Chapter 12 : Association – eleventh 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).
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| Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020) |
The closer a river comes to the sea, the more its current is swollen by waters from streams and tributaries flowing into it. In the same way, the closer we draw to the end, the more our acts of gratitude are reinforced by others. Association, which is the subject of this Chapter, provides convincing proof of this.
§ 1. How Association is a form of gratitude most pleasing to the MOTHER OF GOD
1 No one can be in any doubt about this who considers the glory that God derives from it and the way in which the Church greatly profits from it, both in a general and in a particular sense. In my opinion, no one has described the advantages of this better than the Royal Prophet in his Psalm CXXXII, where he says[1] that it is greatly pleasing to see several brothers joined together in association by the sacred bond of charity, having all one heart, one design and one intention : to dedicate themselves to the service of God. He goes on to proclaim how sweet and how rewarding this life of holy association is, and makes two beautiful comparisons.
Footnotes
[1] Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell in unity: Ps. CXXXII 1.
2 The first is with one of the most pleasant and fertile mountains in Palestine and the gentle influences that descend upon it from the heavens. Such a company or congregation, he says[1], may be likened with justice unto the dew which, flowing from Mount Hermon, renders fertile all the land roundabout, or that which drops down on Mount Zion, enriching the nearby valleys.
It must be noted, says the learned Bishop of Christopolis[2], that there are two Mt Hermons : the first, which is separated from Mount Lebanon by a small valley, is situated between the land of the tribe of Nephthali and the territory of Damascus. It serves as a defensive rampart for Palestine on the northern side and is the source of the Abana and the Pharphar, two famous rivers of Damascus. On the opposite side is the silvery spring which is known as the Phiala and is the source of the river Jordan. The second Mt Hermon is in Galilee where St John used to baptise and which David calls little Hermon[3]. Both enjoy a most favourable situation and they are both rich in plants, pastures, trees and all manner of fruit, just like the beautiful Mount Sion whose greenery delights the eyes of all who see it. They are both rendered fertile by the abundance of dew falling from heaven and which also benefits the neighbouring valleys, to the joy of those who farm there.
Are you not already able to see the remarkable points of similarity here? Just as all these mountains adjoining one another share the same dew, so too those people who are in one Congregation share the same graces which drop down from heaven like dew; and just as all these mountains are not equal in size but there are some whose summit is higher than others, so too in every Congregation there is inequality and there are always certain souls which have achieved greater heights than others. But just as the smallest, says David, benefit from the dew falling on the highest, and even the least of the valleys can also benefit, so too the less perfect Congregations are able to take advantage of the wisdom and good example of those which are more advanced.
This is particularly well expressed in Ecclesiastes[4] in a threefold manner : If one fall he shall be supported by another who is stronger; and if two lie together, they shall warm one another; and if a man prevail against one, two shall withstand him; accordingly, woe to him that is alone, for when he falleth, he hath none to lift him up.
Footnotes
[1] As the dew of Hermon, which descendeth upon mount Sion : Ps. CXXXII 3.
[2] Jacobus de Valentia, ibi. [Bishop Jaime Pérez de Valencia, O.S.A. (1408-1490), titular Bishop of Chrstopolis] .
[3] Hermoniim . . . the little hill : Ps. XLI 7.
[4] Ecclesiastes iv. 9 et seq.
3 How true this proves to be in the case of Congregations and Confraternities instituted in a holy manner and maintained with care, where it is simply not possible to describe the benefits which members derive from the encounters and conversations coming from their association with each other. How many are there who after very dangerous lapses have not found themselves helped back onto the path of virtue by the help and skill of someone with whom they had formed a spiritual friendship? How many persons with a bad conscience have found themselves entirely changed by associating with others after forming a holy friendship with them? Tell me if you can think of a more wicked case than that of Saul who had gone to Ramatha with the aim of seizing David and putting him to the sword? Were there ever servants more determined to do evil than those whom he sent one after another to seize him and bring him back bound head and foot? No sooner, however, had they arrived at the place where the Prophets had gathered along with Samuel and David than they forgot themselves and the reason for their journey and spent the whole day and night singing praises to God; for the Lord of our hearts wished in this manner to make known to everyone how much it serves those who are lacking in virtue to find themselves in the company of those who are better than they are. How many times has it happened to people who have a cold and stony heart, without any feeling of devotion or any desire to do good, that nevertheless they suddenly become fired with a desire to receive the Sacraments, to study prayer and to perform works of charity motivated just by the example and company of others?
It is no simple matter, says St Gregory[1], to explain in a few words the impact upon us of good examples shown to us by our brothers. The life of virtuous men and women is a living lesson we always have before us and their company is a source of strength and inspiration to help us accomplish all our holy intentions.
How many people are there whose prayers would never have had any effect if they had not been borne up to heaven along with those of others which God could not turn down? How many are there who would never have been able to resist the assaults of the enemy but would have been overcome and cast down by the least of his temptations were they not to have been strengthened by the help and support of others more skilled and more battle-hardened than themselves?
What an advantage it is, declares the devout St Bernard[2], for the weak to be in the company of others, especially those who understand the tricks of spiritual warfare! For a group of men or women gathered together is no less formidable in the eyes of the demons than the serried ranks of a company of determined soldiers is to a fearful enemy.
I would go further, adds the great Pope St Leo, and say that even were you to be well-trained and practised in the military arts, you would be advised always to join the ranks of a company under the command of a wise and experienced captain rather than to confront the enemy alone. When you do battle as part of a group you do so with more confidence and with less danger than when on your own; you will fight with much less fear if you are not only protected by your own shield but also protected by those of your comrades around you;
This is especially true in the last battle which is waged when we depart from this life for then the invisible powers of the air attack us with all their might, for now the time has come to win or to lose all; and how many souls could be found who would have suffered the worst if they had not received help and reinforcement by those with whom they had lived spiritually?
If this needs to be made even clearer:
How many souls are there who would never escape divine justice, asks the devout Diego Eguia (who was Confessor to our Father St Ignatius), if they had not been presented along with others in whose company they were allowed to slip through; just as often happens when a large payment is made and the recipient does not pay so much attention to one particular coin which would otherwise have been weighed more carefully if presented alone?
Footnotes
[1] Lib. XXIV Moral., c. 6.
[2] Serm. 6 de Circumcis.
© Peter Bloor 2026
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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.
The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.
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.
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