Sermon Xxv Of The Excellence Of The Merits And Of The Privileges Of The Gifts Of The Blessed Virgin Mary
SERMON XXV
OF THE EXCELLENCE OF THE MERITS AND OF THE PRIVILEGES OF THE GIFTS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
MANY daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all. Beloved brethren, be faithful servants of Jesus Christ: and devout lovers of His most holy Mother the Virgin Mary: if you desire to rejoice with them for ever in Heaven. Then shall you be dear to God and His blessed Mother: if you be humble of heart and chaste of body: if in all your manner of life modest, provident, God-fearing and prudent, you give no man occasion of scandal: or of just complaint. It is much for your salvation, for the honour of God, and the praise of the blessed Virgin, that you be devout in prayer; studious in reading, strenuous in toil, quiet in the dormitory: watchful in choir, cheerful in singing, amenable in Chapter, docile in receiving admonition: strict in silence, sober in refreshment, guarded in the eyes: and disciplined in all your ways. If therefore you desire worthily to praise the blessed Virgin, and supremely to venerate her: then be as simple children of God without malice, without guile: without wickedness, without lying; without anger, without quarrelling, without murmur, without suspicion: bearing all that is contrary to you in brotherly love, with humility and patience, for the sake of Jesus and Mary, and of imitating the life of the saints; for the sake of your own peace and the edification of others: and especially for the sake of enjoying the glory of the holy Trinity. For all bitter things become sweet: all burdens are lightened: when the love of Jesus and the memory of His loving Mother penetrate to the interior of the heart. If anyone desires to prove this: let him of them often think, speak, read, sing, and pray.
But that you may realize a little the most excellent worth of the most blessed Virgin Mary: hear a few of the many gifts and privileges, wherewith God has blessed and exalted her above all the holy angels and archangels in Heaven: and above all men on earth. This is the most sacred Virgin and the most dear Mother of God: of whom in holy Church spread throughout the world we sing: “The holy Mother of God is exalted: to the heavenly kingdoms above the angel choirs.” Recall therefore diligently the doings of old of the holy patriarchs: of whose stock sprang the Mother of God Mary as a rose without a thorn amid thorns. For as in former days by many holy men, patriarchs and prophets, by judges and kings, by priests and levites Christ the Son of God was foretold as one Who should be born of a Virgin for the redemption of the world, and suffer on a cross: so by divine ordinance very befittingly and wisely the most blessed and most devout Virgin Mary was foreshadowed and preconized by the holy maidens of that time, by illustrious women, by chaste widows, by devout prophetesses, and by the other religious women living in chastity: and for the protection of their modesty enclosed with their maids from the sight of men in their homes and chambers. She is in truth by the witness of the holy Scriptures the Virgin most prudent of all virgins, of all women the most bashful, of all maids the most beautiful, of all matrons the most venerable, of all ladies the most lovely, of all queens the Queen most noble; in whom all maidenly beauty, all moral virtue, all theological speculation, all loving devotion, all activity of virtue, all perfection of holiness, unite, indwell, and most abundantly shine forth: who has not, nor had, nor is to have, her like before her, or her equal after her. And as of old the material temple of Solomon was adorned above all the temples of the earth, and most widely renowned and most richly endowed, was honoured with magnificence by kings and peoples; so the spiritual temple of God, which is the blessed Virgin Mary, pure from every stain, shines above all the temples of the saints: and therefore should be more fully honoured and loved.
O truly renowned offspring nobly shooting forth from the glorious stock of the patriarchs: magnificently issuing from the priestly race: most worthily descended from the pontifical dignity: most truly foretold of the choir of prophets: most illustriously born of the royal family: most directly sprung from the lineage of David: most splendidly generated from the sublime tribe of Juda: most happily begotten of the people of Israel: singularly forechosen of the chosen people of God: most peacefully coming forth for the light of the world by divine pre-ordinance from parents holy and religious and pleasing to God. O happy and spotless Virgin Mary, most worthy of all praise and honour: to be embraced by all with all love and reverence. O glorious gem of virgins, thou from the beginning and before the ages wast pre-ordained by God, to bring forth the Redeemer of the world in the time decreed: desired by the patriarchs, foretold by the prophets: adopted by many kings and just; long awaited by the most devout people of Israel: and at length openly manifested to a sick world by God in His mercy. O sacred and most illustrious Virgin Mary: how noble and praiseworthy is thy name in the whole earth. For from the rising of the sun even to the going down in divers parts of the world, by Jews and Gentiles, by Greeks and Latins, by Romans and Germans, thy name has been proclaimed through the gospel of Jesus Christ thy Son; and still daily thy noble name is preached in all the churches of God, in chapels and cloisters, in fields and groves dedicated to God, by the little and the great, by priests and doctors, and by the preachers of different Orders: who all in unison desire to praise and expound thee. For even to the stars of Heaven to raise thee, and above the dignity of the angels to praise aloud thy holiness and beauty all the spirits of the just are eager and glad: and for greatness of love and sweetness of devotion singing, praying, meditating and celebrating thy holy solemnities they weary not: according to that word of Wisdom: “They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink me shall yet thirst.” Praise and glory to the most high God: Who has rendered thee, O Mary, the greatest grace above all the daughters of men in the world; and now has set thy seat near the throne of thy Son in the heavenly kingdom, in a place most sublime, above all the choirs of angels and saints, most beautifully prepared for thee from eternity: and most happily to remain to thee for ever.
O supremely venerable Virgin Mary, Mother and Daughter of the eternal King: to be blessed by the mouth of all, to be reverenced with every honour: most white in virginity, most profound in humility, most fervent in charity, most mild in patience, most full in mercy; most devout in prayer, most pure in meditation, most sublime in contemplation: most sweet in compassion, most prudent in counsel, most mighty in aid. Thou art the court of God, the gate of Heaven, the garden of delights, the well-spring of graces; the glory of angels, the joy of men, the pattern of morals, the brightness of virtues, the light of life: the hope of the needy, the health of the sick, the mother of orphans. O Virgin of virgins, all sweet and beautiful: brilliant as a star, red as a rose: shining as a jewel: bright as the sun and the moon in Heaven and on earth. O meek Virgin, innocent as a lamb: simple as a dove; prudent as a noble lady: serving as a humble handmaid. O holy root, lofty cedar: fruitful vine, most sweet fig tree, most wide-spreading palm: in thee are found all good things: and by thee eternal rewards are given us. We should all fly to thee then as children to their mother’s bosom, and as orphans to their father’s home, as long as we live: that by thy glorious merits and prayers we may be defended from all evils.
But now listen to the words of a certain doctor, concerning the twelve stars in the crown of the blessed Virgin: wherewith Our Lady St. Mary is resplendent above all the saints in Heaven. “These twelve stars are the twelve prerogatives of her brightness in reigning: which she has with respect to all other citizens above. For with regard to the Church militant: she has four special most brilliant gifts full of the works of mercy. For beyond all the others she listens more kindly, condescends more humbly; acts with more power, succours with greater frequency: as experience teaches in the difficult affairs of the Church. So also with regard to the Church triumphant: she has these four eminent prerogatives. For above all the others she is set higher in Heaven, she shines with greater brilliancy: she is loved more fervently, she is honoured more fully: as it is meet to think of her glorious merits. Again with respect to the holy Trinity, which beatifies: she has likewise four prerogatives or stars brighter than all constellations. For beyond all the others who contemplate the glory of the eternal Trinity, she beholds the holy Trinity itself more clearly: she is drawn to It more joyously, she contemplates It more intimately; and above all in Heaven she enjoys It more happily: of which things no one should longer doubt.”
But hear further what of those stars saith blessed Bernard, the special lover of the blessed Virgin, the sweet doctor and devout instructor of monks. “On her head,” he says, “a crown of twelve stars. Who shall value these gems? Who shall number the stars: of which the royal crown of Mary is composed? It is beyond man to expound the manner of this crown: to show its formation. We however, in the measure of our littleness, abstaining from the dangerous scrutiny of mysteries: may perchance not unseemingly understand these twelve stars as the twelve prerogatives of stars, wherewith Mary is singularly adorned. For we find in Mary the prerogative of Heaven: the prerogative of the flesh, and the prerogative of the heart. And if this number three be multiplied by four: we have haply twelve stars, wherewith the diadem of our Queen shines above all. For the first brightness flashes upon me in the generation of Mary: the second in the greeting of the angel: the third in the coming upon her of the Holy Ghost: the fourth in the ineffable conception of the Son of God.” I leave it to your diligence to examine each single point more attentively: but for me let it be enough of many words to have quoted to you a few. If anyone wishes to know more fully the mystic sense of the stars: let him read that sermon of blessed Bernard, beginning with the theme: “A sign appeared in the Heaven,” etc.
These things therefore, beloved brethren, for singular reverence and love of the most blessed Virgin Mary often revolve, ruminate with the mouth: and for giving of thanks most joyously sing the hymns and canticles of joy on her feasts and commemoration throughout the year. But especially before the altar of God and in presence of the image of the blessed Virgin bare your heads and bow: humbly bend the knee, as if you saw Mary present in the body speaking with the angel, or holding her Son in her bosom: and then lifting up your eyes with good hope of the salvation for which we look, most lovingly implore the help of mercy from the Mother of mercy, and say: “O most merciful Mother of God Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven, Mistress of the world, joy of the saints, solace of sinners, heed the groans of the contrite, fulfil the desires of the devout: succour the necessities of the weak, comfort the hearts of the distressed: assist the agonizing, protect thy suppliant servants from the harassing of the demons: bring thy lovers with thee to the reward of everlasting blessedness: where with thy most loving Son Jesus Christ thou reignest most happily for ever. Amen.”