The Veneration of the Mother of God
(Imprimatur † Patrick J. Hayes, D.D
Archbishop of New York--1927)
Many are the types of our blessed Lady to be found in the Old
Testament; e.g.. Eve, the mother of all mankind; Noe's ark, wherein
the human race was preserved from extinction; the Ark of the Covenant
containing the manna; Judith who slew Holofernea, the arch-enemy
of her people; Esther, who was exempted from the universal
law (as Mary was from original sin), and by her mediation rescued
her people from death; the mother of the Machabees, who witnessed
the death of her seven sons, and whose heart, like Mary's, was pierced
with seven swords, etc. The Gospels gave little information respecting
the life of Our Lady; more concerning it may be learned from
the revelations of the saints.
Mary was, in fact, chosen by God to be the Mother of His Son, preserved from the stain of original sin, raised gloriously from the tomb, and crowned Queen of heaven.
No angel, not even the most perfect and greatest of the heavenly host, can say to God as Mary can: " Thou art my Son." O what a marvellous privilege is this! Mary is indeed the Mater admirabilis, and that not alone because she is at one and the same time Virgin and Mother, nor because she is Mother both of the creature and of the Creator, but pre-eminently because she gave birth to Him Who was the Author of her being. Mary is the wonder of wonders, and nothing in the universe, God only excepted, is more glorious than she is. Mary's spotless purity, her sinlessness, was first proclaimed by God in paradise (Gen. iii. 15), and afterwards by the archangel Gabriel (Luke i. 28). God said to the serpent, "She shall crush thy head." Had Mary been brought under the dominion of the devil by sin, she could not possibly have been his conqueror. Gabriel saluted Mary as "full of grace." The dignity of Christ alone demanded that His Mother should be entirely free from sin. "When God raises any one to a high post, He fits him for it; and the Son of God, in choosing Mary to be His Mother, rendered her by the gifts of grace fit for this exalted dignity (St. Thomas Aquinas). Now we know that no one who built a house for his own use, would first put his greatest enemy in possession of it; much less would the Holy Spirit, Whose temple Mary was to be, allow the evil one to make her his own. The Fathers of the Church and the children of the Church in all ages, have given to Mary the title of immaculate both in their writings and in their prayers; and in 1854 the Holy Father declared her Immaculate Conception to be a dogma of the faith. Mary was therefore free from original and actual sin (Council of Trent, 6, 23); she is compared to a lily among thorns (Cant. ii. 2), a mirror without a flaw (Wisd. vii. 26). She advanced in perfection rapidly and continuously, like the vine (Ecclus. xxiv. 23) that grows higher and higher, till it attains the height of the tree to which it clings. She advanced all the more rapidly, because she was so near to the source of all grace, and was the recipient of greater and more abundant graces than other men. Mary was the most holy and perfect of all creatures; and her sanctity surpassed that of all other saints as much as the light of the moon exceeds in brilliance that of the planets.
Even in the first moments of her existence, Mary's sanctity was greater than that of the most eminent saints at the close of their life. On account of her exalted sanctity she is compared to the tower of David (Cant. iv. 4), which rose in majestic stateliness on the highest summit of the mountains about Jerusalem. She is also called the mirror of justice. Of all created beings none ever loved God so intensely as Mary did, or cared so little for the things of earth. As the action of fire causes iron to glow with heat, so the Holy Spirit inflamed the heart of Mary with charity. On account of her great love she is called the house of gold. Mary was adorned with every virtue. She is the mystical rose, for as the rose surpasses all other flowers in the beauty of its coloring and the fragrance of its perfume, so Mary exceeds all the saints in the magnitude of her love for God, and the sweet odor of her virtues. She is the Queen of whom the Psalmist speaks (Ps. xliv. 11), clad in the golden garments of charity, surrounded by a variety of virtues. "Thus," Suarez declares, "she was dearer to God than all the other saints together." The body of the Blessed Virgin was assumed gloriously into Heaven. It is said that the apostle Thomas, having arrived in Jerusalem too late to assist at her interment, was desirous to see her remains in the sepulchre; but when it was opened nothing was found there but the grave-clothes in which her body had been wrapped. The feast of her Assumption is kept throughout the whole Church on the fifteenth of August. No one has ever claimed to possess a relic of her body. Mary shines in heaven with unrivalled splendor. The sun, moon, and stars of our solar system are symbols of Christ, His Mother and the saints. Mary is the Queen of angels, the Queen of all saints. In her more than in any other creature we gain a knowledge of the divine attributes. Most especially we see displayed in her glorious exaltation the infinite goodness of God, Who raises the poor man from the dunghill, that He may set him "with princes and elevate him above the choirs of celestial spirits (Ps. cxii. 7, 8).
Mary is ever desirous to effect our reconciliation with God, far more so than any earthly mother could be to establish peace between two members of her family who were at enmity with each other. Through her intercession Our Lord's anger is easily appeased. Alexander the Great once said: "A single tear from my mother's eyes will blot out many death-warrants." If a man, and a heathen to boot, will speak thus of his mother, what may we not expect from the divine Son of Mary? She is the Refuge of sinners; the Mother of mercy; from her as from an olive tree to which she is likened (Eecles. xxiv. 19), the softening oil of mercy flows. She is our mediatrix; to her we fly in temptation; as the Jews on their entrance into the Promised Land (Numb. x. 35), and in their wars with the Philistines (1 Kings xiv.) carried with them the ark of the Lord to insure victory, so through Mary, the Ark of the Covenant of the New Testament, are we enabled to conquer our spiritual foes. As the star guides the mariner, tossing on the stormy sea, to a safe haven, so Mary guides us over the tempestuous ocean of life to the celestial port. She is compared in Holy Scripture to a plane tree in the streets (Eecles. xxiv. 19), because as the tree protects the wayfarer from sun. and rain, so Mary defends those who place themselves under her care from the assaults of the devil. To the enemy of mankind she is "terrible as an army set in array " (Cant. vi. 3). Various titles are given to Mary to indicate the circumstances in which we may invoke her aid and trust in her succor, such as: Mother of perpetual succor, Mother of good counsel, Mother of dolors, etc.
Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ, is usually called the
Mother of God or the Most Blessed Virgin.
Elizabeth was the first to call Mary Mother of God (Luke i. 43).
The Council of Ephesus, in 431, confirmed this title, Dei Genitrix,
and condemned the contrary doctrine asserted by the heretic Nestorius.
Mary gave birth to Him Who is God and man in one person.
A child does not receive its soul from its mother, but from God, yet
she of whom it is born is called its mother; in like manner Mary is
justly termed the "Mother of God," although Christ did not derive
from her His divine nature. Mary is also rightly called "the Blessed
Virgin." The words she spoke to the angel announced her determination
to preserve her virginity inviolate (Luke i. 34). Many ages
before the prophet Isaias foretold that a virgin should conceive and
bear a Son (Is. vii. 14). In her conception, in child-bearing, and
after the birth of Jesus, Mary remained a virgin. As the bush
burned with fire and was not consumed, so Mary's virginity was not
impaired by the birth of Christ; as Our Lord appeared in the midst
of the apostles although the doors of the room where they were
assembled were shut, so He came into the world, and her chastity
remained intact. So the sun shines through glass without in any
wise changing it. Mary is the window of heaven, through which the
true Light came into the world. Those who are spoken of in the
Gospels as the 'brethren of Christ (Matt. xiii. 55) are His blood rela-
tions; it was customary among the Jews to term near relatives
brethren. Abraham called his nephew Lot by this name (Gen. xiii.
8). "Had Mary had other children who could have taken care of her,
Our Lord upon the cross would not have commended her," as St. John
Chrysostom remarks, "to the beloved disciple." Christ was called the
"first-born," to indicate the fact that He was, according to Jewish law,
sanctified to the Lord (Exod. xiii. 2). Christ was, in fact, the first-
born among many brethren (Eom. viii. 29), that is, all Christian.
people, who are besides the children of Mary. Mary was espoused to
Joseph by God's command, in order that she might not be stoned
after the birth of Christ, and also in order to provide a guardian for
her and the divine Child. The name Mary is a Hebrew word, meaning
lady, or mistress.
We pay greater honor to Mary, the Mother of Christ, than to
any other saint.
Even in her lifetime, Mary had great honor paid to her; at the
Annunciation the angel addressed her as " full of grace," and
"blessed among women " (Luke i. 28). It is a great honor if an angel
appears to mortal men and affords them an opportunity of showing
him reverence; yet at the Annunciation it was not man who reverenced
the angel, but the angel who reverenced man." Hence," St. Thomas
Aquinas says, "we conclude that Mary excels the angels
in dignity." How respectfully Elizabeth, treated Mary; she called
her blessed, and gave her the title of Mother of her Lord (Luke i. 42,
43). Mary herself foresaw that she would be praised by posterity,
for she said: "From henceforth all generations shall call me blessed "
(Luke i. 48). The Church invites us to honor the Mother of God
with special devotion. The Hail Mary is almost invariably added to
the Our Father; three times a day the Angelus bell reminds us of the
mystery of the Incarnation, and bids us invoke the name of Mary;
many festivals have been instituted in her honor, the Litany of
Loretto is recited at the public services of the Church; the month of
May, the fairest month in the year, is dedicated to her, and during
October the Rosary is daily recited. Moreover, numerous churches
are erected in all lands in honor of the Mother of God, not a few of
these being renowned places of pilgrimage, where signal graces
and favors are obtained; and the most glorious titles are given to her,
such as: Channel of grace. Mother of mercy, Refuge of sinners, Help
of Christians, Queen of heaven, etc. Yet the veneration we pay to
Mary is distinct from the adoration due to God. Exalted honor, is
due to Mary, but the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost alone,
do we adore.
We hold Mary in such great veneration because she is the
Mother of God and our Mother.
Whoever truly loves God must assuredly honor the Mother of
God, and honor her, too, far above all the saints, the friends of God.
The honor paid to the Queen-Mother is reflected upon the King, her
Son. One may judge of the measure in which a man loves God by
his devotion to Mary. In fact, the greater the saint, the more intensely
does he love Mary. She is actually our Mother, for Our Lord gave
her to us upon the cross when He said to St. John: "Behold thy
Mother" (John six. 27), John representing on Calvary all the followers
of Christ. Mary is the second Eve, the Mother of all mankind;
as the disobedience of Eve brought misery upon the human race,
so the obedience of Mary restores it to a state of grace. Through
one woman, death came into the world, through another, life. And
since Mary is our Mother, our salvation is more a matter of concern
to her than to any of the saints. After Christ no one cares for us
as she does. St. Bernard declares that the love of all the mothers in
the world does not equal the love Mary bears to each one of her
children. And the reason she cares so much for us is because of her
love for God, and consequently her charity towards her neighbor
exceeds that of any other saint. As the glory of the moon surpasses
that of the stars, so the love of Mary for us exceeds that of the
angels; it is a boundless ocean of love. Mary knows all our
circumstances; this even the angels do (Luke xv. 7), and it cannot be
supposed that they know more than does their Queen. A dutiful child
delights to be with its mother, and the devout Christian rejoices to
address to Mary, the Mother of God, his loving supplications.
Another reason why Mary is so highly honored, throughout
Christendom, is because God has exalted her above all men and
angels.
Monarchs grant privileges to the towns where they were born,
or where they were crowned; so the King of heaven has conferred
special privileges and prerogatives on the Mother who bore Him.Mary was, in fact, chosen by God to be the Mother of His Son, preserved from the stain of original sin, raised gloriously from the tomb, and crowned Queen of heaven.
No angel, not even the most perfect and greatest of the heavenly host, can say to God as Mary can: " Thou art my Son." O what a marvellous privilege is this! Mary is indeed the Mater admirabilis, and that not alone because she is at one and the same time Virgin and Mother, nor because she is Mother both of the creature and of the Creator, but pre-eminently because she gave birth to Him Who was the Author of her being. Mary is the wonder of wonders, and nothing in the universe, God only excepted, is more glorious than she is. Mary's spotless purity, her sinlessness, was first proclaimed by God in paradise (Gen. iii. 15), and afterwards by the archangel Gabriel (Luke i. 28). God said to the serpent, "She shall crush thy head." Had Mary been brought under the dominion of the devil by sin, she could not possibly have been his conqueror. Gabriel saluted Mary as "full of grace." The dignity of Christ alone demanded that His Mother should be entirely free from sin. "When God raises any one to a high post, He fits him for it; and the Son of God, in choosing Mary to be His Mother, rendered her by the gifts of grace fit for this exalted dignity (St. Thomas Aquinas). Now we know that no one who built a house for his own use, would first put his greatest enemy in possession of it; much less would the Holy Spirit, Whose temple Mary was to be, allow the evil one to make her his own. The Fathers of the Church and the children of the Church in all ages, have given to Mary the title of immaculate both in their writings and in their prayers; and in 1854 the Holy Father declared her Immaculate Conception to be a dogma of the faith. Mary was therefore free from original and actual sin (Council of Trent, 6, 23); she is compared to a lily among thorns (Cant. ii. 2), a mirror without a flaw (Wisd. vii. 26). She advanced in perfection rapidly and continuously, like the vine (Ecclus. xxiv. 23) that grows higher and higher, till it attains the height of the tree to which it clings. She advanced all the more rapidly, because she was so near to the source of all grace, and was the recipient of greater and more abundant graces than other men. Mary was the most holy and perfect of all creatures; and her sanctity surpassed that of all other saints as much as the light of the moon exceeds in brilliance that of the planets.
Even in the first moments of her existence, Mary's sanctity was greater than that of the most eminent saints at the close of their life. On account of her exalted sanctity she is compared to the tower of David (Cant. iv. 4), which rose in majestic stateliness on the highest summit of the mountains about Jerusalem. She is also called the mirror of justice. Of all created beings none ever loved God so intensely as Mary did, or cared so little for the things of earth. As the action of fire causes iron to glow with heat, so the Holy Spirit inflamed the heart of Mary with charity. On account of her great love she is called the house of gold. Mary was adorned with every virtue. She is the mystical rose, for as the rose surpasses all other flowers in the beauty of its coloring and the fragrance of its perfume, so Mary exceeds all the saints in the magnitude of her love for God, and the sweet odor of her virtues. She is the Queen of whom the Psalmist speaks (Ps. xliv. 11), clad in the golden garments of charity, surrounded by a variety of virtues. "Thus," Suarez declares, "she was dearer to God than all the other saints together." The body of the Blessed Virgin was assumed gloriously into Heaven. It is said that the apostle Thomas, having arrived in Jerusalem too late to assist at her interment, was desirous to see her remains in the sepulchre; but when it was opened nothing was found there but the grave-clothes in which her body had been wrapped. The feast of her Assumption is kept throughout the whole Church on the fifteenth of August. No one has ever claimed to possess a relic of her body. Mary shines in heaven with unrivalled splendor. The sun, moon, and stars of our solar system are symbols of Christ, His Mother and the saints. Mary is the Queen of angels, the Queen of all saints. In her more than in any other creature we gain a knowledge of the divine attributes. Most especially we see displayed in her glorious exaltation the infinite goodness of God, Who raises the poor man from the dunghill, that He may set him "with princes and elevate him above the choirs of celestial spirits (Ps. cxii. 7, 8).
Finally, we entertain this great veneration for Mary, because
her intercession is more powerful with God than that of any
other saint.
Mary's intercession has immense power with God. On earth her
petitions were all-prevailing with Christ, as at the marriage-feast
at Cana. And if Christ granted all His Mother's prayers on earth,
how much the more will He do so in heaven. When the General
Coriolanus could not be prevailed upon by the Senate and priests of
Rome to withdraw his army from before the city, he yielded to the
entreaties of his mother Veturia, although he knew that to do so
would cost him his life. How much the more will Christ, the great
Lawgiver, listen to the supplications of His Mother! If the prayers
of the saints, His servants, have so much power with God, what
must those of His Mother have! Being the prayers of a mother, they
are less like a petition than a command. St. Bernard declares Mary
to be omnipotent by means of her intercession; there is nothing that
she cannot obtain for us. As at the court of an earthly monarch
he is sure to succeed for whom the queen interests herself, so at
the court of the King of kings those for whom Mary, the Queen of
heaven, pleads, will not be disappointed of their desires. Thus Mary
is our hope; because through her intercession we hope to procure
the blessings which our poor prayers cannot obtain. Hence the
saints speak of her as the dispenser of graces, for all the favors we
receive from heaven come to us through her hands. "God," St.
Peter Damian says, " would not become man until Mary had given
her consent, in order that we might see that the salvation of mankind
rested in her hands." She stood beneath the cross that we
might know that without her mediation no one could be made partaker
of the merits of the blood of Christ. God the Father sanctions,
Christ grants, and Mary distributes the gifts of heaven to mankind.
Thus Mary is the Mother of divine grace. No prayer she
proffers is unanswered. "Who can doubt," exclaims St. Bernard,
"that the Son will listen to His Mother--such a Son to such a
Mother!" Remember how the same saint declares in the Memorare
that it is a thing unheard of for any one to implore Mary's aid, and
implore in vain. Even the least and shortest prayer to Mary does not
go unrecompensed; she rewards the slightest intentions with the richest
graces. Every time we salute her she does not fail to return our
greeting. She is the Virgin most clement. There is not a trace of
sternness about her; she is all clemency, loving kindness and gentleness.
He would be wrong indeed who approached her with trembling.
From time immemorial Christians have been accustomed to
have recourse to Mary in times of affliction and distress.
In the year 1683, when the Turks besieged Vienna, both in the
beleaguered city and throughout Christendom the Rosary was
recited to implore the aid of the Mother of God, and a signal victory
was the result. Individual Christians also appeal to Mary for aid
when private troubles press heavily upon them. She is called the
Help of Christians, the Comforter of the afflicted, the Health of the
sick. Christians call upon her in seasons of severe sickness. It is
recorded of St. John Damascene, that when the caliph, enraged with
him for having written in defence of the veneration of images,
caused his right hand to be struck off, the saint prostrated himself
before a statue of Our Lady, and was immediately healed. In the
present day how numerous are the miraculous cures effected at
Lourdes! To Mary also is due the conversion of many sinners who
desire to amend their lives, for upon those who invoke her the light
of the Holy Spirit is shed. Mary is the morning star; as that planet
heralds the sunrise, so devotion to Mary is the forerunner of divine
grace, the gracious influence of the Holy Ghost. She is compared
to the dawn. (Cant. vi. 9), because as the shades of night vanish
before the rising sun, so sin departs from the soul that is devoted to
Mary. The month of May is dedicated to her, because nature then
awakens to a new life, and devotion to Mary brings fresh life to the
soul dead in sin. Witness the miraculous conversion of the public
sinner, Mary of Egypt, before an image of Our Lady in the Church
of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. Mary is ever desirous to effect our reconciliation with God, far more so than any earthly mother could be to establish peace between two members of her family who were at enmity with each other. Through her intercession Our Lord's anger is easily appeased. Alexander the Great once said: "A single tear from my mother's eyes will blot out many death-warrants." If a man, and a heathen to boot, will speak thus of his mother, what may we not expect from the divine Son of Mary? She is the Refuge of sinners; the Mother of mercy; from her as from an olive tree to which she is likened (Eecles. xxiv. 19), the softening oil of mercy flows. She is our mediatrix; to her we fly in temptation; as the Jews on their entrance into the Promised Land (Numb. x. 35), and in their wars with the Philistines (1 Kings xiv.) carried with them the ark of the Lord to insure victory, so through Mary, the Ark of the Covenant of the New Testament, are we enabled to conquer our spiritual foes. As the star guides the mariner, tossing on the stormy sea, to a safe haven, so Mary guides us over the tempestuous ocean of life to the celestial port. She is compared in Holy Scripture to a plane tree in the streets (Eecles. xxiv. 19), because as the tree protects the wayfarer from sun. and rain, so Mary defends those who place themselves under her care from the assaults of the devil. To the enemy of mankind she is "terrible as an army set in array " (Cant. vi. 3). Various titles are given to Mary to indicate the circumstances in which we may invoke her aid and trust in her succor, such as: Mother of perpetual succor, Mother of good counsel, Mother of dolors, etc.
Devotion to the Mother of God is an excellent means of attaining sanctity here below and eternal happiness hereafter.
No one can fail to observe the filial affection and devotion which
all the saints have displayed towards the Mother of God, and the
signal success with which God has rewarded this devotion on their
part. Among the most prominent of these was St. Bernard of
Clairvaux, and in later times St. Alphonsus Liguori, the author of the
"Glories of Mary." Mary is the gate of heaven; a ladder connecting
heaven and earth, by which the Lord of heaven came down to us, and
by which we may ascend up to God. St. Alphonsus declares it to be
his persuasion that hell cannot boast of containing one single soul
who ever had a true. and heartfelt devotion to Mary. St. Bernard
asserts that those who honor her daily will assuredly be saved. St.
Francis Borgia always feared for the salvation of that soul which
had little or no devotion for the Mother of God.
___________________________________
To the Mother of God
Glory be to thee, O holy mother of God, masterpiece of the universe, shining star, luster of virginity, scepter of faith, indestructible temple, in whom He dwelt Whom immensity cannot contain. Virgin mother of Him Who, blessed forever, comes to us in the name of the Lord, by thee is the Trinity glorified, the holy cross praised and adored throughout the world, the heavens are made joyful and the angels to tremble with joy, the devils put to flight, and man enabled to pass from slavery to the freedom of Heaven. Through thee idolatrous creatures have known incarnate truth, the faithful have received baptism, churches have been erected in all parts of the earth. By thine assistance the Gentiles have been brought to repentance. And finally, through thee, the only Son of God, source of all light, has shone upon the eyes of the blind, who were sitting in the shadow of death. O virgin mother, who can speak thy praises? But let us make our laud of them according to such powers as are given us, at the same time adoring God thy Son, the chaste spouse of the Church, to Whom are due all honor and glory now and forever.To the Mother of God
(St. Cyril--431 A.D.)
"If anyone should NOT confess that Emmanuel is truly God and that in consequence the Blessed Virgin is the Mother of God--for she brought forth according to the flesh the Word of God made flesh--let him be anathema."
(St. Cyril, Council of Ephesus--431 A.D.)
___________________________________
Ejaculation of St. Philip Neri
Virgin Mother of God, Mary, pray to Jesus for me.
(An indulgence of 50 days, once a day.
Leo XIII, March 29 1894)
___________________________________
Act of Consecration By St John Berchmans
Most Holy Mary, Mother of God, and Virgin I choose thee this day for my queen, patron, and advocate, and firmly resolve and purpose never to abandon thee, never to say or do anything against thee, nor to permit that aught be done by others to dishonor thee. Receive me, then, I conjure thee, as thy perpetual servant; assist me in all my actions and do not abandon me at the hour of my death. Amen.___________________________________
Ejaculation of St. Philip Neri
Virgin Mother of God, Mary, pray to Jesus for me.
(An indulgence of 50 days, once a day.
Leo XIII, March 29 1894)
___________________________________
Act of Consecration By St John Berchmans
(Indulgence of 300 days for each recitation.)
Pius X, Nov. 17, 1906.
http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/
Pius X, Nov. 17, 1906.
http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/