by St. Alphonsus Liguori,
Doctor of the Church


TAKEN FROM THE GLORIES OF MARY
Eccles. Approval, 1852

TENTH DEVOTION
In This Tenth and Last Devotion I Unite Several Devotions
Which May be Practiced in Honor of Mary

1. To say or to hear Mass, or to have Mass said, in honor of the Blessed Virgin. It is true that the holy sacrifice of the Mass can be offered to God alone, to Whom it is offered principally as an acknowledgment of His supreme dominion. But the sacred Council of Trent [Session 22, cap. 3] says that this does not prevent its being, at the same time, offered to God in thanksgiving for the graces granted to the Saints and to His most holy Mother, that whilst we are mindful of them, they may deign to intercede for us. And for this reason at Mass we say, "That it may avail to their honor, but to our salvation." Our Blessed Lady herself revealed to a holy soul, that this devotion of offering the Mass, as also of saying three 'Paters, , Aves, and Glorias,' in honor of the most Holy Trinity, and in thanksgiving for the graces granted to her, was most pleasing to her; for the Blessed Virgin, being unable fully to thank our Lord for all the precious gifts He has bestowed on her, rejoices greatly when her children help her to thank God. 2. To reverence the Saints who are more nearly related to Mary, as Saint Joseph, Saint Joachim, and Saint Anne. The Blessed Virgin herself recommended a certain nobleman to be devout towards her mother, Saint Anne. We should also honor the Saints who were most devoted to the Divine Mother, such as Saint John the Evangelist, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Bernard, Saint John Damascene the defender of her images, Saint Ildephonsus the defender of her virginity, etc. 3. To read every day a book which treats of the Glories of Mary; to preach, or at least to try to instill into all, and particularly our relations, devotion to the Divine Mother. The Blessed Virgin once said to Saint Bridget, "Take care that thy children are also my children." To pray every day for the most devoted clients of Mary, both living and dead.

We should also remember the many indulgences granted by sovereign pontiffs to those who in various ways honor the Queen of Heaven. 1. To whoever says, 'Blessed be the holy and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary,' Pius VI granted for each time an indulgence of one hundred days. [Now a partial indulgence.] Father Crasset says that other indulgences applicable to the Souls in Purgatory have been granted to those who after the word "Immaculate" add, "and most pure." 2. For the Salve Regina, forty days' indulgence. [Ibid.] 3. For the Litany of Loreto, three hundred days' indulgence. [Ibid.] 4. To those who bow their heads on hearing the names of Jesus and Mary, twenty days' indulgence. [Discontinued.] Saint Alphonsus goes on to list many indulgences of such and such a length of days. We have not included these. You may consult the Enchiridion on line, HERE.

We continue with the Saint's treatise:

I omit other devotions which may be found in other books, such as those of the seven joys, of the twelve privileges of Mary, and such-like; and conclude this work in the beautiful words of Saint Bernardine of Siena: "O Lady, blessed amongst all women, thou art the honor of the human race, and the salvation of our people. Thy merits have no limits, and thou hast full power over all creatures. Thou art the Mother of God, the sovereign Lady of the world, and the Queen of Heaven. Thou art the dispenser of all graces, and the ornament of the holy Church. Thou art the model of the just, the consolation of the Saints, and the root of our salvation. Thou art the joy of Paradise, the gate of Heaven, the glory of God. Behold, we have announced thy praises. We beseech thee, then, O Mother of Mercy, to supply for our weakness, to excuse our presumption, to accept our services, to bless our labors, by imprinting thy love in the hearts of all; that after having honored and loved thy Son on earth, we may praise Him and bless Him for ever in Heaven. Amen."
 
CONCLUSION

And with this, my dear reader and brother, lover of our Mother Mary, I bid you farewell, and say: Continue with joy to honor and love this good Lady, and endeavor also to cause her to be loved by as many as you can: and doubt not, but be fully persuaded, that if you persevere until death in true devotion to Mary, your salvation is certain. I conclude, not that I should not still have much to say on the glories of this great Queen, but lest I should tire you. The little that I have written will be more than sufficient to make you desire this great treasure, devotion towards the Mother of God, which she will fully reward by her powerful patronage. Accept, then, the desire which I have had in this work, to lead you to salvation and to sanctity, by inflaming you with love and ardent devotion to this most amiable Queen. .And should you find that in this I have somewhat helped you by my book, as a charity I beg that you will recommend me to Mary, and ask her for me the grace which I ask her for you, that we may one day be together at her feet, in company with all her other dear children. [Today we render praise to God for Saint Alphonsus devotion to Mary.]

And to thee do I turn in conclusion, O Mother of my Lord, and my Mother Mary. I beseech thee graciously to accept my poor labors, and the desire which I have had to see thee praised and loved by all. Thou well knowest how ardently I have desired to complete this little work of thy Glories before the end of my life, which is already drawing to its close. But now I die happy, leaving this book on earth, which will continue to praise and preach thee as I have endeavored to do during the years which have passed since my conversion, which through thee I obtained from God. O Immaculate Mary, I recommend all those who love thee to thee, and especially those who read this little book and more particularly those who have the charity to recommend me to thee. O Lady, grant them perseverance, make them all Saints, and thus lead them all united to praise thee in Heaven. O my most sweet Mother, it is true that I am only a poor sinner,---but I glory in loving thee, and hope great things from thee, and amongst others to die loving thee. I trust that in the agonies of death, when the devil will put my sins before me, that in the first place the Passion of Jesus, and then thy intercession, will strengthen and enable me to leave this miserable life in the grace of God, that so I may go and love Him, and thank thee, my Mother, for all eternity. Amen.

PRAYERS

O Lady, say to thy Son for us, "They have no wine." How bright is the chalice of this inebriating wine! The love of God inebriates us, so as to make us despise the world; it warms and strengthens us to become indifferent to temporal things, and inclines us towards, and makes us active in the acquirement of those things which are invisible.
 
Thou art a fruitful field filled with virtues, filled with graces. Thou camest forth as a bright and blushing dawn; for Original Sin being conquered in thee, thou wast born resplendent with the knowledge of truth, and blushing with the love of virtue; the enemy could in nothing prevail against thee, for a thousand bucklers hang upon thee, all the armor of valiant men; for there is no virtue which did not shine resplendent in thee; and whatever was divided amongst all the Saints, thou didst possess united in thyself.

O, our Lady, our mediatress, our advocate, reconcile us with thy Son, commend us to thy Son. Grant, O blessed one, by the grace which thou didst find, by the prerogative which thou didst merit, by that mercy to which thou didst give birth, that He Who, through thee, deigned to become a partaker of our infirmity and misery, may also, through thy intercession, make us the partakers of His happiness and glory.

Lovely Rose, if thou dost deign
Love to lavish still on me,
Grant my heart such love to gain
That it die for love of thee.

My Lady, grant this grace to me
To love thee until death;
And when I die, to call on thee
Still with my latest breath.

My hope art thou, O Mary blest,
Sweet star of life's dark sea;
Ah, guide me safe to port of rest,
And open Heaven to me.


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