Jesus our King of Love

On the Feast of Christ the King in 1945, Marcel said to Our Lord:

"Jesus, today on the feast of Your universal kingship, I ask that You reign in the hearts of all men. Does that please You? That's all I know how to say. I cannot find anything better" (Conversations, 30).

Our Lord didn't object to Marcel's prayer, but since He knows the very best thing to say, He responded to our little brother with the proposal that he repeat throughout today's feast:

"Jesus, King of love, may the reign of Your love be deeply rooted in the hearts of priests."

What a marvelous prayer! Let's say it, too, in union with Marcel, at least once today (or we'll call it twice, since reading it a moment ago was praying it a first time).

Jesus, King of love, may the reign of Your love be deeply rooted in the hearts of priests!

You know how Jesus is with Marcel (and us), though. It's one indulgence after another, so instead of the formal prayer being the beginning and end of their conversation, Jesus goes on to say to Marcel (and to us) something even more marvelous. He talks about Mary and proposes the attitude we are to have toward her! Just when I was worrying that by sticking closer to Conversations than to 33 Days, I'm shortchanging us in our preparation for Marian consecration, Jesus rushes to our rescue. He's always Prince of Peace as well as King of kings, and here is what He says:

"The behavior of my spouses in their relationship with me must also be the same in their relations with my Mother. Mary, being my Mother, and my spouses being but one with me, it follows that my Mother is equally the Mother of my spouses. . . Little friend, listen carefully to what I am going to say to you; do not let yourself be distracted. It is thanks to Mary that my spouses can unite themselves to my love in an intimate and lasting fashion. My little friend, never forget it: you must love my Mother just as I love her myself."

Though this is much shorter than my usual musings, I almost think it's already enough for one day, even for such a great feast as today's: We've got a glorious picture of Jesus, King of Love and our Good Shepherd above. We have a prayer dictated by Our Lord Himself. And we've got what we've been thirsting for lately: God's own wishes as to how we should treat His (and our) Mother Mary, including His Divine Reason showing us little ones the "why."

Ah, but a feast means much more than just enough, so our sweet little brother Marcel has iced the cake, topped it with a cherry (or was that the sundae? Let's go for both!), and poured out another sweet thought to fill our cup to overflowing. Though he says regarding what comes before, "My Father, that's all Jesus has said to me today," he then goes on to offer a conversation he and Jesus seem to have had in a holy hour about 10 days prior. And here Marcel reports the following wondrous exchange:

Marcel: Jesus, are You sad sometimes because of me?

Jesus: My child, if that ever happens it is only when I see you sad. When you are happy, how could I be sad? So, be happy always. A single one of your joys suffices to console me very much.

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And there you have it! Not only why we should love Mary (because we are one with Jesus, and she's His Mommy, and therefore ours too), but also why we should be happy. Always! Because a single one of our joys suffices to console Jesus very much, and what could be a more fitting and agreeable task for jesters such as ourselves than to have our smiles, our jokes, our joys lighten the King's burdens, cheer His Heart, and bring a smile of Love to His face in return? Oh Jesus, You are the gentlest King, as well as the most victorious, and best of all, the most lovable! 

May You reign in the hearts of all men!
Jesus, King of love, may the reign of Your love be deeply rooted in the hearts of priests! 
and last, but not least:
Draw me, we shall run!