Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 5.9-10

Chapter 4 : Love – a third feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. The fifth sign of love: Having a tender and fervent love for her dear Son

Loving Jesus with tenderness

 9   Here then, according to the judgement of this great servant of Jesus and Mary, are the signs of loving with tenderness. St Bernard continues as follows:

A person who loves Jesus in the first way feels his heart grow tender as soon as anyone speaks of his Beloved. There is nothing he would more willingly hear spoken of, nothing he would read about with greater affection and nothing more to his taste in meditation. The memory of Jesus is for such a person like an unending banquet where the fatted calf is killed and where the finest fare in the world is made available. He simply cannot bring himself to lose sight of this Word incarnate who is always present in his memory: whether at His Nativity, or cradled in the arms of His Mother, or preaching, or dying, or rising from the dead, or ascending into Heaven, or in other recollections which fulfil his heart’s yearnings.

It seems to me, however, that this writer represents these signs more effectively by actions than by words and in himself rather than in others. This is what he does in the 43rd sermon on the Canticles where he provides a commentary on the tender feelings of the chaste Spouse who sees that her Beloved will always abide between her breasts like a bundle of myrrh[1]. He makes an indissoluble pact with the cross and with the nails, with the lance and with the other instruments of the Passion of Jesus his Master. The Passion becomes for him a bouquet, a favour and all his recreation[2]. This is why this Saint is frequently portrayed holding the instruments of the Passion tight against his chest. 

In his letter to the Ephesians, the great Martyr and Patriarch of Antioch St Ignatius explained the disposition his own heart towards the Saviour.

I would not want you so much as to breathe without remembering Jesus. I am happy for all the world to know that He is my unique hope, my glory and all my wealth ; and that it is for love of Him that I am taken to Rome laden with these chains since they are for me pearls from the Orient or diamonds of great price. 

It seems beyond question that Ignatius inherited this love from St Paul, his esteemed teacher, who had no other Academy than Jerusalem, no other school than Calvary, no other teacher than the Crucifix, no other ambo than the Cross, no other quills than the nails, no other characters than the wounds and lesions of his Saviour, no other book than His side opened with a spear – as may be seen at hundreds of places in his Epistles.

 

Footnotes

[1] A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, he shall abide between my breasts. Cant. i. 12.

[2] Mental or spiritual comfort or consolation; OED 2.b. ?a1425–1785

 10   This feeling is so frequently found amongst well-constituted spirits that we could with good reason call it a common practice of the Saints.  

The glorious St Francis was carried away each and every time he meditated on the mysteries of the life of his Master, especially those of His nativity and His death. With exceptional tenderness, he called Jesus the child of Bethlehem. In his life of Francis, St Bonaventure recounts how he once obtained permission from the Holy Father to say the Midnight Mass of Christmas at a site prepared in the form of a stable with an ox and an ass. The faithful who were present could not hold back their tears when they saw how the heart of Saint Francis was transported by his holy love for Jesus, who had Himself become poor and little for love of us.

St Elzéar, Count of Ariano, used to place himself in spirit inside the wound which the spear opened in the Saviour’s side, as he told His blessed spouse, St Delphine.

St Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, used this as a familiar meditation and one day, when through pressure of work he decided to omit it, the devil was given the power to prevent him for a certain time from making the Sign of the Cross.

St Clare sometimes went so deeply into the meditation that it was only with great difficulty that she could be brought to herself once more.  

St Colette, who reformed the order of St Clare, once spent three whole days in the Monastery at Besançon without showing any signs of consciousness, utterly absorbed in contemplating the love that Jesus had shown towards men. 

I have known of someone who, in order to feel more at ease in his colloquies with the most adorable Jesus, placed himself in His company along with His most holy Mother, walking and conversing with them continually, never saying or doing anything whatsoever without consulting them and obtaining their approval. 

Her serene Highness Philippa of Gelders was sometime Queen of Sicily and Duchess of Lorraine, before later joining the Order of Poor Clares. Wishing to leave posterity a memorial of the devotion she had towards her most adorable Jesus, she created a spiritual garden which she had laid out and painted for the consolation of her Sisters. The Portresses were Hope and Fear of the Lord, whilst the Gardener was Love of Jesus. The hedge was composed of watchful thoughts[1] and the beds were filled with reflections, but were quite different from those seen in earthly plots ; for they were surrounded by flames, like the pyracantha[2] on Mount Olympus, becoming more beautiful when on fire and fading as soon as the fire dies. The Gardener could be seen amongst the beds weeding out any plants suffocating these thoughts. If any of the Gardener’s own plants were found wilting or dying, then he would dig around them and carefully tend them until they began to revive. Are these not in truth Royal occupations and activities worthy of such a soul? 

Footnotes

[1] In French soucis which apart from “cares” or “concerns” also denotes marigold flowers (calendula).

[2] The French text has pyragmes (feminine, plural) which has so far proved untraceable. The closest I can come is pyracantha (firethorn): see Pliny Nat. Hist. Book XXIV Ch. 70 (interestingly, its berries were believed to be a cure for the serpent’s poison). The French for pyracantha is buisson ardent which is suggestive of the burning bush.

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 5.6-8

Chapter 4 : Love – a third feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. The fifth sign of love: Having a tender and fervent love for her dear Son

 6   If you were to think that here we can find all the reasons for loving Jesus, you would be greatly mistaken. I have said nothing yet about that love He bears for us, even though this is the most powerful way He has of drawing the hearts and minds of the children of Adam unto Himself.  Here is what St Bernard says[1]:

It is true that there are a million reasons obliging me to love Thee, oh most gentle and kind-hearted Jesus! But all things considered, there is nothing which rendereth Thee more lovable to my heart, nor winneth over my affections more effectively, than the chalice from which Thou didst will to drink for love of me, and the work of my redemption that Thou accomplished with such courage. Just as this is the high point and masterwork of Thy love, so too there is nothing which hath such a gentle power over my own; indeed nothing holdeth it more tightly and engageth with it more lastingly. It is true that in all the other things which Thou hast done for us, Thou dost urge men to give themselves to Thee – but here the force of compulsion is so complete that they would have to abandon the very idea of love if they did not yield before such powerful ideas as Thy heart pierced with a lance, Thy flesh torn by scourging, Thy whole body and spirit racked with pain.

Footnotes

[1] Serm. 20 in Cant. 

 7   There is enough in this thought to awaken the affections even of those souls paralysed by the greatest imaginable lethargy. But can I make so bold as to say something which has a close bearing on our discussion : the mere consideration alone of the Mother of love should be enough to pierce our hearts and oblige them to love Jesus, our great and adorable Saviour? Yes, it would be enough for those who consider they are her children to know that Jesus is the Son of Mary and that by virtue of this quality alone He would deserve more love than could be offered by all the hearts in creation. It is beyond doubt that Mary’s esteem of the love souls have for Jesus is such that, if it helped, she would choose not to be loved herself; but what am I saying? This would be nothing much for her, so let us rather say that she would a thousand times prefer not to be rather than for Jesus not to be loved, or even for the love due to Him to be even slightly diminished. The very pinnacle of her ambition and crowning-point of her desires is to see Him cherished above all things and receive the esteem that He deserves. From this it is simple to see that of all the acts of thanksgiving we can make to the glorious Virgin, there is none comparable to this. For her, loving Jesus involves more than blessing her throughout our lives, performing service for her and working to make her honoured and loved by all the creatures in the world. This is what she explained one day to the Blessed St Bridget , when she said[1]:     

My dear daughter, if thou wouldst perform an outstanding service for me, do thou love my Son for love of me : indeed, do thou love Him more for Himself, since He is the most beautiful of all the children of men, the most noble and distinguished, the most humble and meek, the most accomplished and the most worthy of being loved that thou canst possibly imagine. 

Footnotes

[1] Revel., c. 1.

 8   At this point, my dearest wish of all would be for this wondrous Mother, whose heart is so replete with love for Jesus, to serve as our Teacher and instruct us in the ways of loving Him; or at the very least that she might be pleased to send us one of those Blessed Spirits on fire with the same love in order to reveal this secret to us. But perhaps we are being a little presumptuous here and so instead of an Angel from Heaven it will be an Angelic man from earth who will come to give us the lesson and show us the way of loving Him who is infinitely more worthy of love than we know how to love. I am speaking of the Virgin’s devoted child, the pious Saint Bernard[1], who in my opinion has scaled greater heights than any other spirit compassed in a mortal body. Here are his words: 

Learn from Jesus Himself, O Christian, the way thou art to love Him. Learn to love Him with tenderness, wisdom and strength. With tenderness, so that nothing can distract the senses from His love; with wisdom, so that vain appearances cannot deceive thee; with strength, so that no violent assaults can overcome thee. With tenderness, meaning with thy whole heart; with wisdom, meaning with thy whole soul; with strength, meaning with all thy powers and faculties. May charity inflame thy zeal, may knowledge and understanding provide it with nourishment, and may constancy render it unshakeable. May it be fervent, prudent and courageous.

Footnotes

[1] Serm. 20 in Cant.

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 5.5 (St Bernard's Canticle)

Chapter 4 : Love – a third feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. The fifth sign of love: Having a tender and fervent love for her dear Son

 6   On another occasion, St Bernard found himself transported with love and intoxicated by cascades of sweetness pouring from the sacred heart of Jesus, his loving Saviour. It was whilst in this state that he composed the following mellifluous canticle :

[Translator's note: In the following verse translation I have incorporated the iambic tetrameter and rhyming scheme of the French original, whilst staying close to its vocabulary and imagery.]

O Lord how sweet Thy darts of love

Which pierce the soul from Heaven above,

Sure marks of Thy divine dilection!

Thy presence brings supreme delight

To hearts by day and through the night,

Enfolding us in Thy protection.   

The loftiest airs of Cherubim 

Can match nor chant nor solemn hymn

When sung with my Redeemer’s Name;  

The thought enraptureth the mind

Whose noble aim (itself assigned)

Will th’uncreated Word proclaim. 

Surviving storms of wind and rain

Or shipwreck on sublunar main,

Man’s hope is anchored now in Thee!

Thy goodness shareth naught that’s sour 

For seekers find Thy sweetest power, 

Delighteth creatures gen’rously.

Thou nectar art, or malmsey fine, 

Surpassing far ambrosia wine

Of pagans in antiquity;

Thou art the source of ardour pure

Inflaming hearts with love secure

While burning out iniquity!

Which mind will help me to discern 

The book where I might come to learn

The holy art of loving Thee? 

Thy little ones might call the price 

Of martyr’s love a sacrifice,

But words must here deficient be.

To earth Thou leapt from Heaven’s height,

In mortal flesh Thou didst alight

To build Thyself a sweet abode.

Then Truth replaced what were but dreams

And Virtue ousted lying schemes

While Love triumphantly o’erflowed. 

Thy love hath such a mystic splendour 

’Tis like a dish full sweet and tender

Alluring with its subtle taste; 

A dish that perfectly doth nourish, 

It helpeth each of us to flourish,

And never causeth us distaste. 

The one who drinketh from this source

Is lit with flames which run their course

And work an inner transformation; 

The more we drink this muscatel

The more it doth our thirst compel, 

Fomenting love and delectation.

Whoever once hath tasted Thee 

With nothing else can happy be; 

To him a Palace seemeth hell,

The world of men – a lonely place,

Deprived of peace and eke of grace,

Its charms for him are poisons fell.

Oh Jesus, source of Angels’ wonder, 

Thy name resounds with mystic thunder 

Enrapturing the hearts of mortals; 

Thy grace like Heav’nly honeycombs 

Doth sanctify our spirits’ homes

And draw us to thy Churches’ portals. 

Thy touch doth penetrate my heart

Whence deepest sighs do take their start

To thank Thee for these gifts sublime.

Oh that my heart and mouth may savour

Their sweet and supernatural flavour,

In copious draughts ’til end of time.

Thy fires burning in my breast  

Inflame me and allow no rest,   

Consuming all my thoughts and feelings;  

May these exchanges fill my days 

For I am Thine now and always,

Delighting in our mutual dealings.       

Oh Jesus, love of holy souls, 

Oh Jesus, highest of my goals,

Exalted dream beyond all measure!

For Thee I’ll breathe, for Thee I’ll sigh,

In Thee, for Thee, until I die:

Thou fount and source of holy pleasure!

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 5.4-5

Chapter 4 : Love – a third feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. The fifth sign of love: Having a tender and fervent love for her dear Son

 4   What shall I say about the incredible benefits men receive continually from Jesus, their unique source of happiness? The same St Paul seems to have wanted to enclose them in one word when he writes that God re-established all things in Christ, that are in heaven and on earth.[1] This is as though he had declared that, having Jesus the Heavenly pearl of great price, we no longer need the faith of Abraham, or the obedience of Isaac, or the strength of Jacob, or the patience of job, or the kind nature of Moses, or the charity of David, or the wisdom of Solomon, or the goodness of Ezechias, or the piety of Josias, forasmuch as all that is found in Jesus and to an infinitely greater extent. Or as though he had wanted to imply what he said elsewhere : that Jesus has been given to us to be our wisdom, our justice, our sanctification and our redemption[2] – in short, the beginning, the middle and the end of all the joy we can hope for. St Bernard[3] touches on this on this when he asks: 

Who is there among us that, however deeply he may have sunk into bitter sorrow, has not rediscovered peace and serenity in his heart as soon as he decided to have recourse to Jesus? Who is there among us that, finding himself at the edge of the pit and ready to plunge into an abyss of despair has not begun to breathe again and rediscover hope in life as soon as he calls upon Jesus?

Who is there that, prostrating himself before Jesus in the midst of the aridity and desolation of his suffering soul, has not immediately felt a spiritual consolation that filled his eyes with tears of devotion? To whom has He not served as a source of counsel when people have doubts, encouragement when their confidence is low and as a refuge for them in their adversities? If we consider how the name of Father connotes the idea of someone who is obliging, where can we find a name like unto that of Jesus, from whom we receive life – but a life which is divine; nourishment – but a nourishment that is heavenly; upkeep – but one which is that of Princes and children of the King of Heaven; our inheritance – but one which is eternal and enables us to find all our  joy in God? If the names Mother, Brother, Spouse, Guardian, Food-provider, Pastor and others such as these connote sources of benefits, then is not Jesus all of these for us, in fact all that I could ever put into words or even conceive in my mind? To sum up, we can say of Him in all truth what the mother of the young Tobias said of her son in a moment of emotion : We have all things in him[4], Since he who has Jesus has everything; he who does not have Him, has nothing at all; and he who has lost Him may be considered as having lost everything.  

Footnotes

[1] In the dispensation of the fulness of times, to re-establish all things in Christ, that are in heaven and on earth, in him. Eph. i. 10.

[2] But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and justice, and sanctification, and redemption: 1 Cor. i. 30.

[3] Serm. 15 in Cant.

[4] When Tobias and the Angel were departed, his mother began to weep, and to say: Thou hast taken the staff of our old age, and sent him away from us. I wish the money for which thou hast sent him, had never been. For poverty was sufficient for us, that we might account it as riches, that we saw our son. Tob. v. 23-25.

 5   If sweetness possesses in itself a certain charm which the human heart is unable to resist, then where in the name of Heaven is it to be found more than in Jesus who is nothing less than the very essence or distillation of sweetness?

Jesus, says the gentle-hearted Saint Bernard, who is sweet in His words since milk and honey drop from His lips; sweet in His aspect since there is nothing so pleasing, not only among men but also among the Angels; sweet in His name, since it is the mysterious unction promised by the Angels and shown in figure by the Prophets; sweet in His works since there is nothing more sweet than the miracles He performed, than the forgiveness He showed, than the death He endured; and if  He is sweet in this valley of tears, what will it be like on high when He causes rivers and oceans of joy and sweetness to wash over us? 

John of Ávila was a Doctor in the last century who lit up the whole of Spain with his teaching and inspired people’s hearts with his pious example. Whilst writing to a lady suffering from severe bodily infirmities and afflicted by even greater spiritual tribulations, he spoke to her as follows:

Although your afflictions are so great and so numerous that it must feel as though you are being hit from all sides, so to speak, I promise you that just as the soul is greater than the body, so too we find spiritual sufferings are greater than those of the body. If God, however, through his infinite mercy were once to put you in contact with a truly spiritual person who knew how to explain the blessings that you possess in Jesus, you would find that the mere utterance of this holy name would cause the afflictions to leave your heart just as swiftly as the demon departed from Saul when he heard the sound of David playing the harp[1].

No : there is no person however distraught he may be whose heart will not be filled with joy on hearing the sweet news about Jesus, provided he is open to receive it; for do not imagine that it was for any other reason that the Angel, wishing to tell the shepherds that Jesus had been born, told them first that he was bringing them tidings of great joy[2].

What! asks St Bernard, do you really think it would be possible for you not to feel your troubles lightened each time you focus your thoughts on Jesus? Could you really find any other object of thought which would strengthen your souls more powerfully, which would restore and reinvigorate your spirits, and which would reawaken your hearts more effectively than the name and the memory of Jesus, your most lovable Saviour? Personally speaking, let no one offer me any sort of spiritual nourishment without that, for all meat will seem plain and tasteless to me if it is not seasoned with the pleasing memory of Jesus.  When it comes to reading, writing and conversation, I shall never take pleasure therein unless I find Jesus : honey for my lips, music for my ears and joy for my heart.   

Footnotes

[1] So whensoever the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, David took his harp, and played with his hand, and Saul was refreshed, and was better, for the evil spirit departed from him. 1 Kings (1 Samuel). xvi. 23.

[2] Luke ii. 10.

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 5.1-3

Chapter 4 : Love – a third feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. The fifth sign of love: Having a tender and fervent love for her dear Son

 1   Consider all the flowers of Springtime, all the harvests gathered in Summer’s heat, all the fruits collected in the cool of Autumn and all the beautiful frosts in Winter : even when taken together, these cannot compare with the motives the adorable Jesus gives our hearts for loving Him. His excellence deserves the loving response of our hearts, His gracious descent to the level of His creatures gains their attention, the help He provides wins them over, His gentleness enraptures them, His love keeps them safe and, after all this, respect for the Mother of love causes them to take wings and soar to meet Him whom her soul cherishes. 

 2   His excellence deserves this since, consider what is Jesus other than the honour of earth and of heaven, the glory of Paradise, the cause of rejoicing for the pure Spirits, the Head of the Church, the first-born of the Elect, the terror of Demons and the great Conqueror of the universe? What else is He than the King of Majesty, the Judge of the living and the dead, the Sovereign Pontiff, the unique Mediator between God and men, the Lord whose name is Admirable, the Prince of Peace, the Angel of Great Counsel[1] and the Father of the world to come? The God-man awaited by the ages, whom the prophets foretold, whom the Angels announced, whom men received, whom the demons feared, whom all creatures have blessed? A God so united to man that He lost nothing of what He was; a man so united to God as to be elevated in a way beyond the power of words to describe. A God brought down into the midst of earthly things but without dishonour; a man raised up unto the throne of God but without prejudice to his dependence. A God humanized, without admixture of substance; a man divinized without confusion of nature. In short, a God-man of whom the nations are His inheritance, whose domain includes all the ends of the earth; and whose appanage includes all the perfections of nature, grace and glory. The holy Intelligences might put this in a better way but they would not say anything more excellent.    

Footnotes

[1]  Isaiah ix. 6. Septuagint. 

 3   If on account of His excellence Jesus merits all the love of our hearts, what will be the effect of the wonderful condescension that He showed towards us by uniting Himself to our human nature? 

It was then, says the pious St Bernard[1], that the precious unction of His divinity was poured liberally into the womb of the glorious Virgin, from whence its fragrance spread to the four corners of the earth, drawing the hearts of men to follow Him and to love Him.

As for the Blessed Spirits, writes the same Saint[2], they experience sufficient joy on high from the pleasing odour of this heavenly perfume even when enclosed in the bosom of the Eternal Father. 

Even before it was spread on earth, the Angels had penetrated into the bottomless depths of God’s incomprehensible judgments, being frequently employed in their implementation. The Archangels knew the secrets of uncreated Wisdom, of which they were the interpreters. The Virtues were sufficiently assured of the power of His Majesty concerning the alteration and overturning of the order of created nature, since He so frequently made use of them in this connection. The Powers provided peremptory proof of the Creator’s omnipotence. The Principalities had unquestionable evidence of His sovereignty over the Empires and the Nations of the earth. The Dominations had perceived and brought to fruition His caring and loving Providence in a thousand ways. The Thrones were in a position to judge the infinite Greatness of Him who was enthroned over them. The Cherubim were so perspicacious that they could penetrate the treasures of knowledge and truth hidden in the Word of the Eternal Father. The Seraphim understood that if they were on fire with love, this was only as a result of the fiery rays of His infinite charity. In short, all these glorious Spirits had powerful reasons for plunging themselves into love of the divine Word whom they contemplated face to face, without any veiling. Men, however, were not so spiritual, and they needed a sign or feature more tailored to their human nature before they could feel invited to offer Him their love. This was the miracle which God made known upon the earth when He gave us Jesus, the lover and the love of our hearts, more captivating than anything imaginable. After such an extreme act of condescension and such a close friendship as the one by which He willed to bind Himself to us, then he who does not love the Lord Jesus deserves to be struck by all the anathemas in the world and all the lightning bolts of Heaven, according to the words of St Paul[3].   

Footnotes

[1] Serm. 15 in Cant.

[2] Serm. 19.

[3] If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, maranatha. 1 Cor. xvi. 22.

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 4.1-2

Chapter 4 : Love – a third feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 4. The fourth sign of love: Having a deep affection for her sacred Heart 

 1   The Great Archbishop of Toledo[1] encourages us to go further, calling upon our hearts to love her as much as they can since our tongues and our minds are too weak for the praise which is her due. I can think of nothing more worthy of being added to what has been said so far than the beautiful and pleasing lesson that Our Lord Himself gave to St Mechtilde. He revealed to her the treasures of gentleness and grace hidden in two of the holiest hearts that have ever been and that can with good reason be called the two living sources of every grace and blessing. At the same time, He gave her advice on how to have recourse to them. 

The first is the fervent heart of Jesus Christ our King, the peerless Prince of love, which she learned to love and acclaim in a number of ways granting her a share in His most gentle colloquies. She profited so greatly from this practice that she said one day (in that straightforward manner which is common amongst holy souls) that if the graces she had received were all written down there would be enough to fill a sizeable volume.

The second is the heart of the Mother of love, the key to which she was granted along with the power to enter any time she wanted. She had been seeking a way of pleasing the Holy Virgin during Advent when the Spouse of beautiful souls appeared to her and taught her the most excellent way of showing love that a heart could conceive. Here is what He said to her: 

“Thou wilt hail the most sacred heart of my Mother with all its abundance of graces communicated to her from on high. Thou wilt hail her heart as the purest there hath ever been after mine own, for she was the first to raise the standard of virginity in the way she did. Thou wilt hail her heart as the most humble, for it was her humility that drew me down to earth from the bosom of my eternal Father. Thou wilt hail her heart as the most ardent, for never was there one like it in love for God and for neighbour. Thou wilt hail her heart for its unsurpassed devotion, since her sighs and tears have led to the salvation of men. Thou wilt hail her heart as the most comely in its wisdom, for she has taken to heart all she has learned from the actions of my childhood, my youth and my maturity. Thou wilt hail her heart as the most patient in suffering, for it was pierced with a thousand swords of sorrow during my most bitter passion. Thou wilt hail her heart as the most faithful, since she indeed was courageous enough to offer my life for the redemption of the world. Thou wilt hail her heart as the most caring, since the care she took of my newborn Church cannot be sufficiently valued or appreciated. Thou wilt hail her heart for soaring to the highest contemplation, since words cannot describe the favours she hath obtained for men through the power of her prayer. 

Footnotes

[1] S. Ildefonsus, Serm. 1.

 2   Who could have dreamt of finding this rich vein from which to mine true heavenly gold, so as to become rich in every sort of grace! The Royal Prophet spoke one day words of incredible sweetness. Whilst thinking about the countless favours that God had granted him, including those that He was making ready for the future, he was so touched in his heart that his overflowing affection suggested to him a completely new way of speaking : O Lord of hosts . . . thy servant hath found in his heart to pray this prayer to thee[1]. 

After encountering these loving, gentle words, this is how I thought to address my own soul: Shall we never find the heart to love a heart so lovable as that of the MOTHER OF GOD? Will ours always be lost among the choking thorns of worries about riches, among the debauching lures of sensual pleasure and the hollow delusions of vanity? Will it be forever tossed around on the ebbing and flowing of worldly preoccupations? Will it always be floundering in the cares and anxieties of this life? Will it continually be straying so far from itself and from true peace that it cannot be put back on course? How long will it let itself be distracted by these frivolities and these baubles for little children?  

Holy Mother of love, deep affection for thy heart would be my most devout wish, but how to come near thy heart without first being drawn by it? Prithee break asunder the ties which hold me fast; free me from myself and from all that prevents me coming to thee; for I wish to belong to thee and devote myself to thee, after God – with a firm trust that thou wilt give me the means. 

Footnotes

[1] Because thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant, saying: I will build thee a house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer to thee. 2 Kings (2 Samuel): vii. 27

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 3.9-11

Chapter 4 : Love – a third feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 3. The third sign of love: rejoicing in her perfections and feeling her sorrows

 9    A third fruit of this same sentiment is the desire to thank God on her behalf for all the favours He has granted her and for this purpose to make use of the voices of every creature, especially the Blessed Spirits. St Paul, great Master of Heavenly Wisdom, understood this perfectly when he asked for prayers on all sides from his spiritual children, that for this gift obtained for us, by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many in our behalf[1]. But just as the gifts obtained by the Holy Virgin are incomparably greater, so too she feels a great sense of obligation to those who join with her in blessing the infinite goodness of God. These prayers form the fragrant, heavenly smoke rising from the censers of the Saints in the Apocalypse of St John[2], bringing joy to the celestial inhabitants who see how the Prince they serve is so greatly honoured.

   

Footnotes

[1] 2 Cor. i. 11.

[2] And another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer of the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar, which is before the throne of God. And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God from the hand of the angel. Apoc. viii. 3-4.

 10   The final fruit is to share in her sorrows, since love would not be love if it did not recognise its interest in that of the person beloved; if it did not, in other words, share in the afflictions just as much as in the joys experienced by the beloved.   

The Queen of Heaven complained to St Bridget[1] about how few people there were who loved her with a really sincere love. One of the proofs she gave was the small number who felt in their hearts for her sufferings and who were touched to the quick when contemplating the memory of her terrible Martyrdom. 

Now if anyone wishes to understand the satisfaction derived by the Saviour of the world and His gentle Mother from seeing our heart softened with a holy compassion for the suffering they endured for us, it seems to me that nothing can demonstrate this better than what is written in the 6th book of the Revelations of St Bridget[2]. 

One day this Blessed widow was shedding copious tears whilst praying for a sick man who enjoyed worldly status but who was very backward when it came to the things of God. Her charitable prayers before the door of her merciful Redeemer were so successful that he instructed St Bridget to send her own Confessor to visit the poor man. The priest went not once but twice and found him still stubborn in his determination to die just as he was. She asked the Priest on behalf of God to return for a third time and remonstrate with him, telling him that Jesus Christ was ready to save him if only he would seek forgiveness.  

A wondrous thing then took place! The words of the Priest softened the man’s heart and immediately his eyes were transformed into two springs shedding tears of contrition. In a voice punctuated by sobbing, he admitted that he had never been to confession; that he had grown old in the service of the devil who had appeared to him on many occasions and to whom he had surrendered himself body and soul; and that up until this point in his life he had ceased to care about this and he had given up all hope of salvation. That same day, he accused himself on four separate occasions of the sins he had committed throughout his life and the following day he received the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, with movements of the heart that he had never experienced before. At the end of six days, filled now with courage and confidence, he departed this life for a better one. Shortly after this, the Saviour revealed to St Bridget that he had been led to Purgatory – not only as a result of the grace of contrition freely given – but especially on account of the compassion he had displayed each and every time he contemplated the sword of sorrow that pierced the heart of His Mother.  

Footnotes

[1] Lib. II Revel., c. 24.

[2] Chap. 97.

 11   Now if sentiments so weak as these and tainted by so many imperfections can be pleasing to the Saviour, what will be the case with those which spring from hearts which have been purified and which have received Heavenly favour?

 

Blessed Margaret of Cortona was a member of the third order of St Francis and was known as the Penitent. She asked Our Lord to allow her to share in the pains His Holy Mother experienced when she was at the foot of the Cross. The Saviour instructed her to go to the Church of St Francis where, at about 9:00 o’clock in the morning, she was so overcome by the violent feelings experienced by the Mother on account of the pain suffered by her Son that she was on the point of collapse and people ran over to help her. At the third hour, when the Saviour bowed His head and gave up the ghost, she too bowed her head and remained quite motionless until nightfall. As a result of the love she had displayed, she obtained remarkable graces from Our Lord, proving how true it is that Heaven is just as pleased when we find a place in our hearts to share the sufferings of the Mother as when contemplating those of her Son.

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 3.6-8

Chapter 4 : Love – a third feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 3. The third sign of love: rejoicing in her perfections and feeling her sorrows

 6    A further fruit of this same sentiment is the pleasure that comes from meditating on her perfections and rejoicing at her great privileges and dignities. This is a second secret that the Blessed Saint Bridget learned from the Holy Virgin when she revealed to her how the practice had proved of value to her son Charles, who had recently died[1].  

When this young man was on his deathbed he was never abandoned by the MOTHER OF GOD who remained faithfully at his bedside, keeping his mind focussed and preventing human distractions from leading him astray from God’s good pleasure[2]. She also mitigated the sufferings afflicting him in his extremity, lest these bodily trials might cause his mind to wander and forget his duty. She supplied him with all the necessary assistance during this dangerous journey and as soon as the soul had left his body she took charge and accompanied him to the Judge so that she might present his case before the dread Tribunal. The old accuser of our brethren[3] made sure to follow her and he raised the grievances he had against the Holy Virgin in the following manner: 

“Most fair and equitable Judge, I know that with your Mother leading for the other side against me I am dealing with a formidable adversary, I nevertheless have such trust in your Justice that I am confident you would not deny it to your enemy, even if this were to mean going against your own Mother. The plaint I make before you is that she hath wronged me in two matters. Firstly, in that she utterly prevented me from having access to this soul during his final struggles, refusing me permission to tempt him in accordance with the general licence I have received from you to that effect. Secondly, despite my entitlement as a judicial officer of your Court to bring souls before you, she usurped my office in this case by bringing this soul in her own arms to present him to Your Majesty. For these two wrongs, most equitable judge, I seek satisfaction from you.”

The Saviour lookede towards His Mother and waited for her response. She immediately spoke in the following terms  

“Most reverend and righteous Son : even though Satan is the father of lies, I cannot dispute what he hath said ; but if I might speak to Thy clemency, I would aver that I was obliged to do what I did. This young man hath shown such a desire to honour me and to share my joy in the favours that I have received from Thee that he would prefer the joy he findeth in their contemplation to all the pleasures in the world; indeed he hath on several occasions offered to suffer everlasting punishment rather than contemplate the least reduction of my glory. Let Thou be the judge, my Son, as to whether I could do any less than offer him my help in this his our of need.” 

The Judge was satisfied with this response and drew the issue to a close in a few words: 

“All power is given to my Mother in this kingdom, and she doth not share the same status as others since she commandeth here as Queen. As Mother and Sovereign Lady she can for good reason, as in the case here, dispense with my laws. For he who hath rendered her so much honour deserves in justice to receive special help from her. Accordingly, the charges against her are dismissed.”

On hearing these words, the Mother made a low bow towards her Son and she then led Charles to Heaven. Satan was left raging in shame and confusion, thinking how to avenge himself for the loss of his prey which he had been on the point of carrying off on his horns.   

Footnotes

[1] Lib. VII Revelat., c. 13.

[2] Cf. That he might make known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure [beneplacitum], which he hath purposed in him. Ephesians i. 9.

[3] And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth, who accused them before our God day and night. Apoc. xii. 10.

 7   The story of Charles shows the benefits of a good education for there can be no doubt that this pious young man had learned this lesson from his dear mother who used to practise it herself with great care, as can be seen in Book II of her Revelations[1].

There we read how one day, lying prostrate before the glorious Virgin and transported in spiritual rapture, she addressed her as follows : 

“Eternal praise be to thee, O Mary, Mother of Jesus! And may this same Son of Mary be praised eternally for enabling me to share in the joy and happiness that thou didst feel at being His Mother most venerable. May I take for my witness Him who knoweth all the secrets of our hearts as I declare that I truly love Mary, daughter of Joachim incomparably more than the children of Ulpho and Bridget – namely my own children; and that I would prefer if Bridget, daughter of Birger, had never seen the light of day rather than for Mary, daughter of Joachim, never to have been what she became; in short, I declare that it would easier to be in the depths of hell itself rather than to learn that Mary, daughter of Joachim, was not the MOTHER OF GOD and the Queen of the universe.

The response of the Glorious Virgin to this loving declaration deserves to be given here. 

“My dearest daughter,” she said to her, “thou canst be quite certain that this Mary, daughter of Joachim, whom thou dost cherish so much, will be worth a thousand times more to Bridget daughter of Birger, than Bridget will be to herself; and that the same Mary will be a million times better as Mother to the children of Ulpho and Bridget than Bridget herself –even though she is a good mother.”

Footnotes

[1] Revel. Extravag., c. 43.

 8   Since we are on the subject of celebrating with the Holy Virgin the joys she experienced, I cannot omit to mention the unforgettable piety of the ancient people of Ephesus and the extraordinary devotion they showed towards the glorious Virgin. In 431 A.D., a general council was convoked in the city of Ephesus on the authority of Celestine I, then occupying the Chair of St Peter. St Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria, presided over this noble assembly of some three hundred Bishops in his capacity as Papal Legate. The Council had been summoned mainly to consider the terrible case of Nestorius, Archbishop of Constantinople, and the execrable blasphemies that he had been spreading against the Saviour and His Mother, whom he went so far as to mock in her title of MOTHER OF GOD. Providentially, the battle was to be waged in the Church of the most sacred Virgin whose honour was to be impugned by a sacrilegious heretic and courageously defended by the Fathers of Christian Piety. It was in the course of this clash that the heartfelt zeal of the devout people of Ephesus was clearly demonstrated as they sprang to defend the rights and privileges of the Queen of Heaven.

As soon as it was heard that the Prelates had started to gather, an incredible number of people – of both sexes, of all ages and all ranks and conditions – assembled before the doors of the Church, as though serving as a guard of honour for those who were to be defenders of the Virgin and a source of dread to her enemies. All were eager to learn as soon as possible what the outcome of this honourable gathering would be. The questions being discussed were of such moment that they occupied the venerable Fathers from the morning all the way to the evening. But the people awaiting the outcome of this conference showed themselves no less constant by remaining in place, displaying their zealous defence of the Virgin’s privileges. Those who had hastened to the Church on hearing of the disputation stayed there from the break of day until night fell and the doors of the church started to open, when everyone tried to push forward and be the first to learn what had been decided. At that point, St Cyril appeared in his capacity as Legate, as though at the head of the army of the Living God, bringing great joy to these good people concerning what the Council had determined. He declared that the triumphant Queen of Heaven and earth had been safeguarded in her rights and privileges, and especially in her glorious title of MOTHER OF GOD. He went on to state that the man who had launched this attack upon her had himself been stripped of every ecclesiastical dignity and had been exiled to a desert. 

At this point I can feel my hand starting to tremble and my pen is unable to describe the feelings of the people or their stirring cries and public acclamations.

The people of Ephesus, whilst they were labouring in the darkness of paganism, had shown themselves exceedingly devoted to their goddess Diana; but now in the clear light of day brought by Christianity, they displayed such affection towards the Holy Mother of God, Empress of the world, that it is impossible for me to provide a fitting account. For several days together, all you could see and hear were:

    • acts of thanksgiving and praise offered to the Saviour of the world for having upheld the case of His holy Mother; 

    • rejoicing and congratulations offered to the Blessed Virgin for having been confirmed in possession of her titles, especially that of MOTHER OF GOD; and 

    • prayers and blessings for the holy Prelates who had been so courageous in their public defence of the Church.

 

Amongst these displays, however, nothing was more revealing of grace than the honour that people showed to these same Prelates who were escorted by great crowds of torch-bearers back to their homes, demonstrating the sheer joy produced by the successful outcome of the Council. For some time, all that could be seen throughout the city of Ephesus were signs of rejoicing, fireworks in the public squares, happy throngs of people in the streets, and lanterns shining from the windows of houses. All that could be heard everywhere were chants of : Long live the Great, the Wondrous, the All-powerful MOTHER OF GOD! 

The account that I have just given was written from Ephesus by the same St Cyril to his dear Church in Alexandria, as may still be seen to this day in the 34th Epistle of St Cyril and in the Acts of the Council of Ephesus. In this way the glorious Virgin, honoured with the palms and laurels of victory, was triumphant on earth as in Heaven; whereas the wretched Nestorius, her enemy, made ready to go and end his days in the putrid Oasis[1], where he would see flesh falling from his body and notably the rotting of his sacrilegious tongue which had been the instrument of the many blasphemies he had uttered against the Saviour and His most holy Mother.

Footnotes

[1] Believed to be the Great Oasis of Hibis in Thebaid, Egypt.

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.