NINTH DAY
Reasons Why Mary Had to
Suffer
The reasons why God permitted Mary to suffer so much may be briefly stated as
follows: He did so from His love for Mary and from His love for us. He did so
from His love for Mary, because by suffering she merited greater glory in
heaven. As Mother of the Crucified she persevered beneath the cross, and now
she thrones in heaven as the glorious Mother of the risen Redeemer. Because she
shared in His suffering, she now shares His glory. Again, God permitted Mary to
suffer because He loved us. If she had not experienced such bitter sorrow, we
would not have recourse to her, for whosoever has not suffered himself can not
have sympathy with the sufferings of others. Mary knows the pangs of sorrow by
experience, and therefore knows also how to console and help us.
Because she herself drained the most bitter cup of sorrow, Mary is always willing to
help those who invoke her aid. But above all she is inclined to help repentant
sinners, because she knows how great the price of their redemption was, paid by
the blood of her divine Son. She is able to help us, because, after God, she is
most powerful; she is most willing to help us, because she loves us, whom God
so has loved "as to give His only-begotten Son" (John iii. 16). Let us,
therefore, have recourse to her in all our needs, and we shall experience the
power of her help in life and death.
When a mother is by the side of a suffering
and dying child, she no doubt then feels and suffers all his pains; but when
the afflicted child is really dead and about to be buried, and the sorrowful
mother takes her last leave of him, oh God! The thought that she is to see him
no more is a sorrow that exceeds all other sorrows. Behold, the last sword of
sorrow which we are to consider, when Mary, after being present at the death of
her Son upon the cross, after having embraced his lifeless body, was finally to
leave him in the sepulchre, never more to enjoy his beloved Presence. But that
we may better understand this last dolor, let us return to Calvary, again to
look upon the afflicted mother, who still holds, clasped in her arms, the
lifeless body of her Son. Ah, my beloved Son, in losing thee I have lost all.
Thus St. Bernard speaks in her name: Oh truly begotten of God, thou wast to me
a father, a son, a spouse; thou wast my life! Now I am deprived of my father,
my spouse, and my Son, for with my Son whom I have lost, I lose all things.
Thus Mary, clinging to her Son, was dissolved in grief; but those holy
disciples, fearing lest this poor mother would expire there through agony, went
to take the body of her Son from her arms, to bear it away for burial.
Therefore, with reverential force they took him from her arms, and having
embalmed him, wrapped him in a linen cloth already prepared, upon which our
Lord wished to leave to the world his image impressed, as may be seen at the
present day in Turin. And now they bear him to the sepulchre. The sorrowful
funeral train sets forth; the disciples place him on their shoulders; hosts of
angels from heaven accompany him; those holy women follow him; and the
afflicted mother follows in their company her Son to the grave. When they had
reached the appointed place, how gladly would Mary have buried her self there
alive with her Son! Oh how willingly, said the Virgin to St. Bridget, would I
have remained there alive with my Son, if it had been his will! But since this
was not the divine will, the authors relate that she herself accompanied the
sacred body of Jesus into the sepulchre, where, as Baronius narrates, they
deposited the nails and the crown of thorns. In raising the stone to close the
sepulchre, the disciples of the Savior had to turn to the Virgin, and say to
her: Now, oh Lady, we must close the sepulchre; have patience, forgive us and
look upon thy Son, and bid him a last farewell. Then, oh my beloved Son, must
the afflicted mother have said, then I shall see thee no more?
The Virgin, says St. Fulgentius, earnestly
desired that her soul should be buried with the body of Christ. And Mary
herself made this revelation to St, Bridget: I can truly say, that at the
burial of my Son, one sepulchre contained as it were two hearts. Finally, they
take the stone and close up in the holy sepulchre the body of Jesus, that great
treasure, greater than any in heaven and on earth. And here let us remark, that
Mary left her heart buried with Jesus, because Jesus was all her treasure:
Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Before leaving the sepulchre, according to St. Bonaventure, she blessed
that sacred stone, saying: Oh happy stone, that doth now enclose that body
which was contained nine months in my womb, I bless thee, and envy thee; I
leave thee to guard my Son for me, who is my only good, my only love. And then
turning to the eternal Father, she said: Oh Father, to thee I recommend him,
who is thy Son and mine; and thus bidding a last farewell to her Son, and to
the sepulchre, she returned to her own house. This poor mother went away so
afflicted and sad, according to St. Bernard, that she moved many to tears even
against their will: so that wherever she passed, all wept who met her and could
not restrain their tears
Novena Prayer
Ever glorious Blessed Virgin Mary, queen of martyrs, mother of mercy, hope, and comfort of dejected and desolate souls, through the sorrows that pierced thy tender heart I beseech thee take pity on my poverty and necessities, have compassion on my anxieties and miseries. I ask it through the mercy of thy divine Son; I ask it through His immaculate life, bitter passion, and ignominious death on the cross. As I am persuaded that He honors thee as His beloved Mother, to whom He refuses nothing, let me experience the efficacy of thy powerful intercession, according to the tenderness of thy maternal affection, now and at the hour of my death. Amen.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
I, Compassionate thee, sorrowing Mary, for all thy sorrows. I beseech thee, dear Mother, by thy heart pierced through by them, obtain for me full abandonment to the will of God in everything and perseverance to the end.
Prayer
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, that the most blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, may intercede for us before the throne of Thy mercy, now and at the hour of our death, through whose most holy soul, in the hour of Thine own passion, the sword of sorrow passed. Through Thee, Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen.
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