St. Alphonsus Liguori - The Blessed Virgin Mary: Excerpts from the Glories of Mary

The Blessed Virgin Mary

St. Alphonsus Liguori

Aibil Obstat

THOMAS L. KINKEAD,

Censor Librorum .

Imprimatur .

MICHAEL AUGUSTINE,

Archbishop of New York .

First published in this format in 1974 by Marian Publications, South Bend, Indiana.

Copyright 1974 Marian Publications.

Copyright 1982 TAN Books

TAN Books
Charlotte, North Carolina
www.TANBooks.com

1982

PREPARATORY PRAYER

C ome, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and kindle in them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created;

R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O God, who didst teach the hearts of Thy faithful people by sending them the light of Thy Holy Spirit, grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in His holy comfort. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

M ost holy Virgin Immaculate, my Mother Mary, to thee who art the Mother of my Lord, the Queen of the universe, the advocate, the hope, the refuge of sinners, I who am the most miserable of all sinners, have recourse this day. I venerate thee, great Queen, and I thank thee for the many graces thou hast bestowed upon me even unto this day; in particular for having delivered me from the hell which I have so often deserved by my sins. I love thee, most dear Lady; and for the love I bear thee, I promise to serve thee willingly for ever and to do what I can to make thee loved by others also. I place in thee all my hopes for salvation; accept me as thy servant and shelter me under thy mantle, thou who art the Mother of mercy. And since thou art so powerful with God, deliver me from all temptations, or at least obtain for me the strength to overcome them until death. From thee I implore a true love for Jesus Christ. Through thee I hope to die a holy death. My dear Mother, by the love thou bearest to Almighty God, I pray thee to assist me always, but most of all at the last moment of my life. Forsake me not then, until thou shalt see me safe in heaven, there to bless thee and sing of thy mercies through all eternity. Such is my hope. Amen ( St. Alphonsus M. de' Liguori).

The faithful who recite this prayer with devotion before an image of the B. V. Mary, may gain:

An indulgence of 3 years.

CONTENTS .

.

Salve Regina, Mater Misericordi!

MARY, OUR QUEEN, OUR MOTHER.

Vita, Dulcedo .

MARY, OUR LIFE, OUR SWEETNESS.

Spes nostra! salve .

MARY, OUR HOPE.

My queen, my mother! I give myself entirely to Thee.

THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN

THE BLESSED VIRGIN

CHAPTER I.

Salve, Regina, Mater Misericordi!

HAIL, HOLY QUEEN, MOTHER OF MERCY!

MARY, OUR QUEEN, OUR MOTHER.

I. How great should be our Confidence in Mary, who is the Queen of Mercy .

As the glorious Virgin Mary has been raised to the dignity of Mother of the King of kings, it is not without reason that the Church honors her, and wishes her to be honored by all, with the glorious title of Queen.

"If the Son is a king," says St. Athanasius, "the Mother who begot Him is rightly and truly considered a Queen and Sovereign."

And if Jesus is the King of the universe, Mary is also its Queen. "And as Queen," says the Abbot Rupert, "she possesses, by right, the whole kingdom of her Son."

Mary, then is a queen: but, for our common consolation, be it known that she is a Queen so sweet, clement, and so ready to help us in our miseries, that the holy Church wills that we should salute her in this prayer under the title of Queen of mercy.

"The title of queen," remarks Blessed Albert the Great, and whereas tyrants, when they reign, have their own good in view, kings should have that of their subjects at heart. For this reason it is that, at their consecration, kings have their heads annointed with oil, which is the symbol of mercy, to denote that, as kings, they should, above all things, nourish in their hearts feelings of compassion and benevolence towards their subjects.

Kings should, then, occupy themselves principally in works of mercy, but not so as to forget the just punishments that are to be inflicted on the guilty. It is, however, not thus with Mary, who, although a Queen, is not a queen of justice, intent on the punishment of the wicked, but a queen of mercy, intent only on commiserating and pardoning sinners. And this is the reason for which the Church requires that we should expressly call her "the Queen of mercy." The great Chancellor of Paris, John Gerson, in his commentary on the words of David, "These two things have I heard, that power belongeth to God, and mercy to Thee, O Lord," This is confirmed by St. Thomas, in his preface to the Canonical Epistles, saying, "that when the Blessed Virgin conceived the Eternal Word in her womb, and brought Him forth, she obtained half the kingdom of God; so that she is Queen of mercy, as Jesus Christ is King of justice."

The Eternal Father made Jesus Christ the King of justice, and consequently universal Judge of the world: and therefore the Royal Prophet sings: "Give to the King Thy judgment, O God, and to the King's Son Thy justice." therefore God has anointed thee with the oil of gladness.

And how beautifully does not Blessed Albert the Great apply to this subject the history of Queen Esther, who was herself a great type of our Queen Mary!

We read, in the fourth chapter of the Book of Esther, that in the reign of Assuerus a decree was issued, by which all Jews were condemned to death. Mardochai, who was one of the condemned, addressed himself to Esther, in order that she might interpose with Assuerus and obtain the revocation of the decree, and thus be the salvation of all. At first Esther declined the office, fearing that such a request might irritate the king still more; but Mardochai reproved her, sending her word that she was not to think of saving only herself, for God had placed her on the throne to obtain the salvation of all the Jews: "Think not that thou mayest save thy life only, because thou art in the king's house, more than all the Jews." Thus did Mardochai address Queen Esther. And so can we poor sinners address our Queen Mary, should she show any repugnance to obtain of God our delivery from the chastisement we have justly deserved: "Think not, O Lady, that God has raised thee to the dignity of Queen of the world, only to provide for thy good; but in order that, being so great, thou mightest be better able to compassionate and assist us miserable creatures."

As soon as Assuerus saw Esther standing before him, he asked her, with love, what she came to seek. "What is thy request?" The Queen replied," If I have found favor in thy sight, O King, give me my people, for which I request."

But perhaps we may fear that Mary would not deign to interpose for some sinners, because they are so over-loaded with crimes? Or perhaps we ought to be overawed at the majesty and holiness of this great Queen? "No," says St. Gregory VII.; "for the higher and more holy she is the greater is her sweetness and compassion towards sinners who have recourse to her with the desire to amend their lives." Mary is not only willing to give, but she herself offers milk and wool to all: the milk of mercy to animate our confidence, and the wool of her protection against the thunderbolts of divine justice.