Mary and the Saints

 Continued reflections on hope from a retreat day offered in September

As I opened this session, I asked the participants to close their eyes and imagine this: 
“You are a naval sea caption, returning from battle.  You were victorious, and now are sailing back to your home country.  Night is falling…your compass & charts had been looted during the fighting.   
 
As darkness settles over you, you begin to worry.  Suddenly, though, you see a star.  Somehow you sense that you must follow it, that it will show you the way.”  Then, I played this song for them: Hail Queen of Heav’n, the Ocean Star
 
I first heard that song a long time ago; there’s something so sweet and special about it.
 
Pope Benedict actually speaks to this title for Mary as Star of the Sea, telling us that the Ave Maris Stella was composed in the  eighth or ninth century.
 
I was first introduced to this poetic prayer when making my preparation for consecration to Jesus through Mary according to St. Louis de Montfort during my college years.
 
Life is like a voyage on sea, and, as Pope Benedict reminds us, “Jesus Christ is the true light, the sun that has risen above all the shadows of history.”  Holy people are like lights. 
 
Mary has pride of place in this.  With her yes, she opened the door of our world to God Himself;
 
Think about how, through the gospels, Mary shares hope with the world. 
 
First, at the Annunciation, her fiat changed human history and was the dawning of hope’s fulfillment.  St. Bernard gives us the lovely image that the angels held their breath waiting to hear what she would say. 
 
At the Visitation, she brought this hope to Sts. Elizabeth and John the Baptist. 
 
After the birth of Jesus, we might imagine her showing the shepherds and magi her little Baby, giving them hope and joy.
 
Mary persevered in hope, even at the Cross.  She encourages us to do likewise. 
 
In college, I used to pray The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  In preparing this retreat, I recalled a reading from a homily of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, used on Fridays, which says: “Perhaps someone will say: “Had she not known before that he would die?” Undoubtedly. “Did she not expect him to rise again at once?” Surely. “And still she grieved over her crucified Son?” Intensely.   
 
She is “a sign of sure hope and of the definitive victory of good over evil,” as Pope Benedict XVI further teaches.
 
I went on to share briefly the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who brought Christian hope to the Americas. 
 
She beautifully said to St. Juan Diego: “Do not be troubled or weighed down with grief. Do not fear any illness, vexation, anxiety or pain. Am I not here who am your mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not your fountain of life? Are you not in the folds of my mantle? In the crossing of my arms?”
 
Other holy people throughout history inspire us in hope as well. 
 
We see examples of hope throughout the Bible.  Think of Joseph’s trust in a foreign prison cell, David’s courage in facing the Giant,  Esther’s bravery in standing up for her people.  I could go on and on.
 
Pope Benedict told the inspiring story of St. Josephine Bakhita, who lived more recently and serves as an example of hope. 
 
At the age of nine she was captured and sold into slavery. She learned about God and His love and came to realize that He was the true Master of all.
 
St. Josephine actually turned down an opportunity to return to her native country in order to stay where she would have greater access to the Christian faith.  Eventually, she was baptized and became a religious sister.
 
Another example of hope, even in dark times was actually a contemporary of this Sudanese saint: St. Therese of Lisieux. 
 
Did you know that St. Therese struggled greatly toward the end of her life?  She had to fight against doubt and lack of hope.  Nonetheless, she wrote a lovely poem about hope in June of 1896 (a little over a year before her death):
 
My Hope
Though in a foreign land I dwell afar,
I taste in dreams the endless joys of heaven.
Gladly would I fly beyond the farthest star,
And see the wonders to the ransomed given!
No more the sense of exile weighs on me,
When once I dream of that immortal day.
To my true fatherland, dear God! I see,
For the first time I soon shall fly away.
Ah! give me, Jesus! wings as white as snow,
That unto Thee I soon may take my flight.
I long to be where flowers unfading blow;
I long to see Thee, O my heart’s Delight!
I long to fly to Mary’s mother-arms,
 — To rest upon that spotless throne of bliss;
And, sheltered there from troubles and alarms,  
For the first time to feel her gentle kiss.
Thy first sweet smile of welcoming delight 
Soon show, O Jesus! to Thy lowly bride;
O’ercome with rapture at that wondrous sight,
Within Thy Sacred Heart, ah! let me hide.
O happy moment! and O heavenly grace!
When I shall hear Thee, Jesus, speak to me;
And the full vision of Thy glorious Face  
For the first time my longing eyes shall see.
Thou knowest well, my only martyrdom Is love,
 O Heart of Jesus Christ! for Thee;
And if my soul craves for its heavenly home,    
‘Tis but to love Thee more, eternally.
Above, when Thy sweet Face unveiled I view,  
Measure nor bounds shall to my love be given;
Forever my delight shall seem as new      
As the first time my spirit entered heaven.
                                
It’s lovely to realize that she has now attained these fervent aspirations!
 
In my room, I have her picture and little statue with a lovely quote from her: “We can never have too much confidence in the good God… As we hope in Him so shall we receive.”
 
Numerous other saints have given us beautiful, inspiring words about hope.
 
I will share just a few here. 
 
St. Alphonsus Liguori: As a mother delights in taking her child on her knees, in caressing and feeding him, so does our God delight in treating with love and tenderness those souls who give themselves entirely to Him, and place all their hopes in His goodness and bounty. 
The more a person loves God, the more reason he has to hope in Him. This hope produces in the Saints an unutterable peace, which they preserve even in adversity, because as they love God, and know how beautiful He is to those who love Him, they place all their confidence and find all their repose in Him alone. 
 
St. Francis de Sales: When anyone places his whole trust in God, hoping in and serving Him faithfully at the same time, God watches over him, to the extent of his confidence, in every danger. Infinite is the love which God bears to souls who repose in His protection.
 
Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina: “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayers.”