Devotion to Mary in May: day 15 "dominion over the body"
DOMAIN ON THE BODY
15 DAY
Holy Mary.
Invocation. - Mary, Mother of mercy, pray for us!
DOMAIN ON THE BODY
The second spiritual enemy is the flesh, that is our body, and it is fearful because it is always with us and can tempt us day and night. Who does not feel the rebellion of the body against the soul? This struggle began after the original sin, but before it was not so. The senses of the body are like many hungry, insatiable dogs; they always ask; the more they give themselves, the more they ask. Whoever wants to save the soul, must maintain dominion over the body, that is, with the willpower he must keep the bad desires in check, regulate everything with right reason, giving the senses only what is necessary and denying the superfluous, especially this which is unlawful. Woe to those who let themselves be dominated by the body and become a slave to passions! The Madonna, for singular privilege, had a virginal body, since it was free from original guilt, and always kept perfect harmony with her spirit. The devotees of the Virgin, if they want to be such, must strive to keep the body immaculate; to be victorious in the daily struggle of the senses, they invoke the help of the Mother of mercy. This victory is not possible with human strength alone. Just as the restless mare needs the lash and the spurs, so our body needs the rod of mortification. Mortification means denying to the senses not only what God forbids, but also certain lawful, unnecessary things. Every little mortification or renunciation contributes to our spiritual perfection, it warns us against shameful moral falls and is an act of respect, to the Queen of Heaven, lover of the purity of our body. The spirit of renunciation belongs to Mary's devotees. In practice, let us strive to cultivate temperance, avoiding the exaggeration in eating and drinking, denying the refinement of the throat and depriving ourselves of anything. How many devotees of the Madonna fast on Saturdays, that is, they refrain from eating fresh fruit or sweets, or limit themselves to drinking! These small renunciations are offered to Mary as fragrant flowers. The custody of the eyes and also of hearing and smell is an indication of dominion over our body. More than anything, the mortification of touch is necessary, avoiding all freedom with oneself and with others. How many wear sackcloth or chains and even discipline themselves! Mortifications do not harm health, on the contrary they preserve it. Vices and intemperances are the causes of most diseases. The most penitent Saints lived until late age; to be convinced of this, just read the life of Sant'Antonio Abate and San Paolo, the first hermit. In conclusion, while considering our body as a spiritual enemy, we must respect it as a sacred vessel, convinced that it deserves more respect for the Chalice of the Mass, because like this one, not only does it retain the Blood and Body of Jesus, but it feeds on it with the Saint Communion. On our body there is always the image of the Madonna, medal or dress, which is a constant reminder of our sonship to Mary. Let's try to be fair to ourselves, that is, to take more care of our soul than our body.
EXAMPLE
Father Ségneri, in his book "The educated Christian", reports that a young man, full of sins against purity, went to confession to Rome from Father Zucchi. The Confessor told him that only devotion to the Madonna could free him from bad habit; she gave him for penance: morning and evening, when getting up and going to bed, carefully reciting an Ave Maria to the Virgin, offering her eyes, hands and the whole body, with prayers to keep it as her own thing, and then kiss three times the earth. The young man with this practice began to correct himself. After several years, after having been around the world, he wanted to meet in Rome with his ancient Confessor and confided to him that for years he no longer fell into sin against purity, since the Madonna with that little devotion had obtained grace for him. Father Zucchi in a sermon told the fact. A captain, who had had bad practice for many years, listened to him; he also proposed to follow that devotion, to free himself from the horrible chain of sin. He managed to correct himself and changed his life. But after six months he, foolishly trusting his strength, wanted to go and visit the ancient dangerous house, proposing not to sin. As he approached the door of the house where he ran the risk of offending God, he felt an invisible force pushing him back and found himself as far from the house as that road was long and, without knowing how, he found himself near his home. The captain recognized the evident protection of the Madonna.
Foil. - Respect one's own body and the body of others, as a sacred vessel and Temple of the Holy Spirit.
Ejaculation. - O Maria, I consecrate my body and soul to you!