{"id":4143,"date":"2015-10-07T03:30:04","date_gmt":"2015-10-07T08:30:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicbookblogger\/?p=4143"},"modified":"2015-10-03T13:47:39","modified_gmt":"2015-10-03T18:47:39","slug":"in-mary-all-the-virtues-of-the-saints-unite-mary-day-078","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicbookblogger\/2015\/10\/07\/in-mary-all-the-virtues-of-the-saints-unite-mary-day-078\/","title":{"rendered":"In Mary, all the virtues of the saints unite, Mary: Day 078"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"year_with_mary_alphonsus_3\"<\/a>In Mary, all the virtues of the saints unite<\/strong><\/p>\n

Each saint excels in certain heroic virtues, St. Alphonsus declares, but Mary excels in them all.<\/em><\/p>\n

In each of the saints there were different graces. As St. Paul says, \u201cthere are varieties of gifts\u201d (1 Cor 12:4). Each of the saints, by cooperating with the grace he had received, excelled in some particular virtue: one in saving souls, another in leading a penitential life; one in enduring torments, another in a life of prayer.<\/p>\n

This is the reason why the holy Church, in the liturgy celebrating the festi- vals of the saints, says of each one: \u201cThere was not found another one like him.\u201d And as in their merits they differ, so do they differ in heavenly glory: \u201cfor star differs from star in glory\u201d (1 Cor 15:41). Apostles differ from martyrs, confessors from virgins, the innocent from penitents.<\/p>\n

The Blessed Virgin, being full of all graces, excelled each saint in every particular virtue. She was the apostle of the apostles. She was the Queen of Martyrs, for she suffered more than all of them. She was the standard-bearer of virgins and the model of married people. She united in herself perfect innocence and perfect mortification.<\/p>\n

In short, Mary united in her heart all the most heroic virtues that any saint ever practiced. All the graces, privileges, and merits of the other saints were all joined in Mary. She possessed them to such a degree that, as St. Basil of Seleu- cia says, \u201cAs the splendor of the sun exceeds that of all the stars united, so does Mary\u2019s glory exceed that of all the blessed.\u201d\u00a0\u2014St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary<\/p>\n

IN GOD\u2019S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .<\/strong>
\nWhich virtue do I think I need most to cultivate? How does Mary provide me a model for that particular virtue?<\/p>\n

CLOSING PRAYER<\/strong>
\nBlessed Lady, just as all the colors of the spectrum, when they converge, form the brilliant white of pure light, so in your soul all the virtues converge, so that you shine with the pure light of heaven.<\/p>\n

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
\nRemember to subscribe to my feed so you will not miss a day! This recurring feature at The Catholic Blogger is possible through the cooperation of author Paul Thigpen and publisher Saint Benedict Press. To get your own copy of this book, click below.
\n