3d. This sacrifice was more dear to God than if all men and all the angels had offered to him their lives. Yes, because in this offering alone of Jesus the eternal Father received an infinite honor and an infinite satisfaction. Jesus Christ once said to the blessed Angela of Foligno: “I have offered myself for thee that thou mayest offer thyself to me.” Yes, my Jesus, as thou didst offer to the Father thy life for me, I offer to thee my life and my whole self. Hitherto I have with so great ingratitude slighted thee, but thou hast promised to forget the offences of a sinner who repents of having offended thee; my Jesus, I grieve for it, and I wish to die of grief. I was dead in sin; from thee I hope for life, and my life will be to love thee, oh Infinite Good. Grant that I may love thee, and I will ask of thee nothing more. Dispense the goods of this earth to those who desire them; I desire nothing but the treasure of thy love. My Jesus, thou art alone enough for me. Oh my queen and mother Mary, through thee I hope every good.
MEDITATION
For the Day of the Annunciation to Mary.
1st. When God wished to send his Son to make himself man that he might redeem lost man, he chose for him a virgin mother, among all virgins the most pure, the most holy, and the most humble. And behold, whilst Mary was in her poor little dwelling praying to God for the coming of the Redeemer, an angel appears and salutes her, and says to her: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women.”[1911] And what does the humble Virgin when she hears such words in her honor? She is not elated, but is silent and troubled, esteeming herself too unworthy of these praises. She was troubled at his saying: “Turbata est in sermone ejus.”[1912] Oh Mary, thou so humble and I so proud, obtain for me holy humility.
2d. Did not those praises, at least, cause Mary to suspect that she was the destined mother of the Redeemer? No, they only caused her to conceive a great fear of herself. Wherefore it was necessary that the angel should encourage her not to be afraid: “Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.”[1913] And then he announced to her that she was chosen to be the mother of the Saviour of the world: “Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus.”[1914] Blessed art thou, oh Mary! how dear thou wast and art to thy God! Have pity on me.
3d. Take courage, says St. Bernard, addressing her; why delay, holy Virgin, in giving thy consent? The eternal Word awaits it, in order to clothe himself with flesh, and become thy Son. We, who are all condemned to eternal death, are waiting for it in misery; if thou dost accept and consent to be his mother, we shall all be delivered. Quickly, oh Lady, answer; do not delay giving to the world that salvation which depends on thy consent. But rejoice, for Mary already answers to the angel: Behold, she says, the servant of the Lord, bound to do whatever her Lord commands:[1915] if he chooses a servant for his mother, the servant is not to be praised, but only the goodness of God, who wishes thus to honor her. Oh Mary, most humble, thou, by thy humility, hast so enamored thy God that thou hast constrained him to make himself thy Son and our Redeemer. I know that thy Son denies thee nothing that thou dost ask; ask of him to give me his holy love; ask of him to pardon me all the offences which I have committed against him; ask of him to give me perseverance until death. In a word, recommend to him my soul, for thy recommendations are never rejected by a Son who loves thee so much. Oh Mary, thou must save me; thou art my hope.
MEDITATION FOR THE SECOND DAY OF JULY.
On the Feast of the Visitation of Mary.
1st. Mary set out from Nazareth to go to the city of Hebron, distant, according to Broccardo, seventy miles; that is to say, at least seven days’ journey over rough mountains and with no other companion than her spouse Joseph. The holy Virgin hastens, as St. Luke informs us: She went into the mountainous country in haste: “Abiit in montana cum festinatione.”[1916] Tell us, oh holy Lady, why thou didst undertake this long and difficult journey, and why thou didst thus hasten on thy way? I am going, she answers, to exercise my office of charity; I am going to console a family. If, then, oh great mother of God, thy office is to console and dispense graces to souls, ah come to console and visit also my soul. Thy visit then sanctified the house of Elizabeth; come, oh Mary, and sanctify me also.
2d. And now the holy Virgin has arrived at the house of Elizabeth. She had been made mother of God, but she is the first to salute her relation. She entered, and saluted Elizabeth: Intravit et salutavit Elizabeth. Elizabeth, enlightened by the Lord, already knows that the divine Word had become man and the Son of Mary; hence she calls her blessed among women, and blesses that divine fruit that was in her womb: “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.”[1917] And, filled (at the same time) with confusion and joy, she exclaims: “And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”[1918] But what does the humble Mary answer to these words? She answers: My soul doth magnify the Lord: “Magnificat anima mea Dominum.” As if she would say: Ah, Elizabeth, you praise me; but I praise my God that he has chosen to exalt me, his poor servant, to be his mother: he hath regarded the humility of his servant: “Respexit humilitatem ancillæ suæ.” Oh most holy Mary, since thou dost dispense so many graces to those who ask them of thee, I pray thee to give me thy humility. Thou dost esteem thyself as nothing before God; but I am worse than nothing, for I am, at the same time, nothing and a sinner. Thou canst make me humble. Make me so through love of that God who has made thee his mother.
3d. But at the first words of Mary, when she salutes Elizabeth, what happens? The child, John, exults with joy on account of the divine grace given him before his birth;[1919] Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, and Zachary, the father of the Baptist, not long after, is consoled by recovering his speech. So that it is indeed true, oh my queen and mother, that through thee the divine graces are dispensed, and souls are sanctified. Do not forget, then, oh my most dear Lady, me, thy poor servant, who love thee, and have placed in thee all my hopes. Thy prayers are all graciously heard by that God who loves thee so much. Pray, then, for me, oh my mother, and make me holy.