Mary, Health of the Weak

by Fr. Peter Richard Kenrick (1840)

“A virtue went out from him, and healed all.” — Luke vi. 19

Jesus Christ is our great physician. While on earth a virtue went out from him and healed all; his power was always displayed in relieving the sufferings of the sick and infirm; and while his miracles attest his omnipotence, they display most conspicuously the mercy which is His peculiar characteristic. Not only did Jesus Christ himself exert his omnipotence for the relief of his suffering creatures, but he imparted to the Apostles the same power, and even told them, that those who believed in his name would do still greater wonders than he himself had performed. So great was the effect of this promise, that even the shadow of St. Peter, as he passed along, healed the sick. In every age the healing power of Christ has been experienced by those who have invoked it in the spirit of faith; and in every age has he been mindful of those who served him on earth, and honoured their memory and name, by the numerous miracles which have been wrought in favour of such as sought their intercession. Can we then, for a moment, suppose that Mary's name will not plead powerfully for us, when we suffer from sickness, or are alarmed at the approach of death, for which, perhaps, we may not be prepared. God seems to exert His omnipotence, in proportion to the merits of those in whose name it is invoked; He will not then turn away from the supplication of His holy Mother, when she asks of Him for us that health and strength which may be, perhaps, necessary for our salvation, and agreeable to the designs of His ever merciful providence.

While we invoke Mary as the health of the weak, we should not forget, that the infirmities of the body are trivial and unimportant, if compared with those of the soul. The former are the natural effect of our condition, and suppose in us no culpability; but may become the occasion of great merit, when patiently endured; they are the warning voices which announce to us the approach of death, which we cannot hope finally to escape. The infirmities of the soul, on the other hand, may be said to be the only ones which really deserve our solicitude. “Our fever,” says St Ambrose, “is avarice; our fever is lust; our fever is luxury; our fever is ambition, our fever is anger.” These spiritual maladies are indeed most to be apprehended, because, unless they be remedied, they bring on the death of the soul — that is, they deprive us of God who is its life, and expose us to be buried for ever in the abyss of hell. It is especially on account of Mary's influence in obtaining efficacious remedies for these spiritual maladies, that the church styles her the “health of the weak.” We may be satisfied that, much as her compassionate heart bleeds when she beholds us suffering from corporeal infirmity, she feels much more when she considers the spiritual weakness and infirmity under which we labour, and which is to be dreaded in proportion as it is not felt by ourselves. Let us, then, apply to this source of spiritual health, which God has opened for us: let us ask of Mary to obtain for us a knowledge of our infirmity and a serious application of all our powers to remove it, and we shall find by experience the fulfilment of the words, which the church applies to her: “He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord.” (Proverbs viii. 36)

The solicitude which we manifest for our corporeal health too often forms a striking contrast with our indifference to the state of our souls. A slight sickness fills us with anxiety: we deem no precaution too great, no remedy too disagreeable, provided we regain our lost health. In this we but obey the instinct of nature, and the command of God, which imposes on us the obligation of doing all that we can to preserve His gifts. But is not our soul entitled at least to some share of our vigilance and care? Why, then, do many remain so unmoved, when conscience tells them, that there is no soundness in them, that their soul is in reality dead, while it has the appearance of life? Ah, what blindness, to fear so much a temporal death, and not dread that which is eternal! We should imitate the prudence of those who, when they labour under many infirmities, apply themselves particularly to the cure of that from which they have most to fear, while at the same time they do not neglect to prevent the others from assuming an alarming character. We should see what is the spiritual malady from which we have most to apprehend; whether it be pride, avarice, love of pleasure, excessive fondness of company, or ambition: and we should apply ourselves to overcome it with peculiar attention. We should not relax our efforts until we had either entirely subdued it, or so far succeeded as to require only ordinary attention. To overcome our predominant or ruling passion; to deliver ourselves from the infirmity, which either has already taken, or if neglected, will most certainly assume a mortal character, this is what we should ask with peculiar earnestness from her who is the “health of the weak.”

EXAMPLE

In the year 1792, when the excesses of impiety in France involved the faithful Christian in all the dangers of a sanguinary persecution, M. Detrez of Lille, received priest's orders in a foreign country, and shortly afterwards returned in disguise to his native city, where he devoted himself to the service of his fellow-citizens. For a long time he exercised the ministry there in private, although he was aware of the danger to which he thus exposed himself. Like the apostle St. Paul, he feared none of these temporal evils, and he looked on life as valueless, unless he could preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, and celebrate the praises of Mary, his Virgin Mother. He was at length arrested and confined in the infectious dungeons of Lille. This was, doubtless, a provision of Providence which thus prepared him for his future office of chaplain of a vast prison, by permitting him to experience the evils in which he was one day to sympathize. On being restored to liberty he laid the foundation of an Orphan Asylum in the village of Los, near Lille.

In all the rooms of this establishment he placed an image of the Blessed Virgin, and caused the Orphans to sing the Canticle of the “Magnificat” every Saturday, in honour of their holy Mother. To all those whom he directed in the paths of virtue, he earnestly recommended this devotion, and was accustomed to say, that he had great confidence in all who practised it. He especially recommended it to those charged with the direction of the Magdalene Asylums, which he had instituted; as also to the community of the “daughters of the Infant Jesus,” which he established for the attendance on the sick, and the instruction of the ignorant. On all the festivals of the Blessed Virgin, the joy of his heart manifested itself in his countenance, and inspired others with zeal for the promotion of this devotion. When made chaplain of the prison of Los, — which was formerly an abbey founded by St. Bernard, M. Detrez incessantly recommended his dear convicts, as he used 10 call them, to the intercession of this devout servant of Mary; and was the efficacious instrument of the conversion of many sinners, by making them recite the prayer, “Remember, O most pious Virgin,” etc. In the year 1832, he was attacked by a mortal malady while in the monastery of Esquermes, to the restoration of which he had mainly contributed. He was immediately removed to the Orphan Asylum, which he had founded, and which was his usual residence, and had the consolation of giving up his soul to God in the village of Los, which is consecrated to the Blessed Virgin. His remains were interred in the church of the Blessed Virgin, opposite the image of Our Lady of Grace, before which he was wont, every Saturday, to offer up the holy sacrifice of the Mass, for the happiness of his country.

PRAYER

In all the infirmities of the body, and all the maladies of the soul, be thou, O Mary my refuge and my relief. Numberless are the sick who through thee have recovered health. Relying on thy power and goodness, I fly to thee, and implore thee to heal my infirmities, and obtain for me perfect health of body and of soul; that I may be the better able to serve thee and thy divine Son. At all times thou hast been the help and consolation of the infirm. Thou dost lighten their sufferings, and dost obtain for them health, when it is conducive to their salvation: thou dost assist them to make a happy death. Assist me, then, O most amiable Mother; obtain for me a release from all sufferings, or patience to endure them in the spirit of resignation to God's holy will, that thus all my trials may tend to purify my soul, and detach it from all earthly ties. Amen.

PRACTICE

Visit some sick person, in honour of Mary.

ASPIRATION

To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve!