Lenten Meditation On Our Lady

Mary was the Queen of Martyrs, for her martyrdom was longer and greater than that of all the Martyrs.

Who can ever have a heart so hard that it will not melt on hearing the most lamentable event which once occurred in the world? There was a noble and holy Mother Who had an only Son. This Son was the most amiable that can be imagined--innocent, virtuous, beautiful, Who loved His Mother most tenderly; so much so that He had never caused her the least displeasure, but had ever shown her all respect, obedience, and affection: hence this Mother had placed all her affections on earth in this Son. Hear, then, what happened. This Son, through envy, was falsely accused by His enemies; and though the judge knew, and himself confessed, that He was innocent, yet, that he might not offend His enemies, he condemned Him to the ignominious death that they had demanded. This poor Mother had to suffer the grief of seeing that amiable and beloved Son unjustly snatched from her in the flower of His age by a barbarous death; for, by dint of torments and drained of all His blood, He was made to die on an infamous gibbet in a public place of execution, and this before her own eyes.

Devout souls, what say you? Is not this event, and is not this unhappy Mother worthy of compassion. You already understand of whom I speak. This Son, so cruelly executed, was our loving Redeemer Jesus; and this Mother was the Blessed Virgin Mary; Who, for the love she bore us, was willing to see Him sacrificed to Divine Justice by the barbarity of men. This great torment, then, which Mary endured for us-a torment which was more than a thousand deaths deserves both our compassion and our gratitude. If we can make no other return for so much love, at least let us give a few moments this day to consider the greatness of the sufferings by which Mary became the Queen of martyrs; for the sufferings of her great martyrdom exceeded those of all the martyrs; being, in the first place, the longest in point of duration; and, in the second place, the greatest in point of intensity.

Excerpted from the book 'The Glories of Mary'

By Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Peace of Christ to ALL

Mary Holy Silence & Wonder

The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."..."Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." ....So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart."

Mary's silence lay not in timidity but rather through wisdom, for what words could Mary have said to explain the enormity of God's Gift to His children. That through her, God became man, with both human and divine nature, and how much God had given to her as He had filled her with Grace.

This most Holy Mother had much to ponder on, in that God chose to become less to save all, how can anyone explain the Way's of God? The Love of the Father is over and above man's ability to reason, so holy silence speaks in and of itself.

God chose to reveal this most wondrous of Miracles to the people who mattered little, in the society of that day. These people were not rich nor did they carry much influence in society, yet it is to these social outcasts that the Angels appeared to bring the Good News.

The shepherds were treated as the lowliest of people; they were seen by many as social misfits who eked out a living by caring for their livestock, even to sleeping with them. One can imagine their awe at the seeing the resplendent and tranquil beauty of Mary and admire the admirable way Joseph protected and shielded both Mary and the baby Jesus. As these humble shepherds kneeled before the Promised Messiah, one can imagine their hearts were near bursting at whom they had come to pay homage.

Mary was silent for there is no explanation as to why God would make Himself vulnerable and suffer the indignities of all men for the sake of Love. The Son of the Most High, was born in a stable a most humble abode, there was no royal crown to wear nor servants to tend his every need. Yet our Lord chose to be one among His people, and to be born of humble, meek and virtuous parents. Mary who is full of Grace, in that sin could bear no part in the birth of the Saviour who had been born to overcome the sting of death and bring Salvation so all men can be saved.

So Mary due to her own humble nature, was chosen by God from the beginning and therefore was 'full of Grace' for within her there could be NO sin, in that God could not live in a soul that had the stain of original sin, which was incurred by the rebellious act of Adam and Eve. So within her most pure soul and virginal womb God was enfolded in human flesh with both human and divine nature. And Mary herself is The Immaculate Conception, which allowed God through the Incarnation to be born of a Virgin.

We also have in Joseph true father to Jesus, a most holy spouse whose virtues compliments that of Mary, in that they were humble, meek, and charitable and trusted in God with full confidence. It was to Joseph that the Angels would appear in that God recognised Joseph as head of the home and ennobled the role of father which Joseph truly was.

It is the little one's that witness God's splendour, for God did not come to save the high and mighty He came to give hope to the lowly and the outcasts. It is the humble in spirit who see God and it is to them that our Heavenly Father reaches out.

The birth of our Lord and Saviour in this humble abode, teaches us that our True Wealth lay in the Heavenly Kingdom, and it is for those who obey His Word that the Promise of Heaven awaits...

God through Mary became man, what a wondrous event to behold, or have we lost that sense of Awe?

The true meaning of Christmas is not making sure we give the right present, or receive presents, it is acknowledging that what we have was never ours to begin with....give of yourselves, be love for one another…that is Christ in action.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL

Peace of Christ to you.

Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.