Chapter 10 The Ninth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Power of the MOTHER OF GOD
She is in charge of the Church’s resources and Treasurer of the Saviour’s graces
Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).
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| Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020) |
§ 1. Unrivalled in Greatness and Riches : fifth attribute of the King of glory incarnate
2 Add to this, secondly, the 666 talents, (that is to say 12,000,000 pieces of gold), that the fleets from Tharsis and Ophir would bring each year, as we read in the third book of Kings[1]. Take into account, thirdly, the goods that he possessed: namely the wealth derived annually from his lands livestock which produced a truly enormous income, as may be seen in the first book of Paralipomenon[2]. In the fourth place, we need to mention the taxes and levies that he imposed upon his people; these were higher than those of his father David’s and this gave rise to the complaints we find reported in the third book of Kings[3]. Fifthly, we also have to take into account what came to him from the merchants who carried on business with foreign lands to whom he had opened up his borders for trade[4]. We should not forget to include, in the sixth place, the tribute levied by his father from a number of foreign princes and countries which we find mentioned in the second book of Paralipomenon[5] and elsewhere in sacred scripture. Finally, in addition to everything we have mentioned so far, mention should be made of the numerous and varied gifts he received from all over the world, for the princess of foreign lands were most eager to win his friendship[6]; the extent of these was so great that some serious writers[7] find no difficulty in saying that, through this means alone, he amassed more wealth than his father had acquired in twenty major victories. Add together what he received from all these different sources and then see if you can tell me what the total figure would be for the wealth and income of this great Prince, the most magnificent whoever lived, according to the testimony of the Holy Spirit.
Footnotes
[1] Chap. x.
[2] Chap. xvii.
[3] Chap. xii.
[4] I Reg. x.
[5] Chap. viii.
[6] III Reg. iv & x.
[7] Pineda, Salomonis prævii, lib, IV, c. 2.
3 I provided the details in the above account because I am convinced the Holy Spirit wanted us to know about them inasmuch as his plan was by this means to elevate our thoughts to the spiritual riches of Jesus, our true Prince of peace. The Apostle St Paul makes reference to these riches in the Epistle he wrote to the Romans[1], where he says: It was not with the Saviour’s grace as it was with the first man’s sin[2]: The former abounded in blessings, but the latter in misfortune. In the first place, only the original sin of Adam has passed on to us like a disease; whereas the Saviour’s grace has been a cure not only for the original sin but also for all actual sins. Adam’s sin was only of one particular kind, whereas the Saviour’s graces are various and multifaceted. The former brings with it only the punishment which we call damnation, or the deprivation of God; the latter frees us from the pain of feeling. Through the former, the sensitive part of Man has indeed been reduced to a disordered state; but the Saviour’s grace has not only supplied a remedy but has made it possible for victory to be based on this disorder. The former caused us to lose the grace which would have enabled us to persevere; through the latter we are now able to obtain that perseverance. The former gave entry to temporal death; the latter opens the door to eternal life. The effects of the former were limited to men and their descendants; the latter reaches even unto the Angels, who have nothing in common with him by nature. Through the former, man lost none of his natural rights; through the latter, he is given possession of a plenitude of supernatural rights.
Footnotes
[1] Rom. v.
[2] But not as the offence, so also the gift / Sed non sicut delictum, ita et donum :): Rom. v. 15. Cf. Only, the grace which came to us was out of all proportion to the fault (Knox).
4 Since our aim here is to arrive at a better understanding of the immeasurable treasures of the Saviour’s grace, try to form an idea if you can of the number of people who have ever lived, who are living now and who are yet to be born; then add up all the good thoughts that they have ever had, all the holy words that they have ever spoken, all the virtuous actions they have performed and all that they will produce until the end of the world. Then let it sink in that for each and every one of these there needs to have been at the very least as many graces from God. Because of the failings of those who receive them, you may rest assured that the number of those which have been of no effect has been incomparably greater. Run through the graces of the Sacraments which all have their own different offices. Consider the many different conditions of the people that are in the world, all of whom need suitable graces proportionate to their state. Consider now those elevated graces by means of which people of every age and condition have undertaken things altogether going beyond their nature, such as perpetual chastity, voluntary poverty, self denial, the solitary life, mortification of the flesh, love of enemies, martyrdom and such like – all worthy of eternal memory. Place before them, if you will, those graces which no disposition can merit, such as the first grace conferred upon the sinner whose heart is hardened, the grace of final perseverance for the just and other similar favours. When you have done all that, learn that you are still only at the beginning : for these treasures of grace are infinite and could not be exhausted by 100,000 million worlds, were they to exist.
5 Do we not therefore have every reason to call out with the Apostle: Oh the height of the riches of the graces of the Lord![1] Oh death perfectly conceived that hath amassed so many treasures! Oh what a blessed obligation on men and on Angels to praise and thank throughout eternity Him who hath acquired for them so many graces! Oh what munificence from the Prince who hath shown such generosity with His graces! What joy and satisfaction to see one day revealed the greatness of His infinite merits which at present we see only as through a glass in a dark manner[2].
Footnotes
[1] Eph. iii. 18.
[2] I Cor. xiii. 12.
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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.
The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
© Peter Bloor 2025
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