19 June 2013 The Heart of Jesus and the meekness of His actions During his whole life he received the hatred, calumnies, and insults of the doctors and rulers of the Jews. They told him to his face, before all the people, he worked miracles by the power of Beelzebub, prince of devils. And yet he remained meek to the very end. He may indeed justly say to us, “Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of heart” (Mt 11:28-30). To be gentle and patient is easy when all goes well and everyone is kind and considerate. There is no merit in it here. But to be really meek and humble of heart is to be able to bear wrongs patiently, and to render good for evil, after the example of Jesus Christ. Let us earnestly strive to do this so that the words of our Lord may be applied to us: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land.” (Mt 5:15) Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp328-9 Generosity of the Heart of Jesus ‘Shown by the sacrifice which he made of his reputation’ We ordinarily rate the generosity of a man by the sacrifices he makes for his fellow creatures. We may do the same with the generosity of the Heart of Jesus. What has he not sacrificed for us? He only shared our goods so that he might be able to sacrifice them for us. We jealously guard, with good reason, our honor, our reputation. Jesus sacrificed his reputation as a reparation for the dishonor sin had done to his heavenly Father; and to reconcile us to him. Submitting silently to the most atrocious calumnies, he died stripped of all reputation. As he hung on the cross, his enemies dared him if he were the Son of God: “Let Christ come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” (Mt 27:40) He did not descend, leaving them to conclude that he was powerless, an impostor, the basest of men. And thus he died. God will probably not require us to sacrifice our reputation as he has demanded of certain great saints such as St John of the Cross. He was imprisoned, and died a victim of calumny, without even a word of complaint. What our Lord asks of us is to accept all feeling of resentment when, through malice or inadvertence, someone may have injured our reputation. To receive in silence any reprimand or penance for a fault we did not commit. Although these little sacrifices are not heroic, they will be pleasing to God and merit a reward. Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp329-30 The Fruit of the Redemption Is the New Creature The Redemption is a “new creation” because by reason of sin, man fell from his “original justice”. He broke the Alliance with God. Consequently, he suffered incapacity to build communion with others in the truth of self-giving. We must deepen our consciousness of sin, the indispensable starting point for personal participation in the mystery of the Redemption. The Redemption worked by Christ brought man back to “the dignity of his first origins”. In Christ, the second and true Adam, the new humanity takes its origin. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old order has passed away; now all is new!” (2 Cor 5:17) A change in the very essence of the human person who has been redeemed brings man back to the fulness of his being as ‘God’s image’ (cf Gen 1:27). Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, 1984, p268 Mediatrix of all graces A mediator’s job is to bring together, or at least to open communication between, two distant parties. Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, is the only and perfect mediator between God and men (cf 1 Tim 2:5), because, as God and man, he offered up a sacrifice of infinite value (his own death) to reconcile men with God. (St Thomas Aquinas, “Summa Theologiae”, III, q26, a2) But this does not keep the saints, Christians in general, and, in a most particular way, our Lady from functioning as mediators. ( Second Vatican Council, “Lumen Gentium”, 60) The Virgin, Christ’s Mother and mother of disciples desirous of identifying themselves with her Son, is a singular “Mediatrix before the Mediator”. (St Bernard, “Sermon 2, Sunday, Octave of the Assumption”) (With respect both to Christ and to mankind hers is a motherly role. Consequently, in interceding, Mary “places herself ‘in the midst’, that is, makes herself a mediator not like a stranger, but in her role as mother, aware that as such she can -- rather, ‘has the right to’ -- lay before her Son the needs of men.” (John Paul II, “Redemptoris Mater”, 21) Hers is a mediation intimately linked to her role as mother and our condition as needy children. Pope John Paul II explains in detail that “this mothering in the order of grace arises from her very divine motherhood” (“Redemptoris Mater”, 6). Since she is God’s Mother, our Lady finds herself, as we saw, closely related to the Trinity. And since she is mother of all mankind, she is divinely charged with caring for her pilgrim children on the way to the house of their Father. God so wanted, teaches St Bernard, that all good come to us through her. “It’s God’s will that we obtain everything through Mary.” (“Sermon on the Aqueduct”) She was not merely a passive instrument in God’s hands, but cooperated in the salvation of men with voluntary faith and obedience. (Second Vatican Council, “Lumen Gentium”, 56) Ref: F Fernandez-Carvajal, ‘et al’, “Children of God”, 1997, pp65-6 • At Treves, in Germany, is seen in the church of St John the Evangelist, built in 333, the comb of Our Lady, given by Agritius, archbishop of that city. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • In the Church of St John the Evangelist at Treves, Germany, is venerated on this day the comb Our Lady used. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html) • St. John the Evangelist church where the comb of Our Lady is venerated. Treves, Germany. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Our Lady of “Monte Senario” . (Florence, Italy, 1240). (http://mariedenazareth.com); (www.divinewill.org/feastofourlady.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html) • “Madonna della Monte Senario”. Florence, Italy. 1240. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Order of the Friar Servants of Mary (Servites). (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)