Glory and honor be to thee, O Mary! Thy throne is in the highest heavens! Be thou our loving Mother; from the throne of thy glory cast a glance on us, who are encircled with so many dangers and trials. Pray to thy Son Jesus for us, that we may emulate the purity of the angels, so that we too may one day enjoy the “beatific vision,” and praise Our Creator throughout eternity. Amen.
Twenty-first Day. The Blessed Virgin the Model of Faith.
The Blessed Virgin has left us examples of faith which are full of instruction and consolation. She believed the mystery of the Trinity, that she should conceive and bring forth a child; the words of the angel announced this mystery to her. She believed that the Son of God the Father was to take the form of man, thereby making Himself like unto us. She believed herself to be the Virgin chosen by God in whom this mystery was to be accomplished. The apostles had faith in Jesus Christ and acknowledged Him to be the Son of God, but in the hour of Our Lord's Passion they abandoned their divine Master. It was not so with our blessed Mother; she followed Him even to Calvary. O Mary, may we understand well the excellence of this fundamental virtue, without which it is impossible to please God. It is by faith that Jesus Christ comes into our hearts. By faith we resist the devil, and put him to flight. Let us then love and value more and more [pg 216] the precious gift of faith, and endeavor, after the example of Mary, our Mother, to be animated by its spirit. But the faith of the Blessed Virgin teaches us another lesson: namely, that after her example we should make an open profession of our faith, even though by it we should lose goods, fortune, honor, even life itself.
Prayer.
O Mary, thou art the Queen of heaven and Mistress of all created things! Obtain for us the lively faith that animated thee, so that we may grow in love, persevere to the end, and hereafter, in company with patriarchs, prophets, and all the elect of God, glorify thee, together with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost through all eternity. Amen.
Twenty-second Day. The Blessed Virgin the Model of Piety.
According to universal opinion, the Blessed Virgin dwelt in the Temple till she was about twelve years of age. During those tender years of her life she passed the greater portion of the night in the contemplation of heavenly things, giving but a very short time to repose. Chosen by the Lord, adorned and enriched with His most signal favors, the immaculate Virgin corresponded thereto with constant and generous fidelity. The devotion of Mary is worthy of imitation, especially in this, that she gave herself up to it from her early youth. Alas! how many souls have perished because they have not followed this example? On the other side how happy those who have imitated the early devotion of the Blessed [pg 217] Virgin! Oh, how strong and mighty we are with Jesus Christ, when we are armed with the worthy merits and intercession of the Mother of God! O Mary, vessel of singular devotion, obtain for us that, after thy example, we may be entirely devoted to God!
Prayer.