Day 23 – The Holy Name of Mary
From a homily by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot and Doctor:
“And the Virgin’s name was Mary.” Let us speak a little about this name, which is said to mean “star of the sea,” and which so well befits the Virgin Mother. Rightly is she likened to a star. As a star emits a ray without being dimmed, so the Virgin brought forth her Son without receiving any injury. The ray takes naught from the brightness of the star, nor the Son from His Mother’s virginal integrity. This is the noble star risen out of Jacob, whose ray illumines the whole world, whose splendor shines in the heavens, penetrates the abyss, and, traversing the whole earth, gives warmth rather to souls than to bodies, cherishing virtues, withering vices. Mary is that bright and incomparable star, whom we need to see raised above this vast sea, shining by her merits, and giving us light by her example.
All of you, who see yourselves amid the tides of the world, tossed by storms and tempests rather than walking on the land, do not turn your eyes away from this shining star, unless you want to be overwhelmed by the hurricane. If temptation storms, or you fall upon the rocks of tribulation, look to the star: Call upon Mary! If you are tossed by the waves of pride or ambition, detraction or envy, look to the star, call upon Mary. If anger or avarice or the desires of the flesh dash against the ship of your soul, turn your eyes to Mary. If troubled by the enormity of your crimes, ashamed of your guilty conscience, terrified by dread of the judgment, you begin to sink into the gulf of sadness or the abyss of despair, think of Mary. In dangers, in anguish, in doubt, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let her name be ever on your lips, ever in your heart; and the better to obtain the help of her prayers, imitate the example of her life: Following her, you will not stray; invoking her, you will not despair; thinking of her, you will not wander; upheld by her, you will not fall; shielded by her, you will not fear; guided by her, you will not grow weary; favored by her, you will reach the goal. And so you will experience in yourself how good is that saying: “And the Virgin’s name was Mary.”
Reflection:
The first word many children speak is the name of their mother. As Saint Bernard teaches us, this is the word we must practice most while we are in the womb of Mary. It is in speaking her name that we will remain her little children, always crying out to our Mama. We need to practice saying her Name and calling on her in our best times and in our worst times. When things go well, we know we have done everything in her, from her womb. When things go poorly, we know how much help we need and we call on her to soothe our guilty conscience. Let us think of those times we are most tempted to despair, most prone to wander, most in danger of going astray, most lost, fearful or weary and practice saying her Name, the Name of Mary.
Litany of the Holy Spirit or Veni Sancte Spiritus
Rosary (or at least one decade) followed by the Litany of Loreto
Prayer of Entrustment to the Womb of Mary