the-glories-of-mary

GLORIES OP MART.
Lord."* Neither should we fear that on ac
count of the loathsomeness of our wounds she
will refuse to take care of us. She is our moth
and as a mother does not shrink from
er,
taking eare of a child covered with wounds,
so this celestial physician does not refuse to
cure her servants who have recourse to her.
Wherefore St. Bernard says: Oh mother of
God, thou hast no horror of a sinner how
ever loathsome he may be; if he sighs for
thee, thou wilt rescue him with thine own hand
from despair.
3d. "Refugium peccatorum: Refuge of sin
ners. Thus Mary is called by St. Germanus:
The refuge, ever ready, for all sinners: ^Refu
gium paratissimum peccatorum;" for the Idiot
says, that she cannot reject any sinner, but as
soon as he has recourse to her, Mary receives
him.f Hence St. John Damascene calls
Mary
not only the refuge of the innocent, but also of
the bad who implore her protection. J
And St.
Anselm also says: Thou dost embrace with ma--
ternal love the sinner who is
despised by the
whole world, neither dost thou leave the wretch
ed until thou has reconciled them to their God.
By which he gives us to understand that the
sinner, being hated by God, is rendered odious
* Qui invenerit me, inveniet vitam, et hauriet salutem a Domino.
Prov. viii. 35.
t Refugium tutissimum a qua nullns peccator despicitur. Omnes
peccatores excipit, nee moram in hoc facit.
$ Civitas refugii omnium ad earn confugientium.
Peccatorem toti mundo despectum materno affectu complecteri*
nee deserts quousque miseruiu judici reconcilias.