The Crown of Excellence : Chapter 10 : § 3.5-7

Chapter 10 : The Ninth 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)

Mary is the Queen of virtues

§ 3. The Holy Virgin possessed to an exceptional degree all the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, together with the Beatitudes

 5   Despite the above caveat, let us move on from the gifts to the fruits of the Holy Spirit. I shall make use of Pope St Gregory’s commentary on Job[1], where he discusses the moral lessons to be found in the account of how the seven sons of the Patriarch Job each made a feast by houses, every one in his day[2], then gathered in the house of their good father at the end of the week. St Gregory says that the account of the banquets and feasts actually represents how virtuous habits and the gifts of the Holy Spirit caress each other tenderly and innocently when they bring forth for souls, each according to rank, their sweet and tender produce which we call fruits of the Holy Spirit because of their purity and the interior joy they bring to us.

St John Chrysostom[3] and St Ambrose[4] gave themselves fairly free rein in describing the splendour and jubilation of gatherings such as these, but it was the venerable Abbot, Peter of Celle[5], who went further than anyone else. He took pains to represent in a mystical fashion the various dishes served at table, the order of the guests, and commented especially on the dais, the canopy, the throne, the countenance and the majesty of the King of Glory, first and foremost ornament of the banquet; the gold and silver tableware, the angelic music and singing plus all the rest of the Royal pomp and magnificence. This was all to prove what was said by a great King and Wise man who declared[6] that the spirit of the just man who is advanced in virtue is like that of a man celebrating his wedding with continual feasting. Now, the soul of the glorious Virgin practised continually the virtues to the highest and most exceptional level. We can therefore be in no doubt that she was also gathering continually the most delectable and exquisite fruit, causing her heart to burst in a plenitude of joy and delight. 

Footnotes

[1] Lib. I, c. 32.  

[2] Job i. 4.

[3] Homil. 15 in Matth.

[4] Psal. XXXV.

[5] Petrus Cellensis, lib. de Conscientia.

[6] Cf. And let the just feast, and rejoice before God: and be delighted with gladness. Psal. LXVII. 4.

 6    Neither should we have any doubt that Mary was engaged in the practice of the difficult and arduous virtues which we referred to earlier as Beatitudes. God’s plan was to raise her to the highest point of honour and He therefore supplied her with a series of opportunities that would facilitate his design for her. As a result, Mary found herself steadily accumulating palms and laurel wreaths of victory which enabled her to grow in courage and take on ever more demanding challenges in the service of God and for His greater glory.

 7    Most holy Lady, please permit me to say along with thy faithful servant Matthew Cantacuzenus, Emperor of the East[1]:

Thy stature, meaning the interior disposition of thy soul, is like to a palm tree[2], being always green, and continuing to grow for as long as it still has sap and life; but especially in the way thou dost grow taller without letting thyself be held back by difficulties.

Grant that we may go up into this palm to gather fruits in holy imitation, and by this means be made ready to enter the greatness of thy glory.

Footnotes

[1] In c. 7 Cant.

[2] Cant. vii. 7. 

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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