
8 October
Our Lady of Good Remedy
The Trinitarian religious whose primary duties are to worship the Triune God with a special devotion, to promote this devotion and to aid the needy and those who suffer by performing works of mercy, have honored the Virgin Mary - Sacred Vessel of the Holy Trinity - under the title of “Mother of Good Remedy" from the very beginnings of their Order.... A singular love for the Mother of God has flourished among these religious throughout the ages, for she continually healed the sufferings of her suppliants; indeed, it still flourishes among them up to the present day." (From the Office of Readings)
These words of John XXIII are an admirable synthesis of the manner in which we Trinitarians contemplate the mystery of Mary. She is, before all else, "the sacred vessel of the Holy Trinity." This title indicates what Mary was for God, and in the presence of God. The incomparable grandeur of the Virgin flows from her very special relationship with God-Trinity. The Father chose and predestined her from before all ages so that the wonder of the Divine maternity be brought about in her. Only Mary could truly say, "The Almighty has done great things for me" (Lk 1:49).
The title under which the Order venerates the Virgin of Nazareth perfectly expresses her relationship with us: she is the Mother of Good Remedy. And is not the remedy for the human race none other than Jesus Christ, her Son? He is the healing, the salvation, the remedy of all ills which afflict men and women, and Mary is the Mother of this "Good Remedy": "Mary brought forth Jesus; she bore our Remedy; she brought forth our salvation" (2nd Antiphon at Evening Prayer I).
But Mary was not satisfied with giving the world the Redeemer who would heal our wounds and cure all our infirmities; the Virgin approached her Son to hasten the time of His manifestation as the remedy for our needs. Thus we see her at Cana, interceding with Jesus to remedy the lack of wine; and in the same way we see her throughout our history, encouraging us and sustaining us with her maternal solicitude in the work of the redemption of captives. Here we are not dealing with providing a remedy for an unforeseen need of little consequence as in Cana, but of confronting a grave injustice that endangered the faith of the captives and led to the degradation of their human dignity.
II. Mary in the works of redemption
Attentive to the needs of the Church, the Brothers are bound to carry out an apostolate of mercy and redemption on behalf of those whose faith is in danger. They will direct this work also to those who are burdened by the yoke of some form of modern slavery. (Constitutions, 67)
Mary is our model and Patroness in the apostolic work of redemption. Therefore, we must always be aware of her influence and try to conform ourselves to her if we really want to be redeemers.
The love which the Most Holy Trinity so abundantly shed upon Mary made of her a person perfectly redeemed, and the one who is most committed to the work of redemption. The greater the presence of the love of the Trinity within us, the more intensely and more effectively we shall do the works of redemption.
With St. Paul, we shall feel ourselves compelled to repeat: "The love of Christ compels us." And if we should grow in holiness during our lifetime, the transforming union in the Trinity, then we would experience no debility, nor deviation nor interruption in our redemptive activity.
It was in Mary that the love of the Trinity, which is redemptive love, was found in its highest degree.
May that redeeming love of the Trinity grow within us; thus we shall be in the best condition to become redeemers. To the extent that we are conformed to Mary, we shall be effective laborers in the work of redemption of men and women.
Everything in Mary began with her unconditional availability to the will of God. How many people are there who are perhaps waiting for our fiat, our fidelity to the will of God, our faithfulness to the redemptive vocation given to us by the Trinity — who are waiting for their redemption and their participation in the divine Trinitarian life? To the extent that we increasingly and more effectively form Christ in ourselves and in others, we shall be contributing to the redemption and "Trinitification" of men and women.
Therefore, with Mary who was totally possessed by the Holy Trinity, we must acquire the attitude of a total and generous availability to God Himself, Three and One.
This unconditional consent will produce wonderful effects that will help lead all men and women to redemption and a share in the life of the Trinity.
Keeping in mind the way in which Mary was associated to the work of redemption, we can better understand how we ourselves can be better involved in that same activity. As in the case of the divine Redeemer as well as in the case of Mary, we also shall be called to what one theologian has termed "the ultimate consequence", i.e. sacrifice. As Christ gave His fiat which led Him to the Cross; and as Mary gave hers, which ended on Calvary, our fiat will also lead us to sacrifice ourselves. Without this attitude, neither shall we be redeemed, nor shall we redeem others,
Mary's interventions to bring about redemption on behalf of the members of the Church likewise help us to see the many ways and many fields to which we can dedicate ourselves so as to apply the redemption to others.
At times, activities will be asked of us. Whoever is capable of doing works cannot be content merely with sentiments. That would not be love, but rather a caricature of love, Works are expressions of love.
At other times, we shall be asked to sacrifice ourselves. This is definitely the manner most in keeping with Christ's act of redemption. Our Trinitarians must never hesitate to sacrifice themselves so as to alleviate and rescue those who are suffering.
We shall always be asked for our prayer. Trinitarians must never forget the poor captives in their prayers: for the afflicted and for the captives, they will continually intercede.
As consequences of the slavery of sin, we shall find spiritual and material situations which await our intervention, and the captives are groaning because of that sin. How can we not be profoundly moved, seeing that so many — instead of living the divine life of the Trinity as children of God — are alienated from God, who are — as Pius XII said - bodies who are bearing a soul struck dead by sin?
Novena to Our Lady of Good RemedyO Queen of heaven and earth, Most Holy Virgin, we venerate you. You are the beloved Daughter of the Most High God, the chosen Mother of the Incarnate Word, the Immaculate Spouse of the Holy Spirit, the sacred vessel of the Most Holy Trinity
Mother of the Divine Redeemer, who, under the title of Our Lady of Good Remedy, comes to the aid of all who call upon you, extend your maternal protection to us. We depend on you, dear Mother, as helpless and needy children depend on a tender and caring Mother.
Hail Mary...
Lady of Good Remedy, source of unfailing help, grant that we may draw from your treasury of graces in our time of need.
Touch the hearts of sinners, that they may seek reconciliation and forgiveness. Bring comfort to the afflicted and the lonely; help the poor and the hopeless; aid the sick and the suffering. May they be healed in body and strengthened in spirit to endure their sufferings with patient resignation and Christian fortitude.
Hail Mary…
Dear Lady of Good Remedy, source of unfailing help, your compassionate heart knows a remedy for every affliction and misery we encounter in life. Help me, with your prayers and intercession, to find a remedy for my problems and needs, especially for...(indicate your special intentions.)
On my part, loving Mother, I pledge myself to a more intensely Christian lifestyle, to a more careful observance of the laws of God, to be more conscientious in fulfilling the obligations of my state in life, and to strive to be a source of healing in this broken world of ours.
Dear Lady of Good Remedy, be ever present to me and, through your intercessions, may I enjoy health of body and peace of mind, and grow stronger in the faith, and in the love of your Son, Jesus.
Hail Mary…
Pray for us, Holy Mother of Good Remedy, that we may deepen our dedication
to your Son, and make the world alive with His Spirit.