Devotion to the holy name of Mary: St. Bernard's speech, origins, prayer
SPEECH OF SAN BERNARDO
“Whoever you are who in the ebb and flow of the century has the impression of walking less on dry land than in the midst of the swirling storm, do not take your eyes off the splendid star if you do not want to be swallowed up by the hurricane. If the storm of temptations is aroused, if the rocks of tribulations erect, look at the star and invoke Mary.
If you are at the mercy of the waves of pride or ambition, of slander or jealousy, look at the star and invoke Mary. If anger, avarice, attractions of the flesh, shake the ship of the soul, turn your eyes to Mary.
If troubled by the enormity of the crime, ashamed of yourself, trembling at the approach of the terrible judgment, you feel the whirlpool of sadness or the abyss of despair open in your footsteps, think of Maria. In dangers, in anguish, in doubt, think of Mary, invoke Mary.
Always be Mary on your lips, always in your heart and try to imitate her to secure her help. By following her you will not deviate, by praying her you will not despair, thinking of her you will not be lost. Supported by her you will not fall, protected by her you will not be afraid, guided by her you will not feel tired: whoever is helped by her arrives safely at the goal. So experience in yourself the good established in this word: "the Name of the Virgin was Mary".
THE HOLY NAME OF MARY
The Church consecrates one day (September 12) to honor the holy Name of Mary to teach us through the Liturgy and the teaching of the saints, all that this Name contains for us of spiritual riches, because, like that of Jesus, we have it on lips and heart.
Over sixty-seven different interpretations have been given to the name of Maria according to which it was considered of Egyptian, Syriac, Jewish or even simple or compound name. Let's remember the main four. “The name of Mary, says Saint Albert the Great, has four meanings: illuminator, star of the sea, bitter sea, lady or mistress.
Illuminating.
It is the Immaculate Virgin whom the shadow of sin never clouded; it is the woman dressed in the sun; it is "She whose glorious life illustrated all the Churches" (Liturgy); Finally, she is the one who gave the world the true light, the light of life.
Sea star.
The liturgy greets her thus in the hymn, so poetic and popular, Ave maris stella and again in the Antiphon of Advent and Christmas time: Alma Redemptoris Mater. We know that the star of the sea is the polar star, which is the brightest, highest and last star of those that make up the Ursa Minor, very close to the pole until it seems immobile and for this fact it is very useful for orientation and helps the navigator to head when he does not have a compass.
Thus Mary, among creatures, is the highest in dignity, the most beautiful, the closest to God, invariable in her love and purity, she is an example of all virtues for us, illuminates our life and teaches us the way to get out of the darkness and reach God, who is the true light.
Bitter sea.
Mary is so in the sense that, in her maternal goodness, she makes the pleasures of the earth bitter for us, they try to deceive us and make us forget the true and only good; it still is in the sense that during the Passion of the Son his heart was pierced by the sword of pain. It is sea, because, as the sea is inexhaustible, the goodness and generosity of Mary for all her children is inexhaustible. The drops of water from the sea cannot be counted except by the infinite science of God and we can hardly suspect the immense sum of graces that God has placed in the blessed soul of Mary, from the moment of the Immaculate Conception to the glorious Assumption into heaven .
Lady or mistress.
Mary is truly, according to the title given to her in France, Our Lady. Madam you mean Queen, Sovereign. Mary is truly Queen, because the holiest of all creatures, the Mother of Him, who is King by title of Creation, Incarnation and Redemption; because, associated with the Redeemer in all its mysteries, she is gloriously united in heaven in body and soul and, eternally blessed, she continually intercedes for us, applying to our souls the merits she acquired before him and the graces of which she is made mediator and dispenser.
PRAYER IN REPAIR OF THE OVERS TO THE HOLY NAME OF MARY
1. O adorable Trinity, for the love with which you chose and eternally pleased yourself with the Most Holy Name of Mary, for the power you gave him, for the graces you reserved for his devotees, make it also a source of grace for me and happiness.
Ave Maria….
Blessed be the Holy Name of Mary always. Praised, honored and invoked always be the amiable and powerful Name of Mary. O Holy, sweet and powerful Name of Mary, may always invoke you during life and in agony.
2. O lovable Jesus, for the love with which you pronounced the name of your dear Mother many times and for the consolation that you procured for her by calling her by name, recommend this poor man and his servant to his special care.
Ave Maria….
Always blessed ...
3. O Holy Angels, for the joy that the revelation of the Name of your Queen brought you, for the praises with which you celebrated it, also reveal to me all the beauty, power and sweetness and let me invoke it in every one of my need and especially on the point of death.
Ave Maria….
Always blessed ...
4. O dear Sant'Anna, good mother of my Mother, for the joy you felt in pronouncing the name of your little Mary with devoted respect or in speaking with your good Joachim so many times, let the sweet name of Mary is also continually on my lips.
Ave Maria….
Always blessed ...
5. And you, O sweetest Mary, for the favor that God did in giving you the Name himself, as to his beloved Daughter; for the love that You always showed to it by granting great graces to its devotees, you also grant me to respect, love and invoke this sweet Name.
Let it be my breath, my rest, my food, my defense, my refuge, my shield, my song, my music, my prayer, my tears, my everything, with that of Jesus, so that after being peace of my heart and sweetness of my lips during life, it will be my joy in Heaven. Amen.
Ave Maria….
Always blessed ...