Chapter VI
Eia ergo, Advocata nostra!
O Gracious Advocate

Chapter VI
Eia ergo, Advocata nostra!
O Gracious Advocate

by Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Chapter VI, Section I
Mary is an Advocate who is able to save all

So great is the authority that mothers possess over their sons, that even if they are monarchs, and have absolute dominion over every person in their kingdom, yet never can mothers become the subjects of their sons.  It is true that Jesus now in Heaven sits at the right hand of the Father, that is, as Saint Thomas (De Human. F. C. a. 23) explains it, even as man, on account of the hypostatical union with the Person of the divine Word.  He has supreme dominion over all, and also over Mary; it will nevertheless be always true that for a time, when He was living in this world, He was pleased to humble Himself and to be subject to Mary, as we are told by Saint Luke: "And He was subject to them" - ("Et erat subditus illis"—Luke 2:51).  And still more, says Saint Ambrose, Jesus Christ having deigned to make Mary His Mother, inasmuch as He was her Son, He was truly obliged to obey her.  And for this reason, says Richard of Saint Laurence, "of other saints we say that they are with God; but of Mary alone can it be said that she was so far favored as to be not only herself submissive to the will of God, but even that God was subject to her will" - ("Cum de caeteris Sanctis dicatur, eos esse cum Deo, Maria majus aliquid sortita est, ut non solum ipsa subjiceretur voluntati Domini, sed etiam Dominus voluntati ipsius").  And whereas of all other virgins, remarks the same author, we must say that they follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth - ("Sequuntur Agnum quocumque ierit"—Apocalypse 14:4), of the Blessed Virgin Mary we can say that the Lamb followed her, having become subject to her - ("De Virgine autem Maria secure potest dici, quod Agnus sequebatur eam, quocunque ivit; unde Lucas: Erat subditus illis"—De Laud. B. M. l. i. c. 5).

And here we say, that although Mary, now in Heaven, can no longer command her Son, nevertheless her prayers are always the prayers of a Mother, and consequently most powerful to obtain whatever she asks.  "Mary", says Saint Bonaventure, "has this great privilege, that with her Son she above all the saints is most powerful to obtain whatever she wills" - ("Grande priviletgium Mariae, quod apud Deum potentissima est"—Spec. B. M. V. lect. 6).  And why?  Precisely for the reason on which we have already touched, and which we shall later on again examine at greater length, because they are the prayers of a Mother.

Therefore, says Saint Peter Damian, the Blessed Virgin can do whatever she pleases both in Heaven and on earth.  She is able to raise even those who are in despair to confidence; and he addresses her in these words: "All power is given to thee in heaven and on earth, and nothing is impossible to thee who canst raise those who are in despair to the hope of salvation" - ("Data est tibi omnis potestas in coelo et in terra; Nihil tibi impossibile, cui possible est desperatos in spem beatitudinis relevare").  And then he adds that "when the Mother goes to seek a favor for us from Jesus Christ" (Whom the saint calls the golden altar of mercy, at which sinners obtain pardon), "her Son esteems her prayers so greatly, and is so desirous to satisfy her, that when she prays it seems as if she rather commanded than prayed, and was rather a queen than a handmaid" - ("Accedis enim ante illud humanae reconciliationis Altare, non salum rogans, sed imperans; Domina, non ancilla; Nam Filius, Nihil negans, honerat te"—In Nat. B. V. s. 1).  Jesus is pleased thus to honor His beloved Mother who honored him so much during her life by immediately granting all that she asks or desires.  This is beautifully confirmed by Saint Germanus, who addressing our Blessed Lady says: "Thou art the Mother of God, and all-powerful to save sinners, and with God thou needest no other recommendation; for thou art the Mother of true life" (In Dorm V. M. s. 2).

"At the command of Mary, all obey, even God".  Saint Bernardine fears not to utter this sentence; meaning, indeed, to say that God grants the prayers of Mary as if they were commands - ("Imperio Virginis omnia famulantur, etiam Deus"—Pro Fest. V. M. s. 5, c. 6).  And hence Saint Anselm addressing Mary says: "Our Lord, O most holy Virgin, has exalted thee to such a degree that by His favor all things that are possible to Him should be possible to thee" - ("Te, Domina, Deus sic exaltavit, et omnia tibi secum possibilia esse donavit"—De Excell. Virg. c. 12).  "For thy protection is omnipotent, O Mary" - ("Omnipotens auxilium tuum, O Maria!"—Hymn 6), says Cosmas of Jerusalem.  "Yes, Mary is omnipotent", repeats Richard of Saint Laurence; "for the queen by every law enjoys the same privileges as the king.  And as", he adds, "the power of the Son and that of the Mother is the same, a Mother is made omnipotent by an omnipotent Son" - ("Eisdem privilegiis secundum leges gaudent Rex et Regina.  Cum autem eadem sit potestas Matris et Filii ab omnipotente Filio omnipotens Mater est effecta"—De Laud B. M. l. 4).  "And thus", says Saint Antoninus, "God has placed the whole Church, not only under the patronage, but even under the dominion of Mary" - ("Sub protectione ejus et dominio"—P. 4, t. 15, c. 20, #2).

Since the Mother, then, should have the same power as the Son, rightly has Jesus, Who is omnipotent, made Mary also omnipotent; though, of course, it is always true that where the Son is omnipotent by nature, the Mother is only so by grace.  But that she is so, is evident from the fact, that whatever the Mother asks for, the Son never denies her; and this was revealed to Saint Bridget, who one day heard Jesus talking with Mary, and thus address her: "Ask of Me what thou wilt, for no petition of thine can be void" - ("Pete quod vis a me; non enim inanis potest esse petition tua").  As if He had said, "My Mother, thou knowest how much I love thee; therefore ask all that thou wilt of Me; for it is not possible that I should refuse thee anything".  And the reason that He gave for this was beautiful: "Because thou never dist deny Me anything on earth, I will deny thee nothing in heaven" - ("Quia tu mihi Nihil negasti in terra, ego tibi Nihil negabo in coelo"—Rev. l. 6, c. 23; l. 1, c. 24).  My Mother, when thou wast in the world, thou never didst refuse to do anything for the love of Me; and now that I am in Heaven, it is right that I should deny thee nothing that thou askest.  Mary, then, is called omnipotent in the sense in which it can be understood of a creature who is incapable of a divine attribute.  She is omnipotent , because by her prayers she obtains whatever she wills.

With good reason, then, O great Advocate, does Saint Bernard say, "Thou willest, and all things are done" - ("Velis tu, et omnia fient").  And Saint Anselm: "Whatever thou, O Virgin, willest can never be otherwise than accomplished" - ("Tantummodo salutem nostram, et vere nequamquam salvi esse non poterimus"—Excell. V. c. 12).  Thou willest, and all is done.  If thou art pleased to raise a sinner from the lowest abyss of misery to the highest degree of sanctity, thou canst do it.  Blessed Albert the Great, on this subject, makes Mary says: "I have to be asked that I may will; for if I will a thing, it is necessarily done" - ("Roganda est, ut velit; quia, si vult, necesse est fieri"—De Laud B. M. l.2, c. 1).

Thus Saint Peter Damian, reflecting on the great power of Mary, and begging her to take compassion on us, addresses her, saying: "O let thy nature move thee, let thy power move thee; for the more thou art powerful, the greater should thy mercy be" - ("Moveat te natura, potential moveat; quia quanto potentior, tanto misericordior esse debebis"—In Nat. B. V. s. 1).  O Mary, our own beloved Advocate, since thou hast so compassionate a heart, that thou canst not even see the wretched without being moved to pity, and since, at the same time, thou hast so great power with God, that thou canst save all whom thou dost protect,—disdain not to undertake the cause of us poor miserable creatures who place all our hope in thee.  If our prayers cannot move thee, at least let thine own benign heart do so; or, at least, let thy power do so, since God has enriched thee with so great power, in order that the richer thou art in power to help us, the more merciful thou mayest be in the will to assist us.  But Saint Bernard reassures us on this point; for he says that Mary is as immensely rich in mercy as she is in power; and that, as her charity is most powerful, so also it is most clement and compassionate, and its effects continually prove it to be so.  He thus expresses himself: "The most powerful and merciful charity of the Mother of God abounds in tender compassion and in effectual succor: it is equally rich in both" - ("Potentissima et piissima charitas Dei Matris, et affectu compatiendi, et subveniendi abundant effectu; aeque locuples in utroque"—In Assumpt.)

From the time that Mary came into the world, her only thought, after seeking the glory of God, was to succor the miserable.  And even then she enjoyed the privilege of obtaining whatever she asked.   This we know from what occurred at the marriage feast of Cana in Galilee.  When the wine failed, the most Blessed Virgin, being moved to compassion at the sight of the affliction and shame of the bride and bridegroom, asked her Son to relieve them by a miracle, telling Him that they had no wine.  Jesus answered: "Woman, what is that to thee and Me?  My hour is not yet come" - ("Vinum non habent.  Quid mihi et tibi est, mulier?  Nondum venit hora mea"—John 2:3).  And here remark, that although Our Lord seemed to refuse His Mother the favor she asked, and said, What is it to thee, O woman, and to Me, if the wine has failed?  This is not the time for Me to work a miracle; the time will be when I begin to preach, and when miracles will be required to confirm My doctrines.  And yet Mary, as if the favor had already been granted, desired those in attendance to fill the jars with water, for they would be immediately satisfied.  And so it was; for Jesus, to content His Mother, changed the water into the best wine.  But how was this?  As the time for working miracles was that of the public life of Our Lord, how could it be that, contrary to the divine decrees, this miracle was worked?  No; in this there was nothing contrary to the decrees of God; for though, generally speaking, the time for miracles was not come, yet from all eternity God had determined by another decree that nothing that she asked should ever be refused to the divine Mother.  And therefore Mary, who well knew her privilege, although her Son seemed to have refused her the favor, yet told them to fill the jars with water, as if her request had already been granted.  That is the sense in which Saint John Chrysostom understood it; for, explaining these words of Our Lord, Woman, what is it to thee and Me?  he says, that "though Jesus answered thus, yet in honor of His Mother He obeyed her wish" - ("Et licet ita responderit, maternis tamen precibus obtemperavit"—In Jo. Hom. 21).  This is confirmed by Saint Thomas, who says that by the words, My hour is not yet come, Jesus Christ intended to show, that had the request come from any other, He would not then have complied with it; but because it was addressed to Him by His Mother, He could not refuse it - ("Per illa verba, 'nondum venit hora mea,' ostendit se dilaturum fuisse miraculum, si alius rogasset; quia tamen rogabat Mater, fecit").  Saint Cyril and Saint Jerome, quoted by Barrada (T. ii l. 3, c. 1), say the same thing.  Also Gandavensis, on the foregoing passage of Saint John, says, that "to honor His mother, our Lord anticipated the time for working miracles" - ("Quo matrem honoraret, praevenit tempus miracula faciendi"—In Conc. Ev. c. 18).

In fine, it is certain that no creature can obtain so many mercies for us as this tender Advocate, who is thus honored by God, not only as His beloved handmaid, but also as His true Mother.  And this, William of Paris says, addressing her, "No creature can obtain so many and so great favors as thou obtainest for poor sinners; and thus without doubt God honors thee not only as a handmaid, but as His most true Mother" - ("Nulla creatura et tot et tanta impetrare posset apud Filium tuum miseris, quanta tu impetras eisdem; in quo procul dubio non tamquam Ancillam, sed tamquam Matrem verissimam te honorat"—De Rhet. Div. c. 18).  Mary has only to speak, and her Son executes all.  Our Lord conversing with the spouse in the sacred Canticles,—that is Mary,—says, "Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the friends hearken; make Me hear thy voice" - ("Quae habitas in hortis, amici auscultant; fac me audire vocem tuam"—Canticles 8:13).  The saints are the friends, and they, when they seek a favor for their clients, wait for their Queen to ask and obtain it; for, as we said in the fifth chapter, "no grace is granted otherwise than at the prayer of Mary".  And how does Mary obtain favors.  She has only to let her voice be heard,—make me hear thy voice.  She has only to speak, and her Son immediately grants her prayer.  Listen to the Abbot William explaining, in this sense, the above-mentioned text.  In it he introduces the Son addressing Mary: "Thou who dwellest in the heavenly gardens, intercede with confidence for whomsoever thou wilt; for it is not possible that I should so far forget that I am thy Son as to deny anything to thee, my Mother" - ("Quae habitas in hortis coelestibut, fiducialiter pro quibuscumque volueris intercede; non enim possum oblivisci me Filium tuum, ut Matri quidpiam denegandum putem").  "Only let thy voice be heard; for to be heard by a Son is to be obeyed" - ("Tantum vocem proferat, a Filio audiri, exaudiri est"—Paciucch. In Sal. Ang. exc. 20).  The Abbot Godfrey says, "that although Mary obtains favors by asking, yet she asks with a certain maternal authority, and therefore we ought to feel confident that she obtains all she desires and asks for us" - ("Virgo Maria, ex eo quod ille Homo est, et natus ex ea, quasi quodam Matris imperio, apud ipsum impetrare quidquid voluerit, pia fide non dubitatur"—In Fest. B. M. s. 8).

Valerius Maximus (Ex mir. l. 5, c. 4) relates that when Coriolanus was besieging Rome, the prayers of his friends and all the citizens were insufficient to make him desist; but as soon as he beheld his mother Veturia imploring him, he could no longer refuse, and immediately raised the siege.  But the prayers of Mary with Jesus are as much more powerful than those of Veturia as the love and gratitude of this Son for His most dear Mother are greater.  Father Justin Micoviensis says that "a single sigh of the most Blessed Mary can do more than the united suffrages of all the saints" - ("Unicum suspirium ab ea oblatum superat omnium Sanctorum preces"—Super Litan. s. 270).  And this was acknowledged by the Devil himself to Saint Dominic, who, as it is related by Father Paciucchelli (In Sal. Ang. exc. 3), obliged him to speak by the mouth of a possessed person; and he said that "a single sigh from Mary was worth more before God than the united suffrages of all the saints".   

Saint Antoninus says that "the prayers of the Blessed Virgin, being the prayers of a Mother, have in them something of a command; so that it is impossible that she should not obtain what she asks" - ("Oratio Deiparae habet rationem imperii; unde impossibile est eam non exaudiri"—P. 4, tit. 15, c. 17, #4).  Saint Germanus, encouraging sinners who recommend themselves to this Advocate, thus addresses her: "As thou hast, O Mary, the authority of a Mother with God, thou obtainest pardon for the most enormous sinners; since that Lord in all things acknowledges thee as His true and spotless Mother, He cannot do otherwise than grant what thou askest" - ("Tu autem maternal in Deum auctoritate pollens, etiam iis qui enormiter peccant, gratiam concilias; non enim potes non exaudiri, cum Deus tibi, ut verae et intemeratae Matri, in omnibus morem great"—In Dorm. Deip. s. 2).  And so it was that Saint Bridget heard the saints in Heaven addressing our Blessed Lady: "O most blessed Queen, what is there that thou canst not do?  Thou hast only to will, and it is accomplished" - ("Domina benedicta! quid est quod non poteris?  Quod enim tu vis, hoc factum est"—Rev. l. 4, c. 74).  And this corresponds with that celebrated saying, "That which God can do by His power, that canst thou do by prayer, O sacred Virgin" - ("Quod Deus imperio, tu prece Virgo, potes").  "And perchance", says Saint Augustine, "it is unworthy of the benignity of that Lord to be thus jealous of the honor of His Mother, who declares that He came into the world, not to break, but to observe the law: but this law commands us to honor our parents" - ("Numquid non pertinet ad benignitatem Domini, Matris honom servare, qui Legem non solvere venerat, sed adimplere?"—Lib de Assumpt. B. V. c. 5).  Saint George, Archbishop of Nicomedia, says that Jesus Christ, even as it were to satisfy an obligation under which He placed Himself towards His Mother, when she consented to give Him His human nature, grants all she asks: "the Son, as if paying a debt, grants all thy petitions" - ("Filius quasi exsolvens debitum, petitiones tuas implet"—Or. de Ingr. B. V.).  And on this the holy martyr Saint Methodius exclaims: "Rejoice, rejoice, O Mary, for thou has that Son thy debtor, Who gives to all and receives from none.  We are all God's debtors for all that we possess, for all is His gift; but God has been pleased to become thy debtor in taking flesh from thee and becoming man" - ("Euge, euge, quae debitorem habes Filium, qui omnibus mutuatur!  Deo enim universi debemus; tibi autem etiam ille debitor est"—Or. de Sim. Et. Anna). 

Therefore Saint Augustine says, "that Mary, having merited to give flesh to the divine Word, and thus supply the price of our redemption, that we might be delivered from eternal death; therefore is she more powerful than all others to help us to gain eternal life" - ("Neque enim dubium, quae meruit pro liberandis proferre pretium, posse, plus Sanctis omnibus, liberates impendere suffragium"—Serm. 208, E. B. app.)  Saint Theophilus, Bishop of Alexandria, in the time of Saint Jerome, left in writing the following words: "The prayers of His Mother are a pleasure to the Son, because He desires to grant all that is granted on her account, and thus recompense her for the favor she did Him in giving Him His body" (Salazar. In Prov. viii. 18).  Saint John Damascene, addressing the Blessed Virgin, says, "Thou, O Mary, being Mother of the most high God, canst save all by thy prayers, which are increased in value by the maternal authority" - ("Potes quidem omnes salvare, ut Dei altissimi Mater, precibus maternal auctoritate pollentibus"—Men Grac. 20 Jan. Ad Mat).

Let us conclude with Saint Bonaventure, who, considering the great benefit conferred on us by Our Lord in giving us Mary for our Advocate, thus addresses her: "O truly immense and admirable goodness of our God, which has been pleased to grant thee, O sovereign Mother, to us miserable sinners for our advocate, in order that thou, by thy powerful intercession, mayest obtain all that thou pleasest for us" - ("O certe Dei nostril mira benignitas, qui suis reis te Dominam tribuit, Advocatam, ut a Filio tuo, quod volueris valeas impetrare!")  "O wonderful mercy of our God", continues the same saint, "who in order that we might not fly on account of the sentence that might be pronounced against us, has given us His own Mother and the patroness of graces to be our advocate" - ("O mirabilis erga nos misericordia Dei nostril, qui, ne fugeremus pro sentential, voluit Matrem suam ac Dominam gratiae, nostram instituere Advocatam"—Stim. Div. am. p. 3, c. 19).

Example

In Germany a man fell into a grievous sin; through shame he was unwilling to confess it; but, on the other hand, unable to endure the remorse of his conscience, he went to throw himself into a river; on the point of doing so, he hesitated, and weeping, he begged that God would forgive him his sin without his confessing it.  One night, in his sleep, he felt some one shake his arm, and heard a voice which said, "Go to confession"  He went to the church, but yet did not confess.  On another night, he again heard the same voice.  He returned to the church; but when he arrived there, he declared that he would rather die than confess that sin.  But before returning home he went to recommend himself to the most Blessed Virgin, whose image was in that church.  He had no sooner knelt down than he found himself quite changed.  He immediately arose, called a confessor, and weeping bitterly, through the grace which he had received from Mary, made an entire confession of his sins; and he afterwards declared that he experienced greater satisfaction than if he had obtained all the treasures of the world (Auriemma, Aff. p. 2, c. 7).

Prayer

I will address thee, O great Mother of God, in the words of St. Bernard:  "Speak, O Lady, for thy Son heareth thee, and whatever thou askest thou wilt obtain" ("Loquere, Domina, quia audit Filius tuus; et quaecumque petieris, impetrabis"—Depr. Ad gl. V.)  Speak, speak, then, O Mary, our advocate, in favor of us poor miserable creatures.  Remember that it was also for our good that thou didst receive so great power and so high a dignity.  A God was pleased to become thy debtor by taking humanity of thee, in order that thou mightest dispense at will the riches of divine mercy to sinners.  We are thy servants, devoted in a special manner to thee; and I am one of these, I trust, even in a higher degree.  We glory in living under thy protection.  Since thou dost good to all, even to those who neither know nor honor thee, nay, more, to those who outrage and blaspheme thee, how much more may we not hope from thy benignity, which seeks out the wretched in order to relieve them, we who honor, love, and confide in thee?  We are great sinners, but God has enriched thee with compassion and power far exceeding our iniquities.  Thou canst, and hast the will to save us; and the greater is our unworthiness, the greater shall be our hope in order to glorify thee the more in heaven, when by thy intercession we get there.  O Mother of mercy, we present thee our souls, once cleansed and rendered beautiful in the blood of Jesus Christ, but, alas, since that time, defiled by sin.  To thee do we present them; do thou purify them.  Obtain for us true conversion; obtain for us the love of God, perseverance, heaven.  We ask thee for much; but what is it? perhaps thou canst not obtain all?  It is perhaps too much for the love God bears thee?  Ah, no! for thou hast only to open thy lips and ask thy divine Son; he will deny thee nothing.  Pray, then: and we shall with the same certainty obtain the kingdom of heaven.

Amen