The Crown of Excellence : Chapter 6 : § 4. 1-2

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).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

§ 4. On her wonderful nature

 1   Now this last quality is not like the three previous ones, for it is a a gift from a friend and the richest jewel amongst all the natural gifts that one can receive from Heaven. It is the plan and foundation for virtue, and the most weighty of the dispositions God confers when He wishes to make someone truly exceptional. David had a son with a gentle disposition and an exceptional nature whom he named Solomon. He placed him in the hands of the prophet Nathan, as there was no-one else whom he could trust with his education. This man of God recognised that Solomon’s nature was suited for the achievement of great things and he wanted him to be known as the Beloved of the Lord.[1] 

Being favoured with a nature born for virtue is an infallible sign of being dear to God. The truth of this regarding Mary’s nature speaks for itself without need for proof from me; for we can see straight away that the MOTHER OF GOD was blessed with the most beautiful and the richest of natures, superior to that of any creature. To render the proof of this truth more persuasive, I have decided to offer no thoughts of my own but to give instead a voice to the opinions and declarations of several Doctors who were serious-minded and most irreproachable witnesses.

 2   It is not possible to reject the reasoning of the great St Ambrose on this question, for the quality of his work is too eminent and his probity too well-known. This is what he wrote[2]  about the way of life of the Virgin in her tender years : 

She was a virgin no less in her soul than in her body, without pretence and without dissimulation. She had a heart that was humble, her speech was serious and thoughtful, her soul was tranquil, her mind was given over to reading and her hands accustomed to alms-giving. In her work she was diligent, in her speech modest, in her thinking she had a right intention. She was full of good intentions towards everyone, full of respect towards her superiors and of sweetness to her equals. She was the enemy of vainglory, the friend of virtue and versatile in her thinking. She never caused even the slightest offence to her parents, she never exchanged harsh words with her companions; she never looked down on simple souls nor those showing weakness and she never missed a chance to care for the poor. There was no haughtiness in her look, no hastiness in her speech, nothing improper in her actions, nothing unbecoming in her gestures, no affectation in her demeanour, nothing in the body that was in any way contrary to her mind, nothing in her mind that went contrary to reason. 

How could I describe the strict self-discipline she maintained in the matter of her food? Or the joy with which she gave help to everyone? For in both of these areas she seemed to go beyond the power of human nature. As for taking rest, she was not drawn to this through pleasure but only when forced through necessity, and even then the sleep of the body did not distract her mind which was always fixed and focussed on some holy thought. Her contentment lay in submitting herself to the direction and guidance of others, even though there was no-one who took care of her more faithfully and more carefully than she did herself; for she never took a single step that did not lead along the path of virtue.

Even though she was ready to learn from anyone, she so comported herself as to be the example and model for all. Through her demeanour and behaviour she won the love of her parents, the high esteem of those outside her family and the love of God Himself. Further to this, she never found herself better accompanied than when she was quite alone, for then she rejoiced in colloquies with Angels and conversation with the Prophets by means of their writings. It was a normal thing for her to have heavenly discussions with St Gabriel the Archangel. If she had questions about his manner of greeting her, it was not because she was unaccustomed to dealing with these Blessed Spirits but she was surprised by the figure he had assumed, where his eyes were no less chaste than his ears were devout. In conclusion, the idea we must have of her is one perfect in virtue and a mirror of all holiness.

That is what St Ambrose says.

Footnotes

[1] II Reg. 12 : Amabilis Domino. Amiable to the Lord, because the Lord loved him.

[2] Coloss. ii. 3.

[3] Lib. II de Virginibus.

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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