On the admirable virtues of the Blessed Virgin and on her sorrow and tears
On the admirable virtues of the Blessed Virgin and on her sorrow and tears
O VIRGIN MARY, Mother of God, I bless, praise, and glorify you for all the gifts and good things that God has so bounteously bestowed upon you, for your untold virtues, as well as for your extraordinary privileges of grace. Because of these you clearly outshone all the saints on earth, so as to be considered worthy of becoming the Mother of God, of holding in your lap the Word of God who was born of you, embracing him in your holy arms, lifting him up, and carrying him about.
I bless, praise, and honor you, humble handmaid and chosen Mother of God, for all the love filled care you showered on Christ, your Son according to the flesh, as well as for the assistance you offered him whenever he needed it; likewise for the misunderstandings, poverty, labor, and fatigue you so peacefully endured with him.
I bless, praise, and exalt you, August Virgin, Mother and Daughter of the Eternal King, for the many enjoyable conversations you had with Jesus, for carefully listening to the holy words as they came from his lips—these you diligently kept within your immaculate breast and lovingly meditated on them in your heart—and for the unheard-of consolations you so frequently received from him, for the extreme joy and great delight that over the years you so happily experienced by being in his presence, as well as for the inspirations with which the Holy Spirit enlightened you.
I bless, praise, and acclaim you, Holy Mary, my honored Lady, for your most holy and pure life, so pleasing to God and to the angels, and for the many years you spent with Jesus in solitude and great poverty, during which you endured various trials and afflictions. Thus you set an example for all Christ’s disciples faithfully to follow and which will be of benefit to the universal Church, as she suffers diverse misfortunes until the end of time.
I bless, praise, and extol you, Mary, most gentle and devoted Mother of God, for your holy meditations on God’s law and all the pious exercises you practiced both day and night; for your most fervent prayers, tears, and fastings, ardently offered to God for the conversion of sinners and the perseverance of the just; for your heartfelt compassion toward the poor and the sick, and toward those tempted and suffering anxiety; for your overwhelming desire for the salvation of the human race, which would be redeemed, as you knew, by your Son’s bitter death.
Though it was with an indescribable love that you loved your only Son, nevertheless, you did not keep him from advancing toward that hated Cross, rather you submitted yourself totally, together with your Son, to the divine will. You suffered with Jesus in all his pain, and courageously you followed in his footsteps as he made his way to the Cross. You gave no thought to flight as the disciples had earlier done, nor did you fear the anger of the crowd, for you were prepared to undergo death with your Son, rather than abandon him at this most difficult time.
I bless, praise, and magnify you, heavenly Mary, most faithful and lovable Mother of God, for persevering in your firm faith and perfect love, while several of the apostles fled from fear and some others followed him, but these did so out of shame. With the inextinguishable light of faith that was yours, you alone never doubted, during your Son’s Passion, that after three days he would rise, as he himself had so clearly stated. Though all of Jesus’ friends had scattered, you, most sorrowful Mother, made your way with a small group of women through the raging crowd, and hastened to Mount Calvary in order to be as near as possible to your son, who was about to be nailed to his Cross, there to look upon him while still alive, and where, shortly before his death, you would hear him recommend you into John’s care.
I bless, praise, and highly commend you, holy and immaculate Virgin Mary, for taking your sorrowful station at the foot of Jesus’ Cross, where you stood for a long time careworn and afflicted, transfixed by the sword of sorrow, as foretold by Simeon; for your many tears, which you abundantly shed; for the great loyalty and unwavering allegiance you manifested to your dying Son in his most dire moment; for the acute heartbreak you felt the instant he died; for your tear-filled countenance when you saw him hanging dead before your eyes; for your blessed embrace when in your Mother’s arms you received him from the Cross and amid laments clasped him to your breast; for your dolorous journey to the sepulcher, walking behind those who bore that sacred corpse and seeing it placed in a tomb with a large stone sealing it; for your rueful return from the tomb and your entering your home where manyof the faithful had gathered, and there you again bitterly bewailed the death of your loving Son. Inasmuch as everyone’s eyes were upon you, they too broke out into tears.
My soul, suffer with the sorrowful Virgin, the weeping Mother, the loving Mary! If you love Mary, then share in her great sorrow, so that she might come to your assistance when you yourself are burdened with trials. Look how the holy Mother weeps for her only Son, how Mary Clopas weeps for her dearest nephew, how Mary Magdalen weeps for the physician of her soul, how John weeps for his beloved Master, and how all the apostles weep because their Lord has been taken from them. When so many friends are weeping, who would not weep along with them? Indeed, there was great lamentation in Jerusalem that day!
Therefore, you too should stand for a time next to the Virgin Mother and learn from her, whose bitter tears are capable of penetrating the depths of your heart, what it is to lament. Overcome with unheard-of sorrows, she now stands next to the Cross, but at an earlier time she stood next to a manger, her soul filled with heavenly music. She is now bombarded with the insulting shouts of the crowd, but previously she was attuned to the comforting voices of angels. She is now clad in the cloak of mourning, but earlier she received the homage of holy kings.
The red blood of her Son, whose glowing cheeks she used to kiss ever so tenderly, now drips upon her; she now sees him hanging between thieves, but not very long ago she witnessed the countless miracles he performed on behalf of his people. Because he is covered with open wounds, he resembles a leper, many of whose bodies he miraculously restored to their original wholeness. She looks upon him crushed under so much pain, and it was he who delivered the sick from their many diverse diseases. He who brought the dead Lazarus back to life is now himself about to die. All that was once pleasing about him has now become a cause for sadness, and all that was sweetness in him has now turned into bitterness.
Though compassed by so many storms of evil, this shining Star of the Sea keeps her thoughts permanently fixed on God and will not allow herself to be overcome by man’s iniquity. Therefore, she stands next to the Cross, maintaining her constancy, exhibiting her patience, manifesting her loyalty, proving her love—fearless of those who threaten her with death and ignoring those who shower her with curses. She endures all this with equal calm and by remaining silent before her abusive enemies, she imitates her humble Son.
No discourteous words fall from her lips, nor does she show any indignation in her gestures. She only utters deep sighs, weeps profusely, suffers profoundly, and intimately shares in her Son’s pain. Her affliction is beyond words! She expresses no anger against those crucifying her Son, but prays for them—evil though they be. She feels a sadness in her heart for those ridiculing Christ and she grieves for those who blaspheme him. Thus, with tears flowing down her face, the Mother of Jesus stands at the foot of the Cross, and by this example of her loving patience, she is a model to all who are troubled by trials and tribulation.
All of you, who pass Mount Calvary, gaze upon holy Mary as she stands there full of sorrow. Look to the right of the Cross and there you will see Mary, the Mother of Christ—has there ever been any sorrow like unto her sorrow, or has there ever been in this world a Mother who suffered so lovingly with her Son as she? For every lesion that Jesus received in his body, she suffered a wound in her soul, and whenever she saw those wounds bleed, she underwent a martyrdom.
Devout soul, see to it that you treasure all these things in the depths of your breast. When the time of tribulation comes upon you, be meek as well as courageous. And when something you especially love is taken from you, or when something you deem necessary is denied you, neither be disturbed nor yield to despair. For Jesus’ dearest friends are often tried by such severe struggles. If God did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up to such unspeakable suffering for our benefit, why are you hankering for the joys of this world?
If Christ did not seek himself but was obedient and ready to endure all that was most painful and vile, why do you fear what is trying and toilsome, when for the love of the Crucified you should embrace whatever is difficult and demanding? If he permitted his most holy Mother to endure much adversity during her life and allowed her to face much distress, to suffer intensely and to weep copious tears, how then can you live in this world without some anxiety? If you consider all of God’s friends, you will find that there is none who sailed through life without being tested to some degree. Look upon the Crucified and his Blessed Mother as an example of persevering patience, and do not be afraid to sustain some small inconvenience in return for Jesus’ infinite love, so that when his glory will be revealed, as he has promised, you will have the endless joy of seeing God face to face.
The most lovable Mother of Jesus knew what it was to suffer in union with those struggling under affliction, for from her own experience she learned to extend love and compassion to the unfortunate. Nor will she forget her own poor; she will attend to their prayers; at the proper time she will assist those who invoke her aid; and she will show herself favorable to all who honor her.
Most merciful Jesus, loving Son of Mary, grant me the grace of holy tears; pierce and fill my heart with the same burning compassion that I know filled your Mother’s heart! Look upon me with the same eyes of love as you looked upon your Mother and your beloved disciple—both standing in tears at the foot of your Cross—at the moment when you commended one to the other and bade them your final farewell with these most affectionate of words: Behold your son, behold your mother! I ask you to visit me, before I should die, with your gift of salvation, and let me hear those very same words that Blessed John heard from the Cross: Behold your mother! On hearing these my soul will then feel perfectly safe and will no longer have any fear of the enemy, who roams about seeking my ruin.
O Holy Mary, my most gentle Lady, faithful Advocate of all Christians, in view of the extraordinary merits that were yours and which made you most pleasing to God, and in view of your every comforting gesture you made to your Son, as well as the countless tears you shed during his most bitter Passion, I ask you to have pity on me, poor creature that I am. Take me under your maternal care and include me among the number of your servants, whom you hold dear and embrace with your special love.
O glorious Virgin Mary, my only hope, before my soul should leave this body of mine, come and reveal your face to me. Direct your gentle and beautiful eyes of mercy toward me, the very eyes that had joyfully and so often looked upon the fruit of your womb, Jesus, and were wetted because of the many tears shed during his Passion. Most holy Mother of Jesus, come and stand at my side together with your group of attending virgins and the holy assemblage of saints, as you had steadfastly and perseveringly stood unto the end, when your most beloved Son was about to die on the Cross. After my Lord Jesus Christ, your only Son, I find none so generous and eager to console someone in need as you, most amiable Mother of the Afflicted.