Thought for the Day – 15 May – The Imitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary By Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)
Extracts from The Imitation
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
By Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471
Imprimatur 17 February 1947
Chapter V
OUR DUTIES TO MARY
i. You must still learn, my son, how to seek God as Mary did.
You must lean upon her powerful aid and be ever doubtful of your own strength, for fear of being enmeshed here below in your passions.
Everyday you should rise above yourself with new thoughts and tender your desires to Heaven, toward the Heaven in which you see Mary your Queen, near Jesus the King and in the midst of the Court of Angels.
Alas! Often our weakness will force us to descend into this vale of tears!
It is then, above all, it will be necessary to make an effort
to raise the voice in frequent supplication to Mary, who is the mother of mercy, so that she may tell her merciful Son how our soul lacks the wine of fervour, how it has need of the perfume of piety, in order to be able to praise Him as one should praise God.
Because He alone, in truth, hastens to succour those who, in order to please Him ,have scorned the world and those, who are, for His sake scorned by the world because of His Name and His holy Gospel.
ii. It is often important indeed, to know of a refuge in which one may hide oneself against storms, in the presence of tempests, of tribulation.
There is no spot, no place more secure, no port more tranquil, than the bosom of Mary.
So, there is no runner more rapid to support us against the blows of the enemy, than an ardent prayer, rising from the plain to the well-armed stronghold of the Virgin Mary. This stronghold is the same one in which Jesus entered, to be clothed therein with a body like unto an armour, so as to chase afar the prince of darkness.
Enter you too, within that fortress so as to be sheltered from those who assail you.
Remain under the mantle of the Virgin Mary; you will be protected by the arms of a mother.
The prayer of Mary puts to flight the.destructive rabble of evil enemies: her aid snatches us from imminent peril.
Near her, he who wavers, finds support and he who is abandoned, assistance.
It is a benefit, a very great benefit, for you, if you know how to
show yourself worthy in this regard and, at the same time,
strive attentively to please the Virgin Mary in everything.
You will thus merit her graces here below and His glory on
high, in the company of the Saints.
Attach yourself to her and do not leave her until she has granted you her blessing, so as to lead you to Heaven.
iii. Prayer:
O Mary, I Entrust Myself to Thine Heart
O Mary, O mistress filled with clemency,
in the name of pure love and affection,
I remain at thy feet.
I beg thee, give to my heart,
an increase of confidence.
Fear pursues me and doubt gnaws at me;
despair assails me in the midst of temptations:
only one thing is still able to console me –
it is that, I have sought
to be harkened by thee, O Mother,
I entrust myself to thine heart.
(By Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)
Monastic Enchiridion, Chapter IV)
Translated by Fr & Dr Célestin Albin de Cigala (1865-1928)
Faculty of Paris (1947)
Doctor of Theology and Philosophy
AnaStpaul 