Comfort of the afflicted, pray for us.
This invocation comes from and is connected to the previous one - the 'Cause of our Joy'. Life can always be very hard and full of perils: Great labour is created for all men, and a heavy yoke is upon the children of Adam, from the day of their coming out of their mother's womb, until the day of their burial into the mother of all (Ecclesiasticus 40:1). St Paul calls God: the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort (2 Cor 1:3) and in our troubles we have God of all comfort on our site! Moreover, He gave us His mother, herself invaluable comfort of all afflicted. The following words: He that hath not been tried, what manner of things doth he know? (Ecclesiasticus 34:11) refer to Our Lady for the Most Blessed Virgin knows herself from experience the most severe trials. This is why she can comfort us so well and her heart is open to us in every need; she is our refuge in illness, in sadness, in sin and in every trouble. The heavier the yoke - the quicker Mary's help. We can always come and humbly ask her assistance and intercession in prayers before her statue in the Church. Like terrified child running to the mother, we can run to her with open hearts, praying to her with this very name, Comfort of the afflicted. The best way to express gratitude for answered prayers and favours granted is to be helpful to those in need, in honour of Our Blessed Mother. Sadly, as St Francis de Sales once said, it happens quite often that those who desire to be like angels just keep forgetting to be first good and charitable to others. It is of great spiritual profit to join the Church's prayers to honour Our Lady, the Comfort of all afflicted.
Picture is from: Holy Cards for your Inspiration
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