SPAIN, M. Paz Leiva and Miguel Ángel Rubio. “While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me.” (Mk. 14:3-8) We are celebrating 100 years of our covenant of love with the Blessed Mother. This is an event that fills us with joy and hope as we prepare ourselves to celebrate and give thanks. We will also receive the graces that will nourish the life currents and apostolic projects that we will renew for the next 100 years.
But a celebration is not exempt from risks and difficulties:
Back in 1939, during the silver jubilee, Schoenstatt encountered its first difficulties, persecution by the Nazi regime.
In 1964, during the golden jubilee, Fr. Kentenich was in exile and Schoenstatt’s very existence was questioned by the Church.
I want to go…in covenant solidarity
We are living through difficult times; we are in the midst of a serious economic crisis, with unemployment, limited resources, fear of illness and old age. We are afraid of the present and the future. We are also seeing a crisis of values. A fear that grips us and prevents us from celebrating with joy.
I want to go to Schoenstatt to celebrate the Jubilee. I set out to share this journey together with my brothers, in covenant solidarity…
I quickly grab a piece of paper and a pencil and start to do the math. I add, multiply…the numbers reveal the hard and cruel truth. The final result is that the cost of going to the Jubilee is no more and no less than 300 denarii. A real fortune. The scenario is disheartening. How many things I could buy with these 300 denarii and all of them are necessary for my household budget.
But I also realize that I will always need 300 denarii and that these financial needs will be with me always.
Once in a lifetime
In contrast, celebrating our 100 years with the Blessed Mother in Schoenstatt, in the place where she elected to set up her home is something that I will only be able to do once in my lifetime.
We cannot change reality, but we can face it with a different attitude.
In light of the economic difficulties, we have greater freedom and we are less attached to material things.
The lack of work gives us more time to dedicate to God. Confronted by fear of the future, I can put practical faith in Divine Providence into action.
With regard to the fear of sickness, I know that God does not send us crosses that we cannot bear.
Confronted with the fear of old age, it gives me peace to know that the future is in God’s hands. In the crisis of values, we place our faith in a secure value.
Let us set aside the values of the old person.
The eruption of the divine transforms us into the new person.
God gives us the opportunity
We will have a new vision of the world. We will be members of a new community and we will walk in covenant solidarity.
A jubilee does not happen every day.
God gives us the opportunity to live a centenary.
This is why I decided to go to Schoenstatt, to the Original Shrine, where everything began. I will kneel before the Blessed Mother and will break open the alabaster jar of perfume so that its aroma can fill the entire area…and who knows, perhaps even further afield.
Original: Spanish – Translation: Sarah-Leah Pimentel, South Africa
