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TRÁI TIM
MẸ: NƠI CON NƯƠNG NÁU - ĐƯỜNG ĐẾN VỚI CHÚA |
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"Chúa Giêsu muốn dùng con để làm
cho Mẹ được nhận biết và yêu mến" |
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December 21/2009 - Monday
of 4th Week
of Advent
LITURGICAL/THEME MEDITATION:
"For with God nothing will be
impossible"
UNIVERSAL CHURCH/WORLD EVENT(S):
On Bethlehem, City-Symbol of
Peace
SAINT OF THE DAY
St. Peter Canisius
GENERAL
MARIOLOGY
THE DIVINE HISTORY AND
LIFE
OF THE
VIRGIN MOTHER OF GOD
CHAPTER XIX
DIVINE MERCY
Divine Mercy Diary -
Inspirational Quotes
Faith and Faithfulness
TEACHING/TESTIMONY/CONVICTION:
Explanation
of the Ten Rules of Life
8. I will
carry out a revolution by renewal in the Holy Spirit
9. I will
speak one language and wear one uniform: Charity
10. I will
have one special love: the Blessed Virgin Mary
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DAILY LITURGICAL MEDITATION |
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Monday (12/21): "For with God nothing will be
impossible"
Scripture: Luke 1:26-38 (alternate reading:
Luke 1:39-45)
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city
of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name
was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28
And he came to her and said, "Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with
you!" 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in
her mind what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to
her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And
behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall
call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of
the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his
father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and
of his kingdom there will be no end." 34 And Mary said to the angel,
"How shall this be, since I have no husband?" 35 And the angel said to
her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High
will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy,
the Son of God. 36 And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age
has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was
called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible."38 And Mary
said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according
to your word." And the angel departed from her.
Old Testament Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-5,8-12,14,16
1 Now when the king dwelt in his house, and the LORD had given him
rest from all his enemies round about, 2 the king said to Nathan the
prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God
dwells in a tent." 3 And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in
your heart; for the LORD is with you." 4 But that same night the word of
the LORD came to Nathan, 5 "Go and tell my servant David, `Thus says the
LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not dwelt in a
house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this
day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all
places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a
word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my
people Israel, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?"' 8
Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David, `Thus says the
LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep,
that you should be prince over my people Israel; 9 and I have been with
you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before
you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great
ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel,
and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be
disturbed no more; and violent men shall afflict them no more, as
formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people
Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the
LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. 12 When your
days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up
your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I
will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I
will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I will be his
father, and he shall be my son. When he commits iniquity, I will chasten
him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men; 15 but I
will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I
put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be
made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for
ever.'"
Meditation: Do you recognize God's indwelling presence in your
life? When King David established his kingdom, after destroying all of
his enemies and building his capitol at Jerusalem, he decided it was
time to build a dwelling or temple for the Lord in Jerusalem (2 Samuel
7). God refused the offer because he had something better in mind for
David and his descendants. God promised David that his throne would last
forever because he would give his people a Messiah King who would
establish a kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy that would endure
for all ages.
We see the fulfillment of this promise and the unfolding of God's
plan of redemption in the events leading up to the Incarnation, the
birth of the Messiah. The new era of salvation begins with the
conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. This child to be born is
conceived by the gracious action of the Holy Spirit upon Mary, who finds
favor with God. As Eve was the mother of all humanity doomed to sin, now
Mary becomes the mother of the new Adam who will father a new humanity
by his grace (Romans 5:12-21). This child to be conceived in her womb is
the fulfillment of all God’s promises. He will be “great” and “Son of
the Most High” and “King” (Luke 1:32-33), and his name shall be called
“Jesus”, which means “the Lord saves”. “He will save his people from
their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The promise of an everlasting kingdom to the
house of David (Isaiah 9:6-7) is fulfilled in the King to be born in
Mary’s womb.
How does Mary respond to the word of God delivered by the angel
Gabriel? She knows she is hearing something beyond human capability.
It will surely take a miracle which surpasses all that God has done
previously. Her question, “how shall this be, since I have no husband”
is not prompted by doubt or skepticism, but by wonderment! She is a true
hearer of the Word and she immediately responds with faith and trust.
Mary's prompt response of "yes" to the divine message is a model of
faith for all believers. Mary believed God's promises even when they
seemed impossible. She was full of grace because she trusted that what
God said was true and would be fulfilled. She was willing and eager to
do God's will, even if it seemed difficult or costly. Mary is the
“mother of God” because God becomes incarnate when he takes on flesh in
her womb. When we pray the Nicene Creed we state our confession of faith
in this great mystery: “For us men and for our salvation he came down
from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate of the
Virgin Mary, and was made man”. God gives us grace and he expects us to
respond with the same willingness, obedience, and heart-felt trust as
Mary did. When God commands he also gives the help, strength, and means
to respond. We can either yield to his grace or resist and go our own
way. Do you believe in God's promises and do you yield to his grace?
"Heavenly Father, you offer us abundant grace, mercy, and forgiveness
through your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to live a grace-filled
life as Mary did by believing in your promises and by giving you my
unqualified "yes" to your will and plan for my life."
Psalm 89:1-5,27-29
1 I will sing of your steadfast love, O LORD, forever; with my mouth
I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
2 I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your
faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
3 You said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to
my servant David:
4 'I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for
all generations.'" Selah
5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness in the
assembly of the holy ones.
27 I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
28 Forever I will keep my steadfast love for him, and my covenant with
him will stand firm.
29 I will establish his line forever, and his throne as long as the
heavens endure.
www.dailyscripture.net
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UNIVERSAL CHURCH/WORLD EVENTS |
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On Bethlehem, City-Symbol of Peace
"A Peace That Is Laboriously Sought and Awaited"
VATICAN CITY, DEC. 20, 2009 ( Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the public address Benedict XVI gave today before praying the midday Angelus with the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square.
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Dear brothers and sisters!
With the 4th Sunday of Advent, the birth of the Lord is now before us. With the words of the prophet Micah, the liturgy invites us to look to Bethlehem, the little town of Judea that is witness to the great event: "And you, Bethlehem-Ephrathah too small to be among the clans of Judah, From you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; Whose origin is from of old, from ancient times" (Micah 5:1). One thousand years before Christ, Bethlehem had given birth to the great king David, whom the Scriptures concur in presenting as the ancestor of the Messiah. Luke's Gospel says that Jesus was born in Bethlehem because Joseph, the husband of Mary, being "of the house of David," had to return there for the census, and it was then that Mary gave birth to Jesus (cf. Luke 2:1-7).
The same prophecy of Micah continues, noting a mysterious birth: "God will give them up," he says "until the time when she who is to give birth has borne, And the rest of his brethren shall return to the children of Israel" (Micah 5:2). There is thus a divine plan that includes and explains the times and places of the coming of the Son of God into the world. It is a plan of peace, as the prophet proclaims, saying of the Messiah: "He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock by the strength of the Lord, in the majestic name of the Lord, his God. And they shall remain, for now his greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth. He himself shall be peace!" (Micah 5:3).
Precisely this last aspect of the prophecy -- that of the messianic peace -- naturally brings us to note that Bethlehem is also a city-symbol of peace in the Holy Land and in the whole world. Unfortunately, Bethlehem does not represent an achieved and stable peace, but rather a peace that is laboriously sought and awaited.
God, however, never resigns himself to this state of affairs. So, once again this year in Bethlehem and in the entire world, he will renew in the Church the mystery of Christmas, the prophecy of peace for all mankind, which commits Christians to face the barriers, the crises, often unknown and hidden, and the conflicts of their lives, with the sentiments of Jesus, to become the instruments and messengers of peace everywhere, to bring love where there is hate, forgiveness where there is offense, joy where there is sadness, and truth where there is error, according to the beautiful expressions of a famous Franciscan prayer.
Today, as in the time of Jesus, Christmas is not a fairytale for children, but rather God's answer to the drama of humanity in search of peace. "He himself will be peace!" the prophet says, referring to the Messiah. We are expected to throw open the doors to welcome him. Let us learn from Mary and Joseph: Let us put ourselves at the service of God's plan with faith. Even if we do not fully understand it, let us entrust ourselves to his wisdom and goodness. Let us first seek the Kingdom of God and Providence will help us. Merry Christmas, everyone!
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DAILY LITURGICAL SAINT |
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http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintofDay
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GENERAL
MARIOLOGY |
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THE DIVINE HISTORY AND
LIFE
OF THE
VIRGIN MOTHER OF GOD
CHAPTER XIX.
PILATE; SENDS THE JEWS WITH JESUS AND THEIR AC
CUSATIONS TO HEROD, WHERE THEY ADVANCE THEIR
CHARGES; HEROD TREATS JESUS WITH CONTEMPT AND
SENDS HIM BACK TO PILATE; MARY FOLLOWS THE
SAVIOR; OTHER HAPPENINGS IN CONNECTION.
INSTRUCTION WHICH THE GREAT MISTRESS OF HEAVEN,
MOST BLESSED MARY, GAVE ME.
620. My
daughter, in what thou hast written and un
derstood, I see thee astonished to find, that Pilate and
Herod exhibited less unkindness and cruelty in the death
of my divine Son than the priests, highpriests and
pharisees; and thou dwellest much upon the fact that
those were secular and gentile judges, while these were
teachers of the law and priests of the people of Israel,
professing the true faith. In answer to thy thoughts I
will remind thee of a doctrine not new, which thou hast
understood on former occasions ; but I wish that thou re
fresh it in thy mind and remember it for the rest of thy
life. Know then, my dearest, that a fall from the highest
position is extremely dangerous and the damage done is
either irreparable, or very difficult of redress. Lucifer
held an eminent position in heaven, as regards both
natural gifts and gifts of grace ; for in beauty he excelled
all the creatures, and by his sin he fell to the deepest
abyss of loathsomeness and misery and into a more hard
ened obstinacy than all his followers. The first parents
of the human race, Adam and Eve, were exalted to the
highest dignity and raised to exquisite favor, as coming
forth from the hand of the Almighty: their fall caused
perdition to themselves and to all their posterity, and
faith teaches what was the cost of their salvation. To
restore them and their posterity was the work of an
infinite mercy.
621.
Many other souls have reached the heights of
perfection and have thence fallen most unfortunately,
arriving at a state in which they almost despaired or
found themselves incapable of rising. This sad state in
the creature originates from many causes. The first is
the dismay and boundless confusion of one who feels
that he has fallen from an exalted state of virtue; for
he knows that he has not only lost great blessings, but
he does not expect to obtain greater ones than those of
the past and those he has lost; nor does he promise
himself more firmness in keeping those he can obtain
through renewed efforts, than he has shown in those ac
quired and now lost through his ingratitude. From this
dangerous distrust originates lukewarmness, want of fer
vor and diligence, absence of zeal and devotion; since
diffidence extinguishes all these in the soul, just as the
sprightliness of ardent hope overcomes many difficulties,
strengthens and vivifies weak human creatures to under
take great works. Another obstacle there is, not less
formidable, namely: the souls accustomed to the bless
ings of God, either through their office, as the priests
and religious, or by the exercise of virtues and the abun
dance of divine favors, as spiritual-minded persons,
usually aggravate their sins by a certain contempt of
:hese very blessings and a certain abuse of the divine
:hings. For by the abundance of the divine favors they
fall into a dangerous dullness of mind. They begin to
hink little of the divine favors and become irreverent.
Thus failing to co-operate with God s grace, they hinder
ts effect. They lose the grace of holy fear of the Lord,
vhich arouses and stimulates the will to obey the divine
commandments and to be alert in the avoidance of sin and
pursuit of eternal life in the friendship of God. This is
an evident danger for lukewarm priests, who frequent
the holy Eucharist and other Sacraments, without fear
and reverence; also for the learned and wise, and the
powerful of this world, who so reluctantly correct and
amend their lives. They have lost the appreciation and
veneration of the remedial helps of the Church, namely,
the Sacraments, preaching and instruction. Thus these
medicines, which for other sinners are so salutary and
counteract ignorance, weaken those who are the phy
sicians of the spiritual life.
622.
There are other reasons for this kind of danger,
which must be referred to the Lord himself. For the
sins of those souls who, by their state or by their ad
vanced virtues, are more closely bound to their God, are I
weighed in the balance of God s justice in quite a difj
ferent way from the sins of those who have been less \
favored by his mercy. Although the sins of all are
more or less essentially the same, yet the circumstances
of sin are very different. For the priests and teachers,
the powerful and the dignitaries, and those who, on ac
count of their station or by reputation, are supposed t<
be advanced in a holy life, cause great scandal by thei
fall or by any sins they commit. There is much mor
of bold disrespect in their presumption and temeri
against God, whom they know better and to whom the
owe much more, but whom they offend with more deli
eration and knowledge than the ignorant. Hence, as
evident from the tenor of all the holy Scriptures, the si
of Catholics, and especially of those that are instruct
and enlightened, are so displeasing to God. As th
term of each man s life is preordained for each one a
the time in which he is to gain the eternal rewa
the measure or number of sins to be borne by the
patience or forbearance of the Lord is likewise pre
ordained. This measure of divine justice is determined
not only by the number and quantity of the sins, but
also by their quality and weight. Thus it may happen,
that in the souls favored by greater enlightenment and
graces of heaven, the grievousness supplies what is want
ing in the number of the sins, and that with fewer sins
they are forsaken sooner and chastised more severely than
others with many more sins. Nor can all expect for
themselves the same issue as David (II Reg. 12, 13) and
saint Peter; because not all of them have to their credit
as many good actions to be remembered by the Lord.
Besides the special privileges of some cannot be set up
as a rule for all others; because, according to the secret
judgments of the Lord, not all are destined for a special
office.
623. By this explanation, my dearest, thou wilt be
able to satisfy thy doubts and thou wilt understand what
a bitter evil so many souls incur, whom the Almighty
has redeemed by his blood, placed in the way of light
and drawn toward Himself; and how some persons can
fall from a more exalted state into more perverse ob
stinacy than others below them in station. This truth is
well illustrated in the mystery of my Son s Passion, in
which the priests, scribes and the whole people were
nuch more indebted to their God than the heathens, who
cnew not of the true religion. I desire that this truth, as
exhibited by their example, convince thee of this terrible
langer and excite in thee holy fear. And with this fear
oin humble thanks and an exalted esteem of the favors
>f the Lord. In the days of abundance, be not unmindul
of the hour of want (Eccli. 13, 25). Ponder as well
he one as the other within thyself, and remember that
thou earnest thy treasure in a fragile vessel, which thou
canst easily lose (II Cor. 4, 7). Know well, that the
reception of such blessings argues not merit, and the
possession of them is not due to thee in justice, but comes
to thee by liberality and kindness. That the Most High
has favored thee with so much familiar intercourse is no
assurance that thou canst not fall, and no license to
live carelessly and without reverence and fear. All things
happen to thee according to the number and greatness
of thy blessings; for the wrath of the serpent has in
creased toward thee in proportion, and is more alert
against thee than against other souls. He has become
aware that the Most High has not been so liberally loving
to men of many generations as toward thee, and if thou
meet so many blessings and mercies with ingratitude,
thou shalt be most wretched and worthy of a rigoroi
punishment, against which thou canst make no objectioi
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DIVINE MERCY
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| On one occasion,
Jesus gave me to know how pleasing to Him is the soul that
faithfully keeps the rule. A soul will receive a greater reward
for observing the rule than for penances and great
mortifications. (189) |
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| This morning after completing my
spiritual exercises, I began at once to crochet. I sensed a
stillness in my heart; I sensed that Jesus was resting in it.
That deep and sweet consciousness of God's presence prompted me
to say to the Lord, "O Most Holy Trinity dwelling in my heart, I
beg you: grant the grace of conversion to as many souls as the
stitches that I make today with this crochet hook." Then I heard
these words in my soul:
My daughter, too great are your demands. "Jesus, You know that
for You it is easier to grant much rather than a little." That
is so, it is less difficult for Me to grant a soul much rather
than a little, but every conversion of a sinful soul demands
sacrifice." Well, Jesus, I offer You
this whole-hearted work of mind; this offering does not seem to
me to be too small for such a large number of souls; You know,
Jesus, that for thirty years You were saving souls by just this
kind of work. And since holy obedience forbids me to perform
great penances and mortifications, therefore I ask You, Lord:
accept these mere nothings stamped with the seal of obedience as
great things." Then I heard a voice in my soul:
My dear daughter, I comply with
your request. |
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| When I steeped myself in prayer, I was transported
in spirit to the Chapel, where I saw the Lord Jesus, exposed in
the Monstrance. In place of the Monstrance I saw the glorious
face of the Lord, and He said to me, "What you see in reality ,
these souls see through faith. Oh, how pleasing to Me is their
great faith! You see, although there appears to be no trace of
life in Me, in reality it is present in its fullness in each and
every Host. But for Me to be able to act upon the soul, the soul
must have faith. O how pleasing to Me is living faith! (1420) |
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| ....Forth, do
not fear either struggles of the soul or any temptations,
because I am supporting you; if only you are willing to fight,
know that the victory is always on your side. Fifth, know that
by fighting bravely you give Me great glory and amass merits for
yourself. Temptation gives you a chance to show Me your
fidelity. (1560) |
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CATHOLIC TEACHING/CONVICTION/TESTIMONY |
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Explanation of the Ten Rules of Life
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8. I will carry out a revolution by renewal in the Holy
Spirit
Jesus Christ came into the world to bring fire to burn all
waste, a sword to cut all the bonds that hold us in slavery. He
brought Truth because Truth alone can set us free.
He died to free us from death. He rose from the death to give us
life in abundance.
How do we carry out this revolution? "You desire to carry out a
revolution, namely the reform of the world. You will carry out
this precious and noble mission which God has entrusted to you
by the power of the Holy Spirit. Every day, prepare a new
Pentecost around you".
I have lived in a country which suffered through 40 years of
war, which experienced the failure of Communist ideology and the
frustrations of consumerism. The lyrics of the song "Empty
Chairs, Empty Table" from Les Miserables echo in my mind, after
a frustrated and failed revolution:
"Here they spoke of revolution,
Here it was they lit the flame!
Here they sang about tommorow
And tommorow never came!"
Where are you going? - Church, Quo vadis?
Where do we find a new way of being the Church?
In Asia? in USA?
Pope Paul VI clearly expressed this challenge to follow the
Spirit in his encyclical Populorum Progressio:
"...As far as experience in human affair is concerned, the
Church, without attempting in any way to interfere in the
politics of states... seek but a solitary goal: to carry forward
the work of Christ himself under the lead of the befriending
Spirit".
What is the new path shown to us by Pope John Paul II? It is the
idea of New Evangelization.
"Every day, re-evangelize your mind and heart with reading and
meditation; immerse yourself in the everlasting Word so that the
gospel will gradually permeate and take deep root in every cell
and every fiber of your body. That is renewal: the most enduring
revolution". "The most solid barrier is not a fortress; it is
not a fence. It is indifference".
When Jesus saw the fear of the apostles and the trembling of his
disciple as they received the mission he entrusted to them, "Be
my witness unto the ends of the earth", Jesus simply said, "Do
not be afraid!" (Mt 17:7) "You will receive the power of the
Holy Spirit which will come on you and then, you will be my
witnesses" (Act 1:8).
9. I will speak one language and wear one uniform: Charity
Prisoners held captive for very long periods, without trial
and in oppressive conditions retain bitter memories and
sentiments of hate and vengeance. That's a normal reaction
everywhere.
I was in prison for 13 years, 9 of which in solitary
confinement.
Two guards watched me but never spoke to me; just yes and no.
But I knew that after all, they were my brothers and I had to be
kind to them. I had no gift to offer as a prisoner I had nothing
at all, nothing to please them. What to do? One night, a thought
came. "You are still very rich. You have the love of Christ in
your heart. Love them as Jesus love you". The next day I set to
work, first, by showing gladness and by smiling. I began to tell
stories about my journeys in coutries where people live in
freedom and enjoy their culture and great technical progress.
That stimulated their curiosity and they asked many, many
questions. Slowly, very slowly, we became friends. They wanted
to learn foreign laguages. My guards became my disciples! The
atmosphere of the prison changed considerably. The quality of
our relationship changed for the better.
At that time, in another park of the area, a group of twenty
people were learning Latin to be able to read Church documents.
Their teachers was a former catechist. One of my guards was in
the Latin class and one day he asked me if I could teach him
songs in Latin.
"There are so many", I replied, "And they are all so beautiful".
"You sing and I'll choose" he retorted.
And so I sang Salve Regina, Salve Mater, Lauda Sion, Veni
Creator, Ave Maris Stella - You never guess the song he choose.
The Veni Creator!
I can't begin to tell you how moving it is to be in a Communist
prison and hear your guard, coming down the stairs at 7 AM every
morning on his way to the gymnastics yard for physical
exercises, singing the Veni Creator.
I will speak one language: Charity.
While at prison in Vinh-Quang in the mountains of North Vietnam,
I was sawing wood one afternoon. I asked my ever-present guard,
who had become my friend, if I could ask him for a favor.
"What is it? I'll help you"
"I want to saw off a small piece of wood in the form of a
cross.""
"Don't you know that's strictly forbidden to have any sign of
religion whatsoever?"
"I promise to keep it hidden."
"But it would be extremely dangerous for the both of us." "Close
your eyes, I'll do it right now and I'll be very careful"
He turned his back and left me alone. I sawed a small cross
which I later hid in a piece of melted down soap. I have kept it
always and had it mounted in a piece of metal and it has become
my pectoral cross.
In another prison in Hanoi, I became friends with my guard and
was able to request a piece of metal wire. He was terrified. "I
studied in the University of Police that when someone wants
electric wire he want is to kill himself!" he cried. I explained
the Christians, and most of all priests, do not commit suicide.
"And so what are you going to do with electric wire?" he asked.
I need a chain to wear my cross".
"But how can you make a chain from wire?"
"If you bring me two little pincers, I'll show you.""
"Much too dangerous!"
"But we're friends!"
He hesitated and finally said, "It's too hard to refuse. Tonight
at 7 PM we'll do it. But we have to finish before 11. I'll have
my companion take the evening off. If he knew, he'd denounce the
both of us.
that evening, with the tools he brought, we cut and shaped and
worked together to make my chain and finished it before 11 PM!
This cross and chain are not only my souvenir of captivity, as
precious as that may seem. They are a constant reminder that
only Christian charity can bring about a change of heart. Not
arms, not threats, not the media. It was very hard for my guards
to understand when I spoke about loving our enemies,
reconciliation and forgiveness.
"Do you really love us?"
"Yes, I really love you."
"Even when we cause you pain? When you suffer because you're in
prison without trial?"
"Look at all the years we've spent together. Of course, I love
you!"
"And when you get out, will you tell your people to find us and
beat us and hurt our families?"
"I'll continue to love you even if you wish to kill me"
"But why?"
"Because Jesus taught us to love always; if we don't, we are no
longer worthy to be called Christians."
There is not enough time to tell you all the other moving
stories which are proof of the liberating power of the love of
Jesus.
"You wear one uniform and speak one language - Charity. "Charity
is the sign by which you will be recognized as one of our Lord's
disciples. (John 10:10). It is a badge which costs little but is
most difficult to find. Charity is the most important language.
Saint Paul regarded it as far more important than being able "to
speak the languages of men and even of angels" (1 Cor 13:1).
10. I will have one special love: the Blessed Virgin Mary
The harsh years in prison pass very slowly. While suffering
humiliation and abandonment, my only support and hope was the
love of Mary, Our Blessed Mother. The wonderful servants of
Mary, Grignon de Montfort, Don Bosco, Maximilian Kolbe were my
companions on the road of hope. They inspired me and gave me
unwavering trust in the love of Mary, the Queen of the Apostles
and Martyrs.
I said this prayer to Mary. "Mary, my Mother, if you know that I
connot be of any more use to the Church, grant me the grace to
die here in prison and consummate my sacrifice. If you know that
I can still be of use to the church, grant me the grace of
freedom on one of your feast days. In fact, on November 21,
1988, I was cooking my meal when I heard my guard being called
to the phone.
I had an idea it might be because of me. A few minutes after,
the guard called to me. "Mr. Thuan, have you finished eating?"
"No, not yet."
"Right after your meal, go and see the chief... and good luck!"
I was taken to meet the Minister of Police and after a brief
conversation, he asked, "Do you wish to express any request?"
"Yes, Mr. Minister, I wish to be let free!"
"When?"
"Today!"
The Minister feigned surprise but I knew the day had come. It
was the feast of the Presentation of Mary in the temple and she
was answering my prayer.
To counter the Minister's surprise I replied, "You see, Mr.
Minister, I have been in prison for three pontificates: Paul VI,
John Paul I, John Pual II. I have been here during the offices
of four Secretary Generals of the Communist Party, Bhreznev,
Andropov, Tchernenko and Gorbachev."
His eyes opened wide. "Yes! that's right. All right. Your
request is granted. You are free." |
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