Chapter VI (cont'd)
Eia ergo, Advocata nostra!
O Gracious Advocate

Chapter VI (cont'd)
Eia ergo, Advocata nostra!
O Gracious Advocate

by Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Chapter VI, Section II
Mary is so tender as Advocate that she does not refuse
to defend the Cause even of the most miserable

So many are the reasons that we have for loving this our most loving Queen, that if Mary was praised throughout the world, if in every sermon Mary alone was spoken of; if all men gave their lives for Mary; still all would be little in comparison with the homage and gratitude that we owe her in return for the tender love she bears to men, and even to the most miserable sinners who preserve the slightest spark of devotion for her.

Blessed Raymond Jordano, who, out of humility, called himself the Idiot, used to say, "that Mary knows not how to do otherwise than love those who love her; and that even she does not disdain to serve those who serve her; and in favor of such a one, should he be a sinner, she uses all her power in order to obtain his forgiveness from her Blessed Son" - ("Maria diligit diligentes se, imo sibi servientibus servit; ipso benedicto Filio suo irato potentissime reconciliat servos et amatores suos").  And he adds, "that her benignity and mercy are so great, that no one, however enormous his sins may be, should fear to cast himself at her feet: for she never can reject any one who has recourse to her" - ("Tanta est ejus benignitas, quod nulli formidandum est ad eam accedere; tantaque misericordia, ut nemo ab ea repellatur").  "Mary, as our most loving advocate, herself offers the prayers of her servants to God, and especially those who are placed in  her hands; for as the Son intercedes for us with the Father, so does she intercede with the Son, and does not cease to make interest with both for the great affair of our salvation, and to obtain for us the graces we ask" ("Ipsa preces servorum suorum, maxiome quae sibi exhibentur, repraesentat in conspectus divinae Majestatis; quia est Advocata nostra apud Filium, sicut Filius apud Patrem; imo apud Patrem et Filium procurat negotia et petitiones nostras"—Cont. de V. M. in prol).

With good reason, then, does Denis the Carthusian call the Blessed Virgin "the singular refuge of the lost, the hope of the most abandoned, and the advocate of all sinners who have recourse to her" ("Singulare Refugium perditorum, Spes miserorum, Advocata omnium iniquorum ad eam confugientium"—De Laud. V., 1. 2, a. 23).

But should there by chance be a sinner who, though not doubting her power, might doubt the compassion of Mary, fearing perhaps that she might be unwilling to help him on account of the greatness of his sins, let him take courage from the words of Saint Bonaventure.  "The great, the special privilege of Mary is, that she is all-powerful with her Son" - ("Grande privilegium Mariae, quod apud Deum potentissima est").  "But", adds the saint, "to what purpose would Mary have so great power if she cared not for us?" - ("Sed, quid tanta Mariae potential prodesset nobis, si ipsa Nihil curaret de nobis?")  "No", he concludes, "let us not doubt, but be certain, and let us always thank our Lord and His divine Mother for it, that in proportion as her power with God exceeds that of all the saints, so is she in the same proportion our most loving advocate, and the one who is the most solicitous for our welfare" - ("Carissimi, sciamus indubitanter, et pro hoc gratias agamus incessanter, quia, sicut ipsa apud Deum omnibus Sanctis est potentior, ita pro nobis omnibus est sollicitior"—Spec. B. V. lect. 6).

"And who, O Mother of mercy", exclaims Saint Germanus, in the joy of his heart, "who, after thy Jesus, is as tenderly solicitous for our welfare as thou art?" - ("Quis, post tuum Filium, curam gerit generic humani, sicut tu?")  - "Who defends us in the temptations with which we are afflicted as thou defendest us?  Who, like thee, undertakes to protect sinners, fighting, as it were, in their behalf?" - ("Quis ita nos defendit in nostris afflictionibus?  Quis pugnat pro peccatoribus?")  "Therefore", he adds, "thy patronage, O Mary, is more powerful and loving than anything of which we can ever form an idea" - ("Propterea, patrocinium tuum majus est quam comprehendi posit"—De Zona Deip).

"For", says the Blessed Raymond Jordano, "whilst all the other saints can do more for their own clients than for others, the divine Mother, as Queen of all, is the advocate of all, and has a care for the salvation of all" - ("Caeteri Sancti, jure quodam patrocinii, pro sibi specialiter commissis plus possunt prodesse quam pro alienis; Beatissima vero Virgo, sicut est omnium Regina, sic et omnium Patrona et Advocata; et cura est illi de omnibus"—Cont. de V. M. in prol).

Mary takes care of all, even of sinners; indeed she glories in being called in a special manner their Advocate, as she herself declared to the Venerable Sister Mary Villani, saying: "After the title of Mother of God, I rejoice most in that of advocate of sinners".

Blessed Amadeus says, "that our Queen is constantly before the divine Majesty, interceding for us with her most powerful prayers" - ("Adstat Beatissim aVirgo vultui Conditoris, prece potentissima, simper interpellans pro nobis").  And as in Heaven "she well knows our miseries and wants, she cannot do otherwise than compassionate us; and thus, with the affection of a mother, moved to tenderness towards us, pitying and benign, she is always endeavoring to help and save us" - ("Videt enim nostra discrimina, nostrique Clemens et dulcis Domina materno affectu miseretur"—De Laud. V. hom. 8).  And therefore does Richard of Saint Laurence encourage each one, however bad he may be, to have recourse with confidence to this sweet Advocate, being assured that he will always find her ready to help him ("Inveniet simper paratam auxiliary"—De Laud. V. hom. 8); "for", says the Abbot Godfrey, "Mary is always ready to pray for all" - ("Ipsa pro universo mundo paratissima est ad precandum"—In Fest B. M. s. 8).

"Oh, with what efficacy and love", says Saint Bernard, "does this good advocate interest herself in the affair of our salvation!" - ("Advocatam praemisit peregrination nostra, quae tanquam Judicis Mater et Mater misericordiae, suppliciter et efficaciter salutis nostrae negotia pertractabit"—In Assumpt. s. 1).  Saint Bonaventure, considering the affection and zeal with which Mary intercedes for us with the divine Majesty, in order that Our Lord may pardon us our sins, help us with His grace, free us from dangers, and relieve us in our wants, says, addressing the Blessed Virgin, in the words of an ancient writer: "We know that we have as it were but one solicitous in Heaven for us, and thou art this one, so greatly does thy solicitude for us exceed that of all the saints" - ("Te solam, O Maria! pro Sancta Ecclesia sollicitam prae omnibus Sanctis scimus"—Ap. S. Bonav. Spec. B. V. l. 6).  That is, "O Lady, it is true that all the saints desire our salvation, and pray for us; but the love, the tenderness that thou showest us in heaven, in obtaining for us by thy prayers so many mercies from God, obliges us to acknowledge that in heaven we have but one advocate, and that is thyself; and that thou alone art truly loving and solicitous for our welfare".

Who can ever comprehend the solicitude with which Mary constantly stands before God in our behalf!  "She is never weary of defending us" - ("Non est satietas defensionis ejus"—De Zona Deip), says Saint Germanus; and the remark is beautiful, meaning that so great is the compassion excited in Mary by our misery, and such is the love that she bears us, that she prays constantly, and relaxes not her efforts in our behalf; that by her prayers she may effectually defend us from evil, and obtain for us sufficient graces.  "She has never done enough".

Truly unfortunate should we poor sinners be, had we not this great Advocate, who is so powerful and compassionate, and at the same time "so prudent and wise, that the Judge, her Son", says Richard of Saint Laurence, "cannot condemn the guilty who are defended by her" - ("Tam prudens etiam et discreta est Advocata Maria, quod non potest Filius vindicare in eos pro quibus ipsa allegat"—De Laud. B. M. l. 2, p. 1).  And therefore Saint John Geometra salutes her, saying, "Hail, O court, for putting an end to litigation" - ("Salve Jus dirimens lites"—In V. Deipt. Hymn. 4).  For all causes defended by this most wise Advocate are gained.

For this reason is Mary called, by Saint Bonaventure, "the wise Abigail" - ("Abigail sapiens"—Laus B. M. n. 13).  This is the woman we read of in the Book of Kings, who by her beautiful supplications knew so well how to appease King David when he was indignant against Nabal; and indeed so far as to induce him to bless her, in gratitude for having prevented him, by her sweet manners, from avenging himself on Nabal with his own hands ("Benedicta tu, quae prohibuisti me hodie, ne . . . ulciscerer me manu mea"—1Kings 25:33).  This is exactly what Mary constantly does in Heaven, in favor of innumerable sinners; by her tender and unctuous prayers, she knows so well how, to appease the divine justice, that God Himself blesses her for it, and, as it were, thanks her for having withheld Him from abandoning and chastising them as they deserved.

"On this account it was", says Saint Bernard, "that the Eternal Father, wishing to show all the mercy possible, besides giving us Jesus Christ, our principal advocate with Him, was please also to give us Mary, as our advocate with Jesus Christ".  "There is no doubt", the saint adds, "that Jesus Christ is the only mediator of justice, between men and God; that, by virtue of His own merits and promises, He will and can obtain us pardon and the divine favors; but because men acknowledge and fear the divine Majesty, which is in Him as God, for this reason it was necessary to assign us another advocate, to whom we might have recourse with less fear and more confidence, and this advocate is Mary, than whom we cannot find one more powerful with His divine majesty, or one more merciful towards outselves".  The saint says, "Christ is a faithful and powerful Mediator between God and men, but in Him men fear the majesty of God.  A mediator, then, was needed with the mediator Himself; nor could a more fitting one be found than Mary" - ("Fidelis et praepotenens Mediator Dei et hominum, Christus Jesus, sed divinam in eo reverentur hominess majestate; . . . opus est enim mediatore ad Mediatorem istum, nec alter nobis utilior quam Maria").

"But", continues the same saint, "should any one fear to go to the feet of this most sweet advocate, who has nothing in her of severity, nothing terrible, but who is all courteous, amiable, and benign, he would indeed be offering an insult to the tender compassion of Mary" - ("Quid ad Mariam accedere trepidet humana fragilitas? nihil austerum in ea, Nihil terribile; tota suavis est").  And he adds, "Read, and read again, as often as you please, all that is said of her in the Gospels, and if you can find the least trait of severity recorded of her, then fear to approach her.  But no, this you can never find; and therefore go to her with a joyful heart, and she will save you by her intercession" - ("Revolve diligentius Evangelicae historiae seriem universam et si quid forte durum occurreit in Maria, accedere verearis"—In Sign. magn).

How beautiful is the exclamation put in the mouth of a sinner who has recourse to Mary, by William of Paris!  "O most glorious Mother of God, I, in the miserable state to which I am reduced by my sins, have recourse to thee, full of confidence, and if thou rejectest me, I remind thee that thou art in a way bound to help me, since the whole Church of the faithful calls thee and proclaims thee the Mother of mercy".  "Thou, O Mary, art that one who, from being so dear to God, art always listened to favorably.  Thy great compassion was never wanting to any one; thy most sweet affability never despised any sinner that recommended himself to thee, however great his sins".  And what!  Perhaps falsely, and for nothing, the whole Church calls thee its Advocate, and the refuge of sinners.  "Never, O my Mother, let my sins prevent thee from fulfilling the great office of charity which is thine, and by which thou art, at the same time, our advocate and a mediatress of peace between men and God, and who art, after thy Son, our only hope, and the secure refuge of the miserable.  All that thou possessest of grace and glory, and the dignity even of Mother of God, so to speak, thou owest to sinners, for it was on their account that the divine Word made thee His Mother.  Far be it from this divine Mother, who brought the source itself of tender compassion into the world, to think that she should ever deny her mercy to any sinner who has recourse to her.  Since, then, O Mary, thy office is to be the peace-maker between God and men, let thy tender compassion, which far exceeds all my sins, move thee to succor me" - ("Adibo te, imo etiam conveniam, gloriosissima Dei Genitrix, quam Matrem misericordiae et vocat, imo clamitat omnis Ecclesia sanctorum.  Tu, inquam, cujus gratiositas nunquam repulsam patitur; cujur misericordia nulli unquam defuit, cujus benignissima humilitas nullum unquam deprecantem, quantumcumque peccatorem, despexit.  An falso et inaniter vocat te omnis Ecclesia Advocatam suam et miserorum Refugium?  Absit, ut peccata mea possint suspendere te a tam salubri officio pietatis, quo, et Advocata es, et Mediatrix hominum post Filium tuum.  Spes unica et Refugium tutissimum miserorum.  Totum siquidem quod habes gratiae, totum quod habes gloriae, et etiam hoc ipsum quod es Mater Dei, si fas est dicere, peccatoribus debes.  Absit hoc a Matre Dei, quae Fontem pietatis toti mundo peperit, ut cuiquam miserorum suae misericordiae subventionem unquam deneget.  Officium ergo tuum est mediam te interponere inter ipsum et hominess; moveat ergo te gloriosa Dei Mater benignissima misericordia tua, quae major incogitabiliter est omnibus vitiis meis et peccatis"—De Rhet. Div. c. 18).

Example

In one of our missions, after the sermon on the Blessed Virgin Mary, which it is always customary in our Congregation to preach, a very old man came to make his confession to one of the Fathers.  Filled with consolation he said, "Father, our Blessed Lady has granted me a grace".  "What grace has she granted you?" the confessor asked.  "You must know, Father", he replied, "that for five-and-thirty years I have made sacrilegious confessions, for there is a sin which I was ashamed to confess; and yet I have passed through many dangers, have many times been at the point of death, and had I then died, I should certainly have been lost; but now our Blessed Lady has touched my heart with grace to tell it".  This he said weeping, and shedding so many tears, that he quite excited compassion.  The Father, after hearing his confession, asked him what devotion he had practiced.  He replied that on Saturdays he had never failed to abstain from milk-diet in honor of Mary, and that on this account the Blessed Virgin had shown him mercy.  At the same time he gave the Father leave to publish the fact.

Prayer

O great Mother of my Lord, I see full well that my ingratitude towards God and thee, and this too for so many years, has merited for me that thou shouldst justly abandon me, and no longer have a care of me, for an ungrateful soul is no longer worthy of favors.  But I, O Lady, have a high idea of thy great goodness; I believe it to be far greater than my ingratitude.  Continue, then, O refuge of sinners, and cease not to help a miserable sinner who confides in thee.  O Mother of mercy, deign to extend a helping hand to a poor fallen wretch who asks thee for pity.  O Mary, either defend me thyself, or tell me to whom I can  have recourse, and who is better able to defend me than thou, and where I can find with God a more clement and powerful advocate than thou, who art his Mother.  Then, in becoming the Mother of our Savior, wast thereby made the fitting instrument to save sinners, and wast given me for my salvation.  O Mary, save him who has recourse to thee.  I deserve not thy love, but it is thine own desire to save sinners, that makes me hope that thou lovest me.  And if thou lovest me, how can I be lost?  O my own beloved Mother, if by thee I save my soul, as I hope to do, I shall no longer be ungrateful, I shall make up for my past ingratitude, and for the love which thou hast shown me, by my everlasting praises, and all the affections of my soul.  Happy in heaven, where thou reignest, and wilt reign forever.  I shall always sing thy mercies, and kiss for eternity those loving hands which have delivered me from hell, as often as I have deserved it by my sins.  O Mary, my liberator, my hope, my Queen, my advocate, my own sweet Mother, I love thee; I desire thy glory, and I love thee forever. 

Amen, amen.  Thus do I hope.