EVENING SIGH - 28th Day

"The Royal Road to the Savior" - This is the name that St. Bernard gives to Mary:  the safe road to the place where the Savior and salvation are found.  The same Saint tells us that she is the vehicle that carries our souls to God.  If that is true, O Lady, do not wait for me to walk towards God.  Take me in your arms and carry me.  If I show resistance then use force with me;  but the force that you will use will be the sweet attractions of your love for me.  With this same force compel my wayward will to leave created things;  and to seek only for God, my Creator, and His Divine Will.

O show what power you have to all Heaven:  you - who have done many wonderful things.  Show us one more marvel of your mercy - draw entirely to God one who has been very far from Him.

Evening Sigh:  Mary, you can make me holy;  I hope for this from you.   


 

VESPERS

EVENING SIGH - 27th Day

O Mary, most sweet and loving Mother, St. Ephrem tells me that you are "The harbour of those in distress" and the one who "Rebuilds the shattered vessel after the storm."  St. Bonaventure tells me you are "Our Solace in the midst of suffering," and St. Germanus that you are "Peace in the midst of grief."  Great indeed is the solace you bring me when I am afflicted;  great is the consolation you give me when I am troubled; great is the strength you give me in temptation if I come to you and ask your aid.  Yes, the Saints had good reason indeed to call Mary the harbour of those in distress.

Mary, console me, for you are mine, my Mother.  I find myself over-burdened with sin;  I lack virtue, and in God's love I am cold.  Give me consolation;  give me peace.  Let the consolation you give me take the form of a new life, a new beginning:  a life that will be in all reality pleasing to your Son and to you.

Evening Sigh - Mary, my Mother, change my life: make me different from what I have been.  You are able to do it.  

 

VESPERS

EVENING SIGH - 24th Day

My most gentle Lady, in the midst of the fears I sometimes experience about my eternal salvation, I feel a great sense of confidence when I appeal to you and when I think of you.  On the one hand, my Mother, you have a wealth of graces at your disposal "A sea of graces" is what St. John Damascene calls you.  St. Ephram tells me you are 'The spring from which grace and consolation flow."

On the other hand, St. Bonaventure tells me that your eagerness to help me is so great that I cause you pain when I do not ask you for what I need.  My Mother and my Queen, you are rich, you are wise, you are gentle;  I understand that you know my soul's wants better than I know them myself;  you love me better than I love myself.  This is the grace I ask today—the grace you know my soul needs most.  I will be happy if you ask this grace from God for me.  

Evening Sigh—My God, give me the graces which Mary asks of you for me.   

 

VESPERS

EVENING SIGH - 22nd Day

My Mother Mary, most sweet Lady, I have been an unhappy rebel for I have sinned against your great Son.  But now in repentance I seek your gentle mercy that you may obtain me pardon.  You cannot tell me that you are powerless to help me;  I hear St. Bernard calling you "God's agent of reconciliation," and St. Ephrem "The support of those who are in peril."  My Lady, who is in greater peril than I?  This is certain—I have lost God and I have been condemned to lose Him for ever.  But I am uncertain as to whether He has yet pardoned me;  and if He has I am quite capable of losing Him again.  You can obtain everything from Him:  so from you I hope for every good-pardon, perseverance and paradise.  This is my hope, dear Mary—That I will be one of those in the Kingdom of the Blessed who will praise your mercy most, for you will save me by your intercession.

Evening Sigh—I will sing the mercies of Mary forever;  I will sing them forever.  Amen 

 

VESPERS

EVENING SIGH - 21st Day

Denis, the Carthusian, calls the Most Blessed Virgin "the advocate of all the wicked who have recourse to her."  Since, then, O great Mother of God, thy office is to defend the causes of the most guilty criminals who have recourse to thee, behold me now at thy feet;  to thee I have recourse, and I address thee in the words of St. Thomas of Villanova:  "O gracious advocate, fulfil thy charge."  Now quickly enter upon thy office, undertake my cause:  it is true that I have indeed been guilty before my Lord, having offended Him, after the many benefits and graces He has conferred upon me;  but the evil is done;  thou canst save me.  Thou hast only to tell thy God that thou defendest me, and then I shall be forgiven, and shall be saved.  

Evening Sigh - My dear Mother, thou has to save me.   
 

VESPERS

EVENING SIGH - 20th Day

My most sweet, most compassionate, most amiable Queen, oh, how great is the confidence with which St. Bernard inspires me when I have recourse to thee!  He says that thou dost not go examining the merits of those who have recourse to thy compassion, but that thou offerest thyself to help all who pray to thee:  "Mary does not discuss merits, but shows herself ready to hear and welcome all."  Therefore, if I pray to thee, thou dost graciously hear me.  Well, then, listen to what I have to ask thee:  I am a poor sinner, deserving of a thousand hells.  I wish to change my life:  I wish to love my God, whom I have so greatly offended.  I dedicate myself to thee as thy slave;  to thee I give myself, miserable as I am;  save, then, a poor creature who is no longer his own but thine.  My Lady, dost thou understand me?  Yes;  I trust that thou hast understood me, and graciously heard my prayer.  

Evening Sigh - O Mary, I am thine;  save me.  

VESPERS

EVENING SIGH - 19th Day

The devout Bernadine de Bustis says:  "O sinner, whoever you may be, despair not; but with confidence have recourse to this Lady:  you will find her hands filled with mercies and graces."  "And know also," "That this most compassionate Queen has a greater desire to do you good than you can have to be assisted by her."  I will ever, O my Lady, thank God for having taught me to know thee.  Unfortunate indeed should I be did I not know thee, or did I forget thee:  ill would it fare with my salvation.  But my Mother, I bless thee, I love thee; and so great is my confidence in thee, that I place my whole soul in thy hands.

Evening Sigh - O Mary, blessed is he who knows thee, and put his trust in thee!

VESPERS

EVENING SIGH - 18th Day

O God invisible, when shall I behold Thee, not as in a mirror and in riddle, but face to face?  O that I knew Thee as I am known of Thee, that I might love Thee as Thou lovest me!  But, as my knowledge is obscure and slender, I will love Thee as much as I can until I behold Thee as I desire.   

Pray Vespers Here

EVENING SIGH - 10th Day

The angels in heaven, according to St. Bonaventure, never stop calling to her, "Holy, holy, holy Mary, Virgin Mother of God!"  A million times a day they give her the angelic greeting, "Hail Mary!"  They prostrate themselves before her.  They beg her to honor them with her commands.  St. Michael, the prince of the heavenly court, is the most eager to pay her homage, St. Augustine says, and to run her errands.