FIRST DAY.
1st. “Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis:” Holy Mary, pray for us. Since in the Litanies of our Lady the Church instructs us to repeat so many times the petition that she will pray for us, “Ora pro nobis,” it is well before meditating upon the titles by which the holy Virgin is invoked, to consider of how great value with God are the prayers of Mary. Blessed is that person for whom Mary prays! Jesus is pleased when his most beloved mother prays to him, and grants all she asks. One day St. Bridget heard Jesus speaking with Mary, and thus saying to her: “My mother, ask what thou wilt of me, for thy petition cannot be in vain.”[1861] And then he added: “Thou didst deny me nothing on earth, I will deny thee nothing in heaven.” St. Bernard says: To be heard by the Son is to be graciously heard: “A Filio audiri est exaudiri.” It is enough that Mary speaks, her Son grants whatever she asks. Therefore let us always pray to this divine mother if we wish to obtain eternal salvation, and let us say with St. Andrew of Candia, or perhaps of Jerusalem: We, then, supplicate thee, oh most holy Virgin, to grant us the aid of thy prayers with God; prayers that are more precious than all the treasures of the earth; prayers that obtain for us a great abundance of graces; prayers that confound our enemies, and triumph over their forces.
2d. “Sancta Maria:” Holy Mary. The name of Mary is a name of salvation. This name came not from earth, but from heaven; and therefore St. Epiphanius says, that it was not given to Mary by her parents, but was bestowed upon her by the express will of God. Hence it is that after the name of Jesus, the name of Mary is superior to every name, for God has filled it with grace and sweetness in order that through it every blessing may be obtained by him who names it. St. Bernard said: Oh Mary, thy name cannot be pronounced without inflaming the heart of him who utters it with love to thee. And the blessed Henry Suso exclaimed: Oh Mary, what must thou thyself be if thy name is so amiable and gracious! Name full of blessings. St. Bonaventure said that the name of Mary cannot be invoked without profit to him who invokes it. But more than all, this name has the power to overcome the temptations of hell. Ah, my Lady, if I had always invoked thee in my temptations, I should never have fallen. For the future I shall never cease to invoke thee, saying: “Mary, help me; Mary, succor me.” And do thou obtain for me the grace always to invoke thee in the perils of my soul.
3d. “Sancta Dei genitrix:” Holy mother of God. If the prayers of the saints avail much with God, how much more will the prayers of Mary avail! The former are the prayers of servants, but the latter are the prayers of a mother. St. Antoninus says that the prayer of Mary has the force of a command with Jesus Christ: “Oratio Virginis habet rationem imperii;” and hence he adds, that it is impossible for this mother to ask a favor of the Son that the Son will not grant her: “Impossibile est Deiparam non exaudiri.” Therefore St. Bernard exhorts us to ask through Mary for every grace that we wish from God: “Quæramus gratiam, et per Mariam quæramus;” for she is the mother, and is always graciously heard: “Quia mater est, et frustrari non potest.” Oh great mother of God, pray to Jesus for me. Look upon the miseries of my soul, and have pity on me. Pray, and never cease to pray for me until thou seest me safe in paradise. Oh Mary, thou art my hope; do not abandon me. Holy mother of God, pray for us: “Sancta Dei genitrix, ora pro nobis.”
SECOND DAY.
1st. “Mater divinæ gratiæ:” Mother of divine grace. Mary is called by St. Anselm: Mother of all graces: “Mater omnium gratiarum.” And by the Idiot: Treasurer of divine grace: “Thesauraria gratiarum.” Hence St. Bernardine of Sienna writes: All the graces which we receive from God are dispensed by the hand of Mary, and are dispensed to whom Mary will, when she will, and as she will.[1862] This she herself says: “With me are riches and glory ... that I may enrich them that love me.”[1863] The Lord has placed in my hand all the riches of his graces, that I may enrich those who love me. Then, oh my queen, if I love thee, I shall be no longer poor as I am now. After my God, I love thee above all things; do thou obtain for me greater tenderness and love for thy goodness. St. Bonaventure tells me that every one will be saved if thou wilt have him saved: “Quem ipsa vis salvus erit.” And therefore will I say to thee with the same saint: Oh salvation of those who invoke thee, save me: “O salus te invocantium, salva me.” Save me from hell, and first save me from sin, which alone can bring me to hell.
2d. “Mater purissima:” Mother most pure. This fair and pure virgin mother renders all her servants chaste and pure. St. Ambrose writes that even when Mary was on the earth, by her presence she inspired with the love of purity all those who looked upon her.[1864] She was called the lily among thorns: “Sicut lilium inter spinas sic amica mea inter filias.”[1865] All other virgins, says St. Denis the Carthusian, are thorns either to themselves or to others; but the blessed Virgin was neither a thorn to herself nor to others, for she inspired with pure and holy affections all those who beheld her. Moreover, Frigenius, author of the life of St. Thomas Aquinas, writes, that this saint said that even the image of this chaste turtle-dove extinguishes the sensual emotions of him who looks upon it with devotion. And the venerable John of Avila relates that many persons, who were suffering from temptations against purity, were preserved pure through the devotion to our Lady. Oh, how especially powerful is the name of Mary in conquering all temptations to this vice! Oh Mary, most pure, free me from this vice; make me always to have recourse to thee in temptations, and invoke thee so long as the temptation continues.
3d. “Mater inviolata:” Mother inviolate. Mary was that immaculate woman who appeared in the eyes of God all pure and spotless: “Tota pulchra es, amica mea, et macula non est in te.”[1866] Wherefore she was called the reconciler of sinners, as St. Ephrem salutes her: Hail, conciliatrix of the world: “Ave conciliatrix orbis.” And as she herself said in the Canticles: “Since I am become in his presence as one finding peace.”[1867] St. Gregory says that if a rebel should appear before the offended king to appease him, it would only provoke him the more to anger. But Mary being destined to treat of peace between God and men, it was not fitting that she should appear as a partaker in the crime of Adam, and therefore the Lord preserved Mary from every stain of sin. Ah, my immaculate queen; oh spotless dove, so dear to God; ah, do not disdain to look upon the many stains and wounds of my soul; look on me and help me. That God who loves thee so much, denies thee nothing, neither dost thou know how to deny thyself to him who invokes thee. Oh Mary, to thee I have recourse; have pity on me. Mother inviolate, pray for us: “Mater inviolata, ora pro nobis.”
THIRD DAY.
1st. “Mater amabilis:” Amiable mother. Richard of St. Lawrence says that the blessed Virgin was amiable in the eyes of God himself: “Fuit beata Virgo amabilis oculis ipsius Dei.” Mary was so beautiful in the eyes of God, that God was enamored of her beauty. How beautiful art thou, my love! how beautiful art thou! “Quam pulchra es, amica mea, quam pulchra es.”[1868] Hence he called her his only dove, his only perfect one: One is my dove; my perfect one is but one: “Una est columba mea, una est perfecta mea.”[1869] It is certain, as Father Suarez says, that God loves Mary more than all the other saints together, and justly, for she alone loved God more than all men and all the angels. Oh Mary, most pure; oh Mary, most lovely, thou didst gain the heart of God; take possession of my poor heart also, and make me holy. I love thee, and I confide in thee. Amiable mother, pray for us: “Mater amabilis, ora pro nobis.”