MAY, THE MONTH OF MARY (MAY 2) – DEVOTED CHILDREN

In a large family it is easy to find different characters among children: those who obey and those who rebel; those who love work and those who abandon themselves to idleness; those who brings wealth and those who wastes money …

Our dear mother, while loving all her children, reserves her tenderness to the good ones because they are more deserving.

In the great Christian family, the Blessed Virgin has an endless crowd of devoted sons, who usually live in the grace of God, who often come to the Sacraments, who carry out the apostolate with prayer, with good example and with the offering of sacrifices. They form the joy and love of Our Lady.

The Celestial Mother looks at them with an eye for predilection, blesses their achievements, in the critical moments of life comes to the rescue even in a prodigious way, keeps their heart in peace and on their death bed assists them with special maternal care, to make the passage to eternity sweet.

Father Suarez, a most devoted son of the Blessed Virgin, when he came to the end of his life, exclaimed: I did not think it was so sweet to die!

In the last hours of her earthly exile, Santa Maria Mazzarello sang a praise of joy to our Lady. The Virgin knows and can reward the love of those who love Her.

We who honor Her, especially in the month of May, belong to the ranks of devoted sons and daughters. Let us rejoice and work to become ever dearer to the Heavenly Mother.

We multiply our deeds of homage and respect, spreading devotion to Her by narrating Her glories to the souls that surround us, let us urge the lukewarm people to recite the Rosary daily, we invite the needy to appeal to Her in their every need! Let us console the Sorrowful Heart of Mary, so outraged by the blasphemers, and by the conduct of the evil Christians and by the wickedness of the enemies of the Church!

A loving son can heal the wounds of the mother’s heart and repair for the ungrateful brethren. Our Lady much appreciates the homage of those souls who every Saturday and in the days consecrated to her, come to receive Holy Communion in order to repair for the offenses that the blasphemers bring to Her Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart.

It is recommended to these loving souls not to let a day pass without offering some good work in honor of the Virgin; offer something even minimal, but offer it with love and constancy.

On Saturday, especially if you do some “spiritual flower offerings” (fioretti) , for example, not eating sweets or fruits … not drinking outside meals … reciting an extra Rosary … giving some alms to the poor people … spending some time for a little meditation or some pious reading … participating in the Holy Mass … Those who honor Our Lady, will have eternal life!

EXAMPLE:

In a village, called “Paradiso”, near Florence, there lived a young girl, called Domenica, who later became a nun and died in the concept of holiness in 1553; a pious author, Father Ignazio Del Niente, wrote about her life.

Domenica began to honor Our Lady since she was a young girl. Every day, for the love of our Lady, she deprived herself of some food and fasted on Saturdays, giving the poor her food. Every Saturday she gathered flowers so that she could offer them before the image of the Virgin with the child Jesus. How many prayers has she raised! Our Lady liked these acts of respect and wanted to give a sign of predilection to Her daughter.

Domenica was standing at the window of their house, when she saw a beautiful woman walking on the street, and she was also walking with a little boy. Both mother and son begged for some alms. She ran to get some bread for the two needy and, while she was thinking of opening the door for them, she saw them present beside her.

She observed that the child had wounds on his hands, feet and chest. She asked his mother: Who wounded your son? The mother answered: It was love! And you, my dear child, do you not feel the pain of the wounds? The child smiled.

Meanwhile, standing all three before the image of Jesus and Mary, the woman said to Domenica:

Who moves you to crown this image with flowers?

Domenica replied: “The love I bring to Jesus and to Our Lady”.

The woman ask: “And how much do you love them?”

Domenica stated “As much as I can!”

Exclaimed the woman to continue loving Jesus and Mary, because in Heaven you will be repaid.

From the wounds of the child began to emanate a heavenly smell. Which intensified more and more. Domenica then witnessed a change of appearance: the Mother appeared dressed as a great Queen and surrounded by light; the Child showed himself like a bright sun of immensed beauty. Domenica recognizing our Lady and Jesus, fell down to honor and adore them. Jesus took the flowers from the image and spread them on the head of the young girl. Shortly thereafter, the vision disappeared.

A Little Spiritual Flower Offering to our Lady (fiorétto spirituale):

– Pause for a few moments to contemplate the Crucifix and the image of our Lady.

Our little prayer of the day:

 – Blessed be the name of the Virgin Mary our Mother.

Source:

MARIA REGINA E MADRE DI MISERICORDIA (Mese di Maggio) – di DON GIUSEPPE TOMASELLI

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domenica_del_Paradiso