The legionary promise

Regina Coeli allocutio for 989th meeting
by Sister Immaculata:

Legionary Promise

Talking about promising, what kind of Promise do we, Legionaries, made? What are the significances beyond the Promise each of us has made or are going to make?

When one is promising it means that one assures somebody that something will certainly be done or happen, a promise is a pledge. Usually it requires certain degree of loyalty and fortitude to fulfill the promise, especially when we promise to someone that we highly respected or love.

As Legionaries, The Promise that we make is the definite ceremony to mark our formal entry to the ranks of Mary’s Legion and it is especially pointed out that the Promise was addressed to the Third person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit., not to our Lady. “Most Holy Spirit.. we say in the Promise…’

About this, our founder said, “Well, we’ve got to put first things first. You weren’t rejecting Our Blessed Lady in favour of something bigger. No! You were seeing more clearly into Mary and what emerged from it was tremendous awareness that the Holy Spirit was in her”.

After understanding to whom we addressed the Promise. Now, what are we promising? Fr. Joachim O’ Brien commented that the Promise is an expression of our personal wish to continue serve the Lord and his Mother as legionaries faithfully. But who are we, to so daringly render a faithful service to our Lord through His Blessed Mother? Precisely we acknowledge this unworthiness by humbly yet, very daring, we are telling the Holy Spirit in our Promise to come upon us and fill us with His power. In the promise, we – personally-, express our desire by promising, precisely not less than our very whole self, out strength, talents, including our weakness, and surely our whole love, to be turned into His instruments, on the service of our Lord faithfully in our Lady’s army.

Then, what are the significances of the Legionary promise for us? Cardinal Suenens in his commentary mentioned, “ The Legionary of Mary too, knows the joy and emotions in pledging his words. The Promise that he makes among his brethren, with the Vexilium in hands, is a contract linking him to his Mother and consecrating to her service whatever he is or he possesses. It is an alliance which places him wholly at her disposal (we said in the Promise: That it is by her, and to whom she pleases, when she pleases, and in the quantity and manner she pleases)”. Later on he continues on whom can live this Promise: they are those who are unafraid to live the love of God.

So, words can remain just words. But he who accepts the contracts of alliance and live it through the years will understand it from within. The Legionary then, must test the Promise by living and thus penetrate it even more deeply. The words of the Promise doesn’t stop when we finished pledging it, but we should re and re read it, not only for our personal devotion which is highly recommended, but also to keep the fire, which is the Holy Spirit in our heart, to whom we offer our soul as a torch, so that its flame may set other souls ablaze.

As keeping a promise and living it is never easy, let us ask our Blessed Mother who has called us to be in Her army, to help us keeping this pledge. In the same time, let us be grateful for the grace that we have received to be in Her army. Let us also pray for one another, especially for those who just took his promise and is going to take her promise, so that we can carry this promise faithfully. Through this fuller part in her army, may we grow in the spirit of the Legion which is Mary’s spirit, and inspired by this love and faith of Mary, her legion essays any and every work, and complains not of impossibility, because it conceives that it may and can do all things.
Amen.