HOLY MOTHER GOOD COUNSEL

FOR many centuries our Blessed Mother has been honored under the title of Mother of good counsel. Shortly before the capture of Scutari in Albania by the Turks in 1467, a miraculous picture of this title, the author and age of which is unknown, is said to have been brought by angels from this city to Gennazano in Italy, where it is venerated in the church of the Augustinian Fathers and attracts many thousands of pilgrims every year. In 1903 Leo XIII approved a feast and a special Mass in honor of the Mother of good counsel, which is celebrated in many Places on April 26. The confusion of ideas in the world, especially in religious matters, and the widespread social and political turmoil surely emphasize the need of good counsel, which would show men the way out of the chaos of their making and lead them on the way of peace and salvation. The Mother of good counsel, filled with divine counsel, offers help to her helpless children.

DIVINE COUNSEL

The prophet Isaias speaks of the Messias as the Angel of the great counsel, that is, the messenger of God, sent to carry out the decree of man's redemption. Mary, the Mother of the Angel of the great counsel, must be expected to have a profounder knowledge than any other created mind of the reasons why the Passion and death of the Saviour was chosen as the means to redeem mankind. Pride had to be atoned by humiliation, disobedience by obedience unto death, sinful pleasure by suffering; thus men would come to realize more thoroughly the purpose of their existence, do penance for their sins, and strive after holiness of life.

The life of Mary shows that she fully understood this divine counsel. At the Annunciation she has but one question to ask: How shall this be done? She sees in the poverty of Bethlehem and in the flight to Egypt the divine counsel and she joyfully conforms to it without complaining. She does not waver in her total dedication to the Lord when told by Simeon that a sword of sorrows will pierce her heart, and she perseveres in this attitude of mind and will until all is consummated on Calvary. Thus understanding the divine counsel and having lived according to it, she is qualified to counteract the work of Eve, who listened to the evil spirit and by her counsel to Adam brought ruin and death to the whole human race.

MOTHERLY COUNSEL

So perfectly is Mary of the mind of the Angel of the great counsel that holy Church identifies her counsel with that of divine Wisdom. Against the background of her life, fully conformed to the divine counsel, we feel the truth and motherly concern of Mary, that speaks from the Epistle and Gradual of the feast of the Mother of good counsel; she speaks to us in the words of divine Wisdom inviting us to accept her counsel.

"As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odor, and my flowers are the fruit of honor and riches." Holy Scripture speaks of the sweet odor of prayer, of sacrifice, of a holy life, because it is Pleasing to God, stimulating and inspiring for those who observe it. A holy life is man's greatest honor, because it makes him like unto God and earns for him riches exceeding in value all the wealth of the earth, imperishable, everlasting.

"I am the Mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope." Fair love engenders holy fear; how could a true lover of God ever offend Him or refuse to fulfill His wishes? Mary is filled with the gift of the fear of the Lord. The fear and love of God impart true knowledge of the meaning of life, protect against the deceptions of the world, and arouse holy hope for the things that God has prepared for those who love Him.

"In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me all hope of life and of virtue." Jesus speaks of Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. God is our last end and we must know the way to Him; we know the way by believing the truth of His words and example; we follow the way by living a life of virtue, which will pass over into the life of glory in the blissful vision of God in life eternal. For doing all this we need grace and all grace comes to us through Mary, and thus through Mary we hope to reach our goal.

"Come over to me, all ye that desire me and be filled with my fruits. Blessed is the man that heareth me and that watcheth daily at my gates and waiteth at the posts of my door. He that shall find me, shall find life and have salvation from the Lord." Should it be too much to expect that we show interest in and a desire for the good things which Mary has to offer, that we watch and wait until we receive them?

Watch and wait! Her voice may reach us at any time, but it will be particularly clear and sweet on her feasts, or when we reflect on the mysteries of her life and with them also on her ways.

Watch and wait! Our Mother may keep silent and hide herself to put her children to the test. Impatience may do a great deal of harm. Let us wait until we catch the accents of her voice and feel within ourselves the glow of her love. Let us not, in our impatience for a word of consolation, run after the will-o-the-wisps of worldly diversions and joys. The loss would be too enormous, the disappointment too painful.

Brief as the counsel is, which the Mother of good counsel offers in the liturgy of the feast of this tide, it covers all needs of the Christian life: fear and love, truth and grace, virtue and perseverance, salvation from the Lord.

PRAYER

Most glorious Virgin, chosen by the eternal Counsel to be the Mother of the eternal Word made flesh, thou who art the treasurer of divine graces and the advocate of sinners, I who am thy most unworthy servant have recourse to thee; be thou pleased to be my guide and counselor in this vale of tears. Obtain for me through the Most Precious Blood of thy divine Son, the forgiveness of my sins, the salvation of my soul and the means necessary to obtain it. In like manner obtain for Holy Church victory over her enemies and the spread of the kingdom of Jesus Christ upon the whole earth. Amen.