



Produced by Michael Gray, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon




THE MONTH OF MARY.



  THE

  MONTH OF MARY,

  ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT OF

  _ST. FRANCIS OF SALES;_

  OR,

  Thirty-one Considerations

  WITH

 EXAMPLES, PRAYERS, ETC.



  BY

  DON CASPAR GILLI.

  Translated and abridged from the Italian by a
  SISTER OF THE INSTITUTE OF CHARITY.



  ROBERT WASHBOURNE,
  18 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON.
  1890.



Nihil Obstat
FR. T. A. SMITH, O.P.
Censor deputatus

Imprimatur
HENRICUS EDUARDUS,
Card. Archep. Westmonast.

Die 14 Martii, 1890.


  CONTENTS.


Author's Preface
Protestation
Preliminary Instruction
The Eve of the Month of Mary: The Immaculate Conception
   Example: Devotion of St. Francis of Sales to the Blessed Virgin
Mary
First Day: Mary, a Model of Perfect Self-denial from her Birth
   Example: The Miraculous Medal of the Immaculate Conception
Second Day: Mary consecrates herself to God in the Temple
   Example: The two Invocations of St. Philip Neri
Third Day: Continuation of the Preceding Subject
   Example: The Feasts of the Blessed Virgin
Fourth Day: Fidelity of Mary in following the Call of God
   Example: Lamps and Candles burnt in Honour of Mary
Fifth Day: Mary is a Model to Religious Persons in her Presentation in
the Temple
   Example: The edifying Death of St. Jane Frances de Chantal
Sixth Day: The Annunciation of the Most Holy Virgin
   Example: St. Bernard's Love for Mary
Seventh Day: The Excellence of the Virginity of Mary
   Example: The Love of St. Alphonsus for Mary
Eighth Day: The Visitation
   Example: The Pilgrimage of St. Francis of Sales to Loreto
Ninth Day: The Charity of Mary in the Visitation
   Example: Consecration of the Saturday to Mary
Tenth Day: By the Visit of Mary, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy
Ghost
   Example: Devotion of St. Thomas Aquinas to the 'Ave Maria'
Eleventh Day: Humility of Mary
   Example: Origin of the Rosary
Twelfth Day: Through the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. John the Baptist
receives the most special Graces
   Example: Conversion of the celebrated Pianist, Hermann Cohenn
Thirteenth Day: The Trials and Consolations of the Blessed Virgin
   Example: A Fortunate Mistake
Fourteenth Day: Mary at Bethlehem
   Example: The Devotion of the Saints to the 'Angelus'
Fifteenth Day: The Union of Charity and Humility in the Heart of Mary
at the Incarnation
   Example: The Efficacy of the 'Salve Regina'
Sixteenth Day: The Purification of the Blessed Virgin
   Example: Punishment of the Profaners of a Sanctuary of the Blessed
Virgin
Seventeenth Day: Mary, the Model of Perfect Obedience, in the Mystery
of the Purification
   Example: A Conquest of the Blessed Virgin's
Eighteenth Day: The Flight into Egypt.--Trust in Providence
   Example: The Excellence of the 'Hail Mary'
Nineteenth Day: Mary, at the Marriage of Cana, teaches us the Best
Method of Prayer
   Example: The Advantages of the 'Hail Mary'
Twentieth Day: The Petition of Mary at the Marriage of Cana was full
of Confidence
   Example: Further Advantages of the 'Hail Mary'
Twenty-first Day: Mary obtains the first Miracle from Jesus by her
lively Faith
   Example: Most pleasing to Our Blessed Lord is our Devotion to His
Mother
Twenty-second Day: Mary chose the Better Part
   Example: Beauty of the 'Ave Maris Stella'
Twenty-third Day: The Blessed Virgin did not neglect the Duties of
Martha
   Example: The 'Magnificat'
Twenty-fourth Day: Mary in her Sleep
   Example: Devotion to the 'Salve Regina'
Twenty-fifth Day: Mary on Calvary is the Mother of all Christians
   Example: The 'Regina Coeli'
Twenty-sixth Day: Mary after the Ascension of Christ
   Example: A courageous Son of Mary
Twenty-seventh Day: Mary in the Upper Room at Jerusalem
   Example: The Prayer 'Memorare'
Twenty-eighth Day: How precious in the Sight of God was the Death of
Mary
   Example: Letters addressed to the Most Holy Virgin
Twenty-ninth Day: Mary, like Jesus, dies of Divine Love
   Example: The Fourteen Joys of the Most Holy Virgin
Thirtieth Day: The Death of Mary was sweet and tranquil
   Example: Novenas in Honour of the Blessed Virgin
Thirty-first Day: The Resurrection and Assumption of the Blessed
Virgin
   Example: The Novena of St. Gertrude to the Blessed Virgin
Act of Consecration of St. Francis of Sales to the Most Holy Virgin



  PREFACE.

OF the many who by their writings have laboured to celebrate the
sublime prerogatives and virtues of the Mother of God, there is not
one whose language is more adapted to the devotions of the month of
Mary than St. Francis of Sales. Everything, says a pious author, in
this admirable Saint enchants and fascinates us; whoever reads his
writings attentively, feels constrained, not only to honour and
venerate him, but also to love him. With him there is a peculiar grace
to console, as well as to perfect, the soul. He adapts himself to the
capacities of humble minds, whilst no one has more knowledge than he
of the most exalted perfection.

The sweet mildness of this Saint sprang from the meekness of which his
soul was full. It is a difficult task to preserve peace in the soul,
and well he knew it, declaring that he 'lived in a continual fear of
losing, in one quarter of an hour, all that meekness which he had
acquired by twenty years of combat.' St. Bonaventure learnt all his
science at the foot of the Crucifix, and it was there, also, that St.
Francis acquired all his benignity, fighting for it, we may say, hand-
to-hand against his natural impetuosity. This virtue by degrees
penetrated the inmost parts of his soul, so that it was not only
manifested in all the actions of his life, but it directed also his
pen, and enabled him to make use of the most delicate comparisons and
ingenious images. All that is sweet, and pure, and amiable in Nature--
doves, bees, flowers, all took hold of his imagination. From his lips,
as well as from his pen, issued loving invitations to perfection. His
singular privilege, however, is that this meekness and grace appear
always fresh to the devout reader, and are ever pleasing, even when he
lays open the festering wounds of the heart. The great Fenelon, whose
spirit and heart so vividly retraced the holy Bishop of Geneva, thus
wrote to a lady: 'The books most useful for you are those of St.
Francis of Sales. Everything in them is amiable and consoling;
everything is solid experience, simple practice, and the feeling and
light of grace. _To have become accustomed to this kind of food is a
mark of great perfection._' Bishop Parisis also says: 'Everything that
can contribute to make this most amiable of Saints more known to the
world, is of the greatest utility to the cause of religion.'

For this reason we have composed this little work. It is a sort of
resume of the doctrine of St. Francis of Sales upon the prerogatives
and virtues of the august Queen of Heaven, and we may gather a
delicious bouquet for her month of May. Hence the devout reader will
always meet with the genuine text of the Saint without any paraphrase,
though not always in consecutive order. In each of the thirty-one
considerations we have been obliged to discard those matters which did
not relate to our subject. However, such suppressions only produce
greater clearness in the whole work. We must say two words upon the
manner in which this exercise can be rendered fruitful:

1. If you are not able to assist at the public services or devotions
in honour of the Blessed Virgin in your own church, erect a little
altar to Mary in your house, and adorn her picture, or statue, with
flowers, and there, every day, either alone or with others of your
household, meditate upon her virtues, and implore her powerful
intercession.

2. It will be an excellent preparation to spend the last day of April
in holy recollection, and to examine what is the principal passion
that you will sacrifice to Mary during the course of the month, and
the grace or virtue that you propose to obtain from God by recurring
to her intercession. Do not fear to ask too much, she is the Mother of
God, and our Mother also.

3. Read every day the appointed meditation, with tranquillity and
recollection, that your soul may relish the subject, and apply what is
read to its own necessities. After your lecture, follow this advice of
St. Francis of Sales: 'When you have concluded your prayer, take a
little walk and gather a small nosegay of devotion from the
considerations you have made, that you may inhale its spiritual odour
throughout the day.'

4. You should consider it a duty to approach the holy Sacraments more
frequently than usual during the month, and never leave the Altar of
Mary without having made a spiritual communion.

5. Let no day pass, or, at least, no Saturday, without practising some
mortification, sanctified and directed by obedience. 'Our devotion,
however small,' said St. John Berchmans, 'is always pleasing to Mary,
provided it be constant.' But let us not forget that interior
mortifications are the most perfect; such as to abstain from speaking
or looking about without necessity, etc., because in such
mortifications there is less danger of vainglory, and they attack our
passions in the innermost depths of the heart.

6. Endeavour also to become familiar with ejaculatory prayers to Mary.
'This kind of prayer,' says St. Francis of Sales, 'may supply for
every other kind, but no other kind of prayer can supply for this.
Spiritual exercises without aspirations are like a firmament without
stars, or a tree without leaves.'

7. The month should be concluded by an offering of the heart to Jesus
and Mary, after Holy Communion. And that you may more securely
persevere in the service of the best of all Mothers, let it be your
care to renew your resolutions every Saturday, to examine in what
manner you have kept them, and by a protestation of sorrow for past
omissions, and a determination of greater fidelity for the future, to
repair the failings of the week.

The sovereign Pontiff Pius VII. has granted to all who shall say some
public or private prayers in honour of the most holy Virgin Mary
during the course of the month of May, three hundred days Indulgence
each day, and a Plenary Indulgence once in the month if, having
confessed and Communicated, they pray for the holy Church.

The same sovereign Pontiff has granted to all the faithful who, with a
contrite heart, shall recite the Litany of Loreto, three hundred days
Indulgence each time. All these Indulgences are applicable to the
souls in Purgatory.



PROTESTATION.

IN conformity with the decree of the sovereign Pontiff Urban VIII., I
declare that I wish to give only a purely human authority to all the
miraculous facts related in this work, excepting those that are
confirmed by the decisions of the Holy, Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman
Church, to whose infallible judgment I intend to submit my person and
my writings; nor shall I cease to declare myself her respectful son,
believing all that she proposes to my belief, because she is the sole
depositary here on earth of sound doctrine, of faith, and of catholic
unity.



PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTION.

Doctrine of St. Francis of Sales upon Devotion to Mary.

HOLY Church, speaking of the most Blessed Virgin, says that she went
up from the desert of this world _flowing with delights, leaning upon
her Beloved_. In fact, all the praises bestowed upon the Saints, and
upon Mary in particular, terminate in Christ our Lord; because all
these praises should be directed to the glory of her Divine Son, Who
led her by His grace to the most exalted degree of merit and
happiness.

It is related in Scripture that the Queen of Saba, taking a multitude
of gifts to Jerusalem, offered them _all_ to Solomon. It is thus that
all the Saints act--and the Mother of God especially. She is ever
attentive to recognise that her virtues, her perfections, her merits,
and her happiness proceed from the mercy of her Divine Son, Who is
alone their source, their origin, and perfection: _Soli Deo honor et
gloria_. All honour and glory to God alone; all should return to Him,
because _from Him alone is every perfect gift_.

If Mary be holy, who is it that sanctified her but her Divine Son? If
she be saved, who was her Saviour but Jesus Christ?--_Innixa super
dilectum suum_. Her whole happiness has its foundation in the mercy of
her Divine Son. She may be called a lily of purity and innocence. This
lily has acquired all its purity by being washed in the Blood of the
Immaculate Lamb. She is a rose, on account of the ardour of her love,
and her rich vermilion can be nought else than the Blood of her Son.
If she is likened to fumes of odoriferous sweetness, the fire which
produces them is the charity of her Divine Son and the wood of the
Cross; in a word, everywhere and in everything, Mary is leaning upon
her Beloved. Behold, devout souls, how we ought to be jealous of the
honour of Jesus Christ. Do not imitate the enemies of holy Church, who
think that they honour the Son more perfectly by refusing all honour
to the Mother. On the contrary, the worship of the Mother is referred
to the Son, and thus exalts His glory and mercy all the more.

In order to show more clearly the purity of the worship which holy
Church pays to the most Blessed Virgin, I will mention two contrary
heresies, both equally injurious to the veneration deservedly due to
Our Lady. One of these heresies sinned by excess; calling Mary _the
Goddess of Heaven_, and offering sacrifices to her as such; the other
sinned by default, condemning all honour paid to Our Lady. The Church,
who walks in the royal road of moderation, in which virtue consists,
condemned both these heresies, defining against the former that no
sacrifice whatever could be offered to Mary, as she was a pure
creature; and against the latter, that this holy Virgin, being Mother
of God the Son, was worthy of special worship, infinitely less than
that of her Son, but incomparably greater than that of all the other
Saints. To the first, she says, that the Virgin is simply a creature,
yet so holy, so perfect, so closely united to her Son, and so much
loved by God, as to render it impossible to love the Son sincerely
without loving and honouring the Mother. To the second, she says,
sacrifice is the supreme worship of latria, due to the Creator alone,
and the Blessed Virgin is simply a creature, although most excellent.
Indeed, in speaking of Mary, I call her more the creature of God and
of her Son than the rest of creation; because God created greater
perfections in her than in all other creatures, and she had a greater
share in the Redemption than all others, being rescued not only from
sin but from the power and inclination to sin. And who does not know
that it is a greater benefit to rescue a person from slavery before he
is made a slave, than to deliver him after he has become captive! How
far are we then from placing the Son and the Mother on an equality, as
our adversaries falsely assert?

It is true that we call her beautiful, and the most beautiful amongst
creatures; but she is beautiful _as the moon_, which receives its
light from the sun; because all her glory is communicated to her by
her Son. Pliny writes that the thorn, named _aspalathum_, is not
naturally odoriferous, but that if the rainbow rests upon it, it
quickly exhales a rare and sweet odour. The holy Virgin is a thorn of
that burning bush which Moses saw and which was not consumed, as the
Church says: '_Rubum quem viderat Moyses incombustum, conservatam
agnovimus tuam laudabilem virginitatem_'. Of herself alone, she is
certainly unworthy of our worship, for she is without odour. But when
the great sign of reconciliation between God and men came and rested
upon this holy thorn--first, by His grace in her Immaculate
Conception, and afterwards at the Incarnation, when God became her
Son, and reposed in her immaculate bosom--then, indeed, so great
became the fragrance of this thorn that no other plant ever could
produce before God so sweet and pleasing an odour. Nor will He ever
reject the prayers that are perfumed in this fragrance. We repeat that
all this perfume came to her from her Divine Son.

Jesus Christ is our Advocate, and so is Mary; but with what
difference! In right of justice, the Saviour is alone our Advocate,
because when He pleads our cause He justifies His petition by showing
His Blood and His Cross. He does not hide our debts from His Father;
but at the same time He urges the value of the price that He has laid
down for our salvation. Mary and all the Saints exercise, also, the
office of advocate in our favour; it is only by way of intercession.
They entreat the Divine Justice to pardon our iniquities; but it is
through the merits of the Passion of Jesus Christ. In a word, they do
not add their prayers to the prayers of the Saviour, but to ours; in
order to help us to obtain the graces which are necessary for our
eternal salvation.



   THE MONTH OF MARY.
   ---
   THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.

THE wonderful variety which is observable in the works of nature gives
us a very high idea of the immeasurable riches of the Almighty
Creator. And yet He manifests His power still more in the supernatural
order, and the wonderful diversity of the works of grace preaches more
loudly the munificence of His mercy. God, in the excess of His
goodness, did not merely grant a general redemption to men, sufficient
for the salvation of each one, but He diversified and multiplied the
supernatural gifts which accompany this redemption with infinite
liberality and wonderful variety. But His highest favours were
lavished upon the most holy Virgin. From all eternity the Heavenly
Father had ordained in His love to form her heart to the perfection of
charity, that she might love His Divine Son with the most perfect
maternal love--as He had loved Him from all eternity with the most
perfect paternal love. The Son of God cast His eyes upon this Virgin,
and chose her for His Mother, and co-operator in the great work of the
world's redemption, a merciful Mother, a most powerful advocate of
mankind--the most amiable, the most loving, and the most beloved of
all creatures.

It is the opinion of many theologians that our Lord sanctified St.
John the Baptist in the womb of St. Elizabeth, by a ray of His light
and grace, and gave him the use of reason together with the gift of
faith, so that he knew his God, hidden in the immaculate womb of Mary,
adored Him, and consecrated himself to His service. If such a grace
were granted by Our Lord to His precursor, who can doubt for a moment
that He should have granted not only a similar, but a much greater
privilege to her whom He Himself had chosen for His Mother, and that
He should not only have sanctified her in the womb of her mother, St.
Anne, but should have, moreover, raised her from the very first
instant of her conception to a state of purity and sanctity?

The adorable Redeemer of the human race, the eternal object of the
love of His Heavenly Father, considered His Mother from that first
moment, as a delicious garden which was to produce the fruit of
eternal life, and He cultivated this garden in order that every kind
of perfection should flourish therein. He adorned her with the gold of
charity and with a wondrous variety of virtues, that she might be able
to sit at His side as a Queen--that is to say, occupy the first place
amongst the elect, and, in this manner, enjoy the delights that are
found at the right hand of the Eternal God.

This Divine Mother was redeemed, therefore, in a manner becoming the
dignity of the Son, for Whom she was created. Hence she was preserved
from reprobation and from all danger of it, because she was enriched
with the perfection of grace and with everything necessary for its
preservation. Well is she compared to a beautiful aurora, or dawn,
which, from its very beginning, went on increasing until it reached
its perfect day. O first-fruit of the Redemption! O masterpiece of the
Redeemer! It is just, indeed, O my Divine Saviour, that as a Son full
of love and devotion towards Thy Mother, in preventing her with the
blessings of Heaven, Thou shouldest have preserved her, not only from
sin like the Angels, but even from every danger of sinning, and
shouldest, moreover, have removed from her path all that could hinder
or even <DW44> her in the exercise of Thy holy love. It was written in
Thy eternal decrees that Thou wouldest at one day prefer her to all
rational creatures who were dear to Thy Divine Heart, and that Thou
wouldest call her _the beloved object of Thy predilection, Thy dove,
Thy spotless and beautiful one, perfect beyond compare_.

A special privilege was reserved for Mary, worthy of a Son Who loved
her with an infinite love, and Who, being infinitely good, wise and
perfect, was to choose for Himself a Mother, and form her according to
His own heart. He willed then that the grace of Redemption should be
applied to her as a preservative remedy. Like the waters of the Jordan
that, in the days of Josue, interrupted their course through respect
for the Ark of the Covenant, so the stream of original corruption
stayed its course at the feet of Mary, at the conception of this
living tabernacle of the Eternal Covenant.

From the first instant of her conception, Mary knew her God, and loved
Him sovereignly; from that moment she became impeccable, through the
special assistance of the divine protection, and through the continual
inflow of efficacious and preventing graces, to which she never
offered the slightest resistance. God not only adorned her with the
most abundant habitual grace, but He preserved it in her, keeping her
always free from every evil inclination, every idle thought, and every
feeling in the slightest degree contrary to the most perfect sanctity.

As to her body, we may believe it was endowed with singular
perfections. St. Joachim and St. Anne received her from God through a
particular, and we may say, even a miraculous grace, so that she was
one of the most excellent works of the Holy Ghost, and breathed only
sanctity and purity. This Queen loved, then, her virginal body, not
only because it was docile, humble, pure and obedient to Divine Love,
but still more because from it was formed the Body of her Saviour.

Truly has this holy Virgin been called _elect as the sun_, because as
the sun shines resplendent above all the stars, through the excellence
of its prerogatives, so there is no one amongst all the Saints who has
obtained, or can ever obtain, graces superior to those bestowed upon
Mary. There are Saints who have received signal graces from our Lord,
and these, compared with the rest of the world, are like queens
crowned with charity, and occupy a distinguished position in the love
of our Divine Saviour. But His most blessed Mother is the Queen of all
Queens, for she is not only crowned with charity, but with the
perfection of charity, and to use an expression of the Holy Spirit,
Who says that _the Son is the crown of the Father_; her crown is in
truth her Son; that is to say, the sovereign object of charity, the
Eternal Love, forms her crown.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

How lovely is the rose! and yet it causes great sadness in my soul. It
reminds me of my sin, on account of which the earth was condemned to
produce thorns.--_St. Basil._

Mary, conceived without sin, is compared to the incorruptible cedar,
the scent of which puts serpents to flight.--_St. Alphonsus Liguori._

How great will be our happiness in heaven, where we shall be able to
contemplate Mary, to love her and be loved by her; for she alone forms
a paradise of delights. Mary is truly, after God, all that is
beautiful, sweet, glorious and amiable in that celestial realm; all is
in Mary, all through Mary, all, in fine, is hers.--_St. Bonaventure._

Nothing is of greater service to our soul, nor more sustains and
strengthens it, than the frequent thought of Mary.--_St. Teresa._

EXAMPLE.

_Devotion of St. Francis of Sales to the Blessed Virgin Mary._

Of all the festivals of the most holy Virgin there was none more dear
to the tender piety of St. Francis of Sales than the Immaculate
Conception. When but a subdeacon he instituted a confraternity of
penitents, under the title of the Immaculate Conception. Every year he
prepared for this feast by fasting and prayer, and his zeal induced
him to proclaim this day a festival of obligation throughout his
diocese. In order to place his episcopate under the protection of the
Immaculate Virgin, he chose this solemnity for the day of his
consecration, and during the ceremony he was rapt in ecstasy, and saw
the most Holy Trinity working in his heart all that the Bishops were
doing exteriorly, and moreover, he saw the most holy Virgin take him
under her protection.

Once, as he was making the visitation of his diocese, he arrived at
the foot of a steep and rugged hill, upon the summit of which was the
church of the most Blessed Virgin of Nancy-sur-Cluses. He climbed it
with great difficulty, whilst blood streamed from his feet; but in
reply to those who would dissuade him from the attempt, he said: 'It
is true that I am almost sinking from fatigue, but whilst I am ashamed
to be so unaccustomed to labour for the service of God, I feel the
greatest joy to shed my blood in honour of the Mother of God.'

Continuing his visitation he found three parish churches in succession
which were dedicated to Mary. 'What a consolation I feel,' said he,
'to see so many churches in my diocese dedicated to the Mother of God!
Whenever I enter a place consecrated to this august Queen, well do the
beatings of my heart tell me that I am in the house of my Mother; for
I am the son of her who is the refuge of sinners.'

_Prayer._--O Mary! Immaculate Lily of Purity, I rejoice with you that
you have been filled with grace, endowed with the use of reason, and
have loved God more than the Seraphim from the first instant of your
Immaculate Conception. May the most Holy Trinity be eternally thanked
and adored for so many and such rare privileges bestowed upon you. I
humble myself profoundly before you, seeing that I am so devoid of
graces and poor in merits. O my most loving Mother, make me a partaker
of the graces which you have received so abundantly, that I also may
be able to love God ardently during life, and not be separated from
Him in death. Amen.

_Practice._--Recite three _Paters_, three _Aves_, and three _Glorias_,
to thank the most Holy Trinity for the grace of the Immaculate
Conception conferred upon Mary.

_Aspiration._--O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have
recourse to you.



FIRST DAY.

MARY, A MODEL OF PERFECT SELF-DENIAL FROM HER BIRTH.

LET all who are devout to the most holy Virgin approach the cradle in
which lies the royal infant, Mary. Consider attentively this sacred
child, and you will see how perfectly she practises every virtue. Ask
the Angels, the Cherubim and Seraphim, who surround her, if they equal
this little creature in perfection, and they will all reply that they
are immensely inferior to her in graces, in merits, and in virtue.
Contemplate, Children of Mary, those heavenly spirits around her
cradle, and you will hear them repeat in ecstasies of admiration of
her beauty the words of the Canticle of Canticles: _Who is she that
goeth up by the desert as a pillar of smoke of aromatical spices of
myrrh, and frankincense . . . Who is she that cometh forth as the
morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an
army set in battle array?_

This virgin child is not yet glorified, but glory is already promised
her; she expects it, not like others, in hope, but with certainty. On
this account the celestial spirits, enraptured by such incomparable
perfection, cease not to celebrate her praises.

Meanwhile, this most perfect Virgin lies in her poor crib, and there
practises, in a most special manner, the virtue of self-abnegation.
Consider, I beseech you, how, amidst angelic praises, she wishes to
appear like all other children of Adam. Who will not be filled with
admiration and love, to behold Mary in her cradle, full of grace,
endowed with the perfect use of reason from the first instant of her
Immaculate Conception, able to meditate upon the perfections of God,
filled with His love, and entirely resigned to His holy will; and yet,
notwithstanding such privileges, wishing to be considered and treated
as a poor little infant, without in any way manifesting the precious
gifts she possessed? O my God! how attractive is such a spectacle; and
not only attractive, but wonderful; and how clearly does it convince
us of her perfect renunciation of all that savours of worldly pomp and
glory and ambition!

The second kind of abnegation which this august Virgin teaches us to
practise, is the renunciation of the flesh, of which in her nativity
and infancy she offers us most moving examples. Children are obliged
to make many sacrifices, and the more they are attended to, the more
are their affections and inclinations opposed. These mortifications,
nevertheless, are not occasions of merit to them, for they have not
yet acquired the use of reason. But the most holy Virgin, being
endowed from her infancy with the perfect use of reason, exercised the
virtue of self-abnegation in a wonderful degree, enduring voluntarily
all these contradictions and mortifications.

The third kind of renunciation is that of our own judgment and will,
even in things which seem to us better than those that are commanded
us. This includes what is most difficult and meritorious in the way of
Christian perfection. How excellently did the most holy Virgin
practise this abnegation in her nativity! Although possessed of the
use of reason, she never made use of her liberty to manifest it. We
always see in her a constant state of dependence. When she goes to the
Temple she is led by her parents; through obedience to them she gives
her hand to a humble carpenter, although she had consecrated her
virginity to God. She leaves Nazareth for Bethlehem, flees into Egypt,
and returns to Nazareth; and in all these journeys, as well as in all
the other vicissitudes of her life, she maintains perfect subjection
and docility. She even assists at the death of her Son and her God,
through submission to the decrees of Heaven, her will being perfectly
united to that of the Eternal Father. It was not by constraint, but
with the full concurrence of her will, that she assented to the death
of this Divine Son, and with humble resignation embraced and adored a
hundred times that Cross upon which she saw, without shedding a tear,
her only Son expire. What abnegation do we not find in the most holy
Virgin! The tender loving soul of this most sorrowful Mother was
pierced by unheard-of dolours; indeed, who can ever describe the pains
and anguish of her most sacred heart, as she stood immovable at the
foot of the Cross? She knew that the Eternal Father willed that Jesus
Christ should thus die, and that she should be present at His death,
and this knowledge gave her strength to stand there and endure it all.

In imitation of Mary, let us resolve to die to everything and to our
own will, that we may live for God alone. Jesus Christ tells us to
deny ourselves, to take up our cross and to follow Him. The way of
perfection is a Calvary, where it is necessary to crucify ourselves
continually, in company with our Saviour; thus forcing nature to die,
that grace may live and reign within us. In a word, it is necessary to
strip ourselves of the old Adam, and clothe ourselves with the new
Adam, and this cannot be done without suffering. I will not deceive
you; Christian perfection is difficult, and very great courage is
required for so high an undertaking. This perfection consists in an
entire self-abnegation, and in a total renunciation of all earthly
things. [1]

O my God! when will Our Lady be, as it were, born in our hearts? As
for myself I see clearly that I am quite unworthy of such a favour;
and as for you, what are your sentiments? Her Divine Son was born in a
stable. Let us take courage and prepare Him a place in our hearts; a
place made deep by humility, low by simplicity, and wide by charity.
It is such a heart as this that Our Lady loves to visit, She dwells
willingly near the manger and at the foot of the Cross. Little matters
it to her that she lives unknown in Egypt, provided her Divine Child
lives with her.

Whether our Lord sends us to the right or to the left, or howsoever He
treats us, or makes us as a sign against which all the evils of the
world are turned, we will never abandon Him until He has blessed us
with eternal blessing. Let us be assured that He is never so near to
us as when He appears to be furthest from us; never does He guard us
with more jealousy than when He seems to abandon us, and never does He
engage in combat with us, but to take more intimate possession of our
heart, and load us with His blessings. Meanwhile, let us go on; let us
walk through the valley of humble virtues, and how many roses shall we
not find amongst the thorns! Charity, which shines in the midst of the
most trying afflictions, as well interior as exterior, the lily of
purity, the violet of mortification, and how many more! But the lowly
virtues that are dearest to me are these three: meekness of heart,
poverty of spirit, simplicity of life, together with the practices of
visiting the sick, serving the poor, consoling the afflicted, and such
like. However, all must be done without solicitude, and in true
liberty of spirit. Our arms are not long enough to reach to the cedars
of Lebanon--let us then be content with the hyssop that grows in the
valleys.


[1] In the way of prayer, at first everything seems painful, and with
good reason; because it is a continual war against ourselves. But when
we set to work, our Lord on His side assists us so powerfully, and
loads us with so many favours, that all the pains and labours of this
life become as nothing.--_St. Teresa_.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

There shall come forth a rod from the root of Jesse, says Isaias, and
a flower shall rise up from its root. This root, writes St. Jerome, is
the Mother of the Saviour; a plain and simple root, but fruitful in
its unity, like the Eternal Father. The flower of this root is Jesus
Christ, _like to a flower of the field and to a lily of the valley_.
This flower is possessed of as many leaves as there are functions and
examples. If you wish to have the flower you must first bend the stem
by your prayers. If this flower rises high through the excellence of
its Divinity be not afraid; because through excess of love its stem
may be bowed.--_St. Bonaventure_.

I am firmly resolved to desire no other heart than that which shall be
given me by this Mother of hearts, this Mother of holy love. O my God!
how much do I desire not to lose sight, not even for an instant, of
this gracious Star, during the whole course of my journey!--_St.
Francis of Sales_.

As the lily has no fixed season for its growth, but flowers sooner or
later, according to its depth in the earth, in like manner the heart
which aspires to Divine Love will blossom very late, and with much
difficulty, if it be absorbed in earthly cares. However, if it be
attached to the world only so far as is necessary for its engagements
in life, it will flourish in charity and spread around it gracious
fragrance.--_The same_.

EXAMPLE.

_The Miraculous Medal of the Immaculate Conception._

Perhaps I can relate nothing more suitable in regard to the origin of
this celebrated medal, so justly styled _'miraculous,'_ than by
transcribing the letter addressed to the author of the book, 'Mary
Conceived without Sin,' by the spiritual Director of the Sister of
Charity to whom the medal was revealed:

'Paris, 17th March, 1834.

'Towards the close of the year 1830, Sister M., a novice of one of the
communities in Paris, dedicated to the service of the Poor, saw,
whilst in prayer, a picture representing the Blessed Virgin, standing
with her arms extended. She wore a white garment, a blue and silver
cloak, and a veil  like the aurora, whilst rays of dazzling
splendour issued from her hands. At the same time the Sister heard
these words: "These rays are the symbol of the graces which Mary
obtains in favour of mankind; and that part of the globe upon which
they fall with greater abundance is France." Around the picture was
written the invocation, _"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us
who have recourse to you."_ The Sister having considered it for a
moment, cast her eyes upon the other side of the picture, and saw the
letter _"M"_ surmounted by a Cross, and below it, the Sacred Hearts of
Jesus and Mary. Then the voice said again: _"A medal must be struck
according to this model; and whoever shall wear it, properly blessed
and indulgenced, shall be protected by the Mother of God in a most
special manner."_

'The novice came quickly to narrate the vision to me; and I, supposing
it to be a mere pious illusion, simply addressed a few words to her
upon true devotion to Mary, pointing out to her that the imitation of
her virtues ever was, and will be, the true means of honouring her.

'After about six months, she had the same vision, and I made her the
same reply. Finally, after another interval of six months, she saw the
picture again, and heard the same words, except that the voice
expressed how much it displeased the Blessed Virgin that there was so
much delay in having the medal struck.

'This time, however, I attached greater importance to the revelation,
without allowing the novice to perceive it; and I began to reflect and
fear lest I was not seconding the designs of her who is so justly
invoked by the Church under the sweet name of "Refuge of Sinners."

'A short time afterwards I had the opportunity of seeing the
Archbishop, and gave him an accurate account of these visions. He
answered me that "he saw nothing whatever objectionable in this medal
being struck, as it was conformable to the faith of the Church and to
the piety of the faithful towards the Mother of God; and that it might
certainly contribute to the promotion of her honour."

The medal was finally struck in the month of June, 1832.

'In one of the three visions, the novice asked if it were not
necessary to insert some words on that part of the medal where the
letter _"M"_ and the Cross, with the two Hearts, are represented; but
she was answered that these objects spoke with sufficient eloquence to
the faithful soul.

'When the medal was struck, it was quickly circulated amongst the
Sisters of Charity, who, when they learnt its origin, wore it with
much devotion, and began to hang it on the necks of the sick under
their charge, and these shortly experienced happy results. Three cures
and three conversions were wrought in a miraculous manner in Paris,
and in the diocese of Meaux. Then the desire to possess the
_miraculous medal_, or the medal _that cures_, became universal.
Mothers of families gave it as a New Year's gift to their children,
and as a preservative to their innocence. As soon as it became known
in a place, pious persons hastened to become possessed of it. But what
greatly surprised and edified me, from the beginning of its
propagation, was that all the children of two of our provinces agreed
together to take this medal as the protection of their youth. In many
places entire populations addressed themselves to their Pastor to
procure it; and, at Paris, an officer purchased sixty for as many
private soldiers who had asked him for it.

'Whilst the medal was miraculously propagated in all classes and
provinces, the most consoling accounts were sent me by the Parish
Priests, Vicar-Generals, and even by Bishops. They say that _"it
reanimates fervour in populous towns as well as in the country; it
gains our entire confidence; we look upon it as a means sent by
Providence to enkindle faith, which in our days has so visibly
decreased; and in reality it daily awakens this faith in many hearts,
in which it seemed to be extinguished; it re-establishes peace and
concord in many families; and there is no one who wears this medal who
does not experience its salutary effects."'_


Not only in France which is specially under the protection of Mary
Most Holy did the faithful of every age, sex, and condition, rival one
another in zeal and solicitude to possess the _miraculous_ medal; it
spread also like lightning throughout Switzerland, Piedmont, Spain,
Italy, Belgium, England, America, in the Levant, and even in China;
and we can certify that in the present day the number of these medals
exceeds thirty millions. In every place it is asked for by indifferent
Christians, by obstinate sinners, by the impious, by Protestants,
Jews, and Turks, and worn with veneration. Heaven grant that it may
not be without fruit!--that she, to whom the Church applies those
words of Holy Scripture, _'He who shall find Me shall find life, and
have salvation from the Lord,'_ may conduct and confirm us in the way
of salvation!

Plenary Indulgences at the hour of death, and on all the principal
festivals of the year, and on the feasts of the Apostles are attached
to this medal when blessed by anyone who possesses the faculty.

_Prayer._--O Lovely Child, who, in your happy Nativity, didst console
the world, rejoice Heaven, terrify hell, and become the relief of
sinners, the consolation of the afflicted, the health of the sick, and
the joy of all men, I entreat you, with all the fervour of my soul, to
be spiritually born in my heart through your holy love. Attach my soul
once for all to your happy service, and my heart to yours, that my
life may be adorned with the virtues which will render me dear to you.
O Mary! produce in me the salutary effects of your sweet name, and
obtain that the invocation of this holy name may be my strength in
sufferings, my hope in dangers, my shield in spiritual conflicts, and
my support and comfort in the agonies of death. May it be honey to my
mouth, music to my ears, and the only joy of my heart! Amen.

_Aspiration._--Morning Star, pray for me.

_Practice._--Visit the altar of the Blessed Virgin, after having
adored the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.



SECOND DAY.

MARY CONSECRATES HERSELF TO GOD IN THE TEMPLE.

MARY was no sooner born than she consecrated her entire being to the
service of Divine Love, and as soon as she acquired the use of her
tongue she employed it in chanting the praises of the Lord. He
inspired her, when she had attained the age of three years, to leave
the home of her parents and retire into the Temple to serve Him more
perfectly. During her tender years the life of this glorious Virgin
was full of wisdom and discretion, and the cause of astonishment to
her parents, for her actions and words were very different from those
of other children, since she had the full use of her reason. It was
therefore necessary to hasten the period for taking her to the Temple
and consecrating her to the Divine service, amongst the other maidens
already consecrated. They, therefore, took the little Virgin and
partly led and partly carried her to the Temple of Jerusalem. Mary
certainly had nothing to fear from the influences of her home, but she
wished to teach us by her example that we should omit nothing, as St.
Paul so earnestly teaches, to make our calling and election sure.

All who repaired to the Temple to present their offerings chanted as
they went the Psalm: _Beati immaculati in via qui ambulant in lege
Domini--'Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of
the Lord'_. With what grace and melody must not our glorious Queen and
Mistress have intoned this canticle when she walked towards the
sanctuary where her God wished to prepare her to become, not only His
Spouse, but His Mother, the blessed among all women! The very Angels
were so pleased at the sight of such love, fervour, and humility, that
they descended in choirs to listen to the harmony. With what joy was
she not filled when she arrived at the threshhold of the Temple, and
when she mounted the fifteen steps of the sanctuary! She came to
dedicate herself unreservedly to God. If her youth had not forbidden
it, she might thus have addressed the holy matrons who had charge of
the consecrated children in the Temple: Here am I; consider me in your
hands as a piece of soft wax; dispose of me as you will, I shall never
make any resistance. She was so docile that she allowed herself to be
guided by others in such a manner as never to show the slightest
inclination to one thing more than another. She abandoned herself
totally and perfectly to the Divine Will, so that she was a marvel to
all who knew her.

In order to profit in a Christian manner by the example that Mary
gives us in this mystery, three points can be considered: firstly,
that Mary was presented to God in His Temple from her tenderest
infancy, and thus separated from her parents; secondly, that she makes
a great part of the journey on foot, and the rest of the journey she
is carried in the arms of her parents; thirdly, that she dedicates and
offers herself entirely to God, without any reserve.

As to the first point, which is to dedicate one's self to God from
one's infancy, how, you will ask, can we imitate Mary in this, for we
have already passed the age of childhood, and it is impossible to
recover lost time? You are deceived. If virginity can be repaired by
means of humility, cannot lost time be repaired by making a fervent
and good use of the present? I acknowledge that the happiness of those
who have dedicated themselves entirely to God from their infancy is,
indeed, enviable, and He seems to receive such an offering with
special complacency. He complains, through one of His prophets, that
'_men had so perverted their way, that even from their youth they had
abandoned the path of salvation for that of perdition_.' Children are
neither good nor bad so long as they are incapable of distinguishing
good from evil. But when they have attained the use of reason, too
often they turn to that which is evil. Hence God says by His prophet:
_Dereliquerunt me fontem aquae vivae--'They have forsaken Me, the
fountain of living water, to follow the way of iniquity_.'

Another proof of the ardent desire of the Divine Goodness for our
youthful service is found in the words of the same prophet; _Bonum est
viro cum portaverit jugum ab adolescentia sua--'It is good for a man
to have borne the yoke from his youth_.' But it need not be supposed
that the youth of which the prophet speaks is only that of years. When
the Beloved in the Canticle of Canticles turns to her Spouse and says
to Him: _Oleum effusum nomen tuum, ideo adolescentulae dilexerunt te--
'Thy name is as oil poured out, therefore young maidens have loved
Thee_,' do you believe she speaks of maidens who are young in years?
No; but of those who are young in fervour and courage, but who have
consecrated to the service of Holy Love all the moments of their life
and all the affections of their hearts.

It is the present time, the present moment, that we should turn to
profit; because the past has escaped us, and the future is not in our
power. But you ask, How can we repair lost time? You can do it by the
use of fervour and diligence during the time that remains for your
pilgrimage upon earth. Stags do not always run at an extraordinary
speed, but yet, when pursued by the hunter, they quicken their
movement and seem rather to fly than to run. This is a model for us.
We must not only run, but fly in the way of perfection. Therefore let
us, with holy David, beg our Lord to give us _the wings of a dove_,
that we may fly without stopping, until we gain our hiding-place in
the walls of the holy city of Jerusalem; that is to say, until we find
ourselves united to our Lord crucified upon Calvary, through an entire
and perfect mortification of all our inclinations and affections.

Oh, how happy are those souls who follow the example of this Sacred
Virgin, and dedicate themselves from their tender years to the service
of God! Fortunate are they to have retired from the world before they
were known to it! Like delicate flowers scarcely yet open, nor touched
by the heat of concupiscence, they exhale a most sweet odour in the
Divine Presence by means of their virtues and innocence.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Mary was like a most beautiful flower, which diffuses its perfume from
its very first budding. Flowers differ in their method of diffusing
fragrance, as, for instance, roses and carnations. Roses smell sweeter
in the morning before mid-day; but carnations and pinks shed a more
pleasing scent in the evening. The glorious Virgin was like a most
beautiful rose amongst thorns, and although never for an instant did
she cease to diffuse an odour of surpassing sweetness, yet the
fragrance of her infancy was the most acceptable to the Divine
Majesty.--_St. Francis of Sales._

Chastity is the lily of virtues, because it renders men equal to the
Angels; if virtues be separated from purity, they are no longer
virtues. Purity is chastity, and it possesses a glory of its own, for
it clothes both soul and body with its beauty.--_The same._

As the busy bee flies to all the flowers, and sucks from each its
purest juice with which to form honey, so should a religious soul
observe the virtues of others, and learn, for instance, modesty from
one, science from another, and obedience from a third; in a word, he
should take from each one that which he perceives to be most perfect,
and copy it in his own person.--_St. Antony._

EXAMPLE.

_The two Invocations of St. Philip Neri._

Of the many ejaculatory prayers of St. Philip Neri to the Most Holy
Virgin, two were very familiar to him. The first was, 'Virgin Mary,
Mother of God, pray to Jesus for us'; the second consisted in the two
words, 'Virgin and Mother'. He used to say that they contain all the
panegyrics of Mary, both because they express her admirable name, and
because they declare her two miraculous privileges of _Virginity_ and
_Maternity_, and the incomparable title of _Mother of God_. He
composed a rosary with these two invocations, which he recited
frequently with his penitents, and had always in his hands.

A pious person, who was continually tormented by evil thoughts, asked
him one day for a remedy. The Saint counselled her to recite this
rosary of his, which consisted in repeating these two invocations
alternately, sixty-three times. She followed his advice, and in a
short time recovered her peace of soul.

_Prayer of St. Gertrude_.--O Mary, Mother of Jesus, and my own dear
Mother! clothe me with the fleece of the true Lamb, your Son Jesus,
that His love may receive me, nourish me, possess me, and sanctify me.
Shining Lily, my only hope, after God, deign to speak to your Beloved
Son in my favour; say an efficacious word to Him, and faithfully and
earnestly plead my cause. I beseech you, O my Mother! by your love for
Jesus, to accept me as your child; be solicitous for my welfare
throughout the whole course of my life, and especially at the hour of
my death take me entirely under your protection. Amen.

_Ejaculation_.--Mary, Virgin and Mother! make me a Saint.

_Practice_.--Let all your actions this day be done in union with Jesus
and Mary.



THIRD DAY.

CONTINUATION OF THE PRECEDING SUBJECT.

THE second point presented to our consideration in the presentation of
Our Lady is that in order to consecrate herself to God in the Temple
she was carried part of the way by her parents, and walked the
remainder, being, however, always assisted by them. When St. Joachim
and St. Anne arrived at a spot where the road was level they placed
the little maiden on the ground, and allowed her to walk, but even
then she lifted up her little hands to clasp theirs, that she might
not stumble, and when they came to the rougher parts of the road they
again took her in their arms. It should not be supposed that the
intentions of her parents in allowing her to walk was to relieve
themselves; they allowed it because of the satisfaction which they
experienced in seeing their little daughter directing her first steps
to the Temple of the Lord.

Now, it is in these two ways that our Lord leads His faithful servants
in their pilgrimage through this miserable life. At times He conducts
us by the hand, making us walk with Him; and very often He carries us
in the arms of His Providence. He leads us by the hand when He makes
us walk along the path of the exercise of virtues, because if He did
not help us it would be impossible for us to take one step along this
blessed road. And do we not perceive that the steps of those who have
abandoned the paternal hand of Providence are almost always so many
falls? The Divine Goodness wishes to lead us by the hand along our
road, but He also wishes us to make use of our feet; that is to say,
that we ourselves do all that is in our power, by the assistance of
His grace. Therefore Holy Church, like a tender mother desirous of the
good of her children, teaches us to recite daily a prayer by which we
beg God to deign to accompany us during the whole course of our
pilgrimage upon this earth, and to succour us by His preventing and by
His accompanying grace, because without both these graces all our
efforts to make one step in the way of virtue would be unavailing.

But after our Lord has led us by the hand along the road of good works
which require our co-operation in order that they may become
meritorious, He carries us in His arms, producing certain effects
within us, in which we seem to take no part, as, for instance, in the
Sacraments. Tell me candidly, what is it that we do in order to merit
the reception of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, which contains
all the sanctity and sweetness of heaven and earth? Does not our Lord
carry us in His arms in permitting us to receive Him in this
Sacrament?

Oh, how happy are those souls who so pass through this mortal life as
never to leave the arms of His Divine Majesty, except to do all in
their power to labour in the practice of virtue, still keeping hold of
the hand of their Lord! Let us never believe ourselves capable of
doing the least good of ourselves. The Sacred Spouse of the Canticles
teaches us this truth when she says to her Beloved: _Trahe me post Te
in odorem curremus unguentorum tuorum--'Draw me, and we will run after
thee to the odour of thy ointments_.' She says '_draw me_,' to teach
us that our soul can do nothing of itself unless it be drawn,
assisted, and anticipated by Divine Grace. But to show us that she
corresponds voluntarily to this attraction, she quickly adds: '_We
will run_,' as if she wished to say: If only, my Beloved, Thou stretch
out Thy hand to draw me, I shall not cease to run, until Thou hast
received me into Thine arms, and united me to Thy Divine Will.

Let us now pass to the third point: the consecration and dedication
our glorious Lady made of her whole self unreservedly to the Divine
Majesty; it is this, O faithful souls, that we should try to imitate.
Our Lord does not certainly expect us to be more liberal to Him than
He is to us; nevertheless, if He shows the greatness of His goodness
to us by giving us His whole Self, is it not just that He should
require of us the total dedication of ourselves to Him? But what means
this total dedication of ourselves to God? It means that we make no
reserve whatever in our consecration, not even of the least of our
affections or desires; it is this that He requires of us. Listen, in
fact, to this Divine Saviour of our souls: _Fili praete mihi cor tuum--'My
Son,'_ says He to each one of us in particular--_'My Son, give Me
thy heart.'_ 'Ah!' you will add, 'how shall I dare to give my heart to
God when it is so full of imperfections and sins? How can He accept
the offering of this heart in which He finds nothing but disobedience
to His Most Holy Will?' Ah! be not troubled on this account, but offer
it to Him all the same, because He does not require of you a pure and
spotless heart, like that of the Angels and of Our Lady, but He says:
'Give Me thy heart,' such as it is. Ah! let us not refuse it to Him
then, although it be full of miseries, weaknesses, and imperfections,
for we know that all that is placed in the hand of His Divine Goodness
is converted into good. Let us not fear, then, for when He holds this
heart of ours in His hands He will know well how to render it perfect.
To make it less unworthy of God let us resolve to imitate Mary; for
amongst all the Saints who are proposed to us as a model we should in
a special manner consider our most glorious and dear Patroness, the
Queen of all Saints. What mirror more beautiful, more precious, or
purer, can we place before our eyes? Is she not the most excellent
example of evangelical teaching? Who amongst creatures is more adorned
and enriched with every kind of virtue and grace? _Multae filiae
congregaverunt divitias, tu supergressa es universus--'Many daughters
have gathered riches, but thou hast surpassed them all.'_ Certainly it
is beyond all doubt that there is no Saint comparable to her, because
this glorious Virgin surpasses in dignity and excellence not only the
greatest Saints, but the very Cherubim and Seraphim. She consecrated
herself perfectly to the Divine service, from the very first instant
of her Immaculate Conception.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

When the senses are not well guarded, they are mysterious inlets by
which our enemies insinuate themselves into our souls. A glance of
curiosity changed holy King David into an adulterer and a murderer.
How many have reason to exclaim with Jeremiah, _'My eye hath been the
thief that has robbed my soul of every good'!--Riva_.

The choice of a state of life is so important that it constitutes the
only foundation of a good or of a bad life.--_St. Greg. Naz._

The Christian who abandons himself into the hand of God, lives for God
alone.--_St. Francis of Sales._

EXAMPLE.

_The Feasts of the Blessed Virgin._

The days upon which the Blessed Virgin Mary shows herself bountiful of
her favours, are the feasts celebrated in her honour; and if we desire
to profit by them, we must sanctify them fervently. Let us approach
the Sacraments on those days, and propose to practise some particular
virtue of the Blessed Virgin, adapted to the mystery of the day. For
instance, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, let us propose to
practise purity of intention; on that of her Nativity, a renewal of
fervour, banishing all tepidity from our soul; on that of the
Presentation, detachment from those desires which require to be
mortified; on the Feast of the Annunciation, of the Visitation, on the
Feast of the Purification, obedience to Superiors; and on the Feast of
the Assumption, preparation for death. Such was ever the practice of
all the true servants of Mary; amongst others, of St. Bernardine of
Siena, of St. Gertrude, and of St. Vincent Ferrer.

Mary herself made known to St. Gertrude, as we read in the tenth
chapter of the 'Revelations' of this Saint, that she rewards this
practice with every kind of favour. On the Feast of the Assumption,
whilst the Divine Sacrifice of the Mass was being celebrated, the
Blessed Virgin showed the Saint a great number of young girls, whom
she carefully guarded under her rich mantle. 'My dear daughter,' said
she to her, 'behold here those souls who do all in their power to
celebrate this festival worthily.'

Brother Gerard, one of the first lay-brothers of the Congregation of
St. Alfonso de Liguori, had the most tender confidence in Mary. At the
approach of her feasts he took care to adorn all the altars of the
monastery, and his devotion was especially great to the Immaculate
Conception. He wished that the faithful would fast on all the vigils
of her feasts; on which days his nourishment was but a little bread
and water, and he gave himself the discipline to blood. During all her
novenas, he performed some abstinence or good work in her honour. When
he was allowed by his Superior, he spent the night preceding her
festivals prostrate before her altar in fervent prayer. It is narrated
by Fathers Petrella and Giovenale that the Blessed Virgin, touched by
the love of her servant, appeared to him during one of those nights,
and enriched him with favours of many kinds.

_Prayer of St. Gertrude to the Sacred Heart of Mary._--O Immaculate
Heart of Mary, I have nothing to offer you that is worthy of you; yet
how many thanks should I not render you for all the favours that you
have obtained for me from the Heart of Jesus! What reparation should I
not offer you for my languor during Divine service! I would wish to
render you love for love: the only good that I possess is the Sacred
Heart of Jesus, which you have yourself given to me. I offer you,
then, this treasure of infinite value--I can do nothing more, and
nothing less do you merit from me. Accept, then, this gift, which is
so dear to you; and nothing more do I desire except that you will
deign to accept, also, my poor heart. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--Mother of Good Counsel, pray for me.

_Practice._--Make a sincere act of contrition for the time that you
have spent away from God.



FOURTH DAY.

FIDELITY OF MARY IN FOLLOWING THE CALL OF GOD.

LET us consider in this meditation the punctual care with which Mary
always followed her vocation.

God had uttered in her ears, or rather in the interior of her heart,
the words of the psalm: _Audi Fili, inclina aurem tuam, et obliviscere
populum tuum, et domum patris tui et concupiscet rex decorem tuum--
'Hearken, my child, incline thine ear to Me; forget thy people and thy
father's house, and the King shall desire thy beauty_.'

Ponder attentively these words: '_Hearken, child_'--_Audi Fili_. They
imply that, in order to hear well, it is necessary to listen, first,
very attentively--'_inclina aurem tuam_;' it is to the humble alone
that God deigns to make known His Will. '_Forget thy people and thy
fathers house, and the King will greatly desire thy beauty_.' This is
as if He would say, do not confine thyself to listening to the word of
inspiration, and abasing thyself in order that thou mayest understand
it, but further strip thy heart of all affection for thy country and
thy relations, and then I shall be delighted with thy beauty. O, holy
and Divine seed which our Lord sows in the hearts of so many! And yet
how many there are who hear the Divine call, without making one step
to leave their country and go whither God calls them! Diligence is
taken to examine and consider attentively whether the inspiration
comes from God, or from the enemy of all good, or if it be the
deception of self-love; and meanwhile, through our own fault, the
Divine vocation fails in its effect. I do not wish to condemn the
considerations which ought to be made in order to discern well the
nature of the inspiration. By no means; but after having made your
examen with simplicity, in the presence of God, and recognised His
voice, go forth quickly and enter the land which He points out to you.
Listen no longer to so many discourses and reasonings suggested by the
spirit of the world, because procrastination under such circumstances
exposes you to very serious dangers. Do not, then, lull yourself to
sleep, but follow diligently the Divine attraction.

With what assiduity and with what solicitude did not the glorious
Virgin obey the sacred call of God! She had no need of protracted
self-examination, because she was endowed with the grace of
discernment. Therefore, although but a child, she repaired without
delay whither her God led her, and the King of Heaven, won by her
beauty, chose her not only for His Spouse, but also for His Mother.
'_Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it_.'

Certainly, all are not called to follow the same path, and yet they
may all follow the Divine inspirations. We will explain. The Church
may be considered as the Court of a great Prince or King, in whose
kingdom are many vassals or under-lords. All these vassals are invited
to Court, and all share in the favours of their Sovereign, but
differently. Some are favoured in a very special manner, and He treats
them with greater confidence than the rest, and repeats to them His
secrets. But besides the graces which He grants in general to all the
members of His Church, to some amongst them He bestows more precious
favours; for instance, religious persons, whom He admits into His
Cabinet--that is to say, into holy religion--in order to entertain
Himself with them familiarly, and disclose His secrets to them in the
closest union of Heart.

Amongst those who have received this grace, the Most Holy Virgin has
been singularly privileged, Our Lord having made known to her secrets
and mysteries which have been revealed to no other creature. Happy was
she to have heard the word of God and kept it, and how happy also will
you be, pious souls, if you endeavour, in imitation of her, to follow
promptly the inspirations by which God manifests to you His Most Holy
Will!

I am well aware that for many it is necessary that they should live in
the world. These persons should use, but not abuse the riches, honours
and dignities which they are allowed by the law of God to possess; and
if they endeavour, in the use of these possessions, to conform their
affections to the commandments of God, without following the counsels,
they will be as truly blessed, and will attain to the joys of eternal
life.

There are many persons who wish to consecrate themselves to God, but
at the same time wish to reserve always something for themselves. They
will say, for instance, I will give to God what belongs to God, and
reserve for the world what is due to the world, without however doing
what would be an offence to His Divine Majesty, or contrary to His
most holy law. Such as these listen, it is true, to the inspirations
of God, but do not correspond to them with their whole heart, and
although they may be saved, yet they never will reach a high degree of
perfection and glory.

There are others who are quite resolved to follow steadily the
inspirations and Will of God, and also desire to live united to Him,
but not in a _perfect manner_. Observe well that there is a great
difference between being _all_ given to God and _wholly_ given to God.
These persons of whom we speak wish to reserve to themselves the
choice at least of their spiritual exercises, in order, as they say,
that they may the better serve God. But to how much danger of being
deceived do not they expose themselves! Regulating themselves
according to their own notions, they refuse to submit to others, and
they mark out for themselves a mode of life according to their own
caprices. I would say to such souls: Do you not perceive that with
these ideas you do not belong _wholly_ to God? Their answer would be:
But I act so in order to serve God. But this is not the example that
our most Blessed Lady, the glorious Virgin, gives us. On the day of
her presentation she consecrated herself to God entirely, without any
reserve, and never again made use of her own will or choice. O
faithful souls, you ought continually to keep before your eyes the
life of our dear Lady, and meditate upon it, so as to be able to
conform all your actions and affections to this perfect model. You are
her children, and therefore you ought to follow her, to imitate her,
and make use of her as a mirror in which you should always view and
study yourselves well. The sweetness which will flow from the
consideration of her virtues will be received in earthen vessels;
nevertheless, its fragrance will be none the less sweet. The balsam
that is contained in an earthen vase is as sweet as that in a vase of
crystal.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Most yellow flowers keep turned continually to the sun, but the
sunflower turns not only its flowers but also its leaves towards the
great luminary. In like manner the elect turn the flower of their
hearts--that is, their obedience--to the commands of God's will.--_St.
Francis of Sales_.

The virtues of the friends of God are ennobled and raised to the
dignity of holy works by the excellence of the heart which produces
them. All their virtuous actions are dedicated to God, for how can a
heart that has given Him itself not give to Him all that belongs to
it? Does not he who gives a whole tree give also the leaves, and
flowers, and fruit?--_The same_.

The rose possesses the property of killing by its odour all the snails
that come around it. Similarly, the devout soul, who is as a rose
before God, should chase away and destroy all the creeping things that
gather around her heart--that is to say, the coldness and tepidity
which are an obstacle to her advancement in the way of God.--_The
same_.

EXAMPLE.

_Lamps and Candles burnt in Honour of Mary._

It is a custom amongst Catholics to have lamps or candles burning upon
altars, or before pictures of the august Mother of God for one, or
three, or nine consecutive days, so as to obtain spiritual or temporal
favours. This touching practice, springing from the love of Mary,
comes down from the remotest antiquity. Oil and wax, as all know, have
a deep signification. The flame is a symbol of the vivacity of our
faith and of the firmness of our confidence; fire symbolizes the
ardour of charity, and the ascent of the flame is a type of our hope.
These flames intimate that we must keep the fire of charity ever
burning in our hearts, so as to be always ready to receive our Divine
Master whensoever He shall call us to the nuptials of the Lamb. Lamps
lighted before the statues or pictures of Mary represent to us more
specially the prayer of intercession, which goes direct to the Heart
of God. They awaken a singular emotion in the heart of him who has
faith. The oil that feeds the flame has often cost the poor man the
sweat of hard labour, but he thinks little of this voluntary
sacrifice, because it was the fruit of love. No one who has not
visited Italy, and in particular Rome and Naples, can form an idea of
the honour that is paid to the Blessed Virgin. You will find her image
on all the roadsides, in the public squares, houses and shops, with
lamps, often many at a time, burning before them, and the amount of
oil that is consumed in this manner is considerable. This is a
voluntary contribution of the poor as well as of the rich, and it is
an expense that every pious family considers as necessary as their
daily bread. At Rome there exists a sweet custom of writing a short
prayer, often with the indulgence attached to its repetition, under
each image or picture, and it is repeated by the passers-by. Who can
say how many passions are repressed, how many unhappy creatures
consoled, and how many hopes aroused by this short invocation?

_Prayer of St. Germanus_.--O you, who are, after God, my powerful
protectress and my true consolation in this world, you who are the
celestial dew that sweetens my pains; the light of my soul when
plunged in darkness, my guide in my journeys, my strength in my
weaknesses, my treasure in poverty, the remedy of my wounds, my joy in
all my sorrows, my refuge in all dangers, the hope of my life and of
my salvation, deign to hear my prayers, to take an interest in my
woes, and to show me that compassion which peculiarly belongs to the
Mother of a God Who entertains such love and goodness towards men. He
is their Father, and He has constituted you their Mother. Ah! place me
then amongst the number of your dearest children, and obtain for me
from God all the graces which you know to be necessary for the
salvation of my soul. Amen.

_Ejaculation_.--O Mary! be my guiding star.

_Practice_.--Examine what has been your fidelity in following your
vocation, and how its obligations have been fulfilled.



FIFTH DAY.

MARY IS A MODEL TO RELIGIOUS PERSONS IN HER PRESENTATION IN THE
TEMPLE. [1]

GOD had commanded all the Hebrews to visit the Temple, but all, rich
and poor, were forbidden to enter it empty-handed: _Non apparetis in
conspectu meo vacuus_. The offering, however, was not the same for
all. The rich were to give according to their riches, the poor
according to their poverty, and thus all were able to observe the
precept. From this we may understand that when seculars come to God
and offer Him the desire and will, they entertain to follow and
observe His Divine commandments. He will be satisfied with this
offering, and if they put it in practice faithfully, they will obtain
eternal life. But let those souls who are rich in means for doing
great things for the glory of God, such as religious persons, beware
lest they present themselves with the offering of the poor--that is,
of seculars; for God will not be satisfied with such an offering. Our
Lord, in calling you, my dear sisters, into Holy Religion, enriched
you with His graces, and on this account He requires much from you;
that is, He will have your offering to be of all that you are, and of
all that you possess, without any reserve.

The Blessed Virgin, in her Presentation, made an offering pleasing to
God; offered not only the dignity of her person (the most excellent
amongst pure creatures), but all that she possessed. How happy are the
Religious who, by means of their vows, have consecrated all to God,
dedicating to Him their bodies, their hearts, and all that they
possess; renouncing riches by the vow of poverty, pleasures by the vow
of chastity, and their whole will by the vow of obedience! Worldlings,
you may enjoy your riches if you will, but do not abuse them, nor
wrong anyone. The pleasures that Holy Church permits are lawful; you
are not prohibited in a thousand circumstances from following your own
will, provided it be not contrary to that of God. But you, Religious,
should offer all to God, without any reserve. He wishes your offering
to be entire, such as is the gift He makes to you of Himself in the
Divine Sacrament of the Altar. Forget not that you cannot deceive Him,
and if you say that you wish to consecrate yourselves perfectly to His
Divine Majesty, and do not really do so, you are in danger of being
punished like Ananias and Sapphira, who lied to the Holy Ghost.

Now, the Blessed Virgin was always perfectly obedient to the Will of
God, from the first instant of her conception, without ever changing
or suspending for a moment the resolution she had formed to serve Him.

Do we not daily experience how changeable is man in his good
resolutions? How often, even in one hour, do we not like and dislike
the same thing, and allow ourselves to be moved by excessive joy or
excessive sadness! This was not the case with Our Lady; she hourly
became more perfectly united to God, and merited fresh graces, and the
more she received, the more did she render her soul worthy to receive
them. By these means she was always strengthening her first
resolution, so that the only change that could have been perceptible
in her was the progress she made from one degree of perfection to
another, through the practice of every virtue. It was for this purpose
that she wished to retire into the Temple, not through any need she
had of this retreat, for her perseverance was assured by her
consecration at the first moment of her existence, but in order to
instruct us, who are so changeable and inconstant, that it is our duty
to make use of every means in our power to strengthen and preserve our
good resolutions.

Imitate the Most Holy Virgin also in this. Dedicate, therefore,
yourselves entirely to God; and whenever you renew your consecration,
you will acquire new strength and vigour in the service of His Divine
Majesty. Renew your resolutions, renew them frequently and with
fidelity, to the end of your life. This was the careful practice of
all the Saints of both the Old and of the New Testament. Our nature is
of itself weak and easily depressed when there is a question of
virtuous resolutions. The earth itself has its periods of weakness,
and refuses to be always yielding its produce; so it lies barren in
winter. But when the spring arrives it renews itself, and having
recovered fresh vigour, it gives us the benefit of its fruits.

For this reason Holy Church, like a wise Mother, puts before us from
time to time, during the course of the year, special festivals, to
animate us to renew our good resolutions. Who will not renew his soul
on the solemn festivals of Easter, Pentecost, and Christmas, by holy
affections and firm resolutions to live more virtuously? But besides
the observance of all these festivals, it has ever been a laudable
custom for persons more especially consecrated to God, such as
Religious, to choose one day in particular during the course of the
year upon which to renew their vows, and by so doing to obey the great
Apostle, who counsels us to confirm our vocation.

Divine Providence has permitted for our instruction, that Our Lady
should renew in her Presentation the sacrifice which she had made of
her whole self at the moment of her Immaculate Conception. Do you,
then, religious souls, make this renewal in imitation of her, and do
it with great fervour of spirit, with profound humility, and ardent
charity. Place your hearts, your souls, and your entire being in the
hands of this Holy Virgin; she will present you to the Most Holy
Trinity, and you will obtain a thousand blessings in this life, and
will be enabled to arrive at eternal glory in the next.


[1] It is an ancient and well-grounded tradition that Mary was led to
the Temple to be presented to the Lord at three years of age, and that
she dwelt in that sacred abode until the age of fourteen that is to
say, as long as was permitted by the laws of the Sanhedrim. St.
Bonaventure relates to us the life led by the Most Holy Virgin in that
voluntary retirement. 'We may learn,' says this Father, 'what Mary did
in the Temple from her own revelations to one of her faithful
servants, supposed to be St. Elizabeth.' Amongst other things we read
as follows: 'As soon as I was left in the Temple by my parents, I
determined in my heart to look upon God as my Father. I often
considered what I could do to merit His grace, and I began to instruct
myself in His holy law. But of all the Divine precepts, these three
principally occupied my attention: (1) Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with thy whole heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy
strength; (2) thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; (3) thou shalt
hate thy enemy.

'I kept the commandments in my heart, and I quietly embraced all the
virtues that they contain. It is thus that I wish you to conduct
yourself. In fact, the soul can possess no virtue whatever if it do
not love God with all its powers, because it is from this love alone
that the fulness of grace (without which virtue will never be
preserved in the soul) descends to us; but it will pass like running
water and vanish if the _soul hates not its enemies_, which are _sin
and vice_. He who desires to acquire and preserve grace must accustom
his heart, then, to the exercise of this love and of this hatred, and
it is in this that I wish to be imitated by you.'

The faithful servant of Mary, having heard these words, replied: 'My
sweetest Lady, wast thou not already full of grace and virtue?' The
Blessed Virgin replied: 'Be certain that I believed myself to be the
vilest sinner, and, like you, unworthy of grace. You perhaps believe,
my daughter, that all the grace which I possessed was acquired without
difficulty. But it was not so. On the contrary, I received no grace or
favour without constant prayer, ardent desire, deep devotion, and many
tears, with long afflictions, excepting, however, the grace of
sanctification, which was given to me from my conception in my
mother's womb, and, as far as I knew, I never said or thought of
anything but what was pleasing to my God.' She added: 'Be assured also
that no grace descends into the soul, except through the channel of
prayer and corporal mortification. But as soon as we have given to God
all that we possess, He Himself comes quickly to dwell within us,
bringing with Him such inestimable gifts that the soul feels her heart
to fail; she loses the remembrance of having ever done or said
anything acceptable to God, and she becomes more and more vile and
contemptible in her own eyes.'--_Maria Regina e Madre Dei Santi_, by
l'Abate Guyard, Vic. Gen. of Montalbano.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Flowers fade quickly if they are much handled, but if they are not
touched they may be preserved a long time.--_A Kempis_.

The root of the plant is hidden under ground and trodden under foot;
it has neither odour nor beauty, and yet it gives life to the flower.
Thus a humble soul may, like Mary, be despised, it may be trodden
upon, forgotten; but this is the way for it to produce flowers and
fruits for eternal life.--_Nouet_.

The lily is the symbol of chastity; it preserves its whiteness and
sweetness in the midst of thorns, so long as it is left untouched, but
as soon as ever it is plucked it emits so overpowering an odour that
it causes headache.--_St. Francis of Sales_.

Whiteness is not an essential property of the rose--indeed, red roses
are more beautiful and of sweeter odour; but it is the property of the
lily. Let us endeavour to be what we are, and as justly and perfectly
as possible, that we may do honour to our Maker.--_The same_.

EXAMPLE.

_The edifying Death of St. Jane Frances de Chantal._

It was on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary that this
Saint was attacked by the first serious symptoms of her fatal illness.
On the eve of the feast she was in the refectory, and after the
blessing of the table she knelt down, and with her arms in the form of
a cross repeated twice these words: _O Mater Dei, memento mei_. She
then commented upon these words thus: 'Holy Mother of God, by your
Immaculate Conception, remember me and assist me always, especially at
the hour of my death.' She remained for a long time afterwards in the
same posture, absorbed in profound recollection.

The following day she was confined to her bed to rise no more. Her
illness increasing every hour, she knew that her end approached, and
thought only of preparing herself to appear before God. She received
the last Sacraments with striking fervour, and preserved her calmness
and serenity amidst the tears and sobs of all the community. During
her intense sufferings she was heard to address the following prayer
to the Most Holy Virgin: 'O Mary, Mother of Grace, Mother of Mercy,
defend me from the snares of the infernal enemy, and receive my soul
into your hands at the moment of my death.' She kept a picture of her
Protectress always near her bed; and when her speech failed she made
great efforts to turn her eyes frequently towards this dear picture,
and before she breathed her last asked to kiss it once more, and to
have it buried with her in the tomb.

_Prayer._--O Mary, the purest of Virgins! terrified at my weakness and
at the dangers that surround me, I recommend to thy loving care with
all confidence the chastity of my soul and body. Permit me not, O
Queen of the Angels, to be defiled by the least stain after having
been adorned with purity and innocence, like a vessel of honour and
glory. Banish from my heart all sensual desires, evil thoughts, and
irregular affections. To thy love, O my good Mother, do I confide my
heart; purify it, render it worthy to be offered to thy Beloved Son,
that, having here on earth imitated thee in the most beautiful of thy
virtues, I may enjoy with thee for ever in heaven the happiness
promised to the clean of heart. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--Grant, O my God, that through Mary I may belong
entirely to Jesus!

_Practice._--If you should meet with any contradiction to-day,
preserve your peace of soul.



SIXTH DAY.

THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE MOST HOLY VIRGIN.

WE read in the Gospel that the Angel Gabriel visited Our Lady in the
town of Nazareth; and, as the word 'Nazareth' signifies 'flowers,'
well is the Church represented in this town! What, in fact, is the
Church but a house or a town adorned with flowers? All actions
performed according to her laws are as so many flowers.
Mortifications, humiliations, prayers--in short, all pious exercises
are acts of virtue, which, like most beautiful flowers, diffuse a
pleasing fragrance before God. Most justly, then, may we call the
Christian religion a garden of flowers, that are delightful to the
sight and most salutary to those who breathe the air impregnated by
their fragrance. Our Lady herself was a flower distinguished for
beauty and excellence above all other flowers--a flower of
incomparable fragrance, possessed of the power of producing many other
flowers: _Hortus conclusus, soror mea, sponsa--'Thou,'_ says the
sacred Spouse in the Canticles, _'art a garden enclosed:'_ a garden
all studded with the most magnificent flowers that can be produced.
Now, tell me to whom belong so many charming and sweet-scented
flowers, with which the Church is so gloriously adorned, but to the
Most Holy Virgin, since they were produced by her example? It is
through her that Holy Church is so well furnished with roses in the
martyrs who were invincible in their constancy; with every kind of
flower, in the confessors who were nursed in her bosom; and with sweet
violets, in so many holy widows, who lowly, humble, and hidden,
diffuse the most odoriferous sweetness. In fine, is it indeed not to
her that belong, in a special manner, so many lilies of purity and
spotless virginity, innocent souls, bright and clear as a resplendent
mirror? There can be no doubt, that if so many virgins have
consecrated their hearts and bodies to His Divine Majesty, by
indissoluble vows, it was that they might imitate the example of the
Most Holy Virgin.

She was the first to consecrate her body, her heart, and her whole
self to God, by the vow of virginity. Hardly had she been _drawn_ by
God than she quickly drew after her a large number of souls who
consecrated themselves to God in like manner, under her sacred
auspices, in order that they might run in the way of inviolable
chastity and virginity: _Adducentur regi virgines post eam_. You,
beloved souls, were seen by the glorious Virgin, when she exclaimed:
_Curremus--'We shall run,_ thus assuring her Beloved that many would
follow her standard, and that under her protection they might combat
and vanquish every kind of enemy.

What an honour for us to be able to walk under the standard of the
Queen of Virgins! Our Lady is undoubtedly the honour, the Protectress,
and model of all Christians, of men and women of all classes who live
virtuously; yet, undoubtedly, young virgins contract by their
virginity a closer alliance with her than other Christians, for their
resemblance to her in purity enables them more easily and more closely
to approach her. [1]

It is said that when the Angel came down from heaven to venerate the
spotless Virgin, and announce to her the Incarnation of the Son of God
in her most chaste womb, she was alone in her room. Faithful souls are
here instructed to have a love of retirement from the world, but this
is not enough; they ought also to retire within themselves that they
may lead a solitary life, and thus render themselves better prepared
to enjoy the conversation of their Beloved. Each should look upon his
heart as a celestial cabinet where he lives alone with Him. O faithful
souls, if you conceal yourselves thus, the Angels will know how to
find you, as the Archangel Gabriel found Mary because she was alone.

Nothing should be so pleasing to holy virgins and to true Religious as
this state of withdrawal, because they then contemplate better the
beauty of their Divine Spouse dwelling in the depths of their hearts.
On this account the Psalmist said that 'All the beauty of the King's
Daughter is within'--_Omnis gloria filiae regis ab intus_. The
greatest diligence is necessary to preserve and increase this interior
beauty, and at the same time to guard it continually from everything
that could tarnish it, remembering that although men see only the
exterior, the Divine Spouse penetrates into the inmost recesses of the
heart. This is the motive which induces the loving spouse (I speak of
a soul consecrated to the Divine service, in order to please God
alone), to live retired within her own heart, and thus prepare an
acceptable abode for His Divine Majesty. It is on this account that
solitude is so much recommended to religious persons; its utility is
seen by the diligence with which Our Lady practised it, and which
merited for her the sublime privilege of being chosen to be the Mother
of God!

Our Lord being the only rest of those who have abandoned all worldly
cares in order to listen to Him speaking to their hearts in solitude,
it follows that if they do not attend to the interior word of Jesus
Christ that solitude becomes a long martyrdom to them. Instead of
being the habitation of peace and tranquillity their solitude is a
cause of sadness and disquiet.

Those who lead like Martha a life of great activity may still enjoy
the tranquillity of Mary, if they are careful to refer all their works
to God: this _one aim_ being _the eye which touches the heart of the
Divine Spouse_. In order not to lose the security of our habitation,
we must seek it, not so much in a _cell_, as in _God Himself_. Thrice
happy are they who dwell in this House, which not only belongs to God,
but is God Himself, for He will be their abiding rest throughout ages
of ages.


[1] _It is the opinion of a Doctor of the Church that the Holy Virgin
Mary instituted some congregations of young girls, and that when she
lived at Ephesus with the Apostle St. John she gave rules and
constitutions to one of them. How happy were those Religious to have
been instituted by the Queen of Doctors, who gathered her wisdom from
her Son, who is the Wisdom of the Eternal Father!_--'Month of Mary.'
_St. Francis of Sales._


SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Whatever flower the bee rests upon, it always extracts honey from it.
So will it be with an interior soul: if she never leave her home but
when it is necessary for the glory of God, she will always return to
it laden with the honey of good works.--_A Father of the Desert._

When grace speaks it is time to act, not to hold discourse. Long
prayers unaccompanied by mortification are nothing in the sight of
God, but time spent uselessly.--_St. Teresa._

Whoever abandons prayer casts himself into hell.--_The same._

Holy prayer is a water of benediction, which refreshes the plants of
our good desires and makes them flourish. It washes our souls from
their imperfections, and extinguishes the fire of passion in our
hearts.--_St. Francis of Sales._

EXAMPLE.

_St. Bernard's Love for Mary._

The luminous star of the Middle Ages, St. Bernard, who was the soul of
the Crusades instituted for the defence of religion and of civilized
Europe, the counsellor of Bishops, Popes, and Kings, may be said to
have had infused into him at his baptism a special devotion to the
Most Holy Virgin. In his tenderest infancy he leaped for joy when he
saw by chance a picture of Mary, or when he heard her name pronounced.
He was ever thinking of her, and wished everyone to be speaking to him
always of her. To correct in him those defects which are common to
childhood, it sufficed to tell him that such and such a thing was
displeasing to Mary, and he immediately took care not to repeat the
fault, and he eagerly embraced those practices of piety which he was
told were dear to her. She, on her side, did not delay to manifest the
care she took of him, and undoubtedly the great love he had for holy
purity was a special gift from the Queen of Virgins. Other favours,
however, were in store for him in the hands of his powerful
benefactress.

On Christmas Eve the young Bernard was waiting in the church with his
relations for the commencement of the midnight service, when, having
inclined his head, he fell into a kind of ecstasy, and saw in spirit,
by means of supernatural light, the mystery of Bethlehem, and he
quietly contemplated the Divine Infant miraculously born from the
virginal womb of His Mother. This vision penetrated him with so warm a
feeling of gratitude towards Jesus and Mary, that he immediately
promised to consecrate himself entirely to their love and service
henceforth. The writings of St. Bernard breathe a tender piety towards
Mary, and unite all the most beautiful and moving expressions of love
and veneration for her, which were written in former ages, and he
united in his heart all the affections of the most zealous of her
servants. With what respect, confidence, and love towards this good
Mother are we penetrated when we read the pious works that he has
written for her glory! His emotion, when under the influence of these
sentiments, frequently rapt him in ecstasy.

_Prayer of St. Andrew of Crete._--Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord
is with you! Hail you, O source of our joy! through you the sentence
of our condemnation was changed into a sentence of benediction! Hail,
O Temple of the glory of God, sacred dwelling of the King of the
heavenly kingdom! You are truly blessed amongst all women, because you
were chosen to be the Mother of your Creator, and all nations shall
call you blessed.

O Mary, I place in you a holy confidence, and from you I expect my
salvation. I shall walk without fear in the midst of all my enemies,
if you will deign to number me amongst those whom you protect. Sincere
love of you is the safest weapon with which to fight and overcome;
number me, then, amongst your children, for I have chosen you for my
tender Mother. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--_Sub tuum praesidium confugimus, sancta Dei Genitrix_--We
put ourselves under your powerful protection, O Holy Mother of God!

_Practice._--Recite to-day the _Angelus_ with great fervour.



SEVENTH DAY.

THE EXCELLENCE OF THE VIRGINITY OF MARY.

LET us consider attentively the virtues that were practised by the
Most Holy Virgin on the day of her glorious Annunciation. The first
was virginity and purity so perfect that nothing can be compared to it
amongst the purest creatures. Secondly, a most profound humility,
united with a most ardent charity.

Although the angelic virtue of perfect chastity belongs more
particularly to Angels than to men, nevertheless, Our Lady infinitely
surpassed all the Angels in this virtue, because it possessed three
great excellences not conceded to the Angels.

The first is that in Mary it is fruitful, whilst in the Angels it is
sterile. The virginity of Mary is not only fruitful in having produced
and borne the sweet fruit of life, our Blessed Saviour, but it is
fruitful also because it produces a multitude of virgins, for (as we
observed in the preceding consideration) if so many young persons
dedicate and consecrate their purity to God, it is that they may
follow her example. But the pure virginity of Mary not only possesses
the property of being fruitful, it can also restore virginal purity in
those souls who have defiled this virtue by the contrary vice. In her
lifetime she had already called many virgins to follow her, who became
her inseparable companions; among others, St. Martha and St. Marcella.
But it was also through her means that St. Mary Magdalen, who had been
the scandal of Jerusalem, was enrolled after her conversion under the
standard of virginal purity, and became like a brilliant crystal vase,
capable of receiving and containing the most precious waters of grace.

The virginity of Our Lady, therefore, is not sterile, like that of the
Angels, but it is so fruitful that from the moment she vowed it to
God, until the present time, it has always borne its fruit. A soul
that is perfectly dedicated to the service of God is never alone; many
others, drawn by the sweetness of its perfumes, flock after to copy
its example. It is on this account that the Spouse says to her
Beloved: _Trahe me post te, curremus--'Draw me and we shall run.'_

Secondly, the virginity and chastity of the Blessed Virgin surpassed
that of the Angels in this, that they are chaste by nature; and we do
not, properly speaking, praise a person for the gifts of nature, since
praise is not due where there is no merit. But the virginity of the
Most Holy Virgin is, on the contrary, worthy of praise, because it was
chosen and preferred by her, and consecrated by her to God. Although
she was united in marriage to St. Joseph, it was without any prejudice
to her virginity, because he to whom she was espoused had also
consecrated his virginity to God.

Thirdly, the virginity of Our Lady surpassed that of the Angels,
because it was subjected to the severest trials, whilst that of the
Angels could never be tempted or tried. In this sense St. Augustine,
addressing the Angels, says: 'It is not difficult for you, O blessed
spirits! to be pure and remain virgins, because you neither are, nor
can be, tempted.'

Some may, perhaps, wonder that I have said that the purity of Our Lady
was exposed to the severest trials; and yet so it was. But we must not
suppose that these trials were similar to our own. As she was all
purity, these assaults could not be like our own. The temptations
which come to us, who, unhappily, bear their incentives within our
hearts, could never have ventured to approach that wall of her
virginal integrity. But was it not a great trial for Our Lady when the
Angel appeared to her in human form? And did she not manifest this in
the fear and perturbation which assailed her, so that the Angel was
obliged to reassure her in these words: _Ne timeas, Maria--'Fear not,
Mary'?_ By them he wished to remove the disquiet which her virginal
purity suffered; it was as if he were to say: You see me in human
form, but I am no man, nor do I come to you on the part of any man.

Modesty, says a holy Doctor, is, as it were, the sacristan of
chastity. The sacristan of a church keeps an eye always to the altars,
that nothing may be stolen, and he fastens the door with care. In like
manner virginal souls are jealous to preserve this virtue unspotted,
and no sooner do they perceive danger, or even the shadow of danger,
than they are quickly alarmed. Thus it was with the Most Blessed
Virgin, who was not only the Virgin _par excellence_ of all in heaven
and on earth, but also the most humble of all, and she manifested in
this mystery of the Annunciation, the most sublime act of humility
that a pure creature could make. When she heard herself called by the
Angel _full of grace_, and received the announcement that she should
become the Mother of a Son Who was to be both God and Man, she was
troubled, and filled with fear; because, although she had conversed
familiarly with the Angels, she had never heard them utter a single
word in her praise.

The Most Holy Virgin would here teach us the dangers to which purity
is exposed by the desire of praise. Humility is the inseparable and
necessary companion of virginity, which could not long be maintained
in a soul that was not humble. It is true that in persons who live in
the world one of these virtues may subsist without the other, as we
see in the married life, but in regard to virgins, it must be
absolutely asserted that one who does not profess both these virtues
has neither of them except in appearance.

Our Lady, being reassured by the Angel, and having understood what her
Lord had decreed to work within her, made a sublime act of humility,
saying: _Ecce ancilla Domini, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum--'Behold
the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to Thy word.'_
It was thus she expressed herself at the very moment when she saw
herself raised to the sublimest dignity that can be imagined. An
incomparable dignity, indeed, is that of Mother of God, but it does
not disturb the humility of Mary. Although she is raised above all
creatures, nevertheless she simply declares that she is, and ever will
be, the servant of His Divine Majesty; and to show the truth of her
protest she adds: _Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum:_ 'Be it done unto
me according to Thy word.' She abandons herself to the Divine Will,
and proclaims that of her own choice she would never have come forth
from her state of humility and lowly self-esteem. How well did the
Most Holy Virgin know that humility is ever the inseparable and
necessary companion of virginity!

Although, as we have said, humility and virginity can dwell singly in
persons who live in the world, yet such a separation can never be made
between humility and charity, these virtues being absolutely
inseparable. They are like the ladder of Jacob, by which the Angels
ascended and descended. This was not done simultaneously, but
alternately; the Angels descending first, and then ascending
afterwards. Similarly, as soon as humility has abased us, charity
quickly raises us up towards heaven. It might seem that the virtue of
humility in some degree removes us from God, Who is at the summit of
this mysterious ladder, because it causes us to descend very low in
self-abasement. On the contrary, however, in proportion as we lower
ourselves we become more and more worthy to mount towards the summit
of this mystical ladder of perfection, where our Heavenly Father
awaits us. Our Lady, then, obtained the dignity of Mother of God by
abasing herself, and acknowledging herself unworthy of it; for
scarcely had she protested her lowliness, and abandoned herself, by an
act of incomparable charity, to the Divine Will, than the mystery was
accomplished. If we thus regulate our conduct, and, in imitation of
Mary, unite virginity with humility, we shall be certainly helped by
charity. This Divine gift will lift us up the mystical ladder of
Jacob, and introduce us into the presence of the Eternal Father, Who
will enrich us with every kind of heavenly consolation. We shall sing
canticles of Divine praise with our most holy Patroness, and eternally
glorify Our Lord for the grace we have obtained to imitate her
virtues, and fight under her standard.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Humility made the Son of God descend from Heaven into the immaculate
bosom of Mary, and by the same virtue we may also cause Him to descend
into our souls.--_St. Teresa._

It is not humility to acknowledge ourselves to be miserable, for this
needs but a little understanding of our condition, but to _wish_ and
_desire_ to be treated as such is true Christian humility.--_St.
Francis of Sales._

We ought never to make use of our heart, eyes, and words for the
indulgence of our own humours and inclinations, but only for the
service of the Celestial Spouse.--_The same._

EXAMPLE.

_The Love of St. Alphonsus for Mary._

The love of St. Alphonsus Liguori for the Blessed Virgin Mary was so
burning that he desired to inflame with it the hearts of all mankind.
He was often heard to say: 'O men, what are you doing? Why so much
affection for earthly creatures, for false deceivers, who make you
lose both body and soul, both Paradise and God? How is it you love not
Mary, who is ever most amiable, most loving, and most faithful; and
who, after having enriched you with consolations and graces in this
life, will obtain for you from her Divine Son the eternal glory of
Paradise?'

He loved her so tenderly from his childhood, that one day he said to
her quite simply: 'O my sweet Virgin Mary, I do not wish that there
should be anyone in the world who loves and hononrs you more than I
do;' and this desire of his heart was fully gratified. He thought of
her even in sleep, and made use of this tender aspiration: 'O Mary,
how beautiful you are! O how beautiful you are!' No one could speak to
him without receiving a recommendation to be devout to Mary. 'Be
devout to the Holy Virgin Mary,' he would say; 'whoever is devout to
her will certainly be saved.' He inculcated the pious practices of
visiting her images, reciting the Rosary, and fasting in her honour,
on Saturdays and on the vigils of her festivals. But in a special
manner he wished all to recite, every morning and evening, three _Ave
Marias_ in commemoration of her Immaculate Conception and perpetual
virginity, adding this ejaculation to each Ave Maria: 'By your sacred
virginity and Immaculate Conception, O Mary, obtain for me purity and
sanctity of soul and body.' He gave pictures of her to everyone,
saying: 'Here is the image of your Heavenly Mother; give her your love
and confidence.' At other times he repeated: 'Love the good Virgin
much, because Mary is the Mother of perseverance; and whoever loves
Jesus and Mary will become holy.'

_Prayer._--O Mary! you are truly the valiant woman in whom the Lord
found rest, and whom He has chosen to be the depositary of all His
treasures. The universe honours you as the most pure sanctuary of the
Divinity, the true Temple of the Lord, in which was begun the
salvation of the world, and in which took place the grand
reconciliation between God and man. You are that privileged field
which sin could not enter and devastate; you are that magnificent
garden in which Our Lord planted all the flowers that adorn His
Church. You, O Mary, are the Paradise of God, whence springs the
fountain of living water which waters and fructifies the earth: obtain
for me, by your powerful intercession, that, being washed in this most
pure water, I may be admitted with you to the nuptials of the
Immaculate Lamb. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--Most pure Virgin, pray for us.

_Practice._--In temptations against holy purity invoke Mary, Virgin
and Mother.



EIGHTH DAY.

THE VISITATION.

THOUGH Mary had thus humbled herself before God, she did not stop
there, because she knew that humility and charity do not attain their
highest degree of perfection until, for God's sake, they are exercised
in behalf of our neighbour. True fraternal charity proceeds from the
love of God, and in proportion as this increases, the love of our
neighbour becomes more intense. The Apostle of Charity teaches us this
truth, when he says: _Qui enim non diliget fratrem suum quem vidit,
Deum quem non videt, quomodo potest deligere?_--'For he that loveth
not his brother whom he seeth, how can he love God whom he seeth not?'
If we desire, then, to show our love to God, we must love our
neighbour, we must serve him, help him, and relieve him in his
necessities according to our power. How profoundly was the Blessed
Virgin penetrated with this truth! No sooner had she heard that her
cousin had conceived in her old age, than she arose and went with
haste (the Gospel says, _cum festinatione_) over the mountains of
Judea to the city of Ephrem.

Consider that Mary is become the Mother of the Son of God, and having
with all humility and sweetness obtained leave of her Holy Spouse to
go and visit her cousin Elizabeth, she bade a painful adieu to all her
neighbours. With great eagerness did the Most Holy Virgin undertake
her long and fatiguing journey, as the Gospel says, she _went with
haste!_ The first movements of Him Whom she bears in her womb
increased her fervour, and she began her journey with haste but
without mental flurry. The Angels are ready to accompany her, and St.
Joseph gladly conducts her. One would wish to have known something of
the conversation of these two great souls, and willingly should we
listen to the account thereof. It is probable that the Holy Virgin
conversed only of Him Whom she bore within her, and breathed only for
her Saviour. St. Joseph, on his side, thinks only of his Redeemer, Who
moves his heart with a thousand sentiments and affections. As wine
locked up in the cellar acquires the scent of the flowery vines, so
the heart of this Holy Patriarch insensibly participates in the
perfume and the vigour of the Divine Infant Who blooms in His
beautiful vineyard. The profound humility which Mary exercised in
serving one who was in every respect her inferior, is indeed most
worthy of our admiration. It is true that Elizabeth was of noble
birth, because she was of the royal race of David, and was, moreover,
united in marriage to the High Priest of the tribe of Levi. However,
this nobility is nothing in comparison with that of the Most Holy
Virgin, whose incomparable greatness can only be expressed by the
title of Mother of God--_Mater Dei_--and yet where can we find more
profound humility? Her humble heart is not satisfied with calling
herself the handmaid of the Lord, but she leaves her house, and for
three entire months is as a handmaid to her venerable cousin. The
Gospel, moreover, gives us to understand that when the Divine Mother
entered the house of Zacharias she was the first to give the
salutation, and this through her great humility: _Intravit in domum
Zachariae et salutavit Elizabeth_.

Remark also the conduct of Our Lady amidst the praises and blessings
which Elizabeth bestowed upon her. Assuredly it was very different
from that of women in the world, who instead of humbling themselves
when they are praised, become more puffed up. Was it not vanity that
possessed our poor mother Eve, who, on hearing that she was created to
the image and likeness of God, became thereby so presumptuous that she
strove to become equal to Him, and gave ear to all the suggestions of
the infernal enemy? But as the Most Holy Virgin had come into the
world to regain all that Eve had lost by her vanity and pride, she
thinks only of the abyss of her nothingness, and calls herself the
handmaid of the Lord, although proclaimed by the Angel His Mother;
when she is declared by Elizabeth to be the most blessed of women, she
replies that her blessings are accorded because the Lord has looked
down upon her lowliness and her littleness: _Quia respexit humilitatem
ancillae suae_. What an excellent sign is humility of heart in a soul
that has made progress in the spiritual life! When such souls humble
themselves before God and before all creatures, in proportion to the
greatness of the favours received, and place all their happiness, like
Mary, in this alone, that the Divine Goodness has looked down upon
their lowliness and misery, it is a sure indication that the graces of
God are not received in vain.

The effects of grace in the heart of the Most Blessed Virgin were a
profound humility and a burning charity towards God and towards her
neighbour. The Apostle St. Paul in relating to us the love that our
Saviour bore to the virtue of humility, says that 'He humbled Himself
unto death, even to the death of the Cross'--_Humiliavit semetipsum
usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis;_ and he would have us learn from
this that we should not be satisfied to have practised this virtue in
some particular circumstances, nor for a certain time, but that we
must practise it always and on all occasions. We must practise this
virtue not only _until death_ but _unto the death of the Cross;_ that
is to say, unto the perfect mortification of ourselves, humbling our
self-esteem and our self-love. Let us not deceive ourselves by a
certain appearance of humility; as, for instance, in speaking of our
imperfections, or in performing external acts of reverence and
humility, for the virtue of humility does not consist in this. True
and Christian humility makes us esteem ourselves absolutely as
nothing, as unworthy to live, as deserving only of universal contempt.
It moves us to embrace generously the precept of our Saviour, that we
renounce ourselves if we wish to follow Him: _Si quis vult post me
venire, abneget semetipsum._

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Humility is the root of every virtue. As the flower receives its
nourishment from the root, and withers when it is cut off from it, so
virtue, however perfect it may be, languishes and dies if it be not
rooted in humility.--_Nouet._

Bees suck honey from the lily, the iris and the rose; but they draw it
also from the smallest flowers, such as rosemary and thyme. Indeed,
they gather more honey from the latter, and it is of a better quality;
because more closely confined in the smaller flowers and better
preserved. Thus is charity practised, both more frequently and with
more humility, in lowly exercises of devotion, and consequently with
greater perfection and holiness.--_Francis of Sales._

EXAMPLE.

_The Pilgrimage of St. Francis of Sales to Loreto._

St. Francis of Sales was always thinking of the honour of the Most
Blessed Virgin, and had made a vow from his youth to visit the holy
Chapel of Loreto. In his travels through Italy, made by order of his
father, his great desire was to fulfil the promise he had made to
venerate the Most Holy Virgin in the Sanctuary where she had received
the visit of the Angel and the sublime dignity of becoming the Mother
of God, and he did so with wonderful piety. He was rapt in admiration
in beholding those walls that had enclosed such wonders. He prayed
motionless for a long time before the Altar of the Queen of Heaven,
thanking her devoutly for all she had done for himself, exhorting her
to continue her holy protection, and renewing his promise to imitate
her angelic virtue of purity during his whole life. Ineffable were the
graces and consolations that he then received; his mind was illumined
by celestial light, and his heart was inflamed with such ardent
charity, that from that moment nothing appeared to him impossible,
when there was question of the glory of God and the salvation of
souls.

_Prayer of St. Germanus._--Hail Mary! you are the hope of Christians,
and it is in this quality that I turn myself to you. Receive, O tender
Mother, the prayer addressed to you by a poor sinner, but a penitent
sinner, who honours you, and who, after God, places in you all his
hope for his conversion and salvation. I am indebted to you for so
many graces, but grant me, I beseech you, one grace more. Confirm me
and establish me in the grace and love of your Divine Son. You are the
consolation of the afflicted; deign, then, to intercede in my favour
with your Divine Son, my Saviour, Jesus, that He may deliver me from
the burden of my sins, dissipate the darkness of my understanding,
remove every irregular affection from my heart, and restrain all the
efforts and temptations of my enemies, that, being aided by this
grace, I may henceforth so order my life that, under your protection,
I may arrive at the happy port of eternal life. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--O Holy Virgin! may I always remember you, and have
recourse to you in all my necessities.

_Practice._--Visit the altar of Mary, either in the church or in your
room, to obtain from her sorrow for your sins.



NINTH DAY.

THE CHARITY OF MARY IN THE VISITATION.

WE must not imagine that the Blessed Virgin Mary was moved to
undertake this long journey to visit her cousin, St. Elizabeth, by
curiosity to know if what the Angel had told her were true, for she
had not the slightest doubt of it. Our Blessed Lady was moved by a
secret impulse of God, Who wished to commence the work of Redemption
and the sanctification of souls in this visit, by the sanctification
of the infant St. John.

The most ardent charity and most profound humility animated her, and
gave her wings to fly across the mountains of Judea, and these two
virtues were also the cause of her journey. As St. Ambrose says,
charity or grace knows no delays nor cold deliberations: _Nescit tarda
molimina sancti spiritus gratiae_. It need not therefore surprise us
if the Most Holy Virgin, filled as she was with charity (because she
bore in her womb Him Who is Love itself), should exercise it in
continual acts towards God, to Whom she was closely united by the
sacred bond of perfect love, and towards her neighbours, whom she
loved so tenderly and sincerely that she sighed for the salvation and
sanctification of the whole world. She went with all alacrity, because
she knew with what happy results her visit would be attended, in the
person of St. John, and also because she wished to congratulate her
cousin who, notwithstanding her age and sterility, had conceived the
long-predicted precursor of the Word Incarnate. She went that they
might rejoice together, and excite each other to glorify the God of
all mercy, and to thank Him for so many favours and benedictions.

St. Luke would teach us by the words, _Exurgens Maria abiit cum
festinatione in montana in civitatem Juda_--'Mary arose and went into
the mountain country with haste, into a city of Judea'--the care and
readiness with which we also ought to correspond to the Divine
inspirations. As it is the work of the Holy Spirit to banish all
tepidity and negligence from the heart, so He would have us execute
His Divine Will with all care and diligence, and He is offended by any
kind of delay. The virginal purity of Mary, which so dearly loved
solitude, also caused her to go with haste, for the best protection
for virginal purity is to appear as little as possible in the tumult
of the world.

Having reached the house of Zachary, she entered it. She saluted
Elizabeth. The Evangelist does not relate that she saluted Zachary
also, for her love of purity was so great that she spoke little with
men. Let virgins learn from this that they cannot take too great care
for the preservation of this virtue.

Who can imagine the sweet fragrance of this most beautiful lily in the
house of Zachary during the three months that she remained there? How
well did she spend every instant! What honey, what precious balsam,
must those sacred lips have distilled in the few but excellent words
that they uttered! Indeed, Mary could speak only that which filled her
heart, and _that_ was Jesus!

Let us consider the meaning of the words, that 'Elizabeth was filled
with the Holy Ghost'--_Et repleta est Spiritu Sancto Elisabeth_--that
Elizabeth, who had already received the Holy Ghost with all His gifts,
received a new fulness and a new increase of grace by this visit.
Although the Lord grants His graces to the just _in full measure_,
yet, as the Gospel says, this measure can be so augmented as to
overflow on all sides: _Mensuram bonam confertam et coagitatam et
supereffluentem dabunt in sinum vestrum._

Let us well understand this important truth. The grace of the Holy
Ghost can never be granted to us in this life in such full measure
that it cannot be augmented; therefore, let us beware of saying: 'It
is enough; I am sufficiently enriched with graces and virtues.
_Mensura conferta est_--the measure is filled up, further progress in
mortification is unnecessary.' He who should speak thus would only
show too clearly his misery, or, rather, his presumption, and the
great danger to which he exposes himself. _Omni habenti dabitur et
abundabit, ei autem qui non habet et quod videtur habere auferetur ab
eo_. This text signifies that to him who has received much--that is to
say, who has laboured much, and never gives up--much shall be given.
Such a one believes that he has never done enough; but, conscious of
his own misery, he continues to labour with holy and sincere humility.
_He, then, who possesses much, shall receive with usury, and
superabundantly;_ but from him who profits not by the grace received,
letting it lie idle and fruitless, because he believes he is rich
enough, _from him shall be taken that which he thinketh himself to
possess and that which he does not possess_. This means, that graces
already received shall be taken away, because he has not traded with
them, and those which have been prepared for him shall not be bestowed
upon him, since he has rendered himself unworthy of them by his
negligence. All this, however, is not to be understood of _sufficient_
grace, which is never denied by God to anyone, but of _efficacious_
grace, which, by a just judgment of God, is not granted to tepid and
ungrateful souls.

The thirst for riches and honours, by which worldlings are tormented,
never allows them to say, _Enough_. And yet they ought to be contented
with a little, for experience teaches us that the highest dignities
and honours and great wealth frequently occasion the loss of souls. It
is in regard of such temporal matters that we should say, _I have
sufficient_. But, with regard to spiritual goods, let us never believe
that we possess them in sufficient abundance, so long as we remain in
this land of exile, but let us make every possible effort _to advance
day by day from virtue to virtue_.

Experience teaches us that plants and fruits do not attain maturity
until they have produced their seeds, which are necessary for the
reproduction of their species. In the same way our virtues will never
be sufficiently perfected, or reach their maturity, until they produce
within us an ardent desire to make further progress. This desire is
the spiritual seed which produces new degrees of virtue.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Mary is a most beautiful rose, which dared not open its petals even to
the gentle breeze of an Angel!--_St. Ambrose._

How precious and how delicate a flower is purity! A sigh, a look, a
word is enough to wither it! On this account chaste souls continually
distrust themselves, and flee from the slightest occasions of
danger.--_Nouet._

The rose is the symbol of love and charity; its petals are red, and
formed like a heart. Such should be the actions of the spouses of
Jesus Christ. They should have as many hearts as they have petals--
that is to say, hearts full of love, and like petals in the little
esteem they should have of their actions.--_St. Francis of Sales._

EXAMPLE.

_Consecration of the Saturday to Mary._

Holy Church is ever desirous to maintain a tender devotion in the
hearts of the faithful towards the Most Blessed Virgin, and from the
earliest ages of Christianity she has encouraged the consecration of
the Saturday to her. It is related that there was in the church of
Santa Sofia at Constantinople a picture of the Mother of God which was
veiled during the rest of the week, but on Friday evening the veil was
raised without human aid, and lowered on the evening of Saturday. Thus
did Almighty God manifest His Will that _Saturday_ should be dedicated
to Mary. It was on Saturday she took so great a part in the work of
our redemption, and it was fitting that on the morrow of the day when
she so bitterly wept over the sorrowful scene of Calvary we should
remember her tears shed for us in a special manner. Again, on Saturday
God rested from His work in the creation of the world, and the Church
consecrates this day to her, to honour the mysterious repose of the
Holy Ghost in her Immaculate Heart, and that of Our Blessed Saviour in
her chaste womb. Saturday is the introduction to Sunday--the symbol of
eternal rest--and the Holy Virgin is truly invoked under the title of
'Gate of Heaven'--_Janua Coeli_.

Saturday, moreover, is the day between Friday, the day of mourning,
and Sunday, the day of joy--and the Holy Virgin is the mediatrix
between God, Who is Eternal Beatitude, and man, who is subject to
endless evils and miseries. Mary is the way to arrive at Jesus, and
Saturday is a prelude to the solemnity of Sunday. Saturday is as a
magnificent portal consecrated to the Mother of God, by which we enter
the Sanctuary of God Himself. The Saints held this day in great
esteem--on it they redoubled their pious exercises--and many begged,
as a signal favour, that they might die on a Saturday.

_Prayer._--O Sovereign Queen of Angels! you are the Mother of Orphans,
as your faithful servant, St. Bonaventure, says: _Mater Orphanorum_.
Sinners are truly orphans--for they have had the misfortune to lose
their God, the most tender of Fathers. To you, therefore, I have
recourse, O Mother of Mercy. I have had the misfortune to lose my true
Father, by sin; and yet, since you have not abandoned me, O my Mother,
I feel a lively hope that through your goodness you will deign to
intercede for me, and reconcile me to my Father, Whom I have so
grievously offended. O Holy Virgin! he alone can perish who does not
have recourse to you. I confess, indeed, that I am a most unworthy
sinner, and, nevertheless, to you do I fly, animated by sweet
confidence in your love. Your mercy is greater than all my miseries;
and, although my iniquities are enormous, they will never exhaust the
treasures of your Son's mercy, nor your own. I sincerely detest, from
my heart, all my sins, and hope, through your intercession, for a
general pardon. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--O Mother of God and my Mother, the confidence I place
in you is to me a pledge of my eternal salvation.

_Practice._--Let all your prayers and actions this day be offered in
suffrage for the holy souls in Purgatory.



TENTH DAY.

BY THE VISIT OF MARY, ELIZABETH IS FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST.

LET us continue our Meditation on the sweet mystery of the Visitation.

The visit which this incomparable Virgin made to St. Elizabeth was not
useless, nor, like the visits of worldly people, a matter of ceremony.
Such visits result in harm to the conscience, in offences against
chastity or charity. The Most Holy Virgin was induced to visit her
cousin Elizabeth from pure motives of charity, and the days she spent
with her were not employed in useless occupations, but in praising and
magnifying God. How holy, pious, and devout was not this visit! It
filled the whole house of Zachary with the Holy Spirit, and admirable
effects were produced in St. Elizabeth. The first effect was humility.
As soon as Our Lady appeared in the house of her cousin the Saint was
filled with astonishment at such a favour, and exclaimed: _Unde hoc
mihi ut veniat Mater Domini mei ad me?_--'Whence is this to me, that
the Mother of my God should come unto me?' This is the virtue that the
Holy Ghost first produces within us; a profound humility, which forces
us to annihilate ourselves in the sight of the infinite greatness of
God, and acknowledge our own baseness and worthlessness.

The second effect was to confirm St. Elizabeth in faith, as is
gathered from the words she ad dressed to the Most Holy Virgin:
'Blessed art thou that hast believed; blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb'--_Beata es quae crededisti;
benedicta tu inter mulieres, et benedictus fructus ventris tui_.
Indeed, one of the chief operations of the Holy Spirit is to ground us
in faith and convert us entirely to God, and make us acknowledge Him
as the Source of all the graces and blessings granted to mortal
beings.

Truly may St. Elizabeth have said, you are blessed amongst all women,
but your blessedness proceeds from the Fruit of your womb, the God of
blessings. We do not usually praise the fruit on account of the tree,
but the tree on account of the excellence of its fruit. Thus, although
we ought to render to the Most Holy Virgin a worship or veneration
beyond that which we render to the Saints, yet our homage and
veneration should never equal that which we give to God. God alone
should be sovereignly adored; but, as the Most Holy Virgin is the
Mother of Our Saviour, and a co-operator in our redemption, she is
worthy of such a special worship as all true Christians have ever
given to her. When the Holy Spirit dwells within us, we love and
praise God alone above all things, as our Sovereign Creator; and after
Him, Mary, His Most Holy Mother.

The third effect that the Holy Ghost produces in those upon whom He
descends is a complete change of heart, as is represented in the joy
of the Baptist yet unborn: _Ecce enim ut facta est vox salutationis
tuae in auribus meis, exultavit infans in utero meo_--'Behold, as soon
as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears,' said Elizabeth to
Our Lady, 'the Infant leaped in my womb.' Thus was St. John
sanctified, going forth as it were out of himself, and casting himself
before his Maker. And so it is with those who receive the Holy Spirit:
they go out of themselves and lose themselves in God; that is to say,
they live no longer according to nature and the senses, but they
follow the inspirations of grace. If you desire, then, to know whether
you have received the Holy Ghost, examine your actions.

It was through the intervention of Most Holy Mary that St. Elizabeth
received the Holy Spirit. This teaches us that we should make use of
her as a mediatrix with her Divine Son in order to obtain heavenly
graces. It is true that we can address ourselves directly to God in
our petitions, without employing the mediation of the Most Holy Virgin
or the Saints; but this is not according to the order ordained by God,
Who wished that there should be a communication between us and His
Saints. Hence the Church militant and triumphant form but one Church,
directed and governed equally, though differently, by God Himself; and
He wishes us to have recourse to Him through the Most Holy Virgin and
the Saints, and He bestows the most precious graces upon us by their
intercession.

For the concluding point of this meditation we may add that it is of
the greatest advantage to our souls to be visited by the Most Blessed
Virgin; and her visits are always accompanied by many blessings and
graces, as in the case of St. Elizabeth. O God! you will say, I do,
indeed, desire that she would deign to honour me with one of her
visits during prayer, since her visits fill the soul with sweet
consolation. However, we must bear in mind that Mary often visits us
with inspirations and interior lights, to aid our progress in
perfection; and these are precisely the visits that we are unwilling
to receive.

Endeavour to receive Holy Communion devoutly, and you will contract a
spiritual relationship with the Most Holy Virgin, since the Most
Precious Body of Our Saviour, which we receive in Holy Communion, was
formed by the Holy Ghost of her most pure blood.

In this manner, and by the imitation of her virtues, the relationship
which you will contract with her will be much more excellent and more
pleasing to her than that of Elizabeth, which was merely of flesh and
blood. Our Lord says: 'Whosoever shall do the will of My Father Who is
in heaven, he is My brother, and sister, and mother' (Matt. xii. 50).

In order to have some share in the visits of this Holy Virgin, we must
not look for consolations, but generously resolve to accept even
contempt and sorrow. In fact, Mary did not visit St. Elizabeth until
she had suffered the ignominy and humiliation of her sterility. It is
impossible to lead a devout life without trouble, and merit is in
proportion to suffering. Finally, if we desire to receive the favour
of this visitation, we must be transformed; we must die to self, and
live only to God and for God: in a word, we must humble ourselves
profoundly, according to the example of St. Elizabeth. Be faithful
then, pious souls, in this exercise, during this short and miserable
life, that you may afterwards chant eternally in heaven with the Most
Holy Virgin: _Magnificat anima mea Dominum!_--'My soul doth magnify
the Lord!'

My God! how ashamed I am to be still so full of myself, when I have so
often come to Holy Communion! O dear Jesus! may we always bear Thee in
our hearts, that we may no longer breathe but Thee? How is it that I
am so little united to Thee, since Thou art always in me? Why do I
stray so far from Thee, whilst Thou art always close to me? Thou
dwellest in my heart, how is it that I do not abide in Thine?

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Chastity is the unblemished beauty of the Saints, which, like the
rose, adorns the soul and body, and fills them with sweet and pleasing
fragrance.--_St. Ephrem._

A slight breath of wind suffices to make the flowers fall from the
trees in spring; and sometimes one flattering word, of itself, is
enough to ruin a chaste soul, which is infinitely more delicate and
tender than any flower.--_Nouet._

As the bee gathers from flowers the dew of heaven and the sweetest
juice of the earth, forming it into honey and carrying it to its hive,
so the Priest takes from the altar our Blessed Saviour (the true Son
of God, Who descended like dew from heaven, and came forth from the
Virgin Mary as a flower from the earth of our humanity), and places
Him in your mouth, and He becomes to you a delicious and spiritual
food.--_St. Francis of Sales._

EXAMPLE.

_Devotion of St. Thomas Aquinas to the 'Ave Maria.'_

The most tender devotion towards Mary was, as we may say, innate in
St. Thomas Aquinas. One day, when he was a little child, his nurse
observed that he kept a piece of paper in his hands, which she wished
to take from him: but the child resisted with loud cries, and made
every effort to retain it. This singular resistance excited the
curiosity of his pious mother, the Countess Theodora. She therefore
took hold of the piece of paper, opened it, and found, to her
surprise, written upon it the Angelical Salutation. Whilst she was
reading it, the infant redoubled his cries and tears, so that she was
obliged to return it to him. Thomas had no sooner received it, than
putting it into his mouth he swallowed it with great eagerness. This
fact foreshadowed the devotion which the Saint ever had for the
Angelical Salutation, on which he has left us a most pious and learned
commentary, full of the praises of Mary.

_Prayer._--Holy Virgin and my tender Mother! You are the channel by
which the graces of God reach us; you are the depositary of all
celestial treasures, and you yourself declare to us that you possess
all the wealth of heaven, to enrich those that love you: _ut ditem
diligentes me_. O Divine Mother! you see that my poverty is great, and
my indigence extreme; but remember, I beseech you, that I trust in
you, and hope that you will be moved to compassionate my miseries, and
to obtain for me a remedy. I love you, O Holy Virgin; you are, after
God, the great object of my affections. Have compassion on me then,
and never abandon me to the snares of the enemies of my salvation, but
succour me during the whole course of my life, and above all at the
moment of my death, so that I may come one day to your feet, in the
abode of eternal happiness. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--O Holy Virgin, help those who groan in misery!

_Practice._--Mortify self-love, by some act of obedience or meekness.



ELEVENTH DAY.

HUMILITY OF MARY.

THE Blessed Virgin Mary surpassed all the Angels and Saints in
perfection and merit; and of all creatures none as she was so pleasing
to God. Who, indeed, ever possessed so ardent a charity and so
profound a humility? Where shall we find humility equal to that which
appeared in Mary when, in answer to Elizabeth, she confessed that the
cause of her happiness was that the Lord had deigned to regard the
humility of His handmaid, and that therefore all generations should
call her blessed?--_Quia respexit humilitatem anciliae suae; ecce enim
ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generations_.

Many Doctors of the Church are of opinion that, when Mary said, 'the
Lord hath regarded the humility of His handmaid,' it was not her
intention to speak of her virtue of humility, because, although she
was profoundly humble, she did not believe herself to be so; but that
she thought only of her lowly state, her baseness, and abjection as a
creature of God, and of the nothingness from which she had been drawn.
There are others, however, who hold a contrary, and perhaps more
probable, opinion, and say that Our Lady intended to speak of her
virtue of humility, being well aware that it was this virtue that had
attracted Our Saviour to her chaste womb. We may well believe that
Mary was aware that she possessed this virtue, and that she had no
fear of losing it, being intimately persuaded that it was the effect
of the grace of God within her and not of her own merits.

Indeed, we find the great St. Paul acknowledging that he possessed the
virtue of charity, and in such decisive terms as would seem in others
presumptuous rather than humble. He writes: 'Who shall separate me
from the charity of Christ?'--_Quis me separabit a charitate Christi?_
'Shall tribulation, or distress, or hunger, or nakedness, or danger,
or persecution, or the sword? I am sure that neither death nor life
nor Angels shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord.' See Rom. viii. 35-39.

Notice the confidence with which this great Apostle speaks when he
protests that there is no power in the world, or in hell, that is
capable of separating him from the charity of his God. He believed
that he possessed this virtue of charity; and in speaking thus he
confided entirely in grace, and in his own merits _by grace_. The
glorious Virgin knew well that the virtue of humility has more power
to attract the Heart of God to our hearts than all other virtues. The
Divine Spouse in the Canticles seems to signify this, when he
expresses his admiration for the beauty of the footsteps of his
beloved: _Quam pulchri sunt gressus tui in calceamentis, filia
principis!_--'How beautiful are thy steps in shoes, O Prince's
daughter!' (Cant, vii. 1), and then enumerates her other beauties.
Judith did not captivate Holofernes so much by the rare beauty of her
countenance and the splendour of her attire as by her sandals, or her
shoes, which were probably embroidered with gold.

In like manner the Eternal Father, considering the variety of virtues
that adorned Our Lady, was in admiration of her beauty; but when He
cast His eyes upon her sandals He was so pleased that He sent His Only
Son to become Incarnate in her chaste womb. What is signified by these
sandals or shoes of Mary but her humility? These articles are the
least valuable part of our attire, and the soonest covered with dust.
Now, the spirit of true humility continually abases the souls who
possess it, and annihilates them in their own eyes, and keeps them
under the feet of everyone. Such is the property of this virtue of
humility, which is the foundation of the whole spiritual life. It was
this lowliness that the Lord looked upon in the Most Holy Virgin with
so much complacency, and this look of His formed her whole greatness:
_Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae, ecce enim ex hoc beatam me
dicent omnes generations_. All generations shall call her blessed
_because_ God had regarded her.

Whichever of the two significations given to these words: God hath
regarded _the humility of His Handmaid_ be accepted, we find that the
Holy Virgin always spoke with so much humility as to leave no doubt
whatever that she considered all her happiness to proceed from her
Lord having looked upon her lowliness. On this account the words of
the Spouse of the Canticles are applied to her: _Dum esset Rex in
accubitu suo nardus mea dedit odorem suum_--'While the King was at his
repose, my spikenard sent forth the odour thereof.' The plant on which
the spikenard grows does not grow up high like the cedars of Lebanon.
But lowly as it is, it delights all by the sweetness it diffuses
around. What a precious plant was the Most Holy Virgin, who never
sought to exalt herself, although enriched by God with the most signal
favours! She was always penetrated by the sense of her own abjection
and nothingness; and in virtue of this humility she spread around,
like the spikenard plant, so sweet a perfume that it ascended to the
Throne of the Divine Majesty, and attracted the Son of God to descend
and take flesh in her immaculate womb.

We see, then, how dear humility is to God! Our Saviour taught this
truth in His memorable reply to the woman who exclaimed aloud: _Beatus
venter qui Te portavit et ubera quae suxisti_--'Blessed is the womb
that bore Thee, and the paps that gave Thee suck.' 'Yea,' said Our
Lord, 'rather, blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep
it'--_Quinimmo beati qui audiunt verbum Dei et custodiunt illud_. That
is to say: 'My Mother is indeed blessed on account of having borne Me
in her womb; but more blessed is she on account of the humility with
which she listened to the words of My Heavenly Father, and kept them.'
And this He again taught when He said that they who heard the Word of
God and practised it were to Him as His Mother and His Brethren.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Jesus Christ built His throne upon the ruins of the world. Before the
fruits of grace can be gathered the flowers of prosperity must fall.

The present moment's grace may be that which will decide our
eternity.--_Nepveu._

The Heart of Mary is a garden of delights, in which we can gather the
most precious fruits. This most beautiful garden is closed against the
impure spirit; it is full of Divine perfumes, cultivated by a Heavenly
Hand, and adorned with the most charming flowers of virtue. Of these
there are three which particularly attract our admiration, and fill
the house of God with the sweetest fragrance--they are the violet of
humility, the lily of chastity, and the rose of charity.--_St.
Bernard._

The less you seek after praise and your own interests, the more do you
deserve to be praised and rewarded by God.

EXAMPLE.

_Origin of the Rosary._

The Rosary of the B. V. M. in its present form was instituted by St.
Dominic. But as early as the year 1094 Peter the Hermit had invented a
kind of rosary of beads of wood, upon which the Crusaders, who were
generally uneducated men, recited a certain number of _Paters_ and
_Aves_, varied according to the solemnity of the feasts.

Historians also relate that even before that time pious persons were
in the habit of reciting a series of _Paters_ and _Aves_ upon knotted
cords. In the East it was the custom to present crowns of roses to
persons of distinction. St. Gregory Nazianzen, moved by ardent piety
towards the Mother of Our Redeemer, offered to her, instead of a
material crown of roses, a spiritual crown of prayers. It consisted of
a long string of the highest praises and most glorious titles and
excellent prerogatives of Mary.

St. Bridget, Patroness of Ireland, who lived in the fifth century,
developed this pious idea of St. Gregory by substituting for those
prayers which were unknown to the people the more popular and more
beautiful prayers of the _Credo_, the _Pater_, and the _Ave Maria_.
And to regulate the number of prayers to be recited, the Saint adopted
the method of the anchorets of threading beads of stone or of wood
together in the form of a crown or chaplet.

The word 'Rosary' signifies a crown of roses, and the prayers, the
expression of the heart's affections, of which it is composed, are
spiritual roses with which we adorn the head of our dear Blessed
Mother.

It is said that a holy solitary was watching one day a poor old woman
reciting her rosary with great devotion, when he observed an Angel by
her side holding a golden thread, upon which he strung a rose for
every _Ave_, and a lily for every _Pater_; afterwards he placed this
garland in the form of a crown upon the head of the old woman, and
disappeared, leaving behind him a sweet fragrance of roses. This
fragrance was often perceived in former days in churches, after the
recital of the Rosary.

_Prayer._--O Mary, my good Mother! obtain for me an ardent love for
your Divine Son, my Saviour Jesus Christ. From Him you can obtain all
that you desire; obtain, then, for me the grace to be always so united
to the Divine Will that I may never again be separated from it. I ask
you not, my Mother, for earthly goods, nor honours, nor riches; but I
ask of you that which you have much more at heart, the grace to love
my God. Is it possible that you should refuse to assist me in a work
which is so agreeable to you? No; you will help me, my good Mother--
you will pray for me. Pray then, O Sacred Virgin, and cease not to
pray for me, until you see me in heaven, out of danger of losing my
God, and certain of loving Him throughout eternity. May I be able to
thank Him for ever, with you, my good and charitable Mother, for so
great a mercy. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--Make me like unto you, O Mary, who were so sweet and
humble of heart.

_Practice._--Make an act of external humility in union with Mary.



TWELFTH DAY.

THROUGH THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST RECEIVES THE
MOST SPECIAL GRACES.

WHO could number all the graces and favours showered upon the house of
Zachary, when the Holy Virgin entered it? If Abraham received many
graces for the hospitality he gave to three Angels; if Jacob was the
cause of so many blessings to Laban, an idolater, in whose house he
dwelt; if Lot was saved from the fire of Sodom, for having given
shelter to two Angels; if the Prophet Elias filled with oil all the
vessels of the poor widow who entertained him; if Eliseus raised to
life the son of the Sunamitess his hostess; if Obededom obtained so
many favours from Heaven, for receiving into his house the Ark of the
Covenant--how great and precious must have been the graces and
blessings poured upon the house of Zachary for having lodged for three
months the Angel of the great Council, the Divine Prophet, the real
Ark of the Covenant, Our Lord Jesus Christ inclosed in the immaculate
womb of Mary! Who could understand the Divine sweetness poured into
the heart of Elizabeth during the time of that Divine visitation? How
profound must have been her meditation on the mystery of the
Incarnation, and what thanks must she have offered to God for all the
favours bestowed upon her. But, above all, very special favours were
conferred by Our Lord upon His precursor St. John Baptist.

Firstly, according to the common opinion of the Fathers, St. John
received the use of reason; secondly, from that moment he was
sanctified; and thirdly, he was filled with the knowledge of God and
of His Divine mysteries. Even then he loved his Saviour, he adored
Him, and leaped for joy in His presence, as we learn from Elizabeth
herself, in the words she addressed to the Holy Virgin: _Ecce enim ut
facta est vox salutationis tuae in auribus meis, exultavit infans in
gaudio in utero meo_--'Behold, as soon as the voice of the Salutation
sounded in my ears, the Infant in my womb leaped for joy.'

Such extraordinary joy was not surprising. Jesus Christ, speaking to
the Jews, says: _Abraham frater vester, exultavit ut videret diem
Meum_--'Abraham, your father, rejoiced to see My day.' All the
prophets desired ardently the promised Messiah, and rejoiced that at
His coming their predictions would be fulfilled. We may well believe,
therefore, that St. John rejoiced at the presence of this long-desired
Messiah, in the immaculate womb of the Holy Virgin, Who had come to
visit him and begin the work of Redemption, delivering him from
original sin. It would not have been fitting that he, who was chosen
to prepare the way of the Lord, should, at his birth, bear the stain
of original sin. On this account, therefore, Our Lady repaired to the
house of St. Elizabeth, that the Child, Whom she bore and Who was the
Sanctifier of souls, might, in this visit, purify the glorious St.
John from original sin and sanctify him. This He did with such fulness
of grace that many Doctors are of opinion that he never sinned even
venially. The charity, of which the heart of our glorious Queen was
full, caused her to co-operate in this work of sanctification. No
wonder that she should have been so ardent in love and zeal for the
salvation of men when she bore in her bosom Charity Itself, the
Saviour and Redeemer of the world! All faithful souls should rejoice
when they are visited by our Divine Saviour in the Most Holy Sacrament
of the Altar, or by the interior graces which are so often vouchsafed
them, or by the many inspirations and loving words which He addresses
to them when knocking at the door of their hearts. Under what an
obligation are they not to correspond to so many favours, and with
what care and fidelity should they not fulfil the Most Holy Will of
their Divine Saviour!

O my dear Sisters, Daughters of the Visitation of Our Lady and of St.
Elizabeth, since you have Mary for your Mother, you should have
nothing so much at heart as to imitate her particularly in her
humility and charity. These are the two virtues which especially
animated her when she visited the house of Zachary. Like her, you
should visit, diligently and joyfully, your Sisters, when they are
suffering, and endeavour to aid each other in your spiritual and
temporal infirmities. Be most careful and diligent in those things in
which humility and charity are most required. To be numbered amongst
the Daughters of Our Lady, it is not sufficient to live in a house of
the Visitation and wear the Religious habit. If you would not wrong
such a Mother, you must imitate her in her virtues and the sanctity of
her life. Be careful, then, to conform your life to hers. Be mild,
sweet, humble, charitable, good; magnify Our Lord continually with
her, and be assured, beloved souls, that, if you fulfil your duties
with humility and fidelity during the whole course of your life, you
will, after death, be admitted to the Holy Virgin in heaven, singing,
'_Magnificat anima mea Dominum_.' [1]


[1] As soon as the Most Humble Virgin heard herself praised by St.
Elizabeth, she humbled herself, and referred all the glory to God in
that most beautiful and admirable canticle of the _Magnificat_, which
far surpasses the canticles by the women of the old Law. It is far
more excellent than that of Judith; more beautiful than that of the
Sister of Moses, after the passage of the Red Sea; more sublime than
that of Deborah and Baruch, after the victory gained over the enemies
of the Hebrew people. The canticles of Zachary and of Simeon, with all
those of the Old Testament, cannot be put in comparison with this
Divine Canticle.


SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

A soul dedicated to God entirely, in act and in will, deserves that
God should give Himself entirely to her.--_St. John of the Cross._

We ought always to have our eye fixed upon the Will of God alone,
recognising it, and with all joy, or at least courage, following it
carefully in all our actions. But even this is not enough; we should
also love this Will of God, whatever it may cost us.--_St. Francis of
Sales._

It is a highly valuable exercise of piety, to follow always the Will
of God, instead of our own natural humours and inclinations.--_The
same._

EXAMPLE.

_Conversion of the celebrated Pianist, Hermann Cohenn._

The compassionate mercy of the Most Holy Virgin has at times been
admirably displayed in behalf of the Sons of Israel. To the name of
the Abbe Ratisbonne, so well known to the servants of Mary, we must
add that of another Jew, converted by the Mother of Divine Grace.

Hermann Cohenn, a German by birth, and a Jew in religion, had acquired
great fame in Paris as a pianist and composer of music. He says of
himself: 'I was courted and applauded in society, and as I possessed
understanding beyond my years, I soon had instilled into me all the
fearful doctrines that the powers of hell have taught in the earthly
hell of Paris. Atheism, pantheism, socialism, licentiousness of
manners, etc., all found a place in me, so that I had become one of
the most zealous propagandists, and therefore a great favourite of all
the new prophets of hell. . . . '

Whilst this second Saul was thinking out ingenious projects for the
perversion of innocent hearts, he was requested by the Prince of
Moscow to take the direction, during his absence, of a choir of
singers who were going to sing the praises of the Blessed Virgin Mary
at a church in Paris during the month of May of 1847. Although he was
a Jew, still he consented; and it was there, before the Altar of Mary,
that grace awaited him. Whilst he was rendering external honour to the
august Mother of God, she pleaded his cause before her Divine Son. His
moment of grace and benediction came at the very moment when he was
looking with scorn and derision upon the piety of the faithful. . .
Suddenly he feels an invisible weight upon his shoulders, which forces
him, in spite of the obstinate resistance of his will, to bow his head
and bend his knees; his mind is quickly illuminated by the light of
Faith, and he feels his heart opening to the salutary impressions of
grace. It would take too long to narrate the many obstacles which hell
opposed to his conversion, but at last he triumphed over all, and on
the Feast of St. Augustine, he was washed in the waters of Baptism,
with the most heart-felt emotion; and upon the Feast of the Nativity
of Mary, had the ineffable consolation of making his first Communion,
and of receiving the Scapular.

Some time afterwards, finding himself called to Religion, he retired
into a community of Marist Fathers, that he might there meditate
seriously on his vocation; and finally, by the counsel of his
Director, he chose to enter the austere Order of Carmel.

Having visited Rome and obtained the necessary dispensation, he was
afterwards ordained Priest, and consecrated himself entirely to the
glory and honour of Jesus and Mary.

He employed his great musical talent for the honour of the Queen of
Angels. In order that all Christian tongues might bless the mercy of
that Divine Mother, who had delivered him so wonderfully from the
darkness of error, he composed _a collection of hymns for the month of
May, and for the principal festivals of the year,_ set to music for
the organ or pianoforte.

The following extract from the dedication of these compositions will
show his tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin: 'Morning Star! you
appeared to me in the obscure night, in which I was lost! Health of
the sick, you cured the mortal wounds of my heart! Refuge of sinners,
you opened to me an asylum in your Immaculate Heart! . . .'

Glory then to Mary, and to the sweet and salutary devotion of the
month of May, which procured us a new brother in Christ, and a new
masterpiece of the grace of God and of the mercy of Mary!

_Prayer_ (from St. Augustine and St. Bernard).--Remember, O most
compassionate Virgin Mary! that it was never heard in any age that
anyone who implored your protection has been abandoned by you.
Animated by this confidence, I have recourse to you, O Mother of God,
Virgin of virgins. Do not despise my prayers, Mother of the Divine
Word, but graciously hear and answer me.

O Mother of God! you pray for all, and above all, for sinners; deign,
then, to pray for me, a more obstinate sinner than any other, and
therefore a more worthy object of your pity! You see plainly the
urgent need I have of your intercession; therefore interest yourself
in my regard, and obtain for me, from your Divine Son, the grace of
sincere conversion and holy perseverance. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--I place myself for the whole of my life under your
protection, O Mother of my God! O show that you are my true Mother!

_Practice._--Be very attentive in all your exercises of piety during
the day.



THIRTEENTH DAY.

THE TRIALS AND CONSOLATIONS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN.

WE can never meditate too much upon the great and cruel sorrows with
which the heart of the august Virgin Mary was afflicted during the
whole course of her life; yet she was the most holy of creatures, the
most beloved by God. 'You,' exclaims St. Chrysostom, 'who bitterly
weep and lament, under the contradictions and afflictions that assail
you, are you not ashamed to desire and seek for such a happiness as
even the Holy Family did not enjoy? Ponder, I beg of you, the
vicissitudes and changes to which they were exposed!'

Mary receives the glad tidings that, by the operation of the Holy
Ghost, she should conceive a Son, the Lord and Saviour of the world.
What a joy to her heart is this! and what rapturous delight filled her
soul at the moment of the Incarnation of the Word in her most chaste
womb! But this celestial joy is quickly followed by sorrow. Her
Spouse, St. Joseph, is alarmed at the prodigy, and thinks of secretly
abandoning her. Oh! the affliction of Mary when she sees the
perplexity of St. Joseph, whom, through her humility and modesty, she
is unable to comfort. After this most excruciating trial, the Angel
discloses the celestial secret to her Spouse, and orders him to remain
with her. What consolation fills the heart of these two Angelic
Spouses at this announcement! But God had prepared new afflictions for
them. They must abandon their happy retirement, and journey to
Bethlehem in obedience to the order of the Emperor Augustus. Faithful
souls, lose not sight of Mary in this mystery; remain near this
Mother, and abandon her not for an instant, whilst she journeys from
Nazareth to Bethlehem. Without any painful solicitude, but with most
ardent desires, she awaits the birth of the Blessed Fruit of her
immaculate womb. You will see this beautiful Lady, the fortunate
Daughter of Sion, beg hospitality, and not find a shelter in the whole
of Bethlehem, although she is the Mother of the King of Glory.
However, she blushes not for her poverty and misery, but considers it
rather an honour to have to endure it.

Many holy affections are awakened in our hearts by this Divine birth;
but we are especially taught the spirit of perfect detachment from all
worldly pomps and worldly gratifications.

It seems as if there were no mystery that so much unites tenderness
with austerity, love with rigour, bitterness with sweetness, as this
mystery of the Nativity. Where can we find a poorer, and yet a more
illustrious birth, or a Mother so blessed? She who gives birth to the
Son of God has certainly no need of the consolations of the world!

Let us then delight to dwell near the sacred manger, where the Saviour
of our souls so powerfully speaks to us in His silence and teaches us
so many virtues; and let the joy and consolation of the Son and of the
Mother form all the happiness of our souls! How well it becomes Mary
to caress this Infant! How enchanting her charity in allowing all who
wish it to look at Him, to touch and embrace Him! Do you also ask her
to give Him to you, and she will do so.

O my Jesus! what a sweet night is this! The Church sings that the
heavens everywhere distil honey. It would seem that those blessed
Angels, who make the air resound with their song, gather this
celestial honey from the breast of the sweet Virgin Mary, and from her
chaste Spouse St. Joseph.

What is there that we can give to our little King that we have not
received from His Divine abundance? Let us, then, give Him our hearts,
which He prizes above all. O Saviour of our souls, transform our
hearts into gold, through charity; into myrrh, through mortification;
into incense, by prayer; and then receive us within the arms of Thy
Divine Protection, and let us hear Thee say, from Thy Sacred Heart, 'I
am thy Salvation for ages of ages.'

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

'A bundle of myrrh is my Beloved to me. He shall abide between my
breasts' (_Cant_. i. 12), in order that I may incessantly inhale its
bitterness.

The afflictions of this life are like the flowers that precede the
fruits of glory; and the blood which we shed is as a royal unction
which consecrates us to immortality.--_St. Greg. Nyssen._

The rose grows amidst thorns; and the most beautiful and most solid
virtues grow amidst the severest contradictions.--_St. Francis of
Sales._

No one will be crowned with roses, if he be not first crowned with the
thorns of Our Saviour.--_The same._

Our actions are like roses, which, though more pleasing when fresh,
are yet sweeter and more agreeable when faded. Thus, although works
performed with consolation are more pleasing to us; yet if they be
done in the state of aridity, they have a sweeter odour, higher value
before God.--_The same._

EXAMPLE.

_A Fortunate Mistake._

The following is related by an eye-witness of the event: 'One evening,
in December, 1855, a Priest named B---, having returned to his house
after a hard day's work, sat down and began to recite his Office, when
he heard a knock at his door. He opened it, and saw a young girl, who
asked him to go and visit a dying lady, living at No. 28, --- Street.
. . . The good Priest was ready to interrupt his prayer to follow the
little messenger, but she told him there was no hurry, provided he
went in the course of that evening; so he wrote down the address of
the sick person, and told her to say that he was coming shortly.

'After finishing his Office, the good Priest went to the street named,
and entered No. 18, thinking this was the number mentioned. It was a
wretched house, and as there was no one in charge of the door he
walked in, groped up the poor staircase, and knocked at the first door
that he came to. A man opened it, and at the sight of the
ecclesiastical dress, fell into a passion, and to the inquiry made as
to whether this were the house of the sick lady, he made an impudent
answer, and shut the door in the face of the Priest. Patient and mild,
like his Divine Master, the Priest knocked at the next door, and met
with no better reception. He then went up to the second story, where
he found a boy playing in a passage. "Can you tell me, my child," said
he, "where I can find a poor lady dangerously ill, who lives in this
house, and is called G---?" "Yes; down there, Reverend Sir; my father
said that she would not be able to live through the night; but I do
not think that you have said her name correctly." "Never mind the
name; lead me, I beg of you, to her door."

'The Priest, preceded by the child, entered the room and found a woman
in her agony; a man about fifty was sitting near her bed, and at the
sight of the Priest he immediately arose, evidently annoyed. "Are you
Mr. G?---" said the Priest; "how is your sick wife?" "No," replied the
man bluntly, "I am not; who has sent you here to meddle with other
people's affairs?" "I was requested to come," replied the Priest with
surprise. "I was told that a poor lady, named G---, was seriously ill,
and wished for the last consolations of religion. I may have mistaken
the street, or the house, or room; but undoubtedly this sick woman has
much need of my ministry. The Divine Mercy has certainly led me here,
and allowed this mistake to occur." "Yes, man of God!" murmured the
dying woman, "yes, it is God Who has led you hither." "Nothing of the
sort," said the husband angrily; "for ten years no Priest has set his
foot in my house; you shall not confess my wife. I am her master; mind
your own business." "You are much mistaken, sir," answered the Priest,
firmly and mildly; "the first Master of your wife is God, and you have
no right over her soul. If she desire, I shall hear her confession,
and I can only withdraw when she freely and of her own will refuses my
ministry." Then, approaching the sick woman, he said: "Madam, do you
desire to be reconciled with God, and die a Christian death?" The poor
woman raised her hands to heaven, and shed tears of joy, exclaiming:
"Blessed be the Divine Goodness that has allowed this mistake! for
three days I have been asking my husband for a Priest, and he has
answered me only with insults. I do truly wish to be reconciled to my
God, Who has had so much compassion on my poor soul." "Do you hear,
sir?" said the Priest to the husband; "be pleased to leave me alone
with her for a few moments." These words, pronounced with much
firmness and resolution, forced the man to retire, although he did so
grumbling.

'The dying woman then pointed to a rosary hanging over her bed, and
said: "See, this has saved me; I had the weakness to fear my husband
more than God, and to avoid disturbances and quarrels, for ten years I
have given up every practice of religion. One only thing have I
preserved--the love of the Most Holy Virgin, and confidence in her
intercession. I have recited her Rosary almost every day; it is she
alone who has led you here, and she, the true Mother of Mercy and
refuge of sinners, saves my soul." The Priest was deeply moved by this
touching narrative. He consoled the sick woman, helped her to make her
confession, and then told her to prepare to receive the Holy Viaticum
and Extreme Unction, whilst he went to give notice thereof to the
Parish Priest.

'On leaving the house he looked at the address which the little girl
had given him, and saw that the number was not 18 but 28. Blessing God
for this fortunate misunderstanding he hastened to No. 28, where he
found the sick lady expecting him. After complying with the duties of
his sacred ministry here also he immediately went to the Parish Priest
to see about the other Sacraments which the two sick persons required;
but meanwhile, the poor woman at No. 18 died. She had received the
pardon of her sins by the sacramental absolution, and the fervour of
her will would assuredly supply before the God of All Mercies for the
other succours of religion.

'The man of God, full of faith and gratitude towards the Most Holy
Virgin--the refuge of sinners and consolation of the afflicted--then
proceeded to fulfil the duties of his sacred ministry towards the
other dying lady.'

This most touching fact shows once again the treasures of benediction
that result from piety towards the Most Blessed Virgin, and the great
Mercy of Our Adorable Saviour towards those who love His Holy Mother.

_Prayer of St. Bernard._--O Mother of Mercy! even when on earth you
were deserving of our veneration and confidence; but now that you are
raised to the highest heavens your faithful servants look to you as
the help of all nations. We beseech you, then, All Holy Virgin, to
succour us by your patronage and prayers. Your prayers are more dear
to us and more valuable than all the treasures of earth; they are so
efficacious that they obtain from God the abundance of His graces; so
powerful that they suppress and bring to naught all the efforts of our
enemies, who labour for our destruction. Scatter them, O Mother of
Mercy! confound all their designs, strengthen our weakness against
their malice, and show yourself the true Mother of all the faithful
who place their confidence in you. You are all my hope, and will be so
as long as I have breath. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--I place all my confidence, after God, in you, O Mary,
my dear Mother.

_Practice._--Bear patiently, and in a spirit of penance, all the
contradictions you may meet with this day.



FOURTEENTH DAY.

MARY AT BETHLEHEM.

GOD resolved to confer on mankind the most signal and loving benefit
of the Incarnation, and came down upon earth into the desert of this
world like a celestial manna, that He might become our food, during
our journey to the promised land of Paradise. Our adorable Saviour
rendered Himself visible to us at His birth, as a beautiful little
Infant, lying in a manger, and this was in the night, when the world
was covered with darkness. The Divine Nature of Our Lord Jesus Christ
is represented by the honey contained in the manna--because honey is a
celestial liquor gathered by the bees from flowers, and it is not
distilled from their sap, but collected by them as it descends from
heaven with the dew. In like manner the Divine Nature of our adorable
Redeemer came down from Heaven, at the moment of the Incarnation, upon
this blessed flower of the earth, the Most Holy Virgin, and, having
become united with a human nature, preserved it in the bosom of the
Most Chaste Mary, as a sweet hive, during the space of nine months.

But let us consider more at length this miracle of Divine Mercy.

The Most Holy Mother of God gave birth to her Divine Son as the stars
produce their light; and on this account her name Mary truly signifies
Star of the Sea, or Morning Star. The star of the sea is the Polar
star, towards which the mariner's needle continually turns; and
through this star those who navigate the ocean know how their course
is directed.

The Patriarchs, Prophets, and Fathers of the Church turned their eyes
towards the Most Holy Virgin, and she was ever the Polar Star and the
chosen Port for all poor mortals who navigate the sea of this
miserable world, and by her means they may avoid those shipwrecks
which occur so often on the rocks and precipices of sin.

Mary was, also, that beautiful Morning Star which brought the joyful
news of the coming of the Sun of Justice. The Prophets knew well that
a Virgin would conceive and give birth to a Son, at once God and Man,
through the operation of the Holy Ghost, and would still remain a
Virgin, though she became a Mother: _Ecce Virgo concipiet et pariet
Filium et vocabitur ejus Emanuel._ How should He Who selected her for
His Mother, on account of her virginity, impair her integrity? How
could the Eternal Word, Purity itself, lessen the virginal purity of
His Mother? From eternity He is generated and virginally produced in
the bosom of His Father; and although receiving from Him the Divinity,
it is not divided, but the Word is always one and the same God with
the Father. The Most Holy Virgin here on earth also produces
virginally her Divine Son, Our Lord. There is this difference,
however, that He will never again enter the bosom of Mary, but He will
be eternally generated in the bosom of His Father, being One with Him,
in virtue of the unity of the Divine Essence.

This Divine generation may indeed be made the foundation of our
meditations on the mystery of Our Lord's Nativity; but it does not
admit of a curious inspection, nor should we weary our mind by
endeavouring to examine into that which is too sublime for our weak
understanding: _Generationem ejus quis enarrabit?_--'Who shall declare
His generation?' says the Prophet Isaiah.

But now, after having considered the virginal purity of the Most Holy
Virgin in giving birth to her Divine Son, let us turn our eyes to this
Divine Infant, and see how He allows Himself to be cared for by His
Holy Mother, as if He could not do otherwise. Why is this? It is to
teach us how to act, Religious especially, who are bound by the sweet
chains of the holy vow of Obedience. Our Lord certainly could not make
bad use of His Will, or of His liberty, being the Eternal Wisdom;
nevertheless He concealed His knowledge, and all His perfections as
God and those of His perfect human intellect, under the swathing bands
of infancy. He keeps hidden under the veil of holy obedience to the
Eternal Father, Who had willed that He should be, as St. Paul says, in
all things like to His brethren, excepting sin. Behold our Model! Let
us often visit this Child, lying in a manger; and let us learn from
Him how to act in all things according to His Most Holy Will.

But shall we visit Him empty-handed? The shepherds took with them some
of their little lambs to present to Him. What can we offer more
acceptable to this Divine Pastor of our souls than our hearts as a
little offering of our love and the choicest part of our spiritual
flock? How dear will this offering be to Him! He will look upon us
with mercy in return for our gift; and we shall gladden the Most Holy
Virgin, who so much desires our welfare. Let us take with us from her
Divine Infant one of His precious tears, the sweet dew of Heaven, and
place it on our heart, that it may henceforth feel no other sorrow
than that which rejoices this Blessed Infant--that is, sorrow for sin!
We should all be like so many simple shepherds watching over the
flocks of our affections, ready to adore this our Infant Saviour, as
soon as the Angels call us. We should offer Him, as a pledge of our
eternal service, the finest lamb we possess; that is, all our love,
without any reserve or exception.

Oh, how happy shall we be, and what great consolation shall we
receive, if we thus visit the Saviour of our souls!

As the manna had the taste of every kind of food, so this Divine
Infant contains in Himself every kind of consolation. Each one can
find in Him what he desires, and proportionate to his capacity,
provided that he possess the requisite dispositions.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

No flower could be a better emblem of the resplendent virtue of Mary
and her singular privilege than the lily; whose three petals may
signify that she was a Virgin in her conception of Jesus, a Virgin at
His birth, and a Virgin ever afterwards._--Nouet._

Mary is the Mystical Lily without spot, in which the Eternal Word
espoused our nature.--_The same._

The flower falls from the tree when the fruit is formed; but the
Mother of God, who is the tree of life, preserves her flower and her
fruit, and by an unheard-of miracle unites maternity to virginity.--
_The same._

As the lily lifts its stem on high, so the soul who often receives
Jesus Christ should direct its hopes towards heaven in imitation of
Jesus, Who is the Flower of the field and the Lily of the valley. The
virtue of such a soul has roots deeper than the cedars of Lebanon,
which defy the winds and the storms. In the fruitfulness of her good
works and in her charity towards the poor, her glory is like that of
the olive. The fragrance of her holy life and of her sweet
conversation is spread around like the odour of the flowers which bud
forth on Mount Lebanon in spring-time.--_St. Cyril._

EXAMPLE.

_The Devotion of the Saints to the Angelus._

1. St. Alfonso di Liguori omitted no favourable opportunity for
showing his tender devotion to the Most Blessed Virgin. Whenever he
heard the clock strike, whatever might be his occupation or
conversation, he interrupted it to recite the Angelical salutation,
saying that one _Ave Maria_ was more valuable than the entire world.
He was most exact in the recital of the _Angelus_. As soon as he heard
the sound of the bell, he went down on his knees, even when he
happened to be in the public streets. When he became deaf he desired
to be warned of the ringing of the bell, and even when at his meals he
would break off and kneel down to recite it. Often was he rapt in
ecstasy during this prayer from the fervour of his devotion.

2. St. Charles Borromeo, who was so celebrated for piety and learning,
was not ashamed, when Archbishop of Milan, to descend from his
carriage or his horse in the open streets to recite the _Angelus_ in
honour of Mary.

3. St. Vincent de Paul, wherever he might be, or in whatever society,
even at court, would recollect himself, and kneel down as soon as he
heard the sound of the Angelus. He considered himself happy to be able
to give public testimony of his filial love of the Most Holy Virgin
Mary, and those who were present always followed his example.

All who devoutly recite the _Angelus_ on their knees morning, noon,
and evening at the ringing of the bell gain a hundred days' Indulgence
each time, and if they continue to say it at least once a day during
the course of a month, they may gain a Plenary Indulgence on the usual
conditions. Those who are unable to hear the sound of the bell may
gain the same Indulgence by reciting the _Angelus_ at the time that it
is usually rung. As to those who are much engaged, and who wish to
supplicate the Blessed Virgin thrice a day, they can supply for the
_Angelus_ the following invocations: Virgin before the birth of your
Divine Son, pray for us; Virgin at His birth, pray for us; Virgin
after His birth, pray for us. Lastly, those who do not know the
prayers can say the _Paters_ and _Aves_ in memory of the Incarnation
of the Word in the womb of Mary.

_Prayer of St. Anselm._--We beseech you, O Queen of Heaven and
Sovereign of the Universe, by the grace which Our Lord conferred upon
you in raising you to so sublime a degree of glory, to intercede for
us, that the fulness of grace with which you were enriched may render
us one day partakers of your glory and happiness. O Mother, full of
mercy, interest yourself in our behalf, that we may be able to enjoy
the ineffable happiness for which our God deigned to inclose Himself
for nine months in your most holy womb. If you deign to pray for us to
your Divine Son, you will be assuredly heard. Let the bowels of your
maternal mercy speak in our favour. If you, our tender Mother, have no
compassion for us, what will become of your most miserable children?
What will be our destiny when your Divine Son, as Judge of the living
and the dead, will call us to His judgment-seat? Have pity on us then,
O Mother of Mercy! Amen.

_Ejaculation._--See, O Mary, the many dangers by which we are
surrounded, and have pity on our miserable condition.

_Practice._--Let all your actions be done this day for the sole end of
pleasing God, that you may thus be able to offer Him the tender lamb
of your love.



FIFTEENTH DAY.

THE UNION OF CHARITY AND HUMILITY IN THE HEART OF MARY AT THE
INCARNATION.

GOD is One; hence He loves unity and union, and hates all that is not
in accordance with this unity. The reason is this--that as He is
perfect in all His attributes, He must have a sovereign love for all
that is perfect, and unity is perfection. He must also be averse to
all disunion, because whatever is disunited is so far imperfect.

As then God wished to show us how dear to Him is union, He effected
three distinct modes of union in the Most Holy Virgin on the day of
His Incarnation.

Firstly, He united the Divine to the human nature; and so admirable
and sublime is this union, that it infinitely surpasses all that human
or angelic intelligence can comprehend. Nor could the Seraphim or
Cherubim have ever imagined anything so wonderful. Indeed, two
opposite extremes were to meet--the Divine Nature, which is essential
perfection, and human nature, the deepest misery: the contraries being
the greatest that can be conceived. Nevertheless, God in His Wisdom
and infinite Goodness was able to find a method of uniting the two
natures so intimately through His Incarnation in the womb of Our Lady
that in one Person man was made God and God became Man, without
disparagement to His Deity.

The second union was that of Maternity with Virginity. This certainly
is most admirable and beyond all the laws of nature. A virgin becomes
a mother, and remains still a virgin after maternity. This miraculous
and supernatural union could only be effected by the omnipotent hand
of God, Who granted this privilege to Mary; and as this union has been
effected in her alone, so she alone will be eternally both a Virgin
and a Mother, and the Mother of a Son Who is both God and Man.

The third union accomplished by God in our glorious Lady was that of
the most ardent charity with the most profound humility.

Reflect on these two virtues, and you will ask how it is possible that
charity can be united with humility, if the nature of one is to soar
on high, and that of the other to abase itself? Naturally, indeed, it
is impossible but God, Who is One, and Who loves and desires unity,
manifested the greatness of His power by uniting these two dissimilar
virtues in the soul of Mary.

In her, charity was so united to humility that one depended on the
other, and whilst her charity continues humble, her humility is ever
full of charity. Charity raised her soul above all creatures, and
humility abased it below them all, and yet the union of these two
virtues was continuous.

To what a high degree of humility and charity did not the Most Holy
Virgin attain at the moment of the Incarnation! Ponder her words to
the Archangel: _Ecce ancilla Domini, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum_--
'Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to Thy
word.' No sooner did she hear herself proclaimed the Mother of God,
the Queen of Angels and of men, than she abased herself beneath all,
saying: 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord!' This is a great act of
humility.

The Most Holy Virgin in that moment had so clear a knowledge of the
misery and nothingness of human nature, and of the infinite distance
between God and man, that, seeing herself raised above all creatures,
she abased herself beneath them all, considering her own nothingness
and the infinite greatness of God Who had chosen her for His Mother.
True it is, then, that Mary never humbled herself so profoundly as
when she pronounced these words: _Ecce ancilla Domini_--'Behold the
handmaid of the Lord!'

But see how the Most Blessed Virgin united the most perfect charity to
her humility when consenting to the proposal the Angel made her in the
Name of God: _Fiat mihi secundum verbum_--'Be it done unto me
according to Thy word'--were her words; and thus, by charity, she was
raised above the Cherubim and Seraphim, and at that very moment the
Eternal Son of God took flesh in her virginal womb, and she became His
Mother!

Let us learn from the example of Our Lady that humility does not
merely consist in diffidence in ourselves, but it must be accompanied
by confidence in God. This confidence in God is produced by this
diffidence in ourselves and in our own powers. This confidence is also
the source of generosity of soul, of which Our Blessed Lady gives an
example on this occasion when she says the words: 'Be it done unto me
according to Thy word.' It is true, would she say, that I am unworthy
of this grace, in regard to what I am only in myself; but as all that
is good in me is from God, and as that which you announce to me is His
Most Holy Will, I believe that it can and will be done, and,
therefore, let it be accomplished in me!

Humility conceals the virtues of a soul, in order the better to
preserve them; nevertheless, when charity requires, it allows them to
be known for their increase and perfection. Thus it resembles those
plants which close their beautiful flowers at night and open them only
when the sun is high, so that people speak of those flowers as
sleeping during the night. Humility, in the same way, conceals all our
virtues, and never allows them to appear, except for the exercise of
charity, which, being a celestial, Divine gift, not an acquired
virtue, is truly as a sun amidst all the virtues, and should always
rule over them. Hence the humility, which is prejudicial to charity,
is undoubtedly a false humility.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Let us have a supreme contempt for all that is not God. Oh, how sweet
it is to abandon one's self into His hands! Daily experience proves to
us that the less we trust in our miserable efforts, the more does God
work in us by His omnipotent virtue. All consists in being a docile
instrument in His hands, and seemingly dead.--_P. Milley._

It is good to leave Our Lord sometimes to serve others for His sake;
and we should do so, if we can prevent our devotion from causing
annoyance.--_St. Francis of Sales._

As the olive, when planted in vineyards, communicates its savour to
the vine, so charity communicates its perfection to the virtues amidst
which it flourishes. It is also true that when the vine is engrafted
on the olive, it not only receives its taste, but also its sap; thus
we should not be satisfied with the possession of charity and with the
exercise of all other virtues, but it is necessary that all our
virtues be accompanied and produced by charity, and be attributed to
this virtue alone.--_The same._

EXAMPLE.

_The Efficacy of the 'Salve Regina.'_

The following appeared in the French journal, the _Univers:_ 'We have
already announced the departure of five Nuns of the Cross, on their
way to apply their admirable spirit of unselfishness to the exercise
of works of charity in the Diocese of Natchitoches, in America.

'After a painful misfortune at sea, these worthy Sisters have landed
at Havre. They were to set out from this port, and in a letter
addressed to the Bishop of Saint Brieux, the Mother Superior of the
Sisters of the Cross thus writes:

'"Our Sisters started about eleven, on the morning of the 10th of
November, 1856. They had received the blessing of our Chaplain, and
did not expect ever to return; but Divine Providence had disposed
otherwise. The steamer was already before Cherbourg, when, at about
eleven o'clock in the night following their departure, a fearful noise
was heard throughout the steamer. All the passengers were called to go
on deck, and they came up exclaiming: 'We are lost! We are lost!'

'"One of the boilers had burst, and the explosion had wounded six men
and set fire to the vessel. 'Have you a Priest on board?' said a lady
to one of our Sisters. 'No,' she replied. 'So much the worse,' said
the lady, 'because our death is certain.' 'No, madam,' calmly and
confidently replied Sister Mary Agatha; 'let us invoke the Most Holy
Virgin, and she will save us.' Our Sisters immediately went down on
their knees, with their hands crossed on their breast, and recited the
_Salve Regina_. Many passengers and sailors joined them, and their
cries reached the heart of the Mother of God. A few moments after,
when the Sisters, who had gone down into a cabin, were continuing
their prayers, they were informed that the fire had been miraculously
extinguished, and that there was no further danger. No one doubted
that their salvation was owing to the prayers which had been addressed
to the Blessed Virgin Mary."'--_Univers,_ 30th November, 1856.

_Prayer._--O most humble of Virgins, holy Mother of God, Mistress of
life and Lady of the universe, teach me humility and the true love of
this precious virtue. How great is the pride of my heart, who am but
dust and ashes; I have eagerly sought for the praises of men, when
shame and confusion for my innumerable infidelities should have made
me feel my nothingness! Take pity on me, O Holy Virgin; banish the
proud thoughts that arise in my soul, and let me imitate your humility
here on earth, that I may be worthy to experience, with you, the truth
of these words: 'The humble shall exult in the abundance of peace.'
Amen.

_Ejaculation._--Pray for us, O most humble of all Virgins!

_Practice._--Endeavour to-day to neglect no opportunity of practising
humility and charity.



SIXTEENTH DAY.

THE PURIFICATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN.

LET us meditate attentively upon the virtues of which Mary gives us so
moving an example in the mystery of her Purification in the Temple.
First of all, what more profound humility can be imagined than that
practised by Our Saviour and Our Lady in their visit to the Temple? He
comes to be offered, like all the sons of sinful men; she, to be
purified like all other women. With regard to our adorable Redeemer,
it is of Faith that He, being essential purity, could not be under the
obligation of this Law, which was promulgated for sinners. With regard
to the Most Holy Virgin, what need had she to purify herself, who,
from the instant of her Immaculate Conception, had been endowed with
purity so excellent, and with such a fulness of grace, that the
highest Seraphim and Cherubim could not be compared to her? And yet,
behold, the Son and the Mother, notwithstanding their incomparable
purity, present themselves in the Temple, as if they were sinners like
other children of Adam! O truly wonderful act of humility! If the
value of this act increases in proportion to the dignity of the person
who humbles himself, how full of useful instruction to souls tending
to perfection is the humility practised by the Sovereign Creator of
all things.

He shows us that this virtue was so dear to Him that He preferred
death rather than relinquish its practice; for after teaching that
there can be no greater love than to give one's life for the object
beloved, He lays down His life for the exercise of humility. By
submitting to die He, the immortal God, practised the most excellent
and most sublime act of humility that can be conceived. Some persons
deceive themselves by regarding humility as a virtue necessary merely
to novices and beginners in the spiritual life, and the practice of
which can be laid aside after some advance. But our adorable Saviour
shows us how erroneous is this opinion, by humbling Himself unto
death.

Oh if we could well understand the necessity of perseverance in this
virtue! How many, after beginning well, have miserably fallen away
because they did not persevere in the practice of humility! But Jesus
Christ did not say he who _shall begin_, but he who _shall persevere_
until death, shall be saved: _Qui perseveraverit usque in finem hic
salvus erit._

Genuine virtue may be distinguished from that which is only apparent,
as true balsam is distinguished from false. Balsam is tested by
dropping it into water; if it sinks to the bottom of the vessel it may
be considered very pure and precious. We may know if a person be truly
prudent, generous and noble, by observing if these virtues tend to
make him humble, modest, submissive; for in such a case they are truly
valuable gifts; but if they stay only on the surface, and love to show
themselves and to win admiration, they are so far false and
counterfeit.

The Angels, and, after them, our first parents, prevaricated through
pride. Upon this account, Our Lord, like a wise and loving physician
of our souls, applied the remedy to the root of the evil, and came
into the world to plant in the place of pride the beautiful and useful
virtue of Divine humility, become very necessary on account of the
contrary vice being so general. Indeed, so common an evil is pride,
that humility can never be sufficiently inculcated; and on this
account, our adorable Saviour and our Immaculate Lady would obey the
law, not made for them, to teach us to esteem this virtue. For us, who
deserve only humiliation and contempt, to abase ourselves is no great
thing. However, humiliation acquires an inestimable value when
embraced by Jesus Christ and His Most Holy Mother; and this
humiliation was continual with them throughout the whole course of
their life. Wherefore the Apostle, speaking of the humility of Our
Redeemer, said that 'He humbled Himself unto death, even to the death
of the Cross'--_Humiliavit semitipsum usque ad mortem, mortem autem
crucis_. But if we miserable creatures humble ourselves on some slight
occasion, we quickly seek by every means in our power to indemnify
ourselves for the transient exercise of this virtue, and the very
thought of persevering in the practice of it alarms us. We are
convinced, it is true, that we are very imperfect, and yet we desire
to be looked upon as holy and perfect, notwithstanding the example of
Mary, who consented to be clothed in the semblance of a sinner,
although confirmed in grace and possessed of a more than angelic
purity.

Observe any other daughter of Eve, and see how eagerly she seeks for
honour and esteem; and although this defect be common to all mankind
in general, it seems to be more marked in the female sex. Now, Our
Lady and glorious Mistress is not the Daughter of Eve according to the
spirit, but only according to the flesh, and therefore she always
persevered in the most profound humility, and could say in her sacred
Canticle of the _Magnificat_ that on this account 'All generations
would call her blessed'--_Beatam me dicent omnes generationes_.

How beautiful is it to behold the Holy Virgin presenting herself and
the Infant Jesus in the Temple, and making her offering of two doves!
Happier is she than all the princes of earth! And what shall I say of
the aged Simeon, who takes the Divine Infant in his arms? Let us also
embrace Him, let us live and die in these tender embraces.

Place this sweet Jesus in your heart, like another Solomon upon his
ivory throne. Let your soul follow His steps, that you may hear the
holy words He continually breathes. Remember that your heart should be
like ivory in purity and firmness; firm in its resolutions, and pure
in its affections.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Anything we do, however little, will have an inestimable value if it
be done for the love of God.--_St. Teresa._

It is an exalted degree of perfection to assimilate and conform
ourselves to the spirit of the sacred Infancy of our most humble and
most obedient Saviour.--_St. Francis of Sales._

Whoever wishes to acquire virtue, and does not possess humility, is
like to one who carries dust in his hands when there is a high wind.--
_The same._

EXAMPLE.

_Punishment of the Profaners of a Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin._

The holy Hermitage of Voiron did not escape the profanations of the
heretics. They invaded it with arms in their hands, as if they were
going to besiege a fortress; they ill-treated and expelled the Monks,
took away the sacred vessels, the papers, documents, indulgences,
etc., committed horrible sacrileges, and at last set fire to the place
and entirely destroyed it, and rolled the remaining stones down the
mountain.

This atrocious impiety was not left unpunished, for soon afterwards
all who had taken part in the destruction of the hermitage perished
miserably. It is remarkable, however, that in spite of all the
devastation effected by these impious men, they could not gain their
principal object, which was to carry off the statue of the Most Holy
Virgin, which was preserved miraculously.

John Burgnard, a native of Chablais, who had embraced the heresy of
the Bernese, and was the leader of these profaners, had no sooner
reached the hermitage, than he mounted the Altar to carry away the
statue of the Most Blessed Virgin. He threw a rope round its neck, and
descending from the Altar was walking out of the Church, dragging the
statue after him, and uttering at the same time these words: 'Come
along with me, come along with me, little black woman' (the face of
the statue was black); 'if you are as powerful as the <DW7>s say, let
me now have a proof of it. Why do you allow yourself to be thus
shamefully dragged on the ground? Why do you not defend yourself?' He
had no sooner uttered these blasphemies than the statue became
immovable. The wretched man, finding that he was unable to drag it
further, turned his head round to see what was hindering him, and by a
second miracle his head remained turned in that direction, so that he
could never again place it in its right position; and, moreover, he
became crippled in an arm and a shoulder. Being obliged to leave the
statue, he left the spot with great difficulty, and bore the
chastisement of his impiety throughout his life, giving an undeniable
proof of the sovereign power of the Queen of Heaven. But more terrible
is the fact that he persevered in heresy, and died in despair in the
presence of many of the parishioners of Bons. Amongst these were
Michael Novello and Claude Ippolito Cortager, who gave testimony of
this fact on oath A.D. 1629.

His Highness Duke Charles Emmanuel, when at Tortona during the time
that St. Francis of Sales was converting the people of Chablais,
verified the fact we have related, and ordered the secretary of the
Town Corporation to register it, that the miracle might be transmitted
to posterity. (See 'Life of St. Francis of Sales,' by Augustus de
Sales.)

_Prayer._--Holy Virgin! when you presented your Divine Son to the
Eternal Father, you became dear to all the Heavenly Court. O present
also our hearts, that, fortified by grace, we may never fall into
mortal sin!

Most humble Virgin! when you placed the adorable Jesus in the arms of
the aged Simeon, you filled his soul with, heavenly sweetness. O place
our hearts in the hands of God, that He may fill them with His Divine
Spirit! Most diligent Virgin, you co-operated in the redemption of the
world, when you redeemed your Son Jesus with two turtle-doves; be
pleased to redeem our hearts from the slavery of sin, that they may be
always pure and holy before God. Most clement Virgin! when you heard
from the lips of the holy Simeon the prophetic announcement of all
your dolours, you submitted yourself quickly and perfectly to the Will
of God. O help us to support always with patience and resignation all
the tribulations of life!

Most merciful Virgin! bymeans of your Divine Son you illuminated the
Prophetess Anna with supernatural light, so that she magnified the
mercies of God and acknowledged and proclaimed Jesus as the Saviour of
the world. O fill us with heavenly grace, that in the abundance of joy
we may be able to reap the precious fruits of Redemption. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--O Mary! watch over me.

_Practice._--Take every possible care to-day not to commit any sin,
however venial it may seem.



SEVENTEENTH DAY.

MARY, THE MODEL OF PERFECT OBEDIENCE, IN THE MYSTERY OF THE
PURIFICATION.

LET us consider in this meditation how our adorable Saviour and His
Most Holy Mother united perfect obedience to profound humility.

Our Lord preferred the death of the Cross rather than fail in
obedience. 'Jesus Christ,' says the great Apostle, 'was obedient unto
death, even to the death of the Cross'--_Factus obediens usque ad
mortem, mortem autem crucis_. And what signal obedience did not Mary
exercise at the death of her Son, the only object of her heart's
affection! She stood firm and constant at the foot of the Cross,
pierced with the sword of sorrow, perfectly resigned to the Will of
the Eternal Father. All the actions of Our Divine Saviour were
regulated by obedience, as He Himself declared, saying: 'I am come not
to do My Will, but the Will of Him that sent Me'--_Descendi de coelo
non ut faciam voluntatem meam sed voluntatem ejus qui miset Me_. Thus
He teaches us that the Will of His Heavenly Father was the sole guide
of all His thoughts. Notice Our Lady's life, and you will always see
her obedient. So highly did she esteem this virtue of obedience, that
she obeyed the command to espouse St. Joseph, although she was bound
by a vow of virginity. She always persevered in the practice of this
virtue, and as the mystery of the Purification shows us, she presented
herself in the Temple, that she might observe the Law she was not
bound to observe. Thus her obedience was the more precious as it was
voluntary. Indeed, this is the only virtue that she has recommended to
the practice of mankind. The Gospel tells us that when she spoke to
the attendants at the marriage of Cana, she said to them: 'Whatsoever
He shall say to you, do'--_Quodcumque dixerit vobis facite_. Here she
teaches the practice of holy obedience, which is inseparable from the
virtue of humility, because it springs from this virtue. Only those
who are truly humble subject themselves to the Will of God.

Our Lady had no fear of being disobedient, because she was not obliged
to obey the Law, but she shunned its very shadow. Many would have
misunderstood her conduct, if she had not gone to the Temple to offer
her Divine Son and perform the ceremony of her Purification. She
would, therefore, remove all suspicion of disobedience, and at the
same time teach us not merely to avoid sin, but also its very
appearance, and the occasions which may expose us to it. Let us learn,
also, not to be satisfied with the testimony of our conscience alone,
but to try to remove from others every occasion of thinking ill of us
and of our actions.

The example of Our Saviour and of His Most Holy Mother should animate
us to submit not only in those things that are commanded us, but in
those that are merely of counsel, that we may thus become more dear to
the Divine Goodness. O God! is it then so great a work to subject
ourselves to obedience, when for this alone we have been sent into the
world, and when the Supreme King, to Whom all things should be
subject, practised it?

We must learn then from the example of our adorable Saviour and of His
Most Holy Mother, to be docile, pliable, and easily ruled, not only
for a certain time, and in some actions, but even unto death. But two
fundamental conditions of this virtue of Obedience must be observed.
These are--firstly, that to obey perfectly we must love God Who
commands; and secondly, we must love the action that is commanded. All
the faults committed against obedience proceed from the want of one of
these conditions. Many love the thing commanded, but not God Who
commands it. For instance, some will perform their devotions, not out
of obedience to the Will of God, but on account of the consolation
they experience in this exercise. In this there is nothing but
self-love; and it will be perceptible by the repugnance, or discontent,
which is felt in the performance of those observances that are not
according to our inclinations. In this case, it is plain that it is
not God Whom we love, but only the thing that He commands. If we loved
God Who commands, our hearts would be indifferent as to our
occupation, because in all we should be equally sure to find the Will
of God.

Others will love God Who commands, but not the action commanded. These
will say: I know very well that it is the Will of God that I should do
this or that, but I feel so great a repugnance, that I cannot resolve
to do it, and were I to strive to obey, the person who, in the name of
God, desires me to perform the action, enjoins it so ungraciously, as
to rob me of all the satisfaction I might experience in an act of
obedience.

The source of all our difficulties is that we obey readily only when
our superiors accommodate themselves to our natural inclinations. On
all other occasions, the smallest obligations appear to us difficult
and disagreeable. It is therefore evident that we do not regard God
Who commands us through another, but we look at the person who speaks
to us in His Name, to see how he is clothed so to speak; that is to
say, we look only at his external deportment. O God! what a mistake!
We ought to submit to the Will of God in obedience, without any
exception, and from whatever quarter the order may come; and not only
love God Who commands, but also the thing that is commanded; _taking
the command and placing it upon our heads_--that is, in our inmost
heart, to execute it with all fidelity and sincere goodwill.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Bless God for having given you Mary as your Mother. Imitate her, and
consider what a blessing it is for you to have so powerful an advocate
in Heaven.--_St. Teresa._

Humility cannot subsist without love, nor love without humility--and
one can never be acquired without the other.--_The same._

The more we mortify our natural inclinations, so much the more do we
merit to receive supernatural inspirations.--_Francis of Sales._

EXAMPLE.

_A Conquest of the Blessed Virgin's._

Father Paul Stub, a Barnabite, became a conquest of grace, and an
Angel in virtue and learning, through the intercession of the Blessed
Virgin Mary. He himself thus relates his conversion in his excellent
book for the Month of Mary, entitled 'The School of Mary':

'A Protestant youth set out from the North, in 1826, to take a post at
Genoa, in the family of the Consul of Sweden and Norway, who was a
very good Catholic. But the wife of the Consul, fearing that this
youth might by his conversation have an evil influence on a nephew who
lived with them, went to the sanctuary of Our Lady of Graces, and made
the following prayer to the Queen of Heaven and Earth:

"'O Mary! if you see that this Protestant youth will become a Catholic
and be virtuous, then let him arrive, but if otherwise, send his ship
to America."

'The ship arrived safely at Genoa, and the boy entered on his
situation. He was edified by the examples of virtue that he witnessed,
but had no thoughts whatever of becoming a Catholic--until after some
time, when he was in trouble, calling to mind the devotion which
Catholics bear to Our Lady, he said to her: "O Mother of Jesus! it is
the first time that I invoke you, but if you do me the favour I desire
I will invoke you all my life."

'The favour was obtained most completely, and after that time the
young man began to pray to God to know the truth, entered upon the
study of religion, and became a Catholic in 1829, to his own great joy
and that of many others. He afterwards took the Religious habit, and
has since exercised his zeal for the glory of the Most Blessed Virgin
in preaching; and, to give her a new proof of his gratitude, he
composed this little book in her honour.'

_Prayer._--Most pure Virgin! obtain for me the grace to understand
henceforth the Divine sweetness of union with God. May my adorable
Saviour abide with me under the veil of Faith as He dwelt with you in
the seclusion of a hidden life! May He live in me through the union of
my heart with His adorable Heart as He lived in you, forming one heart
and soul with you! Oh that henceforth I may know how to love, to
desire, and to relish only Jesus! May He alone, during the whole
course of my life, be my strength, my life, the heart of my heart, the
soul of my soul, that after having been frequently nourished with His
virginal Body, which was conceived and born of you a Virgin, I may be
able to say with the Apostle: '_I live now, not I, but Christ liveth
in me_.' Amen.

_Ejaculation._--My heart is prepared to obey you in everything, O my
Mother!

_Practice._--Do everything you do to-day be done in the spirit of
obedience.



EIGHTEENTH DAY.

THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.--TRUST IN PROVIDENCE.

THE unspeakable joy which Mary and Joseph experienced after the birth
of Jesus was of short duration.

The Angel of the Lord came again to visit Joseph in sleep, and said to
him, 'Arise, and take the Child and His Mother and fly into Egypt, and
be there until I shall tell thee, for it will come to pass that Herod
will seek the Child to destroy Him.'

See how the heavenly messenger treats Mary and Joseph, precisely as if
they were true Religious! How many pretexts might they not have found
to be dispensed from obeying? Could we not wait till to-morrow? might
they have said. What provisions have we for so long and tedious a
journey? Who knows what we may have to suffer from the Egyptians, the
declared enemies of the Israelites? Who will give us shelter in that
country? These and a thousand other excuses would have been made by us
had we been in their place. But perfect models as they were of
submission and of confidence, they set out without delay, certain that
God would provide for all their necessities. And so it proved, for
they found lodging and food, either by means of the trade exercised by
St. Joseph, or by the alms bestowed upon them.

That we may not lose even one of the many instructions given us in
this touching mystery, let us consider first that Our Lord, the
Eternal Wisdom, does not Himself take the charge of His Family. Being
perfect God and perfect Man, He already possessed the use of reason,
and from the first instant of His Conception He could have made known
to Joseph and to His Blessed Mother all that was to happen to them.
However, God the Father had conferred upon the Angel Gabriel the care
of the Holy Family, and therefore Our Lord would take no part in it.
The Angel commands and is obeyed most faithfully, although he was
inferior to Jesus and also to Mary, who, as Mother of God, was endowed
with greater graces and perfections than all the celestial spirits.

But this is not all. Observe the order that reigns in this Holy
Family. Who can doubt that Our Lady was superior to St. Joseph in
discretion, as well as in all the other qualities required for good
government? And, nevertheless, the Angel does not inform her of all
that is to be done, but he informs her Spouse, St. Joseph. It might
appear strange that he addresses himself to him rather than to Mary,
the Mistress of the house, who carries the Treasure of the Eternal
Father. Had she not every reason to be offended at this proceeding of
the Angel, who seemed thus to ignore her? She could undoubtedly have
said to her Spouse, 'Why should I go into Egypt, when neither my Son
nor the Angel have made it known to me?' But Our Lady is silent, and
obeys with all simplicity, without being in the least concerned that
the Angel had only spoken to St. Joseph. She knew well that all had
been ordained by God; she does not even inquire the reason, but the
knowledge that such is the Will of God is sufficient to secure her
prompt submission. It is thus God acts towards men--to teach them holy
and loving submission. A merely human mind does not wish to yield and
to adore the secret mysteries of God and of His Most Holy Will until
it is able to ascertain _the why and the wherefore of this and that_.
A thousand reasons are brought forward as of greater discernment or
experience, and so on; but they only cause disquiet, ill-temper, and
complaints. From the time we begin to criticise everything disturbs
us. Let us be satisfied to know what God wants of us, and let this
suffice. But (some will say) who can assure us that such is the Will
of God? This shows that our hearts would prefer that God should
manifest everything directly to us by means of secret inspirations, or
that He should send an Angel to announce to us His Will. And yet he
did not thus reveal it even to Our Lady, but wished her to come to the
knowledge of it through St. Joseph, to whom she was subject, as to her
superior. Our self-love would like to be instructed sometimes by God
Himself by means of ecstasies, visions, etc. We indulge ourselves in
follies such as these that we may not be subject to the common and
ordinary path of subjection to our rules and our superiors. Let it
suffice for us to know that God wills our obedience without reflecting
on the mental capacities of those who command us, and we shall
accustom ourselves to walk with all simplicity in the happy road of
holy and tranquil humility, which will render us pleasing to God. O!
how many wonderful examples of obedience to the Will of God did not
this glorious Virgin leave us during her whole life, and, above all,
in her flight into Egypt! Whither, O glorious Virgin, do you direct
your steps with that little Infant in your arms? I am going into
Egypt, she replies. But why do you go there? Because it is the Will of
God. For how long? As long as it pleases God. When will you return?
When He shall command me to do so. But when you return will your heart
be more happy than at present? O no, certainly not. And why? Because I
fulfil the Will of God equally in going, in remaining there, and in
returning. When you return, will you go into your own country? She
replies, I know no country but the accomplishment of the Will of my
God in everything.

O admirable example of obedience! Let us, in imitation of the Blessed
Virgin, endeavour to submit to authority at all times and in every
circumstance, whether it be pleasing to us or not. Let us go with all
simplicity even as far as Egypt--that is, into the midst of enemies--
because God Who sends us there will know how to protect us, and
assuredly we shall not perish. On the contrary, if we remain in Israel
with our enemy, self-will, it will certainly be the destruction of us.
In imitation of Mary and Joseph, let us answer the suggestions of the
enemy of our soul when he urges us to disobedience in these words:
_Deus providebit_--'God will provide.' O my God! happy we if we could
accustom ourselves to answer our heart always thus when it becomes
anxious, and thus banish all solicitude and trouble. Great indeed is
the confidence which God asks of us in His Paternal care and
Providence; but why do we refuse it to Him when we know that no one
has ever been deceived in Him, but, on the contrary, has always reaped
therefrom the most copious fruits? And was not this the promise which
Our Saviour made to His Apostles when He urged them to this loving
confidence? 'Your Father in heaven knoweth that ye have need of these
things.'

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Obedience has the property of changing the flower of our desires into
the fruits of good works. Shun singularity as far as possible, and do
not make yourselves different exteriorly in any way from others.--_St.
Teresa._

As the best honey is gathered from the flowers of the thyme, which is
a small and bitter herb, so when virtues are exercised in the
bitterness of the most humble tribulations, they become truly
excellent.--_St. Francis of Sales._

As the sun gives its heat no less to a rose amidst a thousand other
flowers than if it were alone, so Our Lord does not diffuse His love
the less upon one soul because He also loves an infinity of others.
The power of His love never diminishes on account of the multitude of
rays that it diffuses, but is always unchangeable in its immensity.--
_The same._

EXAMPLE.

_The Excellence of the 'Hail Mary.'_

The first Hail Mary pronounced by an Angel produced the greatest of
all miracles, and was the source of the salvation of sinful men. If
our redemption began with the Angelic Salutation, it follows that our
salvation depends in a special manner upon this prayer. If it gave
birth to the fruit of eternal life upon this dry and barren earth when
it was brought by the messenger of Heaven, it will, if we recite it
devoutly, give birth to Jesus Christ in our soul. It is a celestial
dew which fertilizes souls, and those that are not refreshed by it do
not produce fruit but only briars and thorns. The Most Holy Virgin
made the following revelation to the Blessed Alan: 'Know, my son, and
do not forget to make it known, that it is a probable sign of
damnation to have tepidity, aversion, and negligence in the recital of
the Angelical Salutation which brought salvation to the world.'

I know nothing, O Mary, says Thomas a Kempis, that is so glorious for
you and so consoling for us as the Angelical Salutation: its sweetness
is so great that no words can express it. Most certain it is, says
another servant of Mary, that this prayer never ascends to Heaven
without obtaining great favours for the body as well as the soul;
because this tender Mother always responds with some grace when we
salute her with the _Hail Mary_. The Blessed Virgin promised St.
Gertrude as many favours at the hour of her death as she had recited
_Ave Marias_ during her life; and she also counselled St. Bridget to
recite this prayer to obtain the pardon of some acts of impatience. We
know that this Mother of Mercy taught St. Dominic the Holy Rosary as
the most efficacious means for obtaining the conversion of heretics
and sinners. And, in fact, the historians of that period relate that
the first-fruits of this new devotion were manifested by the
abjuration of more than a hundred thousand heretics, and the
conversion of an incredible number of sinners.

Let us also quote the beautiful words of a Saint. 'The "_Ave Maria_,"
well recited, is the enemy that puts the devil to flight, and the
weapon that kills him. It is the sanctification of the soul, the
gladness of Angels, the melody of the predestinated, the Canticle of
the New Testament, the joy of Mary, and the glory of the Most Holy
Trinity. The _Ave Maria_ is a celestial dew that fertilizes the soul,
a beautiful rose which we present to Mary, and a precious pearl which
we bestow upon her. Finally, it is the most magnificent eulogium which
can be offered in her honour, and the attractions it possesses have so
much power over her heart, that she is constrained to love him who
recites it well.'

Another great servant of the Immaculate Virgin says of himself, that
whenever he pronounced these words, _Hail Mary_, the world in his eyes
lost all beauty, he felt an increase of Divine love, a more fervent
devotion, more firmness in hope, greater joy, and a renewal of virtue
and strength in his whole being.

_Prayer of St. Bernard._--O sovereign Mistress of Angels and of men,
to you do we turn our eyes! We must all appear one day before the
Eternal Judge; alas! how shall we dare to present ourselves before
Him, loaded as we are with so many sins, and who shall appease His
just indignation? No one, O Mother of Mercy, can so assuredly do this
but you who loved Him so much, and who were so tenderly loved by Him.
Open then, O Mother of Grace, your compassionate ears to our sighs,
and the bowels of your mercy to our tears; to you do we run as to our
dear Mother. Ah! appease the just indignation of your Divine Son, and
restore us to His favour. You do not abhor the sinner, nor do you
reject him, however unworthy he may be, if, repentant, he implores
your patronage. To you, then, do I have recourse, O my Mother; animate
me to hope, sustain my weakness, abandon me not for a single instant,
and reconcile me to my Eternal Judge, that I may be able to find mercy
at the moment of my death. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--_Monstra te esse matrem_--Show me, O Mary, that you
are my mother!

_Practice._--Whatever contradiction you may meet with this day, accept
it with resignation, and with the reflection that _God wills it_.



NINETEENTH DAY.

MARY, AT THE MARRIAGE OF CANA, TEACHES US THE BEST METHOD OF PRAYER.

'THERE was a marriage,' says St. John, 'in Cana of Galilee, and the
Mother of Jesus was there. And Jesus also was invited and His
disciples.'

Let us consider the goodness of our adorable Saviour in not refusing
the invitation to the wedding. He had come to redeem and reform man,
and therefore would not assume a rigid and austere manner. He was
always gentle and courteous, so as to draw men to follow Him. His
presence at the wedding was a restraint upon all levity and excesses
that so often occur on these occasions. O faithful souls! what modesty
must have reigned at these nuptials, in the presence of Our Lord and
of the Most Holy Virgin! The failing of the wine was pre-ordained by
the Will of God, Who wished, by a miracle, to manifest His power to
those assembled, and in particular to His Apostles. The Most Holy
Virgin, in her wisdom and prudence, knowing that the wine failed, was
moved by the most ardent charity to find an expedient for supplying
it. And how does she act? Well aware of the power and goodness of her
Divine Son, and of His charity and mercy, she was certain that He
would supply what was required, all the more as the married couple
were not rich, and she knew He took pleasure in relieving the poor and
conversing with them. She turned, therefore, to her Divine Son; and
notice well how Our Blessed Lady acted, and what she said: _Vinum non
habent_--'They have no wine.' These words imply, 'These good people
are poor, and although their poverty is pleasing and dear to You,
nevertheless, in itself, it is a misfortune, and is often the cause of
confusion before men. You are Omnipotent, and can relieve their wants,
and I doubt not Your charity and mercy will make some return for the
kind invitation they have given us to assist at this feast by
providing for them in their present need.' The Holy Virgin, however,
did not utter so many words when she asked this miracle; she was most
skilled in the art of praying well, and made use of the shortest and
most suitable method that could be found, saying: 'They have no wine.'
Mary speaks to Our Lord with the greatest possible reverence. She does
not address Him in terms of arrogance or presumption, like many
thoughtless and indiscreet persons when they ask, but she simply
represents to Him the need of the guests, sure that He would hear her
petition. What an excellent manner of prayer is this, to expose our
necessities simply to God, and then abandon ourselves into His
adorable hands, certain that He will succour us in that way which is
most to our advantage! For instance, to say to Him: Lord, behold one
of Thy poor creatures, who is desolate, afflicted, full of aridity, of
miseries and sins, but Thou knowest my wants, and it is enough for me
to manifest to Thee my state. To Thee it belongs to deliver me from so
many miseries, in the manner and at the time that thou knowest to be
most conducive to Thy glory and my salvation.

We may ask God, also, for temporal blessings; of this there is no
doubt; for Our Lord Himself has taught us, in the _Our Father_ to ask
first that _the Kingdom of God may come_ as the _end_ to which we
aspire, and that _His Holy Will be done_ as the sole means to attain
this _end_; and afterwards to ask Almighty God to _give us our daily
bread_ (_Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie_). Therefore Holy
Church has authorized particular prayers for temporal blessings; for
peace, in times of war; rain, in seasons of drought, and so on; and
also special Masses for procuring relief in times of pestilence, and
in other necessities. No doubt we can have recourse to God in all our
wants, both spiritual and temporal, in two ways: by merely exposing to
Him our necessities, as did the Most Holy Virgin, or by asking Him for
that grace which in particular we require, but always with this
condition, that _His Will be done and not ours_. And yet, in general,
even when spiritual persons ask God for His holy love, which softens
and lightens every difficulty, they take care not to include in their
petition those virtues that mortify nature.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

However slight the services we render to the Blessed Virgin Mary, they
are always dear to God, and He rewards them with eternal glory.--_St.
Teresa._

When you find yourself in any great difficulty, do not take any step
without having first considered eternity.--_St. Francis of Sales._

He who is capable of exercising mildness in sufferings, generosity
under ill-treatment, and peace amidst discord, is almost perfect.
Mildness, sweetness of heart, and evenness of temper are virtues as
rare as is the virtue of chastity.--_The same._

EXAMPLE.

_The Advantages of the 'Hail Mary.'_

After having considered in the preceding example the esteem in which
this prayer was held by the Saints, let us now consider its
advantages.

Mary rejoices greatly when she is addressed in the Angelical
Salutation, as she herself revealed to St. Mechtild, saying that of
all the honours that can be rendered her none is more pleasing, or
gives more joy, than this prayer, to which are added the words, 'Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, etc.' This prayer reminds
her of the obligation she is under to have compassion on poor sinners,
to pray for them, to love them. Sinners are the occasion of all her
happiness, 'because,' said she, 'I should not have found grace if they
had not lost it; I should not have been chosen to be the Mother of the
Saviour if it had not been necessary to save them; and lastly, I
should not have received such an abundance of graces had it not been
necessary that I should become the Mother of Mercy and the Refuge of
Sinners.'

But the recitation of the _Hail Mary_ does not form the joy of Mary
alone; it is also the joy of the Angels and of the Saints. Blessed
Alan says that the words of this prayer convey joy to all the
inhabitants of heaven. The Angelical Salutation is the distinctive
salute of the Angels to Mary; and these blessed spirits enjoy a
special delight in offering it to her frequently every day. But whilst
this admirable prayer causes all Paradise to exult with joy, and is a
source of grace to faithful souls, it is also the terror of the
demons, who take flight as soon as they hear it pronounced. When the
_Hail Mary_ was brought from heaven by an Angel, the earth leapt for
joy, on account of its approaching deliverance. But hell seemed
already to foresee the formidable presence of the Omnipotent Who was
to destroy the empire of Satan; and it trembled with fear when this
salutation was uttered. No wonder, then, that the impious, who are
children of the accursed spirits, should adopt their sentiments and
hate all that relates to the mystery of the Incarnation, and speak
contemptuously of the Holy Rosary and of devotion to the Blessed
Virgin. However, experience shows us that the more a soul gives signs
of predestination, the more does she love, relish, and gladly recite
the _Hail Mary_; and the more she loves God, the more does she love
this prayer. 'I have no surer secret for ascertaining if a person love
God,' says the venerable Louis Marie de Montfort, 'than to examine if
he love to recite the _Ave Maria_ or the Rosary.'

_Prayer._--Help us, O Mother full of mercy, and do not allow the
multitude of our sins to weaken your love for us. Remember that our
adorable Saviour deigned to take from you a mortal body, not to
condemn but to save sinners. If it were for your own personal glory
alone that you were chosen to be the Mother of God, it might be said
that our eternal salvation, or damnation, matters but little to you;
but it was for the salvation of all men that your Divine Son clothed
Himself with our flesh. What advantage would accrue to us from your
happiness and power if you did not make use of your power to render us
partakers of your happiness? You know the need we have of your
assistance; and therefore we recommend ourselves earnestly to you.
Help us, that we may not have the misfortune to lose our souls, but
may eternally love and serve your Divine Son with you in His kingdom
of glory. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--Obtain for us, O Mary, by your powerful intercession,
the grace not to lose the place which Our Saviour has prepared for us
in Paradise.

_Practice._--Ask Mary to obtain for you from God all the graces you
are in need of to-day.



TWENTIETH DAY.

THE PETITION OF MARY AT THE MARRIAGE OF CANA WAS FULL OF CONFIDENCE.

LET us endeavour, by the Divine assistance, to discover all the
lessons contained in the petition of Mary and in the answer of Jesus.

Mary turns to Jesus, and says to Him: _Vinum non habent_--'They have
no wine;' and He replies: _Quid mihi, et tibi est, mulier? Nondum
venit hora mea_--'Woman, what is there in common between Me and thee?
My hour is not yet come.'

This reply at first sight seems harsh, and it surprises us, coming
from such a Son and addressed to such a Mother. Is it possible that so
respectful a Son should reject with asperity a prayer made with so
much reverence and humility by the most loving and the most loved of
Mothers? Has the creature no part with her Creator from Whom she
receives her being and her life? Has the Mother nothing to do with her
Son, nor the Son with the Mother, from whom He received His Body and
His Blood? These words seem, as I have said, somewhat strange, and are
difficult to understand; indeed, they have been misinterpreted by some
who, having kept merely to the letter, have unhappily originated
several forms of heresy. However, the reply was most loving, and the
Holy Virgin, who well understood its genuine sense, considered herself
the happiest of Mothers. This she expressed, with a heart full of
confidence, in her answer to the waiters. 'You have heard,' she said,
'the reply my Son has made me, and perhaps, not understanding the
language of love, you fear that He is indignant at my petition; but it
is not so, fear not; whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye'--
_Quaecumque dixerit vobis, facite._

The opinions of the Doctors upon the words of Our Blessed Saviour are
various; many think that His meaning was: 'It does not belong to us to
meddle in this affair; as we are merely amongst the invited, we should
not observe what is required or not required at the wedding.' However,
the greater number of the holy Fathers of the Church think that Our
Lord thus replied to His Most Holy Mother, in order to teach those of
high position in the Church not to make use of their influence in
favour of their relations, in things which are contrary to the law of
God or to the perfection of their state. To give this lesson to the
world, He made use of the tender Heart of Mary, and, in doing so, He
certainly gives us a very great proof of His love. His words signified
that He knew well the tenderness and perfection of the love His Mother
bore Him, and the firmness of her will, and therefore was well assured
that the apparent harshness of His words would in no way trouble her
soul. On this account the Most Holy Virgin did not lose confidence
when she received His answer, but said to the waiters: 'Whatsoever He
shall say to you, do ye.' Our Lord loves most tenderly those who
abandon themselves, like His Most Holy Mother, completely to His care,
allowing themselves to be governed by His Divine Providence, without
caring whether the result be sweet or bitter, certain that the
parental Heart of God will never permit the least thing to happen
which will not turn to their advantage, if they have a perfect and
filial confidence in Him. We ought, then, to imitate this example of
Mary on all occasions, whether prosperous or adverse; allowing
ourselves to be led by the Divine Will without ever seeking the
accomplishment of our own. It is true that great confidence is
necessary to enable us to abandon ourselves thus unreservedly to
Divine Providence; but, if we do so, Our Lord takes care of
everything, and conducts all for our advantage; while if we reserve
something to ourselves, not confiding entirely in Him, then He
abandons us. It is as if He were to say: You believe that you are
capable of succeeding without My succour, therefore I shall withdraw,
and you will see what will be the result.

This perfect abandonment must be grounded upon the infinite goodness
of God, and upon the merits of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus
Christ, and accompanied by a firm and perfect resolution to give
ourselves entirely to God leaving all things to His loving Providence.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

In Arabia Felix, not only the plants which are called aromatical are
sweet scented, but all plants without distinction, because they all
experience the influence of the sun's intense heat. So all the works
of a soul that is replenished with charity or the virtue of holy love,
even the very least, have a most pleasing fragrance before the Divine
Majesty, Who rewards them with an increase of charity.--_St. Francis
of Sales._

If you sincerely love God, you will often speak of Him. As bees gather
honey only with their mouths, so your tongue will be always honeyed
with the words you speak of your God; and never will your mouth taste
such sweetness as when you sing the praises and blessings of His Most
Holy Name.--_The same._

As some herbs, when well masticated, produce so great sweetness as to
appease hunger and thirst, so one who receives from God the celestial
manna of interior consolation cannot in any way desire the
consolations of the world, though it be only to receive a momentary
satisfaction.--_The same._

EXAMPLE.

_Further Advantages of the 'Hail Mary.'_

Let us glory, says a pious author, in repeating this salutation with
the Angel Gabriel, the Apostles, the Martyrs, and all the Christian
world. Let this _Ave Maria_, which comes to us fragrant as a Canticle
of heaven, and repeated by as many echoes as there are faithful souls
on earth, be sweet to our lips, and sweeter still to our hearts. It is
a rare and enviable favour indeed to be able to salute a queen, and
yet every day, at every moment, men and women, old and young, all of
every condition, can salute the Queen of heaven and earth, who
contains in her hands all the treasures of God, and can be sure of
being always heard, and that each salutation addressed to her will
meet with a corresponding benefit. . . . But can the sinner also dare
to approach her? Yes, certainly; let him also come with humble
confidence and salute her who is his refuge, for she will in no wise
be offended by his prayer; and if the _Hail Mary_ from his lips be a
cry of sorrow and repentance, it will become omnipotent, and will
obtain mercy, pardon, grace, and salvation.

Hail Mary! _Ave Maria!_ . . . A sweet and beautiful word it is, which
heaven sent to earth, and earth again returns so frequently to heaven!

The _Ave Maria_ is the universal prayer of each and all. The infant
begins to lisp it, and on his knees, with his hands raised to heaven,
says _Ave Maria!_ The aged, weakened by infirmity, may be incapable of
reciting long prayers, but they will always have sufficient strength
to repeat devoutly the _Ave Maria_. This is the favourite prayer of
just souls. Oh, how many times in the day does it rise from their
hearts full of burning love, and ascend, like purest burning incense
to the throne of Mary! _Ave Maria!_ . . . it is also the prayer of
sinners, and perhaps their only prayer. In the great number of these
there are some, alas! who have forgotten all other prayers, but they
still know and repeat the _Ave Maria_. Yes; amidst the universal wreck
of all other prayers and practices of religion, the _Ave Maria_ or
_Hail Mary_ has remained for them ever a means of salvation. . . . How
many poor wrecked souls have been led back to the haven of salvation
by this means!

_Prayer._--O Jesus! only Son of God, Who from the bosom of Thy Eternal
Father, descended into the bosom of Mary, Thy Mother, receive the
homage of my adoration and love. Through Thee I go to Thy Father, and
through Thy Mother I come to Thee. Like the spouses at Cana, I dare
not address my prayer directly to Thee, but I fear nothing when I
direct it through Thy Blessed Mother. O Lord! well Thou knowest that I
have no wine, no courage, nor strength, nor holy and generous
resolutions; I have lost all! Ah! say not to Thy Mother, who
intercedes in my favour: 'Woman, what is there in common between us?'
because I know for certain that she is all-powerful over Thy filial
Heart. Add not 'My hour is not yet come!' Ah, no; Thy hour, O my God,
to benefit those who pray to Thee, through Thy Blessed Mother, is ever
at hand. O Lord! behold, the vessel of my heart is full of the insipid
waters of earth; change this water into the delicious wine of holy
affections for heaven, where the Saints celebrate the nuptials of the
Lamb amidst eternal joys. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--Succour my weakness, O most powerful Virgin!

_Practice._--Endeavour to preserve confidence in God, when He delays
the graces you desire.



TWENTY-FIRST DAY.

MARY OBTAINS THE FIRST MIRACLE FROM JESUS BY HER LIVELY FAITH.

THAT we may conceive a just idea of the power the Most Holy Virgin
possesses over the Heart of Jesus, let us meditate upon those other
words which He addressed to her at the marriage of Cana: _Nondum venit
hora mea_--'My hour is not yet come.'

Without discussing the opinion of certain Doctors, who think that Our
Lord, by these words, meant to say that the wine was not yet wanted, I
shall call your attention to this reflection: that there are certain
times ordained by Divine Providence upon which our conversion and
salvation depend.

It is certain that God had from all eternity determined the hour and
moment when He would work the great miracle of His Incarnation, and
give to the world the first sign of His power, but yet this
determination could be accelerated by prayer.

The greater number of the Fathers assert that Mary, by her loving
sighs and aspirations, merited the acceleration of the Incarnation of
Our Lord. Not, indeed, that He became Incarnate before the time that
He had determined, but that, from all eternity He foresaw that the
Holy Virgin would beg Him to hasten the time of His coming into the
world; and therefore, in consideration of the great merit of her
intercession, He ordained to become Man sooner than He would have done
had He not been petitioned to do so. The same may be said of the first
miracle, wrought by Our Lord at the wedding of Cana. _Nondum venit
hora mea_--'My hour is not yet come,' said Jesus to His Holy Mother,
but as I can refuse you nothing, I shall hasten to hear your prayer.

Oh, how precious is that hour in which Divine Providence wills to
impart to us those special graces and blessings that are necessary for
our salvation, Happy the soul who awaits this hour patiently, and who
endeavours to prepare herself for it when it arrives. The Samarian
woman assuredly was converted at this hour, and upon its arrival will
depend also our own conversion and spiritual regeneration. We will now
consider how Our Lord acted when He worked this miracle.

In the hall were seven stone urns, prepared for the purification,
practised by the Jews. Our Lord ordered them to be filled with water,
_Implete hydrias aqua_; and as the waiters had already been directed
by Mary to follow punctually the orders of her Divine Son, they filled
them 'up to the brim,' as the Sacred Text expresses it. Afterwards Our
Saviour said something interiorly, not understood by anyone, and the
water was instantly changed into most excellent wine. These words
which He spoke were similar, without doubt, to those by which He drew
all things out of nothing, or by which He gave being and life to man,
or by which, also, at His last supper with His disciples, He changed
wine into His adorable Blood, and thus instituted the Most Holy
Sacrament of the Eucharist, giving to us, through it, that most
excellent wine which nourishes us for eternal life.

This fact in the Gospel shows us, moreover, the great confidence we
should have in the powerful intercession of Our Lady. But in order
that she may represent our necessities to her Divine Son, we must
invite her and our adorable Saviour to our banquet, because wine can
never fail when Jesus and Mary are present; this Mother of Mercy being
ever prepared to ask it for us, and her Divine Son ever ready to
bestow it.

However, if we desire Our Lady to intercede with her Divine Son that
He may change the water of our tepidity into the wine of His fervent
love, we must imitate the waiters at the marriage of Cana, and do all
that Our Lord shall tell us. Obey Him, then, with fidelity, O ye
servants of God, fill your hearts well with the penitential water of
repentance, and He will change it into the wine of His holy love. In
order to obtain the spirit of fervour, nourish your mind with holy
thoughts; make frequent ejaculations, and, as a general rule, if you
wish to be recollected in time of prayer, avoid dissipation during the
day, and waste no time in useless reflections upon yourself, or on
what happens around you. Keep yourself in the presence of God, and
repose in the loving arms of His Providence. Bless this adorable
Providence continually during life, and you will glorify It eternally
in heaven, with all the Saints and blessed spirits.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

The Spouse in the Canticles says that her hands distil myrrh--a liquor
which preserves from corruption; her eyes are like those of the dove,
in their purity; from her ears hang pendants of gold, as a sign of
chastity; her lips are vermilion, the symbol of her modesty in speech;
and her nose like the tower of Lebanon, of incorruptible wood. Such
should be the devout servant of God--chaste, pure and unspotted in her
whole soul and body.--_St. Francis of Sales._

Clasp Jesus closely to your breast; let Him be a beautiful and sweet
bouquet of flowers upon your heart, so that whoever approaches you may
be conscious of the perfume, and know that the fragrance of your life
should be of myrrh--the symbol of mortification.--_The same._

Keep always close to Jesus Crucified, in spirit, in meditation, and in
reality by Holy Communion. As he who is accustomed to lie down upon a
certain species of herb becomes chaste and pure, so your soul and your
heart will be very quickly purified from every spot and from every
unruly desire when Our Lord, Who is the true Lamb of God, reposes upon
your heart.--_The same._

EXAMPLE.

_Most pleasing to Our Blessed Lord is our Devotion to His Mother._

St. Teresa relates the following:

'Don Bernadino de Mendoza, to testify his devotion to the Most Holy
Virgin, came to offer me his house, at Pico de Olmos, near Valladolid,
for a Convent of Our Lady of Carmel. To say the truth, I felt some
repugnance to found a religious house far from a town, yet the
offering had been made so cordially, and for so holy a purpose, that I
considered I ought not to refuse it, and thus deprive the young
gentleman of so much merit.

'About two months afterwards he was seized by a mortal illness,
deprived of the power of speech, and died without having been able to
make his confession. The Divine Master then said to me: "His
salvation, my dear daughter, was in great danger; but I showed him
mercy, in reward of the house he had made over for the foundation of a
Convent consecrated to My Mother, under the title of Carmel. However,
he will not be released from Purgatory until the first Mass is
celebrated in that Convent."

'From that time my mind was ever occupied with the thought of his
sufferings. The foundation of Valladolid could not be formed as
quickly as I desired. One day, when I was stopping at St. Joseph's, at
Medina del Campo, whilst I was at prayer, Our Lord said to me: "Make
haste, because this soul suffers much." After this nothing could
induce me to delay. Being arrived at Valladolid, although the house
was unhealthy, I prepared some cells, just for the time being, and
provided merely what was absolutely necessary. When Sunday arrived,
notwithstanding the delay of the formal authorization, permission was
granted to have Mass celebrated on the spot which was destined for the
Church. I did not, indeed, believe that the promise of Our Lord
regarding this gentleman would be fulfilled then; on the contrary, I
was persuaded that the words, _until the first Mass_, related to that
Mass when the Blessed Sacrament would be reserved for the first time
in the Church. But when the Priest turned towards us, with the sacred
ciborium in his hand, to communicate us, and I had approached the
Altar to receive the sacred Host, I saw the gentleman by the side of
the Priest, full of joy and resplendent with light. He thanked me for
all I had done to deliver him from the flames of Purgatory, and then
ascended to heaven.

'Oh, how precious is any service, however small, that we are able to
render the Most Holy Virgin! Who can tell how pleasing it is to Our
Lord, and how mercifully He rewards it?'

_Prayer._--O Mother! full of love and clemency towards us, you are
penetrated with the same sentiments as your Divine Son, and you also
say with Him: 'Whenever the sinner returns to me with sincere sorrow
for his offences, he always finds me ready to receive him with
kindness and tenderness. I think not of the malice, or the number of
his sins, but I only look at the desire he has to be converted; and I
am always disposed to implore a remedy for his wounds, because I am,
in deed and in name, the Mother of Grace and of Mercy!'

O Mary! since you never reject the sinner who returns to you with a
resolution to amend, and since you have the power, as well as the
will, to obtain the cure of all the wounds of the heart, behold me at
your feet, full of confidence. Behold, I beseech you, the deep and
cankered wounds of my soul, and if you will deign to offer your
prayers to your Divine Son for me, I shall hope everything for my
eternal salvation. Amen.

_Aspiration._--Through your intercession, O tender Mother, I hope to
obtain the eternal happiness of heaven!

_Practice._--Let all the good works of this day be directed to obtain
the conversion of sinners.



TWENTY-SECOND DAY.

MARY CHOSE THE BETTER PART.

WE read in the Gospel that Martha, into whose house Our Lord had
entered, was busy and troubled about many things in her anxiety to
serve Him, whilst her sister Mary remained at His feet, listening to
His words. Martha was concerned about Our Lord's bodily comfort, but
Mary, laying aside every other thought, nourished her soul with the
sacred instructions of her Divine Master. A soul, recollected
interiorly before God, is sometimes so sweetly attentive to the
goodness of her Beloved as not even to be aware of its attentiveness,
so simply and gently is it exercised. Such souls are like those who
navigate rivers the waters of which flow on so calmly that they
neither see nor feel any motion. This delightful repose of the soul is
called by St. Teresa 'The Prayer of Quiet.'

Martha, moved by a slight sentiment of envy (which is an almost
universal vice, affecting even devout souls), complained thus to Our
Lord: 'Master, hast Thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to
serve? Speak to her, therefore, that she help me.' Our Lord, Who is
Infinite Goodness, would not reprehend her seriously, although He knew
the imperfection of her sentiments, but He called her by name, gently
and affectionately (for the whole Gospel is love), and said to her:
'Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things; but
one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part, which shall
not be taken from her!'--_Martha, Martha, sollicita es et turbaris
erga plurima; porro unum est necessarium. Maria optimam partem elegit,
quae non auferetur ab ea._

Whilst Martha was thus busy serving Our Divine Saviour, Mary had but
one thought--to remain with Him and hear His words. This was also the
one thought of Our Blessed Lady, the Most Holy Virgin. Observe her at
Bethlehem, where all her efforts to find a lodging were vain; she says
not a word, utters no complaint, but retires into a stable and places
the newborn Infant in a manger! After a few days the Magi come to
adore Him, and she receives in silence the praises addressed to her.
She flies into Egypt, but shows no sign of grief; she returns to Judea
without any manifestation of joy. On Calvary, at the feet of her
Divine Son, she opens not her mouth, but listens to His words, for to
hear them is all her desire. Indifferent to all things else, 'happen
what will,' says she, 'whether He console me or afflict me, I am
equally contented, provided I be near Him and possess Him.'

Thus does a soul abandoned to the Will of God remain in His arms, like
a child on the bosom of his mother. When she places him on the ground
he walks, and when she takes him again in her arms he allows himself
to be carried, and is in no way troubled to know whither he is taken.
Thus the soul cultivates tranquillity of heart, and advances
continually in union with the Divine Goodness.

The exercise of union with God can be practised by means of short but
frequent aspirations of the soul to God, such as: 'Ah, Jesus, who will
give me to be but one spirit with Thee? I renounce all creatures and
desire Thee alone, for this is the one thing needful. Ah! plunge my
soul into the ocean of Thy Goodness, from whence it proceeds, and make
me, O Lord, wholly Thine. Draw me, and I will run after Thy
attractions, casting myself into Thy paternal arms, and never again
withdrawing myself from them.'

A soul immersed in God dies not. How could it die if immersed in Him
Who is life? It lives, then, but not in itself. As the planets do not
shine in the presence of the sun, but the sun shines in them, so does
it live, not, indeed, a natural life, but the life of Jesus Christ,
Who lives in it.

In imitation of the Blessed Virgin we must make it our whole study to
unite ourselves to Our Lord by advancing in perfection. Let us not,
however, forget that our best means for attaining to this is to remain
tranquil, and place all our confidence in Him Who alone can give
increase to that which we have sown and planted. Our Lord desires from
us a peaceful solicitude, which will lead us to obey those who direct
us and walk with all fidelity in the paths they point out. We should
abandon ourselves in all things to His Paternal care, and maintain
peace of soul as far as possible, because Our Lord reposes in tranquil
and peaceful hearts. When the waters of a lake are not agitated by the
wind, the firmament with its stars is so vividly represented therein
that, looking down into the deep, we can see its beauty as perfectly
as if we were looking up to the heavens. So also when our souls are
tranquil and undisturbed by superfluous cares or distractions, we are
then well prepared to receive within us the image of Our Lord. But if
the soul be disquieted, darkened, and agitated by the various tempests
of the passions, and allows itself to be guided by them, and not by
reason, which renders us like to God, it cannot reflect the beautiful
image of Jesus Christ Crucified and His most excellent virtues, nor
can He rest in the soul. We must abandon the thought of ourselves to
Divine Providence, for anxiety of mind and the desire to know if we
advance in virtue is not pleasing to God, and serves only to satisfy
self-love, which is a great busybody that seeks to have a hand in
everything. One work well done with peace of mind is more meritorious
than many works performed with agitation and anxiety.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

When the lily springs up from the earth it produces a number of long
leaves, but as it grows higher the leaves near the flower are fewer
and much smaller. These leaves represent our words. The more a soul
progresses in the way of God and of perfection the fewer are her
words.--_Pere St. Jure._

As the bees go all round their hive gathering honey here and there,
and when they have collected it take pleasure in working it up, on
account of its sweetness, so we meditate that we may acquire the love
of God; and then we contemplate Him, and are attracted by His goodness
through the sweetness which His love causes us to experience. Hence
the soul is never satiated with considering and looking upon the
Divine Beauty.--_St. Francis of Sales._

The occupations that are necessary for each one in his state of life
are no hindrance to piety, but increase it and adorn the work of
devotion. The nightingale loves its own melody when it is silent as
much as when it sings; the devout heart also cherishes Divine love no
less when it is distracted by the external duties of life than when it
prays. Its action and its contemplation, its occupation, as well as
its repose, equally chant the canticle of love.--_The same._

EXAMPLE.

_Beauty of the 'Ave Maris Stella.'_

In this hymn are celebrated all the prerogatives of Mary. She is the
powerful Mother of God and the most glorious of Virgins--_Dei Mater
alma atque semper Virgo_--and at the same time the most sweet and
humble of Virgins--_Virgo singularis inter omnes mitis._

The Most Holy Virgin performs the function of advocate with her Divine
Son in our favour, and offers Him our prayers--_Monstra te esse
Matrem._

She is the Gate of Heaven. She loosens the chains of sinners, guides
the blind in the way of virtue, removes every kind of evil from us,
and asks in our name for every grace necessary for us to reach the
port of eternal life.--_Solve vincla reis._

Nothing is more appropriate to inspire us with a tender confidence in
Mary than the _Ave Maris Stella_, for its verses contain
considerations of time and eternity. Let us, then, repeat it often,
and Mary will load us with benedictions, as many miraculous facts in
the lives of the Saints attest. Indeed, this Queen of Heaven herself
showed how dear to her is this hymn when she appeared one day to St.
Bridget, and thus addressed her: 'My Son, the Sovereign Master of
heaven, of earth, and of hell, can Himself alone suppress all the
powers of evil, from whatever source they may arise. I shall
henceforth be a shield of defence for you and for the others against
all the attempts of the enemies of your souls and bodies, on
condition, however, that all your community meet together to sing
every evening the _Ave Maris Stella_.'

The Saint did not fail to fulfil punctually the will of the Most Holy
Virgin, and her example was followed by her Confessor, and her
daughter, St. Catherine of Sweden, who caused this pious practice to
be adopted by all the convents of the Order of St. Saviour. Let us
then be glad to salute our most amiable Mother frequently with this
hymn of the holy Abbot of Clairvaux. However, we must not be satisfied
with merely singing it; let us also carry it in our minds and in our
hearts; and, above all, strive to be penetrated with all the
affectionate sentiments it contains. Let us pray to St. Bernard to
recommend us himself to the Queen of Angels, and obtain for us that
she may be to us all that she was to him to the last instant of his
life. Most Blessed Virgin! be my strength, my guide, my Mother! and
let me never become unworthy to bear the beautiful title of Child of
Mary. _Monstra te esse Matrem._

_Prayer._--O Holy Virgin and Mother of God! deign to succour those who
implore your assistance. Cast an eye of compassion upon us, and be
moved at the sight of our miseries. O Mother of Grace! have you
forgotten men in their tribulations and need, by reason of the sublime
dignity to which you have been raised? No, without doubt your heart
will be ever interested in our favour, nor can your great mercy ever
forget misery so profound as ours. Turn then towards us, and consider
the many dangers to which we are continually exposed. God Almighty has
constituted you the depositary of His power and of His graces; pour
them upon us in abundance, we beg of you. The more powerful you are,
the more do I trust, O Mother of Mercy, that you will be singularly
merciful to your afflicted children who have recourse to you. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--O Mary! you are able to succour me, and I hope your
goodness will not refuse me this favour.

_Practice._--Endeavour to recollect yourself frequently during the
day, that you may act with greater purity of intention.



TWENTY-THIRD DAY.

THE BLESSED VIRGIN DID NOT NEGLECT THE DUTIES OF MARTHA.

THE conduct of Martha and Mary give us another touching subject for
our meditation. These two sisters well represent to us Our Lady. Like
Martha the Blessed Virgin Mary received her Son Our Lord into her
house, and into her most chaste womb, when He came into this world,
and with incomparable care she always served Him whilst He lived on
earth, in reward of which He exalted her in heaven to an unparalleled
glory. Like Mary, she listened to His words in uninterrupted silence,
and occupied herself only in loving Him. This glorious Virgin
exercised admirably in the course of her life the offices of both of
these sisters. But as regards the office of Martha, with what care and
attention did she not serve Our Lord when an Infant! What diligence
did she employ in avoiding the anger of Herod, and all the dangers
with which His life was threatened!

Take notice that Our Lord reprehended Martha because she was disturbed
and troubled, not because she was careful. Our Lady, like Martha, took
great care to serve our Divine Master well--but her care was devoid of
all disquiet and anxious trouble. The Saints in heaven are zealous for
the glory of God, but are not disquieted. The Angels are careful in
all that regards our salvation, and God Himself has care of His
creatures, but always in peace and undisturbed calm. To us, miserable
creatures, however, this is difficult. Some become suddenly disturbed
because they cannot do what they desire; others wish to console and
visit the sick, but if they meet with some hindrance they are
immediately troubled; others will have a great affection for mental
prayer, and although this relates only to God, yet even here human
nature enters, and they will be disturbed and troubled if they are
constrained to occupy themselves in some other employment.

Now would Martha have been so much troubled if she had had no other
end in view than to please Our Lord? No, certainly; because one only
kind of food, well prepared, was sufficient for His nourishment, and,
moreover, because she saw that the whole pleasure of her Divine Master
was to be listened to, as was done by her sister Mary. But Martha
mingled a little self-esteem with her desire to provide all that was
necessary for our Divine Master; and this moved her to wish that her
hospitality, in receiving those who honoured her with their visits,
should be recognised. The good lady believed that by this external
service she would become a great servant of God, and surpass others;
and through love for her sister she wished that she also should be
solicitous to serve the Beloved Master, and thus, as she thought,
acquire more merit. But our Divine Redeemer was more pleased with the
practice of Mary, into whose heart He poured forth, through His divine
words, graces surpassing all conception. This was the truth He wished
also to inculcate, when He said, that those alone were blessed who
should have listened to His word and practised it.

All that anxious restlessness and eager desire to do something for Our
Lord, which some devout persons look upon as real virtue, is then a
manifest error, reproved by our Divine Master, when He said: _Porro
unum est necessarium_--'But one thing is necessary.'

You may ask, in reply, But how are we to prevent being uneasy when we
are under an obligation of practising virtue? This solicitude is
certainly not blamable, provided it be not overanxious and troubled.
Invoke frequently the one beautiful Dove of the Heavenly Spouse, that
she may truly obtain for you the heart of a dove, and that you may not
only be a dove in your flight towards heaven, by prayer, but also a
dove in your nest, and with all those who surround you. Unite the
office of Mary with that of Martha: diligently fulfil the duties of
your state. Often cast yourself at the feet of Jesus, and say to Him
from your heart: O my Divine Master, whether I go or stay, I am all
Thine and Thou art all mine. Thou art my only Spouse, and all that I
am going to do shall be for Thee.

As the birds have their nests in which to hide themselves when
needful, so our heart should select and take possession of some spot
every day, either on Calvary or in the Sacred Wounds of Our Lord, or
near Him, whither it may retire on every occasion to defend itself in
temptations and recreate itself after the many exterior affairs of the
day. Happy the soul that can truly say to Our Lord: You are my house
of refuge, my secure home; my roof, in time of rain, and my
refreshment under burning heats.

A remedy, however, against so many anxious cares and troubles is to
copy the practice of Mary, because it was praised by Our Lord Himself,
Who called it the best and the one thing necessary. Now, this one
thing necessary is nothing else than the exercise of Divine Love,
which, as it contains in itself the perfection of all other virtues,
produces their acts in due time and place, according to circumstances.
In one word, then: _Possess holy Charity, and no virtue will be
wanting to you, because all virtues are comprised in Charity._

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

The Most Holy Virgin Mary is compared to an orange-tree laden with
fruit, and diffusing the sweetest odour of Lebanon. This means that
all her thoughts, words, and actions were so perfect that, like an
exquisite perfume, they delighted both Heaven and earth: and that,
like the pomegranate, they wore the crown of perfection.--_Pere S.
Jure._

The bee sucks honey from flowers without injuring them, and leaves
them as entire and fresh as he found them. Devotion has this higher
excellence, that it adds new beauty to all that it touches.--_St.
Francis of Sales._

Remember that when the bees make honey, they take bitter food; so,
also, we can never make acts of greater patience and sweetness, nor
form better the honey of excellent virtues than by eating the bread of
bitterness and living a life of tribulation.--_The same._

EXAMPLE.

_The 'Magnificat.'_

The _Magnificat_ is the first Canticle of the New Testament and the
most magnificent Canticle of Holy Scripture. It presents us with most
sublime ideas of the greatness of God, and is sung on solemn
festivals, whilst Priests stand and incense the Altar.

We recite the _Magnificat_ to thank God for all the graces bestowed
upon the Most Holy Virgin. It is the only work she ever composed, and
contains mysteries far surpassing our understanding. Hence this
proverb was familiar amongst the ancient authors when they spoke of
one who meddled with things beyond his capacity; such a one would
_correct the Magnificat._

The Blessed Juliana had a special affection for this Canticle.
Speaking of it one day to the Superior of a convent, she declared that
she would not sacrifice the sweetness she experienced in reciting it
for all the gold that the convent could contain. She repeated it nine
times a day, in memory of the nine months that the Most Holy Virgin
bore the Redeemer of the world in her womb; and she desired ardently
that all would follow her example, believing it impossible that Mary
would not hear those who share in the joy she manifests in this
Canticle.

Cardinal J. de Vitry, in the life of Ste. Marie de Ogniez, relates
that when this Saint was near death, and was singing the _Magnificat_,
the Mother of God appeared to her and told her to receive Extreme
Unction, and she remained by her bedside in company with her Divine
Son until the Saint expired.

St. Anselm relates of himself that when he was afflicted with various
infirmities, which occasioned him the most acute suffering, he was
perfectly cured by reciting the _Magnificat._

_Prayer._--August Mother of God, you are the Queen of Mercy, and I am
the most miserable of sinners, and consequently your subject. You
should then have greater compassion for me than for anyone less
sinful. _Eia ergo advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad
nos converte._

O, our refuge and our advocate, turn one look of mercy towards us;
interest yourself in our behalf; be moved to compassion for our evils,
and obtain their cure. Deliver us from our miseries, and we shall
never cease to sing the hymn of praise to your mercy, of which we have
experienced the salutary effects. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--Pray for me, O Mother of Grace, O Mother of Mercy!

_Practice._--Whilst you fulfil the duties of your state in imitation
of Martha, endeavour to have your mind and heart turned to Jesus as
Mary had.



TWENTY-FOURTH DAY.

MARY IN HER SLEEP.

WE can begin to love God in this life, but it is only in the next that
we shall be able to love Him perfectly. In the expression _we_ I do
not intend to speak of the Most Holy Virgin, because she is the
Daughter of beautiful Love, the one only dove, the perfect Spouse.
Yes; the charity of Mary surpassed that of the Seraphim. 'If all the
daughters have gathered riches, thou hast surpassed them all.'

The Saints and Angels are compared to stars, but Mary is beautiful as
the moon, distinguished amidst the Saints as the moon amidst the
stars. As her charity surpasses in heaven that of all the blessed, so
did she exercise it with greater excellence on earth; for never having
sinned, even venially, her love never met with any obstacle, and thus
increased at every instant. What progress, then, must she not have
made in the exercise of holy love? Say not that the Most Holy Virgin,
like all men, was subject to the necessities of life. It may be said,
in the words of the Canticles, that her sleep was the sleep of Love,
the celestial Spouse saying, _'I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem,
that you stir not nor awake my love till she please.'_

The Queen of heaven and earth granted to her chaste body that repose
only which was necessary to restore its strength, in order to serve
God more perfectly; and we may say that her sleep never interrupted
the exercise of holy love, because it proceeded from an act of most
excellent charity. Does not St. Augustine teach that we must love our
body, that it may serve us in those works which God requires of us,
and because it forms part of ourselves, and is one day to share our
eternal felicity?

The Most Holy Virgin, indeed, had other reasons to love her body with
a virtuous love, because it was not only pure, submissive, and docile
to all the functions of holy love and embalmed by Divine sweetness,
but it was, moreover, the living source of the Sacred Body of Our
Saviour. Thus it belonged to her in an incomparably singular manner,
so that before yielding to sleep she could truly say to it, 'Rest from
your fatigues, O throne of the Divinity, tabernacle of the new
Covenant, ark of all Sanctity; recruit your strength through the
repose which I allow you to take.'

Ah! sweet Jesus! what must have been the thoughts of your Most Holy
Mother whilst sleep refreshed her body and her heart was watching! We
may imagine that her most frequent thought was of her Divine Son, Who
had so often slept upon her bosom as the lamb reposes upon the soft
wool of its mother. She would also feel that she rested in His
adorable side, opened by the lance on Calvary, as a white dove rests
in the cleft of a rock. Thus her sleep, which was a sweet repose and
an agreeable solace to her body, became a kind of ecstasy to her soul,
through the spiritual effects and operations it produced.

If she also represented to herself her future glory, like Joseph, the
saviour of Egypt, and saw herself clothed with the sun and the moon
under her feet--that is to say, surrounded by the glory of her Divine
Son, and resplendent with the glory of the Saints who form her crown
as she rules over the universe, of which she is the Queen; or if, like
Jacob, she foresaw the wonderful fruits that Angels and men would
obtain through the Redemption, O! conceive, if possible, children of
Mary, the delights caused by such spiritual entertainments!

There is one kind of diamond which has this special property--that
nothing can diminish its fine water or the brilliancy which nature has
given it. The Heart of the Virgin Mother, like this diamond, never
ceased to glow with the sacred fire of love that she had received from
her Divine Son. However, though the brilliancy of precious stones does
not diminish, yet it does not increase; whilst the love of the Most
Holy Virgin never remained in the same state, but made continual and
incredible progress until she entered heaven. With good reason, then,
is Our Lady called the Mother of pure Love--that is to say, the most
lovable amongst all creatures, and the most beloved by her only Son,
Who is loved by her as the most lovable and loving of Sons.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Forgetfulness of God is the sleep of the soul. The soul has been
asleep all the time that it has forgotten its God.--_St. Augustine._

The sleep of the Saints is a prayer before God.--_St. Jerome._

It is great blindness and misery to seek repose where it is impossible
to find it.--_St. Teresa._

EXAMPLE.

_Devotion to the 'Salve Regina.'_

St. Bernard is celebrated for his love of the Blessed Virgin and for
the praises he has rendered to her. His language is of such sweetness,
that it surpasses that of all preceding ages for beauty and tenderness
in discoursing of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This saint seems to have
gathered together and made his own all the most loving affections of
the most fervent servants. Mary was his ruling thought, and he could
not restrain the transports of his heart when he spoke of her. The
very mention of her name sufficed to render him ecstatic. With good
reason, then, did Peter the Abbot of St. Remigius, at Rheims, say to
one of St. Bernard's adversaries: 'If you have the courage to touch
the pupil of Mary's eye, write against St. Bernard.'

This Saint was commissioned to preach the second general Crusade
throughout Europe, and when he had traversed France, Belgium and the
Rhenish countries, he retired to the Abbey of Effinghem, to recollect
his soul in that pious solitude. One evening the Monks were moved to
tears by a discourse of St. Bernard's in praise of Mary, and they
begged him to intone the _Salve Regina_, which they sang every evening
before her image. As the Saint could not excuse himself, he devoutly
intoned the _Salve_ with his powerful voice, and was accompanied by
all the Monks. When the sweet words _Et Jesum benedictum fructum
ventris tui, nobis post hoc exilium ostende_ had been sung, all were
silent (because at that time the anthem ended with these words).
However, the inspired voice of Bernard continued, and he gave
expression to the sentiments of his heart in the three invocations
with which it is now concluded: _O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo
Maria!_ These words were afterwards adopted by the whole Church.

It is in commemoration of this event that the _Salve Regina_ is
solemnly sung every evening in the Cathedral of Spire.

St. Vincent de Paul used to say that no prayer is so suitable to us
miserable exiles in this valley of tears as this: _Salve Regina, Mater
misericordiae . . . Ad te clamamus, exules filii Hevae._

St. Philip Neri, having heard the confession of a famous criminal,
spoke thus to him: 'My son, I shall require but little from you, and
if you fulfil it I assure you that you will be saved. Promise me to
place all your confidence in the Most Blessed Virgin, the Mother of
Divine Grace, and for this purpose recite the _Salve Regina_ seven
times every day in her honour, and kiss the ground the same number of
times, saying: "I may die this moment."' The penitent made the promise
and kept it. He died holily fourteen years after, full of gratitude
and love towards his good Mother Mary.

_Prayer._--Most amiable Heart of Mary, object of the complacency of
the adorable Trinity, and worthy of the veneration of Angels and of
men; Heart like unto that of Jesus Christ and its most perfect image;
Heart full of goodness and compassion for our miseries! Oh, break the
ice of our hearts, turn our affections towards the adorable Heart of
Our Saviour, and impress on them the love of your virtues. Watch over
Holy Church, protect it, and be to it an impregnable fortress, so that
it may be secure amidst all the assaults of its enemies. Be you our
way to God, our succour in our trials, our consolation in sufferings,
our strength in temptations, and our refuge in persecutions. Above all
things assist us at the point of death, when hell will exert all its
efforts for our eternal ruin. Let us then, indeed, experience the
power you have over the Heart of Jesus, that we may find a secure
asylum in the bosom of His Mercy, and then, with you, praise Him
throughout ages and ages. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--I sleep, O Mother, but my heart watches.

_Practice._--Endeavour to be reflecting upon some eternal truth when
you fall asleep.



TWENTY-FIFTH DAY.

MARY ON CALVARY IS THE MOTHER OF ALL CHRISTIANS.

OUR Beloved Saviour had instituted the Sacrament of Love that He might
remain amid His children. He had poured forth all His Blood for us,
and He wished moreover to bequeath us a legacy in the last Testament
of His Love. But what more could He give us? He casts a compassionate
look upon His tender Mother, who stands immovable at the foot of the
Cross with His beloved disciple. It is not to enrich her with His
grace, for she already possessed it most excellently; nor is it to
promise her glory, she was sure of it; but it is to infuse into her
heart, before He died, a more tender and ardent love for men than she
yet possessed. 'Woman,' says He to her, pointing to the beloved
disciple, _'behold your son!'_ What an exchange was this! The servant
instead of the Only Son--the creature in place of the Creator! And yet
she does not refuse it, well knowing that she accepted for her
children, in the person of John, all the followers of the Cross of
Jesus, and that she was to become the beloved Mother of all
Christians.

Although Our Lady gave birth to none but our adorable Saviour, yet, in
a spiritual sense, she brought forth all Christians in the Person of
Our Saviour; because this Blessed Seed has begotten us all by His
death. A seed when planted produces a tree, from which are produced
other seeds, all of which may be said to belong to the original fruit
from which the tree came forth. Thus, as the Most Holy Virgin brought
forth this mystic Seed, which when cast on earth, budded and brought
forth many other seeds, she has consequently brought us all forth and
has become the Mother of us all. How much we ought to love the Son and
the Mother! for they are our Divine parents, and it is impossible to
love one without loving the other. [1]

As Holy Church wishes to teach us to go to Jesus through Mary, she
directs that the Angelical Salutation should follow the _Our Father_,
that we may thus petition, through her, for all benefits, both
spiritual and temporal, as far as these latter are conducive to our
eternal salvation. We also implore the intercession of Mary in order
to receive the Holy Ghost, as it was through her that St. Elizabeth
received His gifts.

Honour and revere with especial love the holy and glorious Virgin
Mary, for she is the Mother of Our God and Saviour Jesus Christ, and
therefore our most excellent Mother. Let us then have recourse to her
as little children; let us cast ourselves upon her bosom on every
occasion, and at every moment, with perfect confidence. Let us appeal
to her maternal love, endeavour to imitate her virtues, and cherish in
our heart the true sentiments of children.

In the ancient Law much honour was paid to the Ark, in which were
preserved the manna, the rod of Aaron, and the tables of the Law. With
much greater reason should we honour this living Ark of the new
Covenant. Indeed, what does the manna prefigure but the Divinity of
the Son of God, come down from heaven to unite Himself with our
humanity? He is, also, the Miraculous Rod and the Living Stone upon
which the commandments of the Law of Grace were written, being
engraved upon His Sacred Body by the scourges, the thorns, the nails,
and the lance. The immaculate bosom of Our Lady is then incomparably
more worthy of honour than the ancient ark which prefigured it.

O Most Holy and Most Happy Lady, raised in Paradise to the highest
degree of beatitude and happiness! we beg you to have compassion on us
who groan in the desert of this world. You are in the abundance of
delights, and we in the abyss of miseries; obtain for us strength to
endure our tribulations virtuously, always leaning on your Beloved
Son, the only pledge of our hopes and remedy of our evils. O Glorious
Virgin, pray for the Church, assist the Holy Father, the Prelates,
Bishops, and all Superiors; and assist England especially, which by
your devoted servant St. Edward, was consecrated to you as your dowry:
_Dota Mariae_. (Translator.)

You are the Mother of Jesus, Who has deigned to become our Brother,
and hence you are our Mother; why, then, shall we not cast ourselves
into your arms with perfect confidence, invoking your maternal love
and imitating your virtues? O God, what a blessing for us to be sons
of such a Mother! If we love and serve her with a truly filial love,
she will enrich us with her favours. And, meanwhile, let us present
her with the flowers of every virtue: but, above all, with the lily of
purity, the rose of ardent charity, and the violets of holy humility
and simplicity. She loves nothing so much as hearts deepened by
humility, opened by simplicity, and enlarged by charity; and she
prefers to be in the company of souls near the manger and at the foot
of the Cross; that is, with the poor and the afflicted, in order to
succour and console them.


[1] Happy the soul who, like a good child in regard of her parents,
sees only Jesus and Mary, converses only with Jesus and Mary, and
whose only joy and desire in this world is to know Mary in Jesus and
Jesus in Mary. This is a wonderful means, given us by God, of spending
our lives holily during our sorrowful sojourn in this present life.--
(J. J. OLIER.)


SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Mary is like a lily amidst thorns: she loves and suffers at the same
time. When the thorns are blown about by the wind, they tear the lily
on all sides; but it revenges itself by causing to exhale, through the
apertures of its wounds, a sweet fragrance, which perfumes the thorns
that have so cruelly wounded it. In imitation of Mary, figured by the
lily amidst thorns, let your only revenge for your afflictions be to
increase your love for those who are the cause of your pains.--_Pere
Avrillion._

Mary is compared to the white lily, on account of her innocence and
exemption from all sin; and as the lily is beautiful amongst the
thorns where it has sprung up, so was Mary distinguished amidst the
women of Judea. The lily loses nothing of its whiteness, although
amongst thorns, and the august Virgin, tortured in the Person of her
Son, by the Jewish Deicides, preserved the innocency of her soul and
the purity of her heart, rendering good for evil.--_St. Francis of
Sales._

Mary is that most beautiful and lofty cedar, from which God detached
the finest branch, to transplant it on Calvary.--_The same._

Lose not sight of eternity, and the adversities of this life will not
trouble you.--_The same._

EXAMPLE.

_The 'Regina Coeli.'_

Baronius and St. Gregory of Nyssa relate that in the year 690 the city
of Rome was in danger of becoming a desert, on account of the number
of persons who became victims to a terrible pestilence. St. Gregory,
surnamed the Great, successor to Pope Gelasius II., who had fallen a
victim to this disease, saw that all human precautions and resources
were of no avail, and he resolved to have recourse to the Mother of
God. He gave orders that the picture of the Most Holy Virgin--which is
believed to have been painted by St. Luke--should be carried in a
general procession of all the Clergy and laity, as far as Santa Maria
Maggiore. The violence of the plague was such that eighty persons
perished during the procession; but before its termination an Angel
was seen in human form above Adrian's Tower (called afterwards the
Castle of St. Angelo, in memory of this event), sheathing a sword
tinged with blood, as in the time of David; and from that moment the
pestilence completely ceased. At the same time many voices were heard
in the air, singing: _Regina coeli, laetare, alleluia; quia quem
meruisti portare, alleluia; resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia_--
'Rejoice, O Queen of Heaven, for He Whom you deserved to bear has
risen, as He said, from the grave; God be praised.' The Holy Pontiff
immediately added: _Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia_--'Pray to God for
us, God be praised.'

This having occurred at Easter, the Church from that time ordered all
the Clergy and faithful to recite this Antiphon during Paschal season.

_Prayer._--Oh! most desolate of Mothers! what a sword has pierced your
Heart! All the blows which wounded your Son Jesus fell upon you. By
His pains you were tortured, by His wounds you were torn. His last
adieu renewed all your sorrows; but when He breathed His last sigh
with what anguish was your heart oppressed, O Mother of love and of
sorrow! Obtain, I beg of you, that I may follow your example in loving
and suffering! Yes, Queen of Martyrs, let me share your martyrdom.
Love gave you the Cross, let the Cross fill my heart with love; and
if, to enable me to love, it be necessary that I suffer and die,
obtain for me this grace, that I may love all that comes to me from
God, whether it be sorrows, afflictions, or death. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--Pray for me, O Queen of Martyrs!

_Practice._--When you are tempted to complain, or to be impatient
under opposition, reflect upon Mary at the foot of the Cross.



TWENTY-SIXTH DAY.

MARY AFTER THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST.

GOD placed two beautiful luminaries in the heavens on the fourth day
of the Creation; one called the _greater_, the other the _lesser
light_; the former to rule over the day, the latter, over the night.
Although God decreed that darkness should succeed the day, He, the
increated Light, would not allow the night to be entirely deprived of
light. When, in His Providence, He wished to create the spiritual
world in His Church, He placed in it, as in a Divine firmament, two
great luminaries. The greatest is Jesus Christ, Our Saviour and
Master--an abyss of light, and the source of splendour, the true Sun
of Justice; the lesser luminary is the Most Holy Mother of this Divine
Saviour; a most glorious Mother, resplendent and beautiful as the
moon.

The Son of God came down upon earth, like the sun upon our atmosphere,
to clothe Himself with our humanity, and formed our light and day; a
most longed-for day, which lasted about thirty-three years, during
which time He illumined the Church with the splendour of His miracles,
His example and His doctrine. But the hour having at last arrived when
this precious Sun was to set and cast Its rays over the other
hemisphere--that is, heaven--what else could remain on earth but
darkness and obscurity? And, in fact, night quickly spread around--the
night of the many persecutions raised against the Apostles. But that
its darkness might be more tolerable, it also had its luminary in the
person of the Most Holy Virgin, who remained with the disciples and
the faithful, after the Ascension of her Divine Son. This we learn
from St. Luke: the Most Holy Mary was with the disciples in the upper
room on the day of Pentecost, and persevered with them in communion
and prayer.

Jesus Christ would leave her still in the world: firstly, that as a
luminary she might be the comfort of the faithful immersed in the
night of tribulations; secondly, that by surviving her Divine Son she
might acquire greater merit, so that it might be truly said of her--
many daughters have gathered riches, you have surpassed them all;
thirdly, that her presence might be a convincing proof against the
heresy that arose after the Ascension of Our Lord, which held that He
had not taken a natural Body but one merely in appearance. Thus, even
in her lifetime, were verified in her regard the words of Holy Church,
'You, august Virgin, have destroyed all heresies.'

The Most Holy Virgin lived after the Ascension of her Divine Son until
she reached the age of sixty-three; and thus this mystic Ark of the
new Covenant dwelt under tents in the desert of this world.

Our Divine Lord, wished that His Most Holy Mother should, after having
been an example to virgins and to mothers, become the model of widows
by her modesty and her love for the hidden life. Widows may be
compared to the little lowly violet, which has no brilliancy in its
colour but has a scent which, without being too strong, is
marvellously sweet. Oh, what a beautiful flower in the Church is the
Christian widow! Lowly, through humility, and without splendour in the
eyes of the world, since she flies from it; she is unable to meet the
gaze of men when her heart no longer desires their love.

The Apostle St. Paul orders his disciple St. Timothy, to honour those
_who are widows indeed;_ that is, those who are so in heart and mind.
'Blessed,' says Our Lord, 'are the pure of heart and poor in spirit.'

Widows in spirit and in desire are deserving of the highest esteem;
for what means the word 'widow' but need and destitution. Honour,
then, be rendered to those who are such in mind and heart, for they
are humble and their Protector is the Lord!

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Let it be your desire to see God, your fear to lose Him, your sorrow
not yet to possess Him, and your joy to do everything that can lead
you to Him; you will then live in the abundance of peace.--_St.
Teresa._

Remember that you have but one soul; that you will die but once; that
you have but one life, and that a very short one; but one glory, and
that eternal; your heart will then detach itself from everything.--
_The same._

The soul that loves God lives more in the next world than in this;
because the soul lives more in the object of its love than in the
subject which it animates.--_St. John of the Cross._

The true widow of the Church is a little March violet. By her devotion
she spreads a sweet perfume. She usually keeps herself hidden under
the leaves of her abjection, and her mortification is seen by her
quiet, modest demeanour.--_St. Francis of Sales._

EXAMPLE.

_A Courageous Son of Mary._

The Saints are accustomed to say 'My Mother' when speaking of the
Blessed Virgin Mary; and some time ago, under the influence of this
idea, a touching scene took place. A countryman was at Leipsic, a town
which may be called the heart of Protestantism, where he entered by
mistake the hall of a university, in which some Lutheran Doctors were
disputing upon religion. He was recognised as a fervent Catholic, by a
medal attached to his rosary hanging from his pocket; and he soon
became the object of the bitter derision of the Lutherans.

The good man, without being disconcerted, took a dollar from his old
purse, and, throwing it on the table where the Doctors were seated,
exclaimed, 'Well, then, who will bet with me which of us is the most
learned in matters of religion?'

The president laid down his piece of money; and then casting a glance
of contempt upon the peasant's rosary, said to him, 'What is the name
of the Mother of God?' The pious peasant replied, in a most respectful
tone of voice, 'Her name is Mary.' Then, quickly turning to the
Doctor, he said, 'Tell me the name of _my_ Mother.'

This question contained a mystery; a Catholic would have penetrated
it. and would have replied, 'She is called Mary.' However, the
Protestant Doctor was not sufficiently instructed to understand it. He
remained silent, filled with spite at the ingenious and pious trick of
the countryman, who, judging that he had come off victor, took up the
two pieces of money, and said, with admirable calmness, 'Gentlemen,
when you dispute again upon religion, I beg of you to let me know.' He
then retired; and the lesson was as perfect as it was well merited.

_Prayer._--O Mary, my Sovereign! O Mother of my Saviour! You are
blessed amongst all women, pure amongst all virgins, the Queen of all
creatures. All nations call you Blessed. Let me exalt your greatness
as much as it is possible for me to exalt it, and love you, as much as
I can love you. May I call upon you continually and contribute to make
you honoured, as far as I am able. I should wish to see the whole
universe prostrate at your feet, and all hearts burning with your
love, that they may all love your Divine Son, as you loved Him in this
world, and will love Him for all eternity. I earnestly entreat this
grace, O my Mother, although I acknowledge and confess myself unworthy
to obtain it.

_Ejaculation._--O Holy Virgin, enable me to speak of your greatness.

_Practice._--Examine if the virtues of Mary are to you as that lesser
luminary in whose light you walk on in the way that leads to Paradise.



TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY.

MARY IN THE UPPER ROOM AT JERUSALEM.

THE Eternal Father bestowed an incomparable gift upon the world when
He gave it His Only Son. Jesus Christ Himself said: 'God hath so loved
the world as to give it His Only Son;' and St. Paul exclaims: 'How has
He not with Him given us all things?'--_Quomodo non etiam omnia cum
illo nobis donavit?_

Almighty God, in the ancient Law, had bestowed an infinity of
blessings upon His chosen people; but they were given according to
measure. In the Law of Grace, however, He had no sooner seen His
Beloved Son ascended into heaven than He opened His Hands to pour
forth His graces and gifts upon all the faithful, according to the
prophecy of Joel, that _supra omnem carnem_--'over all men' would He
diffuse His Holy Spirit.

If we desire to receive this Divine Spirit, let us beg Our Lord to
bestow Him upon us through the merits of his Most Holy Mother, the
glorious Virgin Mary, and through the love He bore to her; and we
shall thus, like the Apostles, be with _Mary the Mother of Jesus_. We
shall never understand how necessary is this condition. St. Elizabeth
had no sooner spoken to the Most Holy Virgin than she was immediately,
says St. Luke, 'filled with the Holy Ghost.' Nor is this a subject of
wonder, because Mary is the Spouse of the Holy Ghost, the Daughter of
the Eternal Father, and the Mother of the Eternal Son.

The Evangelist St. Luke, by observing that men and women were
assembled in the room, admonishes us that we must all hope to receive
the Holy Ghost; but he mentions in particular the presence of _Mary
the Mother of Jesus_, to insinuate that she was there as the Queen of
the Apostles. How mistaken, then, are those who say that we honour the
Most Holy Virgin too much! This august Virgin, it is true, had already
received the Holy Spirit and the fulness of grace in the Annunciation,
but in the upper room she received a great superabundance of grace.

Whoever, then, desires to receive the Holy Ghost, let him unite
himself to Mary; because he who separates himself from her, does not
gather but scatters. Let us serve her, honour her, that He Who comes
into our hearts, by her mediation, may also receive us by the same
mediation.

To conclude, we may learn a very useful lesson from the words of St.
Luke about the Disciples when they had received the Holy Ghost: 'All
spoke in divers tongues according as the Holy Ghost gave them to
speak'--_Prout Spiritus Sanctus dabat eloqui illis;_ that is, that
though all spoke, yet they did not speak in the same manner. The
Apostles preached the new Law; and those who did not preach publicly,
animated one another to praise and magnify the Lord. Let us, however,
understand that there is an efficacious method of speaking without
even uttering a word, and it is by the good example which we give to
our neighbour.

David says: 'The heavens declare the glory of God. Day unto day
uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge.' These words
signify that the beauty of the heavens invites men to admire the
magnificence of the Creator. Indeed, when on a clear night we
contemplate the beauty of the heavens, we do not feel less animated to
admire and adore the Omnipotence and Wisdom of God, Who has studded it
with such beautiful stars, than when we observe the inaccessible light
of the sun in its full meridian splendour. What conclusion are we to
draw from all this but that we, who are something more than all the
rest of creation (since all things were made for us, and not we for
them), should, by our good example, announce the glory of God more
perfectly than the heavens and the stars. Good example is a silent but
a most efficacious influence. In this manner we can all preach,
although we have not all received the gift of tongues. Is it a less
wonder to see a soul adorned with many sublime virtues than to see the
heavens decorated with magnificent stars? How much, my God, do I need
the Spirit of strength when I feel myself so weak and infirm! However,
I glory in my infirmity _that the Power of my God may dwell in me_.
Let us glory in our weakness, which makes us fitting receptacles of
the Power of God. May He grant that this sacred fire, which can
entirely change us into Him, may transform our hearts into His pure
Love, that we may be all love and not lovers only. May He grant me
also to receive and make good use of the gift of understanding, that
my mind may be more enlightened to penetrate clearly the sacred
mysteries of our holy Faith; for this understanding has a wonderful
power to subjugate the will to the service of Him Whom it recognises
to be so good and so worthy of love, Yet, as true love is active, we
need counsel, that we may be able to discern how to exercise this
love; and then our soul is excellently endowed with the sacred gifts
of Heaven.

May the Holy Spirit, Who favours us with His gifts, form our whole
consolation, and be eternally adored by my mind and by my heart! May
He be always our wisdom and our understanding, our counsel and our
fortitude, our knowledge and our piety, and fill us with the spirit of
the fear of the Lord.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Mary is the root of Jesse, upon whom the Holy Spirit rested. The Son
of the Virgin is the flower thereof; a red and white flower, chosen
amongst thousands--the flower upon which the Angels gaze with
continuous desire; a flower whose fragrance renews life; a flower of
everlasting bloom, whose beauty is incorruptible, and whose glory will
never fade.--_St. Bernard._

Mary is the root of that beautiful flower upon which the Holy Spirit
rests with the fulness of His gifts. Whoever then desires to obtain
the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost, must seek the flower upon the stem;
because we reach the flower through the stem, and through the flower
we find the Holy Spirit, Who thereon reposes. Let us go to Jesus,
through Mary; and by means of Jesus, we find the grace of the Holy
Spirit.--_St. Bonaventure._

Give your soul to God a thousand times in the day; fix your interior
eyes upon His sweetness, in imitation of Mary; place Him upon your
breast as a delicious nosegay, and make every possible effort to
excite within you an impassioned love for this Divine Spouse.--_St.
Francis of Sales._

There is no doubt that he who perfumes the world by the odour of his
good example, thus teaching others the way of justice, will one day
shine in eternity as a most splendid star in the firmament.--_The
same._

EXAMPLE.

_The Prayer 'Memorare.'_

St. Francis of Sales had received, in his youth, a miraculous proof of
the protection of Mary. Being assaulted by a violent temptation to
believe himself reprobated by God, he experienced such anguish that he
compared it to the sorrows of death and the torments of hell. After a
month passed in these desolating trials, earnestly desiring to be
delivered from them, he humbly prostrated himself before a statue of
the Blessed Virgin, and with great confidence recited the _Memorare_,
beseeching Our Lady to obtain from her Divine Son that, if he should
ever have the misfortune of being eternally separated from his God, he
might at least love Him during the present lifetime with all his
powers.

The Most Holy Virgin could not be deaf to such a petition, and Francis
quickly recovered the peace of heart he had lost. From that time he
had the greatest confidence in this prayer, and recited it in every
difficult undertaking, and recommended it warmly to all whom he
directed.

'I remember,' says the Bishop of Belley, 'to have learnt this prayer
from him, and in order to impress it more deeply in my heart, and to
make use of it in all my afflictions, I wrote it down at the beginning
of my breviary. I know, moreover, that he commended it much to the
Nuns of the Visitation. He wished it to be repeated above all in times
of great temptations, because the Mother of God is as terrible to the
enemy as an army in battle array; the blessed fruit of her womb having
crushed the head of the infernal serpent.'

It is generally believed that St. Bernard was the author of this
prayer.

_Prayer to ask for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost._--August Spouse
of the Holy Ghost, Most Holy Virgin Mary, the inexhaustible source of
grace, deign to obtain for me from your Divine Spouse the gift of
Wisdom, which may detach me from the goods of the world, and make me
love those of heaven; the gift of Understanding, which may teach me my
duties; the gift of Counsel, which may enlighten me in the way of
salvation; the gift of Fortitude, which may sustain my weakness; the
gift of Knowledge, which may teach me the eternal truths; the gift of
Piety, which may render the service of God sweet to me; and the gift
of Fear, which may inspire me with a holy respect and tender love
towards the God of infinite mercy. Ah! my continued resistance to the
inspirations of the Holy Spirit have rendered me unworthy of such a
benefit, but, aided by your prayers, I confidently hope to obtain from
the author of _every perfect gift_ the graces that are necessary to
live holily in this life, and thus one day attain to the eternal
beatitude of heaven. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--Pray for me, O Spouse of the Holy Ghost.

_Practice._--Accustom yourself in every difficulty to say at once: _O
Mother of Good Counsel, inspire me!_



TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY.

HOW PRECIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF GOD WAS THE DEATH OF MARY.

ACCORDING to the common opinion of the Doctors of the Church, when the
Blessed Virgin Mary had attained the age of sixty-three she died, or
rather, she slept the sleep of death. But how is it, some will say,
that Our Lord, Who loved His Holy Mother so tenderly, did not grant
her the privilege of exemption from death, since death is the wages of
sin, and she had never sinned? How contrary are such thoughts to those
of God, and how far removed are such judgments from His! We know that
death became precious when Our Lord permitted that its blow should
fall upon Him, on the Tree of the Cross. Certainly, the Most Holy
Virgin thought it no advantage or privilege not to die, but she always
desired death, for she saw it lovingly embraced by her Divine Son. He
had rendered it so sweet and desirable that the Angels would consider
themselves most fortunate to be able to die, and the Saints looked
upon it as a happiness, and therefore experienced great consolation in
it. Our adorable Saviour, who is Life Itself, gave life to death by
His own death, so that to those who die in the grace of God, it is the
beginning of eternal life.

Consider this Queen, dying of a fever, that was sweeter to her than
health, because it was the fever of Divine love, which, by burning up
her heart, consumed it so completely as to open to her soul the way by
which it flew into the arms of her Divine Son.

All the Saints die in the habit of holy Love; but some amongst them
die in the exercise of this Divine love; others, on account of it, as
the Martyrs; and others, by its power. But the most sublime degree of
holy love is to die of love itself; and this occurs when the soul is
so inflamed by charity that it can no longer be detained by the bonds
of the flesh.

If it be true that such as is _the life of a man such will be his
death_, what else can have been the death of the Most Holy Virgin but
the death of love? This is certain; because she who is called in the
language of Sacred Scripture, the _Mother of fair Love_ could only die
the death of love. We read not of ecstasies and raptures in the life
of Our Lady, and for this reason, that they were continual. She loved
God with so tender, so strong, and so ardent a love, at the same time
so tranquilly, and with so much peace, that although her love went on
increasing, the increase was not impetuous, but she continually, and
almost imperceptibly, hastened towards this so greatly desired union
of her soul with God, like a river that calmly flows to the ocean.

The hour having then arrived when the Most Holy Virgin was to leave
the earth, Divine Love separated her soul from her body, and
incomparably pure as it was, it flew directly to heaven. Ah! what
obstacle could detain her whom the Celestial Spouse calls 'His
beloved, all fair and without spot'? Our imperfections and the stains
of our sins are the only obstacle to our entrance into heaven at the
moment of our death; and it is these that are the origin of the flames
of Purgatory.

The Saints are ever burning with the fire of Divine love; and by their
exemplary lives spread a continual odour of sanctity in the presence
of men and of God. This odour is incomparably increased at their
death; hence the Prophet says: 'Precious in the sight of the Lord is
the death of the Saints.'

If, then, the Saints are odoriferous and burning lamps, what shall we
say of the Most Holy Virgin, whose perfection immeasurably surpassed
that of all the Saints united together? If in life she was a Burning
Lamp, fed with the perfumed oil of every virtue, what a fragrance must
she have exhaled at the hour of her death! So great was this fragrance
that young virgins, as we read in the Canticles, were attracted by it:
'We will run after thee to the odour of thy perfumes,' 'the young
maidens have loved thee.'

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

The soul of Mary was released from her body as naturally as fragrance
sent from a flower and as the ripe fruit falls from the tree.--_St.
Francis of Sales._

As the palm conceals its flower until the heat of the sun causes it to
expand, so the just soul conceals the flowers of its virtue by
humility, until Our Lord, by calling her to Paradise, gives the
highest degree of perfection to her love.--_The same._

The thought of death is not sad for a soul who loves God, because it
is the beginning of her eternal happiness.--_St. John of the Cross._

O Death, most beautiful Death! wherefore shall we fear thee, if in
thee is found life? He alone should fear thee who has persevered in
sin until his last breath.--_St. Teresa._

EXAMPLE.

_Letters addressed to the Most Holy Virgin._

Persons filled with lively faith often write letters to the Blessed
Virgin Mary, placing them at the feet of her image, or upon their
heart, on some solemn occasion; and this practice is very dear to her.

It is no new practice: for we see, from the Sacred Books and the
history of the Church, that the most remarkable men made use of it to
obtain some special grace. King Ezechias carried into the Temple the
insulting letter addressed to him by Zennacherib, and laid it on the
Altar as if to invite Almighty God to read it, and his prayer was
heard, as we read in the Fourth Book of Kings.

The Emperor Theodosius, about to fight against Eugenius, wrote to St.
Ambrose, to beg him to recommend the expedition to the God of armies.
The Saint, during Mass, took the letter into his hands, and presented
it to God. The result of the battle is well known.

When the Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas, met with some difficult passage
in Holy Scripture, he wrote down the difficulty and placed it on his
heart when he went to celebrate Mass, and the difficulties vanished.

Our Lord looks upon prayers addressed to the Blessed Virgin and to the
Saints as though they were made to Himself. If we wish to obtain some
grace, let us write a letter to Mary, and place it upon our heart
before we approach Holy Communion. St. Stanislaus Kostka, desired to
die on the Eve of the Assumption, that he might assist at its
celebration in heaven. He wrote a letter to Our Blessed Lady for this
purpose, and, on the feast of St. Lawrence, placed it on the Altar,
asking the Saint to present it to the Queen of Heaven. The same day he
was attacked by a most burning fever, and after four days went to
celebrate the feast of his dear Mother Mary in heaven.

_Prayer_ (of St. Alphonsus Liguori to obtain a happy death).--O Mary!
what will be my death? When I think of the moment which is to decide
my eternal destiny, I fear and tremble at the sight of my sins. O
Mother, full of goodness, the Blood of Jesus Christ and your patronage
are alone my hope. Ah, console me in that terrible moment, O Consoler
of the afflicted! If I am now tormented by remorse for my offences,
through the uncertainty of pardon, the danger of falling again, and
the judgments of God, what will it be at that moment? I am lost if you
do not fly to my relief. O my sovereign Lady, obtain for me, before my
death, lively sorrow for sin, true amendment, and entire fidelity to
God; and may I at that moment invoke you more frequently, that I may
not despair at the sight of my sins. Pardon me my rashness, O my
Queen; but I beg you also to come yourself to console me by your
presence, You have granted this favour to so many of your servants,
and why should not I also hope for it? It is true I do not merit it;
but I love you, O Mary, and confide in you. I expect then your
presence and assistance, that I may go forth from this world loving
God, and you also, my Holy Mother, and never cease to love you through
all eternity. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--Do not abandon me at the hour of my death, O my Most
Holy Mother!

_Practice._--Spend this day as if it were the last of your life.



TWENTY-NINTH DAY.

MARY, LIKE JESUS, DIES OF DIVINE LOVE.

OUR Lady died of Divine love, like her adorable Son. The foundation of
this belief is, that having but one life with her Divine Son, she
could have but one and the same death. In reality, they were two
distinct persons; but they had one heart, one soul, one mind, one
life!

If this was said of the first Christians; if Jesus Christ lived in St.
Paul, because his spirit was dead in the Heart of his Saviour, with
much greater truth could it be said that Jesus Christ and His Most
Holy Mother had but one heart and one soul, and, consequently, one
life; for there never was a Mother so loving or so much loved; and the
quality of Mother and only Son gives us the idea of all that is most
perfect and most excellent in love.

If the Apostle St. Paul could say that he had no other life than that
of his Divine Master, with greater reason could Mary, the Mother of
this amiable Master, say: 'I have no other life than that of my Divine
Son: He lives in me and I in Him.' And having lived the life of her
Son, she must have died the death of her Son. This death was
prophesied to her, by holy Simeon, in these words: 'Thy own soul a
sword shall pierce.'

Three kinds of swords can pierce the soul: the first, the sword of the
Word of God, which, in the saying of the Apostle, 'is more penetrating
than a two-edged sword'; the second, the sword of suffering and
sorrow, according to the prophecy of Simeon; and the third, the sword
of Divine Love, of which Jesus Christ speaks: 'I came not to bring
peace, but the sword.' Now, the soul of Our Lady was pierced by all
these three kinds of swords in the death of her Son.

When a heavy blow falls upon an object, everything near it feels its
effects. Thus, although the body of the Most Holy Virgin was not
united to that of her Divine Son in His Passion, yet, her soul being
inseparably united to Him, it follows that all the blows with which
His Blessed Body was bruised wounded her soul.

Love causes us to feel the afflictions of those we love, as we see in
St. Paul, who was weak with the weak, afflicted with those in
tribulation; and yet the soul of this Apostle certainly was not so
closely united to the faithful as the soul of Our Lady to the soul and
body of Jesus. No wonder, then, that the thorns, the nails and lance,
which pierced the head, hands, feet and side of Our Lord, pierced also
through and through the soul of His Mother.

Truly may we exclaim: O Most Holy Virgin! how deeply was your soul
pierced by the love, the suffering, and the words of your Son! And,
oh, how deep a wound love gave you, when you saw the Son, Who loved
you so much, and Who possessed all the affections of your heart,
expiring through love! How bitterly did sorrow, too, wound your soul,
when you saw the sufferings that led your only Son to death! And, as
for His words, like a strong wind they inflamed your love, excited
your sorrow, and almost engulfed the vessel of your heart in an ocean
of grief.

Love caused Mary to be penetrated with sorrow; and the sufferings of
her Son were expressed in words that pierced her heart like darts.
And, as a stag wounded by the hunter, flees with the arrow fixed in
the wound, to die afar off, and sometimes, long after it has received
the blow; so Our Lady, wounded by the sword of sorrow in the Passion
of her Son upon Calvary, survived the wound she had received many
years, but at last it caused her death. Oh, loving wound! Oh, sword of
charity! how dear and beloved wast thou to the tender heart which thou
didst pierce!

The philosopher Aristotle narrates that when the wild goats of Candia
are wounded by a dart, they have recourse to the herb dittany, and by
means of this plant the dart comes out of the wound. Ah! who is there
that does not feel his heart wounded by the thought of the Passion of
Jesus Christ, contemplating Him scourged, crowned with thorns and
crucified? But, alas! I scarcely dare to say it: the greater number
who are pierced by this dart run quickly, like those goats, to the
dittany of worldly consolations in order to remove from their heart
the wound of Divine love. The Blessed Virgin, on the contrary,
zealously preserved this dart, and it formed all her glory and her
triumph.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Thorns are the flowers of Calvary, and sufferings the flowers of the
Cross; and this is the support sought for by the languishing love of
Mary.--_Bossuet._

Oh how sweet will death be to the Christian who has done penance for
his sins during life! He will pass instantly to the ineffable joys of
Paradise.--_St. Teresa._

Mystical death is accompanied by a sweetness and a satisfaction a
thousand times greater than the full life of the senses.--_P. Milley._

The more a soul knows the perfections of God, the more does the desire
to see Him increase within itself.--_St. John of the Cross._

The happiness of dying without regret well repays us for living
without pleasures.--_The same._

EXAMPLE.

_The Fourteen Joys of the Most Holy Virgin._

St. Thomas of Canterbury had the pious custom of reciting seven _Ave
Marias_ every day in honour of the Seven Joys of Our Lady upon earth:
the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Birth of Our Lord, the Epiphany,
the Finding in the Temple, the Resurrection, and the Ascension. One
day the Blessed Virgin appeared to him, and said: 'Thy devotion,
Thomas, is very pleasing to me; but why dost thou commemorate only the
joys I experienced whilst on earth? Henceforth, be mindful also of
those that I enjoy in heaven; I assure thee that I will console and
present to my Son, at the hour of their death, all those who during
life shall have honoured the latter, as well as the former joys.' The
holy Archbishop, filled with consolation at these words, exclaimed:
'But how can I do so, Most Holy Virgin, when I know not these joys?'
The august Mother of God then taught the Saint to recite seven _Ave
Marias_ in honour of the following joys: the honour that the Most Holy
Trinity conferred upon her above all creatures; the excellence of her
Virginity, which raised her above the Angels and the Saints; the
splendour of her glory, which illuminates heaven; the veneration paid
to her by the Blessed, on account of her dignity of Mother of God; her
power with her Divine Son in our behalf; the graces with which she was
enriched when on earth, and the reward reserved in heaven for those
who are devout to her during life; finally, her accidental glory,
which will continually increase until the Day of Judgment.

Many Saints have practised this devotion with fruit, and a great
number of the devoted servants of Mary have made use of it to honour
their august Mother.

_Prayer of St. Alfonso Maria di Liguori._--Mary! I acknowledge that
you are the most beautiful, the most holy, and most amiable of all
creatures. Ah! would that all knew you, O Holy Virgin, and loved you
as you deserve. I rejoice that you are so revered by all the Blessed
in heaven, and by so many faithful souls on earth, but especially that
you are so much loved by God. Most amiable Queen! I also love you,
miserable sinner that I am, and I desire to love you more; obtain for
me, then, this love, O my dear Mother, because it is a sign of
predestination. I know that you will help me, and by your help I shall
conquer, if I cease not to recommend myself to you. But I fear that I
may not always invoke you in occasions of danger; succour me then
always, O Mary, my good Mother, and never permit me to offend my God.
Amen.

_Ejaculation._--In your love do I wish to live and die, my Blessed
Mother!

_Practice._--Offer an act of mortification to God, through the Blessed
Virgin, for those who are to die this day.



THIRTIETH DAY.

THE DEATH OF MARY WAS SWEET AND TRANQUIL.

As the peaceful morning dawns, not by fits and starts, but steadily
and gradually, so that its progress is scarcely perceptible, so did
Divine love increase in the heart of Our Lady, the glorious Virgin
Mary. Her progress in charity was tranquil, uniform and uninterrupted,
so that she continually pursued her course towards the Divinity Whom
she loved.

Consider that love is, in its nature, calm, tranquil, and full of
sweetness, and becomes violent only when it meets with some
opposition. But if its dominion in a soul be undisputed, and if
nothing oppose its progress, then it works steadily and gains its
victories with ease. We may understand, then, how the heart of the
Mother of pure Love experienced all its power, without any impetuous
movement, for in her there was no resistance to overcome.

Observe the course of great rivers: when the bed is not level and the
current is encumbered with masses of rock, the waters splash and foam,
and roll back again with a great noise; but when the bed is smooth the
waters flow on placidly and without effort. Such is the case with holy
love, when it meets with obstacles,--and where does it not find them?
It is constrained to struggle with a kind of violence against the
human inclinations that oppose it; to use force, and make great
efforts in order to bend the will, to remove impediments, and to open
a passage for itself to the heart it seeks to possess. In the Blessed
Virgin, however, everything favoured and seconded the attractions of
grace and of Divine love, and although her love was incomparably
greater than that of any other creature, it continually went on
increasing with the greatest calm and sweetness.

If iron were not held down by its weight it would find no obstacle to
the continued attraction of the magnet, and its strong and even motion
would continually increase in proportion as the iron and magnet drew
nearer to each other. Thus it was with the Most Holy Virgin at her
death. As there was nothing in her that could impede the action of
Divine love, she became more and more closely united to her adorable
Son through sweet ecstasies, until she became, so to speak, immersed
in the bosom of His goodness; and thus, without even knowing it, she
quitted her body and was reunited to her Divine Son in heaven.

It was fitting that as love had produced the sorrows of death in this
Divine Mother at the foot of the Cross, so death should in its turn,
produce the sovereign delights of love. Ah! may this Most Holy Virgin
obtain for us, by her prayers, grace to live in holy love, and may it
alone be the object of all our desires, and of all the affections of
our hearts!

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

St. Gregory says that the pomegranate, by its bright red colour, its
beautiful corona, and numerous seeds so well arranged, sweetly
represents charity. Charity is red, by the ardour with which it burns
for God, is adorned with the variety of every virtue, and obtains and
wears for ever the crown of eternal rewards.--_St. Francis of Sales._

Bees never sting so sharply as when they are themselves mortally
wounded. How can we fail to be wounded with love for our adorable
Saviour, when we contemplate Him wounded for us, even unto death and
the death of the Cross; to be wounded, I say, with a wound the more
painfully loving, as His was more lovingly painful; nor can we ever
love Him as much as His death and His love merit.--_The same._

EXAMPLE.

_Novenas in Honour of the Blessed Virgin._

In the various tribulations of life, in great afflictions, dangers and
temptations, when we require special assistance from God, an almost
certain means to obtain it is to make a Novena in honour of the Most
Blessed Virgin Mary. How many souls have been heard by God, by having
had recourse to the Most Holy Virgin through a Novena!

The Children of Mary apply themselves with special devotion and
fervent piety to the celebration of her festivals, and, in return, the
Blessed Virgin obtains for them an abundance of heavenly blessings.
St. Gertrude saw one day a great number of souls under the mantle of
Mary, guarded by her with warm affection, and she understood that they
had prepared themselves, by devout exercises of piety, for celebrating
the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady.

_Prayer._--O Queen of Paradise! raised above all the heavenly choirs,
seated at the right hand of your Divine Son, I prostrate myself at
your feet, miserable sinner that I am, and conjure you to cast upon me
those eyes of mercy which bring grace and the friendship of Almighty
God wherever they are turned. Observe, O Most Holy Mary, in how many
dangers I am of losing my soul, and shall always be as long as I am on
earth; but I place all my hopes in you. I love you, my Mother, with
all my heart, and wish to love you for ever. Ah! pray to your Divine
Son for me; tell Him to protect me, and He will assuredly have
compassion on my poor soul. O my sweetest and most compassionate
Mother, in this hope do I rest, and wish also to live and die. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--O Mary! love gave you the Cross! May the Cross give us
love!

_Practice._--Examine what would give you most fear if you were going
to die now, and begin earnestly to amend.



THIRTY-FIRST DAY.

THE RESURRECTION AND ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN.

THERE can be no doubt whatever that Our Lord fulfilled towards Mary
the precept which He gave in general to all children to honour their
parents. Indeed, where is the son who would not raise his mother from
the grave to lead her to Paradise, if he had it in his power? The
great triumph of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is celebrated by
all the Saints, and by the whole Church Militant.

After the Ark of the Covenant had dwelt for a long period under tents
and pavilions, King Solomon ordered it to be placed in the marvellous
Temple he had prepared for it. The joy of the Hebrews on that occasion
was so great that the blood of the sacrifices flowed through the
streets of Jerusalem; the air was filled with clouds of incense, and
the houses and public squares resounded with harmonious music.

But, O God! if the solemnity of the reception of the Ark was so great,
what must have been that of the Most Glorious Virgin, Mother of the
Son of God, the true Ark of the New Covenant, upon the day of her
Assumption! O incomprehensible joy! festival of wonders! which makes
all devout souls who are the true daughters of Jerusalem, exclaim:
'Who is she that goeth up from the desert leaning upon her Beloved?'
The entrance of the Most Blessed Virgin into heaven was the most
magnificent that ever could or can be witnessed after that of Jesus
Christ. She ascends from the desert of this lower world, so perfumed
with spiritual gifts that, except in the Person of her Divine Son, she
has no equal in heaven. The Queen of Saba, coming to Jerusalem to have
a proof of the wisdom of Solomon, brought with her a great quantity of
perfumes, gold, and precious stones. But, when the Most Holy Virgin
entered heaven, she carried with her such an amount of the pure gold
of charity, so much perfume of devotion and of virtue, and so many
precious gems of patience and of suffering, that we can safely say no
one ever had so great an accumulation of merits to offer her Divine
Son! Yes, indeed, she abounded in delights, because during her life on
earth she had abounded in good works and in sufferings.

We may say that, in one sense, the Assumption of Our Lady was even
more glorious than the Ascension of Jesus Christ; because the Angels
only were present at the Ascension, whilst at the Assumption of Our
Lady the King of Angels Himself attended her.

What a triumph was it for Heaven, and what a consolation for earth!
Ah, let us in spirit dwell and live in heaven, because there is our
treasure and our life. O my God! how beautiful is heaven now that its
sun is Our Blessed Saviour, and His bosom is the Source of Love, where
the Blessed drink and quench their thirst! If we look up there, we
shall see our names written in characters of Love, which can be read
only by Love, and engraved only by Love. O God! and will my name also
be there? Let me trust so; because although my heart burns not with
ardent Charity, it has, however, its desire and its principle, and
bears written upon it the Sacred Name of Jesus, which I hope nothing
will be able to cancel. O what a joy for us when we shall see those
characters denoting our eternal happiness! As for me, although those
eternal blessings occupy all my desires and affections, yet all
Paradise would be nothing to me if I did not find there the
never-ending Love of the Eternal God, Who lives and reigns for ever
and  ever.

Let us bear in mind that Jesus Christ looks upon us from heaven, and
sweetly invites us to come and enjoy the delights of His goodness and
the abundance of His love. The Most Holy Virgin also invites us as a
Mother, saying to each of us: 'Courage, my child; despise not the
ardent desires of my Son, and my sighs and petitions for thy
salvation.' And yet, how often have we not preferred the miserable
vanities and bitter pleasures of earth to those incomparable joys! Ah,
faithful souls; let us henceforth accept the favours which the Most
Holy Virgin and the Saints offer us. Let us promise them to walk
quickly on towards heaven; and let us take hold of the hand of our
good Angel-guardian, that we may never again stumble, but happily
reach the gates of a blessed eternity.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

The qualities of the material rose vividly represent the attributes of
Mary, the Mystical Rose. The perfume of the rose signifies the joys of
the Most Blessed Virgin; its thorns represent to us her sorrows; and
the beauty of its colour her glory in heaven.

Mary is the beautiful Lily who looks down from her high throne upon
all other flowers, and sees them inferior to herself.--_St. John
Damascen._

The difference between material and spiritual rose-trees is this, that
in the former, the roses fade and the thorns remain; whilst, in the
latter, the thorns pass away and the roses remain.--_St. Francis of
Sales._

EXAMPLE.

_The Novena of St. Gertrude to the Blessed Virgin._

St. Gertrude, a Benedictine nun, cherished a great devotion to the
Most Blessed Virgin. On the eve of the Annunciation she had a vision,
in which she seemed to see her religious Sisters offering nosegays of
sweet flowers to Our Lady. These were collected by Our Lady and placed
on her bosom, and she then adorned them with precious stones, and
offered them to her Divine Son. The Saint understood that those
flowers were the afflictions which these Daughters of Mary and Spouses
of Jesus had endured with Christian resignation, during the course of
the Novena, preceding the festival.

Another time, whilst St. Gertrude was reciting the _Ave Maria_ in
choir with her religious Sisters, she saw three streams come forth
from the Most Holy Trinity and meet together in the heart of the
Blessed Virgin, descending from her and flowing over those who during
these days recited this angelical salutation. It was on this occasion
that she was taught to salute Our Lady, at least once a day, in these
words: _Illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte_, and was
promised that, if she per severed in this practice during her whole
life, she would receive the greatest consolations at the hour of her
death.

_Prayer._--O Mary, sovereign of the universe! our joy, our support and
our defence! interest yourself in my favour before God, and obtain
that I may be one day called to enjoy the happiness of heaven! I
beseech you, O ever immaculate Virgin; I know you to be omnipotent
with your Divine Son, for the salvation of sinners, and for the
consolation of the afflicted, and I also know that you have need of no
other recommendation than that of our miseries, for you are by
excellence the Mother of Mercy. Amen.

_Ejaculation._--O my tender Mother! help me to live always united to
your Divine Son Jesus.

_Practice._--Consecrate yourself generously to Mary, and renew this
consecration every Saturday.

ACT OF CONSECRATION OF ST. FRANCIS OF SALES TO THE MOST HOLY VIRGIN.

_In concluding these pious exercises of the Month of Mary let us, in
the spirit of St. Francis of Sales, recite the following Act of
Consecration, which he often repeated to the Queen of Heaven, and in
which the beauty of his soul and the purity of his heart are well
depicted._

I salute you, most sweet Virgin Mary, Mother of God; you are my Mother
and my Mistress; and therefore, I entreat you to accept me as your son
and your servant; I wish to have no other Mother than you. I beg you,
then, my good, and gracious, and most sweet Mother, to deign to
console me in all my troubles and tribulations, both spiritual and
corporal. Remember, most sweet Virgin Mary, that you are my Mother,
and that I am your son. You all powerful, and I poor, weak and vile.
Nevertheless, I beseech you, O sweetest Mother, to keep me and defend
me in all my ways and in all my actions, for, alas! I am poor and
wretched, and in need of your most holy protection. Do, then, my
beloved Mother, preserve and deliver my soul and body from all dangers
and evils, and make me share in your blessings, your virtues, and, in
particular, in your holy humility, your surpassing purity and your
ardent charity.

Tell me not, gracious Virgin, that you cannot do so, because your Son
gave you all power in heaven and on earth. Neither tell me that you
ought not to hear me, for you are the common Mother of all poor
mortals, and of me in particular. If you could not grant my prayer,
then I should excuse you, saying: It is true that she is my Mother,
and that I am her son, but she is not able to help me. If you were not
my Mother, then, indeed, I should have patience, saying: She is rich
enough to be able to assist me, but, alas! not being my Mother, she
does not love me. But since, most sweet Virgin, you are not only my
Mother, but are also powerful, how can you be excused if you do not
console me, and come to my relief and assistance? You see, my Mother,
that it is difficult for you to reject any request that I may make
you.

Be, then, exalted in heaven and on earth, glorious Virgin and dear
Mother Mary, and, for the honour and glory of your Divine Son Jesus,
accept me for your son, without regard to my miseries and sins.
Deliver me from all evil of soul and body, obtain for me every virtue,
and first of all humility; and bestow upon me all the benefits and
graces necessary to make me pleasing to the Most Holy Trinity, Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.



THE END.



---

R. WASHBOURNE, PRINTER, 18 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON.



Miraculous Prayer.

AUGUST Queen of Heaven! Sovereign Mistress of the Angels! Thou, who
from the beginning hast received from God the power and mission to
crush the head of Satan; we humbly beseech thee to send thy holy
legions that, under thy command and by thy power, they may pursue the
evil spirits; encounter them on every side: resist their bold attacks,
and drive them hence into the abyss of everlasting woe. Amen.

_'Who is like unto God!'_

An Indulgence of 40 days is attached to the devout recital of this
prayer.

ETIENNE, _Bishop of Lausanne_.

---

All ye holy Angels and Archangels keep us and defend us. Amen.

---

O good and tender Mother! Thou shalt ever be our love and our hope.

---

A Prayer in time of Temptation.

O Divine Mother! Send thy Angels to defend me, and drive the cruel
enemy from me.

_These prayers were approved by the Archbishop of Tours, and the
Bishops of Bayonne and Nantes in the year 1863._

---

ORIGIN OF THE MIRACULOUS PRAYER.

A pious priest of the Diocese of Bayonne, the Abbe Cestac, is the
founder of two Religious Congregations in the aforesaid city, viz.,
the Servants of Mary, who devote themselves to the work of the Sisters
of the Good Shepherd, though not cloistered: and the Bernardines, who
are contemplatives. To one of these devout Religious the Blessed
Virgin deigned to make the following communication, which is contained
in a letter from the Abbe Cestac to M. Dupont of Tours.

'_Anglet, near Bayonne._

'SIR,

'It is not exactly correct to say that the Blessed Virgin appeared to
a good, simple saint of the Community, but rather, I should say, that
this soul received a supernatural communication from this Divine
Mother, or at any rate conceived she had received such communication
from on high. She was at prayer, when a ray of divine light illumined
her soul. She saw in spirit the vast desolation caused by the devil
throughout the world, and at the same time she heard the Divine Mother
telling her that it was true that hell had been let loose upon the
earth; but that the time had come when we were to pray to her as Queen
of Angels, and when we were to ask of her the assistance of the
heavenly legions to fight against these deadly foes of God and of men.

'"But, my Good Mother," answered this soul, "you who are so kind,
could you not send them without our asking you?"

'"No," she answered; "because prayer is one of the conditions required
by God Himself for obtaining favours."

'And the soul believed she heard the prayer I send you. Naturally, I
was made the depositary of this prayer, and my first duty was to
submit it to my Lord Bishop, who has benignly deigned to approve of
it. It was then that Our Lady made known to me that I should get it
printed at the expense of her Work, and distribute it gratis. Since
that time, this prayer has received the approbation of their Lordships
the Archbishops and Bishops of Tours, of Toulouse, of Besancon, of
Tarbes. It is being reprinted at Lille, it is being translated into
Spanish, and spread far and wide.

(Signed) 'CESTAC,
'Priest of the Diocese of Bayonne.'

It would appear that the devil was terribly enraged at the publication
of this prayer, for the Abbe Cestac in a recent letter to M. Dupont
tells him that the very day on which he sent to Tours 20,000 copies
with an offering of 300 francs for the tomb of St. Martin (sent to him
for that purpose), a large building three storeys high, was cast to
the ground: while a similar misfortune befell the same Community at
another of their establishments, some distance off. In neither case,
however, was anyone hurt! This occurred on the 11th of November, 1863,
Feast of St. Martin of Tours. The Abbe Cestac adds that Providence
came to the aid of the good Religious, and enabled them to restore
their injured property. It is likewise affirmed that seven printing
presses were broken while in the act of printing the prayer, and that
the only place at which it could be printed was at Le Puy, where there
is a celebrated Shrine of Our Blessed Lady, to which crowds of devout
pilgrims flock.

---

_Copies of this "Miraculous Prayer" at 1s. the 100 can be had of_

R. WASHBOURNE, 18 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON.



Concise Portrait of the Blessed Virgin.

She was:--

1. A true admirer of God.
2. A real lover of her Son.
3. A Virgin, both in body and mind.
4. Humble of heart.
5. Grave in speech.
6. Prudent in counsel.
7. Given to labour.
8. Reserved in discourse.
9. Fond of reading.

She excelled:--

10. In Faith.
11. In Modesty.
12. In Piety.
13. In Silence.

Never did She:--

14. Offend her parents.
15. Despise little ones.
16. Deride the weak.
17. Slight the poor.

It was a principle with Her:--

18. To serve God above all.
19. To live in retirement.
20. To cause nobody trouble.
21. To do good to all.
22. To honour the aged.
23. Not to envy her equals.
24. To shun vainglory.
25. To love virtue.
26. To follow right reason in all things.

There never appeared anything light or frivolous:

27. In her gait.
28. In her air.
29. In her discourse.
30. In her behaviour
31. In her looks.
32. In her actions.

---

_Copies of this "Concise Portrait" at 1s. the 100 can be had of_

R. WASHBOURNE, 18 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON.



BOOKS FOR THE MONTH OF MAY.

---

Our Lady's Month;

Or, Short Lessons for the Month of Mary, and the Feasts of Our Lady.
By Very Rev. A. P. Canon BETHELL. 18mo., cloth, 1s.

Our Lady's Month;

Extracts from the Writings of Cardinal Manning, Cardinal Newman, the
Saints, and others. By J. S. FLETCHER. 32mo., cloth, 6d.; better
bound, 1s.

Corona Beatae Mariae Virginis.

Thoughts about the Blessed Virgin, for every day in the year, taken
from the Writings of the Saints. 32mo., cloth, 1s.

Regina Saeculorum;

Or, Mary Venerated in All Ages. Devotions to the Blessed Virgin from
Ancient Sources. Fcap. 8vo., cloth, 2s.

Mary Foreshadowed;

Or, Considerations on the Types and Figures of Our Blessed Lady in the
Old Testament. By the Very Rev. Father THADDEUS, O.S.F. Fcap. 8vo.,
cloth, 3s.

The Child of Mary's Manual.

Compiled from the French. With Ordinary of the Mass. 32mo., cloth, 9d.

Rules of the Children of Mary in the World.

1d.

Children of Mary Card of Enrolment.

Beautifully designed, exquisitely . With Inscription. Folio,
1s.

Little Office of the Immaculate Conception.

In Latin and English. The Latin Text has the approval of the
Congregation of Sacred Rites (17th May, 1876), and to which the
Indulgence is attached. The English version is by Provost Husenbeth.
With Imprimatur of the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster. 32 mo.,
cloth, 6d.

Chats about the Rosary.

By MARGARET PLUES. Fcap. 8vo., prettily bound, 2s. 6d.

The Lord's Prayer and the Hail Mary.

Tales for the Young. By EDWARD Cox. Fcap. 8vo., prettily bound, 1s.

---

LONDON:

R. WASHBOURNE, 18 PATERNOSTER ROW.






End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Month of Mary, According to the
Spirit of St. Francis of Sales, by Don Caspar Gilli and Saint Francis Of Sales

*** 