Tuesday, November 24, 2009

The Souls of our Departed Legionaries


Handbook:Page 103

As we prayed around the grave of Fr. Herman, the much loved Spiritual director of this Curia, I mused that: More than most perhaps, Legionaries pray: Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. The Handbook reminds us that “through all eternity—Legion membership will last. ‘Now at last confirmed in Legionary service.”
What a tribute! What a reward! Well done good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master.

In one of his talks on the subject of Death and the hereafter, Frank Duff asks himself why people are afraid of death. It must be he suggests they are motivated by fear rather than by the goodness and the love of God. They may too think that heaven excludes the pleasures they knew here on earth and that all there will be to do in heaven is to play harps and sing hymns. “I have to confess,” he says that if I were thrown back on these employments, I would not feel any attraction to Heaven myself. I cannot join any more in that popular item; I’ll sing a hymn to Mary, because I have now sung it ten thousand times and I’m tired of it.”

From his experience in the Morning Star Hostel, he discovered that the men there might not have thought heaven to be a place they feel at home in. He came across a group of them looking at the notice board with the record of the former residents who had died: One of those peering at the list cried out: “If all them fellas is up in heaven, it must be a hell of rough joint !”

Frank goes on to say that anything that gave us real joy here on earth will be present in heaven but in a higher and more refined and beautiful manner than we could ever dream of. He places particular stress on the ardent longing to meet our beloved ones again. “We will embrace our again in a union that will never cease or grown stale--- no distress or departure—nothing but a blissful encounter that will last for all eternity.

The final remark Frank makes is indicative of his understanding of the divine power that he brought to bear on his own Legionary service here on earth, and which he holds out to every true Legionary: We will see all, know all, have all. We will be able to do all, because living in God we will be given entry into his power. We will play with his power as a child would play with toys.

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