Catholic Caucus: Mary, The Power of Her Name [The Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary]

Holy Wounds Apostolate ^ | unknown | Holy Wounds Apostolate

[Salvation]

The Holy Name of

Mary The Power of Her Name By St. Alphonsus de Liguori

	Richard of St. Laurence states "there is not such powerful help in any name, nor is there any other name given to men, after that of Jesus, from which so much salvation is poured forth upon men as from the name of Mary." He continues, "that the devout invocation of this sweet and holy name leads to the acquisition of superabundant graces in this life, and a very high degree of glory in the next."    After the most sacred name of Jesus, the name of Mary is so rich in every good thing, that on earth and in heaven there is no other from which devout souls receive so much grace, hope, and sweetness.    Hence Richard of St. Laurence encourages sinners to have recourse to this great name," because it alone will suffice to cure them of all their evils; and "there is no disorder, however malignant, that does not immediately yield to the power of the name of Mary." The Blessed Raymond Jordano says, "that however hardened and diffident a heart may be, the name of this most Blessed Virgin has such efficacy, that if it is only pronounced that heart will be wonderfully softened." Moreover, it is well known, and is daily experienced by the clients of Mary, that her powerful name gives the particular strength necessary to overcome temptations against purity.    In fine, "thy name, 0 Mother of God, is filled with divine graces and blessings," as St. Methodius says. So much so, that St. Bonaventure declares, "that thy name, 0 Mary, cannot be pronounced without bringing some grace to him who does so devoutly.". . grant, 0 Lady, that we may often remember to name thee with love and confidence; for this practice either shows the possession of divine grace, or else is a pledge that we shall soon recover it.    On the other hand, Thomas a Kempis affirms "that the devils fear the Queen of heaven to such a degree, that only on hearing her great name pronounced, they fly from him who does so as from a burning fire." The Blessed Virgin herself revealed to St. Bridget "that there is not on earth a sinner, however devoid he may be of the love of God, from whom the devil is not obliged immediately to fly, if he invokes her holy name with a determination to repent." On another occasion she repeated the same thing to the saint, saying, "that all the devils venerate and fear her name to such a degree, that on hearing it they immediately loosen the claws with which they hold the soul captive." Our Blessed Lady also told St. Bridget, "that in the same way as the rebel angels fly from sinners who invoke the name of Mary, so also do the good angels approach nearer to just souls who pronounce her name with devotion." Promises    Consoling indeed are the promises of help made by Jesus Christ to those who have devotion to the name of Mary; for one day in the hearing of St. Bridget, He promised His most holy Mother that He would grant three special graces to those who invoke that holy name with confidence: first, that He would grant them perfect sorrow for their sins; secondly, that their crimes should be atoned for; and, thirdly, that He would give them strength to attain perfection, and at length the glory of paradise. And then our Divine Savior added: "For thy words, 0 My Mother, are so sweet and agreeable to Me, that I cannot deny what thou askest."    St. Ephrem goes so far as to say, "that the name of Mary is the key of the gates of heaven," in the hands of those who devoutly invoke it. And thus it is not without reason that St. Bonaventure says "that Mary is the salvation of all who call upon her." "0 most sweet name! 0 Mary, what must thou thyself be, since thy name alone is thus amiable and gracious," exclaims Blessed Henry Suso.    Let us, therefore, always take advantage of the beautiful advice given us by St. Bernard, in these words: "In dangers, in perplexities, in doubtful cases, think of Mary, call on Mary; let her not leave thy lips; let her not depart from thy heart." Names of Jesus and Mary    In every danger of forfeiting divine grace, we should think of Mary, and invoke her name, together with that of Jesus; FOR THESE TWO NAMES ALWAYS GO TOGETHER. 0, then, never let us permit these two most sweet names to leave our hearts, or be off our lips; for they will give us strength not only not to yield, but to conquer all our temptations.    "The invocation of the sacred names of Jesus and Mary," says Thomas a Kempis, "is a short prayer which is as sweet to the mind, and as powerful to protect those who use it against the enemies of their salvation, as it is easy to remember." Hour of Death    Thus we see that the most holy name of Mary is sweet indeed to her clients during life, on account of the very great graces that she obtains for them. But sweeter still will it be to them in death, on account of the tranquil and holy end that it will insure them.    Let us then, 0 devout reader, beg God to grant us, that at death the name of Mary may be the last word on our lips. This was the prayer of St. Germanus: "May the last movement of my tongue be to pronounce the name of the Mother of God;" 0 sweet, 0 safe is that death which is accompanied and protected by so saying a name; for God only grants the grace of invoking it to those whom He is about to save.    Father Sertorius Caputo, of the Society of Jesus, exhorted all who assist the dying frequently to pronounce the name of Mary; for this name of life and hope, when repeated at the hour of death, suffices to put the devils to flight, and to comfort such persons in their sufferings.    "Blessed is the man who loves thy name, 0 Mary" exclaims St. Bonaventure. "Yes, truly blessed is he who loves thy sweet name, 0 Mother of God! for," he continues, "thy name is so glorious and admirable, that no one who remembers it has any fears at the hour of death." Such is its power, that none of those who invoke it at the hour of death fear the assaults of their enemies.    St. Camillus de Lellis urged the members of his community to remind the dying often to utter the holy names of Jesus and Mary. Such was his custom when assisting people in their last hour.    Oh, that we may end our lives as did the Capuchin Father, Fulgentius of Ascoli, who expired singing, "0 Mary, 0 Mary, the most beautiful of creatures! let us depart together."     Let us conclude with the tender prayer of St. Bonaventure:    "I ask thee, 0 Mary, for the glory of thy name, to come and meet my soul when it is departing from this world, and to take it in thine arms." Copies of “MARY THE POWER OF HER NAME” available in leaflet form from: Holy Wounds Apostolate, Inc.

[Claud]

Semantics.

Can we both agree that God wrote the Gospel of Luke through a man named Luke?

[Tax-chick]

But who physically *wrote out* God's words, in Greek, out on the parchments that got copied, recopied and passed around in the ancient Christian world?

One of my favorite lines from St. Paul is at the end of one of his letters (Galatians?) where he says, "See with what LARGE LETTERS I am writing to you with my own hand? This is what my writing always looks like. This is the way I write!" I'm sure if he had a (/sarcasm) tag, he'd have used it :-).

[Claud]

I'm sure if he had a (/sarcasm) tag, he'd have used it :-).

LOL! You're right! It still shocks me how "earthy" and human some of the epistles are for Holy Writ. The equivalent of "Oh, and say hello to Joe for me." :)

[biblewonk]

Can we both agree that God wrote the Gospel of Luke through a man named Luke?

Absolutely.

[Claud]

Absolutely.

Ok great. God writes the Gospel of Luke through Luke. Luke--I think you'll probably also agree--even though he wasn't an Apostle, was a member of the Church. Probably, you might even say, a definitely "saved" member of the Church. As were Paul, Matthew, Mark, John, James, Peter, etc.

That's why we say the whole New Testament came to us through the church. Now if there's a hole in that reasoning somewhere, I wouldn't mind hearing it.

[Campion]

I certainly don't see the bible saying that the Church is it's author.

It says flatly that the Church is the pillar and ground of the truth, though.

And what do you think Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul were if not members of the Church?

That's like saying Mary created God.

Funny you should say that, because Mary is human and God is divine. But the Church is not merely human, and the Bible is not itself divine. Christ founded the Church; the Church (in the person of the Apostles and evangelists) wrote the Bible under inspiration. The Bible says so.

[biblewonk]

its author

The original statement was about the Bible and it's Author, you changed the context of the original argment.

[biblewonk]

God wrote the bible. The Church, The Body of Christ, did not write the bible. The Holy Spirit indwells the Body of Christ but it is He that wrote the bible, not the Body itself.

BTW, Rome/RCC is not the Body of Christ/Church. If it was, the bible would say so.

[Claud]

The original statement was about the Bible and it's Author, you changed the context of the original argment.

Sorry for being unclear. I meant in the beginning its human/proximate author, not its divine author. Clearly the church has no power save what God gives it.

[Tax-chick]

My kids and I sometimes do paraphrases when we're reading the Bible ... "And Jesus said to the disciples, 'O ne Zot! You guys are so dumb, I think you'd forget to breathe if it wasn't automatic!' "

I think it's important to remember that, not only was everyone in the New Testatment a human being (including Jesus), but they came from a culture with a very earthy and direct mode of expression. I prefer the RSV to a "modern language" translation, but at the same time, I recognize that the Lord and the Apostles were not using an antiquated and elevated form of language at the time. They were talking to simple people, who obviously comprehended what they were told, even if they didn't "get it" much of the time.

[Claud]

God wrote the bible. The Church, The Body of Christ, did not write the bible.

Ok, let's suppose that God told Luke what to write down to each individual word what to write.

How do we know that Luke wrote what God told him? Maybe he changed a word here, or fixed a word there?

[Claud]

If it was, the bible would say so.

Yes it sure would, wouldn't it? :)

[biblewonk]

Ok, let's suppose that God told Luke what to write down to each individual word what to write.

How do we know that Luke wrote what God told him? Maybe he changed a word here, or fixed a word there?

It's almost like you are being series, but not quite.

[armydoc]

Even Catholic theologians would make mincemeat out of such a statement.

But it took a protestant to point it out on the 87th post of the thread. Not one "hey, this must be a mistake" or "this can't be right, can it?" from a Catholic. That seems to be the paradigm for Marian doctrines. On the one hand, the official "party line" of the RCC is nicely spelled out (hyperdulia, etc.) but in practice, anything and everything Marian is tolerated.

[Pyro7480]

but in practice, anything and everything Marian is tolerated.

If any Catholic claimed Mary was God, they would cease to be Catholic.

[ArrogantBustard]

He's asking you a serious question, one which you appear to be afraid to face: How do you know that the Bible is what you think it is? How do you know it's the Word of the Lord? Who told you so?

The Mormons claim that their books are authenticated by a "burning feeling in the heart" when they read it.

The mohammedans claim that mohammed took dictation from "allah", called it the Q'uran, and gave it to them, thus authenticating it.

Upon what authority do you accept the Bible as Scripture, and why is that authority any better than the Mormons' or mohammedans' authority?

[Sir_Ed]

I always wondered why Catholics don't treat Mary's mother the same as they treat Mary.

After all, if she was born without sin, immaculate, then her Mother, I'm sure, was also born without sin, to carry Marry.

And if Mary is the Mother of God, then her Mother is the Mother of the Mother of God, and is also worthy of being prayed to, and looked to as the intercessor between Mary and the sinner...

After all, if sinners need an intercessor between Jesus and them, why don't sinners also need an intercessor between Mary and them?

Ed

[Campion]

God wrote the bible. The Church, The Body of Christ, did not write the bible.

God wrote the Bible through the Church, and then led the Church, through the Spirit, to select the canon from among the various Christian writings that were circulating in the first 4 centuries of the Christian era.

I am amazed that you would even attempt to dispute that obvious fact.

BTW, Rome/RCC is not the Body of Christ/Church. If it was, the bible would say so.

Irrelevant to my point. But how do you know that the Bible would say so? Where in the Bible does it say that it would?

[Campion]

After all, if she was born without sin, immaculate, then her Mother, I'm sure, was also born without sin, to carry Marry.

No such claim is made. Catholics don't believe that Mary "had to be sinless" so Jesus would be sinless, or any such strange ideas. It's simply a privilege given to Mary by her creator, who also happened to be her son.

And if Mary is the Mother of God, then her Mother is the Mother of the Mother of God, and is also worthy of being prayed to

Nothing wrong with asking for St. Anne's prayers. And one of the Eastern Orthodox liturgies actually refers to St. Anne and St. Joachim as "the holy and righteous ancestors of God".

[Diego1618]

Rest assured - the Rosary includes the Lord's prayer six times, so six times each day I pray the Rosary

Matthew 6:6-7,"When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.