"I have put under the maternal care of Our Lady all the diocesan and parochial work of our priests, the activity of the renewed Catholic Action and all the other apostolic organizations, the work that we want to develop for the benefit of young people, and these first pastoral visits in the Diocese. Our Lady of Lourdes, accepting our generous availability for apostolic work and our desire for personal holiness, assists each of us." (Through Images)
Like Bishop Giaquinta, let us entrust our apostolate and mission in the hands of our
Mother. Mary meets us where we are at with our poor gifts and feeble attempts like a mother who receives with joy her child's first efforts to walk. It is not what we are doing that gives Mary delight, but the very fact that we, her children, have been called to be holy, today. Remembering that we are her children destined for eternal glory should open our hearts to be generous and courageous by sharing the message of holiness with others. In his book, The Cenacle, Bishop Giaquinta reminds priests that they "must not be afraid to be loved by Mary". This reminder is applied to priests in a special way, but it is also an invitation to all people because Mary is Mater Ecclesia, Mother of the Church. Go to your Mother and spend some time with her today! "How wonderful it would be if we were able to lean our head on the heart of Mary just as a child would! One day, in eternity, we hope to be able to approach her and, with filial love and respect, kiss our mother and be kissed by her." (Giaquinta, The Cenacle, 73)
Please also remember to pray for the sick today. Here is an excerpt of Our Holy Father message to us on the World Day of the Sick:
The spiritual link with Lourdes, in addition, calls to mind the maternal solicitude of the Mother of Jesus for the brethren of her Son “who still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and difficulties, until they are led into the happiness of their true home” (Lumen gentium, n. 62).
This year we direct our attention particularly to children, the weakest and most defenseless creatures, and, amongst them, to the sick and suffering children.
From all these children arises a silent cry of pain that calls on our conscience as men and believers. The Christian community, which cannot remain indifferent to such dramatic situations, perceives the impelling duty to intervene. The Church, indeed, as I wrote in the encyclical Deus caritas est, “is God’s family in the world. In this family no one ought to go without the necessities of life” (n. 25, b). I thus hope that the World Day of the Sick will also offer an opportunity to parish and diocesan communities to become increasingly aware that they are “God’s family”, and will encourage them to make the love of the Lord, who asks that “within the ecclesial family no member should suffer through being in need” (ibid.), perceivable in villages, neighborhoods and cities. Witness to charity is a part of the life itself of every Christian community.
All of this presupposes a disinterested and generous love, a reflection and sign of the merciful love of God who never abandons his children in affliction, but always provides them with admirable resources of the heart and intelligence, so that they can adequately address the difficulties of life.
The daily dedication and tireless commitment to the service of sick children constitute an eloquent testimony of love for human life, in particular for the life of those who are weak and who are in everything and for everything dependent on others. It is, indeed, necessary to affirm with vigor the absolute and supreme dignity of every human life. The teaching that the Church proclaims incessantly does not change with the passing of time: human life is beautiful and should be lived in fullness even when it is weak and shrouded by the mystery of suffering. It is to Jesus that we must direct our gaze: in dying on the cross he wanted to share the pain of all humanity.
A special greeting for you, dear sick and suffering children: the Pope embraces you with fatherly love, together with your parents and relatives; he assures you that you are especially remembered in his prayers, inviting you to trust in the maternal help of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, who last Christmas we once again contemplated while she held in her arms the Son of God made child. Invoking upon you and every sick person the protection of the Holy Virgin, Health of the Sick, to all of you from my heart I impart a special Apostolic Blessing.
From the Vatican, 2 February 2009 Benedictus P.P. XVI
No comments:
Post a Comment