Having recourse to Mary

“The Queen of Heaven is so gracious and liberal,” says St. Andrew of Crete, “that she recompenses her servants with the greatest munificence for the most trifling devotions.” “But,” says St. Bernard, “perseverance alone will merit a Crown.” Oh, how many are there now in hell who would have been saved had they only persevered in the devotions they once practised in honour of Mary!

I.

“The Queen of Heaven is so gracious and liberal,” says St. Andrew of Crete, “that she recompenses her servants with the greatest munificence for the most trifling devotions.” Two conditions, however, there are:

The first is that when we offer her our devotions our souls should be free from sin; otherwise she would address us as she addressed a wicked soldier spoken of by St. Peter Celestine. This soldier every day performed some devotion in honour of our Blessed Lady. One day he was suffering greatly from hunger when Mary appeared to him and offered him some most delicious meats, but in so filthy a vessel that he could not bring himself to taste them. “I am the Mother of God,” the Blessed Virgin then said, “and am come to satisfy thy hunger.” “But, O Lady,” he answered, “I cannot eat out of so defiled a vessel.” “And how,” replied Mary, “canst thou expect that I should accept thy devotions offered to me with so defiled a soul?” On hearing this the soldier was converted, became a hermit, and lived in a desert for thirty years. At death the Blessed Virgin again appeared to him and took him herself to Heaven.

We say it is morally impossible for a client of Mary to be lost; but this must be understood on condition that he lives either without sin, or, at least, with the desire to abandon it; for then the Blessed Virgin will help him. But should anyone, on the other hand, sin in the hope that Mary will save him, he thereby would render himself unworthy and incapable of her protection.

Ah, my Queen, continue to guard me from hell; for what will thy mercy and the favours thou hast shown me avail me if I am lost? If I did not always love, now at least after God I love thee above all things. Never allow me to turn my back on thee or on God, Who, by thy intercession, has granted me so many graces. Love me, O Mary, my hope; save me from hell. But save me first from sin which alone can condemn me to it.

II. The second condition is perseverance in devotion to Mary: “Perseverance alone,” says St. Bernard, “will merit a crown.” When Thomas a Kempis was a young man he used every day to have recourse to the Blessed Virgin with certain prayers; he one day omitted them; he then omitted them for some weeks, and finally gave them up altogether. One night he saw Mary in a dream: she embraced all his companions, but when his turn came she said: “What dost thou expect, thou who hast given up thy devotions? Depart, thou art unworthy of my caresses.” On hearing this Thomas awoke in alarm, and resumed his ordinary prayers. Hence, Richard of St. Laurence with reason says that he who perseveres in his devotion to Mary will be blessed in his confidence and will obtain all he desires. But as no one can be certain of this perseverance, no one before death can be certain of salvation. The advice given by St. John Berchmans, of the Society of Jesus, deserves our particular attention. When this holy young man was dying, his companions entreated him, before he left this world, to tell them what devotion they could perform which would be most agreeable to our Blessed Lady. He replied in the following remarkable words: Any devotion, however small, provided it is constant. Oh, how many are now in hell who would have been saved had they only persevered in the devotions they once practised in honour of Mary!

O my Mother, in thee have I placed all my hopes; from thee do I expect every grace. Alas, miserable wretch that I am! I have hitherto fallen because I have not had recourse to thee. I now hope that, through the merits of Jesus Christ, and thy prayers, I have obtained pardon. But I may again lose Divine grace; the danger is not past; my enemies do not sleep. I know that thou wilt help me, and that with thy help I shall conquer if I recommend myself to thee: but this is what I fear, that in time of danger I may neglect to call upon thee and thus be lost. I ask thee, then, for this grace, that in the assaults of hell I may always have recourse to thee by saying: O Mary help me! My Mother, permit me not to lose my God!