Archive for the ‘Blessed Virgin Mary’ Category
Teddy Bear Annunciation
March 25, 2014Stained Glass Symbols — The Lily
February 2, 2014
The Fleur-de-Lis (“Flur-d-lee”)
The Fleur-de-lis (French for “Flower of the Lily”) has had many Christian meanings. This image was adopted as a royal symbol by the kings of France, and thus it symbolizes royalty. The lily is also an ancient symbol for purity, and so the Fleur-de-lis represents our most-pure queen, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Finally, the three petals of this single flower symbolize the Holy Trinity: three divine Persons united in one God.
Stained Glass Symbols — The Crowned “M”
January 31, 2014
A Symbol of the Queenship of Mary
In the Old Testament, the kings descending from David had multiple wives. Who then was regarded as queen? The king’s mother had this honor. (See 1 Kings 2:17-20) The Blessed Virgin Mary is the mother of Jesus Christ, the everlasting Davidic king, whose reign extends over all. And thus, in the Kingdom of God, Mary is the queen of heaven and earth symbolized by the Crowned “M.” (See Revelation 12:1)
The BVM Gets Results
December 31, 2013Injunctions granted on the eve of the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, in three lawsuits against the contraception mandate. (Including one from Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor.)
Three Common Catholic Confusions
September 10, 2013What Does “A.D.” Mean?
A.D. does not stand for “After Death” but rather the Latin phrase “Anno Domini,” or “In the Year of the Lord.” Since Jesus is born as the King of Kings we count time according to the year of his reign.
Who is the Immaculate Conception?
Although Jesus was sinlessly and miraculously conceived within the womb of the Virgin Mary, the December 8th Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates Mary’s conception as one entirely free from the stain of Original Sin. Mary’s birthday is traditionally celebrated 9 months later on September 8th.
Can Divorcees Receive Communion?
Many Catholics believe that simply getting divorced bars one from the sacraments. The precise teaching is that those who divorce and then live as husband and wife with another person without obtaining an annulment of their prior marriage should not present themselves for communion. Legal divorce is not the issue but rather adultery. When marriages fail the Church can investigate whether something essential was missing from the very beginning which prevented the marriage from being an unbreakable sacramental bond. If so, that marriage can be “annulled,” freeing the couple to marry in the Church.
The Saints of the Week
August 18, 2013● August 20—St. Bernard of Clairvaux
He was a 12th century abbot and a reformer and Doctor of the Church. You may know the beautiful Memorare Prayer he composed:
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
● August 21—St. Pope Pius X
This Holy Father, who reigned from 1903 t0 1914, notably promoted the daily reception of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist:
“If the Angels could envy, they would envy us for Holy Communion.”
“My advice is that you receive holy communion frequently—if you cannot do so daily—and unite yourself to the Savior. Make frequent visits to him in the solitude and silence of the tabernacle.”
● August 22—The Queenship of St. Mary
Why do we celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary as a queen? In the days of the Davidic kingdom, Jerusalem’s kings took multiple wives. Who, then, was considered the queen? The king’s mother was acknowledged as queen mother. She had a throne at the king’s right hand, the seat of honor, and served as a special intercessor in the kingdom, bringing subjects’ requests to her son. (See 1 Kings 2:17-20)
St. Mary, our sweet Lady, is the mother of Jesus, the everlasting Davidic king whose reign extends over all. Therefore, in his Kingdom, Mary is the queen mother, the queen of heaven and earth, the celebrated queen of all creation. She now sits enthroned at Christ’s right hand and serves as a powerful and compassionate intercessor for us all.
What do the Virgin Mary & the Ark of the Covenant Have in Common?
August 17, 2013The Ark of the Covenant bore the presence of God and three other important things, while Mary’s womb bears Jesus Christ, our Priest, Prophet and King. (Hebrews 9:4)
The Ark bore the Ten Commandments, the word of God in stone, while Mary’s womb carries Jesus Christ, the Word of God in flesh. (Deuteronomy 31:26, John 1:14)
The Ark bore the staff of Aaron which had miraculously blossomed, while Mary’s womb carries Jesus Christ, a bud blossoming miraculously from the stump of Jesse. (Numbers 17:10, Isaiah 11:1)
The Ark bore a gold container of Manna from heaven, while Mary’s womb carries Jesus Christ, the Bread from heaven. (Hebrews 9:4, John 6:41)
The Ark was made of wood overlaid with pure gold, inside and out, while Mary is a human being who is made “full of grace.” (Exodus 25:10-11, Luke 1:28)
King David joyfully leaped and danced before the Ark, while St. John the Baptist leaps within his mother’s womb at Mary’s arrival. (2 Samuel 6:14, Luke 1:44)
David asks, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me,” while St. Elizabeth asks, “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (2 Samuel 6:9, Luke 1:43)
The Ark remained in the house of Obed-edom outside Jerusalem for three months and God blessed his whole house, while Mary remains in the house of Zechariah in Judea for three months. (2 Sam 6:14, Luke 1:56)
No man was to touch God’s holy Ark, lest they die. St. Joseph holds a similar reverent regard towards Mary, his wife. (Numbers 4:15, 2 Samuel 6:7, Matthew 1:25)
The Ark was a mercy-seat which served as the throne for God’s presence on earth. “On entering the house [the Magi] saw the child with Mary his mother.” (Exodus 25:22, Matthew 2:11)
In his vision of heaven, St. John saw the Ark revealed. The next thing he sees is a glorious woman pregnant with the Christ child. (Revelation 11:19, 12:1)
Just as the Ark of the Covenant was of central, though secondary, importance in the Old Covenant, so God gives the Blessed Virgin Mary an essential role in his New Covenant.
The Ark of the Covenant Prefigures Mary
April 23, 2013The Ark of the Covenant bore the presence of God and three important things. (Heb 9:4)
Mary’s womb bears Jesus Christ, our Priest, Prophet and King.
The Ark of the Covenant bore the Ten Commandments, the word of God in stone. (Deut 31:26)
Mary’s womb carries Jesus, the Word of God in flesh. (John 1:14)
The Ark of the Covenant bore the staff of Aaron which had miraculously blossomed. (Num 17:10)
Mary’s womb carries Jesus, a bud blossoming miraculously from the stump of Jesse. (Isa 11:1)
The Ark of the Covenant bore a gold container of Manna from heaven. (Heb 9:4)
Mary’s womb carries Jesus, the Bread from heaven. (John 6:41)
The Ark of the Covenant was made of wood overlaid with pure gold, inside and out. (Exo 25:10-11)
Mary is a human being made “full of grace.” (Luke 1:28)
King David joyfully leaped and danced before the Ark of the Covenant. (2 Sam 6:14)
John the Baptist leaps in his mother’s womb at Mary’s arrival. (Luke 1:44)
David said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” (2 Sam 6:9)
Elizabeth says, “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:43)
The Ark of the Covenant remained in the house of Obed-edom outside Jerusalem for three months, and God blessed his whole house. (2 Sam 6:14)
Mary remains in the house of Zechariah in the hill country of Judea for three months. (Luke 1:56)
No man was to touch the holy Ark of the Covenant, lest they die. (Num 4:15, 2 Sam 6:7)
Joseph holds a similar reverent regard towards Mary, his wife. (Matt 1:25)
The Ark of the Covenant’s mercy-seat served as the throne for God’s presence on earth. (Exo 25:22)
“On entering the house (the Magi) saw the child with Mary his mother.” (Matt 2:11)
In his vision, St. John saw the Ark of the Covenant revealed in heaven. (Rev 11:19)
The next thing he sees is a glorious woman pregnant with the Christ child. (Rev 12:1)
Eve Prefigures Mary
April 23, 2013Tempted by a demon, Eve distrusted God, leading to our fall.
Greeted by an angel, Mary trusts God, leading to our salvation.
Eve was “the mother of all the living.” (Gen 3:20)
Mary’s offspring are “those who keep God’s commandments and bear witness to Jesus.” (Rev 12:17)
Because of her sin, Eve was covered with dirt. (Gen 3:19)
Because of her faith, Mary is clothed with the sun. (Rev 12:1)
Mary’s Advice — 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time—Year C
March 3, 2013The Blessed Virgin Mary is the greatest woman who has ever lived. She is the mother of God, but also our mother, our sister, and our friend. Mary is so easy for us to love because she is so lovable and she loves us a lot. God loves Mary even more than we do and, like a man in love, he speaks about her throughout the Bible, from the beginning to the end.
In Genesis, God speaks of Mary when he says to the serpent-devil, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers.” And in the book of Revelation, ‘A great sign appears in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She gives birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations….’
In our first reading today, when the Lord professes his love for Mount Zion and the city of Jerusalem, he is speaking about the people symbolized by these places. First among these is Mary, the virgin and bride, in whom God, the builder and bridegroom, rejoices.
Maybe you will be surprised to learn that, despite her great importance, Mary speaks on only four occasions in all the Scriptures. (Her husband, St. Joseph, utters no words at all, and so we imagine him as being a quiet man.) Mary speaks at the Annunciation, at the Visitation, upon the Finding of the Boy Jesus in the Temple, and at today’s Wedding Feast of Cana.
Mary’s words are few, but powerful. For instance, today we hear the profound last words that Mary speaks in the Bible. Mary says to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” That’s good advice for Christians in every age. “Do whatever Jesus tells you.” This has essentially been Our Lady’s message to us at every Marian apparition throughout the centuries since then. Mary never tells us anything different from the Gospel’s message, but encourages, or gravely reminds us: “Do whatever he tells you.”
This is not only Mary’s message, but also the way she lived and lives her life. At the Annunciation, when Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done unto me according to your word,” she was essentially saying, ‘Lord, I want to do whatever you say.’ When Mary gave the servants her instruction she did not know what Jesus was going to do, it seemed like he might do nothing, but she trusted in him. She trusted that whatever the Lord wished would truly be best.
Mary wants us to have this attitude our lives too; to trust in his care when unexpected problems arise; to trust him when we are burdened by carrying the heavy waters of our duty. Jesus’ plans may not be what we would prefer but they will always be the best. Jesus transformed Cana’s water into wine. Mary says, “Do whatever he tells you.” Listen to Mary and see what he transforms in your life.
La Santísima Virgen María es la mujer más grande que jamás haya vivido. Ella es la madre de Dios, sino también nuestra madre, nuestra hermana y nuestra amiga. María es tan fácil que nos encanta, porque es digno de ser amado y nos ama mucho. Dios ama a María incluso más que nosotros y, como un hombre enamorado, habla de ella a través de la Biblia, desde el principio hasta el final.
En el Génesis, Dios habla de María cuando le dice a la serpiente-demonio, “Y pondré enemistad entre ti y la mujer, y entre tu descendencia y la suya.” Y en el libro de Apocalipsis, ‘aparecia entonces en el cielo una figura prodigiosa: una mujer envuelta por el sol, con la luna bajo sus pies y con una corona de doce estrellas en la cabeza…. La mujer da a luz un hijo varón, destinado a gobernar todas las naciones….’
En nuestra primera lectura de hoy, cuando el Señor le declara su amor por el monte de Sión y la ciudad de Jerusalén, está hablando acerca de la gente simbolizados por estos lugares. La primera de ellas es María, la doncella y la esposa, en quien Dios se alegra.
Tal vez usted se sorprenderá al saber que, a pesar de su gran importancia, Mary habla en sólo cuatro ocasiones en todas las Escrituras. (Su esposo, San José, pronuncia ninguna palabra en absolute, y así nos imaginamos a José como un hombre tranquilo.) Ella habla en la Anunciación, en la Visitación, en el hallazgo del Niño Jesús en el Templo, y en la banquete de la boda de Caná de hoy.
Las palabras de María son pocas, pero poderosas. Por ejemplo, hoy oímos las palabras últimas María habla en la Biblia. María dice a los servían: “Hagan lo que Él les diga.” Es un buen consejo para los cristianos de todas las épocas. “Hagan lo que Jesús les diga.” Esto ha sido esencialmente el mensaje de Nuestra Señora a nosotros en cada aparición mariana a través de los siglos desde entonces. Ella nunca nos dice nada diferente que el mensaje del Evangelio, sino que alienta o gravemente nos recuerda: “Haced lo que Él os diga.”
Esto no es sólo María mensaje, sino también la forma en que vivió y vive su vida. En la Anunciación, cuando María dijo: ” Yo soy esclava del Señor, que Dios haga conmigo cono me has dicho,” fue básicamente diciendo: “Señor, quiero hacer lo que dice.” Cuando María dio a los criados su instrucción, María no sabía que Jesús iba a hacer, parecía como si fuera a hacer nada, pero ella confiaba en él. Confía en que cualquier cosa que el Señor ha querido realmente sería lo mejor.
María quiere que tengamos esta actitud en nuestra vida también, a confiar en el cuidado de Jesús cuando se producen problemas, confiar en Jesús cuando estamos agobiados por llevar las aguas pesadas de nuestros deberes. Los planes de Jesús no puede ser lo que nosotros preferiríamos, pero siempre será mejor. Jesús transformó el agua en vino de Caná. María dice, “Haced lo que Él os diga.” Escuche a María y ver lo que se transforma en su vida.
Into Her Hands — January 1 — Mary the Mother of God
March 3, 2013Why do we call Mary the mother of God? Some Protestants hesitate to call Mary this because they don’t know what we mean by it. It is true that Mary did not give birth to either God the Father or the Holy Spirit. Mary is not an eternal mother-goddess. However, this human woman, whom God created, did give birth to Jesus Christ. Since Jesus is divine, Jesus is God, and therefore Mary is truly the Mother of God. We begin this new year of our Lord celebrating his mother by this awesome title.
Sometimes Protestant Christians fear that we Catholics put Mary ahead of Jesus. This is a silly fear. We celebrate Mary because we celebrate her Son. Mary is important because Jesus is so important. Mary is so wonderful because Jesus is so wonderful. He is the Sun, she is the moon. Her radiance, her beauty, her goodness, her love, they all shine bright, but her light is only a reflection of His.
On this first day of this new year of our Lord, let us entrust our lives into the soft hands of Mary. God the Father entrusted his Son into those kind hands. She will look after us too, and always lead us to her son.
¿Por qué llamamos María “la madre de Dios?” Algunos protestantes temen llamar María esta porque no saben lo que significa. Es verdad que María no hizo nacer Dios el Padre o el Espíritu Santo. María no es una eterna diosa madre. Sin embargo, esta mujer humana, que Dios creó, nació Jesucristo. Puesto que Jesús es divino, Jesús es Dios, por lo que María es verdaderamente la Madre de Dios. Comenzamos este nuevo año de nuestro Señor celebrando su madre por este gran título.
A veces los cristianos protestantes temen que ponemos María delante de Jesús. Pero celebramos a María porque celebramos su hijo. María es importante porque Jesús es tan importante. María es tan maravilloso porque Jesús es tan maravilloso. Él es el Sol, mientras que ella es la luna. Resplandor de María, su belleza, su bondad, su amor, todos brillan, pero su luz es sólo un reflejo de Jesús.
En este primer día de este nuevo año de nuestro Señor, encomendamos nuestras vidas en las manos suaves de María. Dios el Padre ha confiado a su Hijo en las manos amables. Ella cuidará de nosotros también, y siempre nos llevan a su hijo.
Lost Children — Feast of the Holy Family—Year C
March 3, 2013Joseph and Mary loved their faith. Every year they journeyed with family and friends to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem. But one year, when the festivities had ended and they were heading for home, Jesus stayed behind.
It takes a day for them to realize He’s even missing, and then his parents hastily retrace their steps, with impassioned prayers on their lips for the safety of their Son. (Perhaps Mary wondered if these days would bring the sword that was to pierce her soul.) But then, on the third day, they find Jesus safe and sound, dialoguing ably with the religious teachers in the temple.
He seems surprised that his parents would be searching for Him, “Why were you looking for me?” Jesus still has some “advancing” to do in both wisdom and in the experience that comes with age. Not telling His parents where He was going to be was perhaps the boy Jesus’ honest mistake, and when Mom and Dad tell Him it’s time to come home He leaves with them and is obedient to them.
Today, on the Feast of the Holy Family, we recall Saints Mary and Joseph, the ideal parents, who lost track of their only Son in the big city; and we recall Jesus, the holy Child, the sinless Lamb, who wandered off from them. This episode goes to show that even perfect people sometimes make mistakes. Remember: not every personal failure is a personal sin.
Sometimes parents come to me with great sadness because their children have wandered from the Catholic Faith. They often blame themselves. Now it is possible to be negligent in not handing on the Faith, but the kind of parents who grieve over their children leaving the Church are probably ones who raised their children in the best way they knew how. These parents should not be so hard on themselves. Even Mary and Joseph had a child who wandered off on His own.
In this Year of Faith, who are the ones who have wandered from the Church that we should be seeking out? Pray for them and invite them back. Tell them, “It’s time to come home.”
Broadcasting Our Faith — Thursday, 15th Week in Ordinary Time—Year I
July 14, 2011At Easter time, my sister, Laura, and I used to watch documentaries about Christianity on TV. On the one hand, it was cool to see Jesus Christ talked about on channels like CNN and the History Channel. On the other hand, they couldn’t seem to present on the Christian faith without giving at least equal airtime to doubt. Laura and I enjoyed mocking their seemingly unrelenting skepticism:
“Jesus of Nazareth died nailed to a cross… or did He?”
“Every Easter, Christians around the world celebrate their belief that Jesus rose from the dead… or do they?”
“We’ll be right back after these words from our sponsors… or will we?”
Last night, ABC’s Nightline had an episode about the Virgin Mary and various apparition sites. As I expected, the show both pleased me and annoyed me. I was pleased they had almost seven minutes about the shrine of Our Lady of Champion, near Green Bay—the first Church-approved Marian apparition site in our country. This was great, because the better the shrine is known the more good it shall do. On the other hand, I was annoyed by the show in various ways; for starters, by the Nightline episode’s title: “Beyond Belief.” I was also annoyed by some of the things they included people saying.
I know that being interviewed isn’t easy. Expressing yourself like you want to can be hard, and video editing can take your words out of context, but here are some things they had people saying. The doctor of a boy who was found to be free of leukemia the day after they visited the Green Bay shrine, was asked whether it was a miracle. He said, “The medicine did its job.… No matter what, God can’t work in the care of this child unless he works through somebody.” The narrator then referred to this metaphysical assertion, regarding what God can and can’t do, as “science.”
Later, the opinions of two, so-called experts were given. The first had written a book entitled From Jesus to Christ. (The book title was itself a red flag because it implies that the real historical Jesus of Nazareth got mythologized into the Christ of faith by later Christians. The Jesus of history and the Christ of our faith are one in the same.) She said, “When I think of the historical Mary, I think, first of all, of a very tired mom. Jesus could have been her fourth or fifth child for all we know. There’s absolutely no data in the New Testament itself to even tell us that.” (Actually, the Gospels of Matthew and Luke describe Mary as a virgin and Jesus as her firstborn Son.) A second expert said, “I’m not really big on the virgin birth as being scientifically viable.” (I wonder if he considers Jesus’ Resurrection, or any other miracle, to be scientifically viable.)
Then the show’s host, who seemed to me more ill-informed than malicious, went on to say, “After her death, early Christians hungry for information on the mother of their Messiah, began filling in Mary’s biography, with more stories like this; that she too was Immaculately Conceived, that her body was assumed to heaven like her Son’s, but the truth is that there’s no evidence to support any of these traditions.” First, he conflates the miracle of Jesus’ virgin birth with Mary’s Immaculate Conception. That’s a common error. Second, it’s just not true that there’s no evidence of Mary’s Assumption. For instance, the mere fact that Christians claim to have bones from all of the Holy Apostles, while no one at anytime anywhere has claimed to have hers, points to something. That’s not an incontrovertible proof for Mary’s Assumption, but it is some evidence for what all Christians were convinced about from the earliest times. The fact that people keep seeing her in compelling apparitions is some evidence too.
On the whole, I thought the show was a net plus; it did more good than harm, but it goes to show that we can’t rely upon the secular media to proclaim the Gospel for us. A person whose only source is secular television is not likely to come to faith. We need to step up as individuals and give witness to others about who God is and what He has done for us. As the psalmist says:
“Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his signs, and the judgments he has uttered.”
Moses hesitated to speak to others about God. He said, “When I go to the children of Israel… what am I to tell them?” The Lord said, ‘Tell them, ‘I am who am.’ You shall tell them that I-Am-Who-Am sent you to them.’ Likewise, the one true God is asking you to witness to Him before others. Ask the Holy Spirit for the grace and you will soon receive the opportunity to witness to Jesus Christ and the good things He has done.
United Hearts — The Kristopher and KayLee Schnitzler Wedding
July 4, 2011
Kristopher and KayLee, when you chose this day, July 2nd, to be your wedding day you were probably not aware that you were choosing an extra special date. We unite your hearts today in holy matrimony amidst Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Yesterday was the Solemnity of His Sacred Heart and today is the Memorial of her Immaculate Heart. We celebrate these two feasts so closely on the calendar, one after the other, because no two human hearts are so intimately united in a perfect love. I present them to you as role models for your love
Mary and Jesus were mother and Son. They were never married in the way we think of marriage, so how can they be role models for your marriage? In Jesus and Mary, we see the perfect man with the perfect woman, we see the New Adam together with the New Eve, we see the King and Queen of Heaven and Earth. Jesus is the Bridegroom and Mary is the flawless image of the Church, which is His Bride. By seeing how Jesus loves her and how Mary loves Him we can learn much about how men and women are to serve and love each other.
How does Jesus love Mary? For one thing, he listens to her. He is receptive to her wants and needs. It was true at the wedding feast of Cana, He worked a miracle to provide wine at her request, and it is still true now in heaven, where she continues to ask for good things for us. A good husband must be receptive to his wife’s wants and needs. On the other hand, in what manner do you think Mary asks things of Jesus? Mary does not nag Jesus, asking Him in plaintive tones. She doesn’t sit next to Jesus in Heaven and sigh, “I see you still haven’t taken care of the garbage down there.” Instead, I imagine she says to Him, “It would make me very happy if you would do this for me.” A good wife must allow pleasing her to be her husband’s joy, not his burden.
A good husband must die to himself in many ways for his family, and a good wife must support him through his sacrifices. Look how Jesus goes to the cross and offers Himself for the good of Mary and her children. He suffers for her and lays down his life for her. And how does Mary support Him? She is right there, at the foot of the cross, faithful and consoling. God gave Eve to Adam as a partner, to support him in the garden. Mary continues to be a helpmate to Jesus in His work of harvesting the vineyard of this world. A good husband lays down his life for his wife and a good wife must support him through his sacrifices.
From the cross, Jesus make Mary the mother of all Christians. He desired Mary to be the mother of many children, and now, Mary’s motherhood is perhaps her greatest joy. A good husband and wife must be open to children. This is the will of God for you and He will bless you with joy for saying “Yes” to Him.
The worship of God and following His will was at the center of the relationship between Jesus and Mary. Every Sabbath they came to join the worship at the synagogue (the Church of their day) and every day they said prayers and remained close to God. So too, God must be at the center of every good marriage. You must come to Mass every Sunday and pray every day. Good husbands and wives share the same mission in life, to assist each other and their children in getting to Heaven.
From earth to Heaven, Jesus led Mary through life with love, and Mary faithfully followed Him. A good husband must have the integrity not to phone it in, but to lead, and a good wife must have the courage to follow that lead. Kristopher and KayLee, May the hearts of Jesus and Mary reign in your homes. May you model their virtues on earth. And may you draw each other, and your children, to share their heavenly joy forever.
Our Lady of Good Help Pilgrimage Homily
June 14, 2011In the Garden of Eden, there were many fruit-bearing trees but Genesis mentions two by name: the Tree of Life, and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. By partaking of the Tree of Life, the human race could keep living forever, but the Lord warned that to eat from the other tree would mean our certain death.
On October 9th, 1859, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared here, to 28 year-old Belgian emigrant, named Adele Brise, as she was walking 11 miles home from Sunday Mass. Interestingly, Our Lady chose to appear to Adele not in a church setting such as this, but between two trees: a Maple tree and a Hemlock tree.
You’re all familiar with the beauty and goodness of the Maple. In the fall, its leaves turn the most striking colors; and in the spring, its sap yields sweet syrup. But do you know what distinguishes the Hemlock tree? The poison that Socrates was condemned to drink came from this plant. Ingesting just six or eight fresh Hemlock leaves can kill a healthy adult. [Post-Script: The Hemlock Tree found in Wisconsin is not poisonous, but merely shares the name.] The Maple is a tree of life, while the Hemlock is a tree of death. Mary, the New Eve, stands between the two. [Post-Script: The Hemlock Trees native to Wisconsin are a non-poisonous but share the name.]
She tells Adele, “I am the Queen of Heaven, who prays for the conversion of sinners, and I wish you to do the same. You received Holy Communion this morning, and that is well. But you must do more. Make a general confession, and offer Communion for the conversion of sinners. If they do not convert and do penance, my Son will be obliged to punish them.”
Our Lady’s message by the trees recalls the counsel of Moses, who told the Israelites: “I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you, a long life for you to live on the land….”
Apparently, Our Lady’s warnings were not sufficiently heeded. In October of 1871, The Great Peshtigo Fire erupted. In terms of both size and loss of human life, The Great Peshtigo Fire remains the worst recorded forest fire in North American history. Between 1,200 and 2,400 lives ended in that firestorm which saw, according to an eyewitness, “large wooden houses torn from their foundations and caught up like straws by two opposing currents of air which raised them till they came in contact with the stream of fire.” This seems to be the punishment due to sin that Mary spoke of, but this does not mean that everyone who perished in that fire was condemned. We should remember that at harvest time, the good wheat and the bad weeds are pulled up together in a moment, but their future fates are not the same. Once uprooted from the earth, the good are gathered and kept in the barn, while the bad are thrown away forever.
The Peshtigo firestorm came and surrounded this shrine, where hundreds had come with their families and herds, to beseech the intercession of Mary before God. As many as fled to her were saved. The morning of October 9th, 1871, twelve years to the day after Our Lady’s appearance, saw them delivered. This consecrated earth was an emerald-green island in an ocean of smoldering ashes as far as eyes could see.
After witnessing this miraculous deliverance, and seeing the lifelong dedication and fruitfulness in Adele Brise’s efforts, many began to believe that she had indeed seen and heard Our Lady. Just last year, the Church formally agreed, approving the apparitions and locutions given to Adele Brise in October of 1859 as worthy of belief by the Christian faithful. Some people will think that this official recognition closes the book on the story of Our Lady of Champion. Some will come here like tourists, excited see where Mary once appeared and go home contented. They won’t think to imagine that Mary’s message was not only meant for Adele in the past, but directed toward us today
In 1859, Mary prayed for and sought the conversion of sinners. Have we gotten less sinful since then? In 1859, Mary lamented how the young did not know the faith. How much better do we live it now? In 1859, Mary warned that if people did not convert and do penance, her Son will be obliged to punish them.” Do we need to convert and do penance? Would you be surprised if a great natural or man-made disaster befell us? How spiritually well prepared do you think people would be to face that?
I don’t think it is a coincidence that the message of Our Lady of Champion is arising to new prominence in our day. Today we heard talks about Our Lady’s Fatima apparitions, which date from 1917. At that time, Mary asked for Russia to be consecrated to her Immaculate Heart to bring about its conversion and a period of peace in the world. On March 25th, 1984, Blessed John Paul the Great consecrated Russia and the whole world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It was on the feast of the Annunciation. On Christmas, seven years later, the miracle arrived. On the evening of December 25th, 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev peacefully resigned as the President of the Soviet Union and from atop the Kremlin, the Soviet flag was lowered forever. This was not a coincidence. Politics, economics, and the threat of nuclear war did no bring the Soviet Union to a stunning and peaceful end; it was the work of Jesus and Mary.
What moved Blessed John Paul the Great to consecrate Russia, so many years later after the apparitions, precisely when he did? What moved Bishop David Ricken to approve this apparition, so many years later, as our country’s first Marian apparition site, here and now in our day? In both cases, I suspect that there is more behind these events than the personal whims of men. I suspect that both acts are orchestrated for their role in God’s plan.
I don’t think that Mary’s message was meant for Adele alone, such that their relevance passed away with her death. I think Mary is asking similar things from us. But what exactly? Mary’s message focused upon interceding for sinners and teaching the faith.
Mary the Queen of Heaven, prays for the conversion of sinners, and she wishes you to do the same. You receive Holy Communion, and that is well. But you must do more. First, regularly receive the sacrament of reconciliation, for the sinner whose conversion you are most responsible for is you. I suggest going once a month, for it is effective for growing in holiness.
Next, in this state of grace, offer holy Communions for the conversion of sinners. At every Mass, the priest has an intention for which he is offering the sacrifice. This is a person or group that he asks to be graced, or a problem or need he asks to be helped, by this offering of Jesus’ sacrifice. At every Mass that you attend, you can also offer an intention of your own. Offer some of your holy Communions for the conversion of sinners. And, like the children of Fatima, you can offer your daily sacrifices, burdens borne or pleasures foregone to help those far from God. In doing this, you follow Jesus, who suffered what He endured in order to save others.
Mary also told Adele: “Gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation.” Anyone who faith is immature is still a child in the faith. You can help teach them. Mary told Adele to ‘teach children their catechism, how to sign themselves with the sign of the Cross, and how to approach the sacraments.’ For children you will do one way, for adults, another, but you have something to offer them all; your children and relatives, your coworkers and acquaintances. As Mary said, “Go and fear nothing. I will help you.”
And finally, if and when a new firestorm afflicts our land, or when personal firestorms erupt in the lives of those we love, lead them to take refuge in Jesus through Mary. Confession and holiness of life, holy offerings and penances for sinners, teaching the faith to all, and leading them all to Jesus with Mary—this was Adele’s mission, and it is our mission too.
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