Chapter 4 : Love – a third feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God
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) |
§ 6. The sixth sign of love: loving for love of Mary all those who belong to her, whether through family, marriage, or election ; wherein special mention is made of St Joachim, St Anne and St Joseph
Purity of heart
18 It is inconceivable that his purity of heart should be less than that of his body, since not only would the latter be of little value without the other, but also because his daily lot was to have familiar dealings and conversation with the word Incarnate and the most holy Virgin in the world. They were in consequence all in harmony with each other, their voices offering praise to God, their sighs being holy aspirations and any intervals in conversation being filled with holy peace and tranquillity, in this way becoming like unto God.
Humility
19 Neither are there any reasons to doubt his humility, for if we have been considering his other virtues and the exceptional graces and favours he received as a result of the role he had been called upon to perform and his close involvement with the most sacred Virgin, who could fail to see that these same reasons would have the effect of imbuing him with a most deep humility, as someone who would spend the rest of his days in the company of a God incarnate and the most humble of human creatures – in other words, with a continual awareness of his own humility? There are in fact several great Doctors who state that his wondrous humility was the reason he was minded to put his most chaste Spouse away privately as soon as she was found with child. They say it was through his humility that he felt totally unworthy of staying any longer with a God incarnate and with a Virgin who had become the MOTHER OF GOD, of being taken for the father of one and the husband of the other, and of having power over those whom even the Angels in Heaven did not merit to serve. Accordingly, he preferred to withdraw quietly rather than to be mortified in his humility and be constrained to take on the burden of such a huge honour. Apart from the revelation made by the glorious Virgin one day to St Bridget[1], this was also the view of Origen[2], of St Basil[3], of Theophylact[4], of the Author of the incomplete work on St Matthew[5], of St Bernard[6] and of many modern Doctors[7]. Consider how the Apostle St Peter, after he suddenly perceived the divinity of his Master following a miracle He had performed, was seized by an extraordinary feeling of fervour and humility which prompted him to call out : Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord[8]. Compare this to the reaction of St Joseph who withdrew into himself and felt an awareness of his own nothingness when confronted with the miracle of a Virgin whom he could see was with child, which was a thing which had never been seen or heard since the beginning of the world. He judged it was far above anything he could have merited : to contemplate with his eyes and to hold in his hands a God incarnate, and to have dealings with her whom the Seraphim honoured as Mother of their Sovereign Lord.
Footnotes
[1] Lib. VI Revel., c. 59 ; lib. VIII, c. 25.
[2] Homil. 1 in diversos.
[3] Homil. de Christi humana generatione.
[4] Homil. 1.
[5] Matth. 1.
[6] Homil. 2 in Missus.
[7] Canisius, lib. II de B. Virg., c. 14 et 15 ; Gonsalv. Durant., in c. 59 citat. lib. VI Revel. S. Brigittæ.
[8] Luke v. 6-9.
His Justice
20 n conclusion, to avoid speaking at length on his other virtues, it will be sufficient to use the words of praise coming from the Holy Spirit and to say that he was a just man[1], using the word justice like Clement of Alexandria[2], as including generally the perfection of all the virtues. Perhaps if I may be be permitted to quote the Angelic Doctor[3] who teaches that:
the closer that each thing comes to the principle of some perfection the more advantageously it takes of it,
then I would proceed to point out that St Joseph, having been closer to the Author of grace and the principle of all virtue then all the Fathers in the Old Testament, he obtained in consequence more graces than all of them and that he alone inherited all their blessings. Accordingly, we may believe that in him may be seen the innocence of Abel, the purity of Enoch, the justice of Noah, the patience of Job, the faith of Abraham, the obedience of Isaac, the strength of Jacob, the chastity of Joseph, the kind-heartedness of Moses, the trust of Joshua, the piety of Samuel, the sincerity of David, the wisdom of Solomon, the longanimity of the Patriarchs, the faithfulness of the Prophets and the holiness of all the great friends of God. In short, all these virtues and qualities scattered amongst others will be gathered together and united in him, which is altogether fitting for the Spouse of her in whom is found all the holiness of human creatures.
For my part , says the pious Saint Bernardine[4], I hold it for certain that this man was most outstanding in his purity, most deep in his humility, most ardent in his charity, most elevated in his contemplation and most assiduous in working for the salvation of the world ; all this in imitation of her to whom he was to have the closest likeness possible.
But why am I searching around for proofs from outside when I already have the irreproachable testimony of the Virgin herself who, whilst speaking confidentially with St Bridget[5], revealed to her in a few words the qualities of her blessed spouse St Joseph?
Joseph’s mouth, she told her, was like the gate of a Temple, so carefully did he set a watch before it[6]. He never spoke any words even slightly suggestive of mockery, anger or complaining. He was more than happy with his poverty, extremely diligent in his work, most patient whenever reproached and most assiduous in his services to me. He was just as courageous in defending my virginity against and in the face of all as he was faithful in making known the wonders of God when occasion required it. He was entirely dead unto the world and vanity, being someone whose heart was set on Heaven. He was deeply attached to God and His promises, being someone whose only desire was to see them fulfilled. He lived as in a holy retreat from the world and was always deeply recollected within himself, being uninterested in the things of men and whose every thought was rather on how to please God, the unique love and sovereign good of his heart.
Footnotes
[1] Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man… : Matthew i:19.
[2] Lib. VI Stromatum.
[3] III p., q. 27, art. 5.
[4] Serm. de Joseph, art. 1.
[5] Lib. VI Revel., c. 59.
[6] Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: and a door round about my lips. Ps. CXL. 3.
© Peter Bloor 2025
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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.
He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.
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