Rebecca is an image of Mary, Mary: Day 009

Last updated on: July 30, 2015 at 3:30 am by Pete Socks

Rebecca is an image of Mary, Mary: Day 009 2015-07-18T12:54:47-05:00 Pete Socks

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Rebecca is an image of Mary

In her preparation of food for her husband Isaac, St. Alphonsus notes, Rebecca foreshadowed Mary’s desire to render sinners dear to her Lord.

The Old Testament patriarch Isaac desired to eat some wild game. So he promised his blessing to his son Esau if he would procure this food for him. However, Rebecca was anxious for her other son, Jacob, to receive the blessing. So she called him and said, “Go to the flock, and fetch me two good kids, that I may prepare from them savory food for your father, such as he loves” (Gn 27:9). St. Antoninus says: “Rebecca was a figure of Mary, who commands the angels to bring her sinners (symbolized by the kids), so that she may prepare them in such a way (by obtaining for them sorrow and intention to repent) that she can render them dear and acceptable to her Lord.” Here we may well apply to our Blessed Lady the words of the Abbot Franco: “O truly wise woman, who knew how to dress these kids so well that they are not only equal to real venisonin flavor, but often superior to it!”

The Blessed Virgin herself revealed to St. Bridget that “there is no sinner in the world, however much he may be at enmity with God, who doesn’t return to him and recover his grace, if he turns to her and asks her assistance.” The same saint one day heard Jesus Christ address his mother, saying that “she would be ready to obtain the grace of God for Lucifer himself, if only he humbled himself so far as to seek her aid.” We know that proud spirit will of course never humble himself so far as to implore the protection of Mary. But if such a thing were possible, Mary would be sufficiently compassionate, and her prayers would have sufficient power to obtain both forgiveness and salvation for him from God. But what can never happen with regard to the Devil has been proved in the case of sinners who turn to this compassionate mother.
—St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
How might Mary “dress” me so that I can become more “palatable” to the Lord? What “spices” (virtues) do I need that I’m now lacking?

CLOSING PRAYER
Blessed Lady, beloved of God, fragrant with “all chief spices” of the holy virtues (Sg 4:14), draw me close after you, and let us run together (see Sg 1:4), so that I may imitate your holiness, and the fragrance of your virtues may become mine as well.

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