Courage via Obedience
This next Tuesday, September 11, the nine foot tall Our Lady of America statue will be enthroned in St. Peter's Church in downtown New York City as a memorial service/Mass will be held to celebrate the life of Fr. Mychal Judge, the Fire Department Chaplain who perished in the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11/01.
Fr. Judge was administering last rites to two deceased victims of this terror strike when he was caught in the rubble. SO IMPRESSIVE was his influence on his fellow firefighters, his was the first name placed on the official casualty list put out by the NYFD.As one would expect of someone held in such high esteem by his fellow workers, it is probable that there will be an overflowing crowd of firefighters and civilians looking to again pay their respects to this admirable priest who so valiantly served as Chaplain for the men and women who so readily put themselves in harm's way to serve the greater good. Would you say this was COURAGE that inspired Fr. Judge to be in that building that day or OBEDIENCE to his calling to serve his fellow man with pastoral care? The answer is: Fr. Judge's Obedience to God's will manifested itself in what we all came to perceive as a Courageous act.
Fr. Judge always asked for nothing for Christmas because he always said he already had everything. When the Holiday season rolled around, he would engage others in a long diatribe of how God had blessed him with so many things that there was nothing more he could ever want. There was a certain tranquility about him that came from his acceptance of his role in God's plan and his desire to be obedient to whatever God requested of him. We should all aspire to attain this level of acceptance of God's will.
Our Lady of America has made a request of the US Bishops and the rest of us (laity). If we are obedient and do as She has asked of us all, it may give the appearance to others in this world that we too are courageous as Fr. Judge was.
Our Lady has asked that Her image, as Our Lady of America, be placed in the National Basilica in Washington, D.C. after being solemnly processed by Her Bishops. This is a mandate that only the Bishops can perform, but the laity also have a role to carry out that may be even harder than that of the Bishops. The laity are being called on to embrace a cultural revolution by opening "our hearts, our homes, and our land to the coming of Jesus Christ". No easy task in this age of moral collapse in virtually ever media outlet we confront.
Once we open our hearts and love the messages and institute them in our family lives (our homes), we will then spread this new way of living and loving throughout our country which will, in effect, be the cultural revolution Our Lady is calling for.
It's not too late. We can all be considered courageous like Fr. Mychal Judge. We just need to be obedient and do God's will.
posted by OLTIV @ 11:58 AM
18 Comments
18 Comments:
RIGHT ON!!!
I couldn't agree more. What an awesome article. I am forwarding it on to all my friends.
This is one of the reasons I enjoy this blog so much. The articles are very good and always seem to say things in just the right way that people can relate to them. It has been very helpful to me in spreading OLOA to my friends.
I feel a song coming on:::
You say you want a revolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright Alright
You say you got a real solution
Well you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well you know
We're all doing what we can
But if you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell you is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright Alright Alright
You say you'll change the constitution
Well you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well you know
You better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know know it's gonna be Alright
Alright Alright
The very poignant history of St. Peter's church in NY, the role it played, where the OLOA statue will be present for 9/11:
http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Sep2003/Feature2.asp
A martyr if there ever was one.
Very interesting and exciting article - our Lady's statue being paraded around today, Ground Zero, in vintage fire truck!: in a vintage 1958 Mack fire truck called “World Trade Center Number One”:
http://www.airmaria.com/?p=452
Hat tip to Spirit Daily.
It can't be BIG enough!!
They should still take that statue back to the site where it all began for a public consecration. Too many wonderful blessings have been happening there for it to be a coincidence.
Personally, I feel that the "Our Lady of America Statue" should continue to travel to big and small cities all over the United States to awaken those that are not aware of her wonders, or have chosen to forget.
The more people that hear about her, see her beautiful image and hear her messages the more will come to know her Son.
When it is time for her to be at Rome City, she will let them know.
I too would love to see her there, but she is on a mission right now and that is not for us to know, but to pray for the lost and for the restoration of purity and peace.
With deep respect,
JStolle
San Antonio, Tx
Sr. Francine always said: "You should always start at the beginning."
"...our Lady's statue being paraded around today, Ground Zero, in vintage fire truck!"
How ridiculous! LOL! You people are turning this into a circus. But it isn't a statue of the Blessed Virgin anyway so, bring on the clowns. LOL!
God bless you all and have pity on you!
Troll Alert!
Another anonymous coward.
You do not need a statue in Rome City. Our Lady is already there. Anyone who visits there says the same thing. You can FEEEEL Her presence there. It is why people keep coming back and the Friday rosary keeps growing and people are being converted and healed.
I think the Rome City site is more about the Holy Family's role in the OLOA messages anyway. Even though it is where She chose to reveal Herself, I see family bonding happening all around me when I am there.
Once again, poor anonymous, you demonstrate that you fail to understand the context of which you speak. If you had read the above article you would understand that those faithful children of our Lady who are so proud of Her that they lovingly create for Her a personal tribute, are those heroic professional rescuers of those in need - Her Firemen and Policemen - who continue to commemorate their brave fellow volunteers who gave their lives at Ground Zero. You may wish to "laugh out loud" at such a tribute, but I doubt if our Lady would join you.
Monday, the statue will be paraded around Ground Zero in a vintage 1958 Mack fire truck called “World Trade Center Number One” which was restored for the purpose of commemorating the Firemen and Policemen that heroically gave up their lives to save those trapped inside the towers. Several fire engines from New Jersey and New York and a large Police escort will accompany the motorcade. On 9/11 the day will start at 10am in Old St. Peters when the statue will be processed to the portico on Church Street overlooking Ground Zero. The Rosary will be recited, one mystery every hour, 11am Joyful, 12noon Luminous, 1pm Sorrowful, 2pm Glorious and then 3pm will be the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The statue will then be carried by the fire truck to St. Patrick’s Cathedral at 460 Madison Ave arriving between 4 and 5pm, where it will be processed inside for further devotions.
The crowds attending the devotion to Our Lady of America are expected to be large because for the first time the actual Ground Zero site will be closed to those coming to the commemoration. A large part of the NYPD and Fire Department are already shifting their attention to the devotions we are holding to Our Lady of America.
Bravo to OLOA who deserves to be "paraded" all over this grand country - hopefully, in the future, from sea to shining sea! Her purposes and Her messages need to be expressed to all of Her children so that they may ALL be brought to Her. I agree with the good reasoning of j stolle.
What a great post! It really captures the essence of OLOA. Bravo to the author!!
J. Stolle and Merry Mary are both right. Take that statue all over the country. Rome City already has what Lourdes and Megugorje have and that is the presence of the Blessed Mother. It is just something you have to experience for yourself. That is why She said to bring Her children there.
I agree with merry mary, we don't need the statue in Rome City. But I think it NEEDS to be enthroned in the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. asap after New York! This is what Our Lady requested ( no PLEADED)
and as she told Sister Mildred ... the time is getting LATE! Tell your bishops, and all her children!
All for Mary!
I wasn't laughing at the tribute to the heroes of September 11....I was laughing uproariously at the comedic spectacle of parading that ridiculous mannequin of your lady of Slyvanus Springs on a fire truck! LOL! It's hilarious! But it is also DISGUSTING that anyone would exploit the tragedy of September 11 for personal aggrandizement as the promoters of that hideous statue did in this case. Sick!
God bless you all and have mercy on your souls!
Dear Anonymous-
you truly are cowardly, just like Satan himself. How do you sleep with those horns sticking out of your head?
We should not be condemning Anonymous…. We should be praying for Him/Her that the eyes of the soul be opened to love. A love that Jesus and His Mother has taught us. Does Anon. condemn the processing of any statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary at any other site or just Our Lady of America???? I have been to many sites and Churches that regularly have processions with other statues of the BVM. Why not condemn all of these places and LOL. Perhaps when you face Jesus on judgment day He will ask you why you did this to My Mother. His answer to you could be …Let Me Judge you After I …LOL
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