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| Mary, The Cause of Our Joy 2 |
07/11/2015
Night Office, file from past years.
Monastic Lectionary of the Divine Office
MARY, THE
CAUSE OF OUR JOY
FROM A SERMON BY ST.LAURENCE OF BRINDISI
Mary bore within herself the Light of
the world and is the cause of all consolation and of all joy. In this we may discover
a similarity between Mary and Queen Esther: for her own Jewish people Esther’s appearance
was 'the dawning of a day of light of gladness and joy and honour'. What gave the
Jews so great a cause for joy was to know that at the right hand of the greatest
of kings and most powerful of emperors they had as queen, Esther a Jewess. For the
Safety of her people, she was ready and willing to put her own life in jeopardy.
Because of her closeness to this powerful prince~ and so greatly did he love her
for her unmatched charm and the almost divine radiance of her beauty that there
was nothing that she could not achieve.
What a cause of joy it is for us, then,
to have Mary intimately present to the Sovereign King, close to almighty God, the
everlasting Ruler of all things. In the presence of the Divine Majesty, Mary is
infinitely more powerful than ever Esther was in the presence of Ahasuerus, indeed,
there is nothing that Mary cannot do from her place beside God. But that is not
all. The love Mary bears towards each one of us is not simply a love inspired by
belonging to the same nation - for she is indeed of our flesh
and blood - but is a mother's love. a
deep affection, true and heartfelt like that of parents for their children.
And has not Mary also put her life in
danger for our sake when she was standing by the cross of Jesus'? Like Abraham in
total and overflowing generosity of spirit Mary truly sacrificed her Son to God
in spirit; with genuine love she offered him up for the salvation of the world.
She was 'standing by the cross of Jesus' strengthened and sustained by the
power of the Holy Spirit.
How great a cause of joy and happiness
it is for the whole world to have such a patroness and advocate in the presence
of God the almighty! Since she is in his presence, there is nothing beyond her
power. no good thing for which she doesn't strive and desire to gain for us, with
her mother's care and love.
Sermon 3 on the 'Hail Mary' Orval's
"Lectures Mariales" 1968
(Text prepared by Mt. St. Bernard
Abbey, 1971)
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