The Glories of Mary

The Glories of Mary
- St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

If folks would like to read along with this, it was requested to. . . Cheesy

This is a very large book, and it would be well to purchase a print copy if it can be found. The PDF facsimile we have is here.

I am going to suggest folks read the preface and introduction on their own, and begin here with the final prayer in the introduction and the first chapter.

I also do not think I will have time to add in the footnotes, as the OCR is not very good, and takes some correcting simply getting the regular text to post here, so referring to the PDF or your print copy will help. Please read past any OCR errors in the posts.

PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN TO OBTAIN A GOOD DEATH

Mary, sweet refuge of miserable sinners, when my soul is on the point of leaving this world, oh my sweet Mother, by that sorrow which thou didst endure when assisting at the death of thy Son on the cross, assist me with thy mercy. Drive the infernal enemy far from me, and do thou come and take my soul to thyself, and present it to the eternal Judge. My Queen, abandon me not. Thou, after Jesus, hast to be my comfort in that terrible moment. Entreat thy beloved Son, in His goodness, to grant me the grace to die, clinging to thy feet, and to breathe forth my soul in His wounds, saying, Jesus, and Mary, I give you my heart and my soul.

THE GLORIES OF MARY

PART THE FIRST

ON THE SALVE REGINA

IN WHICH THE MANY AND ABUNDANT GRACES DISPENSED BY THE MOTHER OF GOD TO HER DEVOUT CLIENTS, ARE TREATED OF, UNDER DIFFERENT HEADS, TAKEN FROM THE SALVE REGINA.

CHAPTER I.

HAIL, HOLY QUEEN, MOTHER OF MERCY!

SECTION I. How great should be our confidence in Mary who is the Queen of Mercy.

AS the glorious Virgin Mary has been raised to the dignity of Mother of the King of kings, it is not without reason that the Church honours her, and wishes her to be honoured by all, with the glorious title of Queen. 'If the Son is a King,' says an ancient writer, 'the Mother who begot him is rightly and truly considered a Queen and Sovereign.'1 'No sooner had Mary,' says St. Bernardine, of Sienna, 'consented to be Mother of the eternal Word, than she merited by this consent to be made Queen of the world and of all creatures.' - 'Since the flesh of Mary,' remarks the Abbot Arnold of Chartres, 'was not different from that of Jesus, how can the royal dignity of the Son be denied to the Mother.' • 'Hence we must consider the glory of the Son, not only as being common to, but as one with, that of His mother.'

And if Jesus is the King of the universe, Mary is also its Queen. 'And as Queen,' says the Abbot Eupert, 'she possesses, by right, the whole kingdom of her Son." 3 Hence St. Bemardine, of Sienna, concludes that 'as many creatures as there are who serve God, so many there are who serve Mary: for as angels and men, and all things that are in heaven and on earth, are subject to the empire of God, so are they also under the dominion of Mary.' 4 The Abbot Guarricus, addressing himself to the Divine Mother, on this subject, says: 'continue, Mary, continue to dispose with confidence of the riches of thy Son; act as Queen, Mother, and Spouse of the King: for to thee belongs dominion and power over all creatures.' 5

Mary then is a Queen: but, for our common consolation, be it known, that she is a Queen so sweet, clement, and so ready to help us in our miseries, that the holy Church wills that we should salute her in this prayer under the title of Queen of Mercy. 'The title of Queen,' remarks B. Albert the Great, 'differs from that of Empress, which implies severity and rigour, in signifying compassion, and charity towards the poor.' 'The greatness of kings and queens,' says Seneca, 'consists in relieving the wretched;' 6 and whereas tyrants, when they reign, have their own good in view, kings should have that of their subjects at heart. For this reason it is that, at their consecration, kings have their heads anointed with oil, which is the symbol of mercy, to denote that, as kings, they should, above all things, nourish in their hearts feelings of compassion and benevolence towards their subjects.

Kings should then occupy themselves principally in works of mercy, but not so as to forget the just punishments that are to be inflicted on the guilty. It is however not thus with Mary, who, although a Queen, is not a queen of justice, intent on the punishment of the wicked, but a queen of mercy, intent only on commiserating and pardoning sinners.

And this is the reason for which the Church requires that we should expressly call her 'the Queen of Mercy.' The great Chancellor of Paris, John Gerson, in his Commentary on the words of David: "These two things have I heard, that power belongeth to God, and mercy to Thee, O Lord," he says, that the kingdom of God, consisting in justice and mercy, was divided by our Lord: the kingdom of justice He reserved for Himself, and that of mercy He yielded to Mary, ordaining, at the same time, that all mercies that are dispensed to men, should pass by the hands of Mary, and be disposed of by her at will. These are Gerson's own words: 'the kingdom of God consists in power and mercy; reserving power to Himself, He, in some way, yielded the empire of mercy to His mother.' - This is confirmed by St. Thomas, in his Preface to the Canonical Epistles, saying, 'that when the Blessed Virgin conceived the Eternal Word in her womb, and brought Him forth, she obtained half the kingdom of God; so that she is Queen of Mercy, as Jesus Christ is King of Justice.'

The Eternal Eather made Jesus Christ the King of Justice, and consequently universal Judge of the world: and therefore the royal Prophet sings: "Give to the King Thy judgment, O God: and to the King's Son Thy justice." a Here a learned interpreter takes up the sentence, and says: 'O Lord, Thou hast given justice to Thy Son, because Thou hast given mercy to the King's Mother;' and, on this subject, St. Bonaventure, paraphrasing the words of David, thus interprets them: 'Give to the King Thy judgment, O God: and Thy mercy to the Queen His Mother.' Ernest, Archbishop of Prague, also remarks, 'that the Eternal Father gave the office of judge and avenger to the Son, and that of showing mercy and relieving the necessitous to the Mother.' This was foretold by the prophet David himself, for he says that God (so to speak) consecrated Mary Queen of Mercy, anointing her with the oil of gladness: (" God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness ") In order that we miserable children of Adam might rejoice, remembering that in heaven we have this great Queen, overflowing with the unction of mercy and compassion towards us; and thus we can say with St. Bonaventure, 'O Mary, thou art full of the unction of mercy and of the oil of compassion,' 5 therefore God has anointed thee with the oil of gladness. And how beautifully does not B. Albert the Great apply to this subject the history of Queen Esther, who was herself a great type of our Queen Mary. We read, in the 4th chapter of the Book of Esther, that in the reign of Assuerus, a decree was issued, by which all Jews were condemned to death. Mardochai, who was one of the condemned, addressed himself to Esther, in order that she might interpose with Assuerus, and obtain the revocation of the decree, and thus be the salvation of all. At first Esther declined the office, fearing that such a request might irritate the king still more; but Mardochai reproved her, sending her word that she was not to think only of saving herself, for God had placed her on the throne to obtain the salvation of all the Jews: "think not that thou mayst save thy life only, because thou art in the king's house, more than all the Jews."i Thus did Mardochai address queen Esther; and so can we poor sinners address our Queen Mary: should she show any repugnance to obtain of God our delivery from the chastisement we have justly deserved. Think not that thou mayst save thy life only, because thou art in the king's house, more than all men. Think not, O Lady, that God has raised thee to the dignity of Queen of the world, only to provide for thy good; but in order that, being so great, thou mightest be better able to compassionate and assist us miserable creatures.

As soon as Assuerus saw Esther standing before him, 'he asked her, with love, what she came to seek. "What is thy request?" The queen replied, "If I have found favour in thy sight, O King, give me my people, for which I request." 3 Assenrus granted her request, and immediately ordered the revocation of the decree. And now, if Assuerus, through love for Esther, granted, at her request, salvation to the Jews, how can God refuse the prayers of Mary, loving her immensely as He does, when she prays for poor miserable sinners, who recommend themselves to her, and says to Him, 'My King and my God, if ever I have found favour in thy sight, (though the Divine Mother well knows that she was the blessed, the holy one, the only one of the human race who found the grace lost by all mankind; well does she know that she is the beloved one of her Lord, loved more than all the saints and angels together): "give me my people for which I ask." If thou lovest me, she says, 'give mo, O Lord, these sinners, for whom I entreat Thee.' Is it possible that God should refuse her? And who is ignorant of the power of the prayers of Mary with God ?" The law of clemency is on her tongue." 2 Each of her prayers is, as it were, an established law for our Lord, that he should show meroy to all for whom she intercedes. St. Bernard asks why the Church calls Mary 'the Queen of Mercy?' And he replies, that 'it is because we believe that she opens the abyss of the mercy of God, to whomsoever she wills, when she wills, and as she wills, so that there is no sinner, however great, who is lost if Mary protects him.'

But perhaps we may fear that Mary would not deign to interpose for some sinners, on account of their being so overloaded with crimes? Or perhaps we ought to be overawed at the majesty and holiness of this great Queen ?' No,' says St. Gregory the Seventh, 'for the higher and more holy she is, the greater is her sweetness and compassion towards sinners, who have recourse to her with the desire to amend their lives.' 3 Kings and queens, with their ostentation of majesty, inspire terror, and cause their subjects to fear to approach them: but what fear, says St. Bernard, can the miserable have to approach this Queen of Mercy, for she inspires no terror, and shows no severity, to tbose who come to her; but is all sweetness and gentleness. 'Why should human frailty fear to go to Mary? In her there is no austerity, nothing terrible: she is all sweetness, offering milk and wool to all.' * Mary is not only willing to give, but she herself offers milk and wool to all: the milk of mercy to animate our confidence, and the wool of her protection against the thunderbolts of Divine justice.

Suetonius relates of the Emperor Titus, that he could never refuse a favour, so much so that he sometimes promised more than he could grant, and when admonished of this he replied, that a prince should never send away any person whom he admitted to his audience dissatisfied. Titus spoke thus, but in reality he must often have deceived or failed in his promises. Our Queen cannot deceive, and can obtain all that she wills for her clients. Moreover, 'our Lord has given her so benign and compassionate a heart,' says Lanspergius, 'that she cannot send away any one dissatisfied, who prays to her.'i But how, to use the words of St. Bonaventure, canst thou, O Mary, who art the Queen of Mercy, refuse to succour the miserable? And 'who,' asks the Saint 'are the subjects for mercy, if not the miserable? And since thou art the Queen of Mercy,' he continues, 'and I am the most miserable of sinners, it follows that I am the first of thy subjects. How, then, O Lady, canst thou do otherwise than exercise thy mercy on me ?'

Have pity on us then, O Queen of Mercy, and take charge of our salvation. 'Say not, O holy Virgin !' exclaims St. George of Nicomcdia, that thou canst not assist us, on account of the number of our sins, 'for thy power and compassion is such, that no number of sins, however great, can outweigh it. Nothing resists thy power, for our common Creator, honouring thee as His mother, considering thy glory as His own;' and the Son, 'exulting in it, fulfils thy petitions as if He were paying a debt ;' meaning thereby, that although Mary is under an infinite obligation to the Son for having chosen her to be His mother, yet it cannot be denied but that the Son is under great obligation to her for having given Him His humanity; and therefore Jesus, to pay as it were what He owes to Mary, and glorying in her glory, honours her in a special manner by listening to and granting all her petitions.

How great then should be our confidence in this Queen, knowing her great power with God, and that she is so rich and full of mercy, that there is no one living on the earth, who does not partake of her compassion and favour. This was revealed by our Blessed Ladv herself to St. Bridget, saying, 'I am the Queen of heaven and the Mother of mercy; I am the joy of the just, and the door through which sinners are brought to God. There is no sinner on earth so accursed as to be deprived of my mercy, for all, if they receive nothing else through my intercession, receive the grace of being less tempted by the devils than they would otherwise have been;' 'No one,' she adds, 'unless the irrevocable sentence has been pronounced' (that is the one pronounced on the damned,) 'is so cast off by God, that he will not return to Him,' and enjoy His mercy, if he invokes my aid.' - 'I am called by all the Mother of Mercy, and truly the mercy of my Son towards men has made me thus merciful towards them;' and she concludes by saying, 'and therefore miserable will he be, and miserable will he be to all eternity, who, in this life, having it in his power to invoke me, who am so compassionate to all, and so desirous to assist sinners, is miserable enough not to invoke me, and so is damned''

Let us then fly, and fly always to the feet of this most sweet Queen, if we would be certain of salvation; and if wc are alarmed and disheartened at the sight of our sins, let us remember, that it is in order to save the greatest and most abandoned sinners, who recommend themselves to her, that Mary is made the Queen of Mercy. Such have to be her crown in heaven, according to the words addressed to her by her Divine spouse: "come from Libanus, my spouse; come from Libanus, come: thou shalt be crowned from the dens of the lions, from the mountains of the leopards." And what are these dens of beasts, but miserable sinners, whose souls have become the home of sin, the most frightful monster that can be found? 'With such souls,' says the Abbot Rupert, addressing our Blessed Lady, 'saved by thy means, O great Queen Mary, wilt thou be crowned in heaven, for their salvation will form a diadem, worthy of, and well becoming, a Queen of Mercy.'

On this subject read the following

EXAMPLE.

We read, in the life of Sister Catherine, of St. Augustine, that in the place where she resided, there was a woman, of the name of Mary, who in her youth, was a sinner, and in her old age continued so obstinate in wickedness, that she was driven out of the city, and reduced to live in a secluded cave; there she died, half consumed by disease, and without the sacraments, and was consequently interred in a field like a beast. Sister Catherine, who always recommended the souls of those who departed from this world, with great fervour, to God, on hearing the unfortunate end of this poor old woman, never thought of praying for her, and she looked upon her (as did every one else) as irrevocably lost. One day, four years afterwards, a suffering soul appeared to her, and exclaimed: 'How unfortunate is my lot, sister Catherine; thou recommendest the souls of all those that die, to God: on my soul alone thou hast not compassion?' 'And who art thou?' asked the servant of God. 'I am,' she replied, 'that poor Mary, who died in the cave.' 'And art thou saved?' said Catherine. 'Yes,' she answered, 'by the mercy of the Blessed Virgin Mary.' 'And how?' 'When I saw myself at the point of death, loaded with sins, and abandoned by all, I had recourse to the Mother of God, saying, Lady, thou art the refuge of abandoned creatures: behold me, at this moment, abandoned by all; thou art my only hope; thou alone canst help me: have pity on me. The Blessed Virgin obtained me the grace to make an act of contrition. I died, and am saved; and besides this, she, my Queen, obtained that my purgatory should be shortened, by enduring, in intensity, that which otherwise would have lasted for many years: I now only want a few masses to be entirely delivered; I beg thee to get them said, and oa my part, 1 promise always to pray for thee to God and to Mary.' Sister Catherine immediately had the masses said; and after a few days that sold again appeared to her, shining like the sun, and said: 'I thank thee, Catherine: behold, I go to Paradise, to sing the mercies of my God, and to pray for thee.'

PRAYER.

0, Mother of my God, and my Lady Mary: as a beggar, all wounded and sore, presents himself before a great queen, so do I present myself before thee, who art the Queen of heaven and earth. From the lofty throne on which thou sittest, disdain not, I implore thee, to cast thine eyes on me, a poor sinner. God has made thee so rich that thou mightest assist the poor, and has constituted thee Queen of Mercy, in order that thou mightest relieve the miserable. Behold me then, and pity me: behold me, and abandon me not, until thou seest me changed from a sinner into a saint. I know well that I merit nothing; nay more, that I deserve, on account of my ingratitude, to be deprived of the graces, that, through thy means, I have already received from God But thou, who art the Queen of Mercy, seekest not merits, but miseries, in order to help the needy. But who is more needy than 1?

O, exalted Virgin, well do I know that thou, who art Queen of the universe, art already my queen; yet am I determined to dedicate myself more especially to thy service, in order that thou mayst dispose of me as thou pleasest. Therefore do I address thee in the words of St. Bonaventure :: 'Do thou govern me, O my Queen, and leave me not to myself. Command me; employ me as thou wilt, and chastise me when I do not obey; for the chastisements that come from thy hands will to me be pledges of salvation. I value more the being thy servant, than being ruler of the earth. "I am thine; save me." ' Accept me, O Mary, for thine own, and as thine, take charge of my salvation. I will no longer be mine; to thee do I give myself. If, during the time past, I have served thee ill, and lost so many occasions of honouring thee, for the future I will be one of thy most loving and faithful servants. I am determined that from this day forward no one shall surpass me, in honouring and loving thee, my most amiable Queen. This I promise; and this, with thy help, I hope to execute. Amen.