“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)
TUESDAY, June 8th Mt. 5: 13-16 “You are the light of the world… Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”
Part 1: Mary, Star of the Sea… by St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Part 2: THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
PART 1: Mary, Star of the Sea… from a homily of St. Bernard of Clairvaux
If squalls of temptations arise, or you fall upon the rocks of tribulation, look to the star, call upon Mary. If you are tossed by the waves of pride or ambition, detraction or envy, look to the star, call upon Mary. If anger or avarice, or the desires of the flesh, dash against the ship of your soul, turn your eyes towards Mary. If troubled by the enormity of your crimes, ashamed of your guilty conscience, terrified by dread of the judgment, and you begin to sink into the gulf of sadness or the abyss of despair, think of Mary. In dangers, in anguish, in doubt, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let her be ever on your lips, ever in your heart; and the better to obtain the help of her prayers, imitate the example of her life.
Following her, you will not stray. Invoking her, you will not despair. Thinking of her, you will not wander. Upheld by her, you will not fall. Shielded by her, you will not fear. Guided by her, you will not grow weary. Favored by her, you will reach the goal. And thus you will experience in yourself how good is that saying: And the Virgin’s name was Mary!
PART 2: THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
Light – what a lovely thing light is. There is no shining light in all creation lovelier than the Blessed Virgin Mary! She alone is the Immaculate Conception, preserved from original sin at the moment of her conception in the womb of Saint Anne and preserved from the stain of sin her whole life! In Mary’s pure light, we see clearly the darkness in ourselves. Thus the poet Wordsworth called Mary “our tainted nature’s solitary boast!”
The Angel Gabriel greeted her, “Hail Mary, full of grace!” (Lk. 1:28) She was the first light of dawn dispelling the darkness, giving way to the refulgence of the Light of the Son of God! As the moon reflects the light of the sun, Mary is the perfect reflection of the Son of God. Her presence gives warmth to hearts grown cold, healing to hearts that are wounded, valour to the faint-hearted, and the Christ Light to souls darkened by sin.
The Light of Christ first shone forth from the womb of Mary. Through Mary, the Star heralding Christ’s birth penetrated the womb of Elizabeth, causing the baby within her to leap for joy! The light guiding us through the tempests and storms of life is Mary, Star of the Sea! The light in the window welcoming us home is the light of Mary’s motherly love for each one of us, shining from our true home in her Immaculate Heart where she forms her children in the image and likeness of her Divine Son, Jesus.
The Light of Christ that enlightens our minds first illumined the mind of Mary! When the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, Jesus communicated His inscrutable wisdom and truth to Mary, which she imparts to those who fervently ask for it, freeing them from the darkness of ignorance and error, the lies and deceits of the enemy.
Mary, the Mother of Sorrows, stood at the foot of the cross and willingly suffered all the agonies of her Son’s Passion and death for love of us and for our salvation. Saint Louis de Montfort says that Mary is a Martyr because all that Jesus suffered in His Passion and death on the cross, Mary suffered in her Immaculate Heart—a Martyr of Love with her Divine Son for our eternal salvation!
Closing Comments:
Mary wants to comfort and console us. She wants us to bring our fears and anxieties to her. She wants us to find rest in her Immaculate Heart and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She assures us of the eternal value of every prayer said, every tear shed for our salvation and the salvation of others. And that even now, our Good God is working everything for our good and the good of others.
The saints say that in heaven our only regret will be that we didn’t suffer more, so that even more souls could be saved. “When it is all over you will not regret having suffered; rather you will regret having suffered so little, and suffered that little so badly.” (Saint Sebastian Valfre)
The Light begins with Jesus and Mary. They shed their light upon us – we shed the light of Jesus and Mary upon others – who then shed the light upon still others! Thus the circle of light keeps expanding until someday, we can only hope and pray, the whole world will bask in the Light and the Love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary!
