Cause of our joy, pray for us!

With this title we praise Our Lady for her unfailing help that causes us so much joy. She gave us Him who is announced by His Angel: "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people" (Luke 2:10). She is also cause of our joy because the Redeemer is particularly pleased and generous in granting us graces through her intercession. She obtains for us so many graces that she can simply say about herself: "He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord, But he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death" (Proverbs 8:35). She is to us the Mother of all Graces filled with joy and giving joy to us. She joyfully sings Magnificat, confessing: "My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour" (Luke 1:47). She brought a pure joy into the house Zachary, that even child in St Elisabeth's womb leaped with joy (Luke 1:44). She takes part in Cana wedding and is the cause of multiplied joy of all guests present there at the first miracle wrought by her Son. Along with greatest sufferings she was given the greatest joys. Seven of her joys the Church celebrates with special Feast and venerates through special Chaplet. These are joys given to her with Annunciation, visitation of St Elisabeth, birth of Our Lord, homage of Three Wise Man, finding boy Jesus in the Temple, His Resurrection and her coronation as the Queen of Heaven. The same Virgin radiant with joy stands closest to the Most Holy Trinity and is the cause of joy for all the Angels and Saints in Heaven. Let us rejoice with Our Blessed Mother, who is so rich in joy. Let us follow her example and become apostles of joy, happiness for our religion in this world: "Serve ye the Lord with gladness" (Psalm 99:2). Let us follow her footsteps despising worldly pleasures: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice" (Philippians 4:4). Following her example we can be cause of joy to our neighbours, our loved ones, our subordinates and friends. According to a certain good maxim, if someone desires to be happy in this life he should contribute to happiness of those around him, for the joy we cause others comes back to us to dwell in our hearts.

The painting is "Our Lady of Mount Carmel" Cuzco School 19th century