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).
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| Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020) |
§ 3. The dispositions of the Holy Virgin that made her a worthy Spouse for the Holy Ghost
1 The glorious Holy Ghost, says Fr Rupert[1], found more happiness in perfecting the Holy Virgin than the Eternal Father did in forming the first man and the first woman. This was not because the Holy Ghost was a better craftsman than the Father but because the raw material He started from was incomparably more suited to make an excellent piece of work than the clay from which Adam was moulded. This will be seen most clearly in the dispositions which Mary brings to make her a worthy Spouse of the Holy Ghost. I would have much more to say on this now were it not that I have a similar discussion on the subject in the second Treatise.
Notwithstanding this, I shall highlight here three rare attributes of Mary and which are revealed when the Holy Ghost opens His heart to His Spouse[2] and tells her what it is about her that has won His love. My sister, my spouse, He tells her, thou hast wounded my heart. The original text says: thou hast wounded my heart with one of thy eyes, and with one hair of thy neck. The eye that has wounded the heart of this noble Spouse is understood by St Jerome[3] to refer to the Virgin’s purity, greater than that of the Angels, inasmuch as virginity may properly be considered as being the right eye of the Church: an eye which is bright, piercing and pleasant. The other eye, which has a more serious and weary aspect, may be taken to represent marriage.
Hugh of Saint Victor[4] prefers to interpret this as being the steadfast purpose of the Holy Virgin’s soul which is forever fixed on God; her aim is so fixed and unswerving that it never deviates from its target, even in the slightest.
Fr Rupert[5] is of the opinion that the words one hair of thy neck refer to Mary’s humility. This humility is at all times constant and equal to itself, like a hair; it esteems itself less than a hair; her humility is more supple and malleable than a hair; it is less showy and present to the eyes than a hair; it covers the neck, which represents obedience, and causes it to bow in submission before all.
These then are three qualities of Mary: her purity, her steadfast purpose and her humility. They strike me as being truly worthy of note and eminently suitable to win the heart of the glorious Holy Ghost.
[1] Lib. I de Operibus Spiritus S., c. 12.
[2] Cant. iv. 9.
[3] Lib. I contra Jovinian.
[4] In eum. locum Cantic.
[5] Ibid.
The first disposition : Humility
2 I am beginning with humility because it is the starting point for all the other virtues, making it possible for them to take up residence in the soul. When the soul loses humility, the other virtues disappear immediately. Another reason to start with humility is because the Blessed Virgin herself began with this virtue, as she once revealed to Saint Mechthild[1]. Mary passed her whole life, especially her early years, in a state of quiet self-restraint with little regard for herself. The people with whom she had interactions scarcely deserved to look upon her because of her peerless dignity, and yet she offered herself as the servant of everyone so that she never put herself before any other person whatsoever. A soul that is humble in a way that uplifts the hearts of others is something very precious to God. This is the case when humility finds itself accompanied by other rare and eminent qualities which, however, do not diminish its character. Even God Himself cannot but love such a soul.
There is, says St Bernard[2], a remarkable harmony in the soul which is capable of winning God’s heart. This happens when humility commends and provides a basis for virginity; and when virginity serves as a lighted lamp for humility. If this is true, then imagine what will happen if, as the same Saint says elsewhere[3], humility finds itself accompanied by all the virtues together, as was the case with the Holy Virgin, the true mirror of every perfection.
Is it possible that God could hide from such a soul the depths of His love for her, and that He would not be attracted by the fragrance of her celestial perfume? But what would you expect, since Holy Church puts these words in her mouth[4]: Being small in my own eyes, I have won graces from the Sovereign Lord ? Put another way, as Mary says in the Magnificat, Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid[5]. Would you not think, however, that a visit so magnificent as the one she received from Heaven would increase her courage and give her reason to be grateful? Far from it and on the contrary, it made her more aware of her own lowliness. St Bernard was so astonished by this that he was almost lost for words. He notes that whilst she is called by others the MOTHER OF GOD, she calls herself a handmaid; and that as soon as there is talk of raising her up to the heights, she lowers herself as though deep into the earth.
Most holy virtue of humility! Who can say whether you have given greater honour to this Lady in raising her so high, or whether you yourself have been more greatly honoured by her who has the honour of being MOTHER OF GOD?
[1] Revel., lib. 1.
[2] Homil. 1 in Missus.
[3] Serm. 4 de Assumpt.
[4] Cf, I Sam. xv. 17.
[5] Luc. i. 48.
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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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