How can Mary help us as our Heavenly Mother? (5)



She is the Hope of sinners

After created the earth, God created two lights: the sun to give light by day, and the moon to give light by night. If the sun represents Jesus Christ, is for the righteous who are living in the daylight of divine grace to rejoice in His light; the moon then represents Mary, so that sinners who are living in the night of sin can be enlightened by her. Therefore if anyone finds that he has lost the light of the sun, by loosing divine grace, thus has fallen into this night of sin; then he should pray to Mary, being the moon, who are so merciful to miserable sinners, and she will give him light to know the misery of his condition, and strength to come forth from it. Since she is the only refuge for those who have offended God, asylum of all those who are tempted and afflicted. This mother of mercy is all kindness and all sweetness, not only with the righteous, but also with sinners and those who are in despair; so that when she sees them turning towards her, and asking for her help with sincerity, she immediately welcomes them, helps them, and obtains their pardon from her Son. She neglects no one, however unworthy they maybe, and refuses nobody her protection; she consoles them all; and as soon as they call upon her, she quickly comes to help them. A Jesuit priest once found a sinner in the hospital, who for fifty-five years had never been to confession, and only practised this little devotion - whenever he saw an image of Mary he saluted it, and prayed to her that he might not die in mortal sin. Then he related to the priest that in a quarrel with an enemy, his sword was broken during the fight, at this critical moment, he turned to Mary, saying: "Alas, I shall be killed and going to hell; oh mother of sinners, help me!" When he said this, he immediately found himself being transported into a secure place, although he did not know how. After he made a general confession with the priest, he died full of confidence.

(Reference: 'The Glories of Mary' by St Alphonsus Liguori)