On Sunday 9 June 2024 at 11.30 am, at the Chapel of San Gennaro al Bosco di Capodimonte in Naples, the scheduled Holy Mass was celebrated for the repose of the soul of Duke Diego de Vargas Machuca, the beloved President of the Royal Commission for Italy, one year after his death. A representation of the Delegation of Naples and Campania of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, led by the Delegate, participated. The solemn Mass underlined the importance and memory of those who dedicated their lives to the service of the Constantinian Order.
The Mass was presided over by the Chief Chaplain of the Delegation, Fra’ Sergio Galdi d’Aragona, O.F.M., Chaplain of Justice, General Commissioner of the Holy Land in Naples, in the presence of the Delegate, Nob. Manuel de Goyzueta di Toverena, of the Marquises of Toverena and Trentinara, Knight Grand Cross of Justice.
Also participating were: Alfredo Buoninconti, Knight of Justice, Delegate of Naples of the Royal Circolo Francesco II; Dr. Giovanni Carlo Parente Zamparelli and Dr. Antonio Masselli, Knights of Jure Sanguinis; Attorney Stefano d’Ambrosio, Knight of Merit with Silver Star; Attorney Carmine Capasso, Dr. Luigi Cerciello and Arch. Carlo Iavazzo, Knights of Merit; and Dr. Antonino Giunta and Nicola Scarinzi, Knights of Office. Some postulants were also present.
At the beginning of the Mass, the Chief Chaplain paid homage to the late President of the Royal Commission for Italy, Duke Diego de Vargas Machuca. Furthermore, he expressed gratitude to the Delegation of Naples and Campania for their continuous support of the Holy Land, and he delivered a letter of thanks to the Delegate.
Fra’ Galdi d’Aragona focused his homily on what in the First Reading we conventionally call the “original sin.” Every creature in God’s plan has its own specificity. All creation is a wonderful mosaic, harmoniously composed by God and entrusted to the care of man. The entire creation is governed by a universal harmony, which can be summed up in the biblical verse, God saw that what he had made was very good (Gen 1.31). Harmony marks every relationship: there was harmony between man and God; harmony between man and nature; harmony between man and man; everything until the fall of the first parents and sin thus breaks all existing harmonies, to the point of asking: “Will the defeat of man be definitive?”
In the final part of the First Reading (Gen 3.9-15), God answers this disturbing question: the serpent is cursed, will lick the dust, will crawl on the ground and will have his head crushed by the woman’s offspring. I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your lineage and her lineage (Gen.3,15): Ipse [the woman’s lineage] conteret caput tuum, et tu insidiaberis calcaneo eius. This is the reason why the representations of the Immaculate Conception, in the Franciscan context, are presented with the Madonna carrying Baby Jesus in her arms, who crushes the head of the serpent by means of the cross, while in the usual representations it is the Virgin crushing the head of the serpent, in compliance with the reading: Ipsa [the woman] conteret caput tuum.
In the passage from the Gospel according to Mark, which the liturgy proposes on the Tenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Mk 3.20-35), Jesus’ relatives, who are aware of the problems and tensions that his preaching is generating, fear that he has gone mad. This is a perplexing passage, given that the Madonna is also present in the group of family members; but their concerns can be considered legitimate, given that the Pharisees and Herodians, notorious enemies, have already united to find a way to kill Jesus (Mk.3,6). Christ’s message is no longer compatible with the official doctrine of the scribes and Pharisees and He does not behave as the sacred prescriptions of the ancients would require (He works healings on Saturday, for example, by not observing the commandment of weekly rest).
It is reported in the Gospels that Mary meditates on all these events in her heart (Luke 2.19 and 51-52), that is, Mary is also called to undertake a journey of spiritual growth and knowledge of the wonderful plan of God, in which she was involved. The Blessed Virgin advanced in the pilgrimage of faith and faithfully preserved her union with her Son until the cross (L.G. VIII, 58). Also for this reason Mary is a sign of sure hope and consolation for all the people of God. Like her, we too are called to progress in faith by keeping a profound union with God in our hearts and minds.
