In Praise of the Virgin Mother: Homily I, Part 2 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 second 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.

In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let not her name leave thy lips, never suffer it to leave thy heart. And that thou mayest more surely obtain the assistance of her prayer, see that thou dost walk in her footsteps. With her for guide, thou shalt never go astray; whilst invoking her, thou shalt never lose heart; so long as she is in thy mind, thou shalt not be deceived; whilst she holds thy hand, thou canst not fall; under her protection, thou hast nothing to fear; if she walks before thee, thou shalt not grow weary; if she shows thee favor, thou shalt reach the goal. [From his Hom. II super "Missus est,"]

Homilia I

2. Ait itaque: Missus est angelus Gabriel a Deo. Non arbitror hunc angelum de minoribus esse, qui qualibet ex causa, crebra soleant ad terras fungi legatione: quod ex ejus nomine palam intelligi datur, quod interpretatum fortitudo Dei dicitur; et quia non ab alio aliquo forte excellentiori se (ut assolet) spiritu, sed ab ipso Deo mitti perhibetur.

Propter hoc ergo positum est, a Deo; vel ideo dictum est, a Deo, ne cui vel beatorum spiritum suum Deus, antequam Virgini, revelasse putetur consilium, excepto duntaxat archangelo Gabriele, qui utique tantae inter suos inveniri potuerit excellentiae, ut tali et nomine dignus haberetur, et nuntio.

Nec discordat nomen a nuntio. Dei quippe virtutem Christum quem melius nuntiare decebat, quam hunc, quem simile nomen honorat? Nam quid est aliud fortitudo, quam virtus? Non autem dedecens aut incongruum videatur, dominum et nuntium communi censeri vocabulo; cum similis in utroque appellationis, non sit tamen utriusque similis causa.

Aliter quippe Christus fortitudo vel virtus Dei dicitur, aliter angelus. Angelus enim tantum nuncupative, Christus autem etiam substantive Christus Dei virtus (I Cor. I, 24)[1] et dicitur et est, quae forti armato, qui suum atrium in pace custodire solebat, fortior superveniens, ipsum suo brachio debellavit; et sic ei vasa captivitatis potenter eripuit.

Angelus vero fortitudo Dei appellatus est, vel quod hujusmodi meruerit praerogativam officii, quo ejusdem nuntiaret adventum virtutis: vel quia virginem natura pavidam, simplicem, verecundam, de miraculi novitate ne expavesceret, confortare deberet:

quod et fecit, Ne timeas, inquiens, Maria, invenisti gratiam apud Deum. Sed et ipsius sponsum, hominem utique nihilominus humilem ac timoratum, non irrationabiliter forsitan idem angelus confortasse creditur, quanquam tunc ab evangelista non nominetur. Joseph, inquit, fili David, ne timeas accipere Mariam conjugem tuam (Matth. I, 20)[2]. Convenienter itaque Gabriel ad hoc opus eligitur: imo quia tale illi negotium injungitur, recte tali nomine designatur.

References

[1] [24] ipsis autem vocatis Judaeis, atque Graecis Christum Dei virtutem, et Dei sapientia
[24] But unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.[1 Cor 1]

[2][20] Haec autem eo cogitante, ecce angelus Domini apparuit in somnis ei, dicens : Joseph, fili David, noli timere accipere Mariam conjugem tuam : quod enim in ea natum est, de Spiritu Sancto est. [Mat 1]
[20] But while he thought on these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost.



Latin Notes

ad-soleō (ass-) —, —, ēre, (only 3rd person), to be accustomed, be wont, be usual
quālĭbet (-lŭbet, abl. from quilibet), where it pleases
crēber, bra, brum: (adj.), repeated, frequent
dēbellō, āvī, ātus, 1, a. and n.: to war to the end; to put down by war; subdue, conquer
deceō cuī, —, —, ēre (only 3d pers.) DEC-, to be seemly, be comely, become, beseem, be fitting, be suitable, be proper
dedecens: nom sing neut pres partic, from dē-dĕcet, cuit, 2, v. impers. (very rarely pers., v. infra, II.), it is unseemly, unsuitable, unbecoming:
discordo, āre, v. n. id. to be unlike, out of harmony with; to disagree, be inconsistent with, opposed to:
dumtaxat (less correctly, duntax-at)adv. To this extent, so far, in so far, as far as this matter is concerned:
ex-păvesco, pāvi, 3,Iv. inch. n. and a., to be or become greatly terrified, to be very much afraid; to be greatly frightened at or afraid of, to fear greatly 
forte : by chance, perchance, haply
fungor, functus, fungi, v. dep. to perform, fulfill, discharge
imo: variant of immō: yes indeed; nay rather
injungō, (10) jūnxī, jūnctum, ĕre, tr; to join with, unite with; 
nihilominus, none the less, just as much 
nuncŭpātīvē (nuncupativus): in name only
palam : (adv.), openly, plainly
păvĭdus, a, um, adj. paveo, trembling, quaking, fearful, terrified, alarmed, timid, timorous 
perhibeō, uī, itus, 2, a.: to hold persistently; maintain, assert; say, report
quippe: adv, certainly
soleant: 3rd pers plur pres subj act, from soleō, solitus sum, 2, n.: to be wont, accustomed.
vās, vāsis; plur. vāsa, ōrum;Military equipments, baggage:spoils;
vĕrēcundus, a, um, adj. vereor, feeling shame;shamefaced, bashful, shy, coy, modest, diffident, etc.
vŏcābŭlum, i, n. id., an appellation, designation, name of any thing

Homily I

2. And thus is it written: The angel Gabriel was sent from God.  I do not judge this angel to be one of the lower orders who for one cause or another are accustomed to be sent on frequent missions to earth ; this is given plainly to be understood by the name, which is to be interpreted as 'Strength of God'; because, also, he is described as being sent from God Himself  and not, as is usual, from a superior spirit.

Accordingly, for this reason it is said 'sent from God,' or appointed by God, lest God be thought to have revealed His design to one of the holy angels before the Blessed Virgin;  Among the blessed angels,   Gabriel alone could be found as an exception, for he alone was found worthy of such a name and mission.

The name is not inconsistent with the messenger. for who could be more fitting to declare Christ the Power of God than one who bore a similar name ? For what else is strength, other than a virtue? Nor is it unbecoming or unsuitable that the Lord and His nuncio should bear the same title, for though the name is alike, the cause for which it is given differs.

Christ is called the Strength or Power of God in quite another sense than the angel. In the angel it is merely a name ; in Christ a substantial quality. Christ is called, and is, the Power of God. Stronger than the strong-armed, the Prince of this world, who was accustomed to keeping his property in peace, He came down upon him, waged war against him with His own arm; and powerfully seized the spoils.

The angel is called the Strength of God either because he had merited the prerogative of officially announcing the Advent of the Power (of God), or because his duty was to strengthen and support the Virgin, by nature timid, simple and bashful, lest he terrify and overwhelm her by the novelty of the miracle.

This he did when he said : "Fear not, Mary, thou hast found grace with God." It is not unreasonable to suppose, though the Evangelist does not mention the angel's name, that this was the same archangel who strengthened and comforted Mary's spouse, a humble and timorous man. " Fear not, Joseph," he says, "son of
David, to take unto thee Mary thy wife."  Gabriel, therefore, was most fitly chosen for this work; nay rather he was fittingly designated by this name because of the mission which was given to him.