Since we celebrate the feast of the youngest Doctor of the Church, Saint Therese of Lisieux this Wednesday, October 1, I found it fitting to use some of her words about the Blessed Virgin Mary for today’s “Mondays with Mary.” Like last week’s post, which featured the words of St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), it’s my hope that you will be able to share this blog post as well as these quotes with your family and friends on your social media sites.

It’s my intention over the next year to provide you quote’s from the Doctors of the Church on the Blessed Virgin Mary. So many of the saints, including the 35 Doctors, have written on the Mother of God over the centuries. As one who loves the saints, I find their words on our Queen Mother to be prolific. We must strive to have the relationship with Our Lady, as did the saints who came before us. It is through her maternal mediation that we come to know Jesus Christ more and more each day.

Writing about the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Little Flower, St. Therese, says…

1. “O, how I love the Blessed Virgin. If I were a priest how often would I speak of her. She is described as unapproachable, whereas she should be pointed to as a model. She is more of a Mother than a Queen.”

2. “I do not tremble when I see my weakness, for the treasures of a mother belong also to her child, and I am thy child, O dear Mother Mary.”

3. “My dear Mother Mary, I think that I am more happy than you. I have you as a Mother and your haven’t the Blessed Virgin to love as I have.”

4. “O Virgin Mary, change my heart into a beautiful pure corporal, to receive that white Host in which our sweet Lamb hides Himself.”

5. “In that first ‘fusion’ with Jesus (holy communion), it was my Heavenly Mother again who accompanied me to the altar for it was she herself who placed her Jesus into my soul.”

6. “With all my heart I consecrated myself to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and asked her to watch over me. She seemed to look lovingly on her Little Flower and to smile at her again.”

7. “What a joy to remember that she [Mary] is our Mother! Since she loves us and knows our weakness, what have we to fear?”

8. “There, too, I listen on my knees, great Queen of all the Angels! To that sweet canticle that flows in rapture from your soul; so do you teach me how to sing like heavenly, glad angels. And glorify my Jesus, Who alone can make me whole.”

9. “To ask something of the Blessed Virgin is not the same as to ask something of God.  She knows well what to do with all my little desires and it is for her to decide whether to ask for them or not.”

10. “Do not be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her enough. And Jesus will be very happy, because the Blessed Virgin is His Mother.”

Since today is the feast day of the Archangels – St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael, let us invoke a prayer through the intercession of the Queen of Angels –

“August Queen of Heaven! Sovereign Mistress of the angels! You who fro the beginning has received from God the power and mission to crush the head of Satan, we humbly beseech you to send your holy Legions, that, under your command and by their power, they my pursue the evil spirits, encounter them on every side, resist their bold attacks and drive them hence into the abyss of eternal woe. Amen.

The above quotes are from a compilation of poems, daily thoughts, and her autobiography.