St Bernard's Praises of the Virgin Mother: Homily 2, Part 1

St Bernard. Musée de Cluny [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)

Our series on St Bernard's homilies in praise of the Virgin Mother continues with the second homily. The Latin text and an English translation are followed by references and notes on vocabulary.

Totus tuus ego sum et omnia mea tua sunt. Tecum tutus semper sum. 

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

HOMILIA II. In Luc. I, 26, 27[1].

1. Novum quidem canticum illud, quod solis dabitur in regno Dei cantare virginibus, ipsam virginum Reginam cum caeteris, imo primam inter caeteras esse cantaturam, nemo est qui ambigat

There is no-one who could doubt that, in the kingdom of God, the Queen of virgins herself will sing with the others, nay, will lead the others in singing that new canticle which is given to virgins alone to sing.

Puto autem illam, praeter illud quod solis licet, cum omnibus tamen virginibus ei, ut dixi, commune erit, dulciori quodam atque elegantiori carmine laetificaturam esse civitatem Dei.

Beyond that which is permitted to them alone, which, as I have said will be common with all virgins, I think she will gladden the City of God with a yet sweeter and more elegant melody.

Cujus utique dulcisonos depromere vel exprimere modulos ne ipsarum quidem virginum ulla digna invenietur; quia soli merito decantandum servabitur, quae sola de partu, et partu divino gloriatur.

Not one of those same virgins will be found worthy to produce or express such sweet-sounding melodies.  Such singing will be reserved to her who alone could glory in her child-bearing, in her Divine child-bearing.

Gloriatur dixerim de partu, non in se, sed in ipso quem peperit. Deus siquidem (Deus enim est quem peperit). Matrem suam singulari in coelestibus donaturus gloria, singulari in terris praevenire curavit et gratia, qua videlicet ineffabiliter et intacta conciperet, et pareret incorrupta.

She is, so to speak, glorified in her child-bearing, not in herself, but in Him Whom she brought forth (for it is indeed God whom she bore). God would certainly endow His Mother with singular glory in heaven, she whom He took care to prevent with the surpassing grace so that, unutterably, she might conceive and deliver intact and without prejudice to her virginity.

Porro Deo hujusmodi decebat nativitas, qua nonnisi de Virgine nasceretur: talis congruebat et Virgini partus, ut non pareret nisi Deum. Proinde factor hominum ut homo fieret, nasciturus de homine, talem sibi ex omnibus debuit deligere, imo condere matrem, qualem et se decere sciebat, et sibi noverat placituram.

Moreover, such a birth was fitting for a God Who alone could be born of a Virgin. Such a child-bearing befitted a Virgin who was not to give birth except unto a God. Therefore, the Creator of man, in order to be born from man, needed to choose, nay create, for Himself from all,  a Mother whom He knew to be worthy of, and pleasing unto Himself.

Voluit itaque esse virginem, de qua immaculata immaculatus procederet, omnium maculas purgaturus:

He willed her to be a virgin, from which immaculate virgin the Immaculate One might proceed Who might take away the sins of the world.

voluit et humilem, de qua mitis et humilis corde prodiret, harum in se virtutum necessarium omnibus saluberrimumque exemplum ostensurus.

He willed her, too, to be humble, from whom He Who was meek and humble of heart should come forth, He Who was to show in Himself  a most salutary example to all men of these virtues.

Dedit ergo Virgini partum, qui ei jam ante et virginitatis inspiraverat votum, et humilitatis praerogaverat meritum.

He gave fruitfulness to the Virgin whom He had previously inspired with a vow of virginity, and to whom He had granted the grace of humility.

Alioquin quomodo angelus eam in sequentibus gratia plenam pronuntiat, si quidpiam vel parum boni, quod ex gratia non esset, habebat?

Otherwise, how could the angel have proclaimed her 'full of grace' among women if she had possessed any of the least good that was not the effect of grace ?

References

[1] [26] In mense autem sexto, missus est angelus Gabriel a Deo in civitatem Galilaeae, cui nomen Nazareth, [27] ad virginem desponsatam viro, cui nomen erat Joseph, de domo David : et nomen virginis Maria. [Luc. 1]
[26] And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, [27] To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary

Latin notes

amb-ĭgo, ĕre (perf. tense not used), v. n. to wander about; to waver, hesitate, be undecided, to doubt, be in suspense; To argue, debate about something.
dēligō, lēgī, lēctus, 3, a.: to choose from; choose,
dulcĭsŏnus, a, um, adj. dulcis-sonus, sweetly sounding:
immō: yes indeed; nay rather, 1.753; but.
mŏdŭlus, i, m. dim. modus, a small measure, a measure. Rhythmical measure, rhythm, music, time, metre, mode, melody
porro: adv,  then, next, furthermore, moreover, again, in turn
praeter : (adv.), besides, along by, past.
praeter : (prep. w. acc.), beyond. (prae)
prae-vĕnĭo, vēni, ventum, 4, v. n. and a., to come before, precede, get the start of, to outstrip, anticipate, to prevent. transitive. Theology. Of God, God's grace, etc.: to go before (a person) with spiritual guidance and help;  (a) so as to anticipate a person's actions or needs;  (b) so as to predispose (a person) to repentance, faith, and good works.
prōdeō, īvī or iī, itus, īre, irreg. n.: to go forth; move forward or along,
proinde: just so; then, therefore
quidem : (adv.), indeed, truly, at least, yet