Our Mother of Perpetual Help Sustains her Devotees in the Practice of Virtue

 If it were sufficient to avoid sin in order to be agreeable in everything to the Lord, the benign office of our Mother would stop at this. For this alone She would provide Her Perpetual Help. But God is not content with not being offended. He requires positive service. He wants us to be perfect. "Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect." And truly, He wants us to dedicate ourselves to the practice of these Christian virtues.

But how many difficulties are encountered on the path that leads to the holy mountain of perfection! It seems that good, solely because it is good, is now contrary to our corrupt nature. Just souls who have consecrated yourselves to the practice of piety, have you not found it so? Oh, how arid and sterile is our heart, how incapable of producing any fruit worthy of eternal life if the heavenly water of grace do not fall to fertilize it.

When a soul truly wishes to sanctify herself she renounces herself, advancing each day in perfection, experiencing what the author of the "Imitation" says, "that sanctification is not child’s play nor the work of one day." Then she feels the need of perpetual and powerful help, of continual assistance.

Ah, and this perpetual help, perchance we do not have it? Why do we withdraw? Why turn back in the face of difficult? Do we not have Our Lady of Perpetual Help to protect us?

Take courage, generous souls, your Mother will help you. Do you not see that She presents you to the Infant Jesus? And why, except to incite us to the practice of virtue? The knowledge alone that his king is watching him gives courage to the warrior in combat. Thus, when good is made difficult for us, when we are about to weaken, let us fix our glance on the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. The sight of the adorable Infant Who one day must reward us encourages us and we will have the courage to practice the most heroic virtues.

Children of Mary, would you like to be truly virtuous, but always find in your interior that reserve of self-love that poisons your good works? Invoke Our Lady of Perpetual Help and in a little while your spirit, like Hers, will seek nothing but the good pleasure and glory of God.

Do you lack patience? Invoke Our Lady of Perpetual Help frequently and you will be meek and humble of heart.

Is it your desire to live detached from all disordered affection for creatures, but that miserable heart always takes delight in the vanities of the world? Invoke Our Lady of Perpetual Help and you will grasp the vanity of everything created.

The white lily of chastity has enamored you. Do you want to preserve it immaculate or acquire it again, if through misfortune you lost it? Invoke Our Lady of Perpetual Help and soon you will be singing within yourself to Him Who grazes among the lilies, "As the lily among thorns, so is my beloved among the daughters."

Faith, hope and charity, queen of virtues, wish to place their throne in your heart? Who will grant you that favor but the Virgin Who bears on Her forehead the star of faith and the Cross that is all our hope and in Her arms the love of the Divine Jesus?

The wound of an insult received does not want to heal in your heart? Invoke Our Lady of Perpetual Help and you will succeed in doing good to those who offended you.

Finally, are you in the flower of your age? Does the choice of a way of life concern you? Pray to Her like other souls whom She has helped, enlightening them about the vanities of the world and enkindling in them the love of their God to the point of their abandoning everything and consecrating themselves to the Lord by means of the sacred vows of religion. And finally, if you have chosen your vocation and wish to work out your sanctification in the world, make yourself a devotee of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and you will attain it.

Oh, only in Heaven will it be known how many souls have reached perfection through that so easy means. Dedicate yourselves, then, pious souls, from now on to the service of that gracious Mother and one day you will be Her crown in glory.