Twentieth Day. Imitation of Mary
All true love consists in the imitation of what we honor. If we love the immaculate Mary, if we desire to please her, endeavor to imitate her virtues, we must first imitate her in her life of prayer. To lead a life of prayer it is not necessary to spend hours on our knees in the church, for every-day duties would not admit of that. We find that Our Lady always left her prayer to spend an allotted time at work. We should let the thought of God be the first object of our waking love, and the love of God be the absorbing feeling of our heart. During the day we should every now and then cast a loving glance towards heaven, and make acts of love and gratitude. “If you imitate and follow Mary,” says St. Bernard, “you cannot wander from the road. Our Blessed Lady will fill you with great confidence in God and in herself, because you will not be approaching to Jesus by yourself, but always by that good Mother.” O Mary, Mother of the divine Saviour, Who from the height of His cross, seeing each one of us in the person of the beloved disciple, pronounced the memorable words, “Behold thy son!” “Behold thy Mother,” obtain that we may love and imitate thee with all the tenderness and strength of our will.
Prayer.
Glory and honor be to thee, O Mary! Thy throne is in the highest heavens! Be thou our loving Mother; from the throne of thy glory cast a glance on us, who are encircled with so many dangers and trials. Pray to thy Son Jesus for us, that we may emulate the purity of the angels, so that we too may one day enjoy the “beatific vision,” and praise Our Creator throughout eternity. Amen.