Mary is the Mother of the penitent Sinner.
STORY
A noble youth named Eskil was sent by the prince, his father, to Hildensheim, a city of Saxony, to study; but he gave himself up to a disorderly life. He afterwards fell so dangerously ill that he received Extreme Unction. While in this state he had a vision: he found himself shut up in a fiery furnace, and believed himself already in hell; but he then seemed to escape from it by a hole, and took refuge in a great palace, in an apartment of which he saw the most Blessed Virgin Mary, who said to him: “Presumptuous man that you are, do you dare to appear before me? Depart therefore, and go to that fire which you have deserved.” The young man then besought the Blessed Virgin to have mercy on him; and then addressed himself to some persons who were there present, and entreated them to recommend him to Mary. They did so, and the divine Mother replied, “But you do not know the wicked life which he leads, and that he does not even deign to salute me with a Hail Mary.” His advocates replied: “But, lady, he will change his life”; and the young man added, “Yes, I promise in good earnest to amend, and I will be your devout client.” The Blessed Virgin’s anger was then appeased, and she said to him, “Well, I accept your promise; be faithful to me, and meanwhile, with my blessing, be delivered from death and hell.” With these words the vision disappeared. Eskil returned to himself, and, blessing Mary, related to others the grace which he had received: and from that time he led a holy life, always preserving great devotion to our Blessed Lady. He became archbishop of Lunden in Sweden, where he converted many to the faith. Towards the end of his life, on account of his age, he renounced his archbishopric, and became a monk in Clairvaux, where he lived for four years, and died a holy death. Hence he is numbered by some authors among the Cistercian saints.
PRAYER
O my sovereign Queen and worthy Mother of my God, most holy Mary; I seeing myself, as I do, so despicable and loaded with so many sins, ought not to presume to call you Mother, or even to approach you; yet I will not allow my miseries to deprive me of the consolation and confidence that I feel in calling you mother; I know well that I deserve that you should reject me; but I beseech you to remember all that your Son Jesus has endured for me, and then reject me if you can. I am a wretched sinner, who, more than all others, have despised the infinite majesty of God: but the evil is done. To you have I recourse; you can help me; my Mother, help me. Say not that you can not do so; for I know that you are all-powerful, and that you obtain whatever you desire of God; and if you say that you will not help me, tell me at least to whom I can apply in this my great misfortune. “Either pity me,” will I say with the devout St Anselm, “O my Jesus, and forgive me, and do you pity me, my Mother Mary, by interceding for me, or at least tell me to whom I can have recourse, who is more compassionate, or in whom I can have greater confidence than in you.” Oh, no; neither on earth nor in heaven can I find any one who has more compassion for the miserable, or who is better able to assist me, than you can, O Mary. You, O Jesus, are my Brother, and you, Mary, are my Mother. You both love the most miserable, and go seeking them in order to save them. I deserve hell, and am the most miserable of all. But you need not seek me, nor do I presume to ask so much. I now present myself before you with a certain hope that I shall not be abandoned. Behold me at your feet; my Jesus, forgive me; My Mother Mary, help me.
