The mercy of the blessed virgin towards sinners who invoke her

Mary is called the Mother of Mercy, because, like a mother, she cannot see her children in danger of being lost without giving them her assistance. She is so solicitous about the relief of the miserable that she appears to desire nothing with greater ardour than to comfort them.

I. Consider that Mary is so merciful an advocate she not only assists all who have recourse to her, but also goes in search of the miserable in order to defend and save them. Behold how she invites us all, and encourages us to hope for every good, if we have recourse to her. In me is all hope of life and virtue. Come over to me, all ye who desire me (Ecclus. xxiv. 25-26). In explaining this passage, the devout Pelbart says: "She invites all, the just and sinners." The devil, according to St. Peter, goes about continually seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter v. 8). But this Divine Mother, says Bernard de Eustis, goes about seeking whom she may save. Mary is called the Mother of Mercy; because, like a mother, she cannot see her children in danger of being lost without giving them assistance. Mary pities all our miseries, and constantly seeks our salvation. And, asks St. Germanus, who, after Jesus, has greater care of our salvation, than thou, O Mother of Mercy? St. Bonaventure says that Mary is so solicitous about the relief of the miserable that she appears to desire nothing with greater ardour than to comfort them.

She certainly assists us as often as we have recourse to her, but this, adds Richard of St. Victor, is not enough for her; she anticipates our supplications, and obtains aid for us before we ask her prayers. Moreover, the same author says that Mary is so full of mercy that, as soon as she sees misery, she instantly obtains relief, and cannot behold any one in distress without coming to his assistance. It was thus she acted when she lived on this earth, as we learn from what happened at the marriage of Cana in Galilee; where, when the wine failed, she did not wait to be asked, but taking pity on the affliction and shame of the spouses, asked her Son to console them, saying: They have no wine (Jo. ii. 3). Thus she induced Him to change, by miracle, water into wine. But, says St. Bonaventure, if Mary's compassion for the afflicted was so great while she was in this world, her pity for us is certainly much greater now that she is in Heaven, where she has a better knowledge of our miseries, and greater compassion for us. Novarino adds: If Mary, unasked, shows such readiness to afford relief, how much more careful will she be to console those who ask her prayers!

II. Ah! let us never cease to have recourse in all our necessities to the Divine Mother, who is always ready to obtain relief for all who pray to her. "You will find her ever ready to assist," says Richard of St. Laurence. And Bernardine de Bustis adds that she desires more ardently to obtain graces for us than we do to receive them. Hence he says that, whenever we have recourse to her, we shall always find her hands full of graces and mercies. According to St. Bonaventure, Mary's desire for our welfare and salvation is so great that she feels offended not only with those who do her a positive injury but also with those who neglect to ask favours from her. And, on the other hand, the Saint affirms that they who invoke Mary's intercession (that is, with a determination to amend their lives) are saved. Hence he calls her the salvation of those who invoke her. Let us, then, always have recourse to the Divine Mother, and always say to her with the holy Doctor: "In thee, O Lady, have I hoped; may I not be confounded forever." No, O Lady, O Mother of God, O Mary, I shall not be lost after having placed my hopes in thee after Jesus.