(Galatians 4:26-27 KJV) But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. {27} For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

DILIGUORI: "But if Jesus is the Father of our souls, Mary is also their Mother; for she, by giving us Jesus, gave us true life; and afterwards, by offering the life of her Son on Mount Calvary for our salvation, she brought us forth to the life of grace" (De Liguori; Scripture says Jesus offered himself: see Heb. 7:27; 9:7,14; E-47).

(Hebrews 7:27 KJV) Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

(Hebrews 9:7 KJV) But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: . . .(14) How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

DILIGUORI: "On two occasions, then according to the holy Fathers, Mary became our spiritual Mother. The first, according to Blessed Albert the Great, was when she merited to conceive in her virginal womb the Son of God. . . . 'she bore us in her womb.' In the second chapter of St. Luke, the Evangelist, speaking of the birth of our Blessed Redeemer, says that Mary brought forth her first- born Son. . . . . 'must we suppose that she had afterwards other children?' [asks Albert]. But then he replies to his own question, saying, 'that as it is of faith that Mary had no other children according to the flesh than Jesus, she must have had other spiritual children, and we are those children.' This was revealed by our Lord to St. Gertrude, . . . saying, that Jesus was Mary's first- born according to the flesh, but that all mankind were her second-born according to the spirit"(Di Liguor; see John 3; 2 Tim. 1:8-10; 1 Peter 1:19-23; E-47-48).

(2 Timothy 1:8-10 KJV) Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; {9} Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, {10} But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

(1 Peter 1:19-23 KJV) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: {20} Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, {21} Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. {22} Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: {23} Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

DILIGUORI: "And it is explained by St. Ambrose, who says, 'That although in the most pure womb of mary there was but one grain of corn, which was Jesus Christ, yet it is called a heap of wheat, because all elect were virginally contained in it;' and . . . Mary was also to be their Mother. . . . And the Abbot St. William writes in the same sense, saying, 'that Mary, in bringing forth Jesus, our Saviour and life, brought forth many unto salvation; and by giving birth to life itself, she gave life to many'" (De Liguori; see Matthew 20:28; E-48-49).

(Matthew 20:28 KJV) Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

DILIGUORI: ". . . she also with her entire will offered, and consented to, the death of her Son, in order that we might be saved" (St. Bonaventure; God could care a piddle about Mary consenting to Jesus' death or not: see Acts 2:23-37; E-50).

(Acts 2:23-37 KJV) Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: {24} Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. {25} For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: {26} Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: {27} Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. {28} Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. {29} Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. {30} Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; {31} He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. {32} This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. {33} Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. {34} For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, {35} Until I make thy foes thy footstool. {36} Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. {37} Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

DILIGUORI: "The Church applies to Mary these words of the sacred Canticle [Song of Songs]" 'I am the Mother of fair love;' and a commentator explaining them, says, that the Blessed Virgin's love renders our souls beautiful in the sight of God, and also makes her as a most loving mother receive us as her children, 'she being all love towards those whom she has thus adopted.'" (De Liguori citing Paciucch In Ps. 86, exc., 22; see Rom 8:15-16; E-51).

(Romans 8:15-16 KJV) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. {16} The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

DILIGUORI: "The prophet David, although she was not born yet, sought salvation from God by dedicating himself as a son of Mary. and thus prayed: 'Save the son of the handmaid' [Ps. Lxxxv, 16]. 'Of what handmaid,' asks St. Augustine; and he answers, 'Of her who said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord.' 'And who,' says Cardinal Bellarmine, 'would ever dare to snatch these children from the bosom of Mary, when they have taken refuge there? What power of hell, or what temptation, can overcome them, if they place their confidence in the patronage of this great Mother, the Mother of God, and of them?'" (Di Liguori; see Romans 8:37-39; E-52].

(Romans 8:37-39 KJV) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. {38} For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, {39} Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

DILIGUORI: "O, happy confidence! O safe refuge! The Mother of God is my Mother. How firm, then should be our confidence, since our salvation depends on the judgement of a good Brother and a tender Mother" (St. Anselm; see Acts 17:31; 1 Thess. 1:5; Heb 10:22; Heb. 6:18-20; P 53).

(Acts 17:31 KJV) Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

(1 Thessalonians 1:5 KJV) For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

(Hebrews 6:18-20 KJV) That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: {19} Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; {20} Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

(Hebrews 10:22 KJV) Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

DILIGUORI: "Children have always on their lips their mother's name, and in every fear, in every danger, they immediately cry out, Mother! Mother! . . . this is precisely what thou desirest: that we should become children, and call on thee in every danger. . . .' (De Liguori; see Acts 4:12; 8:15-16; Gal. 4:6-7; P 54-55).

(Acts 4:12 KJV) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

(Acts 8:15-16 KJV) Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: {16} (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

(Galatians 4:6-7 KJV) And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. {7} Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

DILIGUORI: "Arnold of Chatres tells us that ‘at the death of Jesus Christ, she desired with immense ardor to die with her Son, for love of us;' so much so, adds St. Ambrose, that whilst ‘her Son was hanging on the cross, Mary offered herself to the executioners,' to give her life for us" (De Liguori; see Gal 4:4-6; P 57).

(Romans 5:5-7 KJV) And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. {6} For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. {7} For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

(Galatians 4:4-6 KJV) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, {5} To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. {6} And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

(Hebrews 9:14 KJV) How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

DILIGUORI: "But again, we are exceedingly dear to mary on account of the sufferings we cost her. . . . we are those children for whom Mary, in order to obtain for us the life of grace, was obliged to endure the bitter agony of herself offering her beloved Jesus to die an ignominious death; . . . And thus it is written of the love of the Eternal Father towards men, in giving His own Son to death for us, that God so loved the world as to give His only begotten Son. ‘So also,' says St. Bonaventure, ‘we can say of Mary, that she so loved us as to give her only-begotten Son for us.' And where did she give him? She gave him, Father Nieremberg says, when she granted him permission to deliver himself up to death;"(De Liguori; see John 10:17-18; Romans 5:1-2; P 59).

(John 10:17-18 KJV) Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. {18} No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

(Romans 5:1-2 KJV) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: {2} By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

DILIGUORI: "Our Blessed Lady told St. Bridget that she was the mother not only of the just and innocent, bot also of sinners, provided they were willing to repent. O how prompt does a sinner (desirous of amendment, and who flies to her feet) find this good mother to embrace and help him far more than any earthly mother" (De Liguori; see Psalm 2:12; Acts 2:38; p 70).

(Psalms 2:12 KJV) Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

(Acts 2:38 KJV) Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

DILIGUORI: "Therefore, St. Bernard exhorts all sinners to have recourse to Mary, invoking her with great confidence; for though the sinner does not himself merit the graces which he asks, yet he receives them, because this Blessed Virgin asks and obtains them from God, on account of her own merits. These are his words, addressing a sinner: ‘Because thou wast unworthy to receive the grace thyself, it was given to Mary, in order that, through her, thou mightest receive all'" (De Liguori; see Philip 1:25; Eph 2:8; p. 73).

(Ephesians 2:8 KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

(Philemon 1:25 KJV) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

End of Part 2, taken from pages 47-79 of De Liguori's book, "The Glories of Mary."