On June 12, 1974, St. Josemaria Escriva went on a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján, Patroness of Argentina.
The Church is rooted in this fundamental mystery of our Catholic faith: the mystery of God who is one in essence and three in persons.
On May, 28, 1974, St. Josemaria Escriva made a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil.
Having just read in the Acts of the Apostles about Pentecost, the day when the Holy Spirit came down on the Lord’s disciples, we are conscious of being present at the great display of God’s power with which the Church’s life began to spread among all nations.
Once more the liturgy reminds us of the final moment in Jesus’ life among men, his ascension into heaven.
St. Josemaria desired to show an outward expression of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary during the month of May, which the Church traditionally dedicates to her.
On May 2, the Prelature of Opus Dei celebrates the anniversary of the dedication of the Prelatic Church of Our Lady of Peace.
St. Josemaria had been suffering from diabetes for about ten years. And it was on the feast of Our Lady of Montserrat, April 27, 1954, that he was cured of diabetes.
As a young boy, St. Josemaria Escriva learned a prayer for spiritual communion that he cherished and shared with others during his lifetime.
St. Josemaria made his First Communion on April 23, 1912 and would always observe with unabashed fervor the anniversary of that wonderful day.
Among the Saints, both ancient and modern, it has never seemed excessive to long continually for God’s mercy, and to plead for it on one’s own behalf, as well as for the whole world.
Like every Christian celebration, today’s is one of peace. The palm branches, with their ancient symbolism, recall a scene of the book of Genesis.
During this week which Christians traditionally call holy week, we are given another chance to reflect on and to re-live the last hours of Jesus’ life.
The whole Church recognizes St Joseph as a patron and guardian. For centuries many different features of his life have caught the attention of believers. He was a man ever faithful to the mission God gave him.
Lent is a compendium of our whole life, which is a “constant returning to the house of our Father God.”
We are at the beginning of Lent: a time of penance, purification and conversion. It is not an easy program, but then Christianity is not an easy way of life.
“The holy Virgin Mary, Mother of Fair Love, will bring relief to your heart, when it makes you feel that it is of flesh, if you turn to her with confidence.”
The Lord promised Simeon that he would not see death before he had seen the Christ of God. The fulfillment of that promise alone was enough to justify an entire lifetime of waiting and contemplating.
Let us not be afraid. The Church, which is the Body of Christ must indefectibly be the path and the sheepfold of the Good Shepherd, the strong foundation and the way open to all men.
It hardly needs to be said that finding God in daily life is one of the keynotes of Saint Josemaría’s spirituality. But do we ourselves want to be found by God in daily life?
