Oh, what an evident mark of predestination have 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. - Ecclus. 24: 11.

       Cardinal Hugo explains these words, and says, "blessed is he in whose house the most Holy Virgin finds repose." 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.

       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.

Souls Now In Heaven Because Of Mary

       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.- Ecclus. 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."

       St. Bonaventure says, "that the gates of heaven will open to all who confide in the protection of Mary." Hence, St. Ephrem calls devotion to the divine Mother "the unlocking of the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem."

       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."

       And therefore we ought constantly to pray to Her, in the words of St. Ambrose, "Open to us, O Mary, the gates of paradise, since Thou hast its keys." Nay more, the Church says, that "Thou art its gate."

       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 St. Thomas, "as sailors are guided by a star to the port, so are Christians guided to Heaven by Mary."

       For the same reason, finally, is She called by St. 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." "And Thou, O Lady," says St. Athanasius, "wast filled with grace, that Thou mightest be the way of our salvation, and the means of ascent to the Heavenly Kingdom."

       St. Bernard calls our Blessed Lady "the Heavenly Chariot." And St. John Geometra saluted Her, saying, "Hail, resplendent car!" signifying that She is the car in which Her clients mount to Heaven.

       "Blessed are they who know Thee, O Mother of God," says St. 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."

Mary, Queen Of Heaven, Intercedes

       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."

       And this Mary Herself confirms in the book of Proverbs, "By Me kings reign"¹, through My intercession souls reign, first in this mortal life by ruling their passions, and so come to reign eternally in Heaven, where, says St. Augustine, "all are kings." "Mary, in fine," says Richard of St. 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"², he makes Her say, "I command what I will, and introduce whom I will." 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."

       St. 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." Hence, says Abbot Guerric, "he who serves Mary, and for whom She intercedes, is as certain of Heaven as if he was already there."

       St. 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 paradise." Therefore St. Bonaventure exclaims, "Give ear, O ye nations; and all you who desire Heaven, serve, honor Mary, and certainly you will find eternal life."

Footnotes:

1. Prov. 8: 15.

2. Ecclus:24.15.

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