The Mirror of the Blessed Virgin Mary : Chapter 18 : The twelve effects and benefits of the fruit of Mary’s womb (Pt 5)

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 18 : The twelve effects and benefits of the fruit of Mary’s womb

Part 5

Ninthly, the blessed fruit of Mary is necessary for the perfection of the spiritual life. Therefore it is well said about the perfect man in the Psalm[1]: 

“He shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall bring forth its fruit in its season; his leaf shall not fall off and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper.” 

What should we understand by the running waters but the streams of grace by which man shall give or bring forth his fruit, the Lord Jesus Christ. Three conditions of a perfect life are here suggested which accompany the person made fruitful by this fruit: 

• it belongs to the perfect not to waste their time, therefore it is well said that it “shall bring forth its fruit in its season;” 
• it is also a sign of perfection not to utter words which are useless, and for this reason it is rightly said that “his leaf shall not fall off;” and
• it is moreover characteristic of the perfect not to neglect those things that are beneficial to the spirit, on account of which it is added that “all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper.” 

Truly all things shall prosper for anyone who shall bear this fruit by charity, for all things will work together unto good for him, as it is written[2]: 

“We know that for those who love God, all things work together unto good.” 

Blessed is the man who shall have borne this fruit so perfectly that he shall not pass his time fruitlessly; that no idle word shall come from his lips, so that he shall be like a tree bearing fruit spiritually as Mary did corporeally, of whom St. Bernard says[3]: 

“O truly the tree of life, which alone was worthy to bear the fruit of salvation!”

Footnotes

[1] Psalm. i. 3.

[2] Rom. viii. 28.

[3] Serm. 2. do Adventu Dom. n. 4.

Tenthly, the blessed fruit of Mary is necessary to increase and multiply members of the universal Church, whence it is written[1]: 

“With the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.” 

The Lord Jesus is rightly said to be the fruit of the womb because He was conceived in the womb; He is rightly said to be the fruit of the mouth, because He is received in the mouth; He is rightly said to be the fruit of the hands, because He is acquired by the hands in good works and is ministered to the faithful by the hands of the priest. Therefore, this fruit is most fully the fruit of Mary: He is truly the fruit of her womb, because He was born in a most singular way from her womb. He is also the fruit of her mouth, because by her mouth He was communicated most sweetly. He is also the fruit of her hands, because by her hands He was most devoutly handled. Of this fruit of her hands, Mary (or the primitive Church according to the Glossa[2]), planted a vineyard, meaning the universal Church which is diffused throughout the world. Oh, how the branches of this vine, that is, the faithful members of the Church, have been multiplied by this fruit, while the rulers of the Church have caused this fruit to be spiritually born in the hearts of the faithful! Hence it is well said in the Psalm[3]: 

“They yielded fruit of birth, and He blessed them, and they were multiplied exceedingly.” 

Because the Church in all ages has increased and multiplied by this fruit, the Virgin producing this fruit is rightly called blessed by all generations. As she herself well says[4]: 

“Behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.” 

St. Bernard explains these words by causing Mary to speak as follows[5]: 

“Behold I see what is to come to pass in me, what fruit shall come forth from me, how great and how many good things will come to pass through me, not for me alone but for all generations.”

Footnotes

[1] Prov. xxxi. 16.

[2] See the Glossa ordinaria, Nicholas of Lyra and St Bede’s commentary.

[3] Psalm. cvi. 37.

[4] Luc. i. 48.

[5] In Cant. B. M. V. (inter opera Bemardi) n. 3.

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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.