The Crown of Excellence : Chapter 3 : § 6.1-2

Chapter 3 : The Second Star or Splendour of the Crown of Excellence of 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)

That from the beginning of the world she was announced by the Prophets and represented by ancient figures

In the previous chapter, I presented the Holy Virgin as a trial design by God when considered in relation to the Saviour, who was Himself the first actual masterpiece in the world. In comparison with the rest of creation, however, it cannot be denied that Mary was the second masterpiece by God who produced hundreds of preparatory sketches, as will be seen in the following discussions.

§ 6. On Judith, Esther and Bethsabee

First Figure : Judith

 1   At various points in his writings, St Bonaventure says that Judith represented the MOTHER OF GOD more innocently and with greater simplicity than any other. This will be shown by the rich parallels that can be drawn between the two. Judith was a woman of great grace, if ever there were one[1], and she was endowed with great beauty; but in these she came nowhere near the glorious Virgin, as I shall explain later when discussing her natural qualities[2]. Judith spoke with such eloquence, wisdom and majesty that the courtiers of Holofernes were captivated by her[3]; they declared it would be impossible to find another so sensible and so charming in her speech.[4] 

There will be an opportunity later to speak how true was the praise given by the celestial Spouse to the Holy Virgin.[5] He tells her that her lips are as scarlet lace and her mouth gives forth honey that is sweeter than that of the honeycomb. For now, the reflections of St Bonaventure will suffice. This Saint[6] savours in a particular manner the sweetness of the seven words we find in the Gospel issuing from the sacred mouth of our Lady. These were like seven drops of liquid honey; two were replies to the Angel Gabriel, two others were addressed to her cousin Elizabeth and three to God. The first two were words of chastity and compassion; the second were of charity and truth; the third were of gratitude, sorrow and compassion. The holy Doctor has more details for any reader interested. Judith has served as an example for holy Widows and I shall focus mainly on this. Later[7] I shall take the opportunity to show that our Lady was pre-eminent in the blessings she enjoyed not only among virgins but also among wives and widows.  For the present, I will continue our discussion of Judith the widow and link the most remarkable of her deeds and adventures to the MOTHER OF GOD.

Footnotes

[1] Judith, 8.

[2] Cap. 7.

[3] Cap. 11.

[4] There is not such another woman upon earth in look, in beauty, and in sense of words. Judith xi. 19.

[5] Cant. 4..

[6] Cap. 6 Speculi B. Virg.

[7] Cap. 9, § 2.

 2   Judith lost her husband Manasseh at the time of the barley harvest because the noonday sun beat down upon his head mercilessly and he died of heatstroke.[1]  Mary lost St Joseph and, without speaking further of that, she also lost Jesus her Son and her Spouse through the overwhelming ardour of His love for men which permitted men to nail Him to the Cross at noon, whilst He was labouring at the harvest of souls. Judith then withdrew with her maids into a private chamber which she chose in the upper part of her house. There, she led a solitary life and became a model for holy widows. After the death of her Son, the Mother of God led a retired life, her only conversation being with St John the beloved disciple (to whose care she had been entrusted) and with the Archangel Gabriel, her Chamberlain [first officer or minister of the Queen's chamber], as is noted by the Venerable Guerric, Priest of Igny in Champagne[2] according to St Ildephonsus.[3] Mary became a model for holy widows, just as she had been a model for virgins and married women. Judith spent the rest of her days in silence and humility, speaking only when charity and necessity required it; she appeared in public only to play her part in the service of God and for the deliverance of His people. Mary so cherished these two beautiful virtues that she was never heard to speak except under the same conditions. Her humility was so exemplary that, according to St Bernard[4], it moved her always to place herself last. In the first chapter of Acts, for example, she is placed last when it is written that  Peter and Andrew, James and John, together with all the other Apostles, were were persevering with one mind in prayer with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus.[5]  Mary, observes the holy Doctor, has no problem seeing herself placed after the woman from whom her Son had cast out seven demons.[6]

Footnotes

[1] Vide Judith i. 4 et seq.

[2] Serm. 2 de Assumpt.

[3] Serm. 5 de Assumpt.

[4] Serm. in Signum magnum, etc.

[5] Vide Acts i. 13-14.

[6] But he rising early the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalen, out of whom he had cast seven devils. Mark xvi. 9.

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The Vladimirskaya Icon. >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. 

© Peter Bloor 2024