Thoughts and Counsels of the Saints for May

For each day in May:

MARY was the most perfect among the saints only because she was always perfectly united to the will of God.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

After the love which we owe Jesus Christ, we must give the chief place in our heart to the love of His Mother Mary.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

When we feel our cross weighing upon us, let us have recourse to Mary, whom the Church calls the "Consoler of the Afflicted."—ST. ALPHONSUS.

The devotions we practise in honor of the glorious Virgin Mary, however trifling they be, are very pleasing to her divine Son, and He rewards them with eternal glory.—ST. TERESA.

There is nothing which is more profitable and more consoling to the mind than to frequently remember the Blessed Virgin.—ST. TERESA.

Blessed are the actions enclosed between two Hail Marys.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

Let us consider what the glorious Virgin endured, and what the holy apostles suffered, and we shall find that they who were nearest to Jesus Christ were the most afflicted.—ST. TERESA.

The servants of Mary who are in purgatory receive visits and consolations from her.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

If you persevere until death in true devotion to Mary, your salvation is certain.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

He who remembers having invoked the name of Mary in an impure temptation, may be sure that he did not yield to it.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

Mary being destined to negotiate peace between God and man, it was not proper that she should be an accomplice in the disobedience of Adam.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

Mary having co-operated in our redemption with so much glory to God and so much love for us, Our Lord ordained that no one shall obtain salvation except through her intercession.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

He who wishes to find Jesus will do so only by having recourse to Mary.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

Mary having always lived wholly detached from earthly things and united with God, death, which united her more closely to Him, was extremely sweet and agreeable to her.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

Mary being in heaven nearer to God and more united to Him, knows our miseries better, compassionates them more, and can more efficaciously assist us.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

The Virgin Mother, all pure and all white, will make her servants pure and white.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

To assure our salvation it does not suffice to call ourselves children of Mary, therefore let us always have the fear of God.—ST. TERESA.

Let us offer ourselves without delay and without reserve to Mary, and beg her to offer us herself to God.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

Such is the compassion, such the love which Mary bears us, that she is never tired of praying for us.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

O Queen of heaven and earth! The universe would perish before thou couldst refuse aid to one who invokes thee from the depth of his heart.—BL. HENRY SUSO.

O most blessed Virgin, who declarest in thy Canticle that it is owing to thy humility that God hath done great things in thee, obtain for me the grace to imitate thee, that is, to be obedient; because to obey is to practise humility.—ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.

May the two names so sweet and so powerful, of Jesus and Mary, be always in our hearts and on our lips!—ST. ALPHONSUS.

Whatsoever we do, we can never be true children of Mary, unless we are humble.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

Let us highly esteem devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and let us lose no opportunity of inspiring others with it.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

As a mother feels no disgust in dressing the sores of her child, so Mary, the heavenly infirmarian, never refuses to care for sinners who have recourse to her.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

Each of our days is marked with the protection of Mary, who is exceedingly anxious to be our Mother, when we desire to be her children.—ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.

When the devil wishes to make himself master of a soul, he seeks to make it give up devotion to Mary.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

Let us have recourse to Mary; for of all creatures she is the highest, the purest, the most beautiful, and the most loving.—BL. HENRY SUSO.

Let the name of Mary be ever on your lips, let it be indelibly engraven on your heart. If you are under her protection, you have nothing to fear; if she is propitious, you will arrive at the port of salvation.— ST. BERNARD.

Know that of all devotions the most pleasing to Mary is to have frequent recourse to her, asking for favors.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

Let the servants of Mary perform every day, and especially on Saturday, some work of charity for her sake.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

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This is taken from Thoughts and Counsels of the Saints for Every Day of the Year.