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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 4
Sixthly, let us consider how the fruit of Mary belongs to those who are temperate, in rejection of gluttony; and on this point we must note what is written in Proverbs[1]:
“Of the fruit of his own mouth shall a man be filled with good things.”
The fruit of Mary can be said to be the fruit of the mouth not only because it is acquired by prayer and teaching from the mouth, but also by abstinence in food and drink. Anyone who abstains from good things physically for the sake of this fruit shall be filled with good things spiritually. Anyone who hungers and thirsts physically shall be satisfied with the good things of this fruit, but even more so he who hungers and thirsts spiritually. Therefore St. Bernard says[2]:
“This is a good fruit, which is meat and drink to the souls who hunger and thirst after justice[3].”
Blessed are they who thirst for this fruit in the world, because they shall be satisfied with it in Heaven, according to the words of our Saviour[4]:
“Blessed are ye that hunger now: for you shall be filled.”
Here will be blessed those who abstain for the sake of this fruit, there will they be blessed in eating of this fruit. Wherefore Isaias says[5]:
“Say to the just man that it is well, for he shall eat of the fruits of his doings.”
This blessed fruit, then, is of those who are temperate, rejecting gluttony; and therefore Mary above all human beings was most worthy of this fruit, for she was above all the most temperate in rejection of gluttony. Most fittingly, therefore, does St. John Chrysostom say[6]:
“Mary was never a great one for food nor given to wine; she was not capricious, nor frivolous, nor a loud talker, nor a lover of scandalous gossip.”
Such things tend to follow upon intemperance.
Footnotes
[1] Prov. xiii. 2.
[2] Homil. 3. super Missus est n. 6.
[3] Matt. v. 6.
[4] Luc. vi.21.
[5] Isaia. iii. 10.
[6] Loco pag. 64, nota 4. cit.
Seventhly, let us consider how the fruit of Mary’s womb belongs to the chaste and continent in their rejection of lust; for of this it is written[1]:
“Happy is the barren; and the undefiled, that hath not known bed in sin, she shall have fruit in the visitation of holy souls;”
In the visitation, I am saying, through grace but even more so in the visitation through glory; and truly the fruit of the most chaste womb, of the virginal womb, is rightly the special fruit of those who are chaste. When, therefore, by the blessed fruit of the Virgin all the faithful in general are blessed, rightly are the chaste specially Blessed by Him, by whom the blessed Queen of the chaste is also specially blessed above all, as St. Bernard says[2]:
“Truly blessed is the fruit of thy womb, in whom all nations are blessed: of whose fullness thou, too, hast received with the rest, but also differently from the rest.”
Woe to the lustful who have no part in the virginal fruit; and woe to the wretched who have no branch which can bear a virginal fruit. Therefore it is said of the adulterous woman[3]:
“Her branches shall bring forth no fruit.”
Accordingly, this blessed fruit belongs to the chaste in their rejection of lust; and therefore Mary was above all worthy of this fruit because she was before all others most chaste, as St. Chrysostom well says[4]:
“O ineffable praise of Mary! Joseph trusted more to her chastity than to her womb, and more to grace than to nature; he believed it was more possible for a woman to conceive without a man, than for Mary to sin.”
O Mary most blessed art thou who, as the most virtuous one, wast truly most worthy of the divine fruit: help us, that by our virtues we may be worthy to attain this fruit, Our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son. Amen.