Seven
Days with Mary Day 1: Become humble like Mary Mary
remembered that all that was in her was a gift from God. She
kept secret, even from her husband, all the celestial favours
that she was granted. She told God about the praise she received.
She took pleasure in helping others and to remain in the background.
She didn't fear scorn: we didn't see her in Jerusalem on Palm
Sunday, when the people welcomed her Son with so much praise,
but she wasn't afraid to appear on Calvary where she was recognised
as the mother of the condemned man. Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory Be... Day 2: Love God and one's neighbour like Mary Christ
gave us this commandment: You will love the Lord God with all
your heart, and your neighbour as yourself. Mary fully accomplished
this double precept. According to St Bernard, the love of Jesus
entered Mary's heart like a spear and pierced it right through,
so no part of it remained untouched by the wound of love. Mary's
heart therefore became fire and flame, fire because of the
love that burned inside her, flame by glowing on the outside
through her charity work. When Mary carried Jesus in her arms,
we can say that it was “the fire carrying the fire”. Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory Be... Day 3: Believe like Mary It
is because of her faith that Mary was proclaimed blessed by Elisabeth.
In Jesus' Passion, the disciples were plunged into doubt, only
the Holy Virgin remained steady in her faith, said Albert le
Grand. Faith is both a gift and a virtue. It is a gift from God,
in as much as it is the light with which He fills our soul. It
is a virtue in that the soul puts it into practise. A true Christian
lives according to his faith. This is how the Blessed Virgin
lived. Our Father... Hail Mary...
Glory Be... Day 4: Hope like Mary Hope is born out of faith. The Blessed Virgin
showed how great her trust in God was, first by keeping secret
her miraculous motherhood, completely reassured that God would
defend her innocence, her honour and her life. The same for when
she was turned away from the Inn and forced to take shelter in
a stable, and again during the flight to a foreign country and
especially at the wedding at Cana , where despite her request
being turned down by Jesus, Mary is nevertheless sure that her
Son would grant her the favour she asked for. Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory Be... Day 5: The chastity of Mary In Mary,
God gave us the perfect model of the transparence of God's
love. Mary devoted herself totally to God, opening up the way
for many others. The evangelistic request for chastity is addressed
however to all Christians, no matter what his life. It is a
call not to use another for one's own pleasure. Chastity is
a way to live free, respecting another as another, fighting against what in
us always dreams of merging, the transgressing of limits which characterises
our humanity. Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory Be... Day 6: The poverty of Mary Mary went
to the Temple not with a lamb, which was the offering of the
wealthy, but with two doves, which was the offering of the
poor. She accepted to marry Joseph, who worked hard with his
hands. She went to Egypt to save her child, abandoning her
home, family and friends. When the virtue of povery makes itself
felt, what a source of consolation may the poverty of Mary and Joseph be! Our Father... Hail Mary...
Glory Be... Day 7: The obedience and patience of Mary The Blessed
Virgin was so attached to God that she described herself as
His servant. Humbly, Mary lived all her life according to God's
will. When the woman from the Gospel called out: “Blessed is
the womb that bore thee!”, Jesus replied: “Blessed
rather are they, who listen to God's word and keep it”. In this way, Mary is
the first disciple of her Son. Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory Be...
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