{"id":4163,"date":"2015-10-13T03:30:32","date_gmt":"2015-10-13T08:30:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicbookblogger\/?p=4163"},"modified":"2015-10-06T17:08:13","modified_gmt":"2015-10-06T22:08:13","slug":"mary-invites-us-to-give-jesus-our-hearts-mary-day-084","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicbookblogger\/2015\/10\/13\/mary-invites-us-to-give-jesus-our-hearts-mary-day-084\/","title":{"rendered":"Mary invites us to give Jesus our hearts, Mary: Day 084"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"year_with_mary_alphonsus_1\"<\/a>Mary invites us to give Jesus our hearts<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mary calls us to give ourselves completely to her Son, and St. Alphonsus urges us to accept that invitation.<\/em><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s cease to torment this afflicted mother. And if until now we\u2019ve grieved her by our sins, let\u2019s now do all that she desires. She says, \u201cReturn, you transgressors, to the heart\u201d (see Is 46:8). Sinners, return to the wounded heart of my Jesus. Return as penitents, and he will welcome you.<\/p>\n

\u201cFlee from him to him,\u201d Abbot Guarric imagines her saying, \u201cfrom the Judge to the Redeemer, from the Tribunal to the Cross.\u201d Our Blessed Lady her- self revealed to St. Bridget that \u201cshe closed the eyes of her Son, when he was taken down from the Cross, but she could not close his arms.\u201d Through this, Jesus Christ meant for us to understand that he desired to remain with his arms extended to receive all penitent sinners who return to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWorld!\u201d continues Mary. \u201cLook! \u2018Your time is the time of lovers\u2019 (see Ez 16:8). Now that my Son has died to save you, it\u2019s no longer for you a time of fear, but one of love\u2014a time to love the One who was pleased to suffer so much to show you the love he had for you.\u201d \u201cThe heart of Jesus was wounded,\u201d says St. Bernard, \u201cso that through the visible wound, the invisible wound of love might be seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy Son, in the abundance of love, was pleased that his side should be pierced open, so that he might give you his heart,\u201d Mary concludes, in the words of Blessed Raymond Jordano. \u201cSo it\u2019s only right that you in return should also give him yours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if you desire, children of Mary, to find a place in the heart of Jesus without fear of being rejected, go, go with Mary,\u201d says Ubertino da Casale. \u201cFor she will obtain the necessary grace for you.\u201d\u00a0\u2014St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary<\/p>\n

IN GOD\u2019S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .<\/strong>
\nIs here anything in my life that seems to be keeping me from giving myself wholeheartedly to Jesus? Have I asked Mary\u2019s help to overcome it?<\/p>\n

CLOSING PRAYER<\/strong>
\nFrom a prayer of St. Alphonsus: Mother, pity me, for instead of loving God, I have greatly offended him. Your sorrows encourage me to hope for pardon. But this isn\u2019t enough. I want to love my Lord; and who can better obtain for me this love than you, who are the Mother of Fair Love?<\/p>\n

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