Lest You Remain

about a Woman clothed with the sun and stepping on the moon who appeared to him. Her radiant temple adorned with a crown of twelve stars, She waited to give birth to a child. But there was also a watchful Dragon, ready to devour the beloved child of His mother as soon as it is born. The Heavenly Woman managed to happily deliver a Son—a boy. The one, to be taken from the mouth of the dragon, “was caught up to God and to his throne. The woman herself, fled into the desert” (Rev 12:5-6). At this moment, the Commander of God’s army, Michael, comes out of the celestial court with his legion, against the dragon, defeats him, drives out and hurls him down to the earth. With the greatest fury, the Primeval Snake received the defeat inflicted by the reinforcements of this Heavenly Woman. Thus, strengthened again, he pursues Her. Yet, She receives in time, two wings from heaven, and again flees to the desert. “When the dragon saw,” writes the Prophet, inspired by the Spirit, “that he had been cast down to the earth, he pursued the Woman who had given birth to the boy. But the Woman was given the wings of a gigantic eagle so that She could fly off to her place in the desert” (ibid., 13-14). A very devout writer, Bernardino de Busto, in this Woman, adorned with a crown of stars, clothed in the sunlight, with Her holy feet resting on the moon, instead of a footstool, having two gigantic wings, makes us see none else but God’s Mother, the Virgin, a particular Protector andAdvocate of the just, and even more, the sinners. This is how he explains the vision of John: Our Most Holy Virgin guards us under Her wings and protects us from traps. She is the Woman who was given gigantic wings. One is the wing of mercy where all the sinners flee, to reconcile with God, the other the wing of grace, under which, the just hide to persevere in grace.” /.../ Oh, the strongest and most merciful Tower of refuge! Under your protection, a sinner does not have to fear anything, anything! Oh, Mother, more merciful than we can say or think! When the sinful sons of Adam came to hide in your lap, they are free from fear and the danger of eternal death. They receive the assurance of a happy eternity. In fact, our God, whose goodness and mercy knows no limits, so as not to be bound to punish or destroy us, in our shameful falls, according to the rule of his jus- tice; He gave us, in His care, the Virgin Mary as our advocate with Him, just as He used to give Esther to the Jews. /.../. Esther, this deliverer of the Jews, is a type of the Virgin, most merciful Queen of heaven and earth, Advocate of sinners. /.../ Come here, o desperate sinner! You, who under the burden of your sins, are thrust to the very bottom of Hell and believe your salvation is lost. Come here! Run Program of Vigils 65