Our Mother of Perpetual Help grants her devotees fidelity in Her service

 Perseverance! A great problem, a major question of life or death, a perpetual torment of souls who want to be saved.

Have you not said trembling – on seeing yourself surrounded by so many dangers and, above all, on seeing souls who seemed confirmed in good fall away, on feeling violent passions inflamed and on examining your own fickleness – have you not said, "Oh, will I be saved? Have my sins been forgiven? I hope so. Am I in the grace of God? Will I persevere in good until the end? What will be my sentence at judgment? Will I be found among the predestined? What will be my lot in eternity?"

Terrifying reflections, questions whose uncertain replies fill the heart with anxiety. St. Teresa, writing on this point, could not understand why the pen did not fall from her hand. St. Paul, after having preached to others, feared he would be among the reprobate. And St. Jerome responded beforehand to the sound of the trumpet of final judgment with cries of terror.

How, then, to get rid of this annoying doubt? How to find a guarantee of tranquility? A great saint tell us, "Of what value is it to stir up these questions disputed by the wise ones concerning whether you will be saved or not? If we are true children of Mary certainly we will be among the chosen ones."

This is the doctrine of all the Doctors of the Church. It is impossible for one who counts on the most powerful help of Mary to be condemned. A consoling word that should fill us with confidence and devotion. But this is understood on condition one lives without sins or desires at least to cease sinning. Because, if someone wants to sin with the hope the Blessed Virgin will save him, through his own fault he would make himself unworthy and incapable of Her protection.

It is true, then, O Mother of Perpetual Help that, if I am Thy faithful servant, without doubt I will be saved. I will serve Thee, then. I will love Thee. I will invoke Thee always.

Nevertheless, Christian soul, you are still not at peace concerning your perseverance. You must still fear one thing. Without doubt Most Holy Mary will save you if you invoke Her. But, will you be faithful in Her service? Will you one day cease to be Her devotee? So great is the fickleness of our heart that tomorrow you will give up what you have begun today. Have, perchance, all those who were devotees of the Virgin in the beginning persevered in Her service?

For this great misery, called inconstancy, there is a remedy in Our Lady of Perpetual Help. She Herself is the One Who must help up persevere in Her service. If all graces pass through the hands of Mary, why would not this most special grace of graces, that of invoking Her perpetually, also pass through them? And the very name itself of Perpetual Help, is it not almost a sure guarantee She will help us perpetually?

How could we weaken in Her love and forget Her? If a mother, according to nature, knew a child of hers could not be happy without enjoying the attention of his mother, what would she not do to keep him at her side? Well then, our august Queen knows there cannot be happiness for us, Her very beloved children without our having fidelity in Her service, which is intimately united to the service of the Lord. And that is why She provides Her devotees with Her maternal help, abundantly and perpetually.

When a soul who has been at one time Her devotee wishes to abandon Her, that tender Mother waits, so to speak, at the door of his heart and knocks until it is opened, that is, until the unfaithful one returns to his primitive fervor. We have, then, an infallible means of assuring ourselves of perseverance in devotion to Mary. It suffices to ask Her for the grace to call on Her always, to ask Her for the grace today, to ask Her tomorrow and every day. In short, O soul devoted to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, engrave in your memory that maxim of the great doctor, St. Alphonsus, "I am sure I will be saved, if I sincerely invoke Mary. I am sure of invoking Her, if I ask of Her the grace to do so always. And I will not tire of repeating this petition of imploring Her with fidelity."

Let us conclude in the words of St. Bernard, "O man, whoever thou art, understand that in this world thou art tossed about on a stormy and tempestuous sea rather than walking on solid ground. Remember that, if thou wouldst avoid being drowned, thou must never turn thine eyes from the brightness of this star, but keep them fixed on it and call on Mary. In danger, in straits, in doubts, remember Mary, invoke Mary. Let not Her name leave thy lips, let it be ever in thy heart. Following Her thou wilt certainly not go astray. Imploring Her thou wilt not despair. If She supports thee, thou canst not fall. If She protects thee, thou hast nothing to fear for thou canst not be lost. With Her for a guide, thou wilt not be weary for thy salvation will be worked out with ease." If Mary undertakes our defense we are certain of gaining the kingdom of Heaven. This do and thou shalt live. Amen.