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).
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| 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
Second Figure : Esther
6 After Judith, Esther may be considered one of the clearest cases of those who prefigure the most Blessed Virgin Mary. St Bonaventure takes this view and groups the links found between them under three main headings. Firstly, the name[1] Esther can mean she who is hidden or she who is raised up; both of these show for us the MOTHER OF GOD’s contemplative life and the heights she achieved therein.
The second point of similarity is that King Assuerus chose her as his bride because of her incomparable beauty. Scripture says[2] she had no interest in ornamentation and affectation, but was happy with the gifts given to her by God. Her natural beauty was in fact so pleasing to the King that he loved her more than any other woman he had seen and he set the royal crown on her head. This is the admirable choice of the Holy Virgin and I would have much more to say on this if I had not covered it at some length in the previous chapter. There will also be opportunities to discuss this later.[3]
The third parallel is found in her deliverance of God's people, in exile from their own country and now targeted for slaughter by the cunning machinations of the proud and cruel Aman. The people were saved by Esther's wisdom and courageous action, as the sacred text explains in Chapter.[4]
Similarly, St Bonaventure notes[5] that Esther was so blessed by the Lord that she benefited from an abundant stream of Divine graces. By virtue of these, she not only received the royal crown on her own head but, what is more, she obtained divine mercy and assistance for all those of her people condemned to eternal death for crimes against the Divine majesty.
Footnotes
[1] De hoc tract., c. 10 Speculi B. Virg., S. Bonna. Vide eumdem in laude B. Virg., et S. Bernardin., t. III, conc. 11, art. 2, c. 2.
[2] Esther, ii.
[3] Tract. II, c. 2 et alibi.
[4] Esther, c. 15 et deinceps.
[5] Cap. 5 Speculi.
Third Figure : Bethsabee
7 It was the view of St Antoninus[1] that Bethsabee earns a place with the others. It seems to me there are three aspects to her life that served as preparatory sketches for the MOTHER OF GOD. Firstly, Bathsabee was mother of Solomon, one of the principal types foreshadowing the Saviour, as will be explained more fully at various points in the second Treatise. As for Mary, she was the Mother of the true Prince of Peace[2], who alone reconciled us with God. By her care and diligence, Bethsabee caused her son Solomon to be crowned, as is recounted at greater length at the beginning of the third book of Kings. We also discussed this in the first chapter of this Treatise[3], learning that St Gregory the Great, St Ambrose and Fr Guerric have described how the Holy Virgin crowned the Saviour with her holy humanity, like unto a diadem richly adorned and set with precious stones. Bethsabee was honoured by Solomon, both for the natural sense of obligation he felt to her as well as in rightful recognition of his indebtedness to her for the Royalty he received from her. For this reason, he ordered a throne to be set for her next to his own[4], so that all the world would understand the esteem in which he held her and the respect he wished to be shown towards her. I await only an opportune time to show that the Saviour did the same for His Mother, except for the difference between Bethsabee’s throne and that of the MOTHER OF GOD. The difference between these two is no more nor less than that between night and day, darkness and light, nothingness and that which is the highest and most elevated of all below God Himself.
Footnotes
[1] IV parte, tit. XIII, § 2.
[2] Isai. ix. 6.
[3] § 5.
[4] 3 Kings (1 Kings) ii. 19.
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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.
The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
© Peter Bloor 2024
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