the crucified orator 710 the Queen of all, the Hope of the despairing?” For thus does St. Ephrem the Syrian50 regard her. Her venerator, St. Bernard bids every sinner to flee to her and says: “If you are troubled by the enormity of your sins, confused by the foulness of your conscience, terrified by the horror of the Judgment, so that you begin to be swallowed up by the pit of sadness, the abyss of despair, think of Mary! In dangers, in straits, in perplexity, think of Mary, call upon Mary,”51 for she is our neighbor and our own kinswoman; she is of our family. She will heed us more easily than the offended God; in fact, she reconciles us with Him. Hugo of St. Victor52 says the same: “If you must pray and are afraid to approach God, direct your gaze upon Mary. There, you will not find anything to be feared: You see one of your own family.”53 Saint Ildephonse,54 an exceptional venerator of the Virgin, adds, “Now come with me to the Virgin, lest without her, you will go speedily into Hell. Come: Let us hide under her mantle so that you would not be covered with shame as with a robe.”55 Bernadino de Busti exclaims, “O sinner! Do not allow yourself to plunge into the abyss of despair, but hasten with confidence to this most powerful and most merciful Advocate. She will run to your aid without delay, because she is able to do so.”56 Furthermore, she must do so, but for what reason? For in [the person of ] John, sinners were entrusted to her as sons. 50 Cf. Ortiz de Urbina, Ignazio, Efrem, santo (ca. 306-372), in: ECat V, 126129. 51 Berndardus, De Laudibus Virginis Matris, super, “Missus est,” hom. II. PL 183, 743, col. 70. 52 Cf. Piolanti, A., Ugo di San Vittore († 1141), in: ECat XII, 711-712. 53 The source of this text was not able to be found. 54 Cf. Madoz, G., Ildefonso da Toledo, santo (617-667), in: ECat VI, 1620, where we read that his principal work is “De virginitate S. Mariae contra tres infideles.” 55 Ildefonsus, De Virginitate S. Mariae Liber […], Parisiis 1576, f.7v (Ch. IIII). 56 Bernardinus de Busti, Mariale […] de singulis festivitatibus beatae Virginis per modum sermonum tractans […], Pars XII, Sermo II: De coronatione Mariae.
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