MIRROR OF JUSTICE

(1) MARY, you are called the Mirror of Justice because you are the most excellent Model of the love of God. The whole divine law rests upon the great commandment of charity—love of God, of oneself, and of our neighbor. In your whole life is reflected, as in a mirror, perfect love of God.

The love that burned in the hearts of the saints cannot be compared with yours. No creature was so devoted to God as you were; none observed His commandments as perfectly as you did. Your whole life was a proof that the will of God was dearer to you than all else, and that you were prepared to die rather than disobey His commands. When a certain woman lifted up her voice from the crowd and said to Jesus, "Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the breasts that nursed thee," He answered in your praise, "Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it" (Luke 11,27).

(2) MARY, your love for yourself was also conformed to God's will. You took care of the salvation of your own soul first, as Jesus spoke of the other Mary in the Gospel: "Mary has chosen the best part, and it will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10,42). God was your choice at all times, and serving Him was your daily food, so that you could say with your loving Son, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, to accomplish his work" (John 4,34).

How well you understood and practiced His teaching: "What does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, but suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt. 16,26). "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied" (Matt. 5,4). No one ever desired self-sanctification as much as you did. You never tired of striving for virtue. God, in return, poured upon your soul the rich fullness of His graces.

All the virtues were reflected in your soul as in a mirror: humility, chastity, meekness, patience, mercy, faith, hope, charity. In order to preserve and increase sanctifying grace, you availed yourself of every means of grace with zeal and earnestness. You are truly blessed because of your hunger and thirst for holiness, for God has given you a fullness of His graces that made you "blessed among women."

(3) MARY, you are the most excellent Model of the love of neighbor. Since love of neighbor is in proportion to our love of God, and since no creature has ever loved God so much as you loved Him, no one has ever loved his neighbor more than you did. During your life upon earth you used every opportunity to do good; and now that you are enthroned in heaven, your love for us is even greater, and you shower upon us your choicest blessings. You have at heart especially the spiritual welfare of all, even the most unfortunate sinners, and you obtain for us numberless graces for the salvation of our souls.

Mirror of Justice, help me ever to admire and imitate all your virtues, for then I shall be more like Jesus, your Son, who is the Model of all perfection. You are a perfect image of your Son. Lead me to that degree of holiness which God has destined for me. Give me a hunger and thirst for holiness that I may find my truest joy in God on earth and my everlasting bliss with Him in heaven.

Through Your mercy, O Lord, and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may Your Church increase in the number of the faithful and ever shine forth in the manifold light of virtue. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. (Feast of Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles, Sat. after the Ascension)