CHILE, Carmen M. Rogers. Not long ago, I thought the 18th of October 2014 had been the most important day of my life. But no, IT IS TODAY!! Today I awoke to the first day of the rest of my life, the first day of my second century of Covenant of Love, the century of the “Covenant Culture,” the century of “enshrining” of my people, of my nation, of my Church, and of my world.
On the morning of the 18th, I arrived first at the Cenacle Shrine of Providencia and the Lady was not at home. It felt so empty, Lord! Then they directed me to the classroom at the Marian School to board a virtual flight to the Original Shrine.
At the “entrances of the airport,” there were no controls or customs but smiles, embraces and gifts instead, many gifts. Along with the “airline ticket” with its single destination, I received a missionary denarii and above all the joy of the re-encounter in the love of the covenant.
In this enriching and familiar atmosphere, we made contact with Germany, and we experienced the Blessed Mother’s return to her Shrine. Needless to say, that every time that a familiar face or a flag from Chile appeared on the screen (and there were many), the applause and shouts were loud. They sang the well-known songs loudly. Even the elderly seemed like children, that is how happy we all felt, with that happiness that is born of a covenant that is alive.
While we were still savoring the experience, we escaped to go to Bellavista to participate in the afternoon program. By doing this, we missed the enriching encounter during the lunch hour – wherever it was carried out – but the day was worthwhile.
In Bellavista
With the intention of fully living the celebration and sharing this great day with more members of the family, we departed toward Bellavista from where we went out almost at the moment of accompanying the Blessed Mother through the streets of La Florida to Saint Vincent de Paul Parish, where the pastor, Father Francisco Javier Manterola (a Marian proponent and for many years the elder brother of the Brotherhood of the Virgin of Carmen) and the Mayor of the Commune welcomed the Queen who arrived preceded by the police military band, Branch banners, delegations from other communities and regions and by a procession that increased in number and enthusiasm at every meter, despite the threatening raindrops that fell at times.
The crowd around the Shrine was very large at five o’clock in the afternoon when the Blessed Mother appeared almost along the same road she had traveled on that 20th of May 1949, when she arrived at her home for the first time.
“Almost nothing more. Because this 18th of October arrived surrounded by a multitude of noisy children and little paper flags, through paved streets, and they were greeted from the surrounding buildings, like the Queen that she is, traveling through her land and of conquered hearts.”
“This is a holy place…”
I want to pass the narrative to another “chronicler” because he describes the atmosphere of this afternoon exactly:
“There is something of home in the air tonight. It may even seem to us as if angels were in our midst, called to us: “Take off your shoes, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” (Ex.3:5)
“Yes, it is holy, and it wants to become holier – holy ground. Holy ground because the Blessed Mother has chosen this little place for herself, holy ground because this little piece of earth is where saints canonize and un-canonized shall be allowed to prosper, grow, and become fruitful for years and decades and centuries to come; and finally holy ground because here is where holy, i.e. sanctifying tasks will be placed on weak human shoulders.” (Fr. Jonathan Niehaus, The 31st of May, The Third Milestone, p.4 – FJK Talk of the 31st of May 1949).
Father Andrés Larraín referred to this “co-responsibility” with the Blessed Mother’s initiatives and to this simple loyalty in his homily when he mentioned the fact that in the morning, when some technical problems with the giant screen emerged, the children of Bellavista did not hesitate and they placed all their weaknesses at the service of the celebration: they even helped each other with their mobile phones!
New faces, familiar faces, young faces or already elderly, everyone had something in common: a profound joy born from the most profound. And also a certainty: The celebration has not ended: the celebration is about to begin!
The Blessed Mother has chosen you and me, who have been given this moment to live, to take Father’s mission to the second century. Who could better radiate the light that has been lit in everyone’s hearts?
Yes, you and I carry the torch. Let us listen to our Pope Francis and let us go today, here and now to “make noise.” That is why we are founders. That is why we have been reborn. That is why this is “the first day…”
Original: Spanish – Translation: Celina M. Garza, San Antonio, TX USA
