The Road Not Taken

The Feast of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary recalls the Council of Ephesus, in the year 431. In that council, the Divine Maternity of Our Lady was proclaimed against the heretics of those days. We must not be lulled into silence by the enemies of the Blessed Mother in our own time.

This week we are blessed with beautiful examples of saintly Catholic life in St. Callistus, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Margaret Mary, and the eleven Ursuline sisters who gave their life during the French Revolution because of their desire to teach the Faith to the children.

St. Paul reminds us in the Epistle that we must redeem the time because the days are evil. Let us strive to take advantage of the graces of every moment, so that we may remain on the ‘road less taken.’ In the Gospel, we see that Our Lord waited for the perfection of the man’s faith before answering his plea. We who are exiled, like the Machabees or the Chosen People captive in Babylon, must foster strong faith and confidence in God. Although we know that we are justly chastised, we await the day of restoration when we will once again be singing our heavenly hymns in God’s house.