Mary, Mother of Fair Love, Mary: Day 139

Last updated on: December 7, 2015 at 3:30 am by Pete Socks

Mary, Mother of Fair Love, Mary: Day 139 2015-11-22T13:17:35-05:00 Pete Socks

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Mary, Mother of Fair Love

St. Alphonsus celebrates the love of a mother unlike any other.

The Church applies to Mary these words of the Book of Sirach: “I am the mother of fair love” (see Sir 24:18). A commentator, explaining them, says that the Blessed Virgin’s love renders our souls beautiful in the sight of God, and also makes her, as a most loving mother, receive us as her children, “since she is all love towards those whom she has adopted in this way.” St. Bonaventure says to her: “Don’t you love us and seek our welfare far more—without compari- son!—than any earthly mother?”

Blessed are those who live under the protection of so loving and powerful a mother! The prophet David, although Mary was not yet born, sought salvation from God by dedicating himself as a son of Mary, and prayed to God this way: “Save the son of your handmaid” (Ps 86:16). “Of what handmaid?’ asks St. Augustine. He replies: “Of the one who said, ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord’ ” (Lk 1:38).

“Who would ever dare,” asks St. Robert Bellarmine, “to snatch these chil- dren from the bosom of Mary, when they have taken refuge there? What power of hell, or what temptation, can overcome them, if they place their confidence in the patronage of this great mother, the Mother of God, and their mother?”

There are some who say that when the mother whale sees her young in danger, either from storms or predators, she opens her mouth so they can swim inside her to be protected. This is precisely what the devotional writer Luigi Novarini asserts of Mary: “When the storms of temptations rage, the most com- passionate mother of the faithful, with maternal tenderness, protects them as if in her own bosom, until she has brought them into the harbor of salvation.” —St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
In what ways has Mary shown herself to be the “Mother of Fair Love” in my life? How has her love helped to make my soul beautiful like hers?

CLOSING PRAYER
From a prayer of St. Bonaventure: As a mother loves her children and attends to their welfare, so you love us and procure our happiness, O most sweet Queen!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Remember to subscribe to my feed so you will not miss a day! This recurring feature at The Catholic Blogger is possible through the cooperation of author Paul Thigpen and publisher Saint Benedict Press. To get your own copy of this book, click below.

A Year with Mary

Paul Thigpen

Saint Alphonsus Ligouri

Saint Benedict Press

Previous Post

December 6, 2015

CBB Interview with Douglas Leonard

Next Post

December 8, 2015 Mary, Mother of Hope, Mary: Day 140

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A Year with Mary A Year with the Angels A Year with the Church Fathers Book News Children's Review Featured CD Giveaway Guest Post Interview Linked Review Media review Movie Review New Releases Off the Shelf Review speakers Teen Review The Clergy Speaks The Laity Speaks The Open Book Podcast Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz