«Qui invenerit me, inveniet vitam, et hauriet salutem a Domino» — "He who finds me shall find life, and shall draw salvation from the Lord" (Prov. 8:35).
Point I
How greatly we ought to thank the mercy of our God for having given us Mary as our advocate, who by her prayers can obtain for us all the graces we desire! «O certe Dei nostri mira benignitas (exclaims St. Bonaventure), qui suis reis te Dominam tribuit advocatam, ut auxilio tuo quod volueris valeas impetrare» — "O truly wondrous goodness of our God, who has given You, our sovereign Lady, to His guilty ones as their advocate, that by Your help they may obtain whatever they wish" (In Salve Reg.). Sinners, my brothers, if we stand guilty before divine justice and already condemned to hell for our sins, let us not despair; let us have recourse to this divine Mother, let us take shelter under her mantle, and she will save us. All we need is the good intention of changing our life: a good intention and great confidence in Mary, and we shall be saved. And why? Because Mary is an advocate who is "powerful," an advocate who is "merciful," an advocate "who desires to save all."
In the first place, let us consider that Mary is a "powerful" advocate, who can do all things with the Judge for the benefit of her devotees. This is a singular privilege granted her by that very Judge who is her Son: «Grande privilegium, quod Maria apud Filium sit potentissima» — "It is a great privilege that Mary is all-powerful with the Son" (St. Bonaventure, in Spec., lect. 6). John Gerson says (tr. 6, sup. Magn.) that the divine Mother asks nothing of God with an absolute will which she does not obtain, and that she, as queen, sends the angels to enlighten, purify, and perfect her servants. Therefore the Church, in order to inspire us with confidence in this great advocate, has us invoke her under the name of Virgin most powerful: «Virgo potens, ora pro nobis» — "Virgin most powerful, pray for us." And why is Mary's patronage so powerful? Because she is the Mother of God. «Oratio Deiparae», says St. Antoninus, «habet rationem imperii, unde impossibile est eam non exaudiri» — "The prayer of the Mother of God has the force of a command; hence it is impossible that she should not be heard" (Part. 4, tit. 15, c. 17, c. 4). The prayers of Mary, since she is a mother, have a certain right of command with Jesus Christ; and therefore it is impossible that she, when she prays, should not be heard. St. George, Archbishop of Nicomedia, says that the Redeemer, as though to satisfy the obligation He has toward this Mother for having given Him His human nature, grants all her petitions: «Filius quasit exsolvens debitum, petitiones tuas implet» — "The Son, as if paying a debt, fulfills Your petitions" (Orat. de Exitu Mar.). Hence St. Theophilus, Bishop of Alexandria, left it written thus: "The Son is pleased to be prayed to by His Mother, because He wishes to grant her whatever she asks, so as thereby to recompense the favor He received from her in giving Him His flesh." For this reason the martyr St. Methodius exclaimed: «Euge, euge, quae debitorem habes Filium! Deo enim universi debemus, tibi autem ille debitor est» — "Rejoice, rejoice, O Mary, who have the good fortune of having as Your debtor that Son to whom we are all debtors, since whatever we have is all His gift" (Orat. Hyp. Dom.).
Hence Cosmas of Jerusalem said that Mary's help is omnipotent: «Omnipotens auxilium tuum, o Maria» — "Your help is omnipotent, O Mary." Yes, it is omnipotent, as Richard of St. Lawrence confirms, for it is right that the Mother should share in the power of the Son; the Son, therefore, who is omnipotent has made the Mother omnipotent: «Cum autem eadem sit potestas Filii, et Matris, ab omnipotente Filio omnipotens Mater facta est» — "Since the power of the Son and of the Mother is one and the same, by the omnipotent Son the Mother has been made omnipotent" (Lib. 4, de Laud. Virg.). The Son is omnipotent by nature, the Mother is omnipotent by grace; which is to say that she obtains by her prayers whatever she asks, according to that celebrated verse: «Quod Deus imperio, tu prece, Virgo, potes» — "What God does by command, You, O Virgin, do by prayer." And this very thing was revealed to St. Bridget (Rev., lib. 1, c. 4). One day this saint heard Jesus, speaking with Mary, say to her: «Pete quod vis a me, non enim potest esse inanis petitio tua» — "My Mother, ask of Me whatever You wish; You know that any petition of Yours cannot fail to be granted by Me." And then He added the reason: «Quia tu mihi nihil negasti in terris. Ego nihil tibi negabo in coelis» — "You denied Me nothing while living on earth; it is right that I deny You nothing now that You are with Me in heaven."
In short, there is no one, however wicked, whom Mary cannot save by her intercession. «Habes vires iusuperabiles (St. Gregory of Nicomedia said to her), ne clementiam tuam superet multitudo peccatorum. Nihil tuae resistit potentiae; tuam enim gloriam Creator existimat esse propriam» — "You have invincible strength, so that the multitude of sins cannot overcome Your mercy. Nothing resists Your power, for the Creator esteems Your glory as His own" (Orat. de Exitu B. V.). O Mother of God, nothing can resist Your power, since Your Creator regards Your glory as His own. You can therefore do all things, St. Peter Damian also says to her, since You can save even the despairing. «Nihil tibi impossibile, quae etiam desperatos in spem salutis potes relevare» — "Nothing is impossible to You, who can raise even the despairing to the hope of salvation" (Serm. 1, de Nat. B. V.).
Affections and Prayers
My dear Queen and Mother, I will say to You with St. Germanus: «You are omnipotent to save sinners, and You need no other recommendation with God, for You are the Mother of true life» (Serm. 3. in Dorm. B. V.). Therefore, my Lady, if I have recourse to You, all my sins cannot make me lose confidence in my eternal salvation. You obtain by Your prayers whatever You will; if You pray for me, I shall certainly be saved. Pray, then, for me, a wretch (I will say to You with St. Bernard), O great Mother of God, for Your Son hears You and grants You whatever You ask of Him: «Loquere, Domina, quia audit Filius tuus, et quaecunque petieris impetrabis» — "Speak, Lady, for Your Son hears You, and whatever You ask You shall obtain". I am a sinner, it is true, but I wish to amend, and I glory in being Your special servant. I am unworthy, it is true, of Your protection, but I know that You have never abandoned anyone who has placed his confidence in You. You can and will save me, and I trust in You. When I was lost and did not think of You, You thought of me and obtained for me the grace of repentance; how much more ought I now to trust in Your mercy, now that I have dedicated myself to Your service, and commend myself to You and hope? O Mary, pray for me, and make me a saint. Obtain for me holy perseverance; obtain for me a great love toward Your Son and toward You, my Mother so worthy of love. I love You, my Queen, and I hope to love You always. Love me also, and with Your love change me from a sinner into a saint.
Point II
Let us consider, secondly, that Mary is an advocate as «merciful» as she is powerful, who cannot deny her patronage to anyone who has recourse to her. The eyes of the Lord, says David, are turned upon the just, but this Mother of mercy (as Richard of St. Lawrence says) keeps her eyes upon the just as upon sinners, that they may not fall, or, if they have fallen, that by her intercession she may raise them up: «Sed oculi Dominae super iustos et peccatores, sicut oculi matris ad puerum, ne cadat; vel si ceciderit, ut sublevet» — "But the eyes of the Lady are upon the just and upon sinners, as the eyes of a mother upon her child, lest he fall; or if he has fallen, that she may lift him up". St. Bonaventure used to say that when he looked upon Mary, he seemed to look upon mercy itself: «Certe Domina, cum te aspicio, nihil nisi misericordiam cerno» — "Truly, Lady, when I behold You, I see nothing but mercy". Therefore St. Bernard exhorts us to commend ourselves in all our needs to this powerful advocate with great confidence, for she is all sweet and kind to everyone who commends himself to her: «Quid ad Mariam accedere trepidat humana fragilitas? nihil austerum in ea, nihil terribile, tota suavis est» — "Why does human frailty fear to approach Mary? In her there is nothing austere, nothing terrible; she is all sweetness". For this reason Mary is called an olive tree: «Quasi oliva speciosa in campis» — "As a fair olive tree in the plains" (Sir. 24). As from the olive tree nothing comes forth but oil, the symbol of mercy, so from the hands of Mary nothing comes forth but graces and mercies, which she dispenses to all who take shelter under her patronage. Hence Denis the Carthusian rightly calls her the advocate of all sinners who have recourse to her: «Advocata omnium iniquorum ad se confugientium» — "Advocate of all sinners who flee to her". O God, what torment will a Christian who is damned suffer, in thinking that in life he could have saved himself so easily by having recourse to this Mother of mercy, and did not do so, and then it will no longer be time to do it! The divine Mother one day said to St. Bridget: I am called the Mother of mercy, and such I am, for the mercy of God has made me such: «Ego vocor ab omnibus mater misericordiae, et vere misericordia illius misericordem me fecit» — "I am called by all the mother of mercy, and truly His mercy has made me merciful" (Rev. lib. 1. cap. 6). And in truth, who has given us this advocate to defend us, if not the mercy of God, because He wills that we be saved? «Ideo miser erit (Mary added) qui ad misericordiam, cum possit, non accedit» — "Therefore wretched shall he be who does not have recourse to mercy, when he can". Wretched, she said, and wretched for eternity shall be the one who, being able in this life to commend himself to me, who am so kind and merciful to all — unhappy man — does not have recourse, and is damned.
Perhaps we fear, says St. Bonaventure, that if we seek help from Mary, she will deny it to us? No, says the saint: «Ipsa enim non misereri ignorat, et miseris non fatisfacere nunquam scivit» — "For she does not know how to withhold mercy, and has never known how to fail the wretched". No — Mary does not know, nor has she ever known, how to cease pitying and helping any wretch who has had recourse to her. She does not know, nor can she do so, because she has been assigned to us by God as queen and mother of mercy: as queen of mercy she is bound to take care of the wretched: «Tu Regina misericordiae (St. Bernard says to her), et qui subditi misericordiae, nisi miseri?» — "You, O Queen of mercy — and who are the subjects of mercy, if not the wretched?". Hence the saint then humbly added: Since You, then, O Mother of God, are the queen of mercy, You must take greater care of me, who among all am the most wretched sinner: «Tu regina misericordiae, et ego miserrimus peccator, subditorum maximus; rege nos ergo, o regina misericordiae» — "You are the queen of mercy, and I the most wretched sinner, the greatest of Your subjects; rule us, then, O queen of mercy". And as mother of mercy, she must strive to free her sick children from death — children of whom her mercy alone makes her the mother. Therefore St. Basil calls her «publicum valetudinarium» — "a public hospital". Public hospitals are made for the poor sick, and the poorer one is, the more right he has to be received there; and so, according to St. Basil, Mary must receive with greater mercy and attention the greatest sinners who have recourse to her.
But let us not doubt the mercy of Mary. One day St. Bridget heard the Savior say to His Mother: «Etiam diabolo misericordiam exhiberes, si humiliter peteret» — "Even to the devil You would show mercy, if he humbly asked for it". Proud Lucifer will never humble himself to do this, but if the wretch were to humble himself before this divine Mother and beg her to help him, Mary by her intercession would drive him out of hell. By this Jesus Christ wished to give us to understand what Mary herself then said to the saint: that when a sinner has recourse to her, however great he may be, she does not look at the sins he bears, but at the intention with which he comes; and that if he comes with a good will to amend, she receives him and heals him of all the wounds he has: «Quantumcunque homo peccat, si ex vera emendatione ad me reversus fuerit, statim parata sum recipere revertentem: nec attendo quantum peccaverit, sed cum quali voluntate venit. Nam non dedignor eius plagas ungere et sanare; quia vocor, et vere sum mater misericordiae» — "However much a man may sin, if he returns to me with true amendment, I am ready at once to receive him who returns; I do not consider how much he has sinned, but with what will he comes. For I do not disdain to anoint and heal his wounds, because I am called, and truly am, the mother of mercy". Therefore St. Bonaventure gives us courage: «Respirate ad illam, perditi peccatores, et perducet vos ad portum» — "Look to her, lost sinners, and she will lead you to the harbor" (on Ps. 8). Poor lost sinners, do not despair; lift your eyes to Mary, and take heart, trusting in the mercy of this good mother. Let us therefore seek (says St. Bernard) the grace we have lost, and let us seek it through Mary: «Quaeramus gratiam, et per Mariam quaeramus» — "Let us seek grace, and let us seek it through Mary" (Serm. de Aquaed.). This grace which we have lost, she has found again, says Richard of St. Lawrence; to her, therefore, we must go to recover it: «Cupientes invenire gratiam, quaeramus inventricem gratiae» — "We who desire to find grace, let us seek the finder of grace" (De Laud. Virg. lib. 2). When St. Gabriel went to announce to Mary the divine motherhood, among other things he said to her: «Ne timeas Maria, invenisti gratiam» — "Fear not, Mary, you have found grace"
(Luke 1). But if Mary was never deprived of grace — indeed, she was always full of it — how could he say to her that she had found it? Cardinal Hugh answers that Mary did not find grace for herself, for she had always possessed it, but for us who have lost it; hence Hugh says that we must go to her and say to her: Lady, property must be restored to the one who lost it; this grace which You have found is not Yours, for You have always possessed it; it is ours — we lost it through our own fault, and to us therefore You must return it: «Currant ergo, currant peccatores ad Virginem, qui gratiam amiserant peccando; secure dicant: Redde nobis rem nostram, quam invenisti» — "Let sinners run, then, let them run to the Virgin, who had lost grace by sinning; let them say with confidence: Give us back what is ours, which You have found".
Affections and Prayers
Behold, O great Mother of God, at Your feet a wretched sinner who not once but many times has willed to lose the divine grace that Your Son had won for him by His death. O mother of mercy, I come to You with a soul all full of wounds and sores; do not disdain me for this, but be moved to greater compassion, and help me. Look upon the confidence I have in You, and do not abandon me. I do not ask You for the goods of earth; I ask You for the grace of God and for love of Your Son. My Mother, pray for me, and never cease to pray. The merits of Jesus Christ and Your intercession must save me. Your office is to intercede for sinners: therefore, «Advocata nostra (I will say to You with St. Thomas of Villanova) officium tuum imple» — "Our advocate, fulfill your office": do Your office, commend me to God, and defend me. There is no case, however desperate, that is lost when it is defended by You. You are the hope of sinners; You are my hope. O Mary, I will not cease to serve You, to love You, and to have recourse always to You; and You, never cease to help me, especially when You see me in danger of losing the grace of God again. O Mary, O great Mother of God, have pity on me.
Point III
Let us consider, in the third place, that Mary is an advocate so merciful that she not only helps those who have recourse to her, but she herself goes seeking out the wretched, to defend and save them. Behold how she calls to everyone, giving us courage to hope for every good if we have recourse to her: «In me omnis spes vitae et virtutis: transite ad me omnes» — "In me is all hope of life and of strength; pass over to me, all of you" (Sir. 24:25). The devout Pelbart comments on this passage: «Vocat omnes, iustos, et peccatores» — "She calls all: the just and sinners." The devil goes always about, says St. Peter, seeking someone to devour: «Circuit quaerens quem devoret» — "He goes about seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8). But this divine Mother, says Bernardino da Bustis, goes about seeking whom she can save: «Ipsa semper circuit, quaerens quem salvet» — "She herself ever goes about, seeking whom she may save" (Marial. par. 3. Serm. 3). Mary is the Mother of mercy, because the mercy she has for us makes her compassionate toward us and ever seek to save us; like a mother who cannot see her children in danger of being lost and refrain from helping them. And who, says St. Germanus, after Jesus Christ, has more care for our eternal salvation than You, O Mother of mercy? «Quis post Filium tuum curam gerit generis humani sicut tu?» — "Who, after Your Son, cares for the human race as You do?" (Serm. de Zona Virg.). St. Bonaventure adds that Mary is so solicitous in succoring the wretched that she seems to have no greater desire than this: «Undique sollicita es de miseris; solum misereri videris appetere» — "On every side You are solicitous for the wretched; You seem to desire only to show mercy" (Super Salve Reg.).
She certainly comes to our aid when we have recourse to her, and no one is ever turned away by her. «Tanta est eius benignitas», says the Idiota, «ut nemo ab ea repellatur» — "So great is her kindness that no one is repelled by her" (Praefat. in Cantic.). But this is not enough for the merciful heart of Mary, adds Richard of St. Victor. She anticipates our supplications and sets about helping us before we pray to her: «Velocius occurrit eius pietas, quam invocetur, et causas miserorum anticipat» — "Her mercy comes to meet us more swiftly than she is invoked, and she takes up the cause of the wretched before they ask" (In Cant. cap. 23). Moreover, the same author says that Mary is so full of mercy that when she sees misery, she brings relief at once; she cannot see anyone's need without succoring him: «Adeo replentur ubera tua misericordia, ut alterius miseriae notitia tacta, lac fundant misericordiae, nec possis miserias scire, et non subvenire» — "Your breasts are so filled with mercy that, touched by the very knowledge of another's misery, they pour forth the milk of mercy; nor can You know of miseries and not relieve them." Thus did she act even while she lived on this earth, as we know from what happened at the marriage feast of Cana in Galilee, when, the wine having failed, she did not wait to be asked; but compassionating the distress and embarrassment of those spouses, she begged her Son to console them, saying: «Vinum non habent» — "They have no wine"; and she at once obtained that her Son, by a miracle, should change the water into wine. Now if, says St. Bonaventure, so great was Mary's compassion toward the afflicted while she still dwelt in this world, how much greater surely is the compassion with which she now succors us from heaven, where she better sees our miseries and pities us the more: «Magna fuit erga miseros misericordia Mariae adhuc exsulantis in mundo, sed multo maior est regnantis in coelo» — "Great was Mary's mercy toward the wretched while she still sojourned in the world, but it is far greater now that she reigns in heaven" (In spec. B. V. cap. 8). And Novarino adds that if Mary, though not entreated, showed herself so ready to help, how much more attentive will she be to console those who pray to her? «Si tam prompta ad auxilium currit non quaesita, quid quaesita praestitura est?» — "If she runs so promptly to our aid unasked, what will she do when asked?"
Ah, let us never cease in all our needs to have recourse to this divine Mother, who always makes herself found ready to help whoever prays to her. «Invenies semper paratam auxiliari» — "You will always find her ready to help," says Richard of St. Lawrence. And Bernardino da Bustis adds that she desires more to grant us graces than we desire to receive them from her: «Plus vult illa bonum tibi facere, et gratiam largiri, quam tu accipere concupiscas» — "She wishes to do you good and to bestow grace more than you desire to receive it" (Marial. 1. Serm. 5. de Nom. Mar.). And therefore he says that when we have recourse to her, we will always find her with hands full of graces and mercies: «Invenies eam in manibus plenam misericordia et liberalitate» — "You will find her, in her hands, full of mercy and generosity." So great, says St. Bonaventure, is the desire Mary has to do us good and to see us saved that she accounts herself offended not only by those who do her some positive injury, but also by those who do not ask her for graces: «In te Domina peccant, non solum qui tibi iniuriam irrogant, sed etiam qui te non rogant» — "They sin against You, O Lady, not only who inflict injury upon You, but also who do not petition You" (St. Bon. in Spec. Virg.). And on the other hand, the saint affirms that whoever has recourse to Mary (understood always as having the will to amend) is already saved; wherefore he calls her: «O salus te invocantium» — "O eternal salvation of those who call upon You." Let us then always have recourse to this divine Mother, and always say to her what this saint said to her: «In te Domina speravi, non confundar in aeternum» — "In You, O Lady, have I hoped; let me not be confounded forever." O Lady, O Mary, Mother of God — no, I shall not be damned, having placed my hopes in You.
Affections and Prayers
O Mary, behold at Your feet a wretched slave of hell who begs You for mercy. It is true that I deserve no good, but You are the Mother of mercy, and mercy is shown to those who do not deserve it. The whole world calls You the refuge and the hope of sinners; therefore You are my refuge and my hope. I am a lost sheep, but to save these lost sheep the eternal Word came from heaven and became Your Son; and He wills that I should have recourse to You, and that You should succor me with Your prayers. «Sancta Maria Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus» — "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners." O great Mother of God, You pray for all; pray to Your Son also for me. Tell Him that I am Your devotee, and that You protect me. Tell Him that in You I have placed my hopes. Tell Him to forgive me, and that I repent of all the offenses I have committed against Him. Tell Him to grant me, in His mercy, holy perseverance. Tell Him to grant me the grace to love Him with all my heart. Tell Him, in short, that You will have me saved. He does whatever You ask of Him.
O Mary, my hope, in You I trust; have pity on me.