"ON
THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF OUR CONSECRATION TO MARY"
August
10, 2008
My
dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Greetings
in the love of Jesus!
It
has been one year since that blessed event last August 10, 2007, when
we as CFC-FFL consecrated ourselves to the Blessed Virgin Mary, more
specifically, to Our Lady, Mary Mediatrix of All Grace. Since that
time, we have experienced her powerful intercession, helping firm up
our restoration and moving us forward in our mission.
Yesterday
we had a pilgrimage to the Carmelite shrine at Lipa, Batangas. We
filled the Church and had a wonderful time. Like Mary in her
Magnificat, what we experienced was exultant joy. This is the joy that
comes from knowing God’s mercy, His salvation, and His bountiful
blessings. This is the joy that comes from experiencing God’s love (Jn
3:16), trusting in His plan for us (Jer 29:11), and responding to His
particular call to us as CFC—founded in 1981, re-founded in 1993,
restored in 2007.
Jesus
was there from the very start in 1981. And at the very start of our
restoration in 2007, there also was Mary.
The
apparitions in Lipa, to a Carmelite novice named Sr Teresing, started
in August 1948. 60 years ago. Fr Melvin Castro, our Eucharistic
celebrant, said that the devil was defeated in 1948, and that now,
from this day on, the devil will be defeated through our work in every
part of the world, where Our Lady is.
It
was a powerful affirmation of the spiritual warfare that we have
always been involved in, intensifying in the last few years, with its
most intense period last year. With restoration, the devil’s intent
to destroy CFC has been thwarted. But the enemy does not give up. And
today we are still deeply involved in spiritual warfare. The devil
will oppose God’s work and God’s people till the end of time.
But
Jesus already won victory on the cross. And our Blessed Mother too is
victorious over the devil’s works.
How
do we now respond to this situation of continuing intense spiritual
warfare? Let Mary show us the way.
First,
Mary was not afraid. She was greatly troubled at what the angel told
her (Lk 1:29) but the angel assured her, “Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.” (Lk 1:30). In the midst of
troubles in life, if we place ourselves securely in God’s embrace by
walking His path for us, then, knowing His great love and great plan
for us, we need never be afraid. No matter what happens.
Second,
Mary embraced the cross. We know that there will be problems,
challenges and pain in life. We are called not only to be unafraid of
these, but in fact to face them boldly and joyfully. Mary was told by
Simeon that she would be pierced by a sword (Lk 2:35). This was the
price of walking with Jesus. So too with us. The sage Jesus, son of
Eleazar, tells us, “My son, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare
yourself for trials.” (Sir 2:1). If we want to be disciples of
Jesus, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow him
(Lk 9:23). All the way to the cross.
And
do not forget (never forget) that we are into spiritual warfare. So
the enemy will continue to oppress us. “It is necessary for us to
undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22).
We can be subjected to persecution, even from our own brethren. But
even this will be cause for blessings and great joy. Jesus himself
pronounced the beatitude: “Blessed are they who are persecuted for
the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every
kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.” (Mt 5:10-12).
Just
like Mary, who gave birth to Jesus and stood at the foot of the cross
until his death, we too must go all the way to the cross. Pain and
suffering are salvific. They purify us. They humble us. They pave the
way for us to experience victory. For us, just like Jesus and Mary,
the cross is the only way.
Third,
Mary experienced victory in and through the Holy Spirit. We have been
entrusted with God’s work. How is this possible? We are weak and
sinful. Mary also asked, “How can this be” (Lk 1:34)? The angel
replied, “The holy Spirit will come upon you” (Lk 1:35a). It is
possible because it is God’s work, we are just instruments, and it
is the Holy Spirit who anoints and empowers us. Though we are nothing,
nothing is impossible with God (Lk 1:37). In fact, God delights in
using nobodies like us. Mary herself was lowly, but all ages would
call her blessed, for the Mighty One did great things for her (Lk
1:48-49).
We
in CFC-FFL are an evangelistic and missionary community. We, as with
all Christians, have been entrusted with that wonderful gift of
salvation won on the cross by Jesus. We have been commissioned to
bring that good news of salvation to the whole world. This is our
privilege. This is our responsibility.
Is
it possible for God to use us in the power of His Spirit? Can we
become families in the Holy Spirit that will be God’s instruments
for renewing the face of the earth? Jesus has said so, and we just
need to believe and accept.
So
fourth, Mary believed and so was blessed. Elizabeth told her:
“Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the
Lord would be fulfilled.” (Lk 1:45). Faith is the key. Faith unlocks
God’s power. With faith, God can move mountains through us (Mt
17:20). But we need to be faithful. To God’s call to us. To our
covenant with God. To our life and mission in CFC-FFL. We need to walk
in the way of Jesus and grow in holiness. And we need to be committed
servants whom the Lord can use as He wills.
In
the midst of spiritual warfare, we rejoice. Precisely because
spiritual warfare is a consequence of our walking in the way of Christ
and doing his work, all the more we rejoice.
Brothers
and sisters, our joy is in Christ. But it is more than that. It is
actually about the Father’s joy in us. Our theme of joy for this
year comes from the book of the prophet Zephaniah. And here we see
that it is our God who rejoices over us (Zep 3:17). God rejoices in
our restoration. God rejoices in having His holy remnant. God renews
us in His love.
And
God gives us His promises through Zephaniah. “I will remove disaster
from among you, so that none may recount your disgrace. Yes, at that
time I will deal with all who oppress you ….. and at that time I
will gather you: For I will give you renown and praise, among all the
peoples of the earth, when I bring about your restoration before your
very eyes, says the Lord.” (Zep 3:18-20).
Now
that is great cause for rejoicing. The angel Gabriel said to Mary:
“you have found favor with God.” (Lk 1:30). “Hail, favored one!
The Lord is with you.” (Lk 1:28). With our restoration, I believe we
have once again found favor with God. And with our consecration, we
have found favor with Mary.
Let
then our response be, just like Mary: “my spirit rejoices in God my
savior” (Lk 1:47).
Exultant
joy. Let this be at the core of our very being, now and forever.
God
bless us all.
Your
servant in Jesus and Mary,
Frank
Padilla
