the highest respect owed to her
Discourse XXI ON BEING MINDFUL of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the highest respect owed to her.
"There stood by the cross of Jesus, His Mother' ial 9°25)) Brothers, it is proper and reasonable that after calling to mind the holy cross, that a special remembrance also is considered of the sorrow of the most blessed ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God, who stood faithfully by her beloved Son Jesus hanging on the cross, and indeed dying for the salvation of the entire world. O the lamentable sight of the Mother and the crucified Son; of the Mother weeping and the Son suffering greatly; of the Mother disconsolate and the Son consoling; of the Mother standing under the cross and the Son hanging on the cross; of the Mother sighing and the Son dying.
O the vastness of the immeasurable sorrow, never to be forgotten, but to he held permanently in the hearts of the faithful. Pilate imprinted an inscription on a board on the top of the cross: Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews. Do you also imprint this same inscription in your heart in letters of gold against the scorn of men and the fear of the devils, and Jesus Christ the King of Heaven will free you
IN PRAISE OF THE
from all afflictions of the enemy. If you will do so, Mary the Mother of Jesus will stand by you also with her prayers. For no Mother had so great a joy and comfort in the birth of her Son, as this most blessed One felt, who was worthy of conceiving and giving birth to the Son of God. Certainly no Mother had and bore so great a grief and intolerable a sorrow in the death of her Son in the flesh, as this most loving Mother felt so deeply out of pity in the Passion of her most beloved Son, when she stood by the side of His cross, and her soul being pierced with the sword of sorrow, she wept most bitterly. Certainly, seeing so much anguish on the part of her Son, whom she loved exceedingly beyond all measure, it was extremely remarkable that she was able to live longer physically, whose soul the sword of sorrow had pierced as often as she saw or heard her Son tortured or ridiculed. O truly an unequaled martyrdom on the part of the forsaken
Mother and delicate Virgin, who was more severely tortured in heart as she felt pity for her Son, than any martyr stretched on the rack.
Brothers, if you love our Lady and desire her protection in every affliction, then stand with her by the side of the cross of Jesus having pity for her and for her beloved Son from the depths of your heart, that she herself may also pray diligently again and again for your sins and indifferences after death.
For he who now, often and devoutly, reflects on and
BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
considers the Passion of the Lord and the tears of His most mournful Mother with pious feelings, is bound to hope in the mercy of God and in the benevolence of both the Mother and the Son, that they shall also be present to help him in his needs and assist him by consolation as he lies prostrate at the end.
O how joyful will that soul be, which loved Jesus and Mary during its life and reflected every day on the sad watch of Mary standing by the side of the cross of Jesus. Happy is that member of a religious community who despising all the comforts of the world has chosen for himself our Lady, the Blessed
Mary, as his Mother of Consolation and the safeguard of his whole life. There is no doubt that the pious and tenderhearted Mother, the comforter of the poor and the helper of orphans, will readily speak for her faithful servant departing from this world, a good and pleasant word, soothing the face of her beloved Son, our Redeemer, with her holy prayers, saying: "My most loving Son, be merciful to the soul of Your servant who has loved and praised me, as You have seen and know well, from whose mouth the holy angels have very often brought to me the joys of a devout greeting and who was also accustomed to invite many brothers to join with him in praising Your Holy Name and mine. He is our copyist, transcribing sacred books, and a lover of the holy cross, fondly praying and
IN PRAISE OF THE
singing psalms, who on hearing Your Holy Name and also mine was accustomed to bow to us reverently and to pay his respects by genuflecting. Passing along a road and seeing far off a cross and being reminded of Your Passion, he showed due reverence to You by bowing to the cross. Also seeing in a church or in any place a painted picture of me, or You lying or sitting in my loving embrace or hanging in my arms as dead, immediately he was moved with pity, and he suffered, wept, and prayed, genuflected, and adored. He never departed from us without a kiss of love but all day and all night he hid in his heart the sorrows of Your sacred wounds and the tears of my eyes and deep within he desired to suffer with me. Therefore remember these things my most loving Son and grant him now to find mercy when he comes before You, and I with all Your angels and saints beg with great earnestness for him."
Brothers, you ought to attend to these things immediately while you are still healthy and have time to correct your faults. Now you should look for such friends and advocates on your behalf who will say a good word very pleasing to God for your offenses and debts and will receive you into their eternal homes after the dangers and tedious strife of this world. For you will not find more faithful and more powerful friends in heaven and on earth than
Jesus, the King of the angels, and our Lady, Mary,
BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Queen of Heaven. If you are lovers of Christ, take up the cross of Christ, follow the cross, stand beside the cross, cherish the cross, do not abandon the cross, until you come to Jesus Christ the true light, who says, "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me, shall not walk in darkness" (Jn.
If you desire to be comforted in every trial, come to Mary the Mother of Jesus standing beside the cross, weeping and suffering, and all your troubles will immediately vanish or be made lighter.
Choose this most kind Mother of Jesus above all your relatives and friends as your particular Mother and advocate before your death, and greet her frequently with the angelic salutation, because she listens to this prayer with great pleasure." If the malicious enemy tempts you and prevents you from praising God and Mary, do not trouble yourself nor cease praising and praying, but on that account appeal to Mary more eagerly, pay your respects to Mary; think of Mary, call Mary by name. Honor
Mary, ever glorify Mary, bow to Mary, commit yourself to Mary's care. With Mary linger in your cell, with Mary be silent, with Mary be joyful, with Mary be sad. With Mary work, with Mary watch, with Mary pray, with Mary walk, with Mary sit.
With Mary search for Jesus, with Mary carry Jesus in your arms, with Mary and Jesus live in Nazareth.
With Mary go to Jerusalem, with Mary stand beside the cross of Jesus, with Mary weep aloud for
IN PRAISE OF THE
Jesus, with Mary bury Jesus. With Mary and Jesus rise again, with Mary and Jesus ascend into heaven, with Mary and Jesus desire to live and die. Brothers, if you meditate on these things and do them well, the devil will flee from you, and you will go forward in the spiritual life. Mary will gladly pray for you because of her kindness, and Jesus will gladly listen to His Mother because of her respect. All that we do is not enough, but if we go to the Father through the intercession of Mary and Jesus her Son with a humble and contrite heart, we shall attain mercy and grace now, and glory without end with them in the world to come, Amen. Happy is the devout soul which has Jesus and Mary as close friends in this life, companions at meals, fellow travelers on the way, providers in necessity, comforters in trials, assistants in dangers, advisers in uncertainties, protectors in your last moments. Happy is the member of a religious community who considers himself a stranger in this world, and has for his chief consolation Jesus and Mary in the welcome abode of his heart.
BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
EXAMPLES CONCERNING THE ANGELIC
SALUTATION
-- AN EXAMPLE
A certain brother lost a small book in his cell which he was unable to find after searching for it for a long.while. And while he was saddened with its loss, and despaired then of finding it, he had recourse to prayer, invoking the Blessed Virgin by means of the angelic salutation. Therefore when he began to say the Hail Mary in. his customary way and had repeated the prayer often, and during these prayers had sadly kept thinking about the small book, suddenly, while he was sitting beside his little bed praying before a picture of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, this inspiration came to his mind — "Search here before you under the straw of your bed." Immediately he put his hand on the frame of the bed, wishing to find out whether anything lay hidden there. And behold, lifting a little straw, he immediately touched the small book' with his hand and brought it out. And seeing it he was astonished, and kissing it for joy, he gavé thanks to God and immediately he. paid to the Blessed Virgin the angelic prayers which he had promised to her. And he:said to himself, "Perhaps. our Lady wanted to enjoy some Hail Marys and for that
IN PRAISE OF THE
reason you were not able to find the small book so soon." Therefore it is good to say the Hail Mary often and devotedly to call on the Mother of Jesus for assistance.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE
A certain brother transcribing books in his cell being tempted by the devil, was annoyed with a filthy thought. Being afflicted by this thought and feeling ashamed he immediately arose, in order to leave his cell and to avoid this trouble more quickly.
But before he left, inspired by God, he looked at a picture of the Blessed Virgin which he had near him and was accustomed to pay reverence to as a means of devotion. He then immediately knelt down and with joined hands began to say the Hail
Mary devotedly, and behold divine grace aided him without delay, our gracious Lady Mary coming to his assistance with her noble blessed Son. For having begun the angelic salutation and said it carefully, at that moment when at the end he said,
"Jesus Christ, Amen" immediately he felt within him the goodness of God, and relief from all harm.
Therefore, amazed how quickly his prayer was favorably received, he knew at that very moment the great usefulness of the angelic salutation against whatever assaults of the enemy. And giving thanks to God, he said to himself, "Now I really know that our holy Lady Mary has power to aid and to
BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
rescue all that call upon her." Indeed, on the following night, this vision appeared to him while he was sleeping: for it seemed to him that he was passing through the orchard alone when Satan rushing upon him, began to frighten and discomfit him.
And indeed terrified at the appearance of Satan, he began to run ahead to avoid his clutches. And since he would not venture to pass outside the walls of the monastery, because of his sudden flight, he unexpectedly fell into a ditch of water and deep in the soft mud. Anxious then lest he sink beneath the water and since he saw no one near who would help him and pull him out, he began to say to himself the Hail Mary and to ask for assistance.
Then as soon as he had said, "Jesus Christ, Amen," he was drawn from the deep ditch of water and put back again on dry land. Thereupon greatly rejoiced, and rescued almost from a deathtrap, he awoke and returned to his senses completely. Then raising himself up in bed, he began to weep with joy, and as an act of thanksgiving on bended knees he carefully said the Hail Mary over and over again. And he also added these words, "Hail Mary, our sweet
Lady, full of grace, the Lord is with you, gate of mercy."
ANOTHER EXAMPLE
Two brothers of the Order were going together to the upper part of the country for the dutiful mo-
IN. PRAISE OF THE
tive of visiting réelatives.and friends faithful in Christ.
Accordingly it turned out~ that they strayed. a little from the right road: And so the older brother said to the younger one, "Brother, it seems to me that we have lost our way, let us turn back to the main road again." Going back then to the point where they had previously been, the older brother began to pray and to appeal to the Blessed Virgin that she might send to them a guide to the right road, a, traveler of good fellowship. And while he was even then saying some prayers together with hymns and collects of the Blessed Virgin, behold a certain man approached them who appeared to be a pilgrim, carrying a staff and on his back a little bag containing the things necessary for a journey, and who, having greeted the brothers, said that he intended to travel on to the shrine of St.
Quirinus for the indulgences and gladly would accompany them. Accordingly they quickly followed this guide for a long distance until they came to the desired place where they were to stay. Then the older brother, recognizing that the divine assistance had been with them, desired to give in return more abundant thanks to God and the Blessed Virgin for the guide to the right road, remembering the words of St. Peter the apostle who said, "Casting all your care upon Him: for He has care of you"
(1ePet. 5:7):
BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
ANOTHER EXAMPLE
"A certain brother when exposed . to trouble was accustomed to ask assistance of Jesus and His most gracious Mother Mary. And when: he was tempted by any wicked passion or by melancholy, immediately he had recourse to the Passion of our Lord by means of the angelic prayer, calling on Jesus and Mary to assist him against the temptation. .Thus one night, while asleep, he saw the devil rushing at him and meaning to harm him. And since he was afraid of being injured, and was not able to flee, he began silently to say the Hail Mary. But when the devil heard the name of Jesus, immediately he turned away from him and began to flee and to tun speedily. Noticing this, the brother shouted still louder at him, 'Jesus, Jesus!' And the louder he shouted, the faster Satan ran away, terrified by the sound of the dear name of Jesus and of His Mother
Mary. And suddenly falling down the devil disappeared. Seeing this, the brother awoke joyful in heart, and said, "If I am able with one Hail Mary to put the devil to flight, what then have I to fear?"
ANOTHER EXAMPLE
There was amongst us a certain: layman named Egbert, old and advanced in years, devoted to God and to the Blessed Virgin, and an ardent.lover of holy poverty. This man. worked resolutely as his
IN PRAISE OF THE
strength would allow, digging up the earth, and carrying it from one place to another, and while laboring greatly, he used to call to mind the sorrows of the Passion of our Lord, and when fatigued by his labor he used to apply himself to prayer in order to find relief for his body. Satan had tempted him for a long time to withdraw from the monastery and to go through the world asking for alms, reasoning that this would be more pleasing to God, because he had many advantages here of which he was unworthy. But he was restrained from this opinion by the advice of the prior and the warnings of the brothers, lest he put himself in danger and wandering through the world finally go wrong. For the crafty tempter often deceives the unsuspecting under the pretext of better advantages, and from a good beginning, on account of the change of position, he draws them to an irresolute frame of mind. And while he was still not at all content to remain and yet did not dare to go away foolishly without permission, during these temptations he fled to the Blessed Virgin for the pious assistance of her prayers. Thus on a certain day when he was fatigued by labor, he lay down to pray near his cart, just as he very often did, appealing to our Lady and calling Jesus Christ by name. Then while he was stretched out on the ground all alone, in a little while he fell asleep in a soft slumber in the Lord.
And he saw a very venerable Lady standing beside
BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
him and saying these words of kind advice, "Remain in this place and whatever the prior judges to be tight for you and tells you, do it." Having said these words, the worthy Lady immediately disappeared, and he, being awakened with a start, wept copiously.
Then he went quickly to the prior and, amid sighs and tears, he gave to him an account of the events one after the other which he had seen and heard.
To whom the prior, like the good shepherd comforting his sad sheep, replied, "This pleases me very much dear Egbert. Remain with us, just as our
Lady has now made known to you and advised you."
Nor did he survive long afterward, but being about to receive his eternal reward for his brief labor, persevering with great patience in obedience, with a happy end he fell asleep in the Lord after matins on the octave of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist.
Anno Domini — 1420.