Devotion to Mary is not incompatible with devotion to her Divine Son
3 min • Digitized on May 9, 2023
From A Defense of the Teachings of Mary, page 100
By St. John Henry Newman
The Mass again conveys to us the same lesson of the sovereignty of the Incarnate Son; it is a return to Calvary, and Mary is scarcely named in it.
Hostile visitors enter our Churches on Sunday at mid-day, the time of the Anglican Service. They are surprised to see the Hight Mass perhaps poorly attended, and a body of worshippers leaving the music and the mixed multitude who may be lazily fulfilling their obligation, for the silent or the informal devotions which are offered at an Image of the Blessed Virgin. They may be tempted, with one of your informants, to call such a temple, not a “Jesus Church,” but a “Mary Church.”
But, if they understood our ways, they would know that we begin the day with our Lord and then go on to His Mother. It is early in the morning that religious persons go to Mass and Communion. The High Mass, on the other hand, is the festive celebration of the day, not the special devotional service; nor is there any reason why those who have been at a Low Mass already; should not at that hour proceed to ask the intercession of the Blessed Virgin for themselves and all that is dear to them.
Communion, again, which is given in the morning, is a solemn unequivocal act of faith in the Incarnate God, if any can be such; and the most gracious of admonitions, did we need one, of His sovereign and sole right to possess us.
I knew a lady, who on her death-bed was visited by an excellent Protestant friend. She, with great tenderness for her soul’s welfare, asked her whether her prayers to the Blessed Virgin did not, at that awful hour, lead to forgetfulness of her Saviour. “Forget Him?” she replied with surprise, “Why, He has just been here.” She had been receiving Him in communion.
When then, my dear Pusey, you read any thing extravagant in praise of our Lady, is it not charitable to ask, even while you condemn it in itself, did the author write nothing else? Did he write on the Blessed Sacrament? had he given up “all for Jesus?”
I recollect some lines, the happiest, I think, which that author wrote, which bring out strikingly the reciprocity, which I am dwelling on, of the respective devotions to Mother and Son;
“But scornful men have coldly said
Thy love was leading me from God;
And yet in this I did but tread
The very path my Saviour trod.“They know but little of thy worth
Who speak these heartless words to me;
For what did Jesus love on earth
One half so tenderly as thee?“Get me the grace to love thee more;
Jesus will give, if thou wilt plead;
And, Mother, when life’s cares are o’er,
Oh, I shall love thee then indeed.“Jesus, when His three hours were run,
Bequeathed thee from the Cross to me;
And oh! how can I love thy Son,
Sweet Mother, if I love not thee.”