Call on Mary in temptation, Mary: Day 062

Call on Mary in temptation

The most common activity of demonic powers is to lead us into temptation. St. Alphonsus reminds us that when we are tempted, we need only call on Mary to send the demons fleeing.

“Glorious indeed, and admirable, is thy name, O Mary!” exclaims St. Bonaventure. “For those who pronounce it at death need not fear all the powers of hell. The demons, on hearing that name, instantly flee, and leave the soul in peace.”

The same saint adds: “Men do not fear a powerful hostile army as much as the powers of hell fear the name and protection of Mary.
“You, O Lady,” says St. Germanus, “by the simple invocation of your most powerful name, give security to your servants against all the assaults of the enemy.”

If only Christians were careful in their temptations to pronounce the name of Mary with confidence, they would never fall. For as Blessed Alan de la Roche remarks, “At the very sound of the words Hail, Mary! Satan flies, and hell trembles.”

Our Blessed Lady herself revealed to St. Bridget that the enemy flees even from the most abandoned sinners—those who are consequently the furthest from God, and fully possessed by the Devil—if they will only invoke her most powerful name with a true purpose of repentance. “All demons, on hearing this name of Mary, filled with terror, leave the soul.” But at the same time our Blessed Lady added: “If the soul does not repent, and wipe out its sins by sorrow, the demons almost immediately return and continue to possess it.” —St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
Do I recognize that Satan is the source of many of the temptations that plague me? Do I keep in mind when I’m being tempted that if I call on Mary, she can help me resist and reject the Enemy’s suggestions?

CLOSING PRAYER
From a “Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help”: Mother, I fear nothing: not from my sins, because you will obtain pardon for me; nor from the demons, because you are more powerful than all hell together.

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