Never To Depart From Her Counsels

I just came up to my room from the basilica after having celebrated the 6:30 p.m. parish Mass. Today is the liturgical memorial of Our Mother of Good Counsel. I used the Mass of Our Lady of Good Counsel in the Italian Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Although I used the Mass given in the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I prefer the texts of the Mass given in the supplement to the 1962 Roman Missal among the Masses By Special Grant In Certain Places.

The petition of the Collect is especially beautiful. We beseech God to grant that we may never depart from the counsels of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and by this means order our lives after His own Heart:

O God, who hast given the Mother of Thy Beloved Son
to be likewise unto us a mother,
and hast made famous this her beauteous image,
by causing it miraculously to appear in our midst:
grant unto us, we beseech Thee,
never to depart from her counsels and,
by this means ordering our lives after Thine own Heart,
one day happily to reach our heavenly fatherland.

One who seeks counsel of the Mother of God is never disappointed and never without hope. She is the most compassionate and effective of all counselors. The liturgy takes a wonderful promise from the book of Proverbs, and places it in Our Lady’s mouth: “He that shall find me shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord” (Prov 8:35).

The verse that follows is also significant: “But he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death” (Prov 8:36). One who sins against Mary, hurts his own soul. One who hates Mary loves death. The place given — or not given — to the Virgin Mother of God is a fundamental criterion in the discernment of spirits. The love of Mary is a wellspring of healing and of life. Love Mary, then, and all the rest will be given you besides.

Here is my translation of the Mass of Our Lady of Good Counsel as given in the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary:

ENTRANCE ANTIPHON

I called upon God and the spirit of wisdom came to me;
I learned without guile
and I impart without grudging;
I do not hide her riches (Wis 7:7b, 13).

COLLECT

O Lord, Thou who knowest
that the thoughts of mortals are full of fear and uncertainty,
through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
from whom Thy Son took flesh,
grant us Thy counsel
that we may be made to recognize
the things that are pleasing to Thee
and be directed in all our works.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
God, forever and ever.

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON

Be mindful, O Virgin Mother,
to speak good things in the presence of God on our behalf,
that He may turn away His anger from us (cf. Jer 18:20).

PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS

Let the Spirit of Counsel, O Lord,
who so wondrously overshadowed the Blessed Virgin, Thy handmaid,
make these gifts reverently offered
acceptable to Thee.
Through Christ our Lord.

PREFACE

Truly it is right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give Thee thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.
How abundantly Thou didst fill the most blessed Virgin Mary
with the gifts of the Holy Ghost
to make her the worthy
mother and companion of the Redeemer!
Formed by these gifts
she sought Thy will unceasingly
and faithfully carried it out;
joyfully did she magnify Thy mercy
and hold fast to the counsel of Thy lovingkindness
to restore all things in Christ.
Through whom the ranks of Angels adore Thy majesty,
rejoicing in eternity before Thy face.
We pray Thee let our voices blend with theirs
singing with exultant praise:

COMMUNION ANTIPHON

The Mother of Jesus sayth to the servants:
“Do ye whatsoever he telleth you” (cf. Jn 2:5).

POSTCOMMUNION

We have been made partakers of Thy mysteries, O Lord,
as we celebrate the memorial
of Holy Mary, the Mother of Good Counsel;
grant that we may learn what is pleasing to Thee
and become worthy of being saved by the Wonderful Counselor
whom Thou didst give us through the Blessed Virgin:
Thy Son who liveth and reigneth forever and ever.