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SUNDAY 31st MAY:
Kingdom of Holiness and Grace
Under the patronage of Mary Queen
Through her participation in the Redemption, the Blessed Virgin, "Regina Caeli", is associated with the Kingdom of her Divine Son. The 31st May is also the feast of Mary Queen. Indeed, last year it was her that we honoured and sang the praises of. It is therefore natural that we should choose her as patron for this day. The chapter leaders are encouraged to present and explain as early as possible on this day, the title of Mary Queen and her choice as patron, why she bears this title and the role Our Lady can occupy in this kingdom of life and grace which we will talk about today.
The morning departure
Prayer and useful reminders
It is important to place ourselves once again in the spirit and the theme of the pilgrimage, a walk of prayer and penance. A morning prayer does this most naturally. This prayer can include an offering for the day and a request to God for the graces necessary for us. Prayer for the grace of a first conversion or of a second conversion. Our Lady and the saints who we venerate should be invoked.
With spirits refreshed, it is a good idea to summarise Saturday's meditations, to draw some brief conclusions and insist on the resolutions to be made for each and every one. Then it is good to announce to the pilgrims the programme for the day and to give them any practical information. It is important to ask for a few moments of silence after the morning prayer, and indeed after each meditation.
Early morning
Sanctifying Grace and Union with God
The first instruction for this day will be a good summary of the catechism on the subject of grace. In particular we should explain the difference between particular graces and sanctifying grace which is the main object of our meditations today.
Following on from the last instruction of yesterday, we will talk especially about the meaning of the life of grace. This Sunday morning, which is often a spiritual high point, is the opportunity to show the beauty and strength of a union with God and the way God lives in our souls.
Mid Morning
Everyone is called to holiness and to the reception of grace
We continue on from the previous instruction on the theme of sanctity, explaining that everyone is called to sanctity. This distant perspective can appear unrealistic or despairing if we do not also speak of divine mercy. We will therefore explain here about divine mercy and what we can do to attain it. We will speak about God and the soul and how the latter can rise when it recognises its own wretchedness.
Sermon at Mass
The Kingdom of Our Lord through the Church
On this the feast of Pentecost, the sermon at Mass will explain how the kingdom of Christ, a kingdom of holiness and grace, is established by the Church and in the Church. The sermon will also underline how Our Lady, Queen and Mediatrix, is at the centre of our efforts.
This important subject is worth picking up afterwards in the chapters after Mass.
Beginning of the Afternoon
The Two banners
But spreading the Kingdom of Christ is not achieved without a battle, a battle against our enemies, the enemies of the Church, against ourselves as well. In this instruction, we will describe how a sense of combat should be part of both our inner life and in our public religious life. Saint Ignatius speaks of the two banners. We will show clearly the danger of living in angelic optimism, seeing only good, as well as the other extreme of reducing spiritual life to nothing else but combat.
Middle of the Afternoon
The dangers of Naturalism
The kingdom of holiness and grace within us comes up against a great danger : naturalism, which minimizes the supernatural to the point where it is forgotten. Here, we will explain how this danger is manifest today : lack of faith, lack of hope, resolving difficulties through one's own means, lack of confidence in Providence… Naturalism on the part of the state (secularism, neutrality, abstraction…) will be mentioned but we be covered in more detail tomorrow, Monday.
The conclusion should include resolutions to take to spread the kingdom of Our Lord within us and in Society at large.
Towards the end of the afternoon, we will be able to glimpse the spires of Chartres Cathedral. The tradition is to sing a Salve Regina at this moment. This year, the theme for the day gives us an additional reason to explain the meaning of this hymn to the Queen of Heaven.
End of the Afternoon
For God’s Kingdom to come, we need that Our Lady’s Kingdom becomes
We cannot end this day, under the patronage of Mary, Queen, without again reiterating the place Our Lady has in this Kingdom of truth and grace. This time, we will tackle the question more in the perspective of the extension of the Kingdom within us and around us and the importance of entrusting ourselves to her completely and going to God through her. The ideas developed here bring us naturally to the presentation of the personal consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This will take place on the Sunday evening after Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament for those who will have been prepared.
Monday 1st June 2009
Through her participation in the Redemption, the Blessed Virgin, "Regina Caeli", is associated with the Kingdom of her Divine Son. The 31st May is also the feast of Mary Queen. Indeed, last year it was her that we honoured and sang the praises of. It is therefore natural that we should choose her as patron for this day. The chapter leaders are encouraged to present and explain as early as possible on this day, the title of Mary Queen and her choice as patron, why she bears this title and the role Our Lady can occupy in this kingdom of life and grace which we will talk about today.
The morning departure
Prayer and useful remindersIt is important to place ourselves once again in the spirit and the theme of the pilgrimage, a walk of prayer and penance. A morning prayer does this most naturally. This prayer can include an offering for the day and a request to God for the graces necessary for us. Prayer for the grace of a first conversion or of a second conversion. Our Lady and the saints who we venerate should be invoked.
With spirits refreshed, it is a good idea to summarise Saturday's meditations, to draw some brief conclusions and insist on the resolutions to be made for each and every one. Then it is good to announce to the pilgrims the programme for the day and to give them any practical information. It is important to ask for a few moments of silence after the morning prayer, and indeed after each meditation.
Early morning
Sanctifying Grace and Union with GodThe first instruction for this day will be a good summary of the catechism on the subject of grace. In particular we should explain the difference between particular graces and sanctifying grace which is the main object of our meditations today.
Following on from the last instruction of yesterday, we will talk especially about the meaning of the life of grace. This Sunday morning, which is often a spiritual high point, is the opportunity to show the beauty and strength of a union with God and the way God lives in our souls.
Mid Morning
Everyone is called to holiness and to the reception of graceWe continue on from the previous instruction on the theme of sanctity, explaining that everyone is called to sanctity. This distant perspective can appear unrealistic or despairing if we do not also speak of divine mercy. We will therefore explain here about divine mercy and what we can do to attain it. We will speak about God and the soul and how the latter can rise when it recognises its own wretchedness.
Sermon at Mass
The Kingdom of Our Lord through the ChurchOn this the feast of Pentecost, the sermon at Mass will explain how the kingdom of Christ, a kingdom of holiness and grace, is established by the Church and in the Church. The sermon will also underline how Our Lady, Queen and Mediatrix, is at the centre of our efforts.
This important subject is worth picking up afterwards in the chapters after Mass.
Beginning of the Afternoon
The Two bannersBut spreading the Kingdom of Christ is not achieved without a battle, a battle against our enemies, the enemies of the Church, against ourselves as well. In this instruction, we will describe how a sense of combat should be part of both our inner life and in our public religious life. Saint Ignatius speaks of the two banners. We will show clearly the danger of living in angelic optimism, seeing only good, as well as the other extreme of reducing spiritual life to nothing else but combat.
Middle of the Afternoon
The dangers of NaturalismThe kingdom of holiness and grace within us comes up against a great danger : naturalism, which minimizes the supernatural to the point where it is forgotten. Here, we will explain how this danger is manifest today : lack of faith, lack of hope, resolving difficulties through one's own means, lack of confidence in Providence… Naturalism on the part of the state (secularism, neutrality, abstraction…) will be mentioned but we be covered in more detail tomorrow, Monday.
The conclusion should include resolutions to take to spread the kingdom of Our Lord within us and in Society at large.
Towards the end of the afternoon, we will be able to glimpse the spires of Chartres Cathedral. The tradition is to sing a Salve Regina at this moment. This year, the theme for the day gives us an additional reason to explain the meaning of this hymn to the Queen of Heaven.
End of the Afternoon
For God’s Kingdom to come, we need that Our Lady’s Kingdom becomesWe cannot end this day, under the patronage of Mary, Queen, without again reiterating the place Our Lady has in this Kingdom of truth and grace. This time, we will tackle the question more in the perspective of the extension of the Kingdom within us and around us and the importance of entrusting ourselves to her completely and going to God through her. The ideas developed here bring us naturally to the presentation of the personal consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This will take place on the Sunday evening after Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament for those who will have been prepared.
Monday 1st June 2009