The Certainty of Victory

Famous is the historical event that occurred with the Grand Condé in the battle against the Spanish army at Rocroi, when he took his command baton and pitched it into the enemy’s midst to incite the French to win it back!

In this episode – which so pleased Dr. Plinio – a psychological phenomenon emerges: the soldiers, looking at the Condé and perceiving the breath that inspired him to make that move, were spurred on by the impetus that they would be victorious. If they did not have in their souls a “victory instinct,” fuelled above all by the panache, élan, and distinction of their commander, they would not have launched themselves into the opposing ranks…

Now, this effect of a purely natural order acquires unimaginable proportions when transposed to the supernatural realm. There are certain men, assisted by special charisms and gifts from God, who awaken in others a certainty of victory far greater than that of the Condé among his troops. In these moments, through the gaze of a man, one’s entire being is sensibly taken over by a grace of confidence, and one advances!

The great trial of faith…

On the other hand, we must consider that, generally speaking, throughout the history of the Church, all those who have a specific calling – whether as members of a Religious Order or in some other mission of discipleship – undergo a very specific vocational trial, along the lines of the virtue of faith. The founder’s paths are always to be tread by his followers; and if he faced great perplexities, axiological trials, and apparent denials, they must necessarily follow the same path.

Let us take the ultimate example, from which all others flow: Our Lord Jesus Christ with His Apostles. What was the concrete trial that they had to undergo?

They had abandoned family, possessions, and profession to follow a Man full of vitality, strength, and presence, who called Himself the Son of God. The Master began to walk throughout Israel, inviting those He met: “Come after Me” or “Follow Me” (Mt 4:19; 9:9). And so, calling fishermen and tax collectors, He formed a group of twelve Apostles.

This new Prophet performed spectacular miracles, healing the blind, lepers, and paralytics, raising the dead, and drawing crowds after Him. Furthermore, He gave His disciples the same power to perform healings and cast out demons, teaching them a new doctrine, thanks to which they went from fishers of fish to fishers of men. They stood out in their own families and in Jewish society, to the point that the Gospel records that the mother of James and John, a relative of Our Lord, asked Him to grant the leading positions to her two sons when He re-established the kingdom (cf. Mt 20:20-21), since everyone assumed He was the Messiah and, therefore, the King of Israel.

However, such a hypothesis aroused fear not only in His fellow citizens – who did not accept Him – but also in those who held the temporal government, and for this reason they wanted to eliminate Him at all costs.

Three or four times they tried to arrest or stone Him, but He escaped their grasp. Finally, at a certain point, He was arrested, summarily tried, and handed over to the civil authorities, who scourged Him, condemned Him, and nailed Him to a Cross, on which He died.

Faced with such facts, we might ask ourselves: “Was it worthwhile for this Man to forfeit His future at the height of maturity, losing His life at the age of thirty-three?” Everything seemed to be over! His Apostles fled… Only one remained at the foot of the Cross, with His Mother and a few women!

For the disciples’ feeble souls, the Crucifixion was the great test of faith, under which they were not entirely faithful. Indeed, they were called to believe in the divinity of Our Lord, as the Son of the living God, and to surrender everything, with a view to establishing the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church as its ministers and highest authorities: “you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Mt 19:28).

…which continues even in victory

Nevertheless, the moment Our Lord cried out, “It is consummated!” and gave up His spirit was when it all began! The God-Man marked history, dividing it into two parts: before and after Christ. And the institution He founded was not only destined for victory, but would spread throughout the world and, according to His promise, be immortal (cf. Mt 16:18).

By rising by His own power, Jesus performed a miracle far greater than all those performed before and all those that would come after. A Man who, after being put to death in such a brutal and ignominious manner, returns to life thereby guarantees that His word is true.

But even in this case, those without faith are capable of questioning such a pledge of victory: what conclusive testimony did the Apostles present that their Master had risen? The stone that sealed the tomb had been removed and the sentries who guarded it had fallen to the ground? The latter were paid to spread the rumour that the disciples had stolen the Body…

The same is true of the Church. Our Lord gave thanks to His own for believing that institution was infallible and would achieve total victory; but He left no obvious proof. How could He demonstrate the irreversibility of that work? Who could prove that the Good News would be preached to the ends of the earth, to every creature? It suffices to remember that official power among the chosen people was in the hands of the scribes, Pharisees, and chief priests who had ordered Jesus’ murder, creating continuous problems for the nascent Church, which would soon escalate into persecutions and martyrdoms.

The Bride of Christ, however, would traverse two thousand years and reach us! And she will still cross the ages until the end of the world.

How to face the axiological trial?

Now, this is the path that Providence usually demands of those children whom it wishes to use for some great mission: It reveals only signs of the success of the action undertaken, without providing categorical and irrefutable proof, for otherwise, what merit would those who embrace the cause of good have?

Even worse than the external obstacles are the internal trials that arise along this path, through which obstacles suddenly begin to appear that oppose precisely the hope, placed in the soul by grace, that everything would progress to glory. Other times, stuck in a routine, a person has the impression that all their predictions will not come true or, perhaps, will come true, but they personally will not see them fulfilled.

In these moments, what should be done? Ask for Our Lady’s help and face it! Those who walk the prophetic paths and, consequently, are often shaken in their axiology, must never allow this anti-axiology to undermine their conviction.

Therefore, whatever happens, in the midst of tribulation and difficulties, let us have the joy that comes from the conviction that God’s cause will prevail!

If a wall rises before us, it will open wide like a magnificent portal, and we will forge ahead; if a mountain stands in our way, it will be removed. If we must cross a sea dry-shod – even without having, like St. Peter, the eyes of Our Lord Jesus Christ to gaze upon – let us not focus our attention on the rolling mass of liquid, for once we take the first step, the waters will either dry up or become solid beneath our feet, and we will reach the end of the ocean.

Whether we are in the situation of Samson, alone against the Philistines, or that of Gideon, whose army was reduced until only three hundred men remained, let us not doubt! What matters above all is inner faith, born of union with God, through which we believe that our steps will be victorious.

And if, on the contrary, one of us is destined to give his life in battle, he will continue to fight on the other side, that is, in the supernatural field! By maintaining this certainty, even if he dies tomorrow or tonight, he will have already participated in the victory!

How to define the certainty of victory?

Throughout history, there has always been a reason for hope for the good. In the Old Testament, there was the promise of the coming of the Messiah; in the New Testament, there is a wait for the fulfilment of the consequences of this advent, according to the words of St. Paul, later developed by Theology:

“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now” (Rom 8:19-22).

If the Redemption was accomplished to save men and Angels, its effects equally affected the entire created order. And there will be a certain moment when the stars, mountains, lakes, and springs will be glorified as a result of the merits of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, if we ascend to the highest vantage point on the globe and gaze at the horizon that stretches across it, we will witness, on the one hand, the chaos of the world: civilization has reached its final stage, in which there is no longer balance or common sense, no longer education, culture, or good manners… There is little lacking before humanity imposes the regime of hell on earth.

On the other hand, the innocence that remains in our souls makes us realize that it is impossible for human society to stably remain in a state of revolt against the Creator, in which morality and the laws of nature are violated as they are today.

There is a certain point to which Providence allows disorder to go, but once this limit – which we are very close to – is crossed, the Angels, Our Lady, and God Himself will intervene, for Satan cannot establish his throne on the face of the earth, and the order of the universe must be restored according to divine designs.

What proof is there that this will happen?

The proof, for those who have faith, is given to us by Our Lord: “have confidence, I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33). And these words are reinforced by the interior whisperings of the voice of grace, which becomes an extraordinary symphony in the depths of our souls, proclaiming: discipline, ceremonial, sacredness, prayer, wisdom, common sense, and pulchrum will return!

Just as God once restored to Job everything he had lost and more (cf. Job 42:10), let us be certain that to this Job – our sad humanity today – virtue, morality, and divine life will be restored.

In what, then, does the certainty of victory consist? In confidence taken to the level of conviction.

Confidence is the virtue of hope strengthened by faith, so that between hope, confidence, and the certainty of victory there is no difference in substance, but only in degree. Hope – like all other virtues – must be practised. But, through our own efforts, we will never take it to its fullest extreme. It is therefore important to ask Our Lady to grant us such a precious privilege in matters of confidence, instilling this conviction within us.

To the extent that we harbour an enthusiastic and joyful conviction in our souls, we will advance in practicing the First Commandment, for only those who possess it truly love God. Now, by fulfilling the first, we will practice all the others, purchase our salvation, and attain holiness.

The certainty of the coming of the Reign of Mary

In my case, I am compelled to acknowledge that, through a gift of Providence and a merciful initiative of Our Lady – which I consider entirely gratuitous and not earned by any prayer or great personal merit – I was assisted by a very powerful grace in the line of faith.

From the moment I met Dr. Plinio in the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in São Paulo, on July 7, 1956, the flame of certainty of victory was lit within me, like a very clear flash of lightning, and the certainty that he was a providential man who would bring order to the world, defeat evil, and establish on the face of the earth a regime by which good would be enthroned.

As time passed and I benefited from my association with him, this initial grace became clearer and more lucid, and the idea of him being a great victor of God became even more deeply engraved in my mind.

This unshakable certainty, which Dr. Plinio held as a participant in the fortress that is God Himself, penetrated and accompanied me throughout my life, never abandoning me. I can confess that I have faced trials in fulfilling my personal mission, especially during the long periods when I was afflicted with deadly illnesses, from which I logically deduced that I would die. But I do not recall ever doubting the victory of the cause he championed.

It is therefore necessary to have this perspective rooted and anchored deep within our souls, so that the flames of our confidence may rise to the gates of the Heavenly Jerusalem, repeating the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven!”

Our goal is to see the birth of a historical era far holier and more filled with supernatural vitality than the past. A kingdom built with such beauty, splendour, and brilliance that it can be said of it: “Heaven has been transposed to earth.” This will be the supreme triumph of the Wise and Immaculate Heart of Mary!

These were the words spoken by Dr. Plinio at the close of his last public lecture, on August 19, 1995: “Of one thing I am certain, and I am certain that all of you are certain of this also. In ‘x’ number of years, be it five, fifty, or a hundred, someone will say: ‘I do not know what happened, but of one thing I am certain: Our Lady triumphed!’”¹ ◊

Excerpts from oral expositions given
between 1996 and 2007

Notes

¹ CORRÊA DE OLIVEIRA, Plinio. Conference. São Paulo, 19/8/1995.