Items filtered by date: Saturday, 16 January 2021

Right and Just

(5^th Ordinary Sunday: Job 7:1-7; 1 Corinthians 9:16-23; Mark 1:29-39)

In the Preface, which introduces the Eucharistic Prayer at Mass, we affirm that it is “right and just, always and everywhere,” to praise the Lord our God for the blessings being recalled in that day’s liturgy.

Always. Everywhere. This seems to suppose a life of constant celebration. But Job, a true man of God, states, “I shall not see happiness again.” That he found himself in such a state is sad, but it is important for us to know—and accept—that believers can have bad days, weeks, months, even years.

You may recall that Job’s situation was the result of a wager. God praised Job’s righteousness, but Satan answered, “Put forth your hand and touch anything that he has, and surely he will blaspheme you to your face.” So God allowed Satan to torment Job. And although Job complained loud and long of his sufferings, we read, “In all this Job did not sin, nor did he say anything disrespectful of God.”

In many parts of France in 1846, the people were facing severe hardships. They responded by using Jesus’ name, not with prayerful respect, which is right and just, but in the expression of their anger, as Mary pointed out at La Salette.

Like Job, there are times when we have lots more questions than answers, regarding our own troubles or those of others. It is especially troubling to see Christians, struggling with fear, doubt, stress, etc., sometimes abandoning the faith, turning away from God at the time when they need him most. The Beautiful Lady’s call to conversion is addressed to just such persons.

St. Paul writes, “An obligation has been laid upon me.” He preached the Gospel out of love for Christ; out of love for others, he became “all things to all.”

Jesus also strove to bring his preaching and healing ministry, grounded in prayer, to as many as possible.

Mary tells us to make her message known. She has laid an obligation on us. In our own hard times, heads bowed low, if necessary, and humble as dust, it is right and just that we bear what we must for the sake of the Gospel and of our neighbor, in the hope of helping all to recognize Jesus’ healing presence.

Wayne Vanasse, and Fr. René Butler, M.S.

INTERNATIONAL ROSARY

Unity in Prayer

“Do you pray well, my children?”…

“Ah! My children, you must do it well...”

The question and the request that the Beautiful Lady makes to Maximine and Melanie wants to remind all of us that a solid spirituality is one that is rooted in life and in the Word of God and begins with the practice of personal prayer. Prayer is a daily commitment in the life of the La Salette Laity.

We are living the Marian Year that prepares us for the celebration of the 175^th anniversary of Our Lady's apparition at La Salette. Motivated by the joy of this time of preparation and enlightened by the request of the Beautiful Lady, the La Salette Laity of Italy and Argentina-Bolivia had the happy initiative to propose the realization of the International Rosary in other languages - which wants to be a moment of communion and sharing for all the La Salette Charismatic Family.

But how can the members of this Family come together if they are in such different places on the planet? The answer came in these times of pandemic. If it has forced us to social distancing and to cancel face-to-face activities, it has also brought us to look more closely at the possibilities that technology offers us such as applications for meetings and meetings “online” via computer or cell phone.

The International Rosary is held through one of these applications always on the first Saturday of the month. The members of the Laity and the La Salette missionaries from 10 countries are participating and each month a country is invited to animate the meeting. The recitation of the prayers is divided among the countries being 6 languages: Spanish, French, Italian, English, Polish and Portuguese. Three intentions for which we always pray: the mission of Pope Francis, because in this way we unite with the whole Church; the overcoming of the Covid-19 pandemic that affects all countries and the care for the environment that is the Common Cause of all the La Salette Laity.

The question of the timetable also had to be thought after all the participants are in 8 different time zones. In Brazil, the Rosary takes place at noon, 9am in the United States, 11pm in the Philippines, in Europe at 4pm.

It is true that some problems can arise. The internet connection can fail or some difficulties with communication. But the spirit of prayer, fraternity and belonging to the La Salette Charismatic Family overcomes everything.

The Rosary is also transmitted by Facebook on the page Rosario Internazionale

Everyone is invited!