9 May, Antonio, Cardinal Bacci: Meditations For Each Day

The Theological Virtues in Our Lady

1. The three theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity shone like constellations throughout the life of Mary. “Blessed is she who has believed,” (Luke 1:45) St. Elizabeth said of her. Mary's life was one long act of faith and of love. She lived continuously in the presence of God, being united to Him by lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity. Her spirit of constant prayer was the result of her intense practice of these theological virtues. When the Archangel Gabriel came down from Heaven to bring her the tidings of her divine motherhood, he found her absorbed in prayer. When St. Elizabeth praised and called her the Mother of her Lord, Mary from the depths of her faith attributed everything to God and glorified Him in her “Magnficat." When the baby Jesus was born in the cave of Bethlehem, she adored Him with faith, hope and love as her God and future Saviour. When she realised that Herod was searching for her Son to put Him to death, she placed her confidence in Him. She fled with Him into Egypt and brought Him back later to their land, always with the same faith, hope and love. Her faith and hope were not weakened by the loss of Jesus in Jerusalem; only her mother's love was disturbed on this occasion. When it seemed in that hidden life of Nazareth that Jesus was leading a life of pointless silence, her faith and hope in Him did not fade, while her love grew greater from day to day. In the triumphs and sorrows of His public life, she continued to practice to an extraordinary degree these three virtues—on the road to Calvary, at the foot of the Cross, at the removal of Our Lord's body from the Cross, at the tomb, at the glorious Resurrection, Ascension and Pentecost. At last, when she was alone in this world without Jesus, these three virtues seemed to burn more brightly in her soul. She thought only of Jesus, hoped in Jesus alone, and loved Jesus alone. Then Jesus rewarded the lively faith, expectant hope, and flaming charity of His Mother, for on her assumption into Heaven these three virtues shared in her triumph and coronation.

2. We also possess the Christian faith, or at any rate believe that we possess it, for we often recite the Creed and were received at Baptism into the vast family of the Catholic Church. But is our faith alive? When a man is living his faith, he has a constant realisation of the presence of God, Who has created him, maintains him in existence, has redeemed him, loves him, and commands him to do good. Otherwise our faith is dead, for as St. James writes, “faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26) If our faith is not living, neither is our hope nor our charity. Let us examine ourselves thoroughly. Perhaps we do not think about God enough, and as a result our faith is weak. Perhaps we place all our hopes in earthly things and look for these passing pleasures which cannot satisfy our hearts. Perhaps we love ourselves and our possessions too much and have too little love for God, our only real good. It may be that we are constantly seeking our own interests and ease and are lacking in sincere and active charity towards our neighbour when he is in need, even though he is our brother in Jesus Christ and we should love him as ourselves. If this is the way matters stand we are not genuine Christians, for we have not the three theological virtues which should form the basis of our lives. Neither are we sincere sons of Mary, who possessed these three virtues in an outstanding manner. Let us examine ourselves with a view to forming a few good and earnest resolutions.

3. O Mary, my most holy Mother, grant that my life may be, like yours, a continual act of faith, hope, and charity towards God and my neighbour. Grant that my faith may be active, that I may hope only for the Heavenly reward which awaits me, and that my charity may never shrink from whatever sacrifices the love of God and of my neighbours may demand. Amen.