Gate of Heaven . . .

Home Page
Mary Introduction
Mary's Litany

We are told by Christ to, "be perfect as your Father is perfect".  But the perfection of the Father is divine and infinite.  How can we, mere created mortals, weakened by the influence of the sin, resist the attractions of sin and strive toward the perfection Christ desires.  It is through the maternal love of Mary, that we are led to her Son.  It is through her intercession as through a gate into a garden that we receive the helps, guidance, and strength of the graces earned by her Son and bestowed by the Holy Spirit.  It is through her intercessions that she pleads before the throne of God the Father and the Son for divine helps for her children.  As every mother desires the best for her children, she encourages us to love her Son as he loves her, and to accept her Son as she accepted him.  We are asked to love her Son, and enter heaven as her and His children.

The divine spirit, the love itself of the Father and the Son, came corporally into Mary, and enriching her with graces above all creatures, reposed in her and made her his spouse, the queen of heaven and earth.
  (1)  St. Anselm of Canterbury
No sooner had Mary consented to be mother of the eternal Word, that she merited by this consent to be made queen of the world and of all creatures. (2)  St. Bernadino of Siena
Are you hoping one day to reach Paradise through the grace of perseverance in the last moment of your lives?  Are you rushing to die in the grace of God?  This grace also will come to you, as those devoted to Mary, through a smile of hers, as a ray from that Son.
  (3)  Pius XII, pope

Since all graces which God is pleased to bestow in pity upon men are dispensed through the Most Holy Virgin, we urge that . . . the trusting petitions of her most afflicted children be directed to the Mother of God . . .  It is our fervent desire that mankind turn to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the throne of grace, and that recourse to this throne be made through Mary. (4)  Benedict XV, pope

Oh Lady, since you are dispenser of all graces, and since the grace of salvation can only come through your hands, our salvation depends on you. (5)  St. Bernadino of Siena

As every mandate of grace that is sent by a king passes through the palace gates, so does every grace that comes from heaven to the world pass through the hands of Mary the Gate of Heaven. (6)  St. Bernadino of Siena

By following Mary you can never go astray; by praying to her you will never fall; by thinking of her you will never err; protected by her, you need not fear; guided by her, you will reach salvation. (7)  St. Bernard-abbot of Clairvaux

Remember this well; no one will enter heaven without passing through Mary, as one would pass through a door. (8)  St. Bonaventure

Mary is called the gate of heaven because no one can enter that blessed kingdom without passing through her. (9)  St. Bonaventure

The divine spirit, the love itself of the Father and the Son, came corporally into Mary, and enriching her with graces above all creatures, reposed in her and made her his spouse, the queen of heaven and earth.
  (10)  St. Anselm of Canterbury

No sooner had Mary consented to be mother of the eternal Word, that she merited by this consent to be made queen of the world and of all creatures. (11)  St. Bernadino of Siena

Oh Lady, since you are dispenser of all graces, and since the grace of salvation can only come through your hands, our salvation depends on you. (12)  St. Bernadino of Siena

By the fall a poison was handed to mankind through a woman (Eve), by the Redemption man was given salvation also through a woman (Mary). (13)  St. Augustine of Hippo

All the saints had great devotion to our lady.  They realized that no grace comes from heaven without passing through her hands.  We cannot enter a house without first speaking to the porter, similarly, the holy virgin is the portress of heaven and we cannot gain entrance there without calling upon her aid. (14)  St. John Vianney

She is the stairway to heaven, and the gate of paradise. (15)  St. Laurence Justianian

Woe to those who desire no devotion to Mary! . . . The soul cannot live without having recourse to Mary and recommending itself to her.  He falls and is lost who does not have recourse to Mary.  (16)  St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori

No man is delivered or preserved from the world-wide snares of Satan save through Mary; and God grants His graces to no one except through her alone. (17)  St. Germanus

He will not taste death forever who, in his dying moments, has recourse to the Blessed Virgin Mary. (18)  Pius XI, pope

The foundation of all our confidence is found in the Blessed Virgin Mary.  God has committed to her the treasury of all good things, in order that everyone may know that through her is obtained every hope, every grace, and all salvation.  For this is His will: that we obtain everything through Mary. (19)  Blessed Pius IX, pope

Mary is this glorious intermediary; she is the mighty Mother of God. (20)  Leo XIII, pope

When you see yourself with a dry heart, without knowing what to say, go with confidence to the Virgin Mary.  Say to her, "My Mother Immaculate, intercede for me." (21)  St. Josemaria Escriva

No one denies that Jesus Christ is our only mediator of justice, and that he by his merits has obtained our reconciliation with God.  But, on the other hand, it is impious to assert that God is not pleased to grant graces at the intercession of his saints, and more especially of Mary his Mother, whom Jesus desires so much to see loved and honored by all.  Who can pretend that the honor bestowed on a mother does not redound to the honor of the son? (22)  St. Alphonsus de Liguori

There can be no doubt, that by the merits of Jesus, Mary was made the Mediatrex of our salvation; not indeed a Mediatrex of justice, but of grace and intercession. (23)  St. Alphonsus de Liguori

Mary is the most faithful Mediatrex of our salvation. (24)  St. Bonaventure

How can she be otherwise than full of grace, who has been made the ladder to paradise, the gate of heaven, the most true Mediatrex between God and man. (25)  St. Laurence Justinian

God will that we should obtain all good things that we hope for from him through the powerful intercession of the Virgin Mother, and we shall obtain them whenever (as we are in duty bound) we call upon her. (26)  St. Alphonsus de Liguori

See O souls, with what tender devotion our Lord wills that we should honor our Queen, by always calling upon her protection; and by relying on it; for in Mary he has placed the plentitude of every good, so that henceforward we may know and acknowledge that whatever hope, grace, or other advantage we possess, all comes from the hand of Mary. (27)  St. Bernard

As the moon, which stands between the sun and the earth, transmits to earth whatever it receives from the sun, so does Mary pour out upon us who are in this world, the heavenly graces that she receives from the divine sun of justice. (28)  St. Bonaventure

Mary cooperated in our salvation in three ways; first, by having merited by a merit of congruity the Incarnation of the Word; secondly, by having continually prayed for us while she was living in this world; thirdly, by having willingly sacrificed the life of her Son to God.  For this reason our Lord has justly decreed, that as Mary cooperated in the salvation of man with so much love, and at the same time gave such glory to God, so all men through her intercession are to obtain their salvation. (29)  Suarez

Salvation of all depends on their being favored and protected by Mary.  He who is protected by Mary will be saved; he who is not will be lost. (30)  Cassian

There is no one, O must holy Mary who can know God but through you; no one who can be saved or redeemed but through you, O Mother of God; no one who can be delivered from dangers but through you, O Virgin Mother; no one who obtains mercy but through you, O filled with all Grace. (31)  St. Germanus

Whenever we desire or ask for any grace, we should recommend ourselves to Mary, and be assured that we shall receive it by her means; for, if you do not deserve the favor from God, Mary, who will ask it for you, will deserve to receive it. (32)  St. Bernard

The name of Mary is the key of the gates of heaven, in the hands of those who devoutly call upon it. (33)  St. Ephrem

To devoutly call this sweet and holy name leads to the acquisition of superabundant graces in this life, and a very high degree of glory in the next. (34)  Richard of St. Laurence

The most holy name of Mary is sweet indeed to her clients during life, on account of the very great graces that she obtains for them.  But sweeter still will it be to them in death, on account of the tranquil and holy end that it will insure them. (35)  St. Alphonsus de Liguori 

May the last movement of my tongue be to pronounce the name of the Mother of God. (36)  St. Germanus

O Mary, our advocate, it is you to defend your clients, and to undertake their cause before the tribunal of Jesus Christ.
  (37)  St. Bonaventure

Mary is the "Book of Life."  Whoever, by his devotions is written in this book, is certain to be saved. (38)  Bernardine de Bustis

Mary, in you do I place my hope of eternal salvation.  I love you; save me; never allow a servant of yours who loves you, to go to blaspheme you in hell. (39)  Bernardine de Bustis

Commanding what I will and introducing whom I will, I can obtain whatever I please for my clients, and introduce all whom I please into paradise. (40)  Richard of St. Laurence

Those who enjoy the favor of Mary are recognized by the citizens of heaven; and those who bear her stamp, that is, have the grace to be her servants, are inscribed in the Book of Life. (41)  St. Bonaventure

Sinners, let us follow Mary closely, and casting ourselves at her feet, let us not leave them until she has blessed us; for her blessing will insure our salvation. (42)  St. Bonaventure

You, O great Mother, are the beginning, the middle, and the end of our happiness; - the beginning, for Mary obtains us the pardon of our sins; the middle, for she obtains us perseverance in divine grace; and the end, for she finally obtains us heaven. (43)  St. Methodius

May the infinite goodness of our Lord, be ever praised for having been pleased to give us Mary as our advocate in heaven, that she, being at the same time the Mother of our Judge and a Mother of Mercy, by her intercession, can conduct to a prosperous issue the great affair of our eternal salvation. (44)  St. Bernard

Mary is the mistress of heaven; for there she commands as she wills, and admits whom she wills. (45)  Richard of St. Laurence 

This divine Mother has already, by her assistance and prayers, obtained heaven for us, provided we put no obstacle in the way.
  (46)  St. Antoninus

The gates of heaven will open to all who confide in the protection of Mary. (47)  St. Bonaventure

To you, O Lady, are committed the keys and the treasures of the kingdom of heaven. (48)  Blosius

If had not the Blessed Virgin been full of divine grace, how could she have become the ladder to heaven, the advocate of the world, and the most true mediatrex between men and God. (49)  St. Laurence Justinian

I know well that he is found by those who seek him.  But, Mary make me seek him as I ought.  You are the gate through which all find Jesus; through you I also hope to find him. (50)  St. Alphonsus de Liguori

Mary said "yes" to the divine will of God.  She placed herself within this will, placed her whole life with a great "yes" within God's will, and thus opened the world's door to God.  Adam and Eve, with their "no" to God's will, had closed this door.  "Let God's will be done": Mary invites us too to say this "yes" which sometimes seems so difficult.  We are tempted to prefer own own will, but she tells us: ""Be brave, you too say: 'Your will be done,' because this will is good."  It might at first seem an unbearable burden, a yoke impossible to bear; but in reality, God's will is not a burden, God's will gives us wings to fly high and this we too can dare, with Mary, to open the door of our lives to God, the doors of this world, by saying "yes" to his will, aware that this will is the true good and leads us to true happiness.
  (51)  Benedict XVI, pope

Mary is blessed because she is united to God, she lives with God and in God.  On the eve of his Passion, taking leave of his disciples, the Lord said: "In my Father's house are many rooms. . . I go to prepare a place for you."  By saying, "I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word," Mary prepared God's dwelling here on earth; with her body and soul, she became his dwelling place and thereby opened the earth to heaven. (52)  Benedict XVI, pope

Heaven is our final dwelling place; from there, Mary encourages us by her example to welcome God's will, so as not to allow ourselves to be seduced by the deceptive attraction to what is transitory and fleeting, and not to give in to the temptations of selfishness and evil which extinguish the joy of life in the heart. (53)  Benedict XVI, pope

May the Virgin Mary, who watches over us from Heaven, help us not to forget that here on earth we are only passing through, and may she teach us to prepare ourselves to encounter Jesus, who is "seated at the right hand of the Father.  He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead." (54)  Benedict XVI, pope

I we too want to pass through the narrow door, we must work to be little, that is, humble of heart like Jesus, like Mary his Mother and our Mother.  She was the first, following her Son, to take the way of the Cross and she was taken up to Heaven in glory.
  (55)  Benedict XVI, pope

Who can accompany us better on this demanding journey of holiness than Mary?  Who can teach us to adore Christ better than she?  May she help especially the new generations to recognize the true face of God in Christ and to worship, love and serve him with total dedication. (56)  Benedict XVI, pope

We cannot enter a house without first speaking to the porter.  Similarly, we cannot enter heaven without calling upon the aid of the Blessed Virgin Mary who is the Portress of Heaven.  (57)  St. John Vianney

Top
Home Page
Mary Introduction
Mary's Litany