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The Annunciation, early 1460s; by Willem Vrelant.The Getty Museum, L.A. |
It is referred to in the French work by Fr François Poiré called The Triple Crown of the Holy Mother of God (1630) which I translated on this blog starting on the 1st of May 2024.
I offer this annotated edition of St Bonaventure’s work as a small gift to our gentle Queen and Mother in gratitude for all her graces and favours, requesting her continued help and protection for the author and his family.
The Latin text and references are based upon Speculum Beatae Mariae Virginis (1904). The English text is based upon that attributed to Sr Mary Emmanuel O.S.B. (published by Herder in 1932). Amazon's various editions ackowledge that this text is in the Public Domain worldwide, attributing it to the text of a Dublin edition (author unknown) published in 1849.
Chapter 11 : Mary for her own sake and for ours is most fittingly compared to the light of dawn
Part 5
Thirdly, note that Mary, our dawn, is for us a defender against the devils, as signified in Job[1], where it is said of the murderer, the thief, and the adulterer:
“He diggeth through houses in the dark, as in the day they had appointed for themselves, and they have not known the light. If the morning suddenly appear, it is to them the shadow of death.”
The murderer is a devil, the thief is a devil and the adulterer is a devil. The murderer, because he takes human life; the thief, because, whatever good thing he can steal from us, he does; and the adulterer, because he corrupts the soul, which is the spouse of God. Alas, what evil these malign foes do unto us, what evil these wicked spirits do to us! In the darkness of ignorance and obscurity, they dig into the interior mansions of our minds, those houses indeed, of which it is said in the Psalm[2]:
“In her houses shall God be known.”
By their piercing temptations, they dig into souls – those houses in which He joyfully dwells who said[3]:
“This day I must abide in thy house.”
Having penetrated these houses and having dug deeply into the minds of men through their unhappy consent to sin, alas, how great are the evils wrought in souls by these wicked ones through murder, theft, and adultery! So that we may evade such perils, let the dawn come, let Mary come unto our aid! For if the morning shall suddenly appear, if Mary quickly comes to our aid and if her grace and mercy supervene, it is for these wicked ones the shadow of death. They will be filled with fear and trembling, taking flight like men who fear the shadow of death. For this reason St. Bernard rightly saith:
“No army fears an immense host of armed soldiers as much as the powers of the air fear the very name of Mary and her holy example; they flee as wax melteth before the fire[4], wherever they find the frequent invocation of this holy name, its remembrance and imitation.”
Footnotes
[1] Job xxiv. 16-17.
[2] Psalm. xlvii. 4.
[3] Luc. xix. 5.
[4] Psalm. lxvii. 3.
Fourthly, note that Mary, our dawn, is for us our illuminatrix, helping us to do good. From the coming of the dawn, labourers begin to work. Hence it is written[1]:
“And let us do the work: and let one half of us hold our spears from the rising of the morning, till the stars appear.”
Two things are needful to us, namely, that we be earnest in our good works and that we resist vices. Rightly do labourers say: “Let us do the work.” What work is this, but that of which the Apostle says[2]:
“Therefore, whilst we have time, let us work good to all men, but especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”
Well do they say: Let us do the work, not others on our behalf. The Apostle also says[3]:
“In all things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God.”
Note how Mary did not commission a nurse or a replacement, but showed herself the handmaid of the Lord, as St. Augustine testifies[4]:
“Mary was certainly His handmaid who bore Him in her womb; and when He was brought forth, she nourished and nursed Him, and laid Him in the manger; she hid Him in Egypt to protect Him from Herod; and during the whole of His infancy served Him as a loving Mother, and she followed Him unwaveringly to His death of the Cross, never leaving Him. Not only did she follow Him by her footsteps, out of love for her Son, but also in the imitation of His life, out of reverence for our Lord.”
Footnotes
[1] 2 Esdras (Nehemiah) iv. 21.
[2] Gal. vi. 10.
[3] 2 Cor. vi. 4.
[4] Potius auctor lib. de Assumt. B. M. V. (inter opera August.) c. 7.
It is needful for us not only to be instant in good works, but also to resist vices; and therefore well do they add that the spears should be held[1]; for we should hold the spear of zeal against the attacks of vice and against the assaults of the devil, the flesh, and the world. Of these weapons it is well said in Jeremias[2]:
“Furbish the spears, put on the coats of mail.”
By the coat of mail of justice we are protected, but with the spear of zeal we attack evil. If thou dost not launch the spear of zeal against evil in this world, God will use the spear of His zeal against thee on judgment day. Therefore it is written[3]:
“He will sharpen His dire wrath as a spear.”
Oh, what a warrior Queen was Mary, with the spear of her holy zeal! Hence St. Bernard says to her:
“Thou art an outstanding warrior, who first courageously attacked him who first brought down Eve.”
In order, therefore, that we may faithfully persist in good works and manfully resist evil, it is necessary for us to look to Mary’s example and implore Mary’s intercession. From the rising of the morning, as it were, we work and we are incited to good through being enlightened by Mary’s example and life, being illuminated by her patronage and mercy. We ought to work well till the stars appear, meaning until our souls, having become radiant like stars, go forth from our bodies and fly up to the stars. But far above all the stars that have already gone up or have yet to go up to the stars, the most splendid is Mary who is like our dawn and our morning light, as St. Bernard testifies, saying[4]:
“Shining gloriously in the heavens with virginal purity among the thousands of stars that attend upon God, thou art the most expressive image of the true Sun.”
Thus, dearly beloved, you see how fittingly Mary is called the light of dawn.
The Lord is with thee, O Mary, as the sun is with the dawn. Come then, O dearest Lady and sweetest light of dawn; come then O dearest Mary, our Lady most gentle, and help to make this Sun, who is thy Son and our Lord, come to us and be with us for ever and ever. Amen.