# The devotion of the seven joys of Mary in heaven
*2008-05-16*

> In honor of the month of May, Bill Young introduces and prays the Devotion of the Seven Joys of Mary in Heaven, a chaplet focusing on the celestial happiness of the Blessed Mother.

## The balance of joy and sorrow

As you know, the month of May is dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Today's prayer is a very nice one called the Devotion of the Seven Joys of Mary in Heaven. It is important to remember that Mary was not only Our Lady of Sorrows; she was first introduced to us as the favored one. In the words of the Angel Gabriel, she is the Blessed One, and in the greeting of St. Elizabeth, she is the favored one. She herself sang of her heavenly joys in the Magnificat.

Mary's experience of human life was similar to that of Jesus. While being filled with joy in the depths of her soul, she also bore much sorrow and pain, not only in her body but also in her soul. Likewise, the life of Mary was an incommensurable and closely woven fabric of joys and pains.

## The origins of the devotion

The joys of Mary have attracted the attention of the faithful since the early days of Christianity. Initially, they were remembered on various feast days of the Virgin, but later, the joyous events of her life became associated with each other in the hearts of the faithful, becoming the object of special devotions. The Virgin showed her pleasure with this devotion when appearing to St. Thomas Becket and St. Thomas Canterbury, inviting the faithful to honor her heavenly joys as well as her earthly ones.

One of the great apostles of the joys of Mary was St. Bernard, a Franciscan, who professed that all the graces he received were granted to him through this particular devotion.

## The prayer of the seven joys

The devotion begins with the Sign of the Cross, the prayer 'O God, come to my aid,' the Glory Be, and the Apostles' Creed. It then proceeds through seven meditations on Mary's joy in paradise, each followed by the Hail Mary:

First, we rejoice in her contentment in paradise, for she is exalted above the choirs of angels because of her purity and virginity. Second, we rejoice in her splendor, which adorns all paradise like the sun gives light to the world. Third, we rejoice that all hosts of angels and blessed souls acknowledge her as the mother of their Creator. Fourth, we rejoice in her happiness as the handmaid of the Most Holy Trinity, noting St. Bernard's teaching that no grace is granted on earth that does not pass through her most holy hands.

Fifth, we rejoice that she alone deserves to sit at the right hand of the Son, who is seated at the right hand of the Father. Sixth, we rejoice in her role as the hope of sinners and refuge of the afflicted, knowing those who venerate her will be rewarded with grace in this world and glory in the next. Finally, we rejoice that the graces and favors she enjoys in paradise will never diminish, but will increase until the day of judgment and remain for all eternity.

## Closing petition

The devotion concludes with a final Glory Be and a prayer to Mary as the shining mirror of sanctity and true image of God. We humbly ask her, by the virtue of these seven joys, to obtain from her only begotten Son the remission of our sins. We pray for her special protection at the hour of death, so that we may be freed from the snares of the devil and one day rejoice with her forever in paradise.

*By meditating on the heavenly joys of Mary, the faithful can find hope and a powerful means of obtaining grace through her intercession.*