The Crown of Excellence : Chapter 3 : § 7.3

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 for her, as will be seen in the following discussions.

§ 7. On Abigail, Martha and Mary Magdalen

Second and third Figures : Martha and Mary Magdalen

 3   Martha and Mary Magdalen bring to an end our discussion of figures showing parallels to the MOTHER OF GOD. Since they are so tightly united through blood and through love, they will be dealt with together in this Treatise. St Eucherius, Archbishop of Lyon,[1] St Ildephonsus,[2] St Bernard[3] and St Bernardino of Siena,[4] honour them as being two of the noblest portraits of the MOTHER OF GOD. The Church, moreover, respects them and presents them as examples to her dear children.

It was after most careful consideration, says the Blessed St Ildephonsus[5], that our Fathers commemorated the glorious Virgin by instituting the reading of the Gospel about these two sisters. The very person for whom the Holy Virgin had prepared her body as a temple, consecrated by the Holy Ghost and dedicated to perpetual virginity, was received at the home of these Holy Ladies and treated with every mark of affection. They stood out so much and so commended themselves to posterity that they have deserved to be given a place of honour by the first men of our religion. They deserved to give the faithful two perfect ideas of the two lives through which Holy Church carries out her mission, following the model which her Spouse bequeathed to her. Martha was the elder and, as she was responsible for the care of the household, she took care of welcoming guests according to their dignity. She embodied the consecration of the active life. Mary Magdalen was a model of the contemplative life, being seated at the feet of the Saviour and paying attention to His every word.

St Eucherius says[6], however, that it is with good reason that the Holy Fathers on the day of the solemnity of the MOTHER OF GOD, have placed before us these two noble Ladies as types richly prefiguring her. Never has there been anyone comparable who combines the works of the one with the feelings of the other. Like Martha, she received the Saviour but in a way incomparably better. She received the Saviour not only in her house but, what is much more, in her womb. She conceived Him, bore Him and suckled Him with love and care going far beyond Martha’s. Like Mary Magdalen, she listened to His word but she did more, for she kept His words in her heart and saved them so that we might read and study them later. She merited to see the Saviour not only in His humanity but also to contemplate His divinity more clearly than any other. In a word, she hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.[7]

Be sure to remember, says St Anselm[8], that the MOTHER OF GOD is in all things and everywhere unique. She showed this in the way she combined the lives that Martha and Mary Magdalen hinted at. Never did Martha go about her duties as worthily as did the Holy Virgin. Never were Mary Magdalen’s contemplations so lofty as those of the MOTHER OF GOD. The two sisters received visitors into their house; Mary gave lodging in her womb to the true Pilgrim from Heaven and the only-begotten Heir of God. Whilst others clothed the naked with spare garments, she clothed the Saviour with the flesh of her substance.

There is more to say on this but I shall save it for the second Treatise.[9]

Footnotes

[1] Homil. in Assumpt. B. Virg.

[2] Serm. 5 de Assumpt. B. Virg.

[3] Serm. de Assumpt. B. Virg..

[4] Serm. 1 de Assumpt.

[5] Loco cit.

[6] Loco cit.

[7] Luc. x. 42.

[8] Serm. de Assumpt. B. Virg.

[9] Cap. 4.

👑       👑       👑

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