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) |
§ 3. Understanding what has been said : that the Holy Virgin is empowered to distribute all the graces of the Saviour
The Holy Virgin is empowered to distribute all the graces of the Saviour
4 Finally, here is conclusive proof of something I have mentioned several times elsewhere, namely that she received the plenitude of graces and favours of all the states and conditions that may be found, whether among Angels or among men. I cannot believe that she would have been enriched with so many blessings just for her personal greatness. I feel we may rest assured that all these favours were granted to her because, since she is a universal cause of salvation for all of God’s children, she must have a general influence over all the actions which help them along the right path in order to enter into possession of the heritage which has been promised to them. I have shown on two separate occasions that it was only right and proper that she should merit all the graces of the Saviour which were His in virtue of justice, (except those relating to her initial sanctification). In view of this, is it not clear to us that her beloved Son would entrust her with a distribution of all his favours?
5 I must confess that I do not know whether we should be struck more by our ignorance or by the way we fall short in our actions. By ignorance I mean that, despite enjoying almost uninterrupted blessings obtained for us by the Holy Virgin, we show so little feeling in our hearts and make such poor use of them. To have a better idea of this fallen human nature of ours, I sometimes imagine that there is someone in the world so rich and powerful that there is nothing we could ask of him that he would be unable to give us; so munificent that he delights in sharing his goods with us; and so noble that he feels a moral obligation to dispense gifts. These gifts, moreover, are not insignificant but are things such as palaces, country retreats, Lordships and highly desirable posts – in short, all the blessings of this world that the human heart could wish for, and even more, such as health rest and spiritual contentment. Where could we find sufficient ways of expressing gratitude to such a person? How many panegyrics would we offer to him in thanks? How many books would be dedicated to his name? Who would not keep a portrait of him in their home as a token of their happiness? Who would not always have his name in their heart and on their lips?
But how long are we going to remain absorbed in worldly interests? How long will we have feelings only for things fleeting and ephemeral, paying so little heed to those which are true and eternal? Is this not good reason to rouse us from our drowsiness and to make us blush at our insensitivity? Just consider the shame in seeing how little gratitude we have for the graces that we receive unceasingly from the hand of the Princess of Heaven! In fact, I want the gifts that come from her hand to be supernatural graces and favours, which are infinitely preferable to those fleeting and perishable things which I agree should be considered far less important. Let us at least acknowledge their number and weigh the significance of what I am going to say:
Lampridius relates a story about Elagabalus, an emperor (if ever there were one) who liked to play the clown. He discovered a remarkable way of conveying to posterity an idea of the grandeur of the city of Rome. He commanded that all the spider-webs that could be found in the city should be collected and weighed. The weight came to almost one thousand pounds and from this it was simple enough to estimate the huge number of houses in this, the capital of the world.
In order to give people some idea of what we owe to the Virgin, our peerless benefactress, I would really like to be able to put a number on even the smallest favours that we receive from her, often without being aware of them. I am convinced that anyone spending a moment thinking about this would be astonished at what he learned. Just think how many quarters of an hour there are in a single year: nearly 35,000. Now picture that every quarter of an hour we obtain through her means one grace, and no more, even though they come down upon us like the showers of spring or the snows of winter. Great God! How many of these graces will there be after several years have gone by? And after adding them together, who would not feel himself deeply obliged by what he has received from this benefactress? Consider too those graces which have a value and an impact so great that each one alone would make us indebted to her for the whole of eternity? There is no doubt in my mind that, were we to receive such a grace from someone like ourselves, we would never be able to thank them sufficiently. Are we going to let it be said that we attach less importance to such a grace that has come from the hands of the MOTHER OF GOD and which comes (as is frequently the case) without our even being aware of it?
6 Now, if we show great ignorance in relation to these graces, I believe the poor use we make of them is no less problematic. If we were to make proper use of them they would produce for us every day effects that would cause delight in heaven and on earth. Whilst the most punctilious try to manage them well, they slip from our hands and leave us only with a feeling of sadness at having made poor use of them. Let us think about this, so that we may avoid displeasing our loving Father who acquired these graces at such a high price, and our beloved Mother who distributes them with such tender care.
The time has come now however To continue with our study of her great qualities.
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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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