Mary will never abandon anyone, Mary: Day 054

Mary will never abandon anyone

Would a mother refuse to apply medicine to her child’s infected wounds, simply because they are repulsive? Of course, not, insists St. Alphonsus. In the same way, however revolting our sins may be, Mary will come to apply a remedy.

The multitude of our sins shouldn’t lessen our confidence that Mary will grant our petitions when we cast ourselves at her feet. She’s the mother of mercy, and mercy wouldn’t be needed if there were no one who requires it. On this subject Richard of Saint Lawrence remarks, “As a good mother doesn’t hesi- tate to apply a remedy to her child infected with ulcers, however nauseous and revolting they may be, so also is our good mother unable to abandon us when we turn to her, so that she may heal the wounds caused by our sins, however loath- some they may have made us.”

This is exactly what Mary helped St. Gertrude to understand, when she showed herself to her with her mantle spread out to receive all who turn to her. At the same time the saint was told that “angels constantly guard the devotees of this Blessed Virgin from the assaults of hell.”

If anyone doubts whether Mary will aid him if he turns to her, Pope Inno- cent III corrects him with these words: “Who is there that ever, when in the night of sin, turned to this sweet lady without being relieved?” The blessed Eutychian, patriarch of Constantinople, exclaims to Mary, “Who ever faithfully begged your all-powerful aid and was abandoned by you?” Indeed, no one; for she can relieve the most wretched, and save the most abandoned. Such a case certainly never did and never will occur.

Let everyone say, then, with full confidence, in the words of that beautiful prayer addressed to the Mother of Mercy, and commonly attributed to St. Ber- nard: “Remember, O most pious Virgin Mary, that never was it heard of in any age that anyone having recourse to your protection was abandoned.” —St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
Are there sins in my life that seem like festering wounds, disgusting even to me? Have I asked Mary to apply the healing balm of God’s grace, so that I may be healed?

CLOSING PRAYER
From a prayer of St. Alphonsus: Blessed Lady, my misery, rather than taking away my confidence, increases it, for your compassion is great in proportion to the greatness of my misery. Show yourself full of liberality towards me.

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