_Lamps and Candles burnt in Honour of Mary._
It is a custom amongst Catholics to have lamps or candles burning upon
altars, or before pictures of the august Mother of God for one, or
three, or nine consecutive days, so as to obtain spiritual or temporal
favours. This touching practice, springing from the love of Mary,
comes down from the remotest antiquity. Oil and wax, as all know, have
a deep signification. The flame is a symbol of the vivacity of our
faith and of the firmness of our confidence; fire symbolizes the
ardour of charity, and the ascent of the flame is a type of our hope.
These flames intimate that we must keep the fire of charity ever
burning in our hearts, so as to be always ready to receive our Divine
Master whensoever He shall call us to the nuptials of the Lamb. Lamps
lighted before the statues or pictures of Mary represent to us more
specially the prayer of intercession, which goes direct to the Heart
of God. They awaken a singular emotion in the heart of him who has
faith. The oil that feeds the flame has often cost the poor man the
sweat of hard labour, but he thinks little of this voluntary
sacrifice, because it was the fruit of love. No one who has not
visited Italy, and in particular Rome and Naples, can form an idea of
the honour that is paid to the Blessed Virgin. You will find her image
on all the roadsides, in the public squares, houses and shops, with
lamps, often many at a time, burning before them, and the amount of
oil that is consumed in this manner is considerable. This is a
voluntary contribution of the poor as well as of the rich, and it is
an expense that every pious family considers as necessary as their
daily bread. At Rome there exists a sweet custom of writing a short
prayer, often with the indulgence attached to its repetition, under
each image or picture, and it is repeated by the passers-by. Who can
say how many passions are repressed, how many unhappy creatures
consoled, and how many hopes aroused by this short invocation?
_Prayer of St. Germanus_.--O you, who are, after God, my powerful
protectress and my true consolation in this world, you who are the
celestial dew that sweetens my pains; the light of my soul when
plunged in darkness, my guide in my journeys, my strength in my
weaknesses, my treasure in poverty, the remedy of my wounds, my joy in
all my sorrows, my refuge in all dangers, the hope of my life and of
my salvation, deign to hear my prayers, to take an interest in my
woes, and to show me that compassion which peculiarly belongs to the
Mother of a God Who entertains such love and goodness towards men. He
is their Father, and He has constituted you their Mother. Ah! place me
then amongst the number of your dearest children, and obtain for me
from God all the graces which you know to be necessary for the
salvation of my soul. Amen.
_Ejaculation_.--O Mary! be my guiding star.
_Practice_.--Examine what has been your fidelity in following your
vocation, and how its obligations have been fulfilled.