from Divine Intimacy by Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D.
"In his work the apostle needs to be sustained by a strong hope. The moments of enthusiasm are brief, success is quickly followed by failure, difficulties are numerous, the struggle waged by enemy forces is sharp and incessant, and if the apostle is not firmly anchored in God by solid theological hope, he will end, sooner or later, by giving up the enterprise in discouragement. 'I have overcome the world' (Jn 16,33), Jesus declared, and sending the apostles to continue His victorious mission, He assured them, 'I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world' (Mt 28,20). The foundation of apostolic hope is the victory of Christ and His continual help. Yes, He is with us all days, even on the dark days, when the horizon is black without a ray of light, when the enemy triumphs, when our friends forsake us, and when, humanly speaking, one does not see any possibility of success. If we had to rely upon our own resources, our ability, our works, we should have every reason to give up in despair; this, however, is not the case. We hope and we are certain in our hope, because God is omnipotent, because He wills all men to be saved, because Christ has redeemed us with His Precious Blood, and because He has died for us and for us has risen again; and finally, because His promises-the promises of God-are infallible: 'Heaven and earth shall pass, but My words shall not pass' (Mt 24,35).
Relying on the salvific will of God, on His infinite power, and on the redemption of Christ, the apostle should nourish the certain hope that grace will triumph in the end. But at the same time, he should have no delusions; he should realize that he will not attain victory except by passing through Calvary. 'Neither is the apostle greater than He that sent him' (Jn 13,16). If Jesus reached the triumph of the Resurrection only after His Passion and most painful death, the apostle cannot seek another way. For him also, there will necessarily come hours of darkness, but rather than being a sign of defeat, they will be the prelude to victory; rather than being a sign of abandonment on the part of God, they will be a proof that God is with him, precisely because He is leading him by the very same way along which He led His divine Son."
On this feast of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may we ask our Heavenly Mother to intercede for us on the road to Calvary. O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee.
