A tender mother in the hour of death, Mary: Day 309

A tender mother in the hour of death, Mary: Day 309 May 25, 2016

year_with_mary_alphonsus_2A tender mother in the hour of death

St. Alphonsus recalls the story of a woman to whom Mary herself attended on her death bed.

How great is the tenderness of this good mother, Mary, toward her children at death!

The parish priest of a country place was assisting a certain rich man who was dying, in a magnificent house, and attended by servants, relatives, and friends. But the good priest saw also demons, in the shape of dogs, waiting to carry off his soul, as they in fact did. For he died in sin.

In the meantime, a poor woman was also ill. Desiring to receive the holy sac- raments, she sent for the parish priest. But he, being unable to leave the rich man whose soul stood in such need of assistance, sent her another priest. That priest immediately went, carrying the pix that contained the Most Blessed Sacrament. On his arrival, he saw neither servants, nor attendants, nor fine furniture;

for the sick woman was poor, and perhaps lying only on a little straw. But he saw a great light in the room, and near the bed of the dying woman was the Mother of God. Mary was consoling her, and with a cloth in her hand, wiping off the sweat of death.

The priest, seeing Mary, feared to enter. But the Blessed Virgin gestured to him to come in. The priest entered, and Mary showed him a stool, so that he might be seated to hear the Confession of her servant. This he did, and after the woman had received Holy Communion with great devotion, she happily breathed forth her soul in the arms of Mary. —St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

If my soul were to leave this world today, would I be more like the poor woman in this story, or the rich man?

CLOSING PRAYER

From “Prayer to Our Mother of Sorrows for a Happy Death”: O Mother of Sorrows, obtain for me the grace to receive Holy Communion with most perfect love and contrition before my death, and to breathe forth my soul in the presence of Jesus.

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