Did you know that in 1956, a religious sister by the name of Sister Mary Ephrem experienced personal revelations by the Blessed Mother here in the USA? The revelations, which a commission of good, orthodox bishops in 2020 determined were not of an objective supernatural origin, centered around the Immaculate Virgin, Patroness of America. Sr. Mary Ephrem received the exhortation for American’s to be renewed in a purity for love. Today as we speak of the Blessed Trinity, I would like to share a part of what Our Lady asked Sr. Mary Ephrem to share with the faithful:
“On November 8, 1954, a short time after the visit of the Angel of Peace, Our Lady spoke to me in these words:
‘It is the wish of my Son that fathers and mothers strive to imitate me and my chaste spouse in our holy life at Nazareth. We practiced the simple virtues of family life, Jesus our Son being the center of all our love and activity. The Holy Trinity dwelt with us in a manner far surpassing anything that can ever be imagined. For ours was the earthly paradise where once again God walked among men.
As in our little home no sin was to be found, so it is the wish of the Heart of my Son and my Immaculate Heart that sin should, as far as possible, be unheard of in the homes of our children.
The Divine Trinity will dwell in your midst only if you are faithful in practicing the virtues of our life at Nazareth. Then, you also, my children, you also will become another paradise. God will then walk among you and you will have peace.
I need your help to bring peace into the world. Do not disappoint me.'”
Our Lady of America, through this devotion, wishes to bring into our constant awareness the truth of the Holy Trinity dwelling in the hearts (our own hearts) of those in a state of sanctifying grace. When we’re aware of this awesome gift, we might gain a personal understanding of the impact of our sin in driving out the Holy Trinity from our hearts. Even as we grow to understand the terrible consequences of our sin, we must remember that a soul stained with sin can be made clean and ready again for the Divine Indwelling through the Sacrament of Penance and can remain there by seeking the graces of purity. This is the remedy for our world’s plight of grave and pervasive sin, that in striving to live like the Most Blessed Virgin, we might live in union with the Most Holy Trinity who comes to dwell in us.
Although the Act of Faith might seem simple in itself, we know that it takes a lot more than one good intention to change our lives. The early Christian communities used to spend years forming those who desired to enter the Church, taking them through a process of the catechumenate. These stages of formation correspond to the Sacraments given to us by Christ, and these Sacraments of Initation, which today we stretch out over the span of many years, are what conform us to Christ and make us full members of His Church. Discover these sacraments with us, and join our catechumenate if you are interested in becoming a member of Christ's Church.