The Crown of Excellence : Chapter 8 : § 3. 3-4

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).

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

Mary’s soul was unique in being totally free of any sin

§ 3. That the Holy Fathers say that the MOTHER OF GOD was incapable of sin, and how this is to be understood

First principle of the moral impeccability of the Mother of God, namely the extinguishing of concupiscence. A declaration on the nature of concupiscence.

 3   I shall begin by considering the situation and the nature of the site (meaning the starting point which comes nearest to nature) where God built a fortress of so many graces, a stronghold of calm and gentleness which the Virgin enjoyed thanks to the extinguishing of the fire of original sin. We may compare this inclination to sin using the imagery of a fireplace, kindling and a match. 

God used this starting point as the foundation for a multitude of other favours and provided a safeguard against cunning assaults by the enemy, such as those seeking to undermine the fortifications.

Now, to help you understand what I am trying to say, here are a few words of explanation. By the expression fire of concupiscence (or inclination to sin) and several similar images, Scripture and the Holy Fathers are referring to the disorder in our sensitive appetite which naturally seeks out the sensible good for its food and nourishment. It is in fact true that before the first man disobeyed God’s commandment, this appetite was already inclined to the good which we call sensible because it it is the senses that lead him to what he sought; but all the movements of his will were so rightly ordered that they did not go beyond the limits of right reason, being subject thereto as to a Lady and Governess. It is reason that would give him rein and would then rein him back; in short, reason ruled, taking care to ensure everything was rightly ordered. Once reason departed from its duty, however, refusing the obedience owed to God, the interior appetite broke ranks with such wanton violence as to break its reins and shake off all constraints. After it had escaped, it became so difficult to control that there is no wild animal more untameable than it became.

We have learned about this through experience of its capricious and rebellious activity at our expense. Our daily lot since the first spark of reason began to enlighten our intellect has been to steer it as best we can towards doing its duty. From this I draw the following conclusion : whoever is delivered from the terrible persistence of this depraved and deformed appetite would have an unparalleled means and opportunity for every kind of virtuous action. This is in fact the privilege of the MOTHER OF GOD which I am in the course of investigating. By means of this privilege she has been restored, as it were, to possession of the earthly Paradise. At the very least, she enjoys those rights which arose from original justice which the first man lost.  All the Doctors I have quoted earlier will serve as my authorities, without mentioning those whom you will hear after this discussion. The reasons I shall bring forward will make everything quite clear. I aim to select a number of the expressions given in Scripture and in the writings of the Fathers to describe this disordered appetite. There will be sufficient to confirm that it was the MOTHER OF GOD’s privilege to have no part in it whatsoever. We shall come to appreciate the joy she derived from the privilege and the indescribable advantage it gave her in fleeing vice and embracing virtue.

THE REASON AS UNDERSTOOD IN THE USE OF WORDS SUCH AS FIREPLACE, KINDLING, ETC.

 4   Let’s start with the everyday words of fireplace, grate, kindling and match – considering them in the context of sin. Is it truly not a lamentable thing and worthy of the utmost pity to see our poor, fallen nature so ready to embrace sin, when it covets sensible good contrary to right reason? To see how the fireplace with its grate is ready for the fire when dry wood is brought, how the kindling is ready to catch fire with the slightest of sparks and the match is ready to burst into flame even when merely catching scent of hot coals? Don’t you think this condition of ours provokes pity in the Saviour of our souls, in Him who knows just how wretched is the material from which we were formed and built? I agree that a disposition such as the one we have should not properly speaking be considered a sin in us, as the Council of Trent declared[1]. It can therefore be appreciated how shocking it would be to see the exalted soul of the MOTHER OF GOD plunged into these inclinations so opposed to virtue and ever at risk of being set on fire by sin. This would have been her fate were she not continually protected from such fire. This is what made St Cyprian[2] say that the Holy Ghost had so ordered things that such unseemliness would never be found in her. That this holy Doctor should not dispense her from the condition until the Conception of the divine Word should not surprise us. His thinking was held in common with many others, as I mentioned earlier. Here are his words:

When Mary conceived the Son of God in her womb by the power of the Holy Ghost, He gave her His protection and the fires of original sin were extinguished within her. Thenceforth, there was no power whatsoever who might raise his head against the law of the spirit, and there was nothing that could disturb her calm. The power of the Divine came upon her body and soul at the word of His Angel and He never left her from that moment onwards. He considered her to be His abode and He beautified her no more nor less than His own Temple. He was passionately devoted to her who had become His Sanctuary and His nuptial couch, to which He Himself showed honour and respect. Heavenly consolation filled her soul with joy and she had only to think of Him whose abode she was for all the illusions and deceits of concupiscence to be banished far from her.

Footnotes

[1] Sess. V, cap. ultimo. This concupiscence, which the apostle sometimes calls sin, the holy Synod declares that the Catholic Church has never understood it to be called sin, as being truly and properly sin in those born again, but because it is of sin, and inclines to sin.

[2] Lib. de Cardinalibus Christi Operibus, cap. de Nativitate Christi. 

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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