Our Mother of Perpetual Help Defends Her Devotees in Temptations

 Consider that one of the major difficulties in which man needs the perpetual help of Mary in a special way is in temptation, that perpetual and provoking struggle in which we are engaged against the enemies of our salvation. All of us, just and sinners, feel ourselves inclined to evil. St. Paul himself, after having been carried up to the third heaven, exclaimed saying, "Unhappy man that I am. I see another law in my members, fighting against the law of my mind and captivating me in the law of sin. . .There was given me a sting of my flesh, an angel of Satan, to buffet me."

Perhaps, my friend, you could use the same language. You, too, feel this dismal law of sin seeking to dominate the spirit, those vehement impulses of passions hungering for pleasure. Satan and a deceiving world hold out chains to you, too, and at times your find yourself in great danger of succumbing to the very violence of temptation.

Oh then, what constraints, what straits are those to the soul who wants to be saved. She finds herself surrounded by so many and such powerful enemies. She feels her own weakness and frailty and, with all that, she has to defeat all her enemies together under pain of being lost, perhaps for an eternity! How critical a position!

Christian, what will you do in this struggle so terrible with the world, the flesh and the devil? Will you surrender your arms declaring yourself defeated? No! That would be great and criminal cowardice. Ah! Let that not be your conduct! Rather let us have recourse to Our Lady and Her Perpetual Help will attain victory for us.

It is related that the Emperor Constantine, having to face a decisive battle against Maxentius, an enemy of the Christians, lifted his eyes to Heaven and saw in the sky a brilliant cross with this inscription: "In this sign shalt thou conquer." And it was verified by the complete routing of Maxentius.

Christian soul, you who are continually at war with so many enemies, Heaven presents you with the same banner in the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Look at the veil covering the virginal forehead of the heavenly Queen. On it you will also see a cross promising you the most powerful help of the merciful Mother of God.

Mary is terrible against the powers of Hell, like an army in battle array. She is the Tower of David constructed with ramparts from which hang a thousand shields. Against this tower the sharp arrows of the enemy will break. She is the One Who crushed the head of the infernal serpent. And the powers of Hell flee simply on hearing Her most holy Name pronounced.

Christian, have you looked for some time with reflection upon the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help? Does not Her sight remind you of the prodigies worked in other times by the holy ark of the Lord? Truly, the Ark of the Covenant was covered with pure gold. It contained the manna that fell from Heaven. And two angels covered it with their white wings. By means of the ark of the Lord the people of God attained their victories, the walls of Jericho crumbled, the Philistines were defeated because the holy ark was with Israel.

• Well then, do you not see the gold of divine charity glow in the same way in the loving Heart of that kindest of mothers? 
• Do you not see Jesus, the sweet manna of our souls, in Her maternal arms? 
• Do you not see the angels in the background of that picture with their wings extended? Is it not by means of Her most powerful help that so many Christians have attained victory over their enemies? 
• How many souls adorned with the grace of the Lord would be sunk in sin if they had not invoked Our Lady of Perpetual Help at the moment of temptation!

Thus, O Christian soul, make a firm resolution never to enter into combat with the enemies of your salvation alone, but rather accompanied by Most Holy Mary. Her Perpetual Help will serve as your shield and thus you will attain innumerable other victories in as many battles as you must endure.

O Mother of Perpetual Help! For us Thou art the holy Ark of the Lord. With Thee we will win victories. Before Thee the enemies of our salvation will flee terrified. In every temptation we will invoke Thy Perpetual Help and Thou wilt help us perpetually.