4th Day — God's Design in Beautifying Mary
Wisdom hath built herself a house. (Prov. i.x. i.)
I. God did not bestow all her gifts and graces on Mary for her own sake. .She had done nothing to earn that first grace that was the foundation of all the rest. It was the free gift of God. He chose her of His own good pleasure. He fixed His love upon her simply because He willed to do so, "that He might show the riches of His glory on the vessel of mercy, which He hath prepared to glory" (Rom. ix. 23), and to a glory more resplendent than the combined glory of all the other saints.
2. But He had a special object in the exceeding glory conferred on His chosen daughter. It was because she was to entertain her Creator, because she was to carry in her womb the co-equal and co-eternal Son of God. It would have been unworthy of the divinity that God should take to Himself flesh from one whose flesh had ever been tainted with sin. It was to adorn a house for Him when He came to dwell amongst men, that Mary was adorned with such surpassing beauty.
3. Mary was also decked with these wondrous graces to prepare her for her work of intercession. If she was to be the Mother of all men, to take them all under her sacred protection, it was right that she should be from the first far exalted above them all, their model as well as their Queen and their Mother. Oh, happy we, to have such a Mother and such a model!
Him who gave us such a Mother,
Let our grateful songs proclaim;
Loving hearts and joyful voices
Praise her great Creator's name.
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