THE VIRTUES OF BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Part II

You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart. (Matthew 22:3)

CLICK HERE FOR PART I

“O Virgin! Who taught you to please God by virginity and to lead an angel’s life here on earth?” asked St. Bernard to the Holy Mary.

God chose this most pure Virgin as His Mother so that she might be an example of CHASTITY to all.  Not only did Our Mother remain a Virgin throughout, but through her St. Joseph too preserved his virginity. St. Ambrose calls her the standard - bearer of virginity.

St. Gregory of Tours affirms that the Holy Mary fasted throughout Her life for grace so that gluttony cannot subsist together. 

The Most Holy Mary reveals to St. Elizabeth of Hungary, “‘No virtues can abide in us without effort and continual prayer’.

 

O Most Loving Redeemer grant us to learn from You to despise the things of this world, and just as you were, to be satisfied in our poverty on earth. 

“You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, rich as He was; He made Himself poor for your sake in order to make you rich by means of His Poverty.”  (2 Cor. 9) 

 A rich young man approached asking Jesus, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to receive eternal life?”  The Lord replied, “…..go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor and you will have riches in heaven, then come and follow Me.” (Matthew 19) 

Mary’s respect for poverty is evident when she accepts God’s will and agrees in marriage to St. Joseph, a poor carpenter. Enriched with all heavenly blessings, she still chose to live poor and also die poor.

He who loves the possessions of this world, can never suit and gain  the title of saint. The virtue of poverty lies in loving the hardships and discomforts attached to it.

So let’s abandon our grumpy faces set our eyes on our Savior and His Mother, and console our troubled hearts, to seek comfort from Them, who suffered and went through all this and is an example for us to enable us to detach ourselves from the passions and selfishness of this World.

Thus with more space in our heart, lets mediate. Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God.  (Matthew 5:3).  Such people desire nothing but God and discover their paradise on earth.

Virgin Mary declared that God was pleased with her OBEDIENCE when she said, “He has regarded the humility of His handmaid.”

Eve by her disobedience swept in death of herself and the entire human race, while Virgin Mary, free from Original Sin, by her obedience bloomed God’s Salvation on herself and the entire mankind.

Her obedience in all things pleased God and was more ideal than all saints. The obedience she radiated reached the highest perfection, when she submitted herself and offered Her Son to death for the Divine Will. This still continues to amaze many, including saints, to draw inspiration and strength even during the darkest hours of life.

 Let us intercede with Her to Lord Jesus to obtain such obedience for us to be faithful in God’s will.

Blessed Virgin Mary is the role model for all virtues, but Her Virtue of PATIENCE is noteworthy.  We have already seen her sorrows, sufferings and patience in the flight of her journey to Egypt, the hidden life in Nazareth, during her presence at the crucifixion.  When life’s cross weigh heavily on us, let us have recourse to Mary who is called the Comforter of the afflicted and the Remedy for all sorrows of the heart. Mary who was innocent yet suffered with much patience.

Christ Jesus our Savior taught us to pray fervently (Luke 18).  Mary is the only one on earth who practiced the Lord’s PRAYER in perfect manner. 

Mary revealed to St. Elizabeth of Hungary that she always rose at midnight and went before the altar of the Temple to offer her supplications.  After the Resurrection and the Ascension it is said that she frequently visited the places of our Lord’s Nativity, Passion and the Sepulcher.  She prayed with the greatest recollection of Spirit. 

Never before was there anyone like Mary nor will there be  anyone like her who pleased God. 

Our Blessed Virgin Mary told St. Jane -which is a very pleasing practice to her - to recite ten ‘Hail Mary’ in honor of her ten virtues.

Act for the day

Let us offer a Holy Rosary to our Mother, to grant us the grace to honor her virtues.

With Love Filled Blessings,

Your Sister in Christ