The fragrance of Mary

Blessed Mary Mackillop is synonymous with holiness in Australia. Hers is a story of great courage and determination. Actually what strikes in Blessed Mary's life is her love for the Aboriginal people and especially her gentle spirit.

Even when she was excommunicated by Bishop Sheil on the charge that she had incited the Sisters to disobedience and defiance, Mary kept believing in God's inspiration and did not harbour any bitterness towards the ecclesiastical authorities of the time.

Blessed Mary's gentle acceptance of what was happening to her in those tumultuous times earned her the recognition of the universal Church. In fact, Pope Pius IX formally approved the congregation she had founded.

In times of our harshest turmoil Mother Mary still speaks to us. One of her greatest dicta is "gratitude is the memory of the heart". No matter what we go through in life we all have memories that give us encouragement and hope. Memories give us the uncompromising conviction that God has a loving plan for us. That He is standing by our side even when the closest people we come across doubt, misunderstand or even desert us.

The greatest memory that we ought to remember is, to put it in the Aussie's slang, that God continually gives us a fair go. Blessed Mary believed that even when Bishop Sheil put every obstacle in her way to stop her from fulfilling God's dream somehow she was given the assurance by the Almighty that her mission was to continue to bear fruit even after being put on hold for a while.

When on January 19, 1995, Pope John Paul II declared Mary MacKillop Blessed in Sydney, he affirmed that "holiness demanded by the Gospel is as Australian as she was Australian".

May Blessed Mary be a source of hope and inspiration for those who combat evil by doing good. May her extraordinary example of courage and faith in God bring that peaceful determination that flows from a heart totally united with God for the salvation of the world.

May God, thanks to the ongoing intercession of Blessed Mary MacKillop continue to spread the fragrance of His presence everywhere (2 Cor 2, 14). May Blessed Mary's holy fragrance accompany us in our journey "from life to life" in Christ (2 Cor 2, 16).

"Most loving God we thank you for the example of Blessed Mary MacKillop who in her living of the Gospel witnessed the human dignity of each person. She faced life's challenges with faith and courage. We pray through her intercession for our needs... May her holiness soon be acknowledged by the universal Church. We make this prayer through Jesus the Lord. Amen."