2nd Day — Mary's First Graces
Her foundations are in the holy mountains. (Psalm Ixxxvi. i.)
1. Mary began her journey along the road to perfection at a height to which other saints arrived only at the end of a long life of saintliness. God loved her more at the first moment of her existence than He loved the holiest among the rest of men at the time that their earthly pilgrimage was over and they were ripe for their heavenly reward. What glory must have been hers even from the beginning!
2. What was the cause of this special predilection that God had for this newly created soul? In all other children of Adam original sin prevented the divine generosity from having a free course. But Mary was created immaculate, and therefore the grace of God streamed into her soul without check or hindrance. Oh, happy child whose sinlessness received so glorious a recompense! Like Mary, we also have been present to God from all eternity; we too have had our special place appointed for us. Are we faithful to our high calling? Are we accomplishing our life's work day by day?
3. What is it that checks in us the inflow of God's supernatural gifts? It is always sin; not so much sins in the past as sins and imperfections willfully admitted in the present. These must be relinquished if we desire God to give us good measure of His grace. We must try to hate sin as Mary hated it, and we must cry to her:
Hail, Mary, ever undefiled!
Hail, Queen of purity!
O make thy children chaste and mild,
And turn their hearts to thee.
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