the-glories-of-mary

GLORIES OP MART. 31
vine mother know herself to be the blessed, the
fortunate, the only one of the children of men
who found the grace lost by man; she knows
herself to be the beloved of her Lord, more be
loved than all the saints and angels united), give
if thou lovest
me my people for which I request:
me, she says to him, give me, oh my Lord, these
sinners in whose behalf I entreat Thee. Is it
possible that God will not
graciously hear her?
Is there any one who does not know the pow
er of Mary s prayers with God? The law of
clemency is on her tongue. * Every prayer of
hers is
as a law established by our Lord, that
mercy
Mary intercedes. St. Bernard asks, Why does
the Church name Mary Queen of Mercy f and
answers, Because we believe that she opens the
depths of the mercy of God, to whom she will,
when she will, and as she will; so that not
even the vilest sinner is lost, if Mary protects
shall be exercised towards those for whom
him. f
But it
may, perhaps, be feared that Mary dis
dains interposing in behalf of some sinners, be
cause she finds them so laden with sins ? Per
haps the majesty and sanctity of this great queen
should alarm us? No, says St. Gregory, in pro
portion to her greatness and holiness are her clem
ency and mercy towards sinners who desire to
*Lex clementise in lingua ejus. Prov. xxxi. 26.
tQuod divinse pietatis abyssum cui vult, quando vult et quomod*
vult, creditor aperire; ut nemo tana enormis peccator pereat, cui sane*
ta aanctorum pratrocinii suffragia prsestat. In Salve Regina.