Lord in Saint John: "He that shall overcome. . . I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God." And who but Mary is this city of God? observes Saint Gregory, on the words of David: "Glorious things are said of thee, O city of God."

Correctly then can we here say with Saint Paul, "Having this seal, the Lord knoweth who are His;" that is to say, whoever carries with him the mark of devotion to Mary is recognised by God as His. Hence Saint Bernard writes, that devotion to the Mother of God is a most certain mark of eternal salvation.' 3 Blessed Alan, speaking of the "Hail Mary," also says, 'that whoever often honours our Blessed Lady with this angelical salutation has a very great mark of predestination.' He says the same thing of perseverance in the daily recital of the Rosary, that those who do so have a very great assurance of salvation.' 5 Father Nieremberg says, in the 10th chapter of his book, on affection for Mary, that the servants of the Mother of God are not only privileged and favoured in this world, but even in heaven they are more particularly honoured.' He then adds, that in heaven they will be recognised as servants of its Queen, and as belonging to her court, by a distinguishing and richer garment,' according to the words of Proverbs, "All her domestics are clothed with double garments.'

"6

Saint Mary Magdalen of Pazzi saw a vessel in the midst of the sea in it were all the clients of Mary, and this Blessed Mother herself steered it safely into the port. By this the Saint understood, that those who live under the protection of Mary, are secure in the midst of the dangers of this life from the shipwreck of sin, and from eternal damnation; for she guides them Qui vicerit... scribam super eum nomen Dei mei, et nomen civitatis Dei mei.Apoc. iii, 12.

Gloriosa dicta sunt de te, civitas Dei.-Ps. lxxxvi, 3.

Certissimum est signum salutis æternæ consequendæ. †

Habentes devotionem hanc, signum est prædestinationis permagnum ad

gloriam.-P. ii, Ros. c. 11. +

5 Signum sit tibi probabilissimum æternæ salutis, si perseveranter in die beatam Virginem in psalterio salutaveris.-Ps. Ixiv de Psalt. c. 24. †

Omnes enim domestici ejus vestiti sunt duplicibus.-Prov. xxxi, 21.

safely into the haven of salvation. Let us then enter this blessed ship of the mantle of Mary, and there we can be certain of the kingdom of heaven for the Church says, 'O holy Mother of God, all those who will be partakers of eternal happiness dwell in thee, living under thy protection.' 1

EXAMPLE.

Blessed Joachim Piccolomini had always a most tender devotion for Mary, and from his childhood was in the habit of visiting an image of our Blessed Lady of Sorrows, which was in a neighbouring church, three times a day, and on Saturdays, in her honour, he abstained from all food; and, in addition to this, he always rose at midnight to meditate on her dolours. But let us now see how abundantly this good Mother recompensed him. In the first place, when he was a young man she appeared to him, and desired him to embrace the order of her servants, and this the holy young man did. Again, in the latter years of his life, she appeared to him with two crowns in her hands; the one was composed of rubies, and this was to reward him for his compassion for her sorrows; the other of pearls, as a recompense for his virginity, which he vowed in her honour. Shortly before his death she once more appeared to him, and then the Saint begged, as a favour, that he might die on the same day on which Jesus Christ had expired. Our Blessed Lady immediately gratified him, saying: It is well; prepare thyself; for to-morrow, Good Friday, thou shalt die suddenly as thou desirest-to-morrow thou shalt be with me in heaven.' And so it was; for the next day, during the singing of the passion according to Saint John, at the words, "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, His Mother," he fell into the last struggles of death; and at the words, "He bowed down his head and expired," the Saint also breathed his last; and in the same moment the whole church was filled with an extraordinary light, and the most delicious perfume.

1 Sicut lætantium omnium habitatio est in te, sancta Dei Genitrix,
2 Rossign. Pietà Osseq. †

PRAYER.

O Queen of heaven, Mother of holy love! since thou art the most amiable of creatures, the most beloved of God, and His greatest lover, be pleased to allow the most miserable sinner living in this world, who, having by thy means been delivered from hell, and without any merit on his part been so benefited by thee, and who is filled with love for thee, to love thee. I would desire, were it in my power, to let all men who know thee not, know how worthy thou art of love, that all might love and honour thee. I would desire to die for the love of thee, in defence of thy virginity, of thy dignity of Mother of God, of thy immaculate conception, should this be necessary, to uphold these thy great privileges. Ah! my most beloved Mother, accept this my ardent desire, and never allow a servant of thine, who loves thee, to become the enemy of thy God, whom thou lovest so much. Alas! poor me, I was so for a time, when I offended my Lord. But, then, O Mary, I loved thee but little, and strove but little to be beloved by thee. But now there is nothing that I so much desire after the grace of God as to love, and be beloved by thee. I am not discouraged on account of my past sins, for I know that thou, O most benign and gracious Lady, dost not disdain to love even the most wretched sinners who love thee; nay, more, that thou never allowest thyself to be surpassed by any in love. Ah! Queen, most worthy of love, I desire to love thee in heaven. There, at thy feet, I shall better know how worthy thou art of love, how much thou hast done to save me, and thus I shall love thee with greater love, and love thee eternally, without fear of ever ceasing to love thee. O Mary, I hope, most certainly, to be saved by thy means. Pray to Jesus for me. Nothing else is needed; thou hast to save me; thou art my hope. I will therefore always sing, O Mary, my hope, thou hast to save me.

CHAPTER IX.

O CLEMENT, O PIOUS.

Of the greatness of the Clemency and Compassion of Mary.

AINT Bernard, speaking of the great compassion of Mary towards us poor creatures, says, 'that she is the land overflowing with milk and honey, promised by God.' Hence Saint Leo observes, that the Blessed Virgin has so merciful a heart, that she deserves not only to be called merciful, but mercy itself.' Saint Bona. venture, also, considering that Mary was made Mother of God on account of the miserable, and that to her is committed the charge of dispensing mercy; considering, moreover, the tender care she takes of all, and that her compassion is so great, that she seems to have no other desire than that of relieving the needy; says, that when he looks at her, he seems no longer to see the justice of God, but only the Divine Mercy, of which Mary is full. 'O Lady, when I behold thee, I can only discern mercy, for thou wast made Mother of God for the wretched, and then thou wast intrusted with their charge: thou art all solicitude for them; thou art walled in with mercy; thy only wish is to show it.'3 In fine, the compassion of Mary is so great towards us, that the Abbot Guarric says, 'that her loving heart can never remain a moment without bringing forth its fruits of tenderness.' 4 And what,'

1 Terra repromissionis Maria, lacte et melle manans.-Serm. sup. Salv. Reg. 2 Maria adeo prædita est misericordiæ visceribus, ut non tantum misericors, sed ipsa misericordia dici promereatur.-Serm. i de Nat. Dom. † 3 Certe Domina, cum te aspicio, nihil nisi misericordiam cerno. miseris Mater Dei facta es, misericordiam insuper genuisti, et demum tibi miseNam pro rendi est officium commissum. Undique sollicita de miseris, undique misericordia vallaris; solum misereri tu videris appetere-Stim. Am. p. iii, cap. 19.

Cujus viscera... nunquam desinunt, fructum parturire pietatis.-Serm, i de Assumpt.

exclaims Saint Bernard, 'can ever flow from a source of compassion but compassion itself.'1 Mary is also called an olive-tree. "As a fair olive-tree on the plains."2 For, as from the olive, oil (a symbol of mercy) alone is extracted, so, from the hands of Mary graces and mercy alone proceed. Hence the venerable Father Louis de Ponte says, 'that Mary may properly be called the Mother of Oil, since she is the Mother of Mercy." '3 And thus, when we go to this good Mother for the oil of her mercy, we cannot fear that she will deny it to us, as the wise virgins in the Gospel did to the foolish ones: "Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you.' ."4 O no! for she is indeed rich in this oil of mercy, as Saint Bonaventure assures us, Mary is filled with the oil of compassion.'5 She is called by the Church, not only a prudent Virgin, but most prudent, that we may understand, says Hugo of Saint Victor, that she is so full of grace and compassion, that she can supply all, without losing any herself. Thou, O Blessed Virgin, art full of grace, and indeed so full, that the whole world may draw of this overflowing oil. For if the prudent Virgins provided oil in vessels, with their lamps, thou, O most prudent Virgin, hast borne an overflowing and inexhaustible vessel, from which, the oil of mercy streaming, thou replenishest the lamps of all.'6

But why, I ask, is this beautiful olive tree said to stand in the midst of the plains; and not rather in the midst of a garden, surrounded by a wall and hedges? The same Hugo of St. Victor tells us, that it is 'that all may see her, that all may go to her for refuge.'7 That all may see her 1 Quid de fonte pietatis procederet, nisi pietas ?-Serm. i in D. post Ep. 2 Quasi oliva speciosa in campis.-Eccles. xxiv, 19.

3 Merito dici potest Mater Olei, nam est Mater Misericordiæ. †

Ne forte non sufficiat nobis et vobis.-Matth. xx, 9.

5 Maria plena est... oleo pietatis.-Spec. B. M. V. Lect. vii.

6 Gratia plena, in tantum plena, ut ex tuo redundante, totus hauriat mundus. Si enim "prudentes Virgines oleum acceperunt in vasis suis cnm lampadibus :" tu prudentissima Virgo et Virgo Virginum, non unum tantum vas habuisti oleo gratiæ repletum, quo lampadem tuam inextinguibiliter ardentem nutrires: sed aliud gestasti vas redundans et indeficiens, ex quo effuso oleo misericordiæ omnium lampades illuminares.-De Verb. Inc. Coll. iii.

7 Fuit Beata Maria oliva per misericordiam .... Et bene in campis... ut ommes peccatores ad ipsam libere, et absque impedimento respiciant, ad ipsam confugiant.-Serm. iv de Ass. B. V.