Mary was the first to adore her Son, Mary: Day 049

Mary was the first to adore her Son

St. Peter Julian Eymard, known as the “Apostle of the Eucharist,” devoted his life to encouraging Eucharistic adoration and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Here he reminds adorers of our Lord that they are following Mary’s example.

All Mary’s life—taken as a whole—may be summed up in this one word—adoration; for adoration is the perfect service of God, and it embraces all the duties of the creature toward the Creator. It was Mary who first adored the incarnate Word. He was in her womb, and no one on earth knew of it. Oh! How well was our Lord served in Mary’s virginal womb! Never has he found a ciborium, a golden vase more precious or purer than was Mary’s womb! . . .

At Bethlehem, Mary was the first to adore her divine Son lying in the manger. She adored him with the perfect love of a virgin mother, the love of charity, as says the Holy Spirit. After Mary, St. Joseph, the shepherds, then the Magi came to adore: but it was Mary who opened up that furrow of fire that was to spread over the world. And what beautiful things, what divine things, Mary must have said! For hers was an ardent love whose depths we can never fathom. Mary continued to adore our Lord: first in his hidden life at Nazareth; afterwards in his apostolic life; and finally, on Calvary, where her adoration became intense suffering.

Notice the nature of Mary’s adoration. She adored our Lord according to the different states of his life; Jesus’ state determined the character of her adoration—her adoration did not stay in a set groove. At one time, she adored God in her womb; at another, as poor and lowly in Bethlehem; again, as laboring at Nazareth; and later on, as evangelizing and converting sinners. She adored him in his sufferings on Calvary by suffering with him. Her adoration was always in keeping with the sentiments of her divine Son, which were clearly revealed to her. Her love brought her into perfect conformity of thought and life with him. —St. Peter Julian Eymard, Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
Mary has much to teach us about adoring her Son. Do I take time for a regu- lar holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament? Have I asked her to teach me how to adore him worthily?
CLOSING PRAYER
From a prayer of St. Peter Julian Eymard: O Mary! Teach us the life of adoration.
Teach us to see, as you did, all the mysteries and all the graces in the Eucharist.

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