THE GLORIES OF MARY
The Glories of Mary is book written by St Alphonsus Liguori. He wrote as he approached his death because of the wonderful part Mary the Mother of Jesus had played in his life. He wanted to explain the role that Mary played in our salvation and the wonderful relationship she had with her son Jesus
As a Catholic I grew up hearing phrases like Mary is a Co-Redemptirix or the Mediatrix of All Graces and the vague ideas I was taught made sense and I was ready to believe. But this book proved very challenging even in the Pre-Vatican II world because it took the vague ideas and put more reality onto them. As a young man I thought perhaps it was all over the top which is why recently I remembered the book and decided that with the 'wisdom of age' I would read it again.
This time I am enthralled. Alphonsus goes into the debt Jesus owed her for undertaking to be his mother and making the Salvation of Mankind possible. There is a wonderful description of Jesus being the Head and she being the neck joining him to the Body of the Church and grace coming from the neck passing through he to the Body. And if Jesus was a King then surely his Mother was a Queen. He then talks about Mary as the Mother of Mercy. This role comes from her position as a Queen, because as the Kings roles is one of Justice then the role of the Queen in one of Mercy. He gives the example from the Book of Esther. The Jews were inactivity but the King had fallen in love with a Jew called Esther and married her. Then the King became angry and decreed that all Jews should be killed. Esther went to beg the King on behalf of the Jews to spare their lives and such was the love of the King for her that he relented. It is interesting that at the bottom of the dress that Mary wore at Fatima there is a star depicted as the star of Esther.
That is what Mary is doing in our age. She appeared at Fatima pleading with us to convert ourselves and prayer the conversion of all sinners. For the King of Justices is so deeply hurt by the sins of the world. As the Queen of Mercy she is desperate to help us for if we do not change there will be a terrible punishment. Yet at a time when the Church needs Mary most there are those who have turned their back on the Mother of Jesus and in order not to put the Ecumenical Movement back Ten Years Human relations seem to mean more than Heavenly relations.
I will continure to read my book and giver myself as her child totally to Mary. I pray that her name will again sound joyfully throughout the Catholic Church.
As a Catholic I grew up hearing phrases like Mary is a Co-Redemptirix or the Mediatrix of All Graces and the vague ideas I was taught made sense and I was ready to believe. But this book proved very challenging even in the Pre-Vatican II world because it took the vague ideas and put more reality onto them. As a young man I thought perhaps it was all over the top which is why recently I remembered the book and decided that with the 'wisdom of age' I would read it again.
This time I am enthralled. Alphonsus goes into the debt Jesus owed her for undertaking to be his mother and making the Salvation of Mankind possible. There is a wonderful description of Jesus being the Head and she being the neck joining him to the Body of the Church and grace coming from the neck passing through he to the Body. And if Jesus was a King then surely his Mother was a Queen. He then talks about Mary as the Mother of Mercy. This role comes from her position as a Queen, because as the Kings roles is one of Justice then the role of the Queen in one of Mercy. He gives the example from the Book of Esther. The Jews were inactivity but the King had fallen in love with a Jew called Esther and married her. Then the King became angry and decreed that all Jews should be killed. Esther went to beg the King on behalf of the Jews to spare their lives and such was the love of the King for her that he relented. It is interesting that at the bottom of the dress that Mary wore at Fatima there is a star depicted as the star of Esther.
That is what Mary is doing in our age. She appeared at Fatima pleading with us to convert ourselves and prayer the conversion of all sinners. For the King of Justices is so deeply hurt by the sins of the world. As the Queen of Mercy she is desperate to help us for if we do not change there will be a terrible punishment. Yet at a time when the Church needs Mary most there are those who have turned their back on the Mother of Jesus and in order not to put the Ecumenical Movement back Ten Years Human relations seem to mean more than Heavenly relations.
I will continure to read my book and giver myself as her child totally to Mary. I pray that her name will again sound joyfully throughout the Catholic Church.
Comments
Post a Comment