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with grace and virtue. If the precious
years of Mary’s life between Bethlehem
and Calvary be studied carefully, they
will point the way to the solution of
all problems and difficulties.
Bitter poverty, sorrow and the daily
routine of household chores were her
portion. To share in them is an honor
beyond price. All humankind can
come to adore Him. If we go to
Bethlehem in the company of the
shepherds and the kings, we will find
Him with Mary, His Mother!
Our souls were made for peace. The
world today is nothing but strife and
turmoil. If we will but go back to
Nazareth in Galilee when Christ was
a child of six, we will find Him in the
cottage with Joseph and Mary. Here, we
will learn the value of supernatural
simplicity of life. It embodies reliance
on the care of our heavenly Father,
conscientious performance of appointed
tasks, union with God because of His
presence in our hearts by sanctifying
grace and, as a consequence, peace and
happiness which the world is powerless
to give and just as powerless to
destroy! Eating our bread in the sweat
of our brows has become a noble and
heartening thing because Jesus, Mary
and Joseph have done it before us.
D
uring Our Mother’s deathwatch at
the foot of the Cross, She became
mother of sinful mankind in a formal
and definite way. “Behold, Thy Mother!”
Does this not fill our souls with deepest
gratitude to realize that, at this last and
terrible moment, Our Lord thought
of us in so wonderful a way?
The mighty task of restoring all things
in Christ is above all human power to
accomplish. It is the work of grace. It
is God’s work but, if it is to be done
by frail mortals, we must beg for and
rely entirely on Him and His constant
assistance. He has so arranged the
disposition of His graces that all of
them come to us from the hands of Our
Blessed Mother. She actually obtains
each grace for us and presents it to us
individually. This has been the case
from the beginning and will continue
to be so until the end of time. Well may
we ponder the words of Holy Scripture,
“I will put enmities between thee
and the Woman, and thy seed and
her seed.” (Gen. 3:15)
“I am the Immaculate Conception!”
America, together with Bernadette,
has heard and responded with the
affectionate rejoinder: “
And our Patroness, O Mother. Our
whole history makes us thine.
Columbus named one of his first
discoveries aer thee. Marquette
dedicated our greatest river to thee.
White consecrated a large portion of
our shores to thee. Our people have
always especially revered thee by this
loving title. Our Bishops in solemn
council assembled have chosen thee
to guide, cherish and guard our
Church, our Nation, our rulers, our
homes, ourselves. y Mother’s Heart
will forgive our waywardness and
procure for us the mercy of thy
Son; obtain for us the gi of true
repentance and make our salvation
eternally secure.”
The United States faces a greater
destiny in the future than it has
fulfilled in the past. Our Holy Faith will
be the means whereby this destiny
will be attained. Only by holding fast
to the Christian philosophy of life and
living according to the moral and social
codes laid down by Christ the King,