MATER BONI CONSILII, MOTHER OF GOOD COUNSEL, PRAY FOR US!

Counsel and equity is mine (Prov 8, 14)

Her thoughts are most vast than the sea, and her counsels more deep than the great ocean (Ecclus 24:3)

She is easily seen by those that love her, and is found by them that seek her (Wisd 6:13)

Although good counsel has always been necessary, and Our Lady has for many centuries been invoked and honoured by the faithful as the Mother of Good Counsel, it has been reserved for the twentieth century to see that title added by the Supreme Pastor of the universal Church to the Litany so dear to every Catholic heart. It is perhaps because of evil counsels, and wrong views, and the spirit of worldliness are everywhere prevalent, that our Lady is put before us as a good and wise counselor, to whom it would be well to have recourse before settling any grave and weighty matter; that we may ascertain what are her thoughts on the subject, "for her thoughts are more vast than the sea," and her knowledge of things, past, present and to come, far exceeds ours. If we only ask her, she will help us to avoid dangers and point out to us hidden rocks on which our vessel would surely founder unless we took this or that precaution. We know there is plenty of advice to be had in this world. People give it right and left, and often on matters they but little understand. The emissaries of Satan are ever on the outlook to lead the unwary into dangerous paths, and our own self-reliance and natural impetuosity  make us impatient of seeking the opinions of the wise and experienced, which perhaps a secret prompting tells us would not be altogether in accordance with our wishes. And so we rush on heedlessly, taking the advice only of those whose views square with our own, and who perhaps are only flattering us, not caring what may result from our course of action, or even urging us on to it with a secret view to their own advantage in some way. How many lives have been wrecked and prospects ruined, homes rendered miserable through acting precipitately and not asking counsel! Nor must we who are Catholics, professing to place things eternal before those merely temporal, be satisfied always with seeking the advice of the worldly-wise, of the 'children of this generation,' as our Lord called them, as if to draw attention to their looking only to what is to their advantage during this mortal life. We must strive to see what will be best for our eternal interests; we must not only be anxious to have clever advice, but that it be good and sound before God. So let us have recourse to our sweet Mother of Good Counsel, whose divine Son, the Infinite Wisdom, has His little arms twined round her neck, and His mouth placed close to her ear, ready to whisper the words that she will pass on to her trustful clients who look to her for guidance in their affairs, whether spiritual or temporal. Not only is she always ready to receive those who need her, but we learn in the book of Wisdom that "she goeth about seeking such as are worthy of her," such, that is, who are not too headstrong and self-willed to be counselled and advised, and "she sheweth herself to them cheerfully in the ways." (Wisd 6) "He that considereth her ways in his heart, and hath understanding in her secrets, who goeth after as one that traceth and stayeth in her ways...shall rest in her glory."(Ecclus 14).

Yet, even those who are well established in the ways of God, those already possessed of spiritual understanding, feel their need of our Lady of Good Counsel. For those so enlightened  as to be always sure which of many good things is the best? Who is not at times puzzled as to which of two courses it would be better and safer to pursue? Let such have recourse to our Lady and say: "Good counsel give to me, Mother; tell me what I am to do." She is our Lady of Light, the spouse of the Holy Ghost, one of whose seven gifts is that which we are seeking. Those especially who have themselves to guide and advise others have, more than any, need of humble, childlike prayer to our blessed Mother under the title we are considering, and in this the supreme Pontiffs have again and again set a striking example. The gifts and privileges granted by them to the Sanctuary of the Madonna at Genezzano are sufficient testimony of this. And were we to go no further back in history than to our two illustrious Popes, we should find in their lives touching proofs of the earnestness with which they sought light and guidance in their responsible office at the feet of our Lady of Good Counsel. Pius IX, following in this the footsteps of his predecessors, used to gather his household daily round her picture for the devotions of the month of May, and one of the last acts of the reign of our late holy Father was to add the title he so loved to the universally used Litany of Loreto. Let us imitate this spirit of confidence in Mary, and let us remember what is written in Ecclesiasticus: "He that lodgeth near her house, and fastening a pin in her walls shall set up his tent nigh unto her, where good things shall rest in his lodgings for ever. He shall set his children under her shelter and shall lodge under her branches: he shall be protected under her covering from the heat and shall rest in her glory."(Ecclus 14) Yes, Mother mine, that is where I would fain dwell, close to thee, so that at all times thou canst counsel and advise me, and thus in the passage through life i may act with wisdom, and not miss the "good things" in the home eternal.

Mother of Good Counsel, pray for us.