Part eight (*), Chapter V: Heart of Mary, Abyss of Humility

Heart of Mary, Abyss of Humility

CONSIDER the words of the Holy Ghost: "Deep callcth on deep." (1) What do they mean? They mean that the Holy Ghost sets before us the image of a twofold or dual abyss.

Ile first is the humble heart immersed by profound humility in the rmlization of its own nothingness, an abyss that engulfs the humble man, preventing him from seeing in himself anything but nothingness and making him love the lowliness and abjection of such nothingness.

'ne second is the abyss of graces and celestial blessings that every, where surround and accompany the truly humble heart.

The first depth calls for the second: "Deep called on deep," because the prayer of the humble heart has such power with God, that it is always heard. Divine Goodness can refuse it nothing. It is the profundity that summons and attracts all the graces of Heaven; God showers them into the lowly soul with open hand and without reserve. Humility is the guardian of all other graces and virtues, and they are safe where it abides, according to the words of St. Basil: «Humility is the safe treas. ury of all virtues.» (2)

All the greatness of the Blessed Virgin was accomplished by the hu. mility of her most holy Heart. From the first to the last moment of her life, her humility never ceased to invoke and draw upon her grace after grace, perfection after perfection, holiness upon holiness, until it brought her to the summit of the grace and holiness that next to that of Christ ever was or shall be greatest among men. As St. Bernard puts it: "It was just that she who considered herself the least of creatures, even though she was above all others, should have been honored as the wor. thiest and holiest of all." (3)

Would you observe the admirable effects of such prodigious humility in the Heart of the Queen of the humble? Consider Mary throughout (1). Ps. 41, 8 (2). In Constitut. cap. 17. (3). In Serm. Super signum Magnum

the course of her life, and you will see that, just as the life of Jesus was a constant exercise of humility, so the life of His Blessed Mother con. stituted a perpetual practice of the same virtue. As humility is our Saviour's own spiritual virtue, which He constantly preached by His examplc and earnestly recommended with the words: "Learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart"; ( 4 ) so can we say that humility is also the most beloved virtue of His dearest Mother. She urges us to practice it by her example, and does not cease to tell us with her Divine Son: "Learn of me, m y dearest children, for I am meek and humble of heart." This is the constant message of her marvellous humility, which I shall now describe in its twelve principal manifestations.

Tbc first manifestation was the complete self-annihilation with which she adored God, from the very beginning of her life, as her Creator and Sovereign Lord.

Ile second manifestation of the humility of the glorious Virgin's most holy Heart was the uneasiness she felt on hearing the salutation of the Angel Gabriel. Whence this perturbation? Was i t from beholding the Archangel? "No," says the Angelic Doctor, "for Our Lady was accustomcd to visits from angels." (5) And the holy Gospel says that she was troubled not by the presence of the Angel, but by his words: "She was troubled at his saying" (6) because he greeted her as full of grace, as one having die Lord with her in a special manner, and as being blessed among all women. That salutation is what troubles her most humble Heart, which cannot listen to such exalted praises without trembling.

Tbe third effect produced by the humility of Mary's admirable Heart was that, after hearing St. Gabriel proclaim that God had chosen her to be the Mother of His Divine Son, and consequently the sovereign Lady of the universe, she answered the Angel with the words: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word."' SL Bonaventure exclaims: "How wonderfully deep i s Mary's humilityl An archangel salutes her; she is called full of grace; she is told the Holy Ghost will overshadow her; she becomes the Mother of God Himself; she is raised above all creatures; she i s appointed sovereign Lady of Heaven and earth; and yet instead of becoming filled with pride, she humbles herself most deeply, saying, 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord.' " (7)

The fourth effect of the humility of the Blessed Virg&s most holy (4). Man. 11, 29. (5). Summa theol. 111, Q. 3., a. 3, sd 3. (6). Luke 1, 29. (7). In Speculo B.V. Cap. 4.

Heart was that, after she had conceived the Only-begotten Son of God in her blessed womb, she revealed to no one, not even to her spouse St. Joseph, the tremendous mystery which exalted her to the highest pinnaclc. She would not have mentioned the sublime dignity, that raised her above the Seraphim and put the entire world under her feet, if the Holy Spirit had not revealed it to her cousin, St. Elizabeth. This stupendous silence, caused by the marvellous humility of our Saviour's Mother, excites the admiration of St. Thomas of Villamova and makes him exclaim: "0 marvellous modesty, peerless humility! 0 admirable severity, prudence and constancyl What shall I say to thee, most sacred Virgin? Here thou art Mother of God, Lady of the universe, Queen of Heaven and earth. The greatest mystery, the most incomparable marvel, has been wrought in thee by the divine power, and thou dost tell no one. No human being knows the vital miracle, so jealously dost thou guard thy secret! Thou dost remain in profound silence, until, in the house of thy cousin Elizabeth, beholding that God Himself has revealed this miracle of miracles, then only dost thou breathe thy blessed silence, and raise to Heaven the sublime canticle of praise and adoration for the author of all these marvels: ' M y soul doth magnify the Lord." (8)

The fifth effect of Mary's humility was accomplished during her visit to her cousin St. Elizabeth, concerning SL John the Baptist.

Its sixth effect was manifested in her relationship with St. Joseph, whom she regarded and honored as her husband. "Behold a marvellous thingl" says St. Thomas of Villanova. "See the Queen of Virgins, the Mistress of the World, the very Mother of God, not disdaining to serve a poor carpenter, to prepare his meals and to obey him like a dutiful wife! But what exalts her humility above all admiration is that she prefers to endure an unspeakable humiliation rather than reveal to Joseph the admirable mystery wrought in her by God, and her newly received rank of Mother of the promised Messias. 0 prodigy of humilityl Never has its like been wen before and never shall it be seen again." Ile seventh effect of the humility of the royal Heart of Mary was revealed at the birth of Her Divine Son in a stable at Bethlehem. The sovereign Empress of the universe went to lowly Bethlehem to give birth to the King of men and angels, the Redeemer of all mankind. Yet she found no lodging there and being turned away from every house, was obliged to seek the lowly abode of animals. There she brought forth the only Son of God the Father, the King of Glory, the sovereign Lord of all (8). Luke 1, 46-St John Eudes does not give the reference for this quotation from the works of St. Thomas of Villanova.

things. And she sustained these humiliations without a complaint and with most perfect humility.

The eighth effect of the admirable humility of the Mother of God became apparent when she subjected herself to the Hebrew law of Purification.

The ninth effect of the humility of the blessed Heart of Our Saviour's Mother was the virtue she practiced during the forty days' penance of her Divine Son in the desert. Remember what we have said above; namely, that our Saviour's incomparable love for His Blessed Mother made Him desire her to resemble Him as closely as possible, and caused Him to engrave in her Heart a perfect image of all the states and mysteries of His most holy life.

Tbc tenth effect of the humility of Mary's all-pure Heart became manifest at the wedding of Cana in Galilee, where she obtained from her beloved Son the miracle whereby He changed water into wine. But how did she induce Him to perform that miracle? Was it by exerting her authority as His Mother? By no means. Was it by pressing Him with repcated entreaties, to show her power over Him and the reality that she was indeed His Mother? No, for she did not even presume to entreat Him, but merely made plain to Him, with the greatest modesty and humility, the need for additional wine. Mary left it entirely to His divine will to act as He thought best.

Ile eleventh effect of the humility of the admirable Heart of the Mother of Jesus was that she suffered with her beloved Son all the contempt and insults He endured during His public ministry from His enemies, who offended and affronted Him in a thousand ways, seeking to bind Him as a madman, to stone Him like a blasphemer, and even to hurl Him from the top of a mountain. She likewise endured with her Son all the humiliations and ignominies of His Passion, when He was treated as a criminal, bound and throttled like a thief, torn with whips, crowned with thorns, reviled by the shocking preference of the mob for Barabbas, and nailed to a cross between two bandits. Yes, my Jesus, Thy most worthy Mother bore with Thee all this shame and humiliationl As Thy glory i s now her glory, so were Thy ignominies her very own, which she bore with such humility that she never uttered a complaint to God or man. 0 prodigious humilityl Most humble Mary, pray to thy dear Son that He may grant us the grace to learn from Himself and from thee how to suffer insults and humiliations patiently and with humility, and never to complain.

The twelfth effect of the humility of the Admirable Heart of Mary is recorded in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles where it is writen

that, after the Ascension of Christ into Heaven, St. Peter, St. John and the other disciples withdrew to the Ccnacle of Jerusalem. There they remained until the coming of the Holy Ghost, united in prayer with the holy women and Mary, Mother of Jesus, whom St. Luke the Evangelist mentions last, not only after the holy Apostles, but even after the sinner from whom our Saviour had driven seven devils. How can it be that she who is the first in dignity; in merit and in sanctity should be put in the last place? It is that her most profound humility compelled her scribe, St. Luke, to name her thus i n the last place, according to the lowliness of her self- estimation, considering and treating herself as the least and most unworthy of creatures. What peerless humility! The Queen of Heaven and earth, the Mother of the King of kings, among whose ancestors fourteen kings are numbered, treats herself and wishes to be treated by others as though she were nothing at all.

Such, then, are twelve effects or manifestations of the humility of the incomparable Heart of Mary, Mother of God. But that is not all, for we must count, if we can, all the moments of her life, and we shall be counting as many acts and effects of her humility, for her entire life constituted, in fact, a constant exercise of that holy virtue.

0 Queen of the humble, thou seest how remote we are from the practice of true and perfect humility. Obtain from thy beloved Son the pardon of all the sins we have committed against this great virtue; offer to Him thy very humble Heart in reparation and satisfaction for our misdeeds; and entreat Our Lord to grant us the graces we need to enable us to imitate carefully and faithfully the most holy humility of the amiable Heart of Jesus and Mary. 236-