The Power of Mary
1. “Virgin most powerful, pray for us.” This is one of the invocations
to Our Lady in her Litany. Mary’s power derives from her divine
Motherhood. The Eternal Word was made man in her most chaste womb. By
assuming our human nature in the Hypostatic Union, He became her Son. In
the same way as a mother can give instructions to her son, Mary can
pray to Jesus with full confidence that
she will be answered. Not only has she the power of love over Him, but
also the power of a mother. Her prayers have the force of a command and
it is impossible for them to go unheeded. When Mary seeks a favour from
her divine Son for us who are her adopted sons, says St. Peter Damian,
she commands rather than prays; she is more like the mistress than the
handmaid of the Lord (Serm. 41 de Nativ.) Some ecclesiastical writers go
as far as describing Mary as being omnipotent in grace and in
intercession even as God is omnipotent by reason of His nature. “O
Mother of God,” writes St. Gregory of Nicomedia, “you have such
invincible power that the multitude of our sins can never exhaust your
mercy. Nothing can resist your power, for your Creator regards your
glory as His own.” (Orat. de Exitu B. Virg.) This doctrine should
console even the most hopeless sinners. It is enough to have loving
recourse to Mary and we shall be sure of salvation.
2. We
should turn confidently to Mary especially when we are tempted. She
cannot allow us to offend her Jesus and to fall into the toils of the
devil as long as we pray to her with faith in her intercession. “The
devil, as a roaring lion,” says St. Peter, “goes about seeking someone
to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) But our mother Mary is always by our side
seeking to protect us. Let us entrust ourselves to her maternal care.
Not only does Mary wish to help us, declares St. Bonaventure, but those
who do not pray to her commit almost as great an offence as those who
openly insult her. (In Spec. Virg.)
3. O Mary, my powerful and
merciful Mother, my soul is constantly troubled by temptations. I am
standing on the edge of the chasm. I promise to place myself at once
under your maternal protection. Grant that I may never fall into sin
again. Cast your merciful eyes upon me and save me when I am tempted.
Grant that temptations may never again endanger the purity of my soul by
obtaining for me from God a lively spirit of faith, a burning love for
Him and for you, a constant watchfulness over my senses and over worldly
dangers, and the gift of fervent and persevering prayers in union with
you and your divine Son, Jesus. Amen.
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