Return to The Reign of Mary No. 140
The Reign of Mary
Vol. XLI, No. 140: Letter from the Editor
December 3, 2010
St. Francis Xavier
Praised be Jesus and Mary. The month of December presents to us the Divine Infant: first incarnate in Mary’s womb during Advent, and then lying on straw in the stable at Christmas. Let us contemplate the love of the Father, as He gazed upon the Divine Child, the charity of God the Son, which drew Him from the Father’s bosom for our salvation, and the power of the Holy Ghost, Who accomplished the mystery of the Incarnation.
This wonderful time of year, when we call to mind the Incarnation, birth and infancy of Jesus Christ, teaches us many lessons. We rejoice in the knowledge of our Faith, in being called, as were the Magi, to worship the Son of God in spirit and in truth. But we also recall the sad reality of His rejection by His own people. There was no room for Him in the inns of Bethlehem; at the Presentation Simeon warned Mary that a sword would pierce her heart, as her Son would stand for a sign of contradiction; and Herod sought the Child to destroy Him, slaying the Holy Innocents in His stead. Yes, there are many sobering lessons of the Christmas season that we would do well to take to heart.
As was the case so many years ago in Bethlehem, so now Jesus and His Church are rejected by those who will not be bothered by the teachings of the Catholic Church — their lives are too comfortable and they are unwilling to change. The sign of contradiction — the sign of the Cross — is indeed rejected by the majority of mankind. Those who have given themselves over to a life of pleasure continue to persecute Christ in His followers, while the slaughter of the innocents continues today through abortion and the corruption of the young. May God have mercy on this world!
We, on the other hand, have much for which to thank God, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Divine Child. And we have great reason to continue faithfully our Rosaries and our prayer life, that we be not lead astray, as have so many. Remember, that the shepherds and the Magi found the child “with Mary, His mother.” All those who find Jesus do so by means of their devotion to Mary. Be convinced of this — that only by humbly and lovingly remaining close to her Immaculate Heart shall we be protected and guided in the ever more perilous times in which we live.
In the service of Jesus and Mary
Fr. Benedict Hughes, CMRI
(Email Father)