Members of the Legion of Mary all hope to grow in spiritual life, but this path cannot be achieved in a day or two. It takes time to do so. Just as the professor of theology who encourages seminarians to meditate for 30 minutes in the morning and evening everyday. This kind of spiritual experience can help deepen their inner desire to encounter God. People nowadays find it difficult to study theology because most people regard it as a science or knowledge rather than an encounter with God. However, prayer to encounter the Lord and rational theological discussion can complement each other. Therefore, there had been many saints in the history of the Church who had a deep relationship with God. At the same time, there have been many theologians, such as the Carmelite sister St. Teresa of Avila, and the Jesuits priest St. Ignatius of Loyola, etc., each of them had different life experiences and characters. These spiritual masters had established the spiritual practice of the Church, but Mariology was the edifice on which all these spiritual practices were built.
As a charismatic group of the Church, Legionaries also need to establish their own spiritual outlook, the foundation of which is based on the Virgin Mary. We can find the key elements of spiritual life in Her which can be reflected in our daily lives. The spiritual life itself cannot be grasped quickly, just as members under probation are not expected to understand what the Legion of Mary is in three months. All spiritual practices are immersive and must be practised in order to create a solid foundation. Legionaries are required to recite the Catena and the Holy Rosary every day which precisely is the basis of spiritual practice. Brother Frank Duff discovered that these foundations could help members of the Legion of Mary to go deep into the experience of Mary, and these experiences can reveal the mystery of Jesus Christ in Mary in our lives. As a member of the Legion of Mary, our spiritual outlook should be based on Our Lady which should be revealed when we have contact with human souls; at the same time, through the exchange of charity, we can allow those whom we come into contact with, to experience the presence of God. I encourage everyone to use a deep and immersive prayer that is suitable for yourself to help you to move forward towards Jesus Christ, accompanied by Mary.
Spiritual Director
Fr. Francis Tam
20 October 2024