It was fitting for Mary never to be a slave to Satan, Mary: Day 042

It was fitting for Mary never to be a slave to Satan, Mary: Day 042 September 1, 2015

year_with_mary_alphonsus_3It was fitting for Mary never to be a slave to Satan

If Mary was to crush Satan’s head, St. Alphonsus reasons, it was fitting that she would never have been first subject to him because of sin.

Great indeed was the injury imposed on Adam and all his posterity by his accursed sin. At the same time that he, to his own great misfortune, lost grace, he also forfeited all the other precious gifts with which he had originally been enriched, and drew down upon himself and all his descendants the enmity of God and an accumulation of evils. But from this general misfortune God was pleased to exempt that Blessed Virgin whom he had destined to be the mother of the Second Adam—Jesus Christ—who was to repair the evil done by the first Adam. Now let’s see how becoming it was that God should in this way preserve her.

It was fitting that God should preserve Mary from original sin because he destined her to crush the head of that hellish serpent that, by seducing our first parents, brought death upon all men. This our Lord foretold to the serpent: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and your seed and her seed. She shall crush your head” (see Gn 3:15). But if Mary was to be that valiant woman brought into the world to conquer Lucifer, certainly it was not fitting that he should first conquer her and make her his slave. Instead, it was reasonable that she should be preserved from all stain or even momentary subjection to her opponent. The proud spirit endeavored to infect the most pure soul of this virgin with his venom, as he had already infected the whole human race.

But praised and ever blessed be God! In his infinite goodness, he endowed Mary ahead of time for this purpose with such great grace that, remaining always free from any guilt of sin, she was always able to beat down and confound the Devil’s pride. —St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
Do I take comfort in the knowledge that Mary was never subject to Satan as his slave? Am I grateful for her role in crushing his head?

CLOSING PRAYER
From a prayer of St. Maximillian Kolbe: O Immaculata, queen of heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to you. I, a repentant sinner, cast myself at your feet.

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