Savior, when my life shall leave me,
Through your mother’s prayers receive me
With the fruits of victory.

For Reflection:             

Consider the above stanza in light of these words written by Reverend Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange: … At the hour of death, that supreme moment when the soul’s destiny is decided, the Blessed Virgin Mary bears in mind the love that has been shown to her, recalling how her servants have said to her time and time again: ‘Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of death’. She holds them up in the struggle of their last agony and defends them against the devil… inspires them with true contrition … and when they have died she watches over them in purgatory that she may lead them at last into heaven.”                                   

To what extent do I offer no resistance to Mary’s good inspirations? To what extent have I recommended myself to her? What hope does this give me?

Virgin, in your love befriend me,
At the Judgment Day defend me.
Help me by your constant prayer.

For Reflection:             

It is Mary’s desire as Spiritual Mother that all of her children attain eternal salvation. She never ceases praying for us. As the eminent theologian, Reverend Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P. tells us, “…[Mary] knows all the graces that we need because she is our Mother and has received from God a universal mission to help us all on the way of salvation. Her prayer is fervent and extends to the last sinner without losing any of its intensity. “[Mary] is sovereignly good and prays for all men, yet she prays especially for those who offer no resistance to her good inspirations and faithfully recommend themselves to her, looking upon them with particular tenderness, interceding for them more pressingly, more absolutely, until she finally obtains what she asks and bring them safe home to the harbor of salvation.”                                               

According to this quote, how then do we reap the full benefit of Mary’s intercession? What is your interior response?