The lily, cardinal and chief of all the lilies, is a buried head: it produces a straight stem, brings forth its bud and when this burst open the garden gets filled with a very delicate and exquisite fragrance. The various species of lilies of different colors and perfumes form family with it.
This excellent cardinal virtue is figured by all the species of flowers that is elongated, like a two-valved vessel like that of the pea or bean.
To give each one what is due is justice. It has its companions: religion, prayer, piety, respect, gratitude, veracity, liberality, and as essential parts the commutative and distributive justice.
Mary, since her immaculate conception, kept firmly in mind the salvation of mankind in fulfillment of her high calling. To pay the debts incurred by sin against the justice of God, the just tribunal demanded from her a token of infinite value: she searched for it, she found it, she offered it, and it was accepted: the victim was sacrificed on the cross and with the body and blood of her Son, paid for us all our debts and the divine justice was satisfied. It had to be by this heroism of love, justice in its highest degree of perfection that required and demanded our salvation.
Azucena to Mary
Do you owe God something? What do you owe him? Worship, love, respect, obedience, gratitude and severe punishment you deserve because of your sins.
Do you want to make atonement for what you owe God? Truly say yes; because if you will not in this world you will have to do it in the world to come. God’s justice is just and inflexible. Do you want to make atonement in this world of what you owe God? Well then, do it, give God love, and now present to him through Mary’s hand your resolutions and intentions, and say to her:
Lady, I offer and present to you today the azucena [lily] and various species of lilies and emblem of justice and its companions. Prostrated before your throne I promise and oblige myself to give God what religion prescribes to me and to my neighbors what the law commands and to you what you ask from me and what I owe you, which is love, veneration and gratitude. Accept my offering; receive, Lady, my flower as sign of my uprightness and of justice.
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