ANOTHER
SERMON XXI
OF THE VENERATION AND COMMEMORATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
THERE stood by the cross of Jesus His Mother. Beloved brethren, it is meet and in due order that after the commemoration of the holy cross, we have a special commemoration also of the grief of the most blessed ever Virgin Mother of God Mary: who faithfully stood by her beloved Son Jesus hanging on the cross: and dying for the salvation of the whole world. O tearful spectacle of the mother and the crucified Son; the mother weeping and the Son compassionating: the mother fainting and the Son addressing; the mother standing under the cross and the Son hanging on the cross: the mother sighing, and the Son expiring. O greatness of boundless sorrow, never to be forgotten: but firmly to be held in the hearts of the devout. Pilate wrote a title, on the tablet above the cross: Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews. Write thou also the same title in thy heart in letters of gold against the mockery of men and the terrors of the demons: and Christ the King of Heaven shall free thee from all the violence of the wicked. If thou dost so the Mother of Jesus Mary will stand by thee also with her prayers: that thou mayest not lose heart in thy anguish and distress. For no mother had so great a joy and comfort in the birth of her child, as this most blessed one experienced: who merited to conceive and bring forth the Son of God. No mother also had and endured so great a sadness and unbearable a grief in the death of her child according to the flesh: as this most loving Mother felt from compassion in the Passion of her most dear Son: when she stood by His cross, and pierced through with the sword of sorrow wept most bitterly. Assuredly having beheld such pains in the Son, Whom she loved alone beyond measure above all things: it was most wonderful, that she could live longer in the body: whose soul the sword of sorrow transpierced as often: as she saw or heard her Son tormented and mocked. O truly singular martyrdom in the desolate Mother and tender Virgin: who was more cruelly tortured in her heart compassionating her Son: than any martyr hanging on the rack.
Brothers, if you love Our Lady and desire her patronage in every distress: then stand with her by the cross of Jesus compassionating her and her beloved Son from your inmost heart: that she also in turn may earnestly pray for your sins and negligences in death. For he who now thinks over and weighs with pious affection of mind often and devoutly the Lord’s Passion and the tears of His most grief-stricken Mother; should hope of the mercy of God, and the kindness of both Mother and Son that they will be by him also in his need: and succour him with consolation when he lies in his last agony.
O how joyful will that soul be, which loved Jesus and Mary in its life: and every day turned over in mind the sorrowful standing of Mary by the cross of Jesus. Happy that religious who despising all the comforts of the world: has taken unto himself Our Lady St. Mary as his comforting Mother: and the protecting guardian of his whole life. Let no man doubt that the gentle and pitiful Mother, the consoler of the poor, and the helper of orphans, will willingly speak for her faithful servant setting out from this world a word good and sweet: appeasing the face of her beloved Son our Redeemer by her holy prayers, saying: “O my most loving Son have mercy on the soul of Thy servant who has loved and praised me, as Thou well knowest and hast seen: from whose mouth the holy angels have very often brought me the pleasure of a devout salutation: who also was wont to invite many brothers to praise with him Thy holy name and mine. He is our secretary writing sacred books and a lover of the holy cross: willingly praying and chanting psalms: who on hearing Thy name and mine was wont reverently to bow to us: and to greet us bending the knee. Passing by the way and seeing at a distance the cross: mindful of Thy Passion, he showed Thee reverence, bowing to the cross. Also when he beheld in a church or in any place my image painted or Thee lying or seated on my lap, or hanging as dead in my arms: at once he was moved with compassion and grieved, wept and prayed: bowed his knees and worshipped. He never left us without a kiss of love: but all the day and night he hid in his heart the sorrows of Thy holy wounds and the weeping of my eyes: and from his inmost soul strove to compassionate me. Be mindful then of these things, my most dear Son; and grant him now to find mercy in Thy sight: while I with great urgency beseech for him with all Thy angels and saints.”
Brothers, you ought to give heed to these things now while you are in health: and have time for amendment. You should procure for yourselves now such friends and advocates to speak a good word very acceptable to God for your trespasses and debts: and to receive you into their eternal dwellings, after the dangers and toilsome struggles of this world. For you will not find more faithful friends and more powerful in Heaven and on earth: than Jesus the King of angels and Mary Our Lady the Queen of Heaven. If you are lovers of Christ, take up the cross of Christ, follow the cross: stand near the cross, embrace the cross, forsake not the cross: until you come to Jesus Christ, the true light, Who saith: “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me, walketh not in darkness.” If you seek to be consoled in every tribulation: draw nigh to Mary the Mother of Jesus standing by the cross, weeping and sorrowing: and all your burdens will either speedily depart: or become more bearable. Choose this most kind Mother of Jesus in preference to all your relatives and friends as your special mother and advocate before death; and greet her frequently with the angelic salutation: for she loves very much to hear this word. If the malignant enemy tempts you and hinders from the praise of God and Mary: care not nor cease to praise and pray; but so much the more earnestly invoke Mary, salute Mary: think of Mary, call Mary by her name. Honour Mary, ever glorify Mary: bow to Mary, commend yourselves to Mary. With Mary abide in your cell: with Mary keep silence: with Mary rejoice: with Mary sorrow. With Mary toil: with Mary watch: with Mary pray: with Mary walk: with Mary sit. With Mary seek Jesus: with Mary bear Jesus in your arms: with Mary and Jesus dwell in Nazareth. With Mary go to Jerusalem: with Mary stand by the cross of Jesus; with Mary weep for Jesus: with Mary bury Jesus. With Mary and Jesus rise; with Mary and Jesus go up to Heaven: with Mary and Jesus desire to live and die. Brothers, if you think over and practise these things well: the devil will flee from you: and you will make progress in the spiritual life. Mary will willingly pray for you for her clemency: and Jesus will willingly hear His Mother for her reverence. It is little that we do: but if we approach the Father through Mary and Jesus her Son with a humble and contrite heart: we shall obtain mercy and grace in this time: and glory hereafter with them without end. Amen. Happy the devout soul which has Jesus and Mary as familiar friends in this life: comrades at table, companions on the way: providers in need, comforters in tribulation: helpers in danger, counsellors in doubt: welcomers at the end. Happy the religious who deems himself a pilgrim in this world: and for his sovereign solace has Jesus and Mary in the guest-house of his heart.
Examples concerning the Angelic Salutation
AN EXAMPLE
A certain brother lost a little book in his cell: and after searching carefully a long time he could not find it. And while he grieved at its loss and gave up hope of finding it: he turned himself to prayer, calling upon the Blessed Virgin by the angelic salutation. When therefore he had commenced to recite as usual the Hail Mary and had repeated the same often, and meanwhile thought with sorrow of the little book: of a sudden there came into his mind this inspiration: as he sat near the bed praying before a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “Seek here before thee under the straw of the bed.” At once he stretched out his hand to the bedstead: wishing to try whether anything was hidden there. And lo, lifting the straw a little: he soon touched the book with his hand and drew it forth. And seeing it he wondered, and kissing the little book for joy, he gave thanks to God: and hastened to pay the Blessed Virgin the angelic salutations promised her. And he said: “Perchance Our Lady wanted to have some Hail Marys: and therefore thou couldst not find the little book so soon.” It is good then often to recite the Hail Mary: and devoutly to call upon the Mother of Jesus.
ANOTHER
A certain brother writing books in his cell: by the wiles of the devil was troubled with a bad thought. Feeling this and being angry with it, he rose at once, to go out of his cell: and escape this annoyance more speedily. But before he went out, by an inspiration from God he looked at a picture of the Blessed Virgin, which he had by him: and was wont to greet out of devotion. And so at once he knelt down: and with joined hands began devoutly to recite the Hail Mary. And lo, divine grace came to his aid at once; our loving Lady Mary succouring him: with her noble blessed offspring. For having commenced and recited attentively the angel salutation; when at the end he had said, Jesus Christ, Amen: immediately he felt within him the power of God, and peace from all disturbance. Astounded therefore at the speedy answer to his prayer: he recognized in this instance, the great utility of the angelic salutation: against every assault of the enemy whatsoever. And giving thanks to God, he said within himself: “Now I know truly: that Our Lady St. Mary is mighty to aid and deliver all that cry to her.” But on the following night: this vision appeared to him in his sleep. For it seemed to him, that he was passing alone through the orchard. And Satan coming towards him: commenced to terrify him and drive him back. And he frightened from his face: began to run, to escape his hands. And as he did not dare to go outside the monastery bounds: from his hasty running he suddenly fell into a ditch of water into the mud at the bottom. Fearing therefore to be drowned since he saw nobody there to help him and draw him out: he began to recite the angelic salutation within himself and to pray for aid. And as soon as he had said Jesus Christ, Amen: he was snatched out of the deep pool of water, and set again upon dry land. Then being made exceedingly joyful, and as if delivered from the snare of death: he awakened and came fully to himself. Raising himself therefore on his bed, he began to weep for joy: and in thanksgiving he recited with attention very many times on bended knees the Hail Mary. He added also these words: “Hail sweet Mary Our Lady full of grace: the Lord is with thee gate of mercy.”
ANOTHER
Two brothers Regular were going together to the upper country: for the pious purpose of visiting relatives and friends faithful in Christ. It befell them therefore to wander a little from the right path. And so the elder said to the younger. “Brother, it seems to me we are going out of our way: let us return again to the high road.” Returning then to where they were before, the senior began to pray and to call upon the Blessed Virgin: to send them a guide for the right way, and a traveller of good companionship. And while he was now reciting some prayers with hymns and collects of the Blessed Virgin: behold there came towards them a certain man in the guise of a pilgrim, carrying with him a staff and a satchel on his back for provision on the way. And having greeted the brothers: he said that he was going up country to St. Quirinus for the indulgences, and that he would willingly accompany them. Quickly therefore they followed this guide of the right way for the space of a long journey: until they came to the wished-for place of their lodging. Then the elder recognizing that divine help had come to them, strove to render most ample thanks to God and the Blessed Virgin for the guidance of the good road: mindful of the word of St. Peter the apostle, saying: “Casting all your care upon Him: for He hath care of you.”
ANOTHER
A certain brother when in trouble: had the habit of calling upon Jesus and His most loving Mother Mary. And when he was tempted by any bad passion or sadness; at once he had recourse to the Lord’s Passion by the angel’s prayer: calling upon Jesus and Mary to aid him against the temptation. One night therefore he saw in sleep the devil coming towards him: and intending to injure him. And as he feared to be hurt, and could not run away: he began silently to recite the Hail Mary. But when the other had heard Jesus named: at once he turned away from him, and commenced to flee and to run quickly. And seeing this: the brother cried still louder after him. Jesus, Jesus. And the louder he cried: the more quickly the devil ran, terrified by the sound of the sweet name of Jesus and of Mary His Mother. And suddenly falling he disappeared. Seeing this the brother awoke for joy of heart: and said: “If with one Hail Mary I can put the devil to flight: what have I now to fear.”
ANOTHER
There was with us a certain laic named Egbert an old man and of advanced age: devout to God and the Blessed Virgin, and a fervent lover of holy poverty. He laboured hard according to his strength, digging the earth, and carrying it; and while sweating in toil, he used to think over the sorrows of the Lord’s Passion: and when weary from labour for the relief of his body he gave himself to prayer. This man was long tempted by Satan to leave the monastery, and to go through the world begging: thinking that this would be more pleasing to God: and because he had many comforts here of which he was unworthy. But from this opinion he was withdrawn by the advice of the Prior and the warnings of the brothers, lest he should expose himself to danger: and wandering through the world finally go astray. For often the cunning tempter deceives the simple under the guise of a better good: and draws them from the good they have undertaken by change of place, to inconstancy of mind. And while he was still very little satisfied to remain: and yet did not dare to go away rashly without permission: amidst these temptations he had recourse to the Blessed Virgin through the devout advocacy of her prayers. One day then wearied from toil, he lay down to pray near his barrow: as he was very often wont to do, invoking Our Lady and calling on Jesus by name. While then he lay prostrate on the earth alone: he was lulled to sleep a little by a gentle sleep in the Lord. And he beheld a most venerable Lady standing by him: and saying these words in loving warning: “You should abide in this place: and what the Prior advises you and says, this do.” And when she had spoken thus, the noble Lady at once disappeared: and he coming to himself and awakened wept most plentifully. Then he went in all haste to the Prior: and related to him in order with sobs and tears the things that he had seen and heard. To whom the Prior as a good shepherd consoling his sorrowful sheep replied: “This please me well, dear Egbert. Abide with us: as Our Lady has just showed and told you.” Nor did he long survive after that; but persevering with much patience in obedience, to receive eternal rewards for short toil: with a good end he fell asleep in the Lord during matins on the octave of St. John apostle and evangelist. Anno Domini, 1420.