The Mission of the Immaculata Issue 47 September 2020
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September 2020 ISSUE 47 The Mission of the IE-Publicationmmaculata of the Militia of the Immaculata, USA The Chambers of the Heart: Suffering out of Love - PAGE 3 Virtual Consecration Experience during Covid19 - PAGE 5 On the Nativity of Our Mother - PAGE 9 An Inspiring MI Testimony - PAGE 10 Our Freedom and Purpose By John W. Galten, MI National President Dear Knights of the Immaculata, Maria! As I compose this message, we are all still mired in the quagmire of the pandemic. There is fear in the land, weari- ness of isolation, temptation to sadness or cynicism (Where is God in this?) and the gnawing need for relief. We spoke last time of the warning of Jesus that we would have to suffer. It is upon us. What shall we do with it? We must stand with the Great Mother of God at the foot of the Cross, endure it “The goal of the MI (the for love of Him, and, as Mother and Child did, offer it for sinners, and the New Evangelization. Here is freedom! Here is purpose! abbreviation comes from the In St. John’s 16th chapter, Jesus describes the situation when He will no lon- Latin Militia Immaculatae, ger be present to our earthly eyes. When we are robbed of seeing His bodily presence, and knowing the consolation, He acknowledges that this is a cause for or Militia of the Immaculata) sadness. But, He goes on to say, that sorrow will be turned into joy at the coming is, in fact, to make sure that of the Holy Spirit whom He and the Father will send. He promises that we shall see, with new “eyes” of faith, the Risen Jesus. This joy will not be taken from us all become saints. In all this if we trust in the Promise. This joy will be based on the presence in our souls of the Most Holy Trinity and the knowledge that this Trinitarian life is a fountain activity, what strikes the eye of “Living Water” welling up to eternal life. It is the Spirit Himself who will “dig most of all is its Marian thrust. that wellspring” and those “Living Waters” will flow through the hands of the Immaculata into the Church and finally coming to rest in our hearts and souls. This is a consequence of a With this knowledge and presence we must not succumb to sadness and precise understanding of the cynicism. Joy and hope must characterize what St. John calls our “witness.” Just as the Holy Spirit witnesses to Jesus so we must witness to the triumph of Jesus mission of the Immaculata.” over sin and death. Not only does our joy testify to Jesus through the Spirit, (continues on pg. 2) (KW 1220) THE MISSION OF THE IMMACULATA - ISSUE 47 © Militia of the Immaculata 1 How to Use the New MI Film See and Share Editorial for MI Village Promotion (continued from pg. 1) the New MI Film! God’s peace to you all from here but our peace also testifies to commu- in the Evergreen State of Washington. nion with Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in I just want to share some encourage- the arms of the Immaculata. Peace, joy ment of how the new short MI film and charity are hallmark signs that we could be used for MI Villages. Cer- have given ourselves to Christ through tainly, in established MI groups, it will Mary. Of course, there is a whole host be a lovely refresher for us as to why of witnessing “signs” or fruits of the we made our consecration to Jesus Spirit in our lives that reveal to Whom through Mary and perhaps it will give we belong. St. Paul lists these fruits of us some motivation to speak to others the Spirit in our life: love, joy, peace, about our mission, if we have become This important patience, kindness, goodness, faithful- tepid in our zeal. new short film, released on ness, gentleness and self control (Gal For those who are considering be- the feast of St. Maximilian, 5:22). These fruits in our lives testify ginning an MI Village, the MI film will that we are conformed to the likeness be the inspiration they need to reach Friday, August 14, of Christ and His Mother. out to others! Perhaps, consider set- beautifully and eloquently So we see that holiness of life, seen ting up meetings (even via social plat- captures the essence of the MI: as fruits of the Spirit, constitutes what forms) for others to learn about total total consecration we call holiness. Holiness testifies to consecration to Our Lady, have a day of to the Immaculata Jesus because it is a faithful portrait preparation for consecration and open in the evangelical spirit of Him. So our evangelization work is the gathering by showing the film; or testified by the image of Christ in our- send the link to the film to interested of St. Maximilian Kolbe. selves being transformed along with persons so that they might hear and the words of proclaiming Jesus. Other see what Militia of the Immaculata is people see Him reflected in us. all about. And most importantly, for Watch the Film! What makes all this transforma- pastors or spiritual directors who may tion possible? The Spirit, who brings be asked to support the start of an MI "Simply excellent!" us Trinitarian life, and the Immaculata Village in their parish or community, "Inspirational!" who is the aqueduct for this sanctify- this video will be a great tool to edu- ing grace. All this is the cause of our cate and illuminate. joy and peace; let us rejoice and be Julie Elkinton Share the link glad. As we continue this year to pre- Star of the Sea MI Village Moderator, http://militiaoftheimmaculata. pare for the 80th anniversary (August Bremerton, WA com/mi-movie/ 14, 2021) of St. Kolbe’s martyrdom, to the MI Film with as many let us remind ourselves not only that people as possible! his martyrdom was for another man (martyrdom of charity) but that it was the crown of St. Maximilian’s lifelong Forward the link to your family sacrifice of himself for the Most Sacred and friends or promote the Heart of Jesus and the Immaculata, as Daily Holy Mass new film by posting on your a witness to love unto victimhood. will be offered throughout 2020 for the MI- USA and all MI Members at the City of the favorite social media platform! Much to meditate upon, much to Immaculata established by St. Maximilian rejoice over in this time of trial. Kolbe near Warsaw, in Poland. Let's reach Until next month,“Arise, let us be Send your prayer intentions to be placed as many people on our way.” in the MI Book of Intentions at the feet of Our Lady and St. Maximilian Kolbe’s as possible John W. Galten first class relic: to win the world for Christ MI National President [email protected] through the Immaculata! THE MISSION OF THE IMMACULATA - ISSUE 47 © Militia of the Immaculata 2 The Chambers rising” through Him, with Him and in of the Heart Him. Strengthened by the Holy Spirit at On a journey to living our Pentecost and no longer fearful, the dis- total consecration to the ciples came indeed to rejoice in their suf- fering for the sake of the Gospel (cf. Acts Blessed Virgin Mary 5:41), ready to give their lives for Him. - Part Three TheImmaculata , free as she was from original sin, was not spared her share in Suffering out of Love human suffering. In fact, precisely be- cause of her pristine holiness, she united herself fully, willingly, to her Son’s re- Suffering, in its numerous manifesta- priest before God to expiate the sins of demptive suffering. The unspeakable joy tions, is the hardest reality of our life on the people (cf. Heb 2:17). The Son of God that filled her heart in being the Mother earth. It was never part of God’s original took upon Himself our sin and its conse- of the Lord was intertwined with sor- plan for mankind. Scripture states it clear- quences and thus destroyed sin and death. row. The uncertainties of the journey to ly, “God formed us to be imperishable; the He walked right through it on Calvary and Bethlehem, the words of Simeon during image of his own nature he made us. But crushed it on Easter morning. During His the presentation at the temple about the by the envy of the devil, death entered the public ministry, He prepared His disciples sword that would pierce her heart (cf. Lk world” (Wis 2:23-24). There would be no for the coming of the hour of His ultimate 2:35), and the strenuous flight into Egypt way out of it for us, except for God’s in- sacrifice. He repeatedly stated that He (cf. Mt 2:13-23) prefigured the rejection tervention. He Himself devised the Plan “must suffer” (cf. Lk 9:22) to bring about He would suffer all throughout His earth- to rescue us from sin, suffering and death, the Father’s Plan for our Redemption. Si- ly life. As she kept “treasuring all these “God so loved the world that he gave his mon Peter and the others refused to accept things in her heart,” she consented to be only Son, so that everyone who believes Him as the suffering Messiah, but Jesus associated with the mystery of His Life, in him might not perish but might have kept reaffirming that He had come to do Passion and Death for our redemption.