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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 18 : The twelve effects and benefits of the fruit of Mary’s womb
Part 4
Seventhly, the blessed fruit of Mary is necessary for renunciation or rejection of worldly goods. Therefore, it is said in the Canticle[1]:
“A man bringeth for the fruit thereof a thousand pieces of silver.”
The Interlinear Commentary[2] adds “by leaving all things” and the Gloss says[3],
“a thousand means perfection, and silver means all worldly substance.”
Therefore, he who perfectly renounces all earthly riches for Christ’s sake is like someone who gives a thousand silver pieces for this fruit; and whoever diligently marks how exceedingly precious is this fruit, rightly despises all temporal things for the sake of this fruit, saying what is written in Proverbs[4]:
“For my fruit is better than gold and the precious stone, and my blossoms than choice silver.”
He is truly a man who acts in a manly way like this; and for the sake of this fruit, this man ought manfully to reject not only possessions and riches, but also honours and dignities, saying[5]:
“Can I leave my sweetness, and my delicious fruits, and go to be promoted among the other trees?”
The delicious fruits are Christ and charity. The trees of the forests, says the Gloss, are “those men bearing no fruit who are ready for the eternal fire.” Therefore, for the sake of these most sweet fruits, the man who is manful rejects as most dangerous those honours which elevate him above the trees of the forests; and he manfully rejects all things for the sake of this blessed fruit, which is blessed above all. On this, St Bernard has this to say[6]:
“Uniquely blessed is the fruit of thy womb since He is over all things God, blessed for ever[7].”
Footnotes
[1] Cant. viii. 2.
[2] By Nicholas of Lyra (1270-1349).
[3] Glossa Ordinaria (12th. Century).
[4] Prov. viii. 19.
[5] Judges ix. 11.
[6] Homil. 3. super Misstis est n. 5.
[7] Rom. ix. 5.