Our Lady: May She Be a Light to You in Dark Places

Those of you who so much enjoyed the article "Our Lady of Pontmain: The Virgin Hears Her Children" (written in January 2009) may recall that I stated my hope to someday write a bit more on the symbolism of the singular Pontmain apparition.

In this one-time visitation, Our Lady was seen only by children of the village. The visionaries described how stars from Heaven moved from their places to adorn Our Lady's dress, a phenomenon nobody else could see. On that night, however, there were also three stars (one over the Virgin's head, and a star on each side of Her, about level with each of Her elbows). These three stars, witnessed by all the villagers present during the apparition, were never seen again.

At Pontmain, Our Lady manifested Herself under three of Her many titles - The Evening Star, Our Lady of Hope, and the Immaculate Heart. She came to the humble village of Pontmain just as it was on the verge of invasion - a fate that most of France had already suffered. The ultimate message of Pontmain is intended for all peoples and nations.

And so...

---If you would like to read about the other details regarding Our Lady of Pontmain, please see this article, written last year.

---If you would like to know "a little bit more" about the apparition's symbolism, please know that the excerpts below are from my most recent (January 2010) article, "Our Lady Mary: The Evening Star over Pontmain," which was graciously published by Catholic Family News.

From the Introduction of "Our Lady Mary: The Evening Star over Pontmain"
Almost 140 years ago, on the cold, snowy and clear, starlit night of January 17, 1871, in the little village of Pontmain, the "Evening Star" appeared in France, just as the shadows of night literally and figuratively fell upon the country. What led to this beautiful event is a great lesson to the entire world.


The Pontmain Apparition’s Magnificent Symbolism
Theologically-rich treatises could address each symbol and aspect permeating the Pontmain apparition, including but not limited to:

• The three stars (the Holy Trinity; the three theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity).
• The dark blue of Our Lady’s dress (the color signifying fidelity),
• The forty stars at Our Lady’s feet (recalling the Israelites' forty days in the desert, the Holy Family's forty days of seclusion before the Christ Child’s Presentation in the Temple, Our Lord's forty days of fasting, the forty days of Lent).
• The four candles (the four marks of the true Church).
• The simple yet eloquent message written on a white banner in gold letters (the traditional liturgical colors of the Christmas season).
• The changes in the Virgin’s countenance and in the apparition’s development, in clear response to the people’s attitudes, actions, and even to particular prayers and hymns.
• The red crucifix and the Holy Name of Jesus Christ, reminding the people of the priceless value of the Precious Blood of Our Savior.

While there is much more that could be said of each “sign,” only one other facet will be explained in somewhat greater detail.

Our Lady’s seeming play of an invisible instrument (see picture below) recalls the teaching of St. John Eudes, “The mysterious harp of King David…is another symbolic picture of the Holy Heart of Mary…The strings of this royal harp are the virtues of Mary’s Heart.” [1] The saint further explains, “Sacred Scripture tells us that King David employed his harp on four great occasions and we see Jesus, the Son of David, using His Mystical Harp [His Mother’s Immaculate Heart] to accomplish four infinitely greater achievements.” [2]

[Article excerpt continued below.]

• First, the mere sound of David’s harp “put to flight the evil spirit which possessed Saul.” [3] Similarly, Christ uses the virtues of Mary’s Heart to free the human race from the evil dominion of Satan.

• “Second, David used his harp to sing many psalms and canticles to the honor and glory of God.” Likewise, the Immaculate Heart offers “five types of canticles to praise the most Blessed Trinity.” These five canticles are: 1) of love, “the strongest, purest, most perfect love that ever was or shall be,” 2) of praise and thanksgiving “for the benefits of Divine goodness on behalf of all creatures, for the Blessed Virgin Mary did not limit Herself to thanking God for the infinite favors She received from His Hand, but She praised Him unceasingly for the graces He pours on all created things,” [4] 3) of sorrow, anguish and bereavement at the sufferings and the death of Her Son, 4) of triumph “for all the victories won by Herself as general of the great King’s armies over His enemies and, we may truly say, over Himself, having so often disarmed divine vengeance when it stood ready to destroy the world and punish it for its innumerable crimes,” and 5) of prophecy, “to announce the great designs of God for the future…” [5]

• Third, King David used his harp to praise God with joy. “In like manner, Christ the second David, not only attuned His holy Mother’s Heart to praise and bless His divine majesty in every way, but He also induced Mary to seek Her joy and bliss exclusively in His praises, and in all the acts She performed for His glory and in His Service.” [6]

• Fourth, King David’s harp “attracted other men to the praise of God, with hearts full of joy and gladness like his own. So, too, “Christ the King attracts innumerable souls to the love and praise of His heavenly Father by the sweet sound of His precious harp – that is, by means of the blessed Heart of His glorious Mother.” [7]

The Evening Star, Our Lady of Hope, the Immaculate Heart – Mary chose to implicitly manifest these three titles at Pontmain. The Evening Star guides Her children through the darkest nights, so they will not lose their way. Our Lady of Hope teaches us to approach Her with confidence. And Her Immaculate Heart, as She would later promise at Fatima, is our refuge and the path that leads us to God.

Of Our Lady Mary, the Evening Star, it can be truly said, “May She be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.” [8]

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Secrets of the Catholic City is the name of Mrs. Bartold's column, published by Catholic Family News (CFN). The excerpts above come from "Our Lady Mary: The Evening Star over Pontmain," published in CFN's January 2010 issue. All Rights Reserved World-wide by the author.
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Notes

[1] St. John Eudes, The Admirable Heart of Mary (Buffalo, NY: Immaculate Heart Publications, republished from the 1847 edition), pp. 73.
[2] Ibid. (Emphasis added.)
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid, pp. 73-74.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring (New York: Ballantine Books, 1982 renewed copyright by Christopher R. Tolkien): p. 444. Here the author paraphrases a line uttered by the character of Lady Galadriel, the Mary-like figure who gave to Frodo a gift of the Evening Star’s light, saying to him, “May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.”