Thy Kingdom Come!
January 25, 2013

 

To the Legionaries of Christ
To the members and friends of the Regnum Christi Movement

Dear friends in Christ,

     Today, on the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, I would like to send my heartfelt greetings along with a prayer that, one day, each one of us may be able to say genuinely: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” 

      After the operation and recovery I have been through, God is now giving me the grace of sending you these lines in order to thank you from the bottom of my heart for staying close in your thoughts and prayers.  They have both moved me and challenged me to give more of myself.  Thank you for the notes you have sent and your shows of support and love.  In a week or two, I will begin radiation treatment and chemotherapy.  You have brought me much consolation in these circumstances.  Only God knows how much I owe you and how much I am praying for each one of you. 

      The context of the Year of the Faith is a special stimulus to confront everything from the point of view of the theological virtues: faith to see God in each person and circumstance; hope to know that “all things work for good,” the charity to correspond to the love that God has shown for us.  The operation was on the first Friday of 2013, and I have been particularly aware of the closeness of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

      For me, this period has become a stimulus to try to give my best.  It is a talent that I have received from God, my loving Father, and which I have to make bear fruit.  I see it as an opportunity to experience that in weakness God’s strength is made manifest and that his grace is enough for us.  The first one that I have a commitment with is Christ himself.  I have to love him and ask him, “What do you want, Lord?”  It is a moment to love all of you and to offer everything to renew our search for holiness.  I am also offering it so that we again find the apostolic sense in our lives: that we and all people arrive at God’s eternal embrace in heaven. 

      This sickness has allowed me to experience first-hand that life is a constant examination to prepare for our definitive encounter with God, a constant conversion to go to heaven.  And, what will we be asked about?  “In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone.”  In a certain sense, it is nothing more than an examination on Christ’s commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you;” “I give you a new commandment.”  God is being very good in giving me this gift of being able to meditate more profoundly on this and to experience his mercy.  There is no moment in which I don’t realize how good God is.  

     You don’t know how much I would like to be able to respond to each of the messages that I have received, to display the gratitude that I feel and how moving your thoughts and prayers are for me.  As I said in my previous message, I want to unite myself in a very special way to all those who are sick and suffering, especially with those who feel forgotten or are alone.  We continue to remember Fr. Antonio Izquierdo with special affection.  He gave such an example of self-giving and abandonment to God’s providence.  

      Let us pray for the Holy Father and offer him our unconditional support, our generosity and enthusiasm.  Let us place everything in Mary’s hands.  Her sweet glance inspires tranquility, serenity and trust in God’s mercy.  May she be our support.  May she dry the tears of those who suffer.  And may she lead us in every moment to be like Christ, her Son.  A heartfelt embrace to each of you.  

     Sincerely yours in Christ, Alvaro Corcuera, LC