Chapter VIII (cont,d)
Et Jesum, benedictum Fructum ventris
tui nobis post hoc exilium ostende
And after this, our Exile, show unto Us
the Blessed Fruit of Thy Womb, Jesus

Chapter VIII (cont,d)
Et Jesum, benedictum Fructum ventris
tui nobis post hoc exilium ostende
And after this, our Exile, show unto Us
the Blessed Fruit of Thy Womb, Jesus

by Saint Alphonsus Liguori

 Chapter VIII, Section III
Mary leads her Servants to Heaven

Oh, what an evident mark of predestination have the servants of Mary!  The holy Church, for the consolation of her clients, puts into her mouth the words of Ecclesiasticus, "In all these I sought rest, and I shall abide in the inheritance of the Lord" - ("In his omnibus requiem quaesivi, et in haereditate Domini morabor"—Ecclesiasticus 24:11).  Cardinal Hugo explains these words, and says, "blessed is he in whose house the most Holy Virgin finds repose" - ("Beatus, in cujus domo Beata Virgo requiem invenerit").  Mary, out of the love she bears to all, endeavors to excite in all devotion towards herself; many either do not admit it into their souls, or do not preserve it.  But blessed is he that receives and preserves it.  And I shall abide in the inheritance of the Lord.  "That is", adds the Cardinal, "Blessed is he whose interior offers the Blessed Virgin Mary a place of repose".  Devotion towards the Blessed Virgin remains in all who are the inheritance of Our Lord; that is to say, in all who will praise Him eternally in Heaven.  Mary continues, speaking in the words of Ecclesiasticus:  "He that made me rested in my tabernacle, and He said to me:  Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thy inheritance in Israel, and take root in My elect" - ("Qui creavit me, requievit in tabernaculo meo, et dixit mihi: In Jacob inhabita, et in Israel haereditare, et in electis meis mitte radices").  That is, my Creator has condescended to come and repose in my bosom, and His will is, that I should dwell in the hearts of all the elect (of whom Jacob was a figure, and who are the inheritance of the Blessed Virgin), and that devotion and confidence in me should take root in all the predestined.

O, how many blessed souls are now in Heaven who would never have been there had not Mary, by her powerful intercession, led them thither:  "I made that in the heavens there should rise light that never faileth" - ("Ego feci in coelis ut oriretur lumen indeficiens"—Ecclesiasticus 24:6).  Cardinal Hugo, in his commentary on the above text of Ecclesiasticus, says, in the name of Mary, "I have caused as many lights to shine eternally in heaven as I have clients"; and then he adds, "There are many saints in heaven through her intercession, who would never have been there but through her" - ("Multi Sancti sunt in coelis intercessione ejus, qui nunquam ibi fuissent nisi per eam").

Saint Bonaventure says, "that the gates of heaven will open to all who confide in the protection of Mary" - ("Qui speraverit in illa, porta paradise reserabitur ei"—Psalt. B. V. ps. 90).  Hence, Saint Ephrem calls devotion to the divine Mother "the unlocking of the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem" ("Reseramentum coelesti Jerusalem"—De Laud. Dei gen.).  The devout Blosius also, addressing our Blessed Lady, says, "To thee, O Lady, are committed the keys and the treasures of the kingdom of heaven" - ("Tibi regni coelestis claves thesaurique commissi sunt"—Par. An. fid. p. 2, c. 4).  And therefore we ought constantly to pray to her, in the words of Saint Ambrose, "Open to us, O Mary, the gates of paradise, since thou hast its keys" - ("Aperi nobis, O Virgo, coelum, cujus claves habes").  Nay more, the Church says, that "thou art its gate" - ("Janua coeli").

For the same reason, again, is this great Mother called by the Church the Star of the Sea, "Hail, Star of the Sea!"  "For", says the angelical Saint Thomas, "as sailors are guided by a star to the port, so are Christians guided to heaven by Mary" - ("Stella maris, quia, sicut per stellam maris navigantes diriguntur ad portum, ita Christiani diriguntur per Mariam ad gloriam"—Exp. In Sal. Ang.).

For the same reason, finally, is she called by Saint Fulgentius, "the heavenly ladder".  "For", says the saint, "by Mary God descended from heaven into the world, that by her men might ascend from earth to heaven" - ("Scala coelestis, quia per ipsam Deus descendit ad terras, ut per ipsam hominess mereantur ascendere ad coelos"—In Annunt. s. 1).  "And thou, O Lady", says Saint Athanasius, "wast filled with grace, that thou mightest be the way of our salvation, and the means of ascent to the heavenly kingdom" - ("Ave, gratia Plena, quod facta sis nobis salutis Via, Ascensusque ad superos"—In Annunt. s. 1).

Saint Bernard calls our Blessed Lady "the heavenly chariot" - ("Vehiculum ad coelum"—De Aquaed.).  And Saint John Geometra salutes her, saying, "Hail, resplendent car!" - ("Salve clarissime Currus"—In V. Deip. h. 1).  signifying that she is the car in which her clients mount to heaven.  "Blessed are they who know thee, O Mother of God", says Saint Bonaventure; "for the knowledge of thee is the high road to everlasting life, and the publication of thy virtues is the way of eternal salvation" - ("Scire et cognoscere te, est radix immortalitatis; et enarrare virtutes tuas, est via salutis"—Psalt. B. V. ps. 85).

Denis the Carthusian asks, "Who is there that is saved? who is there that reigns in heaven?"  And he answers, "They are certainly saved and reign in heaven for whom this Queen of mercy intercedes" - ("Quis salvatur? quis regnat in coelo?  Illi sane pro quibus Regina misericordiae interpellat"—Paciucch. Sup. Salve Reg. exc. 1).  And this Mary herself confirms in the Book of Proverbs, "By me kings reign" - ("Per me reges regnant"—Proverbs 8:15); through my intercession souls reign, first in this mortal life by ruling their passions, and so come to reign eternally in Heaven, where, says Saint Augustine, "all are kings" - ("Quot cives, tot reges").  "Mary, in fine", says Richard of Saint Laurence, "is the mistress of heaven; for there she commands as she wills, and admits whom she wills".  And applying to her the words of Ecclesiasticus, "And my power was in Jerusalem" - ("In Jerusalem potestas mea"—Ecclesiasticus 24:15), he makes her say, "I command what I will, and introduce whom I will" - ("Imperandi scilicet, quod volo, et, quos volo, introducendi"—De Laud. Virg. l. 4, c. 4).  Our Blessed Lady, being Mother of the Lord of Heaven, it is reasonable that she also should be sovereign Lady of that kingdom, according to Rupert, who says, "that by right she possesses the whole kingdom of her Son" - ("Totum jure possidens Filii regnum"—In Cant. l. 3).

Saint Antoninus tells us "that this divine Mother has already, by her assistance and prayers, obtained heaven for us, provided we put no obstacle in the way" - ("Coeleste nobis regnum, suo interventu, auxiliis, et precibus, impetravit"—Paciucch. Sup. Salve Reg. exc. 1).  Hence, says the Abbot Guerric, "he who serves Mary, and for whom she intercedes, is as certain of heaven as if he was already there" - ("Qui Virgini famulatur, ita securus est de paradise, ac si esset in paradise").  Saint John Damascene also says, "that to serve Mary and be her courtier is the greatest honor we can possibly possess; for to serve the Queen of heaven is already to reign there, and live under her commands is more than to govern" - ("Summus honor, servire Mariae, et de ejus esse familia; eternim ei servire, regnare est; et ejus agi fraenis, summa libertas").  On the other hand, he adds, "that those who do not serve Mary will not be saved; for those who are deprived of the help of this great Mother are also deprived of that of her Son and of the whole court of heaven" - ("Gens quae non servierit illi, peribit; gentes destitutae tantae Matris auxilio, destituuntur auxilio Filii et totius curiae coelestis"—De Laud. B. M. l. 4).

"May the infinite goodness of our Lord be ever praised", says Saint Bernard, "for having been pleased to given us Mary as our Advocate in Heaven, that she, being at the same time the Mother of our Judge and a Mother of mercy, may be able, by her intercession, to conduct to a prosperous issue the great affair of our eternal salvation" - ("Advocatam praemisit peregrination nostra; quae, tamquam Judicis Mater et Mater misericordiae, suppliciter et efficaciter salutis nostrae negotia pertractabit"—In Assumpt. s. 1).  Saint James, a Doctor of the Greek Church, says, "that God destined Mary as a bridge of salvation, by using which we might with safety pass over the stormy sea of this world, and reach the happy haven of paradies" - ("Eam tu Pontem fecisti, quo a mundi fluctibus trajicientes, ad tranquillum portum tuum perveniamus"—Or. in Nat. Dei gen.).  Therefore Saint Bonaventure exclaims, "Give ear, O ye nations; and all you who desire heaven, serve, honor Mary, and certainly you will find eternal life" - ("Audite, omnes gentes; qui ingredi cupitis regnum Dei, Virginem Mariam honorate, et invenietis vitam et salutem perpetuam"—Psalt. B. V. ps. 48).

Nor should those even who have deserved Hell be in the least doubtful as to obtaining Heaven, provided they are faithful in serving this Queen.  "O, how many sinners", says Saint Germanus, "have found God and have been saved by thy means, O Mary!" - ("Peccatores per te Deum exquisierunt, et salvi facti sunt"—In Dorm. V. M. s. 2).  Richard of Saint Laurence remarks, that Saint John in the Apocalypse says that Mary was crowned with stars: "And on her head a crown of twelve stars" - ("Et in capite ejus corona stellarum duodecim"—Apocalypse 12:1).  On the other hand, in the sacred Canticles, she is said to be crowned with wild beasts, lions, and leopards: "Come from Libanus, my spouse, come from Libanus, come; thou shalt be crowned . . . from the dens of the lions, from the mountains of the leopards" - ("Coronaberis . . . de montibus pardorum"—Canticles 4:8).   How is this?  He answers, that "these wild beasts are sinners, who by the favor and intercession of Mary have become stars of paradise, better adapted to the head of this Queen of mercy than all the material stars of heaven" - ("Et quid est hoc, nisi quod ferae, per gratiam et orations Mariae, fiunt stellae, ut convenient capiti tantae Reginae?"—De Laud. B. M. l. 3).

We read in the life of the servant of God, Sister Seraphina of Capri, that once during the novena of the Assumption of Mary she asked our Blessed Lady for the conversion of a thousand sinners, but afterwards thought that she had asked too much; and then the Blessed Virgin appeared to her, and corrected her for her ungrounded anxiety, saying, "Why dost thou fear?  Is it that I am not sufficiently powerful to obtain from my Son the conversion of a thousand sinners?  See, I have already obtained the favor".  With these words, she took her in spirit to Heaven, and there showed her innumerable souls which had deserved Hell, but had been saved through her intercession, and were already enjoying eternal happiness.

It is true that in this world no one can be certain of his salvation: "Man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love or hatred", says Ecclesiastes - ("Nescit homo, utrum amore an odio dignus sit; sed omnia in futurum servantur incerta"—Ecclesiastes 9:1).  But Saint Bonaventure, on the words of King David, "Lord, who shall dwell in Thy tabernacle?" - ("Domine, quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo?"—Psalm 14:1) and on the preceding quotation, answers, "Sinners, let us follow Mary closely, and casting ourselves at her feet, let us not leave them until she has blessed us; for her blessing will insure our salvation" - ("Amplectamur Mariae vestigial peccatores, et ejus beatis pedibus provolvamur; teneamus eam fortiter, nee dimittamus, donec ab ea meruimus benedici"—Psalt. B. V. ps. 14).

"It suffices, O Lady", says T. Anselm, "that thou willest it, and our salvation is certain" - ("Tantummodo veils salutem nostram, et vere nequaquam salvi esse non poterimus"—De Excell. Virg. c. 6).  And Saint Antoninus says that "souls protected by Mary, and on which she casts her eyes, are necessarily justified and saved" - ("Necessarium est quod hi, ad quos convertit oculos suos, justificentur et glorificentur"—P. 4, tit. 15, c. 17, #7).

"With reason, therefore", observes Saint Ildephonsus, "did the most Holy Virgin predict that all generations would call her blessed" - ("Beatam me dicent omnes generations"); "for all the elect obtain eternal salvation through the means of Mary" - ("Beata jure dicitur, quia omnes ex ea beatificantur"—De Assumpt. s. 3).  "And thou, O great Mother", says Saint Methodius, "art the beginning, the middle, and the end of our happiness" - ("Tu festivitatis nostrae principium, medium, et finis"—De Sim. et Anna);—the beginning, for Mary obtains us the pardon of our sins; the middle, for she obtains us perseverance in divine grace; and the end, for she finally obtains us Heaven.  "By thee, O Mary, was heaven opened", says Saint Bernard; "by thee was hell emptied; by thee was paradise restored; and through thee, in fine, is eternal life given to so many miserable creatures who deserved eternal death" - ("Per te, coelum repletum, infernos evacuatus est, instauratae ruinae coelestis Jerusalem; expectantibus miseris vita perdita data"—In Assumpt. s. 4).

But that which above all should encourage us to hope with confidence for Heaven, is the beautiful promise made by Mary herself to all who honor her, and especially to those who, by word and example, endeavor to make her known and honored by others:  "They that work by me shall not sin; they that explain me shall have life everlasting" - ("Qui operantur in me, non peccabunt; qui elucidant me, vitam aeternam habebunt"—Ecclesiasticus 24:30,31).  "O happy they who obtain the favor of Mary!" exclaims Saint Bonaventure; "they will be recognized by the blessed as their companions, and whoever bears the stamp of a servant of Mary is already enrolled in the Book of Life" - ("Qui acquirit gratiam Mariae, agnoscetur a civibus paradise; et qui habuerit characterem ejus, adnotabitur in libro vitae"—Psalt. B. V. ps. 91).

Why, then, should we trouble ourselves about the opinions of scholastics as to whether predestination to glory precedes or follows the prevision of merits?  If we are true servants of Mary, and obtain her protection, we most certainly shall be inscribed in the Book of Life; for, says Saint John Damascene, "God only grants devotion towards His most Holy Mother to those whom He will save".  This is also clearly expressed by Our Lord in Saint John:  "He that shall overcome . . . I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God" - ("Qui vicerit . . . scribam super eum nomen Dei mei, et nomen Civitatis Dei mei"—Apocalypse 3:12).  And who but Mary is this City of God? observes Saint Gregory on the words of David: "Glorious things are said of thee, O city of God" - ("Gloriosa dicta sunt de te, Civitas Dei"—Psalm 86:3).

Correctly, then, can we here say with Saint Paul, "Having this seal, the Lord knoweth who are His" - ("Habens signaculum hoc, cognovit Dominus qui sunt ejus"—2Timothy 2:19); that is to say, whoever carries with him the mark of devotion to Mary is recognized by God as His.  Hence Saint Bernard writes, that "devotion to the Mother of God is a most certain mark of eternal salvation" - ("Servire Mariae, est signum salutis aeternae consequendae"—Stell. B. V. l. 12, p. 2, a. 1).  Blessed Alan, speaking of the "Hail Mary", also says, that "whoever often honors our Blessed Lady with this angelical salutation has a very great mark of predestination" - ("Habentibus devotionem ad hanc, signum est praedestinationis permagnum ad gloriam").  He says the same thing of perseverance in this daily recital of the Rosary, "that those who do so have a very great assurance of salvation" - ("Signum sit tibi probabilissimum aeternae salutis, si perseveranter in dies eam in suo Psalterio salutaveris"—De Psalt. p 2, c. 11,—4, c. 24).  Father Nieremberg says, in the tenth chapter of his book on Affection for Mary, that "the servants of the Mother of God are not only privileged and favored in this world, but even in heaven they are more particularly honored".  He then adds: "that in heaven they will be recognized as servants of its Queen, and as belonging to her court, by a distinguishing and richer garment", according to the words of the Proverbs, "All her domestics are clothed with double garments" - ("Omnes enim domestici ejus vestiti sunt duplicibus"—Proverbs 31:21).

Saint Mary Magdalen of Pazzi saw a vessel in the midst of the sea; in it were all the clients of Mary, and this Blessed Mother herself steered it safely into the port.  By this the saint understood, that those who live under the protection of Mary are secure, in the midst of the dangers of this life, from the shipwreck of sin, and from eternal damnation; for she guides them safely into the haven of salvation.  Let us then enter this blessed ship of the mantle of Mary, and there we can be certain of the Kingdom of Heaven; for the Church says: "O holy Mother of God, all those who will be partakers of eternal happiness dwell in thee, living under thy protection" - ("Sicut laetantium, omnium nostrum habitation est in te, sancta Dei Genitrix"—Off. Ad. Mat.).

Example

The Franciscan Chronicles relate that a certain Brother Leo saw in a vision two ladders the one red, the other white.  On the upper end of the red ladder, stood Jesus and on the other stood His holy Mother.  The brother saw that some tried to climb the red ladder; but scarcely had they mounted some rungs when they fell back, they tried again but with no better success.  Then they were advised to try the white ladder and to their surprise they succeeded, for the Blessed Virgin stretched out her hand and with her aid they reached Heaven (Wadding, Ann. 1232 n. 28).

(Note:  This apparition is by no means incredible; nor is it right to say that it makes the power of Mary superior to that of Christ.  The symbolic significance of the vision must be borne in mind.  The idea has been expressed repeatedly in the words of Saint Bernard, and more recently by Popes Leo XIII, and Benedict XV:  "As we have no access to the Father except through the Son, so no one can come to the Son except by the Mother.  As the Son is all powerful by nature, the Mother is all powerful in so far that by the merciful disposition of God she is our mediatrix of graces with Christ".  Therefore says Eadmer: "Frequently our petitions are heeded sooner when we address ourselves to Mary the Queen of Mercy and Compassion than when we go directly to Jesus Who as King of Justice is our Judge" (De Excell. V. c. 6).

Prayer

O Queen of heaven, Mother of holy love! since thou art the most amiable of creatures, the most beloved of God, and His greatest lover, be pleased to allow the most miserable sinner living in this world, who, having by thy means been delivered from Hell, and without any merit on his part been so benefited by thee and who is filled with love for thee, to love thee.  I would desire, were it in my power, to let all men who know thee not, know how worthy thou art of love, that all might love and honor thee.  I would desire to die for the love of thee, in defense of thy virginity, of thy dignity of Mother of God, of thy Immaculate Conception, should this be necessary, to uphold these thy great privileges.  Ah! my most beloved Mother accept this my ardent desire, and never allow a servant of thine, who loves thee, to become the enemy of thy God, Whom thou lovest so much.  Alas! poor me, I was so for a time, when I offended my Lord.  But then, O Mary, I loved thee but little, and strove but little to be beloved by thee.  But now there is nothing that I so much desire, after the grace of God, as to love and be loved by thee.  I am not discouraged on account of my past sins, for I know that thou, O most benign and gracious Lady, dost not disdain to love even the most wretched sinners who love thee; nay more, that thou never allowest thyself to be surpassed by any in love.  Ah!  Queen most worthy of love, I desire to love thee in Heaven.  There, at thy feet, I shall better know how worthy thou art of love, how much thou hast done to save me; and thus I shall love thee with greater love, and love thee eternally, without fear of ever ceasing to love thee.  O Mary, I hope most certainly to be saved by thy means.  Pray to Jesus for me.  Nothing else is needed; thou hast to save me; thou art my hope.  I will therefore always sing O Mary, my hope, thou hast to save me.

Amen