Mary loves us because her Son died for us, Mary: Day 046

Mary loves us because her Son died for us

Mary’s beloved Son loved us so much that he gave his life for us. What greater reason, St. Alphonsus asks, could she have for loving us as well?

Yet another motive for the love of Mary towards us is this: In us, she beholds what has been purchased at the price of the death of Jesus Christ. If a mother knew that a servant had been ransomed by a beloved son at the price of twenty years of imprisonment and suffering, how greatly would she esteem that servant—even if on this account alone! Mary well knows that her Son came into the world only to save us poor creatures, as he himself proclaimed: “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Lk 19:10). And to save us he was pleased even to lay down his life for us, and “became obedient to death” (Phil 2:8). If, then, Mary loved us only a little, she would show that she valued only little the blood of her Son, which was the price of our salvation.

Because all people have been redeemed by Jesus, therefore Mary loves and protects them all. It was she who was seen by St. John in the Apocalypse, clothed with the sun: “And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun” (Rv 12:1). She is said to be clothed with the sun because, as there is no one on earth who can be hidden from the heat of the sun—“there is nothing hidden from its heat” (Ps 19:6)—so there is no one living who can be deprived of the love of Mary.
“Who,” exclaims St. Antoninus, “can ever form an idea of the tender care that this most loving mother takes of all of us . . . offering and dispensing her mercy to everyone?” For our good mother desired the salvation of all, and she cooperated in obtaining it. —St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
Someone once said that a thing is worth what the right buyer is willing to pay for it. If God was willing to redeem me at the cost of his Son’s lifeblood, what must I be worth to God?

CLOSING PRAYER
Lord, let me never forget the words of St. Paul: “You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Cor 6:19–20).

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