The Mirror of the Blessed Virgin Mary : Chapter 16 : Blessed is the fruit of thy womb (Pt 4)

The Annunciation, early 1460s; by

Willem Vrelant.The Getty Museum, L.A.

The following posts contain the text of a work by St Bonaventure (1221-1274) known as Speculum Beatæ Mariæ Virginis : The Mirror of the Blessed Virgin. 

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 acknowledge that this text is in the Public Domain worldwide, attributing it to the text of a Dublin edition (author unknown) published in 1849.

Chapter 16 : Blessed is the fruit of thy womb

Who and what was the fruit of the womb of blessed Mary.

Part 4

Fourthly, consider how the fruit of the virginal womb is most abundant. It is, in fact, so abundant that it can fully restore the soul; it is so abundant that it can suffice for all; and it is so abundant that it can never fail. In the first case, it is abundant; in the second, it is even more abundant; and in the third it is most abundant of all. I am saying that this blessed Fruit is so abundant that it can fill to overflowing the rational soul, which neither the whole world nor all its creatures can satisfy. Therefore it is written[1]: 

“The earth shall be filled with the fruit of thy works.” 

The fruit of Mary’s womb is the fruit of thy works, O Lord, the fruit of Thy works indeed, not that of human beings nor of mortals, but of Thine. Thine, O Lord, is the work of preparing so great a Virgin; Thine is the work of Gabriel’s mission; Thine is the work of the Holy Ghost’s coming upon Mary; and Thine is the work of the union of the Word with Flesh. Of such works of Thine, O Lord, is this the fruit because this fruit proceeded from such works as fruit comes from flowers. Therefore it was fitting for these flowers to appear in Nazareth, which may be interpreted as meaning “flower.”[2] St. Bernard says: 

“It is announced that Christ will be born in Nazareth, because it is hoped the fruit will come forth from the flower.” 

The earth which is filled with this fruit is human nature, which, like the earth, is ever ready to germinate either beneficial or harmful plants, that is, thoughts and desires. This earth, I am saying, is filled with the fruit of Mary, as is written[3]: 

“I shall be satisfied when thy glory shall appear.” 

What wonder if those enjoying this fruit are satisfied in glory, when even the simple believers are satisfied with the fruit in their misery here below! Therefore Cassiodorus cries out[4]: 

“Oh, how wondrous is that Fruit which has satisfied the humans in their most sweet belief! Whence it follows that not to taste of it is to sin.” 

See, therefore, how abundant this Fruit is, which can satisfy the soul in a way the whole world cannot.

Footnotes

[1] Psalm. ciii. 13.

[2] Hieron., de Nom. Hebr. (Matth.).

[3] Psalm. xvi. 15.

[4] Exposit. m Psalm. 1, 4.

Again, this blessed Fruit, is not only so abundant that it can fully restore the ever needful soul, but it is also so abundant that it can fully restore all souls in need. This is the fruit of that glorious tree of which it is said[1]: “its fruit exceeding much: and in it was food for all,” certainly for all those who live in the Lord, as well as those who rest and those who rise again, as beautifully signified in Leviticus, where it says[2]: 

“I will give you my blessing the sixth year, and it will bring forth the fruit of three years.” 

The sixth year signifies the sixth age, the seventh the seventh age, and the eighth the eighth. This sixth year is the year of fullness, according to the Apostle[3]: 

“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman.” 

This year, therefore, brought forth the Fruit which was the Son of God. This is a Fruit so abundant that by it we have all the fruit needed for our souls: in the sixth year, for the living; in the seventh year, for the dead; and in the eighth year, for those rising again. He, therefore, is the Fruit meeting the needs of all souls, because He is the Lord who is sufficient for the needs of all creatures. This indeed is the Fruit of Mary’s womb, as St. Augustine testifies, saying[4]: 

“This Virgin was filled by a singular, prevenient grace so that she might have as the very fruit of her womb Him whom all things had as their Lord from the beginning.” 

Footnotes

[1] Ecclesiasticus i. 22.

[2] Eph. ii. 14.

[3] Isai. xi. 3.

[4] Acts, iv. 12.

Again, this blessed Fruit is not only abundant in this that it can fill to repletion all souls who are to be restored; it is not only more abundant in that it can satisfy all the souls who need to be restored; but it is also most abundant in that it can never fail in satisfying souls and Angels, as it is written in Ezechiel[1]: His “fruit shall not fail.” O infinite abundance! O abundance which knows no deficiency! The abundance of this Fruit can never fail in eternity, for it is most abundantly blessed through all eternity. St. Bernard has this to say[2]: 

“Blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, who art blessed forever.” 

This blessed fruit is abundant because it restores, giving complete satisfaction; it is even more abundant, because it suffices to the whole multitude of those who are to be fed upon it; and it is most abundant because it never fails those who feed upon it, nor ever will for all eternity. 

Footnotes

[1] Ezech. xlvii. 12.

[2] Homil. 8. super Missus eat n. 7.

Those who have been reading or listening to these words have discovered how supremely highborn, how supremely delightful and how supremely abundant is the blessed Fruit of the Mary’s womb. You have seen how highborn because from a regal womb, how even more highborn because from a virginal womb and how most highborn because of the Paternal womb. You have seen how the Fruit is delightful in fragrance, how more delightful in beauty, and how most delightful of all in savour. You have seen too how powerful it is in healing, how even more powerful in multiplying, and how most powerful of all in preserving. You see, moreover, how it is abundant in the power to satisfy, more abundant in its universality, most abundant in its perpetuity. These twelve qualities of this Fruit may be signified by those twelve fruits mentioned in the Apocalypse[1], where it is written that the Angel showed John the tree of life bearing twelve fruits. Because this Fruit – the Fruit of life, the tree of life – is produced for the life of all men, therefore it is right and fitting that all men should praise the Maker of this Fruit in the words of the Psalm[2]: 

“Let the people, O God, confess to thee: let all the people give praise to thee: The earth hath yielded her fruit.”

Dear blessed Mother of this blessed Fruit, grant that we may enjoy this fruit forever, through the same Fruit, Jesus Christ Our Lord, thy Son. Amen. 

Footnotes

[1] Prov. xi. 30.

[2] Gen. ii. 9.

[End of Chapter 16]

+       +        +

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. 30-31.30-31.