Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 3.9-11

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).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 3. The third sign of love: rejoicing in her perfections and feeling her sorrows

 9    A third fruit of this same sentiment is the desire to thank God on her behalf for all the favours He has granted her and for this purpose to make use of the voices of every creature, especially the Blessed Spirits. St Paul, great Master of Heavenly Wisdom, understood this perfectly when he asked for prayers on all sides from his spiritual children, that for this gift obtained for us, by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many in our behalf[1]. But just as the gifts obtained by the Holy Virgin are incomparably greater, so too she feels a great sense of obligation to those who join with her in blessing the infinite goodness of God. These prayers form the fragrant, heavenly smoke rising from the censers of the Saints in the Apocalypse of St John[2], bringing joy to the celestial inhabitants who see how the Prince they serve is so greatly honoured.

   

Footnotes

[1] 2 Cor. i. 11.

[2] And another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer of the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar, which is before the throne of God. And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God from the hand of the angel. Apoc. viii. 3-4.

 10   The final fruit is to share in her sorrows, since love would not be love if it did not recognise its interest in that of the person beloved; if it did not, in other words, share in the afflictions just as much as in the joys experienced by the beloved.   

The Queen of Heaven complained to St Bridget[1] about how few people there were who loved her with a really sincere love. One of the proofs she gave was the small number who felt in their hearts for her sufferings and who were touched to the quick when contemplating the memory of her terrible Martyrdom. 

Now if anyone wishes to understand the satisfaction derived by the Saviour of the world and His gentle Mother from seeing our heart softened with a holy compassion for the suffering they endured for us, it seems to me that nothing can demonstrate this better than what is written in the 6th book of the Revelations of St Bridget[2]. 

One day this Blessed widow was shedding copious tears whilst praying for a sick man who enjoyed worldly status but who was very backward when it came to the things of God. Her charitable prayers before the door of her merciful Redeemer were so successful that he instructed St Bridget to send her own Confessor to visit the poor man. The priest went not once but twice and found him still stubborn in his determination to die just as he was. She asked the Priest on behalf of God to return for a third time and remonstrate with him, telling him that Jesus Christ was ready to save him if only he would seek forgiveness.  

A wondrous thing then took place! The words of the Priest softened the man’s heart and immediately his eyes were transformed into two springs shedding tears of contrition. In a voice punctuated by sobbing, he admitted that he had never been to confession; that he had grown old in the service of the devil who had appeared to him on many occasions and to whom he had surrendered himself body and soul; and that up until this point in his life he had ceased to care about this and he had given up all hope of salvation. That same day, he accused himself on four separate occasions of the sins he had committed throughout his life and the following day he received the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, with movements of the heart that he had never experienced before. At the end of six days, filled now with courage and confidence, he departed this life for a better one. Shortly after this, the Saviour revealed to St Bridget that he had been led to Purgatory – not only as a result of the grace of contrition freely given – but especially on account of the compassion he had displayed each and every time he contemplated the sword of sorrow that pierced the heart of His Mother.  

Footnotes

[1] Lib. II Revel., c. 24.

[2] Chap. 97.

 11   Now if sentiments so weak as these and tainted by so many imperfections can be pleasing to the Saviour, what will be the case with those which spring from hearts which have been purified and which have received Heavenly favour?

 

Blessed Margaret of Cortona was a member of the third order of St Francis and was known as the Penitent. She asked Our Lord to allow her to share in the pains His Holy Mother experienced when she was at the foot of the Cross. The Saviour instructed her to go to the Church of St Francis where, at about 9:00 o’clock in the morning, she was so overcome by the violent feelings experienced by the Mother on account of the pain suffered by her Son that she was on the point of collapse and people ran over to help her. At the third hour, when the Saviour bowed His head and gave up the ghost, she too bowed her head and remained quite motionless until nightfall. As a result of the love she had displayed, she obtained remarkable graces from Our Lord, proving how true it is that Heaven is just as pleased when we find a place in our hearts to share the sufferings of the Mother as when contemplating those of her Son.

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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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.

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.