September. The Immaculate Heart of Mary.
This month is generally devoted to the consideration of the Heart of Mary and her Seven Dolors. Not only should we have a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, but there are good reasons for us to have a devotion to the heart of Mary, so full of love for us, and to her dolors in connection with the redemption of mankind. Her life was full of sorrow, because she was actuated by the same sentiments as Our Lord in His desire to redeem us from the slavery of Satan. What heart, in fact, has ever been so intimately identified with that of Jesus as was Mary's? He died on the cross, and Mary stood beneath it, faithful to the end.
Our Lord, in His thirty years' ministry, labored among the people, preaching and healing the sick, and Mary was certainly in perfect sympathy with Him in His great work. We are struck with the adorable goodness of His divine Heart, and for the same reason we are attracted to the heart of Mary.
We will, then, during this month of September, pray to the heart of our beloved Mother, setting before our minds the goodness of that loving heart towards her children in this vale of tears. Let us love and honor these two hearts so intimately united; let us go to God the Father through the Heart of Jesus: and to the divine Saviour through the heart of Mary. We can obtain all things from the Father and the Holy Ghost through the Heart of Jesus; and all things from the Son through the heart of His blessed Mother.
Considerations and Prayers for Every Day.
First Day.
Nowhere in the Old Testament, do we approach God more closely than in the book of Job, where we see the great prophet of God enduring so [pg 375] patiently the many sufferings that God has permitted; and nowhere do we recognize Him as the great Father good and kind to His children as in the same book. Job was a figure of Christ. There is something very holy in suffering endured in compliance to the will of God. To-day, then, we are to begin to think of Mary's sorrowful heart, and we will contemplate how the mysterious ways of Providence, the love of God, His mercy and kindness, inflicts chastisements on the Mother of His much loved Son. In the silence of the thirty years of Christ on earth, in the silence of the hours of agony on the cross, and in the silence of Mary underneath the cross, we will see the silence of a heart filled with sorrow, which God is imposing on His children for the good of mankind. The Church sets before our minds the seven sorrows of Mary, telling us the principal causes of her great grief in the life of Jesus.
Prayer.
O heart of Mary, I offer, I consecrate to thee my heart! Thou shalt be the object of my veneration, love and confidence; I will pay thee my devotions every day; I will celebrate thy feasts with joy; I will proclaim thy greatness and thy goodness without ceasing. I will neglect no means of obtaining for thee the honor and the homage which are due unto thee. I will bring all the thoughts and affections of my heart into conformity with thine, and I will make it my duty to imitate thy virtues, especially thy purity and thy humility. Vouchsafe, O Mary, to open thy heart and receive me therein. Amen.
Second Day.
Mary's sole enjoyment in this world was the presence of her divine Son. One never reads of her enjoying what the world calls recreation. The life of Mary was full of deep love and holy virtue, and when trials came she patiently and sweetly endured them for the love of God. It was meet, she knew, that she should suffer, for her intimate connection with the Son of God made suffering necessary. The first sword of sorrow which pierced her heart were the words of Simeon in the Temple. When the days of her purification were passed, Mary, according to the Law of Moses, came to the Temple, bearing in her arms the Infant Jesus. The spirit of God manifested in Jesus and Mary was a spirit of obedience to the Law of the time in which they lived. In comparison to Mary, the angels' purity became dim, and still she subjected herself to the ceremony of purification. The law presupposed impurity, but in Mary we know that there was not the least stain of sin or imperfection. Humbly she carried the Lord to the Temple; and humbly, too, Joseph walked by her side, bearing the two turtle doves for a sacrifice and a ransom for the Child Jesus, which was also according to the Law.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Third Day.
The aged arms of the feeble old priest embraced the Child, and all turned to enter the building. Simeon bore the weight of the Creator of [pg 377] heaven and earth, yet stood erect, strengthened and consoled. The advent of that Child must have given the old man a manifestation of the greatness and the glory of heaven, and unspeakable joy must have shone forth from his countenance. Then old Simeon remembered the revelation which he had received from the Holy Spirit: that he would not see death until he had held in his arms the anointed of the Lord; and now he bears Him, a feeble child. He finds it hard to return that precious burden to Mary, who stands there with motherly solicitude, yearning to receive back again her beloved Child. But the flood-gates of thanks to almighty God have been opened, and Simeon's heart and lips break forth in a most sublime and prophetic song. Zachary sang his Benedictus at the circumcision of St. John; Mary sang her Magnificat at Elizabeth's home, and now Simeon pours forth his soul in a sublime prayer: “Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word in peace: because my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: a light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.”
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Fourth Day.
But now he changes his words of joy into a sorrowful prophecy; the aged priest proceeds, “Behold, this Child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted: and thy own soul a sword shall pierce that out of many hearts thoughts [pg 378] may be revealed.” Mary was silent, but a cloud of fear for the future passed over her, as Simeon foretold all that was to afflict her. This was her first sorrow: to be told that her Child was to be set for the fall and redemption of many. A sea of trouble flooded the soul of Mary; it seemed as if Jesus Himself was causing that sorrow, and sent it directly into her heart. But Mary was brave, as she was through all her sorrows; there was no change in her. The Light of the world had burst out, in the arms of Simeon, and then followed a dreadful darkness. Suddenly Mary found herself far from the joys of Bethlehem in the darkness of Golgotha, but she was just as resigned in her sorrow as she was content in her joy. Mary understood now that the life of her divine Son was to be a constant martyrdom, and that the end of it would be the death on the cross.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Fifth Day.
This was the great sacrifice that Mary made of her beloved Son. She was resigned to the will of God, though she knew the unavoidable future. She had given to God a sacrifice in every way equal to God; never had such a sacrifice been made from the beginning of the world. She had surpassed the angels in constant prayer, she had made a more acceptable offering than the ancient priests of God: because here was offered to God, Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, and the equal of God the Father. It was in sympathy with her divine Son [pg 379] and out of love for mankind that Mary offered this holy sacrifice. He was her Son, and yet, from this moment, she was not to possess Him as her own; she was only to guard the Victim for the day of the great sacrifice. Mary knew that it was not for her joy and consolation that Jesus was born; it was for a higher purpose that He came into the world. She resigned all the joy His coming brought to her, and offered Him a sacrifice to almighty God. Her heart is full of wounds as she sees the persecutions of the Jews, the infidelity and hardness of heart of many.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Sixth Day.
What lessons may we draw from the first sorrow of Mary—from the prophecy of Simeon, which changed her whole future life? The sorrows of Mary lasted all her lifetime; she suffered without looking for consolation; she suffered in the depth of her heart, supported only by God's goodness. Mary's griefs were intimately united to the sufferings of Jesus; her sorrows were caused by His sufferings, and with these Mary was in perfect sympathy. It is in this way that we should live, and suffer our trials and troubles in perfect union with those of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. We can make of them a perfect sacrifice to God, simply because they are connected with a little pain. We must consider ourselves happy if God chastises us in this world, because He intends to make us better; we suffer because we have sinned; sin claims a punishment and we should be satisfied to be punished for our sins, and [pg 380] to give some atonement for them; they can hardly be called sacrifices when they are well-merited punishments. Still it is possible, even while we justly suffer for our sins, to make our sufferings more meritorious by uniting them to those of Our Lord. With joy we can look up to the Mother of sorrows, and suffer, like her, with patience and resignation.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Seventh Day.
The second sword of sorrow that pierced the heart of Mary was the flight into Egypt. Simeon was the author and instrument in the hand of God of the first sorrow; Joseph was the great figure in her second sorrow. It seems to heighten whatever sufferings we may have to undergo when they are caused by those whom we love. This was the case now, and this sword of sorrow was so much the more cruel as the visitation did not seem to come from God, but from the cruelty of men. In this sorrow the hand of man was raised against the Lord, to put Him out of the way. It was like the crucifixion on Mount Calvary, for His death was intended, and on Calvary really executed. Mary and Joseph had to make arrangements for the hasty journey to an unknown country, in order to guard the Infant Jesus from the persecutions of Herod. Mary had to go to a country where there was no worship of the true God; there were temples only of impure idolatry. Alone, destitute, and wandering about, there was no human consolation in this exile; she was deprived of the practice of her religion, her spirit yearned [pg 381] after the courts of the house of God, with the multitude of worshippers gathered there on feast days; she loved the ceremonies of the old synagogue. In this secret sorrow she passed the days of her exile, until God relieved her by permitting her to return.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Eighth Day.
The most sorrowful feeling produced in the heart of Mary by her exile in Egypt, was caused by the thought of the hatred man had conceived against the Lord. This adorable Child carefully concealed every manifestation of His divine power. There was never on this earth a more lovable object than this Child, and yet man had turned against Him from the very first moment of His birth. It caused her heart great suffering to see that mankind did not appreciate the presence of the Incarnate Word; that it neglected the consideration of God's goodness towards it. But how much more does she suffer when she beholds Him an object of persecution! He is a fugitive from the society of those very people whom He comes to save. All this Mary must have felt; for she loved her divine Son with a great natural love, and watched over Him with motherly solicitude. She loved Him also with a divine love, for she knew He was the Son of God, the Redeemer of mankind. This second sword of sorrow was not the transient realization of a mystery, which took place and then was over. No, it was a lasting sorrow, spreading itself over her whole life, for that persecution lasted until He died on the cross amid the shouts of an unfeeling people.
[pg 382]Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Ninth Day.
The flight into Egypt has ever been a fruitful source of meditation for devout souls; it is a beautiful but at the same time a sorrowful event in the life of Christ. We, the descendants of the heathens, date God's visitation to us from this time, because Our Lord fled from His own people and visited those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death. With His presence He sanctified the heathen country, and with it all the dark continents of the world where God's name was not known. Amid these benighted people He, at least for a time, found a refuge and found peace. The three Wise Men had departed for their own country without notifying Herod of the success of their search for the King of Jerusalem. This stirred up his cruel spirit, and with a murderous will he tried to destroy the Child. The streets of Bethlehem were stained with the blood of the little ones, but the Child Jesus, as we know, was not harmed. What a sorrow was caused by the coming of Christ! Mary knew of it, for the sound of the wailings of desolate mothers had been carried to her ears, and her heart must have been touched by their cries. But to these children what a happy day it was, on which they gave their lives for the Infant Jesus! It was their baptism of blood; the world was in sorrow, but there was joy in heaven.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Tenth Day.
At the command of the angel, Mary and Joseph took the Child, and promptly entered upon their journey to Egypt. Without anxiety for the future, they were in no trepidation at leaving Bethlehem. Mary wrapped the Child in clothing to protect Him from the cold and pressed Him to her bosom; they then went forth into the starlit night. Poverty has not many preparations to make. The secret path which they took in this flight was one indicated by Providence. They at length arrived on the way that led to the desert, passed the boundaries of the land of Palestine, and wandered then, quietly on, until they appeared but moving specks on the wide expanse of the sands. Joseph and Mary cared tenderly for the Infant Jesus on their journey. He was the object of their continual love. Only scanty provisions had they taken with them, and water was scarce in such a region. At last they came to the shores of the Red Sea, and saw the waters that rolled between their own country and their destination. The Holy Family remained several years in Egypt, until the cruel tyrant, Herod, had died.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Eleventh Day.
The angel of the Lord again came to Joseph, and bade him take the Child and its Mother and return to the land of Israel, for those who had sought after His life were dead. Nobody took much notice [pg 384] of their departure; the Holy Family were too insignificant from a human point of view to trouble any one. They made the journey back again through the desert with the same difficulties besetting the way, until at length their eyes fell on the hills of their own country: that land which God had chosen for His people. They would gladly have entered Jerusalem on their way to Nazareth, but Archelaus, the son of Herod, was reigning there, and Joseph considered it prudent to avoid that city. No doubt he had recourse to prayer for enlightenment what to do, and had received a response from heaven that he should continue without delay his journey to Galilee; then their journeyings were to be at an end, and they could live peaceably and without fear in Nazareth, a home chosen by God for the sojourn of His divine Son for nearly thirty years.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twelfth Day.
In this sorrow of the Blessed Virgin, her flight into Egypt, we should call to our mind first of all, the poverty and destitution of the Holy Family in their exile. We would not be her devout and loving children, nor would we be followers of the Lord, unless we showed a sympathy for the sufferings endured during this event of Our Lord's life; unless we impressed them on our minds by pious meditation. This poverty which the Blessed Virgin endured was a part of her sorrows, and we, her children, will not forget what she must have felt for Our [pg 385] Lord in these reduced circumstances. Think of the hot winds of the desert, and the thirst they could not quench when, weary and footsore, they travelled on through that sandy waste. Another great concern of Mary's was, that the sins of mankind had deprived God of His glory in the incarnation of His divine Son. Good souls feel this very much, that God is not known and honored as He ought to be; still there is no comparison between the feelings of the saints and that of the Blessed Virgin. She lived a divine life, and was intimately concerned in the providence of God, and so felt the ingratitude of man all the more.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Thirteenth Day.
What lesson may we draw from this second sorrow of Mary in Egypt? An important one is this, that sufferings and trials, if they come from God, are far better for us than great consolations. To be well convinced of this truth we must be thoroughly imbued with a spirit of faith. Even pious people rebel when they think they suffer without having deserved it. How many, instead of profiting by tribulations, become almost blasphemous in their murmuring against God! We may be sure that the little troubles sent us by God, rightly endured, are better for our spiritual welfare than hours of prayer in which the feeling of consolation has a prominent part; who knows whether this luxury which our souls enjoy is not the object that we look [pg 386] for, without regard to our real good or the glory of God?
We also learn from the flight into Egypt that we must not question the designs of Providence in our sufferings. Would we find it amiss if God had worked miracles so that the Holy Family might at least have comfort? But no, He seemed to afflict them without mercy.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Fourteenth Day.
The third sorrow that our blessed Mother endured was the loss of the Child Jesus for three days. According to the Law, the Jews living in the neighborhood of the holy city had to make a pilgrimage three times a year, in order to celebrate the great feasts. They had to go on the feast of the Pasch, which was instituted to commemorate the deliverance from the bondage of Egypt; the second feast was that of the weeks, corresponding to our Pentecost, and the third feast was the feast of the tabernacles, where the devout of the nation thanked God for all the mercies shown them during the year. It was at one of these feasts of the Passover, or Pasch, that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph journeyed to Jerusalem. The Pasch must have been a feast of peculiar significance to the members of the Holy Family, for they knew what it really meant to them. There was to come a Pasch at which the principal actor of the feast would be Jesus, Our Lord. He certainly had that last Passover before His mind, and no doubt St. Joseph was also informed of the future. [pg 387] Mary, certainly, could not be ignorant of that great event in the future life of her divine Son.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Fifteenth Day.
As they journeyed on to Jerusalem, that future Passover of the sorrowful Passion must have been pictured vividly in their minds. They saw the boy of twelve years at their side, and they loved the Saviour of mankind with a sincere, adoring love; more and more did they love their good Jesus, Who was already making a sacrifice of Himself to His heavenly Father. They remained during the days of the feast in the neighborhood of the Temple, fulfilling the duties of their religion; and when the time came for their departure, Mary and Joseph travelled separately, Joseph with the men and Mary with the women. Mary thought that Jesus was with Joseph, and Joseph thought that He was with Mary. They journeyed a whole day without being aware of His absence; but when evening came and they, on inquiry, found that the Child was not with them, they were overwhelmed with grief. They returned to Jerusalem, and for three days sought Him through the city; at length, on the third day, they went to the Temple, and there they found the divine Child, sitting among the doctors, as the Scriptures say, teaching them, and asking them questions.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Sixteenth Day.
During the days of His sojourn in Jerusalem, what was the occupation of the Lord? He prayed long and fervently in that Temple, in that Holy of holies, in that house which His Father had chosen as His dwelling-place on earth. Our Lord's whole occupation was prayer. He prayed for the people of God, that they might acknowledge Him as the Redeemer of mankind. The doctors of the Law were there, picturing to themselves and to their audience the greatness of the coming Messias, from the very Scriptures which described His humiliations and modesty. Did Our Lord set them right by making them explain the discrepancies which they could not help noticing in the prophecies? The modesty of the Lord won all hearts, and so His time passed in the service of God. Mary and Joseph ran with joy to their beloved Son, and the Mother, embracing Him, remonstrated with Him, saying, “Son, why hast Thou done so to us? Behold, Thy father and I have sought Thee, sorrowing.” Then He answered, “Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?” He then went home to Nazareth with them, there to continue to do the will of His Father.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Seventeenth Day.
The sorrow of this event consisted mainly in the fact that Mary and Joseph had lost, perhaps through their own fault, the Child Jesus. They did not [pg 389] know whether it would be according to divine Providence that He would ever return to them; they thought that perhaps He had gone to the desert, as had St. John. This separation caused Mary terrible agony. It shows us how hard it is to lose Jesus, Our Lord, because He is absolutely necessary to us. By sin we lose Jesus; by love we regain Him, and the danger that we may again lose Him is enough to make us feel very sad. Mary's great suffering in this separation makes us understand the magnitude of the evil of losing Jesus. But how little do we feel that separation, especially when it is caused by our sins! It is always our own fault when Jesus goes away from us. He would not leave us, only that we force Him from us, and the means we use to conquer God, to make Him capitulate, is sin. To bring Him back again we must be active in our search, regret the evil we have done, and weep tears of real sorrow. Thus we invite our friend Jesus back again into our soul.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Eighteenth Day.
Let us now consider the fourth sword of sorrow which pierced the heart of Mary. No wonder we venerate in Mary a goodness of heart so great. We have seen how this noble heart has been moved by the contemplation of the future sorrows of her Son; how she was so intimately united with Him, that she suffered for our sake as He did. And we know that Our Lord suffered and died for no other cause than our redemption. In the fourth sorrow we come [pg 390] closer to the Passion. We are transferred to the time when Jesus, after the Last Supper, was apprehended by the cohort, judged by Pilate, and delivered over to the Jews for crucifixion. The cross was laid on His bleeding shoulders, and, crushed under its weight, He painfully makes His way towards Calvary in company, or rather in a procession of curiosity-seekers, of friends and of foes; the object of derision to some, of pity to others. On His journey He meets His holy Mother. The cruel soldiers allow the meeting, and a temporary rest. A painful scene takes place between the Mother, and the Son Who is being led to execution.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Nineteenth Day.
Mary enjoyed the wonderful grace of being intimately united with Our Lord in His sufferings. She was present in spirit when Jesus was in the agony in the Garden of Gethsemani. She knew of the betrayal of Judas; she felt the ingratitude of that apostle, and the pain it gave the good Master. Mary sympathized with Jesus when He was scourged and cruelly treated the night of His Passion. She could count the strokes of the scourges; she saw the soldiers crown Him with thorns and strike Him in the face. She knew that Our Lord was placed before the people that they might look on His miserable condition, and feel compassion for Him; and she heard the voice of Pilate, “Behold the man!” She heard the mob demand His death, not satisfied [pg 391] by the tortures inflicted upon Him. Into the depths of her soul went the cry, “Crucify Him, crucify Him! His blood be upon us, and upon our children.” St. John, the beloved disciple, came at last to the Blessed Virgin, and brought the news of the condemnation of the Lord and of His immediate crucifixion; they went out to meet Him in His painful journey to Calvary.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twentieth Day.
We have seen how sufferings of the Lord were communicated to Mary. Mary's tears are mingled with His. Have we no share in them? Are we not to think of them, and feel them? We have been the cause of Mary's sufferings, because being sinners we brought about the death of Jesus Christ. Should we not then, when we have recognized this fact, make the contemplation a source of shame, repentance, and sorrow? We have been the cause of this grief to Mary, and certainly we should, at least, have a devotion to her sorrowful heart. How can we do this better than by performing all our daily actions for the greater glory of God? Every day is a step nearer eternity, and every day we should meet Jesus, and work with Him. When we are in doubt and perplexity Jesus approaches us of His own accord, as He did the disciples on their way to Emmaus. What crosses shall we meet on our way each day? We know not. But this we know, that when we meet Jesus, we will meet our cross, for He is bearing His. How many meet the Lord, but turn away from Him [pg 392] when they see Him in such a pitiable condition? They would rather be with Him in His joy than in His sorrow.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty-first Day.
The world is a mystery. Life, death, time, good, evil and miseries, are mysteries to us. The crucifix is the solution of them all. It is a consoling contemplation when we are in trouble. When we have sinned it brings tears of repentance to our eyes, and gives us the hope of salvation; it is a source of love; it is a light in darkness; it is a solemn exhortation without words. O blessed cross, cause of the fifth sorrow to Mary! help us to have a joy in the cross in this life, that we may be led by it to a happy eternity. The way of the cross is now ended; the summit of Mount Calvary is reached about midday. The city of David is close by and the crown of glory of this city is now to be taken away. But the life of Christ is to crown it by its end, making it a still holier city than it ever has been. The soldiers tear the garments off the body of Jesus, and prepare for the execution by nailing Him to the cross. Mary hears the strokes of the hammer as the nails are driven through His hands and feet into the wood. Every stroke is a dreadful wound inflicted on her sorrowing heart; who should feel it more than this Mother witnessing the execution of her Son?
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty-second Day.
The first hour of the three during which the Lord hung on the cross was passed in silent endurance; in prayer, in offering the sacrifice of His life for all mankind. Then darkness begins to gather. Mary approaches the cross, and stands near the suffering Saviour. The executioners mock Him, they cast lots for His garments; their cruel words and their coarse jokes fall on Mary's ears and fill her soul with pain. Mary was to see and feel everything, as well as the Lord. The whole hour passed, and Jesus was silent; the second hour began its martyrdom and we hear the voice of Christ, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” a prayer which soothed the heart of Mary, for it was the voice of mercy. The third hour Jesus began to grow weaker; the loss of blood produced a great thirst, and He cried out, “I thirst.” And Mary knew that Jesus thirsted for souls; and that she could help this thirst by her prayers. Thus during those three hours Mary stood beneath the cross; it was the fifth sword of sorrow that pierced her soul.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty-third Day.
At this time Mary became our Mother, for Jesus recommended us to her in the person of St. John; it was His last will and testament; it was the end of thirty years' communication between Mother and Son. Mary, like Jesus, had at heart the [pg 394] salvation of mankind, and now she feels authorized to have an interest in all humanity. She takes all under her protection; new sources of inexhaustible love were opened in her heart. Our Lord gave her the grace to love humankind as He loved them. Another circumstance to be considered in the sword of sorrow which Mary endured beneath the cross was her silence. She did not faint, nor cry out in despair. She was perfectly resigned to the will of God. What God demanded of her she performed without a murmur, and so she stood at her sorrowful post, determined to do His holy will as she had done it all her life; the more God asked of her, the more she was willing to give.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty-fourth Day.
There is a great lesson in this sorrow of Mary: that we must learn how to bear our crosses in this life. We must not throw them away; we must not come down from Calvary until we are crucified, and then we and the cross are inseparable. Calvary is a place where much impatience is manifested; many go up well enough, and carry their cross with perseverance, but when it comes to lie down on that cross, and be nailed to it, they go away again, forgetting their duty, though it was duty that brought them that far; they are only half-crucified souls. We do not rob them of the merit of what they have done, but they might have done more. They have lost their courage because they did not observe the silence that Jesus preserved in His crucifixion; they were [pg 395] too much distracted; silence is the atmosphere of the cross. We shall contemplate two individuals on Calvary: Jesus and Mary. They teach us how to die. Jesus would certainly have spared His Mother the scenes of His sufferings unless it were good for her to witness them. She is to be with Jesus in His hour of death; she is also to be with us in our last hour. Then we too will thirst, and our soul will yearn for strength, which we will draw from the last sacraments and from Mary's presence.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty-fifth Day.
We can never understand the crucifixion unless we study it under Mary's guidance, because she is part of it and it cannot be represented without her. Oh, let us have a filial pity for her in her sorrows; let us feel a sympathy for her, especially as she stands beneath the cross. Let us pray to this sorrowful Mother, and imitate her in the very important lesson there taught: that is, to pray for the poor departing souls. Every moment, throughout the world, several souls pass from this life; it is their last opportunity to make their peace with God. Let us have the devotion, which is so charitable, to pray for the departing souls and recommend them to the mercy of God. If our prayers may be effective for a special grace in their regard, why should we not pray with fervor and for the love of God? Send Mary to them; she is continually saving souls. We [pg 396] also should be zealous to save them by frequently praying to God for this intention.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty-sixth Day.
The sixth sorrow in the life of the Blessed Virgin was the taking down of Our Lord from the cross. We read in the Scriptures, “They shall look upon Him Whom they have pierced.” Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus boldly, as is said, went to Pilate, and demanded the body of Christ, that they might give Him a decent burial. They drew the nails from the wounds of the hands and feet of Our Lord, and respectfully took Him down from the cross and placed Him in the arms of Mary. With great respect did these men and their servants approach the cross and handle the body. Who can describe their feelings during the pious work in which they were engaged? It was like the respect and adoration we show to the Blessed Sacrament. Each instrument of the Passion, still moist with the blood of Jesus, was laid near the sorrowful Mother, who kissed them and preserved them. Who had a better right to them? They were the first and holiest relics which the Church venerated. Now the body has been lowered far enough, that St. John may let His head rest on his shoulder. Mary knelt, and stretching out her arms she received the precious weight of His body on her breast. At last she held Him again, Whom as an Infant she had fondled in her arms! O Mary, now thou [pg 397] lookest upon the beautiful but disfigured face of thy Jesus!
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty-seventh Day.
We must admire in Mary her wonderful steadfastness in her terrible sorrows. She might have allowed herself to be so overwhelmed with grief and despair that she would break out into shrieks and lamentations to relieve her heart; but she was a silent, kind, sweet sufferer. The saints have always loved the Passion of Our Lord, and have become familiar with it. Mary was familiar with it; she had suffered just this very torture, long before receiving the body of her beloved Son in her arms after the crucifixion. She knew it was the will of God, and that was the only thing she regarded. She was resigned to its operations. We too must think of the Passion of Our Lord, and meditate upon it until we grow as familiar with it, and love it, as did the saints. Why should we do so? Because we have sinned, and by sin have caused all these sufferings to Our Lord and to His blessed Mother, Mary. She was innocent of the sufferings of her Son; she had never committed a fault. We, who are guilty of sin, ought to do penance, ought to suffer, and be resigned to both.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty-eighth Day.
The burial of Our Lord was the source of the seventh sorrow of Mary. When the tomb had been prepared, the sheets spread out, and the ointments placed, Joseph, Nicodemus, John, Magdalen, and Mary, the Mother, in the depth of the night wended their way slowly from the height of Calvary, to the burial place of Joseph, which was just outside the walls of the city. Everything at the burial proceeded with great care and caution and in silence, the scene lit up by the dim light of a solitary torch. There lay the body, pale in death; the eyes closed, the lips set. All bent down in adoration before that adorable body. Joseph, then, with the help of the others, rolled the stone to the mouth of the tomb, and silently went to the city. Mary and John again visited the place of crucifixion, and gathered up the nails and crown of thorns; they also, that Friday night, went into the city of Jerusalem. The guard of soldiers sent by Pilate were already at the tomb, and sealed the stone so that the least interference might be detected.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty-ninth Day.
What was particularly sorrowful, in this seventh affliction, was the great sense of desertion that Mary felt, as if left by God; her good and adorable Son gone from her sight and buried. The days of the Passion, the death and the burial, must [pg 399] have so exhausted the life of the good Virgin that now she was near giving up the spirit. Every suffering that she had to endure seemed to culminate in this supreme moment. It is the last sword of Simeon's prophecy. No one can describe the sufferings of Mary, and no one can describe the sanctity with which she bore up in all these trials. But, O Simeon, thou didst assert that having seen the Lord, thou wert now ready to leave this world. But this last sorrow did not announce the end to Mary; she was to suffer on for years. There seems to be nothing human or frail in Mary's sufferings. Her character grows upon us, in nobility most exalted, and in patience never wavering. Man shows his feebleness at some time, but Mary seemed to grow stronger, purer, and more beautiful.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Thirtieth Day.
What lessons are we to learn from this seventh sorrow of Mary, the culmination of all her troubles and trials? One is that we should love God and be faithful to Him, with a more unselfish attachment. Mary left the tomb in which Our Lord was hidden from her sight without a murmur, resigned to the will of God. She might have persuaded herself that she should remain there, but God desired it otherwise, and she departed from the place which held her all. It is hard, but true, that God's will must be done in everything. Another lesson from the contemplation of the sorrow caused [pg 400] by the separation from Our Lord was the bitterness of the separation. Oh, how bitter it is to be away from Jesus! Is there anything to make up for that loss? Terrible is the darkness of the hour when Christ is absent. It is a hell upon earth. And thus we have made a history of the life of Mary, and have followed her through her wearisome pain, until now we leave her ripe for heaven. The time has come in which God will call her to an eternity of honor and glory.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Exercise in Honor of the Sorrowful Heart of Mary.
V. Incline unto my aid, O God.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, etc.
1. O most sorrowful Mary, I compassionate the grief of thy tender heart at the prophecy of the holy old man Simeon. O beloved Mother, through that afflicted heart obtain for me the virtue of humility and the gift of the holy fear of God.
Hail Mary.
2. O most sorrowful Mary, I compassionate those afflictions which thy most sensitive heart endured during the flight into Egypt and the dwelling there. O beloved Mother, by thy deeply troubled heart obtain for me the virtue of liberality, especially towards the poor, and the true gift of piety.
Hail Mary.
3. O most sorrowful Mary, I compassionate that [pg 401] intense distress which thy anxious heart experienced in the loss of thy dearest Jesus. O beloved Mother, by that deeply troubled heart obtain for me the virtue of chastity and the gift of knowledge.
Hail Mary.
4. O most sorrowful Mary, I compassionate the consternation which thy maternal heart experienced when thou didst meet Jesus bearing His cross. O beloved Mother, by that deeply troubled heart obtain for me the virtue of patience and the gift of fortitude.
Hail Mary.
5. O most sorrowful Mary, I compassionate that martyrdom which thy generous heart endured in witnessing the last agony of Jesus. O beloved Mother, by that martyred heart obtain for me the virtue of temperance and the gift of counsel.
Hail Mary.
6. O most sorrowful Mary, I compassionate that wound which thy mournful heart endured from the lance which tore the side of Jesus and wounded His most loving Heart. O beloved Mother, by thy pierced heart obtain for me the virtue of fraternal charity and the gift of understanding.
Hail Mary.
7. O most sorrowful Mary, I compassionate the convulsion which thy most loving heart experienced at the burial of Jesus. O beloved Mother, by this extreme grief of thy sacred heart obtain for me the virtue of diligence and the gift of wisdom.
Hail Mary.
V. Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
[pg 402]Let Us Pray.
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, that the Blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, may intercede for us with Thy clemency, now and at the hour of our death, who at the hour of Thy Passion was pierced in her most holy soul by the sword of sorrow; grant this, O Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world, Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen.
A perpetual indulgence of three hundred days, applicable to the dead, to all Christians every time they shall recite the above exercise in honor of the sorrowful heart of the most holy Virgin.
Rosary or Chaplet of the Seven Dolors.
Act Of Contrition.
O my Lord, Thou Who alone art most worthy of my love, behold me standing before Thy divine presence utterly overwhelmed by the many grievous injuries I have done Thee. I ask Thy pardon for them with my whole heart, repenting of them purely for love of Thee, and, at the thought of Thy great goodness, hating and loathing them above all other evils of this life. As I would rather have died a thousand times than have offended Thee, so now I am most firmly resolved to lose my life rather than offend Thee again. My crucified Jesus, I firmly purpose to cleanse my soul as soon as possible by Thy most precious blood in the Sacrament of Penance. And thou, most tender Virgin, Mother of mercy and Refuge of sinners, do thou obtain for me the pardon of sin by virtue of thy bitter pains; [pg 403] whilst praying according to the mind of so many holy Pontiffs in order to obtain the indulgences granted to this, thy holy Rosary, I hope thereby to obtain remission of all pains due to my sins. Amen.
First Dolor: The prophecy of Simeon. One Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Second Dolor: The flight into Egypt. One Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Third Dolor: The loss of Jesus. One Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Fourth Dolor: Her meeting Jesus carrying His cross. One Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Fifth Dolor: Her standing beneath the cross on Calvary. One Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Sixth Dolor: Her receiving on her lap the sacred body of Jesus. One Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Seventh Dolor: Her witnessing the burial of the sacred body of Her Son. One Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
In honor of the tears shed by Our Lady in these dolors, three Hail Marys.
V. Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let Us Pray.
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, that the Blessed Virgin, Thy Mother, may intercede for us with Thy clemency, now and at the hour of our death, who in the hour of Thy Passion was pierced in her most holy soul by the sword of sorrow; grant this, O Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen.