Passersby pray. The vigil naturally grew more intense as the month went on. It was common to see entire families with rosaries in hand joining the prayers led by those in charge. The crowd during weekdays was especially large from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays, entire families arrived on foot or by car at different times. They had something to say, ask for, or thank Our Lady for.
The garbage collector’s prayer. A garbage truck drives by. A young garbage collector jumps out, collects the trash, and hops back into the truck. In front of the small church, he looks up and stops, captivated, with the trash can in one hand. He prays even as the garbage truck continues down the street. His colleagues call out to him from afar. He pauses his prayer, warmly greets the TFP young men, and hurries to the truck. From the heights of heaven, the Immaculate Queen smiles kindly.
Now it’s the plumbers’ turn. Late at night, a water pipe bursts near the oratory. Two plumbers fix it and then go to pray before the statue. A volunteer offers them roses from the oratory. They accept them with respect, kiss them, keep them, and leave. Our Lady also smiles.
A shoeshine boy arrives, carrying his work box on his back. He silently reflects and offers his thoughts to the Virgin. As he leaves, he kisses one of the flowers at the oratory, and Our Lady smiles again.
A delivery boy arrives with his cart loaded with goods to distribute. He pauses, reflects, and prays. He is so absorbed that a lady praying in front of the oratory is touched and strokes his head. He opens his eyes for a moment, then closes them again, continuing his reflection. From Heaven, Our Lady smiles.
A police car drives by. Two officers inside take off their hats, say a quick prayer, and continue their perilous yet honorable work. Our Lady smiles.
TV actors saying a novena bring two rosebuds each day. And Our Lady also smiles.
A woman from Diadema comes to pray. People send flowers from much farther away, such as Fortaleza and Buenos Aires. The Mother of all affection smiles.
An imposing Rolls-Royce comes to a stop. A distinguished lady steps out, places a rosebud in the flower vase, and piously recites her rosary. Our Lady smiles.
Galaxies, Impalas, and other luxury cars also stop, and the wealthy or well-to-do step out to tell the Virgin about the troubles afflicting the poor and the rich. They pray, and the Mother of God smiles.
The particularly afflicted offer prayers more than moans; they are true cries of pain. I mention only that of a mother: “Our Lady, look at my son!” How much affliction these simple words express! Another lady cries out, then turns to the volunteers, saying, “How good it is to see young men praying like this. It strengthens my faith.” It would be endless to recount all similar events happening there. As faith teaches us, what is certain is that Our Lady has a maternal smile of compassion for each of these tears.
The Magi Kings brought the Child Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh. There was no shortage of gifts at the oratory either. A filigree gold crown, a silver halo, three silver flowers, another silver branch with two flowers of the same metal, two rings, a gold feather, and a silver rosary—all expressing love, reverence, hope, and contrition, the qualities of the soul that gold, frankincense, and myrrh symbolize. How could the Virgin not smile at this?
Someone growled like Judas Iscariot when he protested against Magdalene, who poured perfumes on the divine feet: “Wouldn’t the money spent on this be better given in alms?” However, no one at the oratory paid attention to the foul murmur.
Angels sing. Yes, they did sing, and the Virgin smiled with particular tenderness when priests and nuns approached the oratory to pray. Especially when a nun offered a golden rose to atone for the insult made by a progressive nun “in the wind,” and another nun offered the jewel I mentioned and finally, when a motherly nun gave us two well-upholstered kneelers to ease the fatigue of the volunteers during the vigil. Who could express the Virgin’s very special smile to the chosen souls who consecrate themselves to her Divine Son and remain faithful to their consecration?
Rosaries for the hospital. Father Afonso Rodrigues, S.J., donated 240 rosaries to the TFP, which our volunteers distributed at the hospital for pemphigus foliaceus. Our Lady smiled.
The “brave.” The courage of the wicked is boastful and cowardly. Sometimes, people drive by in cars, revving their engines before the oratory to make noise. One of them set off a loud June festival firework among the crowd. Another threw a powerful firecracker bomb into the crowd, which fortunately missed its target and exploded a few meters away. Some laughed loudly in unison. Others shouted blasphemies or insults. It is easy to be courageous when passing by at high speed. People call this kind of “courage” cowardice. However, no one—the people, TFP members or volunteers— paid any attention. They all continued to pray. And Our Lady smiled at their chivalrous disdain.
The smile of the Immaculate Virgin was felt with special intensity during the closing ceremony. TFP’s red standards, capes and pennants, the harmonies of our St. Pius X Choir, the countless flowers sent by the people overflowing from the oratory into the street, the multitude of families filling the surrounding area, the praise rising from this joint prayer of religious and faithful, and the outstanding address on the Universal Mediation of Our Lady by the great bishop of Campos, Dom Mayer, all contributed to a celebration that was both intimate and public, noble and popular, leaving a profound impression. When the ceremony ended, no one wanted to leave. Deep in their hearts, Our Lady was smiling.
* * *
Would it be rash to say that the Virgin smiled, especially when, speaking publicly on behalf of the other volunteers, the young law student Valdir Trivelatto asked me to continue the vigils forever? I don’t think so. Such a generous request could not help but please the Virgin.
How could this overly generous request be balanced with the commitments of studies, work, and involvement in the TFP? I only partially accepted his proposal. The vigils will continue, but only until the night of September 6 to 7.
That night, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception’s statue will be taken to the Ipiranga Monument, where we will spend the night praying for Brazil during the Independence Day vigil.
When Dom Pedro I declared independence and Brazil became a sovereign nation, I am sure Our Lady gave our country her first blessing and smile.
I am also sure that on September 7th, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception will smile upon us and all those who pray with us there.
We will ask her to grant Brazil the grace to respond positively to her many expressions of maternal kindness, and that she may never stop praying for Brazil.
I believe she will heed our prayer and continue smiling upon Brazil.
