, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God;"(261) if Paul
"_heard_ secret words"(262) spoken in paradise, is it surprising that Mary
hears and sees us, now that she is elevated to heaven and stands "face to
face" before God, the perfect Mirror of all knowledge? It is as easy for
God to enable His Saints to see things terrestrial from heaven as things
celestial from earth.

The influence of Mary's intercession exceeds that of the angels,
patriarchs and prophets in the same degree that her sanctity surpasses
theirs. If our heavenly Father listens so propitiously to the voice of His
servants, what will He refuse to her who is His chosen daughter of
predilection, chosen among thousands to be the Mother of His beloved Son?
If we ourselves, though sinners, can help one another by our prayers, how
irresistible must be the intercession of Mary, who never grieved Almighty
God by sin, who never tarnished her white robe of innocence by the least
defilement, from the first moment of her existence till she was received
by triumphant angels into heaven.

In speaking of the patronage of the Blessed Virgin, we must never lose
sight of her title of Mother of our Redeemer nor of the great privileges
which that prerogative implies. Mary was the Mother of Jesus. She
exercised toward Him all the influence that a prudent mother has over an
affectionate child. "Jesus," says the Gospel, "was subject to
them"(263)--that is, to Mary and Joseph. We find this obedience of our Lord
toward His Mother forcibly exemplified at the marriage feast of Cana. Her
wishes are delicately expressed in these words: "They have no wine." He
instantly obeys her by changing water into wine, though the time for
exercising His public ministry and for working wonders had not yet
arrived.

Now, Mary has never forfeited in heaven the title of Mother of Jesus. She
is still His Mother, and while adoring Him as her God she still retains
her maternal relations, and He exercises toward her that loving
willingness to grant her request which the best of sons entertains for the
best of mothers.

Never does Jesus appear to us so amiable and endearing as when we see Him
nestled in the arms of His Mother. We love to contemplate Him, and artists
love to represent Him, in that situation. It appears to me that had we
lived in Jerusalem in His day and recognized, like Simeon, the Lord of
majesty in the form of an Infant, and had we a favor to ask Him, we would
present it through