The Month of Mary, According to the Spirit of St. Francis of Sales: Thirty-One Considerations With Examples, Prayers, Etc.Gilli, Gaspar
Religion
The Month of Mary, According to the Spirit of St. Francis of Sales: Thirty-One Considerations With Examples, Prayers, Etc.
Gilli, Gaspar
Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint -- May devotions
Whilst this second Saul was thinking out ingenious projects for the
perversion of innocent hearts, he was requested by the Prince of
Moscow to take the direction, during his absence, of a choir of
singers who were going to sing the praises of the Blessed Virgin Mary
at a church in Paris during the month of May of 1847. Although he was
a Jew, still he consented; and it was there, before the Altar of Mary,
that grace awaited him. Whilst he was rendering external honour to the
august Mother of God, she pleaded his cause before her Divine Son. His
moment of grace and benediction came at the very moment when he was
looking with scorn and derision upon the piety of the faithful. . .
Suddenly he feels an invisible weight upon his shoulders, which forces
him, in spite of the obstinate resistance of his will, to bow his head
and bend his knees; his mind is quickly illuminated by the light of
Faith, and he feels his heart opening to the salutary impressions of
grace. It would take too long to narrate the many obstacles which hell
opposed to his conversion, but at last he triumphed over all, and on
the Feast of St. Augustine, he was washed in the waters of Baptism,
with the most heart-felt emotion; and upon the Feast of the Nativity
of Mary, had the ineffable consolation of making his first Communion,
and of receiving the Scapular.
Some time afterwards, finding himself called to Religion, he retired
into a community of Marist Fathers, that he might there meditate
seriously on his vocation; and finally, by the counsel of his
Director, he chose to enter the austere Order of Carmel.
Having visited Rome and obtained the necessary dispensation, he was
afterwards ordained Priest, and consecrated himself entirely to the
glory and honour of Jesus and Mary.
He employed his great musical talent for the honour of the Queen of
Angels. In order that all Christian tongues might bless the mercy of
that Divine Mother, who had delivered him so wonderfully from the
darkness of error, he composed _a collection of hymns for the month of
May, and for the principal festivals of the year,_ set to music for
the organ or pianoforte.
The following extract from the dedication of these compositions will
show his tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin: 'Morning Star! you
appeared to me in the obscure night, in which I was lost! Health of
the sick, you cured the mortal wounds of my heart! Refuge of sinners,
you opened to me an asylum in your Immaculate Heart! . . .'
Glory then to Mary, and to the sweet and salutary devotion of the
month of May, which procured us a new brother in Christ, and a new
masterpiece of the grace of God and of the mercy of Mary!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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