7 December 2012 Immaculate Conception Novena “O Mary, you are the staircase by which God descended to us and by which we must ascend again to Him.” -- St Bonaventure (Cf Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, p27) Day 8 -- Gate of heaven In the Litany of Loreto, we invoke Mary’s title, ‘Gate of Heaven’, our access to the Lord: the Temple gate facing East (Ezek 44:1), since through her the ‘Sun of Justice’, Jesus Christ, comes to us. She “is the gate of heaven we confidently hope to enter one day to enjoy eternal happiness.” (Benedict XIV, Apostolic Letter, “Gloriosae dominicae”, 27 September 1748) Mary is our direct route to everlasting life with God. (F M Moschner, “Mystical Rose”, 240) Without her everything is harder or may be impossible. God has wanted her to dispense the treasures that Jesus had won for us by his Passion and his Death. (St Pius X, Encyclical, “Ad Diem illu”, 2 February 1904) “Assumed into heaven, Our Lady does not abandon her earthly task of cooperation in our salvation. By her constant intercession, she continues to bring us gifts that lead to eternal life. Her maternal charity sustains the brethren of her Son still on their journey beset by dangers and difficulties until they reach their true home. “As such the Church invokes the Blessed Virgin by her titles -- ‘Advocate’, ‘Auxiliatrix’, ‘Adjutrix’, and ‘Mediatrix’.” (Second Vatican Council, “Lumen Gentium”, 62) St Bernard tirelessly taught that by the Will of God the Blessed Virgin is our ‘Mediatrix’. Theologians affirm that we receive all graces through Our Lady, subordinate as she is to Christ our one true Mediator. (“Homily on the Blessed Virgin Mary” in “Summa Aurea”, VI, 996) Mary is the ‘Gate of Heaven’. All benefits a king gives pass through his palace gate. No grace comes down from heaven without first going through the hands of Mary. (St Alphonsus Liguori, “The Glories of Mary”, I, 5, 7) Mary’s intimate union with her Son signifies her special participation in the fullness of power and mercy that derive from Christ Our Lord. More accurately though, Jesus is our way to glory, since through his Passion and Death he opened the gates of heaven previously closed to mankind. She rightly deserves this title because of her all-powerful intercession to procure for us the means to reach heaven. (I Goma, “The Blessed Virgin”, II, 162-3) Mary is always the way that leads to Christ. “Each encounter with her is a meeting with the Lord himself. What else can constant recourse to Mary mean but a continual search for Christ our Saviour through her, with her, and in her?” (Paul VI, Encyclical, “Mense Maio”, 29 April 1965) On account of the close relationship between Mother and Son, the Church has taught that devotion to the Blessed Virgin is a sign of predestination. (Pius XII, Encyclical, “Mediator Dei”, 20 February 1947) Mary looks after her children in order to expedite their journey along the path that leads to the house of God our Father. “Mothers don’t record their children’s tokens of affection. Neither weigh nor meticulously measure them. A tiny gesture of affection is as sweet as honey to them, and they give themselves generously in return, bestowing much more than they receive. If good mothers react in this way, just imagine what we can expect from our Holy Mother Mary.” (cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “Friends of God”, 280) Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 7:331-6 ‘Gate of Heaven. Pray for us.’ Mary, a model of humility, obedience and patience On the eve of this great feast, strive to beg our dearest Mother’s favors with fervent acts of humility, obedience, and patience: virtues which distinguished her. She loved to be hidden and forgotten; to be nil. Already the Mother of God, she served her cousin, Elizabeth. She was an ordinary woman at Nazareth. Nowhere when our Lord is honored and followed; but appears only when he is despised and deserted. At Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem she was inconspicuous; but grieves by the cross amidst insults. Our Blessed Lady’s obedience was supernatural: blind, universal, heroic. She obeyed a heathen emperor by going to Bethlehem; conformed to the Mosaic law in the rite of purification which in reality she was exempt. Despite her superior merit and dignity, she was obedient to St Joseph as her lawful spouse. No creature can claim more suffering. No mother was ever so wounded through her afflictions; but never complained. Modest in prosperity, not downcast in adversity; even rejoicing in tribulation like her Son. Let us ask our Blessed Lady to make us docile to our Lord’s words: “Learn of Me, because I am meek and lowly of heart, and you shall find rest to your soul.” (Mt 11:29) Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp775-7 Mary is for me an ‘inspiration’ and a ‘protection’ Mary, because of her merits and holy life, is for me an ‘inspiration’: helps me do something worthwhile in my life and to make a somebody of myself at the service of God. Mary means to me a ‘Mediatrix of graces’, a ‘Protection’. St Bernard said that we have need of a Mediator, with the Mediator Himself. Mary is the most capable for that charitable office. She protects me from the snares of the devil and the enemies of my soul, from the destructive force of bad habits and evil inclinations, and from every kind of sin. She keeps me from physical dangers; and inspires me in serving and pleasing God. Ref: Cf Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, p27 The Struggle -- “Not all of us can become rich, wise, famous ... Yet, all of us -- yes, ‘all of us’ -- are called to be saints.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Furrow”, 125) St Ambrose, bishop and Doctor of the Church He defended the Church doctrine against the Arians; converted and baptized St Augustine. Patron of candle-makers. (Rev Hugo Hoever, SOCist, PhD, “Lives of the Saints”, 500-501) • On this day, a Sunday, in the year 1550, the canonesses of Our Lady of Paris being in procession before the image of the Blessed Virgin, which is near the door of the choir, a heretic from Lorraine, breaking through the crowd, sword in hand, sought to strike that image, but he was prevented by those present, and on the Thursday following, he was executed before the porch of Our Lady.— Da Breuil, “Antiq. de Paris, liv. i”. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Our Lady of Paris (1550). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html) • Miraculous preservation of the image of Our Lady of Paris from heretics in 1550. Paris. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Vigil of the Immaculate Conception. For the United States, World War II began on this Vigil, and ended on the Vigil of the Assumption. Obligation of vigil fast transferred from Assumption Vigil to this date by Pope Pius XII, in 1957. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)