St. Alphonsus explains how Mary comes to her clients in the hour of their death to protect them from the demons, and to console them. The Scriptures speak of a woman who comes forth who is terrible to the demons, and who will crush Lucifer’s proud head, terrible as an army in battle array. “Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in array?” [Canticles (Solomon) 6:9]. And again, [15] ‘’I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.’’ In the early Church, the demons had deceived a poor woman into leaving the true Church, and a disciple and St. John both went to try to bring her back, without success. Finally, St. John informed the Blessed Mother, and angels carried her to the place. When the Blessed Mother entered, the demons scattered. Here is how it happened: ‘’But no sooner had She taken the first steps than the holy angels, at the command of the Lord, approached to bear Her upon the way. As God had not manifested His intention, She asked them, why they thus detained Her; to which they answered: “There is no reason why we should consent to Thy walking through the city, when we can bear Thee along with greater propriety. Immediately they placed Her upon a throne of resplendent clouds, on which they bore Her along and placed Her in the sick-room. The dying girl, being poor and now speechless, had been forsaken by all and was surrounded only by the demons, who waited to snatch off her soul. But as soon as the Queen of Angels made Her appearance all the evil spirits vanished like flashes of lightning and as if falling over each other in their dismay. The powerful Queen commanded them to descend into hell and remain there until She should permit them to come forth, and this they were forced to do without the least power of resistance. The kindest Mother then approached the sick woman and taking her by the hand and calling her by her name, spoke sweetest words of life. Instantly a complete change came over the girl, and she began to breathe more freely and recover herself.’’ You can read the entire story here: https://motherofgodlibrary.org/2019/05/18/devotion-to-mary-a-great-sign-of-predestination/.
I was greatly fortunate in my twenties to have the influence of a very holy, saintly cousin, who was greatly devoted and most devout to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and to Our Lord Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Mary leads us to her Son Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament if we are truly devoted to her. ‘To Jesus through Mary’ is an old saying which is so true. A good mother feeds her children and Mary leads us to her Son Jesus, who is the bread of life in Holy Communion, for the preservation and life of their souls. If one does not have a strong devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, rarely or never receiving him in Holy Communion, it is a sign that their devotion to the Blessed Mother is not what it should be. They are probably not praying their rosary well enough, nor often enough, or for many, not at all. Why would anyone in the state of grace not receive Holy Communion when they can, when Jesus has come to enrich their souls with merit, strengthen them against temptation, forgive their venial sins, give life to their soul, and increase their glory and everlasting happiness in heaven? My cousin Shirley was sick most of her life, eventually only had one kidney but would pray late at night till she fell asleep on the chair, and yet would make the sacrifice to get to Mass and receive Holy Communion each day, Jesus our supersubstantial bread. [11]’’ Give us this day our supersubstantial bread.’’ Drbo.org. Also in the Latin Vulgate: [11] ‘’Panem nostrum supersubstantialem da nobis hodie.’’ St. Matthew chapter 6. Shirley only lived to be 50 or 51. The day she died, her sister told me she was at the bedside of Shirley, and Shirley sat up and said, “Yes, Blessed Mother, I’m ready!’’ and laid back down and died. And now, let us hear St. Alphonsus about the happy death of Mary’s devoted clients.
‘’He that is a friend loveth at all times; and a brother is proved in distress,’’ says the Book of Proverbs, 17:17. We can never know our friends and relatives in the time of prosperity; it is only in the time of adversity that we see them in their true colors. People of the world never abandon a friend as long as he is in prosperity; but should misfortunes overtake him, and more particularly should he be at the point of death, they immediately forsake him. Mary does not act thus with her clients. In their afflictions, and more particularly in the sorrow of death, the greatest that can be endured in this world, this good Lady and Mother not only does not abandon her faithful servants, but as, during our exile, she is our life, so also is she, at our last hour, our sweetness, by obtaining for us a calm and peaceful death. For from the day on which Mary had the privilege and sorrow of being present at the death of her Son Jesus, who was the head of all the predestined, it became her privilege to assist also at their deaths. And for this reason the holy Church teaches us to beg this most Blessed Virgin to assist us, especially at the moment of death: pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death!
O how great are the sufferings of the dying! They suffer from remorse of conscience on account of past sins, from fear of the approaching judgement, and from the uncertainty of their eternal salvation. Then it is that hell arms itself, and spares no efforts to gain the soul which is on the point of entering eternity; for it knows that only a short time remains in which to gain it, and that if it loses it, it has lost it forever. ‘’The devil hath come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.’’ Apoc. (Rev) 12:12. And for this reason the enemy of our salvation, whose charge it was to tempt the soul during life, does not choose at death to be alone, but calls others to his assistance, according to the prophet Isaias: ‘’Their houses shall be filled with serpents.’’ 13:21. And indeed they are so; for when a person is at the point of death, the whole place in which he is, is filled with devils, who all unite to make him lose his soul. (Let this be a lesson to us when we are at the bedside of the dying to be praying the rosary for them, not just standing around idle talking. As well as the Chaplet of Mercy given to St. Faustina by Our Lord for the dying. Jesus told St. Faustina: “Pray as much as you can for the dying. Some souls will only be saved in their dying moments by your prayers. Ironically, even some Catholics have a problem with the chaplet where you pray the Lord’s Prayer, the Hail Mary, the Apostles Creed, and then you offer to God the Body, Blood , Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world. That’s exactly what the priest does at Mass. How could anyone possibly have a problem with that. I digress.).
It is related of St. Andrew of Avellino, that ten thousand devils came to tempt him at death. The conflict that he had in his agony with the powers of hell was so terrible that all the good religious that attended him trembled. They saw the saint’s face swell to such a degree from agitation, that it became quite black, every limb trembled and was contorted; his eyes shed a torrent of tears, his head shook violently; all gave evidence of the terrible assault he was enduring on the part of his infernal foes. All wept with compassion and redoubled their prayers, and at the same time trembled with fear at seeing the saint die thus. They were, however, consoled at seeing, that often, as if seeking for help, the saint turned his eyes towards a devout picture of Mary; for they remembered that during life, he had often said at death, that Mary would be his refuge. At length God was pleased to put an end to the contest by granting him a glorious victory; for the contortions of his body ceased, his face resumed its original size and color, and the saint, with his eyes tranquilly fixed on the picture, made a devout inclination to Mary (who it is believed then appeared to him), as if in the act of thanking her, and with a heavenly smile on his countenance tranquilly breathed forth his blessed soul into the arms of Mary. At the same moment, a Capuchiness, who was in her agony, turning to the nuns that surrounded her, said, “Recite a Hail Mary, for a saint has just expired.’’
Ah, how quickly do the rebellious spirits fly from the presence of this queen! If at the hour of death we have only the protection of Mary, what need we fear from all our infernal enemies? David, fearing the horrors of death, encouraged himself by placing his reliance on the death of the coming Redeemer and on the intercession of the Virgin Mother. “For though,’’ he says, ‘’ I should walk in the shadow of death…thy rod and thy staff ,they have comforted me.’’ Psalm 22:4. Cardinal Hugo, explaining these words of the Royal Prophet, says that the staff signifies the cross, and the rod is the intercession of Mary; for she is the rod foretold by the prophet Isaias: “And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root.’’ 11:1. ‘’This divine Mother,’’ says St. Peter Damian, ‘’is that powerful rod with which the violence of the infernal enemies is conquered.’’ And therefore does St. Antoninus encourage us, saying, “If Mary is for us, who shall be against us?”
When Father Emanuel Padial , of the Society of Jesus, was at the point of death, Mary appeared to him, and to console him she said: “See at length the hour has come when the angels congratulate thee, and exclaim: O happy labors, O mortifications well requited! And in the same moment an army of demons was seen taking flight, and crying out in despair: “Alas! We can do nought, for she who is without stain defends him.’’ In like manner, Father Gaspar Haywood, was assaulted by devils at his death, and greatly tempted against faith; he immediately recommended himself to the most Blessed Virgin, and was heard to exclaim, “I thank thee Mary, for thou hast come to my aid.’’
St. Bonaventure tells us that Mary sends without delay the prince of the heavenly court, St. Michael, with all the angels, to defend her dying servants against the temptations of the devils, and to receive the souls of all who in a special manner, and perseveringly have recommended themselves to her. The saint, addressing our Blessed Lady , says, “Michael, the leader and prince of the heavenly army, with all the administering spirits, obeys thy commands, O Virgin, and defends and receives the souls of the faithful who have particularly recommended themselves to thee, O Lady, day and night.”
The prophet Isaias tells us that when a man is on the point of leaving the world, hell is opened and sends forth its most terrible demons, both to tempt the soul before it leaves the body, and also to accuse it when presented before the tribunal of Jesus Christ for judgement. The prophet says , “Hell below was in an uproar to meet thee at thy coming; it stirred up the giants for thee.’’ Is. 14: . But Richard of St. Laurence remarks that when the soul is defended by Mary, the devils dare not even accuse it, knowing that the judge never condemned, and never will condemn, a soul protected by his august Mother. He asks, “Who would dare accuse one who is patronized by the Mother of Him who is to judge?” Mary not only assists her beloved servants at death and encourages them, but she herself accompanies them to the tribunal seat of God.
St. Jerome says, writing to the virgin Eustochia, ‘’What a day of joy will that be for thee, when Mary the Mother of our Lord, accompanied by choirs of virgins, will go to meet thee.’’ The Blessed Virgin assured St. Bridget of this; for, speaking of her devout clients at the point of death, she said: “Then will I, their dear Lady and Mother, fly to them, that they may have consolation and refreshment.’’ St. Vincent Ferrer says, that not only does the Most Blessed Virgin console and refresh them, but that, ‘’She receives the souls of the dying.’’ This loving Queen takes them under her mantle, and thus presents them to the judge, her Son, and most certainly obtains their salvation. This really happened to Charles, the son of St. Bridget, who died in the army, far from his mother. She feared much for his salvation on account of the dangers to which young men are exposed in a military career; but the Blessed Virgin revealed to her that he was saved on account of his love for her, and that in consequence she herself had assisted him at death, and had suggested to him the acts that should be made at that terrible moment. At the same time the saint saw Jesus on his throne, and the devil bringing two accusations against the most Blessed Virgin: the first was, that Mary had prevented him from tempting Charles at the moment of death; and the second, was, that the Blessed Virgin herself had presented this soul to the judge, and so saved it without even giving him the opportunity of exposing the grounds on which he claimed it. She then saw the judge drive the devil away, and Charles’ soul carried to heaven.
Ecclesiasticus say, ‘’Her bands are a healthful binding,’’ 6:31, and that ‘’in the latter end thou shalt find rest in her,’’ vs. 29. O, you are indeed fortunate, my brother, if at death you are bound with the sweet chains of the love of the Mother of God. These chains are chains of salvation, they are the chains that will ensure your salvation, and will make you enjoy in death that blessed peace which will be the beginning of that eternal peace and rest. Father Binetti, in his book on the perfections of our Blessed Lord, says, ‘’that having attended the death-bed of a great lover of Mary, he heard him, before expiring, utter these words; “O my Father, would that you could know the happiness that I now enjoy from having served the most holy Mother of God, I cannot tell you the joy I now experience.’’ Father Suarez (in consequence of his devotion to Mary, which was such that he used to say that he would willingly exchange all his learning for the merit of a single ‘’Hail Mary’’) died with such peace and joy, that in that moment he said, ‘’I could not have thought that death was so sweet;’’ meaning, that he could never have imagined that it was possible, if he had not then experience it, that he could have found such sweetness in death.
You, devout reader, will, without doubt, experience the same joy and contentment in death, if you can then remember that you have loved this good mother, who cannot be otherwise than faithful to her children who have been faithful in serving and honoring her, by their visits, rosaries and fasts, and still more by frequently thanking and praising her, and often recommending themselves to her powerful protection. Nor will this consolation be withheld, even if you have been for a long time a sinner, provided that, from this day you are careful to live well, and to serve this most gracious and benign Lady. In your pains, and in your temptations to despair that the devil will send you, she will console you, and even come herself to assist you in your last moments.
Such will also be your death, beloved reader, if you are faithful to Mary. Though you may have hitherto offended God, she will procure for you a sweet and happy death. And if by chance you are greatly alarmed and lose confidence at the sight of your sins, she will come and encourage you, as she did Adolphus, Count of Alsace, who abandoned the world, and embraced the order of St. Francis. In the Chronicles of that Order, we are told that he had a tender devotion to the Mother of God; and that when he was at the point of death, his former life and the rigors of divine justice presented themselves before his mind, when Mary (who is always active when her servants are in pain), accompanied by many saints, presented herself before the dying man, and encouraged him with words of the greatest tenderness, saying: “My own beloved Adolph, thou art mine, thou hast given thyself to me, and now why dost thou fear death so much?” On hearing these words, the servant of Mary was instantly relieved, fear was banished from his soul, and he expired in the greatest peace and joy.
Let us then be of good heart, though we be sinners, and feel certain that Mary will come and assist us at death, and comfort and console us with her presence, provided only that we serve her with love during the remainder of the time that we have in this world. Our Queen, one day addressing St. Matilda, promised that she would assist all her clients at death, who, during their lives, had faithfully served her. “I, as a most tender Mother, will faithfully be present at the death of all who piously serve me, and will console and protect them.’’ O God, what a consolation it will be at that last moment of our lives, when our eternal lot has so soon to be decided, to see the Queen of heaven, assisting and consoling us with the assurance of her protection.
Besides the cases already given in which we have seen Mary assisting her dying servants, there are innumerable others recorded in different works. This favor was granted to St. Clare; to St. Felix, of the Order of Capuchins; to St. Clare of Montefalco; to St. Teresa; to St. Peter of Alcantara. But, for our common consolation, I will relate the following: Father Crasset tells us, that Mary of Oignies saw the Blessed Virgin at the pillow of a devout widow of Willembroc, who was ill with a violent fever. Mary stood by her side, consoling her, and cooling her with a fan. Let us close this subject with another example, in which we shall see how great is the tenderness of this good Mother towards her children at death.
EXAMPLE: Of St. John of God, who was tenderly devoted to Mary, it is related that he fully expected that she would visit him on his deathbed; but not seeing her arrive, he was afflicted, and perhaps even complained. But when his last hour had come, the divine Mother appeared, and gently reproving him for his little confidence, addressed him in the following tender words, which may well encourage all servants of Mary: “John, it is not in me to forsake my clients at such a moment.’’ As though she had said: “John, of what wast thou thinking? Didst thou imagine that I had abandoned thee? And dost thou not know that I never abandon my clients at the hour of death? If I did not come sooner, it was that thy time had not yet come; but now that it has come, behold me here to take thee; let us go to heaven.” Shortly afterwards the saint expired, and fled to that blessed kingdom, there to thank his most loving Queen for all eternity. Thus ends the beautiful discourse of Mary’s sweetness and powerful protection at death to her faithful clients by St. Alphonsus de Liguori.
St. Louis de Montfort commenting on the rosary said: “The rosary is a priceless treasure inspired by God. The Blessed Mother in her 10th promise on the rosary says, “The faithful children of the rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in heaven.’’ Yet St. Louis also relates, in his book THE SECRET OF THE ROSARY, of how a devout but foolish woman believed her private devotions were better than praying the rosary every day. Following is the story of the foolish woman, and how deceived she really was.
The Foolish Woman- 26th Rose, Secret of the Rosary
“Whatever you do, do not be like a certain pious but self-willed lady in Rome, so often referred to when speaking about the Rosary. She was so devout and so fervent that she put to shame by her holy life, even the strictest religious in the Church. Having decided to ask St. Dominic’s advice about her spiritual life she asked him to hear her confession. For penance he gave her one whole Rosary to say and advised her to say it every day. She said she had no time to say it, excusing herself on the grounds that she made the Stations of Rome every day, that she wore sack-cloth and also a hair shirt, that she gave herself the discipline several times a week, that she carried out so many other penances and fasted so much. St. Dominic urged her over and over again to take his advice and say the Rosary, but she would not hear of it. She left the confessional, horrified at the tactics of this new spiritual director, who had tried so hard to persuade her to take on a devotion that was not at all to her liking.
Later on when she was in prayer she fell into ecstasy and had a vision of her soul appearing before Our Lord’s Judgement Seat. St. Michael put all her penances and other prayers on to one balance of the scales and all her sins and imperfections on to the other. The tray of her good works was greatly outweighed by that of her sins and imperfections.
Filled with terror she cried for mercy, imploring the help of the Blessed Virgin. Her gracious advocate, who took the one and only Rosary that she had said for her penance and dropped it on the tray of her good works. This one Rosary was so heavy that it weighed more than all her sins as well as all her good works. Our Lady then reproved her for having refused to follow the counsel of her servant Dominic and for not saying the Rosary every day.
As soon as she came to herself she rushed and threw herself at the feet of St. Dominic and told him all that had happened, begged his forgiveness for her unbelief and promised to say the Rosary faithfully every day. By this means she rose to Christian perfection and finally to the glory of everlasting life. (Mary’s 10th promise to those who say the Rosary she says, will have a high degree of glory in heaven).
You who are people of prayer, learn from this how tremendous is the power, the value and the importance of this devotion of the Most Holy Rosary when it is said together with meditation on the mysteries.
Few saints have reached the same heights of prayer as St. Mary Magdalene who was lifted up to heaven each day by angels, and who had the privilege of learning at the feet of Our Lord himself and His Blessed Mother. Yet one day when she asked God to show her a sure way of advancing in his love and of arriving at the height of perfection, He sent her St. Michael the Archangel to tell her, on his behalf, that there was no other way for her to arrive at perfection than to meditate on Our Lord’s Passion. So he placed a cross in the front of her cave and told her to pray before it, contemplating the Sorrowful Mysteries which she had seen take place with her own eyes.
The example of St. Francis de Sales, the great spiritual director of his time, should spur you on to join the holy confraternity of the Rosary, since, great saint that he was, he bound himself by oath to say the whole Rosary every single day as long as he lived. Saint Charles Borromeo said it every day and strongly recommended the devotion to his priests and to the ecclesiastics in the seminaries and also to all his people.
Saint Pius V, one of the greatest popes to ever rule the Church, said the Rosary every day. St. Thomas of Villanova, Archbishop of Valence, St. Ignatius, St. Francis Xavier, St. Francis Borgia, St. Teresa and St. Philip Neri as well as many other great men whom I Have not mentioned were deeply devoted to the Holy Rosary. Follow their example, and your spiritual directors will be pleased, and if they are aware of the benefit that you can derive from devotion, they will be the very first to urge you to adopt it.’’ – St. Louis de Montfort.
If we want to please our Blessed Mother in the best possible way, and gain the greatest grace, hear what she told St. Mechtilde: “I want you to know that no one can please me more than by saying the rosary.’’ Do you want a high degree of glory in heaven. “The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.” Our Lady’s 10th rosary promise.
At Fatima our Blessed Mother asked us to pray the rosary for an end to the war, for peace in the world, for the preventing of Communism and very great chastisements, including the annihilation of several nations, and most especially for the salvation of souls. She confirmed St. Alphonsus, St. Louis de Montfort and countless saints that devotion to her leads to salvation. She told Sr. Lucy: “In order to save souls, God wishes to establish devotion to my Immaculate Heart in the world…Many souls go to hell because they have no one to pray and sacrifice for the.’’ Recommended reading: The Secret of the Rosary – St. Louis de Montfort The Glories of Mary – St. Alphonsus True Devotion to Mary – St. Louis de Montfort These can now be found on Youtube. The Mystical City of God – Venerable Mary of Agreda, Spain, which has the approval of several popes, and Pope Pius XII gave his Apostolic Benediction to all who read The Mystical City of God, and also to all who promoted it. And, The Secret of Mary – St.Louis de Montfort MotherofGodlibrary.org