ture "Our Hope;" for,' said he, 'God alone, and Jesus Christ as our Mediator is our hope; and God curses those who place their hope in a creature, according to the prophet Jeremias: "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man. ." But the Church teaches us to invoke Mary on all occasions, and to call her Our Hope, hail! our Hope.'. Whoever places his confidence in a creature independently of God, he certainly is cursed by God; for God is the only source and dispenser of every good, and the creature without God is nothing, and can give nothing. But if our Lord has so disposed it, as we have already proved that He has done, that all graces should pass by Mary as by a channel of mercy, we not only can, but ought to assert that she, by whose means we receive the Divine graces, is truly our Hope. And, therefore, Saint Bernard says, 'that she is his greatest confidence, and the whole foundation of his Hope.'2 Saint John Damascen

says the same thing; for he thus addresses the most Blessed Virgin: 'O Lady, in thee have I placed all my Hope, and with my eyes fixed on thee; from thee do I expect salvation.'3* Saint Thomas says, 'that Mary is the whole Hope of our salvation ;' and Saint Ephrem addressing her, says, 'O most holy Virgin, receive us under thy protection if thou wilt see us saved, for we have no Hope of salvation but through thy means.'5

Let us then, in the words of Saint Bernard, ‘endeavour to venerate this Divine Mother with the whole affection of our hearts; for such is the will of God, who is pleased that we should receive every good thing from her hand.’6 And therefore the Saint exhorts us whenever we desire or

1 Maledictus homo qui confidit in homine.-Jerem. xvii, 5.

2 Filioli, hæc peccatorum scala, hæc mea maxima fiducia est, hæc tota ratio spei meæ.-In Nat. B. M. V. Serm. i.

3 In te spem meam totam ex animo collocavi, et intentis oculis abs te pendeo.-Paracletica in S. Deip.

Omnis spes vitæ.-Opusc. viii. †

5 Non nobis est alia quam in te fiducia, O Virgo sincerissima. Sub tua denique tutela et protectione toti sumus.-De Laud. Virg.

...

6 Totis medullis cordium, totis præcordiorum affectibus, et votis omnibus Mariam hanc veneremur; quia sic est voluntas ejus, qui totum nos habere voluit per Mariam.-Serm. de Aquæd,

ask for any grace, to recommend ourselves to Mary, and to be assured that we shall receive it by her means; for he says, if thou dost not deserve the favour from God, Mary, who will ask it for thee, will deserve to receive it; 'because thou wast unworthy of the gift, it was bestowed on Mary, that through her thou mightest receive all that thou hast.' 2 The Saint then advises us to recommend all that we offer to God to the care of Mary, be they good works or prayers, if we wish our Lord to accept them. 'Whatever thou mayest offer to God, be sure to recommend it to Mary, in order not to meet with a repulse.'

'3

EXAMPLE.

The history of Theophilus, written by Eutychian, patri. arch of Constantinople, and who was an eye-witness of the fact he relates, is well known. It is attested by Saint Peter Damian, Saint Bernard, Saint Bonaventure, Saint Antoninus, and by others quoted by Father Crasset. Theophilus was archdeacon of the Church of Adana, a city of Cilicia, and he was held in such veneration by the people that they wished to have him for their bishop, but he, out of humility, refused the dignity. It happened that evil-disposed persons accused him falsely of some crime, and for which he was deposed from his archdeaconry. He took this so much to heart, that, blinded by passion, he went to consult a Jewish magician, who made him consult Satan, that he might help him in his misfortune. The devil told him that if he desired to be helped by him, he must renounce Jesus and his Mother Mary, and consign him the act of renunciation, written in his own hand. Theophilus immediately complied with the demand. The next day the bishop having

1 Quæramus gratiam, et per Mariam quæramus.-Serm. de Aquæd.

2 Quia indignus eras, cui donaretur, datum est Mariæ, ut per illam acciperes quicquid haberes.-Serm. iii, in Vig. Nat. Dom.

3 Modicum istud quod offerre desideras, gratissimis illis et omni acceptione dignissimis Mariæ manibus offerendum tradere cura, si non vis sustinere repulsam.-Serm. de Aquæd.

discovered that he had been deceived, asked the archdeacon's pardon, and restored him to office. No sooner was this accomplished than his conscience was torn with remorse, and he could do nothing but weep. What could he do? He went to a church, and there casting himself, all in tears, at the feet of an image of Mary, he thus addressed her: O Mother of God, I will not despair, as long as I can have access to thee, who art so compassionate, and hast the power to help me.' He remained thus weeping and praying to our Blessed Lady for forty days--when, lo ! one night the Mother of mercy appeared to him, and said: 'O Theophilus, what hast thou done? Thou hast renounced my friendship, and that of my Son, and for whom? For His and my enemy.' 'O Lady,' answered Theophilus, 'thou must pardon me, and obtain my forgiveness from thy Son.' Mary seeing his confidence, replied, 'Be of good heart, I will intercede for thee with God.' Theophilus, encouraged by these consoling words, redoubled his tears, mortifications, and prayers, and never left the image. At length Mary again appeared to him, and with a cheerful countenance said: Theophilus, be of good heart, I have presented thy tears and prayers to God; He has accepted them, and has already pardoned thee, but from this day forward be grateful to him and faithful.' 'But, O Lady,' replied Theophilus; that is not yet enough to satisfy me entirely, the enemy still possesses that impious writing in which I renounced thee and thy Son. Thou canst oblige him to surrender it.' Three days afterwards Theophilus awoke in the night, and found the writing on his breast. On the following day he went to the church where the bishop was, and, in presence of an immense concourse of people cast himself at his feet, and with bitter tears related all that had taken place, and delivered into his hands the infamous writing; the bishop committed it to the flames in the presence of the whole people, who did nothing but weep for joy, and praise the goodness of God, and the mercy of Mary shown towards this poor sinner. But he, returning to the church of our

Blessed Lady, remained there for three days and then expired, his heart filled with joy, and returning thanks to Jesus and to His most holy Mother.

PRAYER.

O Queen and Mother of mercy, who dispensest graces to all who have recourse to thee, with so much liberality, because thou art a Queen, and with so much love, because thou art our most loving Mother; to thee do I, who am so devoid of merit and virtue, and so loaded with debts to the Divine justice, recommend myself this day. O Mary, thou holdest the keys of all the Divine mercies; forget not my miseries, and leave me not in my poverty. Thou art so liberal with all, and givest more than thou art asked for, O be thus liberal with me. O Lady, protect me; this is all that I ask of thee. If thou protectest me, I fear nothing. I fear not the evil spirits; for thou art more powerful than all of them. I fear not my sins; for thou by one word canst obtain their full pardon from God. And if I have thy favour, I do not even fear an angry God; for a single prayer of thine will appease Him. In fine, if thou protectest me, I hope all; for thou art allpowerful. O Mother of mercy, I know that thou takest pleasure, and dost glory in helping the most miserable; and, provided they are not obstinate, that thou canst help them. I am a sinner, but am not obstinate; I desire to change my life. Thou canst then help me; O help me and save me. I now place myself entirely in thy hands. Tell me what I must do in order to please God, and I am ready for all, and hope to do all with thy help, O MaryMary, my Mother, my light, my consolation, my refuge my hope. Amen, amen, amen.

SECTION 1.-Mary is an Advocate who is to

save all.

80 great is the authority that mothers possess over their

sons, that even if they are monarchs, and have absolute dominion over every person in their kingdom, yet never can Mothers become the subjects of their sons. It is true that Jesus now in heaven sits at the right hand of the Father; that is, as Saint Thomas explains it, even as man, on account of the hypostatical union with the Person of the Divine Word. He has supreme dominion over all, and also over Mary; it will nevertheless be always true that, for a time, when He was living in this world, He was pleased to humble himself and to be subject to Mary, as we are told by St. Luke: "And he was subject to them." And still more, says Saint Ambrose, Jesus Christ having deigned to make Mary His Mother; inasmuch as he was her Son, He was truly obliged to obey her. And for this reason, says Richard of Saint Lawrence, of other Saints we say, that they are with God; but of Mary alone can it be said, that she was so far favoured as to be, not only herself submissive to the will of God, but even that God was subject to her will.22 And whereas, of all other Virgins, remarks the same author, we must say that "they follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth,"3 of the Blessed

Et erat subditus illis.-Luke ii, 51.

Cum enim de omnibus cæteris sanctis dicatur et magnum sít, eis esse cum Domino,.... Maria majus aliquid cæteris hominibus sanctis sortita est ut nor folum ipsa subjiceretur voluntati Dommi, sed etiam Dominus voluntantiípsius. De Laud. V. lib. i, cap. v.

Sequuntur agnum quocumque erit.-Apoc xiv 4