The Crown of Excellence : Chapter 3 : § 7.2

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.

§ 7. On Abigail, Martha and Mary Magdalen

First Figure : Abigail

The extraordinary humility of Abigail and the Mother of God.

 2  The conclusion of this story is that David was so won over by Abigail’s wisdom and virtue that, with the death of her husband, he wanted to take her for his wife. There then appeared for the second time this Lady’s great skill, together with her deep humility. When she was told of David’s interest in her and that he wanted her to come to him, she replied with extraordinary modesty. She said she was not so ignorant of herself as not to see that this honour did not belong to her. Nevertheless, she said that she would willingly follow his messengers and become one of the least of David’s servants and wash the feet of the Lord’s servants. What lady ever resembled humility more innocently than the peerless Virgin in her humility? She receives the foremost message in the world with the news that God has chosen her to be His Spouse, the Mother of His Son and the Lady of all His empires. The reply she gave is nothing other than that she considers herself good enough only to be the handmaid of her Lord.

 

What sort of humility is this, asks St Bernard[1], that Mary has no notion of the honour she is being paid, and does not become puffed up with the glory she is receiving? She is chosen to be the MOTHER OF GOD and she calls herself His handmaid. Believe me this no small mark of humility on her part. Just as it is no great wonder to see a humble person scorned, so is it extraordinary to see humility in a person who has received the greatest praises and the benefit of honours.

 

Wondrous humility in Mary, declares St Bonaventure[2]: the Archangel greets her, he calls her full of grace; he says the Holy Ghost shall come upon her; he presents her with letters patent from the King of Heaven by which she is declared to be MOTHER OF GOD, and gives her the foremost place among creatures; he gives her the title of Lady and Queen of Heaven and earth. By way of response, he receives the following, that she is the handmaid of the Lord.

 

St Ambrose[3] speaks eloquently of how Mary’s opinion of herself is not inflated after such great promises. Her reaction to being honoured so highly is that she happily says she can do nothing but obey her Lord and her God.

Indeed it was altogether reasonable for her, who was to bear and bring forth Him who was before all others humble and kind, to be robed in such garments and to have His qualities. This is what makes St Antoninus[4] raise Mary’s humility so that, in comparison, he does not rate that of Abraham who called himself dust and ashes[5]; nor that of Job, who said his life was just a whirlwind; nor that of David who wanted to be viewed as a dead dog or a useless flea[6]; or that of St John the Baptist, who wished to be taken only for a week and feeble voice in the wilderness.

However, warns St Ildephonsus[7], do not conclude from this that when she says the Lord hath regarded the humility of his handmaid, that she wants to attribute this virtue to herself. She wishes only to say that the Lord granted her all that it pleased Him so as to make use of her.

As for me, after reading these Fathers, I am ready to agree with what the Holy Priest Rupert stated:[8]

the Virgin’s humility was such that all her other virtues, all her graces and even the gifts of the Holy Ghost with which she was adorned like a Queen on the day of her triumph, owed homage and tribute to her humility as all had been ennobled by this same humility.

Footnotes

[1] Homil. 4 in Missus.

[2] Speculi, c. 4.

[3] Lib. I in Lucam.

[4] III parte, tit. XXXI, c. 3, § 2.

[5] Gen. xviii. 27.

[6] 1 Kings (1 Samuel) xxiv. 15.

[7] Serm. 2 de Assumpt.

[8] Lib. I in Cantic.

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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