Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 6 : § 5.1

Chapter 6 : The Fifth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is a true model of generosity towards 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)

§ 5. Advice to those whom the Holy Virgin honours with her generosity 

 1   The Queen of Heaven has a most keen desire that the graces and gifts passing through her hands should be put to good use by those receiving them. She cannot, however, allow the misuse or abuse of the graces she obtains for them and in such cases either she will withdraw her support or she will make them pay for the ill usage. 

The following account provides a memorable example and it concerns one Udo who was once Archbishop of Magdeburg. He felt unhappy about his mental abilities and for this reason he had recourse to the MOTHER OF GOD, offering fervent prayers to her in Magdeburg’s Metropolitan Church dedicated to St Maurice. The Virgin, who always lends a favourable ear to those seeking her help, caused Udo to fall into a gentle slumber.  She then revealed to him that not only would she make him a gift of the knowledge that he had sought so earnestly but she would, moreover, entrust to his care and faithful charge the Church of St Maurice, one of the most eminent within her royal domain. If he were to govern for love of her in a fitting manner, she would not fail to reward him well; but, failing this, he would incur the death of his body and his soul. As soon as Udo awoke from his slumber, he was astonished at the mental change that had taken place within him and he found it difficult to believe that he was the same man he was before. 

Upon the death of the incumbent Archbishop of Magdeburg, Udo was chosen by common consent to replace him. After his elevation to this throne of honour, he seemed to spread everywhere the most sweet odour of his virtues. Eventually, however, he ruined everything through his bad behaviour, for he began to steal from Churches and to profane living Temples, namely certain Virgins who had consecrated themselves to the Religious life in service of God. He was with a certain Abbess one night when he heard a voice in his ears, telling him: 

“Udo, Udo, enough of this. Thou hast already gone too far. Heaven is not amused by this misconduct.”     

The same happened to him on the following two nights for, even though he felt slightly touched in his heart, he did not put an an end to his debauched ways. His new vice had seized hold of him and was leading him onto more and more evils. Eventually, three months after Udo had received the message from heaven which should have been sufficient to restore wisdom to him, a canon named Frederick  was praying in the Church of St Maurice when he saw a vision : the Saviour seated on a Royal Throne attended by Angels, with the Holy Virgin and St Maurice next to Him. In front of the throne was the wretched Udo, dragged there like an indicted criminal to give an account for his actions. St Maurice began by bowing reverently to the Saviour of the world and His Holy Mother. Then, gazing sternly at Udo, he proceeded to list and prove the numerous crimes he had committed, leaving the defendant lost for words and unable to answer. He accused him of having been a ravenous wolf instead of serving as a shepherd to his flock ; of having stolen Church property and profaned numerous things most holy; of having scorned the advice of the Holy Virgin; in short, of having abused God’s patience in a thousand different ways. The defendant had no reply to any of this and the Judge accordingly sentenced him to death – by being beheaded on the spot. Before the sentence was carried out, God ordered the Angel entrusted with the execution to humble the convicted man by administering several blows to the nape of his neck. At each blow, a consecrated Host was seen to emerge which a second Angel received into a silver chalice. Once this ceremony had been completed, the Holy Virgin took all these Hosts and, after reverently washing them, she placed the chalice on the altar where it was found the following morning. Udo’s head was found in front of the altar steps, separate from the rest of his body. The white marble floor was stained by his blood and these stains can still be seen to this day. From this date onwards, the ceremony for consecrating new Archbishops has always taken place on this spot, as a warning for them to do their duty. The events just described all took place in the year 985 during the reign of the Emperor Otto III.     

We see from this how it pleases God to keep the minds of men in check, and also how His gifts deserve to be received with gratitude and used in a respectful manner. Those who receive a greater share in them will be held to a stricter account. They should realise that these gifts come with corresponding duties and the only way to retain and increase them is to make proper use of them.

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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.

© Peter Bloor