for Mary. Her very vow of virginity, which, humanly speaking, made it
impossible for her to be the Mother of the Messias, was part of GOD'S
plan, separating her from the rest of the world for this honour. When
GOD wants something done, He separates the soul which He has chosen to
do it, though at the moment the soul may be wholly unconscious of the
reasons for the process which gives it so much pain. The separation may
be one of place, or family, or affections, or cherished hopes and plans.
GOD'S separating love takes various forms: but in some way or other He
must and will separate from self those whom He intends to use for His
service. St Paul says of himself that GOD separated him from his
earliest infancy. (Gal. i. 15.) None would have guessed that he was
separated when he was haling the Christians to death and persecuting the
Church of GOD beyond measure. We understand so little of GOD'S plans,
and of His preparation of souls for His service. St Paul tells us that
later he was "separated unto the Gospel of GOD." (Rom. i. 1.) And when
Our Lord wanted him for a special mission, the order went forth to the
Church: "Separate me Saul and Barnabas for the work whereunto I have
taken them."
Help me, my Mother, to co-operate with grace, lest I hinder GOD'S
designs for me; and while _His_ love is a separating one, may mine be
the same--a love strong enough to separate me from all but His Will.
_Colloquy_ with Mary, asking her to obtain for me the grace
to say with her: "How shall this be done?" whenever the
least thing comes between me and my duty to GOD.
_Resolution._ To let nothing to-day separate me from the love
of GOD. (Rom. viii. 39.)
_Spiritual Bouquet._ "How shall this be done?"
Mary's Second Word
"_The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the
Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy,
which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of GOD.
And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to
me according to Thy word._" (St Luke i. 35, 38.)
_1st Prelude._ Picture of the Annunciation.
_2nd Prelude._ Grace to meditate more deeply on the _First
Joyful Mystery_.
_Point I._--GABRIEL'S EXPLANATION
In answer to Mary's question, the Angel explains quite simply how GOD'S
plans are to be brought about. "_The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee._"
No prophecy had ever said a word of this; the agency of the Holy Ghost
had never been hinted at till the Angel made it known to Mary to quiet
her legitimate trouble. And as soon as Mary knew that it was to be the
work of the Holy Ghost, she was at rest--all trouble disappeared. Do I
follow my Mother's example in this? As soon as I know that whatever is
being asked of me is the Holy Spirit's doing, am I at rest? Is there no
more trouble, no more indecision, no more questioning, even though the
inspiration may seem to be going to upset my plans, and may be contrary
to all that has hitherto seemed right? It is not necessary to
_understand_ GOD'S dealings with me, but as soon as I know that they are
His dealings, it _is_ necessary to co-operate at whatever
cost--otherwise there will be trouble in my soul. The co-operation with
the work of the Holy Spirit will produce a calm and a peace which no
exterior things, however changed they may be, will have the power to
disturb.
And then the Angel tells her about her cousin Elizabeth and the
miraculous things which are happening to her, in order to prove to Mary
that "no word is impossible with GOD"--that He, the GOD of nature, has
power over nature's laws--that when he makes such promises as she has
just heard, "the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the
Son of GOD," all will be fulfilled.
_Point II._--MARY'S SECOND WORD
Then Mary speaks again: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to
me according to Thy word." She gives her consent, shows herself ready to
co-operate with GOD; and at the same moment, the Word is made Flesh;
Gabriel adores the GOD-Man, as he had pledged himself to do at the time
of the War in Heaven, and, his mission accomplished, departs from her.
St Bernadine calls this second word: "A flame of _transforming_ love"
(_flamma amoris transformantis_). It was certainly _love_ that prompted
the word, but in what sense was it a _transforming_ love?
(1) _It was a transformation for Mary._ Her first word _separated_ her
for Him Who loved her; her second word _transformed_ her into Him Who
loved her. It made them for ever one. "Behold the handmaid of the Lord."
Here I am for Thee to do whatever Thou wilt with me. I put no obstacle
in Thy way. _Fiat._ "Be it done to me according to Thy word." This word
was not only the outcome and the proof of her perfect union with GOD, it
was also the turning point of her life--and not only of her life but of
the life of the whole world. Heaven--and earth too, though
unconsciously--was waiting for this word of Mary's, a word which she
could have withheld. The word was spoken, and by it she lent herself to
GOD as His co-worker; by it she was transformed from a maid into a
mother, and in that moment of transformation she saw all that it
meant--she saw Calvary, and she said _Fiat_. "Be it done to me." She saw
herself transformed into the image of Christ (2 Cor. iii. 18) by pain
and suffering, and yet she would not withhold her _Fiat_. Why? Because
she _loved_, and from that moment the transforming process was ever
going on in her soul; and the flame of transforming love was ever
burning more brightly, showing her the way to greater heights and deeper
depths of the love of GOD, and so transforming her at each further step,
that she shrank from nothing.
(2) _It was a transformation for the world._ This word of Mary's, by
which she gave her consent to GOD'S plan of Redemption, changed the face
of the whole world. It began a new era--A.D. instead of B.C. It settled
the moment of the arrival of the "fulness of time" (Gal. iv. 4)--of
GOD'S time. As a result of it, GOD was already tabernacling among men.
The leaven of the Gospel, which was to leaven the whole world, was
already beginning to work. Mary's word produced a transformation in the
world, and though it "knew Him not," it was never the same world again.
(3) This word is a _transformation for the soul_ which makes it its own.
Any soul which really says: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done
to me according to Thy word," is transformed, for it is "made
conformable to the image of His Son." (Rom. viii. 29.) Nothing but love
has the power to bring about this transformation in the soul, for it
means the effacement of self; it means a readiness to do GOD'S will at
whatever cost; it means a holy indifference to one's own plans and
theories and even judgment--it means what it says: "_Fiat_," for
everything that GOD arranges. When this is so there is a complete
transformation; the selfish soul becomes selfless; the weak, strong; the
timid, courageous; the hesitating, decided; the doubting, confident; the
agitated, peaceful and calm. Heaven has already begun in the soul.
Love--GOD'S love for it first, and then its love for GOD--has
transformed it.
Are these great things possible for me? Yes, quite possible. How was
Mary transformed? By Christ dwelling within her. How was the world
transformed? By Christ dwelling within it. And this is how I am to be
transformed, by Christ dwelling within me. Each Communion should be to
me a "flame of transforming love." It is then that, in answer to the
appeal: "My child, give Me thy heart," I say to Him: "Be it done to me
according to Thy word," and He comes to do what He will in my heart; and
if only I put no obstacles in His way, His love will transform me into
all that He wants me to be.
_Colloquy_ with Our Lady, asking her to get me the grace of
submission, which alone can transform me.
_Resolution._ To do nothing to-day to hinder the transforming
process in me.
_Spiritual Bouquet._ "Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae et
concepit de Spiritu Sancto."
Mary's Third Word
"_And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted
Elizabeth._" (St Luke i. 40.)
_1st Prelude._ Mary saluting Elizabeth.
_2nd Prelude._ The grace of Charity.
_Point I._--MARY'S CHARITY
When the Angel left her, Mary's thoughts seem to have been fixed, not,
as we should have expected, on the part of the heavenly message which
concerned herself, but on what had been incidentally revealed to her
about her cousin Elizabeth. What a total oblivion of self there is in
Mary and what charity! She picks out just the little bit of the message
that concerns somebody else, decides that it is not for nothing that she
has been told this--it may be that her cousin has need of her; and so,
instead of giving herself up to dwelling on the great things that have
been said and done to her, she rises up in those days and goes into the
hill country, with haste, to pay a visit of charity. And she takes JESUS
with her.
Mary is my model, and I can surely find some lessons to study here. One
is that charity passes before everything, even sometimes before
spiritual exercises and contemplation and meditation, going to Mass and
Benediction. I see too that though I must be ever mindful of GOD'S
benefits, I need not dwell too much--if at all--on the interior graces
He has given to my soul; on any words of praise--though they may have
come almost directly from Himself; on any piece of work that He has
effected through my instrumentality. It is far more wholesome to be
rising up to go to the next duty, starting forth into the hill country
of difficulties, if need be, and thus taking my thoughts off myself by
doing something for somebody else. I shall not, by thus acting, lose any
of the graces or any of the sweetness, for I shall take JESUS with me,
and together we shall face the difficulties of the next bit of life's
journey.
_Point II._--MARY'S SALUTATION
She _saluted_ Elizabeth. We are not told what this salutation was, but
we know that words were spoken, because Elizabeth _heard_ them. "The
voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears," she says. It was probably
just the form of salutation customary among the Jews: "The Lord is with
you!" But what a different meaning the words have on Mary's lips! She,
the Mother of the Word Incarnate, has brought Him with her to the house
of Zachary. The Lord Himself is indeed there in a way that He has never
been before. John the Baptist, yet unborn, understands the salutation,
and leaps to adore his GOD; and at that moment JESUS, Whose work on
earth has already begun, cleanses His Forerunner from the stain of
original sin. Elizabeth also understands in what sense the words are
spoken; for the Holy Ghost, Who has been doing great things for her too,
has communicated to her the heavenly secret about the Mother and the
Child. She is expectant and ready for her Visitors, and when Mary gives
her wondrous salutation: "The Lord is with you," filled with the Holy
Ghost she answers: "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the
Fruit of thy womb"; and then she thinks of the great honour which GOD is
showing to her home by permitting Mary with her Child to visit it.
"Whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?"
Next she tells Mary of the joy that has been caused within her, and
adds: "Blessed art thou that hast believed, for all that the Lord hath
spoken about the Child will now be accomplished."
Thus Mary receives the blessed assurance that all is true--not that she
doubted, and not that she needed any confirmation, but it must,
nevertheless, have been a comfort to her to hear herself called "The
Mother of my Lord," and that by one who had not heard the news from any
human lips.
It was because Elizabeth was "filled with the Holy Ghost" that she saw
all so clearly and believed that Mary was indeed the Mother of GOD. It
is a truth which many people in the twentieth century have not yet
grasped. The reason is that they have not yet grasped the meaning of the
Incarnation.
"_Nos cum prole pia benedicat Virgo Maria._" ("May Mary the Virgin bless
us with her Holy Child.")
_Point III._--MARY'S THIRD WORD
St Bernardine describes this third word as a "flame of _communicating_
love" (_flamma amoris communicantis_.) No sooner has Mary become "the
Mother of fair love" than she wants to communicate that love to
others--not to communicate her secret--no, of that she does not
speak--but to let the flame of love, which is burning within her, reach
others also. So it is not Mary only, but JESUS within her, Who "makes
haste" to go into the "hill country." He is in a hurry to begin His
work. It is JESUS, Divine Love, Who enters into the house of Zachary and
salutes Elizabeth. It is the Heart of JESUS, burning already with love
for sinners, which speaks to the heart of John. It is because GOD, Who
for love of us men became incarnate, is communicating that love to her,
that Elizabeth is able to grasp so clearly the mysteries by which she is
surrounded. Ah, yes, Mary's third word is indeed one of communicating
love, because she communicates to all around her, JESUS, Who is love.
O Mother of fair love, why do the poor banished children of Eve so
continually turn to thee? Is it not just because of this flame of
communicating love? Is it not because they know that to go to Mary is to
go to JESUS; that when they appeal to the heart of Mary it is the Heart
of JESUS which answers through her; that her chief work is to
communicate His love to them?
Three months Mary abode in Zachary's house, and all that time the flame
of communicating love abode there too, burning ever more brightly within
her. What a privilege for the house of Zachary! We read in Sacred
History that once "the Ark of the Lord abode in the house of Obededom
the Gethite for three months; and the Lord blessed Obededom and all his
household." (2 Kings vi. 11.) What then must have been the blessings
bestowed on Zachary's household, while Mary the "Ark of the Covenant"
abode there! "_Foederis arca, ora pro nobis._" Pray that we too may get
the blessings of those who receive thee as their constant guest.
But Mary is my example. Is there anything in which I can copy her in her
visit to her cousin Elizabeth? Let me make a self-examination on a few
points suggested by this meditation.
Am I in _haste_ to perform acts of charity, especially when the request
for them comes at inconvenient moments?
Do I always take JESUS with me when I go to visit my friends?
Do those whom I visit feel that I create an atmosphere--an atmosphere
which makes them more ready to bless JESUS and Mary?
These things can only be so by my having a flame of communicating love
within me. Where can I get it? At each communion, when JESUS comes to me
in the Sacrament of His Love. And if I put no hindrance in His way, He
will communicate Himself to others through me. Let me, then, aim at
being a Christ-bearer. "Glorify and bear Christ in your body." (1 Cor.
vi. 20.) It is often through His children that JESUS does His work in
the world, and communicates His love to others.
_Colloquy_ with our Lady.
_Resolution._ To be a Christ-bearer to all whom I greet,
remembering that even a little act of politeness may turn the
scale in the conversion of a soul. A visit paid, a word
dropped in conversation, may be a necessary part of GOD'S
plans.
_Spiritual Bouquet._ "Flamma amoris communicantis."
Mary's Fourth Word
_And Mary said: "My soul doth magnify the Lord."_
_1st Prelude._ Mary saying the _Magnificat_.
_2nd Prelude._ Grace to catch something of the spirit in
which she said it.
_Point I._--THE MAGNIFICAT
As soon as Elizabeth has finished "crying out with a loud voice" her
praise of Mary and of JESUS, and of the benefits GOD has wrought for
herself and her son, Mary speaks, and in the longest of her recorded
"words" gives vent to the thoughts pent up in her breast. She at once
closes the door against any praise given to herself: "My soul doth
magnify the _Lord_"--He it is Whom we must praise and make much of--"and
my spirit hath rejoiced in GOD my Saviour." Mary understands what it is
that is making her so full of joy. It is the presence of JESUS her
_Saviour_. She has Him within her, Who has saved her from the stain of
original sin, and Who will save her each moment that she lives from
actual sin. Well may her spirit rejoice!
She goes on to explain more fully the cause of her joy and exultation.
It is because GOD has done such great things for her. He has regarded
the humility of His handmaid. The word used means _humiliation_ rather
than humility. Mary is too humble to speak of her humility. She is
referring rather to her humble circumstances, her low estate. The same
word is translated in St James i. 9 as "low condition." He whose name is
Holy has regarded _me_! And His mercy is not only for me, but for all
that fear Him. It is because of the great things He has done to me that
"all generations shall call me blessed." Mary passes on all the praise
and honour to GOD. She speaks of herself only to recall her low
estate--only to let her littleness magnify GOD'S greatness in the eyes
of others--only that in calling her blessed they may be lifted up to
"the GOD and Father of our Lord JESUS Christ, Who is blessed for ever."
(2 Cor. xi. 31.)
Gabriel stands at the head of "all generations." When he was delivering
GOD'S message he called her blessed. Elizabeth, inspired by the Holy
Ghost, did the same. And yet there are those to-day (and their name is
legion!) who think it would defile their lips to speak of the _Blessed_
Virgin Mary! Can it be that they do not believe that GOD did great
things for her? Can it be that they _prefer_ to be among the proud whom
He scatters in the conceit of their heart, among the mighty whom He puts
down from their seat, among the rich whom He sends away empty? Can it be
that they refuse to listen to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Who
tells them that Mary is blessed among women? And yet they sing the
_Magnificat_, which tells them how ready GOD is to "exalt the humble"
and to "fill the hungry with good things." O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother
of GOD, pray for all those who honour thee by singing thy _Magnificat_,
that they may honour thee also by understanding it. Grant that they too
may fulfil thy prophecy--"All generations shall call me blessed"--and
get in return the blessings thou art so ready to bestow on thy children.
Before I go on, let me ask myself to what extent I am copying my Mother
in at once passing on to GOD all praise that may come to me? He it is
Who does all for me, and in me, and by me; and the more He gives, the
more He ought to get. He knew it would be so with Mary, and therefore He
could trust her with "great things." He knew that He would have all the
glory. Let me see how much I take into account GOD'S glory. Is it my
first motive and object? If He gives me some little thing--for example,
an "original" thought, a happy idea, a solution to a problem, some word
to help another--is my first thought to thank Him and to praise Him
because this will bring glory to Him? Is it not rather to go and tell
it to someone else--to quote my words and deeds--not with the object of
edifying others (Satan, to quiet my conscience, tells me that this is
the reason), but of gaining glory and praise for myself out of something
that is not mine at all? Thus do I rob GOD of His glory, deliberately
taking for myself what belongs to Him! Oh, my Mother, teach thy child
what real humility means, and that _all_ praise belongs of right to GOD.
_Point II._--A FLAME OF JOYFUL LOVE
This is the name that St Bernardine gives to Mary's fourth
word--"_Flamma amoris jubilantis_." Her love for GOD was so strong that
it made her burst out into this joyful song of praise. She could no
longer keep to herself all that GOD had done to her; she must tell
others; she was so full of joy that she must sing GOD'S praises. And all
her love and joy found expression in the _Magnificat_--a song of
thanksgiving for the Incarnation--a song which showed clearly that
Mary's joy was caused by the glory that was given to GOD by the
Incarnation.
All through those blessed three months during which Mary abode with
Zachary and Elizabeth, she was singing _Magnificat_. All through her
life she sang _Magnificat_, even though she was the Mother of Sorrows,
for the thought of GOD'S glory ever lifted her out of herself and made
her praise Him for all He did. It was because Mary had said her _Fiat_
that she could say her _Magnificat_.
What do I know of this flame of joyful love? If it is caused by the
great things GOD has done, surely it ought to be burning in me. Surely
He has done enough for me to make my love so great that it is a flame of
_joy_ within me. Is it so? Does the joy that is in my heart show itself
in my countenance, in my manner, in my actions, and sometimes perhaps in
my words? Does my happiness, even in the midst of trial, make others
understand what great things GOD _can_ do for those who love Him? If
so, I am praising Him and obtaining praise and glory for Him.
Oh, my Mother, look upon thy child, so often discontented, sad,
distrustful, murmuring, and obtain for me "the oil of joy for mourning,
and a garment of praise for the spirit of grief." (Isaias lxi. 3.) Teach
me to say my _Fiat_ for everything, and out of it will spring a joyful
_Magnificat_. Teach me to love GOD'S will, and to praise Him for all He
does.
_Colloquy_ with Our Lady.
_Resolution._ To let others see my joy to-day.
_Spiritual Bouquet._ "Our Lady sings _Magnificat_ in songs
surpassing sweet."
Mary's Silence
"_Mary abode with Elizabeth about three months, and she
returned to her own house._" (St Luke i. 56.)
_1st Prelude._ A statue of Our Lady.
_2nd Prelude._ Grace to leave all that concerns me in GOD'S
Hands.
_Point I._--MARY'S RETURN
We know nothing of what went on during those three months, but we may
presume that things continued as they began. It is not likely that
Elizabeth said her "_Ave_" only once, and only once spoke of the honour
she considered it to have the Mother of GOD in her house. It is not
likely that the unborn Forerunner never again saluted His Master, in
Whose presence he so continually was. It is impossible to conceive that
Mary sang GOD'S praises and her own unworthiness no more during those
three months. And what about JESUS? These were the first three months of
His life on earth, and grace was surely going out from Him to His
Blessed Mother first, and then to all who knew the secret. And we must
not forget the head of the household, Zachary. He, at any rate after the
birth of his son, knew the secret too, for he spoke in his song of
praise of the "_Orient_ from on High (which) hath visited us." (St Luke
i. 78.) "Dumb" he had been and "unable to speak," but Mary with her Son
had been sojourning in his house, with the result that his doubts had
all disappeared, and that he understood already something of the "joy
and gladness" which Gabriel had promised should be his (verse 14), and
understood also how it came to pass that his son was "filled with the
Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb." (verse 15.)
But the time comes when Mary has to leave this highly favoured household
and go home. Her work of charity is over. Elizabeth no longer needs her,
and her thoughts turn to Joseph, her husband, and to Nazareth--to the
spot where Gabriel had visited her, and where the Holy Ghost had wrought
such great things in her.
_Point II._--MARY'S SILENCE TO ST JOSEPH
When last we thought about St Joseph, he was abandoning himself to a
life of self-sacrifice by his vow of virginity. Since then he has made
the sacrifice of sparing Mary from their little home to go and do an act
of charity for her kinswoman, and now that that is over, it is probably
Joseph himself who goes to fetch her home again. Of the visit of the
Archangel to his wife Joseph knows nothing, and Mary keeps the secret
locked within her heart. She has not revealed it to anyone. (It was the
Holy Ghost who told Elizabeth, and JESUS Himself who saluted John.) But
trouble is in store for those two faithful souls. This is natural. It
would be strange if GOD did not take us at our word when we make the
sacrifice of ourselves to Him! It would look as if He did not believe
us. "Mary was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Whereupon Joseph her
husband, being a just man and not willing publicly to expose her, was
minded to put her away privately." (St Matt. i. 18, 19.) How much is
told in those few simple words! What anguish of soul do they cover! How
could Joseph bear to have suspicions of his wife, whom he considered to
be purity itself, and whom he loved so tenderly? And yet he was forced
to suspect, and as a just man was obliged to keep the law--namely, write
a bill of divorce, give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.
(Deut. xxiv. 1.) He made up his mind to do this as _privately_ as
possible, shielding her secret from everyone except the two witnesses
who were necessary for the bill of divorce. How nobly Joseph acted! He
was ready, for the sake of right, to sacrifice what was most dear to
him, to crush at one blow his most cherished affections! No wonder the
Holy Spirit calls him a just man! No wonder that he was the one in all
the world whom GOD could trust to co-operate with Himself!