One trip to Lourdes our founder, Fr. Luigi Faccenda, asked many people, “Who is Mary for you?” He received many beautiful answers, but like St. Maximilian, he was not satisfied. So, he went to the grotto and looked at Mary. This was his meditation:
“Tell me who you are.” I asked her with the great faith of St. Maximilian. My attention was drawn to the phrase written around her head, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” This is the reason why she is the Health of the Sick, Comforter of the Afflicted, Queen of Virgins, Help of Christians, Refuge of Sinners, Mother of Mercy, and Queen of Peace!
Mary is the daughter of the Eternal Father, who wanted and prepared her to be a monstrance for His divine Word. Mary is the true mother of the Redeemer because she not only conceived and gave birth to Him, but she also accompanied Him from the very first moment until the last. Now, she is still accompanying Him, guiding us along the streets of life. Mary is the Spouse of the Holy Spirit who makes us holy and frees us from sin and gives us hope – when we allow Him.
It seemed that in this expression, “Immaculate Conception,” we find the essence of Mary. The Immaculate Conception means that Mary is the perfect image of Christ. Mary is already transformed into what each one of us should become by means of our daily pilgrimage of faith in which Mary has preceded us.
His next line of inquiry: “What can I do to help you become Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners, and Queen of Peace?” will be shared in a few weeks.
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