In Praise of the Virgin Mother: Homily I, Part 5 of 9

From 13th c MS. Public Domain.

'To this warm love of Jesus Christ was joined a most sweet and tender devotion towards His glorious Mother, whose motherly love he repaid with the affection of a child, and whom he jealously honoured. (from Pope Pius XII's Encyclical 'Dr Mellifluus', on St Bernard, the 'last of the Fathers' - 1953)


This is the fifth instalment of our series on St Bernard's homilies in praise of the Virgin Mother. The Latin text is followed by references, notes and an English translation.

Homilia I

Quae est haec Virgo... [JJ Tissot]

5. In illam ergo civitatem missus est angelus Gabriel a Deo. Ad quem? Ad Virginem desponsatam viro, cui nomen erat Joseph. Quae est haec Virgo tam venerabilis, ut salutetur ab angelo; tam humilis, ut desponsata sit fabro?

Pulchra permistio virginitatis et humilitatis: nec mediocriter placet Deo illa anima, in qua et humilitas commendat virginitatem, et virginitas exornat humilitatem.

Sed quanta putas veneratione digna est, in qua humilitatem exaltat fecunditas, et partus consecrat virginitatem? Audis virginem, audis humilem: si non potes virginitatem humilis, imitare humilitatem virginis.

Laudabilis virtus virginitas, sed magis necessaria humilitas. Illa consulitur, ista praecipitur. Ad illam invitaris, ad istam cogeris. De illa dicitur: Qui potest capere, capiat [1]; de ista dicitur: Nisi quis efficiatur sicut parvulus iste, non intrabit in regnum coelorum [2]

Illa ergo remuneratur, ista exigitur. Potes denique sine virginitate salvari; sine humilitate non potes. Potest, inquam, placere humilitas, quae virginitatem deplorat amissam; sine humilitate autem (audeo dicere) nec virginitas Mariae placuisset.

Super quem, inquit, requiescet spiritus meus, nisi super humilem et quietum? [3]  Super humilem, dixit, non, super virginem. Si igitur Maria humilis non esset, super eam Spiritus sanctus non requievisset; si super eam non requievisset, nec impraegnasset. Quomodo enim de ipso sine ipso conciperet?

Patet itaque, quia ut de Spiritu sancto conciperet, sicut ipsa perhibet, respexit humilitatem ancillae suae Deus[4], potius quam virginitatem. Et si placuit ex virginitate, tamen ex humilitate concepit. Unde constat, quia etiam ut placeret virginitas, humilitas procul dubio fecit.

References

[1] [12] Sunt enim eunuchi, qui de matris utero sic nati sunt : et sunt eunuchi, qui facti sunt ab hominibus : et sunt eunuchi, qui seipsos castraverunt propter regnum caelorum. Qui potest capere capiat. [Mat. 19]
[12] For there are eunuchs, who were born so from their mother's womb: and there are eunuchs, who were made so by men: and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can take, let him take it.

[2] [3] et dixit : Amen dico vobis, nisi conversi fueritis, et efficiamini sicut parvuli, non intrabitis in regnum caelorum.
[3] And said: Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

[3] [2] Omnia haec manus mea fecit, et facta sunt universa ista, dicit Dominus; ad quem autem respiciam, nisi ad pauperculum, et contritum spiritu, et trementem sermones meos? [Is. 66]
[2] My hand made all these things, and all these things were made, saith the Lord. But to whom shall I have respect, but to him that is poor and little, and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my words?

[4] [48] Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae : ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes,
[48] Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.



Latin notes

dēnique: (adv.), at last, at length, finally,
partus , ūs, m.: a bringing forth; birth
pateō, uī, 2, n.: to be or stand open; fly open, open; to lie open, to open, extend; stretch; stand exposed or ready; (fig.), be evident, patent, clear, manifest, 
permistio: permixtĭo (permistĭo), ōnis, f. id. A mixing together; concr., ingredients mixed together, a mixture
procul : (adv.), far off, at a distance; far hence, away; from a distance, from far; high, aloft.

Homily 1

To this city the angel Gabriel was sent from God. To whom ? To a Virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph. Who is this Virgin so worthy of veneration as to be saluted by an angel ? and so humble as to be espoused to a carpenter?

Beautiful commingling of virginity with humility ! That soul is in no small degree pleasing to God, in which humility commends virginity, and virginity adorns humility. But how greatly worthy of veneration is she in whom fecundity exalts humility, and child-birth consecrates virginity.You hear of a virgin, you hear of a humble maiden; if you are not able to imitate the virginity of the humble, then imitate the humility of the Virgin. 

Virginity is a praiseworthy virtue, but humility is more necessary. The first is counselled, the latter is commanded. One is an invitation; the other is an obligation. Of the one it is said, He that can take, let him take it. Of the other, Unless you become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

To the one, therefore, a reward is offered : the other is required. In the end, you can be saved without virginity, but not without humility. Humility can be pleasing (to God) when a soul deplores the loss of virginity.  Without her humility (if I may be so bold as to say), Mary's virginity would not have been pleasing to God.

Upon whom, it is said, shall my spirit rest, if not on him that is humble and peaceable? He says not on the virgin, but on the humble. If, therefore, Mary had not been humble the Spirit would not have rested on her. If the Holy Spirit had not rested on her, He would not have made her fruitful ; for how without Him could she have conceived of Him ?

It is evident therefore that, as she herself testifies, in order that she might conceive of the Holy Ghost, God the Father regarded the humility of his handmaid,  rather than her virginity. And if by her virginity was pleasing unto Him, nevertheless, it was by her humility that she conceived Him. Hence it is evident that it was her humility that removed any doubt that her virginity might be pleasing to God.