Every day from one end of the earth to the other, in the highest heights of the heavens and in the profoundest depths of the abysses, everything preaches, everything publishes, the admirable Mary! The nine choirs of angels, men of all ages, sexes, conditions and religions, the good and the bad—even the demons themselves, willingly or unwillingly—are compelled by the force of truth to call her “blessed.”
St. Bonaventure tells us that all the angels in heaven cry out incessantly to her: “Holy, holy, holy, Mother of God and Virgin”; and that they offer to her, millions and millions of times a day, the angelical salutation, Ave Maria, prostrating themselves before her, and begging of her in her graciousness to honor them with some of her commands. Even St. Michael, as St. Augustine says, although the prince of the heavenly court, is the most zealous in honoring her and causing her to be honored.
The whole earth is full of her glory, especially among Christians, by whom she is taken as the protector of many kingdoms, provinces, dioceses, and cities. Many cathedrals are consecrated to God under her name. There is not a church without an altar in her honor, not a country nor a canton where there are not some miraculous images of her.
After that, we must cry out with the saints: “De Maria numquam satis”—“Of Mary, there is never enough!”
If we’re establishing sound devotion to our Blessed Lady, it’s only in order to establish devotion to our Lord more perfectly, by providing a smooth but certain way of reaching Jesus Christ. If devotion to Our Lady distracted us from our Lord, we’d have to reject it as an illusion of the Devil. But this is far from being the case. This devotion is necessary, simply and solely because it’s a way of reaching Jesus perfectly, loving him tenderly, and serving him faithfully.
Here I turn to you for a moment, dear Jesus, to complain lovingly to your divine Majesty that the majority of Christians, and even some of the most learned among them, fail to recognize the necessary bond that unites you and your Blessed Mother. Lord, you are always with Mary, and Mary is always with you. She can never be without you, because then she would cease to be what she is.
Dear Jesus, would it please you if we were to make no effort to give pleasure to your mother because we’re afraid of offending you? Does devotion to your holy mother hinder devotion to you? Does Mary keep for herself any honor we pay her?
Is she a rival of yours? Is she a stranger having no kinship with you? Does pleasing her imply displeasing you? Does giving ourselves to her constitute a deprivation for you? Is love for her a lessening of our love for you?
Keep me from this way of thinking and acting, and let me share your feelings of gratitude, esteem, respect, and love for your holy mother. I can then love and glorify you all the more, because I’ll be imitating and following you more closely.
This article is taken from a chapter in A Year With Mary by Paul Thigpen, which is available from TAN Books.
