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A
Clear Choice!
Laurence D. Behr, Executive Director
March 16, 2004
Dear
Friends in Jesus and Mary,
In corrupt
and perverse times, such as our own, God sends special rays of heavenly
light to show the way-and as a warning to unbelievers. Seeing them,
we who believe draw hope and strength from His unrelenting love
and care for us-and anticipate all the more, the coming Triumph
of Mary's Immaculate Heart. The darkness resists the light, and
tries to stifle it with every worldly weapon it commands.
Such
a special light is the powerful Mel Gibson movie, "The Passion
of the Christ," which millions are viewing this Lent. (At the
bottom of this message, "The Triumph of Love," a poetic
meditation on Our Lord's Passion in 33 quatrains and including all
of the Seven Last Words, is offered with the prayer that it also
may assist your Lenten reflections upon Our Lord's great Sacrifice
of Love for us.) Another special light, will be Leonardo DeFillippis'
inspiring movie to be released this fall: "Therese: Ordinary
Girl, Extraordinary Soul" based on the autobiography of St.
Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower. As "The Passion"
is showing millions how Jesus died for us, "Therese" will
show them how to live for Him.
That
"The Passion" has power to move people to repent and convert
is indicated by the virulent public attacks, against both it and
its creator, fulfilling again this Scripture: "They hated me
without cause" (Jn 15:25; Ps 69:5). It cannot be coincidence
that "The Passion" arrives just as the world is celebrating
the latest attack upon holiness, same-sex "marriages."
America, and the world with it, is being shown a clear choice.
It behooves
us to read again Moses' urgent admonition to the Israelites, which
is vital for us today:
"Here,
then, I have today set before you life and prosperity, death and
doom. If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God, which
I enjoin on you today, loving him, and walking in his ways, and
keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live and
grow numerous, and the LORD, your God, will bless you in the land
you are entering to occupy. If, however, you turn away your hearts
and will not listen, but are led astray and adore and serve other
gods, I tell you now that you will certainly perish; you will not
have a long life on the land which you are crossing the Jordan to
enter and occupy." (Deut. 30:15-20).
God again
has set a choice before us. Many in America and the world have forgotten
their Maker, worshiping instead idols of power, materialism and
sensuality. They have earned the calamities and disasters that God
inevitably sends against nations that corrupt the earth with immorality
and vice (Deut. 32-read at
www.nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/deuteronomy/deuteronomy32.htm).
"The Passion" is a clear call to conversion, that we might
avoid or mitigate the destruction that rampant sin has merited.
Increasing
the Evil One's furor against "The Passion," no doubt,
is its potential for helping to reunite the Body of Christ, through
its vivid portrayal of Our Blessed Mother's vital role in the sacrificial
death of her Son, and His own close union with her as He offered
His life for us all. The strong response of non-Catholic Christians,
to this profoundly Catholic depiction of this core belief held by
all Christians, helps us envision how it is that Mary will bring
together all of her children (Jn 19:26,27; Rev. 12:17), uniting
them in her own great love for her Divine Son.
Therefore,
let us not relent, but increase our fervor in using our own weapon-the
Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, chosen by God for this purpose.
Our humble obedience in praying it in response to Mary's Fatima
request, imitating Mary's own perfect obedience to God, will hasten
the coming of the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the
era of peace to follow (as prophesied by Mary at Fatima on July
13, 1917). Let us pray also for those involved in producing and
promoting "The Passion" and "Therese," and for
all who are working for the conversion of our culture from one of
death, to a Culture of Life.
We can
aid these great cinematic initiatives for the New Evangelization,
both by our prayers and in practical ways. Please visit www.passion.catholicexchange.com
for ways that you can help maximize the good fruits of "The
Passion," from our friends at Catholic Exchange, including
"A Guide to the Passion," recently given an Imprimatur
by the Bishop of San Diego.
Also,
please visit www.theresemovie.com
and register, to show distributors that this Catholic movie is wanted
in your area. St. Therese, made a Doctor of the Church in 1997,
declared, "My vocation is Love! I will be Love in the heart
of the Church!" Her movie will be a perfect follow-up for "The
Passion," helping millions see that to follow Christ is within
their ability, by means of Therese's "little way" of holiness-embracing
God's will
in all the daily challenges life offers. A beautiful poster and
other materials that will help you promote "Therese,"
and also support it financially (it has been funded mainly by donations),
can be bought in the Store at theresemovie.com .
*************
Listen to an exciting new RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT featuring Fr. Frank
Pavone of Priests for Life, urging support for the Arch of Triumph
of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and International Shrine of the
Holy Innocents! The announcement may be listened to and downloaded
at www.archoftriumph.org/pavoneannounce.html
, or by clicking here: http://www.archoftriumph.org/audio/pavoneannounce.ram
(you will need free RealPlayer, get at www.real.com/?src=rcais).
Won't
you please email and call your local Catholic radio station, to
request that they broadcast Father Frank's announcement on the air,
with as much frequency as possible?
*************
HELP BUILD the CULTURE of LIFE and CIVILIZATION of LOVE, by building
the Arch of Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and International
Shrine of the Holy Innocents! "Jesus wishes to establish in
the world, devotion to my Immaculate Heart." - Mary, Fatima
1917. This is our great goal: to spread devotion to Mary's Immaculate
Heart, and add powerfully to what Pope John Paul II has called "the
geography of faith and Marian devotion." Help us build the
world's loftiest monument in tribute to our great Queen, The Arch
of Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and International Shrine
of the Holy Innocents.
As Father
Frank Pavone, Fr. Robert Fox, Fr. John Corapi, and many other Catholic
leaders have affirmed, this great and globally important tribute
to Our Lady's purity, faithfulness and obedience to God, will help
to reshape our culture in a powerful way. Read statements of support
at www.ArchofTriumph.org/excerpts.html
, from the many Catholic pro-life and spiritual leaders who recognize
the great promise of this holy endeavor, for helping to build a
true "Culture of Life and Civilization of Love." Our supporters
are increasing across the continent and the world every day-we pray
that you will join us, too!
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 and also upon the
VIRTUAL ARCH (visit at , 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. To make a PLEDGE, that can be automatically charged
to your credit card account or to your checking account, go to http://www.archoftriumph.org/pledge.html.
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, http://www.archoftriumph.org/virtualarch/purchase.php
or by calling toll free, 1-866-205-6512. Or, you can print a donation
form for faxing or mailing, at http://www.archoftriumph.org/printdonation.html.
CANADIANS:
Thanks to our partnership with Our Lady Queen of Peace Center, a
Registered Charity based in Edmonton (Charitable Reg. No. 1347-486-98RR0001),
you may deduct contributions toward building Mary's Triumphal Arch
and Holy Innocents Shrine! Just make your checks payable to Our
Lady Queen of Peace Center, and mail them to the address above in
Buffalo.
*************
ARCHITECTS and Architectural Students! Please send us ideas and
design sketches for the Arch of Triumph of the Immaculate Heart
of Mary and International Shrine of the Holy Innocents. We desire
to create a design gallery on our Web site, for posting of various
concepts for this great and globally important monument to Mary,
and her signal virtues of purity, faith, and obedience to God. We
guarantee and ensure your completerights, in any designs that you
create. Review our Prospectus online (www.archoftriumph.org/prospectus.html)
for some basic design ideas, and feel free to be creative!
*************
BE OUR LADY'S LIAISON FOR THE TRIUMPH! HELP SPREAD THE WORD. Call
toll-free, 1-866-205-6512, or e-mail us at ldbehr@archoftriumph.org,
to be sent flyers describing our great undertaking for Our Lady
and her innocent unborn, for sharing with friends, prayer groups,
Knights councils, Ancient Order of Hibernians, Legion of Mary, Immaculata,
all other Catholic organizations, and fellow parishioners! You also
can download and print flyers yourself, in English and Spanish,
at www.archoftriumph.org/flyer.html.
Being
a Local Liaison requires only a desire to help spread the word in
your local community, with our guidance and support, and the prayers
and support of our many Local Liaisons around the world! View at
www.archoftriumph.org/liaisons.html.
To get started, email us at ldbehr@archoftriumph.org.
*************
SEND TO A FRIEND! Help us grow by forwarding this email to your
friends and invite them to learn about our great undertaking for
Our Lady and her innocent unborn, by visiting www.archoftriumph.org.
*************
BUY GREAT CATHOLIC MUSIC, and HELP BUILD MARY'S ARCH OF TRIUMPH!
Two very gifted Catholic singer-songwriters, Mark Mallett and Martin
Doman, will donate 10% of all purchases by our supporters of their
beautiful Catholic music tapes and CD's, to the Arch of Triumph
of IHM!
Canadian
artist Mark Mallett has recorded a powerful new way to pray the
Rosary--"Through Her Eyes-A Journey to Jesus," a 2-CD
set. Hear samples at http://www.markmallett.com/RosaryCD.html
and visit his Home page as well.
Martin Doman
leads worship at many Catholic conferences across America. Hear
samples of Martin's inspired work at
http://www.martindoman.com/index.cfm?header=album. Just mention
the Arch of Triumph of IHM when you phone or mail in your orders,
or send an email mentioning us if you order their music online.
*************
FIND GREAT BUYS on CATHOLIC and OTHER PRODUCTS, and support Mary's
Arch of Triumph! Shop at dozens of top stores online at www.archoftriumph.onecause.com,
including Ignatius Press, Abbey Press, Spiegel's, Office Max, and
many more. To view all merchants and the percentages of your purchases
they will donate to Mary's Arch of Triumph, visit http://archoftriumph.onecause.com/default.asp?cid=2.
*************
(For a printable .pdf file version of "The Triumph of Love,"
go to
http://www.archoftriumph.org/pdf/TOLSS.pdf).
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
This 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
When
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"
Our crimes,
not His, brought this to pass
Our lusts, our hates, our vile, crass
Entanglements with paltry things
That kill the soul, the heart that sings
Yet this,
the Scriptures had foretold
How there would come, as years unfold
A Savior meek, all gentleness
Whom men would kill, but God would bless
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
Told our Blessed Mother Mary
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
"Woman, your son. Son, your mother."
Thus Love gave them to each other
Love's
Cross rose near Jerusalem
And passersby would jeer at Him
The elders, Pharisees and scribes
All joined in hurling cruel jibes
"He
saved others," I heard one shout
"Now look at Him, the useless lout!"
Another yelled, "That He's God's Son
We will believe, if He comes down!"
On Love's
left was hung a punished thief
Who likewise mocked in disbelief
A contrite man on Love's right hand
Won pardon-and Love's Promised Land
"Remember
me," he begged this Lord
Whose kingdom is not of this world
At once Love gave His guarantee:
"Today in Paradise, with Me."
Two hours
passed in deeper gloom
Than lay of old on Egypt tomb
And then a third, and in this last
Love suffered toward life's final gasp
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."
When
to my ears this word did chance
I offered Love on hyssop branch
A sponge with wine to wet His tongue
Love sipped-and said "Now is it done."
"Why
hast Thou forsaken Me?"
He cried then 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
"Behold,
he is coming amid the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those
who pierced him. All the peoples of the earth will lament him. Yes.
Amen. 'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'the one
who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty.'"
"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 1:7-8, 17-18)
Laurence
D. Behr-Passion Week 1999
C 1999-2003 (Noncommercial use is permitted)
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