Mary invites us to give Jesus our hearts, Mary: Day 084

Mary invites us to give Jesus our hearts, Mary: Day 084 October 13, 2015

year_with_mary_alphonsus_1Mary invites us to give Jesus our hearts

Mary calls us to give ourselves completely to her Son, and St. Alphonsus urges us to accept that invitation.

Let’s cease to torment this afflicted mother. And if until now we’ve grieved her by our sins, let’s now do all that she desires. She says, “Return, you transgressors, to the heart” (see Is 46:8). Sinners, return to the wounded heart of my Jesus. Return as penitents, and he will welcome you.

“Flee from him to him,” Abbot Guarric imagines her saying, “from the Judge to the Redeemer, from the Tribunal to the Cross.” Our Blessed Lady her- self revealed to St. Bridget that “she closed the eyes of her Son, when he was taken down from the Cross, but she could not close his arms.” Through this, Jesus Christ meant for us to understand that he desired to remain with his arms extended to receive all penitent sinners who return to him.

“World!” continues Mary. “Look! ‘Your time is the time of lovers’ (see Ez 16:8). Now that my Son has died to save you, it’s no longer for you a time of fear, but one of love—a time to love the One who was pleased to suffer so much to show you the love he had for you.” “The heart of Jesus was wounded,” says St. Bernard, “so that through the visible wound, the invisible wound of love might be seen.”

“My Son, in the abundance of love, was pleased that his side should be pierced open, so that he might give you his heart,” Mary concludes, in the words of Blessed Raymond Jordano. “So it’s only right that you in return should also give him yours.”

“And if you desire, children of Mary, to find a place in the heart of Jesus without fear of being rejected, go, go with Mary,” says Ubertino da Casale. “For she will obtain the necessary grace for you.” —St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
Is here anything in my life that seems to be keeping me from giving myself wholeheartedly to Jesus? Have I asked Mary’s help to overcome it?

CLOSING PRAYER
From a prayer of St. Alphonsus: Mother, pity me, for instead of loving God, I have greatly offended him. Your sorrows encourage me to hope for pardon. But this isn’t enough. I want to love my Lord; and who can better obtain for me this love than you, who are the Mother of Fair Love?

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