In La Salle College, there are 5 Legion of Mary praesidia. Three of them are English and two Chinese. Each praesidium is named after one title of Our Lady. For example, the two Chinese praesidia are called, the House of Gold and Queen of China respectively. I feel blessed and privileged to have served the former for about seventeen years alongside the other LaSallian Brothers. Then, I was transferred to an English praesidium, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for two years before I threw all responsibilities of extra-curricular activities back to the school administration in protest for an injustice done to an alumnus teacher. One year later, I followed his footstep and left La Salle.
I feel blessed serving as the Spiritual Director of the praesidia because I have been nourished with Marian spirituality for so many years. I feel privileged to accompany the spiritual growth of these young, enthusiastic and heroic souls of La Salle boys. That is also the same reason I have been so infuriated for the imprisonment of Our Lady in Shung Tak. Of course, this is just a feeling and experience unique to myself. Others may not share the same degree of frustration. Therefore, I have kept it to myself for already four years.
In 1924, the First Synod of Chinese Bishops was held in Shanghai. The theme was to develop an authentic Chinese Catholic Church in China. All bishops present decided to dedicate China to the motherly care of Our Lady. In 1941, the Curia declared a Feast of Our Lady, Queen of China. Since 1973, the feast day has been fixed on the 2nd Saturday in May. Anyone truly faithful to Christ should also pay due respect to the Mother of Christ. There have been debates on whether the motherhood of Mary should be restricted to the humanity of Jesus only. But it would lead to a heresy because the divinity and humanity of Jesus are inseparable. Jesus, the incarnated Word of God is truly God and man. Therefore, Mary is also the Mother of God and not just the mother of man Jesus. Christianity can really drive one crazy!
Our Lady is not just the mother of Jesus. On the cross, he requested Mary to take care of all Christians in the future generations.
When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" (John 19:26)
No doubt, Mary would consent. She fulfilled her motherly duties humbly and quietly, keeping everything in her heart, as she always had been.
All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers (Acts 1:14).
When the Holy Spirit first broke into the world, it was upon Mary that It descended (Luke 1:35). She then gave birth to Jesus. When the Holy Spirit came again at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, it was during his baptism, confirming that Jesus is the Son of God (Luke 3:22).
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place (Acts 2:1).
Then the Holy Spirit descended, in the presence of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Once again, she gave birth to her children in Spirit, the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. If Christians believe that they form the Mystical Body of Christ who is her head, it follows naturally that Mary, the mother of Christ should also be the mother of this Mystical Body as well. That is what the Catholic Church means when she declares Mary to be the Mother of Church. The Church dedicates the month of May to Our Lady. It is probably no coincidence that the Mother's Day is celebrated in May.
My sweet Jesus, I thank You for Your generosity to bestow Your Mother to be our mother as well. She delivered You to this world. She is truly the first Christian. She has led an exemplary life for us to imitate. May her constant intercessions for us be answered. May she nurture us like You so that we may be authentic children of God. Amen.
Queen of China, pray for us. Amen.
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