Gratitude for Mary’s sufferings, Mary: Day 319

Last updated on: June 4, 2016 at 3:30 am by Pete Socks

Gratitude for Mary’s sufferings, Mary: Day 319 2016-05-31T20:00:42-05:00 Pete Socks

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Gratitude for Mary’s sufferings

St. Alphonsus reminds us that even though Jesus’ sufferings were “more than enough to save an infinity of worlds,” Mary wished to join in his work of redemption through her own sufferings.

St. Ildephonsus didn’t hesitate to assert: “To say that Mary’s sorrows

were greater than all the torments of all the martyrs together, was to say too little.” And St. Anselm adds: “The cruelest tortures inflicted on the holy martyrs were trifling, or even as nothing, in comparison to the martyrdom of Mary.” St. Basil of Seleucia writes: “As the sun surpasses all the other heavenly bodies in splendor, so did Mary’s sufferings surpass those of all the other martyrs.”

But here St. Bonaventure, addressing this Blessed Virgin, says: “And why, O Lady, did you also go to sacrifice yourself on Calvary? Wasn’t a crucified God sufficient to redeem us? Why would you, his mother, also go to be crucified with him?” Indeed, the death of Jesus was more than enough to save the world, and an infinity of worlds. But this good mother, for the love she bore us, wished also to help the cause of our salvation with the merits of her sufferings, which she offered for us on Calvary. For this reason, as St. Albert the Great says, “Just as we are under great obligations to Jesus for his passion endured for our love, so also are we under great obligations to Mary for the martyrdom she voluntarily suffered for our salvation in the death of her Son.”

St. Agnes revealed to St. Bridget, “Our compassionate and gracious mother was satisfied to endure any torment rather than that our souls should not be redeemed, and be left in their former state of damnation.” Mary’s only relief in the midst of her great sorrow in the passion of her Son was to see the lost world redeemed by his death, and men who were his enemies reconciled with God. So great a love on the part of Mary deserves our gratitude, and that gratitude should be shown by at least meditating upon and pitying her in her sorrows.

—St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

Why are we “under great obligations to Mary” for her suffering? How might I fulfill those obligations? Does it encourage me to know that my reconciliation to God contributed to her relief ?

CLOSING PRAYER

From “The Seven Dolors of Mary at the Death of Jesus”: Through these most bitter pangs that lacerated your maternal heart, I beg you, Mary, when I am called before the severe Judge to give an account of my life, unite your great merits to my scant record of good works, so that I may receive a favorable judgement.

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