Virgin Mary, All Nature is Blessed by You

Sermons from the Saints Series:

Virgin Mary, All Nature is Blessed by You

by Saint Anslem, Bishop (1033-1109)

Blessed Lady, sky and stars, earth and rivers, day and night – everything that is subject to the power or use of man – rejoice that through you they are in some sense restored to their lost beauty and are endowed with inexpressible new grace. All creatures were dead, as it were, useless for men or for the praise of God, who made them, The world, contrary to its true destiny, was corrupted and tainted by the acts of men who served idols. Now all creation has been restored to life and rejoices that it is controlled and given splendor by men who believe in God.

The universe rejoices with new and indefinable loveliness. Not only does it feel the unseen presence of God himself, its Creator, it sees him openly, working and making it holy. These great blessings spring from the blessed fruit of Mary’s womb.

 Through the fullness of the grace that was given you, dead things rejoice in their freedom, and those in heaven are glad to be made new. Through the Son who was the glorious fruit of your virgin womb, just souls who died before his life-giving death rejoice as they are freed from captivity, and the angels are glad at the restoration of their shattered domain.

Lady, full and overflowing with grace, all creation received new life from your abundance. Virgin, blessed above all creatures, through your blessing all creation is blessed, not only creation from its Creator, but the Creator himself has been blessed by creation.

Saint Anselm, Bishop (1033-1109)

To Mary God gave his only begotten Son, whom he loved as himself. Through Mary God made himself a Son, not different but the same, by nature Son of God and Son of Mary. The whole universe was created by God, and God was born of Mary. God created all things, and Mary gave birth to God. The God who made all things gave himself form through Mary, and thus he made his own creation. He who could create all things from nothing would not remake his ruined creation without Mary.
God, then, is the Father of the created world and Mary the mother of the re-created world. God is the Father by whom all things were given life, and Mary the mother through whom all things were given new life. For God begot the Son, through whom all things were made, and Mary gave birth to him as the Savior of the world. Without God’s Son, noting could exist; without Mary’s Son, nothing could be redeemed.

Truly the Lord is with you, to whom the Lord granted that all nature should owe as much to you as to himself.
Source: The Liturgy of the Hours – Office of Readings

MARIAN PRAYER OF
SAINT ALPHONSUS LIGOURI

Shelter Me Under Your Mantle

Most holy Virgin Immaculate, 
my Mother Mary, 
to you who are the Mother of my Lord, 
the Queen of the Universe, 
the Advocate, 
the hope, 
the refuge of sinners, 
I who am the most miserable of all sinners, 
have recourse this day. 
I venerate you, 
great queen, 
and I thank you for the many graces 
you have bestowed upon me 
even unto this day; 
in particular for having delivered me 
from the hell 
which I have so often served by my sins.

I love you, my dearest Lady; 
and because of that love, 
I promise to serve you willingly for ever 
and to do what I can 
to make you loved by others also.

I place in you all my hopes for salvation; 
accept me as your servant 
and shelter me under your mantle, 
you who are the Mother of Mercy.
And since you are so powerful with God, 
deliver me from all temptations, 
or at least obtain for me 
the strength to overcome them until death.

From you I implore a true love for Jesus Christ. 
Through you I hope to die a holy death. 
My dear Mother, 
by your love for Almighty God, 
I pray you to assist me always, 
but most of all at the last moment of my life. 
Forsake me not then, 
until you shall see me safe in heaven, 
there to bless you 
and sing of your mercies through all eternity. 
Such is my hope. 

Amen.