s Catholic Encyclopedia”, 1991, pp636-7) The Rosary is Our Lady’s favorite prayer. (cf Paul VI, Encyclical, “Mense Maio”, 29 April 1965) We should pray it with renewed devotion. Let us really be ambitious in our petitions, because Our Blessed Mother will be attentive to every single one of them. Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 5:103-4 Work -- “Place on your desk, in your room, in your wallet, a picture of Our Lady, and look at it when you begin your work, while you are doing it, and when you finish it. She will obtain, I can assure you, the strength for you to turn your task into a loving dialogue with God.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Furrow”, 531) A rosary story During the first World War a French soldier was on patrol in the woods. Feeling safe, he laid aside his gun and rested. Unawares, he was seen by a German scout. He was an easy victim. As the trigger was about to be pulled the Frenchman drew out his beads and knelt down. On seeing the rosary, the German was moved to spare the Frenchman’s life. The incident touched the German so profoundly that it inspired him to dedicate the rest of his life as a Jesuit lay brother. Ref: Cf Fr Bruno Hagspiel, “1000 Stories” Vol 1, in Fr Bel R San Luis, SVD, “Word Alive”, “Manila Bulletin”, 7 October 1995 • Inauguration of the image of Our Lady of Puy, in Velay. King St Louis gave this image to the church of Puy in the year 1254 on his return from beyond the seas. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Placement of the image of Our Lady of “le Puy”. Velay, France. Donated by St Louis IX. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html) • Enthronement of the image of Our Lady of le Puy, given by St. Louis IX. Velay, France. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html) • Our Lady of the Candles. 15th Century. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html) • Our Lady of Candles (Canary Isles, 1400). (http://mariedenazareth.com) • Our Lady of Refuge (“The 2002 Catholic Directory of the Philippines”, p208)