From the book "The Wondrous Childhood" by St. John Eudus
Several grave authors relate that St. Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury, used to say daily seven Hail Marys in honor of the seven joys of the Blessed Virgin on earth. Mary admonished the holy prelate to honor also the seven joys she possesses in heaven, assuring him that this devotion was very pleasing to her, and that she would assist at the hour of death all those who had practiced it, and fill their hearts with consolation, receiving their souls at the supreme moment and presenting them herself to her Divine Son.
If, then, you would please this most Holy Virgin, offer her every day the seven joys she had on earth and those she now has in heaven, reciting for this intention, seven Hail Marys or a decade of the rosary. Offer her also the seven special joys she has in heaven in recompense for those seven swords of sorrow that transpierced her heart here on earth, repeating for the same purpose seven Hail Marys or another decade of the rosary.
And since this most sacred Virgin is the cause of our joy and, after her Son, the source and origin of all true and holy joys on earth, offer once more all these joys, with a great desire and strong resolution to argument them by loving and serving her Son with greater fervor and fidelity than you have hitherto done.
Seven Joys of the Blessed Mother on earth:
1. The salutation of the angel Gabriel
2. Her visit to her cousin, Elizabeth.
3. Her divine maternity.
4. The adoration of the holy Kings.
5. Finding her Divine Son among the Doctors, after having lost Him for three days.
6. Her Son's first visit to her after His resurrection.
7. His mounting up to heaven, His sending thence the Holy Ghost upon His Church, and her assumption in to Paradise. For I place these three joys together to make the seventh.
Seven Joys of the Blessed Mother in Heaven
1. Her elevation so near to the throne of the Most Holy Trinity
2. The crown of her virginity alone is more rich and precious than all the other crowns of the heavenly citizens.
3. She is, as it were, the second sun of Paradise, replenishing with joy the hearts of Angels and Saints.
4. All the citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem honor and praise her incessantly as their Queen, their Mother, and the Mother of their Redeemer.
5. God gives her, too, absolute power in heaven and on earth over all creatures.
6. She has, moreover, a very special power to bless, favor and protect all those who have particular devotion to her.
7. Mary's crowning joy is the knowledge that all these delights will never diminish, but will, on the contrary, increase continually until the day of judgement and will be eternal.
Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Mother
1. When holy Simeon told her in the Temple that a sword should pierce her heart.
2. When, to escape the fury of Herod, she and St. Joseph were obliged to flee with the Divine Child into Egypt.
3. When she lost this beloved Child and was deprived of His sweet presence for the space of three days.
4. When she met Him carrying His cross to Calvary.
5. When she beheld Him crucified.
6. When she received Him into her arms from the cross.
7. In her extreme desolation during the time that intervened between the death of Jesus and His resurrection.
Several grave authors relate that St. Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury, used to say daily seven Hail Marys in honor of the seven joys of the Blessed Virgin on earth. Mary admonished the holy prelate to honor also the seven joys she possesses in heaven, assuring him that this devotion was very pleasing to her, and that she would assist at the hour of death all those who had practiced it, and fill their hearts with consolation, receiving their souls at the supreme moment and presenting them herself to her Divine Son.
If, then, you would please this most Holy Virgin, offer her every day the seven joys she had on earth and those she now has in heaven, reciting for this intention, seven Hail Marys or a decade of the rosary. Offer her also the seven special joys she has in heaven in recompense for those seven swords of sorrow that transpierced her heart here on earth, repeating for the same purpose seven Hail Marys or another decade of the rosary.
And since this most sacred Virgin is the cause of our joy and, after her Son, the source and origin of all true and holy joys on earth, offer once more all these joys, with a great desire and strong resolution to argument them by loving and serving her Son with greater fervor and fidelity than you have hitherto done.
Seven Joys of the Blessed Mother on earth:
1. The salutation of the angel Gabriel
2. Her visit to her cousin, Elizabeth.
3. Her divine maternity.
4. The adoration of the holy Kings.
5. Finding her Divine Son among the Doctors, after having lost Him for three days.
6. Her Son's first visit to her after His resurrection.
7. His mounting up to heaven, His sending thence the Holy Ghost upon His Church, and her assumption in to Paradise. For I place these three joys together to make the seventh.
Seven Joys of the Blessed Mother in Heaven
1. Her elevation so near to the throne of the Most Holy Trinity
2. The crown of her virginity alone is more rich and precious than all the other crowns of the heavenly citizens.
3. She is, as it were, the second sun of Paradise, replenishing with joy the hearts of Angels and Saints.
4. All the citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem honor and praise her incessantly as their Queen, their Mother, and the Mother of their Redeemer.
5. God gives her, too, absolute power in heaven and on earth over all creatures.
6. She has, moreover, a very special power to bless, favor and protect all those who have particular devotion to her.
7. Mary's crowning joy is the knowledge that all these delights will never diminish, but will, on the contrary, increase continually until the day of judgement and will be eternal.
Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Mother
1. When holy Simeon told her in the Temple that a sword should pierce her heart.
2. When, to escape the fury of Herod, she and St. Joseph were obliged to flee with the Divine Child into Egypt.
3. When she lost this beloved Child and was deprived of His sweet presence for the space of three days.
4. When she met Him carrying His cross to Calvary.
5. When she beheld Him crucified.
6. When she received Him into her arms from the cross.
7. In her extreme desolation during the time that intervened between the death of Jesus and His resurrection.
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