Opera Omnia

17. MAKE LOVE REIGN

Alba, Pauline Formation House Via Grottaperfetta, 56, June 7, 1947

We are within the octave of Corpus Domini,¹ in the octave of your feast.
The Church transposes to this day the feast of the celebration of love commemorated on Holy Thursday.
It is commemorated on Holy Thursday usque in finem dilexit eos;² and vobiscum sum omnibus diebus³ (he loved them to the end and I am with you always ). Just when men wanted to rid the world of Jesus, he finds the way to remain here always and to give them himself as food. The insolent crowd shouts: regnare Christum nolumus!⁴ (We do not want Christ as our king!). The contrast between Jesus' love and man's hatred still exists, always exists. Which shall reign: hatred or love?

If you will be good, numerous, really pious, you can obtain the grace that love may reign, that the kingdom of the eucharistic Lord may be established on earth.

Let us give importance to this truth: God wills to establish his kingdom among men and women, by means of men and women. Ab ortu solis usque ad occasum laudabile nomen Domini ¹(From the rising of the sun to its setting, praised be the name of the Lord).
However, God asks to be helped to establish his abode, to spread the glory of his Name.

You have to obtain this: that Jesus' love may triumph, that he may reign everywhere. Imitate the Most Holy Virgin so as to obtain it. She was completely of God, she was Most Holy! She brought about Jesus' coming with her holiness, prayer, desires and consent.

First condition: to be holy. This does not mean doing odd things or imposing on oneself extraordinary penances. It means not to be of the devil, but to be wholly and only of God. It means having every fibre of one's being to belong solely to God. Let not a moment of the day pass without it being spent only for God and in continual purification of self.

The stains of sin find no entry to Paradise;¹ these are removed in the flames of purgatory. Would you like to cast shadows in the light of Heaven? Would you like to enter in it with a soiled dress, in the midst of the spotless garments of the Angels?
Look into your soul, search its very depths to discern if there is anything which displeases Jesus, or which is not worthy of God.
Like Mary, have ardent, purest desires and not useless fantasies.

Pray that the love of Jesus be established and work towards this goal.
Satan is daring, obstinate, he does not easily give up his reign over souls and over the world. He wants to be adored¹ and there are many persons, unfortunately, who bow down before him!
Increase the number of vocations, because the forces of evil are so great and it is necessary to counteract them with the forces of good.

You have the great treasure of the two hours of Adoration. Consider yourselves unworthy of this great predilection and thank the Lord, who deigns to receive us, poor sinners that we are. Unite trust to humility, the trust which the saints had and practiced.
You are called to live Jesus' love in the world, Jesus living and true in the sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist.
However, in order to do this, it has to be asked: do you really belong to Jesus? Oh, may you truly be!, in all things and in every single thing!

In the ancient Liturgy, Holy Thursday was called dies natalis calicis (birthday of the cup). It is the same mystery that is celebrated on Corpus Domini. What is carried in procession is not a beautiful statue or a precious piece of sculpture, but the true and living God who dwells in our midst.
The birthday of the Saints marks their passage from this world to Heaven. This birthday on the other hand, signals the day when Jesus willed to be with us in this world, until the end of time.
The hymns conclude with these words: Qui natus es de Virgine...¹ and on Corpus Domini as in its octave, the Preface of Christmas is repeated: Quia per incarnati Verbi mysterium, nova mentis nostrae oculis lux tuae claritatis infulsit: ut dum visibiliter Deum cognoscimus, per hunc in invisibilium amorem rapiamur² (In the wonder of the incarnation your eternal word has brought to the eyes of faith a new and radiant vision of your glory. In him we see our God made visible and so are caught up in the love of the God we cannot see).
Jesus visibly appeared at Bethlehem on Christmas Day.
In the Eucharist, he appears under the appearance of bread.
There he became flesh, here he became bread. Et Verbum caro factum est...³ Et Verbum panis factum est.

In the Hail Mary we say: Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.¹ Jesus' real presence in the Tabernacle is fruit of the Virgin Mary.
In order to bring this fruit of life to the world, we have to be very devoted to Mary and united to her. The Queen of the Apostles presents to us Jesus, gives Jesus to us.

You too, must present and give Jesus to the world in the different ways which fit in your apostolate. To achieve it, however, you have to be really devoted to Mary.
Do you consider yourselves united to her mission - do you give Jesus to the world?
Have above all, the intentions, sentiments, aspirations, desires and projects of Mary. In a word, live Mary.
Are yours the thoughts, feelings, aspirations of Mary Most Holy? Do you work as Mary would work? Do you feel united to Mary? Do you live in Mary? Do you transform yourself each day? See to it that there are not just fancies, words and songs in you; see to it that you are not a Sister simply because you wear the religious habit, but that your heart, soul, will, your whole being belong to Jesus through Mary.

To belong to Mary so as to belong to Jesus.
Be careful in preparing the altar and do not place at the Lord's service what is not worthy of him. It would be, however, a more serious insult to place Jesus in a blemished heart.
When there is passing fancy and pride, when curiosity gets the better of us, when we want to be above the others, when tepidity infiltrates our life, then Jesus who dwells in our soul is insulted.
Ask for the grace to hate sin as God hates it, as much as possible. The more a person hates sin, the more he/she becomes holy, because he/she gets away from the devil and unites himself/herself to God.

The positive part: the way to hasten the coming of the king-dom of Jesus in the world is this - to really love God!
The sign of love, the measure of love is this - to fulfill God's will.
The Divine Master could render testimony on his behalf: Quae placita sunt ei facio semper¹. I always do what pleases Him.
Be indifferent to whatever is commanded, ready for anything, in a way that the Lord can really do with us everything that he wants for his greater glory.

Now examine yourselves to see:
- if each one of you is another Mary;
- if there is anything in your heart that could displease Jesus;
- if you have resigned yourselves totally to God's will.

When you work for God alone and you are completely of God, then your Adorations become powerful. When one is totally of God, God is all ours and does what the soul wills. Deus voluntatem timentium se faciet¹ (God does the will of those who fear him). Hence, the prayer becomes all-powerful. If you are ready to believe that you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer, it shall be done for you.² Do not doubt and it will be granted to you.

May the Lord bless you.
Let not any prayer fall by the wayside, due to a heart which is not completely free.
Go on serenely and quickly. It is easier to become saints when you are happy.
Let not the heart of the one who seek and love God be ever disturbed.