THE FESTIVAL OF THE HOLY NAME OF THE VIRGIN MARY

ON SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF HER NATIVITY

THIS festival was appointed by pope Innocent XI., that on it the faithful may be called upon in a particular manner to recommend to God, through the intercession of the B. Virgin, the necessities of his Church, and to return him thanks for his gracious protection and numberless mercies. What gave occasion to the institution of this feast was a solemn thanksgiving for the relief of Vienna, when it was besieged by the Turks in 1683.* If we desire to deprecate the divine anger, justly provoked by our sins, with our prayers we must join the tears of sincere compunction, and a perfect conversion of our manners. This is the first grace we must always beg of God, that he would bring us to the dispositions of condign penance. Our supplications for the divine mercies, and our thanksgivings for benefits received will only thus be rendered acceptable. By no other means can we deserve the blessing of God, or be recommended to it by the patronage of his holy mother. To the invocation of Jesus it is a pious and wholesome practice to join our application to the Virgin Mary, that, through her intercession, we may more easily and more abundantly obtain the effects of our petitions. In this sense devout souls pronounce, with great affection and confidence, the holy names of Jesus and Mary.