Madonna and Child (1845) by William Dyce
Mary The Mother of God is meditating on a passage from chapter 11 of the Book of Isaiah which begins with these words:
A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse, a scion thrust from his roots: on him the spirit of the Lord rests, a spirit of wisdom and insight, a spirit of counsel and power, a spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. (The fear of the Lord is his breath) (Isaiah 11:1-2)
In Mary’s arms, a baby to whom his father gave the name Jesus peers at the scripture passage also, to find out what passage his mother is mediating on, it seems, rather than to learn from it how to become what he is. And look: with a little smile on his lips, he points out to us with his left hand (the hand of his heart), his mother, inasmuch as she has been blessed among all women and chosen to bring him into the world, Him, the unthinkable incarnate fulfilment – and nonetheless the perfect and full, or better, infinitely superabundant fulfilment - of all prophecy.
(Extracted from the “A Beautiful Love Story by Pierre- Marie Durmont)
Dear Montfortian,
Greetings on the Eve of the New Year 2024.
I am sharing my evening prayer and reflection with all of you. Filled with the spirit of gratitude, I thank the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for the many blessings which was showered upon us. We have had our own ups and downs but His Faithfulness like cloud by day and fire by night has sustained us throughout the year 2023.
As Montfortian we are very specially privileged to turn constantly to Our
Blessed Mother Mary.
I dedicate the dawning of the New Year 2024 through the Blessed Hands of Holy Mother Mary and Blessed Father Joseph to the Almighty Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit. With renewed trust in divine providence, we shall courageously step into the New Year 2024.
If we do not take risks for God, he will not do anything outstanding for us.
Shalom.
Bro John Albert Arul Devanesan fsg (District Superior)