A Chapter for Our Lady
Hi! How is each and every
one? Guess where I am editing this post for today? I am in my annual workshop seminar in
Tagaytay Conference Center. We started
last Tuesday, July 25 and will end on Saturday, August 12, 2023. On the same day that we started, the Father
Prelate of Opus Dei, Msgr Fernando Ocariz, was on flight to the country to stay
with us for 10 days, July 25 to August 5, 2023. He landed around 4:00 in the
afternoon. From the first day of our
seminar to July 30, we have been anticipating and preparing for his coming over
to Tagaytay Conference Center to get together with all of us in the
course. Following him in every get
together in Quezon City and Pasig through shared videos in social media with
small groups of persons and families, and with a bigger group of the young
people, we would see how he is and how the people are welcoming him with great
joy and excitement. We would see how
tired he is and how he would be more rested while enjoying any dance or song
happily rendered in his presence.
We are 31 participants in
the seminar. There are four among us who
come from the region of East South Asia, a Filipina from Singapore, a Korean
and two Filipino Chinese from Taiwan. We have agreed among ourselves that we
would simply make the Father rest and enjoy his get together with us. Hence two among us eagerly volunteered to
host the show in their acquired Spanish and the rest of us helped in coming up
with a program consisting of anecdotes, magic, songs, jokes and gifts. The
whole get together lasted for around 50 minutes to an hour. We are unanimous in
our conviction that we succeeded in making the Father and his companions rest
and upon leaving they themselves expressed and confirmed that we did well and
that the Father rested with us. We all
went to bed smiling and personally I woke up bargaining, yet much aware and
looking forward to participating in the Mass with the Father early that morning. And that was just yesterday morning.
Of course all of you are
with me the whole time and still with me as we continue taking advantage of the
joys, blessings, graces and prayers that this coming over for ten days of the
Father is bringing for us not only these days but with continuous rippling
effect to the future.
We always come to realize
and experience the love, goodness and mercy of God towards each one of us in both
our own blood family and in his Work. Indeed
every time is a time of thanksgiving and more generous correspondence.
Following is the episode
on our Lady at the house of Simon the Leper (From Joseph Tissot, How to profit from your faults, Pp
121-122).
On my timetable this post
was scheduled for August 1, 2023. I started
working on it last July 27. I am sorry I
did not have time to continue it until today, August 4.
According to the author,
in preparing the third edition of this book, an idea came to mind: Why not add another chapter? In fact, I considered this an omission,
feeling a guilt for not having set it right earlier. For, how can one sing God’s mercies without
including a single hymn to the Mother of Mercy?
To study the art of profiting from
our faults at the school of St. Francis de Sales, the most loveable of
saints, and yet forget the Refuge of Sinners!
This does not seem possible. It
is true that in the course of this work we touched upon the subject; but it was
not enough, for the subject deserves to be treated on its own.
This idea came home to me with greater force at the
feet of Our Lady of the Port, at Clermont Ferrand. It is here, at this ancient shrine, that I
understood clearly that, for the shipwrecked, Mary is a haven, as well as a
guiding star.
St. Francis de Sales was correct in saying: “The Virgin Mary has always remained the
polar star and welcome haven of all men sailing the ocean waves of this
miserable world. Those who set their
course by this divine star will steer clear of the reefs of sin” (Sermon for
Christmas Eve). But even those who have
strayed from her protective care will not find a safer haven than the
Immaculate Heart of the most tender of mothers.
Here they can repair the harm done, as well as turn it to their advantage. It also seems that our good Saint is
calling for this additional chapter. He
wants to harmonize with the preceding pages, where Mary Magdalen was sown to be
a model for sinners, keen to correct their mistakes and to turn to advantage.
Our
Lady at the House of Simon the Leper
He returns again to the
same subject in a letter to St. Jeanne de Chantal. Referring to his prayer during which he is
transported to the house in Bethany of Simon the leper, he says: “I saw our Savior, who seemed to me to be in
a good mood. However, out of respect for
our dear Magdalen, we did not dare approach his feet. We approached his Mother’s, who, if I’m not
mistaken, was there. I felt ashamed not
to have as many tears or such perfume as this saintly penitent. Our Lady, however, was satisfied with a few
droplets on the hem of her dress, as we did not dare touch her sacred feet.
What followed consoled me a great deal.
After dinner, our Lord entrusted his beloved convert to our Lady. We see that from that moment, Mary Magdalen
has always been by our Lady’s side; and the Blessed Virgin continued to comfort
this sinful woman. This gave me courage
and infinite joy” (Sermon for the Annunciation).
O Blessed Father! Communicate this courage and joyful
confidence to all sinners. Let it
inspire them to run to Mary. It is
possible that, despite all the reasons given in this book, the awareness of
their exceeding misery prevents them from throwing themselves completely into
the good Heart of Jesus. But, even in
this extreme situation, they should throw themselves into the arms of his
Mother, whose love for the weakest is guaranteed.
Indeed! Let us always go to Our Lady, Mary, Mother of
God and our mother. To Jesus we always
go through Mary. She will always bring
us to Jesus. Like a good mother she will
talk to Jesus about all the good in each one of us.
See
you in the next post, “May tomorrow be a perfect day; may
you find love and laughter along the way; may God keep you in his tender care;
‘til He brings us together again.”
Affectionately,
Guadalupinky
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