Jesus gives Mary his Body one last time on earth, Mary: Day 268

Jesus gives Mary his Body one last time on earth

St. Alphonsus, like St. John of Damascus, imagines a conversation between Jesus and Mary when she is about to die. He sees her receiving Holy Com- munion from the hands of her Son.

The death of Mary was at hand. The angels came in choirs to meet

her, as if to be ready for the great triumph with which they were to accompany her to paradise. Mary was indeed consoled at the sight of these holy spirits. But she wasn’t fully consoled, because she didn’t yet see her beloved Jesus, who was the whole love of her heart. She said: “Holy angels, fair citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, you come in choirs kindly to console me; and you all do console me with your sweet presence. I thank you. But you don’t fully satisfy me, for I don’t yet see my Son coming to console me. Go, if you love me; return to paradise, and tell my Beloved to come, and to come quickly, for I am dying with the intensity of my desire to see him.” Then behold, Jesus came to take his mother to the king- dom of the blessed. It was revealed to St. Elizabeth that Mary’s Son appeared to her before she died, with his cross in his hands, to show the special glory he had obtained by the Redemption. St. John of Damascus tells us that our Lord him- self gave her final Communion, saying with tender love, “Receive, my Mother, from my hands that same Body that you gave to me.”

Then the mother, having received with the greatest love that last Commu- nion, said, “My Son, into your hands I commend my spirit. I commend to you this soul, which from the beginning you created rich in so many graces, and by a unique privilege preserved from the stain of original sin. I commend to you my body, from which you took your flesh and blood. I also commend to you these my beloved children” (speaking of the holy disciples, who surrounded her); “they are grieved at my departure. You love them even more than I do. Console them, bless them, and give them strength to do great things for your glory.” —St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

What conversation would you imagine between Jesus and Mary as Mary prepared to die and depart for heaven?

CLOSING PRAYER

A prayer for someone at the point of death: In the name of God the almighty Father who created you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who suffered for you, in the name of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out upon you, go forth, faithful Christian. May you live in peace this day, may your home be with God.

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