"Who is she that comes forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array?" - Song of Songs 6:10
Intensity of effort in Mary’s Service (Page 34-35)
It is so easy for us to rationalize and find reasons and excuses to cover up our own intentional or improper behaviors. Agree?
It is also so easy to criticize and point our finger at others so that we can pretend there’s nothing wrong with ourselves. Do you also agree with this statement?
Let us review one more time to review the object of the Legion of Mary and think about why do we want to join the Legionary? The object of the Legion of Mary is the glory of God through the holiness of its members developed by prayer and active co-operation in Mary’s and the Church’s work. So, to be faithful and become holy and to help those that are in need, are the reasons we want to join the legionary. Is this a fair statement?
I think every legionary already knows that each legionary is required to carry out a weekly apostolic work in the spirit of faith and in union with Mary. Therefore a mature legionary knows how to cooperate with mother Mary and devote their apostolic work faithfully each week.
My dear brothers and sisters, we must do our best and let God do the rest. Let us not think of “just how little can I give to gain the object in view” but to do the best to cooperate with Mary for our weekly apostolic work and Mary will help us to yield to God for the rest of the work.
Because of this, the legionaries always work with energy and skill and fineness, we never look down on ourselves, we are the outstanding, yet we are humble and meek, and we listen and look forward to God’s will and we coordinate with one another and work together with our dearest Mother Mary.
With this nature, we are not simply the instruments of Mary’s action, we truly cooperate. Each supplies what the other cannot give, we can work with each other, enjoy each other’s contribution and their talent, without envy or jealousy on others’ work. Indeed, a true faith, a mature Christian, and a loyal legionary can increase their capability to coordinate his or her effort and that effort must be exerted in its fullness to cooperate with mother Mary and with each other in the presidium or in the church community. Because of my background, I inherited the oriental philosophy and the attitude of my thinking logic. After reading today’s paragraphs of the handbook, I cannot help but to remember a story of a little monk who was studying the Zeng, the little monk asked his teacher, saying, Sir, what do I do to study fully in Zeng? The old monk replied, “Eat and drink, sleep and work. That is all.” The little monk didn’t get it, he asked again. But the old monk kept silent and smiled at him. This story is similar to what the saints have said in the handbook, “one must pray as if all depended on that prayer and nothing on one’s own efforts; and then one must strive as if absolutely everything depended on it.” What does it mean, it means to stay focused. Stay focus on everything we are doing at the moment so that with Mary’s help, it can lead us to God. This is how we can be outstanding while being humble and meek in every little thing in our daily life. This is also why Mother Teresa said that do little things with great love.
My fellow legionaries and Children of Mary, let us cooperate with Mother Mary, keep a positive attitude to others’ efforts, and do whatever currently we are doing with our best effort and let Mary lead us to God so that we can let God do the rest.