Mary’s Poverty
Our most loving Redeemer, that we might learn from
Him to despise the things of the world, was pleased to be poor on earth: Being
rich, says St. Paul, He became poor for your sake, that through His poverty you
might be rich. Therefore does Jesus Christ exhort each one who desires to be
His disciple: If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast, and give to the
poor and come follow Me. Behold Mary, His most perfect disciple, who indeed
imitated His example. Father Canisius proves that Mary could have lived in
comfort, on the property she inherited from her parents, but she preferred to
remain poor, and reserving only a small portion for herself, distributed the
rest in alms to the temple, and the poor. Many authors are of opinion that Mary
even made a vow of poverty; and we know that she herself said to St. Bridget,
From the beginning I vowed in my own heart that I would never possess anything
on earth. The gifts received from the holy Magi cannot certainly have been of
small value, but we are assured by St. Bernard that she distributed them to the
poor through the hands of St. Joseph. That the Divine Mother immediately
disposed of these gifts is also evident from the fact that at her purification
in the temple she did not offer a lamb, which was the offering prescribed in
Leviticus for those who could afford it: For a son she shall bring a lamb; but
she offered two turtle doves, or two pigeons, which was the oblation prescribed
for the poor: And to offer a sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of
the Lord, a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons. Mary herself said to
St. Bridget, All that I could get I gave to the poor, and only reserved a
little food and clothing for myself.
Out of love for poverty she did not disdain to
marry St. Joseph, who was only a poor carpenter, and afterwards to maintain
herself by the work of her hands, by spinning or sewing, as we are assured by
St. Bonaventure. The angel, speaking of Mary, told St. Bridget, that worldly
riches were of no more value in her eyes than dirt.’ In a word, she always
lived poor, and she died poor; for at her death we do not know that she left
anything but two poor gowns to two women who had served her during her life, as
it is recorded by Metaphrastes and Nicephorus. St. Philip Neri used to say that
‘He who loves the things of the world will never become a Saint. We may add
what St. Teresa said on the same subject, that it justly follows that he who
runs after perishable things should also himself be lost. But, on the other
hand, she adds, that the virtue of poverty is a treasure, which comprises in
itself all other treasures. She says the ‘virtue of poverty; for, as St.
Bernard remarks, this virtue does not consist in only being poor, but in loving
poverty. Therefore did Jesus Christ say, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. They are blessed because they desire nothing
but God, and in God they find every good; in poverty they find their paradise
on earth, as St. Francis did when he exclaimed:
My God and my all. Let us then, as St. Augustine exhorts us, love that one good in which all good things
are found;’ and address our Lord in the words of St. Ignatius Give me only Thy
love, with Thy grace, and I am rich enough. When we have to suffer from poverty
let us console ourselves, says St. Bonaventure, ‘with the thought that Jesus
and His Mother were also poor like ourselves.
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Death of the sinner - Awful end, demons
tormenting soul.
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Example
The parish priest of a country place was assisting
a certain rich man, who was dying, in a magnificent house, and attended upon by
servants, relatives, and friends; but the good priest saw also devils in the
shape of dogs, who were waiting to carry off his soul, as they in fact did; for
he died in sin. In the meantime, a poor woman was also ill, and, desiring to
receive the Holy Sacraments, sent for the parish priest; but he, being unable
to leave the rich man, whose soul stood in such need of assistance, sent her
another priest, who immediately went, carrying the pix which contained the most
Blessed Sacrament.
On his arrival he saw neither servants nor
attendants, nor fine furniture; for the sick woman was poor, and perhaps only
lying on a little straw. But he saw a great light in the room; and near the bed
of the dying person was the Mother of God, Mary, consoling her, and, with a
cloth in her hand, wiping off the sweat of death. The priest, seeing Mary,
feared to enter; but the Blessed Virgin made him a sign to come in. The priest
entered, and Mary showed him a stool, that he might be seated, and hear the
confession of her servant. This he did; and after she had communicated, with
great devotion, she happily breathed forth her soul in the arms of Mary.
Prayer
O, my most sweet Mother, how shall I die, poor
sinner that I am? Even now the thought of that important moment when I must
expire, and appear before the judgment-seat of God, and the remembrance that I
have myself so often written my condemnation by consenting to sins, makes me
tremble. I am confounded, and fear much for my eternal salvation. O Mary, in
the blood of Jesus, and in thy intercession, is all my hope. Thou art the Queen
of Heaven, the mistress of the universe; in short, thou art the Mother of God.
Thou art great, but thy greatness does not prevent, nay, even it inclines thee
to greater compassion towards us in our miseries. O comfortress of the
afflicted, console a poor creature who recommends himself to thee. The remorse
of a conscience overburdened with sins fills me with affliction. I am in doubt
as to whether I have sufficiently grieved for them. I see that all my actions
are soiled and defective; hell awaits my death in order to accuse me; the
outraged justice of God demands satisfaction. My Mother, what will become of
me? If thou dost not help me I am lost. What sayest thou, wilt thou assist me? O compassionate Virgin, console me; obtain me
true sorrow for my sins; obtain me strength to amend, and to be faithful to God
during the rest of my life. And finally, when I am in the last agonies of
death, O Mary, my hope, abandon me not; then, more than ever, help and
encourage me, that I may not despair at the sight of my sins, which the evil
one will then place before me. My Lady, forgive my temerity; come thyself to
comfort me with thy presence, in that last straggle. This favor thou hast
granted to many, grant it also to me. If my boldness is great, thy goodness is
greater, for it goes in search of the most miserable, to console them.
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