Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 2 : § 5.3-4

Chapter 2 : The First Star or Splendour of the Crown of Power 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).

She alone had the power of drawing down to earth the divine Word

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

§ 5. The fourth quality of the Holy Virgin which drew down the divine Word: Her obedience and assent to the divine will

The desire of the earth

 3   Now if Heaven was waiting for the response of the glorious Virgin with a holy impatience, I leave you to imagine how the earth, whose people stood to benefit from this union, had reason to desire it with an ardent longing. We recall how the prophet Isaiah[1], expressing the wishes of humanity and enlightened as he was by the super-celestial spirit, did not only ask the heavens to drop down the dew from above which had been so long awaited, but he also asked that the earth be opened so as to receive and then germinate the fruit desired. 

It is good to hear the Saints when they imagine they are present at this sacred encounter in Nazareth where this matter so important to the world is as yet still being considered. They urge the holy Virgin to speak swiftly her response so that Heaven and earth may languish in their uncertainty no longer. Here, for example, is what St Augustine says[2]:

I pray, O Holy Lady, that with thy response thou wilt give thy consent. The Angel is waiting for it and thou art now the sole cause for delaying our happiness and causing impatience in Heaven. Thou hast heard the message, thou hast learned that the Holy Spirit is to take charge of this matter, that the power of the Most High will overshadow thee with His own brightness, and thou wilt become a Mother without ceasing to be a Virgin. We have been told that the gates of Heaven, closed long ago by the first man, have opened a little and the holy Archangel hath passed through; we have learned that God is waiting and that he findeth it strange His message should be taking so long. Most illustrious Princess, the captives of all ages are at thy feet in the hope and expectation of hearing a favourable response from thy sacred lips; thou art the hostage for our peace, and thou art presented to God with the consent of the whole world, since apart from thee there is no hope of salvation. The people of the world pray to thee most humbly so that through thee they may receive forgiveness for the sins of their fathers and that Heaven will be opened up to them. The consent that thou givest will be no less to thy honour than it will be profitable to the whole human race, inasmuch as God Himself will take thee for His spouse; and as for us, we hope that in virtue of this divine union we will make our peace with Him.

And thou, holy Archangel, Heaven's Nuncio and Legate of God's Majesty on earth, great Counsellor of State, to whom the most holy Trinity hath confided the secret of all the ages and given letters of credit : please remember our interest in this matter and leave no stone unturned in order to ensure that there is a favourable result to this thine undertaking. If thou canst bring it to a successful conclusion all thy companions, who do us the honour of wishing us well, will share our gratitude to thee and will henceforth be eternally indebted to thee. Consider, if thou wilt, that it was one of thy fellow Angels who was the first to take up arms in rebellion, causing the division which hath separated us from thy sweet company, and consequently it is reasonable that some good Angel should be the one whose powerful assistance should restore our peace to us. The wretched condition of men cannot be unknown to thee, and thou canst not be ignorant of the extreme misfortune to which they have been reduced. All these considerations must oblige thee to use thy best endeavours on our behalf and to ensure that we may see as soon as possible the fruits of thy good work in this matter.

 

Finally, we return our attention to thee, O Holy Virgin, and we ask thee in thy charity to have pity on us. Do thou only say the word and receive a Son, for by giving thy word, that wilt conceive the Eternal Word of God. Let thy womb become the abode of Him in whom all things have their abode. With one single word, yes or no, though canst open up Heaven for us – or close it forever. 

These are the words of the incomparable St Augustine.

Footnotes

[1] Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened, and bud forth a saviour: and let justice spring up together: I the Lord have created him. Isai. xlv. 8. 

[2] Serm. 17 in Natali Domini.

 4   The pious Saint Bernard lends his support to this, using sweet words and eloquence to soften and move the heart of this most chaste Spouse.

O Holy Lady, he says to her[1], thou hast heard the message and hast heard in what manner it is going to be accomplished; both of these are a source of wonder but also full of sweetness. Thou hast never had any doubts about the event, so why wouldst thou question the manner of its fulfilment, since the Holy Spirit is the one who is to make it come to pass in the most extraordinary manner? The Angelic messenger, however, is keen to go back with a reply, and at the moment there is nothing holding back his return except the reply which Heaven awaits. For our part, this waiting causes us anxiety – particularly as it hath great importance for our salvation. The price to be paid for our deliverance is in thy hands and we have need only of a single word from thy mouth to be freed forever. We have been made through an eternal Word, but it is by means of a temporal word coming from thy lips that we will be redeemed and restored. This is the humble request made to thee by poor Adam who was banished from Paradise, by the faithful Abraham, by the kind-hearted David and by all thine ancestors held prisoner amidst the dark shades of death. This is the expectation of all nature, bowing in thy presence, granted that upon a single word spoken by thee depends the consolation of the wretched, the deliverance of captives, the sparing of those condemned and the salvation of the whole race of men. We pray that thou wilt utter, O holy Lady, please utter that word so desired by Heaven, hoped for on earth, awaited by those here below, wished for by God Himself, whom thou wilt please more by thy response than by thy silence hitherto. What can in justice delay thee since thou thyself hast contemplated so ardently this question, the answer to which at present depends only on thee and which hath caused Heaven and earth to pause as they await thy reply? Thy humility must in no way prejudice the common good, and thy modest restraint would be culpable if it were to prevent our salvation and deliverance. Now is the time for courage to take the place of modesty, and for confidence to prevail over the feeling that thou hast of thine own unworthiness. Open up thy heart to the faith, thy mouth to give thine assent, thy womb to welcome the Creator and Redeemer of all things.

Footnotes

[1] Homil. 4 in Missus.

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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 2025