The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-05-31
TIE BLESSED VIRGIN.
Wer Coronation -CrWwns M Thorn and
Crowns Of Glory.


The coronation Of the Blessed Virgin Mnry-a
ceremony which closes tho beautiful devotions
Of the Month OF Mary-ia one of those insptra-
tions OF the Catholic Church, as roplote WITH the
beauty Of holiness as with the wisdom Of divine
truth.
This touching manifestation 81 peoples
ysncrgtion for the mother Of their Lord-its dis
played by the crowning of her statues witt gar,
lands Of flowers, or with circlets Of gold and
made typical OF that coronation with diade,n
~ glory whi ID She has received from tho hnnts
" her Divine Non-is moro than y mere cnre.
fnony. II Ia o. lesson for ail Christians. fnil q
oneouragen,ent and love y z symbi, h,., = ne !,
Tho close: IL ia d vision Of the rest and glory
which await the heroic soldiers Of The GROSS u
il n revelation OF that " exceeding great reward
which God has prepared for those who love
The month of May--tho farest Of the year II
woll calculated 10 awaken in tho hearts oi Chris.
tans. n fsrvent devotion toward our blessed
Lady: and to remind them by the very perfume
of the flowers laid upon her shrine, Of tho honor
and respect paid to her in all tho ages OF the
The flowers Of our gardens. which tho hand of
affection lays upon her affairs, should remind MS
of that exquisite Rose Of tilial love which the
glorious Council Of Ephesus laid Mt her feet
when. in refua ion Of the Victorian heresy;
they proclaimed her the mother Of God Aud
rs we link th nth century with the nineteeDlh.
we find that tho whitcst aud loveliest blossom
Eyer fasboaed by nature or by art Is eht ,n Zee
OF our Sovereign PontiH offered to her honor.
in the dogrnG of the immaculate Conception
purple psnaies which We scatter at her feet re-
mind us OF those past incidents Of history which
are too easily forgotten by the busy minds ~
men. One Of these souvenirs of thought should
30 the fact That Columbus named tho good ship
which bore him to the New World SANTA Maria
fitting trihute 10 her whoHe ntercsssion tow
ingly and confidently invoked Will ono day.
bear us all TO IA new md botter world. M
Again it Ia well to remember that tho NJ ighty
river which aweeps across our continent. bear
ing npon its waters 50 much Of the riches of
earth was called by it's earliest dtscovgrcr River
ol the lmma3ulnte Conceplon IN honor Of Her
who bore upon her bosom the Giyer OF all good
gifts. and who still conveys TO us SO much ot
heavenly grace and blessings.
But Whatever reflections arise TO mind from
out our May medinions there are fcw more
beautiful or consoling than thos0 evoked by this
ceremony Of the Coronation.
The hurJh teaches us 10 sec IN Esther. tho
beautiful nihider' Of low estate who was elc-
yatcd 10 the dignity of Queen OF the torsi8n
Empire n 0eure of the Blessed Virgin, Nle peer
less and stninle one. who was raised from her
iowLy footst1ol of Nazareth 10 be mistress Of all
hearts. and 0uefm Of Angels and # men.
Esther. bY her intorcession with hssuarus.
obtained Tho derive ance Of her people from the
fearful doom pronounced ngainst them. and
Mary. tho mother Of the King, by hor loving in
iercession obtains for tho children of her ace
exemption from eternal death, and ~ life ever
lHstn9 agd sLil blessed.
CrowninE por59n has always been, ~ an
tions-ether rs g racrliicial Offering. or as
royal ceremony, tictim or asovoreiKn f@eifes
served "a either death or glory. Does not This
fact bring 80 mind the bitter crow.. lg OF Him
who WAS off cred u victim for tho Sins 0t mon.
and do not His iowly humiations and His
crown of cruel thorns contrast most lovingly
with the glory He bestows upon His blessed
mother aud with the dadem of shining stars
with which He CROW ns her foreheadi
He was our tictim. crowned for the sacrifice:
and He Givos ~ Mary us our Sovereign Lady
crowned FOR tie salvation Of her people.
Crown OF tlIorns and crown OF gloryl Let us
ever bear in grateful remembrance the sorrows
of the one, and the Rraces OF the other; and
WHILE with con rite hearts. we compassionate
the suferinGs OF our Lord let us pour out
thanks for the glory Of our Lady.
But it is y non its lesson OF encouragement
that we should chiefly rest our thoughts while
~ explained In tho holy rosary. or as devoioped
IN the closing exercises Of the Month OF May,
Mordecai paid to Esther: Who knows whether
thou art not therefore come TO the Kingdom that
thou mghte.t be ready for such time as this =
and we. poor suppian's, appeal ~ our dear
come 70 the Kingdom that thou mightest be
ready for auch a time as this.
The world to- day is full of Hamans. plotting
against the Spouse OF Christ and seeking ~ de
stroy her people, And like Mordeeai, there Is
one man who will not bend the knee to wicked
still refuses 20 pay homage to corrupt world.
or yield obedience TO its unjust decrees: but we
know his voice Ia rising up TO her who
needs no reminder TINT she has como into the
Kingdom 70 be ready for such times as these.
Then let us remomber when we see the hands
that this beautiful ceremony is but the symbol of
that victorY TO which every Christian heart
aspircs; that Il Is but n vision Of the rest and
glory which we one day may share-a revelation
Of that incuu ceivable peace and Joy which God
reserves for all who love Him.