{"id":4145,"date":"2015-10-08T03:30:33","date_gmt":"2015-10-08T08:30:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicbookblogger\/?p=4145"},"modified":"2015-10-03T14:15:37","modified_gmt":"2015-10-03T19:15:37","slug":"mary-was-poor-mary-day-079","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicbookblogger\/2015\/10\/08\/mary-was-poor-mary-day-079\/","title":{"rendered":"Mary was poor, Mary: Day 079"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"year_with_mary_alphonsus_4\"<\/a>Mary was poor<\/strong><\/p>\n

St. Alphonsus tells how Mary\u2019s detachment from worldly goods allowed her to be content in poverty.<\/em><\/p>\n

Our most loving Redeemer, so that we might learn from him to despise the things of the world, was pleased to be poor on earth: \u201cThough he was rich,\u201d says St. Paul, \u201cfor your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich\u201d (2 Cor 8:9). For this reason Jesus Christ exhorts each one who desires to be his disciple: \u201cIf you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor . . . and come follow me\u201d (Mt 19:21).<\/p>\n

Behold Mary, his most perfect disciple, who indeed imitated his example. Out of love for poverty she did not disdain to marry St. Joseph, who was only a poor carpenter. An angel, speaking of Mary, told St. Bridget that \u201cworldly riches were of no more value in her eyes than dirt.\u201d At her purification in the temple she didn\u2019t offer a lamb, which was the offering prescribed in Leviticus for those who could afford it (see Lv 12:6). Instead, she offered two turtledoves, or two pigeons, which was the offering prescribed for the poor (see Lk 2:24).<\/p>\n

In a word, Mary always lived poor, and she died poor. At her death, as far as we know, she left nothing but two poor gowns, to two women who had served her during her life, as it\u2019s recorded by two ancient historians. St. Philip Neri used to say that \u201cwhoever loves the things of the world will never become a saint.\u201d We may add what St. Teresa said on the same subject: \u201cWhoever runs after perishable things will himself perish as well.\u201d For this reason Jesus Christ said, \u201cBlessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven\u201d (Mt 5:3). They are blessed because they desire nothing but God, and in God they find every good. In poverty they find their paradise on earth, as St. Francis did when he exclaimed, \u201cMy God and my all.\u201d\u00a0\u2014St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary<\/p>\n

IN GOD\u2019S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .<\/strong>
\nAm I content with what I have? Or do I sometimes find myself too attached to possessions? How might I learn to let go?<\/p>\n

CLOSING PRAYER<\/strong>
\nFrom a prayer of St. Alphonsus: My most holy Mother, in this world you desired and loved no other good but God. \u201cDraw me after you\u201d (Sg 1:3), my Lady! Detach me from the world, so that I may love him alone, who alone deserves to be loved.<\/p>\n

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