Contemplate and Admire

Jesus

Contemplate now what My filial love has inspired Me to do for My Mother. From all eternity I thought of her and loved her, for from all eternity I saw in her My future Mother.

I thought of her when creating the heavens and the angels; I thought of her as I formed the earth and the human race. I thought of her as I pronounced sentence against your first parents; I thought of her as I revealed Myself to the ancient patriarchs and prophets.

2. Out of love I heaped privileges upon her, each of which exceeds the greatest of My bounties toward all other creatures. I exempted her from laws to which the whole human race is subject: her alone did I make Immaculate in her Conception, free from all concupiscence, unsullied by any imperfection, more full of grace than all the angels and saints, Mother of God and ever a Virgin, glorified in her body, even as I was, before the general resurrection.

3. Although I came on earth to redeem the human race, I gave thirty years of My life to Mary alone and three years to the rest of humanity.

4. Nor was I content to have her share My privileges and live in intimacy with Me; I willed that she should also have a part in the very mission which My Father had entrusted to Me. I, the Redeemer, determined that she should be the Co-Redemptrix with Me, and that everything which I merited for the salvation of the world because it was strictly due to Me, she should merit too because it was supremely fitting.

5. I also willed that she should be associated with Me even in heaven. I willed that, as I am an advocate with the Father, she should likewise be an advocate with Me, in order to distribute all graces to men, because she co- operated with Me in gaining them. For, in heaven even as on earth, I am her Son and I am infinitely happy to reward her liberally for all that she formerly suffered and did in love for Me.

6. Listen further. I live in the Church; that is, in My Mystical Body directed by My Spirit. What the Church does is really done by Me; what the Church does for My Mother, is really being done for her by Me. Think of all the veneration and love the Church has shown her: the defense and proclamation of her privileges, the institution of feasts and devotions in her honor, the approval of confraternities and religious societies destined to serve her. Think over the piety of the Church’s children: of the saints, who were all so devoted to My Mother; of fervent souls, who are drawn more and more to honor her in a special way; of the ordinary faithful themselves, who are so watchful over her honor, so clear-minded in recognizing her privileges (sometimes even more so than learned men), so enthusiastic the moment there is question of giving her some special mark of affection. What is all that if not a grand and yet quite imperfect manifestation of My own incomparable filial love toward My Mother?

To all that the Church Militant has done and will do for Mary down to
the end of time, add what the Church Triumphant does for her throughout eternity; for I live even more in the saints of heaven than I do in the faithful on earth. Imagine the gratitude, respect, and love which the blessed unceasingly manifest to their Queen and Mother, to whom they owe their eternal felicity. In them and by them, remember, it is always I who honor and love My Mother.

7. Pass in review these proofs of My filial love; delve into them, sound their depths, try to understand all you can about them, and notice that what you cannot understand surpasses infinitely anything you ever will understand of them. Then, say to yourself that it is this infinite filial love which I wish you to share.

The Faithful Soul:
How wonderful it all is, O Jesus! But how shall I reproduce such filial love?