FROM THE OFFICE OF READINGS FOR THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP

SECOND READING

A reading from The Glories of Mary by Saint Alphonsus Mary de' Liguori (Part 1. Chapter IV. Section I)

To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve

Truly unfortunate are we, poor children of Eve. Guilty before God of her fault, and condemned to the same penalty, we have to wander about in this valley of tears as exiles from our country, and to weep over our many afflictions of body and soul. But blessed is he who, in the midst of these sorrows, often turns to the comfortress of the world, to the refuge of the unfortunate, to the great Mother of God, and devoutly calls upon her and invokes her.

The holy Church carefully teaches us, her children, with what attention and confidence we should unceasingly have recourse to this loving protectress, and for this purpose commands a worship peculiar to Mary.

This is what Mary desires. She wishes us always to seek her and invoke her aid, not as if she were begging of us these honors and marks of veneration (for they are in no way proportioned to her merit) but she desires them that, by such means, our confidence and devotion may be increased, and that so she may be able to give us greater succor and comfort.

She, in the exercise of her mercy, knows not how to act differently from God: as he flies at once to the assistance of those who beg his aid, faithful to his promise, Ask, and you shall receive, so Mary, whenever she is invoked, is at once ready to assist him who prays to her.

Nor should the multitude of our sins diminish our confidence that Mary will grant our petitions when we cast ourselves at her feet. She is the mother of mercy: but mercy would not be needed did none exist who require it. On this subject Richard of Saint Laurence remarks that as a good mother does not shrink from applying a remedy to her child infected with ulcers, however nauseous and revolting they may be, so also is our good mother unable to abandon us when we have recourse to her, that she may heal the wounds caused by our sins, however loathsome they may have rendered us.

This good mother's compassion is so great, and the love she bears us is such that she does not even wait for our prayers in order to assist us, but, as Saint Anselm says, she is beforehand with those who desire her protection.

Her love for us is so tender, that in our wants she anticipates our prayers, and her mercy is more prompt to help us than we are to ask her aid. And this arises, adds Richard of Saint Victor, from the fact that the heart of Mary is so filled with compassion for poor sinners, that she no sooner sees our miseries than she pours her tender mercies upon us. Nor is it possible for this benign queen to behold the want of any soul without immediately assisting it.

Should there be anyone who doubts as to whether Mary will aid him if he has recourse to her, Innocent III thus reproves him: Who is there that ever, when in the night of sin, had recourse to this sweet Lady without being relieved? Such a case certainly never did and never will occur.

Let all then say with full confidence, in the words of that beautiful prayer addressed to the mother of mercy, and commonly attributed to Saint Bernard: Remember, 0 most loving virgin Mary, that it is a thing unheard of in any age that anyone had recourse to your protection and was left unaided

Therefore, forgive me, 0 Mary, if I say that I will not be the first unfortunate creature who has ever had recourse to you and was abandoned.

RESPONSORY:

R. Blessed are you, Blessed Virgin Mary, and deserving of all praise. * From you shines out the Sun of Righteousness, Christ, our God, our Savior and Redeemer.

V. Let us joyfully keep this feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary. * From you...

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