by Fr. Peter Richard Kenrick
“This is the gate of the Lord; the just
shall enter into it.” — Psalm cxvii 20
Mary is the “Gate of Heaven,”
because by her God descended to man; and because by her man ascends to God. The
Eastern gate spoken of by Ezechiel, (Ezech. xliv.1) and through which the Lord
the God of Israel passed, is understood by St. Jerome to have prefigured the
Blessed Virgin, through whom the Son of God entered into this world by being
made flesh in her sacred womb. “This,” says this great doctor of the
church, “is that Eastern gate through which the Sun of justice, and our High
Priest, according to the order of Melchisedeck, enters and comes out.” By
her it was that God appeared among men, and was found in appearance like to man.
Such was the reverence paid to the gate of the temple through which the Lord
God of Israel entered, — that is, through which the ark, which was a symbol of
Him, was brought into the temple, that it ever after remained closed; lest any
one should pass through it, and render the way which God had sanctified common,
as every other way through which men pass. With how much more reverence should
we look up to Mary, through whom Jesus Christ came into this world! The church
applies these words of the 86th psalm to the Blessed Virgin: “The Lord loves
the gates of Sion above all the tabernacles of Jacob.” Ah! Let us reverence
and love Mary above all other creatures, how high and holy they may be: and let
us be convinced, that we shall always be inadequate to express our obligations
to her, for the great benefit we have received through her from God.
Mary is called the “Gate of heaven,”
because by her man ascends to God. In giving us Jesus Christ, whose name is the
only one “under heaven, given to men whereby we may be saved,” (Acts,
iv. 12,) she has supplied us with the mystic ladder in which we may ascend to
heaven. She is also the “Gate of heaven,” because she is most powerful
in obtaining for sinners repentance, and perseverance for the just. At the
close of life, when we are as it were on the threshold of eternity, “then,”
says St. Jerome, “Mary not only comes to us when called, but even
spontaneously advances to meet us.” (Hieron. Ep.2 ad Eutoch.) The church
evidently considers her to be the gate of heaven, or as some holy writers
express it, the dispensatrix of God's graces, on account of her extensive
influence in their distribution. Hence in all her solemn appeals to God, as
well in the tremendous mysteries, in which she offers up the mystic lamb that
was slain from the beginning of the world, as in the praises which, like David,
she gives seven times each day to God — the church never omits to accompany her
own prayers by an appeal to Mary, for her intercession. After the divine prayer
composed by Christ himself, there is no form of supplication which she
recommends more earnestly, or which is more universally practised, than the
angelical salutation. In it her children knock daily at this gate of heaven,
that through it they may receive all graces during life, and at the hour of
death, may enter by it into paradise. “By thee,” says St Angustin, “do
the wretched obtain mercy—the ungrateful, grace—sinners, pardon—the weak, great
things—the earthly, heavenly goods—mortals, life—and pilgrims, their country.”
We should accompany our reflections on
Mary's privilege of being the “Gate of heaven,” through which the just
shall enter, by an examination of ourselves. Are we deserving of the character
of “just,” which can alone entitle us to pass through this heavenly
gate? Like the foolish virgins mentioned in the gospel, have we not let the
lamp of our justice, which should have shined before men, grow dim, or perhaps
become entirely extinguished, by our neglect to supply it with the oil of good
works? It is true, that if at our last hour we apply to this most prudent
Virgin, she will not refuse, lest by sharing with us she should expose herself
to the danger dreaded by the prudent virgins mentioned in the gospel. “For,”
says Hugh of St. Victor, “she bears in the person of her son, an overflowing
and exhaustless vessel, from whose oil the lamps of all may be lit."
Still we should fear, lest even Mary should not then interpose her prayers for
us, if, during life, we have habitually neglected to profit by them. We know
that God himself, in punishment of our refusal to accept his invitation to
repentance, has declared that those who treat Him thus unworthily shall call on
Him, in their distress, and that He will not hear them. Mary, then, who is ever
submissive to the orders of His providence, may turn away from us her maternal
eyes; or, what is more likely, the recollection of our past ingratitude, and
the suggestions of the enemy of our souls, will deprive us of all hope of
obtaining her intercession, and prevent us from pronouncing that sweet name,
which would obtain for us the grace of repentance. Confidence in the efficacy
of her intercession should inspire us with hope when we repent; it would be
presumption to make it the occasion of our continuing in guilt.
EXAMPLE
St Charles Borromeo had the most lively
and tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin. Besides reciting daily on his knees,
the rosary and office of this glorious Queen, he fasted on bread and water on
the Vigils of her feasts. If he happened to be in the street, when the bell
tolled for the “Angelus,” he never failed to kneel down, even in
unfavourable weather. He had in his cathedral a chapel and confraternity of the
rosary: and established a solemn procession on the first Sunday of each month,
in honour of the Mother of God. He placed all his institutions under Her
protection, and established the custom in his diocese of honouring the name of
Mary, whenever it was heard. He caused her image to be placed at the entrance
of all parish churches under his jurisdiction; to admonish the people that if
they would enter into heaven, they should implore her intercession, whom the
church styles the “Gate of Heaven.”
PRAYER
O most Holy Virgin! Eve had closed on us
the gates of heaven by her disobedience; by thy obedience thou hast opened them
to us. By thee did the Son of God come down from heaven: by thee has the light
of this true Sun of justice arisen on man. Through thee do our prayers ascend
to God; and by thy means do His faithful servants enter on their eternal rest.
Thou art indeed a “gate of heaven,” through which we enter our heavenly
country. Pray, then, for me, an exile from my true home. I am not worthy to
hope for heaven, after having so often deserved hell, through my sins. Thou art
my hope and help. Obtain for me the grace of conversion, and perseverance in
good; that thus I may be of the number of those happy just, who by thee enter
into the kingdom of God's glory. Amen
PRACTICE
On this day beg of Mary, with peculiar earnestness,
to procure for you the grace of a happy death. It is a most salutary practice
of pious Christians to set apart one day in each month, in which they make a
preparation for death. If circumstances prevent you from adopting this
practice, you can at least have no difficulty, when preparing for the
sacraments, to make the thought of death influence you in a particular manner
once a month. “Blessed is the man,” says the devout A'Kempis, “that
has always death before his eyes, and every day disposes himself to die.”
“Open to us the gate of mercy, O Holy
Mother of God.” — Saint
John of Damascus.
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