Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 7 : § 2.1-2

Chapter 7 : Acts of thanksgiving – a sixth feature of the gratitude we owe 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)

§ 2. The second characteristic of Thankfulness : making known favours received (as far as propriety allows) and making use of all the people we can to offer her thanksgiving

 1   I have included the words as far as propriety allows forasmuch as there are certain favours which are so linked to our reputation that it would be very difficult to disentangle them or make them public without endangering our humility. They recall the statues by Phidias which were crafted in such a way that to remove one could require the dismantling of a room. In cases such as these, the Saints have always said that the best counsel is to cover Heaven’s graces with the ashes of humility, receiving them without drawing any attention to them – and many are those who have put this advice into practice. On the other hand, the ancient Master of decorum[1] (which must be observed in the act of giving and receiving), teaches that it is a sign of envy and lack courage when someone wishes to receive only under the cover of darkness or when masked by a cloak; and that only an ungrateful person would wish to express his gratitude by whispering it or in secret. In fact, anyone who performs an act of generosity towards another should, as far as possible, allow it to pass unnoticed; but anyone receiving a gift should, on the contrary, do all he can to let people know about this act of generosity. This is all the more so in the case of benefits that come to us from Heaven since we should in these cases make known the identity of the Benefactor so as to invite everyone to love Him. The Holy Angel Raphael gave this advice to the House of Tobias[2], making all of them understand the difference between the secret of a King and the works of God, teaching them that just as the former must be religiously guarded the latter must be made known to all. This is why, having lain prostrate upon their faces for the space of three hours blessing God the Father of all blessings, they then arose and immediately went out to tell everyone about the wonderful works they had witnessed[3]. Consider too the case of David, for did he not call out to all those that fear God to come and hear so that he could tell them what great things He had done for his soul?[4] Consider how many times David invites us to make Heaven and earth resound with praise and gratitude for the gifts of God to us here on Earth[5].

Footnotes

[1] Senec., lib. II de Benef., c. 23.

[2] For it is good to hide the secret of a king: but honourable to reveal and confess the works of God. Tob. xii. 7.

[3] Then they lying prostrate for three hours upon their face, blessed God: and rising up, they told all his wonderful works. Tob. xii. 22.

[4] Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what great things he hath done for my soul. Ps. LXV 16,

[5] See e.g., Ps. CIII & CXLVIII.

 

 2   This kind of gratitude is all the more pleasing to the MOTHER OF GOD since it offers honour to Him whose glory she seeks to procure. This is what has led many to preach in her Churches on the benefits that have been received, others to portray them in paintings and others produce written accounts for the benefit of posterity. Through these means, people have developed a warm devotion to her and are happy to have recourse to her. In this way, her name has been carried to all the corners of the world and thousands of people have come to love her who otherwise would not have known anything about her. If it were nevertheless found difficult to make known among men the graces obtained through her intercession, I do not believe that there would be anything to stop us from speaking about them to the Angels in Heaven and to the best friends we have on high. This would mean we could invite them to join us in blessing her who obtained them for us and to keep us company in praising her and singing of her inestimable qualities. Let every spirit praise the Lord, says David[1], but let every spirit also bless the Mother of the Lord, from whom so many blessings come to us.

   

Footnotes

[1] Ps. CL 5.

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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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.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.