Page 191 - 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 186

186 OBJECTIONS WHICH MAY BE ANTICIPATED CHAPTER 32
is very easy to drift into a practical materialism, which, after a
few years, leaves hearts without an ideal, eating themselves out
for the youth which has prematurely fled, taking with it the
only things they had been taught to prize. And things may
end even more unhappily. Does not St. John Chrysostom say
that he had never succeeded in persuading himself that
anyone could achieve salvation who had never done anything
for the salvation of his neighbour?
Infinitely wiser would it be to urge young people to give to
the Lord, in a legionary membership, the first fruits of that
free time. Those first fruits will inspire the whole life and keep
the heart, and face too, serene and young. And there is still
left an abundance of time for recreation, doubly enjoyed
because doubly earned.

5. “The Legion is only one among many organisa tions
with the same ideals and programme”
It is true that idealism abounds and, likewise, that a
programme of desirable works can be drawn up in a few
minutes by any one possessing pen and paper. It is, therefore,
true that the Legion is only one among ten thousand
organisations which propose a noble warfare for souls and a
programme of important works. But it is also true that it is
one of the few which make their apostolate definite. A vague
idealism, with general appeals to members to do good in their
surroundings, will always be attended by the vaguest
performance. The Legion reduces its warfare to a definite
spirituality, a definite programme of prayer, a definite weekly
task, a definite weekly report and, it will be found, to definite
accomplishment. Last, but not least, it bases this methodical
system on the dynamic principle of union with Mary.

6. “The Legion works are already being done by other
agencies. The Legion might clash with them”
How strange to hear these words spoken of places where
high proportions of the population are non-practising or non-
Catholic, and where progress is negligible!
How sad if anyone should reconcile himself to such a status