Chapter 13 : The Twelfth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD
She safeguards her children at the hour of death and provides them with their passport to Heaven
Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).
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| Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020) |
§ 4. How the holy Virgin defends her children against the attacks of invisible enemies
3 I think we can see how this picture may properly be understood as an accurate image of two very different sorts of death : namely, the death of the wicked and the death of the just. My aim here, however, is simply to point out certain features of each in order to show the difference there is between the children of the Virgin and others when it comes to the end of life. Imagine, if you will, two brothers with the same father and mother, both well brought up, both instructed in virtue, both fearing the Lord, both making use of the Sacraments – but with this difference: that one has been nourished with the milk of the MOTHER OF GOD and has therefore come to imbibe and partake of her gentle spirit, whereas the other has not had this benefit, although he has lived his life in a praiseworthy manner based on Christian principles. Now here they are, both approaching death. The one who lived an austere life based on the maxims of fear sudden turns pale, he starts to sweat and to tremble, he struggles with himself in a strange manner and he cries out in fear. None of those witnessing this can have any doubt that the old enemy is feeling pressed for time and is launching a furious attack against the dying man, whose face alone shows that his soul is engaged in a battle and that he is suffering from terrible temptations. Sometimes he makes a sign with his hand as though asking for help to chase away these hideous figures who are filling him with fear; at other times he seems to try and steel himself to make a response and deny the demons’ claims ; at times he looks as though he is no more; then afterwards, he crosses his arms and raises his eyes to heaven, as though showing by this that his only hope is in the mercy of his Saviour and in the blood that He shed for him.
But what a great difference there is between simply reading about this and actually finding oneself in a struggle against a foe who is the most cunning that can be imagined, filled with poisonous hatred and seething with fury.
4 In contrast, we can look now at the devoted servant of the Virgin who is waiting with a patient and gentle heart for whatever Heaven has in store for him. We can see in his eyes the image of his soul and his face displays the interior peace he enjoys. After God Himself, he places his entire trust in his dear Mother whose help and protection he awaits at this critical hour. He understands that she is wondrously faithful and accordingly he is totally at peace, trusting in her promises. He commends all his concerns to her with a tranquil heart; he begs her to help him against any attacks by the demons; he relies upon her for his courage, his strength and his happiness; he calls upon her to be his guide who will lead him to the point where his eternal happiness begins; he has complete confidence that she will continue to take care of him and protect him with her maternal love right until the end. These thoughts fill his heart with such confidence that he is able to have thousands of loving colloquies with his gentle Mother, who for her part maintains everything in equilibrium, not permitting her dear child to run any risks or place his virtue in danger.
I am speaking here of the general rule and what happens in the majority of cases : for the Lord can of course issue ordinances according to His good pleasure; and just as He can permit for good reason the children of his beloved Mother to receive salutary admonishments, so too He may will others a most peaceful death.
5 In case anybody might imagine that what I have been putting forward so far (concerning the differences that are found in the way people depart from this world) has no more basis than my imagination, I think the time has come to consider my reasoning. Daily experience shows us that, with the exception of the Holy Sacraments, there are two main things which are important at the hour of death: namely good habits and the help that comes from Heaven. In first place, then, come the good habits we have acquired through the practice of virtuous actions. These may be compared to the keys of a well-tuned instrument so that when grace arrives in the soul it responds in the way for which it was designed. In the case, however, of a soul which has been damaged and made heavy by the evil of sin, a grace of extraordinary power is needed to arouse its faculties and bring them to the stage where they can put into practice once more those acts which have fallen into disuse.
I mentioned in the second place help we receive from heaven inasmuch as, when the spiritual faculties of a soul are dragged down by the weight of a decaying body, there is every need for the best friends that we have in heaven to come unto our aid. It is my firm conviction that in respect of both these things, namely good habits and heavenly help, the children of our sweet and gentle Mother have a most particular advantage. When it comes to good and holy habits, it is clear that these prove a powerful help for keeping their souls in a state of sweet recollection. When they have cultivated a habit of frequently calling upon her with a loving heart, placing themselves under her protection, seeking the consolation of her protective embrace, wanting only what she wants, entrusting themselves completely to her, wanting (after God Himself) to depend upon her in all things and in every way, then grace is able to play these notes without any difficulty, suffusing their souls with beautiful and harmonious melodies that bring joy to the Angels of Heaven.
When it comes to help from on high for the needs of her children, the Mother of goodness is never found wanting. I am leaving to one side what she does immediately in terms of her principal help :
• the tender feelings she infuses within their spirits;
• the serenity she pours into their souls ;
• the trust she implants in their hearts; and
• the sweet words she utters to them softly, inviting them to depart from the earth and take possession of the place she has prepared for them in heaven.
I am speaking only of how she strengthens them so as to withstand the attacks of the prince of evil, of which St Bonaventure[1] writes, following the great St Augustine:
Holy Michael the Archangel, Prince of the Heavenly Host, whom God has ordered to help souls withstand this final assault and to lead them up to Heaven, is always ready to receive the commands of the glorious Virgin to hasten to the defence of those for whom she has a special affection[2].
God knows with what great ardour St Michael serves her, and how valiantly he leads his troops to defend her children and vanquish the enemy’s hordes. In fact the whole of Heaven is devoted to love and serve her, as I have already made clear elsewhere[3]. There is no question that the Blessed Spirits flock in their thousands to help her, vying with each other to render her service in the person of those whom she specially cherishes. From this you may see that there is no happiness in the world like unto having the Queen of Heaven on our side.
Footnotes
[1] Speculi B. Virg.
[2] Michaël Dux et Princeps militiæ coelestis, tuis, Virgo, paret præceptis in defendendis in corpore, et suscipiendis de corpore, animabus fidelium specialiter tibi, Domina, et die ac nocte se com-mendantium.
[3] Chap. 4.
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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
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