Page 16 - 聖母軍團員手冊（英文版，2014年5月-2022年1月更新版）

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

CHAPTER 4 LEGIONARY SERVICE 15
borne, counted even a joy, and persevered in unto the end, they
will come, in the weighing-up, very near to that love, greater
than which no man has, that he lay down his life for his friend.
“What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me?” (Ps
116:12)

4. Must “live in love, as Christ loved us and gave
himself up for us.” (Eph 5:2)
The secret of all success with others lies in the establish -
ment of personal contact, the contact of love and sympathy.
This love must be more than an appearance. It must be able
to stand up to the tests that real friendships can bear. This will
frequently involve little mortifications. To greet, in
fashionable surroundings, one who a little while before was
the subject of one’s visitation in a jail, to be seen walking with
bedraggled persons, to grasp warmly the hand which is coated
with grime, to partake of a proffered meal in a very poor or
dirty home, may to some be difficult; but if avoided, the
attitude of friendship is shown to have been a pretence, the
contact breaks, and the soul that was being lifted sinks back
in disillusion.
At the bottom of all really fruitful work must be the
readiness to give oneself entirely. Without this readiness,
one’s service has no substance. The legionary who somewhere
sets up the barrier: “thus far and no farther is self-sacrifice to
go,” will accomplish only the trivial, though great exertions
may be made. On the other hand, if that readiness exist, even
though it may never, or but in small measure, be called upon,
it will be fruitful of immense things.
“Jesus answered : ‘Will you lay down your life for me?’ ” (Jn 13:38)

5. Must “finish the race” (2 Tim 4:7)
Thus the call of the Legion is for a service without limit or
reservations. This is not entirely a counsel of perfection, but
of necessity as well, for if excellence is not aimed at, a
persevering membership will not be achieved. A lifelong
perseverance in the work of the apostolate is in itself heroic,
and will only be found as the culmination of a continuous
series of heroic acts, as indeed it is their reward.