The Greatness of the Power of Mary to defend those who invoke her when tempted by the Devil.
STORY
In Reichersperg, in Bavaria, there was a canon regular of the name of Arnold, surnamed the Pious on account of the sanctity of his life, and who had the most tender devotion to our Blessed Lady. When at the point of death, and having received the last sacraments, he summoned his religious brethren, and begged that they would not abandon him in his last passage. Scarcely had he uttered these words, when, in the presence of all, he began to tremble, to roll his eyes, and bathed in a cold sweat, with a faltering voice said, “Ah, do you not see the devils who are endeavouring to drag me to hell?” He then cried out, “Brothers, implore the aid of Mary for me; in her I confide; she will give me the victory.” On hearing this his brethren recited the Litany of our Blessed Lady, and as they said “Holy Mary, pray for him,” the dying man exclaimed, “Repeat, repeat the name of Mary, for I am already before God’s tribunal.” He was silent for a moment, and then added, “It is true that I did that, but I have done penance for it.” And then turning to our Blessed Lady, he said, “O Mary, I shall be delivered if you help me.” Again the devils attacked him; but he defended himself with his crucifix and the name of Mary. Thus was the night spent; but no sooner did morning dawn than Arnold exclaimed with the greatest calmness, and full of holy joy, “Mary my sovereign Lady, my refuge, has obtained me pardon and salvation.” Then casting his eyes on that Blessed Virgin who was inviting him to follow her, he said, “I come, O Lady, I come!” and making an effort to do so even with his body, his soul fled after her to the realms of eternal bliss, as we trust, for he sweetly expired.
PRAYER
Behold at your feet, O Mary my hope, a poor sinner, who has so many times been by his own fault the slave of hell. I know that by neglecting to have recourse to you, my refuge, I allowed myself to be overcome by the devil. Had I always had recourse to you, had I always invoked you, I certainly should not have fallen. I trust, O Lady most worthy of all our love, that through you I have already escaped from the hands of the devil, and that God has pardoned me. But I tremble lest at some future period I may again fall into the same bonds. I know that my enemies have not lost the hope of again overcoming me, and already they prepare new assaults and temptations for me. Ah, my Queen and refuge, do you assist me. Place me under your mantle; permit me not again to become their slave. I know that you wilt help me and give me the victory, provided I invoke you; but I dread lest in my temptations I may forget you, and neglect to do so. The favour, then, that I seek of you, and which you must grant me, O most holy Virgin, is that I may never forget you, and especially in time of temptation; grant that I may then repeatedly invoke you, saying, “O Mary, help me; O Mary, help me.” And when my last struggle with hell comes, at the moment of death, ah then, my Queen, help me more than ever, and you yourself remind me to call on you more frequently either with my lips or in my heart; that, being thus filled with confidence, I may expire with your sweet name and that of your Son Jesus on my lips; that so I may be able to bless you and praise you, and not depart from your feet in Paradise for all eternity. Amen.
