“If thou lovest Me… thou wilt console Me.”

“If thou lovest Me, thou wilt repair; if thou repairest, thou wilt console Me; and then thou wilt be a faithful spouse.”

– Jesus to Sr. Benigna Consolata Ferrero

“It will be thy mission to console the infinite love of God, which seeks solace from its little creature.”

– Jesus to Sr. Benigna Consolata

Jesus is Worthy of Consolation

In the book ‘The Life of St. Joseph’, which consists of private revelations dictated by Our Lord to Maria Cecilia Baij (a Benedictine nun), it is said that even as an infant, Jesus would often weep at the thought of sin. Whether or not you believe this pious narrative, it confirms something very important, which we need to be aware of if we wish to console Jesus: sin offends God and wounds His tender Heart: that Heart which is not tainted by the slightest imperfection, and is therefore penetrated with a degree of love, suffering, and a hatred of sin that no human can conceive!

If I saw a child left naked, starving and suffering on the side of the street, I would not hesitate to assist them. How is it, then, that I do so little to console my Saviour, Who is most worthy of compassion? If we beheld the Infant Jesus crucified on the Cross, would we not weep? But this is the same Jesus that suffered and suffers (mystically in the Holy Mass) for our salvation!*

Jesus Desires Our Consolation

“My Heart hath expected reproach and misery. And I looked for one that would grieve together with Me, but there was none: and for one that would comfort Me, and I found none.” (Psalm 69:20)

“Keep Me company in the Blessed Sacrament. I remain in the tabernacle night and day, waiting to give My love and grace to all who would visit Me. But so few come. I am so abandoned, so lonely, so offended… Many men do not believe that I live in the tabernacle. They curse Me. Others believe, but do not love Me and do not visit Me; they live as if I were not there.” – Jesus to Bl. Alexandrina da Costa

“My Heart overflows with great mercy for souls and especially for poor sinners…. I desire to bestow my graces upon souls [from the tabernacle] but they do not want to accept them. You, at least, come to Me as often as you can and take these graces they do not want to accept. In this way you will console my Heart.” – Jesus to St. Faustina (Diary, 367)

“The only time our Lord asked the Apostles for anything was the night He went into agony. Not for activity did He plead but for an Hour of companionship.” – Archbishop Fulton Sheen

“This Heart…I want you to rest in It as a child, to love It as a spouse, and to console It as a victim.” – Jesus to Sr. Josefa Menendez

“Let all thy actions bear the impress of reparation and thou wilt console My Heart. Let thy life be a life of love and reparation… Not only can you serve me, you can also console me… How happy you should be to be able to console me at every moment of your lives!” – Jesus to Sr. Benigna Consolata

How to Console Jesus

“… exercising charity and confidence, thou wilt console My Heart.”

– Jesus to Sr. Benigna Consolata

(“No sacrifice is more acceptable to God than zeal for souls.” – Pope St. Gregory the Great)

“The loss of each soul plunges Me into mortal sadness. You always console Me when you pray for sinners (The Rosary and the Mass as most powerful in this regard). The prayer most pleasing to Me is prayer for the conversion of sinners. Know, My daughter, that this prayer is always heard and answered.” – Jesus to St. Faustina (Similar words were spoken to St. Margaret Mary)

“The smallest act, if done out of love, acquires such merit that it gives Me immense consolation.” – Jesus to Sr. Josefa Menendez (Remember that what we do for our neighbour, Jesus accepts as being done to Himself: “Love others because they need it to become better, as you yourself need to be loved. My daughter, all that you do to others is really done to Me.” – Jesus to Sr. Mary of the Trinity)

“My Heart overflows with graces for souls. Lead them to my Eucharist Heart.” – Jesus to Bl. Dina Belanger

“I firmly wish that My face reflecting the intimate pains of my soul, the suffering and love of My heart, be more honoured! Whoever gazes upon Me already consoles Me.” – Jesus to Sr. Pierina

“I want souls who are dedicated with fervour, with determination and without looking for rest, to plead day and night (before the Blessed Sacrament) for my priests.” – Jesus to Venerable Concepcion Cabrera de Armida

The Fruits of Consoling Jesus

Firstly, it must be said that those who live in serious unrepentant sin, inflict untold pain on the Heart of Jesus. Many blind sinners believe that once they are “saved” there is no need for ongoing conversion; this is pure deception; “Their hope is the abomination of the soul” (Job 11:20). Commenting on this Scripture, St. Alphonsus says: “Yes, God is merciful, but in the way Wisdom expresses itself in the Canticle of the Canticles: ‘His mercy is for those who fear Him.’ Our Lord exercises mercy toward those who fear offending Him, but not toward those who use His mercy as a pretext to insult Him.” In other words, a necessary condition for receiving God’s mercy is contrition and a firm purpose of amendment. Only with humble and contrite hearts can we experience the fruits of consoling/loving Jesus.

“This God of love wishes to be to me a brother, friend and consoler.” – Jesus to Sr. Benigna Consolata (Dictated in His ‘Decalogue of Confidence’)

Meditation on the eighth station of the Cross (Jesus consoles the pious women): “The attraction of the most sweet Heart of Jesus is to console those who suffer, to compassionate the miseries of His poor creatures, and ever to show them mercy. Let him who wishes to prove it, come to Me, He says. Let him who would purchase relief and mercy, go to Jesus and present for payment his very miseries; and the merciful Jesus will accept them provided they are offered with humility, confidence and love.” – Jesus to Sr. Benigna Consolata

“O My Jesus, I will console Thy Heart, so desirous of consuming our miseries, and do Thou console mine by giving me Thy holy peace.” – Jesus to Sr. Benigna Consolata (This is a suggested prayer for us in some sense)

******* “I confide precious secrets to souls who are willing to console Me in My agony.” *******

– Jesus to Bl. Dina Belanger

Consoling Words for Those Who Suffer

“I loved suffering, I the Man of Sorrows; I chose it because it makes reparation for sins when it is offered with love…. when suffering is joined to love, the proofs of love given through suffering are a true reparation offered to God. It is giving God something that He does not have in His Heaven. Therefore, I chose suffering so that all My creatures, even the most miserable, like yourself, might have something precious to offer to God.” – Jesus to Sr. Mary of the Trinity

 (A beautiful doctrine is that, being members of the Mystical Body of Christ, we can also offer to God the sufferings of our neighbour, in union with the sufferings of Jesus, which are of infinite value. We may also do this for those who do not believe.)

“Let these souls so dear to God, and who are resolutely determined to belong entirely to Him, take comfort, although at the same time they see themselves deprived of every consolation. Their desolation is a sign of their being very acceptable to God, and that He has for them a place prepared in his heavenly Kingdom, which overflows with consolations as full as they are lasting. And let them hold for certain, that the more they are afflicted in this present life, so much the more they shall be consoled in eternity…” – Saint Alphonsus Liguori

“There is no more evident sign that anyone is a saint and of the number of the elect, than to see him leading a good life and at the same time a prey to desolation, suffering, and trials.” – Saint Aloysius Gonzaga

Do not let the prospect of suffering disturb you. Rather, consider the following words:

“Oh, if you only knew how paltry these little nothings are about which some make such a fuss. The devil makes use of these little straws to check the progress of a soul and obstruct all the good that she is called to do. Do not let yourself be caught in these meshes. Have a large heart and pass over all these little miseries without even noticing them. Jesus should be a sufficient attraction for you to prevent your being hindered by anything whatsoever outside of Him. See everything as coming from His bounty, whether He afflicts or consoles you. It is His love that arranges everything for the benefit of His friends. Never allow yourself to be discouraged. In a few hours, or even in the twinkling of an eye, Jesus could bring you to the summit of perfection which He desires for you. But no, He prefers your own efforts and He wants you to see for yourself how hard and rugged is the way to perfection.” – A soul in Purgatory to Sr. M. G.

“I long to console my Jesus: oh, what suffering was His in the Garden of Olives… What a mysterious privilege to be specially chosen to console Him.”

– Bl. Dina Belanger

“Cast a glance upon Jesus on the Cross, and thou wilt see thy program of mortification. Spiritual consolations will be thy recompense; the more thou dost mortify the flesh, the more capable wilt thou be of comprehending the things of God. Jesus will dwell in thee according to the capacity He finds there.” – Jesus to Sr. Benigna Consolata

* Let us not become discouraged on account of our past sins; Jesus can draw good from them; as St. Frances of Rome says: “His mercy is as boundless as His power.” Likewise, let us not become scrupulous or discouraged about the future, “For a just man shall fall seven times and shall rise again.”

Our Lord said to Sr. Benigna Consolata: “Imperfections cannot displease Me, unless the souls loves them. She should use them as so many steps of the ladder to mount to Me by means of humility, confidence and love.” Focus on the love of God, and on loving God; this way, we will receive many graces and acquire an aversion of sin. Do not lose your peace when you fall; humble yourself and respond to God’s grace as soon as you feel it stir within your soul; “Do not let sin grow old in thee”, said Our Lord to St. Gertrude. Do not expect to be canonized in one day or you are setting yourself up for discouragement!

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MARY, MOTHER OF MERCY: Refuge For Even The Hardest, Most Despairing Sinners! (part 2)

Following from the last post, which contained many quotes/revelations about the mercy of Mary (which we must never forget is a manifestation of the mercy of God), this post will share several stories about the mercy of Mary and God.

Again, all words are taken from ‘The Glories of Mary’ by St. Alphonsus Liguori:

+ This example is not recorded in any book, but a priest, a companion of mine, related it to me, as having happened to himself. Whilst this priest was hearing confessions in a certain church (for sufficient reasons he did not mention the place where this occurred, although the penitent gave him leave to publish the fact), a youth stood before him, who appeared to wish and not to wish to come to confession. The Father, after looking at him several times, at length called him, and asked him if he wished to make his confession. He answered, yes; but as he required a long time for it, the confessor took him into a retired room. There the penitent began by telling him that he was a foreigner, and of noble birth, but he could not believe that it was possible for God to pardon him after the life he had led. Besides innumerable other sins he had committed of impurity, homicide, etc., he said, that being entirely in despair of salvation, he had set about committing sins, not so much for his own gratification, as to defy God, and manifest the hatred he bore him. He said, that among other things, he had with him a crucifix, which he had beaten out of contempt. He said that just before, on that very morning, he had made a sacrilegious communion, and for what object? That he might put under his feet the consecrated wafer. And that, in fact, he had actually received, and was about to put in execution this horrible intention, but was prevented by the people who observed him. He then consigned to the confess or the consecrated host, wrapped in a paper, and told him that as he was passing by that church he had a great desire to enter. He could not resist this desire, and had entered. That then he felt great remorse of conscience, together with a certain confused and irresolute desire to make his confession. For this reason he had placed himself before the confessional, but while standing there he felt so confused and timid, that he wished to go away, but it seemed as if someone had retained him by force: “Until,” he said, “you, Father, called me; and now I find myself here; I find myself making my confession; but I know not how to do it.” The Father then asked him if he had practised any act of devotion during that time; meaning towards the most holy Mary; for such sudden conversions only come through the powerful hands of the Virgin. “None, Father; what devotion could I offer,” answered the youth, when I believed myself lost?” “But try to remember more carefully,” replied the Father. “Father, nothing.” But accidentally putting his hand to his breast, he remembered that he wore the Scapular of the Seven Dolors of Mary: “Maria addolorata.” “Ah, my son,” said the confessor to him, “do you not see that our blessed Lady has bestowed this grace upon you? And know,” he added, “that this church is a church of our blessed Lady.” Hearing this, the youth was moved to contrition, and began to weep. He confessed his sins, and his compunction increased to such a degree that, bursting into tears, he fell, overcome with grief, as it seemed, at the feet of the Father, who, having restored him by a cordial, finally finished hearing his confession, and absolved him with the greatest consolation, as he was entirely contrite and resolved to amend his life. The Father sent him back to his own country after having obtained from him full liberty to preach and publish everywhere the great mercy exercised by Mary towards him.

+ Father Engelgrave relates, that a certain religious was so tormented by scruples, that sometimes he was almost driven to despair, but having great devotion to Mary, the mother of sorrows, he had recourse to her in the agony of his spirit, and was much comforted by contemplating her dolors. Death came, and the devil tormented him more than ever with scruples, and tempted him to despair. When, behold our merciful mother, seeing her poor son so afflicted, appeared to him, and said to him: “And why, oh my son, art thou so overcome with sorrow, thou who hast so often consoled me by thy compassion for my sorrows? Be comforted”, she said to him; “Jesus sends me to thee to console thee; be comforted, rejoice, and come with me to paradise.” And at these words the devout religious tranquilly expired, full of consolation and confidence.

+ When St. Francis Borgia was in Rome, an ecclesiastic came to speak with him; but the saint being much occupied, sent Father Acosta to him. The ecclesiastic said to him: “Father, I am a priest and a preacher, but I live in sin, and distrust the divine mercy. After preaching a sermon one day against the obstinate, who afterwards despair of pardon, a person came to me to make his confession, who narrated to me all my sins, and at length told me that he despaired of the divine mercy. In order to do my duty, I told him that he must change his life, and trust in God; then that penitent rose to his feet and reproached me, saying: And you, who preach thus to others, why do you not amend, and why do you distrust ? Know, said he, that I am an angel come to your aid; amend and you will be pardoned. And when he had said this he disappeared. I abstained for several days from my sinful practices, but when temptation came I again returned to my sins. On another day, as I was celebrating Mass, Jesus Christ sensibly spoke to me from the host, and said: Why dost thou thus maltreat me, when I treat thee so well? After this I resolved to amend, but at the next temptation fell again into sin. A few hours ago, a youth came to me in my apartment, and drew from under his mantle a chalice, and from this a consecrated host, saying: Do you know this Lord whom I hold in my hand? Do you remember how many favours he has done you? Now behold the punishment of your ingratitude, and saying this he drew a sword to kill me. I then cried: For the love of Mary do not kill me, for I will indeed amend. And then he said: This was the only thing that could save you: make a good use of this grace, for this is the last mercy for you. When he had said this he left me, and I came immediately here, praying you to receive me among you.” Father Acosta consoled him, and the priest, by the advice also of St. Francis, entered another order of strict observance, where he persevered in holiness till his death. (Perhaps this is the story related by St. John Vianney in his ‘Catechism on Hope’? A section from this catechism can be found on this website)

+ The devout author of the book in honour of the most holy Rosary, entitled, The Secret of every Grace, relates that St. Vincent Ferrer once said to a man dying in despair: “Why will you ruin yourself when Jesus Christ wishes to save you?” And he answered, that in spite of Christ he would be damned. The saint replied: “And you, in spite of yourself, shall be saved.” He began to recite the Rosary with the persons of the house, and behold, the sick man asked to make his confession, made it weeping, and then died.

+ A certain nobleman who was despairing of his eternal salvation on account of his sins, was encouraged by a religious to have recourse to the most holy Virgin, by visiting her sacred image which was in a certain church. The nobleman went to the church, and on seeing the figure of Mary he felt himself, as it were, invited by her to cast himself at her feet and trust. He hastens to do so, kisses her feet, and Mary, from the statue, extended her hand for him to kiss, and on it he saw these words written: “I will deliver thee from them that afflict thee.” As if she had said to him: My son, do not despair, for 1 will deliver thee from thy sins, and from the fears that oppress thee. It is related that on reading these sweet words, that sinner felt such sorrow for his sins, and conceived such a love for God, and for his sweet mother that he died there at the feet of Mary. Oh, how many obstinate sinners does this magnet of hearts draw daily to God, as she herself said to St. Bridget: “As the magnet attracts to itself iron, thus I draw to myself the most obdurate hearts, that I may reconcile them to God.” and this prodigy is not rarely, but daily experienced. I could myself testify to many cases that have occurred in our missions alone, where sinners who have remained harder than iron during all other sermons, while hearing that on the mercy of Mary, were touched with compunction, and turned to God. St Gregory relates that the unicorn is so ferocious a wildbeast, that no hunter can succeed in taking it; but at the voice of a maiden who calls upon him to surrender, he draws near, and without resistance allows himself to be bound by her. Oh, how many sinners, more fierce than wild beasts, who flee from God, at the sound of the voice of this great Virgin Mary, advance and allow themselves to be gently bound by her to God!

There are many other stories like these (e.g. in the lives of the saints), but these few should suffice to enkindle our hope in and love for God, and Our Mother, Mary. St. Alphonsus tells a powerful story involving a penitent of St. Dominic. This sinful woman had led many others to be lost (perhaps through scandal), but Our Lady obtained mercy for this poor sinner. Mary instilled a holy fear of God in to this soul, as well as a profound gratitude. Like this blessed soul, we should bear in mind the great mercy that Mary and God have shown us, lest we fall back into our sinful habits. Let us cultivate profound humility and love of God for having been favoured above so many others, for whom we must pray! Thanks be to God!

 

 

MARY, MOTHER OF MERCY: Refuge For Even The Hardest, Most Despairing Sinners! (part 1)

Even if you are the worst sinner in the world; even if you are already in despair, fly to Mary and invoke her aid; she shows mercy to everyone who calls upon her with a sincere desire to turn from sin!

Quotes taken from ‘The Glories of Mary’ by St. Alphonsus Liguori (Doctor of the Church):

+ “By my omnipotence, venerated mother, I have granted thee the pardon of all sinners, in whatever way it pleases thee, who devoutly invoke the aid of thy mercy. “ +

– Words of Jesus to Mary (revealed to St. Bridget)

+ “No matter how numerous a person’s sins may be, if he turns to me with a sincere purpose of amendment, I am prepared forthwith to receive him graciously, for I do not regard the number of sins he has committed, but look only upon the dispositions with which he comes to me; for I feel no aversion. in healing his wounds, because I am called and am in truth the Mother of Mercy.” – Our Lady to St. Bridget (this quote alone was taken from another work)

+ “To thee nothing is impossible, for thou canst raise even the despairing to the hope of salvation. Thou must be compassionate as thou art powerful.” (Taken from prayer of St. Peter Damian)

+ How consoling is the promise that our Lord himself made on this subject to St. Bridget. We read in her revelations, that one day this saint heard Jesus speaking with his mother, and that he said to her:“Mother, ask of me whatever thou wilt, for I will refuse nothing that thou dost ask; and be assured,” he added, “that all those who for love of thee seek any favour, although they are sinners, if they desire to amend, I promise to hear them!” The same thing was revealed to St. Gertrude, who heard our Redeemer himself say to Mary, that he had in his omnipotence permitted her to exercise mercy towards sinners who invoke her, in whatever manner it should please her.

+ As the mother, then, must have the same power as the Son, justly was Mary made omnipotent by Jesus, who is omnipotent; it being, however, always true, that whereas the Son is omnipotent by nature, the mother is so by grace. And her omnipotence consists in this, that the Son denies nothing that the mother asks; as it was revealed to St. Bridget, who heard Jesus one day addressing Mary in these words: “Oh my mother, thou knowest how I love thee; ask from me, then, whatever thou dost desire, for there is no demand of thine that will not be graciously heard by me.” And the reason that he added was beautiful: “Mother, when thou wast on earth, there was nothing thou didst refuse to do for love of me; now that I am in heaven, it is just that I refuse nothing which thou dost ask of me.” Mary is, then, called omnipotent in the sense in which it can be understood of a creature, who is not capable of any divine attribute. She is omnipotent, because she obtains by her prayers whatever she wishes.

+ The Virgin herself revealed to St. Bridget that she closed the eyes of her Son, when he was taken down from the cross, but she could not close his arms: “Ejus brachia flectere non potui.” Jesus Christ giving us to understand by this, that he desired to remain with open arms to receive all penitent sinners who return to him. Oh world, continues Mary, behold, then, thy time is the time of levers: “Et ecce, tempus tuum, tempus aman din.”! Now that thy Son, oh world, has died to save thee, this is no longer for thee a time of fear, but of love: a time to love him who has desired to suffer so much in order to show thee the love he bore thee.

+ No sinner need ever fear that Mary will spurn him when he calls on her for mercy. Never! Because Mary is the Mother of Mercy and she burns with the desire to help unfortunate sinners. Mary is that blessed ark, says Saint Bernard, where anyone who takes refuge will escape the shipwreck of eternal damnation. At the time of the deluge, even the brute animals were saved in Noah’s ark. And so, under Mary’s protection, even sinners are saved. One day in a vision, Saint Gertrude saw Mary with her cloak spread wide open. Under its folds were many wild animals: lions, bears, tigers – all of whom had taken refuge there. The saint noticed that Mary did not chase the beasts away. She welcomed them kindly and caressed them. From this, Saint Gertrude concluded that even the most sordid sinners are not only not rejected by Mary, but are even welcomed and saved by her from eternal death. Let us then enter this ark, let us take refuge under the cloak of Mary and she will most certainly not spurn us, but will secure our eternal salvation.

+ The Virgin herself revealed to St. Bridget that there is no sinner living so cold in divine love, that if he invokes her holy name, with the resolution to amend, the devil will not instantly depart from him. And she at another time assured her of this, telling her that all the demons so greatly venerate and fear her name, that when they hear it pronounced they immediately release the soul which they held in their chains.

+ This the blessed Virgin herself revealed to St. Bridget: “I am,” she said to her, “the queen of heaven and the mother of mercy; I am the joy of the just, and the gate of entrance for sinners to God; neither is there living on earth a sinner who is so accursed that he is deprived of my compassion; for everyone, if he receives nothing else through my intercession, receives the grace of being less tempted by evil spirits than he otherwise would be; no one, therefore,” she added, “who is not entirely accursed” (by which is meant the final and irrevocable malediction pronounced against the damned), “is so entirely cast off by God that he may not return and enjoy his mercy if he invokes my aid. I am called by all the mother of mercy, and truly the mercy of God towards men has made me so merciful towards them.” And then she concluded by saying, “Therefore he shall be miserable, and forever miserable in another life, who in this, being able, does not have recourse to me, who am so compassionate to all, and so earnestly desire to aid sinners.”

+ The Blessed Virgin herself revealed this to St. Bridget, saying: “As a mother who sees her son exposed to the sword of the enemy, makes every effort to save him, thus do I, and will I ever do for my children, sinful though they be, if they come to me for help.”

+ Mary assured St. Bridget that she was mother not only of the just and innocent, but also of sinners, provided they wish to amend. When a sinner becomes penitent, and throws himself at her feet, he finds this good mother of mercy more ready to embrace and aid him than any earthly mother could be. This St. Gregory wrote to the princess Matilda: “Desire to cease from sin, and I confidently promise you will find Mary more prompt than an earthly mother in thy behalf.” But whoever aspires to be the son of this great mother, must first leave off sinning, and then let him hope to be accepted as her son. St. Jerome wrote to the virgin Eustochium, that Mary not only assists her dear servants in their death, but also comes to meet them in their passage to the other life, to encourage them and accompany them to the divine tribunal, And this agrees with what the blessed Virgin said to St. Bridget, speaking of her servants when they are at the point of death: “Then I, their most loving Lady and mother, hasten to them in death, that they may have consolation and comfort.”

+ In the Revelations of St. Bridget, Mary is called the star going before the sun: *idug vadens ante solem.” By which we are to understand, that when devotion to the divine mother first dawns in a sinful soul, it is a certain sign that God will soon come to enrich her with his grace. The glorious St. Bonaventure, in order to revive in the hearts of sinners confidence in the protection of Mary, represents to us the sea in a tempest, in which sinners who have fallen from the bark of divine grace, tossed about by remorse of conscience, and by the fear of divine justice, without light and without a guide, have almost lost the breath of hope, and are nearly sinking in despair; at this critical moment the saint, pointing to Mary, who is commonly called “The star of the sea,” raises his voice and exclaims : Oh poor, lost sinners, do not despair, lift your eyes to that beautiful star, take courage and trust, for she will guide you out of the tempest, and bring you to the port of safety…”

************ The blessed Virgin herself revealed to St. Bridget, that no sinner in the world is so great an enemy to God, that if he has recourse to her and invokes her aid, does not return to God and is not restored to his favour. And the same St. Bridget heard one day Jesus Christ saying to his mother, that she could obtain the divine favour even for Lucifer, if he would humble himself so far as to ask her help. That proud spirit would never stoop to implore the protection of Mary, but if such a thing could happen, Mary would take pity upon him, and the power of her prayers would obtain from God his pardon and salvation. But what cannot happen to the devil may well happen to sinners who seek the help of this mother of mercy. ************

+ This divine mother, in her revelations to St. Bridget, said: “I am the mother of all the souls in purgatory; and all the sufferings which they merit for the sins committed in life are every hour, while they remain there, alleviated in some measure by my prayers.”

+ Who, oh holy Virgin, exclaims the blessed Eutychian, has ever sought thy powerful protection, which can relieve the most miserable and rescue the most degraded, and has been abandoned by thee? No, this has never happened, and never will happen. Let him be silent concerning thy mercy, oh blessed Virgin, whose necessities have been neglected by thee after he has implored thy aid.

+ And, therefore, says the blessed Albertus Magnus, as we are indebted to Jesus for what he suffered for love of us, we are also to Mary for the martyrdom which she, in the death of her Son, voluntarily suffered for our salvation. I have added voluntarily, since, as the angel revealed to St. Bridget, this our so merciful and kind mother was willing to suffer any pain, rather than to see souls unredeemed or left in their former perdition. It may be said that this was the only consolation of Mary in the midst of her great sorrow at the passion of her Son, to see the lost world redeemed by his death, and men, who were his enemies, reconciled with God. Grieving, she rejoiced, says Simon da Cassia, because the sacrifice was offered for the redemption of all, by which wrath was appeased.

St. Alphonsus Liguori, ora pro nobis!

Mother of Mercy, ora pro nobis!

Hope of the despairing, ora pro nobis!