Vita, dulcedo - 05

XXI.-MARY IS OUR LIFE, BECAUSE SHE OBTAINS FOR US PERSEVERANCE.

The most Blessed Virgin is called a plane-tree in the words of Ecclesiasticus: As a plane-tree by the water in the streets was I exalted-(Ecclus. xxiv. 19). Cardinal Hugo explains them, and says that the “plane-tree has leaves like shields,” to show how Mary defends all who take refuge with her. Blessed Amedeus gives another explanation, and says that this holy Virgin is called a plane-tree because, as the plane-tree shelters travellers under its branches from the heat of the sun and from the rain, so do men find refuge under the mantle of Mary from the ardour of their passions and from the fury of temptations. Truly are those souls to be pitied who abandon this defence in ceasing their devotion to Mary, and no longer recommending themselves to her in time of danger. If the sun ceased to rise, says St. Bernard, how could the world become other than a chaos of darkness and horror? And applying his question to Mary he repeats it: “Take away the sun and where will be the day? Take away Mary, and what will be left but the darkest night?” When a soul loses devotion to Mary, it is immediately enveloped in darkness, and in that darkness of which the Holy Ghost speaks in the Psalms: Thou has appointed darkness, and it is night; in it shall all the beasts of the woods go about-(Ps. ciii. 20). When the light of Heaven ceases to shine in a soul, all is darkness, and it becomes the haunt of devils and of every sin. St. Anselm says that “if any one is disregarded and condemned by Mary, he is necessarily lost,” and therefore we may with reason exclaim, “Woe to those who are in opposition to this sun!” Woe to those who despise its light! That is to say, all who despise devotion to Mary.

St. Francis Borgia always doubted the perseverance of those in whom he did not find particular devotion to the Blessed Virgin. On one occasion he questioned some novices as to the Saints towards whom they had special devotion, and perceiving some who had it not towards Mary, he instantly warned the Master of novices and desired him to keep a more attentive watch over these unfortunate young men, who all, as he had feared, lost their vocation and renounced the Religious state.

It was, then, not without reason that St. Germanus called the most Blessed Virgin the “breath of Christians”; for as the body cannot live without breathing, so the soul cannot live without having recourse to and recommending itself to Mary, by whose means we certainly acquire and preserve the life of divine grace within our souls. But I will quote the Saint’s own words: “As breathing is not only a sign but even a cause of life, so the name of Mary, which is constantly found on the lips of God’s servants, both proves that they are truly alive, and at the same time causes and preserves their life, and gives them every succour.”

Blessed Allan was one day assaulted by a violent temptation and was on the point of yielding, for he had not recommended himself to Mary, when the most Blessed Virgin appeared to him and, in order that another time he might remember to invoke her aid, she gave him a blow, saying: “If thou hadst recommended thyself to me thou wouldst not have run into such danger.”