Mary, Star of the Sea

There was a star in the sky, a star on earth and the Sun in the manger. The star in the sky was that bright heavenly body; the star on earth, the Virgin Mary; the Sun in the manger, Christ our Lord...Mary means "star of the sea"...And she is rightly named 'star of the sea', for she shines on the world like an incomparable star, and her brightness makes the world ight, and she has sent forth from herself that ray "which lighteth every man that cometh into the world"...A star shines in the night, and the Virgin shines in the night of this world with an incomparable light...Such is our star, brethren, such is the Virgin Mary, the star of the sea, and because she has left us an example, that we should follow her steps, of such kind should our souls be. ~St. Peter Damian, Sermon for the Feast of the Epiphany

Dear Mary, Morning Star, pray for us! Lead us to your Son, Jesus, who is forever the Light of the World. Amen.