One of our legionaries, Anastasia, makes her Legionary Promise today. Please pray for her. Today also marks the 100th meeting of Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Praesidium. The meeting was attended by Fr. Simon Baker, OSB, who is our Spiritual Director and Chaplain of Benedictine College and Fr. Jay Kythe, OSB, the Associate Chaplain of Benedictine College. Also in attendance were many of our auxiliaries and members of Our Lady Queen of Victory Curia. I, Br. Benedict Mary, gave the allocutio.
Reading:
Handbook, Ch. 39 Cardinal Points of the Legion Apostolate, pg 278
The Holy Spirit operates always with her.— Come a little further to the feast of Pentecost — that tremendous occasion when the Church was launched upon its mission. Mary was there. It was by her prayer that the Holy Spirit descended on the Mystical Body and came to abide in it with all his “greatness, power, glory, victory and majesty.” (1 Chron 29:11) Mary reproduces in respect of the Mystical Body of Christ every service which she rendered to his actual Body. This law applies to Pentecost, which was a sort of new Epiphany. She is necessary to the one as she had been to the other. And so of all divine things to the end: if Mary is left out, God’s Plan is not conformed to, no matter what one’s prayers and works and strivings may be. If Mary is not there, the grace is not given. This is an overpowering thought. It may provoke the question: “Do those who ignore or insult Mary receive no graces?” They do, indeed, receive graces, for failure to acknowledge Mary may be excused on grounds of utter ignorance. But what a sorry title to Heaven! and what a way of treating her who helps us! Moreover, the graces which come in such circumstances are but a fraction of what should flow, so that one’s life’s work is largely failing.
Allocutio:
Congratulations Anastasia on making your Legionary Promise! This promise is an important step in your life as a legionary. In this promise, which you have made to the Holy Spirit and Mary, you have recalled something once again of Pentecost.
When Jesus told the Apostles to pray for the Holy Spirit, they were naturally joined and guided by Mary. And what a guide! She, who had already been overshadowed by the Holy Spirit on at least one major occasion- the Annunciation- joined them in praying for Him whose coming would bring about the New Church. Though the scriptures do not mention anything else that she did after this, we can be sure that she did not fade into the background. Mary prayed for the ongoing success of the new believers- her own children through her Son. She helped instruct them and care for them and it’s obvious that they loved her in return. All the evangelists express a great love and respect for her and many of her insights seem to have been recorded by them (sometimes word for word!).
We should take this as an indication, as St. Louis de Montfort and our own Handbook affirms, that the Holy Spirit does not work in the world except through Mary. At every crucial moment of our salvation, Mary was there- the Annunciation, Jesus’ first miracle, the Crucifixion, and Pentecost. He has chosen to work only through her, not that he is limited but because he loves her so much. We should therefore always turn to Mary if we wish to receive the Holy Spirit. If we spurn her, we also spurn him. Mary is called the Spouse of the Holy Spirit and for good reason. This is not a fanciful title, but a reality to difficult in words. Thus, at the heart of legionary devotion to Mary is the Holy Spirit- and the Legionary Promise.
As legionaries, we should also gather around Mary and learn from her. We should imitate her virtues and ask for her powerful intercession as we carryout our legionary work. We should strive to bring her into every single thing we do, no matter how small. All are important to her and help her to continue the work that was perpetuated at Pentecost.
The Slave of the Immaculate 