Mirror of justice . . .

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Mirrors reflect images they do not create images.  The higher quality the mirror, the more sharply defined and accurately do they reflect the characteristics of the object.  To say Mary is the Mirror of Justice means that she, perfectly, without any deviation or change reflects and reveals to those who look to her the love which her Son has for all.

As a mother brings new life into the world, so Mary brings life and the perfection of this life through her Son.  She is the means through whom we are encouraged to discover and follow his gospel message.  She desires that all her children be drawn to him and the glory his Father offers us in heaven.

When we see Mary we see his Son's Father who is all-perfection and by whose love Mary was created.  When we see Mary who cooperated with the Holy Spirit to bring Christ to the world, we see in Mary the means by which all are invited to closer union with her son.

Whoever does not have a great love for the mother of God cannot have a great love for her son.
  (1)  St. Joseph Cafasso

She has given more glory to God than all the angels and saints have given him or ever will give him.
  (2)  St. Louis de Montfort

Not only do they offend thee, O Lady, who outrage thee, but thou art also offended by those who neglect to ask thee favors . . .  He who neglects the service of the Blessed Virgin will die in his sins . . . He who does not invoke thee, O Lady, will never get to Heaven .. .  Not only will those from whom Mary turns her countenance not be saved, but there will be no hope of their salvation . . . No one can be saved without the protection of Mary.  (3)  St. Bonaventure

Mary, give my your Heart: so beautiful, so pure, so immaculate; your Heart so full of love and humility that I may be able to receive Jesus in the Bread of Life and love Him as you love Him and serve Him in the distressing guise of the poor.  (4)  Blessed Mother Teresa

To give worthy praise to the Lord’s mercy, we unite ourselves with Your Immaculate Mother, for then our hymn will be more pleasing to You, because She is chosen from among men and angels.  Through Her, as through a pure crystal, Your mercy was passed on to us.  Through Her, man became pleasing to God; Through Her, streams of grace flowed down upon us. (5)  St. Faustina

No one will ever be the servant of the Son without serving the Mother. (6)  St. Ildephonsus of Toledo

All true children of God have God for their father and Mary for his mother; anyone who does not have Mary for his mother, does not have God for his father.  (7)  St. Louis Marie de Montfort

Let not that man presumes to look for mercy from God who offends His Holy Mother.  (8)  St. Louis Marie de Montfort

For God, having given her power over his only-begotten and natural Son, also gave her power over his adopted children – not only in what concerns their body – which would be little account –but also in what concerns their soul.  (9)  St. Louis Marie de Montfort

If devotion to the Blessed Virgin is necessary for all men simply to work out their salvation, it is even more necessary for those who are called to a special perfection.  I do not believe that anyone can acquire intimate union with our Lord and perfect fidelity to the Holy Spirit without a very close union with the most Blessed Virgin and an absolute dependence on her support.  (10)  St. Louis Marie de Montfort

If anyone does not wish to have Mary Immaculate for his Mother, he will not have Christ for his Brother.
  (11)  St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe

When the Blessed Virgin conceived the Eternal Word in her womb, and brought him forth, she obtained half the kingdom of God; so that she is Queen of Mercy, as Jesus Christ is King of Justice. (12)  St. Thomas

Each of Mary's prayers is, as it were, an established law for our Lord, that he should show mercy to all for whom she intercedes.
  (13)  St. Alphonsus de Liguori 

For if we are bidden to honor carnal fathers and mothers, how much more the spiritual? . . .   If this virtue of charity has been overlooked, a man will lose any fruit of salvation in any good he may do. (14)  St. Gregory VII, pope

If we contemplate the life of Mary, our Lord will give us the light we need to divinize our everyday existence. (15)  St. Josemaria Escriva

When the Virgin Mary pronounced her choice, "Thy will be done," to the Angel Gabriel, so should we.  When God's love gets through to us and we come to know what he desires, we ought to commit ourselves to be faithful, loyal and then be so in fact.
  (16)  St. Josemaria Escriva

Pray to her that she may give you the strength to follow him to the end with faith. (17)  Pius XII, pope

It is by means of her, of her who is the mirror of justice and the seat of wisdom that Almighty God ordained that we should receive everything. (18)  St. Pius X, pope

Do not forget that true wisdom is that which Mary guarantees to us.  It is that which she teaches us in the name of Wisdom Incarnate. 'Hail, most abundant source from which spring out the streams of divine wisdom, and holds back, with the purest and clearest waters of true doctrine, the curling waves of error. (19)  Pius XII, pope

The eyes of Mary are on the just and on the sinners.  For her eyes are the eyes of a mother; and a mother not only watches her child to prevent it from falling, but when it has fallen, she raises it up. (20)  Richard of St. Laurence

In the words, "My soul magnifies the Lord," she expresses her whole program of life: not setting herself at the center, but leaving space for God, who is encountered both in prayer and in service of neighbor - only then does goodness enter the world.  (21)  Benedict XVI, pope

Mary's greatness consists in the fact that she wants to magnify God, not herself.  She is lowly: her only desire is to be the handmaid of the Lord.  She knows that she will only contribute to the salvation of the world if, rather than carrying out her own projects, she places herself completely at the disposal of God's initiatives. (22)  Benedict XVI, pope

Mary wanted God to be great in the world, great in her life and present among us all.  She was not afraid that God might be a "rival" in our life, that with his greatness he might encroach on our freedom, our vital space.  She knew that if God is great, we too are great.  Our life is not oppressed but raised and expanded: it is precisely then that it becomes great in the splendor of God.  Only if God is great is humankind also great.  With Mary, we must begin to understand that this is so. (23)  Benedict XVI, pope

Mary was, so to speak, "at home" with God's word, she lived on God's word, she was penetrated by God's word.  To the extent that she spoke with God's words, she thought with God's words, her thoughts were God's thoughts, her words, God's words.  She was penetrated by divine light and this is why she was so resplendent, so good, so radiant with love and goodness. (24)  Benedict XVI, pope

Mary lived on the Word of God, she was imbued with the Word of God.  And the fact that she was immersed in the Word of God and was totally familiar with the Word also endowed her later with the inner enlightenment of wisdom.  Whoever thinks with God thinks well, and whoever speaks to God speaks well.  They have valid criteria to judge all the things of the world.  They become prudent, wise, and at the same time good; they also become strong and courageous with the strength of God, who resists evil and fosters good in the world.
  (25)  Benedict XVI, pope

All Mary's thoughts, her will and her actions are imbued with and formed by the Word.  Since she herself dwells in the Word, she can also become the new "Dwelling Place" of the Word in the world. (26)  Benedict XVI, pope

Show yourself as a  provident and merciful Mother to the whole world so that, by respecting human dignity and rejecting every form of violence and exploitation, sound foundations may be laid for the civilization of love. (27)  Benedict XVI, pope

Mary was a person in conversation with God, with the Word of God and also with the events through which God spoke to her.
  (28)  Benedict XVI, pope

Let us ask the Virgin Mary, pierced in spirit next to the Cross of her Son, to obtain for us a solid faith.  Guiding us along the Lenten journey, may she help us to leave all that distances us from listening to Christ and his saving Word. (29)  Benedict XVI, pope

Mary is at home with the Word of God, with ease she moves in and out of it.  She speaks and thinks with the Word of God; the Word of God becomes her word, and her word issues from the Word of God.  Here we see how her thoughts are attuned to the thoughts of God, how her will is one with the will of God. (30)  Benedict XVI, pope

Mary is the fruit and sign of the love God has for us, of his tenderness and mercy.  Therefore, together with our brothers in the faith of all times and all places, we turn to her in our needs and hopes, in the joyful and sorrowful events of life. (31)  Benedict XVI, pope

Mary is the sure means, the direct and immaculate way to Jesus and the perfect guide to Him; it is through her that souls who are to shine forth in sanctity must find Him.  He who finds Mary, finds life, that is, Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth and the life.
  (32)  St. Louis Marie De Montfort

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