February 24-The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady (Italy,1879)- Paul Claudel(d.1955)
THANK YOU,MOTHER OF JESUS CHRIST
"It's twelve noon. The door of the church is open. I must enter. Mother of Jesus Christ, I'm not coming to pray. I have nothing to offer and nothing to ask for. I come only to look at you, Mother. To look at you, cry out of happiness, knowing that I am your son and you are there. Just for a moment while everything stops. It's noon and I'm with you, Mary, in this place where you are. I say not a word; I just look at your face and let my heart sing its own language. I say not a word, but I only sing because my heart is so full. Like the swallow following his own idea in sudden melodies.
Because you are beautiful, because you are immaculate, the woman finally returned to grace, the creature in her prime honor and final flourish - just as she came out of God on the morning of her original splendor: ineffably intact because you are the mother of Jesus Christ, who is truth in your arms, and the only hope and fruit. Because you are the woman, the Garden of Eden of former tenderness forgotten, whose eyes look straight into my heart and cause all the accumulated tears to flow. Because you saved me, because you have saved France, because you thought of both France and myself, because at a time when the end was near, it was you who intervened. You saved France once again, because it's noon, because we are in this day and age, because you are there forever, just because you are Mary. Thank you simply because you exist, Mother of Jesus Christ."
Paul Claudel
Converted to Catholicism in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary at Notre Dame of Paris(Christmas,1886)
BIBLE PASSAGE:
Do not remain in the company of
drunkard nor with those who gorge
themselves at meals.For they soon
come to ruin and are clothed in rags.
~Prov 23:20-21
REFLECTION:
Mary would never have found such
grace had she been moderate in her
food.
For grace and gluttony cannot exist together.
~St.Bonaventure
PRAYER:
O Mary,you were a model of self-
control with your food.Help me to
avoid any king of gluttony so that
I may always be ready to cooperate
with the grace of Jesus in me.
HAIL MARY:
Hail Mary,full of grace,the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb,Jesus.Holy Mary,
Mother of God,pray for us sinners,now and
at the hour of our death.Amen.
