The Crown of Excellence : Chapter 3 : § 7.4-5

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

 4   If Mary Magdalen chose the better part, compared to her sister Martha, then who will speak of the superabundant sweetness of this chosen soul when the Holy Ghost came down and overshadowed her for the conception of the divine Word?

What savouring of God must there have been in the womb of her whom Wisdom incarnate chose for His incarnation? She had the honour, whenever she wished, not only to be seated at His feet but to speak with Him face to face and to place her ear close to His sacred mouth. She kept in her heart, as in a place of safe-keeping, the words of the Angels, the Shepherds and the Magi; but with how much more care did she keep those of her most honoured Son. Never will any person savour as she did the sweetness of her God. But what a wonder this was, since she bore within her womb the source of all sweetness and the perfection of the active and the contemplative life! She did chores but if she did not busy herself all the time like Martha, it was because she well understood how uniquely necessary it was to listen to her Son like Mary Magdalen. She was conscientious in her work like Martha and matchless in her contemplation like Mary Magdalen. Now she is no longer busy like Martha;  she has no more practical duties towards her Son in His mortal and passible state and Angels now serve Him as their immortal and impassible Lord. There is no longer any question of fleeing Herod’s persecution, nor of suffering the hatred and disloyalty of the Jews. So, Martha’s worrying is over for her, but Mary Magdalen’s contemplation has not ended; in fact, it has improved because her wishes could not be fully satisfied down here where we dwell in a valley of tears. 

These are the words of St Anselm and this little extract will suffice for now since we shall see the points he makes illustrated in many other examples[1] of the active and contemplative life. 

 5   How true it is that Mary chose the better part, whichever way this is considered. She chose the better part in her immaculate conception, in her privileged birth, at the Annunciation, in her angelic life, in her death, down here on earth, on high in heaven; and the better part in relation to grace and to glory, as will be seen in the following discussion where she will appear unique in her excellence and peerless in her greatness.

Footnotes

[1] Cap. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ; Tract. II, c. 4.

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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