Chapter 6 : The Fifth 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) |
§ 2. Concerning her Gracefulness and physical Beauty
The beauty of the Mother of God encourages the love of chastity
6 Reading the words of St John Damascene, I feel bound to agree with what many serious-minded authors[1] have concluded : the beauty of the Holy Virgin was such that, far from stimulating any unworthy thoughts or actions, her beauty actually served to attract and win hearts for chastity. Concerning, for example, her Holy Spouse, the glorious St Joseph, I have no difficulty in believing these writers when they say that the more dealings and conversations he had with Mary, the more ardently did the flames of chastity blaze within his heart. None of this will seem strange to those who recall what is said of blessed St Elzear[2], Count of Arian, who maintained perpetual virginity in his marriage with St Delphine, his spouse : sharing a bed with her, the more he drew close to her the more he felt his chastity was protected and the less he feared any temptations to incontinence. For her part, St Delphine called Elzear the guardian Angel of her virginity. This was a quite remarkable grace which was to spread its sweet effects on others as Alasia, St Delphine’s own sister, was to experience personally.
Footnotes
[1] S. Ambr., lib. de Instit. virg., c.7; D. Th. in III, dist. 3, q.1, art.2; q.3 ; Alex. Alens., III p., q.39, memb.3, art.1 ; D. Bonavent. in III, dist.3, q.1, art.2; q.3.
[2] Surius, 27 sept.
Various reflections on why Our Lady inspired chastity
7 Returning to the Queen of perfect chastity, I note that certain writers set themselves the task of identifying the secret source of this outstanding privilege that is hers. One concluded[1] that it came from damping down the fire of concupiscence; to the extent that this furnace of all impurities was extinguished within her, it was no wonder that she herself would be so constituted in consequence as to diminish rather than arouse the flames of malign desire. Another believed[2] that the reason was to be found in her surpassing modesty, her serious-mindedness and the wonderful self-restraint of her conversation and dealings with others. Yet another was convinced[3] that this privilege is the result of an outpouring of God’s grace which, finding itself in such an abundance within her, breathes out on all sides the sweet balm of Paradise and the heavenly fragrance of chastity.
Why shall I not add that her beauty is more divine than human, which means that the feelings she arouses in souls must also be heavenly and divine? Why shall I not say of her, with more reason than St John Damascene[4] when he spoke of a virtuous man, that her virtue is her beauty? The great St Dionysius the Areopagite will serve for me as an authority for what several esteemed authors[5] have written when he describes his own experience[6]. Having been led into the presence of the Holy Virgin, he was so dazzled by the brightness of divine Majesty radiating from her face that he passed out on the ground. When he finally came to his senses, he declared that if St Paul had not taught him about another God and had not Faith made him adore this God, then he would firmly have believed that Divinity could not have chosen any other abode on earth than in the countenance of this holy Lady.
Footnotes
[1] Dionys. Carthus., Cant. 2.
[2] Bern., Serm. in feria 2 post de Dom. Palmar.
[3] Cant. 4.
[4] De Joanne Coenobiarcha, epist. de Trisagio.
[5] Dionys. Carthus., etc.
[6] Epist. ad S. Joannem.
8 Regarding this question, St Anselm exclaims[1]:
Most holy Virgin, thy beauty is so exquisite that it would seem thou wast made only to be admired and to captivate the hearts of those who gaze upon thee! O Virgin, thou art uniquely admirable and admirably unique!
Similarly, St Epiphanius boldly proclaims[2]:
with the exception of God alone, Mary surpasses all of creation in beauty; she goes before the Cherubim and Seraphim, and before all the Angelic Spirits; she is complete with every perfection of beauty.
Whilst St Bernard goes even further, saying[3]:
the beauty of the Holy Virgin, both in her soul and in her body, captivated the love of the King of Glory.
From considerations such as these, St Augustine[4] was moved to ecstatic acclamations saying that, after the heavenly Spouse Himself, the heavenly Bride is most beautiful, most pleasing, most glorious, without spot or blemish[5], clothed with all beauty and adorned with all holiness.
What more could we say?
Footnotes
[1] Lib. orationum.
[2] Serm. de Sanct. Deipara.
[3] Homil. 4 super Missus.
[4] Serm. de Incarn. Christi.
[5] Cf.Eph. v. 27.
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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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