Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/624

 be it  done  to  me  according  to thy  word;  and  by  thy  own  example  also,  who,  though  true God, yet obeyedst  thy  Mother, and likewise  thy  foster-father. And was  subject  to  them. Shall not  my  soul  be  subject to God,  and  even  to  man  also for God’s  sake,  when  the  first place was  yielded  to  obedience both  by  the  Mother  of God,  and  by  God  himself?

We expect  at  thy  hands  the things necessary  both  for body and  soul. For thou knowest, O Father,  that  we have  need  of  all  these  things. But thy  Mother  is  careful  of us  too,  and  entreats  thee  for her children. For as  she  hid not from  thee  of  old  the  necessity of  the  bridegroom  and the bride,  so  too  does  she  take care of  us,  and  reminds  thee of the  penury  of  the  wretched. Hearken to  her,  O good Jesus, when  she  intercedes for us! Wilt thou,  who  hast so often  had  pity  on  the  multitudes, and  satisfied  so  many thousands, refuse  bread  to us,  when  we  ask  it  of  thee through thy  Mother?

But behold,  the  bread  which is my  first  desire  was  baked by that  very  Mother  in  her womb! Remember, O Lord, that thou  art  flesh  of  her flesh, born  in  Bethlehem,  that is the  house  of  Bread,  and laid by  her  in  the  manger, like the  fodder  of  beasts  of burden. And behold,  I am become  as  a beast  before thee. Who is  there  that  can give me  to  eat  fully  and  often of that  fruit  of  the  womb, the Bread  of  Angels,  the  sustenance to  eternal  life,  which, neither dug  nor  sown,  but all untilled,  that  blessed  earth has budded  forth? Feed me for  the  necessities  of  the  body, but first  of  all  of  the  soul, thou who  givest  food  to  all flesh, even  to  the  young  ravens that  call  upon  thee! Thou openest  thy  hand,  and fillest with  blessing  every living thing.

For we  confess  that  by  a large  debt  we  are  beholden  to thee,  and  that  we  owe  thee more than  ten  thousand  talents. Alas! O good Jesus, that we  are  not  able  to  pay  I But  with  thee,  O Lord,  there is mercy. And, behold,  thy Mother is  our  Advocate  with thee. For there  is  no  other who is  so  well  able  beside  as thy  most  loving  Mother,  our Mediatress, through  whom  it was  that  we,  O God,  first  received thy  mercy. She it  is  in whom  that  priceless  work  of mercy,  which  thou,  O God,  before time  was,  hast  predestined for  our  redemption,  was first wrought  by  thee,  the Maker of  the  world! She it  is in  whose  womb  was  begun  the salvation of  the  world. For there it  was  that  the  wall  of