MANILA, July 10, 2013—A Catholic prelate on Saturday called on the faithful to heed the call of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, saying that an “era of peace” will only be attained if the faithful would listen to this call.
Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles said that refusal to heed the call of the Blessed Mother leads to the preponderance of secular and relative influences that cause violence to reign in the modern times, specifically noting euthanasia, abortion, divorce, same-sex marriage, massacres, poverty, and the total lack of humanity to be all caused by the “atheistic policies” of people in authority.
“The achievements of the enemy were due to fraud, pressure, and all kinds of trickery…Very clearly, there is a real effort coming from the real enemy of God and humanity to destroy what He has done,” he said. “They are hoping that we will concede in opposing the goliath of our times and start a new trend that the rest of the world will wake up in the (same situation).”
“But we will not concede,” he said in his homily during the Marian Conference held at the San Carlos Seminary.
Arguelles noted that members of the clergy are aware of how strong these opposing forces are, but through the trust and confidence they get from the Divine, they are able to surpass the challenges posted against Christianity.
“Many of my brother bishops are telling me, ‘we could not do much.’ Despite that, we know that God will triumph in this,” he said.
Heeding the call
Arguelles noted that being consecrated to the Blessed Mother gives protection against negative influences and brings people closer to the Lord.
He cited countries who had experienced violence and anarchy and said that through consecration, they were saved and protected by Mary.
If the current state of the contemporary world is to be assessed, Arguelles said that lasting peace remains nowhere to be found. It is because the people have not yet responded enough to the call of consecration, he added.
“We have not yet obeyed her counsel to prayer, to conversion, and most especially to consecration. If the whole world will be consecrated, it is promised that there will be an era of peace,” he said.
He challenged the laity to respond to the call by undergoing conversion aided by prayer and sacrifice, and encouraging others to do the same.
“The consecration has to have conversion. It has to have prayer and sacrifice. Are we willing to heed her call?” he said.
“I would like to be part of a nation totally consecrated to the Holy Mother, Jesus, and God. I would like to see still the triumph of the Immaculate Heart in my lifetime. I hope you do also. Let us encourage others to do the sacred consecration,” he added.
No space for anger, rancor
Arguelles reminded the laity not to keep deep-seated emotions of anger and rancor to those who do not believe in the same ideals upheld by the Catholic Church, noting that the faithful must understand the situation they are going through.
“We should not show any resentment against people who work against us—people who do not believe in the love of God and the Blessed Mother, people who cause pain in our country, and who contradict our faith,” he said.
“We have no reason to have rancor in our hearts and we should never allow anger to enter our minds and our inner selves,” he added.
Arguelles said that helping others who do not believe to the spirit of Christian faith can be done by praying for them and feeling sympathetic to their needs.
“Let us show our happiness that there is a mother who cares for us. Let us pray that these people who wound humanity, who probably have experienced hurt in their lives. Let us share with them our joy and give them assurance that our mother is also their mother,” Arguelles said. (Jennifer M. Orillaza)
