The Mission of the Immaculata Issue 38 December 2019
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December 2019 ISSUE 38 The Mission of the IE-Publicationmmaculata of the Militia of the Immaculata, USA Our Mission: to Bring Christ to Others - PAGE 3 “Love’s Creation” - PAGE 4 On the Day of Our Feast - PAGE 6 The Heavenly Duet - IV By John W. Galten, MI National President Dear Knights of the Immaculata, Maria! Last month, we began a series examining the work of the Holy Spirit re- vealed in the Old Testament though not yet explicitly as a Person. The Spirit, nonetheless, made His presence known by His effects. Another instance of the Spirit’s action is the communication of the Spirit “The goal of the MI (the from the prophet Elijah to Elisha…. “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha” (2 Kings 15). We say in the Creed each Sunday: “He has spoken through the Prophets.” abbreviation comes from the Again, in Ezekiel 2:2, “The Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet. I heard Latin Militia Immaculatae, Him speaking to me.” The word for spirit in the Old Testament was associated with breath or wind. or Militia of the Immaculata) We see this in Exodus 15: 8-15, “A blast from your nostrils and the waters piled is, in fact, to make sure that high…. One breath of yours you blew and the sea closed over them.” The Spirit was real and powerful. The breath/Spirit can enter deep into a man and create all become saints. In all this something entirely new—“A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you” (Ezekiel 36:26). activity, what strikes the eye In the Book of Wisdom 1:7, we see that God’s Spirit, “the Spirit of the Lord, most of all is its Marian thrust. indeed, fills the whole world, and that which holds all things together knows every word that is said.” The Spirit penetrates everything, everyone, everywhere. This is a consequence of a This Spirit penetrates to the depth of all things, especially mankind. precise understanding of the We find that breath and word are linked in our understanding of the Old Testament. Psalm 33:6: “By the word of Yahweh, the heavens were made, their mission of the Immaculata.” whole array by the breath of his mouth.” We shall see the full expression of (continues on pg. 2) (KW 1220) THE MISSION OF THE IMMACULATA - ISSUE 38 © Militia of the Immaculata 1 you with His shadow.” So now the Spir- Please join in prayer Editorial it, the Third Person of the Blessed Trin- c for the ity, “solidifies,” so to speak, as a Person, (continued from pg. 1) exercising a stupendous power to cause MI National Assembly, this as the Holy Spirit overshadows the the Incarnate Word to be in the Virgin’s Virgin Mother and the Word is made womb. June 12-14, 2020 flesh. The Spirit, hinted at in the Old Tes- We also see anointing with oil as tament, now enters the stage of Revela- We need to hear from you a means of the Spirit making things tion as a Life Giver of infinite propor- holy—“The Moses took the anointing tions and causes the new Life to eclipse to make our MI Family oil and anointed the tabernacle and all even the first creation. We see also her- grow and be a more that was in it, and consecrated them” self, the Immaculata, in this extraor- effective evangelical tool (Lev 8:10). Also, the kings of Israel dinary event, acting with the Spirit to in Our Lady’s Hands! were anointed, empowered to be just bring about the history-changing event and good as God is: “David had been called Jesus Christ—the Savior of the anointed King over Israel” (2 Sam world and Son of the Father. Please take time to respond 5:17). We shall examine in the next prayerfully to the following Lastly, there would a promised months how the Spirit will be revealed questions by letter or email to Spirit-guided Savior who would have in all His glory and how His “Spouse,” a superabundance of the Spirit and the Immaculata, will collaborate with [email protected] who would redeem mankind and pour the Savior to effect the Redemption. • Have the MI resources (monthly out the Spirit He possessed in a super- We will try to make clear who they are e-newsletter, daily Kolbe quotes, abundant way: and what they do. website information) been helpful for “There shall come forth a shoot Until next time, dear Knights of your ongoing growth in living your from the stump of Jesse, the Immaculata, enter into the Advent total consecration to Our Lady? ` And a branch shall grow out spirit of preparation for the long-ex- of his roots. pected One. May Our Lady and her • What else should the MI seek to And the Spirit of the Lord shall Spouse, the Holy Spirit, guide you into provide in terms of support and rest upon him, the fullness of His Presence. ongoing formation for individual The Spirit of wisdom and under- “Arise, let us be on our way.” members? standing, • Leadership Formation is a crucial The Spirit of counsel and might John W. Galten objective for the growth and The Spirit of knowledge and fear MI National President effectiveness of the MI mission. Please of the Lord, share your ideas concerning possible And his delight shall be in fear contents and format. of the Lord” (Is 11:1-3). • The mission of the MI is “to win We could multiply by many times all hearts for Christ through the the situations and instances where the Immaculata.” What are your Holy Spirit is foreshadowed in the Old suggestions to make progress in Testament but we must get on with our achieving this goal? consideration. The bridge between Old A Blessed Advent season and and New Testament begins with the a Joyful Christmas to you and Blessed Virgin Mother encountering your dear ones! Feel free to add any the archangel Gabriel who communi- additional comments, ideas cates to her the invitation from the Fa- Daily Holy Mass or questions you may have. ther to bear “the Son of the Most High.” will be offered throughout 2020 for Thank you taking the time The Archangel goes on to say: “The the MI-USA and all MI Members Holy Spirit will come upon you.” The at the City of the Immaculata to reply and make your Angel answered Our Lady’s question, established by St. Maximilian voice heard! “the power of the Most High will cover Kolbe near Warsaw, in Poland. THE MISSION OF THE IMMACULATA - ISSUE 38 © Militia of the Immaculata 2 1:5; 3:14), the One who came to testify to the truth (cf. Jn 18:37). Here I would like to reflect on a notion dear to the early Christians, which also speaks eloquently to us today: namely, witness even to the offering of one’s own life, to the point of martyrdom. Throughout the history of the Church, this has always been seen as the culmination of the new spiritual worship: Our Mission: to Bring Christ to Others “Offer your bodies” (Rom 12:1). One thinks, for example, of the account of the As we prepare to celebrate the Mystery of the approach the Eucharistic table without martyrdom of Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, Lord’s Birth, let us continue to reflect on how being drawn into the mission, which, a disciple of Saint John: the entire drama “the more ardent the love for the Eucharist in the beginning in the very heart of God, is is described as a liturgy, with the martyr hearts of the Christian people, the more clearly meant to reach all people. Missionary himself becoming Eucharist. We might will they recognize the goal of all mission: to outreach is thus an essential part of the also recall the Eucharistic imagery with bring Christ to others,” as Pope Benedict states Eucharistic form of the Christian life. which Saint Ignatius of Antioch describes in his exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis. his own imminent martyrdom: he sees The Eucharist and Witness himself as “God’s wheat” and desires to In my homily at the Eucharistic The first and fundamental mission become in martyrdom “Christ’s pure celebration solemnly inaugurating my that we receive from the sacred mysteries bread.” The Christian who offers his life Petrine ministry, I said that “there is nothing we celebrate is that of bearing witness by in martyrdom enters into full communion more beautiful than to be surprised by our lives. The wonder we experience at the with the Pasch of Jesus Christ and thus the Gospel, by the encounter with Christ. gift God has made to us in Christ gives becomes Eucharist with Him. There is nothing more beautiful than Today too, the Church does not lack to know Him and to speak to others of martyrs who offer the supreme witness to our friendship with Him.” These words God’s love. Even if the test of martyrdom are all the more significant if we think is not asked of us, we know that worship of the mystery of the Eucharist. The love pleasing to God demands that we should that we celebrate in the sacrament is not be inwardly prepared for it. Such worship something we can keep to ourselves. By its culminates in the joyful and convincing very nature it demands to be shared with testimony of a consistent Christian life, all. What the world needs is God’s love; it wherever the Lord calls us to be His needs to encounter Christ and to believe witnesses.