July 17 Our Lady of Humility (Italy, 1490)

The Virgin of Humility with Saint Francis, Saint Bernardino, and a Donor

by Benozzo Gozzoli

Prayer of St. Therese of the Little Flower

Lord, you see how often I fail but I am never astonished at it...I enter into myself and say:' Alas, I am once more at the first step as before!' But I say this is great peace without sadness, because I know that you know perfectly how fragile is our nature and you are always ready to help us. What, then, shall I fear? As soon as You see me fully convinced of my nothingness, You stretch our Your hand to me; but if I should try to do something great, even under the pretext of zeal, You desert me. So all I have to do is humble myself, to bear with meekness my imperfections. Herein lies, for me, true holiness.

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Flower of the Day

Violet

Viola odorata

Symbolizes Our Lady's Humility and Modesty

The violet is considered the third flower of the Trinity during the medieval period, the other two are the rose and the lily. St. Bernard of Clairvaux speaks of Mary as the violet of humility in his 'Vitas Mystica.'

Legend has it that when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to ask her to be the Mother of God, the violet blossomed outside of her window when she spoke her fiat, "Let it be done unto me according to your word."

MEDIEVAL POEM

O fragrant rose, lily chaste

O violet of purity

Thine eyes of grace upon us cast,

Noster misericorde (Our merciful one)

A few articles on Our Lady's virtue of humility and modesty: http://www.fisheaters.com/modesty.html http://avemariamagazine.com/Issues/2007_May/Virtues_of_Our_Lady_No_1_(Humility).htm http://www.ourladyofamerica.com/whatsnew/The_Indwelling_Trinity_and_Humility.pdf

Ave Maria!