Sermon Xxiv Of The Sorrow And Consolation Of The Blessed Virgin Mary
SERMON XXIV
OF THE SORROW AND CONSOLATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
IYIELDED a sweet odour: like the best myrrh. The examples of the dear Virgin Mary: are to be recalled by thee with utmost love. For she as choice myrrh brought forth sweet-smelling fruit in patience: and was most pleasantly refreshed with most plentiful comfort of divine sweetness. A most mighty comfort thou also shalt find: if thou bearest the name of Mary grafted on thy heart. For thou shalt have many good things: if thou art well with Mary. The love of holy Mary drives out all heat of carnal concupiscence: and brings the refreshment of chastity. The love of holy Mary makes one despise the world: and serve Christ in humility. The love of holy Mary preserves from all evil companionship: and trains unto the purity of religious life. Love then holy Mary: and thou shalt obtain a special grace. Call upon Mary: and thou shalt gain the victory. Honour Mary: and thou shalt have an everlasting reward. Two benefits in particular are obtained: by the frequent bringing to mind of the holy life of Mary. In prosperity she teaches thee to praise God from thy inmost heart: and in adversity to keep thyself patient. She without interruption praised God most highly for blessings received: which she had received from Him in a manner more excellent than all others. She ever showed herself mild in the distresses of this world: and chose rather contempt than prosperity. She spent no day without grief: but yet she was not without great consolation amid her anguish. For every tribulation accepted for Christ brings sweetness and joy; and the more frequently a man is stricken by the blows of adversity: the more he merits to be enriched with mightier gifts. For the blessed Virgin grieved vehemently for the errors of the world and the malice of many: she compassionated the truly penitent and the hard tried. She grieved for the great ingratitude of men, to whom God the Father sent His only begotten Son made man for love: that they might return to the Paradise lost of old through Adam. She grieved for the loss of the wicked who refused to hear the word of God: who loved the world rather than Heaven: and sought after false riches rather than true virtues. She grieved for the oppression of the innocent and the violence of the evil: for the despising of the poor and the uplifting of the proud: for the negligence of divine worship, and the transgression of God’s commandments. And because the whole world was seated in wickedness: and few disposed themselves to see the eternal light which had enlightened the world: the Mother of supreme love abounded in occasions of compassion. Herein she was most patient, leading a life full of martyrdom: pouring out tearful prayers with sobs for the salvation of souls. And if thou wilt consider further what and how much she endured in the persecution and Passion of her beloved Son; thou shalt find in sooth that she drank as many cups of bitterness in life: as Jesus had moments of age and wounded members. For when did Jesus suffer any desertion and rejection by men: and she did not faint away with compassion? If she sorrowed when she lost Jesus for an hour; how much did she weep when she saw Him crucified and die? It is known to the lovers of Jesus: for the affection of the Mother in compassion surpassed the usual measure of the devout. Therefore if thou desirest to feel the strength of the grief in the Mother: think of the vehemence of the love in the Virgin.
Again no one can express the joy of Mary: no one can grasp the abundance of her sweetness and the greatness of her consolation: for there is greater joy and consolation there: where there is wont to be a fuller infusion of grace and a more frequent visitation of God. Hence also ever arises a more ardent affection of divine praise: and the state of the whole interior man is renewed. Heavenly grace does not suffer a holy soul loving God above all to live without interior consolation: but it continually lifts her to things above, and wisely enlightens her in her actions; it enkindles her in holy meditations: and renders her devout in giving thanks. But the greater the grace, and the more stainless the life: the more joyous the conscience, and the more devout the prayer of praise. For this manner of life cut off from earthly tumult, and held back by no desires of things below, daily longs to be set in the heavenly choirs: is lifted above present things: and burns to enjoy the unceasing glory of the sovereign Trinity. Which glory no one of the saints tasted so purely in this life, as the blessed and glorious Virgin Mary: who became the most ardent in prayer of all them that contemplate and bless God.
Do thou also even now imitate the Mother of God, hearing the recital of her praises: that thou also mayest merit by the prayers of the Virgin Mother to be classed in the number of the devout. Strive earnestly to follow the most holy Mary in the aforesaid footsteps of virtue: unto the attaining of the palm of heavenly glory. Be much saddened also for thy past negligences, and the shortcomings not yet overcome: whereby thou hast offended God and all creatures. Thou didst act wickedly in the world: thou hast lived lukewarmly in the service of Christ; and therefore thou shouldst first mourn over thyself: then by charity over the neighbour. Pity therefore the danger of them that live ill: whom eternal punishment threatens, unless they repent of their sins. Many do ill and know it not: many more recognize their wickedness: and yet do not amend. For these must thou grieve and pray: that God may give them the spirit of compunction unto salvation. Pray also for friends and benefactors, for thy adversaries and detractors; that to the pious may be given worthy grace, to the hateful a good thought: and to all the peace of Christ with mercy. Pray that all may love God, and keep His commandments: that rational creatures may glorify their Creator: for whose sake God wrought all His wonderful works, and emptied Himself: humbly subject to Mary and Joseph. Again be thankful for the divine blessings most worthily vouchsafed to the whole human race through the most holy Mother of God: rendering her also reverence and honour. For since the law of nature bids us show always reverence and love to the parents of the flesh; much more should the children of the Church be thankful and devout to the Mother of grace: and love the Mother of God above all kinsfolk and acquaintance.
It behoves thee also to learn with Mary to rise to God with joyous praise; and faithfully to trust on her patronage, not to confide in thy own strength: that thy mind may not be kept back in things below weighed down by passions; but that daily enkindled with fresh desires it may freely rise upward: where with Jesus the King of angels the glorious Queen of Heaven, the pious Virgin Mary happily reigns. But alas, human weakness compels to come down afresh into this vale of tears: after a brief taste of divine consolations. And then again it is needful to cry to the Mother of many mercies; that she may whisper to her Son that thou hast no wine of fervour: but that thou dost need the sacred ointment of devotion, to praise Him with due reverence. For she has care of the poor and despisers of the world: and of the despised in the world for the sake of Jesus and the gospel of the kingdom. And therefore it is very profitable to know the place of refuge from the face of the enemy: where thou mayest be protected from the sharp arrows: where thou mayest lie hid from the cold and the storms of tribulation. There is no safer place to hide than the bosom of Mary: nor a horse more swift to escape the hand of the pursuer: than the prayer of faith sent into the castle of our royal Lady Saint Mary. For Jesus also Himself entered this castle: taking thence the sacred members of His body, to fight the prince of darkness. Do thou therefore also enter under the shelter of this fortress; praying day and night to be delivered from all threatening evils by the merits of the most holy Virgin: hiding securely under the most ample and most lovely mantle of Our Lady. For when holy Mary prays: the whole wicked crowd shall be put to flight. When Mary aids: thou shalt escape all dangers. There the poor man has his dwelling: there the sick finds a remedy: there the sad finds solace: there the troubled receives counsel: there the destitute obtains help. Well will it be with thee and very well: if thou prove thyself so worthy and obedient to the good pleasure of holy Mary; as to gain her favour now: and glory with all the elect hereafter. Hold her and do not let her go until she bless thee: and lead thee by a happy guidance to the palace of Heaven. Amen.