28 September 2012 Ss Lorenzo Ruiz and companions, martyrs They shed their blood for Christ in Nagasaki, Japan (1633-1637). Members of the Order of Saint Dominic, there were nine priests, two religious, two sisters, and three laymen. Among the latter was Lorenzo, a family man from the Philippines. (Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ [Eds], “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p1652) Lorenzo of Binondo, Manila is a Chinese mestizo, the first Filipino to be canonized by the Church. (Nick Joaquin, “Manila, My Manila”, 1990, p52) “I shall die for God and for him I will give many thousands of lives if I have them” are words attributed to St Lorenzo Ruiz when offered freedom if he renounces his religion. The return and joys of the Seventy-two The seventy-two had achieved a great success, because they had faithfully observed our Lord’s directions. Obedience made them victors over men and devils. “An obedient man shall speak of victory. And the seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, the devils also are subject to us in your name’.” (Lk 10:17) Their joy was legitimate. Yet we gather from our Lord’s reply that it was not completely free from a vain complacency. He said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Lk 10:18). Meaning, ‘Take care, beware of vainglory; it leads to pride, and pride can make you fall, as it made Lucifer and his angels fall from heaven’. Let us learn two things from this episode: 1) follow the rule of obedience; this will ensure us success in all we do. 2) To be on guard against the subtle approach of vainglory, which follows so naturally in the train of success, and which will rob us of all our merit. The joy of the disciples arose from their success. Jesus wished to show them that this motive was wrong; success does not depend on ourselves nor justify us, and will not always give us a claim to a reward. He pointed to them, and through them to us, a more substantial motive: “Rejoice not in this, that spirits are subject to you; but rejoice in this that your names are written in heaven” (Lk 10:20); or, in the Book of Life. We may wish for success in our good works; even try to obtain it. We may also rejoice at our success, and be sorry if we fail; but, above all, our intention must be pure: God’s glory alone and our neighbor’s good. Why does too often failure dishearten us? Clearly because we think more of our own glory than we do for God. We know that God does not require us to succeed in everything; and if the failure is not due to our negligence, it will not lessen the reward of our labor. Is the spirit of self-seeking our motive to eagerly work and receive credit; but reluctant to engage in what cannot bring us notice? We must raise our thoughts to heaven; above all this wretched self-love. Let our happiness and joy be in pleasing God, in having our name written on the heart of Jesus, in the Book of Life. Jesus tenderly loved his disciples. He sympathized and rejoiced with them for he knew that their joy was a gift bestowed on them by his heavenly Father. “He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to little ones. Yes, Father, for such was your glorious will.’” (Lk 10:21) When our colleague succeeds, rejoice with him. If he surpasses us in ability or in virtue, let us not allow secret jealousy to enter our heart. Instead give thanks to God for having enriched him with such gifts. We share in them as members of the same mystical body. Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp611-3 Holy Mary, 'Cause of our joy' For 2,000 years the source of our joy has been the Church. Jesus brought it and remained in the form of his Mystical Body. The happiest persons are those who are closest to Christ. Thus no one is more joyful than Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our Mother. She who is “full of grace” (Lk 1:28) is consequently, full of joy. Close to Mary, we live a blessed life. She overflows with joy and spreads it through creation. “The voice and words of Mary must be like a divine music that resounds in the depths of souls to generate such an ever-renewing joy, filling them with peace and love. In praying the Holy Rosary and in the Litany, we call her ‘Cause of our joy’.” (cf A Orozco, “Looking to Mary”) She is the ‘Gate of heaven’, doorway to God. Passing by, she transforms everything. Sadness is banished. Shadows give way to light. Hope and love are ignited. To be with the Virgin is not the same as without her! Through our joy let us bring our friends and relatives to God. Mary, ‘Cause of our joy’, will help us to spread peace and joy wherever we go. This is one of our greatest treasures as Christians; what the world is really searching for in its misguided quest for happiness in the possession of material things. Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 5:155-6 “The family that prays together stays together” An American missionary priest who used to work for many years in Abra related how his three nieces would rebel praying the rosary as a family. But pray they did. After college, the girls went on separate ways and eventually got married. As the uncle-priest took his home-vacations, he observed that the families of the nieces were strong, stable. Their classmates in college, however, were not as lucky. A good number had turbulent marriages which ended in divorces. The girls themselves attributed their robust, enduring family relationships to their rosary devotion which, as teens, they used to balk. Contrary to accusation by non-Catholics citing “Matthew 6:7” as “sheer multiplication of words” and “vain repetition to gain God’s hearing”, the rosary is a meditative prayer. The repetitions are not to influence God, but to quiet the mind and CENTER our self on the great events of our redemption. Ref: In Fr Bel R San Luis, SVD, “Word Alive”, “Manila Bulletin”, 7 October 1995 • Our Lady of Cambron, of the order of Citeaux, in Hainault, near Mons. It is said that this image, being struck by a wicked man, in the year 1322, bled copiously. — Histoire Camberon., Duaci. ann. 1602. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Our Lady of Cambron, France (1322). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html) • Our Lady of Cambron. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)