Dear Friends of the Arch of Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Int'l Shrine of the Holy Innocents,

As we meditate upon the sorrowful Passion of Our Kind Lord Jesus Christ, let us have many thoughts too, for the suffering Our Lady, His Blessed Mother, endured in fulfillment of the prophecy of Simeon, "A sword will pierce your own heart, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." Luke 2:35. Indeed, Mary's great destiny to suffer with her Son, and also to share in His Triumph, is foreshadowed as well in the Old Testament prophets.

For example, the "first Mary," Mary's namesake Miriam the sister of Moses (Mary's Hebrew name is the same, Miriam), suffered the cruel oppression of the Egyptians with her people, but then was privileged to lead Israel in a song of triumph, after the Red Sea was crossed. Her triumphant song is one of several by Old Testament women, that anticipate Mary’s great Magnificat:

         “So Mary the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand: and all the women went forth after her with timbrels and with dances: and she began the song to them, saying: let us sing to the Lord, for He is gloriously magnified, the horse and his rider he hath thrown into the sea.” Exodus 15:20-21.

Nothing more is said about the first Mary as having any role in the delivery of the Jews from Egypt, and she might be regarded as unimportant—except that many centuries later the prophet Micah, the same who foretold that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem and would rule the whole earth, rebuked the Jews in the Lord’s name, saying:

         “For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and delivered thee out of the house of slaves; and I sent before thy face Moses, and Aaron, and Mary.” Micah 6:4 (Douay).

So we see from the Scriptures, that Mary has been destined from all time to play a critical, highly honored role, in the triumph of her glorious Son. More recent approved sources have prophesied similarly for Mary, including this from the great St. Louis de Montfort (1673-1716):

         "The power of Mary over all devils will be particularly outstanding in the last period of time. She will extend the Kingdom of Christ over the idolaters and Moslems, and there will come a glorious era in which Mary will the ruler and Queen of human hearts."

The following poetic telling of the Passion of Our Lord, and Mary's close sharing in it, is offered with the prayer that it may assist your Holy Week meditations. May you and your family and loved ones enjoy a most blessed and holy Easter!

THE TRIUMPH OF LOVE:
A SOLDIER’S SONG

I once saw Love find peace in death
I heard Love let His latest breath
A sound I hoped to soon forget
So sad, so sad -- I hear it yet

I saw the wounds Love did receive
That drove Him to death's dark reprieve
For I scourged Love to make Him bleed
Shaped His thorn crown and sceptre reed

I'd fashioned those to give Him pain
I struck His face, once and again
Just then His eyes looked me straight through
With Love so sweet it made me new

Love! I'd known the word for all my years
I'd felt its joy and wept its tears
And now before me -- Love Revealed!
His Mercy-Heart -- my own heart healed!

I comprehended not at once
But slowly over weeks and months
The seconds that I held Love's gaze
Became the meaning of my days

Yet instantly Love's look disarmed
My bestial urge to hurt, to harm
That innocent, misguided fool
My thought before I knew God's Tool

We brought Love out before the crowd
Their call for death was long and loud
The governor heard with chagrin
He was opposed, but he gave in

When we marched Love to Calvary
I made a Cyrene bear the Tree
And marveled that within my heart
I envied his appointed part

The troops that marched out at my side
Saw not how I had changed inside
Nor did they see, as now I did,
How Love in human flesh had hid

His tunic they removed with care
Lest it should suffer any tear
And then they tossed to take that prize
While Love stood stark before their eyes

As Love lay stripped upon His Cross
I shuddered for this senseless loss
I would not wield hammer, nail
My comrades took that grim detail

I felt the clank of each deft blow
And saw the blood from each cleft flow
To saturate the waiting earth
The Precious Blood of my new birth

Other men who have known this pain
Have cursed, reviled, or screamed in vain
Love asked His Father to forgive
These men who knew not what they did

They heeded not this word of Love
But nailed a mocking sign above
His head to taunt Him with this news:
"This is Jesus, King of the Jews"

They raised Him as I strove to see
Again those eyes that first saw me
I hoped to say with somber look
That in His death no part I took

But He this while would only see
A woman who stood by the Tree
Her own eyes fixed on upraised Love
As sunflower stares toward sun above

No other woman I have seen
Struck me as half so like a Queen
Erect and tall, her regal grace
Undimmed though grief marred her fair face

Salt tears streamed on her soft pale cheeks
Her angel brow by sorrow creased
Still could I see that she and He
Were of one noble Family

I knew that by no act or word
Could I dare hope to comfort her
I knew not that, in years to be
The thought of her would comfort me

I stood mute guard, but inwardly
I witnessed to that sad Lady
How much I longed her to console
And beg forgiveness for my role

There stayed by her a loyal friend
Who shared her suffering to the end
Love spake once to that forlorn pair
And placed each in the other's care

No witness to Love's agony
Could be unmoved by sympathy
Save those with hardened hearts, the worst
Of men, for whom Love said, "I thirst"

Two hours passed in deeper gloom
Than lay of old on Egypt tomb
And then a third, and in this last
Love readied for life's final gasp

"Why hast Thou forsaken Me?"
He cried out to the blackened sky
Then, "Father, to Thy hands bring Me!"
And that is when I saw Love die

What next occurred is mystery
None can the Spirit's moving see
My soul proclaimed this piteous sob:
"Truly this was the Son of God!"

Coda:

I saw Love die before my eyes
I saw Love not from death arise
But that He lives I am assured
I have for this Love's solemn Word

         “I am the first and the last, the one who lives. Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I hold the keys to death and the netherworld.” Revelations 1:17-18.

Laurence D. Behr
Passion Week 1999

Copyright 2003
Noncommercial Use Is Permitted

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Our support is growing rapidly and we now have over 70 chapters worldwide! To view our current chapters, to start or join a local chapter, go to www.archoftriumph.org/chapter.html YOUR HELP IS NEEDED! Please go to www.archoftriumph.org/donate.html to make a donation or a pledge (see information below).
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FREE OFFER! Email us at tapes@archoftriumph.org to receive a free audiotape or CD of the riveting speech by Judge Daniel J. Lynch, “Choose, America: Arch of Mercy, or Arch of Justice?”, delivered at our first annual Celebration of the Culture of Life and Civilization of Love, held in Buffalo NY Sept. 1, 2002. Email us your name and postal mailing address, and specify your preference for a tape or a CD, please!
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COMING SOON! The VIRTUAL Arch of Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary! Soon, you will be able to view the names of the hundreds of Mary's Children who have donated already, plus your name, your family's name, or the names of loved ones, on our Virtual Arch! Stay tuned!
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PLAN YOUR END-OF-SUMMER MARIAN PILGRIMAGE NOW! Cap your family's summer by paying homage to Our Queen! Mark your calendar to attend our Second Annual Celebration of the Culture of Life and Civilization of Love, in Buffalo's downtown LaSalle Park on the beautiful Niagara River, SUNDAY, AUGUST 24. We will have great music from Martin Doman, www.martindoman.com , and addresses by Judge Dan Lynch of the Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, www.ourladyofguadalupe.org , and others to be announced.

Plan to visit while here, the beautiful Basilica and National Shrine of OUR LADY OF VICTORY, http://www.ourladyofvictory.org/Basilica/Welcome.html , in Lackawanna just a few minutes from downtown Buffalo. Erected by Venerable Nelson Baker, it was declared by L'Osservatore Romano in 1925 to be "one of the most superb shrines the American Church possesses." Your Marian Pilgrimage should include also the unique and beautiful FATIMA SHRINE in Lewiston, http://www.fatimashrine.com , just a half-hour drive from downtown Buffalo, and a focus of pilgrims from all over the world.

A short sidetrip to awesome NIAGARA FALLS, on the drive to or from Lewiston, will make your pilgrimage especially memorable for every member of the family!
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WE NEED YOU TO HELP BUILD THE ARCH OF TRIUMPH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY! All contributions are gratefully received, and are fully tax deductible. INCENTIVES: For each donation of at least $100 US, one name may be inscribed on Mary’s golden Arch of Triumph of a person, living or deceased, born or unborn ($175 US per wedded couple; $250 for group names). Please consider adding $7.00 to defray transaction costs. Donors of at least $1000 will also receive a beautiful signed certificate. Donors of at least $2000 may also have names placed on bronze plaques in the Chapels of the Sacred Heart, the Immaculate Heart, the Triumph, or the Holy Innocents, as they may choose. Qualifying donations may be cumulative. Send and make checks payable to: Arch of Triumph of the IHM, PO Box 394, Buffalo, NY 14201. Make SECURE charge and check account donations on our Web site, www.ArchofTriumph.org, or by calling toll free, 1-866-205-6512 (charge only). TO START OR JOIN LOCAL CHAPTERS; to arrange larger dedicatory contributions, for instructions for making stock donations, write, call or email Executive Director Laurence D. Behr, Esq., using the above address or phone number, or e-mail address LDBehr@ArchofTriumph.org
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Please visit our newest pages! Dedication to Our Lady of Victory and to Venerable Nelson Baker, www.archoftriumph.org/olvfrbaker.html

Consecrate yourself and our world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus And the Immaculate Heart of Mary, at www.archoftriumph.org/consecrate.html

LET US SEND YOU FLYERS in English and/or Spanish, for spreading the news among your family, friends and prayer groups, and other Catholic/Christian groups! Just send your name and postal mail address to ldbehr@archoftriumph.org, and we will send as many as you request. You can also print flyers for copying, at www.archoftriumph.org/publicity.html .

For the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart,

Laurence D. Behr
LDBehr@archoftriumph.org

Executive Director, Ass'n for the Arch of Triumph
Of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Int'l Shrine
Of the Holy Innocents, Inc.,
A NY Non-profit 501(c)(3) Corporation
43 Court St., Ste. 600
Buffalo NY 14202
(716)856-1300 (FAX -1494)

www.ArchofTriumph.org

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