{"id":30698,"date":"2017-08-09T11:03:06","date_gmt":"2017-08-09T15:03:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/?p=30698"},"modified":"2022-12-13T15:35:59","modified_gmt":"2022-12-13T21:35:59","slug":"our-lady-of-light-comes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/our-lady-of-light-comes\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Lady of Light Comes…","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"From the Final\u00a0Battle Scene at Arc\u0101theos, 2017<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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OVER\u00a0<\/b>twenty years ago, myself and my brother in Christ and dear friend, Dr. Brian Doran, dreamed about the possibility of a camp experience for boys that not only formed their hearts, but answered their natural desire for adventure. God called me, for a time, on a different path. But Brian would soon birth what is today called\u00a0Arc\u0101theos<\/a>, <\/em>which means\u00a0“Stronghold of God”. It is a father\/son camp, perhaps unlike any in the world, where the Gospel meets imagination, and Catholicism embraces adventure. After all, Our Lord Himself taught us in parables…<\/p>\n

But this week, a scene unfolded that some men are saying was the “most powerful” they’ve witnessed since the camp’s inception. In truth, I found it overwhelming…<\/p>\n

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EVIL PREVAILS<\/p>\n

Throughout the week of this year’s camp (July 31-August 5th), a story unfolded whereby evil took the upper hand over the realm of Arc\u0101theos<\/a> in such a way that we, in the King’s army, became utterly powerless. There were no more “human” solutions. And so, my character, Archlord Legarius (who is known as “Brother Tarsus” when he returns to his hermitage in the mountains), reminded the boys that we cannot lose faith in the King. That when we pray “Thy Kingdom come”<\/em> we must never forget to add, “Thy will be done.”<\/em> Since He taught us these words, we should expect that the Kingdom will indeed come… but in the way<\/em> that He sees best fit, and when<\/em> He sees best fit. And sometimes, it will be most unexpected.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the final battle scene, a fallen ArchLord (Reth Maloch) and his apprentice breach the castle walls and surround the entire camp of Arc\u0101theos<\/a>. Standing on the steps of the portal that opens to many realms, my character said, “And so, it comes to this, the consummation of all things.” At that moment, singing can be heard on the other side of the portal. Suddenly, four angelic women appear (the ladies of Captivenia<\/a>), and they are followed by the Queen of Lumenorus,\u00a0Our Lady of\u00a0Light.<\/em><\/p>\n

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OUR LADY OF LIGHT COMES<\/p>\n

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As she descends the steps, all the evil creatures (Droch) who have entered the castle begin to flee. Reth Maloch finally exclaims, “We have no power here!” But all the time, Our Lady’s eyes are fixed on Lord Valerian (Brian Doran) who is bound helplessly in supernatural chains. But when she approaches, the chains fall, and silently, she brings him to his feet. With that, she turns and begins her ascent back through the portal. As she passes by me, I say to her, “My Lady, I tried to reach Mara… I tried.” (Mara is a Captivenian who fell away and who Brother Tarsus tried to bring back to the King in another powerful scene a couple days earlier.) At that moment, Our Lady turns to me and says,<\/p>\n

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With the King, there is always hope.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

She lays her hands on my head\u00a0for a moment, and then disappears through the portal….<\/p>\n

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OUR LADY OF LIGHT LINGERS<\/p>\n

That was the act. But what was no act at all were the tears in many of our eyes. Brian said it was for him the most powerful camp scene in fifteen years. The priests present were also deeply moved. And for me, the actress who played Our Lady, Emily Price, seemed to vanish, as it were, and I felt Our Lady’s true presence. So much so, that when she was gone, I began to grieve. I suddenly understood how Mirjana of Medjugorje says she feels when Our Lady appears to her each month, and then leaves her again in the “mortal realm.” The tears on Mirjana’s face became my own.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What I experienced that day was the power of Our Lady’s purity. The light of Jesus shines through her uninhibited because she is truly Immaculate. Her beauty is unparalleled in the universe, for she is God’s Masterpiece\u2014a creature nonetheless\u2014but one who moves perfectly in the Divine Will, wholly united to the Godhead. Preserved from sin by the merits of the Cross so that Jesus could take His flesh from a pure vessel, she is the image of the Church to come.<\/p>\n

In the refulgence of her Light\u2014who is Jesus\u2014I felt my littleness. I asked Brian afterword how he felt during the scene. He said it was like “she knew I\u00a0was a terrible sinner, like I had failed her countless times, but in that moment she didn’t care, she just looked into my soul with the tender mercy of a mother.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

The next day I spoke with Emily, who also experienced something supernatural in her Marian role. She said, “I have never felt so feminine<\/em> as I did then, but also, I felt such strength<\/em>.” Those are words that deserve another writing, as that is a “message” to the women and men of our generation….<\/p>\n

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OUR LADY OF VICTORY<\/p>\n

But something else happened that day. It was as though I were infused with a deeper understanding of Our Lady’s role in the “final confrontation<\/a>” of this era; that she is going to triumph in a way that will stun the world<\/em>. For her Triumph is the dawn that precedes the rising of the Sun of Justice. Many who misunderstand, despise or reject her…. they are going to absolutely\u00a0love\u00a0<\/em>her, the way that Jesus loves her, because they will see Him in her light, and she in His.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. (Rev 12:1)<\/span><\/p>\n

On this universal level, if victory comes it will be brought by Mary. Christ will conquer through her because He wants the Church\u2019s victories now and in the future to be linked to her\u2026\u00a0<\/b>\u2014POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II, Crossing the Threshold of Hope<\/i>, p. 221<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

When Our Lady of Light descended the steps at Arc\u0101theos<\/a>, all the evil figures who had entered the castle fled in terror. It was\u00a0a potent image\u00a0that many of the fathers and sons commented on afterward. Indeed, exorcists say that the invocation of the Blessed Mother’s presence during exorcisms is very powerful.<\/p>\n

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One day a colleague of mine heard the devil say during an exorcism: \u201cEvery Hail Mary is like a blow on my head. If Christians knew how powerful the Rosary was, it would be my end.\u201d \u00a0<\/strong><\/span>\u2014The late Fr. Gabriel Amorth, Chief Exorcist of Rome,\u00a0Echo\u00a0of Mary, Queen of Peace<\/em>, March-April edition, 2003<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The reason is that Mary’s humility and obedience utterly undid the work of Satan’s pride and disobedience, and thus, she is the object of his hatred.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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In my experience\u2014so far I have performed 2,300 rites of exorcism\u2014I can say that the invocation of the Most Holy Virgin Mary often provokes significant reactions in the person being exorcized…<\/strong> \u2014Exorcist, Fr. Sante Babolin, Catholic News Agency<\/em><\/a>, April 28th, 2017<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

During one exorcism, Fr. Babolin recounts that “while I was insistently invoking the Most Holy Virgin Mary, the devil answered me: \u2018I can\u2019t stand That One (Mary) any more and neither can I stand you any more.’\u201d[1]<\/sup><\/a>aletia.org<\/a><\/span><\/span>