j

JOHN

M.

KELLY LIBKAKY

Donated by

The Redemptorists of
the Toronto Province

from

the Library Collection of

Windsor Holy Redeemer College,

University of
St.

Michael

College, Toronto

REGINA SACRATISSIMI ROSARII ORA PRO NOBKS Sxict. r D? M-^i SacratyJ Lxcwli ciw&rtal ^ MtffnS. ct Ctmfntb rtj\
.
-

Uu<l-

^rti

mttf Jdiaiut,

IMMACULATE
JUBIL/EUM
A.D.

M.CM.IV.

YSTICA
THH FIFTEEN MYSTERIES

OF THH MOST HOLY ROSARY

OTHER

JOYS,

SORROWS
Ol ;

AM) GLORIES
n
I

MARY

rsi

i^,\

hi)

\vi

ii

;OPIES

UK KOSARV FHKSCOHS UK
Ul

GIOVANNI

SAN GIOVANNI

AND 01HKK AKIISTS

KENELM DIGBY BEST

Of-

THE ORATORY OF

ST.

PHILIP

NHRI

LONDON:
R.

&

T.

WASHBOURNE,
LASLETT &
CO.,
254

PATERNOSTER

Row

BROA\PTON ROAD

ST. LOUIS, MO.:

B.

HERDER,

17

SOUTH BROADWAY

1904

M PR MA rUK
I.

AM .iscrs

AlU.HIhK
n
Feb.,

WHS1MONAS

l)ir

ap4.

ALL

KKiHTS RESERVED

HINTED

HY

Mfc(j(iY.

THOMPSON &

CO.,

HIGH

STRLLT,

CHELMS!

(JHD.

PREFACE
IFTY
years ago, Pope Pius IX., of holy memory, gloriously exercised his personal Infallibility, and imposed on the universal Church the

obligation in future of holding as a doctrine of Faith the long-cherished belief that God has given to Mary the grace and glory of the Immaculate Conception.

The subsequent Vatican Council

;

affirmed that the right to such Infallibility was inherent in the Office of Supreme Pontiff but without waiting for such a Decree on

the part of a General Council, Pius IX. defined Doctrine and the children of the Church loved
;

the

him
his

all

the

more
act.

for

the consolation he gave

of

them by
therefore,

sublime
This
Jubilee

Year

Our
the
XIII.

Lord

1904
of

is,

the

Year

of

Definition

the

Immaculate
his
in

Conception.
structions,

Eeo

had

already
his
all

given
that
the

and made known

celebrated

will

Jubilee

should

be

with

solemnity.

He was
;

"prevented

and

bless

by death from remaining" to approve of the execution of his pious project but
"

another Pius has been given by God to the Flock of Christ, and while prayer is made without ceasing by
the

Church

unto

God

for

him
of

"

he will

have the
over
these

joy Jubilee Celebrations.

sweet

and

consolation

presiding
revered

Cardinals, Leo XIII. committed the direction of the Jubilee rejoicings

of
iii.

To a chosen number

Rosa
Mystica

which Our Lady is to be These Princes of the Church suggested, honoured. amongst other means of commemorating this Year of

and the various

ways

in

Jubilee, that
to

consist

Library or Collection should be formed, of writings old and new about Our Blessed
a

Accordingly, one who in reciting Divine Office me lauelare for nearly fifty years has said "Dignare

Lady.

may be permitted to reveal and about Our Lady which during that record the thoughts time have had a place in his heart and on his lips.
te,

Virgo

sacrata,"

Therefore
gratefully

have ventured to compose

avail

this

work, and
of

imself
it

of

the

permission
-w

my
Holy

Superiors

to oiler

in

Without
Rosary.

Original
will

Sin,

homage the Oueen

be
refused
a
1

to the
of

Oueen Conceived
the

Most

Attention
for

not
to

to

the

frontispiece,
in
St.

which
Its

have

thank

kind

brother

Philip.

book- -a
of

design suggested the title chosen be it said, also given bv the title,

for

the

Fathers

Xuova to the beautiful Church our St. The Invocation, RLCdXA SACRATISSIM1 Philip built. ROSARI1, OUA PRO XOBIS, together with the date
Chiesa

shows that the Holy Father Leo XIII. was in only reviving an ancient devotion when he reality
1633,

added

same invocation to the Litany of Loreto. The frescoes which illustrate the First Part of this book deserve more than mere mention in a preface and
this
;

It only remains to a separate notice describes them. to His (irace the Duke of Norfolk my gratitude express for his kind and generous permission to reproduce and

use them

here.

They and the pictures

the the
.superiority

in

the

Second
in

Part alike show

interpretation
iv.

of

Catholic artists

of

Text

of

Holy Scripture.

The Second Part

the
First,

of
of

"

"Rosa

Mystica

is

divided like
Glories

Preface

and

treats

Other Joys, Sorrows,

It will be Prerogatives of Our Blessed Lady. found that some provision is made for spiritual reading or meditation for all the Feasts of Our Lady throughout the year as shown in the accompanying table. May MARY IMMACULATE, Mother of God and Mother of Men, deign to accept her poor servant s little

and

tribute of

filial

love

and humble

praise.

KENELM DIGBT
The London Oratory, 1904.

BEST.

V.

NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS

the
of

early
di

part

the

seventeenth

century

Giovanni
his

of
frescoes
artist

San Giovanni (Mannozzi) j)aintcd Mvslcrics of the Rosary on the walls His the Annalena convent at Florence.
the
Eirst

illustrate

Part of this
did
not
school

work.
the
to

Great
faults

though
period

he

was,

he

avoid

of

the

and the
are
bizarre
in

Botticelli

belonged.
lhe.se

We

told

bv
his
is

historians

which he that he was

is

capricious and
copies.

work.
that

This
is

shown by
but

Much
1

there

beautiful;

here

and
in

then

startling

carelessness
in

and

provoking
the

defects

appear.
the

He
Via

dwelt
that

house

opposite

convent
himself
pleased.

Romana, and
on

may
to

have
paint

thought
as

privileged

account
Mysteries

he

The

Fifteen

Rosarv

are

accurately

Then represented by him till he readies the two last. he represents the Death of Our Lady instead of her Assumption, and instead of the customary Coronation
he
depicts
the

Madonna

giving

the

Rosary

to
I

St.

Dominic and other Saints and devout persons. by a very learned Dominican that in earlier ages much liberty was allowed as to the choice and But long before arrangement of Rosary Mysteries. Giovanni s time our present order was in common use, and I am quite unable to account for his eccentric
told

was

departure from the beaten track.

vi.

searched

in

vain

and Xotes on the through volumes of his schi/e, with the permission most obliging- assistance of Professor Ferri, Custodian Illustrations
of

The Designs at the Royal Galleries in Florence. valuable help of Comm. Prof. Dott. Guido Biagi, was most of Laurentian the Librarian Library, he was courteously rendered, but unavailingly, though

good enough to make me acquainted with the account of Mannozzi given in the historical pages of Baldinucci. There seems to be no likelihood at present of obtaining hazard the conjecture that, with more information. the work of Beato Angelico before him, Giovanni may Come te non voglio, melio di te have said in turn non posso," and characteristically taken an independent
I
"

line

in

representing
intact,

the
I

Mysteries.

of

Giovanni

representations of these there can be no question

Leaving the work venture to add two other final Mysteries about which
:

and

am

unable to

resist

the temptation of inserting yet the Mystery of the Resurrection.

another illustration to

brief

account of the Annalena convent

is

given

by Ricca in the Notizie Istoriche, and the very interesting Guide to Florence by A. Begg describes its origin at It appears that either for private revenge great length. or political reasons an aristocratic bandit, Baldaccio dell Anguillara, was stabbed and cast from the window of the council chamber to the pavement of the Piazza

The Signoria by order of the Gonfaloniere Orlandini. Baldaccio s crime was committed September 6, 1441.

widow saved

their

infant

son by

a time the boy sickened and died. then made a home for other widows

strategy, but after The childless widow

in

tribulation,
brief

and obtained
Dec.
12,

from

Pope Nicholas V.
her

dated

1/150,

giving

permission

to

found
vii.

Rosa
Mvstica

convent

of

the

Third

Order

of

St.

Dominic.

St.

pro Antoninus, Archbishop of Florence, subsequently which authorized her to cured another Papal brief of Santa Clnara. build her church, convent and cloisters was given to it As the lady s name was Anna Elena, to Italians. convent in an abbreviated way dear
her
In

the

beginning of

last

century

the

convent through

the property purchased there his Cioldoni theatre. by I-uii^i Gargani, who built school The theatre in turn disappeared, and at present the the and convent of the Sisters of Santa Dorotea replace
lack of subjects

was suppressed,

establishment of Annalena.
frescoes,
artistic

The
first

frescoes of

Mannozzi,
to

its

are

now

for

the
skilful

time

introduced
of the

the

world by the

work

of Messrs. Phillips.*

With m ;,ny
readers are
originals
or

Second Part with the familiar, either from acquaintance and of Messrs. Alinari
of the

Illustrations

the

reproductions

of their beautiful permit the present copies There are about a dozen photographs to be made. Seven Dolours, other illustrations, such as those of the. Bible printed at which are taken from Scio s Spanish

Brogi,

who

Madrid
borrowed

in

1794.

According
the

to
of

Brunet,
the
1804.
in

these

from

edition

De
P>e

printed at

Pan, between 1789 and

Bib.
of

Sacy Bible-. it admitted

Catholic

even

by

Soc.

that

such editions

the

countries

the

Catholic

and
to
of

greater

devotion
fed

Protestantism

upon

prove an earlier Bible than prejudiced to the calumnies has been allowed

Church

These illustrations are from the designs recognise. Marillier and Monsiau. The last illustration is from a modern fresco by
devout
painter
Ml.
Vlll,
G.
1

whose
&
Co.,
7

friendship
Red Lion Court,

was

fortunate

Fleet Street.

hillips

If I remember aright, he told me Notes on the enjoy. was spread on the canvas a moist Illustrations body ol distemper of whiting, vinegar and white composed of egg, on which the colours were laid, and that this was the earliest process of fresco painting used before

enough

to

that there

"

"

into the damp cement on which they are still to be seen, and from which they still can be detached, as were these Arundel frescoes of Giovanni di San
let

artists

their

colours sink

or plaster of the walls

Giovanni.

ix.

CONTEXTS OF PART
FIVE JOYFUL MYSTERIES:

I.

TinPage.
3

Artists

9 1 6

20
27

The The The The The

Annunciation
Visitation

Giov.

di

San Giovanni
n

Nativity ... Presentation

? 5

Finding

in the

Temple

...

THE FIVE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES

33 39

42 45

48

The The The The The

Agonv

in

the

Garden
...

Scour^in^ at the Pillar Crowning with Thorns

Carrvin^ His Cross
Crucifixion

"

......
:

THE
57

Fix E

GLORIOUS MYSTERIES
...

The Resurrection

(i)
(2)

"_

62

65 68

The Ascension... The Descent of the Holy Ghost ... ... The Assumption
>>

...

Francesco Albani Giov. di San Giovanni

(i)
(2)

" "

11

Filinpino Lippi

74

The Coronation L a(ly

of

Our

Blessed

(i)

Giov. di San Giovanni

Beato Angelico

CONTENTS OF PART
Page

II.

OTHER JOYS
The The The The The
Nativity of

OF

MARY

Artists.

85
95 100
1

Immaculate Conception
.
.

Luca Giordano
Eilippo Lippi
.

06

114

119
129

142

149
I

55

Our Lady Most Holy Name of Mary Presentation of Our Lady Espousals of Our Lady St. Joseph, Spouse of Our Lady... The Humility ol Our Lady The Expectation of Our Lady ... The Joy of the Most Pure Heart of Mary OTHER SORROWS OF MARY The Seven Dolours Mary and the Cross
:

Luigi Banzo inc. Vittore Carpaccio

Raffaello Sanzi

Bernardino Luino
Marillier

& Monsiau

158 162 169

Seven Swords of Sorrow

...

205
211

The Mystery of Mary s Martyrdom The Desolation of Mary ... OTHER GLORIES OF MARY The Dedication of the Church of the Lon
:

don Oratory to the Most Pure Heart Our Lady, Mother of Good Counsel

J.

Woulfe
inc.

N. Sangiorgi

219 227 232

236
242
2 44

247

254 260
266
271

276

Our Lady, Help of Christians Our Lady of Mount Carmel Our Lady of the Snow ... The Most Pure Heart of Mary in Glory Our Lady of Mercy ... j j The Seven Dolours of Our Lady Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary The Maternity of Our Blessed Lady The Purity of Our Blessed Lady The Patronage of Our Blessed Lady The Glory of the Immaculate Conception St. John, Our Lady s Chaplain
. .

Luigi Banzo
>i

inc.
>>

Guido Reni
Fra Bartolomeo
S.

Bianchi

inc.

Esteban Murillo Carlo Dolci

N. Sangiorgi
E. Murillo
inc.

Pezzati
xi.

DATES OF THE MYSTERIES AND EEASTS ACCORDING TO THE ECCLESIASTICAL CALENDAR

Sunday within Oct. Epiph.
Jan
.

The Finding
of

Jesus in the

Temple

2j
2

Feb.

Espousals Presentation and Purification of B.V.M.

Flight into Ei^ypt St. foseph, Spouse
...

B.V.M.

Feb. 17

March KJ March 25

ol

B.Y.M.

Friday in Passion Good Friday

Easter Day...
April
if)

\\

eek

..

Annunciation ol HA .M. The Seven )olours

1

The

Crucifixion,

the

Desolation

of

B.V.M.

The Resurrection
1

)edication

<

>f

th(^

Church
1

of the

Oratory

Whit Sunday

Thc^ Ascension The Descent of the

loly Cihost

May May

12

24
after S.

The Humility of B.V.M. Our Lady Help of Christians

Heart

Sunday
July 2
July
if>

Most Pure Heart

of

B.V.M.

Visitation of B.V.M.

August August
Septr. 8

5
15...

Sunday within Oct. Xativ

Third Sun.
of Septr.

September 24 First Sun. of October Second Sun. of October Third Sun. of October Fourth Sun. of )ctober Nov. 2i
(

..

Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec.

18

25 27
xii.

Our Ladv of Mount Cannel Our Each of the Snow The Assumption ol BA .M. BA .M. The Coronation of B.V.M. The Nativity The Most Holv Xame of Mary The Seven Dolours of BA .M. Our Ladv of Merc y Rosarv Sunday The Maternity of B.V.M. The Purity of B.V.M. The Patronage of B.V.M. The Presentation of B.V.M. The Immaculate Conception of B.V.M. The Expectation of B.V.M. The Nativity D.X.J.C.
<

>f

St.

John Ap.

&

Evan., the Chaplain of

Our Lady

A THANKSGIVING FOR

THE DEFINITION OF THE DOCTRINE

OF THE

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
sing the

hymns The mind and

of heaven,

how
!

pure

heart must be

i^J^

On

earth this only can secure

raise

Concordant harmony With those sweet sounds the Blessed This day to Mary s love and praise.
Lord, send a Seraph from above To cleanse our lips and heart Admit us to this task of love, Ah, let us bear a part
!

Thy Mother
All

triumph

is

achieved,

own

her

Without Sin Conceived.

!

In tliee Then, Ave Virgin pure No stain of sin is found Eve, Adam sinned, but thou art While all is sin around
:

free,

The Only One

of

Adam

wondrous Miracle

s race, of grace
!

And lost that happiness so blessed Which God had planned for all The Only One in whom we trace No token of that dire disgrace. 8
J

The Only One! Yes, Were ruined by his

all

the rest

Fall,

xiii.

Rosa

God knew, O Mary Undefded! Mow much thou liaclst to bearWhat torments with thy Suffering Child
Ihoii wonldst consent to share.

Could

ue
fie

whom

sin

AMmt

shrank from

had touched endure who was Most Pure?

sin

could the Holy Our with Be ever reconciled ?

Although He came our souls Souls wounded and defiled

His pure Divinity could ne er
(

to
-

win

sin

contamination hear.

And
1

so,

admiring Angels saw

Miracle of grace
the law
:

his

One Maid exempted from

Imposed on

Adam

race

And
(
)l

she alone from sin was free whom the Saviour bom would be.

Thus had we learned, thus long believed, Thus in the Fathers read Hie same is now of Faith received, By Holy Church decreed
;

At length the Doctrine is defined, Imposed on every heart and mind

What Mary s Is now the

None
()

clients long Faith of all

have held
:

hesitates,

none has rebelled !

All join her children s call. Mary Without Sin Conceived By thee be all our wants relieved

K. D. B.,
XIV.

Ampleforth,
A.D.

MD.CCC.LIV

THE ROSARY
(INTRODUCTORY)
jOR many
best
years, one

month

and that one the

and brightest has been so completely given up to devotions to Our Blessed Lady J
that
it

is

commonly
freshness,

called
its

The Month
its

of

Mary.
tide

May, with
of

its

flowers,

spring
in

hope,

sends
the

us
little

all,

however
the

unworthy,
innocent,

company with

children,

the

young, to the Lady Altar with our flowers, our lights, our hymns arid prayers. Another month is also
1889 Pope Leo XIII., of memory, declared it to be his greatest honour and happiness, amid the sorrows and anxieties which encompassed him, to dedicate Autumn s golden October
consecrated
glorious
to

Mary.

In

this end the Holy Father enjoined upon the Faithful in perpetuity a daily recital of the Rosary throughout the month, and added to the the Invocation Litany of Loreto Regina

to

the

MYSTICAL ROSE.

To

Sacratissimi Rosarii,

Ora pro nobis. The Devotions of the two months do not clash rather, the reverse is the case, and the one supplements the other. In May, we aim at praising our chiefly
;

Mother, extolling her

the contemplation
of

while
her

prerogatives: and give expression to these sentiments by our offerings the Lady Altar and our hymns and
praises.

we many

cheer

ourselves

with

we
to

Whereas,
of

in

this second

Month

of Mary,

we go

to

the

Queen
xv.

Rosa
Mystira

Rosary, certainly to do homage, but perhaps also for our own welfare, while professing our readiness to follow her roval standard in the battle
the

Most

Holy

v,

hich

in

these

the*

Woman
\Ye

raging cveM vwheTe between clothed with the sun and the Dragon, the
1

last

clavs

is

Xew Hve and

Leader,
of of
old.

Old Serpent. acknowledge Mary as our Divinedy-appointed

the

chosen
Judith

bv

Ciod

for

tin

deliverance

ol

His

Church, even as were

cut

Judith
the

off

and head

Ksther
of

in

the

days

the

cruel

enemy

her people; Mary and confounds Satan s pride by the all-prevailing power Ksther pleaded in her gentleness and of her humility. beautv for her people against their wicked enemy;

crushes the

head of the Serpent,

Marv

intercedes

for

us

her

Christian

people,

her

When a leader is recognized dearly-acquired children. A Maid as given bv Ciod, tin battle is well nigh won.
4

of

Orleans

is

sufficient

to

put

the

best

of

troops

to

Ilight

bv

virtue

of

her

destinv.

The Almighty

has

ever chosen the

the
the

weak things and the lowly to confound strong; Ciod lias chosen Marv to avenge on Satan
evil

he

eraftilv
sec
1

did

to

Kve

and
not

her

Therefore,

we
all

Mary
is

appearing

posterity. only as the

Type
not

of

that the

good,

and

beautiful,

and

pure,

only
of

as

dear,

and
as
the
1

gentle,

and
stars,

Mother
the
as

Jesus,

but

the

"Woman

lowly-hearted clothed with

sun,

crowned with
sen

twelve

and

terrible
is it

an army

in

array."

And what weapon

that
is

Our

l.aelv

places

in

the

something simpler than that peculiar form of prayer which

hands of her army? the sling ol David; it

is

It is

recognized even

armour by those outside the Church as the distinctive and weapon of the Seed of the Woman it is the
xv.

ROSARY,
or
of

the

Bonds,
of

the

Corona.
fragrant

It

is

the

the

Garland

prayer,

with

the

Chaplet The Rosary perfume

Divine .Mysteries, arranged and woven so as to win our mindsto all that is white and pure and innocent
in

the

Life

of

the

Lily

of

Israel,

the

Cause

of

our

Joy

to all

by

the

the Sorrow and compassion excited in her red Wounds of Jesus and the Blood-stained

expired in her presence and so to lead us on to the contemplation of the gold glory of Heaven into which His Ascension and her by
"

Cross on which

He

Assumption

all

Their

earthly

Joy

and

Sorrow

were

Mysteries of the Rosary are the Mysteries of Faith, that Faith which overcomes the world and gives victory to the cause of God. owe the Devotion of the Rosary to the great Saint Dominic, a Saint whose heart burned with the whose lips were eloquent with Apostolic spirit,

finally absorbed.

The

We

whose brow was bright with holiness and purity, the starlike symbol
truths,
of this

Gospel

of light of the chastity

the

seeing authority has sanctioned the almost universal opinion that Our Blessed Lady taught the devotion to St. Dominic. All must admit that St.
that
the

chosen client of the Virgin of And it Virgins. is hard to see how any one could or would try to question the right of the Saint to this honour,
highest

twelfth century. A heresy of error, rebellion, and violence was devastating the south of France, and the whole o*f threatening Furope. It is undesirable to describe its excesses and
in

Dominic with his Beads Church over her enemies

won
the

the

victories

of

the

horrors.

It

victories of

was finally stamped out by the miraculous Simon de Montfort but these victories of
:

his

were

attributed

by

the

heretics

themselves

to

xvn.

Rosa
Mystica

Dominic rather than to Simon. They said that they feared Dominic and his Beads far more than Simon and his troops. They owned themselves defeated, not but by by the valiant warrior, brave and unsparing, the gentle Saint, who fought against them in secret, with sweetness, and prayers, and in peaceful guise,
"

tears."

In short, St.
of

Mother

God,

Dominic- brought the help of the who "alone has destroyed all the
world."

heresies of the entire

The founding and building greatest work of God upon the

of

of

His Church

is

the

earth.

The
must

false

religion,

the

erection
is

of

a
of of

church
insolent

that

forming can and

a

rival

starting camp, the

err --this

an

act

pride,

the

revolt

discord

and

separation hatred against

the Apostles

which

is

Christian

unity and love. early Christians

damnation;"
St.

Therefore did
to

warn
"sects

the
of

beware of heresies and Paul saying: May the God

of

peace
sin

crush

of The your feet speedily. most wicked of all heresy seems to be almost the And there sins; for it makes a sin into a religion.

Satan

under

fore

St.

Paul attributes
his

it

so
of

especially
deceit,

to

the

devil,

as

being
of
to

master-piece

and
the

malicious

rivalry

Christ.

And
is

according
the

to

promise
task

of
of

God,

Mary

entrusted
s

glorious
of

crushing the Serpent His Bride of Christ.

head,

and

defending
to

the
of

Mother
the true

hastens

the

aid

His Spouse.

Mary

is

Defender of the Faith,

most wicked spirit ever prevails against such a Protectress, it can only be through our craven

and

if

the

fault.
It

was, then, as the champion of Mary that in the

twelfth

century

St.

Dominic

went

forth,

Rosary

in

XVlll.

hand, to conquer

heresy.

We

can

dismiss

from

our The Rosary

imagination what may be called the Protestant picture of a martial monk, with sword to slay and torch to

burn

History gives quite another account, to which the He very Albigenses themselves testified.

all heretics.

supernaturally slight insignificant, like that with which David gave battle to Goliah for as David s sling and pebbles prevailed over the giant s strength so was heresy
:

brought them back to Christ, as an Apostle of Christ have brought them back" by sweetness, by The only weapon preaching, by prayers, by tears." he used was strangely and and

would

vanquished by

the beads of the most holy Rosary.

But
the

let

no one think
In

St.

Dominic
against

who wielded Mary s weapon

Church.
of

the only Saint the enemies of

the sixteenth century,

St.

when

the

Turk

threatened

Christendom,
St.

Pius

V.,

taken from the

Order
said

Dominic
at

to

be

manded Rosary
there

Processions in

Supreme Pontiff, Rome. And let

com
it

be

that time yet another Saint, a Saint with his staff and beads, the Apostle of Rome, our own St. Philip and he, at the bidding of the Pope, brought his children from the Oratory to walk
;

was

in

those

Processions.
fleet

And

thus

by

the
in

Christain

was made
is

victorious

Rosary the the Gulf of

Lepanto.

The
this

Rosary

an Apostolic
in

Devotion
of

and
with

for

reason.
:

We

read

the

Acts

the

Apostles
the

They were persevering in prayer women, and WITH MARY THE MOTHER OF
say
the

that

JESUS.

To
the
is

Rosary
of
Jesus.

is

to

persevere
the

in

prayer

with

Mother

To meditate on
that

its

know

Jesus.

Grant

Beads

to Mysteries are the Biblia

xix,

Rosa
Mvstira

Pauperum
preached

yet

thus

do
thus
in

"the

Poor have
as

the

Gospel
in

to

them,"

do
the

we know our Lord

Gospels,
the

them as He

is

known

Apostles

knew
eternal

Him
life,

And to know Jesus is through Mary. as not to know Him is eternal death.
death
Christ.
is

For

eternal
of

the

punishment

of

culpable
to
listen,

ignorance
refuse
to

\Yhen
love

men

refuse

be

taught,

their

darkness

better

than

Light of the World, choose for themselves what doctines thev like, and reject others which they do not approve or understand -all this makes up a
the

go unpunished. God no heed: reveals Himself, but they pay they say, here is Christ or there," as they choose to think: "l.o,
guilty

ignorance

which

will

not

and there
choice:
it

is
is

heresy
a

in

this:

for

heresy simply

means
is

chooser

in

Greek religion, one

word:

and
the

heretic

a
in

who
of

insubordinately
faith,

acts

opposition to the obedience against authoritative teaching.

thev measured to others
they refused
the
it

will

knowledge of was commissioned to impart

and protests same measure With be measured to them God which His Church and on the Last Day
the

God

will

say

to

them,

KNOW VOL

NOT.

from the victims of is recruited heresy is to instruct the ignorance, the way to light heresy and it is this precisely which the Rosary
Since

ignorant;

of

Mary
in

Marx-

accomplishes, Their Joys,

making
Their

Jesus

known
Their
ol
all

through
Glories.

Sorrows,

For
life,

jov,

sorrow, glory are the substance

human

In soul. history of an immortal the Fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary we have a truthful,

the

complete

a
us.

vivid Gospel

History of

Him Who
earth,

That
XX.

Life of

God on

amongst which began in the

"dwelt

bosom

of Mary,

which now

rests

in

the

Bosom
Gospel,
stages

of

the

The Rosary

Eternal Father, is our short and easy divided into the natural chronological
Joys,
:

when
of
its

and so while Sorrows, and Glories our Beads, the simplest among us come to

we repeat know Jesus

This

as
is

He was

first

known on

earth

through Mary.

the Gospel way: in the beginning "They found the Child with His Mother;" in the end "There stood near the cross of Jesus Mary His Mother"

But

the
of

Rosary
Jesus

is

not

only a
it

knowledge

Christ,

is

means of interior an outward sign,

fear,

dreaded by heretics with superstitious

of

true

and fervent Catholic. The Cross is the Sign of the Son of Man, and the Rosary is the Sign of Mary. It
is

sign

of to
all

the the

loyal,

childlike,

catholic

spirit
is

of

submission

Church,

spirit

which

directly

opposed to
heart,

a spirit

heresy and disobedience of mind and which alone admits to the Kingdom of O
us,

remember that before England apostasy, heresy, there was Laurence of England the Beads of Mary at St. Dominic s telling side there was a Gilbert of France preaching at and building his Priory at Oxford. Canterbury, And m the present "vast war of ignorance" around us, we must have recourse to the same weapon, and overcome
then,

Heaven.

Let

dreamed

of

of

ignorance
these

us

imparted by going to Him even as He came to through Mary. Let us quickly betake ourselves to prayer, the
Mysteries,

with

the

knowledge

of

Jesus

prayer of the
it

with
in

Holy Rosary, emulous devotion.

the

priests

and people

reciting

Ave

crowded church, on the mountain heights, on the pilgrimage, seashore,

again
xxi.

Maria, again and in the home, in the

Rosa
Mystica

How greeting upon the deep. Our of Tears! this Vale that mounts to Mary from hear the sweet words: for they Lady must rejoice to make her Heart thrill with the memory of that moment, when "the Ave of that midnight" was first spoken,
and
out

musical

the

and was

the

ineffable

Mystery

of

her

Divine

Maternity
to

Beautiful accomplished. and multiplication repetition

repetition!
of
all

like
s

the

God

fair

and

beautiful
flowers
of
of

works,
earth,

the the

stars

in

the

heavens
to

Lily

and the Rose

and the which the

Queen

likened. Holy Rosary is so often for Bead after Head is dropped Beautiful repetition! is murmuredon the symbolical Corona, Ave after Ave

the

Most

the

language
Cherish

of love,

the

Rosary,

eternal, yet ever new! delight to handle

it,

as

did

St.

Philip.

the

Beads
lot

continually,

Beads of the Heavenly Queen are Hind them in thy heart of your Mother: and put them about thy neck: when tliou

The

walkest
let

them

go

with

thee

when

tliou

sleepest,

them keep thee and when them (Prov. vi. 21).

tliou

wakest, talk with

xxn.

ROSA MYSTICA
PART
I.

CDe

piuc jopful ircpsteries

CDe Annunciation
CDe
Visitation

CDe

natiuitp

presentation

CDe finding

in the

cempk

FIRST JOYFUL

MYSTERY

THE ANNUNCIATION
two ways of forgetting our miseries, our sufferings and sorrows one is by giving our attention to earthly pursuits and pleasures a dangerous way, and at most affording but distraction and respite the other is to fill mind
are
:

a brief

and heart with the things of God, to let all our senses and affections fasten on divine Mvsteries, and so escape
from our
littleness,

meanness,

selfishness,

from surrounding

and impending temptations into the beauty, the height and depth and breadth of divine truths.

The Feast

of

the Annunciation

brings

us

such a

Mystery, into which we may joyously plunge, in which we may take refuge, and lose ourselves in wonder

and worship.

For

it

is

a day of stupendous miracles

of impossibilities accomplished by the power of God, to nothing is impossible or difficult.

Whom We well know

that has a place so the mysteries and wonders

invisible energies

Lady Day proclaims it who it conspicuous and so prominent

of
this

is

in

Feast.

Amid

the

and operations of God which envelop, pervade and possess her, she and she only is in truth
silence of her humility has not pre vented but, rather, has contributed to our knowledge of
visible

to us.

The

what took place

of

His Evangelist to give us a

Holy Ghost to inspire and detailed account the things which Mary pondered in her heart. Three
;

for

it

moved

the

full

Rosa
Mystica

wonders, three miracles, sanctify and adorn the Feast of the Annunciation, the union of Faith and the human
heart,
of
is

And

it

and Man. Virginity and Maternity, of God because of the first union that the other two

take place. Let us consider before everything the greatness of the Faith of Mary. Already we have said with Gabriel,
Mail, Full of grace! let us now with Elizabeth exclaim, Tnl ike Xachary, Blessed art thou who hast believed
!

who doubted
of her

less

matter,

Mary

believed,

and because

Faith

Are we

able to do His glorious Miracle. not told that the incredulity of the inhabitants

God was
Lord

prevented

our
5)?

"from

(Mark
that

vi.

Do
and

we,

doing any miracles not know from the Word

is

there"

of

God
Faith

"without

Faith

it

that
lie

again
found,

again though not

impossible to please our Lord praised the

in
Israel
;

God;"

that

He

blamed

though the blindness came from excessive Thomas ? But have but ill-regulated love, like that
unbelief, even
>f

we

ever sufficiently realised

how acceptable

to

God was

which Marv listened to His Angel and See what our own Faith amounts received His message? It is an act of the intellect, it effects. to, and what assisted bv divine grace, whereby our mind assents with There is a certain union, certainty to revealed truth. brought about bv obedient listening, between our internal See what was knowledge and God s external truth.
the Faitli with

accomplished

by

Mary

Faith.

The

"substance

of

on things hoped for," instead of making an impression her With her mind, was taken possession of by her. on high, and took the Eternal FIAT MIHI, she ascended

Word from
and
thus,

the

Bosom
power

of
of

the the

Father into

her

own,
the

by the

Most High

and

Holy Ghost, the Virgin became the The Mother of God, and God was made Man. The power of Annunciatio the Most High is that beautiful, silent attribute which
operation
of
the.

accompanies many others

activity. of His justice, mercy,
is

in

their

manifestation, for

it

their

In

all
it is

deeds of
this
It

God

love,

of

His

power,
is

this

omnipotence

which accomplishes them.

our

given to us, in mysterious participation of the Divine Nature, as the strength of our Faith. It is the answer which
to difficulties.
It

also

we vouchsafe
into

brings peace and calm

of

that

beautiful

darkness

where the light

Faith

softly shines.

In the hour of the Incarnation

in the

Omnipotence

and Faith met

Heart of Mary, and the result was the accomplishment of a more glorious and marvellous work than the Creation of the world. In the Incarna
"

cause was the power of the Most High, the co-operating cause the Faith of the Virgin." Therefore is it that when Elizabeth praised the Blessed
tion, the

operating

Virgin because she had believed, Mary praised that other He that is Mighty hath done great things Cause, saying,
"

to 20)

me!"

"I

will espouse thee to

Me

in

Faith"

(Osee

li.

was
the

the

promise;

this

is

the
after
is

promised
so

espousal,

grand Faith, which covenants maintains one that

this
"

manv

broken

Eternal, an Covenant that includes all generations and Everlasting an entire world. By Faith the Saints obtained
"

New and

promises

(Heb.

xi.

33),

and
a

to

was

in

itself

"reward

be recipient of a divine promise exceeding great:" but Mary s

Faith obtained the Promised

One

Himself.

"

He
:

that

cometh
in
of

to

God must
at
to

believe,"

Mary was a Faith

her Faith,

to

which

the Apostle tells us but God came. At the assent

will,

the consent of her

the

Father

communicated

her Virginity a

participation in the

Rosa
Myslica

power
Father

of His

Divine Fecundity, and so the Word of the reached the Almighty spoken in His bosom
Virgin
not in echo, but actually
the Fairest Gospel, better than Old Testament, for she contained the Living Word
is

bosom

of the Faithful

-and Mary became

and New
of

God.

"She

a vapour of the power of God, and a

certain

of the Almighty pure emanation of the glory

(Wis.

7).

astounding feature of the Mystery is to many the stillness, the quietness in which it took The village around was steeped in silent moon place.

The

startling,

inhabitants were held in peaceful slumber. No shone outside the lowly, Angels appeared, no brightness of the. carpenter Joseph and his unpretentious cottage
light,
its

All things wore their customary aspect, Maiden Wife. and no eye watched to pierce the veil behind which was hid the Substance Hoped for yet unexpected, un But she to locked for in this place and at this hour. whom the Angel Gabriel was sent was found watchful

and
in

at

her

midnight prayer.

declared the will of

sweet,

Angel the unseen and hidden God, and

secrecy

In

the

low accents Mary whispered her submission to that will, and in the calmness of childlike confidence and Faith in the protection of the power of the Most created her. High became the Mother of the God Who

was the greatest of the "invisible things of God," and therefore was unknown and unnoticed Mundus cum non cognovit-- Na/areth had no suspicion that God s Ansel had been with Marv, Nazareth was utterly unconscious of the presence of the Word made Flesh, and Thus is it ever Mary kept the Secret of the King." No outward token, no of God. with the
It
"

great things

noise,

no perceptible change was apparent when Jesus

first
it

worked His miracle

only the
little

of Transubstantiation
bell of

and now The

is

sanctuary

Consecration which Annunciatior

is

gives

warning
in

that the

same miracle

priests

their daily Mass.

We

performed by His believe but we have

;

the Written
:

Word, and the Word made Flesh has dwelt

amongst us Mary believed in the teeth of her humility, on the assurance of an Angel she was indeed Blessed,
;

for

her

Faith

became

the

co-operating
the

cause

of

the

Incarnation.

The Annunciation
of Mary.
teristics

is

then

Feast of the Faith

to

But, should
of that Faith,
in

we

desire

study the charac

especially those
fashion,
itself

we may hope

to

imitate

our poor
it

little

we must
her

and watch

displaying

in

anticipate, intercourse and

aiming no studied ceremonial she had accepted an office whose duties were declared by nature, whose rights were not
; ;

her dealings with the Holy One born of her. natural supernaturalness there was no

All

was

at effect,

annihilated because of the Divinity of her Child. There fore in holiest Him the exact simplicity she gave treatment which she felt He desired she fulfilled her
;

maternal
thrilled

duties,

she

used

her

maternal

rights.

She

with maternal
;
"

joys, she

throbbed with maternal

"

she shrank not from the language of maternal She Son, why hast Thou done so to us ? authority was ever calm, meek, earnest, dignified, and

sorrows

adoring,
clear as
it

and
is

this

with

loving a Faith which was keen and

the Sight of others. Eye had not seen, nor entered into the heart of man to conceive what things God Incarnate prepared and brought to His Holy Mother, yet she bore it all without excitement. No

had

"

man

shall see

dwelt with

God and live yet God lived in God. No man hath seen God
"

her, she

"

at

any

Rosa
Mystira

yet what is there that Mary has not done, what maternal action has Mary omitted, in exercising her The power of the Most High was made privileges?

time

"

perfect in the sublime and And Heart. Faith-filled

beautiful

trustfulness of her
last

when

at

she
shall

addresses us and

tells

us,

"Whatsoever

He

directly say to

you that do/

our Mother gives us a lesson in Faith. It was in answer to her Faith that the first Miracle of His Public: Life was worked.

The humilitv,

the

quiet

prayer,

and gentle whisper, "They have no were enough to make our Lord anticipate the wine, hour, and do miracles before the appointed time. Women are ever strong in great Faith -do thev
the

look

inherit

it

from Mary?
I

"Lord,

sake of

Thv

believe; help Thou my unbelief," Mother, the Faithful Virgin

!

for

the

SECOND JOYFUL MYSTERY

THE VISITATION
IT.

GABRIEL
of her

brought to the Blessed Virgin news Cousin Elizabeth, and so it came to

pass

that

we have

full

account of Mary

visit

given to us in the Gospel. The Archangel may claim our thanks for the words of our Hail which he Mary, himself spoke, then for those of St. Elizabeth, to whom his news despatched our Lady, and even for the Magnificat itself, which but for the Visitation would not have been sung out of heaven.
so

Mary, rising up, went in haste into the soon as she had received the
tidings
her.
It

hill

St.

country, Gabriel

day of the Incarnation that she is thought to have begun the journey which her gentle kindness, courtesy, and regard for the claims
of a revered

gave

was on

the third

She knew
heart
"

kinswoman made compulsory on

to

herself

be the Mother of the

her charity. Lord. Her

and consolation, but she was love." She reached Hebron at the hour of Miracles began at once. At the sound evening. of her unrecorded words of greeting, the sanctification of Elizabeth s babe took place, the secret of her own Maternity was revealed, and Elizabeth had the honour and happiness of the first mortal
of joy
silent

was brimful
in her

Word made

Warned by the Precursor, movement of her unborn

being to adore the Flesh with words of praise and gratitude

stirred

by
she

the

mysterious
the

child,

recognized

Rosa
Mvstira

Mary s Maternity, and gave her the inspired have made use of in their greeting which all generations The child of Elizabeth, the Salutation of Our Lady. was sanctified by the voice of Mary Baptist still unborn, At the sound of her his mother testified to the fact.
dignity of
;

voice, he

was

sanctified, cleansed

from

sin, justified, filled

with the IIolv Ghost, confirmed in grace so as never in or omit a duty, given a full liis life to commit a fault
use of reason
of our
first

before

it

was due,
in

told

of

Lord,
for

made glad
in

His coming.
to
s

Godhead John was the

the
Jesus,

after

Marv
joy

exultiugly
his

worship

and

he

danced

mother

bosom

to

the music oi

Thus the Baptist may he held to be the Magnificat. the. first Saint chosen, and loved, and adopted by Mary. him Jesus; her song was sung for the baby She
brought
Baptist, and its echoes of life, and encouraged

vibrated in his heart

till

the end
"Bride

him
so,

to style himself the at

evening hour, the hour when God in Paradise promised the Redeemer, the hour when the dove returned with her olive branch to of Mary s thanksgiving ascended to the ark, the

groom o

Friend."

And

the

Hymn

heaven from the city where Abraham,

Isaac-,

and Jacob

had dwelt. Never

of praise.

rose a sweeter, holier, or

more acceptable hymn

Many

prototypes of Mary, sister of Moses, on the shores of the Red Song the torrent Cison, the Sea, the Song of Debborah beside thev were Souir of Vnna at Silo, of Judith at Bethulia
O
-

forth

song from

of the great benefits of God have There of Mary. the

drawn
is

the

all

of Hebron. only faint preludes of the may be said of them that the voices of the Red

Hymn

And
Sea

it

of

vengeance, the roaring of its receding, subsiding waters, the hoarse call of wild torrents sweeping away the slain,
10

the grateful shouts of the beleaguered Bethulians mingle The too plainly with these One only is an exception Visitation songs.

-that which
Silo
s

Anna sang
grove
;

sacred
to

thanksgiving for her son in and it seems not to have been

for

in

unknown
its

the Virgin Mother, phrases for her own evening

she

used some of

Hymn

in the

vineyards

of

Hebron.

doth magnify the Lord/ Joy, praise, thanks giving make God great in His creature s mind. And

My soul

that sinless soul of

all praise

which
her

is

in this spirit refers to her God offered to herself. Joy, for the Word

Mary

within her Heart, the eternal Joy of the Eternal Father.

Immaculate Conception and subsequent from evil. Thanksgiving, for she knew, as preservation none other could, the greatness of the deeds done by the
Praise,
for

Almighty
grandest
the earth.
"

in

her

behalf;
of

and

therefore

she

sang

the

Hymn
spirit

gratitude

that

has ever risen

from

My
for

replies to Elizabeth

them

humility the music of her virginal voice. God has made Himself has emptied Himself in order to be mine, but little, my soul magnifies Him the more, and my spirit exults, O Elizabeth, in God, Who is my Saviour as well as the
"

Mary and without contradicting this would have been unreality and not she weaves them into her own theme, adding
Saviour."

hath exulted in
s

God my

words

Redeemer

of thy child

"

One
"

given, which

joy and gladness there is not therefore for

is

which
"

is

for the for

s

Mary nor God

"

Reekie mini laetitiam salutaris tui

restore to

Angels. me the

joy of thy salvation." Some such exultation must have thrilled the tearful heart of Mary Magdalen, when the Good Shepherd overtook her in her wandering, and she
B

II

Rosa
Mystica

found that Ho refused not

of

Tier

homage trembling Others have exulted for hope: rejoiced to see Mv day, he saw

her

repentance and the timid on His wearied feet. lips

"Abraham
it

your father and was glad." But

JOY and exultation in fulness belong to rharitY, they are the fruits of the Spirit, are caused by possession of God,

by union with Him.

ol

Such must have been the exultation

the sweet possession of his rested imreprovedlv on the bosom
in
all

the youthful

Apostle,

of Jesus.

God, when his head But what are

to

hope,

all

love

and possession

compared

Marv s?
kiss

"\Yho

will

my

brother, at the breast of

my
To

give theo to me for mother, that find thee

without,
her

and

"

thoe

us

He

is

thus
is

given

Xobis natus, nobis datus

but to Marv lie

own, the Babe

of her

magnified

Him

for

His

own bosom. If greatness, how much more

He

given as her soul has

shall
is

her spirit exult in Him for His goodness! God, her Saviour, her First, her Onlv One,

her
sole,

her

unshared Love, her soul s Spouse, the Eternal Lover of her Purity, the sweet Fruit of her virginal Maternitv, as

Her incommunicable Fecundity. to her God, to God not far awav spirit is, then, impelled from her, not beyond her, not in the distant heavens
is

Ho

of

His Father

but to
the.

God

within her, to
of her

God

her Saviour, or

since

Hebrew language

Song admits the sweet Xame

to

God
The

her Jesus. God of love

are

is

"a

those

who

dearest

to

God of Him have

con-aiming ever found

lire:"

it

so.

Tribulations, the find of love, have boon the portion of most Saints. Some God has tried bv the lire of divine
love
alone,
in

as

He

"sent

down

lire

from

above"

and
more,

descended

a Globe of Fire into the heart of our holy

"

Father Philip, forcing the Saint to crv out:

12

Xo

O
is

Lord, no more!

shall die,

Lord!"

avowedly "come to cast fire the Holy Ghost must overshadow her, the power of the Most High must sustain her, for she exults in this pre
is
:

He Who

Within Mary The on the earth Visitation

"

sence of God, the Light of Light, the Splendour of the and already the Sacred Heart of Jesus has Father, enveloped the Immaculate Heart with Its own llames of love The golden glow of an Eastern sun-set
!

up the heavenly form and face

before

of

Mary

lights as she stands

the entranced

Hymn.

Elizabeth and chants her ecstatic But are not those upraised eyes shining with a

divine light which fills them from the Fountain of Light within? And the hands that are folded on her bosomare they clasping her Treasure, or lifted in ?

thanksgiving

\\

ho can say

They seem
of

lost in the

dazzling effulgence
feel

of light

and

love.

O
felt
?
I

Children

Mary!

would you

as

Mary

mean, of course, proportionally to your weak Kneel at those altar rails in Holy ness, and less grace. Commumon. As really, though sacramentally, each one can then say: "My heart and my flesh have exulted in
the Living God." will greatly rejoice in the Lord, and my soul shall be joyful in my God for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, and with
"I
:

the robes of justice hath He covered me, as a bridegroom decked with a crown, and as a bride adorned with her
jewels"

(Isaiah

Ixi.).

"Exultavit

spiritus

Then surely you meus in Deo Salutari

too

mav

say:

meo."

The Church
She uses
Divine
its
it

in the

Office,
;

and reveres the Magnificat of Mary. most solemn and public portion of the her most majestic tones are reserved for
loves
lit,

chant

the candles of the acolyths are

is

the incense
is

of the thurible

burnt

for

Mary

Magnificat

a part

Rosa
Mystica

of the

Gospel sung cadi day at Vespers, as Principio is said each day at Mass.
In

S.

John

In

the

and
Dion. Cart.

the Magnificat, yon may consider "the dignity, the sublimity grace, the beauty of her who sings, majesty of the Song, the inflamed seraphic devotion

with which she

but Mary
of
God."

creature magnifies God, r excels every creature, and is the magnificence "The Magnificat is an emanation from the
sings."

"Every

floods of Divine

Liht which inundated

her

intelligence."

as

though the Magnificat were her Child s Song. Indeed, one of the earliest Christian writers says: "Elizabeth rejoiced, the Baptist stirred her heart, Mary magnified God, And one of the latest |esus her Babe inspired writers thus expresses the same thought, showing that devotion to Mary is the same in every age. "Straight way the Word arose within His Mother s bosom, and
her."

enthroned Himself upon her

sinless Heart,

and borrowing

her voice, which had already been the instrument of His the power, the sacrament of John s redemption, He sang

unfathomable Magnificat out of whose depths music, has gone on streaming upon the enchanted earth all ages
since."

Though we poor mortals were absent when the morning stars praised God and the sons of God made a joyful melody, yet we will not repine our earth has
:

heard the music of the voice of the Mother of God,

and

we

are content,

"The

winter

is

and envy not the harmonies of heaven. and gone, the past, the rains are over

flowers have appeared in our land, the time of pruning is come. Arise, our love, our dove, our beautiful one, and

come

let

voice thy voice sound in our ears, for thy

is
comely."

is

sweet and thy face

of

But the Visitation did not end with the singing The the Magnificat. She abode with her cousin three Visitation months." How the Baptist must have continued to What interior communications rejoice- in her presence must have passed between him and his Lord Then he
"

began
the

to

be

"

the

Intimate of

"

Jesus,"

the

Friend of
of

Bridegroom,"

the

Companion
in

of the

Lamb

God,

remaining near our Lord

ever

united

till

spirit, though perhaps never Jesus came to the river and bade His

Baptist give Him baptism. After three months Mary

left

Elizabeth.

We

are

not told whether her departure was before or after the birth of John, and there is a division of opinion among
the Fathers of the

Church on
that

this point.

Let us follow

those
bless

who judge
and

caress the babe, to cheer

lied

Mary waited till John s birth, to and congratulate the

happy mother, and

Elizabeth
s

away only from

friends

forerunner to
at

and neighbours. grow and wax strong

the gathering of She left her Child s

in his father s

house

Hebron amidst the vineyards of South Palestine, in sight of the vapours that hang above the Dead Sea, near the desert where he dwelt till the day of his manifestation to Israel." And Mary hastened back to
"

her

home

in

peace and

the green uplands of Galilee, to await in seclusion the coming of her own Lamb of

God.

THIRD JOYFUL MYSTERY

THE NATIVITY
jOU
is

outbursts of joyous affection and love there

kind

no day like; a birthday. Think of all its the greetings, and the good wishes,
that

presents

give

such

pleasure.
will
say.

All

natural, homely, common-place,

it
is
:

some

very Yes, so
earthly

but, for all that,

s

good and pleasant, and

Indeed,
it

if

not without heaven

blessing.

when
like

to natural

joy spiritual joys are added,

seems

portion of
it
is

heaven
this

own

happiness.

And, blessed be God!

in

way

that Christmas

Day

is

heavenly joy and happiness, because

of our
"Sweet

kept, witli earthly and it is the Birthday

God
in

Incarnate, of our Saviour, our Brother, our

Lord Jesus Christ.

Protestant England this day
1

Even

is

kept
tells

in

a
all

holy, happy, Catholic

spirit.

At the Adeste Fideles,

hasten to Bethlehem and the Crib.

The Gospel

how

Shepherds found lying in a manger,

the

English
a time,

let

the

Mary and Joseph and the Child and without perceiving it- the Scriptures make Catholics of them for
oiler,

and without any misgivings they Shepherds and the Kings, their adoration

like

the

to

the

Word

His Virgin Mother and Xow, since so much Joseph, His Foster Father. has been lost and forgotten here, why has the English
Flesh, their reverence to
to St.

made

race (dung to the Catholicity of Christmastide been an English devotion from the first. Xor is

It

has

it

strange

16

that this should be the case.

For, as St. Gregory

St.

the

The

Great

relates,

on Christmas Day

ten thousand of the Angles,

ire.

who

for his object

Augustine baptized Nativity broke the

of the Kentish river Swale, and from the cold water came out Angels. They were our fore-fathers in the

from them and their times that England devotion to Christmas is derived and dates.
Faith,

and

it is

But joy

is

the
this
"

contemplating
joy in Jesus.
tidings of great

so let us when birthday feeling surrender our hearts to joy Mystery

;

Behold,"
joy."

I said the Angel, bring you And we will begin with that one

"

joy which although most human had no source

in

the

usual

mortal

sorrow.

mean

that

joy

of

the

One

Mother exempt from all the laws and penalties affecting Our o\vn poor Eve and her daughters since the Fall.
mothers,
as

Christ
to life

welcome us

Himself deigned to notice, ere they must submit to pain and sorrow but
:
"

Like a lily Mother it is not so. and rejoice with joy she shall bud forth and blossom, and praise." The joy of a mother in her new-born is ever a fair spectacle. Even when the glory of maiden hood has been merged in the holiness of matrimony, and child-birth comes with its decreed sorrow, the face that bends over the babe is lit with a saint-like halo, with the bliss of motherhood. It is a fair sight, and our Lord

with the Virgin

Himself has pictured it to us in His own suggestive words. But at Bethlehem, the Blessed among women, the Mother of God, the Virgin who has conceived bv O ^

Holy Ghost brings forth the Saviour without forfeiting a single flower of her virginal crown. Nine months ago,
the

by the operation of the Holy Ghost, out of her own immaculate substance she gave to the Word that garment of flesh in which He espouses human nature, and of
"

Rosa
Mystica

dewdrop Almighty Word rest in her and now, at the tabernacle, in her virginal bosom same midnight hour, and in the same divine way is He born as that dewdrop may fall from the ilower, as light traverses the pure crystal, as later on He entered the chamber of His disciples when its door was closed, as that tear of gladness which escapes unnoticed from
hold."

the seed of
in

Abraham
did

takcth

Lightly, as a

flower,

that

her gentle eyes so does He leave His resting-place, so does the Rod of Jesse flower, so does the Virgin Mother

The joy of Mary is ecstatic bring forth her God-Child. delight when she beholds her beautiful Babe lying, like a white "Flower of the field," fair and fragrant, on her
nigh to the swaddling clothes, and she kneels adoringly and ga/es clown into the beautiful, loving, human eyes of the Eternal God waiting for the welcome
long
veil

of His youthful Mother.

The
she sees
thrills

joy of
it

Mary
;

is
;

shared by the new-born Babe

she

in

His look
she
feel
"

knows

that like herself

full

He

with joy

is

glad, but

of

wonder when
in

she

is

made

to

that

He

rejoices
7

having so

sweet a Mother.
"

shall

in

The Lord thy God/ sang the Prophet, over thee with gladness, He will be silent rejoice His love, He will be joyful over thee with praise." He,

speechless Babe, is silent in His love she, enraptured It is too much bliss for Mother, kneels without a word.

outward sign

perchance, the joy, not to break that fountain of bliss, flows from her full Heart in bright tears of happiness. At Hebron, she sang at Bethlehem,
:

unless,

she

is

silent.

But both silence and song proclaim that her

"spirit

exults in

God

her

Jesus."

Is

the silence sweeter or

!

more eloquent than the song ? Oh, no but the joy is Her Angel, the Ambassador of the Incarnation, greater.
18

the

Composer

of the

AVE, becomes

her minister.

Like a The

priest at the altar, for

whose guiding notes

"Behold,

assistant choir listens, Gabriel white- robed the Second Annunciation: -sings

of praise the Nativity

and shining I bring you

and, above the startled Shepherds, to earth, and seas, and skies, the choirs of Heaven chant
their

tidings of great joy:

"

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO. Those Angels, those Sons of God the Father
the

of all

joyful melody among Then also they greeted the Birth erf morning stars. the Word, that Birth which is the eternal gladness of the Godhead. Ages ago, they sang a to

spirits, in

dawn

of creation

made

the

Begotten of the Father before

all

the Birthday hymn but their voices ages

:

young and fresh they are like Him So again do they "years sing on Christmas Night. Now, however, they adore the temporal Birth of the same Divine Word. They obey the Divine Let all the Angels of God adore Him." command, So
;

and

spirits are ever

Whose

cannot

fail."

"

they sing a celestial carol to the Word made Flesh and His happy Virgin Mother. And shall not we join our
voices with theirs in praise and worship of this sweet Babe of Bethlehem ? Indeed, it shall be so. Year after year, and after us from generation to generation, earth s poor exiles will greet His earthly Birth and call His Mother
Blessed,
till

He

bids us

come

to the

Home

of

His Father

Homes,

to

House, there to behold in Beatific Vision His

Eternal Birth in the

Bosom

of that Father.

And may the dear Roman Saint, who has made a home here with his English sons, the beautiful old man
with the gay heart of an innocent boymay he, the human Seraph of Joy, who instead of Nunc dimittis sang the Gloria in excelsis the day he died may he be ever with us in our Christmas We play with Thee, joy, until
"

Beautiful Brother,

On

Eternity

jubilant shore

"

19

FOURTH JOYFUL MYSTERY

THE PRESENTATION
LL
|))

consolations as

well

as

all

trials

come

to
in

us

from

God, and

He

considers
It
is

the

way
but

which we receive them.

respect to both
is

evident that
faults;

in
it

we commit many

hard to say in which respect the faults are more ol them, numerous. My suspicion is that there are more amidst the conso though light in character, cropping up
lations

and

shifts

which we receive; and

"

for this

reason,

so without going further, that our consolations themselves our trials. Mercy is exalted over greatly outnumber
justice."

However

it

may

be,

as

we

are about to

eonsider

God

fitting

consolations and tender mercies, it is natural and that we should first humble ourselves a little by
to

(-ailing

mind what treatment

lie

receives

from

us

while dealing with us so gently. How many mistakes we make, of how many petulant even while we are sensibly impatiences we are guilty, God! When He is most experiencing the goodness of \\hen He sends us helping us we are most querulous. some happy, holy thought to make inward sunshine in our soul, when He indulges us with some bright vision of His love and kindness, we cannot receive it simply,
gaze on
dissolves
it

quietly,

and

refrain

and disappears.

from discontent when it FewThis poor nature of ours

!

are like the Shepherds

to ready to come, and also ready

20

return! We are like people who slay on idly in the The church after a service, not knowing what they want. Or Presentation we are like those who watch the sun setting, and come
to
feel

a grudge against

it,

when

it

finally disappears

and night begins.

are very fond of singing that \ve are Pilgrims of the night," but when the peculiarities, the discomforts,
"

We

the risks of this journeying by night press upon us, we are in no mood to sing their praises Yet we might submit more gracefully. As the glory of the midnight
!

Angels was unusual to the Shepherds, so are

all

God
:

bright, sunshiny blessings and visits undue, gratuitous, to be let depart freely and for cheerfully will and must of the have go they Pilgrims

and therefore

night

nothing to do with constant sunshine and

glory
is

light.

If

the

goes to God,
to

as

sang

those

Angels,

and

peace

For us, we should be more than satisfied. does not necessarily mean darkness. The Creator night has by many beautiful devices prevented this. There
left

are

the

flitting

fire-flies,

there

are

luminous
s

trees,

there are phosphorescent seas,

there are nature

illumi-

nants

around, from the glow-worm s pale ray, whose soft light looks like a little flower in the hedge-row, to
all

the stars overhead

is

outside, in the body and the utility of existence. Will there not
for

and the queenly moon. And all this nature, for good and bad alike, for the eye of

man
be

in his earthly period of far

more
for

the

Church,

for

the

Faithful,

light within, the soul, for

Ah, those countless stars dwindle to a mere handful of gold dust compared to the spiritual treasures of the riches and goodness of God. There is light enough to walk on the path to heaven
;

living, saving, victorious

Faith?

there

is

light

enough

to enable those

who

are astray to
21

Rosa
Mvstica

Lead, kindly Light, lead on gain or regain the path The True Light still enlightens every man that cometh lie that dwells in light inaccessible so into the world.
!

enlightens the childreMi of the Church that we are called And over and above all this, the "Children of light."
1

there

are

so
of

many
the

internal

illuminations,

blazelike

moments
Sons of

Hashing light granted to

God

Saints,

His

resplendent Chosen Ones, with their glory-encircleel brows, our Saint Philip with his burning He\art, and far, far surpassing all these Stars of Heaven,
Fire,

Mary
of

herself -the
the
1

Morning

Star, the

Woman
feet,

clothed with

the Sun, with

moon

b(Mie\ ith

her

and the Crown

Twelve Stars upon her majestic head. If then we want light, and light in greatest abun dance^ and brilliancy, we must turn to Mary, we must Our Look out for thy shining, sweet Star of the Sea Laely is the Oueen of the Church, the light of the Church the light of the world." on arth, even as the Church is
"

lk

"

All

The. Hashing Fountain, the comes through Mary. High in the Heaven of heavens shining Source is Jesus. the throbbings of His Sacred Heart send forth the Hood in
evaseless

gushes of glory, Mary is bedewexl with the brightness, it inundates her soul and spirit, it rises and
falls

ami plays around her most Pure

Heart, and thence

speeds away, streaming from grace-shedding hands, and reaches in softest showers the thirsting multitudes ol the

Church
Christ,

in

the

desert.

in

search

of

Poor night-wandering Bride of the Beloved, struck and so often

1

wounded by
the light of

the guards a hostile

world

sets against thee,

"a

lamp to thy thy protection and fair Pilgrim of the night feet," All that we have from God conies to us through Mary. The peace and rest, the sleep given to His beloved ones are

Mary

is

22

presided over and smiled upon by our Heavenly Mother, The and thereby are the safer, the deeper, the sweeter. There are Presentation

times

when

the whole Church sleeps

and takes her

rest in

the light of Mary s love. must again call in the aid of material things to express what is unutterably lovely. This earth of ours bathed in beautiful moonlight must

We

seem a
not. silence

fair

Go

sight to forth some

silver

the Angels of

God who slumber

and the moon, and then

supporting all, Church. All peace,

sanctity,
all

night, and stand in the and gaze up to the gentle light in thought see, above all, embracing all, the Fatherly arms of God. So is it in the

tranquil

all rest

from

sin, all

holy prayer,
;

all

above

reposeful Festivals, come from Mary and, the sweet sight, is our Father in Heaven Mary gives us light, because she brings us Jesus, and
all
!

where the Mother remains there gladly lingers the Son. And, because we are poor, and little, weak and childlike, they hide somewhat of the sublime splendours which are theirs, and reappear among us somewhat as in the days of Bethlehem and Nazareth. The Images of the Mother and the Babe which content our devotion so greatly are an outward expression of the almost sacramental grace which

Mary

presence and influence produce on our souls.

The

Feast of Candlemas explains exactly what I mean. It tells us that long ago Mary gave us Jesus, and with Him
all

light

and

joy,

and that she

still

gives us the

same

and that all rest, all peace and happiness is in the same Jesus still given to us by the same sweet Mother. So is it now, so has it ever been, and ever shall be. How fair was that February morning when Mary came forth from the cave of Bethlehem bearing in her arms her beautiful Babe, her Lord whom she was about to present unto the Lord. As though to greet and
Jesus,

23

Rosa
Mystica

its Creator, the rising sun lingered amidst the clouds of the eastern sky. Its rays made millions golden of delicate rainbows, a carpet of sparkling jewels on

worship

the glittering dew, as the Holy Family passed, yet they were surpassed by the miracles of grace lit up in His

Mother s soul by the Sun of Justice. Meanwhile all around was fair and gladsome; dear as had been the
seclusion of the lortv days
shelter,
ol

bhsslul retreat in the Stable

it was pleasant to step out into the midst of and budding foliage, and the fresh, fragrant air. There was a holy joy in all Three as They passed along the silent road, and at last reached the Temple of

(lowers

Jerusalem.

Who

awaited Their arrival

The holy

old

man

Simeon, the holy widow Anna. The Angels of God were break out into another Gloria in there, desiring to
excelsis,

and

there,

too,

the

Eternal

Father waited
lUit

for

the Offering of Mary, the Oblation of the Son.

visible attendance

the

was scanty indeed, and

still

chiefly consisted

younger dove-fledglings, two of which were meekly purchased by Mary. And then Mary presented and gave her Jesus unto God His Father, and the Offering was received. Yes,
of

young children with

worthy of Divine acceptance was made by the hands of Mary. The Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world was offered, at what a cost only the Heart of Jesus and the Heart of His Mother can fully know. Meekly did the Mother redeem her
the
first

offering really

One, she bought Him hack, but only for a time, only to have a mother s right to share in every suffering which the Victim of God s Justice was henceforward to
Little

And so and pressed Him to

undergo.

she

folded

Him
it

again

in

her arms,

her Heart, but

was

to a

Heart that

24

few

words

had

transfixed
;

with

woe.

She

wanted The

to give us joy, to give us light it alas the very one of us but,

;
!

and generously she gave Presentation

stood forth to receive
all

who

her
cost.

(lift

stood there also to prophesy

that

it

should

She came to the Temple full of joy, prepared to shed that joy abroad over the entire world, and behold! the joy sank down to the very depths of her inmost being and so made room for sorrow, for the First of her Seven Dolours. The Virgin-Mother thenceforth was a broken

Not that any sign appeared, not that she interrupted the jubilant song of the happv old man who wounded her so innocently, so divinely. \o Let
hearted Mother.
!

joy be universal, and the sorrow all her own. None save Jesus knew her anguish, even St. was spared its Joseph complete knowledge. Xor was Mary sad, nor did she repent her act. Simply, the joy had to make room for
the sorrow,

and the

result

was

a Broken Heart.

How
and

truthfully, how tragically all this is set forth shown in the Offices of the Church on the Feast of

the Purification.

The candles
priest

World, and the

in violet, as

who
was

represent the Light of the distributes them is clothed

though

to represent her

who

first

gave Jesus

to the world.

With
of

us

the

brightness

her

to be all the light, the joy, Presentation of Jesus and the

;

sorrow she would keep unshared. So much be said or rather so

of

little

for the

mystery

Mary

love

next

we must

How could she need Purification, who was Immaculate Purity itself? She is like her Divine Son. Fie condescended to appear to be baptized, she con
humility.

consider the mystery of her

descended to appear to be purified. The Angels wondered at Both. God the Father magnified and glorified Both on each occasion Jesus, by the light from heaven, the

Rosa
Mystica

Dove, and the Father

Voice
the

Mary, by the reverence and

the prophesying

worship paid to her

in

Temple by

Simeon and the saintly Anna. and con Lastly I would ask, \Yhat does every joy solation tell us but that trials and crosses are at hand? It was ever thus with our Lord and His dearest Mother. After this Presentation, there came the Desert and Egypt. After the Baptism, there was the Fast of Forty Days. And this After the Transfiguration came the Passion.
Feast warns ourselves of the coming Lent.
Its

light

is

keep us glad and joyful throughout that weary, desolate season, to help us to maintain that look So are all the of content which our Lord prescribes.
given
us
to

beautiful Feasts

as St. Philip teaches

sent to cheer us,

and help our perseverance, rest in Jesus and Mary.

It is

to give us peace,

and
is

light,

and

thus that here on earth the

"night

illuminated
will the

like

clay,"

by the light of Mary

love.

What

light
is

and glory be when night is past, when Pilgrimage the shadows llee over, when the day dawns and
"
"

away

26

FIFTH JOYFUL MYSTERY

THE FINDING
E
call

IN

THE TEMPLE
"

this

earth

of ours
;

The Vale
is

of

Tears

"

always complete sadness even when tears flow fast.

Joys supervene, and for many life is like the an alternation of shower and sunshine. The same Spring, experience is to be met with in our spiritual life, and in this our highest and greatest joys "flow from Mary," who is Causa nostrae laetititae. There is joy in receiving any wholly unexpected Such was the joy of gift. Mary in the grace of her Immaculate Conception. There is a joy in being the brightness and consolation
of beloved parents. And this joy also was felt by Mary in her childhood, when she found herself so dear and so

for

many

reasons

yet

there

not

delightful to Joachim

and Anna.

a joy in being able and encouraged to give to become His minister or His handmaid. God, Such joy our Lady felt, when her devout parents presented her to God in the of Jerusalem. Temple
is

There

one

s self

to

holy matrimony too is deserving of festival and rejoicing, as Cana clearly shows. And such a joy entered
into the
life

of

Mary when her Espousals

to St. Joseph

took place.

There
startling heart of

is

a joy in receiving glad

the
listener.

tidings,

however
into the

to

And

this

joy came

Mary

at the Annunciation.

Rosa
Mystica
the

There
loving

is

joy

in of

the

exercise
offices

of

discharge

kind

benevolence, in mutually dear to

Such was the joy of Mary the recipient and the giver. in the Visitation, in the homage rendered so religiously

by

St.

at the

Elizabeth, in the happiness of the unborn Baptist The Magnificat coming of his unborn Saviour.
the perpetual music of that joy. lias left recorded in the Gospel 1 1 is notice
is

sung by Marv Our Lord

of the joy felt

by a mother on the birth of her babe. This was the melody in Mary s heart on Christmas night, when in response the Angelic Gloria
joy to a divine degree

rang through the heavens. The Baptism which follows birth

for

is

another occasion
of a

holy jov,
its

in

the

sanctiiication

and dedication
of

child to

Creator.
felt

mothers was

to

happy Christian a sublime degree by our Blessed Lady

this joy
lost.

And

when

she presented her Child Jesus in the Temple. Lastly, there is a joy in finding what has been This joy will be characterised by the cause of the

loss,

whether

it

was

or

was not through

by the value
our love
for

fault of ours,

will be intensified

of
it.

our need of

it,

or

and it what was lost, and Our Lord in His

Parables dwells on losses of each kind.

And He

has

w illed
r

that the experience of His

own Mother

should be

recorded in detail by His Evangelist, telling us plainly of the greatness of her sorrow, and leaving to us the pleasing

duty of imagining and meditating on her

jov.

So are we

brought to the Fifth Joyful Mysterv, the Finding in the Temple. The Gospel narrative clearly explains that no sort
of

blame can be attached

to the parents

from

whom

the

Holy Child

so unexpectedly

and

secretly withdrew.

We

can easily gather from the account that Mary and Joseph
28

had

fears

for

(he

safely of

Him Whose

attempted not

many

years before.

had been The Therefore it was in Finding

life

anxiety, sorrow, and deepest distress that they hastened in the back to Jerusalem, which was no place in which a Divine Temple Child, who would perchance not defend Himself, could

be

left

without protection.

The words
it

of

the Mother
to find tlicir

reveal

what
safe.

relief it
I

was

to her

and Joseph
possible

Jesus

cannot think

attributed blame to themselves.

they had Consciences so pure, so

that

delicate as were theirs, must have testified that the reason of His absence lay not in discontent or

with themselves.
loved them.

any displeasure Well did they know how tenderly He

This made His absence so painful. It was indeed anguish to be suddenly deprived of His presence, the sound of His voice, the beauty and gracefulness of His
fair

features

and

attractive

form.

And

the

Mother

plaintive question may be taken not to imply reproach or even expostulation, but the relief it was to be freed

from anxiety
they had

like theirs, the joy

so mysteriously lost,
in

was to find Him Whom and "sought sorrowing."

it

Thus,
felt

this strange fashion,

us.

is

another

human
St.

joy

by Mary in common with without having sinned or failed

sinners feel

She and

Joseph,

in the very smallest detail

of their parental duty, are feeling the joy

which we poor
sins,

who having

lost

who having played the prodigal so recklessly, still by God s mercy find Jesus through the grace of repentance which He bestows, and rejoice in our while there pardon
"

our Jesus through our

joy before the Angels of God." May Mary be the cause of this joy also to us poor sinners, now and at the hour of our death
is
!

29

Che

Tm

Sorrowful mpsteries

CDe flgonp

in tbc

Garden
pillar

Scourging ar rbe

O)e Crowning with Cl)orn$

Cbe Carrping
tbe cross

Che

Crucifixion

THE FIRST SORROWFUL MYSTERY

THE AGONY

IN

THE GARDEN
of

ANY
the

words are not needed to describe any

of our

Five Sorrowful Mysteries. Lord is set forth in them, and with that
all

The Passion

devout souls are well acquainted; the constant subject of Christian prayer, for it is These Five exhortation, meditation, and contemplation.
Passion
Mysteries have

been

explained

by

the

Saints

of

the

Church
happiness

in

their

materials for the

it

writings, and have furnished endless dissertations of others whose

pious

is

to be,

however unworthily,

in

the

"

Com
work
of

munion of the would not be

Saints."

The

design of the present

carried out without

some short account

each sad Mystery.

Our Lord
Gethsemani.
the fear

led His disciples forth to the Garden of There He made known to them the sorrow,

and sadness with which He allowed His soul But He left to them and to ourselves to be oppressed. that in His Sacred Heart He attend and brought away from the Coenaculum an anguish as keen For as any that caused His Agony in the Garden. He had announced to His Mother that the hour she and He had so long dreaded had come at last bidden her farewell. To tell this to her was to inflict the wound of the Sword of Sorrow with His own hand,
"to

see"

They

are minutely described in The Blood of the

Lamb, Chapters book published by Burns and Oates, Ltd., 1899.

3, 4, 5, 6,

and

7,

33

Rosa
Mystica

and the grief of it was torture to His loving Heart. And from that hour His gentle Mother was involved in the coming Sacrifice, and He was tortured by the knowledge that she would suffer as He would suffer, without being
like

Him

released by death.

in

The worst punishment of a criminal often is endured Even the condemned cell rather than on the scaffold.
is

of great and deserving the extreme penalty the law does not always extinguish the natural feelings

guilt that

and
those
1

affections of culprits;

and the
of

final

interview with

who

love

them

in

spite

their

unworthiness
follows.

is

But often harder to endure than anything which the pathos of such partings is as nothing compared with the sorrow of our innocent Lord Jesus Christ about to
be unjustly put to death, and compelled by filial piety and subjection to ask this final Fiat from His Mother. He went out from her into the darkness which concealed
His
distress,

a distress which never quitted

Him

during

the Three Hours of Agony.

Moreover,

we cannot but
spirit,

actually distant from the place

think that Mary, though of her Son s prolonged

and shared with Jesus in its None can fathom sadness, its fears, its holy obedience. the depths of knowledge she had acquired from the fathom Prophecies, the Written Word, still less can any the broken-heartedness caused by the communications
Prayer was present in
of the

Living Word, the revelations made with His

"

own

ever pondered, though what she lips, on which she unto considered filled her with sorrow, and reached And the division of the soul and spirit" (Heb. iv. 12).

none may dare to put limits to love like the love of the Time and space Son of God and the Mother of God. We may be can be no barriers to a union so divine.
34

sure

that in spirit Mary shared the Prayer of Jesus, The Agony witnessed the Agony, and thus gained and maintained in the a place in the First Sorrowful Mystery of her Garden Rosary.
the exception of the traitor, the whole company oi the Apostles escorted their Master as far as the buildings of the olive farm of Gethsemani. There were very pro

With

bably benches, or what might serve as seats

for

our
here,

Lord
till
1

in

gentle kindness said to them

"

Sit

you

Then, taking the three who pray." had witnessed His Transfiguration of glory on Tabor and were also to witness His Transfiguration of sadness,

go yonder and

He
"

entered into the garden, and soon said to these also My soul is sorrowful even unto death. Stay you here and
:

"And He was withdrawn from them a stone s and kneeling down He prayed, saying cast, Father, if Thou wilt, remove this chalice from Me. But yet not My will but Thine be done. And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven strengthening Him. And being in an agony He prayed the longer. And His sweat became as drops of blood trickling down upon the ground" (St. Luke xxii.). Thus did our Lord surrender His soul to deadly sorrow. He was of course master of His own feelings it was only by His own free choice that this agony was endured. His soul was not to feel the slightest alleviation

watch."

because of

its possession of beatific vision. He would drink the chalice of suffering in obedience to His Father

and

in

pity

for

us

poor

sinners,

but the chalice of

inebriating delight

He would not

taste, for that

would

have made pain and sorrow impossible.

So the sorrow

penetrated the substance of His soul, as fire penetrates the substance of iron and not the surface only. For three long hours did our Lord pray, and in ever

Rosa
Mystica

the voluntary and accepted Victim, appointed to redeem the world by His Sufferings and Death. His Sacred Humanity was the most perfect

increasing agony.

He was

was of faultless beauty, it possessed the fulness of life, and health, and strength; it was of exquisite refinement and sensitiveness: and the holy Will of that unblemished Victim was forcing every

Handiwork

of the

Holy Ghost;

it

natural, shuddering instinct to be submissive, not to falter,

to to drain to the

repugnance, dregs the chalice presented to Him by the Will of His Father.
resistance,

make no

but,

overcoming

all

and
in

sufferings mental anguish is the greatest most intolerable. Kven as hereafter the pain of sense

Of

all

human

hell

will

be far

less
lii

than the pain of

loss,

so

is

it

here in our present

felt
is

e:

when

"the

whole head
is

the greatest of all is sick and the

possible.

suffering

is

whole heart
this

sad,"

and no remedv

Perhaps

may

be one reason

why our Blesssed Saviour before surrendering Himself into the hands of sinners, indicted on Himself the worst suffering of His Passion, and voluntarily endured
the Agony.

For His

life

on earth, as

for ours, there

1

was
for

"season

for sorrow;"

and He

chose

to

appoint

it

the night before

He

suffered.
soul,

His sinless
sinners

and most holy

4

interposing between
itself

and the Divine

all

Justice,

showed

punishments of sin which nothing incompatible with His Personal Infinite Holiness. Therefore He lay in the garden prostrate in His pro longed Agony, crushed and overwhelmed with feelings of

undergo

tin

ready to involved

which ought to follow the perpetration of sin, feelings which are the punishment indicted by reason, whenever reason can Such feelings are separable from the guilt of sin, prevail.
fear,

horror,

defilement, shame, feelings

36

and

(-an

be

felt

by the innocent, as

is

often the case \vhen

The Agony

a whole innocent family is plunged into grief and anguish in the by the criminal conduct of one of its members. Add to Garden
these, intense sadness, forgiving
less

compassion and measure

and we thus arc able to state the sorrow, the contrition, the disappointment which our Lord admitted
love,

into His Sacred Heart to atone for all the hard-heartedness,

the

senseless

mirth

and

revolting
their

laughter

of

irreligious worldlings

who

glory in

shame.

That

Jesus could bring Himself to suffer and die for such as these is an unfathomable mystery, but there is no

or

wonder that the

sinners,

effort to

mystery do more than eat and drink

of

with

the resolve to expiate their sins

every

description should cause this

"And

there

Agony and Sweat of Blood. appeared to Him an Angel from heaven

strengthening

Him"

name

of

this

(Luke xxii. 43). We are not told the honoured Spirit, nor the manner of his
our Lord.

ministration
positive in

to

We may

not,

therefore,

be

are disposed to hold on these any opinion points, suggested by love rather than curiosity. Still, in
r

we

fulfilment

work, we venture to suggest that this Angel was sent to our Lord at the prayer of His grief-stricken Mother, who was united to
of

the

design

of

this

prayer and knew in spirit what her Son was It may be pleaded in behalf of this view, that suffering. thus our Lady is, after a manner, given her place in another of the Mysteries of Her The Queen of Rosary. well might ask this favour, and would be Angels only using a mother s right in thus appealing to the Father in
in

Him

behalf of her self-immolating Son. The sad words of Jesus, addressed to the apostles, had then but small effect. "Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation." Prayer would have prevented the E

37

Svsticn

denial.
ll(

"-.

desertion the neglected by a youth: he sins fear defilement and shame drive him into hopeless He has forfeited the esteem of others, disgraced

eV

ne

""

Prayer

flight

thc

>

is

family,
tence,
"""

broken

his

mother
failed

heart.

In

final

he
"I

impeni-

kills

himself-Iaqueo
:

se suspendit.

watch and pray has temptation assails her, and she fear, horror, defilement and shame fill her with qpeless dismay she forgets St. Mary Magdalen: and all ends with the shriek of as the
"n

and pure, has weary of devotion

:

girl

once

to

despair

cold, pitiless waters

:eive
<>"

ought always to impart efficacy to the poor utter so hesitatingly, and with so lutle earnestness, by uniting them with His own Prayer and Agony in the Garden.

another victim of sin and death. I-ord, Who has told us that "we
faint,"

and not to which we

will

<+**z

THE SECOND SORROWFUL MYSTERY

THE SCOURGING
N
the
first

part

of the night,

when

Jesus

had

been seized at Gethsemani and led before the

high priest and council, the Jews gave way in the house of Caiphas, as far as they dared,
to vindictive outrages.

They blind-folded and

buffeted

Him, they defiled His bruised face with filthy spittle, and plucked spitefully at His comely hair and beard.

Then
the

for the rest

of the night

they imprisoned

Him

in

dungeon

they brought
factor to the

of the high priest s dwelling. At morning Him forth, and led Him away as a male

Roman

Governor.

Pontius Pilate questioned Jesus closely, and hesitated long before he could bring himself to condemn one whom
he judged to be innocent, one whose stately demeanour so impressed him that he deemed Christ might indeed be the King of the Jews, if not One greater, as is implied

by the question,

"

Whence

art

thou

"

He

decided at last

crowd as to scourge Jesus, would satisfy their enmity. Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him": an iniquitous proceeding against one whom he had as judge declared to have done no wrong. In Pilate there was no animosity against the Christ Who stood before him, so strangely dignified and patient there was a wish to befriend and protect Him from the
so far to yield to the clamorous in the cowardly hope that this
;

fury of His enemies

yet to order the infliction of this

39

Rosa
Mystica

pain,
in
it

unmerited humiliation was a gross injustice, \vhirh cruelty and contempt were united. Moreover, was the beginning o f the end; for scourging was with
this

the

Romans

ment The scene of the Scourging was probably the court yard between the palace of the governor and the barracks
of

the usual preliminary of the capital punish of criminals.

the

Roman
It

garrison.
s

There,
to

no

doubt,
a

would

be

grouped our Lord

spectators.
is

chief accusers,

and

crowd
the

of callous

dreadful

think

that

Mother of

made her way thither accompanied by devout women who to the full extent of their powers and shared her anguish. Although at some pity distance, Our Lady was present, according to the stated conviction of many. The horror of it to Mary and her faithful, tender
hearted friends was that the Scourging of Jesus was of and barbarity. The subsequent exceptional severity detestable inhumanity of the Crowning with Thorns quite lends likelihood to the unusual, excessive of the brutality executioners who carried out the decree of Pilate. The
are closely connected and the inhumanity of the latter testifies to the probability of the former s almost incredible savageness. There is, we no
:

Jesus must have

two outrages

know,

obligation to admit the accuracy of even a St. Bridget in her private visions and revelations but the more the narrative is studied the more we feel obliged to think that there is no exaggeration in what is said about the appalling numbers of the stripes by which we were healed.
;

no one, then, in fastidiousness shrink from meditating on that most cruel Flagellation. Inhumanity, contempt for one of a conquered and despised nation, the encouragements and bribes of Christ s gloating enemies
Let

40

all

fearful scourges of various sorts,

urged the reckless soldiers to excesses, excess in using The from leather thongs and Scourging rods to the dried sinews of animals! excess in toughened the uncounted number of strokes, excess in the everincreasing

by which the whole Sacred Body was reduced to one livid, bleeding wound. The Mother of Jesus must have heard the sickening sound of the blows, mav, alas have seen the face of the
ferocity
!

mad

Victim, lifted

adorable patience to the silent heavens. The Suffering of the Son, the Sorrow of the Mother in this
in
:

silent tears Mystery are beyond all words Let us not withhold them. appropriate.

are

more

In our spiritual warfare so readily,

and turn

traitors;
sloth,

we are cowardly we desert we so often irritate our God

;

our self-indulgence, our want of perseverance. thereby expose our souls to the danger of being punished hereafter with endless torment, with sharpest pains, with denial of sleep and rest, with cruel scourgings from demons whose slaves we make ourselves

by our trepidity, our

We

by

sin.

And
of

pity for us,

and

Jesus suffered His atrocious Scourging in to avert from us here and hereafter the

scourges cassus
!

the

Divine

anger.

Tantus

labor

non

sit

THE THIRD SORROWFUL MYSTERY

THE CROWNING WITH THORNS

T
cxasj unrated the enemies of Christ our Lord to find that they had been unable to conquer His calm courage with the fearful Scourging.

been

to

To have continued it any longer would have Him all too quickly: and so in fiendish kill

malice they devised a fresh torture and a further outrage. His body was Hayed, so they attacked His holy head, and

accompanied the

intliction of this exquisite suffering

with

mockings which would yield them sport by rousing Him anger and resentment.
savage imprecations and

they
to

hoped

impotent

savage has ever invented or inflicted a more diabolical torture than this Crowning with Thorns These at the hands of the soldiers of the Roman Empire.
wild
fierce

No

had heard Christ spoken of as King of the Jews: while He they knew that He had not refused the title, If a king, gave its full and real significance to Pilate. and king of these despicable Jews, He should have a
ruffians

crown, a sceptre, a royal robe, and should hold a court. Thus they decided. As the sorry jest implied an insult to their people, the priests did not instigate this insolent
"

iniquity

for,

the

Evangelist significantly says,

this."

The

soldiers indeed did

dragged Jesus from the pillar of the Scourging to a bench near the door of their guard room. Over the bleeding shoulders they derisively cast

The

soldiers,

then,

a tattered military cloak of purple, and then for crown The and sceptre they ran to the neighbouring palace garden. Crowning There they cut a wandlike reed for sceptre and some with Thorns With prickly thorn branches to weave, into a crown. these trophies they hastened back, and protecting their

hands with gauntlets, they made a rough helmet-shaped crown. They placed it on the unresisting head of Jesus, and pressed it into shape and made it fit, though its hard sharp points went through hair and skin and even

They heeded not the blood that on hands and arms and reddened the pavement spurted beneath their feet. They placed the reed in His
grasp,

penetrated the bone.

but snatched
their
"

it

thorn-crowned head.
bent
knees,
Hail,

away They approached

uttering
Jews."

at

consenting times to strike at the

jeeringly, and their scornful

mockingly

salutation,

King

of

the
;

The young
for the
it

are often cruel

but this cruelty of theirs

most part comes from thoughtless impulses. But cannot be pleaded that the cruelty of these Roman
if
it.

young they were, had any thoughtlessness The whole account shows that theirs was a calculated and determined cruelty. Though even so, we may well believe that their Victim secretly pleaded for them, and that the pale, parched lips whispered,
soldiers,

about

"Father,

forgive them, they

I

know
refrain

not what they

do."

Also,

think,

we may

from saying that

this

wanton act was done in the presence of Our Lady. In no doubt, she was aware of it. But we spirit, may hope that the poor wretches had not the additional heartlessness
perpetrating their hideous barbarity in the presence of Christ s gentle Mother.
as to our share in the Mystery.
of

Yet for us there are many heart-rending considerations For was it not to expiate
43

Rosa
Mystica

our sinfulncss in the permitted entrance into our

memory

many imagination that our Saviour submitted to this pain ? Pronethoughts ness to evil from childhood has been the unhappy malady Hence our souls have been too often of our fallen nature.
of

and

so

dangerous and wicked

sullied

and

defiled

of

the

eyes,

curiosity.

We

by want of custody by conversations prompted by unlawful know it. Also we know that our Lord
"

by

light

reading,"

expiated such sinl ulness by the pains of His thorn-crowned head. Ah, why do we relapse so frequently, and let
spiritual

death
"

"enter

at

the window"?

Why
no

are

we

so unwilling to

make,

like

holy Job,

"a

compact with
traces

our eves

?
!

Holy Mary
beheld
for
it
;

Thy Divine Son

Crown.
of

retains

on

His brow of that cruel

and thine eyes whose sake He wore it.

heart,"

But thine eyes have mercy now behold those

blessedly "clean of come to see God

Oh, pray that we may be and so, when our exile ends,
our
beautiful

and

thee,

Mother,

in

Paradise

44

THE FOURTH SORROWFUL MYSTERY

THE CARRYING THE CROSS

>UR

Saviour has declared that a man cannot be His disciple unless he denies himself, takes up

his cross,

and follows Him.

We

then are called

path He has trodden with bleeding feet, and to carry daily whatever cross He permits to be laid upon us, till we reach our Calvary, where the world is to be crucified to us and we are to be
to
after Jesus in the

walk

crucified to the world.

Vivid remembrance of the Way of the Cross, meditation on all that our Lord endured as He went forth to Calvary, will provide us with motives to follow in His footsteps,

and

at last to die to the world

and

to

self,

for love of

Him Who was

Stations of the

led forth to die

on Calvary

for love of us.

church,

make

of the Cross, erected in nearly every all of us familiar with the events of that

Way

most sorrowful journey. We hear the deluded crowd at the bidding of the priests shouting for the release of the
robber and the crucifixion of their King.
reluctant Pilate

We

see

the

abandoning washing his hands, which of the Blood of Christ. We

strip
off

Jesus to their fury and vainly he falsely said were innocent

see

make then we behold

to

the wretches exultingly the purple robe and replace His own garment, the disgrace and discredit more conspicuous, and the dear Lord open His weary arms with welcome, and embrace the heavy cross, which
lips as
it

love

and

salutes with the kiss of His parched on His weak but willing shoulder. F

He

is

laid

45

Rosa
Mystica

its weight, yet struggle to His feet and continue the death-journey. He reaches the spot where a sad Mother waits His coming. behold her, after the exchange of one look of love

Before long, \ve see

Him

fall

beneath

We

and anguish, take

mournful procession. We see that the unfeeling Centurion and the heartless guards charged with His crucifixion do not protect their Prisoner from the ill-usage and hustling of the rabble.
place
in

the

And

so

Gyrene crowned Gross-bearer. We hear the kind, plaintive words which acknowledge so graciously the pity of the and gently warn them to bewail the weeping women, lot of themselves and their little ones rather than His own. We watch Him thankfully accepting the relief
courageously offered by Veronica, yet declining the mingled wine that would have deadened pain. And so we follow Him as He staggers and struggles upward
till

intervene,

two more falls and force Simon

take
of

place,

till

the

soldiers

to assist the thorn-

the
in

brow

Isaac,

of Calvary is reached, and He, the true obedience to His Father s will can lay down

the

wooden

altar of

His Sacrifice in

"the

place called
Cross.

Golgatha."

Thus did our Blessed Lord carrv His

thus has

And

a thousand times earned the right to require of us some courage, some patience, some resignation, even some love of the crosses we have to bear during life s

He

pilgrimage.

Our

cross
it

may

be sickness, or poverty, or

unkindness, and
together;
for

may
and

be one

made up

of

all

three

we may,
s

again, be calumniated, and persecuted

subjected to every species of Let us rather rejoice than repine. Let ignominy. Well us keep our eyes fixed upon Christ our Leader. Let us be
justice

sake,
!

encouraged and comforted by the knowledge that His

Mother, and our Mother now,

is

not far

off.

If

only

we The

Companion of our Carrying pilgrimage, the Heavenly Stranger and Good Samaritan, the Cross Jesus Himself has actually hold of the cross we carry, and makes Himself a Simon of Cyrene to His poor
see,

have eyes to

we

shall see that the

disciples.

47

THE FIFTH SORROWFUL .MYSTERY

THE CRUCIFIXION
HEX
(iod
the
soul
act
is
;

sins,

it
it

commits an
tears
itself

evil

and
from

dreadful

for

away

Who

its life,

and
it

forfeits

friendship.
fearful

Moreover,

Mis grace and draws upon itself a

and appropriate punishment, which is ever being inflicted from the beginning of the world to the end. Sin has brought death into the world death and its
pains, sorrows

and agonies. To be present at the death It is of another is what hardlv any can do unmoved. almost intolerable, to watch even a little one of our race
calling together
its

final

powers when the soul passes,

in

even

when breathed
Ikit

forth

sinu

matris,

in

the

bosom

of its mother.

it is simply appalling to contemplate and Death of Jesus Christ our Lord and the Crucifixion The mind is stunned, memory is confused, our God. dares not contemplate eyes grow dim, and our weakness

the fearful spectacle.

And
:

yet

we

must, at least in spirit

we cannot keep away

Jesus
is

what the sweet, gentle Mother

of

able and resolved to do the most tender-hearted

us
to

among
enough and

may

not refuse.

hear the

Mary was at hand, near awful sound, when the three rough
!

Ah

iron nails
feet,

were slowly driven through the quivering hands

to fasten her

Son

to the Cross as

it

lay

upon

with horrified gaze she beheld None Cross and hanging Victim appear in the air. dared to bar her wav, the Mater Dolorosa went forward,
the ground.

And

then

"

and

every law we The Crucifixion are bound to follow: "See, Mary calls us to her sick in our case, alas! we shall look We must obey, though
"

stood

hv the Cross

of

Jesus."

TV

"

upon Him

Whom

we

pierced
to

ought then the lamentable yet

soldiers

We
T

endeavour to picture to ourselves Round the few priceless Passion.

who guard

of cruel, insult

inhuman and blasphemy

the Cross of Sacrifice surges a crowd savages; these relentless enemies hurl
at

Him

as

He hangs above them.

They

wring from the Divine Victim some token Thev do this in the of pain, some expression of anger. and hearing of Mary His Mother. sight They are not deterred by that Mother s pathetic presence, nor by the
try to

majesty of
silent, it is

her

uncomplaining,

heart-broken

grief.

If

only to gaze the more intently with Cain- like

"

brows and

terrible

eyes,"

over that saddest of all

ghost.

watching and waiting to gloat sad sights His giving up the

is

Above the head

of the

Victim

fastened the Inscription,

JESUS OF
the
so.

NAZARETH KING OF THE

Jews was no crime.
it

JEWS.

To

be

King

of the

Pilate did not think

was a statement of who the Sufferer was. The Jews perceived this, and they suggested an alteration that would have made our Lord appear to
his part,

On

be a criminal.

Him
at

not,"

His own received Thus, from the first, neither at His Birth nor at His Death, which
"

The Living God they traitorously compassed. is put to death by His rebellious creatures, the King of Israel by His revolted subjects. For our sake, He makes
last
;
;

no resistance He has emptied Himself of all glory He asks for no legions of Angels to defend Him. Those legions are replaced by the maddened multitude around. Crucify Him," till they prevailed They have yelled,
"

49

Rosa
Mystica

Haters of all that is good and pure and it is done. and holy have they brought hither Hell s inhabitants The presence of His in the absence of all Good Angels?

Mother

is

ignored: no

direct

insult

is

offered,

but she

procures by that presence no They deride His Kingship, they go to Pilate and their protest, disputing vainly His right to the

better treatment for her Son.

make
Title

on the Cross. Yet, still and He pleads for them. what they do
"

in
"

His eyes they are His people, Forgive them, they know not

majesty, and outraged the diadem of the King of Kings with that cruel Coronation

They have mocked His

of prickly Thorns.

They have snatched even the reed Rejected King! that hand in which heaven sceptre from Thy divine hand
and earth do not deserve
to rest

and now, tortured and

!

crushed, it closes convulsively and clenches the transfixing iron nail that pierces the holy palm

For palace and royal state they Dethroned King give Thee Golgotha and its gibbet With the foul spittle of their Anointed King! fiendish malice they have defiled Thy heavenly chrism, to cover Thee with they have stripped off Thy garments nakedness and confusion. Only the Red Blood gushes
! !

forth to hide the virginal llesh with the beautiful purple

of

Redemption At the Sixth hour they crucified Him, and from that hour till the Ninth every moment brings forth fresh horror. The sun refuses his light the earth shudders and trembles Loaded already with accumu at this worst crime of all.
!

lated ages of countless sins crying to God for another she reels deluge to cleanse her anew from man s foulness,

and staggers, not knowing that the Precious Blood with

50

which Calvary
salvation."

is

watered and soaked

is

her

"

laver of

The

The mountains

is

rent,

rocks are riven,

heave, the veil of the Temple Crucifixion the graves of the dead burst

asunder

desecration, sacrilege, DEICICIDE arrest the order of the world, but the prayer of earth is heard and granted

and a Deluge
the world.

of Precious

Blood takes away the

sin of

Beyond the black

heavens
!

and

their
:

how bright and calm are the hosts have hushed their songs, But the Angelic choir is deserted. They are here weeping
sky,
"

bitterly
interfere
:

as

the

Scripture

tells

us.

They

may

not

not even he

who comforted

of the

Garden may draw nigh the legions stand mute and sad in their serried ranks, and without one gleam of light, one warning cry, they wait to behold the Death of Him at whose Birth they so Accursed is he who hangs gloriously sang and rejoiced.
"

Agony dying Victim. The

Jesus in the

upon
is

the

tree."

Because

He

takes on Himself the sins

of the world,

can His Father be so inexorable?

There

no respite, there is no rescue. Only paleness, numbness, and quickened breathings. The gentle sighs are feeble, words fall falteringly from the dry, parched mouth the breast heaves painfully, and the Heart throbs visibly in
distress:
full of
it is

what

is

breaking the eyes, so full of death, are worse than death they tell of that Heart s
In
its

disappointment, they speak of the anguish of unrequited

love

and abandonment.

grief

and amazement

at

the pressure, that Heart seems to forget to it In the abyss of misery and woe, it seems to belongs.
forget its own divinity, and forces to the Victim s lips that appalling cry and lamentation, My God, My God, hast Thou forsaken Me ? why
" "

Whom

Why

Saviour

loosen

Thy

saving hold, cast

away

51

Rosa
Mvstica

from that loving Heart, from that sheltering Breast the unclean wretch Thou art rescuing from Sin and Hellancl then the Divine Anger will cease, Thine Agony will But man s doom will be eternal woe end. He is faithful and true: He gives up His honour,
!

beauty, strength, Blood, Mother, whom He dies, for to those crucified to them by His love!
lightning,
"by

Life,

all,

and

clings

as

though
s

He
fury,

were
the

The storm
all
fall

the

lash,

the

Curse,

on Him.

But

His stripes we are healed," by His death we live, Slow as and our lift contents Him and repays Him!
1

is

His dying,
left

believe

He would prolong

it,

were there
to

still

any more pain and sorrow

holiest

to endure.

\Yith
Father,
love

obedience,
"It

He bends His head

finished:"

the

and declares
inclines
:

is

with

tenderest

He

gentlest farewell that bending of His head,

His poor face towards His Mother in with divine dignity He beckons with

and permits the approach

of

death.

Blood-drops ooze from the cold Body, He commends His Spirit into the Hands of His Father, ashen whiteness spreads among the ghastly wounds, His
The. last
is like death, but gentle breathings cease it -He lavs do-^u His life freely, it is not death

Mary knows He Himself

bids His Soul depart

the ghost Jesus

"with

loud cry

He

gives

up

is

dead

the

Good Shepherd,
() ()

the Friend, the Brother, the Master, the High Priest, the Lover of our
for the

souls!

son!

lament and mourn as Jesus! art Thou dead?

round.

death of the only

Look

Deserted
is

emptv tabernacle He Body of the Lord!

denuded altar, dead, and we have not even the

sanctuary,
death, one gleam of

Jesus

while

we lament Thy

comfort shines in Hie utter gloom --the thought that we The

too shall die, shall know by experience somewhat of that Crucifixion which Thou hast endured for us. Thou hast, Divine Being! lived on earth for us and with us, and for us and with us Thou hast died And yet how little likeness will there be
!

between our deaths and Thine! Thou hast suffered that we may have sweetness and the assuagement of our
the tears

and sympathy
the

Candle,

pains, of kindred, the light of the blest protection of the Holy Water, the Last

Sacraments of our dear Mother, Holy Church, and her Commendation of our departing soul. Gentle hands will wipe away the dews of death from our cold brows, brave
voices will speak

Thy Name, and Thy Mother

and our

Joseph

in our ears,

chilled fingers will be

Name, and com

!

forted with the feel of

Thy Indulgenced

Crucifix

By Thine own dereliction we implore Thee not to forsake us in that hour! Thine has been the hard and bitter death, may ours be happy and easy because, O dearest Lord we do desire to be dissolved, and be with Thee, our Jesus and our All. Tantus labor non sit cassus
!
!

Glorious mpsteries

Che Resurrection

Che Ascension

Cbe Descent

or the holp

Ghost

Che Assumption Che Coronation

of

Our Blessed

adp

FIRST

GLORIOUS MYSTERY

THE RESURRECTION
IRTISTS are allowed great freedom in their treatment of Christian subjects. It is necessary; for genius would languish if too much checked and thwarted. It is evident that occasionally
:

|))

they err in departing from the truth of the history which they represent but on the other side it may be granted
that their originality discovers and points out to us some new and unperceived feature in a Mystery with which
all are familiar.

In representing the Resurrection, our painters have used much freedom in depicting as simultaneous things

which happened in succession. Thus we often see on the same canvas an earthquake s effects, eager Angels
rolling the great stone away from the Sepulchre, terrified, half -dead guards, alarmed women drawing near, and above all, rising from the Tomb, bright and glorious,

the Redeemer, in triumph, in splendour, His raiment white as snow, yea, whiter because enhanced by the

ruby radiance of

His

crimson

Wounds.

But

if

the

Resurrection of Christ had been in this wise

we

should

have

found

different

the accounts of subsequent Apparitions from those given by the Evangelists. We should

have to prepare ourselves to witness the King s entrance into the Holy City more triumphant than the Procession of Palms to assist at the submission of Annas and Caiphas, to behold Pilate humbling himself before the

Rosa
Mystica

God
St.

he had so outraged by his cruel cowardice.

Sebastian,
risen,

When
like

after

his

first

martyrdom, appeared

one

and rebuked Diocletian, he was exercising a conceded bv Christ to His soldiers. But He Himself celebrated His own victory with no public pomp and
ri<>-lit

His Birth, Angels in heaven might sing at triumph. but at His Resurrection neither Hosanna nor Alleluia rent It was not to be: He would not put a single the air.

enemy
In

to

shame and confusion.

in

complete absence of all visible display, without sound of trumpet or song of Angel, the Conqueror came forth from the Sepulchre, not even displacing the Later that same morning, stone that served for door. sun rose with more splendour than visibly the
quiet,

very

surrounded his Maker

the Risen Jesus
the
is

Jesus

"

And why? Because Rising. Jesus Christ, yesterday, to-day,

"Kingdom
is

same

for

ever "-Whose says

"I

not of this
glory-"

world"

Who

seek

not

My own

the

pomp and pageant

would have none of share it with Him.

of such a Resurrection as

many
and

are led to
lie

His own imagine would have been

it

glory,

until those
it

He

loved were able

to

thatlike the hard-won exal the infinite majesty of His Godhead tation and majesty of His Sacred Humanity was too
Also,

may

well be

"Teat
t>

and calm

to notice the vicinity of evil, to

.

rebuke

His puny persecutors. I however prefer to think it was rather because He still sought not His own glory, that He was meek and gentle, in His triumph in His
victory in His exaltation merciful
"They

humble

of heart, ever saying

know
is

It

not what they do." not recorded that any

eye

human

eye beheld our

or

Lord come forth from the sealed and guarded Sepulchre.

Xo human
58

now

beholds

Him

enter

quit

His

Sacramental shroud and altar-sepulchre. Before sunrise, The Mar} Magdalen and her devout companions hastened Resurrection
thither,

as

all

the

Evangelists

declare,

but they found

the Sepulchre already empty.

r

go to find Him Whom they returned, one stayed there w eeping. With us, it has long been something more than a mere opinion that our Lord as soon as He quitted the

They knew not where to sought sorrowing. Some

Tomb went
till

straight to

after sunrise.

His Mother, and \vas with her Counting on the nobility, the absolute

perfection of our Saviour in every attribute of His human nature as of His divine, we should expect Him to be

found where the Wise Men found Him With Marv His Mother." True it is that a visit to His Mother is
"

not

recorded,

while

mentioned.

But

Apparitions to others are duly there is evident reason for naming

those whose testimony as witnesses to the Resurrection would be required, and for not alluding to evidence which

would be neither offered nor accepted. Great numbers of doctors and theologians* hold that Jesus appeared first
and, though deficient in many things, most priests are like their Divine Master in this at least that they are o good sons to their mothers J
priests
:

to His Mother.

They were

and every priest would, I think, feel that this Apparition to Mary is to be taken for granted, as a matter of course, as what every human being under the circumstances would naturally do. In fact, since Peter and Thomas and
other individuals were not forgotten, it seems impossible to admit that there was an omission of this solemn duty

by the most faultless and perfect of Sons, to His bravest, sweetest, most faithful Mother.
tribute
* St. Gregory, St. Anselm,
St.

this well- merited

generous,

most

Thomas

of Villanova, and others.

59

Rosa
Mvstica
*/

Return then in spirit to Maria Desolata, with whom Her we watch and mourn on each Good Friday night. is no need to ask the there tears are on her cheeks
"

"

"

Enough for us, quid ploras ? conscious as we are of our own share in causing her sorrow and this broken-hearted grief, to watch in sad silence and wait, wait till He the Comforter shall come.
Mater Dolorosa
:

"Mulier,

Here

is

the

likeliest,

fittest,

holiest

place

for

Him

to

Hither an instinctive feeling tells us He will re-appear. surelv hasten, as we ourselves would hasten at our first release from the thraldom of death, in the first exercise
of
life

and

liberty.

Here,

then,

we
night
is

will

watch

and

wait

She has wept for us hands for the life of her

her
heart

in

the

"lifted

up her
that the

little

children:"

now

hour approaches, and the dawn

dwellest
in

passes the

the prayer of into another entreaty- "() Thou that

near,

gardens,"

sleeping

in

tomb,

"the

friends harken,

make me

hear

Thy rock-hewn Thy voice."

And ere we see

Mourner

the light of

dawn

the

tears

on

has dispelled night s darkness, the pale, uplifted cheeks of the

with the brightness of an approaching radiant with joy and gladness. glory, her face grow The voice of her Beloved is heard: "Arise, make haste, The winter is past, beautiful one. dove, love,
glitter
.

My

My

My

the rain

is

over and

"

gone."
:

Noli Here
"

Surrexi et adhuc

tecum sum Ecce Eilius tuns Weep not I am risen and The Mother springs still am with thee -Behold thy Son
!

His risen glory, she is folded in His arms- the Woman is clothed with the Sun Oh, with what blissful content she receives back the kisses she gave so sadly
to

Him

in

dead Eace on Friday! But now Never again is He to be the past and gone.
to the cold,

it

is

all

Man

of

60

-.

u
-^

Sorrows, and her

Dolours
is

and Desolation

are

ended.

The

The Sword-pierced Heart

and from the fair Wound Saviour s Fountain all His divine joy and depth of love come gushing forth in a tumultuous overflow of happi ness, and she is released for ever from the pains of her
Compassion.

pressed to the Sacred Heart, Resurrection in the Open Side- from the

Regina
first

Cceli, laetare

Thou

to

see,

tokens
Alleluia.

in

and handle, and His Hands, and

the very kiss those beautiful Lovefirst,

art the

Feet,

and Side

Laetare

61

SECOND GLORIOUS

MYSTERY

THE ASCENSION
>T

were scarcely be a rash supposition, we to think that the exiled Eve, in answer to her children s cry, would point out to them

would

in

what

direction lay the Paradise from

which

That mother surrounded she and they were banished. with those children, gazing wistfully on some distant
horizon where perchance still gleamed a warning light from the Cherub s sword of fire, forms a picture sad and And unsuited to this vale of tears. pathetic, and not
in contrast, let

me speak
closely,

of

another picture, which con

cerns

and which may help this day s meditation -the picture of another Mother surrounded with her children, standing on Mount Olivet and gazing into the heavens still aglow with the glory of her Ascended will not leave you orphans" He had said to Jesus. them and they feel that He keeps His word while Mary
us

more

"I

remains in their midst.

will not leave
for
"while

And
"

to us

He

you orphans
are in the
calls us to

and though

also repeats we are exiles-

"I

we

Lord"

Mary

body we are absent from the her side, this time not to mourn
is
"lit

with

her,

but to watch with one whose face

with

smiles."

What was
saw the Lord
she had

She then, that Mary beheld this day? had watered leaving the earth which He
it,

with His Blood, the city He had wept over, the home
given

Him, the

friends

and

disciples

He had

62

drawn
looking

to

Him, and

She beheld

Him down and

till

strangest separation of all herself. The slowly rise into the air above their heads, Ascension blessing

them even

as

He

rose.

She

watched
sight.

the white cloud received

Him
had
it

out of their
that

Better than

cloud represented her with its snowy

of the Eternal
It

any, the same

she

knew
Cloud
in

Whom

bright
of

overshadowed
the

purity

the

mystery

Incarnation, had re-appeared at

Tabor

Father to

Whom
:

her Jesus

was the Sign was returning.

not think of
\vas enough.

sufficed.

seeking

He had left her she would now. He was with the Father it
:

The
of

sight the behest of her love.

in

eye of her body could see no further, but the her spirit came to its assistance, and obeyed

God

her Saviour.

So did her She beheld

its

spirit

rejoice

anew

Him

enter

heaven,

golden pavement, pass through the serried ranks of adoring Angels, and, in the highest of highest, sit at the right hand of the Father

traverse

with wounded Feet

Almighty.

And probably

too in that

moment was vouchsafed

to Mary one of those entrancing glimpses and visions which she surely above all others deserved. For one brief

moment
the

she enjoyed Blessed Trinity,

the

Beatific

and

thus

Vision, gazed upon tasted the chalice of

inebriating delight at last held to the lips of Jesus, lips that had prayed, and pardoned, and had kissed the
guilty as well as herself, His sweetest Mother
lips that

had been parched with

out
"

cruel thirst, lips that

I

had railed
spirit."

Father,

into

Thy hands
soul

commend My
:

She beheld
her

Him pervaded
Saviour,

and bodv with the

withheld glory and joys of heaven

Ions: o she exulted to see

God and

the Blessed Fruit of her

womb,

resting in the

Bosom

of the Father.

63

Rosa
Mystics

What
have Mary,

part

have we
is

in

the

Ascension
it,

who

herself a part of

? Well, we a piece of heaven

more heavenly than those white-robed Angels standing She is the link between earth and heaven, left bv. behind bv Jesus to be the solace and stay of our hearts.

We
real
is

have Jesus

for

He

is

our Head.

We

have then a

Our conversation participation in the Ascension. for Jesus is the Treasure there, our hearts are there
;

of our hearts;

our Food
"

is

brought thence;

for

thence

conies the IMessed Sacrament.

Sursum corda
city,

We
is

have not here a

to
come."

permanent

a Saint who in his youth prayed on the mountains where he could see the sky, and in his old age would ascend to the roof of the Oratory to behold
that
the heaven which held Jesus his Love, and
his Sweetness,

we seek one that we arc children of

Let us not forget

Mary
\

his Life,

and

his

Hope.

Sursum corda

THIRD GLORIOUS MYSTERY

THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST

JgjAPPY and most favoured were
the Apostles

and

Disciples of our Lord in having with them the Mother of Jesus during the days of preparation
for the

Coming

of the Paraclete their

Ller presence

most consolatory prayer. best, assistance which Mary gave them in preparation for the Descent of the Holy Ghost was alone sufficient to win her the title of Auxilium Christianorum. They found
itself

was The

in

their

easy to obey their Divine Master, and restrain them selves from trouble and sadness of heart because of His
it

departure,
to

when they realised that His Mother was content remain with them and be the Consoler of the Afflicted.
;

tell them so much concerning the and probably answered many a devout Holy Spirit and reverent question about His coming upon herself at Nazareth, in the midnight Mystery of the Incarnation. But how little could they, how little can we under

Moreover, Mary could

stand the interior preparation

heart by

made

in the depths of her

Mary

herself for this last Descent of her Divine

Spouse

What

did she

God ?
and
in

Already He

expect to receive from her had adorned her with graces so great

now

it would seem as though nothing the Divine Treasury could have been kept back for

so

numerous that

this final Visit

this at least in perfect safety.

pleasing to

However, we may think The visit would be most the Lord God, more pleasing than any of

from on high.

"Rosa

those earliest visits to

an earth which had not

forfeited

Mvstica

His blessing, to a Paradise as yet

unharmed by

sin.

The

Heart of Mary was pre-eminently the Paradise of God, and His descent would be to behold its fairness, to rejoice in the fragrance of its (lowers, in the sweetness of its
fruits.

of

would descend and give token His divine complaccncv in Mary, who had always

The Holy

Spirit

corresponded promptly,
inspirations
at

fully, crisis

unwaveringly to
of

all
life,

His
not

every

her

eventful

hesitating, not withholding her last Fiat Mihi, her con sent to remain longer on earth when her Jesus went

from her into the highest heavens. Hut was there no other grace left, which the Divine Giver of all heavenly gifts might bring from above on
this

day

of wonders,

and bestow on His Faithful Spouse?

if

Who

will

blame

us,

we

venture to say that such a grace

blessed recipient?
to

there was, ready for

its

meek and most

remain in prayer The Apostles had been instructed and preparation, till tiny should be endued with power from on high in order that they might form and found
the Church of Christ.

Mother of with Jesus, and waited that she also might be endowed a new and especial grace, by which she might fulfil and

With them waited

the

discharge
Jesus in

those maternal
its

Church of infancy which she had accepted and under

duties towards the

In detachment, courage, taken at the foot of the Cross. tender care of the Mystical patience, love and gentleness,

which began so beautifully at Bethlehem, were to be renewed and exercised in behalf of the Infant Church of Christ born at Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. These maternal ministrations should never cease till the earthly life of the Church should pass So that all now done in into everlasting glory.

Body

all the

maternal

offices,

away

66

heaven by the Queen of Heaven in behalf of (he Church The Descent on earth is but the outilow and continuation of the of the
stupendous
Pentecost.

grace

received

by

Mary on

this

Day

of

Holy Ghost

Three and thirty years ago, the Angel at Nazareth

what has made room in her Heart for this vast addition ? Surely the combined action of ceaseless love and the mighty surgings of the Seven
declared her
full

of grace

Sorrows have enlarged that

receive this especial gift, shine on the heads of all
!

Broken Heart, enabling

it

to

when

the

Tongues

of

Fire

The Suddenly the sound of His Coming is heard. rush of those mighty pinions like a great wind impetuous shakes the whole house in which the}- are gathered. And
then those wings are folded
:

for

He

is

Mary and
sealed

the Church:

and

in silence

come to abide with and in golden light

from the lambent heavenly flames, each soul is indelibly and confirmed by the actual presence and immediate operation of God the Holy Ghost.

What

proclaim. is described by the Holy Ghost in the inspired Book of Wisdom From the beginning, and before the world
"

Apostles thenceforth were their Acts What Mary thenceforth became to the Church

the

was

and unto the world to come I shall not cease to be, and in the holy dwelling-place I have ministered before Him. And so was I established in Sion, and in the holy City likewise I rested, and my power was in Jerusalem. And I took root in an honour able people, and in the portion of my God His inheritance, and mv abode is in the full assemblv of Saints."
I

created,

67

FOURTH GLORIOUS MYSTERY

TIIK

ASSUMPTION
is

hear the Angels singing

Often,
in

no unusual happiness.

young
in

the night, the holy, the and innocent have been thus consoled
silence
of

have awoke to listen, to speak of Saint Philip often heard angelic harmonies, it, and die. and other Saints have received the same favour on many
sickness,

a Feast of the Church.

The Shepherds

of

Juda could

And we words of an angelic hymn. repent the very in the grace, ourselves may be said so far to participate think on this glorious Feast of the Assumption, we
"

that,

we

hear,"

and almost can

"all

hear, the singing of Angels.

When
shone
joyful

throughout the realms of

the

heaven
lit

the

stars

forth,

sons of

God

shouted and made

melody"

when

the Light of Light

up the dim

cave of Bethlehem,

and so rises and to welcome

overhead: they sang their Gloria of the Morn Star to-day, when the beautiful on high, they hasten mounts so

triumphantly
escort

her,

to

her

into

her

kingdom, and

Salutation greets her again that Angelic Gloria Plena

!

Ave MARIA,

The prelude
sweetest hymn.
tion,

contemplation its beginning soft as by a strain of exquisite music, in to a and plaintive, then swelling and ascending grandly
burst of triumphant
gladness.

harmony is earth s From the Death of Mary to her Assump wafts the soul, entranced and rapt
to

that

heavenly

Yes,

this

beautiful

day

68

has had a beautiful night out of which it dawned its The night was the reposeful darkness of the Sleep or Death Assumption of our Blessed Lady. j And of that death who has told us ? No Evangelist,

no Apostle.
Mother
first

Yet he

who
he

declared the Generation and

Birth of the Eternal Son could well have told us of the

s

Death.

And

who

so

lovingly

records

the
left

days of Mary with the Child could easily have

some picture, some narrative of her last days. But our Not only in life but even in Lady would not allow it. she shunned all mention and praise and doubt death,
us
:

she desired to die the death of the Just, to die as her holy Spouse Joseph had died an unrecorded death
less

of

sweetness

and rapture

in

the

arms

of

their

Jesus.

Tradition has,
death.
It tells

however, spoken the more, has

tenderly

gathered and preserved

many moving

details of

Mary

abroad

how

the secret of her going got whispered there was no look of age or sickness on

how

the Sinless, but perhaps

some look

of weariness in waiting,

some look
those

of pining, such as is seen on the faces of mothers who long for the return of an absent son. And

a farewell visit to the Holy Places saw a mysterious likeness in the Mother to the face of Jesus carrying the Cross. No wonder we are told

who watched

her

make

that a fore-shadowing of sorrow cast the land, and that even irrational

gloom throughout creatures meekly

gathered on her pathway to receive the blessing of our gentle Mother, while the birds of the air grew silent,

because the Dove was about to wing her way to rest. Erom the faithful hands of the Beloved Disciple she
receives the

and her

Life.

Holy Viaticum, Her couch

for Jesus
is
it

is

her Resurrection

already arranged by the

devout women, so that later

may

serve without further

Rosa
Mystica

From distant lands the handling for her modest bier. and stand around their Queen. They Apostles assemble
Upper Chamber, but it is not Pentecost thev hear no coming of a mighty wind, but songs of approaching angels, and suddenly in the still and quiet
are
in

the

It is but for evening Jesus appears amidst 1 1 is o\vn. an instant it is only that His Mother s dying eyes may

once more behold

Him

ere they sleep the sleep of death.

He gently bends
parted

to her outstretched arms,

He

kisses her

In the exquisite sweetness of that embrace, lips. her faithful Heart lorgets to beat, her soul escapes to lean on her Beloved, to rest on the Sacred Heart. In filial duty j

the

hand of Jesus is lightly laid on those peaceful eyelids. Hushed is her Heart. That Temple of the Holy Ghost,

that Ivorv
*>

Home
*/

of the Blessed Trinity

is

closed, closed

bv the Key of David.

And we
high
is

We
the

must wait, and watch, not without

Alone, unseen of us, like the Holy of Holies, our Mother s spirit
is

tears of tenderest devotion.

priest
in

adoring and worshipping in self-sacrifice the majesty of the Eternal, the Immortal. Therefore do we see our Mother s face so majestic, pale
absent,
far

from us

and white, white with the whiteness of the Blessed Sacra ment we behold the likeness in death as in life between the Son and Mother, between the face crowned with thorns and the face wreathed with flowers the same paleness, all that may the same features, the same sweet smile
remind us of His dying love without recalling our cruel sins. How silently have passed these three last days of It is as though the Church were heeding mystic number
!

the whispered wishes of her Spouse: adjure you, that you stir not up nor awake daughters of Jerusalem,
"I

my

Beloved until she

70

please."

Thomas, it is said, and for the The consolation of all generations who call Mary Blessed, on Assumption the third day the Twelve Apostles opened her
sepulchre.

For the comfort

of St.

flowering lilies, but the Lily had laid there was gone. At once they they understood. The Maiden- Mother had slept, and all unseen and unheard as when He Himself arose, the Lord had come, and ere
it

They found

full of living,

the

dawn

of

the

third

day was ended,

Pie

had called

declaring that His divine decree for her His Queen, for her \vlih whose life He Himself had lived He had taken her away to bloom for ever in the land of heaven and fill it with
sleep,

her from

that

of

death was never

made

fragrance.

So

felt

discovery to the Church,

Tradition.

the Apostles, so they delivered their who has held fast to the dear

Each one can imagine the glorious Assumption

the

triumphant watches Mary ascending from the desert, leaning on her Beloved, His left hand beneath His Mother s head, His right Each one caressing her. can hear her repeating, as she the
pageant.

marshalling of heavenly hosts, the stately setting forth on this Procession of victory, the departure of the

Each

in spirit

goes up

everlasting

hills,

the Magnificat she

first

sang on the mountains of

Judea.

gracious is the divine greeting of God! The paternal tenderness of the Father, the filial pride of the Word, the exultation and the jubilee of her

How

Spouse

Holy Ghost!

He

that created

her

now

rests

finally,

Glory, grandest object of divine complacency, Queen of Heaven, enthroned at the King s right hand His
dearest,

supremely in her tabernacle, and her Jesus leads her with infinite honour to the throne beside His own. The Mother of Grace at last is the Mother of the

71

Rosa
Mystica

Mother who stood by His Cross on Calvary and who shall now for ever and ever be close to Him in bliss. How glorious her court and kingdom! Seraphim and cherubim are there, but must gaze upwards to behold their Queen on her loftv throne: they are as the mountains of Libanus, she as the spreading cedar which gives them softest shade. Angels and archangels are there, and the
ever-increasing assembly of the Saints, beautiful as the hills of Sinn, countless as the sands of Cades, fair as the
choicest
(lowers,

but compared with

of

Mary they
the

are

as

the

wild
of

flower

the

field

beside

Jericho, as
tree

the cypress of the hill-side

desert.

rose-plant of beside the palm

root,

an honourable people she takes and Heaven becomes the home, the house of Mary.
the
In
in

There,

the

fulness

of

glory

shall

she

exercise

her

while repos prerogatives and her maternal ministrations, ing in the brightest portion of God s inheritance given that "Better Part" which shall to her for her abode
never be taken away. And thus we are led to recognise the appropriateness of the Gospel chosen for this Feast, the description of
the

House at Bethany. Towards the end, the house of Martha was the only earthly home of Jesus and Mary, And the was Their resting place, Their refuge. it manner of home description of it suggests to us what Home must be the Heaven. is that of our Mother in wherever her right word; for wherever a mother dwells,

upon her childrenHeaven is the home there and only there is a home. of Mary, for she has chosen it for herself and for us her Like children, and in glory lives there her twofold life. Martha, she is solicitous and yet not anxious in her love of us, like Mary she rests and listens to her Jesus, yet
influence

has been or

is

exercised

72

not at His
is

feet,

rather at the
to us as

King
feel

thus

shown

our home, and

this

right hand. all that

is

Heaven The meant Assumption

not

by the dear word. she, the Mother of

in

And we
fair

the more, because

love,

there lives

and

loves,

the intolerable brightness and flashing splendours of incorporeal soul and spirit, but in the sweet soft aspect of the Mary we have always known, in the maternal

understood, in the deep human affections and feelings of that sword-pierced Heart of
tenderness
flesh.

we have always

A
great

thousand times

let

Assumption,
glory,

because thus

He

has

Lady s He has magnified His own exalted hers, and has made her
;

us bless

God

for our dear

more than ever our life, our sweetness, and our hope for she attracts and draws us lovingly to heaven, and

we have

our appointed time, on the very threshold of eternity, our souls need not faint or falter, because while angels sing around
to
feel

the confidence

that

at

heaven as though we were going home, and straightway seek our Mother s Most Pure Heart.
us
shall enter

we

73

FIFTH

GLORIOUS MYSTERY

THE CORONATION OF OUR BLESSED LADY

CCORDING
to

the

most

beautiful
it

of

the

would be Apostolical Traditions, rash to clou 1)1, irreverent to deny, our Blessed Lady, as stated in the preceding chapter,
was assumed
into heaven.

which

No

fruit

from Eden

Tree of Life had been eaten by

Mary, but the sweet Fruit of her womb, which had hung above her from the beautiful Tree planted on Calvary,
secretly

returned

from

heaven.

lie

into

whose hands

she had
to

commended her spirit brought that spirit back its mortal home to make that home immortal. O Lord, Thou and the Ark of Thy sanctifi"Arise,
This
lifeless

it has contained Divine Manna, the Living Bread come down from It is the Virgin earth which budded and heaven. brought forth the Saviour: it may not return to the
cation."

form

is

that Ark,

the

dust

of of

the

earth
is

which has been cursed.

to

The holy
soul.

body

Mary

share in

the
"

honours of her

From the lonely tomb it (-alls Lord, my sister hath left me here alone, speak therefore that she aid
:

me."

Between the sinless soul and the sinless body there is no discord to keep them apart let the sister soul return to her sister body, and end the trance of love and death. The sister comes to fetch the gentle pleader away In the peace and freshness of a the better part." to pearly dawn, when all is calm as on the first Easter Day,
:
"

74

with the strength and light of an immortal substance The spontaneously exercising its glorious powers the exultant Coronation spirit of Mary speeds swiftly through heaven s portals to of Our
our earth, and enters her sepulchre. Thousands of angels Blessed Lady attend their Queen, and the tomb is covered and enveloped in a blaze of glory. The raiment of this world, like the

grave-garment of Jesus, is laid aside, exchanged for heavenly regalia and the dazzling cloth of gold, the robe of resplendent sunshine. The Queen comes forth, clad
the unfading vesture of immortality. Then appears the Great Sign the purity of her Perpetual Virginity and the dignity of her Divine Maternity shine forth, and,
in
"
"

blended

in

amongst

one effulgence, transfigure the Most Blessed women and amongst the Blest with snowy
:

whiteness and light like that of Tabor. The Assumption is Mary s Resurrection of the Body and her soul reanimates, awakes to life, to bliss, that sinless undefilecl body which death has only touched, and
this

with her

own

consent,

and with due reverence and

homage.
of Life Everlasting is imparted to the Risen Virgin-Mother, to the blessed womb in which the Word was conceived by the Holy Ghost, to the blessed breasts which nourished and pillowed the Babe of

The Immortality

All Bethlehem, to the Sword-pierced Heart, wherein these things were kept and pondered," to the eyes of the weeping widowed Mother who heard no NOLI FLERE
"

eyes that

now

are to

and sadly on grief bright and happy in their gentle sweetness, to gladden her Son, and again be gladdened by His joy. What a blessed sight this Vision at the Tomb of Mary Yea, and blessed too are they who have not seen and have believed.
!

weep no more, nor gaze wistfully and suffering, but are to look ever

75

Rosa
Mystica

The
always
buted,
as

fair

she

perfections
it

form puts on yet greater beauty, though had been Retaining all the which nature and grace have alike contri
"all
fair."

is

clothed

with

immortality,

arrayed

in

the

heavenly attributes of glory, steeped in dazzling light if clothed with the sun, gifted with powers equal to those of the swift-winged Angels. So is Mary fit and able, and, oh! how ready! to rise on high and pass

Leaning on her IVloved, for love and not for need, she mounts upwards to her celestial Kingdom amid There is no effort, acclaiming multitudes of Angels. no timidity, no fear. It is as easy, as natural to her to
away.
ascend as

was to tread the door of the home at Nazareth when she would pass from one room to the next. But it is more than the very act is one of magnificent easy
it
:

captivity; and freedom, liberty, whose only limit is the Divine Immensity. A captured eagle when released and set free
delight.
this
is

Earth has been

exile,

the

tomb

darts

away

to the distant skies,

and as

it

mounts further

and further from earth so increases its joy, its exultation, and the strength with which it proudly dashes those noble pinions into the pure, cold ether. Ah, with what intensity
of rapture that creature of

God

thrills in
is
it

those regained

realms of liberty

Thus, thus

with Mary.

She

and speeds away

Jesus.
desire,

uses the gifts of her glorified body, she quits the earth, in the golden track of her Ascended

Grandly, joyously, she spreads the wings of her

and the Heavenly Dove arrives at the gates of the Heavenly City. "The King of ages, the Immortal and Invisible" bids her welcome. In the light of glory the Mother beholds the Divine Person, the Divine Nature of her Son. She adores Him as of old, and as of old
hesitates

not to fling herself into His open arms.

In

^!^i"

Love has dwelt eternally, and The eternal has been the embrace of Father, Son, and Holy Coronation
these

Heavens

Divine

Ghost.

of celestial friendships.

Here angelic beings have long felt the sweetness of Our Hut now the Lord hath created Blessed

new thing in the true Garden of delights, in the Paradise of bliss human love is seen in its holiest and happiest
"

Lady

perfection, a

Woman

compasses a

Man,"

motherly arms

are flung round the dear neck of Jesus, loving lips receive the kisses of His mouth. Bright, beautiful, and still

unchanged,

human,

affectionate,

tender

and

woman-

hearted, Mary, as in the earthly life of old, seeks by the same smiles, the same gestures, the same caresses, to express the same true, unextinguished love of her

Heart.

And

happy

Jesus

His

right embraces her.

sustains her head, His Thus, leaning on her Beloved, she

left

hand

passes

through the gold-paved

nothing
is

streets

of

Sion.
:

All

is

new

strange or startling it is not going up the steps of the Temple, to be presented in her childhood to the Lord. The creatures
so trying as the
of

to her, yet

God

are free

them

to dwell

at ease there only where He means the birds in air, the fish in streams and

and

the waters of the deep, and the Bodies of the Blest in the Mansions of our Father Who is in heaven.

Yet what a Procession to the Throne of God an exaltation of the Handmaid of the Lord

What
As a

bishop, at his enthronement in his cathedral, intones the TE DEUM, so Mary in her Coronation receives from the hand of Jesus "her radiant crown," raises her melodious voice in the Sanctuary of God, and chants again, in the midst of spell-bound angels, her inspiring MAGNIFICAT. The Assumption and the Coronation to the

belong

history of the Church in Heaven rather than to the history of the Church on earth. Tradition has

Apostolic

given

77

Rosa
Mystica

us

the

Feast of the Assumption.

that

And
the

delightful on Church, her

festival
in

day,

to
!

obey

easy and summons of the

it

is

Sursum corda

as

the Liturgy. included in the Assumption,

The Coronation has no Perhaps we are to look on it

as

the

glorious,

final

But in our ceremony of that triumphant Celebration. is the it Rosary it has its distinctive, prominent place, fifth and final Mystery. Xever can we be sufficiently grateful for the definite minute teachings of the Church about Life Everlasting, about the heavenly kingdom in the other world. True
that she does not explain to our understanding the She tells us with St. Paul that essence of that Life.
it

is

inconceivable: but she assures us of a future blissful "Blessed of My Father." existence, if we be among the
it is

The

spirits of the just

11

v to the

Spirits.

Like the living

bosom of the Father of creatures that roam in the deep,

down into the ocean of Divine they plunge and sink or rise to Goodness, into the fountain of Divine Joy, where soar aloft in the vast realms of Divine Immensity, of llocks of Angels gleam in the sun white
the

wings and winnow celestial music to accompany their light, Of this blissful existence in beatitude we can songs. Where heaven itself is we venture to speak.
hardly

know
exists,

not.

We may
the
in the

only be rash.
that
as
it

make assertions; they could But we do know that such a locality Sacred Humanity of Jesus is the same
not

was

days of His mortal

identify
it

life,

that

it

retains

the

Wounds which

natural

perfection continues, manifestation of the glory seen

all.

so appealingly, that its to be enhanced by the

first

henceforth to be seen by
Jesus has His royal throne,

by a few only, and In His Father s House

is

and near that throne

that

of His Blessed Mother.

The human element

"

Such as Jesus and Mary They now in heaven yesterday, to-day, of Our and the same for ever." Jesus still says: is be Blessed Lady I, not afraid." Mary greets each child of hers brought by Guaidian Angel to her throne with the sweetest welcome,
earth such are
"It

a distance.

not kept at The were upon this our Coronation

is

saying:

O
Do we
song,"

thy Mother." Divine Offspring, sons of God, children of Mary not "almost seem to hear faint fragments of that that Magnificat of the She Queen of Heaven?
!

"Behold

sings in the Home which she prays you may yourselves reach. The voice is sweet, and is the voice of your fond, the Mother of fair love." holy, loving Mother, Child
"

though the next step takes you close to the throne of God, advance! She who at His right hand awaits you
is

your Mother.

79

ROSA MYSTICA
PART
II.

Otber 3ops of rttarp

Che immaculate Conception
Che Ratioitp
of

Our Blessed

adp

Che

Ittost fiolp

name

of

Warp
adp

Che Presentation
Che espousals

of

Our Blessed

of

Our Blessed Cadp

adp

Saint Joseph, Spouse of Our Blessed

Che mimilitp

of

Our Blessed
of

adp

Che expectation

Our Blessed Cadp

fieart of

Che 3op

of the

most Pure

Warp

ALINARI BROS.

PR/ECINXIT ME VIRTUTE, ET POSU1T

IMMACULATAM V1AM MEAM

THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

THE EARLIEST JOY OF MARY
In Fest. Dec.
8.
It now is Gaudeamus PIUS IX. of holy memory
! !

UBILEMUS
ago that

fifty

years

and
of

infallibly defined the

Dogma

gloriously of the Imma

Faith

culate Conception, and imposed it as a Doctrine to be believed without doubting by all the

bishops, priests,

and people

of the Catholic Church.

The

powers

were already gathering against the Church, their vaporous gloom was spreading through but the the world, fatal to many, oppressive to all
of darkness
:

the powers of evil were suddenly confronted by a fearless Pope, the Flock
gates
of
hell
;

were not to prevail

its

was protected by the whole Church

of

Divinely appointed Shepherd, and of Christ exulted when the silver voice

PIUS,
s

like a clarion of victory,

Peter
I

the saving truth of

it

call

a saving truth, for

"the

sounded forth in St. the Immaculate Conception. the Doctrine then denned is

the remedy for

times,

the spiritual

malady
is
sick"

of

these

modern
error,

when

whole head
;

with proud

with arrogant ignorance

men denying

the existence of

Sin, either original or actual, freethinkers, misbelievers, disbelievers ridiculing religionists, rejecting Revelation,

denying the first principles of Reason, strutting about with a ludicrous air of superiority, and treating remon
strants with not a little scorn

number

of fools

is

Truly, the infinite, and lunatic asylums are too few!

dislike.

and

85

Rosa
Mystica
the
to

For

all this

Reformation.

misery we have to thank the Protestant This rebellion against the authority of
s

Church
the

in

matters of faith and obedience led in time

impieties

French Revolution
world

to the, diabolical excesses of cruelty

and atheism, and which history records.

Tin
the

1
,

spirit of the

still

remains very

French atheistic philosophers. mobs do not surge and dance as heretofore, driven by
unclean
spirits

much that of Although maddened

in

to

perpetrate
in

appalling crimes
foul
ritual

the

name
of

of Libertv,

and

the

of

the worship

Reason, the principles with which this abominable conduct accorded still survive, disguised in the guarded phraseologv of moderation and decorum. In consequence we have in Fngland a "happy family" of Isms Protes
tantism, Rationalism, Socialism, Anarchism, Materialism, Secularism, Journalism all claiming to be lawful, respect
able,

and

entitled to a full

and equal enjoyment

in

of the

benefits of the British

of

Constitution!

All are parti/ans

the glorification

Progress, all
"

make common cause

of

Humanity."

to

All of them feel and display more or less hostility the Church, because she tried to check the initial

revolt,

rebuked their pride, and by anticipation condemned

The Church the lofty pretensions of the present days. as they assert, tells them that man has not in himself, the natural powers which he possesses or will soon
through

an inexhaustible possess under the auspices of Progress, of the human supply of all that is needed for the welfare

and made wealthy, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and blind, and poor and naked." The Council of Trent declared
race.

She says

to

man

"

Thou

sayest

am

rich

the Fall of man, the forfeiture of grace, the sinfulness of

86

every descendant of Adam, with One Solitary Exception. The Mary, the predestined Mother of God, was that exception Immaculate and perhaps because even hero the exception proves the Conception
:

account for some of the strange, angrv hatred of our Blessed Lady which has been exhibited by post-Tridentine heretics. On our side we can but repeat
rule
this

may

the language

and

Virgo,

cunctas

praises of the hereses tit sola

Church:

"

Gaude Maria
in

interemisti

universo

Undoubtedly the words of the Council show that the Church considered the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin to be a certain truth, and if it was not as yet a defined doctrine, it was a doctrine which
mundo."

no one was willing to

however, declares that
in
it

This Holy Synod, oppose. is not its intention to include

"

which treats of original sin, the Blessed Three and Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God." hundred years later, PIUS IX. by his Infallible Definition places in perpetuity on the head of that Blessed Virgin her glorious Crown of the Immaculate Conception, and throughout the whole world the Faithful applaud and
this

decree,

rejoice.

While the wise and learned of this world offer their unsafe and unsatisfactory solutions of the problem of evil which confronts us, the Church gives a reasonable explanation of our calamitous condition, and offers us the remedies which God Himself gave her for our cure. One set of self-appointed teachers tells mankind that, ignoble and simian as is man s origin, he is ever improving, developing, and nearing perfection and this Hatters the pride of man, and makes him boastful and presumptuous. Another set takes an opposite line, tells
:

man

a failure throughout, that he has, like the brute beast, only a short existence, which is not
that he
is

Rosa
Mystica

prolonged beyond this life, and that he has nothing to do in his depair but eat and drink and die. The Church
explains the destiny, the Fall, the Redemption of man she does not tell us everything, but she tells us enough
:

More keep us alike from presumption and despair. us in these our evil than this. To cheer and console
to

days, she has been inspired by the known to us authoritatively that

Holy Ghost

to

make

the ruin of the Fall

was not
was not
has
this

entire
all

and universal
others sinned in

that

OXE

was

that while

Adam, Mary

preserved, did not sin,

hurt, nor included involved every other

in the act of

attainder which

was

secret

of

human creature. For ages God, known by His friends,

in
all

guessed at by multitudes of believers

finally,

ages,

and

to the glory of God, the honour of His Mother, the confusion of the seed of the Serpent, and the conso

lation of the clients of Mary, at last fully revealed and So that henceforth this doctrine dogmatically defined.

may

question than the doctrines Were any rash explicitly stated in the Apostles Creed.

be no more called
to dispute

in

enough

and deny the

of their faith
;

fact,

make shipwreck
of

they would thereby but it is not forbidden

to discuss in humility the Divine Decrees

God

in
;

granting to

and Dealings His chosen Mother this joyful

Privilege our hearts

of

and perchance we may while doing this find grow hot with the love of God, and the love Mary, even as the disciples felt on the road to Emmaus,
Jesus

when

Himself explained the Scriptures to them, and invited them to judge whether Christ ought not to have suffered, and so enter into His glory. One of God s greatest servants, who was also one
of
St.

the world

closest reasoners
"

Augustine has said

and deepest thinkers Whatever occurs to you in

the

truth

of

reason

as
is

that

which
Giver of

should
all

bo

done

The

know
has
that

that God,
it."

Who

the

good things, Immaculate

done

These
into

suggest the
inquiry,
of

grounds
the

pregnant words of the Saint Conception of an inquiry, and the spirit of

nature

the

and

reasons

for

this

Privilege

Immaculate

Conception accorded

by

God
"

to His Mother.

Whatever should be done, know that God has done The words remind us of yet weightier words, inspired by the Holy Ghost, which likewise suggest and sanction St. Augustine s proposed method of studying and explaining Divine Mysteries. It was
it."
"

a high priest, holy, from sinners and made innocent, undenled, separated Such is the description of higher than the heavens."
fitting

that

we should have such

the

Redeemer given

to

us

by

St.

Paul (Heb.
:

vii.

26).

// 2s fitting

that Christ

should be done

God

should be holy, and because it has done it and Jesus is holy,

undenled, and made higher than the heavens. To His human nature all possible holiness must be imparted for infinite and uncreated holiness is inseparable from
;

the Divine
ever.

Person

to

Whom
it

that

nature
that
the

belongs for

And

therefore

is

fitting

Mother

of

Christ should also be holy, innocent, undenled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. It
is

fitting

flows

the pure

that the Fountain should be pure from which and purifying Stream, that the Precious

Blood,

Which

cleanseth
in
Its

from

all

sin,

should

be

and
by
this
-

undenled
sin
s

origin,

that

the

virginal

holy blood

from which came the Saving Blood should be untainted

corruption.
:

The

truth

of

right

reason says
it.

should be done

know
of

But

in

the

truth

God reason we
that

has done
see

vet

another

Rosa
Mystira

Mother s Conception of the Redeemer besides the should be Immaculate; besides Revelation, of our own reason Definition of the Church, the voice
fitness

that

the

exclaims:
associated
She,

"Know

that

God

has

done

it."

Mary

is

with Jesus in the Redemption of mankind. should be undehled, separated from likewise,
because
for

sinners,

she
sin.

is

to

assist

our

High

Priest

in

strongly not be alone in Providence ordered that Christ should alone in the Fault the Atonement, as Adam was not u the sin of the world" Remember it is

His

sacrifice

Sweetly

and

Divine

and
Sin

Fall.

which the
first

Lamb
that

of

God

takes away,
is

it

is

for Original

the

sacrifice

offered

on

the

Cross

beneath
tion of
of

which the
the

Mother
for

of

Jesus

stands.

For the

confusion of

enemy,

the

teaching and consola

mankind,

for the glory of Jesus

His Mother, the instruments and God ruin are copied in those used by
See

and the honour means of mans

in

man
is

redemp

tion.

preserved The evil angel, suggesting sin to the first throughout. on embassy to the woman, gives place to Gabriel sent The first woman is replaced by of Nazareth.

how

completely

the

analogy

Virgin
her"

her consent to become the Mother by her Fiat Mihi, by save His people from their of Him Who was in The tree, laden with forbidden fruit, was planted and gathered that Paradise, and Eve stood beneath, the Tree of the Cross is planted upon fair fruit;
sin."
"to

who compensated

lor

Eve

words

and

conduct

s womb, she hangs the Fruit of Mary restitution for the theft standing beneath and making neither Each woman shares alike in this, that O f Eve.

Calvary, on

it

was the cause

cause of
the

of

sin or of

atonement.
the

Adam was
of

the

Fall:

he

was

head

the

human

90

family,

the

responsible
full
s

authority;

and

it

was

only The

when
deed

he,

with

deliberation, yielded
his

and made Eve

changed
limited
sin,
s

fault

own by
and

its

character,
of

temptation, Immaculate sharing it, that the Conception became, instead of

to

Eve

act

personal

disobedience,

the

First

Man
race.

the death- introducing calamity of the human But Eve contributed to the Fall by her personal

influence,

her
to

tributed
consent,
sole

and persuasions the Redemption by

;

similarly Mary con her acquiescence, her

and

as

far

as

creature

could --her

passionate presence at the foot of the Cross. sufficient Cause of our Salvation is Jesus, Jesus He is the One Mediator in His Name, in His only.
:

com The one

alone

is

Redemption, Redemption
even for the
then
holy,

for all,

even for Mary

herself,

innocent, undeiiled Assistant the

difference

at His Sacrifice.

between the Immaculate and all other mortals ? This she is she is without preserved from sin, we are rescued the Precious Blood spot or stain, we are cleansed her immunity from all sin original and purchased actual it protected her, for us it obtains pardon, and heals our wounds. The most Holy Virgin Mary, by
is

What

precisely

"

reason

of

the foreseen

merits

of

Christ, never was made subject to therefore redeemed with a more sublime

Redeemer Jesus original sin, and was

the
redemption."
?

The

position
is

of

Mary

is,

then,

exceptional
its

Yes.

And
free,

this

fitting.

Every law can have

of
all,

exception.
all,
is

The Divine Eawgiver, most

supremely
nature
free.

and above
does

God can and

miracles

make excep
to

tions.

What we

call

are exceptions

His

laws of
for

made by Himself
than
the

better ends

exceptions granted ends of nature s laws for

;

9*

Rosa
Mystiea

miracles
tho.

onlv display the power and goodness of Creator, but make manifest grace and holinessnot
of

gifts

Marv

tho supernatural miracle in this

life,

of

tho

higher
Miracle

order.

Is

her
. .

Immaculate
"

Conception?
of

Indeed,

indeed

sin

4
,

is

Chief

God

compassion, Choice Mirror of She is an Exception, a Miracle.

Is

His

burning

holiness."

Has any other woman anv other woman at once God for her Child? Has anv other woman been asked Virgin and Mother?
by

God

to co-operate in

mankind
the

redemption

Moreover,

dors

not
to

Immaculate Conception of

the glory of the Redeemer of the Marv also redound World? For, were she not Immaculate, His Redemption

would
disease!

be,
is

without
a
off

its

fairest

crown.
a

bettor

physician
is

He who prevents lie than ho who cures.

who buys

the liability

redeemer than he
been incurred.
has done
this
1

who

greater benefactor and discharges the debt alter it has

"This

should be dour:

know

that

God
that

it."

Since Jesus can

had

grace has been given not this privilege, then

for

thus redeem, to His Mother.

know
If

Mary

should

we poor

creatures

have devised

the

Son

of

God

most beautiful act

which

it

is

fitting

He;

should

notwithstanding, would have who has taught the Church to

have done, and which, lie been left undone.

love;

His Mother would

1

her this grace so needful to His glory, in recompense for all she gives to Him in the generosity and worship of her maternal
,

have us know that

Ho bestowe d upon

love.

In

the

first

moment

of

her

existence

Mary might
!

greeted with the AVE, GRATIA PLENA Then already was she dear to God, and yielded to Him a O irlorv, a Jiov o greater than that which all other creatures

have

been

92

united can
:

good is dear The to God He blessed the primeval world. But Scripture Immaculate tells us that, before God made the heavens and earth Conception and waters, One was with Him in His thoughts and purposes, One who delighted Him Ludens coram Eo
offer.

All creation that remains

a recreation to

Him who

is

His

own

rest.

This one

was

wo

an and heavenly home and kingdom for this Son O J and this Mother that God in the beginning created hea^ en and earth. Dear to God is the human race, though fallen, The disgraced, and condemned to toil and labour. Creator compassionates those whose punishment is to till an earth which He has cursed and covered with thorns and thistles. He aids their work, and calls them from it to Himself for rest. But men are dearer
earl hi v
*>

the predestined Immaculate Mother of His Son It was in order to provide aid be Incarnate.

Who

to

God

in their higher state,

in

their possession of His

grace,

than

in

all

their

material

scientific

studies

and

pursuits.

The
is

progress, history, closer the tie of

grace rather

is

drawn, the more beloved

man.

God had

as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and He Who Is rather as the God of Jacob, David than the God of Abraham, and before all and above all as the God of Mary for in her more

be

known

than as

completely

and fully than in all others is Jesus the Grace of God. So is Mary predicted in Christ, the beginning of the book she is the Promised,
:

Victorious

Woman who
Parents

shall crush the Serpent s head.

their
;

Our
that

First

had surrendered

free

will

to

but the will of Serpent s hypnotic suggestion never was identified with theirs, never interpretaMary Her free will tively consented to the Original Sin.
93

Rosa
Mystica

was ever beautiful and perfect God could trust it it was not for test or trial that He asked her consent
:
:

to be His Mother.

If

Ave, Full of Grace! "Joy of earth and heaven!" the joy of Angels over sinners doing penance is so

great and far-reaching, then assuredly the Sinless One must overilow, and make earth

Joy of the and heaven

gives

In many and marvellous ways our Lady glad. The mere wearing of a us a share in that Joy. of

medal

the

Immaculate

Conception

acts

like

celestial

charm.
Ah, Sinless One! so compassionate towards sinners. so attractive soul. to the ndchled guilt-stained
!

nfallen!

so

merciful

and gentle
!

to

the fallen.

Thou

indeed the Cause of our Joy; now, almost the only \Yere they ours to give, Joy left us in this wicked age all the brightness and beautv of earth should be brought
art

crowned from Lebanon so The snow wreaths on its brow are not, () Mary Thine fair, so pure as thy crown of Singular Grace. should be, were they but ours to give, the beauty of the
to
thee.
"

Come,

and

"

be

roseate

dawn,
of
s

the
all

glory
fair

of

the

golden
joyful

sunset,

the
of

fragrance
all

flowers,

the

melody

God

spheres.

Angels singing amid the music of the starry Thine should be the purity of the gentle
effulgence
left

moon,
earth
feit

the

of

the

dazzling

sun.
"

Though

were
all

bleak

for

thee".

and and

desolate,
still

we
all

our

would for would be as

nothing compared with the grace and glory given thee by thy Jesus, thy Redeemer, the glorious grace of THE

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

94

GAUDIUM ANNUNTIAVIT UMVERSO MUNDO

THE NATIVITY OF OUR BLESSED EADY

In Fest. Sept.
8.

N human

the clay of birth with its anni versary counts always as an important event in a family, it is the chief day on which
life
:

especial

marks

of

affection

given

in a nation, those

who
it

rule

and esteem are and those who are

conspicuous for

heroism and greatness are honoured and

recurs.

greeted upon this day as

We might have have disapproved of

thought

that

the

Church would

this practice, would have told her children that the day of baptism, not of birth, was the Yet she has not said this. proper day of rejoicing. She knows that God loves the world the earth He

created

and
it
:

blessed,

the

inhabitants
the
its

with

whom He

peoples

she

knows that
its

savage has the Creator for

the lifting up of
little

new-born, naked little Father in heaven, and hands may be counted as an

unconscious

Church
life

The thanksgiving for the gift of life. herself, however, has another day on which to
in

celebrate the better birth of her children

of
bliss
it

the better

the land of the living that she rejoices in their nativity, and calls on us to keep their birthday, and share her joy in the of the Saints. in the case of Three does she glory Only
celebrate

is

on

their

entrance into

because the life, supernatural life of grace accompanied its entrance into our world. These days are the Birthdav of Our

the

birthday of a

natural

95

Rosa
Mvstica

Saviour,

Fountain

of

all

grace,

the

Birthday

of

His

Baptist, sanctified he saw the light,

"

by grace in his mother s womb before and this present Birthday of Mary,
celebrate the Nativity of our dear because she came to us this day
into

full of

grace."

Reflect that

\ve

and Blessed Ladv,

bringing
holiness

with

her

the

world
been
the

more

treasures

of

countless

acquired by the whole course of their No meritorious lives of virtue, suffering and work. baptismal waters could be ever needed to cleanse that She macula non est in te soul from original sin was the green pure Olive on which the Heavenly Dove
justice

and

than

have

Saints of

God

in

could descend
that
defiled

without encountering the

the

she was the earth; which He made His own, which promised a renewal She was the Lilv among of the face of the earth.
thorns,

deluge of sin chosen branch

whose

the

Lamb

fragrance of God, the

and

whiteness

should

attract
lilies,

Lamb Who

feeds

among

and

Who
in

fairest

the land of Heaven.

for

found on our earth one Lily fairer than the And so, without delay,

Heaven, the Church bids us rejoice this day, because the fair Child of Joachim and Anna is born, while the Angels unseen
s

without waiting

Marv

entrance

into

and unheard by us give glorv and thanks

There
is

to

God.
of

full

narrative

of

the

Birth

Christ

given by His Evangelists, and they equally describe it that of His Precursor seems, however, as though was attached to the Birth of no especial importance
;

Our

Blessed

Ladv

for there

is

no mention

of

it

in the

Holy Scriptures. mention of this

True it is that there is no most happy event, but there

direct
is

obvious explanation of the omission.

96

The

an birth and

genealogy of Mary are so doselv bound up with that The Nativity of Christ that the same words suffice for both. Thus of Our
in
"

this

day

Gospel

we come

at

last

to the

husband of Marv, OF WHOM CALLED CHRIST." The t\vo Births have JESUS, no meaning apart from one another, and that meaning is fully and inclusively declared in the Birth at Bethlehem. Therefore so soon as Mary is mentioned in the genealogy
Joseph
the

words Blessed Ladv WAS BORN

:

WHO

is

declared that she gave birth to Jesus, all else being set aside. True it is that for a moment she appears
it

is

to

us

as
of

the the

Dawn

of

Salvation

but

the

softness

beautiful

Aurora soon glows

with

pearly the
;

glory and full splendour of the gaze upon the silver Star of the

Day
morn

of Salvation
;

we
look

but as

we

the full brightness and effulgence of the envelopes and absorbs the radiance of

Sun

of Justice

the Star

and

thus are the

our dear and

proclaim her

when we celebrate Blessed Lady s Birthday, we hasten to Divine Maternity, and in joy and gratitude
lives

two

blended, and

recall the great events of the

Magnificent Life

of

Mary.
their

Yet
so

this

day we

praise

and

bless

Our Lady not

of

much

as

Sovereign, children greeting

subjects keeping the the Queen of Heaven

their

Birthday

tender,

their

most beloved Mother. For so it Matrem" has been our prayer -a prayer that has always been answered. It is her glory that we call her Mother of God it is our glory that we call her Mother of mankind. St. John represented each one of us at the
"

and earth, but as most loving and is. Monstra te esse

Cross, and as proxy for each of us heard Behold thy Mother. And, as we well know, Jesus say Our Lady also consented, when Jesus said to her Behold
foot
of

the
:

thy

Son.

Has

she

not

shown

herself

the

best,

the

97

Rosa
Myslica

kindest

of

mothers?
in

In

affliction

she

has

been
health,

our
in

consolation,

sickness

she

has

been
in

our

weakness she has been our strength,

has

been

our

shield,

in

sin

she

temptation she has been our refuge.

Never have we gone She has prayed for

only mothers can. she helped and protected

her Child-God.

Mary without obtaining relief. for us as us, wept for us, suffered With Jesus and through Jesus has
to
us.

In

our

behalf

she

has

sacrificed not only herself but

Him

also, her best-beloved,

Ah, when she stood before Simeon, she but interposed not only her own sorrow-pierced Heart, she the very Babe in all His beauty and holiness that was clasping to that Heart; and she did this to shield and screen the poor, cowering, sinful wretch They both and His so strangely eared for from the anger of God Divine Knowing that our sins are committed
Justice! against her Child,
it

when

she

ilees

with

Him

not only for His sake but for ours, from being Herods in our malice. If she endures the for the dolour of the Three Days Loss, it is not solely
is

into Egypt, to prevent us

increase of her

own
most

vast
to

merits,

but that she

those

may

the

more

speedily
their

hasten

help

who
she

lose

Jesus
In

through

grievous

fault

learning

to be without Jesus, to lose is it experience how sad Him even blamelessly, innocently. Yes, Mary has given like God, she has herself and her Jesus to us; because,

so loved the world,

and has without

reluctance

Hope:
that

in

become our Life, our other words -our Mother.

altar,

and without Sweetness, and our

reserve

Surround her
devout love
with
98
all

bring to her presents

prompts.

There
Infant
of

let

happy
Joy

presents children
of

sing and sing

fearlessly:
this

Mary,

earth,

We

world

mirth,

Light-hearted and

joy-laden,

Greet

the

morning
also

of

thy

Birth,

Little

Maiden.
us

The Nativity of Our

Blessed

And we others, sinners, now and

lovingly, will say: at the hour of our death.

Pray

for

Lady

99

THE MOST HOLY NAME OF MARY

Infra Oct. Xat. B.M.V.

Octavo
defeat

the year 1683, on September u, within the of the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, the Turks sustained a crushing

outside

the
to

walls

of
s

Vienna.
assistance

Christian

hero
of
at

who went
the

Austria

The was

Pope Innocent XI. On the morning of the day of battle, King John himself served the Mass of the Papal Envov, he bestowed the honour of knighthood on his son Prince James, and then lie threw himself at the head of his little army on the
the instance of

King he went

the

Poland,

valiant

John Sobieski.

And

beleaguering
victor}
,

camp
he
of

of the Infidel.

He gained a complete
the

which

and

his

intercession

our

Each"

troops attributed to rather than to their

own

valour.

With
:

the details of the battle

we need not occupy

to

ourselves

but one thing well deserves

be

recorded.

King John
James,
the

wrote

to

his

Queen that
fourteen,

her

son

Prince

bov- knight

of

had

ridden

and

fought beside his father for fourteen hours, while his brother Prince Alexander, a child of eight, headed a charge of his hussar regiment across a wide moat into

The victory of Sobieski saved enemy s camp. Christendom from the Turks, and in gratitude to God and the Mother of God the Pope appointed the Sunday within the Octave of our Lady s Nativity to be kept as the Feast of the most Holy Name or Mary.
the

100

was only then The Most Mary began. All genera- Holy Name tions call her Blessed from the mother of the Baptist, of Mary from the unnamed woman in the crowd who lifted her
it it

But

must not be thought that

that devotion to the

Name
:

of

pious voice, all have honoured the Name of Christ s Mother. Such praise and renown as were given to Judith in the days of old have been gladly and grate fully given in every age to the Handmaid of the Lord.

At the end

Thy

of the eighth century St. Methodius exclaims Mother of God is filled to overflowing Name,
:

with divine blessings and graces. St. Jerome declares, in accord with Tradition, that an Angel of the Lord made known to Anna that God Himself had chosen
the

name
not

of

Mary

for her daughter.

St.

John Chrysostom
our
spiritual

did

hesitate

to

write

We

have

incantations, the Name of Mary the infernal serpent, and casts

itself.

This overpowers
into the fires

him back
his
bite.

whence
fortify
If

he

comes,

and heals
it

Let

us

then

ourselves

with

as with

a wall.
"

Mary That

the evil one assails us, we call upon the Angels of to come, in the Queen s Name to our assistance.
"

Name
s

is

steeped
it

with

the

sweetness

of

our

Saviour

Name, and dying Living

reflects the

gleaming sanctity

of His.

we

call

upon that blessed Name.

Well do which the
I

Years ago, one of our * young fathers came suddenlv to j

death, through the poor white

haemoptysis.
lips

through

remember blood was

gushing, and how this disciple of Grignon de Montfort and Father Faber even then kept to his fixed purpose, and with his last breath called out aloud the most Holy Name of Mary Each year two days are kept by us as festivals, with more or less of joy our Birthday and the Feast
!

101

Rosa
Mystica

of

the

Saint whose

name was given

to us in

Baptism
the
of

as our Patron.

The Birthday

revives feelings of fellow

ship and love for friends and relatives Saint s day lifts up our heart in the
the Saints
to

on earth

Communion

humble and happy fellowship with our The custom is con heavenly Namesake and Patron. secrated by that Love which is the fulfilment of the Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth law. And in the language of love, the names by speaks.
which we
in one another take a prominent place nothing is love more sweetlv shown than in the selection Little ones are named after and bestowal of names.
call
:

those

Nay, the friend, the lover, are not content with names given by others: a name, or giving they claim the privilege of changing because it a new name, one that they alone may use others. implies a knowledge, an intimacy unshared by Hence come those many names of endearment which
are dear to their parents.
;

who

often sound foolish

and unmeaning, but only

to those

who do

not love.
it

can bo pleaded for these practices ol human affection that they have this ennobling feature love itself. they are founded on the customs of Divine The Second Commandment is like unto the First, and human love is like Divine love. And so it may be
Moreover,

claimed that
of
this

God
of
name"

Himself has given us

the

example
"

way
by
love.

showing
is

love.
in

That

He
as

calleth

creatures
of

given

Scripture

a proof

changes names, and chosen friends new and assigns to His dearest and more excellent names, to denote the honour and love
His

So

likewise

He

which He holds them. Not to speak of the "Name well-beloved above every name given by Him to His
in
"

102

Son, think of the meaning and importance attached to

the
"

The Most names of Abraham, St. John Baptist, and St. Peter. Holy Xame Think also of the blissful time when love will of Mary perfect cast out and each of the Blest and Beloved of
fear,"

God

shall

receive

"

Xew
we
is

"

Xame,"
himself."

A Xame

written,

which no man knoweth but

Thus,
it is

because

Mother
sweetest

that

her

Xame

greatly love our Blessed so dear to us, so lull of

that
it

meanings.

Whether we hold

means

literally Star of the Sea, Illuminatrix, Lady, Chief with God, or God of my blood, we discover TIIEOTOKOS

contained

in

all,

and wonder not

to

at the joy of Gabriel,

when he

felt

permitted
believe
it
it

say

Xe

timeas,

MARIA

We
We

piously greater reason

exult

when

like St. John s, and with was especially revealed to her parents. first appears in the Holy Gospels Et

that

Xomen

Virginis

MARIA.

We

rejoice to be there

made

blissfully acquainted, at one and the same embassy from heaven, with the Xame of God the Father, with Our Lord s own Xame, with the Xame of God the

Holy Ghost, and with the

Xame

of

the Virgin o
of

Marv. J

And
it

therefore,

as

we show our worship

the

God by

pronouncing His
in

Xame

with reverence and never taking

every head shall bow, so at the Xame of Mary we offer the homage of that due and appropriate veneration and love to which
vain,
of

as

at

Xame

Jesus

she
to

is

entitled

by the will

of the

King

Who

delights

honour His Mother, by the acclamations hearts, which she has won with many an act
tenderness.

of our

own

of maternal

Most dear
this

to us, full of comfort

and consolation
fair
love."

is

beautiful
are

Xame
like

of

"the

Mother of

Its

meanings

the

fragrant

flowers

in

choice 103

Rosa
Mystica

bouquet

mind ponders them, the heart draws from them sweetness and food for its affections. And doubt the Church bv instituting the Feast of the Xame less intends to encourage us to do this more and more, to
;

the

look out perpetually for the shining of the Star of the Sea, to invoke constantly the most holy Xame of Mary. Wen religion merely a conscientious discharge of duty,
1

such
fear

Feast

as

this

would not

exist.

Were
:

religion
for

we

and awe alone, we should not have it should have had no Jesus, and, of
Hut,

then

course,

Marv.
longer

Blessed
starlit

be

God!
for

there

are
in

now
vales

no no
of

onlv

interviews

the few

and thunder and lightning on mountains like Sinai, no longer appalling though gracious Divine, visitations these are ended with the

Mambre, no

longer
1

clouds

past,

and Child and

in

place of them His Mother, the

instead
of

we have Bethlehem, the Man-God caressing little

ones,
festival

Calvary

Sinai.

Many and many

would
Mary,

be

come
the

to

missing had not Jesus so lovingly been born of her for us men and our
for
us,

salvation,

wept

and

finally

died
If

for

us out of

love
in

He

felt

for

our poor souls.

we

take

no

and memorials of these things, we may be sure that we do not love Jesus and Mary. It is a bad sign, said our St. Philip, if a man feels no Love the Feasts of the Church. especial devotion on is mindful, grateful, meditates devoutly on each Mystery Love will of mercy brought before us by the Church. them with some offering or service try to celebrate
interest

the feasts

however small.
diligent,
in

Love

is

tender, kind, gentle, thoughtful,

yet doing everything with exquisite delicacy imitation of Him Who washed His disciples feet,

Who

prepared food for them with His

104

own hands on

the shore of the sea of Tiberias,

say that the danger of departing from the The Most grace of God to so many a real danger is much Holy Name averted by the recurrence of Feasts like the Feast of of Mary
I

Need

the

Name

of Mary, Feasts of especial love

They pro
;

from the pressure of the world around us, a world that is jealous of God, of Jesus and Mary from the slothfulness of our lower nature which shrinks from the
tect us
sacrifices of

love,

that

are

Christ

cupiscences.
of

which shudders when it hears They have crucified the flesh and its con These minor Feasts break the monotonv
:

many

lives,

blameless but unharassed

by temptation,

and

liable

to settle

down

to a

dead

level of inactivity,

and sleep which allows the oil to be ex hausted and the lamp to go out. But the Feast itself tells us that we may hope for some increase of our love of God. Look, then, at the
indolence,

Sacred

Heart.

We may
affections.

find

it

hard to realize

that

Love, that God in heaven, blissful Being of pure spirit, can care for our human love, take note of our
is

God

dispositions the Son of

and

We

cannot think

this

of

by what disappointment and anguish the unkindness

unloving
faults
is

He at least knows by experience, Mary. anticipated sorrow in the days of His suffering,
of our
lives

has caused

Him

to

feel.

With

all

our

we

are loved

scarcely loved at God a little more,

the

sweetness
:

by Him, with all His goodness He all by us. Let us only love our we should be at once rewarded by and rapture which we should feel in

saying
the

Blessed be the

NAME

OF

JESUS

Blessed

be

NAME

OF

MARY

THE PRESENTATION OF

()1

R BLESSED LADY
In Eest. Nov. 21.

LTHOrGII God
angelic nature
1
,

assumed human rather than

He

willed

that

these glorious

incorporeal beings of all the wonders of His love.

lieaven
it

and

shoidd

be

witnesses
is

when
the

is

joy are accomplished upon earth mysteries Angels of God who feel that joy, and
;

There

and rejoice. The divine opera "On tions of the Holy Ghost arc watched adoringly and from their place Him the Angels desire to look

who

ever desire to look

"

vantage thev discern the divine visitation, while men are still ignorant of it and know not whence lie cometh
of

nor whither
revelation

A prophet may in vision goeth. foresee the event and predict it, but
He

and
his

Thus the prophecv is forgotten by heedless mankind. Angels adored and sang to the Babe of Bethlehem, while earth slept, and the few shepherds who watched
let

not their thoughts strav from the sheep around them.

Thus, again, Angels had welcomed the entry of their Oueen and celebrated her Coronation in lieaven, ere
the Apostles themselves discovered the mystery of

Mary

day s Mystery, although foreseen and foretold by the Prophet-King, was witnessed in the for, only bv Angels with heavenly rejoicing sight of earth it seemed merely a simple touching ceremony in which onlv those immediately concerned
Assumption.
Thus,
also,
;

this

could take interest.

But

for

eight

hundred years and

more the Church has

to
in

led

the devotion
of

of

her children
of

The

celebrate

the
;

Festival

the

Presentation
for

the

Temple
is

and the joy possessed

Mary Presentation ages by the of Our

Angels
of
all

now

those

shared by men, is part of the inheritance Blessed who are children of the Church. The
is

Lady

Guardian Angel, who

with

each

one

of

us

now,

beheld the wonderful sight, perchance was one of those who descended to swell the acclamations and join in
the festivity and gladness with which the Ark of the Covenant, the True Ark in whom the Holy of Holies

was really to be laid, entered the Temple of Jerusalem. The City heard not or heeded not singing that was listened to at Bethlehem, and Joachim and Anna, though
with the harmony, spoke not of their dignity and bliss and therefore, though the prediction of a prophet was being fulfilled, Jerusalem remained unmoved
thrilled
;

as

when,

in

later

years,

the

Lord Himself

visited

His

Holy

Place. yet
it

memorable event, the first occasion on which the Church invites all who love to congratulate Mary, and rejoice with her in her
is

And

most

"

her"

Tradition has preserved a few precious Mary s Childhood. When she is presented in the Temple, she is but three years of age, but the little
Presentation.
details of

already wiser and more prudent than the most enlightened Cherub in heaven. Joachim and Anna bring
is

Maiden
her
as

but they are only Offering to the Lord her own design she has already made her executing choice she has decided on the future and alone and
;
:

an

unaided the Child-Virgin mounts the steps of the sacred She has been called Temple. Harken, Daughter, and
"

see,

and

incline
s

thine ear, and

forget
It

thy father

house"

(Psalm

xliv.)

is

thy people and of Mary that

107

Rosa
Mvstica

When I was a little one, I pleased words are truest, This little Child is that chosen creature the Most High." whose spotless brow has never been without its bright crown of the Immaculate Conception, whose soul and who has spirit are clothed with corresponding grace, innumerable bestowed upon her, who already gifts of grace," with knowledge, charity, and the "full is and complete power of using her magnificent reason
the
"

will, that she too,

from the beginning, while yet nourished with milk and honey and childhood s fare, may "choose
the
good."

Do

not wonder then,

mother
of that

bosom

she quits her gentle to run and throw herself into the arms
if

father
Sister,

Heavenly Father who bids her forget her earthly house. Angels assemble to behold their little
1

ascending to the Temple, casting in her lot with us, Child of God, unSister of Spirits, innocent Victim of an as yet have chosen to be abject in counselled Virginity?"
their

Queen

Elect.

"Who

is

this

"I

the house of

my

God"

abject in the eyes of her people,

unmarried and considered sterility a The astonished Angels marvel at the swiftness curse. of the divine impulse: they behold her mount the steps with unfaltering purpose, and with a solemn Vow in

who

despised

the

they unrevealed to her own parents they alone hear that Vow, exult to be present at an utter, absolute, irrevocable act
her heart
lips:

and

on

her

silent

they

listen,

of self-consecration

for

now mortal
Mary has
:

lips

first

pronounce
part,"

the

Vow

of Virginity.

"chosen

the best
for ever.

which shall not be taken away from her has heard the Divine Vocation Arise,
Dove,

She

My

The Beautiful One, and come from the gardens of the Temple ily not more swiftly of Jerusalem to the nest in its walls wherein they have

My

Love, My sacred doves

08

Child and Seraph The eagerly hasten to the altars of her King and her God, Presentation obeying the sweet Will of her Father in heaven, elected of Our Sister and Mother to the Word, chosen Bride of the Holy Blessed Ladylaid their

young ones than does

this

As the summer cloud passes swiftly across the blue sky, and is lost to view in the distant heavens, so
Ghost.
does this Spotless Innocence, this little white-robed Virgin of Israel disappear within the Temple s porch. The Lord is with thee, fairest Child! Cloud formed of Brightest
purest dew, purer than that of the very Paradise of delights and unf alien innocence, full of grace, and destined to rain down the Just One The Lord is

earth

"

"

with
while

thee.
"

The God who

hills

rides

on
the

chariot

cherubim

the

bend

beneath

eternity
this

He
:

guides thy

way;

journeys of His His Prophet has foretold

mystery
"God

Behold the Lord will ascend upon a swift

consoled in His
Saints:"

cloud.
is

declare

the

Divine delight, when

this

who, then, shall Prudent Virgin

the

dedicated herself to

Him
?

in the

Temple, when the Lily

of Israel, infant Innocence itself,

was placed among

earth

Angels

of

the ages
of

At

last

has blossomed

Flower worthy

Divine acceptance. The great God loves lowly things, and none can be more lowly- minded than this Handmaid of the Lord. And He, the great

God,
the

in

interval

granting her favour and blessing her, shortens and hastens the time appointed for Re

demption.

When He made
"

in

the beginning the day

"

and night, He

saw that it was good still more does He bless the day which He fixes for the Incarnation, the day when this virginal Flower shall virginallv bear Fruit, and the Fruit shall be the Word Made Flesh, the day when this Babe of Anna and Joachim shall be
:

109

Rosa
Mystica

His Mother, and

He

shall be her
:

little

One!

Of

this

in her humility she dreamed not enough for her to be partaker of the divine nature by the communication of grace, to be sister to the Angels by virginity, to be

lowliest
to

Spouse
Mother,
"A

of
if

the
that

Incarnate

God

as

handmaiden
been
Son,"

His

might
this

decreed that

Virgin shall

But it has conceive and bear a

be.

and Mary unwittingly, by

shall rail blessed.
In
this
little

vow

ol

virginity, betrays
all

herself to be that predestined Virgin

whom
in

generations
the

Child presented
the true

the

Temple

and living Temple of the Lord, the sacred and untouched Ark of the Covenant, wherein the Living Bread come down from heaven shall We are bidden be made for us by the Holv Ghost. that Virginity which in the love of God is to revere Even in the ever identified with her Divine Maternity. idea of God she existed not apart from the divine purposes which were accomplished in her and through her She was created to be the Mother of God her.

Church bids us

see

Virginity
in
for

is,

like

her

Divine
of

Maternity,

of

her
filial

personality.

Earthly Mother
is

Him Whose
shall

very love

Heaven
that

the Father
of

alone, she shall have a

name
its
s,

Virginity

hers

which

indicate

surpassing resemblance to the Eternal she shall be called the

"

Heavenly Father
Virgin."

and

And
She
is

vet another title belongs to her

"After

from

this dav.

the Virgin of Virgins.

they shall gladness and rejoicing, they shall be brought into the Temple of the King." By right of her consecrated life

be brought to the

King:

her virgins shall be brought with

the Temple, she is the Pattern of Virginity, and, next to her title of Mother of God her sweetest and
in

no

dearest

is

Virgin

of

here also an

Father
Ideal

in

of

One is your Presentation one your Master, and one also the of Our heaven, Virginity, according to whom you should Blessed Lady
"

identity

Virgins. Nay, to be declared.

there

is

again The

re-model the image of integrity engraved by the Holy Ghost." After her virgins shall be brought, and with
to

she gladness and rejoicing those who by imitating

:

is

the

very
are

Cause

of Joy

her

freed

from

the

For even as by St. Paul. the heart of God is the Fountain of all joy, even as it is with infinite and eternal unbeginning and unending and delight that the Word is begotten in the bosom joy of the Father, so must the heart that is to be His
"tribulations"

written

of

And as earthly home be full of joy as well as grace. the Angels live in joy, their Queen, their Virginal Sister
must be no stranger
to

the

beatitude

which

is

their

because the young in loving imitation dwelling. consecrate themselves in the flower of their youth and
innocence, they preserve that joy which is the birthright of purity and therefore are they all like this angelic
:

And

Child,

who on
of

embodiment

of ecstatic gladness.

the day of her Presentation is the very Ah, our word to the

Lamb
they

God perchance must

be Miserere nobis

but

who

joyous else can sing, follow wear the Aureole of

faithfully follow the Faithful Virgin are here, and hereafter sing their song that no one

Him

whithersoever
a

He

goeth,

and

wreath that Virginity, shall never fade, a golden halo that shall never wane. As the love and worship of Mary, so the love and
bridal
of

practice

Virginity
life.

Catholic Church.
angelic state of

a special characteristic of the She alone loves and encourages this

is
"

Nowhere
virginity

is

the holy

and heavenly
except
IJT

mandate

of

eternal

happily

fulfilled

Rosa
Mystica

amongst
St.

us

Christians,

and

in

this

there

is

plainly

So wrote Religion." Heathenism and heresy have ever exhibited hatred and cowardly cruelty towards
great proof that
are the true

we

Athanasius to Constantius.

Christian

virginitv.

Agnes,

St.

Cecilia,

The martyrdoms of St. Lucy, St. and so many others seem to turn

upon what heathenism did

their noble resolve to be faithful unto death.

And

the beginning of the Christian world heresv repeats at the end. The palm of Martyrdom was placed in their intrepid hands, and the crown of
at

One of the signs Yirginitv upon their unsullied brows. of the end of the world, we arc told in the Gospel, will be this marrying and giving in marriage in thoughtless
1 1 ,

worldliness,

in

neglect
of

and

scoffing

scorn of this fairest

manifestation

As
will

this
it

was

Charitv and Joy in the Holy Ghost. the end of antediluvian heathenism, so

be the (Mid of modern heresy and infidelity, and it will draw down upon a wicked and corrupt generation Lkit the Church, according to the final doom of fire.

Chaste Virgin presented Marv, the one Ideal, is as a unto Christ," and will ever fulfil the mandate of eternal Yirfinitv, from the virgin veiled and secluded in the o J
cloister to the virgin

tk

and dying

in

hovering, angel-like, over the sick hospital or fever- den from the silent

monk
of

to

the priest

who
to

"washes

among

the

innocent"

virginal hands, which are

now

to

hold aloft the

sinner
s

Lamb
that

God, and now Precious Blood which cleanseth the

pour on
are

the

soul

scarlet sin into stain

less

snow.

And

all

these
of the

"Virgins

brought after

her into the

Temple

King."

Thus let us think of Mary in the Temple, lending to the Psalms of her royal ancestor the interpretation of her vast spirit, the devotion and heavenly sweetness
112

of

her

voice,

she
their

alone

unconscious
to
listen

that
this

the
little

angelic

The

choirs

cease

song

to

Child Presentation

chanting more sweetly than any Seraph in the joyful of Our

melody above, abbreviating by the purity of her prayer Blessed Lady the seventy weeks upon her people and the holy City. How Jesus must have loved that Temple, His Father s No wonder He was found House, His Mother s Home As for us, let us at there after the Three Days Loss least pray with the Church that at length we may be
! !

presented in the Temple of City of the New Jerusalem.

If here

God

glory

built

in

the

our hearts love aught but Thee,

In that bright

We

ll

Land beyond the grave, Thee with soul set free, worship
give as

And

Mary

gave.

113

THE ESPOUSALS OF OUR BLESSED LADY

In Fest. Jan. 23.

I)T.

PAUL
of

declares that the world

was not worthy

it

those Saints of

God whom

hunted, tor

tured and put to death. Neither was the world of the Mysteries of worthy of the knowledge

God which concerned

those.

Saints.

This explains
or

why

only the Mysteries remained for ages unknown, the world could be fully taught And before to a few. had to be brought to confess its wickedness, it

known

them, its guilt its need of a Redeemer, All Redeemer to a cruel death.
Apostles and
their

in

having put that

this

and preach

in

immediate successors season and out of seasons

were to come
later.

was what the had to teach

:

developments
I

of their doctrines

After a while,
it

and

in

these our days

do not say

because we are worthy much that was withheld at

is

God
first:

has deigned to impart

and the Holy Ghost

has guided the Church and her children to the recognition and celebration of many a sweet mystery and doctrine.

These are the works

Spirit,
"on

of

God performed by

the

Holy
long

whom
great by the
is

them, unnoticed

one

the Angels desire to look." work of the Holy Ghost

faithful,

Amongst
for

special festival

and by any which we commemorate to-day, that

Mystery;

unhonoured

the Espousals of the Blessed Virgin. mean that this is an unmentioned I do not
it is

duly recorded to have been accomplished.

114

But the

ALINARI BROS.

Evangelists

only
St.
is

slate

the

fact

that

our

Lady was The

espoused to
Probably, as

Joseph, without saving

commonly

held,

it

was

or where. Espousals after her Parents of Our

when

death: and as she had been confided to the care of the Blessed Lady priests of the Temple, the ceremony would naturallv take place within the Temple so soon as the Blessed
Virgin had reached the age at which maidens who had been nurtured there went back to their own homes.

Temple no doubt had felt from the first that in Mary the House of God possessed a child of benediction, and they would feel it a sacred duty to find one truly just and worthy to take charge of David s royal daughter. To every espoused maiden her marriage is the
priests

The

of the

turning point, the great event of her life. Strong must be the inducement that makes her consent to exchange o

To no one could matrimony. the prospect of marriage appear more undesirable and formidable than to the Virgin of Virgins. Not for a
her state for
that
of

moment ought we
ignorance
of

the

to imagine that Mary was kept in Divine Complacency with which the

Almighty had received her Vow of Virginity offered by her from the first. We cannot suppose that she head
misgivings
lest

the

Providence of

God

should

fail

her

and not preserve her, whatever difficulties or obstacles might arise. Surely, she must have been conscious of
predestined to something very especial, though, as yet, she had not learned what it precisely was that the Lord intended. She knew that it was in furtherance

being

of the divine designs that she should become the of Joseph and doubtless the Ghost made
:

Spouse

Holy

to her the

holiness,

the

dearness

to

God

of

known him who

was

selected for her

by the guardians

of her

youth and

Rosa
Mystica

innocence.
in

their

are told that they in turn were directed choice by a miraculous sign, by the flowering

We

of Joseph

s staff

like the flowering of the rod of

Aaron.

of the ministers of the willing to believe this and loved the daughter Temple, that they had reverenced of Joachim and Anna, had been conscious of the presence

We

are

of

had observed the acceptable ascendency over her com from the first, and had been panions which was hers reluctant to allow the departure of one so blessed, even which was though it was to enter the peaceful dwelling love to think that Simeon I to be hers at Nazareth. at these Espousals, were and Anna both were
present

Angels O

who came with

her

whenever she drew nigh,

enlightened by the

Holy Spirit to know that was deemed worthy even by God Himself to have charge of God of Mary, and to know that mysteries and secrets were hidden between the calm exterior and composed
the

Husband

demeanour

of

Mary and Joseph.

We

cannot doubt that between the Spouses there

At all times in the was a complete understanding. her children life of the Church there have been among and those who in the holy state of wedlock have chosen Sometimes consented to remain always virgin-spouses. we are told what passed between them: it is thus St. that we know of St. Cecilia and her husband
Valerian.

We know
s

also

that

often,

without spoken

word,
their

God
holy
,

Saints have held intercourse and exchanged conversation like the thoughts, and, after

Angels
heaven.

parted

from
it

one
St.

another

to

meet

again

in

And

may have

between Our Lady and

complete
understanding,
to

been thus on this occasion That there was a

Joseph.

we cannot

doubt:

and

the

Virgin espoused
116

with the Joseph went to Nazareth

confidence

and alacrity with which a Saint J Desert would quit his community at the call
to lead the hermit
life.

of of

the

The
Espousals
of

God

Our

Devotion will delight

of

in picturing,

with such power Blessed Lady

impressive scene

imagination
her

as

may

be ours,
:

the

of the marriage to

ceremony

companions, the

the Blessed Virgin s farewell maidens who had learned to

love her during their sojourn in the Temple s cloisters, the kind interest of grave priests and doctors who had

been
even
her

"astonished

as

wisdom and her answers," they were afterwards when her Divine Son
at

her

found His

way
;

to

the sacred
blessings

abode

of

His Mother

in

pronounced upon her by Anna the prophetess, and Simeon the just and devout. We may in spirit invoke St. Raphael, and with him watch the pleasant journey of the Spouses to the modest home
the
in the village of Nazareth, witness the affectionate care and reverence of Joseph, the gentle love and confidence of Mary, hear her praise of the little home which was to be theirs in future, whether it had belonged to
his parents or,

childhood

as

some

think,

to

which on the domestic duties which she had meekly under taken. These things are more easily imagined than but Mary s gracious acceptance of the part described
observe
the

content

with

her own, and lastly, she at once entered

allotted

to

her has
till

made

every

Christian

home

holier

and dearer

the end of time.

We
Virgin

are assured that the

Espousals of the Blessed

reasons,

took

place,

for

many
the

on
of

Jerome
them,

and other

Fathers
for

have

written

which much.
His

St.

By

Virgin Mother, thus making the calumnies of the incredulous

impossible
:

God

provided

honour
that

though

it

appears

the

spirit

of

the

117

Rosa
Mystica

impious

Helvidius

still

lingers

among some
lessen

heretics,

who
glory
to

still

dare to endeavour to
this

of

ever- virginal

and destroy the Matrimony, which secured

the

Mary

the holiest of Guardians,

It

most faithful of

for the Child one whose patient conceive," "Virgin labour should support the Child and His Mother, one whose nrinlioocl should protect them in everv danger. o

witnesses.

provided

Foster-father

Whom

this

would

Ignatius the Martyr adds that by means of it the Almighty veiled the Mystery of the Incarnation from
St.

the suspicions To us all

these

and discovery

of Satan.

unworthy it is permitted to meditate on bright and beautiful Nuptials, and to bless God who gave to the Child and His Mother as Foster-father and Spouse one who never caused to Either a moment s
iinhappiness or pain,
till

he gentlv passed

from Their

loving arms into eternity.

118

HABITAVITQUE

IN

DOMO

DOMINI SUI

SAINT JOSEPH, SPOUSE OF OUR BLESSED LADY

In Fest. Mar. 19.

[HE

simplicity of the Gospel, and its persuasive attractiveness in consequence, are well exem

few words exchanged between Nathaniel and Philip Can any good come out of Nazareth ? Come and see. But the Text
plified in these
:

suggests
hairs

me another Philip saying to own Saint, whose name is dear

to

us

Come and
send
us

see.

Our

to us,

whose white

win

such love, seems himself the Saint of the Hidden Life,

to

in search of

and bids us: Go

of

to Joseph.
"

and of beautiful old age, The Good that came out

"

Nazareth we know,

the good, dear, silent must be seen there, if

we have seen His glory Saint who dwelt and died we would understand what

but
there

and

grace

our
"

Lady must
the

a joy have found in the choice

God made, when

Protector and
it

Carpenter was called to be the

of her

Therefore, Virginity." that St. Joseph should find a place in our whenever we are relating the joys and narrative, gifts granted to our Lady, especially during that period which is called the Hidden Life. His holiness and

Husband

seems

fit

merits are far beyond our power of comprehension, but he would wish us to dwell on them, and in the manner

adopted, because whatever he had from God he considered given to him for the sake of Mary, and obtained for him by her and maintained in prayers,

now

him through

his conjugal

union with the Blessed Virgin.

119

Rosa
Mystica

To be

"dispenser

of

the
a

mysteries
is

of

God,"

great priest, guardian of sacraments, like and to be the guide and guardian of the and honour, Many Flock of Christ, like a Pope, is still greater. Saints have earned their crowns by faithfully discharging has been these high offices: but one and one alone Most entrusted with the sole guardianship of that

trust

Sacred Sacrament instituted by the Holy Ghost on the

altar
office,

of

Mary

virginal

Heart.
to
St.

The honour
Joseph.
brethren,"

of

this

belongs
in

exclusively

It

almost
to place

seems to isolate him

"among

his

him
to

in glory apart from all fellow Saints, grace and make him whom we most frequently invoke as

Thus Patron appear almost inaccessible to ourselves. he was does he appear to us, but to appreciate what Nazareth itself. to our Blessed Lady we must go to

Come and
The
rosary;
ridges
of Galilee

see.

little city nestles in

fifteen

of

we

are told

bosom of the mountains them crown it, like an encircling that men might pass along their
the
city

altogether, as we on her secret overlook a breathless bird crouching down How bright is the sunshine nest close to our path. Flocks of which sleeps on the turf-clad hills around!

and overlook the lurking

sheep while

and feed on the stray quietly the lambs lie like daisy-dots
slopes.
olive,

smooth sward, on the warm,

sheltered

Below
the
fig,

where
their

the

young

shoots.

The

garden-like terraces, the vine are putting forth out loud-flapping dove darts

wind

to into the blue sky for glee, and drops again The air the south wind. his contentment
"to

murmur
is

quite
trees,

laden

with
as

the

fragrance
are

of

blossoming
in

fruit

planted
120

they

everywhere,

the

gardens and

by the paths through flowering meadows: for Xa/.areth is named the Flowery, and abounds with roses and if to adorn the dwelling place of a Saint lilies, as whose emblem is the lily. A few shepherds tend the sheep on the upper grounds, a few labourers in the gardens are pruning the bleeding vines, a few maidens All are poor slowly fetch water from the well. For villagers, as their humble cottages bear witness. the most part the homes are empty, and their inhabitants abroad, parents working, and the children collected in one from which their bee-like murmur now and then escapes. Perhaps that house which stands a little is a trifle better than most of the dwellings apart and yet after all it is only a carpenter s abode, and
;

Saint Joseph,

Spouse

of

Our

Blessed

Lady

close

by

is

the shed in which he labours at his work.

see.
!

Come and
every

How

quiet

and

recollected

is

his

He is not young, nor is the Nazarene a very vigorous frame. His face is beautiful, calm, spiritualized, w orn and wasted with prayer and St. Joseph love, lofty, and chaste in simple innocence.
movement

now

of

looks as

we should
Just.

Ghost

calls

expect one to look whom the Holy We will study that countenance

awhile, and when evening comes to bid him rest we will follow and learn the secrets of which it tells, secrets

bound up with the justices of his gifted soul. His is a tried face, and a pensive face, and even while he
His worship. humility has been up in heights beyond the reach of our knowledge, and has meekly dropped back from
it

works

wears

look

of

perpetual

after as a silver stream descends height, height to hide itself in the tranquil lake that lies at some mountain s foot. The lake is calm, as if stilled by the

mountain
P

presence

but

there

is

a calm as deep in
121

Rosa
Mystica

worship and love which fill as though the It seems the soul of this silent Saint. and that the face of Joseph great God were close,
the

undisturbed, reposeful

His presence, as the motionless lake will mirror mountain s shadow. a Xay, the great God is close; which His Mother bends there, in the little cradle over
reflects

lovingly

while

she

waits

for

Joseph

to

join

in

the,

Together they adore evening adoration and prayer. the Babe of Bethlehem, and make their united prayer Word Made Mesh. to that
speechless Let us meditate on what

they

themselves

were to

one another.

wedded Husband of was united in matrimony He the great Mother of God. Such of all the creatures of God. with the
Joseph
was,
then,
the,

chosen

greatest

an

union

implies,

if

not

equality,
lie

still

proportion,

similaritv.

Hence,
lifelong

like

Mary,
to

was

vowed
their

to

spotless

virginity

which

marriage

added a lustre which has allured many a canonized \Yhcn the Desire of the couple to imitate them. found His Foster-father on everlasting hills came, He earth like one of the Angels He left in heaven, pure
as

the

eternal

snows

Joseph also was, like mounted in contemplation

not .elated;
it

The humility of Lebanon. Mary s, most profound. His soul

of

to
in

fell

back

dizzy heights, and self-abasement before

was
the

explore the recesses and secrets of the mountains hasten to hide themselves He lake below. in the waters of the unfathomed descended still lower into the depths of humility in himself unfit and unworthy to be under the

streams majesty of God, as

that

judging

same

roof

that Isaias

with his Virgin Spouse, of whom he saw had prophesied, and it required the persuasive

122

eloquence of holy awe.

an Angel sent expressly

to

overcome

his Saint Joseph,

Spouse

of

Think how Mary loved and honoured him. If for Our Blessed such as we she has and shows such love, and will not Lady let one poor Ave of ours unrewarded, much more pass
will she have recompensed all the devotion of her She requited him with love with great Client.
first

the

which was due to the best of husbands, with the love which was due to the greatest of God s Saints, with the frankness of an affection, a confidence, an esteem which her own holy candour would not allow her to conceal, and his nobility of soul encouraged her
love
to

display.

Yes, best

of

all

nay,

more than

all

put

together after Jesus was Saint Joseph loved by Mary. It is a Saint who has declared, when measuring this
love of Mary, that the Holy Spirit of Love, the Love of the Father and the Son, the Vinculum Trinitatis, the Bond of the Blessed was Himself the Trinity,

Vinculum Indissolubile, the Indissoluble Bond of the Husband and Wife of Nazareth. But how is it with them, when dangers and troubles threaten ? Come and see. In the dead of night an Angel was sent from heaven
Swiftly darting down through myriads bright stars, he came at last to his own comrades who in countless numbers were hovering as a body-guard and preventing their presence the by of evil spirits to the approach "The Holy House.
to

the lowly dwelling.

of

Angel
Arise,

of the

Lord appeared

in

sleep to Joseph, saying

into

and take the Child and His Mother, and Egypt. For it will come to pass that Herod

flee

will

seek the Child to destroy Him." Silently Joseph rose, gathered together a few needful things the poor have

Rosa
Mystica

never want of
of

many

and then

lie

entered the chamber

the Child and Mis Mother.

He found Mary already

on her knees beside the Child, Who slumbered tranquilly. She listened to the whispered words of Joseph, meekly bent her head, gently lifted the sleeping Babe, and went forth from home into the dark night. Angels came

and worshipped, as the fugitives passed through the silent village. Swiftly and noiselessly they passed along the pathway through the moonlit fields and vineyards,
and unperceived by friend or foe gained the sheltering U Skirting O loom of the mountain road to Bethlehem. that Citv and the dear roadside Cave, they kept down towards the stonv plain and ere morning s dawn were far a. way and safe in the trackless desert.

The God
is

of armies

Who

driven back from Israel

life

from Kgypt into Kgypt, and depends for

led forth Israel

His young

on
seek

the
in

skill

and prudence
their

of

Roman soldiers And what will

when
fear:

pursuit

fugitive

Joseph. Creator.

He
the

not the dark Egyptians do in revenge, that slew their first-born comes Himself
a
little
is

amongst
screen

them

helpless

Babe?

We

need not

Saviour
shield.
a

and
is

We

for Joseph is sufficient saved; need not fear: the Hidden Life

has

manv

Joseph

year to run, and the shelter given by Saint These of that hiddenness. the security

Egyptians of Heliopolis may suspect a mystery and feel a Divine Presence, but whatever there is of beauty and marvel in the Child and His Mother to betray them is
rendered

harmless

by the

fearless

dignity

and

silence

of their Protector.

For seven years

brave

of exile

all

went well

the calm,

thoughtfulness of Joseph provided against want and danger. Kor seven long years famine lay on the

land

of

Israel,

and

Nazareth
of

remained
for
relief.

deserted
;

and Saint Joseph,

desolate.

Joseph in Egypt had the Living Bread

old
as
his
s

none came down as

forgave
brethren,

had

been

but Spouse of However, he Our Blessed foreshown by Lady

Pharaoh
return
of

to

Joseph, and gladly heard the Angol bid him He brought back all the wealth Palestine.

Egypt and the whole world, Food for the famishing, Riches for the destitute, Salvation for Israel. But again His own received Him not and Joseph feared to take the Holy Child into Judea, where reigned Herod s
"
"

cruel

son.

And

"being

warned

in

sleep,"

he brought

the Child into the quarters of Galilee, back to the quiet, secluded Nazareth. There, amongst the hills, for years

and Joseph was His Shepherd and roses, the Flower of the there, amongst Field opened Its entrancing loveliness, and Joseph guarded Its growth God went into hiding, and Joseph there,
the
of

Lamb

God

lay hid, the lilies

defended the hiding place. Again,

to

Come and
find

see.
still

Come and
retained
the
as

sec

the joy

of

Joseph the Putative

Father

Family.
so

What

Guardian, Ruler of the Holy joy to receive from the Word Incarnate
of
Jesus,
!

himself

the

many marks of obedience, reverence, subjection To hear himself called Father by the Eternal Son, to hear of him to Jesus as Mary speak Father!" To "Thy
receive sweet, oft-repeated kisses Boy to feel the frequent

from the Babe and the

endearing caresses of the arms flung round his neck And then the not but consolation of being allowed to joy, compassionate the weariness of the footsore draw Him Boy, and
Child
s
!

gently

the youthful Wanderer had outgrown His Mother s, and yet was so fatigued Ah, I dare assert that it is an eternal joy to Him who
!

to rest

in

his

own

arms, when

125

"Rosa

now
lie

is

in

the

Bosom

of the

Father to

recall

the Rests

Mystica

of Joseph. so blissful,

took during the Return from Egypt in the bosom But how to describe a life, an intercourse

when

it

\vas

throughout

nothing

else

but
for

heart for heart, look for look, kiss for kiss, love?

and love

Come and
hidden
attained
life.

another beautiful sight in this quiet, Jesus is now no longer a Bov. He has
see
full

His

stature;
lie
is

His

beauty of men, and

beauty is beyond the so like His Mother. He is

strong and vigorous, and

it is long ago since He carried with perfect ease the, water from the well which was wanted in the household. He has just performed this

and now approaches Joseph, who is feeblv and patiently attempting work beyond his failing strength. It is nearly thirty years since we first beheld him, and now the head of the Xa/arene is white as snow, and there seems to play around it a light that is growing
task,

brighter with the

dawning

of another
in

life.

What
his

love,

and

respect,

and praise speak

for ever!

the voice of Jesus, as

linallv

He

bids

His dear

Foster-father

and cease from work

never did

He had

yield not to

place,

command;

He address Joseph in such a form. Xo, the sound of His sweet voice sent the Saint into ecstasv, and when he woke he found all tilings reversed Jesus working in his stead, and the Mother and Child now serving him who had served Them so long and well
!

When
minister
to

the

Lord
it

shall

gird

His

servants,

we know

Himself, that
?

and
they

passing
are
in
see.

heaven.

Was

not thus with Joseph

Come and

His body day by day grew weaker,

to
the.

his

frame yielded

impetuous beatings of his heart. world was waiting for Jesus but He let
;

The whole
it

wait,

for

126

serving Joseph. This could not last and Mary and told her Son that Joseph was asking to die came^ at His blessed feet. Jesus came quickly to the bedside. The dying Saint strove to rise and once more cast himself at the feet of his Lord and God, but the arms of that Lord were folded around him, and he foil back into his Beloved One s bosom. As Jesus, seated on the
:

He was

Saint Joseph,

Spouse of

Our Blessed
Lady

couch, supported him,

who

shall

and rest He gave to pillowed on His breast? Oh,

peace

declare the entrancing that snow-white head

white
told

lily,

it

lay there like a pure nestled there like the spotless dove we are
it

came
in

in

by-gone years and

in

lit

on

Thus,

the arms

peace, rest, in love, in of Jesus, in Osculo Domini

virgin staff! sight of Mary, in

his

Joseph

fell

May Our Lady forgive the boldness with which we have discussed so many of her gifts from Gocl, and this
especially of

asleep.

having been confided

the
Just

her

loving trust,
to represent

Man

Himself in the Holy Death Family. dissolves the tie and back to all spouses marriage gives their much-prized But there is that higher liberty. union of supreme which remains
sanctity
for

Ghost

one so worthy of selected by the Holy

to

ever

unbroken, and which retains Saint Joseph even in the heavenly court in his place of honour near the King and Queen. Jesus has not forgotten that He was
the Carpenter s not that she was his wedded wife.

known on
pass

earth as

"

Son,"

Alary forgets
it

Thus

comes

to

resplendent Joseph is in the heavens above, there is a look of Nazareth about this dazzling Association of glory. We recognise our Saint, we think we hear him saying: I am Joseph, come nearer to me The world is still an Egypt, but we need not fear

that,

all

as

famine or any

evil

we can

"

Go

to Joseph

"

we
127

feel

Rosa
Mystica

"Emboldened to
toils of life,

speak to

him."

We

speak to him
of
life,

of the

of the journey

and dangers

and

of

our coming death. Mothers must, like Mary, trust their babes to him. Children must be dedicated to the Protector Youths and virgins must make a of the Holy Child.
friend of the Saint
in

the white lustre

is

whose Lily lifts up its stately head and confidence of unsullied innocence.
like

There

no Saint

trembling priest

how

Joseph to teach the poor to act with his Lord and God,
St.

how to hold, and carry, and offer the Lamb of God. \Yedded love must be blessed, and made true, lasting, forbearing, unsuspicious and holy by the Virgin Husband Death must find us invoking the of the Virgin Wife. Saint who died in the arms of Jesus, must seal for ever
on our trembling lips the last invocation love for JESUS, MARY, and JOSEPH.
of

undying

128

KESPEXIT HUMILITATEM ANCILL/E SU^H

THE HUMILITY OF OUR BLESSED LADY

In Fest. Mail 12.

)UR Mother and Mistress speaks: she her mouth in the churches of the Most
(Ecc.
24),
:

"opens

High"

hear
(Pro.
8).

The
is

greatest lesson

saying: Now therefore ye children Blessed are they who keep my ways moment chosen for this her strange not without special

The
Virgin

meaning.

Virgin

of

the

Temple
of

is

now become

the

work and wearied and

in

village Nazareth, wedded to Joseph the Just and Virginal. She and he share, like brother and sister, the seclusion and peace of their hidden life of unsuspected His day is passed sanctity.

Wife

in

the

and

prayer, his night in rest and sleep he is this: her day is requires spent in silence spinning, and in such domestic duties as their

poverty and contentment permit, her night

solitude
repose,
is

sleep are few and brief. she found by Gabriel, when star-clad he delivers the Divine Message to the Virgin. Though his embassy succeeds, the words of the Angel trouble Mary. His words of praise surprise her, but she takes refuge in

and prayer, for she and her intervals of

finds

in

spent in her best prayer

is

So

humility expressed in her

own

Handmaid
voice,

sweet way:
of her to

Behold the

of the

Lord
soft

The sound

own

sweet

speaking
to

momentary
he
exults

low, and reassures the fear,

and

helps

hear

the

same

Ambassador hushed voice

the dispel of heaven

:

continue
129

Rosa
Mystica

perchance

in

still

gentler

accents:

Be

it

done
to

unto
that

me according
worc i_ While
night

to
all

thy

word.

And,

according

was

in

and the things were in quiet silence, the midst of her course, the Almighty

Word descended from His royal throne in heaven, from the bosom of His Father to the tranquil bosom of His
Chosen Virgin Mother, who has deepened the peace and calm of all creation by these her first recorded words: Behold the Handmaid of the Lord. Most Prudent Virgin, at this The Handmaid!

moment why such He offers thee is

allow
hoar
lay
of
it it,

name?
of

that

Blessed Virgin, the title Wilt not thou Mother

()
. .
.

if

but

for

once?

Wilt thou not wear His

priceless
it

murmur thy new name, that He may from thine own lips, though thou dost afterwards
present,

and hide it? Xay, in humility she murmurs That name which Mary leaves unsaid is "Handmaid!"
aside
infinite

dignity.

Mother

of

the

The Incarnation brought to Word Made Flesh a dignity which

is

the
St.

Thomas
declares:
create;
this

asserts

A
but

Bonaventure fearlessly heaven God can greater world, a greater He cannot create a greater Mother than
infinite.

St.

His Mother.
all

As

the

gifts

Yet she calls herself His Handmaid. and graces of the Sacred Humanity
is

are because Christ

Son of God, so all Mary s And yet she graces are because she is Mother of God. In this lowliest of all humble names! c-lings to this The Holy Ghost has already said: is her virtue shown. The greater thou art, humble thyself in all things, Humility and and thou shalt find favour with God.
the

innocence
exterior
is

are

the

beauty

of

the

soul,

excelling
:

all

matter Mary perfections, as spirit surpasses all the glory of the king s filled with this humility
-"

daughter
that
the

is

within
is

"

and,
the
art,

therefore,

while

declaring

The
Our

"favour

deceitful

and beauty
Bride,

vain"

(Prov. xxx.j, Humility

to of
fair

Spirit exclaims to How fair thou Alary

:

the

Holy Ghost

art

"

Her

virginity

conceived

Him."

while

the

King

My Beloved, pleased God, but her humility Let us meditate on that humility, is at His repose, and breathes the
given
forth
so

how

thou Blessed Lady

spikenard fragrances humble Heart.

sweetly

by

her

Heaven
fair

lost

its
it

fairest angel,

Paradise lost our

that

first
fell,

mother:
they

and

was through pride

to

both

because

yielded

aspiring ambition.

On

this

Rupert

remarks:

God

knew

that

the

headship

of

creation could not be held with humility except by the Incarnate Word Himself, the meek and lowly-hearted
Jesus.

Therefore

God

chose for the Mother of

One

so

humble

of heart as Jesus that to

while receiving a dignity far beyond the comprehension of the I the Lord highest Angel. have brought down the lofty tree, and exalted the lowly
"

who clung Handmaid

most humble Virgin, her her lowliness and still called herself His

even

"Blessed art thou who hast (Ezec. 17, 24). believed! exclaimed St. Elizabeth, praising the Virgin s
tree"

Faith
call

me

but Mary replied blessed because

For

this all

He hath regarded

generations shall the humility

her
the
"

Handmaid. It was humility that brought the blessing of Axa. "Fountains spring forth in vales "... God sent His Son divine and human,
upper and Valley, and
Himself
great
is

of His

the

the

lower

Living

Water

"to

this

lowly

thither, breathing their blessings, all who are athirst ever make their way and are refreshed. Yea, God

God

here mirrored in the The humility of Mary. dwells on high, but regards the and lowly,"
"

Rosa
Mystica

He hath regarded the humility me is the Fountain of Life

;

of His
"

Handmaid.

"

With

also

seen

the

Face of

the.

the crystal depths is Father and the Heavenly

in
;

Dove, white and gentle, loves and haunts Fountain and this His "Enclosed Garden."

this

clear

The Holy Ghost,

laid

divine

and all-wise

architect,

in

building the beautiful Temple of the Sacred Humanitv its foundations in the liumilitv of the dee])

Heart. Safe and linn were the Virgin Mother s foundations for Mary declared and dwelt lovingly on
:

her origin. The more graces she more did her generous, grateful soul received, Never did magnify the Lord and attribute all to Him.

the

nothingness of
the

she sink deeper into the very depths of her being than when the Angel spoke but the Word of God penetrated those crystalline depths, and made Mis own the Pearl
:

Purity and Humility, while when His touch ennobled her

of

at

the

very

moment
dignity,
:

with
s

infinite

Mary

fell

at

the

fed

of
of

God
the

Behold the Handmaid

to be praised
is proud,"

messenger with her Lord! "Whoso wishes

St.

says St. Augustine:

1

Gregory

adds,

"Praise

tortures the
s

good."

Mary was disturbed

God.

by even an Angel

praise.
all
is

Humility
her cousin
s
:

refers

glory

to

Mary answers
is
:

Whence
visit

this to
?

me

that the Mother of

my Lord

should

me

Her answer
of

My
its

soul

doth magnify the Lord.

Humility hides the

secret,

gifts

God,

keeps

own

Philip used to say. Mary would not talk, even though she found that the Holy Ghost had told all to the dear Saint and kinswoman. Nor would she
as St.

speak to

through

Joseph, though she might have to lose that humility of his which she esteemed
St.

him and

Xor would she ever The deeper than her own. by praising her Child permit credit and glory indirectly Humility to reach herself. The amazed doctors of the Temple of Our
thought
far

shall hear

no hint in her guarded speech. Not till the Blessed Ladv end shall even an Evangelist learn from her the history of Bethlehem and those things which she kept pondering
in

her
"

heart,

that

the wise

and then revealed in words so humble and prudent are perplexed and unable
"

to penetrate the

hidden mysteries.

Consider also the humility of her every gesture and

and movement all being the outward bearing and demeanour of that meek and lowly Heart whereon the
act

lowly were her occupations, in the She like her Son can Temple, at Nazareth, in Egypt I was poor and in labours from my youth. say
!

Eternal slept.

How

How

humble was she

in

in the

kind, affectionate Visit to

Elizabeth,

gentle displayed at the Feast of Cana, in the sublime charity with Marriage which she the Sinless received and sheltered Mary How humble Magdalen and kept her by her side
!

the

friendliness

in

bearing

without

resentment

the

repulses

of

the

Bethlehemites, the scorn with

to her
of the

which They, poor

strangers,

were treated by the haughty Egyptians, scorn so startling

who saw

distinctly the divine

!

beauty and majesty

!

How humble in silently submitting to and the ceremonial of the Purification She shrank not, but her purpose was defeated by the glory of the Light of Lights and the inspired voices of Simeon and Anna. How humble was she in takingo
Child Jesus
the humiliation the

lowest
are

place,

even
"

after

the

Ascension
"

The

mentioned, and then in order the holy the Mother of Jesus named as women, and finally she had placed herself the very last How humble
Apostles
!

133

Rosa
Mystica

remaining so long upon the earth after the departure of Jesus in shrinking from the triumph, though she shrank not from the suffering,
staying among us here for fifteen long years, parted from her Love and her Life! It looks as if the remembrance of that one AVE on earth and the trouble it caused her made her dread the million Aves which
in

was

Mary

also

in

were to welcome her on high. Let us then strive to imitate

such humility as humble in our
pursuits
it

Mary by practising behoves us to exhibit. Let us be about ourselves, in our judgment

and
let

Let us be humble in our personal appearance and dress. St. Gregory says: No one wishes to be finely dressed, except out of Let us be humble in obedience. vanity. Was it not an act of obedience to her Spouse the Holy Ghost,

and content and

occupation,
restless

us

renounce

dis

ambition.

when Mary
be
it

said:

Behold the Handmaid

of
?

the

Lord,

done unto me according to thy word

134

x?;-&v*

A
k

^-

EXPECTATIO JUSTI L^TITIA

THE EXPECTATION OF OUR BLESSED LADY

In Fest. Dec. 18.

Feast of the Annunciation often

lias
;

to

be

and in kept during the sad season of Lent former times this made the Church of Spain
consider that
it

could not be celebrated with

and therefore in Spain the Feast of the Annunciation was celebrated on the iSth of December.
due
festivity,

The Spanish
better

bishops, however, soon found that it was should return to the general practice, and they

conform to the Custom of the Church of Rome, the Mother and Mistress of all the Churches. But Spaniards were unwilling to give up their devotion to the December
they were encouraged to dedicate it to the and subsequently Expectation of our Blessed Lady the whole Church has adopted their devotion, and we

day

so

gladly unite beautiful Festival.

all

in

universal

celebration

of

this

Our thoughts go back to the midnight hour when Gabriel spoke his AVE, and follow the history of our Blessed Lady from that hour of the Annunciation. The Spirit of the Lord hovers over her, the Holy One nestles
and
rests

within her tabernacle.

she

From
returning

the

praises

of

Elizabeth

has

escaped

by

home.

The

humility of Joseph has been appeased, his anxieties are

quieted by angelic admonitions, her joy is great at his peace of mind and his resolve to remain in his exalted trust, and she is full of inward, silent bliss.

Rosa
Mystioa

Her

fingers

work

deftly at the

Expected One

linen

though tears of gladness fall on the sewing, though the hands sometimes tremble with emotions of delight. Ah, she sits and sews, with her modest head bent down over the work for her Babe,
clothes,

and swaddling

thinking
to
lie

of

the

little

limbs she herself

is

to

swathe,
is

thinking of the
in

fair

form,

the beautiful Infant that

see

her arms, thinking of the hour when she will Him, when she will touch and handle Llim, when
()

she will nurse Him.

Blessed Virgin

()

Blessed Mother

And
the
little

then again we see her. Once more she quits once more she journeys with her unborn home;

Jesus, this time,

obeying with Joseph the Census law of

Thy journey Then, Thou didst ride on the wings of cherubim then, the seas fled away, the hills were melted, the deep lifted up its hands, the mountains
is

C;esar.

How
;

different, Eternal

One!

this

from those of old!

bowed
and
of

down beneath
lightlv

And now,
Ivory!

noiselessly,

and and the Virginal

"a

journies secretly dost

the

Thy eternity Thou pass, unseen

!

of

Womb

is

Thy Car

she leaves the valley of Xa/areth, and, in obedience to the gentle breathings
light
Cloud,"

Like

of the Spirit,

carries

the

Divine

Dew

to the hillside of
stray.
!

Bethlehem, where sheep

is

and shepherds

Blessed

Blessed Wisdom the Ark, wherein not Thy Commandments but Thou that Thyself wast carried, the Cradle in which Thou
the

Womb

that bore Thee, () Eternal

"

slumberest
of a

not"

didst

first

sleep, to the lullabv

!

and music

Mother
for

beating Heart

Blessed be that Paradise,

where

Nine Months God dwelt in living identity Blessed be of life with the life of His Virgin-Mother! where Captive Chastity for Nine that Prison of Purity, Months was detained Ah, Son of God, Son of the
!

136

Virgin
hast

Mary, Fruit of her holy

in

womb!

There Thou The

abode Thou "didst not dread," Expectation learned, from the things Thou didst suffer, obedience --but the of Our sweet obedience to a gentle Mother s will. There Blessed Ladv
the

Thou didst gain Thy the human heart, that

hast
us
left

first

experimental

knowledge

of

heaven

strangely attractive thing Thou to conquer. If Thou now dost ask

our hearts, is it not because Thou hast found such sweetness, such love in the Heart which was Thy
for
first

How complacently Thou didst gaze earthly home ? into the fountains of deep love welling up to worship
"

Thee from that deep Heart deep heart, and God shall be
!

Man

shall
. .

exalted"

approach a Still more

shall

nigh.

God be exalted when lie Himself shall draw Thou dost watch over the sleep of Thy Beloved,

and weave into the delightful dreams of her innocent young mind most blissful yearnings for the mother s joy, most entrancing visions of Thy Face, overpowering in sleep the timid, lowly shyness of Thy Handmaid and Chosen Mother.

And now we may

tender,

ask

how

does

this

peculiar,

most heavenly Mystery affect us poor children of men, who have been, and still are, sinners in thought and word and deed? Let us not be discouraged: let
ten pardons so readily, times more than we ever before have loved Him. Thus may we hope to bear Christ in our own poor hearts
"
"

us try to love our God,

Who

His Apostle who encourages us to strive "till Christ be born again in our hearts." As it was only into the blessed womb of His Virgin Mother that He would come, so now it is only to the happy hearts of
for
it

is

those

who

love
in

Him

that
;

He
for

will

entrust

Himself.
in

Cherish
R

Him

your hearts

you are cherished

137

Rosa
Mystica

bowels, are borne up by the same, and to My womb. Even to old age I am I have made you, will I carry you. your grey hairs and will bear and will carry, and will save." our heads and rejoice our Lord Let us then lift
His.
"Ye

are carried

by

My

up

tells

with the us to do so even when we are surrounded

horrors
easily

bright,

Mystery most tender and beautiful

more impending Day of Doom; still can we do so when in the presence of this dear, of holiness, which seems almost the
of

the

of the Joyful Mysteries.

The expectation of the Our Blessed Lady is Cause Just is joy (Prov. x. 28). when she allows us of our Joy, never more so than
The Wise Man
tells

us:

to

meditate on the sacred Great indeed Expectation.

;

secrets
is

of

her

maternal

her

gracious condescen

sion

for here

we
the

see Divine grace

and power sanctifying

subtile,

unutterably
feelings

deepest,

most

most

delicate

experiences of human nature, The unfallen nature of the Virgin Mother.

and

and the Cause of

our Joy had

and we may joy of Expectation, we take warning like if approach and consider it, the Burning Bush; for Moses, when he would inspect we are indeed "the place is holy," a Sanctuary where It is a Incarnate. before the first Tabernacle of God
this

of Consuming Eire, of mystery full of holiness, Contact with God is holiness: and forming Love. & the These Two are One the Babe and the Mother, Ah, it is a devotion for Creator and the creature! for Seraphim rather than than

Trans

saints

rather
so

sinners,
it,

mortals,

sweet

is

so

hidden and

divine,

"Like

the earth, a secret told by Angels, Getting known upon Messias speedy birth." Is the Mother s Expectation of To what was she was

What

Mary expecting?

looking forward?

He was

hers:

she

To the sight of her Babe. Already The knew it, felt it; and this led her Expectation
"

With greater longings of Our to desire more, to long for more. who desire to look on the Holy Blessed than the Angels feel
Ghost,"

Lady

she

desired

to

behold the

Word Made

Flesh,

Twice does on His human face and features. that cannot a mother look upon her child in a way be iterated. Two looks she gives which no other eyes
to gaze

but her

own have
last,

look and the

the right or the look of

"

power

to give

the

first

maternal joy

and the
shall

look of maternal sorrow.

In the evening

weeping

take place, and in the morning gladness." of life the dying will seek that faithful look

In the evening

the truest

thing on earth -which will only be finally withdrawn when the death-cloth is laid for the last time on a cold,

white
the

face.

She

who knew

herself to be the

Mother

of

Redeemer must already have had forebodings

:

of such

a sorrow in store for herself at the end

well believe that
"the

but

we can

would not allow His fair young Mother to be bruised and crushed thus mind to the antici early, that He held her heart and
spirit of
Jesus"

pation
truer
of

of

her

first

vision

of

her

Divine
His

Infant,

that

her

than of any should be

word

The

Expectation of the Just is Joy. The first look that a mother obtains of the child
to

whom

she has given birth

greatest joys

on

earth, as
:

is

one of the truest and the last look one of the

is

worst and greatest sorrows

and the sure anticipation of this joy, comparable only to the beatific vision, must have inundated the heart and soul of Mary with ecstatic bliss. Her knowledge, the illuminations infused from above, and those drawn from the ponderings of her own Heart She well all increased the delight of her Expectation.
139

Rosa
Mystica

Babe would return her gaze with full consciousness, would know her, would hold intercourse speechless Word though He chose to be with her bv those looks for which she so longed. Her experience of His content and joy increased her

knew

that, unlike other babes, her

own.

the joy of her babe as yet unborn, surely the Mother of the Lord would be able to count and interpret the murmured music of the
If

St.

Elizabeth could

tell

beatings of the Sacred Heart linked and lying so closely to her own Exultavit spiritus metis She confesses that so it was

Fountains

of

the

Saviour,

the

earliest

was joy and The very sense of happiness grew greater exultation. dav by day, took possession of her more and more.
///

Deo Salntari meo.

Her Expectation

Hence the lightness of her step as she swiftly traversed Hence the sweetness of her the mountains of Judea. Voice of the It was indeed Vox turturis, the voice.
Dove,
ravishing, so musical, so gladsome that the sound of her greeting." Baptist danced at the The security and peace of her Expectation added
so
"

to the joy.

Well had the Angel said, "Fear not, "Be Here could be no misgivings, no anxieties.

Mary."

it

done
trust

unto me, according to

of

Thy word

"

expressed

the

Mary, the belief which seemed so glorious and Elizabeth knew that she in the eyes of St. Elizabeth. however favoured, could not aspire to share herself,
blessed

the

happy

was

who privileges and immunities of the Virgin In calm and silence, to bring forth the Saviour.
all

leiiving

even Joseph s peace of mind to the care of God, Mary waited and fearlessly expected, waited in the smiling patience of a maiden who watches for the
ilowering
of

her

favourite

"

lily.

Like a

lily,

it

shall

bud

forth

and

blossom,"

sang the Prophet.

140

part have such as we in this Mystery? All, The we are ever crying out, Domine, Expectation ut vicleain It is this which we desire, this and the of Our
like blind Bartimeus,
"

What

"

blessed light without which there can be no iov.

>

"

How
and

Blessed

Lady j

shall

there

be joy for me,

who

sit

in

darkness,

cannot see the light of heaven?" So spoke the blind Tobias to the Angel Raphael. But the answer came, to thee always:" and with the words came sight "Joy

and the blessed light. Thus must it be with us, we must wait and wait, expect and expect, and trust that
our prayer,

unto us the Blessed Fruit of thy womb, cease. Jesus," will be answered, and our expectation But I treat of the expectation of the just\ that
"Show

of

the

sinful
all
fill

is

far

different.
s

Fear,

mistrust,

doubt,
all

horror,
sin,

the sinner

soul.

Let us cast

away

and the happiness

salvation,"

of our
is

good conscience, the "joy will be restored to us. Remember, it

"

of a

the

the expectation of the Just which brings joy, to Joseph Let him that is just Just, to Simeon the Just.
still.

be justified
Jesus
coarse,
this

Lo,
is

come

quickly.
for

Come,
us
us
?

Lord
arc
so

Christ."

But
is

there

so sinful,

there

place invitation

who
to

to

consider

most tender and holiest

for

of Mysteries

Yes,
its

Mother

even
the

us

there

is

place
in

within
the

beautiful

boundary, we

too

are

bathed

Sanctuary! Though precedence of our joy, still, thou art Cause of our Joy, that joy which so often enters our poor hearts. In thy we have at least this share. Expectation \Ye, too, expect for do we not perpetually pray to Thee, our Life, our Sweetness, and our Hope: After this our exile ended,
:

lamp

of this

shining of weeping must take

soft

show unto

us the Blessed Fruit of thy

womb JESUS

141

THE JOY OF THE MOST PURE HEART OF MARY

In Festivitate.

Lord God of lovely are Thy tabernacles, the Psalmist exclaims (Psalm Ixxxiii.), hosts words we want to and so lends us the
"

very

describe the Most Pure Heart

beautiful,

of

Mary.
s

The
life,

attractive outlines of

Our Blessed Lady

from the Immaculate Conception to the Assumption and London Coronation, are equally for all, but for us of the

Devotion to the Heart of Mary has an The Dedication of our Church declares especial charm. of not allowing ourselves this, and lays on us the duty We, more than others, to be excelled in this Devotion.
Oratory
the

have the right

"

to

say,

"O

Sinless

Heart,

all

hail,

all

hail

The

privilege

which we have possessed since

in

1854
is

of

worshipping God
a

church

so
to

dedicated,

an

invitation,

vocation
into
of
this

from

God

penetrate
this

deeper

than

others

lovely

Tabernacle,

cloistered

Dwelling

the

Holy Ghost.

To

scrutinize

a heart, to know its inmost secrets, is a right reserved the to the Spirit of God, and He rarely allows even

And yet, in its exercise. greatest Saints to participate with to know a life intimately, we must be acquainted What are external events compared the heart s history.
with thoughts and feelings? The noblest part of every one is the heart the citadel of life, the treasury of love, that one thing which God Himself so values that He
deigns to ask for 142
it.

EXSULTAVIT SPIRITUS MHUS

IN

bHO SALUTARI MEO

Mary
Bright,

in

heaven

"immense

adorned as a beautiful Bride. The Joy of jewels" catch the lustre of her starry the Most
is
;

crown, and she is enveloped in a blaze of brilliancy Pure Heart of but it is not her jewels that give its brightness to the Mary

bosom

of

the

Oueen -w

of

Heaven,

it

is

the

glorified. O

beatified, exultant Heart, whose radiance seems to reach even us in the distant gloom and darkness of this

world.

They that explain Mary are promised life ever lasting, and the thoughts of many hearts have already been revealed yet there would seem to be always
:

something fresh or
Therefore
let

different

so that all generations

may

be said in her praise, successively call her Blessed.

to

us

in
it

Mary, and for us

it

turn approach that deep Heart of will be easier to gaze upon it as

of her
life,

was

in

the

morning

in

the

days of her

youth,
her.

when the humility and chosen lowliness of God s Handmaid hid all from the knowledge of those about

We
all

shall

world

the

not have discovered by the end of the things that Mary kept and pondered

within her Heart.

of all,

That which is true of most lives, and ought to be was pre-eminently true of Mary s in its beginning. God makes joyful our youth laetificat juventutem
" "

"

meam
there

"

"

in the

morning gladness
so

shall abide/

though
the

be weeping in

with Our Lady,

earliest joy of her

the evening. let us begin

This was the case

by
it

considering

Most Pure Heart.

rejoiced because

The Heart
unstained by
the
of

of
sin.

Mary

was untouched,

is no pleasure above the joy xxx. 16) -and there is no pleasure, (Eccli. no joy like that of light-hearted innocence. But never was there happy innocence like the innocence of that

There

heart

Heart.

It

was consciously,

gratefully

Immaculate,

free

H3

Rosa
Mystica

was fed with floods of knowledge surpassing the wisdom of Cherubim, and it responded to that vast knowledge by a proportionately boundless And yet what love above that of all the Seraphim. men beheld with unsuspecting admiration was a sweet
and untainted.
It

and gracious little Maiden, distinguished, they thought, The her beauty. only by her modesty, her silence, was not disturbed lovely symmetry of her childhood of these stupendous by the possession and presence and love, by this elevation of her gifts of knowledge natural powers to a supernaturalness beyond all words. Let us pass on to what was a still greater joy, to
that

hinted at
to

in

the

Prophet
that the

whisper:

Thy Word
(Jer.

was

me

a joy
in

and gladness

to

my
love

heart
of

xv.

16).

Why

saying delay Heart induced God to descend from Heaven

left

her Most
"

Pure

heaven He

words
in

these,

He found heaven and yet, how true

of the

"

in thee
!

For the Bold (Faber).

of the

Think

Word
life

the

Bosom

the Blessed Trinity. the love of the Heart of

Father, think of the inner To that immense, tranquil

of

Bosom

Mary approached.
so

It

mounted,

and, entering Eternal Father that

the

Divine

won

the

Son that

captivated the Family, He chose her for His Daughter, so He elected her to be His Mother,

so pleased the

Holy Ghost that He chose her for His Her Heart became an image of the Heart of Spouse. The Word, spoken in the Divine the Eternal Father.

Bosom,
Father,

expressing

the
in

whole
the
of

Infinite

Being

of of

the
this

was echoed
In
this

Virginal
Purity,

Bosom
filled

Mother.
choicest
to earth;

Paradise
of

with

the

flowers

grace,

and the
of

the

grief

Eve.

AVE of How

God descended once more His Angel makes us forget

truly

could

Mary exclaim:

144

Thy Word was

Henri
last
!

to

me

gladness and

joy

to

my The

Jov of
of

All

\ ct

the Most widen and enlarge the heart, till at Pure Heart one becomes as it were all heart, nothing but heart. Marv j what are our strongest, holiest affections compared
nffections

with those which, after the Ave of the Angel, flowed in rhythmic meloclv to and fro within the Heart of Mary?

Those magnificent waves which went across the deep waters of that Abyss of love! Often we think wonderingly of the coldness and neglect so patiently endured but we cease to wonder, when by Jesus at our hands we remember that against it lie set the love of His Mother s Heart. "God shall be consoled in His Saints;"
:

then,

much more

in

His

Mother!

And what
!

joy

to

Heart to give Him such consolation Ah, we nre not worthy, nor are we able even to imagine the joy of those days, when His life and her life were one life
her
the blissful beatings of that ever- watchful Maternity. Mary spoke not of it, even to St. Joseph she kept
in
"

all

these

words

in

her

Heart."

Yet
so

Xav, did not the overflowing. joy of her Heart affect her very voice and speech ? Else why did Elizabeth exclaim At the voice of
:

The Expectation of the her Heart was filled to

Just

is

joy

we may

Scripture says be sure

:

Thy

Whv
J

greeting, the infant in my womb did Mary herself begin to sing?

->

leaped for joy

For

"

joy.
,

Mv
She

spirit

hath rejoiced
of

in

God my

Saviour"

my JESUS,
Name.
ours
;

as the
"

Hebrew language permits

our
joy,"

the sweet

is

Cause

and not
the

alone
in

of

St.

Vincent

Eerrers

says

that

Angels

heaven sang
Hebron.

and danced

for joy because of Marv.

We may

picture to ourselves the scene at

of

The golden glow

an Eastern sunset

lights

up the

Rosa
Mystica

as she heavenly face and form of the Maiden-Mother, stands before the entranced Elizabeth and chants her
ecstatic

Hymn.

with rays of her Heart?

they

But are not those uplifted eyes shining within light from the Fountain of Light And the hands folded on her bosom are
her

clasping
?

Treasure,

or
?

are

they

lifted lost

in in a

thanksgiving
dazzling

Who

can say

They seem

a is all It love. effulgence of light rather than words. mysterv for tender meditation And when lie came forth exultingly in the fair

and

frame and form which the Holy Ghost made for Him from Mary s substance, with the red Blood of Redemp
tion
in

mantling
veins
it

His

cheeks,

and bounding impetuously

might not yet leave, the joy of MaryHer joy that the Child was did not cease or falter. born surpassed and sanctified the joys of all other
the

and she still might say Thy Word was to me a joy and gladness of my Heart. For the Word that was made flesh and born of her remained with her in a blessed way. Nay, the blessing became greater,
mothers,
:

as

Christ

Himself said:
the

Yea

rather,

blessed

are

they

who

hear

Word

of

holiness of the Heart of

God, and keep it. Thus, the Mary, its union with God, its

beatitude, are proclaimed by God Himself. We, who receive Holy Communion in our
the Most
into

Church

of

Pure Heart, may humbly hope to be admitted

participation of this joy. then is with us now, as

some

He

Who

was

with

Mary

really

though

might say Dominus mecum, as well sacramentally. Each of us can say My heart as Dominus tecum.
:

We

and mv

llesh have exulted in the living God.

146

KM
^
I

/ffim>7^r

^m^M F*
-r
*\ ]

^_VJ

1^,

Other sorrows of iRarp

CDe Scoen Dolours

inarp and Che cross

Cbc

!i?osr

Pure heart and

irs

Keen

CI>e

Ittpsterp or n^arp^s

il>arrpraom

Che Desolation

or

warp

THE

FIRST

DOLOUR

THE SEVEN DOLOURS

DEVOTION
practised
it

to the
in

Seven Dolours has been long the Church. The Seven Saints
first

who founded
into Italy.

the Servite Order

In

introduced
in general

Germany

it

was

use to

make
to

Hussites.

reparation for the heretical outrages of the In our own times, when the Servite Fathers

found

London, they here through already the piety and zeal of our Father Faber. Year after year, the September Feast of the Dolours summons us to the Chapel of our Lady, and each Wednesday night we recite the Rosary of the Seven Dolours. Blessed
neighbours
the

came

be

our welcome

in

Devotion

established

"

are

they who meditate upon

mourn
the

"

- blessed
:

then
the

are

Dolours
for

in

very

they who Meditation

the

they shall find rest Dolours record were

least

their

souls.

The things
;
"

gone
to

we can do
The
presence
life

is

the through for our sake meditate upon these ancient

mercies."

earthly

expected.

Sorrows so overwhelming in the Mary is what we should never have Knowing her Child to be the God of bliss,
of of to

and
for
lived.

herself

be

Immaculate, we should

have looked

nothing but peace and happiness in the life They Yet, once astonishment is overcome, we find it

inexpressibly consoling that

priceless

Our

Lad)- wept

tears

more
Mater

than

rarest

pearls

and

became

the

Dolorosa.

H9

Rosa
Mystica
to

Reflect that these Sorrows of His us

Mother bring home

s
life.

the

human

side of

our Saviour

He came

not in the triumphal brightness of the "journeys of His like the exultant sun driving athwart the eternity
skies

came manner
were

suffering only the brief eclipse of the Passion. to be the Man of Sorrows and though
;

lie

the

of

His
of

birth

testified

to

the

Sinlessncss

and

Virginity

His

heard,

Maiden-Mother, though angelic songs morning s joy was soon succeeded by

:

clouds gathered, evening s weeping were never lifted from Their life.

and

thenceforth

The Sorrow has its divisions, and they are called the Dolours of Marv yet it is one, that is, it is shared between Them- what Jesus felt Mary felt, what Marv mourned Jesus deplored but the suffering is apportioned
;
:

to

Him,

the

sorrow
tears

to

His Mother.
nature

And
of

this

is

in

accordance
of

with

human
come

and the

law

of

life.

Compassionate

reveal the tenderness

the

heart

motherhood, and add and the look, and the the word, strange power of her who has shed them for a son. With that clasp son, the remembrance of his mother s sorrow must be
;

woman

they
to

with

all-powerful The earthlv

!

life
its

of

Jesus

and Marv was

a

divine,

its

glorv was

hidden,
the

prerogatives
as

appears
divine

in
life,

Gospels

were unused, and it human rather than a

lowly,

Though
thereby

we
limit,

holy, simple, and intensely sad. we do not Dolours, speak of Seven we onlythe number of Mary s griefs
;

them, to ease the task of seeing if Thus the there be any sorrow like unto her sorrow. earliest years of our Ladv must have been saddened
classii v

group and

by

an

unrecorded knowledge of

the

lamentable state

of

her

own

idolatries,

and
heart

His
of

the world s The and still more by meditation on the Messias Seven Mother s predicted woes. Often must the Dolours Mary have ached in pity for her whose

nation,

the outer

darkness of

Sorrow, she read in the

sorrows."

Prophecies,

was
is

"

above

all

The
startling,
in
is

First
official

of

the

Seven

Dolours

the

distinct,

of

warning and Prophecy made to Mary the Temple. The Holy Child is presented, and then laid with gentle kindness and respect in the arms St. Simeon. The Temple cannot content our infant

to

Great High Priest; He looks from it to a better altar, the Cross on Calvary; and, speechless Himself, He

suggests the words to Simeon, and announces Crucifixion and Dolour by the quivering lips of His faithful servant. He wills not that His sweetest Mother shall hear from

His

and

own beautiful lips such words of sad foreboding, so He lays the melancholy duty on the dear and
old

faithful

man,
for

whom

He

will

recompense almost
in

immediately

the

prudent

and humane manner

which he discharges his difficult task. And perchance the old Saint has an interior knowledge that in her

young Mother already knows all that he now publicly and officially proclaims. The Second Dolour is soon upon Them in support of Simeon s prophecy. His own treat Jesus thus and His Mother grieves the more, because His people and hers ought to be precisely the last on earth to
heart
the
"
"

compel
solation

this

most painful Flight.

It

must be a con

to

many

of

our converts to recall the Flight

into Egypt, when they find themselves driven by angered relatives away from home to want and privation, com

pelled

to

accept assistance

from

strangers.

But the

Rosa
Mystica

are blessed in suffering persecution for justice sake,

they
liave
Resits.

and

Next comes the Third Dolour, whose very sorrow is that Jesus is not with Mary and Joseph, but is lost, lost for Three long Days. Any mother s hardest trial Her her Boy, her little Bov suddenly disappearing This is a Child, who would grow faint and hungrv.
!

sorrow that oven the Finding Him in the Temple does for His explanation is given in not at once dispel words that are mvsterious, nor calculated to remove the
;

perplexitv and anxiety with which His sad Mother

and

gentle Foster-Father have "sought Him sorrowing." The Fourth Dolour pierces the Heart of Mary on
the Via

Dolorosa.
of

The
to

sight of

her

Son

led

forth

in

companv

criminals

a disgraceful

death,

dragged,

beaten, and treated with scorn and contempt as one who was utterly vile this appalling spectacle sends its sharp sword through the Mother s soul, when her Jesus slowly draws near. She hears His gracious words to the daughters of Jerusalem, and silently adds her blessing In no other Sorrow is Mary to that which He bestows.

svmpathv than in this, unless it be in the last. Ah, there are two in that Via Dolorosa who will ever stand well with Mary Simon of Gyrene, and St. Veronica. The Fifth Dolour is most heart-breaking, and must
more grateful
for

cause Mary herself physical, quivering pain, although The Crucifixion is she is too horrified to heed it. His Mother carried out, Jesus is nailed to the Cross.
is

close at

hand

what she cannot

see,

alas

she cannot

help

hearing.
to

When

the

Cross
:

with

its

Victim

is

raised upright,

Mary approaches
beneath
that

none dares dispute her

Cross.

right

stand

And

yet

how

152

helpless

and powerless she

i

dying

n,i c f

succour.

Her prayer for the The he impenitently refuses her Seven unavailing; And for three long hours Our Lady is pierced Dolours
feels!
s

for

the thirst, the distress and Son on her account His desertion compassion by His Eternal Father, His mournful Farewell. And we, His executioners, O Mother of God, dare to implore thy prayers and presence at our own death The Sixth Dolour has its horrors, for it brings the
tortures,

with the

terrible

of

her

wounds
across

of Jesus into closer view,

is

mangled Body

taken

her knees.

when the dead, down from the Cross and But a new element enters into

stiff,

laid
this

sorrow, the sense of being able at last to and tend her Dear One in this hour of need.

rescue

came He

forth

from

His

Mother

Naked womb, naked and

despoiled He returns to her outstretched arms, there to be swathed and sheltered! O all ye who pass bv the attend and see this Sorrow way,
!

it

The Seventh Dolour is the Burial of Jesus. Whether be to earth or to a tomb that we commit the keeping
our
dead, it is ever a grief and misery; for we that unto dust they must and will return. And
it

of

know

the pity of

is

that

we bury them

"out

of

that she need not fear the approach of corruption to that Sacred Body, still she must deprive herself of Its sight, and by her own act complete the between her Jesus and herself. She has to separation

Our Lady knows

sight."

begins period of her lifelong martyrdom. Jesus has kept His Five Wounds, to show them as

rock-hewn couch cold Corpse and stone as cold She forces herself to leave Him, and thus becomes the Mourner of all thus endures mourners, a sorrow she never can forget, thus the final
lay
!

Him

on

His

Rosa
Mystica

memorials

of

the sufferings

our salvation. In like Most Pure Heart the

evidences
tokens,
to
of

lovingly underwent for manner, Mary has kept in her

He

Seven
has

Swords
that

of

Sorrow
signs

as

what

she

undergone,
she

as
is

and

those

who mourn,

Consolatrix

Affiictorum.

THE SECOND DOLOUR

MARY AND THE CROSS

)UR Blessed Lord
Body.
that
lives
is

again

in

His Mystical

And

it

we should

the light of this truth regard the history of that

in

Her life is Body, which is the Church. or repetition of His own. In her prolongation His Passion is renewed. In her Apostolic Martyrs Missionaries His Public Ministry is repeated. In her
the

And Religious Orders His Hidden Life is continued. His Infancy and Childhood, with the admirable, startling virtue then displayed of subjection to His Mother and Saint Joseph, are continued in the love and the
while there have been
devotion of the Church to Mary. We may add that, seasons and periods in which

some of these lives have appeared prominently and some kept out of sight as there was a period of martyrdom, another of religious vocations, another of missionary zeal subjection and devotion to Mary has
not been limited to any one time
abiding,
ever
"

it

steadily

increasing.

For
in

has been constant, those creative

words

Behold

thy

Mother

each

successive

generation of mankind summon forth multitudes of children to rise up around her and call her Blessed. However, there are many different ways of practising

devotion to our Lady and the choice amongst them will be made in accordance with individual character, or because of some allotment of life s joys or sorrows,
;

or because of the

Church

guidance,

as

we

experience

Rosa
Mvstica
_,

in

as

Month every week j

the

of

Mary and

in

the Rosary Month.

its

But

vear has of the whole J

Fridav, so our

that Friday s Cross in her Dolours and Desolation can never be quite forgotten, though probably the majority of us prefer to think of her Joys and her

Lady beneath

Glories
Still,

rather

than

to

attend

and

see

her

Sorrows.

as
in

we pray
our
of

that the Passion of

so

ever

hearts,

Dolours
be

Our Lady.

Our Lord may be mind the lot us ever bear in Moreover, we have to try to

and, since the Crucifixion, no sanctity is holy: attainable apart from suffering and sorrow, except that Saints have to carry the Cross after of little children.
Christ,

and
next

tin*

Queen
her

of all
It

Saints walks in the

is

Pro
not
the

cession

to

Son.

then

well

to

be

unmindful

of the
s

Mary pains and

Mary. sorrows were immense, and exceeded

Sorrows

of

all

martvrdom. They were proportioned to her greatness, and her nearness to Jesus, the Man of Sorrow. They were heightened by her enlightenment: our ignorance saves us from many a grief. They were
trials of

comparable only to her own immeasurable love: they whose love is little have little share in the beatitude of mourning. Mary s Dolours were multitudinous the In the Seven are onlv the chief amongst the number. from filled heart of Our Lady lay a sea of Sorrow countless springs and sources. They were miraculous, in that they did not destroy life or reason. They were
;

actual and real, in that they were without exaggeration,

and were continuous and

distinct.

We may note several peculiarities in the Sorrows of Mary, which strengthen her claim to our most tender
sympathy and compassion.
earliest years the Cross

They were
its

lifelong.

From
this

threw

deep shadow over

tender

child

she

can

laughed
dwell

like others.

plaved or Man- and Her leaving home and parents to the Cross
ever

have

hardlv

in the Temple was a sacrifice, voluntary indeed, but intensely painful, to the only child of Joachim and

Anna. She was saddened by her clear knowledge the dark idolatry of the world, of the sinful state
her
to of

of of

own

race, the

Chosen People

of

God.

She shuddered

contemplate her
Messias,

and

prophetic visions of the sufferings These wept for His Mother s Woe.

sorrowful impressions did not grow less, as do most of ours, by the lapse of time; if anything, they steadily
increased.
Little or
silent

she

was

in

no sympathy was shown her; and her grief. God enabled her to

maintain the most marvellous tranquillity, even during the suspense of the Three Days Loss.

fathom the depths of the knowledge Mary by God; if we could, we should find there, surely, like unto a priceless jewel hidden in the innermost recesses of Golconda s mines, the Cross of Christ. We do see it predicted to her, vaguely by the
cannot
imparted to
Archangel, clearly and distinctly by St. Simeon. It traces her path in the Flight into Egypt it was her melancholy on the horison of the arid desert it came close mirage
: :

We

and stood over her in the Three Days Loss. Her own gentleness and usefulness, her Child s beautiful littleness
avail

The Cross sweeps over all, and Divine nothing. Patience has at last a worthy created counterpart in the sublime calm of the Queen of Dolours.
Forget not that, besides for other reasons, they were permitted for our instruction, that we may imitate as

Forget not that they were permitted in order to excite and ennoble the compassionate feelings of human nature. should never possess a Unfeelingness place in a Christian s heart.

much

as

may

be.

157

TIIK

MOST

Pt

RE

HEART AND

ITS

SEVEN

SWORDS OF SORROW
the cataracts of the deep contributed to the

Delude, so the great Sea of Mary s Sorrows was increased by the fountains of love and which broke forth within her heart grief

and anguish of her Divine Son s Who would dare to say how many times the Passion. Sword pierced her soul who would dare to say by whom that Sword was wielded? We may, however, venture to indicate Seven Sword-thrusts, which must
under the
pressure

have

made
The
first

deep
of the

wounds

wounds

that

God

alone

could heal.

Seven Swords, which we will select lor our present meditation on Mary s Broken -heartedness, was her pain and disappointment that she might not that death should bear away her Life, die with Jesus

and
at
in

inflict

on her the pang

of parting;

that, separated

left to linger and so cruelly, bereavement. exile and Another Sword was that her presence during His

last

she should

be

Passion,

though

consolation

to

her

dying

Son,

in

Extreme was the distress of our Lord that so much which was inhuman and unseemly in His manner of death should be inflicted in the His Mother. And Mary had no presence and sight of of which she herself remedy for this inevitable suffering, was the innocent and sorrowful cause.
fact increased His pain.

158

THE THIRD DOLOUR

third

Sword was her

absolutely, hopelessly alleviate a single pain or suffering that

unable

feeling that she was helpless, to prevent, diminish, or

The Most
Pure Heart
its

He was enduring, and

Seven
of

Another Sword was the deadly anguish which her Swords and other senses made eyesight exquisitely sensitive by Sorrow caused her to feel throughout her whole sympathy being. But for miracle, her soul s crucifixion would have invaded
Stigmata like those of Assisi and Siena would not have sufficed everv lash, every thorn, every blow would have appeared on that
:

her entire mortal frame.

corpse standing beneath the Cross, saturated with sufferings of her crucified Son. Great as the sea her broken-heartedness salt
:

living the

was
of

tears,

hot,

tears,

tears

as though it were filled from the sea of lire and living waters before the throne of God. It is said that the

blood

burst

from her heart,

and one who stands beneath, will transfer to the body of the dead an exact pattern and of the copy leaves and branches. So does the fire of divine
tree

lightning flash, striking a

love

reproduce
of

in

those

who

shelter

in

"the

Him Whom
Life

shadow

of

their souls love

its

Even an image, an closely-embraced crucifix will work such wonders, when hearts are true and tender. St. Philip knew it, and could not bear to remain long before a crucifix, whose very sight made him shed tears
Fruit.

and

a true copy of the Tree

sweetest

often-handled,

torrents.

In St. Francis

He saw in completeness. the sky a living Seraph of dazzling light, bearing the tive Wounds and the likeness of Jesus Crucified the sight melted him, the Wounds pierced him as with so many darts of fire, and he became a living image of Jesus Crucified, with the Nails in hands and feet and

the prodigy

on Mount Alverno we have

its

full

R osa
Mvstica

the

Wound

in

his

bleeding

side.

If

such

effects

are

p^duced by mere visions and imaginations who love Our Lord, what has not been done by
in
reality

those
the

to

her

who

stood
1

beneath

His

Cross,

and

watched the sweet lift of Jesus ebb away, as He the Blood oozed from sighed and meekly panted, and We have to measure the bound His tortured frame? less ocean of her love, we have to remember the which united them, sonsliip and virginal motherhood

we watch the Sword of Sorrow piercing the Mourner s soul The Fifth Sword was the sacrilegiousness of the crime committed on Calvary the appalling certainty that God Himself in His passible nature was being of Life was being slain. put to death, that the Author
while
!

This bevoud words tortured her holy spirit. She could and not forget the song of the Angels at His Birth here around her were men and devils howling and
;

killed Him. shrieking blasphemies while they Sword to pierce one Lull of Grace!

fearful

A
the

peculiar
her

and
post

especial
Its

Sixth

Sword.

horror gives prominence to wound was that Mary should

of

remain at
as

on

Calvary,

she

be

might unable to

hope

the

Body

watching, guardingthe Lord, and yet

of

prevent

the

thrust

the

Spear,

that

Let men on the Corpse of Jesus. this wanton, say what they will, to have perpetrated was one of the worst savage deed in her presence
dastardly

outrage

infamies of Calvary. And the Seventh

of

these

Swords?

Oh,

infamy

worse than
Passion,
1

Calvary
after

these thoughts,

if, pondering on Jesus and Mary in the gazing

will

be ours

after

we

deliberately

commit

fresh

sins,

and

in

the

60

foresight

of

His

Motlier

"crucify

again

the

Son
in

of

The

Most-

God

"

Pure Heart
reflect

and its Seven conclusion, doubt, mourning Mary is still the Blessed amongst women. Swords of She would not part with the Sorrows to which she Sorrow calls attention, in which she permits the lowliest to For well does she know that in this vale of share.
In

that, without

her

tears the truest, highest love, the of the First Commandment, the

most perfect fulfilment

Christlike

Charity

is

that
feeds

which brands the bosom with the Cross, which the flames and intensifies the heat with the
waters"

"many

love of the

condoling grief. Love, even the Most Pure Heart, asks for suffering, insists

of

on sharing the pains of the Beloved, directs the Sword of Sorrow to its aching bosom. Let the Crucifix, let the Mother of Sorrows soften our hearts, moisten our eyes, and bring us blessed tears
!

come when the last tear will creep from our dying eye, when the crucifix will be placed in a cold, white hand laid meekly on a breast as cold.
day
will

Ah,

be our only tear, let not that grasp of the crucifix be our only embrace May the Hand of God, even while we live, often wipe away
let

not

that

tear

better,

before that day arrives. tears, and Mary and Joseph comfort us, may and bid us enter into the Joy of our Lord
holier,

sweeter
Jesus

And

then

161

Till-:

MYSTLRY OF

MARY S MARTYRDOM
and and
oarlli,
"in

lIIF

Creator of heaven
live,

\Yhom
being,

we

and

m<>ve,

have

our

shrouds Himself

in

our midst

Xot only is lie invisible; no power by which we can comprehend Him.

lie
is

with mystery. He has given us

In truth

incomprehensible

Infinite Self.
it

Unknown
1
1
,

is

for

no man

our advantage can sec God and

own except to He is not; but He is hidden; that it should be so now, for

to
all

His

live.

To
is

be inquisitive and
irreligious.

over-curious

about
the

divine

things

The

humble-minded
gratefully
is

will

be

always

careful

to

remember

that

mysteriousness of our

Infinite

God
it

in behalf of

our feebleness.

When He
eternal

teaches
to

is

in

parables,

which
is

adapt

His

truths

our

weak
as
In

intelligence.
rule

The
said

greater the mystery, the less

of

there

the Gospels, the

of to

dogma
s

explicitly of the Blessed

it

and

plainly.

Trinity,

the

dogma
alluded

our

Lord
to

and

Our Lord spoke

the high-minded,

implied, the humble-hearted

though frequently Divinity, are seldom distinctly stated.

rather

than to

and He always rebuked every kind of thoughtless question, and checked irrelevant curiosity. Of many truths He said: You cannot bear them and left their promulgation to His Church now
:

inspired

by the Holy Ghost.

these
its

Among
known
162
in

truths,

gradually

and slowly made

is

all

glorious greatness,

that

Mystery of

THE FOURTH DOLOUR

God
that
the

mercy
of

His Mother.
ever an the

True

it

is

her clients

Mary was
Bride
but
little

enemy

of her

own

urge The Mystery praise, that of Marv s

Holy Spirit prevailed with Him to Martyrdom mention of her name in His inspired Record. Yet this does not seem to be an adequate It may be added explanation of the Gospel reticence.

make

that Mary, in her office and her prerogatives, was also a mystery, and a truth too grand to have been

explained and comprehended at once. They who are close to a mountain, who dwell in its sheltering heights,
are prevented

by

their very nearness

from beholding

its

majestic dimensions, its graceful outlines. They may indeed have more than compensation in the pure air

and the mountain

clear
is

but the view atmosphere better from the distance. And

;

of

their

so

the

majestic dignity of Mary s divine Maternity vast to be seen as a whole by those around her and they have been silent about her
;

was too and near

though they
It
is

felt

her

influence

and

called

greatness, her Blessed.

those to
the

whom

to

see

future

prophetic vision has been granted from afar, and those who now

her from the distance of intervening centuries, who are able to speak of Mary fully and plainly, and who may hope to find the promised eternal life in her elucidation Qui eincidant me vitam eternam habebunt.

gaze

at

In
as
if

the

Gospels,

little

is

said of the Joys of Mary,

Magnificat mention of her Glory

her

her

suffices,
;

and hardly a

word

in

grief swells the pathos of the

but her Sorrows are not omitted, life of our Lord. I

that

think

Our Lady was willing

we should contemplate

the greatness of her Sorrow, and has invited us to do so, because from the greatness of the Sorrow we can
learn the greatness of her love of Jesus,
U

and

in a

way

163

Rosa
Mvstica

that even her humility

the

Heart

of

explanation of we do in fact

would allow. Ah, the history of an Mary would be incomplete without And it. those Seven Swords that pierce know far, far more of Mary through her

They attract Dolours than through any other Mystery. and sorrow. us strangelv, as is ever the case with pain and circlet The Sac-red Heart of Jesus has its thorny which brings tears soonest to our eyes, its flames or
those

thorns?

And which
of

are the

more

noticed

in

the

representations

our artists

Roses encircling the

Heart of Mary or the Seven Swords that pierce it? We should know much of the Martyrdom of Mary, remains a deep it yet after earnest study on our part, Witli the Prophet we may exclaim: For the
Mystery.
affliction

people I am afflicted and made sorrowful, astonishment hath taken hold on Grieved as was St. Simeon by the me (Jer. viii. 21). of of the Sign that was to be contradicted,
of

the

Daughter

of

my

foresight

Jesus

fastened

to

the

Cross,

he

seemed

to

be

more

of astonished and dismayed by his vision of the piercing Her share in the Passion, the heart of Christ s Mother. that her presence on Calvary were so startling, so tragical, Mother of The the old man faltered in foretelling them. more the Victim seems to have excited his compassion

than

and made him change Xunc Dimittis into a Lamentation.

the

Victim

Himself,

his

not thy wisdom in her beauty," says Holy This is a distinct encouragement to us to study Writ. and picture to ourselves some of the Sorrows of
"Hide

Mary,

Firstly, the plaintive aspects of her beautiful sadness. more or less distinctness. they were ever before her with on the unknown Virgin-Mother of Messias, in

Pondering

the enlightened

wisdom

of her seraphic spirit she

must

164

The Mystery Mother s sorrows. At the AYF of the Angel, she knew of Mary s Ah, another Martyrdom all, and bv her FIAT made them her own. j
have ever
felt

the

most

tender

compassion

for

that

Angel might have come, the Angel of the Agony in the Garden, to console and strengthen her, unless Gabriel s Xe timeas was meant for this also. She knew her fate, and
still

said

Ecce Ancilla Domini.

it

Church have written that

she conceived,

The Fathers was a Crucified One

but
it

of

the

Whom

when

she consented to be the Mother of the

was Martyrdom The prolongation of a martyrdom is always begun. no martyrdom ever reckoned a part of the suffering And the longer it lasted, it grew lasted like Our Fady s.
of Sorrows.
It

Man

was joy

in suffering.

hour of the Annunciation, the tide of sorrow rose higher and higher within her soul,
the

From

It as the loveliness of Jesus gained upon her. though the mystery amazes us for what tears
;

was so had she

:

spare and love

soul,

to

for
?

sorrow

who

so

often

wept

for

very joy

How
in

grand,

how

beautiful

must be that
contending nothing of its

which
of

quiet and calm can contain

intensity,
!

feelings

such

and yet

lose

gracious symmetry

The Martyrdom
than
the

her

senses,

it

Mary was in the soul rather was mental more than physical
of
;

although
even
in

her
of

strings

exquisitely a harpsicord
It

delicate

frame
struck

quivered,

as

when

by hand or

took place in her soul, for it was because of her Son she grieved, because of Him, and
air- wave.

and her soul was in Him there where it loved, more than where it lived. Had the Jews wanted to make the Mother of Jesus a martyr There would have they need have done no more.
union with
"

Him

been

nothing

gained

by

striking

her

also

as

she

Rosa
Mystica

stood
thirst,

beneath
Hi>

His pains and entire Passion were suffered by her because

the
Cross.

His blows,

He
of

suffered
this

them.
of

Ah,
this

who

can

describe
of

the

intensity

anguish,
at

transfixion

her

presence
title,

the

Passion

By Marv more than merited

her

soul?

her

Regina Martvrum. Her Son would not deprive her of her crown and her queenly title, although this presence of His Mother
chief suffering to His tender His bodilv suffering was the anguish
a
filial

was

Heart.
felt

Above

He

at bringing

mourning and distress. Still, inevitably upon He well understood that less would not have satisfied And so thev mingled Blood and Tears, and her love. welded and linked together sullen-ing and sorrow in The two one holocaust, one Sacrifice of Redemption. Hearts thrilled in condolent unison, cry and echo were
her
this
/

indistinguishable, the sorrows were inseparable. There was mutual sympathy but in this part of the
:

Passion,

unlike

the

rest,

the suffering
s.

was Mary

and

the sorrow
freely
this,

was our Saviour

:

He was

He had and spontaneously and chosen it. He was the Lamb

offering Himself eternally thought of

slain

from the

beginning of the world. and it bring a consent

consent
to the

Whereas, Mary could only seems a harder thing to

death of the innocent, all-holy Victim, than to undergo death, harder the more because she might not also die. When the Machabee Brothers were
martyred, Mother.
the the

Scripture

says
!

Lastly
this

was

slain

the

Happy mother Blessed among women

in

more blessed

than

she died with her children.

Mary might not die neither for her Son, nor with her Son. The further we penetrate into the Mystery, the more do many hearts reveal, with the sanction of
1

66

Mary, bidden
that
the
s

thoughts.

And
of
it

therefore

let

us

reflect

chief

characteristic

the

maternal

love

in of

Mary

Heart

was

that

was

created,

controlled,

The Mystery Mary s Martyrdom

brooded over with ineffable complacency by her Spouse the Holy Ghost. Over that Sea of Sorrow the Spirit
of

God

moved,

there

He
of

uttered

those

sighs,

those

unspeakable groan ings though He borrowed her human heart to transmute His own eternal, infinite love into an almost infinite sorrow. The HeavenlyHis, as

Dove

and
is

His

Mate
rilled

the

Undefiled
Life.

mourned

and

lamented over the

Tree of

Who

there

who would
:

not

weep,

who would

not exclaim at the sight of the Oueen of Martyrs and w J her Sword-pierced Heart I am afflicted and made
sorrowful, astonishment hath taken hold is the sorrow unlike all others, for she
is

of

me

Hers
that

and she alone

her

the

Mother

of

God, and

it

is

as

His Mother
for

she mourns.
as

Has any mother love

?

son

such

Assuredly no, for it would be idolatry. Assuredly no, for no other mother can ever have a son so beautiful, gentle, obedient and loving as is As the love is so is the sorrow. Hers is Mary s.

Mary has

supreme;

and loss all in one make her Woe personified. Well may her demeanour be calm for she is in an ecstasy of Sorrow which has Her Sea of deluged and saturated her whole being. Sorrow is immense, beyond the limits of time and space and knowledge, out of sight and hearing of other creatures the very Angels cannot measure and fathom the depths of this ocean. It rises and broadens, it sweeps onwards and upwards to the throne of the
her
life,

love,

Mary stands near the Cross of Jesus, weeping and mourning in the Name of the Father,
:

Blessed Trinity

167

Rosa
Mystica

Son, and
that

One
()

Holy Ghost, for the Sufferings and Death of the Adorable Three to Whom she
!

of
is

Virgin-Mother

Queen

of Martvrs, forgive

and pray

for us!

168

THE FIF1H

1)01.

OU R

THE DESOLATION OF MARY

CHAPTER
>N

I.

soul,

the Church calls her children and makes them almost witness the Crucifixion of our Redeemer. Her cry ECCE LIGNUM CKUCIS rivets our whole heart, mind and strength on JESUS CRUCIFIED. We adore
/

Good Friday

to Calvary,

Wounded Feet they are dead, dead and torture, dead, alas to lips that quiver fatigue with pity and contrition. The Office ended, we depart
;

Him

we

kiss

His

to

leaving the sanctuary so lone, so desolate, leaving our Jesus hanging dead upon His Cross, and Unburied
!

It
is

is

true that

on Holy Thursday the Body

:

of the

Lord

carried in procession to the Sepulchre but the Victim of the Unbloody Sacrifice is laid according to ritual in

But the procession of the Presanctified on the Good Friday, ending in the solitary and hastened Communion of the mutilated Mass this may be taken to represent the hurried Burial
of
Jesus.

tabernacle rather than a tomb.

Or,
altar

perchance,
at

the

mantled
with
the
all
its

Tenebrae
It

hiding behind the dis of the one white Candle

unextinguished light
beautiful

Burial of Jesus.
the

may be meant to symbolize may be that the Church by

in

confusion

humbly
duty. to her

records that in
fled,

her changed ceremonies the person of her first Twelve

herself

Bishops she

and

failed in her first

efface

She appears to

and most sacred and bids us turn

"

who

"Stood

by the Cross

of Jesus

to

Mary
169

Rosa
Mvstica

the Bride of Christ

was acknowledging a fault which fidel: the broken-hearted love and repaired by
Mother.

One
pathetic-

thing

is

certain;

Lamentations, and

spite Office of

in

of

the

mournful,

funeral

honour

to

or Living is equally to be our Divine Lord, who Dead loneliness and empti adored, there remain an appalling an aching void in each heart, each

ness

in

sanctuary,

;uul a restless,

impatient grief, our would be well-nigh intolerable but for these things DESOLATA. Is it because ol a
recoul-se
to

and

to us of the

Oratory

MARIA

closer
ui

acquaintance
of

with sorrow,

of

sharper

Desolation grows upon us in year after year her the most stupendous and more colossal dimensions, as The vividness ol the of
of
all

grief,

-cutler

and more sobered

experience dispositions, that

vaster

the

Sorrows
the

Mary?
is

mystery
narrative

never
of

lades,

it

something
has

most
loves

intense
us

more than a As the love sadness.

neither

with

beginning nor we love Him our end so the love with which no future, 11. s -knows no past, of Jesus and Mary, like

which

God

when
the

it

meditates.

To

us

the

Crucifixion

of

Jesus,

we

as clearly as though Desolation of Mary are shown sad and silent ol Calvar were spectators

actually

scene of suffering and

sorrow.

protested in of the Crime

of

wind The Passion was accompanied with portents consummation creation s name against tins
of
it

Deicide.

Darkness
rocks
of

covered

the

lace

the earth;

quaked and trembled;

in

the veil of
split

the

Temple was
fissures

rent

twain;
the

were

asunder,

Calvary,
170

mountains; tied horn Affrighted crowds released their prisoners. their Victim dying on the

opened

in

sides

leaving

Beneath
of

tliat

Cross,

steadfast,
place.

immovable, the Mother The

her
right,

Jesus

held

her
to

None disputed

Desolation

She stood of implore her to withdraw. close to the Cross, so that the sighs of Son and Mother
mingled in one sound, like the patient, gentle moan of one poor Victim. She stood beneath the Cross, so that she might answer the last look of grateful love and farewell with whirl) He sought her face. She stood beneath the Cross, that while obeying His down His head towards her, He Father, bowing "breathe out His soul in the bosom of His might
Mother."

none ventured

Mary

was nailed to the Cross at Noon, and at Three He gave up the ghost. The concealments and of those three dread hours suspense ended, and it was
Jesus
evident, that all

when was

the
in

darkness ceased
truth

to

cover Calvary,

Corpse
guard,

of Jesus

consummated, hung upon the Cross.

and only the So the crowd

the Centurion
in
s

of spectators departed in

company with
his

whose remorse, and

At
last

leader
glorified

struck
God."

breast

pity

and

"

was peace, though to Jesus it was death, and to His Mother and her fewfaithful friends it was that is most bitter." "peace The secret and timid disciples drew near, making amends for the desertion and denial of the rash and
there

the peace

of

boastful.

And we
our
all

also
is

go

in spirit

to Calvary, because

Jesus

Love

drawing
In

to Himself

itself

sorrow known

is lifted up, and is and His mourning Mother. desolation is no isolated and exceptional
crucified,"

only

to

the

maternal

heart

of

Our Lady has companions in all who have loved and lost. Where death victoriously assails any
stronghold
171

Mary.

Rosa
Mystica

of

love,

and snatches away

his

prey,

he leaves behind
of

him

desolation.

And

as

the

ruins
fire

home
alike
to
of

that
the

has been pillaged and set on

testify

the splendour of the dwelling and the completeness destruction, so does the greatness of the desolation

the survivor correspond and testify to the greatness But of the peace and love invaded by ruthless death. actual death the beginnings of desolation precede the
in

of

those

we

love.
s

The
been

mourner
lias

desolation

begins
before,

before

our heart

best treasure

the

loved

one
that

has

been seized, borne away from us.

The

moment
of

suspense

ends,

death
steal

unmistakably

and the ashen pallors appear however slowly they

the

may
heart

and spread

when

certainty

strikes

the

watcher that the end is coming, that it must be death, inevitable death then begin the ache and the inward pressure, the terrible pains, and the while, by one voiceless heart-meanings of Desolation
of the
:

thus
"the

oppressed and stilled by unseen grief that swells

soul,"

restrained

sorrow,
in

and
the

with

silence

must be calmed and cheered with kind and tranquil look and word, the death-parting must be gone through with religious self-control and and with unrefreshing tears must the dead be buried with afterwards, life, cruel, lonely life be begun again
tortured
the dying
;

an almost

lifeless

heart.
it

Thus, only ten thousand times worse, was

with

Mary

in

her

Desolation,

since

her

on the Cross not to anguish hour after hour,

possession
of

come down
while

alive.

Son was up She stood in death was taking

lifted

Sacred Temple of the Body of the Lord which His enemies had so sacrilegiously destroyed. She saw death in His face, so soon as He was lifted
that
172

up

on

the
into

Tree

of

shame,

and

down
It

a face as deathlike as

appeal ingly His own.

looked The
Desolation
of

was desolation to stand helpless and hopeless, and watch that ebbing away of the life of her Son, to hear the soft, slow drip of the Life-Blood of God.
Quickened with maternal alarm, her ears detected the "Farewell, My Mother!" in His dying accents and the Her gently-spoken words, Woman, behold thy son wistful, startled eyes were not so blinded with blood
"
"

Mary

bitter tears, but that they saw the contorted limbs of her Child grow stiff and rigid, and the dank dew of death redden afresh the dark blood-garland

stained,

beneath the crown of

proclaim her woe,
I

thorns.

But
-

no
out
:

language
Father,

can
into

Thy
head,

hands
into

when He cried commend My spirit hands

of

and,

bowing His

the
!

His Mother

commended His

lifeless

Body

Amid all the glad signs of happy devotion, often have we knelt adoring and gazing on that same Body
of Jesus
in joy,
"

white as white wool and as

light,

snow,"

exposed
to

and

and peace,
Himself.

to delight us

and

to delight

the

dear

Lord
the
fearful

But

contrast
this
first,

bright

Service at

we have which we

forgotten

assisted with

Exposition of the Most Holy, where the Mother and her grieving attendants are the mourning worshippers of the Divine Body that hangs on the butchered and Cross, lifeless naked, dishonoured, Think what sorrow above all sorrow to spend two
!

watching that Sacred Body, not clad in Sacramental veils, but stark and cold not white, except with the corpse s pallor not beautiful above
of

hours

men, but, alas! "without comeliness," one striken by God," greeted by the plaintive cry of

the sons of

"as

Rosa
Mvstica

hast His Mother s broken heart My God, my God, why Thou forsaken me? Ah, while Joseph and and and winding sheet, let us approach,
:

buy myrrh -look upon Him Whom we have pierced." more and As the dreadful darkness draws away, and agony, the more plainly can we see the pain and features place slowly
thirst-look

in

His

holy

give

This hope and peace. consolingly to repose dear dead, and of this at least see in the faces of their In spite of disfigurement, the Mary is not deprived. the divine meek majesty of her God re-appears, and now so languid and pathetic-, of beauty, though she her desolation deepens, for Vet Sacred Face.
all

cannot

reach
her,

that
still

above

unbending Cross;

weeping Magdalen

He hangs high wan, worn face. and so tightly to Fastened and she has none with her but the and the other devout women: one
Disciple

man alone And Mary

is

there -the

whom

Jesus

loved.

to hide Him from longs to bury her Child, cause to forfeit the His enemies, ready not without But none on His face. sad solace of

gazing
this

hand

to

help.
sheet,

"These

arms
to

of

mine
Son,

winding

heart,

sweet

must must be

sepulchre."

She

has cause

fear.

Even while

Pilate s cruel Mother waits there with yearning heart, errand; and into ruthless on return soldiers

scourged
his lance.

and
It

torn
is

Longmus He wanton, cowardly act.

breast
of

Jesus,

thrusts
pierces

the heart

and
1

soul

of

Mary by the dastardly outrage;

as

but Mary,
"

think,

forgives;

Jesus

forgives,

as

we

forgive

because

he

makes

entrance
last

into

very
largest

Paradise;

and
is

because

this-the

and
the

Wound

fairer

and more beautiful than

pearly

gate of Heaven.

Then,
are

too,

it

is

the signal

that
if

His own,
at
last

if

they

The
of

willing, may have willing to receive Him.

Him now,
At His
is

they

are Desolation
;

birth

they were not

Mary

but

somewhat better and draws them to lifted treatment. He is Him. Yes, even the gentle Joseph, the timid Nicodemus become strong and brave, and dare to carry out all They mean to take Jesus they have dared to plan. down from that Cross, and give Him back to His
at

His

death

He

accorded
up,"

"

Mother.

They mount
though
horrified

the

and crushed when

all

ladder they have procured and, close to the awful

;

wounds
they are
further
in

and

seams

over

the

mangled Body,
In

still

resolute

and prompt.
in

haste

for

fear

of

hindrance, haste for fear

s

haste

for

exceeding

reverence,

Mother
that

sake

hold

losing nerve, in haste for the drive back and draw out the nails they His hands and feet, they detach the Body
of

which is glued to the wood with congealed Blood, and then from the arms of the rugged Cross tenderly and gently they lower Him to Mary s, and rest our dead Saviour s head on the holiest of altars the

bosom
mother
herself

of His Mother.
this

And

also

is

as

it

should be.

At death, the

To her the wife precedence of all. death dissolving her union sacramental yields, though it be but maintaining and even deepening the love and the union from the womb between mother
takes

Ah, Mary is our Mother, as \vell dying child. His Who lies there dead upon her lap. O Mary, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
as

and

Be with us
die in peace

then.
!

Without

thee,

my

Mother,

cannot

175

Rosa
Mystica

Will Mary speak

silence
is

in in

this

hour
as

of her distress?
it

Her
in

preserved

sadness

has been

her

has already uttered her Lamen joy: but the Prophet who pass by the way, attend and () all ye tation for see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow: he hath made a vintage of me, as the Lord spoke in
:

the

day

of

His

fierce

wrath.
havoc-

What

else

but

vintage can the ruin

and
fierce
fair

be called which

Mary
a
has
the

summons
very
beaten,

us to

see?
the the

Against

the Tree of Life, like

hurricane,

anger of
foliage
is

divine

Justice

and
the

all

scattered

by

storm,

brandies
lies

sweet Fruit

stripped and bare, there in her lap all torn and bruised!
are

and

the

Was
so

wrath so wild, wreck so complete, vintage The Handiwork of devastating and vindictive?
ever

Holy Ghost, the fair woven with her consent

the

garment

of

innocent

ilesh,

for the Son of God within See, her virginal womb, is brought back to her the Drooping," whether it be thy Son s or
. .
.

il

no."

"

Prophet
trampled
ripe

saith,

as

tender

plant
"

crushed,
"

as

the

"Flower

of the held

grape
of

in

the

wine-press
"

down-trodden, as the as a root withered,

"

out

there is no beauty in ground Him nor comeliness." Attend and see! We have seen we should be Him, and there is "no sightliness, that have thought Him as it "We desirous of Him." were a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted." We thought it, but only for a moment we remembered He was wounded for our infirmities, He was that

the

thirsty

"

bruised

He was offered, because it was His own will; and He opened not His mouth." lamb was He led to the slaughter, and Silently, like a But, after death, with utter willingness He died.
for

our

"

sins."

176

what say
out?

these

Wounds?

What

does

that

Blood

rail

The

says that weeping Mother? Nothing too Desolation After all, she only asks us not to pass of Mary the way, but to stop, and "attend and see if there by be any sorrow like unto her sorrow." She implores

What

hard to bear.

us to go out to Calvary, in the gloom of this dreadful evening, and there on the dark hillside, in blessed

mercy and pity, to mourn for Him, to help her to shroud Him, and at least make the place less lonely,
the

desertion
of

less

total,

the

ruin

less
!

universal

The

of Nay, His winding-sheet must mercy Himself appeals for it be an alms, His Sepulchre must be borrowed The foxes have their holes, and the birds of the air their

Mother

mercy

pleads for

mercy
!

the

God
"

nests,
head,"

but the

Son

of

Man
last

has no place to lay

sleep!
all

His
of

and

sleep

His

Veriest

Victim

you. Count, count you can, these bleeding wounds. They are without number, and yet with one voice they all not of wrong, nor injury, nor speak cruelty, nor of love alone. pain they speak Every mouthed wound with its ruby lips calls out in the name of a love
if

naked who will He is dead Ah, who will bury Him? Need we fear? Need we dread reproaches? She utters none, she makes no complaint, she only laments and mourns. She tells her sorrow, and asks for us to share it. "See, my children, your Lord and Master! See how He loved

poverty, Mary shows her Son clothe Him? She shows that

that

is

stronger
love.

than death.
red
roses

To

that

ecstatic:

love

they only seem

like

which you have

will
love- tokens
:

Him
ever,

given

for
fair

These Five largest He

I

keep for
for,

and fragrant, and as

when

asked about them, He will only say

was wounded

Rosa
Mystica

with them
last
still

in

the house of those

children,

who
His

loved

me

His

look,

my
love,

was one
lids.

of love,

lingers beneath these

last

words of them still.

His even

parted lips His heart broke with love.

and these
Mother,

and its light words were seem to repeat These arms of

:

I,

His

have

not

moved

He keeps

them open, wide open even now, to invite vou all to And thus in my bosom Oh, so peare and pardon heavy, sad, and forlorn your Divine Love lies bleeding: and as for me, hear that Blood of mine Only One
!
!

speaking Mother,
Mother,

to
it

me

better things than the blood of Abel.

l

whispers,

Mother,

forgive

them
they

My
did.

love

them
"

they

knew not

what

how Thou King, my God

Oh,
!

hast loved

Thy

enemies,
in

my

Son,

my

All

these

things

Marv ponders
laid

her

heart,

with
thorn-

the dear dead

Body

across her knees.

The

crowned head rests on her left arm; with her right hand she gently puts back from His gracious features and helped bv the others the long, blood-clotted hair Her tears disentangles and removes the cruel crown. she thinks of the lilies of Nazareth with fall fast which He let her crown Him in the joy and adoration of those days of her youth and His lovely childhood. All the last offices, so far as place and time permit, With myrrh and aloes they try to close are rendered.
;
:

those

many

wounds,
in

while

she

herself

stanches
fingers

the

one

still

fastened

bleeding His swaddling

falter

His riven
clothes
in
!

side.

The
fold

that

now

His shroud:

nor do they
gladness the Precious
;

more
alas

in

albeit,

than then they failed they are now tinged with

grief

Life-Blood
is

of

her Jesus.
she

Only now her

within
her

harp

of
8

joy

silent,

and

repeats

desolate heart
the

prophet
!"

saddest psalms of her ancestor, and The lamentations. "The Lord is my Desolation
. . .

the

portion,

saith

my

soul"

-in
I

truth,

and soul
is

therefore will

wait for him.

He was her life The Lord

of

Mary

to them that hope in Him, to the soul that Him. It is good to wait in silence for the salvation of man. It is good for a man, when he

good

seeketh

have borne the yoke from his youth. He shall sit hold His peace, because He hath solitary, and taken it upon Himself. He shall rest in Thy Tabernacle, in Thy holy mount." When all that can be done is done, He is borne in mournful procession and she who with Joseph laid Him in the manger, now, aided by another Joseph, lays Him in the tomb. All is done calmly, with reverent composure, though tears fall in
shall
;

Beside Him ecstasy of grief. she places the Nails, the Crown, all the Blood-stained instruments of His Passion, with forgiving kisses.
torrents,
is

and she

in

Why
at

not

Never more will they hurt

Him

and

they,

The grieving assistants least, knew not what they did. and Mary is alone with her Jesus. feelingly withdraw, The poor veiled Mother bends between those out
stretched arms, and as white and cold.
kisses

the cold

pale lips with

lips

began and in most tender maternal

ever

Thus in the Cave of Bethlehem the Cave of Calvary end the holiest,
ministrations
be.

and

caresses
to

that

were
is

or the

could
first

There
last

are

given

God

Incarnate

and

kiss

Mary

by

maternal

entitled to bestow, her first and last embraces, right dear to His filial love and subjection alike in life and

death.
at

But at Bethlehem was

"the

"the

morning

gladness,"

Calvary abides

evening

weeping."

Mary
comes

falls

upon

her knees, adores her

Dead God, and

forth.

179

Rosa
Mystica
the

Tlicv

roll

large stone

to

the entrance, and close

tomb;
sobs.

they

worship
for

in

silence

except
stars

and

Sad Angels

light

up

the

sighs above, as

for

sanctuary lamps
her sombre pall:

the Sacred Sepulchre:

night lends

forth their faint garden flowers send altar of Christ s Body evening fragrance around this and through the dark cypresses, the sighs of the night music. wind make softest and most mournful requiem
:

It

is

be

glorious:"

shall written in the Prophets, "His Sepulchre and already is the prediction fulfilled. For

the Compassion of

God

has over-ruled

man

would-be

lias been given for Christ s contempt and cruelty. Leave to But the conditions and circumstances seem burial. make it hurried and secret, near the place of execution, Yet the rich and like that of any poor criminal. of God s noble are there, and the greatest and holiest His the one most acceptable to our Lord

creatures,

Own
does

Virgin
St.

Mother

--herself

performs

the

rite.

Justly

John exult because the Word of Life has been but the seen and heard and handled with our hands: the grace of touch of no priest, however sanctified by
the
as so

been so acceptable to Jesus Holy Ghost, has ever for burial, and hers who composes His sac-red limbs hers the Sacrifice of the Cross, which is

completes

as well as

His.

Thus
in

laid

to

rest

He by His Mother,

exclaims: In pace
"The

dead shall
is
"free

Who
cloth,

turned

amongst my mourning into

hast
gladness.

et requiescam. idipsum, dormiam not praise Thee, () Lord;" but He the dead" exclaims: Thou hast

joy,

Thou

hast cut

my

sack

Thou
peace,
is

loosened

me with
is

and compassed Yet the Mother sighs: His abode

my

shroud,

in

and His repose

bitterness

in

Holy Sion

but

in

peace
i

my

most

bitter.

So

THE SIXTH DOLOUR

THE DESOLATION OF MARY

CHAPTER
ATII is not mencement
;

II.

desolation,

but
is

only
burial,

its

com
is

nor

yet

this

only
tear

its

progress.

When

mourners

must

the ^rave, and go o o back to an estranged world, to a tenantless abode, and

themselves

from

to

distasteful

duties
of

distasteful

because
ones
to
if

by

them

instead
is

the

clear

discharged o then departed

intolerable.

desolation

complete, and begins

be

not despairRepugnance, despondency, misgivings, these are the phantoms which haunt this wilderness of

woe, which
desolation
s

alarm
desert.

the poor

pilgrim
the

passing

Then do

mourners

feel

through with

deepest pang that it is not the dead who leave them, but that they are compelled to desert the dead in favour of the living. And this grief also comes to
forces her to

Mary, when the stationing of sentinels at the Sepulchre withdraw. Pity her, defenceless, widowed,

Childless Mother, denied the privilege nay, the rightof the meanest mourner, and robbed even of her Dead

Whither
her

shall she

go?

Is

it

not
to

unclasp
so

those

aching,
so
!
"

weary

one? Oh, see hands, and stretch

all

meekly, her Heavenly Father

them

piteously

the

compassion
..

of

He hath made me desolate He hath spread a net for my feet, He hath turned me back He hath blocked up my way with square stones. Yea, and when I cry and entreat, He hath shut
.

181

Rosa
Mystica

out

my

prayer."

with
aloes

myrrh,
in this

See those imploring hands, "dripping those fingers stained with myrrh and

and Blood!

Ah, Mother!
woe, is Atonement.
while Sorrows,
thy

the
"the
"

"uplifting

of thy

hands,"

bitter
of
"

of
is

this

Day

Evening Sacrifice" While the King

sleeps
in

at

His

repose
of

Jesus
forth

thou,

Queen

must
send

watch,

odoursand moans from thy Sword-pierced bosom sighs Whither can she go? I ask, away from the the rebellious earth have any resting for Sepulchre, her true King s Oueen ? She is worn out with O *w and suffering, languid with fatigue and fasting, her quivering lips arc- parched with thirst, and smart too with wounds from the thorny crown. Her beautiful
sweet,

crushed

spikenard,

and, sweet

like

death, the

"If,"

"

"

<mef

eyes,

those

merciful
terrible

eves

of hers arc swollen

with the

tears of her

her

poor,

pale

face

weeping, tears of blood that tinge She betakes herself where all
their
it

mourners should find

Cross.
still
it

way
is,

she
like

goes back to the

herself
"made

Empty though
of,"

vintage

is

the

Tree of Life to

all

others

The pale by having been the Tree of Death to Jesus. Paschal moon shines down, and shows it to the Mother
with
its

great

wide
of the

arms,

Precious Blood

Lamb

of

and on God.

it

glistens

the

The exhausted Mother has made her way to the Tall and haughty, Cross on the summit of Calvary. it gleams against the dark skv bevond. Again Marv J O j stands beneath the Cross but she is like a poor wounded
*)
:

bird her

that

has fluttered to the foot of

the
nest

tree

where

young have been taken, and her

Tree of Life
!

destroyed. canst thou afford no comfort ? Is it

not

through
182

her

that

glory

and

renown

are

to

be

thine henceforth for ever

Is

it

not to her that thou

The

must give thanks for all thy victories ? For it is Mary Desolation who on thee has made restitution for the theft of Eve of Mary from that other tree. The hour of Thy exaltation is hardly come, and never slialt thou exult over this
bereaved Mother.

blossomed

is

hers, not thine.

The Flower with which thou hast The Fruit which the Lord
thee
is is

has gathered from

the

Fruit
the

of

her
is

virginal
bruised,
!

womb.
hush
!

The Flower
It is

crushed,
of

Fruit

because of the
the Cross

stiffness

thy stubborn boughs

But
these

not for those

who

crucified Jesus to reproach

which they themselves prepared.

are not the

And

thoughts
is

thoughts of Mary. Although it saturated with the Life-Blood of her Son, she gives
that

But her Desolation from deepens. Jesus of Nazareth its aspect makes Mary still more realize her own separation from her Divine Son. In death they were not divided" has its special significance
to

Cross

the

kiss

of

peace.

The Cross
;

itself

looks desolate parted

"

to
its

loving

hearts.
of

Swords
in

Sorrow

her Heart with Therefore, until is released from ache as was

the Sacred
Jesus

Wounded

death as
far

Heart, until she is united with well as in life, her Desolation will
"

and must endure.

soul,
is
away,"

The Comforter,

the

relief

of

her

and already she knows how many

weary years must pass till Jesus comes. There is strength if not comfort for Mary in that Cross. She lingers here, far from home nay, home she has no longer, but why remain here, unsheltered on the
bleak,

gloomy mountain
in

Via Dolorosa.
to

Ah, she fears to retrace the Sorrow-laden, she must reach some place
?

mourn

pass

through

She fears to yonder dark, sullen City. the streets, where only this morning she
83

Rosa
Mvstica
./

followed Jesus carrying His Cross, she fears to pass the doors of the dwellings where the voices of His murderers may still be heard, harsh and relentless. All this she
fears
:

but more than

unfeeling eyes,
"

terrible

eyes,"

she fears the eyes, the hard, that will watch her, those unpitying, that made Jesus grateful even for the
all
!

kind word of a dying thief Yes, Mary clings to the world she knows so well. Cross rather than face the When He first came unto His own, His own received
"

Bethlehem was most cruel, and now Jerusalem is pitiless and cruel in His death. Only a few days ago, her Sou shed tears over the can we wonder City, because of its heartless rejection

Him

not;"

at

His

birth

that

Mary shudders,

as she

turns from

the Cross,

com

pelled to re-enter that cruel City at her feet ?

now crouching gloomily

Conscience compels us to confess that our share in the Sorrows that pierced our Lady s soul is undeniable,

and lays on which come

implores.

duty of revealing the thoughts from giving the attention she us to And therefore I cannot refrain from dwelling
us

the

Passion of Jesus, which cannot be excluded from the Desolation of Mary.

longer on
the

worst

cruelty

of

the

Our own reason and self-knowledge, exploring

dark realms of the
its

the

human

heart perverted and far from

Creator,
evil,

of

depths of ignominy, capabilities enough to cause loathing and despair: while

discover

Faith

reveals

horrors

and

possibilities

of

guilt

still

more appalling.
one
passion as
repulsive

But Faith and Reason point alike to more than all others disgraceful and
cruelty.

human

The worst

accusation,
cruel.

the

reproach most dreaded is that of being with seldom Himself so reproachful says
184

God
fearful

meaning

The

daughter

of

My

people

is

cruel.

The

And
of

Jesus so the first

uncomplaining at the wanton cruelty Desolation blow He received, exclaimed: Why of Mary

strikest
It

thou Me?
is

positively sickening to think

of

how

completely

this

crime

cruelty
is

(-an

take

nature.
of

Weakness
into

cruel.

possession of human Even the child, in spite

will

littleness,

youth, and happiness,

turn

its

very
in

sportiveness
spite
of

ingenious

cruelties.

The woman,

gentle manners, culture, will turn the very delicacy of her tastes and instincts into refinements of inhuman conduct. The dancing daughter of Herodias
sex,

will

gaily

carry
of

the

bleeding

the
cruel.

boudoir

her

head of the Baptist delighted mother Strength

!

to
is

Yes, and in the strong, cruelty too often arouses other savage passions into which they fierce!} plunge. The songs of birds will cease, when the scream of the

heard, as it flutters in the talons of the hawk often in the pitying ear of night ascends the shrill death-note of some poor animal seized for food by the
is
:

dove

often, Oh, how often, in some poor, hapless, human very City, victim has shrilly rung out unheeded in the silence of the night, has been drowned in the heartless hum of pleasure and riot, while strong, remorseless cruelty

beast
this

of

prey.

But how
cry of

the

completed
Yet,
brother,

its

ferocious deed
I

while

more

committed
other
vice,

Cain slew his and worse crime has been by mankind through cruelty than any I maintain that the greatest and most
that,

believe

since

crime

atrocious

cruelty ever perpetrated is the Crucifixion of Jesus in the presence of His Mother.
I

invoke the testimony of heaven and earth

that

Rosa
Mystica

the worst of all cruelty is to outrage maternal love- a love so unselfish, so sublime, implanted by the Creator
as the noblest natural instinct of living creatures.

Even

wild

animals

will

let

themselves

be

than give up and desert their young. If thou find, such cruelty, and expressly forbids it. as thou walkest by the way, a bird s nest in a tree or
"

captured rather God abominates

on the ground, and the dam sitting upon her young or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take her with her God extends His own immediate young" (Dent, xxii.)
In Leviticus (xxii.) protection to the maternal instinct. God says The mothers shall not be sacrificed the same
:

day with

their

young

ones.

And

to

show His
it

detes

tation of another crime,

God compares

to this cruelty.

that offered sacrifice of the goods of the poor is as one that sacrificeth the son in the presence of his
father (Kccus. xxxiv.)

He

This
Tenderness

holy

law,
defied

this

merciful

decree

of

Divine

and brutally broken on Good We wretches took the Son, dragged Him Friday. bleeding and faint to Calvary, and with our Victim we were met by the Mother. The heavy Cross He was bearing crushed Him with its weight, and we

was

jeered

pavement at her feet. On off His garments, and His Mother Her Nazarite beheld the scourged and mangled flesh. was whiter than snow, purer than milk, ruddier than

when He fell Calvary, we stripped

to

the

"

golden

ivory,

fairer

than
!

sapphire."

What

she

then

saw was a
from
her,

livid Leper because at our

And

then

He was hidden

Himself upon the Cross. to hear the strokes of that ceaseless hammering, driving
nail
1

bidding He meekly placed But worse than sight was it

after nail,

like

bolts,

through quivering

flesh

into

86

wood. Again she beheld Him, stretched The and distended on the uplifted Cross, the Wounds in Desolation hands and feet of sensitive Ilesh lacerated and enlarged of Mary Then she drew by the weight of the Crucified Body. near and stood face to face, looking up into the
drooping,
ness

the stubborn

anguished

countenance.

Was

it

partly

in

mercy to her that God sent the three hours of dark to hide somewhat the oozing and sprinkling of

the heaving chest, the quivering throes of pain in each agonized limb ? And yet there rang throbbing out unrepressed that all-proclaiming cry, so terrible to

Blood,

a mother

bosom,

"I

thirst!"

In

the presence of
"

His

the blasphemous jeer crowd and the high priests. They derided Him, mocked His tortures, gloated over His sufferings. Mary saw Him wince in hurt amazement at the unmanly, wicked cruelty. Hardest of all for her was the
Cross"

Mother, He was come down from

of the

insulted
the

with

jeers

Vah,

let

Him

was

sight

of

His

Sacred

Heart

grieving

because
of

of

her

grief,

slowly breaking as the

moment

parting drew near,

drift

and they

began in the darkness to unto Death, and she unto Desolation.

apart

He
of

The Son was

the

sacrificed in

the presence of His Mother:

in

Lamb

God was
herself

"seethed

His Mother

milk:"

the Mother

Child
not

"

was "sacrifice! on the same day with her Nor was this all. Contemptuous cruelty was

by her presence, but insulted before her even the Dead. The Lance was thrust home! And perchance further outrages would have been perpetrated, had not Divine Mercy interposed, that His Mother might bury Him in peace.

deterred

The consequence of all this cruelty is plainly to be seen, as Mary stands in of woe beneath the ecstasy
x

187

Rosa
Mystica

Cross

to

which

she

has

returned.

That

Cross

is

enriched deprived of its priceless Burden, but it remains the precious Blood of the spotless and decorated with
"

Lamb."

crucified
St.

So we Mother

may
of

well

Christ.

expect to find here the Crucified? Ah, yes. If

if

Francis, St. Catherine, St. Rose

so

many
are

of the

pure

and tender-hearted, when

receive
is

they

contemplate

the

Passion,

the

Stigmata,

and
also

called

Addolorati

not

Holy

Mary

crucified

by
:

Divine Compassion, the horrified eye-witness of her own desolation Son s murder, who exclaims in her lonely sorrow is above all sorrow, my heart mourneth

My

within me!

Instead of
to

would

try

soften

hearing it each dreadful

from
detail,

others,

who
of

instead

the state of His Body discovering His sufferings from when it was restored to her with its countless wounds, she has actually seen all, shared all, felt for Him the the thrust of the Lance, and now continues alone
"

evening
the

Sacrifice."

Though
which

Cross,

the

Xails

Scourge, crucified the

the

the

Crown,
s

Son
I

flesh,

tortured only that Mother also

"To

the heart of the

Mother, shall

not call

what
()

shall

thee,

Virgin
"and

Daughter

There is no other word. Crucified? liken thee, to what shall I compare of Sion," except to Jesus
Crucified"

Christ,

Him

188

THE SEVENTH DOLOUR

THE DESOLATION OE MARY

CHAPTER
III.

ARY

quit the Cross, and reach the shelter to which she is guided by St. John in fulfilment of the sacred

has

received

the

strength

to

trust

confided
also

to

the

Disciple
to

whom

Jesus

loved.

Will

she

have strength

discharge

the

duties

which desolation imposes

strength to live through

this night of Eirstly,

woe

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus must be dismissed with gentle and grateful words, perchance
like
"

those of

David

to

the

this ye to the and now mercy to your Master and have buried Him the Lord will render you mercy and truth, and I also

Blessed be

men of Jabes Galaad Lord, who have shown

:

will requite you, because

you have done this thing." Next, she listens to, and pardons, and gently down and consoles Peter and the rest, who, cast ashamed, steal hither to confess their cowardice, and bewail their fault at her feet whom they have already
learned to look on as the Mother of Mercy. Her own dear and brave companions
;

are

most

she tells lovingly bidden to sleep and take their rest them that she will watch in their name, while mourning and weeping in her own.

And
spends
only
to
it

so
in

this

awful

night
of
grief,

is

the

an agony abyss and

and Mary begun an abyss comparable

:

Agony

of

Gethsemani.
189

The

Rosa
Mystica

sternest of the Prophets has given

it

the most plaintive

Lamentations.
obscurity
the
in
is

"

How

hath

the
!

Lord

covered

with

wept There

dear to

Weeping she hath Daughter of Sion the night, and her tears are on her cheeks. none to comfort her among all that were From above He hath sent fire into her.
.

my
heart

bones,

and

hath

chastised

me.

My
within
full

sorrow
me.

is

above sorrow;
is

my

heart

mourneth

My

No
ness
is

turned within me, for I sorrow is like this sorrow

am
:

of

bitterness."

her broken-hearted-

Can we measure the height, great as the sea. and the depth, and the breadth of His love, for cannot, nor can the Angels this Mother

Whom

weeps?

We

of

Neither can we, nor can the Angels ever God. sound the unfathomable abyss of woe which we call Lor she has not onlythe. Desolation of Mary.

maternal love for her God, but also a corresponding She weeps for her God, she laments maternal sorrow. like her Maternity, her Sorrow has her Beloved One
:

an

infinity of its

own.
parted,

Yes, they are

who were

all

in

all

to

one

another.

She was His, His Only One, His Beautiful,

Immaculate,
"hers,

"Bring

Mother. eternally-chosen and hers she loved, and hers she blessed." me a mother who so loved her child," "whose
. .
.

And He was

joy in him her woe the

Measure overwhelmed like hers." this They are length and breadth of He is dead, and she is left behind. He is divided. on His Lather s business, and again gone from her
is
. .

"

she
in

is

turned back.

The

very thief

may

be with

Him

in lonely desolation. Paradise, but she must live on

"Therefore

down with weep, and mine eyes run the Relief of my soul water, because the Comforter,
do
I

190

is

far

"

away

be
her

deceived
gentle

But she is calm. Yes yet let us not The that calm and sublime attitude, by Desolation by of There is of Mary gesture holy resignation.
:

majesty in her demeanour, because she is Queen of Sorrows but who does not know how some pains and sorrows pass all rules of grief, how, even sad,
:

wan
It

smiles

meant

to
s

hide

most

reveal
?

the

heart

worst wound, the soul

is

saddest secret

only
to

we come

when some great learn how tender

grief afflicts us in Mis mercy is

that

God

Who

has divided our time into day and night. Only those who have mourned can tell how blessed, how
desirable
of

are

the
it

stillness,
is

the that
is

silence,

the

obscurity
visits

night.
;

For
of

then

the

Comforter

us

then our Father

Who
;

in

heaven comes
while
of

to

us,

pardon through the long hours our and He shame, and sorrow
;

and whispers

listens

we pour
sin,

out

confession
gives

and

His

unseen
is

of

pity

and
;

with
tears
like

tears
for

compassion. but at last

The

pillow

alms drenched
are the
that,

hushed,

He

does
;

not

they cease, our disdain to wipe

last of the

sobs

away
is
"

and soothe us
wearied

and the

sorrow

children,

we
is

are
"

leaning on Him
so
this

Who

giveth His loved ones sleep

But with Mary sleep and take their

it

not

night.

Others

rest,

her Jesus

the distant garden-tomb.

Himself sleeps in But Mary watches. "Love

hath chased sleep from her enthralled eyes, and made them watchers of her own heart s sorrow." An awful night of anguish is before her, one long agony in which her spirit yields to an ecstasy of woe, is

submerged
It
is

in the abysses of her

appalling

to

think

Sea of Sorrow. how even her bodily

191

Rosa
Mystica

senses

mental agony. All through the endless hours, her ears were tingling with echoes of cruel scoffs and wicked blasphemies, and the stillness of the Torture Chamber made the Then, hour after hoursound of them the louder.

must

have

suffered

during

the

keeping

of time stroke after stroke with the beatings of the her heart she heard echoes of the dull blows intervals At to His Cross. heavy hammer nailing Jesus It seemed His a still more startling sound was heard. Open to Me, My Mother, My Love, My very voice.
"

Dove,

My

Undefiled
of

for

My head
of
night!"

is

full
It

of

dew and

My
In

locks

the

dews

was but
of

^the

night-wind
like

sighing
her

outside

the

house
:

mourning.

manner was
to

her sight afflicted

no

They aching eyes. a vivid Vision the cold, upon that darkness appeared Sidemarble-like Body with its gashes and opened meek face the closed eyes, hidden behind the
relief

darkness gave were enthralled:

wan,

those
alas!

livid
"at

lids.

home
she

she shuddered and shut her own, beheld there was death alike:" she
If

garden-tomb lying Mother! dead and buried within her own heart! Yes, Thou thyself wast the Enclosed Garden, thy spotless

Him Whom

had

left

in

the

Virginity the
choicest

"

New

Sepulchre,"

His snowy Shroud, thy

!

sinlessness thy dazzling Dolours and Compassion the

myrrh and aloes vivid But this Mother suffered from this inward, her Dead more than by possibility representation of That presence of Jesus in her any other woman could. which she heart was an aggravation of woe
poor alone
her to it forced experience: for to hersel how completely her Son was dead, and When a mother. dead as no other son could die to
:

could

192

we stand know that

in

at

the

grave
is

of

some
that

departed
never
is

friend,
is

we The
of

he himself

not there.

the

consecrated

ground
Dust,

Something was himself

there Desolation

precisely.

The name we murmur

unconscious
to

Mary

by
"

the

but
it

returned
the

God who gave

acknowledged not by that which has our dead is not

"

grave but with God. He however, is not gone away.

is

in

Mary
is
it

Dead Son,
there.
:

still
is

Jesus

in the Sepulchre.
life

He

lives not,

true

He
of

laid

down His

in

actual

reality

when
the

He
Body

expired.

But St. John again and again Lord which he helped to bury
thus,
for

calls

the

by the Sacred

Namethe
the

instance, "There, therefore, because of of the Jews, they laid Jesus, because sepulchre was nigh at hand" (Jo. xix. 42). The

parasceve
of itself
:

Body

can use no sense or it is most reallv faculty dead its Soul absolutely quitted it, and went to the Limbus of the Fathers He descended into hell."
:
"

And

yet

because

we can say, He One and the Same loving,

as

truly

is

in

the

Tomb:

Person
Soul of

is

intelligent, Divine not only united to, and therefore with the Christ, but is also united to, and therefore

with the Body of Christ. The same Union is main tained between the Divine Person and the Precious Blood and in consequence Soul and Body and Blood of Christ are to be adored with supremest
;

adoration always
three

and everywhere.
years

It

is

He Who

for

Mary His Mother, and lived in subjection to her. And now, because she knows Who and What He is, she feels that He is gone and yet not gone and this
thirty

and

has

called

has loved her

filially,

His
not

presence is worse than absence, since the faintest of her love recognition

He

gives that is

Rosa
Mystica

"stronger

than

death,"

that

is

able to bear even this

Although her heart and spirit are so stamped with the Vision of Jesus Dead that the imprint of the Sac-red Host on the heart of St. Juliana can have scarcely been more vivid, still He gives not
Desolation.
the faintest token of His presence, of the indestructible jt At home there is death alike!" Hypostatic Union
-"

Such a presence must be a thousand bear than the absences which make us

times
pine.

worse to

And
majesticin
is

here that

we

pause to think how Motherhood which death has assailed

may
set

well

vain, and only to For and greatness.

forth

more plainly
of
Jesus,
calls
still

its

dignity

the

Soul
still

away about

the business of
the

His

Father,
in

Body

of

Jesus

the

Tomb

her Mother, and claims her as

Mother --aye, even while saying: My Father and Mother have both forsaken me. The Word Who has made Himself her Son is united to them equally in And so her Motherhood remains death as in life.
uninjured, unsuspended.
in
itself

both

life
!

Jesus

and

Mary

mighty Mystery, containing Marvellous union of and death! nor will Death cannot sever it
:

()

eternity
will that

deepen

it

for

never,

in
s

joy, sorrow,

or glory

Son leave His Mother

let

heart

And now

which was the most consolatory

implied
in

us consider the part of her Desolation saddest to our Lady, though it is the

the

Her consent, first us poor sinners. Fiat of the Incarnation, was renewed
to to

when
son
she
:

Jesus

from the Cross said

it

her

Behold

thy

once given,

was

never retracted.

Full of grace

by her sublime generosity, and bv her self-sacrifice she proved her oneness of spirit with the Lord Who was with her, though, for our sakes, to

showed

herself to be

194

make
Mother
that

her
of

suffer.

It

was

in

her

Desolation

that

the

The

we

the Mother of Men, so effectively Desolation took our place in her broken heart more like of Mary

God became

substitutes for Jesus than His adopted brethren, partakers with Him in her maternal love. Were all like St. John,

the exchange even then are the children of the

would be hard
Desolate,"

but

"

many
of

as

the

Refuge

Sinners well understood, and soon experienced. God has made this Mystery an integral part of the

plan of our Redemption.

slaves of sin

We

\vere

But God as to send His Only-begotten Son into the world, that for His sake we might be made instead of enemies the Adam made us enemies, Christ adopted sons of God. makes us children of God. In his fault and Fall Adam was not alone, nor was Christ alone in expiation. Eve

and death.

His enemies, being so loved the world

stood

beneath

the

Tree
Life.

of

Death,

and

Mary

stood

beneath the Tree of

Proportioned to their powers,

punishment and penalty were decreed and inflicted upon Adam and Eve. Christ and His Mother, the New Adam and the New Eve, suffered all that the Atonement and
the

payment
Paul

involved Christ
St.
tells

of the penalty involved. in all the horrors of

Our Redemption
Crucifixion
the
;

for

us

that

crucifixion

is

appropriate

Therefore Christ died punishment of concupiscence. for us on the Cross in the body of Adam s fault was more than repaired and a thousand graces abound where sin ran wild. And now, what was Eve s
"

sin."

sentence,

Adam s
was

ment
in

It

associate in guilt, his partner in punish this I will multiply thy conceptions,
"

sorrow shalt thou bring forth children." We, who are born to the life of grace in the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, look round for a Mother in that life of
Y
195

Rosa
Mystica

grace.

There must be one; for a man and bis chilthe dren may live together in one house, but unless or the memory of her, that house will mother is
there,

a complete not be a perfect home, nor will they form Adam foresaw who would be that Mother, and family. she was to he "called the name of his wife Eve, because

Mother of all the living r Ah, he was prophesying. the partner in his In that hour he saw not so much whose conceptions death was sin, not the woman by in spirit he saw to be bequeathed to mankind, but should crush before him in the future the Woman who
be the

of his Redeemer, the head of his deceiver, the Associate He was the living. the Eve of Eife, the Mother of all what that word of Jesus which made her

prophesying
it

called

her

Woman,

behold

thy

son

behold

in

dost adopt, John the countless generations whom thou who will call thee Blessed and their Mother. Thus under while Jesus performs the penance of Adam, Mary In sorrow Eve was to bring forth takes that of Eve.

Those Desolate. her children, and therefore is Mary the tears born of the Blood of Jesus cannot but compel in She who shares with the Eternal Father of
Mary.

being parent of a sinless, infinitely whose Birth is happiness unalloyed, must spotless Son, the Mother share with poor Eve in the sorrow of being And a great sign appeared in heaven a of Mankind. under her clothed with the sun, and the moon
the joy

and

bliss of

"

Woman

feet,

and on her head a crown

of

twelve stars:

she cried travailing in birth, being with child, Jesus Himself xii. i). in pain to be delivered" (Apoc.
is

and and was

the

Sun who

clothes

her,

we

are

those children

of

Rachel named her her Sorrows, her Benonis, as poor children of the the children of her pain. last,

196

Desolate

"

Forget not the travails of your

for
first

Mother

The
Desolation

remember that you had not been but

them."

Had

all

the children of the

Eve been

like her of

Mary

holy Abel, hers would have been a happy motherhood, but her life was plunged into sadness by the wickedness
of
like

cruel

Cain.
is

And

in

bitterness

found,

Maternity of Mary the deepening the darkness of her

the

desolation.

Sinners,

Cains,

and worse than Cain, are

to be seen in the generations given to her by God loves them, and still receives no answering love.

Who
As
the her

we

treat

our Father
of

in
I

heaven,

so

do
that

we

treat

Mother
children
terrible

Mercy. worse than

have
occur

said

amongst

Cain

mav J
than

be

found.

No more
recorded in

instance

can

the one
to

another spot, to a garden more deserted and darker than even that of the Sepulchre. We go in search of one who came
the Gospels.

Let us go for a

moment

back to Mary with the rest in itself an evil omen. The garden lies in a weird, marshy hollow a solitary, half-leafless tree is slowly withering above the
not
:

rank, coarse weeds.

night,

From
the

a branch, blacker than the

hangs
the

by

neck

Dead
the
!

Judas, traitor, Judas, one of whose Queen is Maria Desolata

Despair chosen

It

is

That
kiss

Twelve, hideous face

:

was touching
hard,
ere
false

the face of Jesus

only last night

last

those

lips
!

gave

Him

the

He

received

He

died

Nay, God
stiffening

who
over

has destroyed
those

knelt last night to that himself soul and body, knelt

feet,
let

man
and
fall

washed
traitor

His

long

hair

them, and kissed them lovingly, speaking to the s heart interior words of melting remonstrance
!

So did the heart of Mary, the Mother of Mercy, follow even this lost and cruel wretch to the last, praying
197

Rosa
Mystica

for

him, calling to him to the very end,

till

his desperate

soul

plunged

madly away from

are
all

all

mercy
his

into

the

lurid darkness of hell.

And what Those who sin,

of

who

sin
St.

but

accomplices?
the
kill

according to

Paul, renew the horrors

calvary,

"Crucifying

again to
a

themselves

Son
our

of

own

we True, but in doing He died for the sin that perhaps also crucify Jesus. for even now lies on our soul, as much as He died Listen, then, to the other sins of the whole world.
soul

God, and making

Him

mockery."

We

when we

sin.

this

the

Word

of

God.
shall

"Say

not,

shall be hidden

from

In remember me from on high? what is such a multitude I shall not be known, for All can, creation my soul in such an immense The weak can too many do sin, and sin grievously. woman any man, woman, or child sin, the child, the of God. can crucify again to themselves the Son Thou help Think what St. Philip used to say, Each morning, me not, O my Jesus, I shall fall. the chalice into his hands, he would say:

God and who

"

"If

taking

shall do or else Lord, beware of me, and help me, The Wound all manner of evil against Thee!" Thou do O Christ, is large; but if
in

Thy

Side,

my

not hinder

me I shall make it larger." With God nothing is impossible or

in such
of

difficult.

His

words are creative: and on Mary the Maternity

miracles
are

performed

be
as

cautious

when
the

we
Vision

mysteriously, attempt to

words did He confer But these which I treat. and we must

describe

them.

Remembering
related
irreverence

vouchsafed to St. Benedict, think that without I by St. Gregory, believe that in a rashness we or

may

198

manner the spirit of Mary during the long The watches of the night of Desolation had some prophetic- Desolation sight of her future children. Certainly it would seem of Mary to be suggested by the appeal of Jeremias in his
similar

Lamentations:
the
like

"Arise,

give

praise

in

the

beginning of the watches; pour out water before the face of the Lord lift up thy hands to Him for the life of thy little children." In thought, then, and (Lam. ii. 19). imagination, I see the whole human family, the dead, the living, the unborn generations, gather in of silently
: .
.

night, in thy heart

sight

her the

spirit,

and

Desolate.
separately.

people the shadowy darkness around She beholds us all surveys us singly
;

and
each
the

She
the

sees

each

one

character

and

destiny,
;

peruses

not

collectively,

and knows the name of nations and their histories only not only the Church and her vicissitudes,

the features

multitudes perishing in multitudes by unbelief and apostasy; but she sees, as such a Mother would be enabled by God to see, each one s heart and soul, his sins, his efforts, and his weakness. And with that intimate knowledge, she keeps her promise, and takes
us
of Heroic place Jesus! nature s repugnance to what overcoming
in

the

in
is

purpose,

loathsome,

though her soul is sorrowful even unto death, the Refuge of sinners opens her arms to shelter us, and lifts up her hands for the
is

holiness

fear

of

what

foul,

life

of her little children

But can Mary own us?

have crucified her Jesus? We read that at Padua in it once mischanced that Italy one student killed another. He took refuge with a widow, to whom he confessed the
crime.

Can Mary

love

us

who

Scarce had he ended,

ere

they brought

to

the

199

Rosa
Mvstica

and gave to the widow very house the murdered youth, her only son killed by one for whom justice was keenly She screened the guilty murderer, sheltered searching. him from the officers of justice, forgave him only
asking that he should repent,
be converted and serve

God!

That Italian woman had learned the lessons of with its Calvary and the Cross. We feel that her soul Sacred Heart lorgivingness must have greatly pleased the of Him Who has by word and example taught us to And tliou, Mother of Christ, hast the same forgive. Christlike spirit, and thy forgivingness has been the wonder and the joy of the Angels of God over sinners doing penance, and finding llirc to be their unfailing hath made me -"He "Posuit me Desolatam Refuge. and we know that it was that is true Desolate
"
"

for

standing with those out stretched arms of thine, and we understand the infinite Thou art not pathos and meaning of thine attitude. asking that Jesus may be restored, but art calling on
our sakes.
see

We

thee

us,

come, as though we were the Disciples whom Jesus loved, to whom He left thee, that thou wounded thee, mightest be our Mother, localise 1 have
even
us,

to

thou,

my

weak Ah, Queen

thy
little

Mother, wilt not love me less. Because I am and sickly, thou wilt lavish gentleness and care.

up thy hands for the life of children, that we who have dared to explore
of

Sorrows

lift

of thy everlasting thy Desolation may behold the glory be comforted in Jerusalem happiness, and, sharing it, In conclusion, let me add these few final words.
" "

There
visit

is

one thing no

man can do unmoved

make a

His very that sacred spot, his mother s grave. attitude shows what power is retained even by a
to

mother who has long been

200

dead.

The memories

of

boyhood

are

awakening,

its

pictures

rise

before

his

The

swimming

eyes,

and

the

sins,

the

worldliness,

the Desolation

impurity of a reckless manhood shrink back from the of Mary sight of the dead, dread the silent approach of her

who

inspired his innocence and protected his youth. Ah, the look of the boy is coming back to the face of

the man, as he stands there in the presence of her loved him, to whom he promised and vowed that,

who
come

what might
grace

in

his

life,

he would do nothing to dis

bring discredit to her memory. And now, with honest confusion and self-reproach, with words of appeal as though she really heard, with the

her teaching,

to

loud beatings of an agitated heart, \vith an agony of love and tenderness he never thought to feel again, he renounces life s dreams and snares, life s vain joys and
deceitful pleasures, life
s

lawlessness,
receives

pardon

he

recovers

and
it

and with a mother s back the innocence

which, when he drove

from him, took refuge in the Thus should it be with grave of her who gave it. sinners, who are ever strangely dear to a mother s heart thus should it be with all who visit Mary in her
Desolation.

2OI

Che Church

or rhe

immaculate

Our

adp

of

Good Counsel
of Christians

Our
Our
Our

adp help adp

of

mount Carmel
of the Snou)
in

adp

Che most Pure heart

6lorp

Our

adp

of FHercp

Che Seuen Dolours

Che Rosarp Che
of

Our Blessed

adp
adp

Ittaternitp of

Our Blessed

Che Puritp

of

Our Blessed
of

adp adp

Che Patronage

Our Blessed

Che immaculate Conception

Sf*

John, the Chaplain of Warp

CONGREGATE VOS

IN

DOMUM

DISCIPLINE

THE DEDICATION OF
THE CHURCH OF THE LONDON ORATORY
TO

THE MOST PURE HEART OF MARY

In Fest. Apr. 16.
one of the ships that was Simon s, He desired and sitting He taught the multitude out of the ship. St. Luke v.
into
to

And going

him

draw back

a little from the land,

Church
of

likened to a ship Ark Salvation, she goes through the world as vessel across the waters, and sails for the
is
:

of Christ

shores
fabric
of the
tell
is

of

eternity.
:

And
this

every ecclesiastical
day,
the
St.

also like a ship

is

to

main body
Bonaventure

building

called

the

"nave."

us that there are four kinds of ships used by men fishing vessels, vessels of war, merchant vessels, and

passenger ships. A church is like the fishing boat, and a preacher is the fisherman. A church is a war vessel, in our seasons of temptation and strife. A church is
a

merchant

she carries.

helping man Let us see to what extent these distinctions apply to the Church whose beauty we so greatly love, to the Church of the Most Pure Heart of Marv. The Church is a fishing vessel. Christ went up into one of the a and mark that ships,
fishing-boat

from the treasures and sacraments A church is a passenger or emigrant ship, s voyage from earth to heaven.
vessel,

Rosa
Mystica

it

He taught. Then He said to Peter Due in altum Draw out into the Our Lord was teaching them how to be Fishers deep. Draw out into the deep search out the of men."
was Simon Peter
:

and

sitting

"

the your nets Fortunate greatest sinners will make the greatest saints. Ah! fishermen! they "caught a great multitude of

depths

of

sin

and misery

there

cast

fish."

Saint Philip, thou hast said thy sons were to be fishers we were to sit in this little ship of men, not hunters
"

Vorei saper da voi come rete d amore die tanto ha preso." e fatto, Behold, multitude is to be found. ni o ht after nii^ht a o here great o
of
thine,"

and Ouesto

fish for souls.

"

Would

that every single one \vere caught.

little

This
Chun-lies

barque of

St.

Religious Orders, by members these are the warJesuits by Franciscans, Dominicans, vessels of the Church, and are in open, constant conllict with the devil, world, and llesh. We Oratorians stick
served
to our
net.

Philip of the

is

not a war-ship.

humble

fishing,

and are content

"like

to cast St. Philip

But our Church is bringeth her bread from

from
Heaven,"

the merchant

afar."

ship that She brings the "Bread

s

she

is

laden
!

with

and

treasures.

Dear Church

sacramental graces Thou hast a happier,

than that of Tyre: "thy neighbours who have perfected thy beauty, with things thee built brought from the islands of Italy" with a Roman Saint for Pilot, thou bringest within reach of all the
holier destiny

merchandise of the Kingdom of Heaven are Lastly, the faithful who frequent our Church
!

passengers
"

who

trust to be
lives

landed on the eternal shore.

a
little

Men

trust

their

to

wood, and passing

is

over the sea by ship are saved.

Blessed

the

Wood

206

by which Justice romes

"

Wood
written
:

by

the

Cross

we
a

(Wis. xiv.) are saved.

boat,

The Cross

is

this
it is

The Church
of the

And

again
over

Entering

into

He
"

passed

the Immaculate

water
"

We

and came into His Own city (Matthew ix. i). Heart have not here an abiding city then let us cast
;

in

our

lot

with Jesus.
?

What

has the world to offer as

good

or
?

as fair

Where

shall

we be
us,

as safe as with

Him

Though storms rage around

s
is

He

is

with

us,

teaching confidence by
ship is Simon us the helm
;

we
;

His tranquil sleep. When the know that our Lord is in it with

St.

Peter
:

Faith, held by Successor the anchor

an
is

infallible

Pilot

Hope, the sails are

Fine broiderecl linen from Egypt was woven Charity for thy sail to be spread on thy mast (Ezech. xxvii.) Who shall separate us from the charity of Christ ?

wind raves, the more the billowy waters grow dark and wild, and fling their foaming crests into the heart of the tempest, the stouter and stronger
the

The more

seems the outstretched

:

sail

like

a white wing

it

flashes

against the dark sky buoyant and beautiful, the birdlike hull holds her unerring course, and will land her

happy passengers upon the Heavenly Coast.

Now,

there

is

scarcely

a vessel afloat

but has

its

own name, by which it is known and called. Often, the name is of the sailor s native place, oftener, the name is of the one he most loves, in Catholic countries
of the Saint he

most

reveres.

It

is

a sort of dedication

and consecration, which we can all understand, with which we can all sympathize. And here, again, we find an between and churches. analogy ships Churches are dedicated to some favourite Saint, or to some Mystery, as this our church is dedicated to
the

Most

Pure

Heart

of

Mary.

It

is

the

first

in

207

Rosa
Mystica

England
in

to be so dedicated:
of

and the

title

was chosen

fulfilment

London Oratory.

vow by the first Fathers of the Xo\v, when we know a Saint well,
his

we
that

give him pleasure. he continues to be in heaven

know may

his

tastes,

devotions,

his

likings,

all

What
:

he was on
till

earth
of

and,

the

Day

Judgment, we on earth can add to his heavenly joys. So venture to think that one of St. Philip s joys is
I

the

fact

that

the

church

of

his

London
his

sons

is

dedicated to the Most Pure Heart. he was all for such devotion life,
the
of

In

own

earthly

to

Mary:
he

amongst
that
to

churches offered
the
Yallicella,

to

him
it

in

Rome

chose

because
the,

was dedicated
be

Mary;
in

he

insisted

that

Madonna should

painted

every

That in Chiesa Nuova. becomes to us a Dedication we have pleased our Saint

altar-piece
of

our
for

consoling certainty: and to London Oratory is to the

make
do

St.

Philip
little

care

no

thing

for

London.
Sailors love the beauty, the strength, the swiftness, the snow-white sails, the tapering spars, everything

from keel to truck in their barque. we love our church: Lord, 1 have
of

And,

like

them,

Thy house, and the Thy glory (Ps. xxv. 8).

of

place
In

of this

loved the beauty the habitation of

city
of

churches,
in

venerable

houses of

God, which

our

forefathers

race

and faith built for us as well as for themselves, and of which the sacrilegious despoiler has robbed us,
it

is

consoling
In

to

have so

fair

church

as

this

for

the service of

God.

Xor can
world
of

beauty.
hurry"
"

this

great

we help rejoicing in its of work and care, of

the

and

bustle,

deprived

our

silent

dead,

where

shall

we

neighbourhood of find peace, where

208

shall

own

we go aside to think of heaven, if not into our The Church dear church, where \ve have ever shared so many of the graces with our brethren, where we have ever found Immaculate
"help

in

Mary, joy in
others
as
its

Jesus?"

Heart
ourselves

On
the

well as on
effect,
it

the

beauty

of

brings strangers here, and at times in such crowds that it is difficult to pray. If would keep to what they come for, look only they at the church and not at people praying and confessing,

church

has

do not think anyone would grudge them a sight of our beautiful church. Inspect the ship, by all means; but do not disturb either passengers or crew. And
I

the

analogy

here

again

holds

Sunday night service the of those huge ocean-steamers about ends of the earth, and thronged by
affection or curiosity
to

For after our good. church looks very like one

to
start

to
led

the

visitors

by
the

see
"

the last of

her
"

before

remain to pray they join us in our prayers, they sing our hymns, bless themselves, use rosaries, seem unable to keep And yet away. are not of us, they are not going with us when they we set sail for eternity. How can they prefer to trust to those wretched, crank craft, in which deserters from the Barque of Peter cruise, like pirates in the
is

anchor

weighed.

Many

waters of a treacherous sea

the

coffin-ships

of

souls

They
where

stay

where Orders

are

now
is

not

even

doubtful,

even

Baptism
If

administered.

and
it is

true

No

doubtfully only they would be brave, honest, one can tell beforehand what happiness

itself

too

often

us for heaven.

may

safely set sail with steer by the Star of the Sea; they well trust their lives to this little Wood, for it is

to be a Catholic,

They may

We

a true part of the blessed

Wood

of the Cross of Jesus,

209

Rosa
Mystica

and the Apostles preached, Salvation by which we reach the eternal shore!
the Cross that
the

Ark

of

sinless Heart, all hail

s

God

dear delight,
is

all hail

Our home

deep

in thee,

Eternally, eternally.

210

QUOUCUMQUE

DIXERIT

VOBIS

FAC1TE

OUR BLESSED LADY, MOTHER OF GOOD

COUNSEL
In Fest. Apr. 26.

HILST

fathers

in

dealing with their

children

generally have recourse to the authority with which they are invested by nature and the
direct Divine

Commandment, mothers
to

refrain

from

the

exercise

of

theirs,

persuasive
counsel.

and

An

gentle early instance

preferring employ the influence of loving advice or

is

The

mother

of

Jacob
follow

uses

therefore,

my

son,

my

given us in the Bible. the very word Now, counsel (Gen. xxvii. 8).
:

There was probably a danger of violence and fratricide, had Jacob attempted to obtain by other means the
blessing to which he as much when she
of

was
says
:

entitled,

and Rebecca hints

I

Why
day?
the

shall

both

my

sons

in

one

The
of

deprived sacred writer

the

be

mother, And we may complete success. feel sure that we shall obtain for ourselves yet greater blessings than Jacob s, if we follow the advice the sweet, wise, holy Counsel of our Mother: Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye (John ii. 5). "Establish within thyself a heart of good counsel,"

neither praises nor blames

advice

and merely records

its

says

Ecclesiasticus

(xxxvii.

77).

We

are

fortunate
in

in

seeing and hearing things unseen and unheard

the

days of Ecclesiasticus, in call Mary Blessed, in

belonging to generations that having the blessed advantage of

211

Rosa
Mystica

profiting by to trace in

her

example and counsel.

all

We

are

able

Mary

those
in

glorious

gifts

and

virtues

ascribed

to

Wisdom
"For

the

Sapiential
the

Books, which
in

we
her

are

exhorted to study and acquire

in

response
of

to

invitation.

her

is

spirit

under

one, manifold, subtile, eloquent, active, which is good, quick, undeiiled, sure, sweet, loving that kind, beneficent, gentle, hindcreih, which

standing:

holy,

nothing
love,

steadfast
of
of
of
fair

(Wisdom
and
In
in

vii).

And
fear,
is

again:

am

the mother

of

and

of

knowledge,
of
life

holy
the

hope.
truth,

me

all

grace

me is all hope of Wisdom dwell in Counsel (Prov. viii). (Eccli. xxiv). Blessed is the man that shall continue in wisdom And blessed are they who seek the Seat (Eccli. xiv). of Wisdom, who listen to Our Lady of Good Counsel,
I

and the way and and of virtue

and take her as the Pattern of Perfection placed before them by God. Our lesson is set us in what follows: Between those who love there must be resemblance. Love either finds or forms a likeness." Divine Love
"

made
image

the

likeness:

Let

us

lost And original and likeness. all-unlike his Divine Lover, that justice and became and constant, had recourse to the faithful Lover, made of infinite wisdom and goodness, and

make man when man

to

our

own

expedient
the
flesh:

likeness

again.

This
His

time,

by

making

Himself

of own Son in the Since Adam s day till now, sinful flesh (Uoni. viii. 3). human love of the thoughts, affections, desires all at whose consecrated to God have been turned to Him

God sending

likeness

Name

every knee shall bow.

for

was looked
renewed
212

signs

The Seed of the Woman with longing eyes, was promised with such as the Cloud, the Rock, was

prophecies, was foreshown bv Sacrifices. Our Lady Still more, perhaps, is the foreshown of Good "Hope of Israel"
foretold

by

by those who are recognized and acknowledged to be Counsel His Types, such as Abraham, Joseph, Moses. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sara that bore
"

you,"

exclaims
is

Isaias,

when

One Abraham
Just

near at

hand."

The predicting that He bids the children of

"

to

produce
so
is

in

study the virtues in Abraham which them the required likeness of love.

will

us by the God, by the Sacrifice of the Mass, by the voice of the A Saint is the Church, by the lives of the Saints.
to

Christ

now made known

And Word of

more loved by us the more we can trace in him his resemblance to Jesus and we are the more disposed to imitate him the more we see his virtues and conduct to be Christlike. Even while many were to be found who had seen the Lord, while recollections of Jesus were keen and vivid, St. Paul, the most enthusiastic,
:

unselfish lover of our Lord, writes thus Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ Cor. iv. Be
:

(I.

16).

followers of me, brethren, and observe those as you have our model (Phil. iii).
"

who walk

ye perfect, as your Father in heaven is This is the exhortation of our Lord, and perfect." He would have us live in the hope at least of

Be

Learn of Me," He also eventually accomplishing it. exclaims and this we will attempt, though our sense of sin, our sense of infirmity make us glad of the company
"

and

assistance of a fellow creature. Well knowing our weakness and compassionating it, our Lord has given us to each individually a beautiful and an attractive

Pattern,

according

to

whom we may

practise

virtue,

and grow into His own image and

likeness.

This
213

is

AA

Rosa
Mystira

His Mother, and our Mother Marv. J She is chosen Catherine of Siena
:

He

said

to

St.

and used by Me

as

an alluring bait with which

capture souls.

What
reverently
in
is

are

His

reasons?
Virtues
learn

suppose.

Chiefly these, we are various in kind

difficulty
;

may
and

in

degree, us much that

and we

them with
are

for there

refuses

to submit

to

the

necessary J

discipline.

Some

virtues

divine:

they are

He

it

is

who
In

perfect.

adorns them, not they truth, they are Himself, the Divine Being

God s: who make Him

Such simplicity of spiritual substance. as imply no imperfection, not even the imperfection of an origin from nothing such as Wisdom, Justice,
in the absolute

Love- are the

proportion as make manifest

more admirable and adorable to us in thev the more fully represent Him and
to

apprehension the glory and beauty of the Divine Nature. Other virtues are human or appropriate to creatures because thev
feeble
;

our

declare
are

the

infirmity
to
assist

of

created

nature

which they
are

given Obedience,
of

infirmity are virtues which

Chastity, mind, or

and adorn. Such which presuppose

will,

Faith,
certain there

a
Lastly,
sin

or
exist

body.

would not

had not

entered

the world, such as the virtue of Penance. Xow it is this virtue of Penance that

properly most to cultivate.

to

For

reasons

well

we ought known
from
its

each

conscience,

we should
in

never

desist

practice.

Here we are
:

company with
"

Saints,

and

but we are called on to add to penance glorious Saints Learn of Me," our the practice of higher virtues. But some virtues of created natures He Saviour says. ^

Himself could not possess they are incompatible with the Divine character of His Holiness. He, "The Author
:

214

and
Faith
fore
in

finisher
s

of

Faith,"

could
not

not
its

have Faith:

He

is

adorable Object,

subject.

And

there-

Our Lady of Good

we
is

find that practically

accordance with our

His creature
like

require a pattern more Counsel Blessed be Mary! inferiority.

we

She

ourselves; and she enhances those virtues of the creature which should be ours, and which dispose and prepare us for the virtues of Jesus, those
beautiful,
attractive,

but

perhaps

almost

too

majestic virtues

They
Divine
robe.

are

which shine in Him so conspicuously. theandric, they borrow splendour from the

Person
It

Whom

amazes us possess them and so "put on be like Him, and most of all

they clothe as with the richest to be told that we too are to

Christ,"

that

we

shall

in

heaven

itself

where

we

shall see

Him

as

He

is.

With His Blessed Mother, our most holy fellowmortal, we are more at ease when we think of imitation we perhaps even feel as though a certain amount of humble emulation is permitted and encouraged an emulation which rises in us when we witness the
:

sweet complacency with which Jesus regards her we dare to wish to be like her to win one of His smiles, His looks of love, approval and gracious favour. When the sun shines, the moon and stars are hidden by his
:

brightness, when his light departs and night comes then the moon reigns, then the Star of the Sea guides us "till the day dawns and the shadows ilee away."

Thus

with the Sun of Justice and the Mirror of Justice: Mary s virtues are from Jesus, the moon s lisfht o is from the sun and the Splendour of the Father
it is
"

shown to us in a way that does not utterly blind and discourage us. O Mary," exclaims St. Bonaventure,
is
"

"with

magnificent examples of virtue wherewith

thou

215

Rosa
Mystica

enriched, lliou dost excite us to imitate tliee, and lliou dost enlighten our night: for he who walketh in
art
1

life."

thy ways walketh not in darkness but hath the light of The Church also proclaims that Mary s "glorious
illuminates
all

life

the

Churches."

Another
receive

most

Mary

powerful motive which makes us as our Pattern is this undoubted truth,

her to us as our Mother and us to her

that

God gave
behalf.

as her Children.
in

Our

instinct of children

is

then enlisted

her

To

fulfil

the

Commandment, we must
St.

imitate and
Strive
in
all

so

honour our Mother.

Bernard savs
the

possible

ways

to

imitate
wilt
will

Mother
as

of

God,
to

for

then

without
son,

doubt
the

thou show thyself

aid
thee

be
.

truly
. .

her

and she

her

son.

To

obtain

neglect not the imitation declares Jesus chose the

:

help of her intercession, of her life. St. Ambrose

Virgin

Mother,
of
virtue,

in

whom
she

shineth

as

in

a
all

mirror
the

the

form
of

that
I

might be
not
that

to
it

Example
as she
is

chastity.

wonder

has been ever found sweeter and easier to

Mary supreme we know and love.

But we
still

imitate

than any Saint

whom
sin

have other considerations.

!

As by

we descend
so

by

sin

to the slime of earth, Oh, so disgracefully do we mount and become heavenly. opposite

May we
at least
in
fair

our

heaven granted to us So long as we during our Months of Mary meditations gaze on her whom God calls all
find this participation of
!

and

beautiful,

may

the imaginations

and suggestions
!

and corruption be forbidden our spirit May the sight of Mary make us pure and holy, even as in heaven the Blest are impeccable through their beatific Vision of Uncreated Beauty For think what the
of foul sin
!

sight of Jesus

was
of

to
of

Mary Magdalen,
purity

to

Peter.

Xow Our Lady

is

Mary
still

is

the Mirror

Uncreated Beauty.

She
the

that of

Good

Fountain

crystal

whereon

Eternal Counsel

God gazes down, and we who come hither stand and marvel at the mysterious likeness to the Most High. That which Lucifer in pride desired, Mary in her humility has received, to a degree of resemblance
beyond
"

the

Philip,

he

aspiration that seeth

of

the

ambitious
the

Me

seeth

Archangel. Father also

"

and

dare to say he that seeth Mary seeth Jesus in His Mother. Not only did the Holy Ghost descend upon her, the power of the Most High overshadow
I

her,

the

Word,

so often echoed to her hearing,

in

become

really

present

her

Father, coming clothed Himself

to us
in

The Splendour of the through Mary s Most Pure Heart,

fair

womb.

unmistakably

the

llesh which bore virginal lineaments of her earthly beauty,

and not content with this resemblance far as it went deepened it by ineffable sanctifications, and made that sinless Mother "the Very Seal of resemblance"
(Ezech. 28), so that the Saints cry out but an exact copy of Christ ?
:

What

is

Mary

She is, then, the fair and spotless copy of those virtues found in Him. She is the Sacred Scripture in

which

we

study
all

Christ.
all

What
His
the

He

was
in

that

she

imitated,

and engraved
these

virtues

her

Heart.
in

Mary kept
heart."

things,
is

pondering them
life

her

How
the

beautiful
translucent,

of Jesus

when
of

seen

through

Most

Pure

Heart

To

Mary!

that

Heart

we

her

fellow

creatures,

her

own

Children, are irresistibly drawn, and, behold, even as the rays of the sun are collected by the crystal lense so are the virtues of Christ centred in that Pure Heart,

217

Rosa
Mystica

and burn and mark with inflaming love their image upon ours, and produce there a resemblance to Jesus, Who is her Divine Love and ours also. Let us then take courage Mary is our Mother of Good Counsel, and though her virtues are far above
:

us,

still

we

will

hope
in

to

receive

of

her fulness.
the

We

learn the virtues of her

life,

as

we

learn

music of
will

her

Magnificat,
perfected
likeness, will

the

hope that our beginnings

be

hereafter.

And
one.

so

love,

if

it

has found

no

make

218

AUXIL1UM CHRIS 1IANORUM, ORA

PRO NOBIS

OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS

In Fest. Maii. 24.
Rejoice,

Virgin Mary, thou

alone

hast

destroyed

all

the

heresies of the entire world.

Ex

Offic.

Brev. Rom.

a sound of war, of victory and triumph in these words which may be somewhat start
is

and unexpected by those who habitually regard Mary as the Mother of Mercy, Consoler of the Afflicted, "Gentlest of the gentle." Within her home the Church, and towards her children she is indeed the most tender and compassionate Mother but to her
ling,
;

Cant.

6. 8.

enemy she
the

is

"terrible

as an
is

army
built

set

in

array,"

"as

Cant.

6.

tower of David, which thousand bucklers hanging

with bulwarks, a

thereon."

The enemy

of

Mary
"

is

the

Devil, the

Serpent

to

whom God

said,

will

put

enmities

between thee and the Woman,

:

and thy seed and her seed she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel." The Woman has conquered, and has sung her Her Magnificat.
"

spirit

exulted in

God

her

Saviour,"

Who

"

gave her

In that through our Lord Jesus Christ." He hath scattered the proud in the song Mary says conceit of their heart. He hath cast down the mighty from their throne, and hath exalted the humble. The of our humility Lady moderates her own modest

the

victory

rejoicing;

so

we must

turn
of

to

the

more of the discomfiture was cast down and

Satan.

Prophets to learn This mighty one

heaven."

"fell

like

lightning from

219

Rosa
Mystica

How
rise

art

thou fallen from heaven,

(Isai.

Lucifer

who
in

didst

in

the morning
full

xiv.

12).

Thou wast
perfect

the seal

of resemblance,

of

wisdom and
of

beauty,
of

thou

God, paradise pleasures from the days of thy creation until perfect thy ways And this \vas found in thee (Kzec. xxviii. 12). iniquity I will ascend iniquity was: Thou saidest in thy heart
in

wast

in

the

the

heaven, of Ciod ...

will

into

will will

exalt

mv

throne above the stars

I

ascend on high above the clouds,

be
first

like

the

Most

the

iniquitv,

High pride and

(Isai.

xiv.

rebellion,

Such was ambition to be

14).

like the

Most High, the light-bearer aspiring to be the

the morning star striving to mount up into very Light the higher heaven of the Blessed Trinity, and to claim Such was the discord that interrupted the throne of Ciod. the

harmonv

of heaven, the Serpent

hiss of

envy when

the stars were shouting for joy, the dreadful war-cry of discontent raised while the sons of Ciod made a joyful There was a pause a hush and then with inelodv.
faithful

followers

Michael

the

Archangel,

shouting in

angelic anger, "Who is like to Ciod?" smote and cast down the Devil and his angels. \Ye next hear of Satan when he issues forth from
the
everlasting fires prepared for his punishment, war. persisting in rebellion renews the hopeless

and

He

beholds
likeness,

man

in

Paradise,

made
lie

to

God

image and
for himself

he sees that which

of

had coveted
In

bestowed on one Kve he beholds the prototypes of the Word made and the Virgin Mother; and endeavours to Flesh retrieve in Paradise the losses lie sustained in Heaven.
inferior nature.

an

Adam and

He
to

prevails.

He

which
220

he

them with the same temptation he be as shall gods yielded" Ye

plies
"

them with the same treasonable ambition, and Our Lady deceives our first mother and persuades her to commit Help of an act of disobedience. But his success is dearly Christians purchased, and retribution falls swiftly on him in the Scorn and contempt shape of additional punishment.
infects

shall
;

be

the

degrading

he who would angel crawl upon his belly, and the weak, fiail nature shall triumph in turn and crush his venomous head.

portion of the once bright ascend into the heavens shall

But the great Dragon, who drew a third part of the starry spirits from heaven in his first fall, exercises
in

consequence
evil

of

his

second
His
seed

enterprise

baneful
strife

influence
of

on mankind.
against
of

continues
to

the
his

good.
rebellion

He imparts
and

men

own

proud spirit opposition. Any god rather than the living and true God shall be worshipped and adored The true religion, the worship of Enos
!

and the sons

false

of

God
God,"

shall

be mimicked, copied by a
"

religion,

by devil worship and idol worship.

to

will

be like

repeats the fallen

Lucifer

and

the enmity endures.

The
of

Saviour

Himself

overthrow of Satan was at

the

announced that the final hand. That Divine Seed

herself

Woman

and the
the

Woman
of

by the

Cross

The prince tyranny of this world was cast out, and so room was made for the Church of Jesus Christ. From the side of the Adam in the sleep of death came forth His Heavenly
delivered

us from

Satan.

beautiful Bride on the tide of Blood

and Water.

But

the Church herself

was

enemy.
corrupt

He soon heart of man

the

turn assailed by the relentless gained influence enough over the

in

to
of

give

battle
as

anew

heresies

surrounded
B B

Church

Christ,

idolatries

had

221

Rosa
Mystica

surrounded

Jerusalem,

and

heresies

were

the

new
is.
I

weapons
Let

of

Satan and the gates of hell. us understand what heresy precisely

shortly

would

say

that

it

is

baptised

pertinacious voluntary contrary Catholic Faith, an error of the mind, thinking truth to be falsehood or falsehood to be truth an act of
the
will,

and

error

person the to

choice
are

the

Greek

word

for

choice

heretics

those

who

choose for
is

heresy themselves
in

is

pertinacious, because the error

persisted

after

the

person embracing it knows and understands that the Catholic Church teaches the opposite of that which Xow Jesus Christ the individual chooses to maintain.

God, the True Living God: and He To listen is the Head of His Church, and is with her. to despise the to the Church is to listen to Him, Church is to despise Him, to contradict the Church
is

the

Word

of

Him. It is to put our lie in the place As God and Man He is dishonoured by of His truth. is the author such conduct, and "the father of
is

to contradict

lies"

of the wickedness. of

To oppose
start

a doctrine of the Religion

Christ

is

to

a false

religion

and

therefore

wilful

would seem to be fearfully sinful, since it is a sin of which men make a religion. This explains the, vehemence of the language of "Their doctrine the Apostles about heresy and heretics.
heresy
I beseech you, brethren, spreads like a cancer" (Tim. ii). dissensions and offences those who make to mark
"

contrary to the doctrines which you have learnt, and for they that use such serve not Christ avoid them
;

our

Lord but their own belly, and by pleasing speeches and good words seduce the hearts of the
innocent."
"The

God

of peace crush Satan

under your

222

feet speedily

would they were cut off Our Lady (Rom. xv). who trouble you with dissensions, sects (Gal. v. 12 and Help of
"I
"

part hath the faithful with the unbeliever? Christians Wherefore go out from them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing (II. Cor.
20).
"What
"

vi).

a heretic, after the first and second admonition avoid, knowing that he that is such an one is subverted and sinneth, being condemned
"A

man

that

is

his
St.

own

judgment"

(Titus

iii).

St.

by Paul describes to

Timothy the proud, stubborn

times will be heresy
of
s

traitors,

who
"

in

the

last

latest

an appearance

godliness

promoters. Having but denying the indeed,

to

power thereof, ever learning and never attaining These also resist the knowledge of the truth.

a
"

truth,

men

corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith "Whosoever revolteth, and continueth not (Tim. iii). in the doctrine of God hath not God. If man
.

any

come
(II.

to

you and bring not

Ep.).

this

doctrine,

receive

him
"

not into the house, nor say

to

John

The Angel

of

him God speed thee the Church of Pergamus

Lord, because he doctrine of the
suffice

was warned and

tolerated
"them

rebuked by our that hold the

ii.

Nicolaites"

(Apoc.

15).

Let

this

to

show

how
help

heresy was
to

hated

day

explain why ever careful to

by the Apostles, and let it the Apostolic Church is to this prevent heresies and to recall
were brought to

heretics to the Fold.

The
Mary.

earliest

heresies

nought by
Trinity by the

All

false

doctrines against the

Blessed
refuted

and the Incarnation truth and reality of

Later,

we have
Rosary

practically the Maternity of our Blessed Lady. her Preacher, St. Dominic, winning

were

with the

weapon

battles

against

heresy

and

223

Rosa
Mvstica

ignorance.
held,
sin
its

Then,
decrees

when
and
by

the

Council

of

Trent

was

definitions

were

illustrated

doctrines
time,

concerning original and statements

Protestant
heresy,
false-

regarding

Mary.
already

From
split

that
into

although

many fragmentary
fierce

hoods, gathered itself together in our Lady, because the Virginity

of

war against Mary and the

holy

Vows

which

it

condemnation of the Lutheran Protestantism.

devotion
to

prompts were a crushing impure licence permitted by

In protesting against Catholic

Virgin all the rival and dissilient sects found themselves willing to agree and combine. Thereby they proved themselves to be the but, in spite of calumnies predicted seed of the Serpent and blasphemies, they do not prevent all generations
the

Blessed

from calling Mary Blessed.

they love
refuse
in

In

devotionless
titles

disrespect,

to

our
for

Blessed
;

Lady
but

of

use

centuries

now

respect they are

is

and
fast

finding out

becoming more untenable, ludicrous, and insolent in more and

that their

grotesque

isolation

the eyes of Christendom.

In

our
us,

own
a

day,

even

in

the the

presence

of

many
the

among
Serpent

conflict

place; head of the infernal foe. the

took

between and Mary

Woman

and

Immaculate crushed

The nineteenth century

had views of its own, which were not those of the Church of Christ. The spirit of infidelity spread fast and far; misbelief was succeeded by disbelief; reason was exalted, faith was scornfully called superstition was to displace Christianity s instruction secular
;

religious
professors,

education

in

its

schools,

according
thing
that

to

its

matter

was

the

only
to

really

existed,

spirit

was relegated

the

imaginary spaces;

224

as for

the corruption the age laughed the Fall

and
idea

sinfulness
to

of

human

nature,

Our Lady

scorn,

no

had

taken
in

place,

that

proclaimed that Help of there had been a Christians

steady improvement
first,

human
Church,

and one that would

of

beings from the very have been quicker but for

the

meddling vehemence the

of the future

the

and

maintained

with

failure

of

was

in

and that the hope Whereas, Progress and Police

the
past,
!

one short sentence

:

in

the

Scriptures

gives
is

complete

answer to it all The whole whole heart is sad.

head

sick,

and the

Lord foretold that the Holy Ghost the world of This impenitent age of ours acknowledged no sinfulness in man, but the Holy Ghost has condemned the heresy in our own
sin."

Our Blessed would "convince

day. believe

The
"

Church,
the

whom

the
of

Apostles
sin,"

taught

to

in

remission

pronounced

an

world.

judgment against the contention of the was done when Pius IX. denned the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed
infallible

This

Lady,
the

proclaiming

that

she

is

the

human

family

exempted
"

by

only member of a singular and

All glorious privilege from the stain of Original Sin. others fell in Adam all have sinned and do need
;

the

glory
is

of

God

" "

if

any

man

sinned, he lieth

alone
Wordsworth

sinless.

boast."

Thus
Sign,

and the truth is She is Our tainted nature s solitary there appeared in the heaven the
"

say he hath not not in him." Mary

./

prophesied

the

Woman
In

clothed

with
the

the

Sun,

the Immaculate

Queen.

this

Sign

old Serpent

was once more crushed and conquered, and, like all its predecessors, our modern heresy was destroyed by
Mary.
225

Rosa
Mystica

ran

well

believe

that

if

those

who do

not

invoke our Lady, because they are members of a church which docs not permit it, could only realize that in this
the
father
of
lies
is

their

leader

they

would

be

ashamed to share his sentiments, would renounce heed at last the kind words formerly Satan, and The world will addressed to them by Pio Xono
:

never

know true peace, and One Shepherd.

till

there

shall

be

One Fold

226

PONE ME UT SIGNACULUM SUPER COR TUUM

OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMFL

In Fest. Jul. 16.

is

not

strange
religious

that

those

who would be
should
favours

perfect,

orders

especially,

encouragement and signal Of these from Our Lord and His Mother.
receive

some are comparatively secret and unnoticed, while some are given as testimonials, and are therefore Thus St. Philip s sons have public and conspicuous.
graces

from
family

their

Saint,

but

almost as a matter of private

the

history,

that

Madonna

herself

was the

Foundress of the Oratory, though they do not consider that the was intended for more than revelation
their private, domestic consolation and encouragement. Whereas the Carmelites with safety can claim to have an acknowledged privilege and especial recognition of their dearness to

Mary

in the permission

them of keeping with the whole of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. It is no longer to the Mountain
our

granted to Church the Feast

of of

Carmel that

thoughts
of
old,

hasten

upon
in

this

Feast

As

Carmel

rises

wooded

plains

of

blue
still

waters
lend

Phenicia, and its cliffs of the Levant. Tradition

Lady. above the heights look down on the

Our

and

legend

to

Mount Carmel glory and renown.

stern
in

Even

Mount
in

the

beauty, and sanctified of old awful splendours of the Lord God Who there
Sinai,

spoke with His servant

even Sinai

itself

is

outrivalled

227

Rosa
Mystica

But, by the Mountain dedicated to Our Blessed Lady. it would seem that, for mysterious reasons not revealed, the IIolv Land has forfeited the favour and lost the j

confidence of Mary.

Her Nazareth
of

Home was

carried

away

to Loreto

and the Feast

to-day suggests not

the forest-clad Mountain, the Prophet, and the Convent of Our La dv, but rather that little brown Badge

which Simon
the

Our

Lady
not

Stock,

gave to her Carmelite client, on the heights of Carmel but

of

St.

in

Cambridge portion of her It is enough for our devotion if we Lnglisli Dowry. handle and kiss with reverence the Scapular of Our for Lady of Mount Carmel to-day, while blessing Mary the manv graces she obtains and confers on those
green

lowlands

the

who wear

it

for

her dear sake.

Some words of grateful praise are surely due to the Saint who procured this special privilege from Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Saint whose personal
individuality

seems
the
to

to

be

almost

effaced
to

by
as

the

splendour
universal
eremitical
of

of
gift

Scapular entrusted his Order and its

possession
of

him
the

friends.
in

The

his

might
a

days been an Italian, it boyhood. have led him to hide like another Benedict in
spirit

took

him

innocent

Had

lie

which sheltered the early life of Had he been a Spaniard, the Patriarch of the West. he might have anticipated the conduct of St. Teresa,
cave such as that
that
desert

Glory

of

his
in

Order,

and
he

started

to

find
lost

some
the

solitude

which

might

be

to

world.
his

grand
still

for But, being a sturdy English lad, he (-hose the hollow trunk or stock of one of those cell oaks which we English so greatly love and

boast of not a

little.

In

this

strange abode, he

228

passed
his

many

years of penance
of

and austerity;
"was

and, like

Lord and Saviour Who the beasts," he saw more

men.
times

in

the

desert

Our Lady with of Mount

of

wild

animals
berries,

than

Carmel

He

subsisted

on
fare,

roots
for

and
bread

he had better him by dogs even

Paul,
of

was

as

ravens
It
I

the

first

hermit.
tale
;

some

fairy

but

brought sounds like the beginning doubt not that some of

quite
St.

though at brought to bread to St.

as authentic and Simon s days, who living slew their Saracens in the Crusades, and helped to The force King John to sign the Magna Charta Blessed Virgin herself was St. Simon s teacher and She it was who in due time warned him protectress. that her sons would come hither from Mount Carmel, Two English and that he was to join their Order. Crusaders, Lord de Vesey and Lord De Gray, had made their pilgrimage to Mount Carmel, and had

my

readers
of

may have

records

minute

ancestors

in

induced the
country from

brethren to
the

seek refuge

in

their

distant

approaching forces of the Saracens. The pressure of persecution drove them from their home on Carmel, and providentially brought them from the East to the West. Just as in our own days the Irish exiles, leaving their own land, have in their faith and love spread the true Faith in this country and America. In the year 1212, the Carmelites arrived, and found
them. The first monastery of was founded at Aylesford on the Europe in Kent. St. Simon quitted his hollow tree, Medway and became a member of this community. It speaks
St.

Simon ready
Order
in

to join

the

volumes
Order

for

his

sanctity

that,

three

years

later,

he

should have been elected Vicar General of the whole

in the

West.
229

c c

Rosa
Mvstica J

It

was on account
of

of the

establishment

the

Order

strong opposition to the of Mount Carmel in the

Simon repeatedly implored and at last obtained from Our Lady a sign of her protection. He composed a little hymn to express his hopes and prayer. His Flos Carmeli may be paraphrased thus Carmel s fair Rod blossom-laden Flower Smile on thv Dower, Xone equals thee. Meek Mother-Maiden Grant us a Sign Thou dost protect us Mark us for thine Shine and direct us, Star of the Sea It was at Cambridge that Our Lady appeared to him in answer to his cry "She for help. gave him a scapular which she bore West that
St.
: ! ! !

in her

hand,

in

order that

by

order

might

be

known and

the holy (Carmelite) protected from the evils

it

which assailed it, and added, this will be the privilege for you and for all Carmelites no one dying in this
;
"

scapular will suffer eternal

burning
felt

Perchance
the

St.

Simon had

(Cath. Diet. p. 744). that Dominicans had

Rosary,
it

Franciscans

the Portiuncula devotion,

and

that
of

this

was not too much to expect some kind from Our Lady in behalf
order.

signal favour of her own

Carmelite

Great

as

is

the

obtained, we can scarcely wonder was he not named Dilectus Marine?

ourselves well
is

privilege which he at his success for

:

Mother

of

And do we not know how merciful she is whose name Mercy? Do we not know that the verv

wearing of the Scapular is an incentive to devotion, an inducement never to consent to what would disgrace
security and a sign that we may humbly hope for the unmerited grace of final persever ance and speedy release from the sufferings of Purgatory ?
it

that

it

is

Purgatory is no empty title given to the J J Mother of Mercy. She does not plead in vain, when,
of
tf

Oueen W

-L

230

she bespeaks the favour and grace of the Our Lady King in behalf of her suffering people. Through Mary, of Mount mercy is exalted over justice, even amid the penal Carmel ilames of justice, and her suffrage in behalf of her
like

Esther,

Carmelite clients delivers them in accordance with her

promise.

So

that

the

little

Brown Scapular which

nearly all of us are proud to wear in life, and which we mean to have as our vesture in death this, like a

Sacramental of the Church, disposes us to worthiness of conduct whilst we are on earth, and is a pledge that Our Lady of Mount Carmel will rescue us from ^
loss,

and pain, and prolonged expiation

It
is

in

the other

world.

commonly held

in

this

country

that

such

scapulars and other insignia of Catholic devotion are brought hither from the lands of excitable
things
as

people whose fervour hotness of the climate.

is

to

be

accounted for by the

They should be told that the

Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel comes to us from Cambridge, not from Rome, and is as English as

was the Kentish oak

dwelt.

in

which

the

Dilectus

Mariae

On

most brought back to the practices and pious devotions of

pray
the days when it was England of Our Blessed Lady.
s

Eeast of to-day, we surely ought to earnestly that England may speedily be

the

glory to be the

Dowry

231

OUR LADY OF THE SNOW

In Fest. Aug.
5.

TIL great and beautiful Roman Basilica known as St. Mary Major celebrates on August 5 the annual Feast of its Dedication, under the The glorious title of Our Lady of the Snow.
recorded miracle which
is

commemorated

in the

name

of

the Feast has a singular attractiveness all its own, while ushering in the still greater splendours of the next day s

Feast of the Transfiguration. the Morning Star announcing

It

is

another picture of
its

with

pure

ray

the

It is Mary showing to coining of the Sun of Justice. For what better us our Jesus before the end of exile.

preparation can be

made

to

be in spirit with Jesus on

Mount Tabor and see His garments become "shining and exceeding white as snow" (St. Mark ix. 2), than to visit the Esquiline mountain to-day, and there study the lessons of innocence and purity so significantly taught by Our Lady of the Snow. We may consider
the

map

ness on

or plan of God s temple laid in and the surface of the ground

;

snowy white we may learn

the
the

meaning
heat
of

of

the

miracle

that

an

August

sun

preserves in spite of the intact form of the

beautiful, cold, chaste snow.

to
it

Our Lady would be as eager in heaven magnify the Lord as it was while still on earth and in accepting the gift is no wonder that Our Lady, The
soul of
;

of

John
232

the

Roman

patrician

and

his

childless

wife,

DUM DISCBRNIT CCELESTIS REGES SUPER

EAM,

MVE DEALBABUNTUR

IN

SELMON

offered. Our Lady bade them build a church with the fortune they Son fresh the For by this means Mary gave to her Divine He might exercise altars "where with earthly ministers

of

His royal priesthood.

The Queen of Heaven instructed her Angels to scatter thus was sketched out snow on Esquiline hill, and
"the

discovered shining the design of a stately basilica to be Built sun. white and unmelted beneath the hot August

by the
it

Roman

noble under the eye of Pope Liberius,

a

remains a monument of magnificent piety, memorial of the maternal loving-kindness of Mary.

still

Our Lady

of

the

Snow

also

makes

use

of

her

church to admonish and teach us. a Christian Paul, the very body of
of the

According to St. is itself a temple

and consecrated by Baptism Holy Ghost, dedicated The existence of to the worship and service of God. dwell Sacramaterial buildings in which He deigns to

men tally neither conceals nor contradicts the truth that that our bodies kingdom of God is within for them, are His temples, that He seeks for these, asks
"the
us,"

prefers

them
is

to
"

the stateliest
rest

edifice,

declares

that

in

them

Our Divine when He said "Destroy this taught the same doctrine, He meaning the temple of His Body, when
His
for
ever."

Saviour

temple,"

explained that

the decorous angelic purity constitutes When the holiness of these "members of Christ." made the design of her Esquiline Virgin- Mother of Christ she was giving a beautiful temple in pure virgin snow,

commentary on the Gospel. When the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among
us,

He

manifested

His love

of

chaste

virginity.

His

His holy Foster-father had Mother was ever Virgin. Jesus the same grace, and the confidence reposed by 233

Rosa
Mystica

in

the Disciple
of

whom He
this

loved
of
to

possession
caresses

virtue

was won by St. John s The gentle virginity.

innocent little children given by He makes confirm His praises of Evangelical Chastity. it evident that, though He has to water the garden
Jesus

with His
lily

own

life-blood,

He

looks

to

gatlier gather

many

of purity

from a redeemed world.

of

All

llesh

shall

see

the

salvation

God

that

even

which has been

His love is still most cruelly and shamefully defiled, and the sinner s: only, pity and mercy are added with His own most Precious Blood, for kindliness as well as costliness, He washes the guilty, and thus shalt "Thou gives a new purity to soul and body. wash me, and 1 shall be made whiter than snow.
:

Magdalen confided to the Marv "full of Forgiven and Lnfalleii are then alike welcome grace." at the altar of the Lord, where communicants are
is

Then

the

united in mystical

marriage to the

Lamb

of

God, the
heavens

Word made
and earth
still

Flesh.

Ah

if

God found

the

in

the

beginning
of

more

does
the

He
of

good and blessed them, think good, and bless, and take
the

delight

in,

holiness

temples
the

of

the
of

Holy
"

Ghost,
\Ye

the

purity

Christians,

sanctity

the

members
beautiful

of Christ.

ma
is

recall

the

words

of

Wisdom:
glory
;

O how
for

the (-haste generation with

is

the

immortal, because it is known both memory thereof When it is present, they imitate with God and men. and the} desire it when it hath withdrawn itself it
:

and
of

triumpheth, crowned for ever winning the reward known not only It is undefiled conflicts (iv).
it

to

God

but

to
all

men,

known and
honour,

revered
rank,

by

them,

prized
2 34

above

wealth,

health

and

Martyrs are as Our Lady of dear to them as are the roses in their crowns. It is the Snow worse than death to any true man or woman to
life
itself.

The

lilies

of

the

Virgin

sustain

defeat

in

the conflicts

for

this

virtue

conflicts

which ought

to

be utterly

undefiled.

Our Lord has

taught that we must watch over every sense, guard our eyes, and keep our minds ready to reject suggestions, and flee from danger. Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they shall see

God

If

true to Jesus,

we

Catholics

Others unyielding. declare that such practice of this virtue as is enjoined on us is impossible; and they in excuse of their
strict

are

in

this

matter

and

weakness

dare
of

to

attribute
s

to

nature

what

is

the

consequence of a festering wound, the warp and wrench of a will

that
lias

man

self-inflicted injuries, the corruption

surrendered
to
evil.

to

perverted

tendencies
all

and
our

proneness

But we have an assistance

us

own.
perils,

God
as
;

gives are others

MARY.
;

We

are

we claim

not

to

surrounded by be stronger
;

than they
all

we

too

the snares
devil

and
are

are prone to evil from childhood fascinations of the world, the flesh,

and the

around us, while within us is the But as in the days of old, traitor, Concupiscence. when all flesh had corrupted its way, God gave to the Patriarch an Ark of safety, so now God to
gives

men

Purity of Mary, and Our Lady of the Snow is antidote and Devotion to remedy in our necessity. Our Lady helps the children of the Church in their
the
undefiled conflicts to

win the reward

of Chastity.

235

THE MOST PURE HEART OF MARY

For the Feast kept on Sunday
after the

IN

GLORY
of

Octave

the Assumption.

Mow

lovely arc

Thy

tabernacles,

Lord of hosts \Ps.

Ixxxiii.

.HE

refusal of the Protestants to be

shepherded
to forfeit

by the Vicar of Christ causes

their

them

place
of

in

the

Church
doctrines,
of

of

Christ.

Their

denial

certain

the Real Presence,

the

and that
deprives

the

veneration

notably that of due to

form of religious worship of all vitality. Many of them have felt this back Christ to keenly, and have attempted to bring

Mother

of

God,

their

their

churches.
resting

They

cry

out

Arise,

Lord,

into

Ark of Thy sanctification. They place an image of Our Lady in the But murmurs, remonstrances, and reredos of St. Paul s. and they are told with perfect law-suits assail them

Thy

place,

Thou and

the

accuracy
true!

This

is

not

the

Protestant
closes

religion.

Most
of

The Protestant

religion

the

life

Our

Lord with His Ascension, and will have only memories not even memorials. of Him and His Mother
If

only

in

disrespectful
this

this reparation for this cold neglect, attitude, the children of the Church in

country should the more loudly call Mary Blessed,

her prerogatives,

declare
this

Tabernacle of
that

and sing God with men.

of

the

loveliness

of

Moreover,

we may

hope

by thus dispelling

errors,

which often are

236

L^ETARE, ET

EXULTA

IN

OMNI CORDE,

FILIA

JERUSALEM

quite involuntary, we may bring are kept from Him by their

to

God

those

who The Most

His Pure Heart
in

estrangement

from

Moth(

There in that title of God. Every Woman

!

f.

Glory

all

is

said

Mary

is

the Mother

calls

her
:

own

child one

whom

and brings forth and exactly and pre cisely thus does Mary claim as her very Son Him Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of her at
she conceives

Bethlehem.

though though
petual

Though grand graces prepare her for it, her correspondence with those graces merits it, miracles accomplish it, divests this
nothing
of
its

relationship

matter-of-fact

simplicity.

Her per
intensifies,

virginity
its

does

not

diminish,

but

almost doubles
divine and
least

strength and completeness; and His infinite Majesty does not deprive it of the

element of physical reality and truth. Mary, then, was not merely holiest of

creatures,
for

Virgin of virgins, a nine months

Tabernacle

the

Tomb during the three Jesus, not merely a gateway of priceless days, pearl, through winch He passed in His descent from heaven for our salvation not merely the instrument of
Body
of

as

was

the

momentary

His

miraculous

very functions of
eternity

was a whose whose

the world but Mary a virgin of Nazareth, a maiden living being, soul and natural powers of mind and heart,
into
senses

entrance

were
Divine
for

expressly

designed

for

the
all
s

the

predestined

Maternity, that office,

were
were

from
in

God

good time made and prepared for it, and on the Annunciation Day were actually one and all installed once and for ever in that office, every faculty,
every
sense

that

naturally

could
lifted

naturally raised and

require it being into constant and

super-

abiding

DD

Rosa
Mystica

to relationship confer Baptism

her

God.
our
soul

Even
the

as

the

waters

of

on

supernatural

moral

relationship of adopted child of God, and stamp and seal the soul with an indelible sacramental character,

did the royal grace of the Divine Maternity anoint Mary Queen and Mother, and confer on her the inde
so
structible phvsical relationship of

Mother to the Incarnate

in her

Word.
arms,
in
life

And
in

lie,

her Son, her

Babe

bosom,

in

her

her

home
in

beside her, in her joys

and her sorrows,

death, and in everlasting glory, is Himself the Seal of this indelible "gift without repentance."

and

God want a mother? for Himself God wants nothing. He has nay, He is Self-sufficing.
But
can

In

Himself and
is

He

infinitely
life,

infinite

bliss,

knowledge, love

and has no need

of creatures.

But

when He
in

resolves to raise a fallen race to a participation

bliss,

that

and

life,

and knowledge, and

love,

by

His

own

Himself

self-abasement, then indeed He begins, as He when God says, "to be poor and needy,"
a

becomes
other,

the

God does want a Mother. Like any Sou of Man wants a Mother to swathe and
babe,
to

guard
Voice,

Him,
of

cherish

Internal

Jov

is

Infant asking to be fed When the "tiny wanted.

When the and soothe Him. become the wailing of a poor and fondled, then is a Mother
hand"

is

stretched

that

it

be held, support, then

may

when

the

little

feet

falter

God wants
s

Mother.
love,

and wait He wants her

to

for

to
all

receive

her
the

own

His young Heart -to teach Him

and

give

Him

"by

experience"

obedience filial

obedience and subjection of choice, of

piety,

of tenderness.

God wants

a Mother
us,

dwelling amongst
238

He

being true Man and wants one in whom He may

in that,

have

the

human

right

and

the

human

happiness

of

The Most

awakening all gracious natural feelings and emotions, Pure Heart and chiefly maternal joy and sorrow and therefore He in Glory looks for them in His Mother s Most Pure Heart, and
as

He

is

Salvation to the saved so

is

He Joy

to

His

Blessed Mother.

from the

AVE

the greeting of the glad Angel, of Gabriel, the Mother s love is glowing

From

and

thrilling
is

with

an
is

He
in

her own,

and she

ever-growing joy jov because I to His my Beloved, and My

"

washing Him, more and more the light of love and intelli seeing gence beaming in her Silent One s eyes joy in bending over Him, and adoring the smile upon His sweet sleeping lips, and feeling the warmth of His gentle breathing joy in handling Him and carrying Him joy in whispering His Name to Him, and all the ecstatic prayers of her love and praises joy in His
beauty, in His growth, in His gentleness, in His sub mission, in His winning ways joy in the increase of the Child in wisdom and age and grace with God
"

Beloved to

me "-joy

in feeding

Him,

in

and
like

man."

Nor would
ours,

the

life

of

God made Man

be

utterly

unless

sorrow also found entrance into His

Mother s Heart. is boundless as an ocean, Its love and as an ocean it has not only its ilow of maternal Therefore joy, but also its ebb of maternal sorrow. God wanted a Mother to mourn for Him as mothers

mourn

to follow only-born, Him going to the death, to stand beneath the Cross, to receive Him back into her arms, to lay Him in their
first-born,

their

Garden-Tomb, where the head-cloth of the dead Son and the veil of the bereaved Mother meet and mingle, and hide the two white faces from our pitying view.
the
2 39

Rosa
Mystica

God still want her? Docs God need a edorv which Mother, now that He is returned to the o j He had witli His Father before the world was made? Yes, indeed He wants her still, He wants her there.
Does

When He

asrended on high, and entered the heavenly kingdom, when His Wounded, Beautiful Feet opened the way, and trod the streets of Sion, our Fore-runner would thru have been glad had she who followed

Him
Hut
earthly

to
for

Calvarv
our time
sakes

been

with
waited;

Him
and

in

His
the

triumph.
years
of

He

fifteen

passed

away

before

He,

Heavenly
"a

Solomon, welcomed the entrance of His Mother, rose to meet her and bow down to her, and throne was set for the King s Mother, and she sat on His
right
hand."

He wants
it

in

her there in His jov, that she may share His glory, that she may exult therein, that His

everlasting

Dwelling

though heavenly, Father s House the

after
for
Flis may be Him on earth.

still

and Tabernacle with man may, be human, and that in His place of honour and happiness
believe

occupied by her

We who

who made a home in the Communion

of

Saints

hopes,

have none of those vague ideas, those faint those painful uncertainties which distress the
of

kind

hearts

not what they

manv outside may think and

and
Jesus
for

the

Church,

believe.

nothing holy, beautiful, nature will be destroyed

of

desirable
the.

who know We know that in our human

is

from

minds
His

the

Blessed:

that

Himself

and hearts "the same

His virtues, to-day His friendships last and endure. It is thus affections, with His Saints who reign with Him. So we have a
yesterday,
ever."

and

St.

Agnes, coming

back

from

heaven

to

remonstrate

240

with her parents, who grieved too much at losing She was not indifferent to the distress of those

her.

The Most
in

who Pure Heart

is

had been and

true

still

were

dear

to

her.

even

to

Saints,

whom
above.
or

court

greater degree of the the King delights to honour To His faithful servants He
five
cities

The same Queen of

in

Glory

all

His

entrusts

His ten

His

but

to

her

the

His kingdom is given, that he may rejoice Pure Heart by granting all she asks for those she loves and protects, that thus He may continue in

whole of her Most

heaven

the

practice

of

earth

and

show His honour

by

this

sweet subjection.
Mother
of

God

thy Heart and His

;

Inseparably shine

The Sacred Heart thou worshippest

Is dutiful to thine.

And do
heaven
?

we,

also,

want

Mother
of

up
for

there

in

Indeed,

we do

one to speak

us

in

the

ears of Jesus the It is true that prayer.

choirs, but
I

human

language

human

love

and

Mary

think that she must

reigns over the Angelic love her own kind,

the seed

God

than them, if only that took not their nature but hers and ours and so
of

Abraham,

better

her eyes of mercy look do\vn where they are so wanted, and her Heart turns to her exiled children. We want her now, and again we shall greatly want her to be with us at the hour of our death and then, through the mercy of God, through the Blood of Jesus, to hold our hand in heaven, when first we gaze with child-like wonder on the God of

Beauty.

241

OUR LADY OF MERCY

In Fest. Septr. 24.

N how many ways Our

liersrlf

Blessed

Lady shows

On the be the Mother of Mercy! authority of St. Philip, we Oratorians claim her for the Foundress of our simple, unpre
to

tentious

Congregation
the
like

and

no

doubt
It
is

others

have
say

experienced
little

favour though
privilege.

they and

we
to

about

such

good
nis

keep

hidden

royal secrets and favours. humility St. Philip has refrained

With
from

customary

telling

when

Madonna s command to and so we rather cherish his found our Family statement as a domestic record than make public-,
and

how

he

received
;

the

boast of the favour.

of Captives,
like

But the Order

is

of the
is

the Carmelite Order,

such

provided \vith authentic proof that it owes its origin to the initiative of Our Lady, that Mary and no other is its Foundress.
reticence,

and

Redemption bound to no abundant and

the fact, and in and mercy which thanksgiving for all the tender love moved her to institute and cherish the Order.

The Feast

is

kept

to

commemorate

In

the middle of the

thirteenth

was chosen by Our Lady Her Order of Mercy was to compassionate designs. ransom or redeem Captives those who were slaves to the Saracens, especially in the parts of Spain which
Nolasco

century, St. Peter to carry out her

were wrested by the

242

infidels

from Christian

rulers.

MISEREORSVt*

-YRHAM

VIRGO CLEMENS, ORA PRO NOBIS

Enslaved to the Saracen, Christian captives endured Our Lady every kind of abject misery and suffering, and were in of Mercy peril of losing the faith and turning renegade because

upon them. The members of the Order of Our Lady of Mercy were, in cases of necessity, to exchange places with the Christian captive they could not ransom, and become slaves to the Turkish master. This was the romantic idea, the
of the cruelties practised

inspired plan of Our Lady. may consider that she brought it from Calvary, where she had beheld her own Divine Son die instead of others.

We

How
and

ashamed

of ourselves
all

we must

feel,

how

small

insignificant

when compared

to

we attempt must what Our Lady expects

that
!

appear, of the

members of her Order of Mercy Every one of them must be ready to imitate the heroic charity of St.
Paulinus,
restore

who

sold

himself

into

slaverv

in

order

to

as

an only son to his widowed mother. It seems though Our Lady would have her own children brought back from slavery by a similar heroic charity.
St.

Philip

knows that here

of

in

London

is

enough

such work, only lighter, easier, and to our weakness. He gives us our Indies proportioned even as he was given his in Rome. If we desire, here,
to

and

spare

we can

please
of

Our Lady
brethren

multitude
ignorance,

of Mercy. Around is a vast who are captives, captives of

sickness,

and
is

deeper not even necessary to go forth and seek them all that is wanted in their behalf is intercessory prayer
:

in

disgrace, sadness, heresy and sin, It prisons lie the Captive Holy Souls.

before the Divine Captive of the Sacramental Cell.

2 43

THE SKVFN DOLOURS

For the Feast, Third Sunday
!IIK
in

in Septr.

Sac-red

Heart of Jesus was supremely rich

grace

every

and

gracious

Our
heartedness.

qualities were Lord s virtues that

is

perfection, manifest.

and
seems

its

Amongst
to

which
the

have been most characteristic

compassionate tender
in

Again

and again,

wilderness,

at

But Nairn, at Bethany, this compassion was displayed. in one single instance there was a mysterious exception From the beginning of to this universal gentleness.

commencement of the Public to make manifest the Ministry, He seemed unwilling tendei love which He could not but have for His own
His
signs,

from

the

dear Mother.

His

first

living

act

of

human
but

affection

was

hers,

hers

also

was

His

last;

during the

from giving in public intervening years He shrank In the even the customary tokens of filial tenderness. there may often have been untold years early There may have been outpourings of tender love.
:

but

venture to

think there were not.

to

It

would be

somewhat
life

contrary
it

the

noble

would give a of consistency, were any great difference of demeanour assumed in the public and private intercourse of God That there was complete when He dwelt among
on earth,
"

dignity of Christ s look at least of want

us."

exchange of thought, and most tender reciprocal feeling, we cannot doubt: but it was of the higher and more
244

POSU1T ME DESOLATAM

perfect

interior

that mirth
features.

kind. It is said of the Divine Infant The Seven never was seen to play upon His beautiful Dolours
is

It

also certain

that

He who came with

;

the

title

of

other

guise.

Man of Sorrows would never appear in He would go to the marriage feast He

and drink, and accept the invitations given Him but always He was the same calm, silent, gentle, gracious Holy One, whose Divinity shone through the Flesh He had assumed. And for the Mother whom He
eat
;

would

so

loved

He

chose out

the

greatest

of

life s

not sparing her, as though

of

He Himself was

sorrows, the Sword

Sorrow with which her Heart was to be pierced. The explanation does not seem difficult. The best and holiest lot on earth is to be with Jesus and to
share

and portion, abiding by His choice chose the chalice of suffering and Calvary. Nothing great is ever done for God except
:

His

He

through

sacrifice.

The

greatest

work

of all

is

man

Salvation,

accomplished only by sacrifice, and that of the Divine Victim and the Mother of that Victim has a share
:

and has many and great things to God till the end of time. Therefore, while He is clothed with a garment sprinkled with blood, hers is dyed with the purple of the King is a regal robe of mourning. In distributing the gifts which He bestowed when He left the world and returned to His Father, Christ
in

the immolation,
for

do

apportioned persecutions, calumnies, violence to the to His Mother, who had Apostles already gone through her martyrdom, He offered no more Dolours, but only a prolongation of her Desolation so long as she
;

remained in this vale of tears. Acute pain and anguish should no longer be hers when His were ended. She

EE

245

Rosa
Mystica

said

her

Fiat

each
she

time

Seven
in

times

submitted to
these

was be wounded seventy-seven

recorded
Strokes

Dolour pierced her wounded, and would

a
times,
all

soul.

have
were

but that

Seven

sorrows

contained and conveyed to her soul.

After the Precious

Blood
than
life

there

was nothing more beautiful and precious

fifteen

the

sweet tears shed for another

The\it

years

of

without her Jesus.

watered and renewed the

so loved the
to
life

face of the earth.

Thus
left

was because God

here, for

world that

He

His Mother

the
of

end she
her
little

was

to

"lift

up her hands

the

children."

We
Pieta,

should often gaze on the Mater Dolorosa, the the Queen of Sorrows pierced with the Seven

Swords.
is

and and compassionate melancholy we should be sorrowful for sin and suffering, and the miseries we witness on
the

For we have to remind ourselves that time for weeping, that without gloom

now

is our every side. To shrink from sorrow and distress stricken human natural instinct. We say, "Why, let the

deer go

weep."

mourning,"

from

bliss

is better to go to the, house of But It is divine to descend is more divine. it to woe, from joy to being "sorrowful even
"it

unto
shall

death."

Blessed are

laugh (Luke vi). Divine Master: and

that
in

you that weep now, Such is the teaching

all all

for

you
our

of

we
in

confess
perfect

this

as

lovingly recognize His most faithful

and and

grant
tears

Disciple was the On-KX OF that the Wounded Hand which

MARTYRS.
()

God

wiped away the

Mary, our own

for

ever from thine eyes of mercy,

may
!

at thy pleading, sweet Mother,

wipe away

KtUINA SACRA

11SSIM1

ROSARII

OKA PHO NOBIS

ROSARY SUNDAY
First

Sunday
the

of October.

CREATION

is

full

of

men
to

goodness and power of is another wonder in creation. It is a marvel that the free wills of angels and should have chosen to disobey God, and dare
sin in

wonders of the God. And there

commit
malice

up

presence of the Creator, setting preference to goodness, in defiance of

far

in

the

almighty power.

The Incarnation transcends

wonderful,
Perfections,
infinite

Creation,
of

is

more
of

reveals

deeper

makes mercy and

It

known
love.

mysteries further

the

Divine

possibilities

And
s

here

also

is

an

accompanying

wonder,

a
is

human wickedness. even now to resist

sight, in

greater that man

of

marvel,

caused

by

free will continues

the will the

spite

of

God, to do evil in His additional rights and claims of

:

God God And

fires

Incarnate.

Now, Creation goes on

out
the
of

souls

of nothing, as was Incarnation also continues

still

are being made bythe first created soul.

in
activity.
Its

of of

glow and burn in the heart the Divine The Three and Thirty years Immensity. Our Lord are not the limit of the Mystery. How
a time!
descended

Divine love

short

Who

compared with the eternal life of Him from heaven. How few were His
manifesting
Himself,
of

opportunities

of

performing
247

Rosa
Mystica

wonders, of making even while departing

witli
us.

known
from
lie

His
earth,

Mother!

Therefore,

He

still

remained

He

stayed, as

promised, with the Church,

is

imperishable and immortal, because it is a continuation and prolongation of His own life, because lie is with her still.
vitality

His

Bride:

and

her

The
is

history
of

of

the

Church
JOYOUS

in

all

her vicissitudes her

repetition

the

Human
ol

Life

of

Lord.
of

too,

has her periods

innocence,

She, sadness

and suffering, of gladness and triumph. Joy, Sorrow, and Glory enter into her life, each in its season, and in divers ways and degrees influence the spirit and
4

feelings

of

the

Faithful.

The

very

course

of

the

Year brings about these successive moods Christmas joy, mystical life of the Church. Lent sadness and its Passion-tide, and Faster O gladness, an proof that the heart of the Church beats in accord
Ecclesiastical
in
the.
7

with the Sacred

Christ
lives
in

Heart,
her.

that

she
as

lives,

or

rather,

that
of

Take

examples

the

case

individual Saints,

Mother the and visions

their

who after all are miniatures Church. Manv have had countless
of

of their

favours
in

the soul

Holv Child, which proves that

has

case

the
St.

been
St.

steeped

in

the

Joyful

and show how the Sorrowful Mysteries mark those who contemplate them. For the influence of the Glorious Mvsteries we must not look too exactingly
Mysteries. the Fcstatics
Franc-is,

Catherine

of

Siena,

in

this

vale

of

tears;

yet
a

they
soul,

also

have been the

I

spiritual

sunshine of

many

and

think our

own

Saint Philip will let me name him as one who would not have been out of place even on Mount Tabor. And so the Church in her members has to live the
life

of Christ.

The Holy Ghost works

in her mysteries

248

on

which

"the

Angels
trials;

desire
of for

to

look."

She
Jesus,

imparted to her the she has to bear the

her Divine Master.
birth
to
till

virtues

the

life
is

of

not greater As Christ found enemies from Mis

she
so

The Rosary and of Our than Blessed Lady

lias

His

death,

persecution. characteristics, her mission, are sure to provoke opposition and strife for, in every age vice abounds, in even*
;

suffer

Church must be content Her whole system, her essential

His

country
either

and climate human passions are

or

to

be found

openlv rebelling against secretly conspiring the restraints of the Gospel. The passions of man and the gates of hell are in alliance; they are fostered and

governed by that which Our Lord has named the Prudence of the Flesh and the Church, faithful to the mission imposed on her by her Founder, spreads
;

everywhere,
this

and

Prudence

everywhere of the Flesh

encounters

and
the

rebukes
teaches

and

the World,

the supernatural, and rescues the victims of the ilesh and the devil all who feel weary
laden.
In this
life

world,

and heavy-

and His Church, Mary as of old takes her place, and that, as of old, a prominent Therefore does the Dragon single out the Woman one. to make especial war on her and her clients. In this more than anything Satan seems to show his inlluence over heretics, and how completely he has succeeded in severing and separating them from Christ. They slight His Mother with us, makes sure that we Pie, being due honour to her who is absent. For Mary is pay
of Christ
:

actually

in heaven, while Jesus is actually both in heaven with her and on earth with us. To keep up in our hearts a devotion to His Mother is an obligation

which love imposes on His

Own

Sacred Heart.

Thus,

249

Rosa
Mystica

Church and God,"

their

of

thy children taught of establish their claim to be thy children by

Christ,

are

"all

Catholic

devotion
so lowly

to

the

Mother

of

God.

She

who remained

and unobtrusive

for the Thirty-

Three years is now openly accorded all this public honour and worship, and is proclaimed QUEEN OE THE MOST HOLY ROSARY. Even now and even
thus

God

faithfully

fulfils

II is

threat

made
of

in

the

beginning

that

lie

would

put
In

enmity
times

between

the

Woman
peril,
is

and

the
the
like

Serpent.

when
hand
like

Old Serpent
Esther,
to

seems
to

danger and triumphant, Marx-

at

to speak

the

King

for

her

people
her

Judith,
In

rescue
the

Ilolofernes.

times

when

close bv, as she

agonv and passion, was near the Cross The battle is unceasing, and
then

them from the infernal Church has to undergo is Mary our Advocate
of Jesus.

the

battle-field

is

wide.

\Yc

may

say
evil

that

it

covers
there
is

the whole

world.

But
drive
at

wherever
;

evil

attacks,

defend

wherever
forth
to
;

enters,
evil

it

wherever
the

hand

rescue

fallen.
its

Mary ready to there Mary follows to has conquered, Mary is The fight rages now
its

in the depths of
its

pauperism,

dangers,

temptations,
science,
its

degradations
its

now
its

in
its

the

realms

of in

pride,
of

independence,
its

revolt

now
its

the

world
the
of

wealth,
is

sloth,

indolence,

sensuality

conllict

carried

on through the entire range

the

thoughts and wishes of the

It
is

human
in

heart.

chiefly

in

the school,

the church,
victory
is

in

the

confessional,

on
a

the

death-bed,

that
of

won,

and then by patient weariness, very martyrdom and by the hidden help of the Mystical Rose, ever counted on and never invoked in vain.
250

In

lliis

our lime, ever since

1870,

the

conflict

is

Evil conspicuous, and fought in the highest places. has gained entrance and maintains a looting where Blessed we should least expect to see it. Nay, it has assumed

The Rosary of Our

Lady

tone

of

boastfulness,
I

as

though
it

victorious.

may

describe

were completely as the abomination of

it

In the Eternal desolation standing in the holy place. City, the Capitol of the Catholic World, men year after

year hold festival

"

public rejoicings on the 2oth of September for an event which Pius IX. stigmatized as a great sacrilege and an enormous injustice." Since
that calamitous day

and

been

heard

of

no repentance, no reparation has and the intruders continue to dwell

respect,

without
Quirinal.

reverence,

or

pity,

in

the
is

Interdicted

Our
Pontiff
to

Holy

Father
in

Pius

X.

the

third
is

Sovereign

who

his

Vatican

Captivity

unworthy restraints," and this in the "subjected centre of Christendom, and at the hands of Christians While enduring his for his enemies are not Moslems.
portion of this prolonged persecution, the universally venerated Predecessor of Our Holy Father exclaimed
:

We

the help of Christians, the Queen of the most Holy Rosary. Filled with sweetest hopes, we lift up heart and hands to Mary of the Rosary though the

appeal to

recreant world laughs,

sacrilegious

and mocks with blasphemous and

7th
"

tongue (Eeo XIII., Et mine reges intelligite. Ozias

Lord,"

December,

1883).

felt

the stroke of the

and was a

leper

till

he heeded not the warning of Azarias

the day of his death because Go out of the

:

thing shall not be sanctuary: accounted for thy glory by the Lord God (II. Para, xxv.) Even Heliodorus had sense enough, when his king wished to act at Jerusalem as at present kings are
for this

do not despise:

Rosa
Mystica

acting at
his

Rome,
in

to

write

his
is

warning
and
iii).

He

that

hath

dwelling
that

the heavens

the visitor

of

place,
to

and

he
it

striketh
(II.

and protector destroyeth them

that

come
"Where

do

evil to

Mace.

Leo dwelt

in

prison Pins X.

now

pines

in

patient pathetic silence silence which is as significant as the speech of his Predecessor. Our Lord the Pope imitates Him of he is the Vicar, as though he

Whom

would onlv increase the j of his persecutors and so make their sin the obstinacy shall toll you, you will not believe me: greater: If and if shall also ask you, you will not answer me, nor let me go (St. Luke xxii. 67, 68). In silentio ot
feared
further

remonstrance

spe erit fortitude) vestra

It
is

(Isai.

xxx.
of

15).

in

Commemoration
prayer
the
St.

the

help

of

Mary

given
recited
St.

at

the

of

the

Church,
City
St.

a
in

through
of
ol

Eternal
Philip,

Rosary prayer procession bv

a
as

Pius V. and
the

that this

Day was made

himself,

Festival

Church

by
ol

Pius

the
to

Feast

Our

Ladv

Victory.

According
V.

Benedict
the

XIV. (De Festis), St. Feast on the first Sunday

1571, fell

Pius
of

instituted

October,
first

because

the Seventh of October,

of that

on the

Sunday

month.

But

later,

Day should be Our Blessed Lady because

that
the

1573, Gregory XIII. decreed the Feast of the Rosary of

1
,

the

victory \vas
finally,

won

while

the Rosary was being said. in Feast 1716 raised the

And
to

Innocent XII.

extended

a higher rank, and whole Church because of renewed victories over the Turks in Austria and Corfu. The Rosary is now as ever the weapon with which
it

to

the

the
of

Blessed
the

contends the enemies Virgin against Church. alas it would seem that the But,
!

252

The Rosary Peter was kept in prison, prayer was made without of Our That prayer prevailed Blessed Lady ceasing by the whole Church. but we in our turn have prayed for thirty years and more, and the answer we hope for has not yet been
hands

now

holding

it

arc

feeble

indeed.

When

St.

accorded.
is

May
in

it

not

be

because

"

Christ the

Lord
this

taken

our

sins?"

May
us,

it

not

be

that

punishment is come upon decay of piety, and want

Christian holiness of life?
it

in

consequence of general

of

fervour in the practice of Let us think it, and confess

;

the Refuge of Sinners to the fervour and return

to

and

so

while
of

we
the
last

try

to

holiness
will

early

Christians,
this

our prayer,

like

theirs,

at

obtain

greatly-needed victory of Holy Rosary.

the

Queen

of

the

Most

FF

253

THE MATERNITY OF OUR BLESSED LADY

Second Sundav
of October.

has

made
but

man
has

"a

little

less

than
with
be

the

content with a nature which, than the angelic, is more favoured.

mm
At
clear

angels,"

crowned
that
lie

him

such
well

glory

and

honour

may
if

less

perfect

though all the advantage and all the superiority were on the side of the angel. His faculties Like his Creator, he is a pure spirit. he knows with the what he knows, are most perfect
first,
it

would seem

as

certitude

of

unerring

intuition

what

he

loves,

So he loves without division, distinction, or reserve. immaterial their with faculties his are identified with which they substance, in which they are rooted,
co-extensive appear to be nearly, if not altogether, so harmoniously do they work, that the very energy and
are the rest and quiescence activity of their operations Never have infancy and childhood on of the spirit. on the other delayed or the one hand nor has old

age

dimmed

their

full

manifestation

they

have

an

Such an one is an angel, a emanation and image of his glorious bright and which God, a life that is at once light and melody, amid in the dawn of creation adores and praises God is less bright, the stars of the firmament, whose shining
imperishable
maturity.

whose

music

is

less

sweet

Every angel,
life:

moreover,

stands alone
2 54

in

his

luminous

neither

by

origin

SANCTA DEI GEN1TRIX, ORA PRO NOBIS

nor

it linked to any other, relationship is indeed, to the Divine Life of God in

except,

The

Whom

each Maternity

So different and separate from of Our angel has his being. each other are angels that many theologians consider Blessed Lady each angel constitutes a distinct species in himself.
took not the seed of angels, assumed not angelic nature, but the seed of Abraham, the nature of the

God

human
it

and, as regards union with God, the family Incarnation has effected nothing for the angels, but
;

has

bestowed

on

them
in

this

Head and King

in Jesus,

boon a Mary a Queen, and in us

long-desired
"

fellow servants and subjects. Much less, rather than

little
It
is

less,"

than

the

angels

does

man appear

to

be.

humiliation to

pride to study that strange compound of soul and body, that animated spirit and llesh which constitute
s

man

human
its

nature.

How
move
in

reasonings,

reflections

slowly the mind must work in and deductions How feebly

!

the will must

its

faltering, hesitating choices

Infancy and old age abridge and terminate man s life, his sojourn here on earth, and often sickness and death

untimely cut

it

short.

And
rejoice
!

yet,

sons of

Adam,

daughters

of

Eve,

you have that which the angels have not, that

if they might, they would envy the nature which God assumed. You have what God now lias, what angels never had a heart. You have what God a MOTHER has, what angels never had Rejoice, and on this Eeast of Mary exult exceedingly, for we

which,

celebrate

to-day that Maternity of hers wherein we have the same Mother as God has His is ours, ours is

Mother of fair love, and knowledge, and of holy hope."

His
"

the

of

fear,

and

of

255

Rosa
Mvstica

When
Himself,
to

\vc

speak

of

the

Maternity
her

of

Mary,
to

mean primarily and

IKT
sin

directly

relationship
Flesh,
sense.
fullest

we God
1

Son
1

the
in

Word made
connect
her

mortal Mother
this

is

the truest,
\vc

Whose With

Maternity ol less than ado])tion, the Maternity of grace, something divine, but far more than human- the Motherhood o!
divine

Maternity

Mankind.
is

The

first,

her

maternal relationship to God,

infinite,
it

an

infinite

that

there

honour and dignity cannot be a greater;

rivalled;
of
chic
all
1 ! .

in

the sense

can
gifts
in

neither

be

surpassed
it

nor

Mary
It

and graces
that
true,

is

immeasurablv the
tie

consists

natural
actual

which,

in

the

sense,

constitutes

Him

plainest, most real her Child and her

it,

and
His
it,

Mother.

Miracles

accomplish

graces

adorn

correspondence to those graces makes her worthy ol but nothing interferes with, nor obscures, its grand it, and matter of fact simplicity. Her perpetual Virginity does not diminish, but, rather, intensifies its reality,
while

strengthening the bond. His adorable Divinity does not

of
its

His
divest

infinite
it

of

Majesty, a single

element

human, physiological reality. Fvery him her son, whom she conceives, and brings forth: and thus precisely, for the same reason, docs the Virgin Mary claim as her very own and only Son Him Who was conceived of her by the Holy Ghost

woman

calls

at

Xa/areth and was born of her at Bethlehem.

Jesus

Christ,

not
the

Adam,
King
of of

is

the

human Adam,

family,
the.

all

Head of The creation.

true
to

the
first

earthly

predecessor in Precursor and

image time, was placed

the
in

heavenly Paradise

Adam, His
be

His
;

even as later
256

Representative to the first generations He, the one true Head of the Church,

when leaving
Paradise
sentative
to

the
to

world
the

placed

Peter

in

that

new The

be

regenerate

His

visible

Repre- Maternity

and

bv choosing
time"

Vicar. But, by delaying the Incarnation, of Our to enter His creation in the "fulness of Blessed

Lady

"

what did Christ gain? Adam was not He gained for Himself a Mother. made of a woman," Christ was and perhaps it is
instead of the beginning,
:

precisely because of this that in the first seems always a less human look because

man

there

mother he
all

had
as

none.

Whereas the goodness and the humanity,

says,

St.

Paul

of

Christ

our

Saviour

seem
to

the

greater,

precisely

because
desirable
at

He comes not
!

us

alone,

but appears with a Mother

so
beautiful,

so

Ah, a mother is a being that from all eternity God

cost
to

chose and
for

determined

whatever

have one

In the plans of divine Predestination He Himself. decreed this as the second choice of His Free Will, as

would give supreme content and consolation So the Incarnation was to the Word made Flesh. delayed till the Immaculate Conception brought a Mother w ell worth waiting for
that which
r
!

And now
of

let

us
of

consider the

secondary
the

meaning

the

God

Mary. Through Maternity goodness of our Saviour, she is also our Mother, not in the

order of nature but in that of grace. When we reflect that God so loved the world as to give His only Son for the life of the world, it helps us to believe the

which permits us to generosity participate with Jesus in the maternal love of Mary. What a proof of His tender love of us, of the sincerity
almost
incredible
of

His fraternal

affection

He

gives,

Blood,
in

His

life,

the

Holy

not only more than Eucharist but even His

only His His life Himself

not

Mother

Man,

Rosa
Mystica

can die for another; but can ever one be found who could love as Jesus loves? Call to mind the mysterious love between a woman and the fruit
it
is

true,

of her

man is altogether not say to share his feelings for her with another, but even to allow them to be seen and
So sacred
is
it,

womb.

that a

reluctantI

will

spoken of; the very allusion to them often seems almost a liberty on the part of his most familiar friend. But here we have our dearest Saviour ready to pour out from His own Sac-red Heart its choicest treasures, readyto

transfuse into hearts like

ours

its

holiest

and most

tender affections, bidding us "behold" in His our own sweet Mother! Praised and blessed for evermore be

a place in the human family rather than one in the angelic- ranks! t it may be imagined that ours is a mere
the
l>u

Creator

Who

has given

me

relationship

of

nominal value, a
fictitious

adoption and affection, between Jesus and Mary.

courtesy, of compared with that

title

of

Not

so.
"

The words

of Jesus

have
sunt

divine^

and
in

creative

power.
of

He
is

spoke, and they were

the

made:"

Ipse dixit, et facta lie effected this

relationship
divine,
if

order

grace,

which,

less

than

far

more than mere earthly adoption.

perceive the substance of
"the
"

Nay,

only

more real and intimate than "the bonds of Adam" and the ties of earth we should see that, even as life surpasses death, and as the heaven of heavens excels tin s shadowy and lleeting earth, this
things

we could of God

invisible

undeserved, unexpected elevation to the standing and privileges of becoming children of Mary surpasses,
great,

without

wounding
is

or weakening,

the dear mothers

who brought

relationship to us into this vale of tears.

our

God

Mother

then our Mother, our Life, our Sweetness,

258

and our Hope, the Mother

She
the
is

our

Life,

world She
Sinners. yet

that
is

and holy hope. The because she brought Jesus our Life to Maternity lay in darkness and the shadow of of Our
of fair love

death.
of

the
Life,

Sweetness of the Saints,

the

Hope
more

Llessed

Lady

words!
beautiful
to

all

Sweetness, three contained

Hopethree
in

beautiful
still

that one

word
child
of
of

Mother
hers-

for

is

not every true mother

each

its

Mary, Mother

God!
all

sweetness, hope? Holy lUcsscd art thou amongst all

life,

women, amongst

mothers!

2 59

THF PURITY OF OUR BLFSSFD LADY

Third Sunday of October.
.^

lO^v)
or
stain

^^jjflllHRK
to

is

(lower which
it

is

beautiful, fragrant,
fairness fearlessly
^

white as snow:
the
light:
it

lifts

its

stands erect, and so holds soil its pure blossoms far from the reach ol is it of earth: delicate, and injured by the
touch.

lightest

There

is

virtue

fragrant, white as angel

raiment:

which which

is

beautiful,
its

lifts

lace

Father in confidingly and fearlessly to the face of the heaven, which holds itself aloof from everything defiling,
earthly,

sensual,

which

is

of exquisite delicacy,

and
the

is

wounded by
the
virtue
of

the slightest fault. is Purity: and the

to

The

flower
is

is

lily,

ilower

the

chosen

emblem
noblest

the virtue.

The Church, who

those
of

decoration

who
the
St.

gives as her die for the Faith the

Crown
offering

and
for

the the

Palm
Virgin

Martyr,

has

no

fairer

for

Joseph

himself

than

the
is

Crown and
a grace and
all

the Lily.

The Immaculate Conception

to
all

glory

given

one alone, one

rejoice
:

whom
God
s

we

love,

in

whom we

it

is

choicest gift, bestowed on the most worthy, and none But to the are disloyal enough to grudge it to Mary.

human
and
her
lily,

offered a beautiful gift inferior, of course, s to make yet in some aspects sufficiently like Mary Mother. It is a children very dear to that Virgin

race

is

beautifies the it valley face of the earth as the stars do that of heaven, for it
if

only

lily

of

the

260

SANCTA VIRGO VIRGINUM ORA PRO NOBIS

grows among the thorns. It is this holy Purity, to bo The Purity found in every state in the youth and maiden, in the of Our married and the widowed, in priest and people. O Blessed Lady how beautiful is the chaste generation with glory!" It is the happiness of the youth, the honour of the
"

maiden,
the

it

is

the
the

light of
eye,

life,

lustre

of

the

the glory of the brow, peace of the features, the

all

innocence of the heart, above

nobility, pearl of the

health,
it is

and wealth,
the
priceless
is

and

above all crowns, crown of heaven.

its

for
Its

beauty
the
loftiness

beheld
its

with

awe,

and

fragrance

reaches
its

heart,

spotlessness dazzles and fascinates, the worthless and the vile.

Its

reproves
so

possession and presence

is
is

known by

many

glorious properties. Purity there modesty is found, there there bashfulness and gentleness abounds, reserve intervene, there takes humility rests.

For where

Timidity

flight

at

the

first

warning

of

peril;

chastity
of

veils

her

calm features because of the angels hastens from the thoroughfare to

God;

the

virginity seclusion of

home;
glance looks

the
of

manly
the
eye,

control

of

the

heart

restrains

the
to

and maintains the compact

;

as

made by upright and ingenuous youth and takes alarm at anything in dress, in womanly delicacy
manners, in appearance calculated to attract attention dreads compliments, provoke remark. Purity resents flattery and llees away with the swiftness of the startled deer from the approach of It will danger. hear nothing, see nothing, read nothing, permit nothing about which it has misgivings. It will no

and

accept

no bribes to shackle its freedom and so forfeit its peace. Well does it know that the least breath may wither its beauty, the slightest touch may injure
presents,

GG

261

Rosa
Mystica

that the smallest infidelity to the the very exquisite sensitiveness of grace may imperil existence of this flower of our human nature, that the
its

snowy whiteness

blush on the cheek

soul.
It

is

often

the blood

of a

murdered

knows

that
its

two out
behalf.

of
It

the

Ten Commandments
its

are

given in

remembers the severity

enemies.
Cities

the awful
are

severity

which punishes

destroyed by fire from heaven, a Deluge destroys the earth and its inhabitants, multitudes are hewn to take pieces with the sword, chastisements perpetually place for the sake of the safety of this virtue loved by

God, but More from

His

"

with the jealousy of We look than this.

conduct
loss at

God."

on Jesus

Christ,

and

towards

weeping

bewail their

His blessed feet we

penitents who learn the value

How infinite, how divine is the on Purity. compassion He shows for the prostrate misery that What pity He displays! pleads with silent tears! How tenderly and considerately does He, the Judge of the living and the dead, speak of one condemned by
He
sets

her

own

fellow creatures, Heart.

fallen,

for ever lost!

pronounced to be hopelessly Not so to the divine clemency of

cancel
the
past,
restore
:

His

Sacred

To
is,

the

actual

treasure lost,
is

indeed, beyond possibility

:

but
new-

nothing
purity,
"

beyond

His mercy

He can
"

give

and a greater love:

because she hath loved

"

He can pardon many sins, when all accuse, He much

:

can refuse to condemn, can say

ment,
to

in

gentlest encourage

Go

in

peace,

and

sin

no more
the

giving grace
the

the

disgraced,

strength

to

weak, hope to

merciful behest. Ah, despairing, to accomplish His of absolution, hand surely those tones of pity, that

262

that look of forgiveness and reconciliation are not wholly The Purity Where would be our confidence and of Our unknown to us did we not feel that the same sweet Saviour Blessed Lady our
!

refuge,

even

now

intercedes

with

open

as of old, pleads with the worst, the perfect that He speaks thus to
at least

Wounds, even now, and offers pardon so

sinner:
art

Therefore

from this time call to the Guide of my Virginity?

restores

Me, Thou

O
!

my Father, Precious Blood, that

the

whiteness

of

snow

healing

Hand

bending compassionate mercy that lifts the broken reed, the bruised lily, and bids it again be beautiful, and fragrant, and white, though bedewed, perchance, with the tears of a secret sorrow, a sw^eet contrition, though henceforth hidden more securely and sheltered
in the valley of humility
!

Should any \vonder

of

why

whose Commandments, about which our Blessed Lord gave most solemn warnings, most alluring counsels, are not more often preached, it may be remembered that Purity is praised and extolled whenever we preach All good things come to us together on Mary. with her, and innumerable riches through her hands, for she is an infinite treasure to men, which they that use become the friends of God, being com For she is mended for the gift of discipline
a
virtue
in
" "
"

the praise and excellence behalf God thundered His

a certain pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty ..." I knew that I could not otherwise be God."
continent except God gave it, and this also was a point a grace, that is, obtained by us through of Wisdom Mary, the Seat of Wisdom The very preaching about Mary is in itself a
"

sermon on Purity.

For

in

the Virgin of virgins

that

263

Rosa
Mystica

virtue

displayed in all honourable, but Virginity

is
it

its
is

perfection.

Marriage

is

keep

are

the

fairest

venerable, and they who children, the most beautiful

Few (lowers of earth are fitter for images of Mary. God s altar than the lily, few virtues can be named
more pleasing
"the

Virgin over the Virginitv of Marv that the Holy Ghost, It is the brightness the Divine Dove of Purity hovers.
It
is

God than Virginal Purity. named Mary" that the Archangel

to

It
is

is

to

sent.

and
It
is

undimmed
to

lustre
"

of

that

Virginity

which

is

the
"

Sign to the nations

P>ehold

a Virgin shall conceive

honour that Virginitv, to assert it against the silence of her modest humility, that the Holy Spirit hastens to the Temple, fills the souls of Simeon and Anna, and through them declares that the Babe she carries in her arms is the Promised Salvation, the Son
born of a Virgin, and that she therefore needs not the Purification for which she asks in the device of her
humility. her His
also
It
is

the pure Virginitv of

distinctive

"Love,

Mary that makes It is His Dove, His Chosen One."

virtue
of

Mother on of God which now exercises the greatest the children of her adoption as it did before on the
the

one

grand,

the

influence

Fruit of her
is

womb.

The Purity
pen-fume

of

the

familiar,

fragrant

the Blessed Virgin which pervades the

Church
state

of Christ like incense

and
is

fills

her children with

of
in

happiness and
facts.

peace

which

not

this

world.

God
of

gives

His graces

various

ways,

grace chiefly to those

of
fair
love."

but

the

gives Purity children who are the

He

principally and Mother of the

"

As

in a

home

the

young men

feel

the

happy, holy influence of pure and gentle sisters, so in the Church ten thousand times more do we experience
264

the magic, the charm, the persuasiveness of the Blessed The Purity The statistics of Ireland, and other countries, of Our Virgin. show that this is so the contrast between the Catholic Blessed
:

Lady

population and the other

are

is

most marked.
fact,

No

attempt
that

can be made to conceal the

unwilling
is

though non-catholics

which
hold
me,
ye

accept the explanation. May true of a nation remain ever true of all
Ireland

to

who
Hear
rose

as

divine
the

The Catholic Faith offspring, and bud forth as

holds

"

the

planted

by odour as frankincense.

brooks

of

waters.

Give ye a

sweet
lily,

Send forth flowers as the

"

and bring

forth leaves in grace

(Eccus. 50).

265

PATRONAGE OF

Ol R BLESSED
Fourth Sunday
in

LADY
October.

HE
has

Fathers

of

the

Church

have

written

of

three

shown
the

stupendous miracles bv His power. The

which
first
is

God
the

union of
the second the the
is

God and Man

;

in

the Incarnation;

Blessed

union of Virginity and Maternity in the third is the union of Virgin Marv

human
all

heart

that one Blessed

What shall we say of amongst women in whose most Pure

and Faith.
miracles

Heart
it

these

three
art

were worked?

For so

was.

"Blessed

thou
blessed
it.

who
are

hast

believed."

true statement, confirmed

later

bv Jesus Himself, when

they
that
in

He
of

said:
of
in

Yea,

rather,

hear the
the

Word
made
be

God and keep

the message possible that
1

For Faith

word

God,
it

the

His angel brought from heaven, two other miracles should

wrought that Mary should be the Virgin-Mother, and her Son the God-Man. that is might}- hath done great things to me" "He Mary exclaimed, while confessing these wonders worked But we may well occupy in and through her Heart. ourselves with the thought of the greater things done bv God in heaven to honour Flis dear Mother in the we may picture to of saints and angels sight ourselves the joy, the brightness of that most Pure Heart of Mary, the more fittingly because it is our
:

privilege to be told

by

St.

Philip

to

be

"

Devotees of

266

ORA PRO POPULO, INTERVENI PRO CLERO

Mary
worship

in

this

Church
under

of ours

whore wo,
of

his

children,

The
of

God

the

invocation

our

Blessed Patronage

Lady

most Pure Heart. And firstly, we must Himself, and try with due
s

Our
Ladv

think
fear

of

and

great reverence to
rather

the

God
gaze
its

Blessed

upon

His divine

life

in

its

activitv

than

repose, although in truth the divine activity and repose are identically the same in the simplicity and perfection
of

the

Divine

Nature.

So
Life
1

that

Divine
essence

Power,
of that

Immensity, Eternity constitute the verv

irresistible

Ocean
its

of

Blissful

waveloss
is

indeed but

not without

no succession, which is and must be without beginning and without end. This also do we know that the energy, the
infinite

throb in which

rapidity, the activity of that

it

Divine Vitality, although

cannot but be supremely self-sufficing, is yet so over-abundant and over-flowing that it has chosen to descend into nothingness in order to select from the there p^cri brides invoking Divine Omnipotence a
creation
gladness,

that

may have participation that may offer its humble

its

in

its

joy

and

yet

acceptable

addition to
the call of

glory.

Thus
its

at

its

appointed time, at

its

Creator,

Heavenly Father, made and

modelled by His unfelt hand, each creature has come forth from nothing to enjoy a being and existence which is the free gift of Divine Will and Love.
creative act of God is happily does the Almighty rest, as we understand accomplished, rest, and cease to lavish His care, notice and regard for the work of His hands ? Does the Father withdraw
this

And when

and absorb Himself in and the image of His gazing upon splendour substance mirrored in the Son? Is the Son wholly
into

that

inner

Divine

life,

the

267

Rosa
Mystica

that she receives from

God

"the

half of His

kingdom,"

the administration of Divine Mercy.

For

this did
it

God

with such and dispose for this did He still further prepare faitli it upon Calvarv, where He spoke with creative word and said Behold thy son," and gave the maternal
dispose
:

the

Heart of

Mary, and

endow

"

instinct

so
"

fully

that

the

"multitude

of

His

tender
for

mercies
the

seems barely enough when multitude of the "children of

are
the

Mary pleads
her

Desolation."

"Many

children

of

the

Desolate!"

exclaimed

the Prophet,
1

when
in

in vision he beheld us

invoking the

Patronage of the Mother of Mercy.

And we
especial

the

England
of

way

the

children

to-day are in an Mary s Desolation, who

of

have an especial claim therefore to her Patronage. For we dwell in Our Lady s Dowry, and it is hard to linger
here

and

witness

the

devastation

of

her

possessions.

God has given to her not only the South and the East, but these green valleys and watered plains of the from North, whose inhabitants of old were (-hanged
Angles into Angels, and are
like

now become

in

multitudes

and lost. us, astray shepherdless sheep, of her however, take courage and ily to the Patronage

Let

who

has renounced none of her royal rights to Merry once more the great miracle England; let us pray that be renewed the union of the human heart and

may

Faith

Faith of our Fathers

Mary s

prayers

Shall win our country back to thee.

270

NONDUM ERANT

ABYSSI,

ET EGO JAM CONCEPTA ERAM

THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

In Fest. Dec.
S.

God glorifv Him bv setting forth as in a mirror the image of His Perfections.
works
of

Thus we gain our

the

earliest

thoughts concerning

Divine

Attributes.

And when

reason

falters, revelation takes her by the hand, and leads on to fuller knowledge. are made acquainted in this

We

way with
trie

that great

and adorable Perfection

of

God-

Reason and revelation repeats the truth, that God us, is "ever the same." am the Eord, and I change not" In whom there is no (Mai. iii). change nor any shadow of alteration" (S. James). How glorious is this
assures
"I
"

Divine Immutability or Unchangeableness.

permanence of Being, equally without beginning or end, youth or age, eternal Unity, eternal Trinity, infinite knowledge to which no addition is possible, infinite love to which no increase can be made, eternal counsels in which there is no hesitation and no succession
!

God is not like us. I am the Lord, and He is not one who now acts and now
"

change

not."

reposes

He

is

activity and uninterrupted repose at once. He is not one whose nature is separate from its His essence and existence, His operations and actions and will are identically one, are perpetually thought

incessant

the same, in one immense, simple, unchangeable, eternal Present. No storm can ever cross the surface of that

boundless Ocean,

no

cloud

can obscure

that

Heaven
271

Rosa
Mystica

of

calm splendour, no check can

untiring activity.
of

arrest

the

victorious

perpetuity of that

The
Divine.

Angels
that

God show
it is

forth

certain

of

the

Perfections:

part of their happiness to see

this

and
those

feel

they possess
choirs,

likeness.

And among
steadfast
in

angelic

the

Thrones

may

well

be

tranquil, pacific, thought to represent

their

imperturbable serenity the Immutability of their Creator. looking earthward, looking at man, whom God has made little less than the Angels, can we see

But

anvthing True it

to
is

show
that
of
in

forth

this

same Divine
trace

Perfection?

man we

the

and likeness
Fall,

the

Uncreated Trinity;

glorious image yet, since the

how faint is that resemblance, how faded that What words of likeness, how disfigured that image! Scripture go home to us more than those of Job, the And how does Job describe man ? Man, sorely tried ? as if born of woman, is full of many miseries, and
"
"

this

were the greatest misery

state."

"never

continueth in the
inconsiderate,
in

same

Changeful, inconstant,
the
lessons of

fickle,

dreams about the Future, letting both Past and Future make
forgetful
of

the

Past,

foolish

such are we, such us neglect the all- important Present is this human nature of ours as it is accustomed to mani

went ye out into the desert to see ? What might have been found? What in most cases reed shaken by the would have been found? But the man they went out to find was not wind." and this was the first of the praises our as others Whereas man is described by Lord gave His Baptist.
fest
itself.
"What
"A
;

"

whirled He is a very breath of air, "never remaining in and tossed by every How uncertain are his moods, how the same place."

Job as

instability itself.

"leaf,"

272

poor

liis

high in

At one lime lie perseverance! contemplation, at another the same being

power

of

is is

The
Immaculate

dragged

towards
I
am,"

evil

by

his

inclinations.
"who

"

Miserable Conception

man
that

that

from the body human nature

he cries out, of this death ?

is is

will
it

deliver

me

"

Truly,
free

would seem
this
leaf-like

never

from

feebleness.

Nay,

it

among men.

"Behold,

inseparable from the holiest among His Saints none is

15).

unchangeable" (Job xv.

One, and one only, the Immaculate, in

this

verv

grace and singular Prerogative which we celebrate so joyfully, does appear to show forth triumphantly that
glorious there is
of

Attribute,
;

Divine

Immutability.
forth

In

Mary
in

no change the Most High

;

she comes

from the mouth

\vas

and

that

which she
be.

the

eternal

mind
life
is

of

God
the

she continues to
faithful,

Her whole

mortal

simply the
in

her existence
check,
last.

divine

perfect onflowing of decrees there is not a

:

a flaw,
In her

an
there

imperfection or defect from

first
;

to

union with
is

God

there

is

no break
:

in her

no slackening it grows, but otherwise it undergoes no sort of change it is constant, At Nazareth, Bethlehem, intimate, active, sustained. in Egypt, at Jerusalem, on Calvary she is ever the
love
of
;

God

same constant, faithful Mother, the Mother who, steadfast and unfaltering, stood beneath the Cross. Sin never comes "nigh her dwelling." There is no stain of sin that Baptismal waters may efface, no slightest fault or on which an Absolution can be imperfection There is no change in Mary. pronounced. Death, it
is

true,

touches

her,

holds her
for

but,

like brief

her

Divine
;

Son,
then,

she remains
as

unharmed
she
takes

three

days

Dove,

wing and

soars

and on high,
2 73

Rosa
Mystica

calm
her

in

way

dizzy heights through which she wings to the exact place in heaven which God has
the

Her Assumption prepared for her from the beginning. seems like the Ascension of her Jesus, merely a going back, a return home after the briefest absence.

We
a
P>ut

find,

then,

in

the Immaculate

Mother

of

God

most beautiful showing-forth of Divine Immutability. that she will not understand, lot no one think
for,

feel

sick

who

sympathise with the weak, the wavering, the and dving those innumerable victims of change everywhere on this sin-stricken lie helplessly

world.

Mary pities more than others them that are sick in this country which once was her Dowry who have inherited, as
1
1

And

venture

to

think

that

another Original Sin, a (-hanged religion, one that is changed from the old to the new, from the true to the O a mutilated religion in which no place has been false

which she will not and an honourable cannot have any portion; for it is she has taken root," and there she abides people, that
reserved for Marv, a religion in
"in

great Bossuet long ago pointed out the inconsistencies, the contradictions of the various

unchanged.

Ah, the

sects of

Protestantism
his

now

than

in

day

and

from

even much more multiplied this one feature, their

Variations,

Changes, he deduced the wrong, the We also see wickedness of the so-called Reformation.
their

around
disorder,

us,

outside

the

Church,

terrible

confusion,
of every
all

want

of logic,
solid,

want

of reason,

want

thing

sensible,

stable.

False teachers assert

contradicting one another, and, often What use to England enough, contradicting themselves are these "empty clouds?" Why should men trust What fruit can be expected these "rudderless ships?"

manner

of errors,

"

from these
274

"

withered, uprooted trees

Full of compassion for them, in humble gratitude we The turn to Mary Immaculate, Queen of Perseverance, that Immaculate

by her

intercession,

blest fidelity,

through the gentle influence of her Conception our friends may be converted, our enemies

become our brethren,

be
securely

and
in

that

our

own

souls

may

established

unfaltering,

unchanging

obedience, faith, and love.

2 75

ST.

JOHN

OUR LADY S CHAPLAIN

In Fest. Dec. 27.

Kt ex

And

hora accepit earn discipulus in sua. from that hour the disciple took her to his own.
ilia

John xix.

27.

the devout reader

how
he,

startling

must appear
to
his

those words:

The
of

disciple

took her

own

What had
of
left

what
to

what amount
take the Mother
son
of

shelter

kind of home, which he could

His Divine Master?

all

Had

not this

Xebcdee

things to follow Jesus?

lot,

from his birth, lowly in his been that which he could

nets
left

how
his

little

Poor must have

call

own!
father

The

very

by

this

fisherman

of

Galilee were no
his

longer

new, he

was mending them with

his

when he
followed
to

and

James,
It

brother,

were
to

called

and

Christ.

could

not

be

comfort,

To a dwelling Our Lady was and shelter it doubtless was but she went to a poverty at which most of us would shudder, to a life of hardship like that of former days, when even food depended on
that

earthly taken.

possessions,

a precarious fishing in waters where they might labour all night and catch nothing. But what else can we think that Mary would accept
?

It

was

in

a stable that her Jesus was born,

on a gibbet
276

that

He

died.

Between that birth and

DEINDE DIGIT UISCIPULO: ECCE MATER TUA. ET EX ILLA HORA ACCEPIT EAM DISCIPULUS IN SUA

that

death she shared

:

with

Him

so

many
in

trials

and

St.

John
s

remember this amid your wealth, Chaplain and enjoyments, pleasures and luxuries, on all of which And () ye Jesus has pronounced warning and woe remember this amid your struggling life and
rich,
!

hardships for Ye His youth.

He was

poor,

and

labours

from Our Lady

poor, cheerless

attireyour scanty fare, and thin on all of which Jesus has pronounced His blessing! could have is It impossible to think that the Mother
lodgings,
left

her

Crucified

Child

in

the tomb,

and entered any

kind of palace or stately

When kings did dwelling. kneel and adore, and offer gifts, her Son s throne was a manger, and we feel sure that if she kept the the tributary gold she gave frankincense and
myrrh,

away.
she

Her kingdom
in
"the

is

not

of

this

world.
the

Though
her

dwells

inheritance
like the

of

Lord,"

kingdom on

Church of Jesus, universal She shares the House of God, because but spiritual. she is the Mother of God. Besides this decent and evangelical poverty, to
earth
is

what
Mother

of
?

his

own

did

the

Disciple of

Jesus

take

the

dedicated to her, and consecrated to her service those spiritual gifts and powers which he had

He

received.

He who was

St.

Jerome says

more tenderly

beloved because he was unmarried, he, the virgin Disciple, was entrusted like another St. Joseph with the charge of the Virgin Mother. Oh, the pure and the innocent
are dear to Jesus!

These are the children

;

whom He
them, be
will

delights to

they

little

men with He loves them, He caresses be children or beloved disciples, He

of

draw them
His

to

His Sacred

Heart,
is

rest

their

heads

on

bosom,

because:
therefore,

Of such
because

the

heaven.
i

And

holy

kingdom of and childlike

2 77

Rosa
Mystica

innocence and
Jesus
to his

virginity

were

his,

the

Disciple

whom

loved

from that
else

hour took the Mother of Jesus

Still

own.

What
but
lie
far,

had John
those on
to

far

higher
of

riches.

lie

no earthly treasure, had the Holy Ghost,

was one

Jesus

ordained,

whom Jesus breathed, whom whom He said: Accipite Spiritual

with
Peter

Sanctum.

He

was

when,
I

entering

the

Temple by the gate called Look on us. Silver and

I

Beautiful, that Apostle said:

have

give.

Arise and

gold walk.

have not, but what

St.

Ambrose

writes

that

the
to

except

of grace,

not
His.

in grace. She who was full who was the Spouse of the Holy Spirit, would have made her home any but one that was also To the Beloved Disciple, then, the Holy Ghost

Mother of the one who was

Lord

would

not have gone

was imparted abundantly. The permanent presence that Holy Spirit by abiding indwelling qualified

of
St.

John to be the chosen child, the companion, the priest and chaplain of Our Lady. Had he more ? Yes, he was a blessed keeper and
holder of the Word.
Phiipin

The

spirit of Jesus

the love of Jesus transformed

him

possessed him, he was another Jesus.

and divine words sublime Evangelist gloriously and intones his Gospel. But his First Epistle triumphantly is as wonderful, and pathetic enough to make us weep That which we have heard, and seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled the Word of Life. It is as if he had
the lofty

All marvel

when they hear

this

with

which

heard the Gospel sung in heaven while the Epistle seems to reveal that he has been a favoured listener
to

the

long-silent

Mother,

hearing from

her

of

the

joy and sweetness of seeing and hearing and handling St. John the Babe of Bethlehem ho on his part able to add Our Lady

and honour of having Chaplain privilege head on the breast of Jesus, his own pillowed poor priestly power of handling with his hands the same
his

own

peculiar

his

Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Such is the First Client of Mary, our heavenly Queen and Patron. Rupert says of the words spoken to him by our Lord, "Behold thy Mother": De alio
quolibet discipulorum si praesens adesset clici potuisset Pulchrius tamen huic. They might have been said to any other one of the Disciples had he been present,

but more beautifully to this one. Let us consider them addressed to ourselves, and learn that we should strive
to imitate the
clients of the

Beloved Disciple,

if

we would

Queen

of

are the lives protected

Happy Our Blessed Ladv by

heaven.

be worthy and innocent

!

SOLI

DEO GLORIA

279

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