KEEP ON KEEPING ON
by Sister Madeline Swaboski, IHM

The WORLD hasn’t heard the NEWS yet….so KEEP ON trudging!  “What news?”,  you ask.  The story of a noble, courageous, determined, faithful woman, a holy woman who changed the course of history in the United States!  What a story!  It’s the story you have in your mind and heart.  IT’ S THE STORY YOU MAY BE KEEPING TO YOURSELF  WHEN SOMEONE ELSE NEEDS THAT GOOD NEWS!  YES, THE STORY OF MARY  E. LANGE!!!  Have you seen the newspaper or the daily television news?  Did you read or hear about anything as inspiring as Mother Lange’s endeavors?  Well, to whom have YOU given this good news?  We can’t just wait around for someone else to tell her story!  YOU give it out. DECIDE TODAY that the inspiration and help you’ve received from Mary Lange will assist someone else because YOU told the story, the good  news. 

You would be surprised how many people never even heard of her, even after Oblate Sisters and helpers have labored since before 1991 to get the news out there.  And even if people HAVE heard of her, we all need reminders: ask if they would PRAY for her canonization regularly. Yes, the world needs this woman as a role model:  educators, women, immigrants, men, children.  They need her to challenge them to live for others and not for selfish gain, to be faithful in all walks of life and especially to God, to keep on keeping on even when the way is frightful, seems to lead nowhere, is an endless toil. 

Mary Lange calls us to continue to be faithful to our promises to each other in God, to live life as being the people God asks us to be, to trust God’s all powerful care.  No more; no less.  Today when so much in our society is throwaway, and only considered if it will give us pleasure, Mary Lange challenges us to keep going no matter what, if God wills it.  Nothing is too unsurmountable or too hard if it is truly for God’s glory.  So, how about it?  Will YOU tell her story one more time…..even many more times?  She’s a saint and we know it. But the WORLD hasn’t heard her good news yet, and this SAINT is needed soon. Give it a try…today! Proclaim the news to the WHOLE WORLD – together it can be done.