The Twenty-Sixth Day of June

The Last Testament of the Heart of Jesus.

It would seem that, after giving us Himself in the Holy Eucharist, Jesus had exhausted the treasures of His charity; nevertheless, at the point of death, His Heart kept for us one last proof of love, and from the cross He wished to leave us a pledge of His immense and unceasing tenderness. Ah! yes, the love of our good Jesus is, indeed, unceasing and inexhaustible. He knows not how to say, "It is enough." Yet He had already given us His words to instruct us, His sacraments to purify and strengthen us, His Heart to love us, His body and blood to nourish and quench the thirst of our souls. He was going to give us His last breath when expiring on the cross: what more could He give? Oh! His Mother still remained to Him. She was His dearest and most precious possession. Her tenderness was the only earthly joy He had ever known, and it is this sweet Mother whom He bequeaths to us. From the cross, where He hung in agony, casting His eyes on Mary, standing near Him, and on the beloved disciple, He let escape from His parched lips, or rather from His Heart, these four words which have touched all hearts: "Woman, behold Thy Son." And to the beloved disciple: " Behold thy Mother." As if He would have said: "My Mother, I am about to die; but I bequeath to you a son; I give him to you; he will love, console and protect you. And you, my dear children, whom my disciple represents, I will not leave you orphans: I am dying, but I bequeath to you my Mother. She will love you as only a mother can love, as she loved Me: Behold your mother." O sublime legacy! O precious inheritance! which, alone, would suffice to reveal all the tenderness of that divine Heart. The angels of heaven received that loving testament, and Jesus sealed it with His precious blood.. O Mary, thou art truly my Mother, and I am thy child!

Christians, let us accept, with gratitude, this last gift of Jesus, the gift of His Mother. Oh! how great a treasure has He given us, for the heart of Mary is the most pure, the most holy and loving that the hand of Almighty God has formed after that of Jesus. Let us bless Jesus for this wondrous gift, and let us thank Mary; but, above all, let us love this tender Mother. And whatever be our trials or our sins, let us place all our confidence in her. Can a mother ever forget her favorite child? No, indeed, and what does our Lord say by the mouth of his prophet? "And if she should forget, yet I will not forget thee" (Isaias. xlix. 15). Oh! what greater proof could He give us of the love of His Heart? He gives as His Mother, and assures us that He loves us much more than she can ever love us. Glory, then, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, our merciful Redeemer and Master, and never-ending love to the immaculate and tender heart of Mary, our Mother, the Queen of Angels.

EXAMPLE.

History relates that the Tartars, having spread terror throughout Europe, besieged with a large army Kinwalous, the capital of European and Asiatic Russia. After a vigorous resistance, the city was taken by assault and sacked by the enemy, who, having massacred great numbers of the inhabitants, finally set fire to it. When the victorious army entered the town, St. Hyacinth, a Dominican monk, was at the altar saying Mass. His religious brethren came and warned him that there was not a moment to lose, and that if he wished to save himself and his community it was necessary to fly at once, otherwise he would fall into the hands of the barbarians. He followed their advice, but, unwilling to leave the divine Eucharist exposed to the profanations of the enemy, he took in one hand the ciborium, and in the other the image of the Blessed Virgin, saying to his religious: "Follow me, my brothers, and be full of confidence; the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the immaculate heart of Mary will save us." He left the church, followed by the community, traversed the burning streets, and passed by the hordes of barbarians, who gazed on him with respect and admiration. Reaching the banks of the river Eorysthenus, and not finding any boat there, he recommended himself to Jesus and Mary, and stepping on the water which remained firm beneath him, he crossed the river with dry feet, accompanied by all his brethren, and thus they were saved! Christians! receive the divine Host into your heart, place upon your breast the image of Mary and you will triumph over all the enemies of your salvation. Heart of Jesus, Heart of Mary, be always our hope, our love, our refuge and our salvation.

PRAYER.

Heart of Jesus, give us a filial love for her whom Thou hast bequeathed to us as our Mother, with Thy last breath on the cross. Grant that her protection may be our safeguard, her example the rule of our conduct, her heart our refuge and shelter in all dangers. Grant that she may be our hope during life and at the dread moment of death. Amen.

PRACTICE.

Do not fail to thank Jesus for giving you his Mother to be your Mother also. In gratitude honor her with some act of devotion each day.