The February edition of Maria Legionis celebrates in part the 1000th meeting of the praesidium, which meets in the Austrian prison at Sonnberg. The article relates the fortuitous circumstances that Providence arranged, which brought about the foundation of the praesidium. Basically, the local praesidium of the Legion of Mary in the village took on the work of visiting the prison. There, they met the imprisoned drug-dealer Miguel from the Philippines. Miguel, at the time of his sentencing, had been given a rosary by his daughter, but he had no idea how to use it. The combination of the sentencing and this unexpected gift had created a desire in him to put his life aright, but he was at a loss as to just how to do so. The Legion of Mary members visiting the prison taught him the rosary and gave him a tessera, which he began to pray together with the rosary three times a day. When, some months later, the Legion of Mary members learned that Miguel was saying the rosary and the tessera with such fervor and devotion, they asked Miguel to help form the prison praesidium.
The article goes on to recount the various struggles that the nascent praesidium had in the early days, because of the needs of two different language groups: English and German. This necessitated the formation of two different praesidia. When, in the course of time, the English-speaking brothers were released from prison, the English praesidium was eliminated.
These events, arranged by Providence to do greater and greater works, show to us what great confidence we should have in the Most Holy Mother of God to put aright those things in our lives, which need to be reformed. At just the right timtaler sojourning in a foreign land through the gift of a rosary. She arranged for this man to become the seed by which her Legion could be firmly planted in that prison. When Miguel was arrested in Austria for selling drugs, he thought his life was over. In reality, God and His Holy Mother were beginning some great, new thing to bring about the salvation of more souls.
No matter how strange our circumstances may get, and no matter how dejected we are tempted to become, we should always renew our confidence, meekly accepting what comes to us in faith. We don't know the plan. God and His Most Holy Mother know it. Knowing that is enough.
At the same time, it is comforting to know that we cannot know our own impact and influence. As the article shows, the gift of a rosary changed the course of history. How many rosaries have we given out over the last year alone? If we are fortunate, we will always feel like we're doing nothing, like our work is worthless and empty. In the meantime, the Most Holy Mother of God can amplify our work, making even the most insignificant gesture into a source of sanctification for the whole world. We have to remember; it was she who sanctified by her voice alone Saint John the Baptist in the womb of his mother. In just the same way, she can do great things through even the smallest efforts on our part. Amen. May she move mountains through us to the glory of God and may we never know it!
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