We continue posting, during this month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, prayers and meditations honoring her under her various titles.
Regina Sanctorum Omnium – Queen of All Saints
“After this I saw a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne.” — (Apocalypse, vii., 9)
The Most Holy Virgin survived her Divine Son for many years, in which she continued to be the consolation and edification of the infant Church. How her heart must have exulted at beholding the name of Jesus honoured throughout the world, and the darkness of idolatry and immorality vanish before the bright light of His everlasting gospel! She doubtless experienced inconceivable joy at the increase of God’s kingdom; and felt that all she had endured was more than compensated for by the glorious results which followed the humiliations and sufferings of her Divine Son. But what language can express the intimacy of the union of her soul with God! Although she longed to be dissolved and be with Christ, she patiently submitted to the dispositions of God’s providence, and made her desire of enjoying His heavenly bliss give way to her wish, to promote His love among men. When the time approached, in which she gave up her pure soul to God, how joyfully did she exult at the prospect of passing to the enjoyment of that God, Who had done such great things for her, and, through her, for all mankind!
Although Mary was not exempted from the stroke of death, God did not suffer that body of which Jesus Christ assumed flesh, to undergo the consequences of death, or to remain in the grave. “The flesh of Jesus,” says St. Augustine, “was the flesh of Mary,” and as God did not permit His Holy One to see corruption, so He did not permit the immaculate body of the Holy Virgin to moulder in the tomb. Although not an article of faith, [at the time this meditation was written.] it is one of the most sacred and venerable traditions of the Christian Church – which cannot be called in question by any of her children, with out grievous presumption – that Mary’s body, like that of her Divine Son, was raised by God from the grave, and, being united with her sacred soul, assumed into heaven. Hence in the joyous festival of her assumption, which the church has celebrated from the earliest times, this spouse of Jesus Christ calls on her children to exult. “Let us all rejoice in the Lord, while we celebrate the festival of the glorious Virgin Mary, at whose assumption, the angels rejoice and praise the Son of God.” Let us also rejoice with the angels of God, and behold in spirit this holiest and most perfect of God’s creatures enter into that heaven, which, through her Son Jesus, she had opened to man. If Solomon, when he saw his mother approach, rose up, and ordered a throne to be placed for her at his right hand, can we doubt but that Christ, of whom Solomon was a type, honoured the approach of His loved and faithful mother, placed her on a throne, far above that on which the highest of the angelic host are seated, – and crowned her Queen of Angels and of Saints.
St. Bernard thus invites the daughters of Sion, that is, the children of the church, to contemplate the glory of this heavenly Queen: “Enter and see this great Queen, and the diadem, wherewith her Son has crowned her.” Yes, raise your eyes, O Christian soul, and behold this Queen of all Saints, enjoying the united glories that you have separately considered. See her, surrounded by the angelic hosts, and all the heavenly powers, – the cherubim and seraphim, the thrones and dominations; – encircled by the glorious choir of apostles, the venerable company of prophets, and the white-robed army of martyrs. Behold the confessors and virgins, who have followed in her footsteps, by the practice of the evangelical counsels. Admire the holy matrons, who have honoured Mary, that most favoured among women, whose divine maternity has been their consolation and support; and who, in imitation of her, have consecrated to God the gifts they received from Him. See her, in a word, surrounded by all that is holy and venerable in human nature – by the saints of every tribe and tongue, and by those who have sanctified themselves, in humble as well as in elevated stations – in the midst of the corruptions of the world, as well as in the sacred asylums of religious retirement. If the contemplation of each one of these classes be more than sufficient to engross our attention and excite our admiration, what must be the effect of their united splendours! what the brilliancy of that crown which Mary has received from her Divine Son as Queen of all the Saints! “Who,” asks St. Bernard, “can appreciate the brightness of those gems, or name the stars, of which the crown of Mary is composed?” But let us remember, that if we wish to be associated to this glorious group in heaven, we must rank with them on earth, by copying their imitation of the virtues of the Queen of Saints.
PRAYER
O, Queen of heaven and of earth! God has loved and honoured thee above all creatures: and now thou art exalted above all saints in the kingdom of heaven. All admire thy virtue and perfection; all praise, and reverence thee as their Queen. O, glorious Queen! despise not my petitions: accept of my homage, my veneration, and my love. I commend myself to thy powerful protection, and dedicate to thee what I am, and what I have. On thee do I found my hope, for although thou art my Queen, thou art also my gracious and amiable Mother. Thou hast quitted this world, and entered into possession of thy kingdom. Thy elevation has increased thy compassion for the hapless children of Adam. From the sublime throne on which thou art seated, cast thy merciful eyes on the inhabitants of earth, and take pity on them. Thou seest to what dangers they are exposed, as long as they sail on this tempestuous sea, on which so many have been wrecked. Obtain for me perseverance in the grace of God, that on quitting this world I may chant thy praises and benefits, and, in union with thee, give endless praise and glory to our common Creator. Amen.
QUEEN OF ALL SAINTS,
PRAY FOR US!
Taken from:
THE NEW MONTH OF MARY
By the Very Rev. P.R. Kenrick
Published by C. Dolman, London, 1841
Auxilium Christianorum – Help of Christians
Today is the feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians, and although a meditation of St. Alphonsus on this title of the Blessed Virgin has already been presented on this site (the second meditation of May 9), we add the following information and prayers on this her feast day.
Initially described by this title, in 345 AD, by St. John Chrysostom, Pope St. Pius V prayed for the intercession of Our Lady under this title during the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Pope Clement VIII added the title “Help of Christians” to the Litany of Loreto in 1601, and the feast day of Sancta Maria Auxilium Christianorum was instituted by Pope Pius VII on May 24th, 1814 after returning to Rome following his captivity under Napolean for several years. St. John Bosco (1815-1888) spread devotion to Our Lady Help of Christians, building a basilica in her honor in 1868 and founding a religious congregation for women, “The Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians.”
This feast commemorates the help bestowed on Christendom, in all ages, by the Mother of God. The following is the proper Collect from the Mass:
O almighty and merciful God, who hast wonderfully established a constant help in the most blessed Virgin Mary for the defense of the Christian people: graciously grant that fortified by such protection as we strive in life, we may be able to achieve victory at the hour of death against the evil enemy. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in union with the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
We finish with two prayers of St. John Bosco:
O Mary, powerful Virgin, thou art the mighty and glorious protector of the Church; thou art the marvelous help of Christians; thou art terrible as an army in battle array; thou alone has destroyed every heresy in the whole world. In the midst of our anguish, our struggles and our distress defend us from the power of the enemy and at the hour of our death receive our souls in paradise. Amen.
Most Holy Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, how sweet it is to come to your feet imploring your perpetual help. If earthly mothers cease not to remember their children, how can you, the most loving of all mothers forget me? Grant then to me, I implore you, your perpetual help in all my necessities, in every sorrow, and especially in all my temptations. I ask for your unceasing help for all who are now suffering. Help the weak, cure the sick, convert sinners. Grant through your intercessions many vocations to the religious life. Obtain for us, O Mary, Help of Christians, that having invoked you on earth we may love and eternally thank you in heaven. Amen.
MARY, HELP OF CHRISTIANS,
PRAY FOR US!
Regina Virginum – Queen of Virgins
Sequentes agnum quocunque ierit, virgines enim sunt — (Apoc. xiv., 4)
These follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, they are virgins.
CONSIDERATION I
[…] A great choir of virgins . . . some of these hold lilies in their hands, to indicate that they preserved their virginity with spotless integrity and inviolability, even unto death. Some of them again carry palm branches, intended to be significant of their having followed the divine Lamb through the way of blood – that is, that they immolated blood and life to the love of Christ and virginity; and that having suffered such a martyrdom, they may now well say to Christ, Sponsus sanguinum tu mihi es — Thou art to me a Spouse of blood.
CONSIDERATION II
Mary’s right to the title of Leader and Queen of Virgins is established on indisputable claims, but especially on this – that her purity was pre-eminent above all others; and it may be said in a certain sense that she was the foundress of the state of virginity; so much so, indeed, that in her was fulfilled that prophecy of David, Adducentur Regi virgines post eam — Virgins will be brought to the king after her. Post eam — after her, that is, after Mary had voluntarily devoted her virginity to God, many thousands of virgins, following her example, made choice of the King Christ as their spouse.
CONSIDERATION III
After the Israelites had happily succeeded in crossing the Red Sea in safety, the sister of Aaron, whose name was Mary, in gratitude for their deliverance, commenced chanting a canticle of thanksgiving; and immediately a multitude of women, stimulated by her example, united their voices to swell the chorus. A similar effect has been produced by Mary – indeed, Mary’s example has proved much more efficacious, for this most pure Virgin, by dedicating to God her perpetual virginity, has attracted a whole host of women to follow her example.
PRAYER
Mary, thou wert the first and the most glorious foundress of the state of virginity, for without a law, without a counsel, without a precedent, you dedicated your virginity to God, and thus led thousands and thousands of virgins to Christ, the spouse of virgins, who by their vow of virginity were espoused to Him, and now celebrate their eternal nuptials in heaven. Ah, obtain for me the grace that my soul may be purified from every stain of sin, and may eventually be admitted to the heavenly nuptials. O Mary!
QUEEN OF VIRGINS,
PRAY FOR US!
Taken from:
THE ILLUSTRATED LITANY OF LORETTO
By Rev. Fr. Thomas Canon Pope
Published by James Duffy & Sons, Dublin, 1878
Regina Confessorum – Queen of Confessors
Procidebant ante sedentem in throno, et mittebant coronas suas ante thronum. — (Apoc. iv., 10)
They fell down before Him that sitteth on the throne, and cast their crowns before the throne.
CONSIDERATION I
John, of old, as is recorded in the text […], saw the twenty-four elders falling down, and laying down their crowns before the throne of God. Something similar is represented in […] the throne of Mary, and the holy confessors kneeling down before it, and tendering their manifestations of the highest honour to Mary as to their Queen. Certainly, if, according to the hymn of the Church, a confessor is one qui pius, prudens, humilis, pudicus, sobriam duxit, sine labe vitam - who pious, prudent, humble, and chaste, observes sobriety, and leads a blameless life, Mary has, then, an indisputable claim to the title of Queen of Confessors, because she has exemplified all those virtues in the most eminent degree.
CONSIDERATION II
According to St. Jerome, he is to be reputed a confessor who confesses the faith of Christ with his mouth, and corroborates his words by his works. Whether, however, we regard the faith or the good works of Mary, we shall find that not one of the saints can be comparable to her. Certainly, of all the apostles, not one was so constant in faith as was Mary, for, during the passion of Christ, almost all deserted Christ, but Mary was most constant in faith, and stood by Christ, her Son, even unto death.
CONSIDERATION III
Finally, if he be reputed a confessor who profitably employs his talents, either of nature or grace, and thereby gains others over to the service of God, on this title, also, Mary deserves to be styled the Queen of Confessors, for she has co-operated with the divine graces, which she has received in greater abundance than all the angels and saints; and the very great talents with which she was endowed by God she devoted exclusively to the promotion of the divine honour and the edification of her neighbour.
PRAYER
O Mary! if I turn the eyes of my soul upon thee, as upon a mirror of virtues, and then contemplate upon my own life, I behold in thee the most profound humility and in myself the greatest pride; in thee I behold continual meekness, in myself constant irritability; in thee the most delicate chastity, in myself the robe of purity soiled with many stains; but especially in thee I behold a living faith, in myself a faith almost dead, for though I profess to be a Christian, I am one merely in name, and but rarely and languidly exercise the works of a Christian. Ah, obtain for me the grace that my faith may be enlivened by good works. O Mary!
QUEEN OF CONFESSORS,
PRAY FOR US!
Taken from:
THE ILLUSTRATED LITANY OF LORETTO
By Rev. Fr. Thomas Canon Pope
Published by James Duffy & Sons, Dublin, 1878
Regina Patriacharum, Regina Prophetarum
Queen of Patriarchs, Queen of Prophets
“She shall crush thy head.” — (Gen. iii., 15)
The mind can imagine nothing more venerable among men, than the long line of patriarchs which connects Moses with Adam. Mary is said in a special manner to be their queen; because she was the mother of Him, whose hope consoled them for the loss of primeval happiness and innocence, and sustained them in all the trials of their pilgrimage here below. Adam beholds in her the mysterious creature, who, by bringing forth the Redeemer who cancelled the decree of God’s justice against him and all his posterity, was the means of repairing his transgression, and crushing the head of the infernal serpent who had seduced Eve. Abel beholds in her the mother of Him, whose sacrifice his own death so well prefigured. Noe regards her as the mystic ark of which that, in which he and his family were saved from the deluge, was but a type, and was the means of saving, not one family, but all nations, from being overwhelmed by the deluge of iniquity. Abraham venerates her as the mother of that blessed seed, promised to him, in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed. Isaac sees in her the Virgin, whose mysterious fecundity was typified by the benediction given to the sterility of his mother, Sarah; and the sacrifice of whose Son, his own sacrifice on Mount Moria prefigured. Jacob beholds in her the mystic ladder, which he saw when he was fleeing into Mesopotamia from the face of Esau; whose feet stood on the earth while the top thereof touched the heavens – on the steps of which the angels of God ascended and descended, while the Lord himself leaned on the summit, and renewed to him the promise of a future Redeemer, which he had made to Abraham and Isaac. — (Gen. xxviii., 12, 13, 14). Joseph venerates in her that stainless purity, of which he himself had given an illustrious example; as also the bright reward which was given to it, in making her the mother of the Saviour of the world, as it had made him the Saviour of the land of Egypt. Who, then, can conceive the glory and veneration which Mary receives, as Queen of the patriarchs?
She is also styled the Queen of prophets, because Christ her Son was the great object of prophecy. After the deliverance of the Jewish people from the bondage of Egypt, God raised up a series of prophets, who foretold the future coming of the Messiah, and detailed all the circumstance of His birth, life, and passion. Moses venerates in her the mother of that prophet whom God promised by him to the Jewish people, and whom all the sacrifices of the law prefigured. Josue honours her, as the mother of the true Josue or Jesus, whose victories acquired for men the title to the true land of promise. Samuel reverences her as the mysterious root of Jesse, which budded forth salvation to the nations; and which, in the person of David, he had been the instrument of placing over Judea. Isaias admires her as the accomplishment of that glorious prophecy which he made to Achaz; and as the mother of that prince of peace, whose birth he celebrated, and whose glories and humiliations he foretold. Elias sees in her that hope of man, which was prefigured by the mystic cloud, which was the forerunner of those abundant showers that refreshed a world, which by its iniquity had made the heavens of brass for the sons of men. Jeremias reveres her as the restorer of that Jerusalem, over whose ruins he wept; and the mother of Him, who brought back the people from a more severe captivity than that of Babylon. Daniel honours her as the proximate cause of the shortening of the captivity of the human race, by giving to the world Him, by whom iniquity was abolished, and everlasting justice fulfilled. Micheas beholds her, whose virginal maternity he had present to his view when he foretold, that Bethlehem of Juda was to be the temporal birth-place of Him, whose going forth is from the days of eternity. In a word, as all the prophets foretold Christ, all rejoice in the contemplation of His Virgin Mother, who, in bringing forth Jesus, accomplished all the prophecies of the law, and was herself a prophetess, by foretelling that all generations should call her blessed.
The providence of God in preparing the world for the appearance of His Divine Son in human flesh is most worthy of our admiration. A series of prophecies, which commenced immediately after the fall of man, was continued for near four thousand years, and increased in clearness and minuteness of detail, in proportion as the happy term approached, in which they were to be accomplished. This was a preparation most worthy of God, and well calculated to give us a lively faith in the mysteries announced by the Redeemer, and an exalted idea of the benefits He has conferred on us. Well may we apply to ourselves what Jesus said to the Jews: “Many prophets and just men have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things that you hear, and have not heard them.” — (Matt. xiii., 17). Let us endeavour to imagine with what feelings of veneration the just who lived before Christ looked forward to that mysterious Virgin, who was to conceive the Son of the Most High, and give to the world the long expected Messiah. How much does the fervour of these holy souls, who saw the glories of His reign through the dimness of futurity, reproach us for our indifference to the benefits we actually possess, but which we do not sufficiently appreciate! Ah, let us fly to Mary, and ask of her to obtain for us from Jesus, the grace to know the inestimable happiness of living in the noon-tide light of His revelation. Let us never be “rebels to the light,” but, on the contrary, profit by it, to advance on our journey, going from virtue to virtue, until we arrive at the term of our course, and be permitted to behold the splendours of His glory, who “dwelleth in light inaccessible.”
PRAYER
O Mary, Queen of heaven and of earth, Thou hast surpassed all the patriarchs, by the purity, constancy, and endurance of thy confidence in God; by thy hope of man’s redemption, and by thy reliance on all the other promises of God. Thou hast excelled all the prophets, by the liveliness, submission, and extent, of thy faith. Thou art the Queen of both, for they all sighed for thee, they all rejoiced at thy coming, as at the aurora of the world’s salvation: and all praise and honour thee in heaven as their Queen, and the Queen of all creatures. Obtain for me a participation of that lively faith and that unshaken hope, through which they have attained eternal life; that through faith and hope I may obtain perfect charity, and persevere to the end in the love of God. Thus do I hope to attain eternal life, and with the patriarchs and prophets, and all the elect of God, honour and adore the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, through all eternity. Amen.
QUEEN OF PATRIARCHS, QUEEN OF PROPHETS,
PRAY FOR US!
Taken from:
THE NEW MONTH OF MARY
By the Very Rev. P.R. Kenrick
Published by C. Dolman, London, 1841
Regina Angelorum – Queen of Angels
“Rule thou over us; and thy son.” — (Jud. viii., 22)
Many are the titles by which Mary is the queen of angels. She is the Mother of Christ, who created the angels, “for in Him,” says St. Paul, “were all things created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominations, or principalities or powers: all things were created by Him and in Him.” — (Colos. i., 16). She is, therefore, their Queen, according to the observation of St. John of Damascus. “Mary,” says he, “was made the queen of all creatures, because she was made the Mother of the Creator.” She is their queen, because, as she is elevated far above them in dignity and glory, they look up to her with the reverence, which such superiority is so well calculated to excite, and had she no other title to their homage, they would, on the sole principle of her superior greatness and glory, say: ” Rule thou over us; and thy son.” She is, in fine, their queen, because her son Jesus Christ is the restorer not only of earth but heaven; according to the decree of God, who has willed “to re-establish all things in Christ, whether in heaven or on earth.” — (Ephes. i., 10). By Christ’s having redeemed man, those seats of glory, which were vacated by the disobedience of the fallen angels, are filled up; and the angels – whose charity is great in proportion as they approach God, who is charity itself – rejoice at the elevation of every child of Adam, who, through His redeeming merits, is raised to the glory which their unfaithful companions forfeited. Mary is, then, the queen of angels.
The contemplation of Mary forms a portion of the beatitude of the angels. As they admire God’s works in proportion to their excellence, so they find in Mary – the most excellent of God’s creatures – more subject for admiration, than in the contemplation of the immense orbs of light with which the fiat of the Creator has studded the heavens, or all the created glory of that Paradise, which St. John describes in the Apocalypse, under such glowing imagery. They find more subject for the exercise of their sublime intelligence, in contemplating her instrumentality in the mystery of the Incarnation, and in the other mysteries of her life, than they do in considering all the other wonders of God’s providence on His creatures. If the faithful servants of Mary on earth have felt their hearts inflamed by the consideration of the amiableness and beauty of the celestial queen; what must be the feelings of those blessed spirits, who see her, as she is, and whose superior nature renders them more capable of appreciating the wonders of God’s grace in her than we can possibly be. It is not, then, without reason, that the Church says that the angels of God rejoiced at the assumption of this heavenly queen. “Mary is assumed into heaven: the angels rejoice.” Mary’s title as “Queen of angels” should remind us, that we also are destined to enjoy the society of angels, and with them admire the wonders of God’s power in this heavenly queen. We should remember that God has deputed some of these heavenly spirits to be the guardians of men on earth, according to that of the Psalmist: “He has given his angels charge of thee lest, perhaps, thou dash thy foot against a stone;” as also the words of Christ: “Their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” — (Matt, xviii. 10). Each one has one of these guardian spirits, to protect him in dangers and assist him in difficulties. When we invoke Mary as Queen of angels, the thought of our future companionship with them for eternity should make us endeavour to lead lives of angelic innocence. Gratitude for the care they take of us, and for the desire they have for our salvation, should produce in our souls a desire of attending to all the holy inspirations, which they communicate to our souls; that thus we may prove ourselves faithful servants of the queen of angels, and prepare for the high destiny, that awaits us, of enjoying God in their society for an endless eternity.
PRAYER
O Heavenly Queen, thou dost excel the highest of the angelic host in merit, in grace, and in holiness. All heavenly spirits bow down before thee, and praise and glorify thee – as the most perfect of God’s creatures – as the most special object of his complacency – that most blessed among women, who was found worthy to conceive and bring forth Him, who has given life and being to all creatures! Honour, glory, and benediction be to thee, on the throne of thy greatness, to which God has exalted thee. In unison with the whole court of heaven, I render to thee the tribute of my homage. I choose thee to be my Queen, and place myself under thy protection. From thy throne of glory, cast a gracious look on me, who am surrounded by so many dangers. Pray for me to Jesus thy Son, that I may imitate the purity of angels, while on earth, and thus merit to be associated to their glorious choirs in eternity. Queen of angels, obtain for me this favour. Amen.
QUEEN OF ANGELS,
PRAY FOR US!
Taken from:
THE NEW MONTH OF MARY
By the Very Rev. P.R. Kenrick
Published by C. Dolman, London, 1841
