FOURTEENTH DAY.

MARY AT BETHLEHEM.

GOD resolved to confer on mankind the most signal and loving benefit of the
Incarnation, and came down upon earth into the desert of this world like a
celestial manna, that He might become our food, during our journey to the
promised land of Paradise. Our adorable Saviour rendered Himself visible to us
at His birth, as a beautiful little Infant, lying in a manger, and this was in the
night, when the world was covered with darkness. The Divine Nature of Our
Lord Jesus Christ is represented by the honey contained in the manna—because
honey is a celestial liquor gathered by the bees from flowers, and it is not
distilled from their sap, but collected by them as it descends from heaven with
the dew. In like manner the Divine Nature of our adorable Redeemer came down
from Heaven, at the moment of the Incarnation, upon this blessed flower of the
earth, the Most Holy Virgin, and, having become united with a human nature,
preserved it in the bosom of the Most Chaste Mary, as a sweet hive, during the
space of nine months.

But let us consider more at length this miracle of Divine Mercy.

The Most Holy Mother of God gave birth to her Divine Son as the stars produce
their light; and on this account her name Mary truly signifies Star of the Sea, or
Morning Star. The star of the sea is the Polar star, towards which the mariner's
needle continually turns; and through this star those who navigate the ocean
know how their course is directed.

The Patriarchs, Prophets, and Fathers of the Church turned their eyes towards the
Most Holy Virgin, and she was ever the Polar Star and the chosen Port for all
poor mortals who navigate the sea of this miserable world, and by her means they
may avoid those shipwrecks which occur so often on the rocks and precipices of
sin.

Mary was, also, that beautiful Morning Star which brought the joyful news of the
coming of the Sun of Justice. The Prophets knew well that a Virgin would
conceive and give birth to a Son, at once God and Man, through the operation of
the Holy Ghost, and would still remain a Virgin, though she became a
Mother: Ecce Virgo concipiet et pariet Filium et vocabitur ejus Emanuel. How
should He Who selected her for His Mother, on account of her virginity, impair
her integrity? How could the Eternal Word, Purity itself, lessen the virginal
purity of His Mother? From eternity He is generated and virginally produced in
the bosom of His Father; and although receiving from Him the Divinity, it is not
divided, but the Word is always one and the same God with the Father. The Most
Holy Virgin here on earth also produces virginally her Divine Son, Our Lord.
There is this difference, however, that He will never again enter the bosom of
Mary, but He will be eternally generated in the bosom of His Father, being One
with Him, in virtue of the unity of the Divine Essence.

This Divine generation may indeed be made the foundation of our meditations on
the mystery of Our Lord's Nativity; but it does not admit of a curious inspection,
nor should we weary our mind by endeavouring to examine into that which is too
sublime for our weak understanding: Generationem ejus quis enarrabit?—'Who
shall declare His generation?' says the Prophet Isaiah.

But now, after having considered the virginal purity of the Most Holy Virgin in
giving birth to her Divine Son, let us turn our eyes to this Divine Infant, and see
how He allows Himself to be cared for by His Holy Mother, as if He could not do
otherwise. Why is this? It is to teach us how to act, Religious especially, who are
bound by the sweet chains of the holy vow of Obedience. Our Lord certainly
could not make bad use of His Will, or of His liberty, being the Eternal Wisdom;
nevertheless He concealed His knowledge, and all His perfections as God and
those of His perfect human intellect, under the swathing bands of infancy. He
keeps hidden under the veil of holy obedience to the Eternal Father, Who had
willed that He should be, as St. Paul says, in all things like to His brethren,
excepting sin. Behold our Model! Let us often visit this Child, lying in a manger;
and let us learn from Him how to act in all things according to His Most Holy
Will.

But shall we visit Him empty-handed? The shepherds took with them some of
their little lambs to present to Him. What can we offer more acceptable to this
Divine Pastor of our souls than our hearts as a little offering of our love and the
choicest part of our spiritual flock? How dear will this offering be to Him! He
will look upon us with mercy in return for our gift; and we shall gladden the
Most Holy Virgin, who so much desires our welfare. Let us take with us from her
Divine Infant one of His precious tears, the sweet dew of Heaven, and place it on
our heart, that it may henceforth feel no other sorrow than that which rejoices this
Blessed Infant—that is, sorrow for sin! We should all be like so many simple
shepherds watching over the flocks of our affections, ready to adore this our
Infant Saviour, as soon as the Angels call us. We should offer Him, as a pledge
of our eternal service, the finest lamb we possess; that is, all our love, without
any reserve or exception.

Oh, how happy shall we be, and what great consolation shall we receive, if we
thus visit the Saviour of our souls!
As the manna had the taste of every kind of food, so this Divine Infant contains
in Himself every kind of consolation. Each one can find in Him what he desires,
and proportionate to his capacity, provided that he possess the requisite
dispositions.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

No flower could be a better emblem of the resplendent virtue of Mary and her
singular privilege than the lily; whose three petals may signify that she was a
Virgin in her conception of Jesus, a Virgin at His birth, and a Virgin ever
afterwards.—Nouet.

Mary is the Mystical Lily without spot, in which the Eternal Word espoused our
nature.—The same.

The flower falls from the tree when the fruit is formed; but the Mother of God,
who is the tree of life, preserves her flower and her fruit, and by an unheard-of
miracle unites maternity to virginity.—The same.

As the lily lifts its stem on high, so the soul who often receives Jesus Christ
should direct its hopes towards heaven in imitation of Jesus, Who is the Flower
of the field and the Lily of the valley. The virtue of such a soul has roots deeper
than the cedars of Lebanon, which defy the winds and the storms. In the
fruitfulness of her good works and in her charity towards the poor, her glory is
like that of the olive. The fragrance of her holy life and of her sweet conversation
is spread around like the odour of the flowers which bud forth on Mount Lebanon
in spring-time.—St. Cyril.

EXAMPLE.

The Devotion of the Saints to the Angelus.

1. St. Alfonso di Liguori omitted no favourable opportunity for showing his

tender devotion to the Most Blessed Virgin. Whenever he heard the clock strike,
whatever might be his occupation or conversation, he interrupted it to recite the
Angelical salutation, saying that one Ave Maria was more valuable than the
entire world. He was most exact in the recital of the Angelus. As soon as he heard
the sound of the bell, he went down on his knees, even when he happened to be
in the public streets. When he became deaf he desired to be warned of the ringing
of the bell, and even when at his meals he would break off and kneel down to
recite it. Often was he rapt in ecstasy during this prayer from the fervour of his
devotion.
2. St. Charles Borromeo, who was so celebrated for piety and learning, was not
ashamed, when Archbishop of Milan, to descend from his carriage or his horse in
the open streets to recite the Angelus in honour of Mary.

3. St. Vincent de Paul, wherever he might be, or in whatever society, even at

court, would recollect himself, and kneel down as soon as he heard the sound of
the Angelus. He considered himself happy to be able to give public testimony of
his filial love of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, and those who were present always
followed his example.

All who devoutly recite the Angelus on their knees morning, noon, and evening
at the ringing of the bell gain a hundred days' Indulgence each time, and if they
continue to say it at least once a day during the course of a month, they may gain
a Plenary Indulgence on the usual conditions. Those who are unable to hear the
sound of the bell may gain the same Indulgence by reciting the Angelus at the
time that it is usually rung. As to those who are much engaged, and who wish to
supplicate the Blessed Virgin thrice a day, they can supply for the Angelus the
following invocations: Virgin before the birth of your Divine Son, pray for us;
Virgin at His birth, pray for us; Virgin after His birth, pray for us. Lastly, those
who do not know the prayers can say the Paters and Aves in memory of the
Incarnation of the Word in the womb of Mary.

Prayer of St. Anselm.—We beseech you, O Queen of Heaven and Sovereign of

the Universe, by the grace which Our Lord conferred upon you in raising you to
so sublime a degree of glory, to intercede for us, that the fulness of grace with
which you were enriched may render us one day partakers of your glory and
happiness. O Mother, full of mercy, interest yourself in our behalf, that we may
be able to enjoy the ineffable happiness for which our God deigned to inclose
Himself for nine months in your most holy womb. If you deign to pray for us to
your Divine Son, you will be assuredly heard. Let the bowels of your maternal
mercy speak in our favour. If you, our tender Mother, have no compassion for us,
what will become of your most miserable children? What will be our destiny
when your Divine Son, as Judge of the living and the dead, will call us to His
judgment-seat? Have pity on us then, O Mother of Mercy! Amen.

Ejaculation.—See, O Mary, the many dangers by which we are surrounded, and

have pity on our miserable condition.

Practice.—Let all your actions be done this day for the sole end of pleasing God,
that you may thus be able to offer Him the tender lamb of your love.
 FIFTEENTH DAY.
THE UNION OF CHARITY AND HUMILITY IN THE HEART OF MARY AT
THE INCARNATION.

GOD is One; hence He loves unity and union, and hates all that is not in
accordance with this unity. The reason is this—that as He is perfect in all His
attributes, He must have a sovereign love for all that is perfect, and unity is
perfection. He must also be averse to all disunion, because whatever is disunited
is so far imperfect.

As then God wished to show us how dear to Him is union, He effected three
distinct modes of union in the Most Holy Virgin on the day of His Incarnation.

Firstly, He united the Divine to the human nature; and so admirable and sublime
is this union, that it infinitely surpasses all that human or angelic intelligence can
comprehend. Nor could the Seraphim or Cherubim have ever imagined anything
so wonderful. Indeed, two opposite extremes were to meet—the Divine Nature,
which is essential perfection, and human nature, the deepest misery: the
contraries being the greatest that can be conceived. Nevertheless, God in His
Wisdom and infinite Goodness was able to find a method of uniting the two
natures so intimately through His Incarnation in the womb of Our Lady that in
one Person man was made God and God became Man, without disparagement to
His Deity.

The second union was that of Maternity with Virginity. This certainly is most
admirable and beyond all the laws of nature. A virgin becomes a mother, and
remains still a virgin after maternity. This miraculous and supernatural union
could only be effected by the omnipotent hand of God, Who granted this
privilege to Mary; and as this union has been effected in her alone, so she alone
will be eternally both a Virgin and a Mother, and the Mother of a Son Who is
both God and Man.

The third union accomplished by God in our glorious Lady was that of the most
ardent charity with the most profound humility.

Reflect on these two virtues, and you will ask how it is possible that charity can
be united with humility, if the nature of one is to soar on high, and that of the
other to abase itself? Naturally, indeed, it is impossible but God, Who is One, and
Who loves and desires unity, manifested the greatness of His power by uniting
these two dissimilar virtues in the soul of Mary.

In her, charity was so united to humility that one depended on the other, and
whilst her charity continues humble, her humility is ever full of charity. Charity
raised her soul above all creatures, and humility abased it below them all, and yet
the union of these two virtues was continuous.

To what a high degree of humility and charity did not the Most Holy Virgin
attain at the moment of the Incarnation! Ponder her words to the Archangel: Ecce
ancilla Domini, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum—'Behold the handmaid of the
Lord, be it done unto me according to Thy word.' No sooner did she hear herself
proclaimed the Mother of God, the Queen of Angels and of men, than she abased
herself beneath all, saying: 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord!' This is a great act
of humility.

The Most Holy Virgin in that moment had so clear a knowledge of the misery
and nothingness of human nature, and of the infinite distance between God and
man, that, seeing herself raised above all creatures, she abased herself beneath
them all, considering her own nothingness and the infinite greatness of God Who
had chosen her for His Mother. True it is, then, that Mary never humbled herself
so profoundly as when she pronounced these words: Ecce ancilla Domini—
'Behold the handmaid of the Lord!'

But see how the Most Blessed Virgin united the most perfect charity to her
humility when consenting to the proposal the Angel made her in the Name of
God: Fiat mihi secundum verbum—'Be it done unto me according to Thy
word'—were her words; and thus, by charity, she was raised above the Cherubim
and Seraphim, and at that very moment the Eternal Son of God took flesh in her
virginal womb, and she became His Mother!

Let us learn from the example of Our Lady that humility does not merely consist
in diffidence in ourselves, but it must be accompanied by confidence in God.
This confidence in God is produced by this diffidence in ourselves and in our
own powers. This confidence is also the source of generosity of soul, of which
Our Blessed Lady gives an example on this occasion when she says the words:
'Be it done unto me according to Thy word.' It is true, would she say, that I am
unworthy of this grace, in regard to what I am only in myself; but as all that is
good in me is from God, and as that which you announce to me is His Most Holy
Will, I believe that it can and will be done, and, therefore, let it be accomplished
in me!
Humility conceals the virtues of a soul, in order the better to preserve them;
nevertheless, when charity requires, it allows them to be known for their increase
and perfection. Thus it resembles those plants which close their beautiful flowers
at night and open them only when the sun is high, so that people speak of those
flowers as sleeping during the night. Humility, in the same way, conceals all our
virtues, and never allows them to appear, except for the exercise of charity,
which, being a celestial, Divine gift, not an acquired virtue, is truly as a sun
amidst all the virtues, and should always rule over them. Hence the humility,
which is prejudicial to charity, is undoubtedly a false humility.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Let us have a supreme contempt for all that is not God. Oh, how sweet it is to
abandon one's self into His hands! Daily experience proves to us that the less we
trust in our miserable efforts, the more does God work in us by His omnipotent
virtue. All consists in being a docile instrument in His hands, and seemingly
dead.—P. Milley.

It is good to leave Our Lord sometimes to serve others for His sake; and we
should do so, if we can prevent our devotion from causing annoyance.—St.
Francis of Sales.

As the olive, when planted in vineyards, communicates its savour to the vine, so
charity communicates its perfection to the virtues amidst which it flourishes. It is
also true that when the vine is engrafted on the olive, it not only receives its taste,
but also its sap; thus we should not be satisfied with the possession of charity and
with the exercise of all other virtues, but it is necessary that all our virtues be
accompanied and produced by charity, and be attributed to this virtue alone.—
The same.

EXAMPLE.

The Efficacy of the 'Salve Regina.'

The following appeared in the French journal, the Univers: 'We have already
announced the departure of five Nuns of the Cross, on their way to apply their
admirable spirit of unselfishness to the exercise of works of charity in the
Diocese of Natchitoches, in America.

'After a painful misfortune at sea, these worthy Sisters have landed at Havre.
They were to set out from this port, and in a letter addressed to the Bishop of
Saint Brieux, the Mother Superior of the Sisters of the Cross thus writes:
'"Our Sisters started about eleven, on the morning of the 10th of November,
1856. They had received the blessing of our Chaplain, and did not expect ever to
return; but Divine Providence had disposed otherwise. The steamer was already
before Cherbourg, when, at about eleven o'clock in the night following their
departure, a fearful noise was heard throughout the steamer. All the passengers
were called to go on deck, and they came up exclaiming: 'We are lost! We are
lost!'

'"One of the boilers had burst, and the explosion had wounded six men and set
fire to the vessel. 'Have you a Priest on board?' said a lady to one of our Sisters.
'No,' she replied. 'So much the worse,' said the lady, 'because our death is certain.'
'No, madam,' calmly and confidently replied Sister Mary Agatha; 'let us invoke
the Most Holy Virgin, and she will save us.' Our Sisters immediately went down
on their knees, with their hands crossed on their breast, and recited the Salve
Regina. Many passengers and sailors joined them, and their cries reached the
heart of the Mother of God. A few moments after, when the Sisters, who had
gone down into a cabin, were continuing their prayers, they were informed that
the fire had been miraculously extinguished, and that there was no further danger.
No one doubted that their salvation was owing to the prayers which had been
addressed to the Blessed Virgin Mary."'—Univers, 30th November, 1856.

Prayer.—O most humble of Virgins, holy Mother of God, Mistress of life and
Lady of the universe, teach me humility and the true love of this precious virtue.
How great is the pride of my heart, who am but dust and ashes; I have eagerly
sought for the praises of men, when shame and confusion for my innumerable
infidelities should have made me feel my nothingness! Take pity on me, O Holy
Virgin; banish the proud thoughts that arise in my soul, and let me imitate your
humility here on earth, that I may be worthy to experience, with you, the truth of
these words: 'The humble shall exult in the abundance of peace.' Amen.

Ejaculation.—Pray for us, O most humble of all Virgins!

Practice.—Endeavour to-day to neglect no opportunity of practising humility and

charity.

SIXTEENTH DAY.
THE PURIFICATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN.
LET us meditate attentively upon the virtues of which Mary gives us so moving
an example in the mystery of her Purification in the Temple. First of all, what
more profound humility can be imagined than that practised by Our Saviour and
Our Lady in their visit to the Temple? He comes to be offered, like all the sons of
sinful men; she, to be purified like all other women. With regard to our adorable
Redeemer, it is of Faith that He, being essential purity, could not be under the
obligation of this Law, which was promulgated for sinners. With regard to the
Most Holy Virgin, what need had she to purify herself, who, from the instant of
her Immaculate Conception, had been endowed with purity so excellent, and with
such a fulness of grace, that the highest Seraphim and Cherubim could not be
compared to her? And yet, behold, the Son and the Mother, notwithstanding their
incomparable purity, present themselves in the Temple, as if they were sinners
like other children of Adam! O truly wonderful act of humility! If the value of
this act increases in proportion to the dignity of the person who humbles himself,
how full of useful instruction to souls tending to perfection is the humility
practised by the Sovereign Creator of all things.

He shows us that this virtue was so dear to Him that He preferred death rather
than relinquish its practice; for after teaching that there can be no greater love
than to give one's life for the object beloved, He lays down His life for the
exercise of humility. By submitting to die He, the immortal God, practised the
most excellent and most sublime act of humility that can be conceived. Some
persons deceive themselves by regarding humility as a virtue necessary merely to
novices and beginners in the spiritual life, and the practice of which can be laid
aside after some advance. But our adorable Saviour shows us how erroneous is
this opinion, by humbling Himself unto death.

Oh if we could well understand the necessity of perseverance in this virtue! How

many, after beginning well, have miserably fallen away because they did not
persevere in the practice of humility! But Jesus Christ did not say he who shall
begin, but he who shall persevere until death, shall be saved: Qui perseveraverit
usque in finem hic salvus erit.

Genuine virtue may be distinguished from that which is only apparent, as true
balsam is distinguished from false. Balsam is tested by dropping it into water; if
it sinks to the bottom of the vessel it may be considered very pure and precious.
We may know if a person be truly prudent, generous and noble, by observing if
these virtues tend to make him humble, modest, submissive; for in such a case
they are truly valuable gifts; but if they stay only on the surface, and love to show
themselves and to win admiration, they are so far false and counterfeit.
The Angels, and, after them, our first parents, prevaricated through pride. Upon
this account, Our Lord, like a wise and loving physician of our souls, applied the
remedy to the root of the evil, and came into the world to plant in the place of
pride the beautiful and useful virtue of Divine humility, become very necessary
on account of the contrary vice being so general. Indeed, so common an evil is
pride, that humility can never be sufficiently inculcated; and on this account, our
adorable Saviour and our Immaculate Lady would obey the law, not made for
them, to teach us to esteem this virtue. For us, who deserve only humiliation and
contempt, to abase ourselves is no great thing. However, humiliation acquires an
inestimable value when embraced by Jesus Christ and His Most Holy Mother;
and this humiliation was continual with them throughout the whole course of
their life. Wherefore the Apostle, speaking of the humility of Our Redeemer, said
that 'He humbled Himself unto death, even to the death of the Cross'—Humiliavit
semitipsum usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis. But if we miserable
creatures humble ourselves on some slight occasion, we quickly seek by every
means in our power to indemnify ourselves for the transient exercise of this
virtue, and the very thought of persevering in the practice of it alarms us. We are
convinced, it is true, that we are very imperfect, and yet we desire to be looked
upon as holy and perfect, notwithstanding the example of Mary, who consented
to be clothed in the semblance of a sinner, although confirmed in grace and
possessed of a more than angelic purity.

Observe any other daughter of Eve, and see how eagerly she seeks for honour
and esteem; and although this defect be common to all mankind in general, it
seems to be more marked in the female sex. Now, Our Lady and glorious
Mistress is not the Daughter of Eve according to the spirit, but only according to
the flesh, and therefore she always persevered in the most profound humility, and
could say in her sacred Canticle of the Magnificat that on this account 'All
generations would call her blessed'—Beatam me dicent omnes generationes.

How beautiful is it to behold the Holy Virgin presenting herself and the Infant
Jesus in the Temple, and making her offering of two doves! Happier is she than
all the princes of earth! And what shall I say of the aged Simeon, who takes the
Divine Infant in his arms? Let us also embrace Him, let us live and die in these
tender embraces.

Place this sweet Jesus in your heart, like another Solomon upon his ivory throne.
Let your soul follow His steps, that you may hear the holy words He continually
breathes. Remember that your heart should be like ivory in purity and firmness;
firm in its resolutions, and pure in its affections.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.
Anything we do, however little, will have an inestimable value if it be done for
the love of God.—St. Teresa.

It is an exalted degree of perfection to assimilate and conform ourselves to the

spirit of the sacred Infancy of our most humble and most obedient Saviour.—St.
Francis of Sales.

Whoever wishes to acquire virtue, and does not possess humility, is like to one
who carries dust in his hands when there is a high wind.—The same.

EXAMPLE.

Punishment of the Profaners of a Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin.

The holy Hermitage of Voiron did not escape the profanations of the heretics.
They invaded it with arms in their hands, as if they were going to besiege a
fortress; they ill-treated and expelled the Monks, took away the sacred vessels,
the papers, documents, indulgences, etc., committed horrible sacrileges, and at
last set fire to the place and entirely destroyed it, and rolled the remaining stones
down the mountain.

This atrocious impiety was not left unpunished, for soon afterwards all who had
taken part in the destruction of the hermitage perished miserably. It is
remarkable, however, that in spite of all the devastation effected by these impious
men, they could not gain their principal object, which was to carry off the statue
of the Most Holy Virgin, which was preserved miraculously.

John Burgnard, a native of Chablais, who had embraced the heresy of the
Bernese, and was the leader of these profaners, had no sooner reached the
hermitage, than he mounted the Altar to carry away the statue of the Most
Blessed Virgin. He threw a rope round its neck, and descending from the Altar
was walking out of the Church, dragging the statue after him, and uttering at the
same time these words: 'Come along with me, come along with me, little black
woman' (the face of the statue was black); 'if you are as powerful as the Papists
say, let me now have a proof of it. Why do you allow yourself to be thus
shamefully dragged on the ground? Why do you not defend yourself?' He had no
sooner uttered these blasphemies than the statue became immovable. The
wretched man, finding that he was unable to drag it further, turned his head round
to see what was hindering him, and by a second miracle his head remained turned
in that direction, so that he could never again place it in its right position; and,
moreover, he became crippled in an arm and a shoulder. Being obliged to leave
the statue, he left the spot with great difficulty, and bore the chastisement of his
impiety throughout his life, giving an undeniable proof of the sovereign power of
the Queen of Heaven. But more terrible is the fact that he persevered in heresy,
and died in despair in the presence of many of the parishioners of Bons. Amongst
these were Michael Novello and Claude Ippolito Cortager, who gave testimony
of this fact on oath A.D. 1629.

His Highness Duke Charles Emmanuel, when at Tortona during the time that St.
Francis of Sales was converting the people of Chablais, verified the fact we have
related, and ordered the secretary of the Town Corporation to register it, that the
miracle might be transmitted to posterity. (See 'Life of St. Francis of Sales,' by
Augustus de Sales.)

Prayer.—Holy Virgin! when you presented your Divine Son to the Eternal
Father, you became dear to all the Heavenly Court. O present also our hearts,
that, fortified by grace, we may never fall into mortal sin!

Most humble Virgin! when you placed the adorable Jesus in the arms of the aged
Simeon, you filled his soul with, heavenly sweetness. O place our hearts in the
hands of God, that He may fill them with His Divine Spirit! Most diligent Virgin,
you co-operated in the redemption of the world, when you redeemed your Son
Jesus with two turtle-doves; be pleased to redeem our hearts from the slavery of
sin, that they may be always pure and holy before God. Most clement Virgin!
when you heard from the lips of the holy Simeon the prophetic announcement of
all your dolours, you submitted yourself quickly and perfectly to the Will of God.
O help us to support always with patience and resignation all the tribulations of
life!

Most merciful Virgin! bymeans of your Divine Son you illuminated the
Prophetess Anna with supernatural light, so that she magnified the mercies of
God and acknowledged and proclaimed Jesus as the Saviour of the world. O fill
us with heavenly grace, that in the abundance of joy we may be able to reap the
precious fruits of Redemption. Amen.

Ejaculation.—O Mary! watch over me.

Practice.—Take every possible care to-day not to commit any sin, however
venial it may seem.
 SEVENTEENTH DAY.
MARY, THE MODEL OF PERFECT OBEDIENCE, IN THE MYSTERY OF
THE PURIFICATION.

LET us consider in this meditation how our adorable Saviour and His Most Holy
Mother united perfect obedience to profound humility.

Our Lord preferred the death of the Cross rather than fail in obedience. 'Jesus
Christ,' says the great Apostle, 'was obedient unto death, even to the death of the
Cross'—Factus obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis. And what
signal obedience did not Mary exercise at the death of her Son, the only object of
her heart's affection! She stood firm and constant at the foot of the Cross, pierced
with the sword of sorrow, perfectly resigned to the Will of the Eternal Father. All
the actions of Our Divine Saviour were regulated by obedience, as He Himself
declared, saying: 'I am come not to do My Will, but the Will of Him that sent
Me'—Descendi de cœlo non ut faciam voluntatem meam sed voluntatem ejus qui
miset Me. Thus He teaches us that the Will of His Heavenly Father was the sole
guide of all His thoughts. Notice Our Lady's life, and you will always see her
obedient. So highly did she esteem this virtue of obedience, that she obeyed the
command to espouse St. Joseph, although she was bound by a vow of virginity.
She always persevered in the practice of this virtue, and as the mystery of the
Purification shows us, she presented herself in the Temple, that she might
observe the Law she was not bound to observe. Thus her obedience was the more
precious as it was voluntary. Indeed, this is the only virtue that she has
recommended to the practice of mankind. The Gospel tells us that when she
spoke to the attendants at the marriage of Cana, she said to them: 'Whatsoever He
shall say to you, do'—Quodcumque dixerit vobis facite. Here she teaches the
practice of holy obedience, which is inseparable from the virtue of humility,
because it springs from this virtue. Only those who are truly humble subject
themselves to the Will of God.

Our Lady had no fear of being disobedient, because she was not obliged to obey
the Law, but she shunned its very shadow. Many would have misunderstood her
conduct, if she had not gone to the Temple to offer her Divine Son and perform
the ceremony of her Purification. She would, therefore, remove all suspicion of
disobedience, and at the same time teach us not merely to avoid sin, but also its
very appearance, and the occasions which may expose us to it. Let us learn, also,
not to be satisfied with the testimony of our conscience alone, but to try to
remove from others every occasion of thinking ill of us and of our actions.
The example of Our Saviour and of His Most Holy Mother should animate us to
submit not only in those things that are commanded us, but in those that are
merely of counsel, that we may thus become more dear to the Divine Goodness.
O God! is it then so great a work to subject ourselves to obedience, when for this
alone we have been sent into the world, and when the Supreme King, to Whom
all things should be subject, practised it?

We must learn then from the example of our adorable Saviour and of His Most
Holy Mother, to be docile, pliable, and easily ruled, not only for a certain time,
and in some actions, but even unto death. But two fundamental conditions of this
virtue of Obedience must be observed. These are—firstly, that to obey perfectly
we must love God Who commands; and secondly, we must love the action that is
commanded. All the faults committed against obedience proceed from the want
of one of these conditions. Many love the thing commanded, but not God Who
commands it. For instance, some will perform their devotions, not out of
obedience to the Will of God, but on account of the consolation they experience
in this exercise. In this there is nothing but self-love; and it will be perceptible by
the repugnance, or discontent, which is felt in the performance of those
observances that are not according to our inclinations. In this case, it is plain that
it is not God Whom we love, but only the thing that He commands. If we loved
God Who commands, our hearts would be indifferent as to our occupation,
because in all we should be equally sure to find the Will of God.

Others will love God Who commands, but not the action commanded. These will
say: I know very well that it is the Will of God that I should do this or that, but I
feel so great a repugnance, that I cannot resolve to do it, and were I to strive to
obey, the person who, in the name of God, desires me to perform the action,
enjoins it so ungraciously, as to rob me of all the satisfaction I might experience
in an act of obedience.

The source of all our difficulties is that we obey readily only when our superiors
accommodate themselves to our natural inclinations. On all other occasions, the
smallest obligations appear to us difficult and disagreeable. It is therefore evident
that we do not regard God Who commands us through another, but we look at the
person who speaks to us in His Name, to see how he is clothed so to speak; that
is to say, we look only at his external deportment. O God! what a mistake! We
ought to submit to the Will of God in obedience, without any exception, and from
whatever quarter the order may come; and not only love God Who commands,
but also the thing that is commanded; taking the command and placing it upon
our heads—that is, in our inmost heart, to execute it with all fidelity and sincere
goodwill.
 SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Bless God for having given you Mary as your Mother. Imitate her, and consider
what a blessing it is for you to have so powerful an advocate in Heaven.—St.
Teresa.

Humility cannot subsist without love, nor love without humility—and one can
never be acquired without the other.—The same.

The more we mortify our natural inclinations, so much the more do we merit to
receive supernatural inspirations.—Francis of Sales.

EXAMPLE.

A Conquest of the Blessed Virgin's.

Father Paul Stub, a Barnabite, became a conquest of grace, and an Angel in

virtue and learning, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He
himself thus relates his conversion in his excellent book for the Month of Mary,
entitled 'The School of Mary':

'A Protestant youth set out from the North, in 1826, to take a post at Genoa, in the
family of the Consul of Sweden and Norway, who was a very good Catholic. But
the wife of the Consul, fearing that this youth might by his conversation have an
evil influence on a nephew who lived with them, went to the sanctuary of Our
Lady of Graces, and made the following prayer to the Queen of Heaven and
Earth:

"'O Mary! if you see that this Protestant youth will become a Catholic and be
virtuous, then let him arrive, but if otherwise, send his ship to America."

'The ship arrived safely at Genoa, and the boy entered on his situation. He was
edified by the examples of virtue that he witnessed, but had no thoughts whatever
of becoming a Catholic—until after some time, when he was in trouble, calling to
mind the devotion which Catholics bear to Our Lady, he said to her: "O Mother
of Jesus! it is the first time that I invoke you, but if you do me the favour I desire
I will invoke you all my life."

'The favour was obtained most completely, and after that time the young man
began to pray to God to know the truth, entered upon the study of religion, and
became a Catholic in 1829, to his own great joy and that of many others. He
afterwards took the Religious habit, and has since exercised his zeal for the glory
of the Most Blessed Virgin in preaching; and, to give her a new proof of his
gratitude, he composed this little book in her honour.'

Prayer.—Most pure Virgin! obtain for me the grace to understand henceforth the
Divine sweetness of union with God. May my adorable Saviour abide with me
under the veil of Faith as He dwelt with you in the seclusion of a hidden life!
May He live in me through the union of my heart with His adorable Heart as He
lived in you, forming one heart and soul with you! Oh that henceforth I may
know how to love, to desire, and to relish only Jesus! May He alone, during the
whole course of my life, be my strength, my life, the heart of my heart, the soul
of my soul, that after having been frequently nourished with His virginal Body,
which was conceived and born of you a Virgin, I may be able to say with the
Apostle: 'I live now, not I, but Christ liveth in me.' Amen.

Ejaculation.—My heart is prepared to obey you in everything, O my Mother!

Practice.—Do everything you do to-day be done in the spirit of obedience.

EIGHTEENTH DAY.
THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.—TRUST IN PROVIDENCE.

THE unspeakable joy which Mary and Joseph experienced after the birth of Jesus
was of short duration.

The Angel of the Lord came again to visit Joseph in sleep, and said to him,
'Arise, and take the Child and His Mother and fly into Egypt, and be there until I
shall tell thee, for it will come to pass that Herod will seek the Child to destroy
Him.'

See how the heavenly messenger treats Mary and Joseph, precisely as if they
were true Religious! How many pretexts might they not have found to be
dispensed from obeying? Could we not wait till to-morrow? might they have
said. What provisions have we for so long and tedious a journey? Who knows
what we may have to suffer from the Egyptians, the declared enemies of the
Israelites? Who will give us shelter in that country? These and a thousand other
excuses would have been made by us had we been in their place. But perfect
models as they were of submission and of confidence, they set out without delay,
certain that God would provide for all their necessities. And so it proved, for they
found lodging and food, either by means of the trade exercised by St. Joseph, or
by the alms bestowed upon them.

That we may not lose even one of the many instructions given us in this touching
mystery, let us consider first that Our Lord, the Eternal Wisdom, does not
Himself take the charge of His Family. Being perfect God and perfect Man, He
already possessed the use of reason, and from the first instant of His Conception
He could have made known to Joseph and to His Blessed Mother all that was to
happen to them. However, God the Father had conferred upon the Angel Gabriel
the care of the Holy Family, and therefore Our Lord would take no part in it. The
Angel commands and is obeyed most faithfully, although he was inferior to Jesus
and also to Mary, who, as Mother of God, was endowed with greater graces and
perfections than all the celestial spirits.

But this is not all. Observe the order that reigns in this Holy Family. Who can
doubt that Our Lady was superior to St. Joseph in discretion, as well as in all the
other qualities required for good government? And, nevertheless, the Angel does
not inform her of all that is to be done, but he informs her Spouse, St. Joseph. It
might appear strange that he addresses himself to him rather than to Mary, the
Mistress of the house, who carries the Treasure of the Eternal Father. Had she not
every reason to be offended at this proceeding of the Angel, who seemed thus to
ignore her? She could undoubtedly have said to her Spouse, 'Why should I go
into Egypt, when neither my Son nor the Angel have made it known to me?' But
Our Lady is silent, and obeys with all simplicity, without being in the least
concerned that the Angel had only spoken to St. Joseph. She knew well that all
had been ordained by God; she does not even inquire the reason, but the
knowledge that such is the Will of God is sufficient to secure her prompt
submission. It is thus God acts towards men—to teach them holy and loving
submission. A merely human mind does not wish to yield and to adore the secret
mysteries of God and of His Most Holy Will until it is able to ascertain the why
and the wherefore of this and that. A thousand reasons are brought forward as of
greater discernment or experience, and so on; but they only cause disquiet, ill-
temper, and complaints. From the time we begin to criticise everything disturbs
us. Let us be satisfied to know what God wants of us, and let this suffice. But
(some will say) who can assure us that such is the Will of God? This shows that
our hearts would prefer that God should manifest everything directly to us by
means of secret inspirations, or that He should send an Angel to announce to us
His Will. And yet he did not thus reveal it even to Our Lady, but wished her to
come to the knowledge of it through St. Joseph, to whom she was subject, as to
her superior. Our self-love would like to be instructed sometimes by God
Himself by means of ecstasies, visions, etc. We indulge ourselves in follies such
as these that we may not be subject to the common and ordinary path of
subjection to our rules and our superiors. Let it suffice for us to know that God
wills our obedience without reflecting on the mental capacities of those who
command us, and we shall accustom ourselves to walk with all simplicity in the
happy road of holy and tranquil humility, which will render us pleasing to God.
O! how many wonderful examples of obedience to the Will of God did not this
glorious Virgin leave us during her whole life, and, above all, in her flight into
Egypt! Whither, O glorious Virgin, do you direct your steps with that little Infant
in your arms? I am going into Egypt, she replies. But why do you go there?
Because it is the Will of God. For how long? As long as it pleases God. When
will you return? When He shall command me to do so. But when you return will
your heart be more happy than at present? O no, certainly not. And why?
Because I fulfil the Will of God equally in going, in remaining there, and in
returning. When you return, will you go into your own country? She replies, I
know no country but the accomplishment of the Will of my God in everything.

O admirable example of obedience! Let us, in imitation of the Blessed Virgin,

endeavour to submit to authority at all times and in every circumstance, whether
it be pleasing to us or not. Let us go with all simplicity even as far as Egypt—that
is, into the midst of enemies—because God Who sends us there will know how
to protect us, and assuredly we shall not perish. On the contrary, if we remain in
Israel with our enemy, self-will, it will certainly be the destruction of us. In
imitation of Mary and Joseph, let us answer the suggestions of the enemy of our
soul when he urges us to disobedience in these words: Deus providebit—'God
will provide.' O my God! happy we if we could accustom ourselves to answer our
heart always thus when it becomes anxious, and thus banish all solicitude and
trouble. Great indeed is the confidence which God asks of us in His Paternal care
and Providence; but why do we refuse it to Him when we know that no one has
ever been deceived in Him, but, on the contrary, has always reaped therefrom the
most copious fruits? And was not this the promise which Our Saviour made to
His Apostles when He urged them to this loving confidence? 'Your Father in
heaven knoweth that ye have need of these things.'

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

Obedience has the property of changing the flower of our desires into the fruits of
good works. Shun singularity as far as possible, and do not make yourselves
different exteriorly in any way from others.—St. Teresa.

As the best honey is gathered from the flowers of the thyme, which is a small and
bitter herb, so when virtues are exercised in the bitterness of the most humble
tribulations, they become truly excellent.—St. Francis of Sales.
As the sun gives its heat no less to a rose amidst a thousand other flowers than if
it were alone, so Our Lord does not diffuse His love the less upon one soul
because He also loves an infinity of others. The power of His love never
diminishes on account of the multitude of rays that it diffuses, but is always
unchangeable in its immensity.—The same.

EXAMPLE.

The Excellence of the 'Hail Mary.'

The first Hail Mary pronounced by an Angel produced the greatest of all
miracles, and was the source of the salvation of sinful men. If our redemption
began with the Angelic Salutation, it follows that our salvation depends in a
special manner upon this prayer. If it gave birth to the fruit of eternal life upon
this dry and barren earth when it was brought by the messenger of Heaven, it
will, if we recite it devoutly, give birth to Jesus Christ in our soul. It is a celestial
dew which fertilizes souls, and those that are not refreshed by it do not produce
fruit but only briars and thorns. The Most Holy Virgin made the following
revelation to the Blessed Alan: 'Know, my son, and do not forget to make it
known, that it is a probable sign of damnation to have tepidity, aversion, and
negligence in the recital of the Angelical Salutation which brought salvation to
the world.'

I know nothing, O Mary, says Thomas à Kempis, that is so glorious for you and
so consoling for us as the Angelical Salutation: its sweetness is so great that no
words can express it. Most certain it is, says another servant of Mary, that this
prayer never ascends to Heaven without obtaining great favours for the body as
well as the soul; because this tender Mother always responds with some grace
when we salute her with the Hail Mary. The Blessed Virgin promised St.
Gertrude as many favours at the hour of her death as she had recited Ave
Marias during her life; and she also counselled St. Bridget to recite this prayer to
obtain the pardon of some acts of impatience. We know that this Mother of
Mercy taught St. Dominic the Holy Rosary as the most efficacious means for
obtaining the conversion of heretics and sinners. And, in fact, the historians of
that period relate that the first-fruits of this new devotion were manifested by the
abjuration of more than a hundred thousand heretics, and the conversion of an
incredible number of sinners.

Let us also quote the beautiful words of a Saint. 'The "Ave Maria," well recited,
is the enemy that puts the devil to flight, and the weapon that kills him. It is the
sanctification of the soul, the gladness of Angels, the melody of the
predestinated, the Canticle of the New Testament, the joy of Mary, and the glory
of the Most Holy Trinity. The Ave Maria is a celestial dew that fertilizes the soul,
a beautiful rose which we present to Mary, and a precious pearl which we bestow
upon her. Finally, it is the most magnificent eulogium which can be offered in
her honour, and the attractions it possesses have so much power over her heart,
that she is constrained to love him who recites it well.'

Another great servant of the Immaculate Virgin says of himself, that whenever he
pronounced these words, Hail Mary, the world in his eyes lost all beauty, he felt
an increase of Divine love, a more fervent devotion, more firmness in hope,
greater joy, and a renewal of virtue and strength in his whole being.

Prayer of St. Bernard.—O sovereign Mistress of Angels and of men, to you do

we turn our eyes! We must all appear one day before the Eternal Judge; alas!
how shall we dare to present ourselves before Him, loaded as we are with so
many sins, and who shall appease His just indignation? No one, O Mother of
Mercy, can so assuredly do this but you who loved Him so much, and who were
so tenderly loved by Him. Open then, O Mother of Grace, your compassionate
ears to our sighs, and the bowels of your mercy to our tears; to you do we run as
to our dear Mother. Ah! appease the just indignation of your Divine Son, and
restore us to His favour. You do not abhor the sinner, nor do you reject him,
however unworthy he may be, if, repentant, he implores your patronage. To you,
then, do I have recourse, O my Mother; animate me to hope, sustain my
weakness, abandon me not for a single instant, and reconcile me to my Eternal
Judge, that I may be able to find mercy at the moment of my death. Amen.

Ejaculation.—Monstra te esse matrem—Show me, O Mary, that you are my

mother!

Practice.—Whatever contradiction you may meet with this day, accept it with
resignation, and with the reflection that God wills it.

NINETEENTH DAY.
MARY, AT THE MARRIAGE OF CANA, TEACHES US THE BEST
METHOD OF PRAYER.

'THERE was a marriage,' says St. John, 'in Cana of Galilee, and the Mother of
Jesus was there. And Jesus also was invited and His disciples.'
Let us consider the goodness of our adorable Saviour in not refusing the
invitation to the wedding. He had come to redeem and reform man, and therefore
would not assume a rigid and austere manner. He was always gentle and
courteous, so as to draw men to follow Him. His presence at the wedding was a
restraint upon all levity and excesses that so often occur on these occasions. O
faithful souls! what modesty must have reigned at these nuptials, in the presence
of Our Lord and of the Most Holy Virgin! The failing of the wine was pre-
ordained by the Will of God, Who wished, by a miracle, to manifest His power to
those assembled, and in particular to His Apostles. The Most Holy Virgin, in her
wisdom and prudence, knowing that the wine failed, was moved by the most
ardent charity to find an expedient for supplying it. And how does she act? Well
aware of the power and goodness of her Divine Son, and of His charity and
mercy, she was certain that He would supply what was required, all the more as
the married couple were not rich, and she knew He took pleasure in relieving the
poor and conversing with them. She turned, therefore, to her Divine Son; and
notice well how Our Blessed Lady acted, and what she said: Vinum non habent—
'They have no wine.' These words imply, 'These good people are poor, and
although their poverty is pleasing and dear to You, nevertheless, in itself, it is a
misfortune, and is often the cause of confusion before men. You are Omnipotent,
and can relieve their wants, and I doubt not Your charity and mercy will make
some return for the kind invitation they have given us to assist at this feast by
providing for them in their present need.' The Holy Virgin, however, did not utter
so many words when she asked this miracle; she was most skilled in the art of
praying well, and made use of the shortest and most suitable method that could
be found, saying: 'They have no wine.' Mary speaks to Our Lord with the greatest
possible reverence. She does not address Him in terms of arrogance or
presumption, like many thoughtless and indiscreet persons when they ask, but
she simply represents to Him the need of the guests, sure that He would hear her
petition. What an excellent manner of prayer is this, to expose our necessities
simply to God, and then abandon ourselves into His adorable hands, certain that
He will succour us in that way which is most to our advantage! For instance, to
say to Him: Lord, behold one of Thy poor creatures, who is desolate, afflicted,
full of aridity, of miseries and sins, but Thou knowest my wants, and it is enough
for me to manifest to Thee my state. To Thee it belongs to deliver me from so
many miseries, in the manner and at the time that thou knowest to be most
conducive to Thy glory and my salvation.

We may ask God, also, for temporal blessings; of this there is no doubt; for Our
Lord Himself has taught us, in the Our Father to ask first that the Kingdom of
God may come as the end to which we aspire, and that His Holy Will be done as
the sole means to attain this end; and afterwards to ask Almighty God to give us
our daily bread (Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie). Therefore Holy
Church has authorized particular prayers for temporal blessings; for peace, in
times of war; rain, in seasons of drought, and so on; and also special Masses for
procuring relief in times of pestilence, and in other necessities. No doubt we can
have recourse to God in all our wants, both spiritual and temporal, in two ways:
by merely exposing to Him our necessities, as did the Most Holy Virgin, or by
asking Him for that grace which in particular we require, but always with this
condition, that His Will be done and not ours. And yet, in general, even when
spiritual persons ask God for His holy love, which softens and lightens every
difficulty, they take care not to include in their petition those virtues that mortify
nature.

SPIRITUAL FLOWERS.

However slight the services we render to the Blessed Virgin Mary, they are
always dear to God, and He rewards them with eternal glory.—St. Teresa.

When you find yourself in any great difficulty, do not take any step without
having first considered eternity.—St. Francis of Sales.

He who is capable of exercising mildness in sufferings, generosity under ill-

treatment, and peace amidst discord, is almost perfect. Mildness, sweetness of
heart, and evenness of temper are virtues as rare as is the virtue of chastity.—The
same.

EXAMPLE.

The Advantages of the 'Hail Mary.'

After having considered in the preceding example the esteem in which this prayer
was held by the Saints, let us now consider its advantages.

Mary rejoices greatly when she is addressed in the Angelical Salutation, as she
herself revealed to St. Mechtild, saying that of all the honours that can be
rendered her none is more pleasing, or gives more joy, than this prayer, to which
are added the words, 'Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, etc.' This
prayer reminds her of the obligation she is under to have compassion on poor
sinners, to pray for them, to love them. Sinners are the occasion of all her
happiness, 'because,' said she, 'I should not have found grace if they had not lost
it; I should not have been chosen to be the Mother of the Saviour if it had not
been necessary to save them; and lastly, I should not have received such an
abundance of graces had it not been necessary that I should become the Mother
of Mercy and the Refuge of Sinners.'

But the recitation of the Hail Mary does not form the joy of Mary alone; it is also
the joy of the Angels and of the Saints. Blessed Alan says that the words of this
prayer convey joy to all the inhabitants of heaven. The Angelical Salutation is the
distinctive salute of the Angels to Mary; and these blessed spirits enjoy a special
delight in offering it to her frequently every day. But whilst this admirable prayer
causes all Paradise to exult with joy, and is a source of grace to faithful souls, it
is also the terror of the demons, who take flight as soon as they hear it
pronounced. When the Hail Mary was brought from heaven by an Angel, the
earth leapt for joy, on account of its approaching deliverance. But hell seemed
already to foresee the formidable presence of the Omnipotent Who was to
destroy the empire of Satan; and it trembled with fear when this salutation was
uttered. No wonder, then, that the impious, who are children of the accursed
spirits, should adopt their sentiments and hate all that relates to the mystery of the
Incarnation, and speak contemptuously of the Holy Rosary and of devotion to the
Blessed Virgin. However, experience shows us that the more a soul gives signs
of predestination, the more does she love, relish, and gladly recite the Hail Mary;
and the more she loves God, the more does she love this prayer. 'I have no surer
secret for ascertaining if a person love God,' says the venerable Louis Marie de
Montfort, 'than to examine if he love to recite the Ave Maria or the Rosary.'

Prayer.—Help us, O Mother full of mercy, and do not allow the multitude of our
sins to weaken your love for us. Remember that our adorable Saviour deigned to
take from you a mortal body, not to condemn but to save sinners. If it were for
your own personal glory alone that you were chosen to be the Mother of God, it
might be said that our eternal salvation, or damnation, matters but little to you;
but it was for the salvation of all men that your Divine Son clothed Himself with
our flesh. What advantage would accrue to us from your happiness and power if
you did not make use of your power to render us partakers of your happiness?
You know the need we have of your assistance; and therefore we recommend
ourselves earnestly to you. Help us, that we may not have the misfortune to lose
our souls, but may eternally love and serve your Divine Son with you in His
kingdom of glory. Amen.

Ejaculation.—Obtain for us, O Mary, by your powerful intercession, the grace

not to lose the place which Our Saviour has prepared for us in Paradise.

Practice.—Ask Mary to obtain for you from God all the graces you are in need
of to-day.