The Crown of Excellence : Chapter 5 : § 4.3-4

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)

§ 4. The incomparable graces that the Holy Ghost released to His Bride in preparation for their Nuptials

Mary’s virginity receives further enhancement

 3   Apart from what these Saints say, we should add that Mary’s virginity received such an enhancement that the Angels were covered in shame when comparing their own purity to Mary’s. This is what St Bonaventure[1] writes:

Most Holy Virgin, not only hast thy virginity been refined by this immaculate conception but it has moreover been enriched, ennobled, endowed, sealed and consecrated.

This is what makes St John Damascene[2] address these beautiful words to her:

If thou hast read in the sacred books that the Holy Ghost is like unto a fire burning and consuming everything, fear not His coming upon thee, O Holy Lady; for at His coming, He will make thee like the bush of Moses that was on fire but without being burned; or He will come upon thee, so to speak, like a heavenly dew bringing a refreshment that is perfectly divine.

St Gregory Thaumaturgus says[3]:

Fear not, Mary, for He who is with thee is not a Spouse esteemed among mere men but the Lord of all holiness, the Father of chastity, the Author of integrity[4], the Giver of freedom, the Mediator of salvation and the Prince of true peace.

 4   But what possible reason could there be to fear for modesty, asks St Ildphonsus[5]...

where divinity forms a union with His sister virginity, where an Angel handles the arrangements, where fidelity is the torch-bearer, charity is the marriage bond, virtue is the dower[6], conscience is the judge, God is the end and the beginning, and integrity is the fruit of the marriage; where the Virgin is made a Mother and where the Mother remains a Virgin?

[1] Speculi B. Virg., c. 4. By her Child she was approved, by her Child she was ennobled, by her Child she was enriched. By thy Child, O Mary, thy virginity was gifted, endowed, and consecrated.

[2] Orat.1 de Nativit. B. Virg.

[3] Serm.1de Annuntiat.

[4] integrité: la vertu, la qualité d’un homme integre. L’integrité des mœurs. grande integrité. parfaite integrité. l’integrité d’un Juge. corrompre son integrité. Il se dit aussi de l’honneur, de la pudeur d’une femme, d’une fille. Il a voulu corrompre son integrité. tenter son integrité. rien n’est capable de donner atteinte à son integrité. Dictionnaire de l’Académie française, 1re édition (1694).

[5] Lib. de Virginitate Deiparæ.

[6] Fr. text has douaire, Ce que le mary[sic] donne à sa femme, en faveur du mariage, pour en joüir aprés sa mort.[Dictionnaire de l’Académie française, 1re édition (1694)]. The bride brings with her a dowry (la dot), the groom endows the bride with a dower or dowage (le douaire); whence dowager (douairière) as applied to a widow and dower-house.

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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