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And if, by chance, at that moment, you are greatly alarmed, and lose confidence at the sight of your sins, she will come and encourage you, as she did Adolphus, Count of Alsace, who abandoned the world, and embraced the order of Saint Francis. In the Chronicles of that Order, we are told that he had a tender devotion to the Mother of God; and that, when he was at the point of death, his former life, and the rigours of Divine justice, presented themselves before his mind, and caused him to tremble at the thought of death, and fear for his eternal salvation. Scarcely had these thoughts entered his mind, when Mary (who is always active when her servants are in pain), accompanied by many Saints, presented herself before the dying man, and encouraged him with words of the greatest tenderness, saying: 'My own beloved Adolph; thou art mine, thou hast given thyself to me, and now, why dost thou fear death so much?" On hearing these words, the servant of Mary was instantly relieved, fear was banished from his soul, and he expired, in the midst of the greatest peace and joy. Let us then be of good heart, though we be sinners, and feel certain that Mary will come and assist us at death, and comfort and console us with her presence, provided only that we serve her with love during the remainder of the time that we have to be in this world. Our Queen, one day addressing Saint Matilda promised that she would assist all her clients at death, who, during their lives, had faithfully served her. 'I, as a most tender Mother, will faithfully be present at the death of all who piously serve me, and will console and protect them.'1 Oh God, what a consolation will it be at that last moment of our lives, when our eternal lot has so soon to be decided, to see the Queen of Heaven, assisting and consoling us with the assurance of her protection. For, besides the cases already given, in which we have seen Mary assisting her dying servants, there are innumerable others recorded in different works. This favour was granted to Saint Clare;

1 Ego omnibus, qui mihi pie et sancte deserviunt, volo in morte fidelissime tamquam mater piissima adesse, eosque consolari ac protegere.-Ap. Blos. Concl. an. Fid. cap. xii.

to Saint Felix, of the Order of Capuchins; to Saint Clare of Montefalco; to Saint Teresa; to Saint Peter, of Alcantara. But, for our common consolation, I will relate the following. Father Crasset 1 tells us, that Mary of Oignes saw the Blessed Virgin at the pillow of a devout widow of Villembroe, who was ill with a violent fever. Mary stood by her side, consoling her and cooling her with a fan. Of Saint John of God, who was tenderly devoted to Mary, it is related that he fully expected that she would visit him on his deathbed; but not seeing her arrive, he was afflicted, and perhaps even complained. But when his last hour had come, the Divine Mother appeared, and gently reproving him for his little confidence, addressed him in the following tender words, which may well encourage all servants of Mary: John, it is not in me to forsake my clients at such a moment.' As though she had said: John, of what wast thou thinking? Didst thou imagine that I had abandoned thee? And dost thou not know that I never abandon my clients at the hour of death? If I did not come sooner, it was that thy time was not yet come; but now that it is come, behold me here, to take thee; let us go to Heaven.' Shortly afterwards the Saint expired, and fled to that blessed kingdom, there to thank his most loving Queen for all eternity.

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EXAMPLE.

Let us close this subject with another example, in which we shall see how great is the tenderness of this good Mother towards her children at death. The parish priest of a country place was assisting a certain rich man, who was dying, in a magnificent house and attended upon by servants, relatives, and friends; but the good priest saw also devils in the shape of dogs, who were waiting to carry off his soul, as they in fact did; for he died in sin. In the mean time, a poor woman was also ill; and desiring to receive the Holy Sacraments, sent for the parish priest; but he, being unable to leave the rich man, whose soul

1 Div. alla Verg. tom. i, tr. i, qu. xi. †

stood in such need of assistance, sent her another priest, who immediately went, carrying the pix which contained the Most Blessed Sacrament. On his arrival he saw neither servants, nor attendants, nor fine furniture, for the sick woman was poor, and perhaps only lying on a little straw. But he saw a great light in the room, and near the bed of the dying person was the Mother of God, Mary, consoling her, and, with a cloth in her hand, wiping off the sweat of death. The priest, seeing Mary, feared to enter, but the Blessed Virgin made him a sign to come in. The priest entered, and Mary showed him a stool, that he might be seated, and hear the confession of her servant. This he did, and after she had communicated, with great devotion, she happily breathed forth her soul in the arms of Mary.1

PRAYER.

Oh my most sweet Mother, how shall I die, poor sinner that I am? Even now, the thought of that important moment, when I must expire, and appear before the judgment seat of God, and the remembrance that I have myself, so often written my condemnation, by consenting to sins makes me tremble. I am confounded, and fear much, for my eternal salvation. O Mary, in the blood of Jesus, and in thy intercession, is all my hope. Thou art the Queen of Heaven, the mistress of the universe; in short, thou art the Mother of God. Thou art great, but thy greatness does not prevent, nay, even it inclines thee to greater compassion towards us in our miseries. Worldly friends, when raised to dignity, disdain to notice their former friends, who may have fallen into distress. Thy noble and loving heart does not act thus, for the greater are the miseries it beholds, the greater are its efforts to relieve. Thou, when called upon, immediately assistest; nay, more, thou anticipatest our prayers by thy favours; thou consolest us in our afflictions; thou dissipatest the storms by which we are tossed about; thou overcomest all enemies; thou, in fine, never losest an occasion to promote our welfare. May 1 Grisog. Mond. Mar. p. 2, d. xxxviii, †

that Divine hand, which has united in thee such majesty and such tenderness, such greatness, and so much love, be for ever blessed; I thank my Lord for it, and congratulate myself in having so great an advantage; for truly, in thy felicity do I place my own, and I consider thy lot as mine. O comfortress of the afflicted, console a poor creature who recommends himself to thee. The remorse of a conscience overburthened with sins fills me with affliction. I am in doubt as to whether I have sufficiently grieved for them. I see that all my actions are soiled and defective; hell awaits my death in order to accuse me; the outraged justice of God demands satisfaction. My Mother, what will become of me? If thou dost not help me I am lost. What sayest thou, wilt thou assist me? 0 compassionate Virgin, console me; obtain me true sorrow for my sins; obtain me strength to amend, and to be faithful to God during the rest of my life. And finally, when I am in the last agonies of death, O Mary, my hope, abandon me not; then, more than ever, help and encourage me, that I may not despair at the sight of my sins, which the evil one will then place before me. My Lady, forgive my temerity; come thyself to comfort me with thy presence, in that last struggle. This favour thou hast granted to many, grant it also to me. If my boldness is great, thy goodness is greater, for it goes in search of the most miserable, to console them. On this I rely. For thy eternal glory, let it be said that thou hast snatched a wretched creature from hell, to which he was already condemned, and that thou hast led him to thy kingdom. yes, sweet Mother, I hope to have the consolation of remaining always at thy feet in heaven, thanking and blessing, and loving thee eternally. O Mary, I shall expect thee at my last hour, deprive me not of this consolation, Fiat, fiat. Amen, amen.

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CHAPTER III.

OUR HOPE.

SECTION I.-Mary is the Hope of all.

MODERN heretics cannot endure that we should salute

and call Mary, our Hope: Hail, our Hope.' They say, that God alone is our hope, and that he curses those who put their trust in creatures, in these words of the prophet Jeremias: "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man."1 Mary, they exclaim, is a creature; and how can a creature be our hope? This is what the heretics say; but in spite of it, the holy Church obliges all ecclesiastics and religious each day to raise their voices, and in the name of all the faithful, invoke and call Mary by the sweet name of 'our Hope,'-the Hope of all.

The angelical Doctor Saint Thomas says, that we can place our hope in a person in two ways: as a principal cause, and as a mediate one. Those who hope for a favour from a king, hope it from him as lord; they hope for it from his minister or favourite as an intercessor. If the favour is granted, it comes primarily from the king, but it comes through the instrumentality of the favourite ; and in this case, he who seeks the favour is right in calling his intercessor, his hope. The King of Heaven, being infinite goodness, desires in the highest degree to enrich us with His graces; but, because confidence is requisite on our part, and in order to increase it in us, He has given us His own Mother to be our Mother and Advocate, and to her He has given all power to help us; and, therefore, He wills that we should repose our hope of salvation

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

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