by
Fr. Peter Richard Kenrick (1840)
"Hail, full of grace."—Luke i.28
There is nothing more mysterious, or more
necessary than divine grace. Without it we cannot hope to please God, because
without it we cannot do any thing meritorious of eternal life. To whom are we
indebted for that inestimable gift of God? To Jesus Christ, who by His passion
and death, has not only reconciled us to His heavenly Father, but has purchased
for us, all the graces of which we stand in need." But not as the
offence, so also the gift. For if by the offence of one, many died, much more
the grace of God and the gift by the grace of one man, Jesus Christ, hath
abounded unto many." (Rom.
v. 15.) Without this grace, we are unable to entertain a good thought, or even
to pronounce the name of Jesus, in a manner conducive to our eternal salvation. "Without
me," says Christ to his
apostles, "you can do
nothing." "As the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you
unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches." (John, xv. 4, 5.) This grace is the
gratuitous gift of God, to which we have no claim, except as members of the
mystical body of Christ. He is the mystical vine; if the branches abide in the
vine, they will bear much fruit; if they be separated from it, they must
necessarily wither, and be fit for nothing else than to be cast into the fire.
Mary is called the mother of divine grace,
because she is the mother of Jesus Christ, "who is made unto us wisdom,
and justice, and sanctification, and redemption." (I Cor. i. 30.) God, who
chose her to be the instrument of His mercy, by making her the mother of His
Son, prepared her for this dignity, by an extraordinary accumulation of His
divine grace. Hence, she was saluted by the angel as "full of
grace," (Luke. i. 28,)
an eulogium which we daily address to her in the prayer of the angelical
salutation. "Truly," says St. Bernard, "is she called
full of grace, who obtained the grace which no other merited." When we reflect with gratitude on
God's liberality to us, in the dispensation of His graces, we should never
forget that Mary was particularly instrumental in obtaining for us these gifts,
by complying with all the graces she received from God, by which she was
rendered worthy to conceive Him in her soul, even before she became Mother of
God. What more powerful advocate can we employ with our divine Saviour, when we
petition Him for a participation of His graces, than her who gave Him to
us,—who knows how much we stand in need of His divine assistance,—and who desires
nothing more earnestly than that the kingdom of His grace should be diffused
through all hearts. Let us then adopt the advice of St Bernard ; "let us seek for
grace, and seek for it through Mary, because such is the will of Him, who has
been pleased to give us all through Mary."
The liberality of God towards us in the
dispensation of His graces, imposes on us an awful responsibility, unless we
profit by them. Besides the graces which we receive in common with all men, we
cannot but acknowledge, with sentiments of gratitude, that God has been
peculiarly bountiful to us,—that he has given to us graces which He has not
vouchsafed to others. Our vocation to be members of the Catholic Church, when
so many millions are estranged from its fold ;—the opportunities we have of
hearing the word of God, and of approaching the sacraments, are blessings not
enjoyed by all. We should, however, remember that from those to whom much has
been given, much will be required; and that, as St. Paul assures us, the earth
that is often watered with rain from heaven, and brings forth briers, is nigh
to a curse. Let us see, whether our faith influences our con- duct;—whether the
public instructions which we receive increase in us the love of God, and
strengthen in us our determination to serve him ; -—and whether we derive from
the sacraments all the beneficial results they are calculated to pro- duce.
Should we find ourselves not to have corresponded with these graces, let us not
despond, but go with confidence to the throne of grace. Although our past
infidelity may have rendered us unworthy to appear before the Saviour, whose
favours we have slighted, Mary will interpose in our behalf:—she will procure
for us forgiveness for our past neglect of grace, and will obtain for us that
docility of heart, which may render us faithful for the time to come. Let us
beg of her to secure for us, in the hour of our death, the grace of final
perseverance,—that triumphant grace which will crown the measure of
supernatural gifts here below, and be succeeded by the contemplation and
enjoyment of that God from whom every good gift descends.
EXAMPLE
Monsieur Henri Jouve, while studying at
Grenoble in France, led a life very different from 4hat which had been expected
from his Christian education; and openly adopted the maxims and practices of
the corrupt society in the midst of which he lived. God remembered him in his
mercy, and resolved to bring him back to a sense of his duty.
This young man had a sister, called
Aloysia, in the convent of the Sacred Heart at Grenoble. She wept bitterly over
the obduracy of her beloved brother, who remained deaf to all her
expostulations and advice, and frequently made her pious solicitude the subject
of his railleries. When God called her out of life, this unfeeling brother
heard the news of her death without emotion; and although decency obliged him
to attend the solemn function of her exequies, he resolved not to manifest any
feeling that might betray what he regarded as weakness of character. In taking
this resolution, he did not know with whom he had to struggle; for he had no
sooner entered the convent, than he felt an unusual and indescribable
sensation. He was conducted to the apartment where the body of the deceased
lay, as if in sweet sleep, or rapt in heavenly contemplation. This sight
affected him still more; he could not restrain the tears that gushed from his
eyes, and, kneeling down, he gave vent to his feelings.
The superioress, who was much moved by what
she saw, gave him the ring of his departed sister, which he thankfully
received. Surprised at these unusual feelings, he retired to the church, where
he proposed to assist at the solemn Mass for Aloysia, more, however, through a
feeling of propriety than from an inspiration of devotion. On again beholding the
lifeless body of his sister borne into the choir, he yielded once more to the
feelings of nature, or rather the impulse of grace, and his tears flowed
unceasingly. He continued thus agitated during the whole of that day. On the
following morning he returned to ask for some of his sister's hair, and spoke
much about her. On another occasion he visited the convent, and signified his
desire to be conducted to his sister's tomb. The superioress consented, but on
condition that he would make a promise which, she said, would gratify his
beloved sister. He is astonished — and, hesitatingly, asks, "What
promise?" She bids him
to reflect seriously. His agitation increases. She beseeches him to be calm,
and to kneel. He refuses. She presses him to yield to the grace that moves him;
to trample on human respect. She herself kneels in a corner of the room and
prays most fervently. He walks about—goes away—returns—strikes his forehead,
and cries out, "O Aloysia, what
do you want? Why do you pursue me even after death?" After a struggle of more than two
hours and a half, he kneels down before an image of Mary, and promises much
more than was required by the superioress. He rises, and often repeats, "Come, come, I
have promised much, but I do not repent of it. Come, I must ratify these
promises on the tomb of Aloysia." He
is conducted to it. He casts himself on it, and bursting into tears, renews his
promise, which was, not only to approach the sacraments of penance and the
Eucharist, but also to dedicate himself to God without reserve,—to enter
religion.
This miracle of grace may justly be
ascribed to the prayers of his sister, whom the superioress had recommended a
few days before her death, to offer up her sufferings to God for the conversion
of one of her relatives, and who saw none more dear to her, or who more
required her prayers than her loved, but erring brother. This scene took place
on the 25th of January, 1821, the festival of St Paul's conversion. The young
man subsequently entered the noviciate of the Fathers of the Faith, among whom
he is distinguished by his piety and talents. (1)
PRAYER
O holy Mother! In giving Jesus Christ to
the world, thou hast opened to us the treasures of all graces, in which are all
the gifts of penance, fervour, fidelity, and love. One ray of this divine
light, one spark of this sacred fire, would suffice to render me pure in the
eyes of thy dear Son. O Mary, full of grace! be thou my advocate with him;
place me near his throne, that his precious blood may protect me and blot out
and efface every thing that has displeased him in my past life. "Hail then, O
heavenly Mother, the glory and honour of our church. Continually intercede with
Jesus, that I may obtain mercy through thee in the Day of Judgment, and a
participation in those good things, which God has prepared for those who love
him." (2) Amen.
PRACTICE
Make an act of thanksgiving to Jesus Christ
for all the graces you have received from Him. Beg of Mary to be your advocate
and patroness with her divine Son. For that purpose say the "Hail
Mary," three times.
ASPIRATION
Hail, full of grace!
______
Notes:
(1) Beau mois de Marie, p. 218. Amiens, 1838
(2)
St. John Chrysostom
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