Day's Two and Three

2nd Day ~ Mary's First Graces

Her Foundations are in the holy mountains. (Psalm lxxxvi. I.)

1. Mary began her journy along the road to perfection at a height to which other saints arrived only at the end of a long life of saintliness. God loved her more at the first moment of her existance then He loved the holiest among men at the time that their earthly pilgrimage was over and they were ripe for their heavenly reward. What glory must have been hers even from the begining!

2. What was the cause of this special predilection that God had for this newly created soul? In all other children of Adam original sin prevented the divine generosity from having a free course. But Mary was created immaculate, and therefore the grace of God streamed into her sould without check or hindrance. Oh, happy child whose sinlessness received so glorious a recompense! Like Mary, we also have been present to God from all eternity; we too have had our special place appointed for us. Are we faithful to our high calling? Are we accomplishing our life's work day by day?

3. What is it that checks in us the inflow of God's supernatural gifts? It is always sin; not so much sins in the past as sins and imperfections wilfully admitted in the present. These must be relinquished if we desire God to give us good measure of His grace. We must try to hate sin as Mary hated it, and we must cry to her:

Hail Mary, ever undefiled!

Hail, Queen of purity!

O make thy children chaste and mild,

And turn their hearts to thee!

3rd Day ~ Mary's Earliest Gift.

God said to Abraham: walk before me and be perfect. (Gen. xvii. I)

1. The highest praise that can be bestowed upon the saints of God during their earthly pilgimage is that they "walked with God". In this consists all perfection as we see from God's words to faithful Abraham. This was the privilege of our first parents before they sinned. This was the praise of Henoch and of Noe. It is an anticipation of the eternal happiness of heaven, where the just will walk with God forever in the glory of the beatific vision.

2. What is meant by walking with God? It means an intimate union with Him, a continual and joyful rememberance of His presence, a perfect agreement of will with God. This was the beginning of God's gifts to Mary; it was the result of her sinlessness. It rendered her life a sort of heaven on earth. From the first moment of her existence she could cry out: "My Beloved to me, and I to Him," and He could answer: "Thou art all fair, O My love, and there is not a spot in thee." (Cant. iv. 7)

3. God was thus always present to Mary's thoughts. Every action, every movement, was directed to His glory. This was the secret of her unapproachable holiness. How different am I from Mary! I think so little of God and do so little for Him! I will try to do more, that I too may become more pleaseing to God, more full of His graces and gifts.

Holy Mother of God, pray for me!

~ Devotions taken from "The Catholic Girl's Guide" by Father Lasance