Part ten, Chapter IV My Spirit Hath Rejoiced in God My Saviour"

My Spirit Hath Rejoiced in God My Saviour"

THESE divine words, uttered by the inspired lips of the Mother of our Saviour, reveal to us the ineffable and incomprehensible joy that enraptured her heart, her spirit and her soul, together with all its faculties, not only at the moment of the Incarnation of the Son of God within her, but during the time that she bore Him in her blessed womb; indeed, even throughout the remainder of her life , according to Albert the Great and other Doctors. It was such an excessive joy, especially at the moment of the Incarnation, that, just as her holy soul was separated from her body during the last moment of her life by the strength of her love for God and her superabundant joy upon beholding herself preparing to Join her Son in Heaven, so also, if her life had not been miraculously preserved. she would have died of joy upon realizing the inexpressible bounty of God on her behalf and that of all mankind. History recounts numerous instances of persons who, hearing news of even temporal benefit,. have died of joy, so it is most credible that the Blessed Virgin Mary would have died of joy i f she had not been sustained by virtue of the divine Child in her virgin womb, because hers was the greatest cause for joy that ever existed or ever shall exist.

Mary rejoiced in God, in Deo; that is, because God is infinitely powerful, wise, good, just and merciful; because He so admirably displays His power, goodness and all His other divine attributes i n the mystery of the Incarnation and the Redemption of the world.

Mary rejoiced in God her Saviour, in Salutari, because He had come into the world to Save and redeem her first and foremost, preserving her from original sin and overwhelming her with His graces and favors in such an abundance that He made her His mediatrix and cooperator in the salvation of all mankind.

Her Heart was overcome with joy because God had regarded her favorably, that is, had loved and approved of the humility of His handmaid, in which He found a most singular happiness and pleasure.

"Herein," Says St. Augustine, "lies the cause of the joy of Mary-that He beheld the humility of His handmaid. It was as if she were saying, 'I rejoice because of the grace that God has granted to me, for it is from Him that I have received the reason for this joy; and I rejoice in Him because I love His gifts for love of Him."' (1)

Mary rejoiced for the great things that God's omnipotent goodness had wrought in her, the greatest wonders that had ever come to pass in all the preceding centuries, the greatest that will ever take place in all the ages to come, as we shall see further on in the explanation of the fourth verse.

Mary rejoiced not only for the favors that she had received from God, but also for the graces and mercy that He had showered upon all men who were disposed to receive His priceless gifts.

Mary's heart rejoiced not only in the goodness of God toward those who place no obstacle in its way, but also in the manifestations of His justice toward the proud, who scorn His generosity.

In addition, the rejoicing of the Blessed Virgin sprang from another very special cause most worthy of her incomparable bounty. St. Antoninus cites this reason, (2) and I repeat it here so that it may encourage us to love and serve Mary whose love for us is so very great. Here it is. In explaining the words Exsultavit spiritus meus, the Saint says that we must interpret them as we do those spoken by our Saviour on the cross: "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit (3)" that is, Father, I commend to Thee all who will be united with my spirit through faith and charity. "But he who i s joined to the Lord is one spirit." (4 )In like manner, the Mother of the Saviour being wholly delighted and ecstatically enraptured in God when she pronounces these words, "My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour . . . " sees in spirit the almost countless multitude of those who will have special love and devotion for her, and be numbered among the predestined, from which she derives an inconceivable joy.

That being the case, who is it that will not be inspired to love this allgood and all lovable Mother, who experiences such deep love for those who love her that she regards and loves them as her own spirit, soul and heart? Let us listen to what Lanspergius the Carthusian says to each one of us, that we may be made to realize that truth: (1).Sup. Magnificat. (2).Part, 4, tit. 15, cap. 2. § 29. (3). Luke 25, 46. (4), 1 Cor. 6, 17

"I exhort you, my dear son, to love our most blessed Lady and divine Mistress. If you wish to safeguard yourself against an infinite number of dangers and temptations, of which there are so many in this life, if you wish to find comfort and never to be overcome by sorrow in your adversities, i f , in short, you wish to be inseparably united with our Saviour, then cultivate special veneration and love for His most pure, amiable, meek, faithful, gracious and powerful Mother. If you truly love Mary and try conscientiously to imitate her, you will find that she in turn will be a most sweet and tender Mother to you, and that she is so filled with kindness and mercy that she despises no one and never ignores those who invoke her aid, because her greatest desire is to dispense to all sinners the treasures of the graces which her Divine Son has placed at her disposal. Whoever loves this immaculate Virgin is chaste; whoever honors her is devout; whoever imitates her is holy. No one loves her without feeling the effects Of reciprocal love. Not one of those who love her can perish; not one of those who try to imitate her can fail to attain eternal salvation. How many wretched sinners has she taken to her merciful bosom when they were in despair and abandoned to all sorts of vices, with one foot in hell, if we may use die expression; yet they were not rejected by Mary when they had recourse to her goodness. Rather were they snatched by her from the jaws of the infernal monster, being reconciled with her Divine Son and replaced on the path to paradise by the power of her intercession? It is a grace, a privilege and a power specially conferred upon Mary by her omnipotent Son, that she is able to obtain penance for those who love her, grace for those who are devoted to her, and the glory of heaven for those who strive to imitate her." (5)

Here is another joy of the Queen of Heaven which is indicated in these words: "My soul hath rejoiced . . . " a joy which surpasses all the others. Several holy Fathers and important Doctors write that this Virgin Mother, being ecstatically elevated to God at the moment of the Incarnation of her Son within her, was filled with the same inconceivable joys which are possessed by all the blessed i n heaven, and that she was rapt to the third heaven, where she had the happiness of seeing God clearly face to face. In proof of this, these holy writers advance the indisputable maxim that all the privileges with which the Son of God has honored His other saints were also bestowed by Him upon His divine Mother. Now St. Augustine, St. John Chrysostom, St. Ambrose, St. Basil, St. Anselm, St. Thomas and a number of others do not hesitate to assert that St. Paul, while lie was still on earth, saw the essence of God when (5). Lanspergius, Epist. 23.

he was transported to the third heaven. Who can doubt, then, that the Mother of Our Saviour, who always lived in the most perfect innocence and who alone loved God more than all the other saints combined, enjoyed this same favor, not only on one Occasion but on several, particularly at the happy moment of the conception of her Son? This is the opinion of St. Bernard, Albert the Great, St. Antoninus and many others. "0 blessed Mary," exclaims the holy Abbot Rupert, "it was then that a deluge of joy, a furnace of love and a torrent of heavenly delights burst upon thee, wholly absorbed and inebriated thee, and made thee experience what no eye has ever seen, no car has ever heard and no human heart has ever understood." (6)

Let us learn from this that the children of the world arc victims of very pernicious error , being gravely mistaken in imagining that there is no joy or happiness on earth, that there is only sadness, bitterness and affliction for those who serve God. 0 insupportable delusion! 0 hateful lie which can proceed only from him who is the father of all errors and falsehoods! Do we not hear the voice of Eternal Truth crying out: "Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that worketh evil . . . but glory, and honor, and peace to every one that worketh good," (7) and that the heart of a sinful person is like a sea that is always troubled , agitated and disturbed: "The wicked are like the raging sea"; (8) that the fear of God changes the hearts of those who love Him into a paradise of joy , gladness, peace, happiness and "The fear of the Lord shall delight the heart, and shall give joy, and gladness, and length of days"; (9) and that true servants of God possess a felicity that is greater, more genuine and more steadfast, even in the midst of the most overwhelming tribulations, than all the pleasures of those who espouse the cause of Satan? Do you not hear St. Paul assuring us that he i s filled with consolation and imbued with joy in the midst of all his tribulations? (10)

Do you desire to learn these truths from experience? "0 taste, and see that the Lord is sweet." (11) But if you wish to acquire this experience, you will have to renounce the false pleasures and misleading delights of the world.

0 holy Virgin, implant in our hearts a share in the scorn, aversion and (6). In Cant. 1. (7). Rom. 2, 9-10. (8). Isa. 57, 20. (9). Ecclus. 1, 12. (10). 2 Cor. 7, 4 (11). Ps. 33, 9

detachment which thy virginal Heart always felt toward the false pleasures of earth. Obtain for us from thy divine Son the grace to seek all our happiness, joy and delight in loving and glorifying Him; in serving and honoring thee with our whole heart and soul and with all our strength. 288-