Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary - February 2nd

[Stone]

On the Purification of Mary

by Saint Alphonsus Liguori

In the Old Law, there were Two (2) Precepts, concerning the Birth-of First-born Sons:

One was, that the Mother should Remain as-Unclean, Retired-in her House for Forty (40) Days; after which she was to-go to-Purify herself in the Temple.

The Other was, that the Parents-of the First-born Son, should take him to the Temple, and there 'Offer' him to-God.

On this Day, the most Blessed Virgin Obeyed both these Precepts. Although Mary was not Bound-by the Law-of-Purification, since she was always a Virgin, and always Pure; yet her Humility and Obedience, made her Wish to-go, like other-Mothers, to-Purify herself. She, at the same-Time, Obeyed the Second (2nd) Precept, to Present and Offer her Son, to the Eternal Father. "And after the Days of her Purification, according-to the Law-of-Moses, were Accomplished, they carried Him to-Jerusalem, to-Present Him to the Lord" (Luke 2:22). But, the Blessed Virgin did not Offer Him, as other Mothers, Offered their Sons. Others Offered them to-God; but they Knew-that this Oblation, was simply a Legal Ceremony, and that by 'Redeeming' them, they made them their own, without Fear-of having again to-Offer them to-Death. Mary really Offered her Son to-Death, and knew for-certain, that the Sacrifice of the Life-of-Jesus, which she then made, was one day to be actually 'Consummated'-on the Altar-of the Cross; so that Mary, by-Offering the Life-of her Son, came, in Consequence-of the Love she 'Bore' this Son, really to-Sacrifice her own Entire Self to-God. Leaving, then, aside all other Considerations, into-which we might enter, on the many Mysteries-of this Festival, we will only consider the Greatness-of the Sacrifice which Mary made of herself to-God, in Offering Him on this Day, the Life-of her Son. And this will be the Whole Subject-of the following Discourse.

The Eternal Father had already Determined-to Save Man, who was Lost-by-Sin, and to-Deliver him from Eternal (∞) Death. But, because He Willed, at the same-Time, that His Divine Justice should not be Defrauded-of a 'Worthy' and 'Due' Satisfaction, He Spared-not the Life-of His Son, already 'Become' Man to-Redeem Man, but Willed that He should Pay- with the utmost-Rigor, the Penalty which Men had Deserved. "He that Spared not even His Own Son, but Delivered Him up, for us all" (Romans 8:32). He sent Him, therefore, on-Earth to-'Become' Man. He 'Destined' Him a mother, and Willed that this mother should be the Blessed Virgin Mary. But, as He Willed not that His Divine Word should become her Son before she by an Express Consent, had 'Accepted' Him, so also He Willed not that Jesus should Sacrifice His Life for the Salvation-of Men, without the Concurrent Assent-of Mary; that, together with the Sacrifice-of the Life of the Son, the Mother's Heart might also be Sacrificed. Saint Thomas teaches that the Quality-of-Mother, gives her a Special Right-over her Children; hence, Jesus being-in Himself Innocent and Undeserving-of Punishment, it seemed Fitting-that He should not be Condemned-to the Cross as a Victim, for the Sins-of the World, without the Consent-of His Mother, by-which she should Spontaneously Offer Him to-Death.

But, although from the Moment she became the Mother-of-Jesus, Mary Consented-to His Death, yet God Willed that on this-Day, she should make a Solemn Sacrifice of herself, by Offering her Son to-Him in the Temple, Sacrificing His Precious Life, to Divine Justice. Hence Saint Epiphanius calls her "a Priest".

And now we begin to-see how-much this Sacrifice 'Cost' her, and what Heroic Virtue she had to-Practice, when she herself 'Subscribed' the Sentence, by-which her Beloved Jesus, was Condemned-to Death. Behold, Mary is actually on her Road-to Jerusalem, to Offer her Son; she Hastens her steps towards the Place-of Sacrifice, and she herself 'Bears' the Beloved Victim in her arms. She enters the Temple, approaches the Altar, and there, Beaming-with Modesty, Devotion, and Humility, 'Presents' her Son, to the Most High.

In the mean-time, the Holy Simeon, who had-'Received' a Promise-from God, that he should not Die without having First seen the 'Expected' Messiah, takes the Divine Child from the hands of the Blessed Virgin, and, Enlightened-by the Holy Ghost, 'Announces'-to her, how-much the Sacrifice which she then made-of her Son, would Cost her, and that with-Him, her own Blessed Soul would also be Sacrificed. Here, Saint-Thomas-of-Villanova 'Contemplates' the Holy Old Man, 'Becoming' Troubled and Silent, at the thought-of having to give Utterance-to a Prophecy, so Fatal-to this Poor Mother. The Saint then 'Considers' Mary, who 'Asks' him, "Why, O Simeon, art thou thus Troubled in the midst-of such Great Consolations"? "O Royal Virgin", he replies, "I would Desire not to-Announce thee such Bitter Tidings; but, since God thus Wills it, for thy Greater Merit, Listen-to what I have to-Say. This Child, which is now such a Source-of-Joy to thee — and, O God, with how much Reason! — this Child, I say, will One Day be a Source-of such Bitter Grief to-thee, that no-Creature in the World, has ever Experienced the Like; and this will-be when thou Seest Him Persecuted-by Men-of every-Class, and made a Butt upon-Earth, for their Scoffs and Outrages; they will even go so-far-as to put Him to-Death as a Malefactor, before Thine own Eyes. Thou so-Greatly Rejoicest-in this Infant; but, Behold, He is Placed-for a Sign, which shall be-Contradicted. Know that after His Death, there will be many Martyrs, who for the Love-of this Son-of thine, will be Tormented and Put-to Death; their Martyrdom, however, will be Endured-in their Bodies; but thine, O Divine Mother, will be Endured-in thy Heart. O, how many Thousands-of Men, will be Torn-to Pieces, and Put-to Death, for the Love-of this Child! and although they will all Suffer-much, in their Bodies, thou, O Virgin, wilt Suffer-much-more, in thy Heart".

Yes, in her Heart; for Compassion alone, for the Sufferings-of this Most Beloved Son, was the Sword-of-Sorrow, which was to-Pierce the Heart-of the Mother, as Saint Simeon exactly 'Foretold': "And thy own Soul, a Sword shall Pierce" (Luke 2:35). Already the most Blessed Virgin, as Saint Jerome says, was Enlightened-by the Sacred Scriptures, and Knew the Sufferings that the Redeemer was to-Endure, in His Life, and still-more, at the Time-of His Death.

She fully-Understood from the Prophets, that He was to be Betrayed-by One-of His Disciples: "For even the Man of My Peace, in whom I Trusted, who ate My Bread, hath greatly Supplanted Me" (Psalm 40:10), as David 'Foretold': that He was to be Abandoned by them: "Strike the Shepherd, and the Sheep shall be Scattered" (Zechariah 13:7).

She well-Knew the Contempt, the Spitting, the Blows, the Derisions, He was to Suffer from the People: "I have given My Body to the Strikers, and My Cheeks to them that Plucked them: I have not turned-away My Face, from them that Rebuked Me, and Spit-upon Me" (Isaiah 1:6). She Knew that He was to-become the Reproach-of Men, and the Outcast-of the most Degraded-of the People, so as to be Saturated-with Insults and Injuries: "But I am a Worm, and no-Man: the Reproach-of Men, and the Outcast-of the People" (Psalm 22:7). "He shall be filled-with Reproaches". She Knew-that at the End-of His Life, His most Sacred Flesh would be Torn and Mangled by-Scourges: "But He was Wounded-for our Iniquities; He was Bruised-for our Sins" (Isaiah 53:5) And this, to-such a Degree, that His Whole Body was to be Disfigured, and become like that of a Leper — all Wounds, and the Bones Appearing. "There is no Beauty in Him, nor Comeliness . . . and we have Thought Him, as it were, a Leper" (Isaiah 2:4). "They have Numbered all My Bones" (Psalm 22:18). She Knew that He was to be Pierced-by Nails: "They have dug My Hands and Feet" (Psalm 22:17). To be Ranked-with Malefactors: "And was Reputed, with the Wicked" (Isaiah 53:12). And that finally, Hanging-on a Cross, He was to Die-for the Salvation-of Men: "And they shall look-upon Me, Whom they have Pierced" (Zechariah 12:10).

Mary, I say, already Knew all these Torments which her Son was to-'Endure'; but, in the Words 'Addressed'-to her by Simeon, "And thy own Soul, a Sword shall Pierce", all the Minute Circumstances-of the Sufferings, 'Internal' and 'External', which were to-Torment her Jesus, in His Passion, were made-Known to-her, as Our Lord revealed-to Saint Teresa. She 'Consented'-to All, with a Constancy which filled even the Angels with-Astonishment; she Pronounced-the-Sentence, that her Son should Die, and Die-by so Ignominious and Painful a Death, saying, "Eternal Father, since Thou Willest that it should be so, not my Will, but Thine be done" (Luke 22:42). I 'Unite' my Will, to Thy most Holy Will, and I Sacrifice, this my Son, to-Thee. I am Satisfied-that He should Lose His Life, for Thy Glory, and the Salvation-of the World. At the same-Time, I Sacrifice my Heart to-Thee, that it may be Transpierced-with-Sorrow, and this, as-much-as Thou Pleasest: it Suffices me, my God, that Thou art Glorified and Satisfied-with my Offering: "Not my Will, but Thine be done". O Charity without-Measure! O Constancy without-Parallel! O Victory, which 'Deserves' the Eternal (∞) Admiration-of Heaven and Earth!

Hence it was, that Mary was-Silent during the Passion-of Jesus, when He was Unjustly Accused. She said nothing to-Pilate, who was somewhat Inclined-to set Him at- Liberty, Knowing, as he did, His Innocence; she only Appeared-in Public, to Assist-at the Great Sacrifice, which was to be Accomplished-on Calvary; she 'Accompanied' her Beloved Son, to the Place-of Execution; she was with-Him from the First (1st) Moment, when He was Nailed-on the Cross: "There Stood-by the Cross of Jesus, His Mother (John 19:25), until she saw Him Expire, and the Sacrifice was 'Consummated'. And all this she did, to-'Complete' the Offering, which she had made-of Him, to -God, in the Temple.

To Understand the Violence which Mary had-to Offer herself, in this Sacrifice, it would be Necessary-to Understand the Love that this Mother, Bore-to Jesus. Generally speaking, the Love-of Mothers, is so-Tender towards their Children, that, when these are at the Point-of Death, and there is Fear-of Losing them, it Causes them to-Forget all their Faults and Defects, and even the Injuries they may have Received-from them, and makes them Suffer an Inexpressible Grief. And yet the Love-of these Mothers, is a Love divided-amongst other-Children, or at least amongst other-Creatures. Mary had an only Son, and He was the Most Beautiful-of all the Sons-of-Adam — Most Amiable, for He had everything to-make Him so: He was Obedient, Virtuous, Innocent, Holy; Suffice-it to-say, He was God. Again, this Mother's Love was not divided-amongst other-Objects; she had 'Concentrated' all her Love, in this only Son; nor did she Fear to Exceed-in Loving Him; for this Son was God, Who Merits Infinite (∞) Love. This Son it was, Who was the Victim which she, of her own Free Will, had to Sacrifice-to-Death.

Let each one, then, consider how-much, it must-have Cost Mary, and what Strength-of-Mind she had to-Exercise, in this Act, by which she Sacrificed the Life-of so- Amiable a Son, to the Cross. Behold, therefore, the most-Fortunate of-Mothers, being the Mother-of a God; but who was at the same-Time, of all Mothers, the most-Worthy of-Compassion, being the most-Afflicted, inasmuch as she Saw her Son, Destined-to the Cross, from the Day on-which He was Given-to her. What Mother would Accept-of a Child, Knowing that she would Afterwards, Miserably Lose Him, by an Ignominious Death, and that moreover, she herself would be-Present and See Him thus Die. Mary Willingly 'Accepts' this Son, on so-Hard a Condition; and not only does she 'Accept' Him, but she herself, on this Day, Offers Him, with her own hand, to Death, Sacrificing Him to Divine Justice. Saint Bonaventure says that the Blessed Virgin would have 'Accepted' the Pains and Death-of her Son, far-more Willingly for herself; but, to-Obey God, she made the Great Offering of the Divine Life-of her Beloved Jesus; 'Conquering', but with an Excess-of Grief, the Tender Love, which she Bore Him. "Could it have been so, she would Willingly have Endured all the Torments of her Son; but it Pleased God, that His only-Begotten Son should be Offered, for the Salvation-of the Human Race". Hence it is that, in this Offering, Mary had to-Do herself more-Violence, and was more-Generous, than if she had Offered herself to-Suffer, all that her Son was to-Endure. Therefore, she 'Surpassed' all the Martyrs in-Generosity; for the Martyrs Offered their Own Lives, but the Blessed Virgin 'Offered' the Life-of her Son, Whom she Loved and Esteemed, Infinitely (∞)-more than her Own Life.

Nor did the Sufferings-of this Painful Offering, End-here; nay, even, they only-Began; for from that-Time forward, during the Whole Life-of her Son, Mary had Constantly-before her Eyes, the Death, and all the Torments which He was to-Endure. Hence, the more this Son showed Himself Beautiful, Gracious, and Amiable, the more did the Anguish-of her Heart, increase. Ah, most Sorrowful Mother, hadst thou Loved thy Son Less, or had He been less-Amiable, or had He Loved thee less, thy Sufferings, in-Offering Him to-Death, would certainly have been Diminished. But there Never-was, and Never-will be, a Mother who Loved her Son more-than thou didst Love Thine; for there Never-was, and Never-will be, a Son more- Amiable, or One who Loved his Mother, more-than thy Jesus, Loved thee. O God, had we 'Beheld' the Beauty, the Majesty of the Countenance-of that Divine Child, could we have ever had Courage to- Sacrifice His Life, for our Salvation? And thou, O Mary, who wast His Mother, and a Mother Loving Him, with so-Tender a Love, thou couldst Offer thy Innocent Son, for the Salvation-of Men, to a Death more-Painful and Cruel, than ever was Endured-by the Greatest Malefactor on-Earth!

Ah, how Sad a-Scene, from that Day forward, must Love have-Continually Placed-before the Eyes-of-Mary, — a Scene Representing all the Outrages and Mockeries which her Poor Son was to-Endure! See, Love already 'Represents' Him Agonized with-Sorrow, in the Garden, Mangled with-Scourges, Crowned with-Thorns in the Praetorium, and finally, Hanging-on the Ignominious Cross, on Calvary! "Behold, O Mother", says Love, "what an Amiable and Innocent Son thou Offerest to so many Torments, and to so Horrible a Death!" And to what Purpose, Save Him from the Hands-of-Herod, since it is only to-Reserve Him for a far-more Sorrowful End?

Thus, Mary not only Offered her Son to-Death in the Temple, but she 'Renewed' that Offering, every Moment-of her life; for she Revealed-to Saint Bridget "that the Sorrow announced-to her by the Holy Simeon, never left her Heart, until her Assumption into Heaven". Hence, Saint Anselm thus 'Addresses' her: "O compassionate Lady, I cannot Believe that thou couldst have Endured for a Moment, so Excruciating a Torment, without Expiring under it, had not God Himself, the Spirit of Life, Sustained thee". But Saint Bernard affirms, speaking-of the Great Sorrow which Mary experienced-on this day, that from that-Time-forward "she Died Living, enduring a Sorrow more Cruel than Death". In every Moment, she Lived Dying; for in every Moment, she was Assailed-by the Sorrow-of the Death of her Beloved Jesus, which was a Torment more-Cruel, than any Death.

Hence, the Divine Mother, on-account-of the Great Merit she 'Acquired'-by this Great Sacrifice, which she made-to God, for the Salvation-of the World, was Justly Called:

by Saint Augustine, "the Repairer of the Human Race";

by Saint Epiphanius, "the Redeemer of Captives";

by Saint Anselm, "the Repairer of a Lost World;

by Saint Germanus, "our Liberator from our Calamities";

by Saint Ambrose, "the Mother of all the Faithful";

by Saint Augustine, "the Mother of the Living"; and

by Saint-Andrew-of-Crete, "the Mother of Life".

For Arnold-of-Chartres says, "The Wills of Christ and of Mary, were then United, so that both Offered the same Holocaust; she thereby Producing with Him, the One (1) Effect, the Salvation-of the World". At the Death-of Jesus, Mary 'United' her Will, to that of her Son; so-much-so, that both Offered One-and-the-Same Sacrifice; and therefore the Holy Abbot says that both the Son and the Mother 'Effected' Human Redemption, and 'Obtained' Salvation-for Men — Jesus by Satisfying-for our Sins, Mary by-Obtaining the Application-of this Satisfaction-to us. Hence, Denis-the-Carthusian also 'Asserts' "that the Divine Mother can be called the Savior-of the World, since by the Pain she Endured-in 'Commiserating' her Son (Willingly Sacrificed-by her to Divine Justice) she Merited that Through her Prayers, the Merits-of the Passion of the Redeemer, should be Communicated-to Men".

Through her hands, Divine Graces, and the Means-to obtain Eternal Life, which are the Fruits-of the Merits of Jesus Christ, are given-to Men.

Mary, then, having by the Merit-of her Sorrows, and by Sacrificing her Son, become the Mother of all the Redeemed, it is Right to-Believe that through her hands Divine Graces, and the Means-to Obtain Eternal Life, which are the Fruits-of the Merits-of Jesus Christ, are Given-to Men. To this it is, that Saint Bernard alludes, when he says, that "when God was about to Redeem the Human Race, He Deposited the Whole Price, in Mary's Hands"; by which Words, the Saint gives us to-Understand that the Merits-of the Redeemer are Applied-to our Souls, by the Intercession-of the Blessed Virgin; for all Graces, which are the Fruits-of Jesus Christ, were Comprised-in that Price, of-which she had-Charge.

If the Sacrifice-of-Abraham, by-which he Offered his Son Isaac to-God, was so-Pleasing-to the Divine Majesty, that as a Reward, He Promised to-Multiply his Descendants, as the Stars-of-Heaven — "Because thou hast done this thing, and hast not Spared thy only-Begotten Son for My Sake, I will Bless thee, and I will Multiply thy Seed, as the Stars-of-Heaven", — we must certainly Believe that the more-Noble Sacrifice, which the Great Mother-of God, made-to Him of her Jesus, was far more-Agreeable to Him, and therefore that He has Granted-that, through her Prayers, the Number-of the Elect should be Multiplied, that is to say, Increased-by the Number-of her Fortunate Children; for she 'Considers' and 'Protects' all her Devout Clients, as such.

Saint Simeon, Received a Promise-from God, that he should not-Die, until he had seen the Messiah 'Born': "And he had Received an Answer-from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see Death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord". But this Grace, he only Received-through Mary, for it was in her arms that he 'Found' the Savior. Hence, he who Desires-to find Jesus, will not find Him otherwise, than by-Mary. Let us, then, go to this Divine Mother, if we wish to find Jesus, and let us go with Great Confidence. Mary told her Servant 'Prudenziana-Zagnoni', that every Year, on this Day-of her Purification, a Great Grace would be Bestowed-upon some Sinner. Who knows, but One-of us may be the Favored Sinner, of this Day? If our Sins are Great, the Power-of Mary is Greater. "The Son can deny no thing to such a Mother", says Saint Bernard. If Jesus is Irritated-against us, Mary Immediately Appeases Him. Plutarch relates-that Antipater wrote a Long Letter, to Alexander-the-Great, filled-with Accusations against his Mother, Olympia. Having read the Letter, Alexander said, "Antipater does not know that a Single Tear of my Mother, Suffices to-Cancel, Six Hundred Letters-of Accusation". We also may Imagine-that Jesus, thus 'Answers' the Accusations Presented-against us by the Devil, when Mary Prays for us: "Does not Lucifer know that a Prayer of My Mother, in Favor-of a Sinner, Suffices-to make Me Forget, all Accusations of Offences, Committed-against Me"?
Source