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Legion HANDBOOK D10944_1 26/02/2014 15:53 Page 128

128 THE MYSTICAL HOME OF NAZARETH CHAPTER 21
“You must accept the whole, or reject the whole; reduction does
but enfeeble, and amputation mutilate. It is trifling to receive all but
something which is as integral as any other portion.” (Bl. John Henry
Newman: Essay on Development)

21

THE MYSTICAL HOME OF

NAZARETH

A particular application of the Doctrine of the Mystical
Body of Christ may be made to the Legion meetings,
especially to the praesidium meeting, which forms the heart
of the Legion system.
“Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there
among them.” (Mt 18:20) These words of our Lord assure us
that his influential presence in the members of his Mystical
Body is intensified according to the number in which they
unite to serve him. He specifies number as a condition for the
complete displaying of his power. Possibly, this is a
consequence of our individual defectiveness, the virtues of
each being so limited as to permit Christ to show himself
only partially through that one.
A simple natural image may illustrate how this may be. A
coloured glass will transmit only its own shade of light,
obstructing all the other shades. But when glasses of all the
different colours jointly project their shades, these unite to
make the fullness of light. Similarly, when Christians in some
number combine for the purposes of the Lord, their qualities
supplementing each other, he is enabled through them to
manifest his perfection and his power more fully.
So, when legionaries gather together in the praesidium in
his name and for his work, he is present in that potent way; it
has been made evident that power goes out from him there.
(Mk 5:30)
Also with Jesus in that little Legion family are his Mother
and St. Joseph, who have towards the praesidium the same