I. THE THREE PRINCIPLES FOR SUCCESS IN "STARTING AFRESH FROM CHRIST WITH MARY" AS CONSECRATED PERSONS.

1. The supreme light of the Gospels

           This first principle must be clear; the most genuine and most important source to establish the contents of the programme "starting afresh from Christ with Mary" is Sacred Scripture, especially the Books of the New Testament and in a particular way the Gospels. The Christ to be contemplated and the Christ from whom to start afresh at the beginning of the new millennium is, above all, the one presented in the Gospels, which are the true core or heart of all the Scripture. Every Christian is called to meditate on the Christological and Marian contents of the Gospel and find in them the spiritual nourishment to live daily in a coherent way the Baptismal sanctity, which is that of being and acting always as a new creature "in Christ".

          Every consecrated person is called to meditate assiduously on the texts of the Gospel and the other texts of the New Testament which illustrate the form of life of Christ and of the Virgin Mary, to find in them the reason for our own form of life.  The central person of the Gospels is Christ. Next to him and in deep communion with him is the Virgin Mary, Virgin and Mother, who occupies a very particular place. Luke is the Evangelist who describes better the importance of the person of Mary.

          As is noted, the Gospels should be interpreted in the line of living Tradition and according to the doctrinal orientations of the Magisterium of the Church.  The Pope wishing to underline, as a priority, the evangelical sense of the program "starting afresh from Christ",  places in the first place the affirmation: "The programme already exists: it is the plan found in the Gospel and in the living Tradition"  (NMI 29).  He also indicated that it is not possible "to start afresh from Christ" (title of the third chapter) without having contemplated His face in the Gospel: (title of the second chapter).