CHAPTER VII THE NINE PLENITUDES IN MARY, WHICH REPRESENT THE NINE CHOIRS OF THE ANGELS IN GLORY 

Ave, gratia plena. It was not enough for the Arch angel simply to commend the grace of Mary; he wished also to insist emphatically on its fullness, when he said: "Gratia plena." O truly full, and fully full! Gabriel had not yet said: "Behold, thou shalt conceive in the womb." He had not yet said: "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee." If, therefore, before the coming upon her of the Holy Ghost, before the conception of the Son of God, Mary was full (of grace), how much more so afterwards? Therefore Anselm aptly says of her fullness and of the fullness of her gratitude: "She, being already a thousand times full (of grace), was saluted by the Angel, filled with the Holy Ghost, breathed upon by the divine plenitude." Well, therefore, is Mary said to be full of the illumination of wisdom, of the outpouring of grace, of the riches of a good life, of the unction of mercy, of the fecundity of a pious offspring, of the perfection of the Church, of the redolence of fair fame, of the resplendence of divine glory, of the joy of eternal gladness. Let us consider these nine plenitudes in Mary, which represent the nine plenitudes of the angelic orders in glory. 

First let us consider that Mary is full of the illumination of wisdom and understanding. She may aptly be symbolized by that which is said in the Book of Proverbs: "My husband is not at home, he is gone on a very long journey. He took with him a bag of money: he will return home the day of the full moon" (VII, 19 f.) This is that Man of whom Jeremias saith: "The Lord hath created a new thing upon the earth, a woman shall encompass a man" (XXXI, 32.) The woman is Mary--a woman indeed in sex, not in corruption; a mother of virtue, who encompassed Our Lord in her womb, clothed Him with our nature. This Man--if indeed, as Josephus saith, it be lawful to call Him a man-- has three houses. It belongs to imperial majesty to have three mansions in the palace, namely, a reception-room, a supper- room, and a bedchamber. The reception-room is the place for conversation and discussions; the supper-room, for food; the bedchamber, for rest. So our Emperor, who rules the winds and the sea, has His reception-room, which is the world; He has His refreshment-room, which now is the Church, and was of old, the Synagogue; He has His place of rest, namely, the rational soul of man. But alas! this Man, the Lord of hosts, had been very far distant from His house of the world, His house of the synagogue, His house of the soul, for "far from sinners is salvation" (Ps. CXVIII, 155.) This Man was not in His house when Jeremias complained: "I have forsaken my house, I have left my inheritance" (Jer. XII, 7.) He took the bag of money with him when He hid the treasure of His mercies and His grace from the world. But lo! this Man came back on the day of the full moon--of that moon, I say, of which it is said in the Canticle of Canticles: "Fair as the moon." This moon, therefore, is Mary. The full moon is Mary full of grace. Well is Mary compared to the moon, because by the Eternal Sun she is fully illuminated with the light of wisdom and truth. Therefore, the name Mary is well interpreted illuminatrix or illuminated. For she, who is our moon and our lamp, was illuminated by the Lord, and she was the illuminatrix of the world, according to that prophetic word: "For thou lightest my lamp" (Ps. XVII.) 

In the fullness of this moon, the Man came back to his house, when Christ came into this world in the flesh. O truly wonderful fullness of this moon! Behold, if Mary was full of the light of wisdom, which she received from the Eternal Sun, before she conceived Him; how much more full was she, when she so wonderfully conceived this Sun, and so entirely received Him within herself ! Well, therefore, saith St. Bernard, when commending the fullness of the wisdom of Mary: "Heavenly wisdom built for Himself a house in Mary: for He so filled her mind that from the very fullness of her mind her flesh became fecund, and the Virgin by a singular grace brought forth that same Wisdom, covered with a garb of flesh, whom she had first conceived in her pure mind." 

Secondly, let us consider that Mary is full of the outpouring of grace in her affections. For such was the inundation of grace, so great was its depth and magnitude in Mary, that she could well be called a full sea according to that word: "Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof" (I Par. XVI, 32.) As in the sea there is a gathering together of waters, so in Mary is a gathering together of graces. Therefore it is written: "The gathering together of the waters was called (Vulg. "he called") seas" (Gen. I, 10.) It is also said in Ecclesiastes: "All the rivers run into the sea" (I, 7.) All the rivers are the gifts of the graces, which entered into Mary, according to that word of Wisdom: "In me is all grace of the way and of the truth" (Ecclus. XXIV, 25.) How full is this sea, how full of grace is Mary, St. Jerome declares, saying: "Truly full, because on others it is only bestowed in part, but on Mary the whole plenitude of grace was outpoured at once." This sea, therefore, being full, let us hear it roar against vices. Let the sea roar, therefore, and the fullness thereof, let the full sea, let the full Mary, roar. Let it roar against luxury, preach chastity, and say: "How shall this be done, for I know not man?" Let it also roar against pride, by humility, saying: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord." Let it roar against ingratitude, giving thanks and saying: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord.... My soul doth magnify the Lord." Of the fullness of this sea it is likewise said in the Psalm: "Let the sea be moved, and the fullness thereof." Let the sea be moved, let Mary be moved, let her be moved by our sighs and mortifications, let her be moved by our tears and prayers, let her be moved by our alms and our other acts of veneration. Let her be moved fully, I say, that she may pour out on us of her fullness. Let us note what St. Bernard says in speaking of her: "If a vessel full of liquid is moved, it is easily spilt, and lets drop its contents. So the Blessed Virgin Mary, if she is moved by our prayers, pours forth graces upon us." 

Thirdly, let us consider that Mary is in very truth full of the riches of a good life. Of this plenitude we can truly say: "The earth is the Lord's." By the earth is signified Mary, of whom we read in Isaias: "Let the earth be opened, and bud forth a savior!" What more lowly than the earth ? What more useful ? We all tread the earth under our feet, and draw from it the nourishment of our life. Whence have we food and clothing, bread and wine, wool and thread, flax. and all the necessaries of life except from the earth, and from the fullness of the earth? What, therefore, is more lowly, what more useful than the earth? In like manner, what is more humble, what more useful than Mary? She by her humility is the very least of all; by her fullness of grace, the most useful of all. For we have all that is needful for our spiritual life through Mary. Well therefore doth St. Bernard say: "Let us look more deeply and see with how great a depth of devotion He wishes Mary to be honored by us who hath placed the fullness of all good in Mary, so that if we have any ground for hope, or for salvation, we should know that it is from her it springs." ("Serm. de Aquaeductu.") Hear now the Psalmist: "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof." The fullness of the earth consists in fruits and divers riches, according to the Psalmist: "The earth is filled with Thy riches." The fruits and the riches of this most full earth, Mary, are the works, the examples, and the divers merits of the most holy life of Mary. The Lord filled her with such riches and with so great gifts that it is said: "The Lord looked upon the earth, and filled it with his goods" (Ecclus. XVI, 30. ) St. Jerome, speaking of this fullness, says: "It was fitting that the Virgin should be pledged with such gifts, that she should be full of grace, she who gave glory to the heavens, God to the earth, who restored peace, who gave faith to the nations, put an end to vices, brought back order to life, and discipline to manners." 

Fourthly, let us consider that Mary is full of the unction of mercy and of the oil of piety. Therefore she may be signified by that woman who, having closed the door of her house and gathered together within all her vessels, they were miraculously filled with oil, according to what Eliseus had prophesied to her, saying: "Thou shalt take them away, when they are full" (Kings IV, 4. ) This woman is Mary, who was called "woman" by her Son in the Gospel of St. John, where we read: "Woman, behold thy Son." The vessels of this woman are her affections and her deeds, her desires and her benefits, which in Mary are all full of the oil of mercy. Well, therefore, doth St. Bernard say of this oil: "No wonder, Lady, if the sanctuary is so copiously anointed with the oil of the mercy of thy heart, when that inestimable work of mercy, which God had predestined from all eternity in our redemption, was first of all effected in thee by the Maker of the world. Let us, therefore, say to Mary: 'Give us of your oil.' Let us beg for the oil of her mercy in this world, lest we should ask in vain at the judgment." That the house in which the vessels were filled should also have been closed, is admirably suited to Mary, of whose spiritual enclosure Ezechiel says: "This gate shall be closed, and it shall not be opened, and no man shall pass through it; for the Lord God of Israel has entered through it" (XLIV, 2.) The gate of Mary was closed by the lock of virginity; no man had passed through it by way of conjugal embrace; the Lord God came forth through her by a singular manner of birth. But certainly, because for the multiplication of the oil, vessels not a few were collected from the neighbors; therefore by these vessels may be signified all those who have been partakers of the mercies of Mary. Who these are, St. Bernard declares when he says: "Mary has opened the bosom of her mercy to all, that all may receive of her fullness: the captive, redemption; the sick, healing; the sad, consolation; the sinner, pardon; the just, grace; the angel, joy; in fine, the whole Trinity, glory; the person of the Son, the substance of human flesh." 

Fifthly, let us consider that Mary is full of the fecundity of the divine offspring. Of this plenitude we may understand that word of Isaias: "I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and elevated, and the earth was full of His majesty" (Is. VI, 1.) That house on the throne of which God sits is the Blessed Virgin, on the throne of whose mind the Lord rested. O truly blessed and stable throne, as it is said in the third Book of Kings: "Thy most firm throne for ever" (VIII, 13.) This most high throne is in the intellect, raised up on the affections. It is also most high above men, raised up over men. On this throne, therefore, of Mary, on the throne, I say, of her mind, the Lord was seated, and the house of her body was full of the majesty of the Incarnate Word. Of this ineffable fullness St. Ambrose says: "Well is she alone said to be full of grace, who alone obtained the grace which none other ever had, of being filled with the author of grace." O truly happy house, full of so happy a fecundity! For St. Bernard saith: "Well was she full of grace, who both kept the grace of virginity and acquired the glory of fecundity." The Lord, therefore, sat on the throne of the mind of Mary by grace, and filled the house of her body with His majesty by His assumed nature. Therefore, it is said in the third Book of Kings: "The glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord" (VIII, II.) Then saith Solomon: "The Lord hath said that He would dwell in the cloud" (ibid., 12.) Mary, therefore, the house of the Lord, was filled with the glory of the Divine Majesty by the cloud of the humanity assumed by God--that cloud, I say, of which we read in Ecclesiasticus: "The healing of all is in the hastening of the cloud" (XLIII, 24.) And again: "Like the morning star in the midst of a cloud." For like the star in a cloud is the Word in the flesh assumed by Him. 

Sixthly, let us consider in what way Mary was full of the perfection of the universal Church. The Church had and has diverse and marvelous perfections and graces in her various saints, in whose fullness it would seem that Mary abode, that she might truly utter that word of Ecclesiasticus: "My abode is in the full assembly of saints." Truly was the abode of Mary in the plenitude of the saints, while in her own wonderful perfection the fullness of the perfection of the saints was not wanting to her. As St. Bernard declares, when he says: "Rightly in the fullness of the saints was her abode, to whom was not wanting the faith of the patriarchs, the spirit of the prophets, the zeal of the Apostles, the constancy of the martyrs, the sobriety of the confessors, the chastity of the virgins, the fecundity of the married, yea, nor the purity of the angels." For it is written in the book of Ecclesiasticus: "And shall be admired in the holy assembly" (XXIV, 3.) On account of this, the abode of Mary is in the fullness of the Saints, not in the fullness of the impious; because Mary remains willingly with those who are full of sanctity, not with those who are full of iniquity. She not only abides in the fullness of the Saints, but abides in fullness with the Saints, lest their fullness should grow less. She takes hold of virtues, lest they fly; she takes hold of merits, lest they perish; she takes hold of demons and keeps them in check, lest they do harm; she takes hold of her Son, lest He strike sinners. Before Mary there never was one who could dare thus to take hold of the Lord, as Isaias bears witness, saying: "There is none that calleth upon thy name, that riseth up and taketh hold of thee" (Is. LXIV, 7.) 

Seventhly, let us consider how Mary is full of the redolence of fair fame. As a field is full of the scents of various flowers, so is Mary full of the fair fame of fragrant sprinkling. Of her fullness we may understand what we read in Genesis: "Behold the smell of my son is as the smell of a full field, which God hath blessed" (Gen. XXVII, 27.) This field is Mary, in whom the treasure of the angels, yea verily, the whole treasure of God the Father is hidden. Happy is he "who sells all that he has, and buys that field." The full odor of this full field is the full fair fame of Mary, her full honor. Of this St. Jerome saith: "Because she was filled with the many odors of the virtues, there came forth from her a most sweet odor, rejoicing the angelic spirits." Of this odor she herself, glorying, could use the words of Ecclesiasticus (XXIV, 20): "I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon and aromatical balm." The good odor of Mary was like cinnamon externally, in the rind of her conversation; like aromatical balm interiorly, by the unction of her devotion; like myrrh, in the bitterness of her suffering. The good odor of Mary was also like cinnamon in her deeds; like balm in her contemplation; like myrrh in her sufferings. O truly rich, and exceedingly rich she who, besides other aromas, was so full of the odoriferous balm of the Holy Spirit that St. Bernard, speaking of that word, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee," says: "That precious balm flowed in on thee with such copiousness and plenitude that it overflows most abundantly on all around thee." Well, therefore, could God the Father say: "Behold the odor of my Son is as the smell of a full field," as though He said: "Behold the smell of my Son, the honor of my Son, is from the honor and the good fame of His mother." St. Jerome saith: "The maternal honor is His, who was born from her." 

Eighthly, let us consider how Mary was full of the reflection or resplendence, as it were, the expression of the divine glory, according to Ecclesiasticus: "The work of the Lord is full of His glory" (XXIV, 20.) Above all, the most wonderful work of the Lord is Mary, of whom it is said in Ecclesiasticus: "An admirable instrument the work of the Most High" (XLIII, 2.) Truly a wonderful work, for a similar one can never be found. Whence it is said of it: "There was no such work made in any kingdom" (3 Kings X, 20.) None indeed in the kingdom of Heaven, none in the kingdom of earth, nor in that of hell; for there never was such a work in Heaven, on earth, or in the nether regions. For this work is full of the glory of the Lord, because this glory shines most fully in Mary, above all pure creatures. For after the humanity assumed by the Word, there is no work, no creature, in whom there is such scope for the divine glory as in Mary. For the Lord has through Mary glory because of the restoration brought about in Heaven, glory in the Redemption accomplished in the world, glory for the deliverance wrought in hell --this glory He has in the fullness of grace in Mary. Therefore, well does St. Anselm say: "I speak to thee alone, Lady; the world is full of thy benefits; they have penetrated hell, and surpassed the Heavens. For by the fullness of thy grace those who were in limbo rejoice in their deliverance, and those who were above the world have joy in their restoration." Therefore, full of the glory of the Lord is His work, Mary, because, as it is said in Isaias, "The earth is full of His glory" (Is. VI, 3.) Full indeed is the whole earth, full is Mary of the divine glory, which shines in her most fully. Rightly above all the aforesaid is she said to be full of grace, who is most pleasing to all who are not ungrateful, as St. Bernard shows when, speaking of the words, Ave gratia plena, he says: "Well is she fully pleasing because she is pleasing to God, to the angels, and to men; to men by her fecundity, to the angels by her virginity, to God by her humility." 

Ninthly, consider how Mary is full of the joy of eternal happiness. Who is ignorant that she is of those of whom her Son said: "Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full"? If, therefore, the joy of the Apostles, of all those who are reigning with God, is full, how much more is the joy of the Mother of God full and complete? Of this plenitude St. Jerome says: "Full indeed of grace, full of God, full of virtues, she could not but possess most fully the glory of eternal splendor." What wonder, then, that plenitude that it overflows most abundantly on all around thee." Well, therefore, could God the Father say: "Behold the odor of my Son is as the smell of a full field," as though He said: "Behold the smell of my Son, the honor of my Son, is from the honor and the good fame of His mother." St. Jerome saith: "The maternal honor is His, who was born from her." 

Eighthly, let us consider how Mary was full of the reflection or resplendence, as it were, the expression of the divine glory, according to Ecclesiasticus: "The work of the Lord is full of His glory" (XXIV, 20.) Above all, the most wonderful work of the Lord is Mary, of whom it is said in Ecclesiasticus: "An admirable instrument the work of the Most High" (XLIII, 2.) Truly a wonderful work, for a similar one can never be found. Whence it is said of it: "There was no such work made in any kingdom" (3 Kings X, 20.) None indeed in the kingdom of Heaven, none in the kingdom of earth, nor in that of hell; for there never was such a work in Heaven, on earth, or in the nether regions. For this work is full of the glory of the Lord, because this glory shines most fully in Mary, above all pure creatures. For after the humanity assumed by the Word, there is no work, no creature, in whom there is such scope for the divine glory as in Mary. For the Lord has through Mary glory because of the restoration brought about in Heaven, glory in the Redemption accomplished in the world, glory for the deliverance wrought in hell --this glory He has in the fullness of grace in Mary. Therefore, well does St. Anselm say: "I speak to thee alone, Lady; the world is full of thy benefits; they have penetrated hell, and surpassed the Heavens. For by the fullness of thy grace those who were in limbo rejoice in their deliverance, and those who were above the world have joy in their restoration." Therefore, full of the glory of the Lord is His work, Mary, because, as it is said in Isaias, "The earth is full of His glory" (Is. VI, 3.) Full indeed is the whole earth, full is Mary of the divine glory, which shines in her most fully. Rightly above all the aforesaid is she said to be full of grace, who is most pleasing to all who are not ungrateful, as St. Bernard shows when, speaking of the words, "Ave gratia plena," he says: "Well is she fully pleasing because she is pleasing to God, to the angels, and to men; to men by her fecundity, to the angels by her virginity, to God by her humility." 

Ninthly, consider how Mary is full of the joy of eternal happiness. Who is ignorant that she is of those of whom her Son said: "Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full"? If, therefore, the joy of the Apostles, of all those who are reigning with God, is full, how much more is the joy of the Mother of God full and complete? Of this plenitude St. Jerome says: "Full indeed of grace, full of God, full of virtues, she could not but possess most fully the glory of eternal splendor." What wonder, then, that she has full and overfull joy and glory in the kingdom, who had grace full and overflowing in her exile upon earth? What wonder if both in Heaven and on earth her fullness was above that of every creature, from whose fullness every creature has life ? Therefore St. Anselm saith: "O Woman full and overfull of grace, of the overflowing of whose plenitude every creature gains new life !" 

Thus you see in Mary the fullness of illuminative wisdom, the fullness of overflowing grace, the fullness of a fruitful life, the fullness of helping mercy, of the perfection of the Church, of good fame, of divine glory, of eternal joy. Now, therefore, O Virgin full of grace, deign to make us, who are so empty, partakers of thy fullness, that we may at last attain to eternal fullness. By Our Lord Jesus Christ, etc. 

CHAPTER VIII MARY SHARES ALL GIFTS WITH THE LORD 

"Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum." It has been shown above how Mary, because of the purity of her life, is rightly saluted by the Ave. It has also been shown how, because of the abundance of her graces, she is rightly called "full of grace." We have now to show how, because of a most special presence of God within her, it is rightly said to her: "The Lord is with thee." But tell us, in what measure, O great Gabriel, thou bringest tidings of a great thing to the great Mary from the great God! But tell us, in what measure, or how He is with her ? Behold St. Augustine answering this question, as it were in the person of Gabriel: "The Lord is with thee, but more than with me. The Lord is with thee, but not as He is with me. For although the Lord is in me, the Lord hath created me; but by thee the Lord is to be born." The Lord, therefore, O Mary, but who, how great? The Lord of the earth and of all things in general, the Lord who is especially the Lord of mankind, the Lord who is thine in a singular manner, O Mary. The Lord, I say, of all creatures in general, the Lord in a special manner of rational creatures, the Lord especially of thy virginal court, O Mary. We must consider, therefore, that this Lord, who is with thee, is in general the Lord of all creatures. Judith says: "The Lord of the heavens, the Creator of the waters, and the Lord of all creatures" (IX, 17.) And the Wise Man: "The Lord of all things loved her" (Wisd. VIII, 3.)

Therefore, the Lord of all things universally, of all things visible and invisible. This universal Lord of all things was in Mary in such a manner that He made her the universal Lady of all things--the Lady, I say, of Heaven, and the Lady of the world. St. Anselm saith: "The Queen of heaven, and the Lady of the World, to the Mother of Him, who cleanseth the world, I confess that my body is exceedingly impure." But lo! this universal Lord of all things is a most powerful Lord, a most wise Lord, a most rich Lord, a most unfailing Lord. A lord without power, without wisdom, without wealth, without permanence, would be a most imperfect lord. A feeble lord, one needy and insipid, or unable to keep his position, would be little esteemed. But Our Lord is universal, most powerful, most wise, most wealthy; His eternity is unfailing. 

First note that the universal Lord, who is with Mary, is a Lord most powerful in will, and it is well said of Him: "All whatsoever the Lord hath willed, the Lord has done, . . . even in all abysses" (Ps. CXXXIV, 6.) Therefore, neither in Heaven, nor on earth, nor in all the infernal abysses, can anyone resist the will of so powerful a Lord, as Mardochai testifies, saying: "Lord King Almighty, in thy dominion are all things, and there is none who can resist thy will" (Esth. XIII, 9.) Behold, Mary, how great, how powerful is the Lord who is with thee! And because He is a most powerful Lord, He is most powerfully with thee: therefore, art thou most powerful with Him, by Him, through Him, so that thou canst truly say, "My power is in Jerusalem" (Ecclus. XXIV, 15 . ) Jerusalem signifies the Church triumphant in Heaven; it signifies also the Church militant upon earth. For truly both in Heaven and on earth the Mother of the Creator has power. How very powerful she is, Anselm recognizes when he says: "Hear us, loving one; be with us, be favorable to us; help us, most powerful one, that our minds may be cleansed from stains and our darkness illuminated." The Lord, therefore, is with thee, O most powerful Mary. 

Secondly, note that the universal Lord, who is with Mary, is a Lord most wise in truth. For He is the Lord, of whom it is said in the Psalm, "Great is our Lord, and great is His strength, and of His wisdom there is no number" ( Ps. CXLVI, 5. ) Oh, how wise is the Lord, whose wisdom nothing can deceive, nothing can be concealed from, because He knows all things. All our works, both good and bad, all our words, good and bad, all our thoughts and all our desires, good and bad, the Lord knows. Whence St. Peter says: "Lord, Thou knowest all things." Behold, Mary, what kind of a Lord, what a most wise Lord, is He who is with thee. And because the most wise Lord is most wisely with thee, therefore, thou too art most wise with Him and through Him. Thou art typified by that Abigail, of whom it was said: "She was a woman most prudent and most beautiful." Mary was so prudent and so beautiful that St. Anselm does not hesitate to say of her: "All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Mary." The Lord, therefore, is with thee, O most wise Mary. 

Thirdly, consider that the universal Lord, who is with Mary, is most wealthy in His possessions, as the Prophet testifies, saying: "The earth is the Lord's, and all that dwell in it." Not only is the earth and its fullness the Lord's, but also the Heavens and their fullness. For Thine, O Lord, are the Heavens, and thine is the earth, because "the heaven of heavens is the Lord's." Everything is the property of this Lord, Heaven and earth, bodies and spirits, all nature, all grace, all heavenly glory, all is the Lord's own. Therefore, the Lord is most rich, as the Apostle says: "He is the Lord of all, rich unto all that call upon Him" (Rom. X, 12.) Behold, Mary, how rich, how great is He who is with thee ! And because the most rich lord is with thee so richly, therefore art thou most rich together with Him and because of Him, so that it can be truly said of thee: "Many daughters have gathered together riches, thou hast surpassed them all" (Prov. XXXI, 29.) The daughter Agnes, the daughter Lucy, the daughters Catherine, Cecilia, Agatha, and many other holy virgins and just souls, have gathered together riches of virtue and grace, of merits and rewards, but thou, O Mary, by thy universal riches hast surpassed them all. Oh, how rich is Mary in glory, who was so rich in misery! Oh, how rich is she in Heaven, who was so rich in this world! Oh, how rich is she in her soul, who was so rich in her body, that even St. Bernard exclaims: "O Mary, rich in all and above all, of whose substance a small part being taken, was enough to pay the debt of the whole world!" The Lord is with thee, therefore, O Mary most rich. 

Fourthly, consider that the universal Lord, who is with Mary, is the unfailing Lord of eternity. Whence we read in Exodus: "The Lord will reign in eternity and beyond." And in the Psalm it is said: "But thou, O Lord, remainest for ever." Behold, O Mary, how great a Lord, how unfailing a Lord is He who is with thee ! And because He is unfailingly with thee, therefore, thou also art unfailing with Him in eternity. For thou art that unfailing, that everlasting throne, the throne of the Son of God, of whom the Father saith by the Prophet: "His throne is like the sun in my sight, and like the moon perfect for ever and truly in eternity." Hence, we cannot only say with truth: "Thou, O Lord, endurest for ever," but we can also truly say: "Thou, O Lady, endurest for ever." What wonder if Mary, in her Son, remains forever, when even the benefits of Mary in her servants remain forever ? For St. Bernard says: "In thee, O Mary, angels find joy, the just grace, sinners pardon forever." The Lord, therefore, is with thee, O neverfailing Mary! Rejoice, O Mary, rejoice! Behold the most powerful Lord is with thee in such a manner that thou art most powerful with Him. The most wise Lord is with thee in such a way that thou art most wise with Him. The most rich Lord is with thee in such wise that thou art most rich with Him. The never-failing Lord is with thee in such wise that thou, together with Him, shalt never fail or be deficient. 

Now, therefore, most powerful Lady, be a helper to us who are so impotent ! Now, most wise Lady, be to us who are foolish a helper and a counselor ! O most wealthy Lady, be to us who are poor a benefactress ! O most unfailing Lady, be to us feeble, failing creatures a perpetual support in every good deed! 

CHAPTER IX "THE LORD IS WITH THEE" 

We must now consider that this Lord, of whom it is said, "The Lord is with thee," is in a special manner the Lord of rational creatures, as man, the rational creature himself, says in the eighth Psalm: "O Lord, our Lord," etc. He is the Lord of all men; He is especially our Lord. As it is said in Isaias: "The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king" (Is. XXXIII, 22.) The Lord is our lawgiver in this world; the Lord is our judge at the last judgment; the Lord is our King who will crown us in Heaven. This particular Lord of ours was with Mary in such a manner that He made her also our special Lady. Which St. Bernard acknowledged when he said: "Our Lady, our mediatrix, our advocate, reconcile us to thy Son, commend us to thy Son, present us before thy Son." But behold, this Lord of ours is a most loving, a most just, a most sure, a most renowned Lord. A Lord who was not loving in benefits, just in judgments, true in promises, nor renowned among his people, would not be thought much of. But Our Lord is most loving in liberality; most just in equity; most true in fidelity; most renowned in fame. 

First, therefore, we must note that our own Lord, who is with Mary, is a most loving Lord in His infinite mercy. For He is the Lord of whom the Prophet saith: "Thou, Lord, art sweet and mild, and of much mercy to those who invoke Thee" (Ps. LXXXV, 5.) He is a Lord of much mercy in many temporal benefits, also in spiritual and eternal ones, which out of his great mercy He has bestowed upon us, and never ceases to bestow. Would that we were not ungrateful for so great mercies ! Would that to such a merciful Lord we were very grateful as Isaias was, who said: "I will remember the tender mercies of the Lord, the praise of the Lord for all the things that the Lord hath bestowed upon us" (Is. LXIII, 7.) Behold, Mary, what a Lord He is, how loving, how merciful, the Lord who is with thee. And because this most merciful Lord is so merciful with thee, therefore thou art most merciful with Him, and truly of thee can it be said: "A throne shall be prepared in mercy, and one shall sit upon it in truth" (Is. XVI, 5.) The throne of divine mercy is Mary, the Mother of mercy, in whom all find the solace of mercy. For as we have a most merciful Lord, so have we a most merciful Lady. Our Lord is of much mercy to all who invoke Him, and our Lady is of much mercy to all who invoke her. Therefore St. Bernard excellently saith: "Let him be silent on the subject of thy mercy, O blessed Virgin, who, having invoked it in his necessities, found it wanting." The Lord, therefore, is with thee, O most merciful Mary. 

Secondly, note that our own special Lord, who is with Mary, is the most just Lord of equity, as it is well said in the Psalms: "The Lord is just and hath loved justices" (Ps. X, 8.) And again: "Thou art just, O Lord, and Thy judgment is right" (Ps. CXVIII, 137.) The Lord is most certainly just in all His judgments, in all causes, in all His deeds, as it is once more said in the Psalms: "The Lord is just in all His ways" (Ps. CXLIV, 17.) The Lord is so just in every path of justice that for no one will He depart from the way of justice. And therefore it is well said: "God will not except any man's person, neither will he stand in awe of any man's greatness, for He made the little and the great, and He hath equally care of all." Behold, O Mary, what kind of a Lord He is, what a just Lord, the Lord who is with thee ! And because the Lord is most just with thee, therefore art thou most just together with Him. For thou art the rod of Aaron, straight, erect, flowering and fruitful; straight and erect, by justice and equity; flowering, by virginity; fruitful, by fecundity. For who would be the straight rod or stem, the upright rod or stem, if the rod of Aaron were not upright? What soul would be just, if Mary were not just ? This is why St. Bernard says: "Who is just, if not the just Mary, from whom sprang the Sun of Justice?" The Lord is, therefore, with thee, O most just Mary. 

Thirdly, note that our own special Lord, who is with Mary, is most sure in fidelity and most faithful in surety, as the Prophet testifies, saying: "The Lord is faithful in all His ways." Think, therefore, upon those words of His, in which He has promised a crown to the just and hell to the wicked; and know that the faithful Lord will keep His words faithfully. He will faithfully do what He has spoken, as Ezechiel testifies: "I the Lord have spoken, and I will do" (Ezech. XXX, 12.) The most faithful Lord will most faithfully keep His words, as He Himself says in the Gospel: "Heaven and earth shall pass away," etc. Behold, O Mary, what kind of a Lord He is, what a faithful Lord He is, the Lord who is with thee! And because the most faithful Lord is faithfully with thee, therefore art thou most faithful together with Him. For thou art that most faithful dove of Noe, who hast most faithfully stood forth as mediatrix between the Most High God and the world submerged in a spiritual deluge. The crow was unfaithful, the dove most faithful. So also was Eve unfaithful; but Mary was found faithful. Eve was the unfaithful mediatrix of perdition; Mary was the faithful mediatrix of salvation. St. Bernard saith: "Mary was the faithful mediatrix, who prepared the antidote of salvation for both men and women." The Lord, therefore, is with thee, O most faithful Mary. 

Fourthly, note that our special Lord, who is with Mary, is the Lord who is most renowned for fame. He is of a great name, as St. Jerome testifies, saying: "There is none like to Thee, O Lord, and great art Thou, and great is Thy name" (Jerem. X, 6.) The name of the Lord is indeed of great fame and of great praise among all peoples, as the Royal Prophet testifies: "Kings of the earth, and all ye people, princes and all ye judges of the earth, young men and maidens, the old and the young, praise ye the name of the Lord !" (Ps. CXLVIII, I 1-12.) The praise and fame of the name of God has extended not only to every people, but also to all time, as is manifest from the same Prophet who says: "May the name of the Lord be blessed from henceforth, now and forever." Likewise, the fame and praise of the name of the Lord has not only extended to every people and to all Lime, but also to every place, as the same Prophet says: "From the rising of the sun even to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised" (Ps. CXII, 2.) Behold, O Mary, how great a Lord, what a renowned Lord, is He who is with thee! And because He is a renowned and famous Lord, who is with thee in so renowned a manner, therefore art thou most renowned together with Him. For thou art well prefigured by Ruth, of whom it is written: "Be thou the example of virtue in Ephrata, and have a celebrated name in Bethlehem" (Ruth IV, 11.) O Mary of the most renowned name, how can thy name not be celebrated, which cannot even be devoutly uttered by anyone without some good coming to him ? St. Bernard testifies to this, saying: "O great, O loving, O most praiseworthy Mary, thou canst not even be named, but thou enkindlest love; nor canst thou be thought of, without renewing the affection of those who love thee; thou canst never enter the portals of a loving memory without bringing with thee the sweetness which is divinely inseparable from thee." Mary, therefore, is well prefigured by that woman of renown, Judith, of whom it is written: "And she was greatly renowned among all, because she feared the Lord very much; neither was there any one that spoke an ill word of her" (Jud. VIII, 8.) Mary is indeed renowned because of her virtues and her praiseworthy example; but she is even more renowned because of her mercies and her unspeakable benefits, and more renowned still because of her graces and wonderful privileges. For what is more wonderful than to be a virgin mother, and the Mother of God ? What wonder if Mary is renowned in the world from so many thousand benefits of her mercy, who is so renowned for that one benefit which she bestowed on man? St. Bernard says: "The renown of thy highest favor is that bestowed on the God-loving soul, who was reinstated by thee." The Lord is, therefore, with thee, O most renowned Mary. Rejoice, rejoice! Behold the most loving Lord is with thee in such a manner that thou also art most loving. The most just Lord is so with thee that thou, together with Him, art most just; the most renowned Lord is with thee in such a manner that thou also, together with Him, art most renowned. O most loving Mary, save us impious souls by thy merciful, loving kindness! O most just Mary, save us unjust souls by thy just equity! O most faithful Mary, save us perfidious souls by thy fidelity! O most renowned Mary, save us by thy sweet renown! 

CHAPTER X MARY THE DAUGHTER, MOTHER, SPOUSE, AND HANDMAID OF THE LORD 

We must now consider that this Lord, of whom it is said, "The Lord is with thee," is not alone in a general sense the Lord of every creature, not alone the Lord of the rational creature, but also in a most special sense the Lord of the virginal court of His most Holy Mother. Mary is singularly, both in body and in soul, the court of the Lord, the most holy house of God, of whom it is said in the Psalm: "Sanctity behooveth Thy house, O Lord." O singularly blessed House, who alone hast merited so singularly to have the Lord. St. Bernard saith: "Thou alone hast been found worthy that in thy virginal court the King of kings and the Lord of lords, coming from His royal throne, chose thee for His first dwelling among the sons of men." This singular Lord of Mary was with her in so special a way that He made her Lady, so that there never was one like her either before or after her. For she became in a wonderful and singular manner the daughter of the Lord, the mother of the Lord, the spouse of the Lord, and the handmaid of the Lord. If we wish to describe her relation to each Divine Person, we can say that the Lord who is with Mary is the Lord and Father, the Lord and Son, the Lord and Holy Ghost, the Lord who is triune and one. He is the Father and Lord, of whom Mary is the most noble daughter. He is the Son and Lord, of whom Mary is the most worthy Mother; He is the Holy Ghost and Lord, of whom Mary is the most just spouse; He is the Lord Triune and One, of whom Mary is the most submissive handmaid. Mary certainly is the Daughter of the Most High Eternity, the Mother of the Most High Truth, the Spouse of the Most High Goodness, the Handmaid of the Most High Trinity. 

First, therefore, note, that this Lord, who is so singularly with Mary, is the Lord of whom Mary is the most noble daughter. Of this Lord and of this daughter can be understood that which Booz said: "Blessed art thou of the Lord, my daughter, and thy latter kindness has surpassed the former" (Ruth iii, 10.) Therefore Mary is the daughter blessed by the Lord; by the Most High Lord, I say, whose daughter she is. O truly noble daughter of the most noble King, who hast been so abundantly adorned interiorly with manifold glory, that truly it can be said of thee: "All the glory of the King's daughter is from within" (Ps. XLIV.) Therefore Mary, as the most true daughter of the King, was most abundantly drawn to the kingdom, as St. Bernard testifies, saying: "Thou, a delicate daughter, and full of all grace, dearly beloved in thy delights, art drawn to the glory of thy beauty, and as a sign of love." This blessed daughter surpassed her former kindness by the latter; for great as the mercy of Mary was while she was still an exile in this world, much greater is her mercy now that she reigns in Heaven. Now by her innumerable benefits she shows men a greater mercy, for she now sees more clearly the untold miseries of mankind. For the splendor of her former mercy Mary was fair as the moon; but for the splendor of her latter mercy she resembles the sun. For as the sun surpasses the moon in the greatness of his splendor, so the latter mercy of Mary surpasses in greatness her former mercy. Who is there upon whom the sun and the moon do not shine ? Who is there upon whom the mercy of Mary does not shine? Hear what St. Bernard thinks of this: "As the sun shines indifferently upon the good and the bad, so when Mary is petitioned, she does not discuss the merits of the petitioners, but shows herself ready to hear them, is most merciful to all, and in fine she compassionates the misery of all with most abundant affection." The Lord is with thee, therefore, O Mary, as a father with a most noble daughter. 

Secondly, note that the Lord who is so singularly with Mary, is the Lord whose most worthy mother she is. Of this Lord and of this mother Elizabeth said: "Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" The Mother of the Lord, the Virgin and Mother, is a most worthy mother. She is the Mother who is most becoming to such a Son. She is the Mother to whom such a Son is most becoming. She is the one, than whom God could make no greater. God could make a greater world, God could make a greater Heaven, but a greater mother than the Mother of God He could not make. St. Bernard saith: "No other mother was becoming to God than a virgin; nor was any other son becoming to a virgin than God." A greater among mothers than Mary and a greater among sons than Jesus could not be born. This mother is, therefore, the flower of mercy, the mother of the Sun of justice, the mother of the Fountain of wisdom, the mother of the King of glory. She is the mother of Him, I say, whose mercy leads us to love, whose justice to fear, whose wisdom to know, whose glory to hope. Mary is, therefore, the mother of Him who is in fact our love by mercy, our fear by justice, our knowledge by wisdom, our hope by glory, so that she can truly say: "I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope" (Ecclus. XXIV, 24.) But is Mary the Mother of Christ only? Nay, what is most joyful, she is not only the Mother of Christ, but also the Mother of all the faithful. St. Ambrose saith: "If Christ is the brother of all believers, is not she, who brought forth Christ, the mother of all believers?" Oh, dearly beloved, let us all rejoice, and exclaim: "Blessed is the Brother, by whom Mary is our Mother; and blessed is the Mother, by whom Christ is our Brother." St. Anselm says: "Lady and Mother, by whom we have such a Brother, what thanks, what praise shall we pay to thee?" God is, therefore, with thee, O Mary, as a son with a most worthy mother. 

Thirdly, note that this Lord who is so singularly with Mary is the Lord whose most beautiful spouse Mary is. To this Lord, as to this spouse, we can apply the word of Osee: "I will espouse thee to myself in justice, and in judgment, and in mercy, and in commiserations, and I will espouse thee to me in faith; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord" (Osee II, 19-20.) Behold a beautiful spouse, beautiful in justice, and in the judgment of her looks, beautiful in compassion and in mercy in the regard of her neighbors, and beautiful in faith in the sight of God. Beautiful indeed in the justice of her life, and in the judgment of her conscience, beautiful in mercy, in affection, and in compassion in her deeds. Beautiful in faith, whereby she believed all that was to be believed above herself, and whereby she believed all that was to be done in her, according to that word: "Blessed art thou who hast believed, because all shall be fulfilled in thee, which has been said to thee by the; Lord" (Luke I, 45.) But behold Mary, the Spouse of the Holy Spirit, as she is and was most beautiful in conversation, so also is she most sweet in her address, as it is said in the Canticle of Canticles: "As a dropping honeycomb," etc. Oh, what honey- flowing words have those sweet lips of Mary often distilled! Had she not indeed milk and honey under her tongue in those two sweet words which she addressed to Gabriel? Had not Mary milk upon her tongue when she said: "How shall this be done, for I know not man?" (Luke I, 34.) Had she not honey on her tongue when she uttered that honey-sweet word: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to thy word" ? From the sweetness of this word, throughout the whole world, the Heavens have dropped honey. Mary had honey on her tongue in her eloquent words to God; she had milk on her tongue in her agreeable speech to her neighbor. Of how great sweetness and beauty is that Spouse of the Supreme Consoler ! Because, as St. Augustine says, "Who is this virgin, so holy that the Holy Spirit deigns to come to her ? So beautiful, that God chooses her for His Spouse?" The Lord is, therefore, with thee, O Mary, as a bridegroom with his beloved spouse. 

Fourthly, note that this Lord, who is so singularly with Mary, is the Lord whose most devout handmaid she is, as she herself testifies: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord." Mary is the handmaid of God the Father, of God the Son, and of God the Holy Ghost. What wonder if she is the handmaid of that Lord, when her son is the servant of this Lord, according to the human nature assumed from His mother? He Himself confesses it in the Psalm, where He says: "O Lord, because I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid." O what a good handmaid, and what a good son of the handmaid ! Alas, how many are bad handmaids, and bad sons of the handmaids. But what saith the Scripture? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son." We read in Genesis of the handmaid of Sara that, seeing that she herself had conceived, she despised her mistress. Therefore, the evil handmaid Agar is puffed up by her fecundity; but the good handmaid Mary is made fecund by her humility. That proud handmaid despised her mistress; the Lord looked on this humble handmaid, as she herself says: "He hath regarded the humility of his handmaid." O Christian soul, handmaid of the Lord, with Mary cultivate fecundity in such a manner that you may not be wanting in humility; that, therefore, you may not be puffed up by your fecundity in good works, notice the humble handmaid, look upon the humble Mary. "Behold," she says, "the handmaid of the Lord." St. Ambrose says: "See her humility, see her devotion. She calls herself the handmaid of the Lord, she who is chosen to be His Mother; nor is she elated by the promise. O truly admirable humility ! Behold in what manner Mary designs not only to be the handmaid of the Lord, but also the handmaid of the servants of the Lord. For it is she who is signified by Abigail, who sent messengers that she might be brought to David, saying: "Behold, let thy servant be a handmaid, that: she may wash the feet of the servants of my Lord" (I Kings XXV, 41.) By the blessed handmaid Mary, how many servants of the Lord have been washed, how many faithful by her prayers have been cleansed from their sins ! For she, as it were, offered water for their feet when she obtained for them tears of compunction for their sins. The Lord is with thee, therefore, O Mary, as with a most devout handmaid. The Father is with thee; the Son is with thee; the Holy Ghost is with thee. St. Bernard says: "The Father is with thee, because He made His Son thine; the Son is with thee, who, in order to work in thee an admirable secret, in a wonderful manner unlocked the secret room of generation, and kept for thee the seal of virginity; the Holy Spirit is with thee, who together with the Father sanctified thy womb. The Lord is, therefore, with thee," the Lord, whose daughter thou art, than whom none is more noble; the Lord, whose mother thou art, than whom none is more wonderful; the Lord, whose spouse thou art, than whom none is more lovable; the Lord, whose handmaid thou art, than whom none is more humble, nor ever was, nor ever will be. Therefore, O Lady, because so great a Lord is in such a manner and so much with thee, grant that by grace He may also be with us. 

CHAPTER XI MARY FOR HER OWN SAKE AND FOR OURS IS FITLY COMPARED TO THE AURORA 

"Dominus tecum"--The Lord is with thee. That devout client of Mary, St. Anselm, alluding to these sweet words, says: "Mary, I beseech thee, by the grace by which the Lord wished so to be with thee, and thee with Him, grant for His sake, according to the same grace, His mercy to me; grant that the love of thee may be ever with me, and that my care may be about thee; grant that the cry of my necessity may be with thee, as long as it lasts, and that the look of thy loving kindness may be on me as long as I live; grant that my joy in thy beatitude may ever be with me, and that compassion for my misery may be with thee as far as it is expedient for me." 

The Lord is with thee, O Mary. Certainly with thee, as the sun is with the aurora which goeth before him; with thee as the flower is with the stem which produces it; with thee, as the King is with the Queen going in to him. For the Sun, which is the most lightsome of all luminaries, the Flower which is more precious than all flowers, and the King, who is more glorious than all kings, is Our Lord Jesus Christ. The aurora, therefore, going before this Sun with resplendent radiance, the stem producing by a most wonderful flowering this Flower, the Queen entering in to the King in solemn procession, is the most Blessed Virgin Mary. Of all these points we shall treat in order. 

"The Lord is with thee." With thee, certainly, as the sun is with the aurora going before it, and preceding its rise, and beginning the day by its light. Truly, indeed, Mary, the aurora of the world, prepared in a most singular manner by the Eternal Sun, being thus marvelously irradiated, herself prepares the rising of this Sun, has wonderfully inaugurated for the world the day of grace of such a Sun, as St. Bernard says: "Like the aurora exceedingly resplendent hast thou come into the world, O Mary, when thou didst foreshew the splendor of the true Sun by such a wonderful radiance of sanctity that truly the day of salvation, the day of propitiation, the day which the Lord hath made, was worthy to be begun by thy bright light." Mary is, therefore, the aurora, of whom it is said: "Who is this, who cometh forth," etc. Fitly is she compared to the aurora, as well for herself, as for us; for herself especially, for us in general. Mary for herself is well compared to the aurora according to Scripture; first, because of the driving away of the night of sin; secondly, because of the approach of the light of grace; third, because of the rising of the Sun of justice; fourth, because of the place of her throne of glory. First, in her most full sanctification; secondly, in her most bright conversation; thirdly, in her most wonderful generation of her Son; fourthly, in her most glorious Assumption. 

First, note that Mary is, as it were, a happy aurora because of the absence or happy driving away of guilt in her own sanctification. Therefore Job, cursing the night in which it was said: "A man is conceived," said: "Let the stars darken their light. Let it expect light and not see it, nor the rising of the dawning of the day" (Job III, 9.) What is meant here by the stars, by the light, by the dawn ? I say that the stars are the souls of the Saints; the light is the Holy of holies; the dawn is the Queen of Saints. The stars indeed are all the Saints, who never abandon good order and discipline of morals, the course of fervor and of a good life, and so they fight with vigor against the devil. Of these stars it is well said in the Book of Judges: "The stars remaining in their order and courses fought against Sisara" (Judg. V, 20.) Sisara is interpreted, taking away the departing one, and it signifies the devil, who takes anyone that departs from God. The light signifies the Holy of Holies, Jesus Christ, as He Himself shows, saying: "I am the light of the world, who followeth Me, walketh not in darkness" (John VIII, 12.) 

Let us, brethren, follow this light, lest, walking in darkness, we should fall into the mire of sin and the pit of hell. Let us follow not haltingly, according to what is said, "How long will you halt between two sides? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal is, follow ye him" (3 Kings XVIII, 21.) The dawn, whose rising the night does not see, signifies the Blessed Virgin, whose nativity was not initiated by the night of original sin. For the night which Job cursed, the night in which man was conceived, is original sin; in which we are all conceived. Hence the Psalmist says: "In sins did my mother conceive me." Because all the Saints are conceived in sin, they are born in sin, and hence it is rightly said that this night has seen no light. 

Secondly, note that Mary is, as it were, a happy aurora, because of her happy progress in the light of grace, according to that word: "Who is this that advances like the aurora," etc. (Cant. VI, 9.) For as the light of the aurora progresses by gradually growing in brightness, so Mary advanced by advancing in the splendor of grace and of a good life. She made progress indeed by advancing in all virtues universally, so that in all the glory of all virtue she was, as it were, in herself the rising aurora, fair as the moon to her neighbors, as the sun towards God. She made progress also by advancing in special virtues, of which St. Bernard speaks thus: "Charity burned in Mary by seeking grace, virginity was resplendent in her body, in service she was eminent in humility." By the glory of these virtues Mary was, as it were, the rising aurora in her shining virginity, fair as the moon in her resplendent humility, clear as the sun in her radiant charity. Happy he who cultivates these three splendors, these three virtues of Mary, by which she conceived the God and Master of all virtues, as St. Bernard again testifies, saying: "She who was already full of grace found grace, that, being fervent in charity, intact in virginity, devout in humility, she might become pregnant without any intercourse with man, and might bring forth a child without the usual travail." 

Thirdly, note that Mary is, as it were, a happy aurora, because of the happy rising of the Sun of justice. For the Sun of justice, Christ Our Lord, by means of His aurora, Mary, rose upon this world. His rising was unaccompanied by any cloud of sin; wherefore this aurora was exceedingly resplendent in the rising of her Sun, according to that word: "As the light of the morning when the sun riseth, shineth in the morning without clouds" (2 Kings, XXIII, 4. ) The light of this morning is the holiness of Mary, by which the Sun of justice, who was about to come forth from her, deigned to irradiate her. Of this St. Bernard well saith: "Rightly, O Mary, hast thou fulfilled the office of the morning. For the Sun of justice, who was Himself about to proceed from thee, preventing as it were His own birth by a certain morning splendor, copiously transfused thee with the rays of His own light." The light of this morning shone forth wonderfully when the Sun rose without clouds, that is, when Christ was born without any of the darkness of original sin. Behold, here it is said that the sun rose without clouds, and in Exodus we read that the bush was on fire without being burned; and in Daniel, that a stone was cut without hands. What, therefore, is signified by the sun, by the fire, by the stone, if not Christ? For He Himself is the sun enlightening the intellect, the fire enkindling the affections, the stone strengthening us against defect. I say that Jesus Christ is the sun illuminating the intellect, according to Malachias: "The sun of justice will rise upon you who fear my name" (IV, 2.) See, therefore, if thou fearest the Lord, for it is written: "Who feareth God, neglecteth nothing" (Ecclus. VII, 19.) Again Christ is the fire enkindling the affections, as the Apostle says to the Hebrews: "Our God is a consuming fire" (Hebr. XII, 29. ) This fire was not only in the bush of the virginal womb, but also in the bush of her devout heart. They have felt this fire who said: "Were not our hearts burning within us," etc. Again, Christ is the stone strengthening us against failings, if we are well founded upon Him. Therefore it is said in St. Matthew: "The rains fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock" (VII, 25.) Behold, neither the rain of heretical eloquence, nor the floods of worldly concupiscence, nor the winds of human violence, could injure the house of a mind founded upon the rock of Christ. What does it mean, therefore, that the sun rises without a cloud, the bush is on fire without being consumed, the stone is cut without hands, unless it be that Christ, who is the sun of truth, the fire of charity, the stone of firmness or of eternity, is conceived and born without the cloud of original sin, without the fire of carnal concupiscence, without the agency of the marital embrace? For in the conception of Christ you will find neither sin in the offspring, nor concupiscence in the mother, nor the embrace of a father. That this Virgin conceived so miraculously, He could effect who sent beforehand so many wonderful things prefiguring this miracle, as St. Augustine testifies, saying: "He who wrote on the tablets of stone without iron, made Mary with child of the Holy Ghost; and He who produced bread in the desert without ploughing, impregnated the virgin without corruption; and He who made the rod to bud without rain, made the daughter of David bring forth without seed." 

Fourthly, note that Mary is, as it were, a happy aurora because of her place in glory; and according to this Job well says of the aurora: "Didst thou . . . shew the dawning of the day its place ?" (Job XXXVIII, 12.) Now certainly, our aurora, Mary, elevated high in Heaven, holds the place nearest to the Eternal Sun. We may consider that the throne of Mary in Heaven has a threefold greatness. The first is that she received Our Lord spiritually; the second, that she received Him corporeally; the third, that she received Him eternally. Behold the threefold place of Mary. I say that the first place in which Mary received Our Lord spiritually, is her mind, tranquil and peaceful, according to the Psalmist: "His place is in peace, and His dwelling in Sion," which, interpreted, means a mirror or contemplation. Whoever wishes to contemplate God, or to behold Him with the eyes of the mind, must make Him a place in peace in his mind; for without peace of mind no one can arrive at the knowledge of contemplation. Therefore the Apostle saith: "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see God" (Hebr. XII, 14.) Oh, who shall relate, or who can even imagine, in what contemplations daily that Sion, that holy mind of Mary, was employed, while she fervently revolved in her mind all those mysteries known to herself above all mortals ? Of this St. Jerome well says: "If there are in you any bowels of piety or mercy, consider with what love was crucified, with what desire this virgin burned, while she revolved in her soul all that she had heard and seen, all that she had known; with what emotions she was moved, being filled with the Holy Ghost, with the thrilling knowledge of heavenly secrets." The place in which Mary conceived corporeally was her holy womb, to which may be applied the word of Genesis: "The river which came forth from the paradise of pleasure (Jesus Christ from the Virgin's womb) was to water the garden" (Gen. II, 10.) The special paradise is Mary; the universal paradise is the Church. Happy is the watering of both these gardens by the mystic river from the womb of Mary, Jesus Christ, who has said: "I will water my garden of plants" (Ecclus. XXIV, 42.) Well, therefore, doth St. Jerome say, commenting on these words: "I saw her coming up beautiful from the banks of the water." Well is it said, "above the rivers of water," because the Lord had nourished her on the waters of refreshment, and brought her up on them; from whom many rivers emerge, water all the land of delights, and flow over the garden of pleasure." Again, the place wherein Mary received the Lord when she was about to dwell forever in Heaven is the place of glory, of which the Lord said to Job: "Hast thou shown the dawn its place?" (XXXVIII, 12), as if he said, "Not thou, but I." It does not belong to thee to show Mary, the dawn, her place in Heaven, but to me. Well doth he say, her place, as it were appropriating it to her, and discriminating it from all the other places of the Saints. Hence we read: "The priests brought in the ark of the covenant into its place" (3 Kings, VIII, 6.) This place is most certainly above all the choirs of angels. Finally, this place is the most worthy in Heaven, as St. Bernard testifies saying: "Neither was there in the world a more worthy place than the bridal chamber of the virginal womb, in which Mary received the Son of God, nor in the heavens one more worthy than the royal throne to which the Son of Mary raised her." Mary is compared to the dawn; first, because she put an end to the night of guilt, in her most full holiness; secondly, because of the advance of the light of grace in her most bright conversation; thirdly, because of the bringing forth of the Sun of justice in her wonderful generation of her Son; fourthly, because of her taking possession of her place in glory in her most glorious Assumption. 

Then we have to consider that the most lightsome Virgin is compared to the aurora, not alone for herself, but also because of us. For as in Scripture she is signified by the aurora, she is for us a mediatrix with God, with the angels a peace-maker, against the devils a defender, to ourselves a lightgiver. 

First note that our aurora, Mary, is for us a mediatrix with God, as is signified in the Psalm: "Thine is the day and thine is the night, thou hast made the aurora and the sun" (Ps. LXXIII, 6.) 

Thus St. Gregory well says: "The day is the life of the just, but the night is taken to mean the life of the sinner." And therefore the Lord went before the children of Israel by night in a pillar of fire, by day in a pillar of cloud, and because the cloud protected the wicked from the fire of His wrath, and He burns the wicked like fire. Therefore the sun signified Christ, who enlightens the elect and burns the reprobate. He sometimes burns them severely in this world, but more severely at the last judgment, and most severely of all in hell. Of this threefold burning can be understood that word of Ecclesiasticus: "The sun three times as much, burneth the mountains" (Ecclus. XLIII, 4), that is, proud sinners. On this account we are in need of a refreshment, of a mediatrix between us and the just Sun. And well, therefore, doth the Psalmist, in the aforesaid verse, place the aurora midway between the night and the sun, because in the natural order it certainly holds this place. The aurora, therefore, is the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is the most excellent mediatrix between the night and the sun, between man and God, between unjust man and just God; she is the best cooler of the wrath of God. St. Bernard bears witness, saying: "Man now has secure access to God, for he has as a Mediator of his cause the Son before the Father, and the Son before the Mother. The Son shows His naked body, with His wounds in hands, feet, and side to His Father; Mary shows her breasts to her Son. There can be no question of a repulse, where so many marks of charity appear in one, and present their prayer." 

Secondly, note that our aurora, Mary, is for us peace-maker with the angels, as it is signified in Genesis, where we read that the angel who wrestled with Jacob blessed him at dawn. For when the angel said, "Let me go, it is morning," Jacob would not let him go till he had blessed him. In the morning took place the struggle between the angel and Jacob, the discord between God, the angels, and men. For man by sin had offended his Creator; and the Creator being offended, every creature was offended; how much more she who is more closely bound to the Creator ! This struggle, therefore, was perhaps a figure of that discord. But when the aurora appeared at the coming of Mary, men and angels were pacified, because in that dawn, in the Virgin Mary herself, man received the angelic benediction. For the angel said to the Virgin: "Blessed art thou among women," and by this blessing of the Virgin man obtains the blessing of peace and salvation in the Virgin's Son --that blessing of which the Apostle says: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us in every blessing in the heavenly places in Christ," which blessing the Son Himself will confirm when He will say: "Come, ye blessed of My Father," etc. As Jacob gave thanks at the rising of dawn, let us, therefore, thank Mary for that blessing by which we made peace with the angel. By the aurora, by the dawn, by Mary, men made peace with the angels, since the time when, by Mary, the depleted choirs of angels were peopled by men, as St. Anselm signifies, saying: "O wonderfully singular and singularly wonderful Woman, by whom the elements are renewed, the injuries of hell repaired, men are saved, angels are restored !" 

Thirdly, note that Mary, our dawn, is for us a defender against the devils, as signified in Job, where it is said of the murderer, the thief, and the adulterer, "He diggeth through houses in the dark, as in the day they had appointed for themselves, and they have not known the light" (Job XXIV, 16.) "If the morning suddenly appear, it is to them the shadow of death" (Job XXIV, 17.) The murderer is a devil, the thief is a devil, the adulterer is a devil. The murderer, because he takes human life; the thief, because, whatever good thing he can rob us of, he; does; the adulterer, because he corrupts the soul, which is the spouse of God. Alas, what evil these wicked people do us, what evil the wicked spirits do us! For sometimes they dig in the darkness of ignorance, in the darkness of obscurity, the interior houses of our minds, the houses indeed, of which it is said in the Psalm: "God is known in their houses" (Ps. XLVI, 14.) Without doubt they dig into our souls by their piercing temptations, those houses in which He joyfully dwells who has said: "Today I must abide in thy house" (Luke XIX, 5.) And having dug through these houses, having indeed dug into the minds of men through to an unhappy consent to sin, alas, how great evils these wicked ones do in souls by murder, theft, and adultery! That we may evade such perils, let the dawn come, let Mary help us! For if the morning shall suddenly appear, if she quickly comes to our aid, and if her grace and mercy supervene, it will be as the shadow of death to the demons; they will tremble and fly; they will fear, as men fear and fly the shadow of death. Well doth St. Bernard say: "An army of enemies does not so much fear an immense host of armed soldiers, as the powers of the air do the very name of Mary, and her holy example; they fly and melt like wax before a fire, wherever they find the frequent invocation of this holy name, its remembrance and imitation." 

Fourthly, note that Mary, our dawn, is, as regards ourselves, a light-giver to help us to do good. For from the first rays of light, workmen begin to work. Whence in the second book of Esdras it is said: "And let us do the work; and let one-half of us hold the spears from the rising of the morning, till the stars appear" (2 Esdras 21.) Two things are needful to us, namely, that we be earnest in our good works, and therefore well do the builders say: "Let us do the work." What work is this, but that of which the Apostle says: "While we have time, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of the faith" (Gal. VI, 10.) Well do they say: Let us do the work, not our representatives. And in another passage: In all things let us show ourselves as the ministers of God. But Mary did not commission a nurse, or a representative, but showed herself always a handmaid to the Lord, as St. Augustine testifies: "Mary without doubt was a worker, who bore Him in her womb, and when He was brought forth, nourished and nursed Him, laid Him in the manger, and during the whole of His infancy served Him as a loving Mother, so that even to the death of the cross she never left Him." Not only did she follow Him by her footsteps, as from the love of a son, but also by the imitation of His life, as out of reverence for a Lord." It is needful for us, not only to be instant in good works, but also to resist vices; and therefore well do they add that the lances should be held; for we should hold the lance of zeal against the attacks of vice, against the attacks of the devil, the flesh, and the world. Of these lances it is well said in Jeremias: "Furbish the spears, put on the coats of mail." By the coat of mail of justice we are protected, but with the lance or spear of zeal we attack evil. If thou dost not launch the spear of zeal in this world against evil, God will use the lance His zeal against thee on judgment day. Therefore it is said in the Book of Wisdom: "He will sharpen His dire wrath as a spear" (Wisd. V, 21 . ) Oh, what a warrior was Mary, whose holy zeal was her spear. St. Bernard says to her: "Thou wert a formidable warrior, for thou wert the first manfully to attack him who had supplanted the first Eve." Therefore, that we may faithfully persist in good works manfully resist vices, it is needful for us to look on the example of Mary, to implore the suffrages of Mary. Then, as it were from the rising of the morning, we work, when being irradiated by the example and the life of Mary, when being illuminated by the patronage and the mercy of Mary, we are incited to good. We ought to work well till the rising of the stars, that is, until our souls, having become lightsome like stars, go forth from our bodies and fly to the stars. But above every star that ever appeared, above every star that ever will come forth in the heavens, the most splendid is Mary, our aurora, our morning, as St. Bernard testifies, saying: "Thou art the most vivid image of the true Sun, amongst the myriads of stars that are before God, thou shinest forth gloriously in Heaven by thy virginal purity." Thus you see how fittingly Mary is called the morning, the aurora. The Lord is with thee, O Mary, as the sun is with the dawn. Therefore, O Lady, most sweet morning, our Lady, most sweet Mary, let us be with the Sun of Justice, our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen. 

CHAPTER XII MARY A ROD OR STEM, AND A FLOWERING STEM 

"The Lord is with thee." Having seen how the Lord was with Mary, as the sun is with the dawn which goes before it, let us now see how the Lord is with Mary as the flower is with the budding stem. For Mary is that rod of which it is said in Isaias: "There shall come forth a rod from the root of Jesse, and a flower shall ascend from that root, and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and of piety, and He shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord" (Is. XI.) Let us place these words before the eye of our mind, and direct our consideration first to the rod and then to the flower. 

First consider, that this rod, this royal rod, is the Virgin Mary, as St. Ambrose testifies, saying in speaking to the Blessed Virgin: "Thou thyself, who hast brought forth the Lord, art of the land of Israel; thou hast grown into a rod, the rod from the root of Jesse; thou hast arisen and flowered, O rod of Aaron; thou hast flowered and brought forth." For Mary is a rod smoking with incense, a rod of wood, a rod of gold, a rod of iron. Mary is a rod smoking to beginners, a rod of wood to those who are advancing, a rod of gold to the perfect, a rod of iron to the incorrigible and the demons. 

I say that the Virgin Mary is as a smoking rod to beginners and to penitents. Of this rod it is said in the Canticle of Canticles: "Who is she that cometh up from the desert, as a pillar of smoke of aromatical spices, of myrrh, and frankincense, and of all the powders of the perfumer?" (Cant. III, 6.) The desert is the heart of the sinner, which is indeed devoid of grace and virtue. The aromatical spice, the sweet incense of the soul, is the aspiration of hope for pardon. The Blessed Virgin Mary, therefore, came up from the desert as a pillar of smoke, when, by her prayers, the heart of the sinner received the smoking incense of pardon. This smoke is generated from the aromatical myrrh of contrition, and of incense in confession, and from all the powders of the perfumer in manifold satisfactions. No desert doth the Virgin Mary abhor, no sinner doth she despise; but wherever she passes, she spreads the sweet incense of pardon. Excellently, therefore, does St. Bernard say: "Thou dost not abhor or despise any sinner, however foul, if he but sighs to thee, and begs with a repentant heart for thy pardon; thou drawest him from the abyss of despair with thy loving hand, thou breathest upon him the remedy of hope, and embracest him, the outcast of all the world, with maternal affection, thou cherishest him and dost not desert him, until he is reconciled with the tremendous Judge." 

Again, Mary is the rod of wood, the rod which is flowering to those who are advancing. Of this rod it is said in the Book of Wisdom that the rod of Aaron, which was of wood, bore fruit and flowers. By the flowers are signified virtues, which, after the passing of the devilish winter, rise up in hearts, as it is well said in the Canticle: "Now the winter is over and gone, and flowers have appeared in our land." Let the winter, therefore pass, let that torpor in which charity grows cold, pass, and then the flower of virtue will appear again. Oh, with what flowers the flowering Virgin hath abounded, as St. Bernard says, speaking to her: "Thou art as a garden-plot of holy perfumes, planted by the heavenly Perfumer, delectably flourishing with the flowers of all virtues." As flowers signify virtues, so fruits denote the works of the virtues. Of these it is well said: "By their fruits you shall know them." When, therefore, we advance in virtues and in the works of the virtues, we advance by the examples and merits of Mary, and then the Virgin Mary is to us a rod of wood, flowering and fruitful. 

Likewise the Virgin Mary is to the perfect and contemplative a golden rod. We read that Esther; with two maidens went to King Assuerus, and when she had become faint from exceeding fear, the King held out to her the golden scepter to console her. Esther means "raised up" or "hidden," and is a figure of the contemplative soul, whom God raises up in contemplation and hides in the hidden place of His face from the tumult of men. This soul by contemplation enters into Christ the King. The two maidens by whose help she enters are the two powers of the soul, the intellect, which proceeds by way of knowledge, and the affections, which follow by love. The soul which has thus entered into Christ, sometimes faints away by a kind of stupor, when she recognizes the inaccessible brightness of the divine glory, or the terrible severity of the divine justice. The golden rod, the royal scepter, is the Virgin Mary. Golden indeed by her charity, royal by her nobility; golden by her purity, royal by her justice; golden by her incorruption and virginal integrity, royal by her domination and power. This is the happy rod, which is extended with clemency to comfort the contemplative soul, when the happy Virgin Mary, by contemplation and devotion of this soul, which is so loving and sweet, enters into it; so that from this the soul is strengthened against fear of the divine splendor and justice. The contemplative soul of St. Anselm desired this rod to be extended to it, when he exclaimed: "O Virgin fair to look upon, lovable to contemplate, delightful to love, who transcendest the capacity of the heart, give thyself, O Lady, to the weak soul who followeth thee." 

Likewise the Virgin Mary is as an iron rod to the demons and incorrigible sinners. To this rod we may apply that word of the Psalm: "Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron." O Mary, rod of gold to the perfect, rod of gold to the hard, rod of gold to men, rod of iron and hard to the demons, keep the demons from us I This, Lady, we ask, and we ask it devoutly with Innocent: "Hail, loving Mother of God, who from the dignity by which thou art Mother of God, hast power to restrain the demons, restrain the demons lest they hurt us; command the angels to guard us." Thus, therefore, the Blessed Virgin Mary is to us a rod of smoke or incense in our conversion, a flowering rod in our lives, a golden rod in our contemplation, an iron rod in our defense. St. Bernard, admiring and worthily contemplating this rod, saith: "O Virgin, sublime rod, to how great a height thou raisest thy summit even unto Him who sitteth on the throne, unto the Lord of Majesty, for thou castest deep down thy roots in humility." 

Let us now consider the flower of this rod; let us consider in the royal rod, and in the Virgin Mary a fourfold flower, a precious flower, a flower of virginity, of virtuous reputation, of miraculous fecundity, and of glorious immortality. 

Of this flower consider, first, in Mary the flower of precious virginity, which is virginity itself. Of this it is said in Isaias: "The desert shall rejoice and shall flower as a lily." Mary can fittingly be said to be a desert, who was so willing to be alone, who was in her voluntary solitude visited by an angel. Therefore St. Ambrose well says: "Alone in the inner part of her house, she whom no man could see, he found her alone without a companion, alone without a witness." In what manner this desert, the Virgin Mary, should rejoice, let her say herself: "And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior." This desert of earth flowered like a lily by virginity. O angelical lily! O heavenly flower! O truly heavenly flower! whom that supercelestial Bee hath so loved. For St. Bernard saith: "That Bee who feedeth among the lilies, who dwelt in a flowering fatherland, when He flew to Nazareth, which is interpreted a flower, flew towards thee, and came to the sweet smelling flower of thy perpetual virginity, he rested upon it, he embraced it." The flower of virginity has as many petals, so to speak, as the conditions and praises of virginity. Oh, how greatly the crowns of this flower were multiplied by Mary! St. Ambrose says: "In the whole world the flower Mary weaves unfading crowns, and keeps the royal court of purity with immaculate affection, until integrity perseveres to the palm of victory, that in maidens it may grasp the trophy of sanctity, and in the footprints of the Virgin Mary, attain to the heavenly bridal chamber." 

Secondly, consider in Mary the flower of virtuous reputation, of manners and of life, and hear what she herself says: "My flowers are the fruits of honor and riches" (Ecclus. XXIV, 23.) Of these it is also said: "Our bed is flowering." Behold, we find flowers in the earth, and in the bed. The earth is the mind of the active (souls); the bed is the mind of contemplatives. The earth, I say, is the mind bearing fruit in good actions; but the bed is the mind seeking quiet in contemplation. Let the mind be active, or let it be contemplative, it should always be beautiful with flowers. Note also that the flower of honesty, of a good reputation, yea, the flower of any virtue has, as it were, as many petals as it has good and meritorious works to show. Oh, how flowering was that earth, how flowering was the bed of Mary, who in the flowering virtue of her life flourished in the beauty of every virtue, as St. Bernard testifies, saying: "Thou art the casket of holy perfumes, O Mary, gathered by the heavenly Perfumer, delightfully blooming with the beautiful flowers of every virtue, among which three are excellent above all, the violet of humility, the lily of chastity, and the rose of charity." 

Thirdly, consider in Mary the flower of her miraculous fecundity. This flower is the Son of the Virgin, of whom it is said: "There shall come forth a rod from the root of Jesse, and a flower shall arise from its root." Oh, how beautifully this flower came forth, being born without sin, and how sadly was it crushed by dying, as it were like a sinner, according to that word: "Like a flower he goeth forth and is crushed." Oh, how white in His going forth, and how ruddy in His bruising was this flower! A flower, I say, delightful to the angels and most useful to men for life. St. Bernard saith: "The flower is the Son of the Virgin, a flower white and ruddy, a flower on whom the angels long to look, a flower by whose perfume mortals live again." Happy the wood which produces such a flower! Happier the stem or rod which in the wood produces this flower ! Happy above all the flower, without whom there can neither be wood nor rod happy! Truly a most happy flower, in which the Holy Ghost so rested that without Him no one could have the grace of the Spirit. St. Jerome testifies to this, saying: "The Holy Ghost, who in the vast wood of the human race had found no rest, at last rested upon this flower, so that without Christ no one could be wise, no one could have understanding, or counsel, or fortitude, or learning, or piety, or the fear of the Lord." This flower has, as it were, as many petals as it had ministries and examples. If thou desirest to have this flower, thou must bend its stem down to thee by prayer. If the flower is exceedingly high by its divinity, the stem is flexible by its love. And if the flower is most rare, because neither in Heaven nor on earth is there found another one, it is nevertheless most common, like a flower not enclosed in a garden, but in a field exposed to all passersby. Therefore, well could Christ say: "I am the flower of the field." He can be called a flower of the field, not only because it is openly exposed to the view of all, but also because it is produced without human culture. This St. Bernard hath in mind when he says: "The field flourishes without any human aid, it is not sowed by anyone, not harrowed by the plough, not made fertile with manure; thus indeed did the womb of the Virgin flower, so did the chaste and entire interior of Mary like pastures of eternal greenness produce Him whose beauty sees not corruption, whose glory will never fade." 

Fourthly, consider the flower of gracious immortality, of which it is said in Numbers that the rod of Aaron bore at the same time both flowers and fruit. The rod of Aaron prefigures the Virgin Mary. In the straightness of the rod is prefigured the integrity of Mary; in the flower, the beauty of her glorified body; and in the fruit, the beatitude of her soul. It is to be noted that in youth the body is most beautiful, as it is said: "In the morning it blooms and fades." But the flower perishes in death, as it is said in Isaias: "The grass is withered, and the flower is fallen." It will flower again in a glorious resurrection, according to the Psalmist: "My flesh has flowered again." This flower of the glorification of the body has, as it were, as many petals as the glorified body has gifts and rewards. And certainly the holy Doctors seem to hold it as probable, and strive with some show of reason to prove, and the pious sense of the faithful always held, that the Blessed Virgin was taken up body and soul into Heaven, and that her body and soul are now in glory. St. Augustine says: "I hold that Mary is in Christ and with Christ; in Christ, because in Him we live and move and have our being; with Christ, because she is assumed into glory." Therefore we worthily believe that Mary rejoices with ineffable joy both in body and soul, in her own Son, by her own Son; nor has she ever felt the sting of corruption because no stain was communicated to her integrity in bringing forth her Son, because she begot Him who is the whole and perfect life of all; let her be with Him, whom she bore in her womb; let her be with Him, who bore Him, nursed Him, and fed Him. Mary is the Mother of God, the servant of God, the nurse of God, the follower of God. According to this belief she can now say: "My flesh hath flowered again." And according to this she has at the same time both fruit and flowers: as flower, her glorified body; and for fruit, her glorified spirit. A flower indeed in the beauty of her glorious body; and fruit in the unspeakable pleasure of her soul. We must note that, according to the aforesaid fourfold flower, the Virgin Mary has a fourfold flower of virginity, and a fourfold flower of fecundity; she has the flower of good repute and the flower of humility; she has at the same time in her Child the flower of humanity and the fruit of the divinity; she has at the same time the flower of immortality in the body and the fruit of blessed pleasure in the soul. Let us, therefore, discern these flowers in the virginal rod, and gather these new flowers of joy from the virginal garden, which St. Bernard saw gathered and commended to us, when, speaking to Mary, he said: "Thy most holy womb, O Mary, is to us a garden of delights; because from it we gather the flowers of manifold joys as often as we think in our minds how great a sweetness flowed thence over the entire world." Therefore, most sweet Virgin Mary, behold, the Lord is truly with thee, as the flower is with the stem which produced it. Grant that the Lord may also be with me, yea, with all of us, and give to us this flower, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 

CHAPTER XIII MARY COMPARED TO A QUEEN ENTERING INTO THE PALACE WITH THE KING 

The Lord is with thee, O Lady most dear to the Lord, most intimate with the Lord ! The Lord is with thee, O most well-fitted Lady, most worthy of the Lord ! The Lord is with thee: with thee most certainly, according to what has been said above, as the sun is with the dawn which precedes it, as the flower is with the stem which produces it, as the king is with the queen entering into his palace. 

Having seen how Mary is as the dawn to the eternal Sun, preventing the Sun of justice; having seen also how Mary is as the stem or rod to the eternal flower, producing the flower of mercy; let us now consider in what manner Mary is the Queen of the Eternal King, entering into glory. 

Mary is that Queen entering in, of whom it is said that the queen entered into Jerusalem with a great company and with riches (3 Kings, X, 1.) Truly Mary is a queen. St. Augustine says: "We truly confess her to be the Queen of Heaven, because she brought forth the King of angels." I have spoken of this Queen in my sermon, "The Queen stood, etc."; therefore, I will now speak of her entrance. 

We are to consider, therefore, that we find Mary going in, going forth, going on, and going above. Her going forth was of nature, her progress was of grace, her entrance was into glory, her elevation was in abundance. 

She went forth by being born, she progressed by advancing in grace and virtue, she entered in by attaining, she surpassed all by her sanctity. She went forth without sin, she made progress beyond all example, she entered in without obstacle, she surpassed all without limits. 

First consider that we find Mary going forth into the world by her nativity without sin.... 

Secondly, consider that we find Mary advancing without equal by her grace. Therefore it is said in the Canticle: "Who is she that cometh forth as the rising dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun?" (Cant. VI, 9.) To these three luminaries, that is, the dawn, the moon, and the sun, Mary is fitly compared, for three excellent perfections shine forth in her. Resplendent virginity was in her mind and heart in a superlative degree; in her virginity shone forth fecundity, and in her fecundity shone forth a singular pre-eminence. A refreshing dawn and one pleasing to the birds was Mary; for by her virginity she. cooled the ardor of the flesh, as St. Bernard says, speaking to her: "By the virtue of chastity thou didst extinguish in thy virginal flesh the ardor of the forbidden concupiscence, that He, in whose sight even the stars are not pure, judged thy flesh to be of such purity that He deigned to unite it to His own divine purity." She also by her virginity was pleasing to the birds of heaven, that is, to the angels of God, for, as St. Jerome says: "Virginity is always related to the angels." Therefore we read that the angel blessed Jacob in the dawn. Jacob may here signify a chaste spirit, because Jacob supplanted his brother, that is, the body, his body. He was blessed not only by the angel, but also by his father, in the dawn, or in the morning, that is, in the chaste Virgin Mary, to whom the angel said: "Blessed art thou among women." Likewise Mary was fair as the moon in the lightgiving fecundity of her virginity; for the beauty of the moon consists in the light it receives from the sun. Think, therefore, what a beautiful moon was Mary, when that Eternal Sun was wholly received and conceived in her. Mary, therefore, is that moon in whose fullness that Man returned to the Church of whom it is said: "In the day of the full moon he will return to his house" (Prov. VII, 20.) The Blessed Virgin was the full moon, when it was said to her: "Hail, full of grace!" Again Mary was chosen as the sun in the illumining privilege of her fecundity, when not mere man alone, nor a real angel, but the Son of God Himself placed in her His tabernacle, when He was conceived in Mary. Without doubt it would have been most singular if the Virgin had conceived a mere man; but it would have been much more singular if the Virgin had conceived an angel. It was singular above all that a virgin conceived and brought forth God. Well, therefore, doth St. Augustine say: "Rightly is the Blessed Mary extolled by us with extraordinary praise, who has shown to the world so extraordinary a benefit, when she is raised to so sublime a height that, while the Word was from the beginning abiding with God, she should yet receive Him into her bosom from the highest heavens." The Blessed Virgin Mary, therefore, has advanced like the rising morning, in admirable virginity of mind and body; bright as the sun, in the adorable divinity of her virginal offspring. 

Thirdly, consider that we find Mary entering into the glory of Heaven without obstacle. For what could have opposed such a great queen advancing with so great a retinue ? She was prefigured by the Queen of Saba, of whom it is said: "Entering into Jerusalem with a great train, and riches, and camels that carried spices, and an immense quantity of gold and precious stones" (3 Kings X, 2.) Consider in these words the glory of Mary entering into the heavenly Jerusalem. Consider, I say, the excellence of her who enters, her power and her wealth. Consider the excellence of the primacy of our Queen Mary, insomuch as she is compared to the Queen of Saba, which signifies a cry. For Mary is the Queen of the world, where there is a cry of mourning. She is also the Queen of Heaven, where there is a cry of joy. For the dwellers in Heaven cry out, as it is said in the Apocalypse: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!" And this Queen of those who cry out, ceases not herself to cry out with the others, as St. Augustine says: "Thou, O Mary, fellow-citizen of the inhabitants of Heaven, being endlessly associated with the angels and archangels, ceasest not to cry out with untiring voice: "Holy, holy, holy!" She indeed is the queen whom the Psalmist describes, saying: "The queen stood on thy right hand, in gilded clothing, surrounded with variety" (Ps. XLIV, 10.) All can follow this Queen with confidence into the kingdom who have faithfully served her in this world. St. Bernard says: "Our Queen has gone before us: she has gone before us and has been so gloriously received that her servants may confidently cry out: 'Draw me after thee.' " Likewise consider in the entering in of our Queen the power of the retinue accompanying her, for it says: "with a multitudinous retinue." Mary entered into the heavenly Jerusalem with a multitudinous retinue of angelic powers. St. Jerome says: "We read how the angels have come to the death and burial of some of the Saints, and how they have accompanied the souls of the elect to Heaven with hymns and praises." And he adds: "How much more should we believe that the heavenly army, with all its bands, came forth rejoicing in festive array, to meet the Mother of God, surrounded her with effulgent light, and led her with praises and canticles to the throne prepared for her from the beginning of the world." 

Likewise, consider in Mary the wealth of her merits, as it were in a dower of precious gifts: for she brought with her infinite gold in her love of God and of her neighbor, the precious gems of virtues and gifts, the spices of good works and examples. What I say of the treasures of Mary is little compared with what St. Bernard says. "In thy hands," he says, speaking to Mary, "are all the treasures of the mercies of the Lord. God forbid that thy hand should cease to give; for thy glory is not diminished, but augmented, when sinners are pardoned and the justified are taken up into glory." The Mother of God, therefore, entered into glory, as the Queen of Heaven, accompanied by a vast retinue of angels, with innumerable riches of merit. 

Fourthly, consider that we find her surpassing all the Saints in the superabundance of her merits and rewards without end, according to the saying: "Many daughters have gathered together riches, thou hast surpassed them all." Thou hast indeed surpassed them in nature, in grace, in glory; thou hast surpassed all the daughters of men, all souls, all angelical intelligences, O Mary. I say that Mary in nature has surpassed all the daughters of men, for what nature does not admit of, she, a virgin, conceived, and brought forth, according to that word: "Behold a virgin shall conceive and bring forth a son." And it was not this alone that is above all nature, that a virgin should bring forth a son, but that she should bring forth God. Therefore, St. Jerome says: "What nature does not possess, what custom wots not, what reason knows nothing of, what the human mind cannot grasp, what the heavens fear, what the earth is astonished at, all this was what was divinely announced by the Angel Gabriel to Mary, and was fulfilled in Christ." Likewise, Mary surpassed in grace all the souls of the Saints, for she was not only full of grace, but overfull (superplena), as Gabriel signified, who said at first, "full of grace," and afterwards added: "And the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee." If, therefore, she was full of grace, whatever the Holy Spirit brought her afterwards was more than full measure; she was then more than full, she was surpassingly full (superplena). St. Bernard says: "While the Holy Spirit was coming, she was full of grace for herself (plena sibi); but when the Holy Spirit had come upon her, she was overfull and overflowed with grace for our sakes (superplena nobis)." So Mary surpassed in glory all the angelical intelligences; for she is the sapphire throne which, as we read in Ezechiel, is raised above the angelic firmament. St. Bernard says: "Mary ascended above every heavenly creature; up to the angels and even above these." So, therefore, Mary went forth, and advanced, and entered in, and went beyond all. She went forth, I say, by coming into this mortal life; she advanced in grace and privileges; she entered in by attaining to the Heavenly Kingdom; she surpassed all by exceeding the glory of all the blessed. Behold, therefore, O most sweet Virgin Mary, the Lord is truly with thee, as the sun is with the dawn which goes before it, as the flower is with the flowering stem, as the King is with the Queen entering in. O most sweet aurora, grant that the Sun of justice may also be with us ! O most sublime Rod, grant that with us also may be the flower of grace! O most powerful Queen, grant that the King of glory, Our Lord Jesus Christ, may stay with us! 

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