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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 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 17 : To whom the fruit of the womb of the Blessed Mary belongs, and to whom it is due
Part 2
Secondly, let us consider how this blessed fruit is that of those who love God and their neighbour, in rejection of envy. Concerning this we can understand the words of the Psalmist[1]:
“Behold the inheritance of the Lord are children: the reward, the fruit of the womb.”
Commenting on this passage, St. Ambrose says[2]:
“The inheritance of the Lord are children who are the reward of the fruit of Him who came forth from Mary’s womb.”
Accordingly, many children are the reward of that only Son who is the fruit of thy blessed womb. But where or when did He merit that reward? Without doubt He merited it in being born, in lying in the manger and in suffering Himself to be circumcised; He merited it in teaching, in doing the works of our salvation and in dying; He merited it, I am saying, in serving us for thirty-three years. Because of this, He most justly claims this reward, saying[3]:
“If it be good in your eyes, bring hither my reward.”
But without doubt it is not only children who are the reward of the Fruit of the womb; but this Fruit of the most holy womb is Himself the reward of every adoptive child. Who then are these children? Listen : It belongs to children to love their father, and to the father to love his children. Those, therefore, are children of God and of the Church who love God and their neighbour. Accordingly, the Apostle says to the Ephesians[4]:
“Be ye imitators of God, as most dear children, and walk in love.”
In St. Matthew it is said[5]:
“Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you, that you may be the children of your Father, who is in Heaven.”
Such children as these, who are lovers of God and of men, are the reward of this blessed Fruit, and the reward of children such as these is this same blessed Fruit. Thus, therefore, is this Fruit that of those who love; and Mary above all men was most worthy of this Fruit because she was the most affectionate in charity. Well, therefore, does St. Augustine say[6]:
“Who can doubt that Mary had been perfused entirely with the love of charity, since that charity which is God rested within her physically for nine months?”
Footnotes
[1] Psalm. cxxvi. 3.
[2] II. in Luc. n. 24.
[3] Zach. xi. 12.
[4] Eph. v. 1-2.
[5] Matt. v. 44.
[6] Potius Bernard., Serm. 1. in Assumt. B. M. V. n. 2.
Thirdly, let us see how this fruit of Mary is that of those who are meek and patient in rejection of anger. It is said in the Book of Job[1]:
“Submit thyself then to him, and be at peace, and thereby thou shalt have the best fruits.”
To submit and to be at peace belongs to the meek and to the patient; and those who are meek and patient shall have the best fruits. The best fruits, however, are two: one is of virtue and the other is of the womb.
The best fruit of virtue is charity, of which the Apostle says[2]:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is, charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, longanimity, mildness, faith, modesty, continency, chastity.”
The fruits which are here enumerated include some, which are indeed good, and others which are in truth better; but the first is best, namely charity, by which all the others, as St. Augustine says[3], are good.
The best fruit of the womb is Christ: for whoever is sanctified in the womb is a good fruit of the womb. Accordingly, the fruit of Elizabeth’s womb is good: John; the fruit of Anne’s womb is even better: Mary; but the Fruit of Mary’s womb is best of all: Jesus. Consider carefully this fruit and the earth from which it came forth, and you will understand that it is the best. Hearken to the words of St. Jerome who says[4]:
“This fruit is a Virgin from a Virgin, the Lord from a handmaid, God from man, the Son from the Mother, fruit from the earth”
How blessed are they who in the demands of every sort of trial have a soul so patient and so recollected that because of this they most justly reap the fruit of patience and the fruit of recollection which St. Paul mentions in the Epistle to the Hebrews[5]:
“Now all chastisement for the present indeed seemeth not to bring with it joy, but sorrow; but afterwards it will yield, to them that are exercised by it, the most peaceable fruit of justice.”
Having had their patience tested, they reap the best fruit, according to St. Luke[6] who says they “bring forth fruit in patience.” Thus is this blessed fruit that of the patient and the meek; accordingly Mary was most worthy of this fruit above all men because she was above all most meek, so that neither in looks, nor in word, nor in deed did she ever show the very slightest sign of impatience, but was most patient, as St. Ambrose says[7]:
“There was nothing harsh in the looks of Mary, nothing importunate in her words and nothing unbecoming in her deeds.”