The Kingdom of God is built up in silence; it is, before all, interior, and in the depth of the soul: Vita vestra est absondita cum Christo in Deo. Undoubtedly, grace possess a virtue which nearly always overflows in works of charity, but the principle of its power is entirely within. It is in the depth of the heart that the true intensity of the Christian life lies, it is there that God dwells, adored and served by faith, recollection, humility, obediance, simplicity, labour and love. Our outward activity has no stability nor supernatural fruitfulness save in so far as it is linked to this interior life. We shall truly only bear fruit outwardly according to the measure of the supernatural life. Nothing favours this intense union of the soul with God like the hidden life. And this is why souls living the inner life, and enlightened from on high, love to contemplate the life of Jesus of Nazareth. They find in it a special charm and, moreover, abundant graces of holiness.
Abbot Columba Marmion reflection on the Feast Of St Anne taken from 'Words of life - on the margin of the Missal'.
Today is the Feast of St Anne, mother of the Blessed Virgin and also in Church's tradition Saturday is Our Lady's Day with Masses offered in her honour in Traditional Roman rite. Therefore I will offer on this day the short meditation on the Immaculate conception of Our Lady in her own words said once in the vision to St Bridget.The Angel announcing the birth of the Virgin to St Anne and St Joachim is represented in picture above the text
The Immaculate Conception - The Blessed Virgin speaks.
And it is a truth that I was conceived without original sin, and not in sin; because, as my Son and I never sinned, so no marriage was more holy than that from which I was born (Lib 6, ch 49). A golden hour was my conception, for then began the principle of the salvation of all, and darkness hastened to light. God wished to do in His work something singular and hidden from the world, as he did in the dry rod blooming. But know that my conception was not known to all, because God wished that as the natural law and the voluntary election of good and bad preceded the written law, and the written law followed, restraining all inordinate nations, so it pleased God, that His friends should piously doubt of my conception, and that each should show zeal till the truth became clear in its preordained time (Lib. 6, ch.55).
Prof Plinio Correa de Oliveira (Tradition in Action) provides interesting insight on how Tradition of the Church and Carmelite Tradition connect with St Anne, her family and her life. To read more, please follow LINK
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