Since Tuesday, October 4, is the memorial for Saint Francis of Assisi, I found it fitting to provide you today with his Marian prayer. Like many of the saints before him, and many of the saints after him, St. Francis of Assisi had a great devotion and love for the Blessed Virgin Mary. Three specific roles of the Blessed Virgin Mary that St. Francis focused on were – Mother, Advocate, and Queen.
Through the writings of St. Bonaventure, one of the great Franciscan theologians and the Seraphic Doctor, he says that St. Francis believes the following about Mary as Mother –
‘He loved with an unspeakable affection the Mother of the Lord Jesus Christ, forasmuch as that She had made the Lord of glory our Brother, and that through Her we have obtained mercy’ (Leg. Mai. IX,3). For who can make the Lord our Brother, if She not also be our Mother?’
In regards to Mary as Queen, St. Francis believes,
“When the man of God beheld it thus abandoned, by reason of the ardent devotion that he had toward the Sovereign Lady of the world, he took up abode there, that he might diligently labor to repair it.” (Leg. Mai II,8)
And lastly, St. Francis thinks the following about Mary as Advocate,
“In Her, after Christ, he put his chief trust, making Her his own patron and that of his Brethren…and in Her honor he fasted most devoutly from the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul unto the Feast of the Assumption” (Leg. Mai. IX, 3). “Now Francis, the servant of God, abiding at the church of the Virgin Mother of God, with continuous sighing besought Her that had conceived the Word full of grace and truth that She would deign to become his Advocate (Leg. Mai. III,1).”
All three of these roles are seen clearly in the Wedding Feast of Cana, where Mary speaks to the servants and tells them to do whatever Jesus asks them to do. In the Gospel of John, this first miracle is the borderline of all discipleship. Since the Apostles followed the Lord Jesus Christ and engaged in the apostolic life, which he taught them and was given to them on Pentecost, so would St. Francis follow the Lord, because he saw himself as a servant and disciple of Jesus Christ.
As I often do in many of my posts, I have given links to other blog posts that will lead you to understand theological ideas. It’s my hope that you will not only read this post, but also read the links as well in order to give yourself a better understanding of Marian theology completely.
Here is the Marian Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi –
Hail, holy Lady, most holy Queen,
Mary, Mother of God, ever Virgin.
You were chosen by the Most High Father in heaven,
consecrated by Him, with His most Holy Beloved Son and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.
On you descended and still remains all the fullness of grace and every good.
Hail, His Palace.
Hail His Tabernacle.
Hail His Robe.
Hail His Handmaid.
Hail, His Mother.
and Hail, all holy Virtues, who, by grace and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, are poured into the hearts of the faithful so that from their faithless state, they may be made faithful servants of God through you. Amen.
Our Lady as Mother, Queen, and Advocate…Pray for Us.
Saint Francis of Assisi…Pray for Us.
