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Question

Dear Father Angelo,

I am fascinated by a title that the litanies give to Mary: “Morning Star”. Can you tell me why?

How can I feel Mary as my mother and protector in my present life?

Thank you Father Angelo. I pray for you! Please pray for me and for my vocation and my faith!

Lorenzo

Priest’s response

Dear Lorenzo,

1. The title “morning star!” was taken from Holy Scripture.

It is applied to the High Priest Simon.

After Israel’s return from Babylon this High Priest restored the temple, enlarged and fortified the holy city.

He also freed the Jewish people from the long slavery of the kings of Egypt and Assyria.

He was a light for everyone with his example.

After the long night of slavery, he appeared to everyone’s eyes like the morning star that announces the rising of the sun.

Here is the sacred text: “Simon, son of Onias, high priest, in his lifetime repaired the temple and in his days consolidated the sanctuary. The foundations of the double wall, the high buttress of the temple wall, were laid by him. In his days the water storage was dug, a reservoir as large as the sea. Being anxious to prevent the fall of his people, he fortified the city during the siege. How glorious he was when he looked out from the temple, when he came out of the sanctuary behind the veil! As a morning star (morning star) in the midst of the clouds, as the moon in the days when it is full, as the sun shining on the temple of the Most High, as a rainbow shining in the clouds of glory, as a rose blooming in the days of spring, as a lily along the streams, like a shoot of Lebanon in the days of summer, like fire and incense on a brazier, like a vase of solid gold, adorned with all kinds of precious stones, like an olive tree that sprouts fruit and like a cypress soaring among the clouds” (Sir 50,1-10).

2. This title “Star of morning” was applied to Mary and it suits her in an incomparably greater way than it does to Simon, so much so that she can be defined par excellence as the “Star of the morning”.

Here are the various meanings of this title in reference to Mary.

3. Just as the star has a soft, sweet, mild, gentle light, and on it, unlike the sun, the gaze can rest serenely without being in the least dazzled, in the same way everyone can fix their gaze on Mary to delight in the splendor of her beauty and her wonderful examples.

4. Just as the star is always in the sky and – one could say – has a “celestial life”, so Mary always lived with her mind and heart always turned to the sky and celestial things.

5. As the star sends out its ray without suffering the slightest injury, so Mary gives

to light the Son of God while remaining intact in her virginity.

6. Just as the star spreads its light very rapidly on the earth, so Mary spreads the light of her examples very rapidly on souls, communicating to them her graces and her benefits.

Indeed, just as when we get up in the morning, we find it already in its place spreading its light, so Mary precedes us with her graces so that, as Dante says, many times “she freely precedes the asking” (Paradiso, XXXIII, 18).

7. Just as the star is the most beautiful ornament of the sky, so Mary is the most beautiful ornament of that mystical Heaven which is the Church.

8. From an astronomical point of view, the morning star is Venus.

This planet, given its proximity to the earth, can be seen shining in the morning in the east before the sun rises and even before the aurora. Likewise in the evening, in the west, it can be seen shining immediately after the sun sets.

It appears brighter and more beautiful than all the other planets.

Likewise is Mary.

After Adam’s sin which is something dark and tenebrous like the night, Mary is announced in the history of humanity: “I will put enmity between you and the woman”. At the dawn of humanity, Mary appears like the morning star, a pledge of forgiveness and certain victory.

To her, as a star of salvation, in their needs all the poor exiles, children of Eve, turn their gaze….

9. St. Bernard compares our present life as a crossing from one shore to the other in a stormy sea on which Mary, the morning star, shines.

It is a sea in which one is always in contact with the sometimes violent waves of temptation.

To reach the port of salvation, that is, heaven, during this dangerous crossing man needs to be supported by the luminous example of Mary and her help.

If there were not this light and this support the shipwreck would be certain.

10. I like to report for the benefit of those who do not yet know the words of Saint Bernard about Mary, the morning star. They touched the hearts of many:

“You who are in the continuous instability of the present life 
you realize that you are tossed between storms
without a safe place to lean on,
keep your gaze firmly fixed on the brightness of this star
if you don’t want to be overwhelmed by the storm.
If the winds of temptation arise
and if you run into the rocks of tribulations,
look at the star, invoke Mary!
If the waves of pride, of ambition,
of slander and envy
they push you here and there, look at the star, invoke Mary!
If anger, greed, hedonism
they shake the ship of your soul,
turn your thoughts to Mary!
If troubled by the enormity of your sins,
confused by the ugliness of your conscience,
scared at the terrible thought of judgment,
you are about to fall into the abyss of sadness,
and in the abyss of despair, think of Mary!
In dangers, in anguish, in perplexities,
think of Mary, invoke Mary!
May Mary always be on your lips and in your heart.
And to obtain her intercession, follow her examples.
If you follow her you will not get lost,
if you pray to her you will not lose hope,
if you think about her, you won’t go wrong.
Supported by her you will not fall,
defended by her you will not fear,
with her guidance you will not get tired,
with her benevolence you will reach your destination.”

I also wish you to always look to the Star and invoke Mary.

You will not take a wrong path, you will be persevering in your faith and in your vocation and you will always be accompanied by her maternal help.

I thank you for the prayer that assures me. I gladly reciprocate and bless you.

Father Angelo