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| Our Lady, Help of Christians, Turin |
Our Life, Our Sweetness, and Our Hope
~ St. Alphonsus de Liguori, from The Glories of Mary
In the Franciscan chronicles it is related, that
brother Leo once saw a red ladder, on the summit of which was Jesus Christ; and
a white one, on the top of which was His most holy Mother; and he saw some who
tried to ascend the red ladder, and they mounted a few steps, and fell — they
tried again, and again fell. They were then advised to go and try the white
ladder, and by that one they easily ascended, for our Blessed Lady stretched
out her hand and helped them, and so they got safely to heaven. Denis the
Carthusian asks, ' Who is there that is saved? Who is there that reigns in
heaven? ' And he answers, ' They are certainly saved and reign in heaven for
whom this Queen of mercy intercedes.' And this, Mary herself confirms in the
book of Proverbs, "By me kings reign;" through my intercession kings
reign, first in this mortal life by ruling their passions, and so come to reign
eternally in heaven, where, says Saint Augustine, 'All are kings.'
Saint Antoninus tells us 'that this Divine Mother has
already, by her assistance and prayers, obtained heaven for us, provided we put
no obstacle in the way.'' Hence says the Abbot Guerric, ' He who serves Mary,
and for whom she intercedes, is as certain of heaven as if he was already
there.' Saint John Damascene also says, 'that to serve Mary and be her courtier
is the greatest honour we can possibly possess ; for, to serve the Queen of
Heaven is already to reign there, and to live under her commands is more than
to govern.'
Prayer
O Queen of Heaven and earth! O Mother of the Lord of
the world! O Mary, of all creatures, the greatest, the most exalted, and the
most amiable! It is true, that then; are many in this world who neither know
thee, nor love thee; but in heaven, there are many millions of angels, and
blessed spirits, who love and praise thee continually. Even in this world, how
many happy souls are there not, who burn with thy love, and live enamoured of
thy goodness! Oh, that I also could love thee, O Lady, worthy of all love. Oh
that I could always remember to serve thee, to praise thee, to honour thee, and
engage all to love thee. Thou hast attracted the love of God, whom, by thy
beauty, thou hast, so to say, torn from the bosom of his Eternal Father, and
engaged to become man, and be thy Son. And shall I, a poor worm of the earth,
not be enamoured of thee? No, my most sweet Mother, I also will love thee much,
and will do all that I can to make others love thee also. Accept then, O Mary,
the desire that I have to love thee, and help me to execute it. I know how
favourably thy lovers are looked upon by God. He, after His own glory, desires
nothing more than thine, and to see thee honoured and loved by all. From thee,
O Lady, do I expect all; through thee the remission of my sins, through thee
perseverance. Thou must assist me at death, and deliver me from purgatory; and
finally, thou must lead me to heaven. All this thy lovers hope from thee, and
are not deceived. I, who love thee with so much affection, and above all other
things, after God, hope for the same favours.
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