MI Canada: In Our Lady's Hands
by Jeanne Marroquin, mi
It's been almost a year since I joined the Militia of the Immaculata
and what an awesome year it has turned out to be! This past year
has been filled with blessings, new friends, and a ton of questions
about what it means to belong to our Immaculate Mother.
Being an Instrument
"How do I give up my desires, so that I might be an instrument
in her hands to bring me closer to Jesus? How do I know that
I am doing what she wants?" These questions are consistently
in my heart. I know that the answers to my questions require
a lifetime to be fully answered, but as I look back at this past
year, I can see when Mother Mary is in my life, the challenges
are constant, but the rewards are never ending.
Guided Along the Way
I believe Mother Mary has been guiding me for a long time now,
but I decided to set an official date of my total consecration
to her-Monday, December 8, 2003, Feast of the Immaculate Conception!
On that feastday in the afternoon, my sister Jaclyn came home
almost in tears and was declaring that she had had enough and
was ready to start a new career. I knew exactly what she needed
to feel better-a large caramel latte with extra foam and extra
caramel!
For no particular reason, we decided to attend evening Mass at
a neighbouring parish before going out for coffee. At church,
we met Catharine and Nella who were friends of a friend. They
were also not from that parish, but had gone to Mass that evening
to celebrate Our Lady's Feast day. Catharine invited us to her
house after Mass. We had tea and a great conversation. Catharine
casually told us about the Militia of the Immaculata and asked
if we would be interested in going to a MI Youth New Year's Retreat
in Illinois, USA. We couldn't say no. At the end of the month,
although we were practically strangers, the four of us gathered
in a van and drove all day from Mississauga, Ontario, to Marytown
for the New Year's Retreat. After a few days of praying, learning
and socializing, we got back into the van to drive home.
Life Has Changed
As we sat in the van and talked about how great the retreat had
been, it was clear that Our Lady was working in all of us and
she wanted us to start an MI Village. While we had stopped for
lunch at a restaurant, Our Lady of the Angels' MI Village was
born. We have been meeting every Monday since then, evangelizing,
and distributing Miraculous Medals whenever possible.
As I reflect on how our Immaculate Mother brought us together
on her feastday last December, and how she has been using us
over this past year, I need no further proof that she has truly
become instrumental in my life. One of my new friends, Saint
Maximilian, wrote that "all our efforts must be directed
to this: that we allow ourselves to be led, that we do nothing
of ourselves, but only what she wants in the way she wants it."
I pray that my efforts may always be focused
on doing what she wants.
Keep Me on Path
Knowing what she wants and doing what she wants is not always
easy, but she always rewards us with more than we deserve. I
am so grateful to her for the friends and the adventures she
has given me this past year. I don't know what next year will
be like, but I can't wait to find out what she'll have me do
next! Perhaps now instead of worrying about what she wants me
to do, I ought to pray-Immaculate Mother, I trust in you!
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of the Immaculata. All rights reserved.
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