In one week, an outstanding international event that aims to unite all continents in a spirit of fraternity begins: the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
As we celebrate a new Covenant Day on July 18 and renew our commitment to the MTA, an interesting event is taking place: the Olympic torch is making its way through parts of France towards the capital, Paris.
The act of lighting the Olympic torch is a tradition that dates back to ancient Greece and has been continued in the modern Olympic Games. The torch is lit before the start of the competitions and travels through its traditional relay until the opening of the games.
Throughout the history of the Olympic Games, the torch has traveled by boat, by plane, on horseback, on the hump of a camel, by canoe…. And an interesting fact is that its fire has visited space several times.
Does this situation sound familiar?
Many Schoenstatters remember a special event that marked the centenary of Schoenstatt’s founding in 2014: the torch relay race. For that occasion, the fire was lit and sent from Pompeii, Italy, to Schoenstatt. The “Here I am” pronounced by the youth was an unforgettable moment of the jubilee!
The fire was lit in Pompeii, at the place that inspired Father Joseph Kentenich to seal the Covenant of Love with Mary. And do you know when he received this inspiration? It was July 18, 1914.
You and I, Covenant racers, in relay and bonded together
A different fire was burning in Fr. Kentenich’s heart when he read about Pompeii. It was the fire of the Holy Spirit, which made his heart vibrate. He certainly did not know what to do with this burning flame, so he had to “grope for the signs of God”. But, like a living torch, he walked the path led by the Holy Spirit.
Years later, this flame was passed to the heart of every Schoenstatter through the Covenant of Love. Today we are the “torch bearers” who carry this fire to ignite the world. It is often difficult. We often face strong winds, storms, fatigue…. But the race must go on.
It can be difficult, but the dynamics of the relay suggest that we help each other, one kindling the fire alongside the others.
Where does the flame that ignites us come from?
An interesting fact about the Olympic Games is that the flame must remain lit throughout the entire Olympiad. And if this fire dies out, it can only be rekindled with a flame originating from Greece, where the games were born. So it makes no sense to look for improvised and thoughtless solutions, such as a lighter. The organizers of the event usually keep a “backup flame” from Greece in case of unforeseen circumstances.
Meanwhile, on Covenant Day we remember our Shrine. The same is true in Covenant life. When our flame dies out, or suffers from bad weather, it is important to look for fuel at the source, at the central source of the Covenant of Love.
That is why today every Schoenstatter is invited to visit the Shrine, physically or spiritually, and have a personal encounter with the Blessed Mother.
On Covenant Day, we are not part of different nations competing for medals. No, on this day we are one Family, one heart in the heart of the Father. We gather in the Shrine and, as one big team, we ignite each other to carry the fire that comes from the source into the world. If the Olympic flame has already been carried by rocket into space, we also want to reach together the altitudes, the sky, God’s heart. Let’s go for it, team!
Happy Covenant of Love Day!
Translation: Maribel Acaron
