TRUE DEVOTION TO MARY - SECOND DAY

 

True Devotion to Mary

Consecration to Jesus Through Mary  

Second day  

TRUE DEVOTION TO OUR LADY IN GENERAL

With the whole Church I acknowledge that Mary, being a mere creature fashioned by the hands of God, is, compared to his infinite majesty, less than an atom—or rather, is simply nothing, since he alone can say, “I am he who is.” Consequently, this great Lord, who is ever independent and self-sufficient, never had and does not now have any absolute need of the Blessed Virgin for the accomplishment of his will and the manifestation of his glory. To do all things, He has only to will them. However, I declare that, considering things as they are, because God has decided to begin and accomplish His greatest works through the Blessed Virgin ever since He created her, we can safely believe that He will not change His plan in the time to come, for He is God and therefore does not change in His thoughts or His way of acting.

God the Father gave His only Son to the world only through Mary. Whatever desires the patriarchs may have cherished, whatever entreaties the prophets and saints of the Old Law may have had for 4,000 years to obtain that treasure, it was Mary alone who merited it and found grace before God by the power of her prayers and the perfection of her virtues.  “The world being unworthy,” said Saint Augustine, “to receive the Son of God directly from the hands of the Father, he gave his Son to Mary for the world to receive him from her.”

The Son of God became man for our salvation, but only in Mary and through Mary. God the Holy Spirit formed Jesus Christ in Mary, but only after having asked her consent through one of the chief ministers of his court.

God the Father imparted to Mary His fruitfulness, as far as a mere creature was capable of receiving it, to enable her to bring forth His Son and all the members of His mystical body.

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Matthew 5:48, 6:1-15  

Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect. Take heed that you do not your justice before  men, to be seen by them: otherwise you shall not have a reward from your Father who is in heaven. Therefore when  thou dost an almsdeed, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the  streets, that they may be honoured by men. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But when thou  dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth. That thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father who  seeth in secret will repay thee. And when ye pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, so that they may be seen by men: Amen I say to you, they have  received their reward. But thou when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to  thy Father in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee. And when you are praying, speak not  much, as the heathens. For they think that in their much speaking they may be heard. Be not you therefore like them, for your Father knoweth what is needful for you, before you ask him. Thus therefore shall you pray: Our  Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our supersubstantial bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us  not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen. For if you will forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father  will forgive you also your offences. But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your  offences.

Veni Creator

Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, and in our souls take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.

O comforter, to Thee we cry, O heavenly gift of God Most High, O fount of life and fire of love, and sweet anointing from above.

Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known; Thou, finger of God’s hand we own; Thou, promise of the Father, Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue.

Kindle our sense from above, and make our hearts o’erflow with love; with patience firm and virtue high the weakness of our flesh supply.

Far from us drive the foe we dread, and grant us Thy peace instead; so shall we not, with Thee for guide, turn from the path of life aside.

Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow the Father and the Son to know; and Thee, through endless times confessed, of both the eternal Spirit blest.

Now to the Father and the Son, Who rose from death, be glory given, with Thou, O Holy Comforter, henceforth by all in earth and heaven. Amen.

Ave Maris Stella

Hail, O Star of the ocean, God’s own Mother blest, ever sinless Virgin, gate of heav’nly rest.

Taking that sweet Ave, which from Gabriel came, peace confirm within us, changing Eve’s name.

Break the sinners’ fetters, make our blindness day, Chase all evils from us, for all blessings pray.

Show thyself a Mother, may the Word divine born for us thine 

Infant hear our prayers through thine.

Virgin all excelling, mildest of the mild, free from guilt preserve us meek and undefiled.

Keep our life all spotless, make our way secure till we find in Jesus, joy for evermore.

Praise to God the Father, honor to the Son, in the Holy Spirit, be the glory one. Amen.

Magnificat

My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because He that is mighty hath done great things to me; and holy is His name. And His mercy is from generation to generations, to them that fear Him. He hath showed might in His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat; and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. Amen.

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.