Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 11 : § 4.1-7

Chapter 11 : Imitation – tenth 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)

§ 4. Her exceptional confidence and how it should be imitated by everyone

 1   Following St Paul[1], St Augustine[2] places the beatitude or happiness of this life’s in hope or confidence, and in the most sacred Virgin this confidence was most high, most firm and most faithful.

Footnotes

[1] Rom. viii. 24.

[2] Lib. XIX Civit. Dei, c. 4.

The confidence of the Virgin was most high

 2   I say most high forasmuch as if ever there were a creature to whom might be applied the words David once uttered to a beautiful soul[1]: Thou hast made thy hope and thy refuge the most High, then this would be the MOTHER OF GOD. If the height of hope depends upon the firmness of faith, we have just seen that there never was a faith like unto hers. If confidence rises in proportion to the knowledge we have of God's faithfulness, in whom would this be more clearly discernible or be possessed to a more excellent degree than in her? If in proportion to the extent a heart becomes more detached from all earthly affections, it raises itself willingly and attaches itself directly to its sovereign good – then what heart was ever more free and more pure than hers? If when a soul is entirely distrustful of itself and plunges more deeply into a consideration of its own nothingness, it is better disposed to trust in God and to throw itself into the bosom of His loving Providence – then who ever had more knowledge of herself and distrusted her own abilities more than the Mother of humility? If St John[2] was right when he said that if our heart do not reprehend us, we have confidence towards God and whatsoever we shall ask, we shall receive of Him, – then where shall we find a soul in which that applies more than in the case of the Blessed Virgin, whose heart was never moved to reproach her in the slightest way? In short, if the more hope is pure the more highly it rises, what confidence could ever equal in purity that of the Daughter, the Mother and the Spouse of God? 

Footnotes

[1] Epist. 77.

[2] Ildefons., Serm. 4 de Assumpt.

[3] Orat. 2 de Annuntiat.

The confidence of the Virgin was most firm

 3   Her confidence was, moreover, most firm, forasmuch as once she had attached herself to God, there was never anything that would be able to separate her from Him. Please take a moment to consider the following examples which demonstrate her firmness. Did Heaven order her to marry? Then she immediately agreed, notwithstanding the unbreakable vow she had taken to preserve her virginity, comfident as she was that fire would turn into ice before God would permit Joseph her spouse to be anything other than the guardian of her purity. Did Joseph form a resolution to put her away privately? This did not cause her any more trouble than if it were a matter which did not affect her ; once her firm belief was established, then rocks would speak before God would abandon his project. Did her Son seem to reproach her during the wedding at Cana and give the impression that her request would go no further? Notwithstanding this, she went on to tell the servants what they were to do and to prepare them for the miracle to come, about which she had no doubt whatsoever. Did others lose hope with the death of her Son? Well, her own lived on among the shadows of death, and already she sees in her mind the glorious Saviour and all His enemies at His feet.  

The confidence of the Virgin was most faithful

 4   Her confidence was most faithful insofar as she placed her reliance so completely on God that she never failed to do whatever she could for her part. When the Angel spoke of how she was to conceive in her womb, she raised certain difficulties with him in a totally respectful manner and she did not give her consent until she had received clarification. If she sees her Holy Spouse in distress, she cast herself into God’s embrace with complete peace of mind; but she takes great care to give no reason for mistrust or suspicion. If it becomes necessary to go to Bethlehem in the last month of her pregnancy, she goes without a murmur, but making sure that she has everything she will need to care for the baby she is carrying. In short, picture her behaving like this for the rest of her life and try to imagine someone who has so much trust in God’s Providence as to consider everything she herself does as quite insignificant but on the other hand ensuring she is most diligent in all her tasks, as though their successful outcome depends entirely upon the care she takes. 

 5   It is in this that the dear children of the Holy Virgin try to imitate their dear Mother and to soar high above all created things so as to attach their hope to the sovereign good. It is in this that, after long experience of the infinite faithfulness of God, they cry out with Saint Paul[1]: I know whom I have believed, and I am certain that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him. It is in this that, after carefully considering the happiness of all those who have wanted no other source of support than God, they say along with David[2]: Let them trust in thee who know thy name: for thou hast not forsaken them that seek thee, O Lord. It is in this that they proclaim a thousand times over that they want to surrender themselves completely to God and to abandon themselves in the bosom of His loving providence. It is in this that their hearts will melt in gratitude, giving thanks to the Saviour of the world for opening to them the door leading to such heights of confidence and offering Him all the fruits they have gathered and continue to gather every day.

Footnotes

[1] 2 Tim. i. 12.

[2] Psal. IX. 11.

 6   From this, they go further and make the effort to increase their confidence to such an extent that it can overcome whatever terrible trials they may encounter. It is the shield they use to fend off difficulties and to make headway against their enemies. It anchors them to Heaven and holds them secure in the middle of storms and tempests. It is the heavenly dew which preserves them from weakening of the heart. It is the citadel where they can withdraw when they come under a sustained attack and from which they can mock the threats and scheming manoeuvres of the wicked spirits. What more can I say? Confidence makes triumphant progress in their souls, little by little chasing out all fear and all apprehension. It is just like Jesus being seated in the middle of men’s hearts, no more nor less than a heavenly Halcyon[1], calming the winds of vain fears, overcoming the emotions of disordered appetites, vanquishing temptations, disposing everyone spiritually to receive everything from the hand of God from which indescribable peace and wondrous tranquillity proceed.

Footnotes

[1] In classical mythology: a bird, usually identified as a kingfisher, which brooded around the time of the winter solstice in a nest floating on the sea, charming the wind and waves into calm. See Pliny Nat. Hist. Bk. X, Ch. 47.

 7   What we have been describing should not be regarded as a form of appeasement or a shameful life of laziness; on the contrary, the very confidence in God which leads to this profound peace fills all the faculties of their souls and keeps all things in order. Peace and war make them equally watchful, and just as times of trouble and temptation make them turn to God and put their hands to good use, so too do calm and tranquillity make them anticipate surprises and compel them to consider nothing as certain as long as they are surrounded by their enemies. Accordingly, they never failed to render to God the homage of their care and attention, no more nor less than as if everything depended upon this. They are as diligent in small things as they are in important matters and they never omit anything which might help to bring the divine goodness to their help, even though they never overestimate what they themselves contribute but place their trust only in the faithfulness of the Saviour's loving heart and in the help they hope to receive from on high. 

© Peter Bloor 2026 

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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.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 11 : § 3.2-7

Chapter 11 : Imitation – tenth 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)

§ 3. On her lively faith and how it should be imitated by all

The Holy Virgin’s faith was most clear-sighted

 2   I use the words most clear sighted forasmuch as before the promulgation of the law of love, before all the sermons of preachers, before the millions of miracles, before the witness of the Martyrs and countless other signs which serve today as bulwarks for our faith, she believed more firmly and more clearly than any other person the mystery of the most Holy Trinity, that of the Incarnation, of the glorification of her Son and the other mysteries of the faith. As St Bernard teaches[1], 

She was the first of human creatures who had a clear and detailed understanding of the economy of our salvation.

This is what would have inspired the pious Archbishop of Toledo[2] to confer on her the title of she who is clear-sighted in the faith and St Gregory Thaumaturgus[3] to call her the repository of all the mysteries. Consider how Saint Gregory addresses her in the first Prayer he composed for the Annunciation:

 

Thou knowest, most Holy Virgin, things unknown to the Patriarchs: thou didst learn what hitherto had not been revealed even to the Angels; thou hast heard that which so many Prophets inspired of God never heard. Moses, David, Isaiah, Daniel and many others reached certain heights in the way they spoke of the mysteries of our salvation, it is true, but they were far from penetrating as you did the way in which these were to be fulfilled. In short, that which was hidden to all previous ages was revealed to thee; but in addition, it hath been a prerogative proper and personal to thee alone that the execution of the majority of these miracles would depend upon thee. 

Footnotes

[1] Epist. 77.

[2] Ildefons., Serm. 4 de Assumpt.

[3] Orat. 2 de Annuntiat.

The Holy Virgin’s faith was most simple

 3   Her faith was most simple insofar as it went far beyond all those considerations that might have been capable of shaking it or troubling it.

There was nothing in the world that could come near her humility, said St Bernard[1] and the Bishop of Ávila[2], and she had a lower opinion of herself than any other creature.

It was moreover a thing unheard of that a Virgin might conceive and the concept of MOTHER OF GOD exceeded anything which might have occurred to the human or angelic mind. This notwithstanding, she believed that she would be MOTHER OF GOD and remain a Virgin at the first word of the Angel after she had carefully considered it, without any hesitation or resistance. The first time she heard the invitation, she accepted the honour the most Holy Trinity was offering her and the way she gave her assent was so open and honest that (and here I am following St Augustine[3]) it was through her merit that Heaven was opened, which up until then had been closed off. We can truthfully say with St Anselm[4] that Mary’s faith was the door through which Jesus, our Redeemer, came into the world. We can put this even better by saying that this was the door through which there entered, along with with Jesus, countless wonders which could only be fulfilled in the most sacred Virgin. This is what her cousin Elizabeth meant when she told her[5]: Blessed art thou for having had faith in the word of the Angel, forasmuch as all that was spoken to thee by the Lord shall be fully accomplished in thee.

Footnotes

[1] Serm. in Signum magnum.

[2] Paradox. I, c. 30.

[3] Serm. 17 de Natali Domini : Fides Mariæ coelum aperuit cum Angelo nuntianti consensit.

[4] In c. 10 Luc.

[5] Blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord : Luke i. 45.

The Holy Virgin’s faith was most constant

 4   Finally, her faith was most constant in that it never wavered in the face of any difficulty. The Virgin was the first to see God reduced to a tiny infant having need of her help. She saw Strength in weakness, Wisdom in an infant and Majesty in a baby. She saw the King of glory leading the life of a carpenter; she saw Him defenceless and with no help from His own, stretched out on a cross; she saw all that and much more but without losing faith, without letting it trouble her and without reacting badly. On the contrary, she saw wonders of greatness through these tribulations and never doubted that what had been revealed to her would be fulfilled to the last letter. She believed this not only privately in her heart but she made public profession of it at the foot of the Cross when fear of persecution had scattered the bravest and the most zealous Disciples and Apostles of the Saviour; and she did everything within her power to bring them back to the fold like poor sheep who had strayed. 

 5   Following the example of the MOTHER OF GOD, her dear children will apply themselves firstly to acquiring a living faith as the Apostle says[1], having clear sighted eyes of Faith. They will take pleasure in meditating on the mysteries of the faith and on immersing themselves as deeply as they can in this divine science, recalling that the Saviour of the world teaches in St John[2] that this is eternal life, namely man’s happiness which begins in this world and which will be brought to perfection in the next. They will also recall how St Paul[3], in consideration of this divine light, had no longer any regard for anything which had an appearance of sweetness, beauty or greatness in this world. They will say along with the Holy Apostles[4] Lord increase our faith, 

especially when faith requires them to take a step forward which needs their understanding to be illuminated by a light which is beyond what is ordinary,

as St John Chrysostom elegantly puts it in his explanation of the title of Psalm 44, where David indicates that it is a Canticle which needs understanding.

Footnotes

[1] That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation, in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your heart enlightened, that you may know what the hope is of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. Eph. i. 17-18.

[2] Now this is eternal life: That they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. John xvii. 3.

[3] I count all things to be but loss for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord: Phil. iii. 8; For many walk . . . whose end is destruction; whose God is their belly; and whose glory is in their shame; who mind earthly things. But our conversation is in heaven : Phil. Iii. 18-20.

[4] Luke xvii. 5.

 6   After this, they will strive with all possible simplicity in everything which concerns the faith but without wishing to understand that which goes beyond the reach of their minds, bowing rather in humility and allowing their own understanding to be brought into captivity[1] in order to honour the triumph of the faith. Let them be ever mindful of what the pious St Bernard[2] wrote :

There is nothing more unreasonable than wanting to attain by means of reason that which surpasses reason; and there is nothing more lacking in faith than the refusal to believe  That which reason cannot of itself attain. 

Let them reflect frequently upon the words of Saint Augustine[3]:

God would not be so exalted over us if He could do nothing that our minds could not conceive. 

Let them appreciate how the only way of understanding the things of faith is to believe them with a perfect submission of their understanding, and that those truly humble and simple of heart discover wonders every day where the great minds of the world see nothing at all. In short, let them realise that they could not offer to God a more pleasing sacrifice than to lead their presumptuously curious judgement to the altar of His sovereign Majesty bound hand and foot like a sacrificial ram as a sin offering for contumacy, in order to render homage through this means to His infallible truth.   

Footnotes

[1] For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty to God unto . . . bringing into captivity every understanding unto the obedience of Christ: II Cor x. 4-5.

[2] Epist. 190.

[3] Lib. II Civit. Dei, c. 7.

 7   Finally, they will aim to base their faith so firmly on Jesus Christ as the unique foundation of right belief that nothing can shake it : not temptations, nor attacks, nor dreadful events, nor adversity, nor persecutions, nor all the efforts of enemies, whether visible or invisible. Let the winds of calumny blow where they will; let the torrents of inner bitterness surge unabated; let the storms of mistrust, darkness and fear threaten to destroy everything : they will for ever hold fast, forasmuch as their house is built upon the rock and upheld by the most certain truth and unquestionable word of Him who cannot err.

© Peter Bloor 2026 

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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.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 11 : § 2.1-2 > § 3.1

Chapter 11 : Imitation – tenth 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. How everyone in general should try to imitate the excellent virtues of the glorious Virgin

 1   If I were to say that all the Saints on high are like so many stars in the firmament who shine upon us with their light, causing us to rejoice at their beauty and providing guidance for us amongst the shadows of this mortal life, then I would only be following St Paul[1] who has already spoken in this way about the virtuous and deserving people who could be found in his day amongst the Philippians. When I go on to add that amongst these resplendent stars Jesus and Mary are like the Sun and the Moon, the two great luminaries of the universe, then this would be nothing new but only what countless Saints have observed before me. If they have said this, then it is with good reason since in fact the Sun and the Moon do not outshine the stars in their brightness and range so much as Jesus and Mary surpass all the other Saints in their excellence, in their admirable virtues and in their far-reaching effects. In the first place, although the Saints give us important advice about always keeping in mind some great idea of perfection, so too is it fitting and beneficial for us, after the divine virtues of Jesus, to have our eyes continually fixed upon those of Mary, because of their eminence.

This is precisely the reason why, says the pious Abbot Rupert[2], the Beloved Virgin– indeed she who is the most beloved of all the Beloved – should be the rule and model for the others.

Concerning this point, however, I shall say no more since when we were discussing her virtues in general in Part I, I explained how she was Queen of the highest virtues and what will be said shortly concerning her particular virtues will demonstrate how they surpass those of everyone else.

Footnotes

[1] among whom you shine as lights in the world / inter quos lucetis sicut luminaria in mundo: Philipp. ii. 15.

[2] Lib. in Cant.

 2   In a general sense I can say firstly that all sorts of people find themselves powerfully attracted to taking the MOTHER OF GOD for their Patronness and the reason is that she is endowed with every sort of heroic virtue.

Do you want to know the difference between the glorious Virgin and the other saints? asks the Angelic Doctor[1], it consists principally in this, that the Saints are normally noteworthy for some particular virtue. One may excel in devotion, another in charity; this one may be famous for his mortification, that one for his meekness; some may be admired for their abstinence, some for their humility, some in this way and some in another; but the MOTHER OF GOD possesses all these virtues to a most high degree, both in terms of their range and the level of each virtue, so much so that it is as if she possesses only one virtue.

Next, I might say that many of the Saints resemble certain stars which may be seen from a particular beach or shine upon a certain province or a particular country. By this I mean that there are some Saints who are known only in Italy, others in France, others in Spain or in Germany, and so on with other countries. The gentle and wondrous influences of the Virgin, however, spread generally and equally over all empires and over all places on the earth; and, as the Church sings, her illustrious life shines its light on all the Churches of the world, without exception. The splendour of her incomparable virtues  penetrates both the hemispheres of our world and there is no spot under heaven where the rays of her holiness have not been felt.  

In the third place I might say that, just as the majority of stars are limited to certain particular effects, in the same way many saints seem to be suited for certain types of persons. In this way God, who has provided His Church most generously with everything she might require, has given us certain Saints to serve as a rule and model for hermits, others to instruct those who live in community; some Saints provide a good model for those who are married, others for virgins or for widows. There are Saints for Princes, for Prelates, for the various Orders in the Church, for members of Religious Orders, for the lay people in Orders, for those present at Court, or for those involved in commerce – in short,  there is no one, even of the lowliest position in our world, for whom some Saint has not shown the way of Virtue and demonstrated by example that saintliness is achievable by people of all ages and conditions.  

With regard to the MOTHER OF GOD, says St Ambrose[2], her life can serve as a mirror for every sort of person. The high and the lowly, novices and masters, men and women, young and old, will find in her something for their benefit; and whoever wants to draw close to her through imitation will find his mind enlightened and his heart set aglow.

This is what I aim to elucidate during the remainder of this Chapter.

Footnotes

[1] Opusc. 8.

[2] Lib. II de Virginibus : Talis fuit Maria, ut ejus vita omnium sit disciplina.

§ 3. On her lively faith and how it should be imitated by all

 1   St Paul calls faith the foundation of things to be hoped for[1] and St Paulinus calls it the nourishment and sustenance of all good deeds[2]. The Holy Virgin’s faith is so perfect that the great Bishop of Ávila went so far as to call her the head of all the faithful[3], notwithstanding that this title belongs principally and most properly to her beloved Son who is the head of all the elect par excellence and, in consequence, of all the faithful. The Holy Virgin, however, has a special right to this prerogative for, as faith had no place in the Saviour’s soul, it was she who took it to its highest point of perfection. Specifically, my understanding is that her faith had three eminent qualities : it was most clear-sighted, simple and constant.

Footnotes

[1] Hebr. xi. 1.

[2] Epist. 4.

[3] Paradox. I, c. 31.

© Peter Bloor 2026 

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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.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 11 : § 1.1-4

Chapter 11 : Imitation – tenth 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)

If you see Imitation is being dealt with now after the other ways of showing gratitude, you should not for that reason think any the less of it. I have deliberately left it until now because it is not so much an individual virtue different from the others but rather a combination of all the virtues, adding only a general motive which is to perform actions so as to make ourselves more like the person being honoured. Apart from this, once you have taken a closer look at imitation, you will find that the Queen of Heaven herself esteemed it highly and practised it more than any other.

§ 1. How Imitation is one of the most pleasing forms of gratitude to the MOTHER OF GOD

 1   To ask why we should imitate the Queen of Angels is in my opinion like asking why we should love her – granted that love is not only love but is also the father of likeness and imitation.

Love, says the Philosopher[1], cannot exist without likeness, to the extent that if it is not founded upon it then it must beget it; and if it is not already found present then it cannot stop itself from producing it.

There is nothing in the world it will not bring down, no pleasure it will not forego, no gain it will not sacrifice in order to render itself like that which it loves; and there is nothing it will not give, nothing it will not do or undertake in order to render that which is loved similar to itself. This is, however, especially true of maternal love, more so than all the other types of love : inasmuch as it lives and feeds on likeness. The strongest love of mothers usually goes to the children who are closest to them. This is the thrust of the wise advice which St Bonaventure[2] gives us when he says : 

Do you want to be welcomed by your dear Mother and win a special place in her affections? Do you want to be treated tenderly by her and never be refused anything you might ask of her, even if this goes so far as to abide happily with her? Learn then that the shortest way of achieving this is to study how to imitate her as much as you can. 

You will be making a big mistake, says Saint Augustine[3], if you imagine you can achieve great things by having recourse to her but without trying to be like her : until you go to the trouble of imitating her humility and her other virtues, you should be aware that nothing has been achieved – forasmuch as the true touchstone of love and devotion is to imitate that which you honour[4]. 

Footnotes

[1] Arist., lib. III Ethic. (Aristotle’s discussion of friendship and likeness is in fact found in Book VIII).

[2] Stimulo divini amoris, c. 7.

[3] Serm. 35 de Sanctis.

[4] Summa devotio imitari quod colimus /The highest devotion is to imitate what we worship.  Vid. S. Bonav., Lib. viginti quinque memorabilium, nº 13.

 2   Even if she did not belong to you in any way, please tell me you would you not have good enough reason to imitate her because she was (as indeed she is) the most excellent model of all the virtues that you could ever choose under God? I do not intend to elaborate on this subject here forasmuch as I have already shown elsewhere[1] how she is the Queen of virtues; but knowing that you can consider her as your Mother, is it not a mark of great consolation that you do not have to look far for something to imitate, that you have exemplars of every virtue within your family, as well as a Mother who is the most accomplished idea of all perfection? This is the joy and privilege of the children of the valiant woman in Proverbs[2], who is a true prefiguration of the MOTHER OF GOD : that all in her household are clothed with double garments. This is not simply a reference to the clothing they had for winter and summer but, as is noted by Cardinal Hugh[3]: 

These are holy habits and qualities which protect them when times are bad, such as strength of will, patience, meekness and humility; and those which are more suited to better times, such as piety, devotion, wisdom and the like.  

Not only have they put on Jesus Christ, as the Apostle recommends[4], but they are also clothed in imitation of their Father and their Mother and are, as St Bonaventure says[5], dressed with Mary, the perfect rule of all purity. The Prophet Isaiah[6], moreover, not only wants us to fix our eyes upon Abraham the father of the faithful, but he is most keen for us always to have before us the image of his chaste wife Sarah, whom we have described elsewhere[7] as one of the figures foreshadowing the glorious Virgin, our Mother. I find it so hard to understand how, coming from such good stock and having the outstanding example of such a Father and Mother ever-present before us, we can nevertheless make such heavy weather of following their lead. With what possible pretext can we hope to cover up our cowardice and laziness, and how can we bear to be reproached by so many beautiful examples they have left for us to follow 

Footnotes

[1] Part I, ch. 10.

[2] Prov. xxxi. 21.

[3] Hugh of St-Cher, a Dominican Cardinal, d. 1263.

[4] But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ : Rom. xiii. 14.

[5] In Psal. 5.

[6] And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root. Isai. xi. 1.

[7] Part I, ch. 3, § 4.

 3   Let us return to the Holy Virgin our dear Mother, since she is the focus of our attention. Are we not actually saying that her qualities are so out of the ordinary that they are altogether inimitable, and that it belongs only to her to be the MOTHER OF GOD, to be Virgin and Mother at one and the same time, and to bring together qualities which are so extremely different from one another?

Yes, we are ; but, asks St Bernard[1], is there nothing else in her that can be imitated? Consider for a moment those times when we find ourselves lacking gentleness in our conversation, humility in our hearts, greatness, courage, and tender-heartedness : can we excuse ourselves on the grounds that her perfections are inimitable by us?

You cannot come near to being like the MOTHER OF GOD, you say? What then will you reply to St Jerome[2], to St Ambrose[3], to Blessed Peter Damian[4] and to the pious Hugh of Saint Victor[5] who strongly maintain that we can?

You have the means of being the MOTHER OF GOD, says the first, but this is in the spirit.  

But do the will of the Father, says the second, and you will be the Mother of the son.

The Holy Virgin conceived the divine Word in her bodily womb, says the third; and we conceive Him in the womb of our soul; she nourished Him with the precious milk of her sacred breasts and we feed Him with the tasty morsels of our holy actions.

My dear brethren, says the fourth, let us make no mistake about this; since if we aim to enjoy the eternal happiness which has been prepared for us, it follows of necessity that we should firstly be Mothers of Jesus Christ; I mean that we should conceive Him, bear Him within us, give birth to Him and finally possess Him as our own. We shall conceive Him through faith, bear Him through our good will, give birth to Him through good works, and finally we shall rejoice in possessing Him in Heaven when He will be entirely ours and we entirely His.

If these qualities which seem so far removed from us are not actually beyond our power, then what will be the case with her exceptional modesty, her perfect humility, her voluntary poverty, her admirable confidence and trust, her perfect charity not only towards God but towards her neighbour, and with all her other virtues which are more humanly accessible, so to speak?  Let us not be in any haste about this, however, since time is needed to consider them in detail and to set our hearts on imitating them.

Footnotes

[1] Serm. in Signum magnum.

[2] Epist. 22 ad Eustoch.

[3] In c. 21 Luc.

[4] Serm. 2 de Nativit. B. Mariæ.

[5] Serm. 18.

 4   Let us say, however, by way of conclusion that we are still obliged to imitate her if only because of the wondrous fruits that will come to us through this imitation. Blessed are they that keep my ways, she says[1]. What more could you want since you will actually experience great happiness in this holy exercise? Take time to listen to her devoted son Bernard and he will reveal to you in what exactly this happiness consists. 

The Holy Virgin, he says[2], knows in a special way those who love her and she draws close to them who entreat her help, especially when they take pains to imitate her chastity and humility; she cherishes in a unique manner those who have placed all their trust in her, after God, and who serve her from the bottom of their hearts. Apart from this, remember that it is no small thing to have won her grace and favour, since : 

• she is all-powerful on earth and in heaven, 
• the life of our souls is in her hands, 
• the eyes of all Christians are fixed upon her and 
• she provides them with the nourishment of grace, as though she – like the sea with its bottomless depths – is the true source of all the virtues.

Who would not wish to run after her with so much to be gained, especially when we hear her calling out to us[3] that he who loves her will follow her, and that he will be filled with her fruits and showered with her blessings? Let us therefore take her at her word and, by means of her favour, let us learn once and for all the way to imitate her.

Footnotes

[1] Prov. viii. 32.

[2] S. Bernard., Super Salve.

[3] Ecclus. xxiv ; Prov. viii.

© Peter Bloor 2026 

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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.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 10 : § 2.3-6

Chapter 10 : Mortification – a ninth 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. Various practices of Mortification

Vigils

 3   A second practice of mortification is to go without sleep for a period in order to focus on prayer and the contemplation of heavenly things. I have described elsewhere[1] how this featured in the city of Constantinople where crowds of Christian people flocked every Wednesday to the Church of the Holy Virgin[2] which was in the Metalworkers’ Market and every Tuesday to Our Lady the Guide (or the Hodegetria[3]) where the Empress Pulcheria was frequently first among those coming for the vigils and other devotions.

The Chronicles of the Grande Chartreuse[4] relate how in the time of Guy, the fifth Prior of this Monastery and the Superior General of the Order, there was a lay brother noted for his simplicity but also for his heavenly wisdom and his singular devotion to serving the MOTHER OF GOD. He would frequently meditate upon her great dignities and qualities whilst others in the monastery were taking their much-needed rest. The sworn enemy of all good could not bear this, however, and interrupted his sleep at various times. On one occasion, he sent a band of demons into his cell during the night disguised as wild boars. They gave every appearance of wanting to devour him there and then but they did not have the courage to go near him. Next a terrible giant made his appearance and, reproaching the others for their cowardice, he threatened to dismember him with an iron hook that he brandished in his hand. The poor man felt all was lost and his only recourse was to seek the help of God and the Mother of goodness, who suddenly came to his rescue. Having put the wretched demons to flight, she took him once more under her protection, told him the service he offered her was most pleasing and, in token of her love, she gave him three pieces of advice worthy of such a teacher, namely : he was to choose the worst portions of meat at meal times, he was to dress in the simplest of clothes and he was to prefer manual work as being most fitting for his vocation.  After following this advice most carefully for the rest of his days, he died in the odour of sanctity.

Footnotes

[1] Part III, ch. 7, § 3.

[2] This would seem to be the Church of Theotokos Chalkoprateia (also known as St. Mary of Chalkoprateia), named from a copper/bronze-workers’ market in the city. 

[3] Hodegetria : “she who shows the way”.

[4] The Grande Chartreuse is the mother house of the Carthusian religious order. It is located in the Chartreuse Mountains, north of the city of Grenoble in France.

Mortifying the flesh with the cilice and other disciplines

 4   A third practice is to mortify the flesh by means of the cilice[1] or other similar disciplines. These have always been highly esteemed by the Saints as being most reliable means for making progress in virtue, taking the view that they were offering themselves to His divine Majesty as so many victims of love.

Footnotes

[1] cilice : haircloth, sack-cloth, originally made from goats’ hair. Cf. I was clothed with haircloth. I humbled my soul with fasting / induebar cilicio; humiliabam in jejunio animam meam : Ps. XXXIV. 13.

Mortification of the passions

 5   Above all this, however, the Holy Virgin prizes most highly the interior mortification of the passions and the disordered motions of the soul. This is a battlefield where honour is truly to be won and where she can derive more glory than from any chastisement of the body. The saintly Bishop of Beauvais relates the following story[1]:

There was once a certain nobleman who was making his way to a tournament due to be held in Normandy. He sought lodgings for the night in the house of a poor man whose misery so blinded him as to hand over to the young man one of his daughters who had taken a vow of virginity. This was in order to obtain money to relieve his poverty. Never was there found a creature in greater distress than this poor girl seeing herself reduced to such an extremity. She spared nothing in her attempts to bring about a change of heart on the part of this man into whose power she had been delivered. Nothing, however, served so much to win him over than her supplications in the name of Mary – which was also her own name – and the fact that it was a Saturday, which is particularly dedicated to the MOTHER OF GOD whom she begged to protect her honour and to give her the means of keeping the promise that she had made to God. Not only did the nobleman respect the justice of her prayer, but he escorted her the following day to a monastery where she had for long sought entry, supplying for the love of the MOTHER OF GOD whose name she had invoked the necessary sum of money required for her dowry as a bride of Christ. The Virgin Mother was not lacking in gratitude for what he did because when he met his death two days later during the tournament, she revealed to one of her faithful servants that he had died in grace and she had obtained for him the remission of his sins out of consideration for what he had done a little while earlier out of love of her.

Footnotes

[1] Vincent. Bellov., lib. VII, c. 102 et 103.

 6   As an aid to practising mortification of the passions, a certain practice has been developed recently which is gentle in the way it works and works well because it is gentle. Here is a summary : each day whenever a temptation presents itself which you are able to resist, regard this victory as a flower you can pick and which will form part of a bouquet of such flowers you will present to the Virgin at the hour of your death, obtaining through the offer of this gift her graces and those of her Son at this all important hour. To help you fulfil the duties involved in this exercise, you should make use of a little notebook with lined pages and which has for its title: A bouquet of flowers I have gathered each day of my life. I picked the first flower [on such and such a day of such and such a month in the year – being the [nth] year of my life. 

At the end of each day before going to bed, you should indicate with a cross any flower you picked during that day, or with two or three crosses if you achieved more than one victory over yourself. If you allow opportunities for overcoming yourself to pass by, then you should indicate this on the page for that day with a zero, meaning none. You should continue this way right to the end. As those who have practised this devotion will attest, it is remarkable how the displeasure that comes from writing zeros operates gently upon the mind so that it becomes attentive to the more important occasions of temptation, providing an opportunity for a victory which is beautiful and pleasing in the eyes of your Holy Mother.

[End of Chapter 10]

© Peter Bloor 2026 

👑   👑   👑

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.