Seeks

At the beginning I say: 'history '... But... they have little history, from that which we make men...
Why? As always, the story of a seed is obscure... silent... monotonous: bury... die... wait.
 

Their names? Maria Javier and Guillermina, one Spanish, the other, Portuguese.
We know a little or almost nothing of their lives before they arrive in Argentina.

At the call of the Lord to the insistent voices that told them: “Whom shall I send?” .... they answered: “Here am I, send me”... (Is 6.8)

They generously left their homelands and have arrived in Argentina in 1912. They started their mission in the Hospital in Coronda, working and serving their brothers as nurses.

Years have passed... It was in 1919. A dark cloud covered the population of Totoras. A terrible plague befell this population by major havoc.
The panorama was terribly distressing. The hospital which wasn’t still opened, should be empowered in order to accommodate patients. The corpses could not be watched over, or brought to the cemetery by the streets of the village, by fear of contagion.

The amount of victims was so large, that the unique doctor that there was in the hospital, could no longer, alone, to deal with the situation. Then, it will knock at the door of the school “Saint Joseph”, of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady, to ask for help from two Sisters.

Who will go? Request or designate?... One thousand questions and doubts have invaded the heart of the Superior. She resorted to prayer... Then she was gathered together her sisters and explained them the request... There was a great silence...

« If the grain of wheat falling into Earth and dies, it remains alone... ". But if it dies... »
(Jn 12,24)

These words of Jesus have fallen into the furrow opened of hearts passionate about Jesus and humanity...
Yes!... It was again the voice of the Lord: “Whom shall I send?” (Is 6.7)

Sister Maria Javier: 62 years... Sister Guillermina: 39 years...

Two lives and a unique response: Here we are, Lord, send us!

They will are offered voluntarily, as to were offered also all the other Sisters of the brotherhood. They have said goodbye to their Sisters in knowing that during the time that they would be on duty at the hospital, they could not return to the brotherhood.

Must have great generosity to give without keeping anything for himself, from what Jesus is asking... But life is sad when one keeps for himself and denied to those who gave everything without measure... Your God, you said it not sometimes?

October 20, 1919, they are entered in the hospital, to treat their brothers, relieve in pain, comfort them and prepare them for the encounter with God.
The work was hard, day and night and with the constant threat of contagion. Despite everything, they were going with compassion to care, comfort, help, bear suffering for One who has both suffered for us all.

From that day, they have not seen any of their Sisters, although the Superior has tried several times to visit them, but impossible. A wall had been interposed.

The days have passed; bubonic plague (transmitted by rats), mowed every day more lives. And one day, Maria Javier realizes obvious signs: she is ill. She rests a few days and still convalescent, goes back to work, to serve Jesus in suffering brothers and also Guillermina which had been taken by the terrible wrong.

Maria Javier, very low, with fever, doesn’t discourage; there's an inner strength which supports her, urge her to go to the sick, to spend the nights beside the dying.

Sister Guillermina, can no longer regain its strength; exhausted by illness, she stays in bed, consumed by fever, what happened also to Sister Javier few days later.

They offered their lives in the full recount, far from their Sisters. The Superior, knowing the state of her Sisters, insists now and hold times to see them, with the risk of catching the evil. After several negative responses, she finally had permission to enter.

When meeting than that! There were few words... In the biggest moments of life, the most eloquent language, is silence... And this meeting was a goodbye...
“That the sisters do not care for us.... We are moving towards LIFE... This evil, soon will end... See you soon... Up to the sky... We are now happy more than ever...”.

A few days have passed... The strong sun of close summer, had already matured harvest and crop approached. The promise of good ears, announced the white flour for the Bread that satisfies the hunger of men... Spikes which, then, are will convert in Host of Love...
Yes! God, the sun of Love, had matured these two Sisters, two ears full of a life wholly given to HIM and the brothers... It was the time of the harvest.

On November 13, 1919, they die all two to three hours apart... And at sunset, that day, when the sun is hidden between the clouds, he dyed the sky the color of the martyrs, the color of love...

As we said at the beginning, due to the circumstances and caution, the dead were not looked after and immediately they took at the cemetery by a remote street houses.
But, with the Sisters, it was not so. The people did not want. The streets are filled with the village son who came to say goodbye to those who had made real the Master's words: “It is not more love than to give his life for his friends”. (Jn 15.13)

These two lives have been extinguished for that restructured a light of hope. The two seeds are dead and life began to blossom... Maria Javier and Guillermina had offered their lives so that the plague ends. Effectively, after their death, the sick have recovered slowly and desolation was no longer that of the past.

And now here is the summary of the story:
Maria Javier and Guillermina, had a boat and a net of dreams, illusions, projects... but one day Jesus went next to them and told them: “Let the nets because now you will be sinning mankind... Come with ME”...! They, seduced by the deep eyes and the voice of the Master, left everything and followed his tracks...

After this time there and until today, the entire population of Totoras community pays tribute to Sister Maria Javier and Sister Guillermina, under the title of “Martyrs of charity”.
If you want to pray through their mediation, here is prayer:
 

Olga Trevisanut fmnd

PRAYER

Lord and our Father, giver of all good,
spread your abundant graces upon us and upon all men,

through the merits of Jesus and by the generous donation of the Franciscan Sisters
Maria Javier and Guillermina, Martyrs of charity.

Imitating Mary, they said a total YES
serving the sick brother of plague, to give their own lives.

Also, gives us the generosity in the service of our brothers
and to be faithful to YOU, in the mission that YOU have entrusted to us.
Amen

(With ecclesiastical approval)