Mary Leads Her Servants to Heaven.

STORY

The Franciscan Chronicles relate that a certain Brother Leo saw in a vision two ladders the one red, the other white.  On the upper end of the red ladder stood Jesus and on the other stood His holy Mother.  The brother saw that some tried to climb the red ladder; but scarcely had they mounted some rungs when they fell back, they tried again but with no better success.  Then they were advised to try the white ladder and to their surprise they succeeded for the Blessed Virgin stretched out her hand and with her aid they reached heaven.

PRAYER

O Queen of heaven, Mother of holy love!  Since you are the most amiable of creatures, the most beloved of God, and his greatest lover, be pleased to allow the most miserable sinner living in this world, who, having by your means been delivered from hell, and without any merit on his part been so benefited by you and who is filled with love for you, to love you.  I would desire, were it in my power, to let all men who know you not, know how worthy you are of love, that all might love and honor you.  I would desire to die for the love of you, in defence of your virginity, of your dignity of Mother of God, of your Immaculate Conception, should this be necessary, to uphold these your great privileges.  Ah! my most beloved Mother accept this my ardent desire, and never allow a servant of yours who loves you, to become the enemy of your God, whom you love so much.  Alas!  Poor me, I was so for a time, when I offended my Lord.  But then, O Mary, I loved you but little, and strove but little to be beloved by you.  But now there is nothing that I so much desire, after the grace of God, as to love and be loved by you.  I am not discouraged on account of my past sins, for I know that you, O most benign and gracious Lady, do not disdain to love even the most wretched sinners who love you; even more, that you never allow yourself to be surpassed by any in love.  Ah! Queen most worthy of love, I desire to love you in heaven.  There, at your feet, I shall better know how worthy you are of love, how much you have done to save me; and thus I shall love you with greater love, and love you eternally, without fear of ever ceasing to love you.  O Mary, I hope most certainly to be saved by your means.  Pray to Jesus for me.  Nothing else is needed; you have to save me; you are my hope.  I will therefore always sing O Mary, my hope, you have to save me.

The post The Glories of Mary #20: Mary Our Salvation first appeared on AirMaria.com.

In the homily for the Feast of the Stigmatization of St. Francis of Assisi (Sep 17), Fr. Alan explains the stigmata of St. Francis as “love crucified” (O’Brien), given as a sign for us, confirming the spirituality of St. Francis as a faithful model for all Christians.

As disciples of Christ, charity for Our Lord impels us to also deny ourselves and to embrace the cross, seeking metaphorical crucifixion of the flesh for the sake of love, after the example of St. Francis.

“Through his prayers may we be made conformable to the death of [Our Lord] and thus share also in His resurrection” (Collect for the Mass).

Ave Maria!

Mass: Stigmata of St. Francis – Feast

Readings: 
1st: Gal 6:14-18
Resp: Gal 2:16, 20
Gsp: Lk 9:23-26

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=709

The title of this homily is inspired by the title of the chapter on the Stigmatization in the biography on St. Francis by Fr. Isidore O’Brien, O. F. M., Francis of Assisi: Mirror of Christ (Franciscan Herald Press, Chicago, 1978 [6th ed.]).

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The post Francis’ Stigmata, “Love Crucified” – Sep 17 – Homily – Fr Alan first appeared on AirMaria.com.