Mary, thou art the pride of our race. In thee the design of God in our creation has been perfectly attained. In thee the redemption of Christ has had its perfect fruit. Mankind conceives new hopes from thy success. Christ, indeed, has entered into glory; but Christ was God. Mary is purely human, and Mary has succeeded. Why tarry we here in the bondage of Egypt? Mary has crossed the Red Sea, and has taken a timbrel in her hand and sings her thanksgiving unto God. True it is that she is fleet of foot, and we are halt and weak; but even she needed the grace of God, and the same grace is offered to us, that we may run and not faint. Listen to her song of triumph. {213} She does not set herself above us, but claims kindred with us, and bids us hope for the same grace which she has received. "_My soul doth magnify the Lord, for he hath exalted the humble, and hath filled the hungry with good things. And his mercy is from generation to generation to them that fear him_." Another proof that the destiny of the Blessed Virgin is substantially the same with ours, is the fact that, in Scripture the same expressions are used to describe her glory and ours. Sometimes those who are not Catholics when they hear what high words we use of the Blessed Virgin, are scandalized; but we use almost no words of the Blessed Virgin that may not, in their measure, be applied to other Saints. It is true that the Blessed Virgin has some gifts and graces in which she stands alone--as her character of Mother of God, and her Immaculate Conception--but, as I said before, these are dignities and ornaments conferred on her, and are not the source of her essential happiness in Heaven. In other respects, her glory is shared by all the Saints. Thus, Mary is called "Queen of Heaven;" but are not all the blessed called in Holy Scripture, "_kings and priests unto God_?" [Footnote 94] [Footnote 94: Apoc. i., 6.] {214} Is she said to sit at the "King's right hand?" and are not we too promised a place at his right hand, and to "_sit on thrones?_" [Footnote 95] [Footnote 95: Apoc. iii., 21.] Is she called the "Morning Star?" and does not St. Paul, speaking of all the Saints, say, "_star differeth from star in glory_." [Footnote 96] [Footnote 96: 1 Cor. xv., 41.] Is she called a "Mediatrix of Prayer?" and is it not said of every just man, that his "_continual prayer availeth much?_" [Footnote 97] [Footnote 97: St. James v., 16.] Is she called "The Spouse of God?" and does not the Almighty, addressing every faithful soul, say, "_My love, my dove, my undefiled?_" [Footnote 98] [Footnote 98: Can. v., 2.] Is she called the "Daughter of the Most High?" and are not we too called the "_Sons of God?_" [Footnote 99] [Footnote 99: 1 St. John iii., 2.]