THE SECOND EPISTLE OF S. PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS. CHAPTER VIII.
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that being rich he became poor, for your sakes ; that through his poverty you might be rich.
"Who," S. Ephrem makes Mary ask her Divine Infant, "hath given Thee to me ? 0 Son of the Rich One, that hated the bosom of the rich women : who led Thee to the poor ? For Joseph was needy and I also in want, yet Thy merchants have come, and brought gold to the house of the poor." [In Nat. Dom. x. Opp. Syr., Morris, p. 48.]
"The High One became as a little child, and in Him was hidden a treasure sufficing for all. Though Most High, yet He sucked the milk of Mary, and of His goodness all creatures suck ! . . . When He sucked the milk of Mary, He was suckling all with life. While He was lying on His Mother's bosom, in His bosom were all creatures lying. . . . Whilst he was in creasing in stature among the poor, from an abundant treasury He was nourishing all. . . . It was by power from Him that Mary was able to bear in her bosom Him that beareth up all things. It was from the great store-house of all creatures Mary gave Him all that she did give Him. She gave Him milk from Himself that prepared it, she gave Him food from Himself that made it. He gave milk unto Mary as God ; again He sucked it from her as the Son of Man. . . . She wove for Him, and clothed Him because He had put off His glory. She measured Him and wove for Him, since He had made Himself little." [In Nat. Dom. x. Opp. Syr., iii. pp. 22-24.] "Who shall open his mouth to speak of Him that feedeth all, who was yet brought up at the poor table of Joseph and of Mary ! Coming from the Bosom great and rich, which maketh all rich, in the poor bosom of Mary wert Thou brought up." [lb.]
23 The apostles of the churches, the glory of Christ.
Is not Mary the Mother of Jesus also, and much more than were the Apostles, His glory ?
CHAPTER IX.
6 Now this I say: He who soweth sparingly, shall also reap sparingly: and he who soweth in blessings, shall also reap blessings.
Mary sowed in blessings the blessed fruit of her womb, therefore she reaps the blessings of all generations. "No one sowed so liberally as that Blessed one amongst women, who poured forth the Blessed Seed from her womb. Of her own blessings Mary consequently will reap : even she who is in a singular manner to receive the blessing of all nations. ' All generations,' she says, 'shall call me blessed' But this is too little; all the orders of the blessed spirits shall call thee blessed." [Guerric. Serm. 4 De Assump.]