Ave Maria Meditations
If squalls of temptations arise, or thou fall upon the rocks of tribulation, look to the star, call upon Mary. If thou art tossed by the waves of pride or ambition, detraction or envy, look to the star, call upon Mary.
If anger or avarice or the desires of the flesh dash against the ship of thy soul, turn thine eyes towards Mary. If, trouble by the enormity of thy crimes, ashamed of thy guilty conscience, terrified by dread of the judgment, thou beginnest to sink into the gulf of sadness or the abyss of despair, think of Mary.
In dangers, in anguish, in doubt, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let her be ever on thy lips, ever in thy heart; and the better to obtain the help of her prayers, imitate the example of her life.
Following her, thou strayest not; invoking her, thou despairest not; thinking of her, thou wanderest not; upheld by her, thou fallest not; shielded by her, thou fearest not; guided by her, thou growest not weary; favored by her, thou reachest the goal.
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Mary, O Lady
Run, hasten, O Lady, and in your mercy help your sinful servant, who calls upon you, and deliver them from the hands of the enemy. Who will not sigh to you? We sigh with love and grief, for we are oppressed on every side.
How can we do other than sigh to you, O solace of the miserable, refuge of outcasts, ransom of captives? We are certain that when you see our miseries, your compassion will hasten to relieve us. O our Sovereign Lady and our Advocate, commend us to your Son.
Grant, O blessed one, by the grace which you have merited, that he who through you was graciously pleased to become a partaker of our infirmity and misery, may also through your intercession, make us partakers of his happiness and glory. Amen
De Maria numquam satis. (Of Mary, never enough!)
St. Bernard of Clairvaux (feast day is August 20th)
