Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 3 : § 2.4-7

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)

§ 2. The Power the MOTHER OF GOD had over Our Lord Jesus Christ

 4   It seems to me that in considering this question of the power of the most Holy Virgin, all we have to do is to acknowledge that she is the MOTHER OF GOD: and in saying this, I mean that she is the true mother not only of the man, but also of God. This is a truth beyond any doubt in Catholic belief, authorised by Sacred Scripture, attested to by the holy Fathers, and received with a universal consent by the whole Church. The blessed Archangel Gabriel confirms this to Our Lady when, speaking on behalf of his Lord, he tells her: the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God[1]. Saint Athanasius argues most cogently as follows[2]:

Granted that He who is born of the Virgin is King, and because He is Lord and God at the same time, why shall we not then give to His Mother the name and rank of Queen, of Lady and of MOTHER OF GOD?

Saint Epiphanius[3] reasons persuasively in the following manner:

Thou art MOTHER OF GOD, since thou didst bring forth the Word incarnate; thou art MOTHER OF GOD since thou didst bear our God, giving Him the clothes of a servant; thou art MOTHER OF GOD since thou didst conceive the first-born Son of God. This does not mean that thy Son was a God coming into being; no, this was the Eternal God, He who was before thee and before the birth of all ages.

I am saying that no more than this is needed for a meeting of minds on this question. Granted this principle of our belief, that the holy virgin is the true MOTHER OF GOD according to nature, then it necessarily follows that she has power over Him. I am speaking here of a true and legitimate power which is founded in nature, ordained by God, and acknowledged by this same Son, who came not to destroy the law but to fulfil it[4], not to overthrow nature but to perfect it by means of His grace. Blessed Methodius observes[5]:

As the author of nature and of grace, He must be seen as lending weight and authority in His own person to the right of fathers and mothers which gives them power and authority over their children.

Footnotes

[1] Luke. i. 35.

[2] Serm. de Sanctiss. Deipara.

[3] Serm. de S. Deipara.

[4] Matt. v. 17.

[5] Orat. de Purific.

 5   Please note what this ancient and venerable Doctor goes on to say:

The Son of God did not only submit Himself willingly to this maternal power over Him, but  he also wanted to surpass all other children in this respect.

Indeed, the blessed Saint Ildephonsus[1] takes the same view and he seemed to have received a special grace when he wrote as follows:

God’s goodness and His omnipotence combined to arrange things in such a way that the Son of God and the Creator of all things should also be the Son of a Mother whom He himself had created. He who was the greatest of all that is great became through His birth subject to a humble handmaid, who was by nature His creature. This happens in such a way that the handmaid has God himself under her authority, and that the God of Majesty acknowledges the handmaid for His Lady and for his Superior.

This altogether excellent arrangement provided the means whereby things divine might be brought down to earth, and the lowliest of things might be raised to the highest level of greatness. It seems to me, however, that I have no need to labour this point since we have the truth shown purely and clearly in the Gospel, where in three words we find an argument worthy of contemplation in eternity. He was subject to His Mother and to Saint Joseph, says Saint Luke[2], observing thereby in an altogether apposite manner that not only did He show a most perfect obedience to them, but that this obedience proceeded from the true and legitimate duty that Jesus owed, and from the corresponding power, especially that of His Mother, by reason of which He was subject to her.

Footnotes

[1] De Virginit. B. Mariæ, c. 8.

[2] erat subditus illis: And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them. Luke ii. 51.

 6   Who will now supply me with words that can describe my astonishment, and explain

which of the two is more glorious and more wondrous[1]: a God who subjects Himself to a Mother, or the Mother who has the power and authority to command Him! 

How blessed we would be to see with what respect and self-abnegation the Virgin exercised authority over her God, and with what delight the Prince of Heaven showed His obedience to His handmaid! Or to see Paradise brought down to earth and the life of this holy family; Joseph with authority of Mary, and Mary obeying him no more nor less then she would obey her Lord; Mary with authority over Jesus and Jesus obeying like a God, namely with humility, with great courage and with a constancy that enraptured Heaven and earth! I say with constancy for He fulfilled His duty of obedience to her right up to His death, indeed even after death, just as he would to His Eternal Father. Blessed Arnold of Chartres says of this:

When the Son of God was uttering His last words, He expressly commended His blessed Mother to Saint John, forasmuch as being no longer able to serve her and obey her in His own person, He wanted at least to do this even if through a replacement, and by means of this disciple of His to render everything that a good Son should towards such a Mother.

Footnotes

[1] S. Bernard., Serm. 1 in Missus.

 7   Saint Ambrose[1] has left us a thought worthy of his fine mind, saying that

it was St John alone who, having a personal interest in this, left us a written account of the Saviour’s last words; forasmuch when he heard how He who was triumphant over His torments and the devil did not forget what He owed to His Mother, John was more affected than he was to hear Him promise the good thief that he would be with Him this day in Paradise. For if giving pardon to a thief was the mark of a holy soul, much more was it that He should remember His duty towards His Mother at such a moment.

I think perhaps we can close our discussion of this point with words of the glorious cardinal Peter Damien[2]:

Every creature needs to stay silent, and to consider such a wonder in fear and trembling, and to hesitate before even looking up to contemplate the sheer enormity of such a power and such a sublime privilege.

Footnotes

[1] Tract. de Verbis Domini in cruce.

[2] In c. 23 Luc.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >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