—Mt 10:38-39
REFLECTION. Our Lady desires that we not only work for her but also suffer for her.
We must calmly bear the little crosses of each day and even desire that they exist!
—St. Maximilian Kolbe
PRAYER. O Mary, help me to carry my daily crosses in union with you. “Let me share with you His pain,/Who for all our sins was slain,/Who for me in torments died.”
JULY 9
WHOEVER entrusts himself to her will possess her, and his descendants will also inherit her…. Then [she will] bring him happiness, and reveal her secrets to him.
—Sir 4:16-18
REFLECTION. See the confidence that the Church places in Mary.
In all public calamities she invariably calls upon the faithful to enlist her protection through novenas, through prayers and processions, and through visits to her churches and shrines.
—St. Alphonsus Liguori
PRAYER. O Mary, the whole Church puts her trust in you. Teach me to trust you completely in all the troubles and adversities of life—whether of body or of soul.
JULY 10
GRACE and peace be to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
—Rom 1:7
REFLECTION. Mary gave being and life to the Author of all grace.
That is why she is called the Mother of Grace.
—St. Louis Grignion de Montfort
PRAYER. O Mary, you are the Mother of Grace, which is the life of God in us. Obtain from your Divine Son the grace I need as well as the grace sorely needed by the Church and the world.
JULY 11
AMEN, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, … whatever you ask for in prayer believing, you will receive.
—Mt 21:21-22
REFLECTION. There are many graces that we will not obtain if we ask them of God.
But if we ask them of Mary, we will obtain them, not because she is more powerful but because God wants to honor her in this way.
—St. Anselm
PRAYER. O Mary, increase my faith in the power that your Divine Son has given you. Grant me the grace to be a true follower of Jesus all the days of my life and sing your glory forever in heaven.
JULY 12
WITH your goods … you satisfied many peoples; with your great wealth … you endowed the kings of the earth.
—Ezek 27:33
REFLECTION. All the gifts and graces that we receive from God are dispensed by the hands of Mary.
They are given to whom she pleases, when she pleases, and as she pleases.
—St Bernardine of Siena
PRAYER. O Mary, you are most generous with the spiritual gifts entrusted to your care. Make me one of your chosen who receive your gifts eagerly and put them to use diligently in their lives.
JULY 13
LIKE a vessel of beaten gold, embellished with every kind of precious stone; like an olive tree laden with fruit, like a cypress reaching to the clouds….
—Sir 50:9-10
REFLECTION. The Virgin Mary is like a “vessel” because of her humility.
She is made of “gold” because of her poverty and “embellished with every kind of precious stone” because of her virginity.
—St. Anthony of Padua
PRAYER. O Mary, you are the model of humility, poverty, and virginity. Let me fashion my life after you, so that I will be truly humble, poor in spirit, and pure of heart.
JULY 14
REFLECT on the decrees of the Lord, and constantly meditate on his commandments. He will enlighten your mind, and the wisdom you desire will be granted to you.
—Sir 6:37
REFLECTION. Beneath the light and heat of the sun, plants flourish on earth and bring forth fruit.
Beneath the radiant inspirations of the sun that is Mary, good thoughts flourish in souls.
—Pope Pius XII
PRAYER. O Mary, you are the inspirer of good thoughts in us. Let me dwell on you and on your Divine Son, so that I may always do the things that are pleasing to Jesus.
JULY 15
THE Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way…. The pillar of cloud never failed to be before the people.
—Ex 13:21-22
REFLECTION. Mary is our “pillar of cloud.”
She protects us against the burning rays of the Divine wrath and the fire of temptations.
—St. Bonaventure
PRAYER. O Mary, you are our unceasing protector day and night. Be my aid in all temptations and help me remain truly faithful to my calling, my Church, and my God.
JULY 16
MAY your ear pay attention, and your eyes be focused, to heed the prayer that I, your servant, now offer before you day and night for your people.
—Neh 1:6
REFLECTION. The Hail Mary is the most beautiful of all prayers after the Our Father and the most beautiful compliment you can give to Mary.
It is by this compliment that you will also win her heart, if you say it as you ought.
—St. Louis Grignion de Montfort
PRAYER. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
JULY 17
THEN he will pour forth words of wisdom … and give thanks to the Lord in prayer. The Lord will direct his counsel and his knowledge as he meditates upon the mysteries of God.
—Sir 39:6
REFLECTION. The Hail Mary said well is the force that puts the devil to flight.
It is the sanctification of the soul, the joy of Angels, the melody of the Elect, the canticle of the New Testament, the delight of Mary, and the glory of the Holy Trinity.
—St. Louis Grignion de Montfort
PRAYER. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
JULY 18
SOME time ago, God chose … that through my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the Gospel and believe.
—Acts 15:7
REFLECTION. By becoming the Mother of God, Mary was the means of the salvation of sinners.
In the same way, sinners are saved by proclaiming the praises of Mary.
—St. Anselm
PRAYER. O Mary, you are worthy of all praise. Let me praise you, speak to others about your merits, power, and mercy, and lead them to true devotion to you.
JULY 19
BE imitators of me and observe those who conduct themselves after the pattern you have seen in us.
—Phil 3:17
REFLECTION. Mary is a Model of all virtues who is more within our reach.
When we contemplate her, we do not feel overwhelmed by the splendor of the Divinity. On the contrary, we are attracted by the kinship of a common nature and strive more confidently to imitate her.
—Pope Leo XIII
PRAYER. O Mary, you are our Model in Christian Living. Help me to follow you at least to some degree in your great virtue and holiness, so that I may also follow you into heaven.
JULY 20
I REJOICE greatly in the Lord, and my soul is joyful in my God. For he has clothed me with a garment of salvation, and covered me with a robe of justice.
—Isa 61:10
REFLECTION. Mary is living the perfect joy promised to the Church.
Her children on earth turn to her who is the Mother of Hope and Mother of Grace. They invoke her as the cause of our joy.
—Pope Paul VI
PRAYER. O Mary, you are the “Cause of Our Joy.” Keep my eyes fixed on the eternal joys promised by your Divine Son, so that I will be filled with Christian joy all the days of my life.
JULY 21
SURELY God is my savior; I will trust and be unafraid. My strength and my praise is the Lord, and he has become my salvation.
—Isa 12:2
REFLECTION. Eve believed the devil—and the world perished!
Mary put her faith in the Angel of God—and the world was saved!
—St. Lawrence of Brindisi
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sp; PRAYER. O Mary, you are our refuge against evil. Teach me to put my faith in God when temptations assail me, so that I may deserve to contribute to my salvation and reach my heavenly home.
JULY 22
WHOEVER would love life and see good days, … let him turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.
—1 Pet 3:10-11
REFLECTION. True devotion to Mary is something holy.
It leads a soul to avoid sin and to imitate the virtues of Mary.
—St. Louis Grignion de Montfort
PRAYER. O Mary, genuine devotion to you helps us avoid sin and do good. Increase my devotion to you and make it influence every part of my life and every moment of my day.
JULY 23
BUT you … remain forever, and your name endures through all ages…. And the nations shall honor your name.
—Ps 102 13-16
REFLECTION. The demons are ever anxious in their pursuit of souls.
However, they quickly abandon their prey at the sole Name of Mary.
—St. Bridget
PRAYER. O Mary, by God’s Will your Name is a powerful remedy against sin and evil. Help me to invoke it in times of distress and praise it in times of joy.
JULY 24
REMEMBER the days of your lowly estate…. Invoke the Lord and speak to the king on our behalf; save us from death.
—Est 4:8
REFLECTION. We are lost on a raging sea, far from God, and buffeted at every moment by storms.
We lie at the very jaws of spiritual death, and so we cry out: “Hail, Mary….”
—St. Anthony of Padua
PRAYER. O Mary, you are our beacon amid the dangers of this life. Enlighten my mind, open my heart, and curb my will, so that I may steer a safe course until I reach the eternal harbor.
JULY 25
I WILL give you what you have not asked for…. And if you walk in my ways by obeying my statutes and commandments … , you will have a long life.
—1 Ki 3:13-14
REFLECTION. Mary has a great desire to be invoked by us so that she may dispense her favors to us in greater abundance.
So true is this that she is offended not only by those who speak ill of her but also by those who neglect to ask for her graces.
—St. Bonaventure
PRAYER. O Mary, you are ready to pour down grace on us if we but ask for it. Help me to come to you in every need, so that I may receive your aid.
JULY 26
THEN the Creator of all things gave me his command; he who created me decreed where I should dwell, saying, “Make your dwelling in Jacob, and in Israel receive your inheritance.”
—Sir 24:8
REFLECTION. Christ remained in Mary’s womb for nine months.
He will dwell in the tabernacle of the faith of the Church until the end of the world. And He will remain in the knowledge and love of the faithful for all eternity.
—St. Isaac of Stella
PRAYER. O Mary, you were graced with God’s presence both physically and spiritually. Obtain for me the grace to have Jesus dwelling in me forever.
JULY 27
CHRIST loved the Church and delivered himself up for her to sanctify her, cleansing her in the bath of water by means of the word, so that he might present to himself the Church in all her majesty.
—Eph 5:25-27
REFLECTION. The Mother of God is a Model of the Church in the matter of faith, charity, and perfect union with God.
Through the gift and role of the Divine Motherhood, Mary is united with her Son and with the Church.
—Vatican II: The Church, 63
PRAYER. O Mary, you are the Mother of the Church. Help me to be a loyal child of that Church, sharing in the Redemption of your Divine Son.
JULY 28
ALL [the disciples] with one mind were united in constant prayer, together with the women, and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and his brethren.
—Acts 1:14
REFLECTION. Mary was the perfect disciple of Christ, mirror of every virtue and embodiment of the evangelical beatitudes proclaimed by Jesus.
In her the whole Church attains the most authentic form of the perfect imitation of Christ.
—Pope Paul VI
PRAYER. O Mary, you are the perfect follower of Jesus. Obtain for me the grace to follow you, so that I may be “another Christ” both in this world and in the next.
JULY 29
YOU who have no money, hurry, buy and eat…. Heed me, and eat what is good; your soul shall delight in rich fare.
—Isa 55:1-2
REFLECTION. O sinners, be not discouraged but have recourse to Mary in all your necessities.
Call her to your assistance, for you will always find her ready to help. It is God’s will that she should help in every need.
—St. Basil
PRAYER. O Mary, you are the last hope of sinners. If I should have the misfortune to fall into serious sin, grant me the grace of true repentance.
JULY 30
I WALK in the path of justice, along the way of judgment, so that I may enrich those who love me and grant them abundant treasures.
—Prov 8:20-21
REFLECTION. Mary’s grace has given glory to heaven, a God to earth, and faith to the nations.
She has conferred death on vices, order on life, and a rule on morals.
— St. Peter Chrysologus
PRAYER. O Mary, obtain for me the grace to have you as my constant intercessor. In all difficulties let me call on your powerful aid, for you are God’s beloved Daughter.
JULY 31
THE Gospel … is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe…. For in it is revealed the righteousness of God, from faith unto faith, as it is written, “The one who is just lives by faith.”
—Rom 1:16-17
REFLECTION. The Blessed Virgin will give you a share of her faith, a faith that will remove all concern with sensible and extraordinary things.
This faith will be living and animated by love so that you will act entirely out of love.
—St. Louis Grignion de Montfort
PRAYER. O Mary, your great faith on earth has now become great vision in heaven. Make my faith strong so that I may live as a true follower of your Divine Son.
August
AUG. 1
WHAT is man, that you magnify him, or pay him any attention? You examine him each day.
—Job 7:17
REFLECTION. Heap together all the love of mothers for their children, all the love of husbands for their wives, and all the love of the Angels and Saints for their clients. The total could never equal Mary’s love for even a single soul!
—St. Alphonsus Liguori
PRAYER. O Mary, you have great love for souls. Let me return your love for me by loving others in you and your Divine Son—even those whom I find displeasing.
AUG. 2
BECAUSE of his love and mercy he redeemed them and he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
—Isa 63:9
REFLECTION. In her own life the Blessed Virgin lived an example of maternal love.
This love should animate all who cooperate in the apostolic mission of the Church for the regeneration of human beings.
—Vatican II: Church, 65
PRAYER. O Mary, by your love you are a model for apostolic workers. Help me to carry out my Christian apostolate by praying for nonbelievers and bearing witness to your Divine Son for them.
AUG. 3
SHE is unique, my dove, my perfect one, her mother’s chosen, the favorite of her parent…. The daughters saw her and … declared her most blessed.
—Song 6:9
REFLECTION. The look of Mary, the smile of Mary, the sweetness of Mary, the majesty of Mary, Queen of heaven and earth!
Mary’s beauty stands out among all other beauties, which pale next to hers. Mary is the most beautiful of God’s creatures.
—Pope Pius XII
PRAYER. O Mary, you are all-beautiful and worthy of praise. Help me to
render you the honor you deserve by following your inspirations and imitating your shining example.
AUG. 4
DO not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by renewing your mind that you may discern what is the good and pleasing and perfect will of God.
—Rom 12:2
REFLECTION. Do you know the surest way to learn the will of God?
It is the way of prayer to our good Mother Mary!
—St. John Vianney
PRAYER. O Mary, you are the revealer of God’s will to us. Help me to know what God’s will is for me in every situation and to carry out that will with diligence and love.
AUG. 5
EVEN if I am made the libation for the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
—Phil 2:17
REFLECTION. The Immaculate Conception also entails sacrifice on the part of Mary.
Therefore, we cannot consider ourselves favored children of the Lord and His Mother if our lives know nothing of sacrifice.
—Pope John XXIII
PRAYER. O Mary, you shared the sacrifices of Jesus from the privations at His Birth, to the renunciations of the Hidden Life, to the martyrdom on Calvary. Join my little daily sacrifices to His.
AUG. 6
AS the soldiers listened to what she had to say, they gazed upon her face and marveled at her beauty.
—Jud 10:14
REFLECTION. The thought and the countenance of Mary inspire the purity of life that is the first dignity of human beings.
They also constitute the salvation of those who struggle against evil and those who are called to greater perfection of life.
—Pope Pius XI
PRAYER. O Mary, the thought of you leads to salvation. Let me meditate on your spiritual beauty, so that I too may be saved.
AUG. 7
DO not labor for the food that perishes but for that which endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.
—Jn 6:27
REFLECTION. Ask the Virgin Mary constantly to come to you with her glorious Son. Be bold.
Mary Day by Day Page 8
