Chapter 8 : The Seventh Star or Splendour in 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) |
Mary’s soul was unique in being totally free of any sin
§ 1. The MOTHER OF GOD was exempt from original sin
The fifth proof, based on the opinion of those who hold that the Blessed Virgin saw God face to face at the moment of her Conception.
38 We have so far considered more proofs than we need, not only to win over those with open hearts but also to move those whose minds are closed and rigid. I am nevertheless taking the liberty of proceeding with two further proofs which I do not place on the same level as the others nor do I give them the same degree of credit. There are two highly qualified Doctors from our own century whom God has chosen to elucidate this truth and they lend their support to these last proofs.
The first of these may be drawn from their teaching that God honoured the most sacred Virgin at the moment of her Conception with a ray of illumination which permitted her to have a clear idea of His sovereign Majesty. Now, having once stated this as a truth, the conclusion would inevitably follow that such a state would be totally incompatible with sin.
Several years ago, there was a worthy man of some learning, according to the judgement of all those who knew him. He put forward this idea in a sermon during the ceremony for the dedication of the Holy Chapel of Toledo in honour of the MOTHER OF GOD. This was presided over by his most illustrious Eminence, Cardinal Bernard de Roxas, Archbishop of Toledo; also present was the Cardinal head of the Inquisition and numerous persons of quality and learning. The sermon was greeted with general applause by all present, especially by the men of learning who included in their number several who had the same idea gestating in their minds over many months, or even years, but who had lacked the courage or the time to deliver themselves of their opinion. These included the celebrated Antoninus, a luminary among teachers of Theology in our own day and first Professor in the University of Salamanca. The man who put forward the idea to those assembled in this hall of fame had been in correspondence with the learned Doctor Suarez[1] who replied to him that this opinion had for a long time seemed well founded in Theological doctrine, adding that in it was to be found much piety and confirming it was worthy of approval. If you have only a modicum of patience, perhaps you will judge that this idea is not so lacking in support as you may have thought.
Footnotes
[1] Ferdinandus de Salazar, de Immaculata Concept., c. 32.
[2] C. 12.
[3] Sess. V.
[4] This same holy Synod doth nevertheless declare, that it is not its intention to include in this decree, where original sin is treated of, the blessed and immaculate Virgin Mary, the mother of God; but that the constitutions of Pope Sixtus IV., of happy memory, are to be observed, under the pains contained in the said constitutions, which it renews. Sess. V. end.
The Holy Virgin saw God several times in her life
39 For not only in our day has it been said that Our Lady was graced with a clear vision of God, at least a few times during her life. This was taught by the Abbot Rupert[1], St Bernard[2], St Antoninus[3], Albert the Great[4], St Bernardine of Siena[5], Denys the Carthusian[6], Jean de Gerson[7], Suarez[8] (already quoted) and several others[9]. This being the case, it seems to me we have already won on this question of the immaculate Conception, for it is hard to go against so many great names. Let us start with the excellent figure of the woman clothed with the sun which is in the twelfth chapter of the Apocalypse :
What do you think, asks the learned Chancellor of Paris Jean de Gerson[10], that this woman is meant to signify if not that the true Sun of Justice who surrounded the Blessed Virgin with the rays of His inconceivable brightness would occasionally penetrate her most pure soul with sudden and brilliant flashes, by means of which He would reveal Himself to her, as we believe happened with Moses and St Paul?
Unless I am mistaken, he continues, this is what we are to understand in the Canticle of love by the comings and goings of the heavenly Spouse who sometimes allows Himself to be stopped by His Bride, whilst at other times He shows Himself on His own and then disappears forthwith. Here He is by the window, looking through the slats of the shutters; there He is quitting the scene and leaving immediately,
St Bernard also offers an explanation[11] of this figure which is almost as clear as Gerson’s but using words that are so powerful and emphatic that they need to be weighed one by one. Here they are :
There is a very good reason that the Holy Virgin is said to be clothed with the Sun, since she penetrated further into the unfathomable depths of divine wisdom than can be imagined; to such an extent that she may be said to have been absorbed into the light inaccessible[12] as much as a creature could possible be, other than in personal union with God.
Could we find any terms more explicit than these to have the approval of this Saint, since it is plainly apparent that the clear vision of God is much lower than the personal union of which he speaks?
[1] Lib. III in Cant.
[2] Homil. 4 super Missus, et in illud Apoc.: Signum magnum, etc.
[3] IV p., tit. XV, c. 17, § 1.
[4] Marialis, c. 132 et 149, sæpe alibi.
[5] T. II, Serm. 51, art. 1, c. 2.
[6] In D. Dionys., de Coel. Hierarch., art. 18.
[7] Super Magnificat.
[8] T. II, in III p., disp. 19, sect. 4.
[9] Ubertinus, lib. I Arboris vitæ, c. 9 ; Medina, q. 27, art. 5 ; Villanova, Serm. de Resurrect. ; Vas-quez, etc.
[10] Loc. cit.
[11] Serm. de verbis Apoc. : Mulier amicta sole.
[12] Who only hath immortality, and inhabiteth light inaccessible, whom no man hath seen, nor can see: 1 Tim. vi. 16.
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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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