At the Easter Vigil, the church is in darkness and the new Easter Candle is brought in at the beginning of the Vigil. The light is passed from the Easter Candle, and soon there are vigil candles lit throughout the church. It is a beautiful sight to behold. The light represents the love of Christ spreading out to all the people in church.

In many ways, The Flame of Love movement (which is the Immaculate Heart of Mary) is being presented to the church as a way of spreading the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This devotion is being tied in with our Jubilee Year and the Church’s call to deepen our spiritual lives. As a parish under the patronage of Mary, it is appropriate to promote this new devotion.

In recent decades, the Catholic Church has received many new devotions. Pope John Paul II canonized St. Faustina and established the new Divine Mercy Devotion, which revealed the incredible mercy that flows from the heart of Jesus Christ. The Flame of Love Devotion is similar in its efforts to make Catholics aware of Mary’s Immaculate Heart, and the love she has for us as she guides us to her Divine Son. Both Divine Mercy and the Flame of Love devotions are private revelations, and are not essential for the faithful to embrace. However, accepting these revelations can lead to greater appreciation of God’s gifts. Divine Mercy comes from the diary of St. Faustina, and the Flame of Love comes from the diary of Elizabeth Kindelmann.

In 1962 Elizabeth Kindelmann, a poor widow with six children, in communist Hungary, heard the voices of Jesus and Mary (locutions) which revealed the mystery of the Flame of Love. In one of her recordings, Jesus asked Elizabeth to share the Unity Prayer. To answer Jesus’ request, you will find on the last page of our missal the Unity Prayer. As a way of celebrating our Jubilee Year and the call for greater prayer, please join in as we recite the Unity Prayer before each Mass.

Jesus told Elizabeth Kindelmann that through this prayer, Satan will be blind, and souls will not be led into sin. With the Unity Prayer at the beginning of Mass, and the St. Michael Prayer at the end of Mass, we are doing our part to fight the evil that is present in our world.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. George
Pastor, Our Lady of the Lakes Parish