Carefully go over the whole course of the Gospel story, and if by chance you ever find her chide, if there be anything hard in her, if you meet with even a sign of the slightest indignation in Mary, then you may hold her in suspicion and fear to draw nigh to her. But if you find, as you will find, that everything which belongs to her is full of motherly kindness and grace, full of gentleness and mercy-then render thanks to Him who in His most loving Mercy, has provided for you such a mediatress in whom you find nothing to dread. She has become all things to all men ; by her overflowing charity she has made herself debtor both to the wise and to the foolish. To all does she open the bosom of her mercy, that all may receive of her fulness—the captive redemption, the sick man health, the sinner pardon, the just grace, the angel joy, finally the whole Trinity glory, the Person of the Son the substance of His human Flesh—so that there be none to hide himself from the warmth [of her love]." (Sermo de Duodecim praerogativis B.V.M., I. ii.)
In another sermon St. Bernard develops the same thought:
" With all the affection of our hearts let us, then, venerate Mary—for such is the Will of Him, who has willed us to have all through Mary. This I say is His Will—let it be well observed for our sake. In all things and by means of all things providing for the miserable, He soothes our anxieties, excites our faith, strengthens our hope, drives away our diffidence, raises us from our lack of courage. Thou (O man) didst fear to approach to the Father; terrified by the very sound of His Voice, thou didst hide thyself amidst the leaves of the trees. (Cf. Gen. iii. 8.) He gave thee Jesus as thine Advocate. What will not such a Son obtain from such a Father ? Surely He shall be heard on account of the reverence that is due to Him, (Heb. v. 7.) for the Father loveth the Son. But art thou afeared to go even to Him ? He is thy Brother and thy flesh, tempted in all things without sin, that He might be made merciful. (Heb. iv. 15 ; v. 2.) Mary gave Him to thee to be thy Brother. But perchance thou mayest fear in Him the Majesty of God, in that, though He was made Man, still He remained God. Dost thou desire an advocate with Him ? Have recourse to Mary. In truth there is pure humanity in Mary—pure not only because she is free from any stain, but also because she possesses nothing but humanity. Nor would I shrink from saying that she also will be heard on account of the reverence that is due to her. Surely the Son will hear His Mother, and the Father will hear the Son. My little children, this is the sinner's ladder, this is my greatest confidence, this is the whole ground of my hope. Can, then, the Son either repel His Mother, or Himself suffer a repulse ? Can the Son either not hear, or Himself not be heard ? Neither assuredly. 'Thou hast found,' said the Angel, ' grace with God.' Most happily. Always will she find His grace, and grace is all we need. The prudent Virgin did not seek wisdom, like Solomon, nor riches, nor honours, nor power, but grace. Surely it is grace by which we are saved." (De Aquaeductu, vii.)