"Jesus, your brother, Mary is the one who gave him to you"

You dreaded approaching the Father; at the mere sound of his voice you would run trembling to hide in the foliage. So He gave you Jesus as your mediator.

With such a Father, what will such a Son not obtain? He will be heard because of the respect he deserves (Heb 5:7), for the Father loves the Son (Jn 3:35). Are you afraid to even approach him? He is your brother, he is your flesh, in everything he has been tested (Heb 4:15) except sin, so that he might be merciful: this brother of yours, Mary is the one who gave him to you.

But perhaps you still fear the divine majesty, for although he became man, he is nonetheless God? Would you also like to have an advocate with him? Call on Mary! In Mary, there is only pure humanity, pure not only of all defilement, but also pure of any connection with another nature.

I have no hesitation in asserting that she too will be heard, in recognition of her merits. The Son will certainly hear his mother, and the Father will hear his Son.

Saint Bernard (d. 1153)

Sermon on the Nativity of Mary "De aquaeductu", "Sermon of the Aqueduct" § 7