2 March 2013 2nd Week of Lent -- Saturday Prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Olives Jesus Christ knelt down, hit his face on the earth, and remained prostrate as if unworthy to look to heaven. He thought of the infinite majesty of God to whom he spoke as man bearing the weight of our sins. “My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevetheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” (Lk 22:4) Jesus gives us the example of a heroic resignation. Like us in his human nature, the sight of death, the thought of sufferings and humiliations which will precede it, made him implore his heavenly Father, to spare Him these sacrifices. Still he declared his readiness to endure them if it is His will. This is how we ought to pray when we ask God to deliver us from anything against our natural inclination. But we should always say ‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven’ in everything we ask for daily. Jesus interrupted his prayer three times to inquire of his disciples who seemed unaware of the greatest danger. Immediately he went back to pray, and repeated ... ‘not as I will, but thy will be done’. We learn two things: 1) We ought not to pray too long as to neglect works of charity. Neither must we allow our charitable zeal lead to neglect of prayer. We should sanctify zeal by prayer, and enrich prayer by zealous charitable labors. 2) We ought not to pray with a variety of forms and expressions, nor be weary of repeating our petitions. In any activity, much prayer should precede action. Ref: Cf Practical Meditations by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp87-9 Lourdes: The thirteenth apparition ‘Tuesday.’ This day’s vision was one of the most important of the mystic events. Bernadette reached the grotto already crowded with onlookers. The crowd noticed nothing unusual compared to the previous visions although Bernadette was visibly shaken when she emerged from her ecstasy. “Aquero” had asked her to tell the priests ‘to come here in procession and to erect a chapel on this spot’. Except for her confessor, Bernadette has never told any priest about the visions; she was a bit taken aback with the idea. After much hesitation, with her aunts, she went to the parish priest, Abbe Peyramale. She told him of the Virgin’s first request. Receiving a curt reprimand in reply, she forgot about the chapel. The message prompted her dismissal. Although Peyramale had been informed from the first apparition by Bernadette’s confessor (with her permission), he had always kept out of it. He had forbidden the clergy to take part in the Massabielle ‘meetings’, awaiting the end of the excitement. Bernadette realized her omission but couldn’t go back to Peyramale. Dominiquette Cazenave, one of the most fervent believers in the apparitions and sister of M. Soubiros’ employer, came to her aid. She set a meeting with the parish clergy for that evening. Peyramale, two vicars and Father Pomian listened to Bernadette repeat the request for a chapel. Repressing his instinctive severity which would only lead to a fit of anger, Peyramale again asked the name of the Lady. Bernadette again answered that she didn’t know. ‘You’ve got to ask her’, he promptly commanded. Ref: Cf G Menotti, “Lourdes”, p11 Charity is for all times and all circumstances There is nothing more divine, more Christlike, than the meekness and patience in doing good. (cf St Gregory Nazianzen, Prayer, 17:9) “Of all the virtues leading to salvation, let us seek mainly those that benefit our neighbour ... In the things of this world no one lives for himself; all without exception contribute to the common good ... the good of their neighbour. This happens even more fully in the spiritual life ... He who lives only for himself and despises his neighbour is useless, is not a man ....” (St John Chrysostom, “Homilies on St Matthew’s Gospel”, 77:6) The practice of charity will usually consist in little details: a smile, an encouraging word, a kind gesture. The “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” (Mt 5:38) is not the conduct of a Christian; but to do good always, although occasionally such an attitude will not result in any human gain. At least we will have enriched our hearts. Charity makes us understanding, ready to forgive, fit to live with everyone, so that “those who think and act differently from us in social, political and even in religious matters will also have a claim on our respect and charity. ... Love and courtesy of this kind should not make us indifferent to truth and goodness. ... But we must distinguish between the error and the one in error ...” (cf Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et spes, 28) Ref: Cf Francis Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 3:340-342 The Spirit of Love and Sharing The time of Lent was given to us as the Church and through the Church, to purify us of residues of egoism, of excessive attachment to goods ... which keep us far from those with the right to make claims upon us: chiefly those who, physically near or far from us, have no possibility of living as men and women with dignity, as humans created in the image and likeness of God. So let yourselves be permeated with the spirit of penitence and conversion -- ‘the spirit of love’ and ‘sharing’. In imitation of Christ, bring yourselves close to the poor and those whom the world rejects. Take part in everything being done in your local church, for Christians and all people of goodwill to be able to bring each of their brethren the means, even the material means, for living worthily, for undertaking their own human and spiritual promotion and that of their families. May the Lenten collections (for poor countries as well), give you the means to help local churches in even poorer lands through sharing, so they may achieve their mission of being Good Samaritans to those for whom they are directly responsible: the poor, the hungry, victims of injustice and those who cannot yet be responsible for their own development and their own human communities. Penance, conversion: this is the ‘path’, not a sad but a ‘liberating path, that of our time of Lent’. If you still ask yourselves, ‘Who is my neighbor?’, you will read the answer on the face of Christ and hear it from his lips: “I assure you, as often as you did it for one of my least brothers, you did it for me.” (Mt 25:40) Ref: Cf Pope John Paul II, “Prayers and Devotions”, 1994, pp147-8 • Our Lady of Apparitions, at Madrid, so called because in the year 1499, the Blessed Virgin appeared during a whole week to a young woman named Yves, and ordered her to build a church in her honor, on the spot where she should find a cross planted to Our Lady.—(Life of Blessed Jane.) “Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar (http://www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Our Lady of Apparitions. Madrid, Spain. 1449. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Our Lady of Apparitions, Madrid, Spain (1449). (http://www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html) • Our Lady of Apparitions (Madrid, Spain). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)