I hold that
Mary is in Christ and with Christ; in Christ, because in him we live and move
and have our being; with Christ, because she was assumed into glory. (1) St. Augustine of HippoQueen assumed into Heaven . . .
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Mary
Introduction
Mary's Litany
I hold that
Mary is in Christ and with Christ; in Christ, because in him we live and move
and have our being; with Christ, because she was assumed into glory. (1) St. Augustine of Hippo
Mary is holier than the saints, loftier than the heavens, more glorious than the cherubim, and more worthy of our praise than any other creature. (2) St. Germanus
Mary is assumed into heaven in virtue of an uplifting grace, escorted and upheld by the angels, raised aloft by grace, not by nature. The whole multitude of the angels are gathered together, to see their queen at the right of the Lord of Hosts, in gilded vesture, in her ever immaculate body. (3) St. Peter Damian
Mary died entirely detached from all created things; she died consumed by that divine love which during her whole life had always inflamed her most holy heart. (4) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
By the merits of your precious death be graciously pleased to obtain for us detachment from earthly things, the forgiveness of our sins, love of God, and holy perseverance; and when the hour of death arrives, help us from heaven with your prayers, and obtain for us that we may kiss your feet in Paradise. (5) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
When
Mary entered heaven, she humbly presented herself before God, adored him, and
with immense feeling thanked him for the many graces which he had bestowed upon
her. God embraced her, blessed her, and declared her Queen of the
universe, exalting her above all the angels and saints. (6) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
How great must be the glory which God bestowed on this most holy Mother, who on earth loved him more than all the saints and angels, and loved him with all her strength; so that when Mary entered heaven she alone could say to God, "O Lord, if on earth I did not love Thee as much as Thou deserved, at least I loved Thee as much as I could love Thee." (7) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
Let us rejoice with Mary at the glory with which God has enriched her. Let us also rejoice for ourselves; for at the same time that Mary was made Queen of the world, she was also made our advocate. (8) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
Mary accepts the causes of all sinners who recommend themselves to her; and she also has so great power with our judge, that she gains all causes which she defends. (9) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
Our Queen and advocate, our salvation is in your hands if you pray for us, we shall be saved. Mary, tell your Son that you will that we should be with you in Paradise. He refuses you nothing that you ask. (10) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
There
are three things that render death bitter: attachment to the world, remorse for
sins, and the uncertainty of salvation. The death of Mary was entirely
free from these causes of bitterness, and was accompanied by three special
graces, which rendered it precious and joyful. She died as she had lived,
entirely detached from the things of the world: she died in the most perfect
peace; she died in the certainty of eternal glory. (11) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
St. John saw Mary represented in that woman, clothed with the sun, who held the moon under her feet. And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet. (12) Apocalypse
Mary,
then, having lived always and in all things detached from the earth, and united
to God alone, death was not bitter, but, on the contrary, very sweet and dear to
her; since it united her more closely to God in heaven, by an eternal bond.
(13) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
Mary
certainly could not be tormented at death by any remorse of conscience, for she
was always pure, and always free from the least shade of actual or original sin;
so much so, that of her it was said: Thou art all fair, O my love, and there
is not a spot in thee.
Canticles 4:7 (14) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
And
as the dread of those is indeed great who die in doubt of their salvation, and
who approach the solemn moment with well-grounded fear of passing into eternal
death; on the other hand, the joy of the saints is indeed great at the close of
life, hoping with some security to go and possess God in heaven. (15) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
But
what joy must the divine Mother have felt in receiving the news of her
approaching death! She who had the fullest certainty of the possession of
divine grace, especially after the Angel Gabriel had assured her that she was
full of it, and that she already possessed God. Hail, full of grace, the
Lord is with thee . . . you have found grace. Luke 1:28
(16)
St. Alphonsus de Liguori
As the loving Virgin lived, so did she die. As divine love gave her life, so did it cause her death; for the Doctors and holy Fathers of the Church generally say she died of no other infirmity than pure love. (17) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
The
life of Mary being now at its close, the most delicious music was heard in the
room where she lay, accompanied by a brilliant light.
(18) St. Jerome and St. Bridget
Why
speak of death? Let us rather say that divine love came, and cut the
thread of that noble life. And as a light, before going out, gives a last
and brighter flash than ever, so did this beautiful creature, on hearing her
son's invitation to follow him, wrapped in the flames of love, and in the midst
of her amorous sighs, give a last sigh of still more ardent love, and breathing
forth her soul, expired.
(19) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
Thus
was that great soul, that beautiful dove of the Lord, loosened from the bands of
this life; thus did she enter into the glory of the blessed, where she is now
seated, and will be seated, Queen of Paradise, for all eternity.
(20) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
Mary is now in heaven. From there does this compassionate Mother look down upon us who are still in this valley of tears. She pities us, and, if we wish it, promises to help us. Let us always beseech her by the merits of her blessed death, to obtain us a happy death. (21) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
By the merits of your happy death obtain us holy perseverance in the divine friendship, that we may finally quit this life in God's grace; and so we also shall one day come to salute you in paradise, and unite with the blessed spirits in praising you and singing your glories as you deserve. (22) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
O most sweet Lady and our Mother, you have already left the earth and reached your kingdom, where, as Queen, you are enthroned above all the choirs of angels. (23) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
Jesus,
to honor the triumph of his most sweet Mother, went forth in his glory to meet
and accompany her.
(24) St. Bernardine of Sienna
We shall find it more glorious than the ascension of Jesus Christ; for to meet the Redeemer, angels only went forth; but when the Blessed Virgin was assumed to glory, she was met and accompanied by the Lord himself of glory, and by the whole blessed company of saints and angels. (25) St. Peter Damian
Enter,
then, that kingdom, and take your seat near me; come to receive that crown which
I will bestow upon you as Queen of the universe. (26)
St. Alphonsus de Liguori
Our
Lady and our Queen, you are the glory of Paradise, the joy of our country, you
are the honor of us all: may you be ever welcome, be you ever blessed!
Behold your kingdom; behold us also, who are your servants, ever ready to obey
your commands.
(27)
St. Alphonsus de Liguori
All the saints who were in Paradise then came to welcome her and salute her as their Queen. All the holy virgins came; We, they said, O most Blessed Lady, are also queens in this kingdom, but you are our Queen; for you were the first to give us the great example of consecrating our virginity to God; we all bless and thank you for it. (28) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
If the mind of man can never comprehend the immense glory prepared in heaven by God for those who on earth have loved him, who can ever comprehend the glory that he has prepared for his beloved Mother, who, more than all men, loved him on earth; even from the very first moment of her creation, loved him more than all men and angels united? (29) St. Bernard
Mary
was exalted above the angels; so that she sees none above her but her Son, who
is the only-begotten of the Father.
(30)
Abbot Guerric
All the graces, privileges, and merits of the other saints were all united in Mary. (31) Abbot of Celles
Our
Queen contemplates the majesty of God in incomparably closer proximity than all
other creatures.
(32)
St. Albert the Great
The
greatest glory of the blessed in heaven is, after seeing God, being in the
presence of this most beautiful Queen.
(33)
St. Peter Damian
Mary is not like other rulers who oppress their vassals with burdens and taxes; but she enriches her servants with graces, merits, and rewards. (34) Richard of St. Laurence
Make us your faithful servants on earth, so that we may one day bless you in heaven. (35) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
O Lady, change us from sinners into saints; work this miracle, which will redound more to your honor than if you restored sight to a thousand blind persons, or raised a thousand from the dead. (36) St. Alphonsus de Liguori
Mary
was taken up body and soul into Heaven: there is even room in God for the body.
Heaven is no longer a very remote sphere unknown to us. We have a mother
in Heaven. And the Mother of God, the Mother of the Son of God, is our
Mother. He himself has said so. He made her our Mother when he said
to the disciple and to all of us: "Behold, your Mother!" We have a Mother
in Heaven. Heaven is open, Heaven has a heart. (37) Benedict XVI, pope
Mary
is taken up body and soul into the glory of Heaven, and with God and in God, she
is Queen of Heaven and earth.
(38) Benedict XVI, pope
Because she is with God and in God, she is very close to each one of us. While she lived on this earth she could only be close to a few people. Being in God, who is close to us, actually, "within" all of us, Mary shares in this closeness of God. (39) Benedict XVI, pope
Being
in God and with God, Mary is close to each one of us, knows our hearts, can hear
our prayers, can help us with her motherly kindness and has been given to us, as
the Lord said, precisely as a "mother" to whom we can turn at every moment.
(40) Benedict XVI, pope
Mary
always listens to us, she is always close to us, and being Mother of the Son,
participates in the power of the Son and in his goodness. (41) Benedict
XVI, pope
We can
always entrust the whole of our lives to Mary our Mother, who is not far from
any one of us. (42) Benedict XVI, pope
Mary said: Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; I put myself at the Lord's disposal. This is the lesson: one should give life and not take it. In this way each one is on the journey of love which is the loss of self, but this losing of oneself is in fact the only way to truly find oneself, to find true life. Let us look to Mary, taken up into Heaven. (43) Benedict XVI, pope
Attracted by the heavenly brightness of the Mother of the Redeemer, let us turn with trust to the One who looks upon us and protects us from on high. We all need her help and comfort to face the trials and challenges of daily life; we need to feel that she is our mother and sister in the concrete situation of our lives. (44) Benedict XVI, pope
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Mary
Introduction
Mary's Litany