A breakthrough in thought comes with the Franciscan William of Ware (1305) who argued that God could do anything if it was fitting. He insisted:

"God could create a sinless being. What he could do, it was fitting that He should do so and from this it follows that he did do it. For the Son should honor His mother."

William asserted that Mary needed the Passion of Christ "not on account of any sin that was in her, but on account of that which would have been in her had her Son not preserved her."

The Franciscan was of the opinion that it was better to make a mistake by attributing too much to Mary than not enough.

"If I must err—seeing that I am not certain about the opposite position—I would rather err by excess in giving a privilege to Mary, than by defect, diminishing or taking from her a privilege which she has."

Meditation:
Mary, free from all sin and led by the Holy Spirit, you embraced God's saving will with a full heart, and devoted yourself totally as a handmaid of the Lord to the fulfillment of His will in your life, and to the mystery of our redemption. Obtain for us the graces we need to commit ourselves fully to the service of God and those entrusted to our care.