Quote/s of the Day – 19 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – nd the Memorial of St John Eudes (1601-1680) Confessor, “The Apostle of Two Hearts”
“The crosses with which our path through life is strewn, associate us with Jesus in the Mystery of His Crucifixion.”
“No-one who shall invoke this Mother of Grace, with devotion and perseverance, can possibly perish forever.”
“Let infidels and heretics, let the relatives and the friends of bad Catholics, weep without consolation and weep unceasingly, for the death of their departed ones!”
St John Eudes (1601-1680) “The Apostle of Two Hearts”
Quote/s of the Day – 18 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Within the Octave of the Assumption
“No matter how sinful one may have been, if he has devotion to Mary, it is impossible that he be lost.”
St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church
“The very fact that God has elected her, proves, that none was ever holier than Mary; if any stain had disfigured her soul, if any other virgin had been purer and holier, God would have selected her and rejected Mary.”
St Jacob of Sarug (c 451-521) Bishop, Theologian, Poet, Writer
“At the mention of this name [the Blessed Virgin Mary], the Angels rejoice and the devils tremble. Through this invocation, sinners obtain grace and pardon.”
St Peter Canisius SJ (1521-1397) Doctor of the Church
“Let us run to Mary and, as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with a perfect confidence.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 18 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Within the Octave of the Assumption – Judith 13:22-25; 13:15; 13:10, Luke 1:41-50
“Most blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.” – Luke 1:42
REFLECTION – “This woman will be the Mother of God, the door to light, source of life. She will reduce to oblivion the judgement that weighed on Eve. “The rich among the people seek the face” of this woman, “the kings of the nations shall pay her homage”, they shall “offer gifts”…, yet the glory of the Mother of God is an interior glory: the fruit of her womb.
O woman, so worthy of love, thrice happy, “blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.” Daughter of David the king and Mother of God, King of the universe, masterpiece in whom the Creator rejoices… thou art to be nature’s full achievement. For thou life is not thine, thou were not born for thyself alone but thou life is to be God’s. thou came into the world for Him, thou will serve for the salvation of all people, fulfilling God’s design, established from the beginning: the Incarnation of the Word and our own divinisation.Thy whole desire is to feed on the words of God, to be strengthened by their sap, like “a green olive tree in the house of God,” “like a tree planted by running water” thou ary the “tree of life” who “yielded its fruit in due season”…
He who is infinite, limitless, came to dwell in thy womb; God, the child Jesus, was nourished by thy milk. Thou art the ever-virginal doorway of God; thou hands hold thy God; thou lap is a throne raised up above the cherubim… Thou art the wedding chamber of the Spirit, the “city of the living God, gladdened by the runlets of the stream” that is to say, the waves of the Spirit’s gifts. Thou art “all fair, the Beloved” of God.” – St John Damascene (675-749) Monk, Theologian, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon on the Nativity of the Virgin 9 ).
PRAYER – O Lord, we beseech Thee, forgive the transgressions of Thy servant, and, forasmuch as by our own deeds we cannot please Thee, may we find safety through the prayers of, the Mother of Thy Son and our Lord.Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Quote/s of the Day – 16 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary”
Mary, Mother of Grace St Athanasius (297-373) Father & Doctor of the Church
It becomes you to be mindful of us, as you stand near Him who granted you all graces, for you are the Mother of God and our Queen. Help us for the sake of the King, the Lord God and Master, Who was born of you. For this reason, you are called full of grace. Remember us, most holy Virgin, and bestow on us gifts from the riches of your graces, Virgin full of graces. Amen
“Go to Mary and sing her praises and you will be enlightened. For it is through her, that the true Light shines on the sea of this life.”
St Ildephonsus (607-670)
“… The design of the Redeemer of our race was to bring about a birth and, as it were, a new creation to replace the one that went before. Therefore, just as in Paradise, He had taken a little clay out of the pure and spotless earth, to fashion the first Adam (Gn 2,7), so, at the moment of bringing about His Own Incarnation, He made use of another earth, so to speak, namely, this Pure and Immaculate Virgin, chosen from among all other beings He had created. It is in her that He, Adam’s Creator, has remade us in our very substance and become a new Adam (1Cor 15,45) that the old might be saved by the new and eternal.”
Thought for the Day – 15 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
“Even as Christ, by His Own Power, rose from the grave, so, by reason of His intervention, the soul of Mary was re-united, after a short separation, with her body and she was taken up, body and soul into everlasting glory. It was fitting that this privilege should have been bestowed upon the Mother of God. It would have been unbecoming for the Immaculate flesh , in which the Divine Body of Jesus was formed, to have been allowed to corrupt in the grave. It was fitting too that she, who was to be proclaimed Queen of Angels and of men, should have come immediately to her throne of glory, with her humanity integral and unimpaired. Her resurrection was, moreover, the reward of her virginal purity. From the first moment of her conception, she was preserved free from Original Sin and from every evil inclination and, throughout her life, she advanced, further and further, in the way of perfection.
We shall rise one day too, O Blessed Mother. Grant in your great love for us that we may so imitate your example. to deserve to rise in glory and to be associated with you, in everlasting happiness.”
Quote/s of the Day – 15 August –“The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – The Assumption
“In what possible way could you be acceptable to death, O Immaculate one? You are the bridge of life and the Ladder to Heaven: you are a boat over the sea of death reaching to immortality!”
St John Damascene (675-749) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Now, behold, Mary leaves the earth and calling to mind the many graces she had there received from her Lord, she looks on it affectionately. And now, Jesus offers her His Hand and the Blessed Mother rises in the air, passes beyond the clouds and arrives at the Gates of Heaven.”
St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
One Minute Reflection – 15 August – The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Judith 13:22-25; 15:10, Luke 1:41-50
“For behold, henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed.” – Luke 1:48
REFLECTION – “If Saint Mary Magdalene – who had been a sinner and from whom the Lord had cast out seven demons – merited to be glorified by him to the extent that her praise abides forever among the assembly of the saints, who can measure the extent to which “the upright rejoice and dance for joy in the presence of the Lord” with regard to holy Mary, who knew not man? … If the Apostle Peter, – who was not only unable to watch for one hour with Christ but, who even went so far as to deny him, – afterwards won such favour that the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven were entrusted to him, of what praises is holy Mary not worthy, who bore the King of Angels Himself in her womb, He Whom the Heavens cannot contain? If Saul, who “breathed murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord” … was the object of such mercy … that he was “caught up to the third heaven, whether in the body or out of the body,” it is not surprising, that the holy Mother of God – who stayed beside her Son through all the trials He endured, from His cradle onwards – should have been lifted up to Heaven, even in her body and exalted high above the Choirs of Angels.
If there is “joy in heaven before the angels over one sinner who repents”, who can tell what joyful and lovely praises rise up before God, concerning Holy Mary who never sinned? … Indeed, if those who “once were darkness” and have now become “light in the Lord” “will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father,” who is able to tell “the eternal weight of glory” of Holy Mary, who came into the world “like dawn arising, beautiful as the moon, resplendent as the sun” and of whom was born “the true light which enlightens everyone coming into the world?” Moreover, since our Lord said: “Whoever serves me must follow me and where I am, there will my servant also be,” where do we think His Mother must be, who served Him with such eagerness and fidelity? If she followed Him and obeyed Him, even to death, no-one can wonder, that now, more than anyone else, she “follows the Lamb wherever he goes.” – St Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167) – Cistercian Monk – 2nd sermon for the Assumption
PRAYER – Almighty, everlasting God, Who took up, body and soul, the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Thy Son, into heavenly glory, grant, we beseech Thee, that, always devoting ourselves to heavenly things, we may be found worthy to share in her glory. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 15 August – The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Fly, My Soul, with Mary Fly! By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor (From “The Glories of Mary” Trans. Redemptoris Fathers, 1931)
Fly, my soul, with Mary fly! Soar beyond the golden sky, Mount to Mary’s throne on high.
Bright the queenly crown she won, Sweet the reign she has begun, As she stands beside her Son. Fly, my soul, with Mary fly.
How endure this long delay? Living here, how can I stay From such beauty far away? Fly, my soul, with Mary fly.
Sad my lot is here below; Who can hope or life bestow? Who will help or pity show? Fly, my soul, with Mary fly.
But, although far away from me, Still our sovereign Queen will be Full of love and clemency. Fly, my soul, with Mary fly.
With a mother’s loving care She will lift those hands so fair And will save us by her prayer. Fly, my soul, with Mary fly.
Mother’s heart can ne’er forget That we are her children yet, By such dangers fierce beset. Fly, my soul, with Mary fly.
Gently, still, she bends her eyes On the soul that longs and sighs For her love, the heavenly prize. Fly, my soul, with Mary fly.
Blest the soul who, like the dove Borne upon the wings of love, Follows her to Heaven above. Fly, my soul, with Mary fly!
St Alypius of Thagaste (Died 430) Bishop Bishop of the See of Thagaste (in what is now Algeria) in 394, Confessor, Reformer, Defender of the Faith against heresy, Lawyer, teacher, spiritual advisor. He was a lifelong disciple and friend of Saint Augustine of Hippo and joined him in his conversion (in 386; Confessions 8.12.28) and life in Christianity. He is credited with helping establish Augustine’s Monastery in Africa. Most of what is known about him comes from Augustine’s autobiographical Confessions. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2021/08/15/saint-of-the-dy-saint-alypius-of-thagaste-died-430/
Blessed Alfred of Hildesheim OSB (Died 874) Bishop, Benedictine Monk, Confessor, Founder of Essen Abbey, Hildesheim Cathedral, many Convents, Schools and Seminaries, Royal Spiritual Adviser to the East Frankish King Louis the German, Diplomatic Peacemaker, he was know for his great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. His Lifestory: https://anastpaul.com/2020/08/15/saint-of-the-day-15-august-blessed-alfred-of-hildesheim-osb-died-874-bishop/
Blessed Aimo Taparelli OP (c 1395-1495) Priest of the Order of Preachers Bl Alberto Berdini of Sarteano St Arduinus of Rimini St Napoleon of Alexandria
St Simplician (c 320-c 401) Archbishop of Milan and Successor of St Ambrose (340-397) Doctor of the Church in the Archdiocese of Milan, Teacher, Catechist, Writer, Mystic. St Ambrose used to call Simplician father, as a sign of spiritual relationship but they were also great friends. Simplician took also an active part in the conversions of both Alypius of Thagaste and Augustine of Hippo. The meeting between Augustine and Simplican occurred in Milan in 386 and it is recorded in Augustine’s Confessions. After his conversion, Augustine also called Simplician father and in 397 he dedicated to Simplician two books on the issue of predestination, known as De Diversis Quaestionibus ad Simplicianum. St Augustine, remembered and referred to him with deep gratitude, calling him the “spiritual father of my soul” and would submit his own writings to him to review and comment. Details of the life of St Simplician here: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/08/15/saint-of-the-day-15-august-st-simplician-of-milan/
Martyrs of Nicomedia – 3 Saints: Three Christians Martyred together. No details survive but the names – Eutychian, Philip and Straton. They were martyred in Nicomedia, Bithynia (in modern Turkey).
The Ninth Day: Mary in Heaven, the Help of Christians on Earth
Preparatory Prayer by St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
O Mary, Virgin most Blessed and Mother of Our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ, through thy mercy I beseech thee, to come to my aid and to inspire me with such confidence in thy power that I may have recourse to thee, pray to thee and implore thy aid, in all needs of soul and body. Amen
Meditation: Mary’s succour as Mother of mercy is not confined to individuals. She is the protectress and helper of the whole Church. All over the earth, wherever we cast our glance, in the records of the history of times, long past and those of recent occurrence, we find testimony of the graces and benefits, obtained through her intercession. The feasts celebrated by the Church, throughout the year, what are they but evidences of gratitude, offered to the Queen of Heaven for the oftentimes, miraculous delivery from war, pestilence and other great afflictions? Hence she is rightly invoked as the “Help of Christians.”
The processional Statue of St John Bosco’s Our Lady Help of Christians in Turin
Practice: In our days, too, storms and dangers threaten the Church. Let us, therefore, by calling on Mary for help, do our part toward shortening the days of visitation and trial. Let us not confine our petitions, to her, within the narrow limits, of our own personal needs but let us join in the cry for assistance ascending to the Mother of mercy, throughout all Christendom. Let us daily, for Holy Church, send up our petition to Mary’s heavenly throne: “Help of Christians, pray for us!”
Prayer of the Church: We beseech Thee, O Lord, pardon the shortcomings of Thy servants that we who, by our own works, are not able to please Thee, may be saved by the intercession of the Mother of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Novena Prayer: Day Nine
Glorious Virgin and Mother of God, Mary, Queen of Heaven! Forget us not! Thou art the help of Christians; lighten our tribulations and help us with motherly intercession at the throne of thy Divine Son. With Holy Church, I join in the petition to thee: “Holy Mary, aid the miserable, assist the desponding, strengthen the weak, pray for thy people, plead for the clergy, intercede for the devout mothers, woman and consecrated woman. Let all who have recourse to thee experience the efficacy of thy succour!” And my holy Mother and Queen, forget not, my special petition …………….
Hail Mary …….
Ejaculation: Sweet heart of Mary be my salvation!
Indulgence. (1) 100 days, every time. (2) A Plenary Indulgence, once a month, on any day, to all who shall have said it everyday for a month, under the usual conditions.
Preparatory Prayer by St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
O Mary, Virgin most Blessed and Mother of Our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ, through thy mercy I beseech thee, to come to my aid and to inspire me with such confidence in thy power that I may have recourse to thee, pray to thee and implore thy aid, in all needs of soul and body. Amen
Meditation: Mary is, then, a Queen and what a consolation to know it!– a Queen always mild and gentle, always willing to confer benefits upon us. Hence the Church teaches us, to call her the Mother of mercy. The pious and learned Poet and Writer, Jean Charlier de Gerson (1363-1429) says: “God’s dominion comprises Justice and mMrcy. He divided it, retaining the administration of Justice for Himself and relinquishing, in a certain sense, the dispensation of mercy to Mary, by conferring through her hands, all graces He grants to mankind.” H,ow consoling, then, the assurance that our merciful Mother is so mighty and so loving a queen!
Practice: So great is the tenderness of Mary’s maternal heart: “that never was it known that anyone who fled to her protection, implored her help and sought her intercession, was left unaided. How many prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, ascend daily to the throne of this our exalted and merciful protectress! There is not a cry of an afflicted, struggling and suffering soul that she does not graciously hear. Join, therefore, confidently in the prayer of Holy Church, “Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy.” Approach her with filial trust. Neglect not to honour her yourself and do all in your power, to lead others to do her honour.
Prayer of the Church: We beseech Thee, O Lord, pardon the shortcomings of Thy servants that we who, by our own works, are not able to please Thee, may be saved by the intercession of the Mother of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Novena Prayer: Day Eight
Glorious Virgin and Mother of God, Mary! Holy Church teaches me that despite the glory to which thou wast exalted, thou didst not forget thy miserable clients and that, in Heaven, thy mercy is still greater than it was during thy life on earth. Therefore, I come to thee and trustingly lay at thy feet, all my needs, miseries and petitions. My Queen, my Mother, turn not thy gracious eyes from me. Remember me to thy Divine Son; cease not to pray for me and take me under thy protection, so that I may finally have the happiness to see and praise thee in thy glory forever and ever. And once more, at thy feet, I beg thee to hear and grant, my special petition …………………….
Hail Mary …….
Ejaculation: Sweet heart of Mary be my salvation!
Indulgence. (1) 100 days, every time. (2) A Plenary Indulgence, once a month, on any day, to all who shall have said it everyday for a month, under the usual conditions.
One Minute Reflection – 13 August – Anticipated Vigil of the Assumption and the Feast of Our Lady, Refuge of Sinners – Ecclesiasticus 24:23-31, Luke 11:27-28
“Blessed is the womb that bore you ’” – Luke 11:27
REFLECTION – “By the Spirit, from the womb of the Virgin, was born our Head, the Son of Man and, by the same Spirit, in the waters of Baptism, we are reborn as His Body and as sons of God. And just as He was born without any sin, so we are reborn in the forgiveness of all our sins. As on the Cross, He bore the sum total of the whole Body’s sins in His own physical Body, so He gave His members the grace of rebirth, in order that no sin might be imputed to His Mystical Body. It is written: Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no sin. The blessed man of this text is undoubtedly Christ, Who forgives sins, insofar as God, is His Head. Insofar as this Man is the Head of the Body, no sin is forgiven Him. But, insofar as the Body that belongs to this Head, consists of many members, sin is not imputed to it.
Just as in Himself, it is He Who justifies Himself. He alone is both Saviour and saved. In His own Body on the Cross, He bore what He had washed from His Body by the waters of Baptism. Bringing salvation through wood and through water, He is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world which He took upon Himself. Himself a Priest, He offers Himself as sacrifice to God and He Himself, is God. Thus, through His own self, the Son is reconciled to Himself as God, as well as to the Father and to the Holy Spirit.” – Blessed Isaac of Stella O.Cist. (c 1100 – c 1170) Cistercian Monk, Abbot, Theologian, Philosopher (An excerpt from his Sermon 42),
PRAYER – O God, Who chose for Thy dwelling the virginal womb of the blessed Mary, grant, we beseech Thee, that, with the help of her protection, we may with joym take part in her festival. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Preparatory Prayer By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
O Mary, Virgin most Blessed and Mother of Our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ, through thy mercy I beseech thee, to come to my aid and to inspire me with such confidence in thy power that I may have recourse to thee, pray to thee and implore thy aid, in all needs of soul and body. Amen
Meditation: According to Holy Scripture and the Doctrine of the Church, there are, in Heaven, various grades of glory and joy, according to the rank and merit of the Saints. They attain this higher grade of glory and joy, by the increase of their ability to enjoy the happiness of Heaven. Their intellect is enabled to contemplate, more profoundly, the incomprehensible Essence of God. Their power of perception, is augmented so that they may more readily recognise and admire, the splendour of the Angels, Saints and heavenly mansions. Their will is enabled to be united, in a higher degree with God. From this we may conclude that Mary’s joy in Heaven transcends all human conception. Her heavenly glory and reward consists in the perfect adaptation of her whole being, to the enjoyment of God and of eternal happiness
Practice: Look up, Christian soul, to this great and brilliant Queen of Heaven. She is your gentle Mother and assures you of her help and the diadem she wears upon her brow is a proof that she has the power to help you. Do not, therefore, refuse the hand of this mighty ally in Heaven, for she will lift you from the depths of your misery, from the dangers of temptation and lead you strong and victorious, into the Presence of her Divine Son. Thus, you will enter into a new and supernatural life in Christ, to share in the grace-laden Mysteries of His Light, Passion and Triumph.
Prayer of the Church: We beseech Thee, O Lord, pardon the shortcomings of Thy servants that we who, by our own works, are not able to please Thee, may be saved by the intercession of the Mother of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Novena Prayer: Day Seven
O Great and glorious Queen of Heaven, Mary! I beseech thee, by that exalted throne upon which God has raised thee, above all Angels and Daints; let me one day, appear amongst them, to join them in their praise of thee. Obtain for me the grace of never ceasing to honour thee, as thou dost deserve to be honoured, and thereby, to become worthy of thy mighty protection in life and death. I beseech thee too, O holy Mother, for the granting of this, my special petition: …………………………………
Hail Mary …….
Ejaculation: Sweet heart of Mary be my salvation!
Indulgence: (1) 100 days, every time. (2) A Plenary Indulgence, once a month, on any day, to all who shall have said it everyday for a month, under the usual conditions.
Preparatory Prayer by St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
O Mary, Virgin most Blessed and Mother of Our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ, through thy mercy I beseech thee, to come to my aid and to inspire me with such confidence in thy power that I may have recourse to thee, pray to thee and implore thy aid, in all needs of soul and body. Amen
Meditation: Mary’s glory received its culmination by her coronation as Queen of Heaven and earth. It was meet that in her, should be fulfilled, the words of Holy Scripture: “Come from Libanus, my Spouse, come, thou shalt be crowned” (Cant. 4:81) and, that her own prophetic words, “He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble” (Luke 1:52) should be exemplified in her. For it was reasonable and becoming that she, who once with Jesus, wore the crown of shame and contempt, should now share with Him, the crown of immortal glory. It was but fair and just that, the immaculate being, who was chosen above all inhabitants of heaven and earth, to be the true and worthy Mother of God, should now be solemnly installed over all creatures in Heaven and on earth, as the Queen of Angels and men and that, to her, should be offered homage, praise and honour, by the blessed spirits and by the souls of the Saints. But the crown which she received,is not one made of gold and precious stones, it is composed of the virtues with which Mary, in faithful co-operation with Divine grace, embellished herself. It consists, too, of all the homage and glory, which she receives, as Queen of Heaven. The most precious gem, in this crown, is the filial love and gratitude, Jesus shows toward His Mother in Heaven.
Practice: Indeed, “eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man,” what the heavenly Father has prepared in the mansions of eternal bliss, for His beloved Daughter, the Son for His Blessed Mother, and the Holy Ghost, for His chosen Spouse. She is now Queen of Heaven and earth – of Heaven, for she is the Queen of all Angels and Saints; of earth, for as Mother of God, she is the Mother of all mankind, the mediatrix between the Redeemer and the redeemed. You, too, may contribute a gem toward the crown of your heavenly Mother, by paying her filial homage, imitating her virtues and preserving, for the love of her, your innocence and purity of heart and body.
Prayer of the Church: We beseech Thee, O Lord, pardon the shortcomings of Thy servants that we who, by our own works, are not able to please Thee, may be saved by the intercession of the Mother of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Novena Prayer: Day Six
Glorious Virgin and Mother of God, Mary! I beseech thee, through the everlasting crown of glory with which God has crowned thee, Queen of Heaven and earth; obtain for me, through thy mighty intercession, the grace to persevere in virtue to the end, so that finally, I may attain the crown of bliss prepared by God. for those that love Him. I beseech thee too, glorious Queen and Mother, for this my special petition ………………
Hail Mary …….
Ejaculation: Sweet heart of Mary be my salvation!
Indulgence. (1) 100 days, every time. (2) A Plenary Indulgence, once a month, on any day, to all who shall have said it everyday for a month, under the usual conditions.
Our Morning Offering – 11 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary”
Hail, O Mother! By St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father and Doctor of the Church
Hail, O Mother! Virgin, heaven, throne, glory of our Church, it’s foundation and ornament. Earnestly pray for us to Jesus, your Son and Our Lord, that through your intercession, we may have mercy on the day of judgement. Pray that we may receive, all those good things which are reserved for those who love God. Through the grace and favour of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, to Whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be power, honour and glory, now and forever. Amen
The Fifth Day: Mary’s Glorious Entrance into Heaven
Preparatory Prayer by St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
O Mary, Virgin most Blessed and Mother of Our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ, through thy mercy I beseech thee, to come to my aid and to inspire me with such confidence in thy power that I may have recourse to thee, pray to thee and implore thy aid, in all needs of soul and body. Amen
Meditation: Joy greater, than human heart can conceive, fills the heavenly spirits when a soul enters Heaven, to receive its reward. What jubilant transports, then, must those have been, with which they hailed the entrance into heavenly bliss of the most pure and holy Virgin, the Mother of the Son of God, body and soul, transfigured in glory! And she is and shall be, for all eternity, their mistress and Queen! What an ineffable joy, too, for the Blessed Virgin, to behold the countless numbers of Angels, to admire their beauty, their purity, their intense love of God! But as the feeble light of a candle disappears before the splendour of the sun’s rays, thus are these choirs of Angels, obscured by the ineffable glory of her Divine Son, coming to welcome His Mother. Who can describe this moving meeting? What a superabundant reward for love and suffering! What an ocean of joy and bliss, when the Son of God presented His Mother before the throne of His heavenly Father, Who greeted her as His Beloved Daughter! What a joy to behold the Holy Ghost, Whose pure Spouse she had been, even on earth! These transports of bliss baffle all attempts at description.
Practice: Although we are unable to have an adequate perception of Mary’s glory in Heaven, by which she is raised above all Angels and Saints, yet, it is in our power, to do one thing – we can rejoice at the glory of our Blessed Mother and join the heavenly spirits and the Saints, in paying homage to her. Let us resolve to do this and never to forget that Mary attained to the largest share of her Divine Son’s glory because, she was foremost in sharing His sufferings. Let this encourage us to bear our cross, to bear it with our Saviour, even to the height of Calvary, there to die with Him.
Prayer of the Church: We beseech Thee, O Lord, pardon the shortcomings of Thy servants that we who, by our own works, are not able to please Thee, may be saved by the intercession of the Mother of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Novena Prayer: Day Five
Glorious Virgin and Mother of God, Mary! I beseech thee through the preparation with which thou wast glorified by God– by the Father ,as His most Beloved Daughter, by the Son, as His Immaculate Mother and by the Holy Ghost, as His most pure Spouse, in Heaven; obtain for me the grace to share, to some extent, this, thy glory and, therefore, to live so that I may deserve it. And too most Blessed Mother, this, my special Petition: ………………….
Hail Mary …….
Ejaculation: Sweet heart of Mary be my salvation!
Indulgence. (1) 100 days, every time. (2) A Plenary Indulgence, once a month, on any day, to all who shall have said it everyday for a month, under the usual conditions.
The Fourth Day: Reasons for the Bodily Assumption of Mary into Heaven
Preparatory Prayer by St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
O Mary, Virgin most Blessed and Mother of Our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ, through thy mercy I beseech thee, to come to my aid and to inspire me with such confidence in thy power that I may have recourse to thee, pray to thee and implore thy aid, in all needs of soul and body. Amen
Meditation: The wages of sin is death. Now, as the Blessed Virgin, from the first moment of her existence was preserved from all sin and even from original sin, it necessarily follows that death could have no permanent dominion over her and that, her body would not be permitted to see corruption.
This sinless body had been the medium by which the Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who was the conqueror of death, had been formed. How, then, could such a highly privileged body, a pure and virginal body, be permitted to pass through corruption and decay?
As Mary had yielded up her sacred person to be a dwelling-place for the Lord of Heaven, it seems fitting that this same Lord, in His turn, should give the Kingdom of Heaven to her as her resting-place. St Bernard expresses this sentiment as follows: “When Our Lord came into this world, Mary furnished Him with the noblest dwelling on earth, the temple of her virginal womb. In return, the Lord,on this day, raises her up to the highest throne in Heaven.”
Practice: If You desire to look forward to death, without fear and to expect your dissolution with confidence, follow the Apostle’s injunction, “Therefore, whilst we have time, let us do good works, to all men” (Gal. 6:10). Avoid sin, perform good works, be patient in affliction and strive to expiate the punishment due to your sins by voluntary acts of penance, thus reducing your inclination to sin. Therefore, offer up to God, every morning, in a spirit of penitence, all your labours, trials and sufferings.
Prayer of the Church: We beseech Thee, O Lord, pardon the shortcomings of Thy servants that we who, by our own works, are not able to please Thee, may be saved by the intercession of the Mother of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Novena Prayer: Day Four
Glorious Virgin and Mother of God, Mary! I beseech thee through the ineffable glory, thou didst make for thy departure from this world by a life of retirement, full of merits and virtue, dedicated to God alone; obtain for me the grace, of, following thy example, that I may detach my heart from this world and patiently bear affliction and adversity, carefully avoid sin and always strive to advance in the love of God. Obtain for me too, I beg thee Holy Mother, this my special petition ……………………
Hail Mary …….
Ejaculation:Sweet heart of Mary be my salvation!
Indulgence: (1) 100 days, every time. (2) A Plenary Indulgence, once a month, on any day, to all who shall have said it everyday for a month, under the usual conditions.
Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption, the Third Day
The Third Day: The Empty Tomb
Preparatory Prayer by St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
O Mary, Virgin most Blessed and Mother of Our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ, through thy mercy I beseech thee, to come to my aid and to inspire me with such confidence in thy power that I may have recourse to thee, pray to thee and implore thy aid, in all needs of soul and body. Amen
Meditation: St John Damascene (675-749) Father and Doctor of the Church, writes: “St Thomas was not with the other Apostles when the Blessed Virgin died but arrived in Jerusalem on the third day after that event. Ardently desiring to see once more and to venerate the sacred body which had given flesh and blood to his Beloved Master, the grave was opened for this purpose. The body could nowhere be seen and a delicious perfume filled the empty tomb. The Apostles then became convinced, that as God had preserved the body of Mary free from sin before, in and after the Birth of His Son, He was pleased, likewise, after her death, to preserve that same body from corruption and, to glorify it in Heaven.”
A Council held in Jerusalem, in the year 1672, declared: “It is beyond all doubt, that the Blessed Virgin is not only a great and miraculous sign on earth because she bore God in the flesh and yet remained a virgin but, she is also, a great and miraculous sign in Heaven because she was taken up to Heaven, with soul and body. For although her sinless body was enclosed in the tomb, yet, like the body of Our Lord, it arose on the third day and was carried up to Heaven.”
Although the Doctrine of the bodily Assumption of Mary into Heaven, was not defined by the Church as an Article of Faith in the strict sense, yet, the learned Pope Benedict XIV rdeclares, “It would be presumptuous and blameworthy in anyone, to call into doubt or to question, this beautiful and consoling belief of ages.”
Practice: Let us rejoice at the thought of the glorious resurrection of our dear Mother. Let us unite ourselves in spirit with the Apostles in Heaven and with Holy Church, to congratulate her on this extraordinary privilege. But let us also rejoice at the thought of our own resurrection. True, it shall not take place immediately after death but. it is, therefore, not the less certain and it depends on us, to make it glorious and blessed.
Prayer of the Church: We beseech Thee, O Lord, pardon the shortcomings of Thy servants that we who, by our own works, are not able to please Thee, may be saved by the intercession of the Mother of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Novena Prayer: Day Three
Glorious Virgin and Mother of God, Mary! As thy sacred body, after death, was preserved from corruption and, united with thy sinless soul, was borne to Heaven by the Angels; obtain for me the grace that my life and death be holy, so that on the Day of Judgement, I may arise to glory everlasting. Obtain for me too, I beg thee, the granting of this my special petition: …………………………… Amen
Hail Mary …….
Ejaculation: Sweet heart of Mary be my salvation!
Indulgence. (1) 100 days, every time. (2) A Plenary Indulgence, once a month, on any day, to all who shall have said it everyday for a month, under the usual conditions.
Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption, the Second Day
The Second Day: At Mary’s Deathbed and Tomb
Preparatory Prayer by St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
O Mary, Virgin most Blessed and Mother of Our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ, through thy mercy I beseech thee, to come to my aid and to inspire me with such confidence in thy power that I may have recourse to thee, pray to thee and implore thy aid, in all needs of soul and body. Amen
Meditation:
Ancient legend relates that, led by Heaven, all the Apostles, except St Thomas, Wwho joined them a little later, assembled at the Blessed Virgin’s deathbed. After she had breathed forth her pure spirit, her sacred remains were prepared for the grave by wrapping the body in new white linen and decking it with flowers . Meanwhile ,the Apostles, assembled in another room, sang Psalms and Hymns, in praise of their departed Mother. The Apostles, all the disciples and the faithful dwelling in Jerusalem, followed the blessed remains to the grave chanting Psalms and Hymns. Arriving in the valley of Josaphat, the body was gently placed in a sepulcher of stone, not far from the Garden of Olives. After the entombment ,the Apostles and crowds of the faithful, lingered near the sacred spot in prayer, meditation and chanting of Psalms in which Angels’ voices were heard to mingle.
Practice:
Join in spirit with the Apostles and faithful in their prayer and meditation at the grave of our Blessed Mother. Contemplate and review her whole life. Could a course like hers have terminated more appropriately than with so beautiful, painless and tranquil a passing away? Prepare yourself, even now, for your departure from this life. Do not postpone the settlement of your affairs, spiritual and temporal, until the last uncertain hours. Above all, remove now, or as soon as possible, all doubts, anxieties and irregularities of conscience because, delay is dangerous and leads to impenitence and because, in the last hours, the powers of hell usually assail the departing soul with all their might.
Prayer of the Church: We beseech Thee, O Lord, pardon the shortcomings of Thy servants that we who, by our own works, are not able to please Thee, may be saved by the intercession of the Mother of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Novena Prayer: Day Two
Glorious Virgin, who for thy consolation didst deserve to die comforted by the sight of thy dear Son Jesus and in the company of the Apostles and Angels, pray for us, that at that awful moment we, too, may be comforted by receiving Jesus in the most holy Sacrament and may feel see nigh, when we breathe forth our soul. Obtain for me too, I beseech thee, this my special petition ……………….. Amen
Hail Mary …….
Ejaculation: Sweet heart of Mary be my salvation!
Indulgence . (1) 100 days, every time. (2) A Plenary Indulgence, once a month, on any day, to all who shall have said it everyday for a month, under the usual conditions.
Preparatory Prayer by St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
O Mary, Virgin most Blessed and Mother of Our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ, through thy mercy I beseech thee, to come to my aid and to inspire me with such confidence in thy power that I may have recourse to thee, pray to thee and implore thy aid, in all needs of soul and body. Amen
Meditation: Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, was conceived without original sin. She never dimmed by actual sin, the lustre of sanctifying grace which beautified her soul. Nevertheless, she had to pass through the dark prtal of death, before she was assumed, body and soul, into Heaven. She had not been endowed with the privilege of immortality, with which God had invested our first parents in paradise. It was meet that she should be like unto her Divine Son in everything, even in death. But as she had drained, the bitter cup of suffering during her whole life and especially, when standing beneath the Cross, her death was to be free from pain and suffering. She quietly passed away, yielding up her spirit, in a yearning desire to be united forever, with her Divine Son in Heaven.
Practice: If you have dispossessed your heart of all unruly attachment to the goods and enjoyments of this earth, you, too, may hope for a happy and tranquil transition, from this land of exile, to your home in Heaven. Therefore, if you are still attached to the transitory things of this life, disengage your heart from them now. The voluntary renouncement of earthly goods, alone is meritorious before God. The separation from them, enforced by the strong hand of death, is of no supernatural value.
Prayer of the Church:We beseech Thee, O Lord, pardon the shortcomings of Thy servants that we who, by our own works, are not able to please Thee, may be saved by the intercession of the Mother of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Novena Prayer: Day One
O Most benign Mother Mary! I rejoice that by thy happy and tranquil death, the yearning of thy heart was appeased and thy life, so rich in merit and sacrifice, received its crown. I rejoice that after passing from this life, thou, O most loving Mother, was made the glorious and powerful Queen of Heaven and dost exercise thy influence as such, for the benefit of thy frail, exiled children on earth. Obtain for me, I beseech thee, this my special petition ……………….. and a happy death that I may praise and glorify thy might and kindness, forever in Heaven. Amen
Hail Mary …….
Ejaculation:Sweet heart of Mary be my salvation!
Indulgence. – (1) 100 days, every time. (2) A Plenary Indulgence, once a month, on any day, to all who shall have said it everyday for a month, under the usual conditions.
Begins 6 August in preparation for the Feast on 15 August – a Holy Day.
On 1 November 1950, Pope Pius XII defined the Dogma of the Assumption. Thus he solemnly proclaimed that the belief whereby, the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the close of her earthly life, was taken up, body and soul, into the Glory of Heaven, definitively forms part of the deposit of faith, received from the Apostles. To avoid all that is uncertain, the Pope did not state either the manner or the circumstances of time and place in which the Assumption took place — only the fact of the Assumption of Mary, body and soul, into the Glory of Heaven, is the matter of the definition.
Lord Jesus Christ, Thou has destroyed the power of death and given the hope of eternal life, for body and soul.
Thou granted Thy Mother a special place in Thy glory and did not allow decay to touch her body.
As we rejoice in the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grant us renewed confidence in the victory of life over death. Amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 5 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Santa Mariæ ad Nives, Dedication of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Snows
“Mary, Mother of Grace, it becomes you to be mindful of us, as you stand near Him who granted you all graces, for you are the Mother of God and our Queen. Help us for the sake of the King, the Lord God and Master, Who was born of you.”
St Athanasius (297-373) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Mary was placed by God in the centre of history and we can say that everything was made through her and with her and in her.”
St Bernard (1090-1153) Mellifluous Doctor of the Church
“Mary is the divine Page on which God the Father wrote the Word of God, His Son. Let us draw near to her and read her!”
St Albert the Great (1200-1280) Doctor of the Church
“Mary seeks for those who approach her devoutly and with reverence, for such she loves, nourishes, and adopts as her children. ”
St Bonaventure (1221-1274) Seraphic Doctor of the Church
Blessed Shall be Her Name Anonymous Author
Praise we the Lord this day, This day so long foretold, Whose promise shone with cheering ray On waiting saints of old.
The prophet gave the sign That those with faith might read; A Virgin, born of David’s line Shall bear the promised Seed.
Ask not how this should be, But worship and adore; Like her whom Heaven’s majesty Came down to shadow o’er.
She meekly bowed her head To hear the gracious word, Mary, the pure and lowly maid, The favoured of the Lord.
Blessed shall be her name In all the Church on earth, Through whom that wondrous Mercy came, The Incarnate Saviour’s Birth.
Jesus, the Virgin’s Son, We praise You and adore, Who are with God the Father One And Spirit evermore. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 5 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Dedication of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Snows
Blessed Virgin Mary, Receive Our Gratitude! By St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of Grace
Blessed Virgin Mary, who can worthily repay you with praise and thanks for having rescued a fallen world by your generous consent! Receive our gratitude and by your prayers, obtain the pardon of our sins. Take our prayers into the Sanctuary of Heaven and enable them to make our peace with God. Holy Mary, help the miserable, strengthen the discouraged, comfort the sorrowful, pray for your people, plead for the clergy, intercede for all women consecrated to God. May all who venerate you feel now your help and protection. Be ready to help us when we pray and bring back to us, the answers to our prayers. Make it your continual concern to pray for the people of God, for you were blessed by God and were made worthy to bear the Redeemer of the world, Who lives and reigns forever. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 3 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary”
Hymn to Mary the Virgin By St Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) Doctor of the Church.
Virgin adored and clothed with the sun, grant me thine aid. Virgin most beautiful, mystical rose, take abode in my heart. Virgin most chaste, all undefiled, grant me true peace. Virgin deserving of all honour and praise, give me thy love. Virgin elect and full of all grace, lead me to God. Virgin most blessed, star of the sea, dispel the storms besetting me. Virgin most virtuous, holy and sweet, show me the way. Virgin illustrious, with thy burning light, enlighten thou my mind. Virgin more precious than jewels or gold, make reparation for me. Virgin most worthy of all praise, mother, daughter and immaculate spouse. Virgin and Mother, make me more pleasing to Jesus thy Son. Virgin most innocent of any stain or fault, make me more worthy of God. Virgin enriched with every gift and grace, obtain the remission of my sins. Virgin most pure, grant me to enjoy the bliss of heavenly love. Virgin, thou lily among thorns, I pray thee for the grace of a happy death. Virgin more rare than the rarest dream, bring joy to my heart. Virgin so great, there is none like thee on earth, bring peace to my soul. Virgin most true, loving Mother too, Virgin Mary. Amen.
St Robert Bellarmine’s Hymn to Mary the Virgin: Among St Robert’s extant writing, there is a short poem of twenty stanzas which he composed in the nature of a Litany to the Blessed Virgin. The text was first published in Italian some fifty years ago and to the best of the writer’s knowledge, has never been translated into English. Each verse-line begins with the name “Virgin,” joined to a title and petition to Our Lady, starting with the letter “A” and going down the Italian alphabet to “V.” Thus the first seven verses begin with the invocation: “Vergine adorna … Vergine Bella …Vergine casta … Vergine degna … Vergine eletta … Vergine felice … Vergine gradita …”
A translation to this tribute to the Virgin Mother reads as follows: – Servant of God Fr John A Hardon SJ (1914-2000).
August – The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Devotion to the Heart of Mary
Devotion to the Heart of Mary is but the consequence of the devotion due to the Heart of Jesus. It is a consequence of that boundless love of Jesus for His Most Holy Mother, which leads Him, to share with her ,all the riches and honours, as far as they can be communicated to a creature.
The Church never disassociates the Mother from her Divine Son, in the festivals which she celebrates in His honour. If she celebrates the Mysteries of the Saviour, from His Incarnation to His Ascension, she celebrates, likewise, all the Mysteries of Mary, from her Conceptions to her Assumption. The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Mary (Immaculate Heart of Mary) is, therefore, but the natural consequence of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Let us love and honour these Two Hearts, so intimately united; let us go to the Father through the Heart of Jesus; let us go to the Saviour through the Heart of Mary. Let us render to God the Father, through the Heart of Jesus, what we owe to His infinite justice and goodness and let us render to God, the Son, through the Heart of Mary what we owe to His Mercy and all His benefits to us. We shall obtain everything from the Father and the Holy Ghost through the Heart of Jesus and we shall obtain everything, through the Heart of Mary.
It is customary with many pious persons, to dedicate the Five First Saturdays of the month to the particular honour of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as the Nine First Friday are devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Thou art inviolate, undefiled and chaste, O Mary. Thou has been made the resplendent Gate of Heaven,
O loving and dearest Mother of Christ, Accept our devout acclamations in praise of thee.
That our minds and bodies may be pure, Devoted hearts and lips now implore thee.
Through thy sweet sounding prayers, Gain us pardon forever. O kind one, who alone didst remain inviolate.
The Hymn Inviolata has been claimed by the Carmelite Order, as a Traditional Hymn originating within their ranks. The Hymn is also used by Dominican Friars in the chanting of Compline. Its origins trace to the 11th century. It appears in Hymnals from 1860 to 1920.
Inviolata, integra, et casta es Maria, quae es effecta fulgida caeli porta.
O Mater alma Christi carissima, suscipe pia laudum praeconia.
Te nunc flagitant devota corda et ora, nostra ut pura pectora sint et corpora.
Tua per precata dulcisona, nobis concedas veniam per saecula.
O benigna! O Regina! O Maria, quae sola inviolata permansisti.
Our Morning Offering – 24 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood”
Virgin Full of Goodness, Mother of Mercy By St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor angelicus Doctor communis
Virgin full of goodness, Mother of mercy, I entrust to you my body and my soul, my thoughts and my actions, my life and my death. My Queen, come to my aid and deliver me from the snares of the devil. Obtain for me the grace of loving my Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, with a true and perfect love, and after Him, O Mary, of loving you with all my heart and above all things. Amen.
Thought for the Day – 17 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Humility of Mary
“O Holy Mary, you were humble in life, even though you were the Mother of God. Obtain for me too, the difficult virtue of humility. I know that it is the basis of all the virtues and draws the grace of God. You see how much I need to be humble. Grant that God may be the centre of my mind and of my heart. Grant that His glory may be, the object of all my actions and desires and the chief purpose of my life. Amen.”
Quote/s of the Day – 17 July – The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost – The Humility of Mary
“True humility scarcely ever utters words of humility.”
“Humility, makes our lives acceptable to God, meekness, makes us acceptable to men.”
“Humility is not just about self-mistrust but about the entrusting of ourselves to God. Distrusting ourselves and our own strength produces trust in God and from that trust, generosity of soul is born.”
The most holy Virgin, Our Lady, gave us an outstanding example of this when she spoke these words: “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38). When she said she was the handmaid of the Lord, she was performing the greatest act of humility it is possible to do and, all the more so, in that she was contradicting the praise given her by the angel – that she would be mother of God, t hat the child to be born from her womb would be called Son of the Most High, a greater dignity than any we might imagine – I say, she opposed her lowliness and unworthiness to all these praises and greatness, by saying t hat she was the handmaid of the Lord.”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church The Humility of Mary Excerpt from: “The Glories of Mary”
“Humility” says St. Bernard, “is the foundation and guardian of virtues” and with reason, for without it, no other virtue can exist in a soul. Should she possess all virtues, all will depart when humility is gone. But, on the other hand, as St Francis de Sales wrote to St Jane Frances de Chantal, “God so loves humility, that whenever He sees it, He is immediately drawn there.” This beautiful and so necessary virtue, was unknown in the world but the Son of God Himself came upon the earth, to teach it by His Own example and willed that in that virtue, in particular, we should endeavour to imitate Him – “Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of heart.”
Mary, being the first and most perfect disciple of Jesus Christ, in the practice of all virtues, was the first also in that of humility and by it, merited to be exalted above all creatures. It was revealed to St. Matilda that the first virtue in which the Blessed Mother particularly exercised herself, from her very childhood, was that of humility.
The first effect of humility of heart is a lowly opinion of ourselves: – “Mary had always so humble an opinion of herself, that,” as it was revealed to the same St Matilda, “although she saw herself enriched with greater graces, than all other creatures, she never preferred herself to anyone.” The Abbot Rupert, explaining the passage of the Sacred Canticles, Thou hast wounded my heart, my sister, my spouse, …with one hair of thy neck, [Cant. 4:9] says, that the humble opinion, which Mary had of herself, was precisely that hair of the Spouse’s neck, with which she wounded the heart of God.” Not indeed that Mary considered herself a sinner: for humility is truth, as St Teresa remarks and Mary knew that she had never offended God: nor was it that she did not acknowledge that she had received greater graces from God, than all other creatures; for a humble heart always acknowledges the special favours of the Lord, to humble herself the more but the Divine Mother, by the greater light wherewith she knew the infinite greatness and goodness of God, also knew, her own nothingness and, therefore, more than all others, humbled herself, saying with the Sacred Spouse – Do not consider that I am brown, because the sun hath altered my colour. [Cant. 1:5] That is, as St Bernard explains it, “When I approach Him, I find myself black.” “
Yes,” says St Bernardine, for “the Blessed Virgin had always the majesty of God and her own nothingness, present to her mind.” As a beggar, when clothed with a rich garment, which has been bestowed upon her, does not pride herself on it, in the presence of the giver but is rather humbled, being reminded thereby, of her own poverty, so also, the more Mary saw herself enriched, the more did she humble herself, remembering that all was God’s gift; whence she herself told St Elizabeth of Hungary, that “she might rest assured that she looked upon herself, as most vile and unworthy of God’s grace.” Therefore, St Bernardine says, that “after the Son of God, no creature in the world was so exalted as Mary because, no creature in the world ever humbled itself, as much as she did.”
Moreover, it is an act of humility to conceal heavenly gifts. Mary wished to conceal from St Joseph, the great favour whereby she had become the Mother of God, although it seemed necessary to make it known to him, if only to remove from the mind of her poor spouse, any suspicions as to her virtue, which he might have entertained on seeing her pregnant: or, at least the perplexity, in which it indeed threw him: for St. Joseph,, on the one hand, unwilling to doubt Mary’s chastity and on the other, ignorant of the Mystery, was minded to put her away privately. [Matt. 1:19] This he would have done, had not the Angel revealed to him that his Spouse was pregnant by the operation of the Holy Ghost.
Again, a soul that is truly humble refuses her own praise and should praises be bestowed on her, she refers them all to God. Behold, Mary is disturbed at hearing herself praised by St Gabriel and when St Elizabeth said, Blessed art thou among women … and whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? … blessed art thou that hast believed, [ Luke 1:42] Mary referred all to God, and answered in that humble Canticle, My soul doth magnify the Lord, [Ibid., 46-47] as if she had said: “Thou dost praise me, Elizabeth but I praise the Lord, to Whom alone honour is due, thou wonders that I should come to thee and I wonder at the Divine Goodness in which alone my spirit exults” and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.Thou praisest me because I have believed; I praise my God because He hath been pleased to exalt my nothingness: because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid. Hence Mary said to St Bridget: “I humbled myself so much and thereby, merited so great a grace because I though, and knew, that of myself I possessed nothing. For this same reason I did not desire to be praised, I only desired that praises should be given to the Creator and Giver of all.” Wherefore, an ancient author, speaking of the humility of Mary, says: “O truly blessed humility, which hath given God to men, opened Heaven and delivered souls from Hell.“
It is also a part of humility to serve others. Mary did not refuse to go and serve Elizabeth for three months. Hence St Bernard says, “Elizabeth wondered that Mary should have come to visit her but that which is still more admirable, is that she came, not to be ministered to but to minister.”
Those who are humble are retiring and choose the last places and, therefore, Mary, remarks St Bernard, when her Son was preaching in a house, as it is related by St Matthew, [12:46], wishing to speak to Him, would not, of her own accord, enter but “remained outside and did not avail herself of her maternal authority to interrupt Him.” For the same reason, when she was with the Apostles awaiting the coming of the Holy Ghost, she took the lowest place, as St Luke relates, All these were persevering with one mind in prayer, with the women, and Mary, the Mother of Jesus. [Acts 1:14] Not that St Luke was ignorant of the Divine Mother’s merits, on account of which, he should have named her in the first place but because she had taken the last place amongst the Apostles and women and, therefore, he described them all, as an author remarks, in the order in which they were. Hence St. Bernard says, “Justly has the last become the first, who being the first of all became the last.”
In fine, those who are humble, love to be contemned, therefore, we do not read that Mary showed herself in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, when her Son was received by the people with so much honour but, on the other hand, at the Death of her Son, she did not shrink from appearing on Calvary, through fear of the dishonour which would accrue to her, when it was known that she was the Mother of Him Who was condemned to die an infamous death, as a criminal. Therefore, she said to St Bridget, “What is more humbling than to be called a fool, to be in want of all things and to believe one’s self, the most unworthy of all? Such, O daughter, was my humility, this was my joy, this was all my desire, with which I thought how to please my Son alone.”
The Venerable Sister Paula of Foligno was given to understand, in an ecstasy, how great was the humility of our Blessed Lady and giving an account of it to her Confessor, she was so filled with astonishment at its greatness that she could only exclaim, “O, the humility of the Blessed Virgin! O, Father, the humility of the Blessed Virgin, how great was the humility of the Blessed Virgin! In the world there is no such thing as humility, not even in its lowest degree, when you see the humility of Mary.” On another occasion our Lord showed St Bridget two ladies. The one was all pomp and vanity. “She,” He said, “is Pride but the other one, whom you see with her head bent down, courteous towards all, having God alone in her mind and considering herself as no -ne, is Humility: her name is Mary.” Hereby God was pleased to make known to us that the humility of His Blessed Mother, was such that she was humility itself.
Then, O my Queen, I can never be really thy child, unless I am humble but dost thou not see that my sins, after having rendered me ungrateful to my Lord, have also made me proud? O my Mother, do thou supply a remedy. By the merit of thy humilit, obtain that I may be truly humble and thus become thy child, Amen.
AnaStpaul 
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