The Crown of Excellence : Chapter 5 : § 2.5

Chapter 5 : The Fourth 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)

§ 2. How the Holy Ghost prepared the Glorious Virgin to be His worthy Spouse

 5   Who could possibly conceive what life the Blessed Virgin led in the Temple during the space of twelve whole years! Who could have any understanding of the depths of her contemplation, the fervent ardour of her ecstasies, her friendly colloquies with the blessed Spirits, her acts of thanksgiving, adoration and humility! Who could comprehend the sweetness of a life such that St Germanus declares it was worthy of the highest Heaven rather than the earth below! Who could describe the Holy Ghost’s tender caresses for this young girl who was being prepared to become His most worthy Spouse! Who could tell us what the Angel revealed to St Bridget[1] when he told her that the Holy Ghost would visit the Virgin like a solicitous bee attending on a rose-bud in the morning, waiting for the rays of the Sun to open it in flower! Who could explain what is written in the same place[2] comparing the Holy Ghost to a furnace into which the Virgin was cast in order to form her in the service of God’s astonishing plans! Who could possibly understand what the same Virgin revealed one day to this Blessed widow[3]: that she was like a nut slowly growing and ripening in such a way that as the shell expanded the kernel increased in size at the same time until it filled the shell entirely; in the same way, Mary increased in age and capacity as the Holy Ghost, in whose care she had been entrusted, filled up the whole capacity of her soul! Who could share the secret meaning hidden in the words of St John Damascene[4] when he said that Mary was planted in God’s house where, like a select olive tree, she bore as her fruit all the virtues, preparing her body and her soul to be a pleasant dwelling-place for the Creator of all things! Who could describe, along with the pious Emperor of the East[5], how Mary was received into the cellar which stored the exquisite wines of her Spouse and how she was able to drink at will this celestial malmsey[6] wine!

But these are all secrets to be wondered at rather than understood; they are mysteries which we have a duty to honour in profound and religious silence rather than to profane through clumsy language.

[1] Serm. Angelico, c. 11.

[2] Cap. 11.

[3] Lib. III Revel., c. 8..

[4] Fidei Orth., lib. IV, c. 15 ; et Serm. de Nativit. B. Virg.

[5] Matth. Cantacuzenus, loco cit.

[6] malmsey: from Middle French malvoisie, a kind of sweet wine originally from Greece (14th cent.)

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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