(Death, Heaven, Purgatory, Hell)
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
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From "On the Immaculate Conception"
by St. Francis
Anthony of Lucera
How beautiful are your sandaled feet, O Daughter of the Prince! (Cant. 7:2)
First Consideration O soul, ponder how, transparent and pure as She was from the
very moment of Her Immaculate Conception, Mary came
forth from the Most High God as the first-born Daughter of all creation, formed
by His creative word. Her appearance on earth was like the first immaculate ray
of light...the sun, the moon, the stars, all of nature, the whole visible and
invisible world bowed at Her feet as She walked the earth: How beautiful are
your sandaled feet, O Daughter of the Prince! Oh! so beautiful are the steps of
Mary as She walks through life!...And You, O soul, who meditate on them now,
what steps have you taken with your feet since reaching the use of reason? Were
they meritorious or not?...And from that time, over the course of so many
years, what have you accomplished for the good of your soul?...for your growth
in holiness? And where are you going now?...Are your steps taking you toward
God or away from Him? O Immaculate Virgin, loveliest Daughter of the Most High
Prince, perfect Thou my goings in Thy paths (Ps. 16:5). Direct and keep, we
beg You, our steps strictly upon Your paths as we strive to follow in Your
sacred footprints! Second Consideration Ponder, O soul, how Mary is said to
progress through life on beautifully sandaled feet. In connection with the
Saints, sandaled feet signify their interior affections, perfected and
strengthened by the virtues...Mary from the first moment of Her existence was
always most pure and perfect. Her thoughts, Her affections, Her desires, and
Her plans were always strengthened and embellished by admirable virtues. Like
fragrant flowers, they filled all Her surroundings with sweet fragrance,
without any foul odor or dark cloud ever to tarnish or diminish their beauty.
And you, O soul who meditate on Her affections, you wander through the impure
desert of this earthly pilgrimage with nary a thought as to how you might
strengthen yourself with all the necessary virtues. Courage! Today, lift up your
spirit! Away with the impurities surrounding you. Fortify yourself with the
shield of holy virtues so that you can walk as Mary did, and attain the
blessings awaiting you in Paradise. O Mary, most pure among all creatures,
direct our feet, strengthen our affections as we strive to imitate Your holy
virtues! Third Consideration O soul, ponder how Mary who, after Her Son, is the
first-born Daughter of the Most High God, is called par excellence Daughter of
the Prince, that is, the most beloved, dearest, worthiest of Her Prince Father,
God. And this filiation which Mary had by Her Immaculate Conception She always
kept inviolate...never did She weaken it by disobedience. Rather, She continued
wondrously to enhance it through the complete observance of the Law and
absolute conformity to the will of Her heavenly Father. O Mary, most beautiful,
You were always a Daughter and never a slave, always a Daughter of grace and
never a slave of sin! And you, O soul who meditate on Her filiation, how have
you treasured the filiation God gave you through grace at your holy
Baptism?...Whose son or daughter have you been for so long a time?...And whose
child are you now?...In charity recover anew that divine filiation. Never lose
it again...Propose now, firmly, nevermore to be a child of Eve, a slave of sin,
but a child of Mary, first-born Daughter among all creatures, and Mother of all
graces.