17 December 2021 · 2021-12 newsletter
Family, be what you are: Domestic Church
Dear Schoenstatt Family Members,
I wish you all many graces and blessings from the Shrine on this 18th December as we continue our journey through Advent and approach the wonderful season of Christmas.
This has been a very stressful year for many as they struggled with the affects that COVID has had on their lives and the lives of their family members and friends. I am sure that many of you are now looking forward to being able to gather with family and friends to celebrate this Christmas season.
However, I would ask you to take a few minutes to “listen” to some words from Fr. Kentenich that you might like to reflect upon as we approach Christmas:
“You see, history repeats itself. Salvation history. Salvation history began with the birth and the “Yes” of the Blessed Mother. If the modern world is to return to Christ, the Blessed Mother must give new birth to Christ. Again, I am presupposing that interiorly you accept this idea. But if you would want to reflect on that idea or to speak about it, we have to provide a new foundation and study it closely, otherwise you will never understand Schoenstatt and the covenant of love in all its depth.
The Blessed Mother wants to create a new world from here, Christ is to be born anew. Again, it seems to me you must feel the same as someone who told me today: The more I study “Heavenwards,” the more answers I can find there. — Often, with just a few words a new view opens up. It’s merely a matter of time until we grasp it. We give you thanks for all the gifts which we have received in such abundance: for choosing Schoenstatt as the place of Christ’s rebirth.
Do you understand what this means? It is not as if Christ were being reborn anywhere and everywhere. No, no. You have to understand the full impact, the great idea — he must be reborn. That’s why it is so very important for us to uphold what we wanted from the beginning. What is that? Love for the Blessed Mother. The Blessed Mother is not only the way to a deep love for the Father, but the Blessed Mother is also the way to the rebirth of Christ here and now, for the newest times.”
(From: “With Mary into the New Millennium”, Pp, 10-11)
Your shrine is our Bethlehem, pleasing to God through its sunrise.
There you gave virginal birth to the Lord who chose you as his Bride and Mother.
In your miraculous fruitfulness you brought forth the Sun of Righteousness.
You have graciously established Schoenstatt so that our times can see the Eternal Light.
From there you want to go through our dark world as the Christ-bearer sent by God.
Jubilantly place the Lord into my soul anew, so that, like you, I may perfectly resemble him.
Let me be a Christ-bearer for our times, that they may shine in the brightest radiance of the sun.
Glory be joyfully given to the Father through Christ with Mary, highly praised, in the Holy Spirit full of splendour from the universe now and in all eternity. Amen
As this is our last newsletter for 2021, on behalf of the members of the NCC (National Central Committee), I want to thank all members of our Schoenstatt Family for their support during this year and wish each of you a very happy and holy Christmas season. May the Blessed Mother and her Son, send you and your family, rich blessings and graces from the shrine and continue to be with you in the coming year.
United in our Covenant,
Shirley Hall
Filed underNewsletter · Reflections