Marian Helper • Winter 2024-25 • Marian.org 11 Needless to say, the Presidential election was contentious and divisive. But the political tensions that arose should not lead us to sin, especially that of anger or hatred, but rather be opportunities for our love to be purified. All the prayers we offer for our country will be weakened if we don’t have forgiveness in our hearts. It would be sad to see fellow Americans we don’t agree with politically as enemies rather than neighbors. Even soldiers have shown incredible forgiveness of their enemies. There are remarkable stories of veterans from World War II befriending an enemy soldier after the war and even having their families visit years later. How much easier should it be to forgive our neighbor than an enemy trying to kill us! Merciful to others Just as the Lord has been merciful to us, we must be merciful to others. At our judgment after death, the mercy and forgiveness we receive from the Lord will be limited by the mercy and forgiveness we gave to others. “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” As Marian Renovator Blessed George Matulaitis put it, “My party is Christ.” While we must carry out our civic duties as Catholic citizens of the United States, we must remember our ultimate citizenship is of the Kingdom of Heaven. As Catholic citizens, we turn then to Mary, the Immaculate Conception, patroness of the United States. Just as she was preserved from original sin by the grace of her Immaculate Conception, the grace of her Immaculate Conception can preserve our country from sin and evil. As our Mother, she wants all her children, all citizens of our country, living and deceased, to be pure and holy. The Immaculate Conception shows it is possible to be completely purified of all sin by the graces of the Divine Mercy and to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect. For us, if we don’t reach that purity in this lifetime, we may yet by the mercy of God in Purgatory, where, as St. Faustina saw, Mary comes as Star of the Sea to refresh the Holy Souls and guide them to Heaven when fully purified (see Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 20). “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” And may all our American brothers and sisters who have gone before us, especially those who gave their lives in defense of its freedom, rest in peace. Father Matthew Tomeny, MIC, is rector of the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, and soon to be a chaplain for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, U.S.A. Pray, forgive, heal By Fr. Matthew Tomeny, MIC ‘It would be sad to see fellow Americans we don’t agree with politically as enemies rather than neighbors.’ Every November, the month of the Holy Souls, the Church exhorts us to pray for the souls in Purgatory. We can especially pray for the souls of all the patriots who have died in service of the United States. In return for our assistance through prayers, sufferings, penances, and acts of charity, we can ask them to pray and assist our country in this crucial time. (While the Holy Souls cannot pray for themselves, they can pray for us, the Church Militant.)
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjI2Mw==