Be Reconciled
Alexandra and Jose De Carias talk about being missionaries of reconciliation.
RECONCILIATION is defined as;
“The process of making two people or groups of people friendly again after they have argued seriously or fought and kept apart from each other” (Cambridge Dictionary).
In essence, the term makes immediate reference to relationships and about its distinctive dynamic nature, that is, moving people from being separated into being reunited, from division into unity.
This word brings into mind peace-making process between communities and entire societies and countries. For instances, The United Nations, bearing in mind the scourge of war recognised reconciliation as a necessary and urgent process and so declared 2009 as the International Year of Reconciliation. The UN’s resolution invited concerned Governments and Internationals and non-governmental organizations to support reconciliation processes among divided societies (A/RES/61/17)
“Today too, the cry of so many of our oppressed brothers and sisters rises to heaven. Let us ask ourselves: Do we hear that cry? Does it trouble us? Does it move us? All too many things keep us apart from each other, denying the fraternity that, from the beginning, binds us to one another”. These meaningful words were part of His Holiness Pope Francis’ message for Lent this year of 2024.
“In creating man and woman in his own image and likeness, God created them for communion. God the Creator, who revealed himself as Love, as Trinity, as communion, called them to enter into intimate relationship with himself and into interpersonal communion, in the universal fraternity of all men and women. This is our highest vocation: to enter into communion with God and with our brothers and sisters. God's plan was compromised through sin, which sundered every kind of relationship: between the human race and God, between man and woman, among brothers and sisters, between peoples, between humanity and the rest of creation. In his great love, the Father sent his Son, the new Adam, to reconstitute all creation and bring it to full unity” (…) “Entrusting himself then to the Father's will, he achieved in the paschal mystery that unity which he had taught his disciples to live and which he had asked of the Father. By his death on the cross, he destroyed the barrier that separated peoples, reconciling us all in unity (cf. Eph. 2:14-16). By this, he taught us that communion and unity are the fruit of sharing in the mystery of His death.” (9, Fraternal Life in Community. 1994)
In 2020 Pope Francis in his Lent message stressed that; “putting the paschal mystery at the centre of our lives means feeling compassion towards the wounds of the crucified Christ present in the many innocent victims of wars, in attacks on life, from that of the unborn to that of the elderly, and various forms of violence”. His Holiness message, taken from the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (5:20), was an invitation in the words of the Apostle St Paul “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God”.
Almost daily around us we hear divisions, fights, wars. News about Countries, Cities, Towns, Communities, even parliaments and schools filled with violence. Too often, we could be overwhelmed with a sense of despair, even worse, we might feel devastated and bear no hopes in our hearts to look for a better future in humanity, so reconciliation might feel like Utopia. Even when we try to put our most kind heart and thoughts into the future, we might be discouraged to see ourselves as agents of reconciliation in our surroundings as it seems our “random” action will bear not impact whatsoever, we could feel we are not use at all.
As representatives of Betania XXI, based in Aberdeen, we have good news for you! There is a community in our Catholic Church that has been working tirelessly to bring forward the charism of RECONCILIATION. As members of the Public Association of the Faithful “Betania Spirituality Movement” we have been working for many years evangelizing and spreading the personal devotion to Our Lady Reconciler of all People and Nations and her call to conversion and deepening of faith, enkindling sacramental and family life. Betania XXI was officially born on 25th March 2021, it is the youngest of the other 20 Betania communities spread around the world.
Betania Spirituality Movement was founded in 1979, then under the name Betania Foundation, by the Servant of God Maria Esperanza de Bianchini who was the main visionary and protagonist of the apparitions of our Lady in Finca Betania, Venezuela. On her first apparition to the Servant of God, on 25th March 1976, our Lady revealed this new title “Reconciler of all People and Nations” in her message to Maria Esperanza:
“Little daughter, here you have me with my hands enriched with graces and covered with splendours of light, to call all my children to conversion. This is the seed of glory I offer as Mary Reconciler of all Peoples and Nations, for I come to reconcile all of you. Reconciliation is the inheritance of divine brotherhood of my Divine Son! Little daughter, hand on my message to all. I shall keep you here in my Heart from today on and forever!”
On 25th March 1984 in Rome when Pope John Paul II consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He said in his prayer “…The power of this consecration lasts for all times and embraces all individuals, Peoples and Nations…” his words resonate providentially with Mary’s title in her message and her apparition. The very same day in Finca Betania, Venezuela, just a few hours apart, Our Lady Reconciler appeared publicly to a crowd of 108 witnesses. This event prompted the ecclesiastical investigation and later approval, in 1987, from the local Bishop Pio Bello Ricardo. He explained in his Pastoral Letter that the Virgin Mary presented herself in Betania as “Reconciler of All Peoples”, announcing a call to conversion and deepening of faith. Most important was the call to solidarity, “a call to charity especially with those most in need, the poor, the abandoned, the sick; insisting on brotherly tolerance and the sense of each one sharing what they have with the rest” (Pastoral Instruction, 1987). As we read in the following message from 16th February 1989, which our Lady gave to the Servant of God Maria Esperanza de Bianchini:
My little daughter, my little children, here I am…! Living among you! My little children, my Heart beats with heavenly delights as I gaze at each one of your faces, which come to find the hope of better days, to solidify your steps on the road that leads to Mount Zion. My fountain of the waters of Betania shall restore your souls to new life that will bring you to lead the life of an apostle, that is to say, of service, devoted to a mission of love, which shall reaffirm your trust in the light of the New Dawn of my Divine Jesus!
He, my Beloved Son, wishes for all of you to live cradled in this motherly Heart, with the charism and graces of the Holy Spirit. In this way, my children may hold hands based on the commandment, love one another! It is the only truth that can save mankind from a war among brothers, that is to say, in these times, all should resort to the charitable harvest of good deeds, which is the identification of love and truth of the People of God who are longing for social justice… because as long as unity does not come forth, you shall lead a life of anguish, grief, shadows and sorrow. Behold, little children, the love of a Mother who cherishes you and comes as a starting point to lead you toward a law of justice, love, peace and reconciliation!
Prayer… Meditation… Penance… Eucharist...!
Dear brothers and sisters of peace and love, these last four words became the four pillars of the Betania Spirituality Movement. Our Foundress, the Servant of God Maria Esperanza said that these pillars “lead us to develop our senses fully with the light, grace, and Charism of the Holy Spirit”. If we practice these 4 pillars: Prayer, Meditation, Penance and The Eucharist, with fervour and trust, our souls will be opened to the gift of supernatural life and profound communion with the Triune God. They will transform us into missionaries of reconciliation.
As members of the Betania Spirituality Movement we want to say with Saint Paul: “We are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God”. (2 Cor 5:20).
By ALEXANDRA MARTIN DE CARIAS and JOSÉ MIGUEL CARIAS
Representatives of Betania XXI.
A community, serving the United Kingdom, to promote the reconciliation of the human family in Christ through the Heart of Mary.
IG: @betania21.uk
Email: betania21.uk@gmail.com
This months saints include St Drostan, apostle to the Picts, St Serf, St Pallidius and St Thenew who might be better known as St Enoch, mother of St Kentigern. Click the button to go onto our site to find out more.