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 After the death of Mariana of Paredes, a beautiful lily
sprouted forth from her blood, and so she has been styled the Lily of Quito.
But in far greater measure did she deserve the name because of the innocence
of her life. She preserved it unsullied in the midst of a wicked world,
carefully protecting it by the practice of rare austerities.
>From her earliest childhood Mariana, who was
born in 1618, felt altogether drawn to God and to heavenly things. Meanwhile
she attached herself to the Immaculate Virgin with unbounded confidence and
tender devotion. She received the habit of the Third Order from the
Franciscans in her native town of Quito, Ecuador, and in consideration of her
great virtue, she was permitted to take the three vows of religion. Then she
repaired to her home where she led a life hidden in God and devoted to prayer
and penance.
She quitted her home only when she went to attend
divine services in church or when charity toward her neighbor required it. On
such occasions she won the hearts of all she met, even the most depraved among
them, by her polite and friendly manner, and succeeded in leading them back to
the path of virtue. Incidentally it may be remarked, that almighty God favored
His faithful servant with extraordinary mystical gifts in support of her
apostolate. By means of the Sign of the Cross or by sprinkling holy water she
restored many sick persons to health; she also raised a dead woman to
life.
When the plague broke out, she offered her chaste
young life as a sacrifice to God in behalf of the stricken citizens. God
accepted the sacrifice. She died shortly afterwards, in the 28th year of her
age, in 1645. She was beatified by Pope Pius IX, and canonized in 1950 by Pope
Pius XII.
ON CONFIDENCE IN MARY
1. Mary wishes to help us.
She proved that in the Incarnation of our Savior. She knew that the mother of
the Man of Sorrows would have to become the Mother of Sorrows, yet she acceded
for the sake of the children of men, whom she loved most affectionately. That
is why she uttered those most saving words: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord,
be it done to me according to Thy word" (Luke 1:38). How commendable it was,
then, that Blessed Mariana clung with such fervor and fidelity to the Mother
of God, the mother of all mankind. -- Imitate her in the practice and
recommend your chastity to Mary Immaculate.
2. Mary can help us. She can
help us because she is the Mother of the eternal Son of God. St.. Bonaventure
cries out: "Thou canst do all things by Him and through Him." She is the
intercessory omnipotence at the throne of God. Blessed Mariana experienced her
power in an eminent degree. - Foster the most profound and filial confidence
in the Blessed Mother of God.
3. Mary will help us especially in the time
of danger. That was foretold by the words: "I will put enmities between thee
and the woman" (Gen 3:15). To the evil spirit Mary has become "terrible as an
army set in array" (Cant 6:3). If Satan contrives to destroy souls, Mary is
God's appointed champion to save them for eternity. -- Pledge yourself to be a
good child of this good Mother, and you will insure your salvation.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
O God, who didst will that
amid the allurements of this world Blessed Mariana should blossom forth in
virginal purity and continual penance like a lily among thorns, grant, we
beseech Thee, that through her merits and intercession we may shun vice and
strive ever more and more to attain perfection. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
from:
The Franciscan Book
of Saints, ed. by
Marion Habig, ofm., © 1959 Franciscan Herald
Press
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