聖蒙福 三十三天祈禱奉獻 －第三十一天
師主篇 卷四 第2章
聖體聖事大顯天主的仁善慈愛
吾主！依賴祢的良善仁慈，我到祢跟前，如同病人到救他的醫生跟前，飢渴的人到生命的井泉跟前，窮人到天上的君王跟前，奴僕到主人跟前，受造者到自己的創造者跟前，憂苦的到安慰自己的跟前一樣。
但是我有什麼好處，至於叫祢到我心內來呢？我是誰，祢竟把祢的親身送給我？我重罪人，怎麼敢站在祢臺前，祢怎麼屈尊就卑降到我罪人心內呢？祢認得祢的僕役，知道他沒有一點長處值得祢這樣待他。所以我承認我的卑賤，承認祢的良善，讚美祢的仁慈，感謝祢極大的愛情。
敬禮聖母的真諦 Nos.243-254
實踐這高尚的奴役應特別地慶祝天主聖言降生為人的偉大奧跡。三月二十五日聖母領報慶日就是敬禮這奧跡的最好時節。這是天主聖神啟示的：（1）叫我們 崇敬、效法天主聖子為光榮聖父，為救贖世人甘願服從聖母瑪利亞。這種超絕的服從使耶穌基督作聖母胎中的囚徒與奴隸，使祂完全聽從瑪利亞。所以在降生奧跡 中，耶穌對聖母的服從特別昭著；（2）為叫人類感激天主給予聖母瑪利亞無可比擬的恩寵，而特別是感激天主在這奧跡中揀選瑪利亞為祂的生母。在瑪利亞內作耶 穌基督的奴隸的兩大主要目標即在於此。
因我們處在這傲氣充斥的時代裡，在熱心事工上，一再強調最確實、穩固的事的驕傲、好議的學者太多了。為避免他們不必要的評擊非議，與其說：「瑪利亞 的奴隸」，不如說：「在瑪利亞內作耶穌的奴隸」，自稱是基督的奴隸。在這敬禮的名稱上，尤其在注重的是敬禮的最終目標即耶穌基督，而到達目標的途徑：瑪利 亞。實際上，兩種稱謂，均可使行。因在這敬禮中，恭敬、推崇的主要奧跡是降生成人的奧跡，所想到、見到的耶穌基督是在瑪利亞內、孕育於瑪利亞懷中的耶穌基 督。所以說在瑪利亞內作耶穌的奴僕，作在瑪利亞內居住為王的耶穌基督的奴隸是較為合適。正如多少大人物反覆誦唸的這段經文：「啊！生活在瑪利亞內的耶穌基 督，請降來生活在我們的內心吧！」
實踐這高尚的奴役應熱心誦唸〈聖母經〉。教友中雖是有知識的，很少透視它的價值、益處、超卓和必要性。童貞聖母許多次顯現給大聖人們指出這經文的價值。
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Total Consecration by St. Louis Marie de Montfort – DAY 31
Imitation of Christ, by Thomas á Kempis: Book 4, Chapter 2
That the Great Goodness and Love of God
Is Exhibited to Man in This Sacrament
In confidence of Thy goodness and great mercy, O Lord, I draw near, sick to the Healer, hungry and thirsty to the Fountain of life, needy to the King of Heaven, a servant to his Lord, a creature to the Creator, desolate to my own tender Comforter. “But whence is this to me,” that Thou comest unto me (Luke 1:43)? What am I, that Thou shouldest grant me Thine own self? how dare a sinner appear before Thee?
And how is it that Thou dost vouchsafe to come unto a sinner? Thou knowest Thy servant, and art well aware that he hath in him no good thing, for which Thou shouldest grant him this. I confess therefore mine own vileness, I acknowledge Thy goodness, I praise Thy tender mercy, and give Thee thanks for Thy transcendent love.
From True Devotion To the Blessed Virgin Mary, Nos. 243-254 243.
Loving slaves of Jesus in Mary should hold in high esteem devotion to Jesus, the Word of God, in the great mystery of the Incarnation, March 25th, which is the mystery proper to this devotion, because it was inspired by the Holy Spirit for the following reasons: a) That we might honour and imitate the wondrous dependence which God the Son chose to have on Mary, for the glory of his Father and for the redemption of man. This dependence is revealed especially in this mystery where Jesus becomes a captive and slave in the womb of his Blessed Mother, depending on her for everything. b) That we might thank God for the incomparable graces he has conferred upon Mary and especially that of choosing her to be his most worthy Mother. This choice was made in the mystery of the incarnation. These are the two principal ends of the slavery of Jesus in Mary.
245. a) Since we live in an age of pride when a great number of haughty scholars, with proud and critical minds, find fault even with long-established and sound devotions, it is better to speak of “slavery of Jesus in Mary” and to call oneself “slave of Jesus” rather than “slave of Mary”. We then avoid giving any pretext for criticism. In this way, we name this devotion after its ultimate end which is Jesus, rather than after the way and the means to arrive there, which is Mary. However, we can very well use either term without any scruple, as I myself do.
246. b) Since the principal mystery celebrated and honoured in this devotion is the mystery of the Incarnation where we find Jesus only in Mary, having become incarnate in her womb, it is appropriate for us to say, “slavery of Jesus in Mary”, of Jesus dwelling enthroned in Mary, according to the beautiful prayer, recited by so many great souls, “O Jesus living in Mary”.
249. Those who accept this devotion should have a great love for the Hail Mary, or, as it is called, the Angelic Salutation. Few Christians, however enlightened, understand the value, merit, excellence and necessity of the Hail Mary. Our Blessed Lady herself had to appear on several occasions to men of great holiness and insight, such as St. Dominic, St. John Capistran and Blessed Alan de Rupe, to convince them of the richness of this prayer.
Prayers for the Second Week Preparatory Period
