Part ten, Chapter VI: "henceforth All Generations: Shall Call Me Blessed"

"henceforth All Generations

Shall Call Me Blessed"

This brings us to the second part of this verse, namely: "From henceforth all generations shall call me blessed." We need not be astonished if the most holy Virgin says something here about herself which is highly favorable, and refers to her own glory and praise, for it is the Holy Spirit Who speaks through her lips. Here is one of the greatest, most celebrated and most important prophecies that was ever made or ever will be made, announcing to mankind the infinity of admirable things that God will accomplish everywhere on earth in every age and everlastingly in heaven on behalf of the Mother of the Redeemer, in order to make her known, loved, served and honored throughout the world.

This great prophecy, informing us that all generations are to acknowledge and acclaim the Mother of the Blessed Saviour, applies to the whole universe, from the highest heaven to the lowest depths of hell. For not only has the Most Blessed Trinity sent the Archangel Gabriel, one of the first princes of Its empire, as ambassador, to announce to Mary that she was full of grace, and that the Lord was with her in order to accomplish in her the greatest wonder of all time, and that she i s blessed forever among all women; this same Trinity also exalts Mary above all the angels on the highest throne of glory.

The eternal Father honors her as the most blessed of all women, making her eternally the Mother of the Only- begotten Son Whose Father He is, and granting her a power which supremes all the powers of heaven and earth.

The Son of God proclaims her blessed among all the nations who hear His holy Gospel, which teaches the fulness of the grandeurs that He has bestowed upon Mary in choosing her to be His Mother.

The Holy Spirit renders her supremely blessed and glorious in choosing her as His most worthy Spouse and endowing her with His holiness in such a high degree that she is Queen of all the mints.

AD the hierarchies of angels acknowledge Mary to be blessed, because in contemplating her on the day of her triumph and glorious Assumption, they find the glorious Virgin so filled with wonders that they can speak of them only with admiration and transports of delight. Quae est ista? they ask, Quae est ista? Who is she? Who is she? And after the adoration that they continually tender to God i n heaven, their foremost activity is to proclaim incessant praises of their Sovereign Empress.

Do we not hear the voice of holy Church Militant which perpetually sings all over the earth: "Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary which bore the Son of the eternal Father, and blessed are the breasts which nourished Him?" Have we not already heard of the merciful Virgin once declaring to St. Brigid that there is no pain in purgatory which is not eased through her mediation? And-do we not hear the voice of Holy Mother Church asking God to deliver the poor souls from that prison of divine justice through the intercession of Blessed Mary ever Virgin: Beata Maria semper Virgine intercedente? It must convince us that the souls of the Church Suffering are not only relieved in their agony but also delivered from it through her mediation.

Is it not also true that the souls who were in Limbo from the beginning of the world until the death of the Son of God profited by the intercession of this incomparable Virgin, since it was she who gave them the Redeemer to free them from captivity?

Let us descend still lower to the utmost depths of hell. If it is true, as St. Thomas, the Angelic Doctor, says, that the miserable damned are punished citra condignum.-that is to say, they do not suffer the full torments merited by their sins-it is certain that this is a concession of divine Mercy. Now it is also true that for every effect of grace or mercy that proceeds from the adorable bosom of Divine Bounty our Mother of Mercy prays, and her prayers arc effective. Therefore all the souls i n hell ought to recognize and revere her as the most benign and sweet Mother of mercy. But because they do not do so, let us compensate for their neglect, praying all the inhabitants of heaven to do likewise.

What shall we say of the wretched demons? Is it not true that, in spite of the rage they directed against this most bountiful Virgin because of the souls that she frequently snatches from their claws, they are nevertheless constrained to acknowledge her inconceivable charity whenever they are forced to abandon their prey by virtue of her intercession? And that upon the pronunciation of the holy name of Mary, they are compelled to leave the bodies in their possession and flee to their infernal dungeon?

Thus it is that all the generations of heaven, of angels, of mints, of the Church Triumphant, Militant and Suffering, and even of hell itself, fulfil this prophecy of the glorious Virgin: " A l l generations shall call me blessed." Finally, there is no country in the world, no nation under the sun, either great or small, rich or poor, no religious or priest, no man or woman, not under the obligation to confess and proclaim that the Mother of the Saviour is the most blessed, powerful, generous, compliant, admirable and amiable of all creatures; for she seems to belong to the world and to think only about doing good to all who love and invoke her, and to make them partakers of her own happiness and felicity.

"0 many times blessed!" exclaims the holy Doctor John Gerson. "Blessed first of all because thou hast believed. Blessed, secondly, because thou are full of grace. Blessed thirdly because thou art blessed. Blessed fourthly because the Almightly bath wrought great things in thee. Blessed in the fifth place because thou dost possess the joys of motherhood together with the glory of virginity. Blessed, last of all, because thou art incomparable, having been and always to be without equal." (1)

Let us listen now to St. Germanus, Archbishop of Constantinople, addressing Mary most admirable. "Who does not admire thee, who does not love thee, 0 most bountiful Virgin? Thou art our firm hope, our sure protection, our unshakable refuge, our most vigilant guardian, our perpetual safeguard, our most powerful help, our strongest defense, our unconquerable tower, the treasure of our joy, the garden of our delight, our impregnable fortress, our inaccessible bulwark, the port of those who are in danger of shipwreck, the security of sinners, the asylum of the abandoned, the reconciliation of criminals, the salvation of the lost, the blessing of the accursed, the general and public purveyor of every kind of blessing. In short, who could ever comprehend the effects of thy mercy? 0 heaven! 0 Queen of heaven! Blessed be thou amongst all generations! There is not place i n the world where thy praises are not sung; and there is no race or tribe from which God does not receive some tribute and service through thy mediation." (2)

0 holy Virgin, my heart is overcome with joy to see thee proclaimed blessed by all generations, past, present and yet to come, and I implore the Most Blessed Trinity with all my heart to allow this divine prophecy to be fulfilled even more and more throughout the universe. Oh, would that every breath of mine, every pulsation of my heart and veins, every use of the faculties of m y soul, and all my interior and exterior senses, (1). Super Magnificat, Tract. 4, notula1. (2). Serm. 2 de Dormit. B.V.

were as so many voices continually singing, in company with all the angels and saints, with the whole Church and all creatures: "Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary which bore the Son of the eternal Father, and blessed are the breasts which nourished Him." 0 blessed Mary, Mother of God, ever Virgin, temple of the Lord, repository of the Holy Spirit, who alone without rival hast been found most pleasing to Our Lord Jesus Christ, pray for thy people, intervene for the clergy, intercede especially for all devout women, and grant the help of thine incomparable goodness to all who honor thee. 295-