At this worrying and tragic time for the threat to world peace, it is significant to recall the contribution made by Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa (1904-1955), Salesian Cooperator, to obtain from God the gift of peace during the Second World War.
Blessed Alexandrina had been the spokesperson for the request for the Consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, made to the Holy Father Pius XI from 1937 and in the following years. In union with Jesus Crucified, Alexandrina was also a victim soul so that the request of Jesus might be granted. Therefore, from October 1938 until March 1942 Alexandrina every Friday, from 12 to 3 pm, relived the Passion of Jesus, lived in all her being, and visible in her body that recovered in those three hours all the movements, retracing in the space of her room, all the stages of the Passion of Jesus. Jesus had anticipated to Alexandrina that she would live this Passion until the Pope consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. On October 31, 1942, Pius XII consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
For Alexandrina, participation in the Passion of Jesus continued, but inwardly, and a new martyrdom began for her for the salvation of souls and for world peace: total fasting. She lived only on the Eucharist for thirteen years and seven months. In the meantime (1939) the Second World War had broken out: Alexandrina offered her sufferings with fasting for peace and obtained from the Lord the promise that Portugal would not enter the war. In one of the messages, Jesus says to her: ‘You are a second ark of Noah. In you I enclose sinners, in you as in that ark, I enclose everything for the life of the new world. Your pain, your immolations are pain and immolation of life more for souls than for bodies. Courage, little daughter! Fear nothing... My daughter, my blessed Mother is with me, listen to what she tells you.’ Our Lady: ‘My daughter, here I am with my divine Son to hand over humanity to you and to close it in your heart. The keys remain in the hands of Jesus and your dear Mother. I have given you my mantle and my queenly crown: you have been crowned by me. You are Queen of sinners, of the world, chosen by Jesus and Mary. Today, the day of my Immaculate Conception, we give you your royal possession. From today it is yours, guide it, guard it. Guard it on earth as you will later guard and guide it from Heaven. I have chosen this feast day in my honor, so that in union with me the day of this handing over of mankind may be celebrated.’
Alexandrina's mission continues from Heaven: the effects of the consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Alexandrina's suffering and fasting, continue today from Heaven. Fulfilled in communion with Christ they have acquired infinite value. Our prayer and fasting will be a plea for peace in Ukraine, remembering that world peace always begins with our personal conversion.
"Jesus taught us that the diabolical senselessness of violence is answered with the weapons of God, with prayer and fasting. May the Queen of Peace preserve the world from the folly of war." (Pope Francis)
