OUR LADY OF THE WORD (OR SPEECH)

Feast Day - January 14

In the year 1514, Our Lady was venerated at a shrine near Montserrat, Spain. Her aid was invoked on behalf of a dumb man who went on pilgrimage there, and the Blessed Virgin miraculously restored his speech. From that time on she was given the title Our Lady of Speech. Here again the words of the “Memorare” were verified:

“Remember, O most blessed virgin Mary, that it’s a thing unheard of, that anyone whoever had recourse to your intercession, was left forsaken.

Filled therefore with confidence in your goodness, I fly to you O Mother, virgin of virgins, to you I come, before you I stand, a sorrowful sinner, despise not my poor words, O mother of the word of God, but graciously hear and grant my prayers, Amen.

When God was made man, it was she who gave voice to the Word. In the Magnificat, God the Holy Ghost, her mystical spouse, spoke though her. When Christ was a child, she was His voice. When Our Lord was a man, He spoke for himself, while his mother remained silent. After the Ascension, she again became His voice as she guided the infant Church through those perilous times. Over and over again the words of God came through her, for she is His Mediatrix of grace, the link between us and Him.

Vested with the almighty power of her Divine Son, Mary, imitating Him, visits the earth, going about doing good, granting petitions, supplying the needs of those who invoke her, and giving solace, comfort and aid to her children. She is indeed Our Lady of the Word; Mother of the Word Incarnate; “And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us,” through her “Fiat.”

As a consequence, even while on earth, His Mother’s word had great influence upon Christ. “They have no wine,” uttered in behalf of the embarrassed newlyweds at Cana, was all that was necessary to bring forth her Sons’ first miracle.

And so, down the ages, Mary hearkens to the words of her Calvary-born children and speaks in their behalf to Jesus. Her intercession, her word, her speech, is never in vain. Let us never cease to invoke this powerful protectress, who wants nothing more than to intercede for us, her children, before the throne of God.