THE VIRTUES OF BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

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

Whoever loves resembles the person loved or endeavors to become like that person according to the well known proverb, “Love either finds or make its like.”

As a result of our Love for Blessed Virgin, if we can prove the same by imitating her virtues, then that would be the greatest honor we could present Her. Replicating the virtues of Saints and the Holy Mother, will enable us to obtain more certainty and acknowledge greater abundance of favors, so that they can work more efficaciously in us.

Let us go through few virtues of our Blessed Virgin Mary. 

‘Humility’: The foundation and guardian of all virtues.  Without humility no other virtues would exist in us.  St. Francis says, ‘God so loves humility that whenever He sees it He is immediately drawn there.’  The world was unfamiliar with humility until the Son of God Himself came on earth to teach it by His own example, when He said to us, “Learn from Me because I am meek and humble of heart.” 

(Matthew 11:29).

Mary being the first and most perfect disciple of Lord Jesus was also first in humility and by its merits she was exalted above all creatures.  The first effect of humility of heart is a lowly opinion of oneself.  Mary always had a humble opinion of herself even though she knew she was enriched with the greatest graces.  A soul that is truly humble does not praise itself; when praised by others, refers it all to God. 

Yes, we can never be true children of Mary, if we are not humble.

For example, when Gabriel the Archangel praised Mary and later St. Elizabeth also did the same, Mary refers it all to God by saying, “My heart praises the Lord; My soul is glad because of God my Savior, for He has remembered Me, his lowly servant!”  (Luke 1: 46-47) 

St. Bernard says, ‘You cannot imitate the virginity of this humble Virgin, let us imitate her humility.’

‘Charity’: Where there is greatest purity, there is also greatest charity.  The more the heart is pure and empty of itself; the fullness of love towards God is evident. Holy Mary was so humble having nothing of self within her was thus filled with Divine Love of God. 

God Himself has indeed given us the precept, “You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart.”  (Matt 22:37) 

This command is perfectly fulfilled only in heaven by mankind, but in the case of Mary it is been fulfilled in completion in this world itself because she practices virtues in the highest perfection.  The Love of God in her was so ardent which had no defect of any kind.  The Divine Love has penetrated and filled both in soul and body of Mary.  The Holy Spirit inflamed and melted Mary with love as fire does to iron. 

St. Peter Damian says, “That the duties of her active life did not prevent her from loving, and love did not prevent her from attending to those duties.”  He who loves God loves also his neighbor. 

So great was Mary’s charity when on earth that she helped the needy without even being asked.  For example the wedding feast at Cana.  (John 2:13)  Similarly, as soon as she heard of her cousin Elizabeth’s condition and knew she needed help, Mary went with haste to the hill country (Luke 1 : 39)

“Give and it will be given to you…….For the measure with which you measure, will be measured out to you.”  (Luke 6 : 38)  Anyone who assists the needy makes God indebted to him.

‘Faith’: St. Augustine wrote thus about Her faith, ‘When Mary consented to the incarnation of the Eternal Word, by means of Her faith She opened the heaven to mankind.’  Her faith made St. Elizabeth to address Her ‘Blessed’. 

The Queen of True Faith alone has destroyed all heresies throughout the world.  She proved that faith is not only to be the rule of our belief, but also that of our actions. 

St. Augustine insists, ‘If you say, ‘I believe’, then do what you say and it is faith.’ 

To have a ‘lively’ faith, live according to our belief.

‘HOPE’: Mary’s hope is also noteworthy. 

God enlightens us with faith to know His goodness and promises He has made, so that this knowledge may elevate hope in us.  Mary was totally detached from earthly affections, leaning on Her beloved Divine Grace. For example when She saw the anxiety of Her Holy spouse St. Joseph, unable to accept Her blessed pregnancy, She thought that it is better to abandon Herself to Divine Providence in full confidence that God Himself will defend Her innocence and reputation.  Again She showed Her confidence in God and obliged to give birth to Her Child in a stable and laid Him in a manger by placing Her confidence in God believing that He would assist her. 

We see over and again in the Gospels her trust in God during the flight to Egypt to escape from Herod that God would protect her Son.  Let us learn from Mary to have that kind of confidence in God.  For this, we must distrust our own strength and co-operate with God. 

ACT OF THE DAY

Through the intercession of Mother Mary, let us offer a Holy Rosary to obtain and follow Her Virtues in our life.

With love filled blessings

Your Sister In Christ