Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 11 : § 14.6-7

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)

§ 14. How she should be imitated by all those seeking to die well

Having recourse in good time to the final weapons available to a Christian ; establishing friendships with good and virtuous people during your life; leaving a pious memorial for children, friends, etc 

 6   God granted the Holy Virgin the favour of having the Apostles present at her death, not only so that she might receive their assistance and the weapons which her Son bequeathed to all Christians but to bid them a final farewell and to give them some words of advice. I can discern three exceptional lessons in this that the Mother of love is giving to all her dear children. The first is to put on the armour of salvation in good time and to request the help of the Holy Sacraments, not only to avoid being taken by surprise but also to make their subsequent actions more meritorious. They will also be given strength to repel their enemies and to bear with the afflictions of any illness, having by their side Him who overcame death and the devil, vanquishing all of our foes. 

The second lesson is for people to establish friendships during life with good and virtuous people who can offer them assistance in their final hours of need. By virtue of their friendship and their charity, these friends will feel able to visit without being asked in order to offer their services. The presence of such people also thwarts the efforts of the invisible spirits and helps to calm the anxieties of others in the house. Their words can awaken dormant senses and their prayers can obtain from God the strength necessary for the soul in this extremity. 

The third lesson is to do and to say something which can serve as a memorial for those who will live after them. The last words of the dying are like flaming arrows which can pierce and set people’s hearts on fire, frequently bringing about notable changes in their hearts and lives.

Invoking God’s help in preparing for death

 7   Having put everything in order, the MOTHER OF GOD then made diligent use of the time remaining to her. She had most gentle and loving colloquies with her beloved Son who had come down from Heaven to receive the soul of His most dear Mother ; and she made various acts of Faith, Hope, Charity and Religion in such a way as to enrapture the hearts of those present, filling them with a holy desire to follow her. 

These same acts are like the beating wings of the Christian soul preparing to take flight towards the heavens. At the same time, the soul must not forget heartfelt forgiveness for any injuries received, humble reparation for injuries done to others, tears and contrition for sins committed, the importance of embracing the Cross and having recourse to the precious blood of Jesus Christ, a firm trust in His Holy Mother, fervent invocation of those Saints to whom the soul has a particular devotion, especially to his Guardian Angel – in fact everything that might help him to show his detestation of sins against God and to unite him to his sovereign good. 

I have always been very grateful for the example of those who, taking particular pains in a matter of such importance, write down a spiritual testament well in advance, recording everything they want to do and say; things such as those considerations which are most able to move them, perhaps in the form of short verses and little prayers taken from Sacred Scripture and the writings of the Holy Fathers, or perhaps even ones they have made up themselves – and especially those which are most familiar to them, forasmuch as nothing has so great a power over people’s souls than those feelings which are most familiar and dear to them. 

I value even more the praiseworthy example of others who take whatever time is needed, perhaps a whole year, to prepare themselves to die and to perform all the aforementioned acts just as if they were about to depart this life, begging God in His infinite mercy to accept them when the hour of their death comes as their last and inviolable will and testament. This is to cater especially for the possibility they might die suddenly without having had enough time to complete their preparations. 

May God grant us the grace to die the death of the just, to surrender our soul into His arms and those of His Holy Mother and to bring our life to such a happy conclusion that the most holy Trinity may be glorified at its ending just as much as in its beginning and its course.

[End of Chapter 11]

© 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.