De La Salle University-Dasmarinas will kick off on September 10, 2018 the Lakbay Maria annual celebration with the theme: “Mary, Model of Discipleship.” The celebration will run until October 26, 2018.This year’s celebration is biblically founded on the account of the Annunciation and her Visitation to her cousin Elizabeth as recorded in the Gospel of St. Luke (1:26-56). The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines describes Mary as the Model disciple in two ways.
According to the document, Mary heard the word of God from the angel and she inquired into its meaning. Through faith she conceived the Son of God in her heart and by the power of the Holy Spirit conceived her in her body. Possessed by the grace of God from the beginning of her life, she gave an unambiguous and definitive “Yes” to the Lord. She submitted her whole self to God, believing his word, trusting his power, and obeying his will. By the act of faith, she committed herself in faith irrevocably to her Savior-Son and his mission for the world’s salvation. Thus, she became his mother and the first of the Lord’s disciples. And from the moment of that graced consent, she continued to walk in her pilgrimage of faith. She certainly belongs to that group of ideal disciples whom St. Luke describes as “the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.”
Mary was not only the first to be evangelized, to receive the Good News, she was also the first to be evangelizer. She was poor in fact and in spirit. After the Annunciation she carried Jesus in her heart and in her womb. “As quickly as she could” she brought Jesus, the Good News, to her cousin Elizabeth. She was always a giver of Jesus to the people.
While many today attack our devotion to her, our DLSU-D community will always continue to seek her intercession and learn from her way of life what we need to be as a community of disciples. In line with this, DLSU-D will hold masses at the University Chapel at 12 pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It will also hold masses every Tuesday at the Salrial Hall while Thursday masses are scheduled at the CBAA Chapel every noon. Saturday masses are scheduled at the University Chapel at 5 pm.