Chapter 15 :  THE LEGIONARY PROMISE (pg. 90 – pg. 92)

When we pledge the legionary promise, do we know to whom we make this promise to?

Yes, the Holy Spirit.

I am sure everybody has heard of the Holy Spirit, but do we really know what or who the Holy Spirit is? And how is the Holy Spirit leading us in our lives?

It is indeed hard to know what and who the Holy Spirit is. Because the Holy Spirit is the most hidden of the three persons of the Trinity. In the Catechism #687(CCC 687), it says: “Although the Holy Spirit speaks through the prophets, we never hear the Holy Spirit speak himself… as Jesus himself said, the world does not receive him, for it neither knows him nor sees him (Jn 14.17).” Nevertheless, we cannot speak about the Holy Spirit without first speaking about the Trinity, for the Holy Spirit has his origin in the Trinity. The Trinity, who is the source of all love. The Holy Spirit is very much the Spirit of the Father and of the Son, and is the love of God. He is the first Gift of God, who contains all of God’s other gifts to us (733).

Yet, as we can see in our largely secular society today, the spirit of our age is much against the Spirit of God. It is the Holy Spirit who awakens faith in us. Therefore, when the legionaries begin the Legionary promise, we directly appeal to the Spirit of God. For He can come upon us and fill us with Himself, awaken our faith to become an instrument of His mighty purposes.

Knowing the secret to a perfect legionary service consists in complete union with Mother Mary who is so completely united to The Holy Spirit. Based on this understanding, I am sure that as long as our service is in union with Mother Mary, even the smallest acts will be sustained by the power of the Holy Spirit. All the work we do and all the prayers we say will regenerate the world through Mary in Jesus Christ.

My dear sisters and brothers, let us venture to promise a faithful service and submit fully to the discipline of the Legion of Mary. And keep in line as we march on with the Blessed Mother to renew the face of the earth.

Now if I may ask, would you all like to recite the Legionary promise together? Yes?

Indeed, in order to remember our fervent devotion back to the day of our entering into the Legion of Mary, let us stand and read out loud our legionary promise. Please, after you pronounce your name, wait a little, and then we will all continue together until the final Amen.

THE LEGIONARY PROMISE

Most Holy Spirit, I, (name of candidate),
Desiring to be enrolled this day as a legionary of Mary,
Yet knowing that of myself I cannot render worthy service,
Do ask of you to come upon me and fill me with yourself,
So that my poor acts may be sustained by your power, and become an instrument of your mighty purposes.

But I know that you, who has come to regenerate the world in Jesus Christ,
Has not willed to do so except through Mary;
That without her we cannot know or love you;
That it is by her, and to whom she pleases, when she pleases, and in the quantity and manner she pleases,
That all your gifts and virtues and graces are administered;
And I realise that the secret of a perfect legionary service
Consists in a complete union with her who is so completely united to you.

So, taking in my hand the legionary Standard which seeks to set before our eyes these things,
I stand before you as her soldier and her child,
And I so declare my entire dependence on her.
She is the mother of my soul.
Her heart and mine are one,
And from that single heart she speaks again those words of old:
"Behold the handmaid of the Lord";
And once again you come by her to do great things.

Let your power overshadow me, and come into my soul with fire and love,
And make it one with Mary's love and Mary's will to save the world;
So that I may be pure in her who was made Immaculate by you;
So that Christ my Lord may likewise grow in me through you;
So that I with her, his Mother, may bring him to the world and to the souls who need him;
So that they and I, the battle won, may reign with her for ever in the glory of the Blessed Trinity.

Confident that you will so receive me - and use me - and turn my weakness into strength this day,
I take my place in the ranks of the Legion, and I venture to promise a faithful service.
I will submit fully to its discipline,
Which binds me to my comrades,
And shapes us to an army,
And keeps our line as on we march with Mary,
To work your will, to operate your miracles of grace,
Which will renew the face of the earth,
And establish your reign, Most Holy Spirit, over all.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.