Book Snippets

The Blessed Virgin died to imitate Our Lord Jesus

2 min • Digitized on August 20, 2021

From The Glories of Mary, page 475
By St. Alphonsus Liguori

On this day the Church proposes to us to celebrate two solemn observances in honor of Mary: one, her happy departure from this earth; the other, her glorious assumption into heaven. In the present discourse we shall speak of her departure from this earth, and in the next of her assumption.

How precious was the death of Mary! 1st, On account of the special grace which attended it; 2d, On account of the manner of it.

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Death being the punishment of sin, it would seem that the divine mother, all holy and exempt from every stain, should not be subject to death, nor suffer the same misfortune as the children of Adam, who are infected by the poison of sin.

But God, wishing Mary in all things to be like to Jesus, required, as the Son had died, that the mother should also die; and because he wishes to give to the just an example of the blessed death prepared for them, he decreed that the virgin should die, but by a sweet and happy death.

Hence we will enter upon the consideration, how precious was the death of Mary. 1st. On account of the special grace by which it was accompanied. 2d. On account of the manner in which it took place.

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Point First.—Three things render death bitter, namely, attachment to earth, remorse for sin, and the uncertainty of salvation.

But the death of Mary was entirely free from any such causes of bitterness, and was attended by many circumstances which rendered it precious and joyful.

She died as she had always lived, entirely detached from all earthly things; she died in the most perfect peace of conscience; she died in the certainty of eternal glory.