Dear Friends,
The summer is already upon us and most of us have turned another page of life with the closing of the academic year and the upcoming—or ongoing—summer break. In more ways than one, the month of May marks the transition between the school year and summer. In our parishes as well as in the school environment, it is the busiest and most eventful month of the year.
If the month of May evokes the return of spring and the full-blown flower gardens, it signifies the beginning of the festivities surrounding maternity: Mother’s Day, the month of Mary with the Litany of Loreto added to the Rosary. May is also usually the month of first communions, another important parish event. Often enough, this event precedes the traditional May crowning and allows for the first communicants to dress again in their white attire and accompany the Marian procession in the streets.
At the same time as the spiritual life receives this upsurge of benefits, school children of all ages look forward to the last courses of their curriculum and the closing ceremonies. At that point, when they are promoted to the next grade or to another school, everyone has a sense of achievement.
Are these diplomas and degrees golden laurels? Are the May celebrations lasting joys? Alas no—or perhaps better said—thanks be to God, no! Perfect achievement is not of this world. The final diploma is received at death, and the celebrations here below are a dim shadow of the everlasting ones. So, what of these little celebrations? Aren’t they somewhat beneficial to us? Yes, and the spiritual writers are keen to point out that the spiritual consolations of Our Lord and His Blessed Mother are most useful for souls. The memory of these souls will help them bear the harder times which will no doubt come upon them. And so, the May celebrations should be embraced and enjoyed with all our natural and spiritual powers as long as we know that they are the reflection of something higher and purer.
And since we have moved on to the hotter and drier months, now is the time to make good use of the reserves of strength and energy which the past month has offered us. Let us not forget too quickly that we are the brethren of Christ in the Host, and the children of Mary our Mother.
Fr. Jürgen Wegner
United States District Superior
