On this Luminous Pathway

“On this luminous pathway” – title of the message given to Fr. Stefano Gobbi, an Italian Roman Catholic and a founder of the worldwide Catholic movement – Marian Movement of Priests, last March 4, 1987 at Dongo (Como, Italy) during the Ash Wednesday. Our mother Mary played her role as the mother and model of the church. Thus, children should behave and live especially during the Lent season like her.

Ash Wednesday officially opens the door for conversion and penance in order to prepare the hearts and souls of all her children for the great events. In this season, her teachings started with a true pledge of conversion by living a life walking the way of good and   of divine grace, of love and of holiness. There is a necessity of it to bring ourselves back to the Gospel. Also the three different ways on how penance should be offered to her was included. These are interior penance, silent and daily penance, and exterior penance.

Interior penance emphasizes that one must exercise this in order to have dominion over ourselves and passions in order to become truly, humble, little, docile and always available for her designs. Secondly, silent and daily penance should be offered as well by doing deeds. Our smile, serenity, calm, patience, acceptance and offering are true silent penances which give greater value and light to every circumstance of our lives. Lastly, the exterior penance is the mortification of the senses. She wanted us not to look at the evil that surrounds our world. Bad movies and pornographic sites are a clear examples. Our speech should be checked. There should be a renunciation of criticism, judgment and condemnation so that there’s only a spread of good. The ears should be closed to the uproar of voices that let us live in the midst of confusion, aridity and clamor. Our appetite should be controlled which gives us greater pleasure.

On this luminous pathway of conversion and penance, Mary is leading us all to live the next remaining days of lent preparing our souls for the great miracle of divine mercy.