"And thy own soul a sword shall pierce" are words spoken by Simeon to Our Blessed Mother when she presented her first-born in the Temple, in accordance with the Law of Moses.
It is traditional to reflect on the Sorrows of Mary in the month of September. To this end, in the following posts I offer the words of the French scholar and preacher Bossuet, taken from his Elevation* on the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple. I have added my own (fairly literal) translation and occasional notes on Scriptural references.
*élévation: THÉOLOGIE. Mouvement de l’âme vers Dieu ; prière qui favorise et traduit ce mouvement. Elevation: theology. A movement of the soul towards God; a prayer that favours and translates this movement.
Laudetur Jesus Christus et Maria Immaculata.
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| The Presentation in the Temple. J-J Tissot. |
XIe ÉLÉVATION.
Admiration de Joseph et de Marie.
Eleventh Elevation
The Wonderment of Joseph and Mary
« Le père et la mère de l'enfant étaient en admiration de ce qu'on disait de lui » Pourquoi tant être en admiration ? Ils en savaient plus que tous ceux qui leur en parlaient. Il est vrai que l'ange ne leur avait pas encore annoncé la vocation des gentils. Marie n'avait ouï parler que « du trône de David et de la maison de Jacob. » Elle avait senti toutefois par un instinct manifestement prophétique et sans limitation, que « dans tous les temps on la publierait bienheureuse : » ce qui semblait comprendre tous les peuples comme tous les âges : et l'adoration des mages était un présage de la conversion des gentils. Quoi qu'il en soit, Siméon est le premier qui paroisse l'avoir annoncée , et c'était un grand sujet d'admiration.
"And his father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him."[1] Why such wonderment? They knew more about this than all those who spoke to them. It is true that the angel had not yet revealed the calling of the Gentiles. Mary had only heard words about "the throne of David and the house of Jacob."[2] She had for a long time felt, by an instinct manifestly prophetic and without any limitation, that "henceforth all generations will call her blessed;"[3] this seemed to include all peoples and all ages; and the adoration of the Magi presaged the conversion of the Gentiles. Be that as it may, Simeon seems to be the first to have announced it, and this was a great cause for wonderment.
Sans en tant rechercher les causes, le Saint-Esprit nous veut faire entendre une excellente manière d'honorer les mystères. C'est à la vue des bontés et des merveilles de Dieu, de demeurer devant lui en grande admiration et en grand silence. Dans ce genre d'oraison, il ne s'agit pas de produire beaucoup de pensées, ni de faire de grands efforts : on est devant Dieu : on s'étonne des grâces qu'il nous fait : on dit cent et cent fois sans dire mot, avec David : Quid est, homo? « Qu'est-ce que l'homme, que vous daigniez vous en souvenir ? » Encore un coup : qu'est-ce que l'homme, que vous, vous qui êtes le Seigneur admirable par toute la terre , vouliez y penser? Et on s'abîme dans l'étonnement et dans la reconnaissance, sans songer à vouloir produire, ni au dedans, ni au dehors, la moindre parole, tant que dure cet le bienheureuse et très-simple disposition.
The Holy Spirit wants us to understand an excellent way of honouring mysteries, without always searching for explanations. This means, at the sight of the gifts and wonders from God, to stand before Him with great wonder and in silence. In this sort of prayer, it's not a question of having many thoughts, nor of making great efforts; we stand before God, we are amazed at the graces He bestows upon us; we say inwardly hundreds of times, like David: What is man? "What is man that thou art mindful of him?"[4] And again: What is man, that you, you who are the Lord most admirable of the whole earth, that you want to think of him? And we are prostrate in amazement, without dreaming of wanting to utter, either within or without, the least word, for so long as this blessed and quite simple disposition continues.
Il y a dans l'admiration une ignorance soumise, qui, contente de ce qu'on lui montre des grandeurs de Dieu , ne demande pas d'en savoir davantage ; et perdue dans l'incompréhensibilité des mystères , les regarde avec un saisissement intérieur, également disposée à voir ou à ne voir pas, à voir plus ou moins selon qu'il plaira à Dieu. Cette admiration est un amour. Le premier effet de l'amour, c'est de faire admirer ce qu'on aime, le faire toujours regarder avec complaisance, y rappeler les yeux , ne vouloir point le perdre de vue. Cette manière d'honorer Dieu est marquée dans les saints dès les premiers temps. Elle est répétée plusieurs fois dans saint Clément d'Alexandrie.
There is within wonderment a sort of willing ignorance, which, satisfied that we are being shown the greatness of God, doesn't want to know any more; and which, lost in the incomprehensibility of the mysteries, contemplates them with an interior sense, disposed alike to see or not to see, to see more or less, as it pleases God. This wonderment is a form of love. The first effect of love is to make wondrous that which is loved, ever to delight in its contemplation, to recall it to the mind's eye, never to wish to lose sight of it. This manner of honouring God is observed among the saints from the earliest times. It is referred to several times by saint Clement of Alexandria.
Mais quoi? Elle est de David,lorsqu'il dit : Quàm admirabile ! quid est homo ! quàm magna multitudo dulcedinis tuae. Domine ! « Que votre nom est admirable! qu'est-ce que l'homme! que vos douceurs sont grandes et innombrables ! » C'est le cantique de tous les saints dans l'Apocalypse : « Qui ne vous craindra, Seigneur? Qui n'exaltera votre nom? car vous êtes le seul saint . » On se tait alors, parce qu'on ne sait comment exprimer sa tendresse, son respect, sa joie, ni enfin ce qu'on sent de Dieu : et c'est « dans le ciel le silence d'environ une demi-heure : » silence admirable, et qui ne peut durer longtemps dans cette vie turbulente et tumultueuse.
It is referred to by David, when he says: How admirable! What is man! How great is the multiplicity of thy sweetness, the Lord! "How admirable is thy name in the whole earth! For thy magnificence is elevated above the heavens."[5] it is the canticle of all the saints in the Apocalypse: "Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and magnify thy name? For thou only art holy:"[6] and so we stay silent, because we don't know how to express our tenderness, our respect, our joy, nor finally what we feel coming from God: and there is "silence in heaven, as it were for half an hour."[7]
[1] And his father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him.Et erat pater ejus et mater mirantes super his quae dicebantur de illo.[Luc. ii. 33]
[2] He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. hic erit magnus, et Filius Altissimi vocabitur, et dabit illi Dominus Deus sedem David patris ejus : et regnabit in domo Jacob in aeternum,[Luc. i. 32]
[3] Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae : ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes,[Luc. i. 38]
[4] What is man that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?Quid est homo, quod memor es ejus? aut filius hominis, quoniam visitas eum?[Ps. viii. 5]
[5] O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in the whole earth! For thy magnificence is elevated above the heavens.Domine, Dominus noster, quam admirabile est nomen tuum in universa terra! quoniam elevata est magnificentia tua super caelos.[Ps. viii. 2]
[6] Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and magnify thy name? For thou only art holy: for all nations shall come, and shall adore in thy sight, because thy judgments are manifest.Quis non timebit te, Domine, et magnificabit nomen tuum? quia solus pius es : quoniam omnes gentes venient, et adorabunt in conspectu tuo, quoniam judicia tua manifesta sunt.[Apoc. xv. 4]
[7] And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven, as it were for half an hour.Et cum aperuisset sigillum septimum, factum est silentium in caelo, quasi media hora. [Apoc. viii. 1]
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