Younger than sin

"The Virgin is Innocence. Think what we, the human race, are for her. She of her nature, hates sin, but she has no experience of it, an experience which even the holiest of Saints have never lacked, even St Francis of Assissi himself, seraphic and all as he was. Only the Virgin's glance is truly child-like, the only child-like glance that has ever deigned to rest on our shame and disgrace. Yes, my son... to pray to her well we must feel that glance of hers upon us, not an indulgent glance - for indulgence is always, without exception, accompanied by some bitter experience - but a glance of tender compassion, of sad surprise, of unfathomable sentiments; an inconcievable look, inexpressible, which makes her younger than sin, younger than the race from which she sprang, and though a mother by grace, Mother of all grace, our little youngest sister."

G Bernanos 'The Diary of a Country Priest."