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Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
THE GLORIES OF MARY
“Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid.”—Luke 1: 48.
When we behold, dear brethren, how the Blessed Virgin in her humility lowered herself beneath all creatures, we behold at the same time that her humility exalted her above everything but God. Not the powers or princes of this earth have raised her to this highest degree of dignity, in which it is our happiness to contemplate her today, no, the three Persons of the Most Holy Trinity have placed her upon this throne of glory. They have proclaimed her the Queen of heaven and earth, and made her the keeper and dispenser of the heavenly treasures. It is safe to say, dear brethren, that we shall never comprehend sufficiently the glories of Mary and the power which Jesus Christ, her divine Son, has given to her; that we shall never fully appreciate the ardent desire she has to make us happy. She sees in us her own children; she rejoices in the power to help us, which God has given her. Yes, Mary is our great helper; she it is, who presents to her divine Son, all our prayers, our tears, and our sighs; she it is, who obtains the graces for us which we need for our sanctification. The Holy Ghost tells us that amongst all creatures Mary is a miracle of might, a miracle of sanctity, and a miracle of love. What a happiness for us, dear brethren, what hope for our salvation! Let us strengthen our confidence in this good and tender Mother by contemplating the glories of Mary.
To attempt to speak of the glories of Mary, means, my dear brethren, to lessen the exalted idea which you should have formed thereof; for St Ambrose tells us, that Mary is raised to such a high degree of glory, of honor, and of power, that not even the angels can realize it; it is known to God alone. We may therefore conclude, that all that which human creatures might be able to say and to appreciate, would be nothing, or nearly nothing, to that which she really is in the sight of God. The highest praise which the Church gives her, is in the words: Mary is the daughter of the eternal Father, the Mother of the redeeming Son of God, and the Spouse of the Holy Ghost. When the eternal Father chose Mary to be His daughter, what flow of graces must He not have poured into her soul? She received for herself alone more graces than all the angels and saints together. He began by preserving her from original sin, a grace which was granted to her alone. He fortified her in grace with a perfect security, so that she never lost it. Yes, my dear friends, the heavenly Father enriched her with heavenly gifts in just proportion to the great dignity to which she was to be exalted. He erected in her a living temple of the three Persons of the Most Blessed Trinity. Let us say briefly: He did for her everything which it was possible to do for a creature. While the eternal Father took such care of Mary, we see that the Holy Ghost adorned her soul in such a high degree, that already at the moment of her conception she was an object of delight to the three divine Persons. Mary had not only the happiness of being the daughter of the eternal Father; but also that of being the Mother of the Son, and the Spouse of the Holy Ghost. Through this incomparable dignity she now beholds herself made, to form the most adorable body of Jesus Christ. God made use of her to overthrow the dominion of the evil spirit and to annihilate it, She was allied to the three divine Persons therefore to redeem the World, by giving it a Saviour. Can we ever sufficiently comprehend an abyss of such greatness, power and love? Next to the adorable body of Jesus Christ, she is the most beautiful ornament of the heavenly court.
We may say that the triumph of the Blessed Virgin in heaven is the culmination of
the graces of the sublime Queen of heaven and earth. Then she obtained the last jewel
of her incomparable dignity as Mother of God. After having been subjected for a
time to the miseries of this life and, the humiliation of death, she enjoys the
most glorious, and most honorable existence which a creature could ever enjoy. We
wonder sometimes, that Jesus, who loved His Mother so dearly, could have left her
so long upon earth after His resurrection. The reason is this: He wished in this
manner to still increase her glory, and wanted her also to aid the Apostles, who
had need of her presence to encourage and guide them. Mary revealed to the Apostles
the greatest mysteries of the hidden life of Jesus Christ. Mary also elevated the
standard of virginity, which made thus known its lustre and its beauty, and showed
us the magnificent reward reserved for this holy state. Let us, however, dear brethren,
follow Mary up to the moment that she left this world. Jesus Christ desired that
before she should be taken up to heaven, she should receive once more all the Apostles.
They were all, with the exception of St Thomas, brought to her side in the most miraculous
manner. With the extraordinary humility which she had always practiced in such high
degree, she kissed their feet and asked for their blessing. Thus she still increased
her virtue, her merits and her reward. Then Mary gave also to the Apostles her
blessing. It would be impossible for me to describe to you the sorrow of the Apostles
at the loss which they were about to undergo. Was not the Blessed Virgin, after
the Redeemer, their entire happiness, their whole consolation? To alleviate their
sorrow Mary promised them that she would never forget them before her divine Son.
It is thought that the same angel who announced to her the mystery of the Incarnation
told her also the hour of her death. The Blessed Virgin is said to have answered
to the angel: “O what bliss, and how ardently I desire after this moment!” After
these glad tidings she desired to make her last will, which was soon done. She had
two robes, which she left to the two maidens who had been in her service for a long
while. Then, when the hour arrived, she felt herself burning with so great a love
that her soul could no longer remain in her body. O blessed moment! Can we, dear
brethren, contemplate this death, without feeling an ardent desire to live a good
life and to die such a holy death? We can certainly not expect to die of love; but
we may hope at least to die in the love of God. Mary had no fear of death, for death
was to place her in possession of eternal bliss; she knew that heaven was waiting
for her, and that she was to be one of its choicest ornaments. Her Son and the whole
celestial court were advancing to meet her, the Saints of heaven were waiting to
conduct her in triumph into their kingdom. Everything in heaven was ready to receive
her; she was to enjoy honors which are above everything which we can possibly imagine
to ourselves. Before leaving this world, Mary was not subject to any sickness, for
she was free from sin. In spite of her advanced age, her body was never emaciated,
as is the case with other human beings; it seemed, on the contrary, as the end approached,
to be rejuvenated. St. John Damascene tells us that Jesus Christ Himself came to
call His Mother. This beautiful star which had illumined the world for seventy-
Do we, too, wish to die without fear? Let us then live like Mary, in innocence; let us avoid sin, which causes our unhappiness in time and eternity. And should we have been so unfortunate as to commit sin, let us, like St. Peter, lament it until our death, and let our remorse end only with our life. Let us descend into the grave weeping, like the holy King David; let us wash our souls in the bitterness of our tears.
Do we wish, 1ike Mary, to die without trouble? Let us then live like her, without attachment to created things; let us do as she did, let us love God alone, let us desire alone Him, let us seek to please Him only in everything that we do. Happy is that Christian who leaves nothing, to gain everything!
Thus let Mary, our beautiful mother, be our guiding star in life and in death. Let us imitate her virtues, her humility, her piety, her charity, so that after the few years in this life we may expect to imitate her also in a happy death, to partake of the glory of her divine Son for all eternity. Amen.
Listen to all the Sermons for the Sundays and Feasts of the Year by the Ven. Cure of Ars (Saint Jean Baptiste Marie Vianney) on cassette tapes. Order from:
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