supplies, and bus fare for three years so she can complete her education. Any amount that you contribute is greatly appreciated and no gift is too small. All monies raised from this newsletter appeal will go to Fr. Darek in the Philippines. Please help out of love of God and reflect on this short phrase that St. Faustina wrote: “God’s love is the flower – mercy the fruit” (Diary, 948). The 10th virtue of sorrow is also called “the grace of the cross.” This virtue, that of the grace of God in time of trial and our own cross, is the final one because it encompasses the perfection of our souls as we traverse this valley of tears. We all have trials and suffering in our lives, and Mary is our role model as she never wavered in complete confidence in God. The Rule of the Ten Evangelical Virtues tells us that God uses sorrow in our lives to give us grace and strengthen our compassion for others. Think of Mary and her strength as she suffered with Jesus throughout His Passion and then stood faithfully at the foot of the cross as He died for us. She teaches us that suffering and love must be synonymous. Like Christ and Mary, we must suffer out of love and love while we suffer. There is a frequently quoted saying, “God never gives you more than you can handle.” Perhaps a better way to say it is, “God never gives you more than the two of you can handle together.” For without God, even the slightest affliction or situation seems magnified and overwhelming. For those struggling with issues of addictions, divorce, poor health, problems with children, or whatever cross you are carrying, pray and reflect on the struggles of Mary and how she had complete trust in God. Mary had many sorrows, and she is also known as “Our Sorrowful Mother.” There are statues of Mary that show seven swords piercing her heart. The seven sorrows of Mary include: the prophecy of Simeon in the temple about the piercing of Mary’s heart, the flight into Egypt, the loss of the Child Jesus in the temple, Mary’s meeting with Jesus on the Way of the Cross, the Crucifixion, the taking down of His Body from the cross, and His burial. Yet, in spite of all these great trials, she was full of grace and maintained unwavering trust in God in all situations, even when she didn’t understand His purposes. The Friar Servants of Mary (Servites) began praying the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of Mary in the 13th century. In a Church-approved apparition in Kibeho, Rwanda, beginning in 1981, Our Lady asked the children to pray the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows and promised that those who recited it would be given the grace and desire for a stronger conversion to God. We should pray for the grace that Our Blessed Mother had to have by completely trusting in God during our sufferings. We should behave like a blind man who entrusts himself entirely to his guide (a seeing-eye dog), holding the leash firmly, and not giving up on our obedience to God for a single moment. For God alone will be our strength in time of fiery trial. 5 14510018 The 10 evangelical virtues of Our Lady © 2024 Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M. Part 10 Most Sorrowful Most Merciful Most Poor Most Pure Most Obedient Most Humble Most Prudent Most Faithful Most Devout Most Patient HELP! From page 2 Dr. Bryan Thatcher visits children in El Salvador, Philippines.
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