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

“All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed”

1. A Jewish girl, poor in this world's goods but rich in virtue, arrived after a long and difficult journey at a village in the hills of Judea called Hebron. There she paid a visit to her cousin Elizabeth. When Elizabeth saw the girl, she was immediately enlightened by the Holy Spirit with the knowledge that her visitor was the Mother of God. “How have I deserved,” she cried out, “that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:43) At these words Mary looked up towards Heaven and gave spontaneous expression to a hymn of humble acknowledgement to God Who had “regarded the lowliness of His handmaid.” (Luke 1:48) Then she made a solemn prophecy, which would surely have assured the cynical intellectuals and nobles of the land, but which history has wonderfully fulfilled. “Behold,” she said, “all generations shall call me blessed.” (Ibid.) We can testify today that this miracle came to pass. All the nations have paid reverence to the Jewish girl, who became the Mother of God and our Mother, the Queen of Heaven and earth, the comforter of the afflicted, the conqueror of Satan, and the invincible guardian of the Church. From the engravings in the Catacombs to the celestial Madonnas of the Angelico, from the rudimentary sculpture of Roman art to the prayerful statues on the pinnacles of more modern cathedrals, the image of Mary has shone as a beacon of hope for all generations. Men bow before her and ask for light, for comfort, and for pardon. “If anyone follows Mary,” says St. Bernard, “he will not lose his way; if anyone prays to her he will not despair; if anyone thinks of her he will not sin; if anyone reaches out to her, he will not fall; if anyone places himself under her protection, he need have no fear; if anyone places himself under her leadership, he will never give up; if anyone pays homage to her, he is certain to reach his destination safely.” (Homil. “Missus est” 2:17)

2. It is related in the Gospel that on a certain occasion a woman in the crowd was roused by the preaching and miracles of Jesus to cry out: “Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the breasts that nursed thee.” But Jesus replied: “Rather blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.” (Luke 11:27-28) These words take nothing from the glory of the Mother of God. They were not intended for her, but for us. She was great and holy not only because she was chosen to be the Mother of the Word Incarnate, but also because she perfected herself in virtue by carrying out in everything the teaching of her divine Son, Jesus. We cannot follow her as far as her high dignity of Mother of God, but we can follow her in her heroic practice of virtue. Admittedly, we shall not be able to climb to an equal height, but with the help of God and under Mary's own protection we can and should walk in her footsteps. We can imitate her humility, her purity, her lively faith, her burning love for God and for her neighbour, and her spirit of constant prayer and union with God. If we do this, we shall always feel that she is by our side as our loving Mother who is eager to help us to become holy.

3. O Mary, my loving Mother, I wish to add my voice to the millions of voices which have proclaimed your blessedness throughout the ages. Grant that my recognition of your sanctity may not be merely verbal, but may be proved by deeds. Let me do more than pray to you as my Mother, my Queen, and my powerful Mediatrix with God. Let me also acknowledge that you are all this to me by a practical and filial imitation of your outstanding virtues. Amen.