Imagine standing in the crowd when the priests and hierarchy of the day incite the people to yell, “Crucify Him, crucify Him ” and we either stand there silent, or, seeing Mary on the fringe of the crowd, we join in and heartily shout for the crucifixion of her Son – and then it is our sins that do crucify Him. It is our sins that, without any thought for her sorrow or suffering, thrust that sword into her heart. Imagine being there when Simeon tells a young teenage Mary, holding the baby Jesus, that a sword will pierce her heart. It was only recently that he realized the ultimate spiritual chutzpah of asking Mary for anything, asking her for any intercession with her Son for us, and of asking her to “pray for us sinners.”

It was only recently your author here realized this, and realized that, indeed, we should beg Mary for her mercy for us. The Salve Regina prayer refers to Mary as the “mother of Mercy,” and it also refers to her mercy: “Turn thine eyes of mercy toward us.” Rather than ask the Mother of God to intercede with her Son so that He will show us His mercy, we ask for her mercy. No doubt the comfort is associated with our devotion to Jesus’s mother, all we have known all our lives about how our own mothers have nourished and cared for us, and what our mothers have told us about all the goodness in us.

O Mother of the Word Incarnate! despise not my petitions, but, in your mercy, hear and answer me. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother, to you I come, before you I stand sinful and sorrowful.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to your protection, implored your help, and sought your intercession, was left unaided. Often, it brings instant comfort to say the prayer of St.

Emma hail mary in latin