March 2021 ISSUE 53 The Mission of the IE-Publicationmmaculata of the Militia of the Immaculata, USA On Forgiveness - PAGE 3 "He Didn't Suffer Death but Gave His Life" - PAGE 6 Focus on the Family - PAGE 10 St. Maximilian Writes... - PAGE 11 Embracing the Cross with Love By John W. Galten, MI National President Dear Knights of the Immaculata, Maria! As I write this piece for the March newsletter, the Holy Season of Lent is just beginning. I was struck this morn- ing by a Gospel statement that I had heard many times before but now heard with a startling freshness: “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Let us note that here we find a choice, a matter of the will. Jesus is not forced to take His Cross, He wills it. All of His life He was moved by the sacrifice of Himself, always living in the shadow of that Cross—a “sign” of contradiction to “Through Mary Immaculate to be rejected as was prophesied at His Presentation in the Temple. Each day He willingly started with the premise, “not my will, but yours [the Father’s] will be Jesus: that is our watchword. done.” The Immaculata herself, each day, out of her immaculateness gave herself The more you spread veneration over to the Father’s will. We, ourselves, must take up, and each day will to accept the cross in what- and love for the Immaculata ever form it presents itself. Some of these ways include the great limitation of sickness, aging weakness or some physical setback. Although it is not often men- the more souls you win over tioned against the background of his self sacrifice for another man, St. Maximil- ian suffered tuberculosis and the effects of the deadly disease. It destroyed much to her, and, through her, to the of his lung capacity and one could say left him with almost crippling effects so he Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, was sent to a sanitarium just after finishing his studies in Rome, restricted under obedience to a hospital in the southern alpine mountains at Zakopane. who loved us unto death on the In a letter to a fellow friar (KW 55) the saint describes his “rule” of life in the recovery hospital. He is obedient to the will of God as expressed by his Superior. C r o s s .” He is able to do only “little” things—handing out the Miraculous Medal, teach- – St. Maximilian Kolbe ing classes, offering the Sacraments, and simple conversational teaching. As a (continues on pg. 2) THE MISSION OF THE IMMACULATA - ISSUE 53 © Militia of the Immaculata 1 See and Share Editorial (continued from pg. 1) the MI Film! result, patients were converted, recon- ciled to the Church, and given hope... evangelization, always evangelization. Although he seldom if ever refers to the lasting effects of TB, St. Maxi- milian must have suffered fatigue and lassitude all his life but it was hero- ic virtue and grace that enabled him Year of St. Joseph to carry on even in Auschwitz, where he existed on starvation rations and As we observe this special This important brutally hard work—work designed year dedicated to St. Joseph, short film beautifully to wear down and kill those who per- we are encouraged to imitate and eloquently formed it. his unconditional fidelity to Let us all resolve by his example captures the essence of the MI: God and to ask his powerful not to waste a single moment of our total consecration daily cross, especially illness, aging intercession. The following to the Immaculata prayer might be useful: and physical limitation. Let us, in our in the evangelical spirit weakness, do as we can to spread the Joseph, strong and gentle saint, of St. Maximilian Kolbe. Kingdom of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, by standing by the suffering dear to God and His faithful Mother at His/our cross. shadow, remember me in "Simply excellent!" Let us, like St. Maximilian, willing- all my spiritual and ly take up our daily crosses and follow material needs. "Inspirational!" Him with her who accompanies us— Be my advocate before the all for Jesus, all for the Immaculata, all Father. To you I bring my heart Share the link for our brothers and sisters. Until next time, “Arise, let us be on and soul and all my longings. http://militiaoftheimmaculata. our way!” Sanctify them with your com/mi-movie/ John W. Galten, burning faith, with your family and friends MI National President your unfaltering hope, and and promote the new film with that great, self-sacrificing by posting on your favorite love that was the secret of your social media platform! hidden sanctity. Christ was your peace: give Let's reach Him to my heart, then by His light I will see the way that I as many people Daily Holy Mass must walk to stay with Him. as possible will be offered throughout 2021 for the MI-USA and all MI Members, living and Give me the courage not to to win the world for Christ deceased, at the City of the Immaculata turn back because of darkness, through the Immaculata! established by St. Maximilian Kolbe near sorrow, or sufferings. Warsaw, in Poland. Teach me the joy of loving Send your prayer intentions to be placed God’s Will, and help me to live, in the MI Book of Intentions at the as you have done, within its feet of Our Lady and St. Maximilian Kolbe’s first class relic: calm and peaceful depths. [email protected] Amen. THE MISSION OF THE IMMACULATA - ISSUE 53 © Militia of the Immaculata 2 has this got to be about us?” For the Jews, seven times was extreme. They weren’t ex- pected to forgive anyone seven times. In some countries with old, pagan cultures, Catholic missionaries had to invent words in their language for the idea of forgive- ness. We had to make a word, because for- giveness is not seen in the natural order. Volcanoes do not forgive. Gravity doesn’t forgive. Torrential downpours do not for- give. But Our Lord shows us a higher way. “As many as seven times?” In some Asian On Forgiveness cultures there are no free gifts. If someone “Unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart…” gives you something, you are obliged to A timely meditation as we journey through the holy Season of Lent. give at least that much back. And unfor- A Homily by Fr. Pio Maria, C.F.R., M.I. giveness also becomes a way of life. You keep a mental list of all the slights that have happened to you and to your family. It is always good to hear about forgive- not saying, “That person did not harm me. Christianity comes with the call to forgive ness, because, until the very end, there There is really no problem.” This could be and it’s not so much an obligation as much are always things for us to forgive, and al- a lie, and forgiveness is not lying to your- as it is an invitation to freedom. One of ways things to be forgiven for. And this is self. Our Lord does not ask us to say, “That the saints says that unforgiveness is like something very beautiful about our Faith. person treated you so shamefully and I a rusty nail that is plunged into the soul, Christianity is not just “me and God.” It’s want you to say that it was not so bad.” which spreads poison everywhere. It’s like “me and God and the people whom God Forgiveness is not saying that the hurt was a cancer which gets in us and spreads, and loves.” Right at the heart of the Our Fa- not real. the Lord wants to free us from that. The ther, we say, “I give you permission – for- Someone might say, “I try to forgive, ability to forgive comes to us as a grace give me as much as I forgive other people. but later the memory comes back, and the from Christ. It is a grace of reparation, a Don’t forgive me if I don’t forgive them.” anger comes back.” This does not mean grace of freedom. Not a burdensome vir- It’s right there in the heart of our faith – you have not forgiven. Because we have a tue but an invitation to freedom. our relationship to other people. body, a memory and emotions, sometimes St. John says, “We can’t love God whom feelings of unforgiveness and anger come Here we encounter a classic example we don’t see if we don’t love the people that back. This is called being human! You of bad English translations of the Gos- we do see” [1 Jn 4:20]. It’s very clear that may have forgiven some real, great harm pel [Mt 18:21-19:1]. I think it’s humor- our judgment will be connected with how in your life, but then the memory comes ous. It says the first debtor owes a “huge we served other people. “You did it to Me. back, the memory triggers emotion, and amount.” If you look into your footnotes, What you did to others, I take as a person- you feel like you are back in the middle what is a “huge amount”? It says he owed al act towards Myself” [cf. Mt 25:40]. of it, drowning again. This doesn’t mean “ten thousand talents.” Okay, let’s break it In the Gospel we hear the question: that you had not forgiven.