Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 3 : § 1.1-2

Chapter 3 : The Second Star or Splendour of the Crown of Power of the MOTHER OF GOD

It was from her alone, as His Mother, that the Eternal Word wanted to take our nature

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)

For the Holy Virgin to have drawn down to earth the Eternal Word is remarkable enough; and it is even more so that she provided an abode for Him within herself; but that she did this in an altogether worthy manner is most astonishing of all. What can it mean, then, for her to have given Him the nature that He came down on earth to take?

It is a privilege of the power she was given, says St John Damascene[1], which raises her to heights above anything in all of creation.

I have spoken about this once already, at the beginning of Part One; But I need to discuss it further for as much as this quality is not only the foundation of the great splendour of the Virgin excellence, there is also the origin of the prerogatives arising from her power. what I have already written, however, will mean that I need to say less than would otherwise be the case and I can concentrate specifically on the power which comes from her title as mother of God and from the mystery of the incarnation.

Footnotes

[1] Orat. 1 de Nativit. B. Virg.

§ 1. How the general power of the MOTHER OF GOD over all creation is shown in the mystery of the Incarnation

 1   There is something deeply mysterious in how the Prophet Isaiah, faced with writing in just a few words about the promise of the Incarnation of the divine Word, should have been commanded by God to take a great scroll of parchment[1]. The mystery is discussed in the commentaries of Saint Epiphanius[2], Saint Ambrose[3], Saint Jerome[4], Saint Cyril[5], Saint Basil[6], Procopius of Gaza[7], the Abbot Rupert[8], and with them the Chaldee Paraphrast[9], a writer whom the Hebrews honour with the name of Holy Master[10]. By this commandment, the Holy Spirit wanted it understood that in these few words were hidden countless wonders. What is even more remarkable to me, however, is that the Prophet was instructed to write with a man’s pen[11]. According to the learned Rupert[12], this means in a manner that men might understand, granted that the mystery is in itself so sublime that otherwise they would never understand anything. Pope Saint Leo commented as follows:

The Prophet Isaiah asked long ago: Who shall declare his generation[13]? We should not conclude that this question was referring only to the eternal generation of the Word; for it must also be understood as including His temporal generation, inasmuch as if we set aside that which the faith teaches us, then no comment would be humanly possible about the meaning.

Footnotes

[1] And the Lord said to me: Take thee a great book: Isai. viii. 1.

[2] Hæresi 78.

[3] In c. 1 Lucæ.

[4] In cap. cit. Isaiæ.

[5] In cap. cit. Isaiæ.

[6] In cap. cit. Isaiæ.

[7] In cap. cit. Isaiæ.

[8] Loc. cit. Isaiæ.

[9] Rabbi Haccados apud Galatinum, lib. VII de Arcanis, c. 18. Note: Chaldee Paraphrast: the writer of the Chaldee Paraphrase (or Targum) of the Sacred Scriptures.

[10] In eum. locum. Holy Master: Judah the Prince, Rabbi: (Circa 135-219 A.D.) was known as Rabbenu Hakadosh,"our holy master." (see Chabad.org)

[11] write in it with a man's pen. Isai. viii. 1. The French and Latin words for pen can also mean style.

[12] Serm. 9.

[13] Isai. liii. 8.

The Incarnation is the excellent work of God

 2   I maintain that it is not possible to doubt that the Incarnation is properly to be regarded as the work of God. Saint Bonaventure expresses this in a devout manner, as is his custom[1]:

It is Thy work, O God of greatness, to have disposed in such a wonderful manner the heart and mind of the Holy Virgin so as to be worthy of the MOTHER OF GOD. The embassy[2] of the Angel Gabriel, the descent of the Holy Spirit upon her, and the union of the divine Word with her flesh: all these are also Thy work.

Many ages before him, the Prophet Habacuc had addressed a request to God in the following terms[3]: O Lord, thy Work, in the midst of the years bring it to life. This is just as if he were to have said: Lord, from the beginning we have been led to understand that Thou hast a masterpiece to complete, surpassing everything else previously produced by Thy hands, and we have always held fast to the hope that it would be seen in the midst of the years. The time has now come to fulfil Thy promise and Thou must not allow such a superb plan to come to nothing. On the contrary, we pray it will now see the light of day and we pray that Thou wilt bring it to life. Here is another way of expressing this: O God of greatness, the world is awaiting the arrival of a masterwork promised by Thee for which it hath conceived a great hope; but up until present there is only the beginning of penance and a statue which is as yet inanimate and emotionless. We have indeed heard tell :

    • of a certain marriage and of two who must be joined in one flesh[4]; 

    • of a dial whose shadow went backwards by ten lines[5]; 

    • of the mysterious ladder of the Patriarch Jacob[6]; and

    • of the prophet Eliseus stretching himself out over the lifeless body of of the widow’s little child[7]. 

These and similar prefigurations have been announced on many occasions, but they are just like the dead shades of inanimate bodies.

To Thee alone is it given to animate Thy design, to give life to it by adding the final master-stroke to this exceptional work; it is from Thee alone that it awaits it completion. In truth, when studying this more attentively I recall that the heavens, and all the rest of what we see, is called by the Psalmist the work of the fingers of God[8]; and that all the miracles that Moses once wrought in the presence of Pharaoh are also called the finger of God[9]; but when it comes to the miracle awaited since the beginning of all ages, David offers prayers to God for his omnipotence[10]; the Prophet Isaiah asks Him that He will raise up His arm[11] and fill it with strength; finally, the Holy Virgin in the Canticles invites her Spouse to put her as a seal upon His arm[12]. T

The master of Theology, Saint Thomas, teaches that:

the great power of God is shown in the way He unites discordant elements, bringing accord and harmony; that a great example is shown in the union of a spirit with a body; but that a very great example may be seen in the joining of the uncreated spirit to created nature.

It is true, O God of greatness, that we have heard with our ears: our fathers have declared to us, The work, thou hast wrought in their days, and in the days of old[13]. Thou didst vanquish Kings and didst subjugate nations on their arrival, working miracles for them in every way; and yet it must be admitted that never hath anyone heard speak of a wondrous work like unto this, nor of one which hath shown so clearly the greatness of Thy power. The heavens shew forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands;  permit us to tell Thee, however,  that even though all these things may be considered excellent, in comparison with this new work they are simply incomplete sketches and only in this instance hast Thou wanted to show the marks of Thy mastery, surpassing even Thyself, and producing a work quite inimitable by any other.

Footnotes

[1] Speculi B. Virg., c. 14.

[2] A message sent or delivered by an ambassador or envoy.

[3] Habacuc iii. 2.

[4] Wherefore a man shall leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be two in one flesh. Gen. ii. 24.

[5] 4 Kings (2 Kings): xx. 8-11.

[6] Gen. xxviii. 12.

[7] 4 Kings (2 Kings): iv. 32-35.

[8] For I will behold thy heavens, the works of thy fingers. Ps. VIII. 4.

[9] And the magicians said to Pharao This is the finger of God. Exod, viii. 19.

[10] Ps. XCVII.

[11] Arise, arise, put on strength, O thou arm of the Lord, arise as in the days of old: Isai. lxi. 9.

[12] Put me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm, for love is strong as death. Cant. viii. 6.

[13] Ps. XLIII.2.

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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