Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 11 : § 1.5-6

Chapter 11 : The Tenth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is the Consolation of the Afflicted

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)

§ 1. The MOTHER OF GOD  is the Consolation of the afflicted 

 5   Only a few years ago[1] in the city of Mexico there was a poor woman whose husband had been absent for twelve years but none of her relatives and neighbours showed any compassion or gave her any help whatsoever. The Devil took advantage of this opportunity to tempt her with sins against chastity but she had determined rather to die in poverty than to sin against her Creator. 

One evening after she had gone to bed, her feeling of loneliness and the darkness of the night caused her sorrow and distress to return. As she was unable to sleep, she arose from her bed to seek solace by looking up to the heavens where she had placed her hopes, but the night was so dark that she found no consolation there. Feeling heavy at heart, she lay down on her bed once more and began speaking to the MOTHER OF GOD about something she had heard in a sermon the previous day.  

“Most holy Virgin,” she began, “thou who reachest out to those who seek thy help, wilt thou leave me alone unaided? I have heard it said – and I do believe it – that thou hast incomparably more affection and tenderness for thy children than any other mother has for her own. Now, I hold it as certain that if she who delivered me into the world could see me in this pitiful state she would have compassion on me and would never leave me without help; all the more reason, therefore, for me to hope thy maternal heart might comfort me in my hour of need. If thou shouldst abandon me, what is to become of me and to whom shall I have recourse if thou dost reject me?” 

After she had spoken these words, she looked towards the door where she saw a light coming into the room, just as if day were dawning. She was surprised that daybreak had come so soon and while she was thinking about this she heard a voice which called her by name. It seemed to penetrate so deeply into her soul that she felt all her sadness and distress melt away. This sudden change increased her sense of wonderment and then the same voice that had called to her spoke again saying: 

“My dear child , be of good heart, I shall never abandon thee. The state in which thou dost presently find thyself will soon pass and will be followed by one of calm and contentment. I will indeed show thee how the loving care of all the mothers in the world is as nothing compared to that which I have for thee.”

 After this, the light slowly began to fade and the woman’s curiosity made her get out of bed to see where the voice had come from. In the surrounding darkness, she saw a light which was slowly dying away before disappearing in the sky. From that moment onwards, the sadness and dejection she had felt in her heart were replaced with a joy which was quite extraordinary and altogether heavenly. She would later say that now she had heard the voice of the MOTHER OF GOD, all that remained was for her to see her holy face – whensoever she might deign to reveal it to her.

Footnotes

[1] Franciscus Bencius, in Annalibus.

 6   The following account comes from the life[1] of Blessed Godric, an English hermit who lived in the time of St Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury.  

Whilst he was at prayer one day in front of the altar of the Holy Virgin, he saw two Ladies of outstanding beauty on each side of the altar looking at each other without saying a word and occasionally casting a glance towards him. He could not take his eyes off them but he remained motionless, occasionally bowing his head towards them. Finally they approached him and the more majestic of the two, who had been on the right hand side of the altar, asked him if he recognised them.   

“Dear Lady,” replied the Saint, “this would be known only to those who have the honour of learning this from thine own lips, since I am quite certain your faces are not those of mortal creatures such as us.”

“I am the MOTHER OF GOD,” was the Holy Virgin’s response, “and this is Mary Magdalene, the faithful Disciple of my Son.”

At these words, the Saint prostrated himself at the feet of the Queen of Heaven and said to her: 

“Most Holy Lady, my wish is to devote myself to thee and I pray that thou wilt take me under thy holy protection.”

Our gentle Mother and St Mary Magdalene then tenderly placed their hands upon his head and at the same moment the chapel was suffused with a heavenly fragrance. The Virgin Mother then filled Godric with joy by singing a beautiful and holy canticle which she instructed him to remember so that he might obtain comfort in his tribulations and fortify himself against any temptations the old enemy might use against him. She promised him that whenever he sang these words she would immediately hasten unto his aid. Here are the words of this canticle:

[Translator’s note: the following uses the metre and rhyming scheme of the French original, seeking to reflect the language and imagery.]

Most holy Maid, ’tis true: we could not love thee more,

For thy perfections all

(But after Our dear Lord’s, whom we perforce adore)

Do hold our hearts in thrall. 

The Lord who hath on high His dwelling place divine 

With Father sempiternal,

Hath chosen here below for human dwelling thine

Own womb, blest and maternal.

Forsooth He recognised amid thy glorious features

Thy pure virginity,

How perfectly ‘twould serve amidst all other creatures

His own humanity.

He’s called a Nazarene[2], which myst’ry like no others

Doth thee with joy empower;

For he will show that thou, amongst all fragrant mothers,

Art chosen as the Flower.

Oh Holy Flow’r thou who the Fruit of Life produced:

Help make all sinners savour

Thy saving grace when they are near to death reduced

Then rescued by thy favour.

Do thou rule in my heart as o’er thine own domain,

To Jesus’ law so loyal;

Thy subject I shall be, and thou shalt reign o’er me,

Thy Son being Sovereign royal.

Pray that my soul by thee so blest to have been captured,

May taste in sweet delight

Celestial joys with thee, eternally enraptured

In Heaven’s highest height.

Though conscious of the hopes that make my heart to soar

I limit my request:

For seeing thee with God is all I seek, no more:

With this may I be blest.

Footnotes

[1] Guillelm. Neubrig., de Rebus Angelorum, lib. II, c. 20.

[2] And coming he dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was said by prophets: That he shall be called a Nazarene. Matt. ii. 23. The etymology of Nazara is neser, which means "a shoot". The Vulgate renders this word by flos, "flower", in the Prophecy of Isaias (xi.1). St. Jerome (Epist., xlvi, "Ad Marcellam") gives the same interpretation to the name of the town. See Nazareth in the Catholic Encyclopedia and the Fillion Bible commentary on Matt. ii. 23.gg

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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 2025