"In me is all grace of the way and of truth, in me all hope of life and of strength"1, we read in the Entrance Antiphon of the Mass.
As we considered in yesterday's feast, the heart expresses and is a symbol of the intimacy of the person. The first time the Heart of Mary is mentioned in the Gospel is to express all the richness of the interior life of the Virgin: Mary—writes Saint Luke—kept all these things, pondering them in her heart2.
The Preface of the Mass proclaims that the Heart of Mary is wise, because she understood like no other creature the meaning of the Scriptures, and preserved the memory of the words and things related to the mystery of salvation; immaculate, that is, immune from any stain of sin; docile, because she most faithfully submitted to the will of God in all her desires; new, according to the ancient prophecy of Ezekiel—"I will give you a new heart and a new spirit"3—clothed in the novelty of grace merited by Christ; humble, imitating that of Christ, who said: "Learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart"4; simple, free from all duplicity and full of the Spirit of truth; pure, capable of seeing God according to the Lord's Beatitude5; firm in accepting the will of God, when Simeon announced to her that a sword of sorrow would pierce her heart6, when persecution broke out against her Son7 or the moment of His Death arrived; watchful, since, while Christ slept in the sepulcher, imitating the bride from the Song of Songs8, she kept vigil awaiting the resurrection of Christ.
The Immaculate Heart of Mary is called, above all, the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit9, by virtue of her Divine Motherhood and because of the continuous and full indwelling of the Divine Spirit in her soul. This sublime motherhood, which places Mary above all creatures, took place in her Immaculate Heart before it did in her most pure womb. The Word that she brought forth according to the flesh, she first conceived according to faith in her heart, as the Holy Fathers affirm10. Because of her Immaculate Heart, full of faith, of love, humble and surrendered to the will of God, Mary merited to carry the Son of God in her virginal womb.
She always protects us, like a mother protects her young child who is surrounded by dangers and difficulties on all sides, and she makes us grow continuously. How can we not turn to Her daily?
"Sancta Maria, Stella maris"—Holy Mary, Star of the sea, lead us!
Cry out like this with strength, because there is no storm that can shipwreck the Sweetest Heart of the Virgin. When you see the storm coming, if you take refuge in that firm Shelter, which is Mary, there is no danger of capsizing or sinking11. In it, we find a safe harbor where it is impossible to shipwreck.
HCD