Chapter 5 : The Fourth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD
The Wondrous Care she takes of her children
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) |
A common proverb amongst the ancients was that the eyes always follow the heart; this means that the focus of our love is also where we feel impelled to show our care. It seems we can indeed say that when a person’s heart is on fire with love, two eyes are not enough for him; he would need as many as the poets assigned to Argus, so as to satisfy his heart’s desire to show care and its impulse to do something which is pleasing to the object of its love. St Epiphanius[1] has good reason in this regard to call the Holy Virgin a Mother with many eyes, as I have already said, and to compare her with those creatures revealed to Ezechiel[2] and to St John[3]. After the care shown to us by our heavenly Father, whose eye is never shut[4], there is nothing comparable to the care shown by the Mother of love. Permit me to present a picture to you and then we shall consider its natural colours.
Footnotes
[1] Orat. de Laudibus. Virg.
[2] And their whole body, and their necks, and their hands, and their wings, and the circles were full of eyes, round about the four wheels. Ezech. x. 12.
[3] And the four living creatures had each of them six wings; and round about and within they are full of eyes. Apoc. iv. 8.
[4] Prov. xv. 3; Hebr. iv. 13.
§ 1. A figure revealing the MOTHER OF GOD’S care for her children
1 God Himself has provided a figure[1] in the person of the wise woman Rebecca[2] whom I have already described[3] as being one of the most noteworthy types prefiguring the Holy Virgin, foreshadowing what was to come with astonishing accuracy.
Imagine that I am showing you a picture divided into three main scenes, revealing three aspects of the Mother’s incomparable love and care for her children.
Footnotes
[1] Something which denotes or represents another thing allegorically, metaphorically, or symbolically; a type, symbol, or emblem of something else; (sometimes) a prefiguration.(II.7.a. OED).
[2] Gen. xxvii.
[3] Part I, ch. 3.
2 On the right hand side of the picture can be seen a venerable and most gracious lady whose clothes are those from a distant era; she is seated on a stool and in front of her is a young son, of modest demeanour and comportment: this is Rebecca with her son Jacob. It is easy to infer from the mother’s countenance that she is speaking of love and is having a very serious conversation with her son, but the picture cannot tell us what is being said. Sacred Scripture is, however, able to supply what is missing and reveals that she is speaking to him as follows:
“My son, I have something to say to thee and I beg thee to pay attention, not only because it is for thy good, but also because it is I thy mother speaking to thee. I have been thinking for some time about something thy father said to thy brother Esau, and I firmly believe it was an Angel that guided me to the room so that I might hear what he said. For he was speaking as a man who feels his end is approaching, and for this reason he told Esau to bring him of his hunting, and make him meats that he might eat, and bless him in the sight of the Lord, before he died. Now, my son, do thou follow my counsel, for thou knowest that I have always loved thee and that all my delight would be to give thee a sign of a mother’s love on this occasion. Go thy way to the flock, bring me two kids of the best before Esau’s return, that I may make of them meat for thy father, such as he gladly eateth: which when thou hast brought in, and he hath eaten, he may bless thee before he die. I tell thee once more, do not ignore this advice which comes only from the desire I have for thy good.”
3 Judging from the look on Jacob’s face, it seems that his reply to his mother is as follows:
“Dear mother, it is not just from what thou hast said today that I understand the good that thou wishest for me; but this evidence of thy goodwill towards me further strengthens the trust I already have in thee. I ask only that thou allowest me to share one thought with thee and then command me as thou wilt. My brother and I are different in appearance, for Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am smooth. If by chance or by design my father shall feel me, and perceive it, I fear lest he will think I would have mocked him, and I shall bring upon me a curse instead of a blessing. This aside, he cannot fail to recognise me by my voice.”“My son,” replies Rebecca, “thou hast told me nothing new, and nothing that I have not myself foreseen. It seemeth this is an idea inspired by God, to whom it pertaineth to bring to a successful conclusion the designs that he hath for thee. As for thy fears, upon me be this curse, my son: only hear thou my voice, and go, fetch me the things which I have said, trusting in me for all else.”
After such unequivocal words, all that remains is to obey; Jacob ceases to make objection and we see him leave to carry out his mother’s instructions. In this first image, Rebecca serves as a type prefiguring the care that the MOTHER OF GOD takes in advancing the good of her children in general, keeping an ever watchful eye for any opportunity to benefit them and to obtain God’s blessing for them.
4 In the middle of the picture we can see a second scene no less remarkable than the first. After Jacob had gone out and returned diligently carrying the two kids, Rebecca took charge. Understanding how to satisfy the appetite of her husband Isaac, she herself dressed the meats and, governed by the affection in her heart, she did everything to perfection in a prompt manner. She had more than one thought in her head for, whilst the meat was cooking, she went to Esau’s chest to select his festive garment which she put on Jacob. She also placed the little skins of the kids about his hands, and covered the bare of his neck with them, so that the venerable Patriarch could not fail to take Jacob for his elder brother. After she had finished dressing the meats, she placed the dish into the hands of Jacob who played his role so effectively that he succeeded in gaining Esau’s blessing.
The diligent attention to detail shown by Rebecca, who overlooked nothing, will provide us with material for a discussion of the incomparable goodness of the Virgin which shows itself in the care she takes over the smallest things touching on the good and happiness of her children. In this we shall see that there is nothing in the whole world so sweet and so heartfelt as her affection.
5 The third scene in the picture shows the wise Rebecca continuing with her planned course of action. As she foresaw the difficulties Esau would cause, she dreams of ways to bring good fortune to her son and to safeguard his blessing. With this in mind, she seeks out Isaac and tells him that she would sooner die than see Jacob take a wife of the stock of that land[1], well knowing that the venerable Patriarch is of the same opinion[2]. Accordingly, she is easily able to persuade him to send Jacob into Mesopotamia to his uncle Laban, where he is sure to find an excellent match. Isaac does everything that she wanted and, so that God may bless this plan of his, he repeats the blessing that he had given to Jacob a little earlier. After kissing him, he hands him over to his mother who supplies him as best she can with all the things he might need, but especially good advice. Finally, in the hope of seeing him again soon, she sends him on his way, not without feeling a great sadness of heart and not without floods of tears brought by such a sudden separation.
This will form the theme of the third discussion showing the care that the Holy Virgin takes to accommodate her children, to bring them good fortune (if we can use this word), in other words : procuring for them stability and security and providing for them a mode of life which she judges will best suit them in their journey to heaven.
Footnotes
[1] I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the stock of this land, I choose not to live. Gen. xxvii. 46.
[2] And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, saying: Take not a wife of the stock of Chanaan. Gen. xxviii. 1.
.👑 👑 👑
 |
| 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.
© Peter Bloor
No comments:
Post a Comment