A front row seat

The inheritors of the Shrine’s graces – at my fingertips thanks to schoenstatt.de

USA, amj. One of the things that struck me as I was reading the book about the 31st of May 1949 was the names of places in South America mentioned I recognized. I have never been to South America in person, but I have read, edited, and translated numerous articles from there…

It was very exciting seeing the names of places I knew and remembered from the articles I have had the privilege to translate and edit.   St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians (1:15-23) NAB says it all... especially v. 18 concerning the riches of his glory.

15 Therefore, I, too, hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and of your love for all the holy ones,
16 do not cease giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him.
18 May the eyes of (your) hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones,
19 and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might,
20 which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
21 far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come.
22 And he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,
23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

This passage is so wonderfully descriptive of the events leading up to and including the 31^st of May. When I first came into the Catholic Church, Eph. 1:18 became real for me. "The riches of his glory" that's what it is like being Catholic... All my life I had wondered... what were the riches of his glory in his inheritance? 

Reading about Father Kentenich, about his selfless acts of love for his family... for taking those amazing leaps of faith...is what the riches look like... to me… everyday sanctity.  

A wealth beyond measure

How grateful I am for the opportunity to have edited those articles and read about the lives of the Father’s legacy in those places… it becomes vividly real.  It's like having a front row seat ... getting to read about the very people who are inheritors of the Shrine's graces.  Our wonderful Mother Thrice Admirable... how he fearlessly entrusted himself to her care… the estate his family inherited is a wealth beyond measure.

I'm now reading about Dachau, A Movement in Chains.  Again these two milestones…with riches galore… Father's code name in Dachau was St. Paul!  So these verses from Ephesians are such a wonderful affirmation of his work ... not that it needs affirmation but still how wonderful those riches are.  He loved the Church!