IN A FEW WORDS, Fr. Joaquín Alliende. He knew death from a young age when his father died. As a widow, his mother struggled immensely to feed and educate her four children. At a very young age, he began his studies at the Pallottine minor seminary. He was one of the first sodalists to leave the valley in Schoenstatt to fight on the front. But tuberculosis got him before the bullets did. At this time, there is still no medicine for this fatal virus…he returned to Schoenstatt to live out his final days near the shrine. He grew weaker by the day. To keep himself busy, he used his hands to prepare a touching gift for his Queen.
Mother nurtured him with the certainty of Jesus’ Paschal mystery. Fritz wanted to share in this happy reality. So he had the idea of creating a frame for our picture of grace, the MTA. Holy trust that conquers anguish can be summarised in the four Latin words: “servusMariaenunquamperibit – a servant of Mary will never perish.” Since then, all Schoenstatt shrines and every pilgrim who fixes his eyes on Hers always hears Fritz Esser’s paschal cry.
The text within the frame rings with resurrection. Not only because it proclaims triumph. It is also paschal because it tells us that life is about passing, crossing the Red Sea towards the promised land. The opposite of Easter is to remain in the parched desert, todoubt the oasis that the God of history prepares for us. It is not to believe in the mana, the daily bread that cannot be stored because it will rot. To live providentially is to live from day-to-day, to remain on the narrow path with the daily food of Jesus that was turned into bread for us. Because the living God goes with us always, even if we do not see him (at night, we merely hear him breathing). This dependence on life or death ties us to the Father and frees us. This is what Adam and Eve didn’t understand. The paschal victory does not happen only in the last stretch to the final goal. It is a daily task. Joao Pozzobon, that great Brazilian, said in situations of extreme trial: “Only one more step, only on step forwards.” This is Christian hope expressed in a simple way. And just the dynamism of hopeful people can inspire many, to “go through our times and make them ready for Christ.” (Heavenwards 609)
Fr. Joaquin Alliende L.
Original: Spanish – Translation: Sarah-Leah Pimentel, South Africa
