Behold Your Mother By Matthew Russell S.J. Part 10. The "Memorare" in Various Forms.

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I remember with pleasure that I heard a somewhat Bohemian Irishman call the Memorare the finest outburst of prayer that he was acquainted with. I hope he has repeated it occasionally since then, for his surroundings have not been of the safest. God help some poor young men who think themselves greatly to be envied.

I have looked in vain for some discussion of the authorship of this prayer. As the Anima Christi is often called the Prayer of St. Ignatius, though it was in use hundreds of years before St. Ignatius was born, so it is certain that "the Memorare of St. Bernard" is a misnomer. But St. Ignatius in his Exercitia Spritualia makes us repeat constantly the Anima Christi, and so was the propagator, though not the author, of this prayer: what connection has St. Bernard with the Memorare?

In the latest edition of the Raccolta it is called simply Orazione, and it is given thus :—

"Memorare, 0 piissima Virgo Maria, non esse auditum a saeculo quemquam ad tua currentem praesidia, tua implorantem auxilia, tua petentem suffragia, esse derelictum. Ego, tali animatus confidentia, ad Te, Virgo Virginum, Mater, curro; ad Te venio; coram Te gemens peccator assisto. Noli, Mater Verbi, verba mea despicere, sed audi propitia et exaudi. Amen"

Pope Pius IX., by a rescript of the Holy Congregation of Indulgences, dated December 15 1846, granted an indulgence of three hundred days every time we say this prayer, and a plenary indulgence to those who say it every day for a month, to be gained on any day they choose, on the usual conditions of Confession, Communion, visiting a church and praying there according to the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff. V But it is curious that exactly the same indulgences had been granted less than three months before (September 23, 1846) for the recitation of the same prayer with sundry omissions and additions. In the English translation of the Raccolta, however, published in 1857, by Cardinal Newman's specially loved and trusted friend, Father Ambrose St. John, we find that the common Memorare was in reality first in the field, being indulgenced at the request of Cardinal de Bonald, Archbishop of Lyons, July 25, 1846; but this was at first for all the faithful in the kingdom of France only, and not extended to the whole Catholic world for ever till the following December ii, 1846, "at the prayer of several ecclesiastics and persons of consideration in Rome.'' What is the history of this rival of the Memorare, which Father St. John calls "the prayer Ave Augustissima" from its opening words ?

"AVE, augustissima Regina pacis, sanctissima Mater Dei, per sacratissimum Cor Iesu Filii tui Principis pacis, fac ut quiescat ira ipsius et regnet super nos in pace. Memorare, o piissima Virgo Maria, non esse auditum a saeculo quemquam tua petentem suffragia esse derelictum. Ego tali animatus confidentia, ad te venio. Noli, Mater Verbi, verba mea despicere, sed audi propitia et exaudi. O clemens, o pia o dulcis Virgo Maria. Amen."

Why does Father St. John translate Augustissima by "Empress'' ? Here is his English version:—

"Hail, Empress, Queen of Peace, holiest Mother of God, by the Sacred Heart of Jesus thy Son, the Prince of Peace, cause His anger to cease from us, that so He may reign over us in holy peace. Be mindful, Mary, tenderest Virgin, that from of old never hath it been heard that he who asks thy prayers was forsaken of God. In this lively trust I come to thee. Cast not my words behind thee, Mother of the Word; but in thy loving kindness hear and do, gentle, tender, sweet Virgin Mary."

That last O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria is translated earlier in the book, "O merciful, O tender, O sweet Virgin Mary." "Clement" and "pious" do not give the proper meaning here. Father St. John in the next page translated differently the words that are common to the foregoing prayer and to the following Memorare: —

"Remember, Mary, tenderest-hearted Virgin, how from of old the ear hath never heard that he who ran to thee for refuge, implored thy help, and sought thy prayers, was forsaken of God. Virgin of virgins. Mother, emboldened by this confidence, I fly to thee, to thee I come, and in thy presence I, a weeping sinner, stand. Mother of the Word Incarnate, O cast not away my prayer, but in thy pity hear and answer. Amen."

It is a pity that there is not one authorised version to be learned off by heart by all devout clients of Mary. The Raccolta also omits the words which are very commonly added after coram te gemens peccator assisto —namely, this very desirable addition, obsecrans ut me in filium perpetuum adoptes et aeternae meae salutis curam in te suscipias. Is Father St. John right in translating derelictum by ''forsaken of God'' ? Why should currere be turned into "fly'' rather than "run'' ? The following appears to be a fair working version :—

"Remember, O most tender-hearted Virgin Mary, that never was it heard of in any age that anyone who ran to thy protection, implored thy help, and sought thy intercession, was ever abandoned. Inspired with this confidence, I run to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother!
To thee I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful, beseeching thee to adopt me as thy child for ever, and to take upon thee the care of my eternal salvation. Do not, O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise my petition, but graciously hear and grant it.'' (Verbi and verba are purposely placed together. Might this point be brought out thus ?—"O Mother of the Word ! these words of mine despise not, but mercifully hear and heed them.")

Many have tried to turn the Memorare into verse ; but it is more poetical as it stands. For instance, here is my own paraphrase :—

 Remember, holy Mary,
'Twas never heard or known
 That any one who sought thee
 And made to thee his moan—
 That anyone who hastened
 For shelter to thy care
 Was ever yet abandoned
 And left to his despair.
 No, never. Blessed Virgin,
 Most merciful, most kind.
 No sinner cries for pity
 Who does not pity find.
         None, none, O Holy Mary !

And so to thee, my Mother,
With filial faith I call,
For Jesus dying gave thee
As Mother to us all.
To thee, O Queen of Virgins,
O Mother meek, to thee
I run with trustful fondness.
Like child to mother's knee.
See at thy feet a sinner.
Groaning and weeping sore—
Ah! throw thy mantle o'er me,
And let me stray no more.
          No more! O H0Iy Mary!

Thy Son has died to save me.
And from His throne on high
His heart this moment yearneth
For even such as I.
All, all His love remember,
And oh ! remember too
How prompt I am to purpose,
How slow and frail to do.
Yet scorn not my petitions,
But patiently give ear,
And help me, O my Mother!
Most loving and most dear.
Help, help, O Holy Mary!

Miss Katherine Conway, of Boston, echoes the holy prayer thus :—

Remember, Mother, throned in Heaven's splendour,
That never on this earth has it been said
That any heart which sought thy pity tender
Was left uncomforted.

So, wearied of world-friendship's changing fashion,
And bankrupt of world-treasures utterly,
And trusting in thy mercy and compassion,
I come at last to thee

Why name to thee my needs in my entreating ?—
Thou, taught in human hearts by the Divine,
Long time agone, when soft His heart was beating,
Fond Mother, close to thine!

O plead with Him who on thy breast was cherished,
Sweet sharer in the world's Redemption-pain!
O let it not be said that I have perished,
Where none came yet in vain!

John Bernard Delaney, one of the first Bishops of Manchester in New Hampshire, keeps closer to the original:—

Remember, Blessed Mother,
That never was it known
Who sought thy intercession
Was left to plead alone.
Confiding in thy goodness,
I hasten unto thee:
Let not thy gracious promise
Be broken first for me.
Though most unworthy ever.
Yet hearken to my cry,
And stretch a hand through darkness
To lead me to the sky.

This version is too brief to be faithfuL The Rev, Arthur Barry O'Neill, S.C.S., in the Ave Maria,takes a larger canvas for his copy :—

Remember, Mary, Virgin tender-hearted!
How from of old the ear hath never heard
That he who to thine arms for refuge darted
Thy help implored with reverent, earnest word,
Thy prayers besought, and on thine interceding
With loving confidence and trust relied,
Did ever futile find his fervent pleading
Or see thy grace and favour e'er denied,

O Virgin Mother, 'mongst all mothers tender,
With equal confidence to thee I fly—
To thee I come as to a sure defender;
A weeping sinner unto thee I cry.
Sweet Mother of the Word Incarnate, hear me!
May e'en my halting words efficient prove!
Cast not away my prayer but deign to cheer me,
And let my sore distress thy pity move.

The same poet in the same pious Magazine— congenial home for such carmina Mariana — wrote these lines about the Memorare: —

Not for his age alone was Bernard speaking,
O Virgin Mother, amongst all women blest;
When, Thy assistance in his sore need seeking,
The "Memorare" voiced his soul's request.

He echoed but a prayer that long resounded
In fainting hearts o'er all the woeful earth;
The cry for help from those whom sin hath wounded,
In every age since Christ the Saviour's birth.

The echoes of an echo, we repeat it.
With all of Bernard's confidence and love;
And now as ever dost thou kindly greet it,
And grant it, Mother, in thy home above.

It was in the Ave Maria also that Brian O'Higgins first published his version of the Memorare:—

Remember, remember, O Virgin Mary!
That never in vain did the wanderer seek
Thy strength and comfort and holy guidance
When tempest-worn and spent and weak;
That never ascended the wail of anguish.
Commingled with sorrow's despairing moan,
From the noisome earth, through the clouds of darkness.
Without finding balm at thy radiant throne.

Remember, remember, O Virgin Mary!
And list to a voice that is weak and faint:
I have strayed far out on the sinful ocean
With its waves of passion beyond restraint;
And now, with a heart that is robed in anguish,
O Mother of Pity, to thee I come !
My eyes are dim with their ceaseless weeping,
My feet are weary, my hands are numb.

Remember, remember, O Virgin Mary!
Through the deepening shadows I send my plea:
Guide of the Wanderer, Hope of the Mourner,
Pray to the Child of thy heart for me,
That His tender grace may calm the waters
And pierce the gloom of the gathering night,
And lead me back to that Port of Beauty
Where His mercy shines with a fadeless light.

A little blank space at the foot of the column which contains these stanzas is well filled up with these two questions from one of Cardinal Newman's sermons :
"What shall bring yon forward in the narrow way, if you live in the world, but the thought and patronage of Mary ? What shall seal your senses, what shall tranquilize your hearty when sights and sounds of danger are around you, but Mary ?"

In a French magazine, Les Annales du tres Saint Sacrement, someone who called himself Un Malade gueri, made a sonnet out of the glorious prayer that I have named so often :—

Souvenez-vous, Marie, O Vierge tres pieuse,
Que nul n'a jamais dit ni jamais entendu
Qu'un secours ait ete vainement attendu
De votre royaute misericordieuse.

Emu de cat espoir, o Reine glorieuse.
Tout pecheur que je suis, gemissant, eperdu,
Je me jette a vos pieds, et mon ame anxieuse
Attend de vous la paix et son bonheur perdu.

Ah! ne meprisez pas la tres humble priere
De mon coeur suppliant! Le front dans la poussiere,
J'implore la faveur d'un regard de vos yeux,

Regardez ! et pregnant en pitie ma misere,
Intercedez pour moi, puissante et bonne Mere,
Aupres de votre Fils qui regne dans les cieux!

The longest of all the poems founded on the Memorare appeared in the Irish Rosary for June, 1907—five stanzas of eight lines each, by a Dominican Father, who disguises himself (alas ! too effectively for many of us) by giving his name in Irish, D. B. an Crataig, The letters c, t, and g in this name are "mortified" and so are we at our invincible ignorance of the grand old tongue which reverences the Blessed Virgin Mary so much as to pronounce her very name differently from other Marys.

Mary in the Epistles by Thomas Stiverd Livius. Comments on the Epistles part 50.

THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE OF S. JUDE THE APOSTLE.

3 I was under a necessity to write unto you: to beseech you to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints.

This faith was delivered by oral teaching. We may see in this short Epistle several points of divine revelation which are not mentioned anywhere else in holy writ, arid must have been transmitted by tradition. So too is it with much of the explicit teaching on the Blessed Virgin. S. Jude supposes this faith to be known by those to whom he writes. He alludes, at the same time (v.v. 17, 18), to Epistles of Apostles, whence they derived their knowledge on some particular matter, thus in 1 Tim. iv. 1-3; 2 Tim. iii. 1-5; 2 Pet. iii. 3, 4. Hence we see the late date of this Epistle.

The very essential ideal of everything that is most opposed to Jesus Christ is Antichrist, and the spirit of Antichrist. On the contrary, the most perfect ideal of all that is for Jesus Christ, is Mary, and her spirit, which breathes in the souls of the faithful devotion to her. For Mary is the living testimony and pledge in the Church on earth, and in heaven to Angels and Saints for all eternity of the truth of the Incarnation, that God is indeed become Man. Take away Mary and Jesus Christ is dissolved. Whoever entertains wrong thoughts and ideas of her will hold error, explicitly or implicitly, with regard to Our Lord Jesus Christ. Let devotion to Mary droop, and Catholic Faith will soon grow weak, or die. Mary is still the guardian of her Divine Son, as she is of us her children. The experience of ages has proved this. Hence the Church sings: Gaude Maria Virgo, cunctas hcvreses sola interemisti in universo mundo. Dignare me laudare te Virgo sacrata. Da mihi virtu-tern contra hostes tuos. The Spirit of Mary is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God.

Mary in the Epistles by Thomas Stiverd Livius. Comments on the Epistles part 49.

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF S. JOHN THE APOSTLE. CHAPTER I.

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the word of life :

2 For the life was manifested; and we have seen and do bear witness, and declare unto you the life eternal, which was with the Father, and hath appeared to us:

3 That which we have seen and have heard, we declare unto you, that you also may have fellowship with us, and our fellowship may be with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ

This was S. John's ground for dignity, authority, communication of grace to others, and fellowship with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ; viz., that he had himself heard, and seen, and looked upon with his own eyes, and handled with his own hands the Incarnate Word of God. [See infra, Note B, p. 279.] Think of Nazareth, and Bethlehem, and Jerusalem, and Egypt, and Nazareth and Jerusalem again—and say whether Mary had not enjoyed these privileges more intimately and abundantly, unspeakably far, than the Apostle, and whether her dignity in this respect does not immeasurably surpass that of S. John. If on this title Christians might have fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ, how much more through Mary.

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

" The holy Mary," writes S. Augustine, " lived without any sin. No other of the Saints was without sin. He (Pelagius) goes on to make mention of those ' who are recounted not only not to have sinned, but also to have lived justly, Abel, Enoch, Melchisedech, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Josue, . . . Joseph to whom the Virgin Mary was espoused, and John.' He adds women also, ' Debbora, . . . Elisabeth, and Mary the Mother of our Lord and Saviour,' whom, he says, 'piety necessarily obliges us to confess to have been without sin.' Except, then, the holy Virgin Mary, concerning whom, for the Lord's honour, I will have no question raised at all, in treating of sins,—for we know that more grace [Or, according to the other reading : " For, how do we know what was the greater grace conferred on her . . . who merited," etc.?] was conferred on her to be victorious over sin from every quarter, [Or, "for the entire conquest of sin," ad vincendum omni ex parte pecatum.] from the fact that she merited to conceive, and give birth to Him, Who, it is certain, had no sin. This Virgin, therefore, excepted ; could we gather together, and ask all those holy men and women, whether when they lived here on earth, they were without sin, what, think we, they would answer ? Would it be what this man says, or what the Apostle John says ? I ask you—however great the excellence of their sanctity whilst in the body—if they could be questioned, would they not cry out with one voice, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."  [S August., De Natura et Gratia, cap. 36. See supra, Rom. iii. 23.]

CHAPTER II.

1 My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. But if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just.

" We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just, 'Who also maketh intercession for us,' says S. Paul. [Rom. viii. 34] But because He is not only our Advocate, but also appointed to be Judge of the living and of the dead,' [ Acts x. 42.] and so will examine into everything, and will leave no sin unpunished; human weakness, and especially a sinner—since the just is scarcely secure before Him [1 Pet. iv. 18.] —might perhaps, not bear to approach to Him as Advocate. And consequently God most loving has provided us with an advocate in Mary who is all mild and sweet. Nothing harsh is found in her, never did a hard word come forth from her." [S. Antoninus, p. iv. tit. 15, c. 14, 7.]

5 But he that keepeth his word, in him in very deed the charity of God is perfected; and by this we know that we are in him.

In Mary then, in very deed, was the charity of God perfected. For of her emphatically the Holy Ghost records: " His Mother kept all these (His) words in her heart." [Luke ii. 52, and v. 19. See supra, Rom. ii. 13.] Again the Angel assures her from God that she is united to Him—Dominus tecum. Hence to Mary above all others belongs that supreme blessedness pronounced by her Divine Son, on those who hear the Word of God and keep it. By this we know that she, in a sense beyond all others, is in Him.

20 But you have the unction from the Holy one, and know all things.

Who had the unction from the Holy One as Mary, upon whom the Holy Ghost came, and whom the power of the Most High overshadowed ; of whom was born the Holy One ; with whom the Holy One lived and conversed so many years; on whom the Holy Ghost descended again in His fulness on the day of Pentecost ? What, then, must have been the fulness of Mary's knowledge.

CHAPTER III.

1 Behold what manner of charity the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called, and should be the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth not us, because it knew not him.

2 Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know, that, when he shall appear, we shall be like to him: because we shall see him as he is.

3 And every one that hath this hope in him, sanctifieth himself, as he also is holy.

O charity in manner yet more admirable, bestowed upon Mary, that she should not only be the elect one, blessed above others amongst all God's daughters, but moreover be called, and really be His own beloved Mother!—a charity wherein we are made to share, in that we also have His Mother for our Mother, and are called, and in truth are, the children of Mary. May we not well say: Behold what manner of charity our Lord Jesus Christ from the Cross hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called by Him, and should be the children of Mary His own most holy Mother, and that thus He should become our own Brother. We need not wonder that the world knows not but rejects Mary—her dignity, her holiness and her power; and that it opposes her servants and children, and sets itself against the practice of devotion to her.

If such will be the manifestation of all the children of God, what will be the glorious manifestation of His chosen one, of Mary His own most perfect Mother ? As we are unable to conceive the blessedness of Mary's assured hope of the beatific vision, so neither can we comprehend the sanctification by which she prepared herself for it.

8 He that committeth sin is of the devil: for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God appeared, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

9 Whosoever is born of God, committeth not sin: for his seed abideth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

10 In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the devil.

13 Wonder not, brethren, if the world hate you.

The Apostle here takes us back to the beginning, and evidently refers to the primeval prophecy and promise contained in Genesis : [Gen. iii. 15.] " I will put enmities between thee (the serpent) and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel." Whether it is there said that the Woman (Mary, the Second Eve), or her Seed, that is Jesus Christ her Son—and in and by Him all His true members, the faithful—should destroy the power of the devil, is immaterial. We see that what there is called "the seed of the woman " is here by S. John called the children of God, those born of God. Hence we may learn that it is one and the same thing to be children of God, and children of Mary. We must not wonder, then, that the world, that is, the seed of the serpent, who are the children of error, should hate the children of God and Mary; since it had been prophesied long before, even from the beginning: " I will put enmities between thy seed and her seed."

16 In this we have known the charity of God, because he hath laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Mary was ready a thousand times to lay down her life for her children, had such been the will of God. She did in effect, what cost her far more. She was transfixed in her heart with the wounds of her Divine Son. The same sword which pierced Him pierced her maternal soul through and through. Mary at the foot of the Cross laid down for us a life dearer far than her own.

21 Dearly beloved, if our heart do not reprehend us, we have confidence towards God:

22 And whatsoever we shall ask, we shall receive of him: because we keep his commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight.

23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ: and love one another, as he hath given commandment unto us.

24 And he that keepeth his commandments, abideth in him, and he in him. And in this we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

If the prayers of good Christians in the grace of God are thus powerful, what must be the exceeding power with God of the prayers of Mary His Mother, who possessed, as the Spirit of truth expressly testifies, in such an excellent degree all the conditions here mentioned for favour and acceptance in His sight. Mary had confidence towards God, so that when her petition to her Divine Son was seemingly refused, she still with confidence pressed her suit. [John ii. 3-5.] She kept God's Word. [Luke ii. 52.] She did what was pleasing in His sight. " Thou hast found grace with God." [ib. i. 30.] She was strong in faith. " Blessed art thou that hast believed." [ib. i. 45.] She abounded in fraternal charity, so that Jesus from the Cross gave her to us, His beloved ones, to be our Mother, giving her at the same time a Mother's heart and a Mother's love.[John xix. 26.] She abode in God. " The Lord is with thee." She knew and had full assurance of her union with Him by the Spirit, which was given to her. [Luke i. 28, 35. See Acts i. 14 ; ii. 1, 4 ; 1 John iv. 12, 13.]

CHAPTER IV.

1 Dearly beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits if they be of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

2 By this is the spirit of God known. Every spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God :

3 And every spirit that dissolveth Jesus, is not of God: and this is Antichrist. [The Apostle again denounces in his Second Epistle (v.v. 7-11) the heresy of which he here speaks.]

" Believe nut every spirit, but try the spirits if they be of God; 'for Satan himself transformed himself into an angel of light,' [2 Cor. xi. 14.] to be adored. . . . 'The spiritual man judgeth all things,' [1 Cor. ii.15.] says S. Paul, that is, discerns what should be done from what should not be done, and the fictitious from the true. Because, then, Mary was spiritual above all others she had beyond all others the discernment of spirits. When S. Anthony on seeing in spirit the whole world full of snares closely set together cried out, Oh, who shall escape these snares ? the answer was, Humility alone. The Blessed Virgin was incomparably more humble than all others; and therefore through this grace of discernment of spirits, escaped all deceits. The evil spirit is wont to tempt to spiritual pride, but the Blessed Mary never had any movement of pride. The Apostle Paul says of himself, 'We are not ignorant of his (that is, the devil's) devices.' But since Mary is more than Paul, much less was she ignorant, but had greater discernment, and was never deceived by him." [ S. Antoninus, p. iv. tit. 15, cap. 19, § 7.] The very essential ideal of everything that is most opposed to Jesus Christ is Antichrist, and the spirit of Antichrist. On the contrary, the most perfect ideal of all that is for Jesus Christ, is Mary, and her spirit, which breathes in the souls of the faithful devotion to her. For Mary is the living testimony and pledge in the Church on earth, and in heaven to Angels and Saints for all eternity of the truth of the Incarnation, that God is indeed become Man. Take away Mary and Jesus Christ is dissolved. Whoever entertains wrong thoughts and ideas of her will hold error, explicitly or implicitly, with regard to Our Lord Jesus Christ. Let devotion to Mary droop, and Catholic Faith will soon grow weak, or die. Mary is still the guardian of her Divine Son, as she is of us her children. The experience of ages has proved this. Hence the Church sings: Gaude Maria Virgo, cunctas hevreses sola interemisti in universo mundo. Dignare me laudare te Virgo sacrata. Da mihi virtutern contra hostes tuos. The Spirit of Mary is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God.

21 And this commandment we have from God, that he who loveth God, love also his brother.

" As there never was, and never will be," writes S. Alphonsus, "anyone who loved God as much as Mary loved Him, so there never was, and never will be, anyone who loved her neighbour as much as she did. Father Cornelius a Lapide, on these words of the Canticles: ' King Solomon hath made him a litter of the wood of Libanus . . . the midst he covered with charity for the daughters of Jerusalem,' [Cant. iii. 9, 10.] says that ' this litter was Mary's womb, in which the Incarnate Word dwelt, filling it with charity for the daughters of Jerusalem; for Christ, who is love itself, inspired the Blessed Virgin with charity in its highest degree, that she might succour all who had recourse to her. So great was Mary's charity when on earth, that she succoured the needy without even being asked, as was the case at the marriage-feast of Cana, when she told her Son that family's distress, ' They have no wine,' [John ii. 3.] and asked him to work a miracle. Oh, with what speed did she fly when there was question of relieving her neighbour ! When she went to the house of Elizabeth to fulfil an office of charity: * She went into the hill country with haste.' [Luke i. 39.] She could not, however, more fully display the greatness of her charity than she did in the offering which she made of her Son to death for our salvation. On this subject S. Bonaventure says,' Mary so loved the world as to give her only-begotten Son.' Hence S. Anselm exclaims, ' O blessed amongst women, thy purity sur passes that of the angels, and thy compassion that of the saints. [Invoc. B. V. et Filii.] '- ' Nor has this love of Mary for us,' says S. Bonaventure, 'diminished, now that she is in heaven, but it has increased, for now she better sees the miseries of man.' And therefore the Saint goes on to say: ' Great was the mercy of Mary towards the wretched when she was still in exile on earth ; but far greater is it now that she reigns in heaven.' " [Spec. B. V. M. lect. x. Glories of Mary, p. 448, 9.]

Mary in the Epistles by Thomas Stiverd Livius. Comments on the Epistles part 44

THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE OF S. JAMES THE APOSTLE. CHAPTER II.

1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with respect of persons.

2 For if there shall come into your assembly a man having a golden ring, in fine apparel, and there shall come in also a poor man in mean attire,

3 And you have respect to him that is clothed with the fine apparel, and shall say to him : Sit thou here well; but say to the poor man : Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool:

4 Do you not judge within yourselves, and are become judges of unjust thoughts ?

The faith of our Lord Jesus Christ that Mary had, was free from all such respect of persons. She knew that He, the Lord of glory, was meek and humble of heart, that He scatters the proud and lofty-minded, and exalts the humble. Her heart was most like to His own. She knew how to receive the poor, rude, and simple shepherds, with a like sweet grace, courtesy and charity, as she did the rich and royal Magi.

"And deem not," says S. Ambrose, "the words of the shepherds to be despised as though of little worth. For from the shepherds Mary gathers faith. From the shepherds a people is congregated for the worship of God. They were, too, in admiration, all who heard what was said to them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these words, pondering them over in her heart. Let us learn the chastity in all things of holy Mary, who no less pure in speech than in body, pondered over the arguments of faith in her heart." [Lib. ii. in Luc. c. ii. circa med.]

5 Hearken my dearest brethren: hath not God chosen the poor in this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him.

What choice did God ever make like to His choice of Mary to be His Mother—the model, type and crown of all His elections ? Poor indeed in this world she was, for she gave birth to her Divine Child in a stable. But rich in faith— blessed in believing—surpassing all others in the wealth of her love to God, she was on earth the first heir of the promise. What, then, is her right amongst the heirs of the heavenly kingdom ? Surely, as she so excelled in all that gives aught of claim in God's kingdom on earth, her right is to be Queen over all in His kingdom above. Regina cӕli, Iӕtare, Alleluia!

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar ?

22 Seest thou, that faith did co-operate with his works; and by works faith was made perfect ?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled, saying: Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him to justice, and he was called the friend of God.

Abraham, to whom the promise was made, became through his faith, the father of the faithful. Mary, to whom first the promise was actually fulfilled, became, by her excelling faith, in a far higher sense than Abraham is their father, the Mother of the faithful. Like Abraham, Mary also was justified by works : of which in either case the principal was that of offering a sacrifice. But what a difference in the sacrifice of one and the other. Abraham offered up in will, though not in effect, the sacrifice of Isaac his son—Mary offered up, not only in will, but also in effect, Jesus Christ her only Son, Whom she loved incomparably more than Abraham loved Isaac, on the altar of the Cross. Isaac was a type of Jesus Christ the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world ; and Abraham's offering was but a figure of the sacrifice which Mary made.

"O Lady," says S. Anselm, " what fountains of tears burst forth from thy most modest eyes, as thou didst behold thy only Son, so holy and innocent, before thee scourged, bound, bruised, His flesh torn by wicked men. And yet so conformed wert thou to the Divine Will, as to be most eager for the salvation of mankind, that (I am bold to say it), had there been no one found to crucify thy Son, thou wouldst have thyself placed Him on the Cross, if so the salvation of men and the will of God required it. For we are not to believe that there was less perfection and obedience towards God in Mary, than in Abraham, who offered to God his own son as a sacrifice to be slain, and bound with his own hands."

Seest thou not how faith did cooperate with her works; and by her works which corresponded in excellence to her faith — her faith was made perfect ? And the Scripture was fulfilled, saying, "Blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished, that were spoken to thee by the Lord." [Luke i. 45.] Thus faith obtained for Mary a complete triumph over Satan, God's enemy, who had brought to ruin our first mother Eve ; and it was reputed to her for justice, and she was called, and was indeed, the friend of God,' [" Amica mea." Cant. ii. 2.] even His own be loved Mother.

CHAPTER III.

17 But the wisdom, that is from above, first indeed is chaste, then peaceable, modest, easy to be persuaded, consenting to the good, full of mercy and good fruits, without judging, without dissimulation.

18 And the fruit of justice is sown in peace, to them that make peace.

Here we have a beautiful description of Mary, who is called by the Church, Sedes Sapientiӕ, as her character has been impressed on the mind of the faithful and traced by tradition.

CHAPTER IV.

6 But he giveth greater grace. Wherefore he saith: God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

7 Be subject therefore to God, but resist the devil, and he will fly from you.

8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

10 Be humbled in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Who so humble as Mary, who so subject to God as she ? Ecce ancilla Domini —To her then God gave His greatest grace.

" To be the Mother of God," says S. Bonaventure, " is the greatest grace that can be conferred on a pure creature. God could make a greater world, God could make a greater heaven: a greater Mother than Mother of God, God could not make." [Spec. B. M. V. Lect. x.]

" The last grace of Mary's perfection," says S. Antoninus, " was that which prepared her for the Conception of the Son of God : and this preparation was by means of profound humility." [P. i v. tit. xv. c. 6, n. 2.]

It was indeed her own triumphs of humility that she was recounting, when thus she magnified God: "He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble." Through her humility and consequent excelling grace, she so effectually resisted and vanquished the devil, and still forces him to flee from her children who strive to imitate her humility and invoke her aid.

Approach to God on our part through His attracting grace is the condition of His approach to and union with us. How wondrously perfect, then, must have been Mary's drawing nigh to God, before He became so wondrously united to her. Thus must she have been prepared in order to become a worthy Mother of His Son. The height of Mary's exaltation corresponded to the depth of her humility. Respexit humilitatem ancillӕ suӕ, etc.

Mary in the Epistles by Thomas Stiverd Livius. Comments on the Epistles part 43

THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE OF S. JAMES THE APOSTLE. CHAPTER I.

3 Knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

4 And patience hath a perfect work; that you may be perfect and entire, failing in nothing.

Mary, next to Jesus Christ her Son, had the most to suffer, and was most exercised in patience. In her, patience had a perfect work, as she stood by the Cross assisting at the death of her Son. As He was made perfect through suffering, so too was Mary through her patience made perfect and entire, failing in nothing.

"Patience," says S. Antoninus, "hath a perfect work, when one is not excited on account of adversity, but one bears it when it comes with equanimity. For this there are the examples of the Saints, who, though just, had many things to suffer, but did so most patiently. Now the most blessed Virgin had no lack of adversities, as neither had her Son ; but when a few days after the birth of her Babe He was sought for to be slain, she had to fly into Egypt, and there remain for seven years amongst idolaters, and strangers ; and when at the age of twelve He remained behind in the temple, without her knowledge, she sought Him for three days, not without sorrow, but without anger, and such sadness as to absorb or obscure reason. She was likewise most patient in the persecutions of her Son ; and hence is said of her: ' As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.' [Cant. ii. 2.] Neither the lily, nor the rose loses its beauty and fragrance amongst thorns, so neither did Mary lose the sweet odour of patience amongst tribulations." [P. iv . tit. 15, c. 26, § 1.]

9 But let the brother of low condition glory in his exaltation:

10 And the rich, in his being low.

Mary, in her lowly-mindedness as the handmaid of the Lord, gloried in her exaltation : Et exultavit spiritus meus . . . quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est. Again, Mary, though so rich in grace, and possessed of Him " in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," gloried, rather, in her low estate, which God had deigned to regard : Quia respexit humilitatem ancillӕ suӕ"

12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been proved, he shall receive the crown of life, which God hath promised to them that love him.

Mary, the blessed amongst women, had pre-eminently this blessedness of which the Apostle here speaks. For who was ever tried, who ever endured as she ? Having been well proved, the crown of life that she has received surpasses that of all others in glory; since she loved God with a love exceeding far that of all others, and loved Him both as her God, and as her Son.

17 Every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, nor shadow of alteration.

18 For of his own will hath he begotten us by the word of truth, that we might be some beginning of his creature.

The Gift of gifts, the best and the most perfect of all others, was given by the Father of lights to Mary, even that of His Only-begotten co-equal Son. Mary was in a peculiar, and far higher sense than others, the chosen daughter of the Eternal Father. And not only was she begotten by the word of truth, and was the beginning of His creation ["Ego ab ore Altissimi prodivi primogenita ante omnem creaturam." " Ab initio creata sum," etc. Ecclus. xxiv. 5. 14. " Dominus possedit me in initio viarum suarum, antequam quidquam faceret a principio " etc. Parab. Salom. viii. 22. Words spoken of Eternal Wisdom, but applied by the Holy Church to the Blessed Virgin in the Breviary Lections for our Lady's Feasts.] but she herself conceived and gave birth to the Divine Incarnate Word of truth.

"No grace," says S. Bernardine of Sienna, "comes down from heaven save through Mary. Such is the hierarchical order of the effusion of heavenly graces. They come from God into the blessed soul of Christ: Every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights. They then descend into the soul of the Virgin : into the Seraphim and Cherubim, and the other angelic orders : into the soul of the Saints, lastly on the Church militant." [Serm, de glorios. nom. Maria;, art. 3. c. 2.]

19 And let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to anger.

21 Wherefore . . . with meekness receive the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if a man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he snail be compared to a man beholding his own countenance in a glass.

24 For he beheld himself, and went his way, and presently forgot what manner of man he was.

25 But he that hath looked into the perfect law of liberty, and hath continued therein, not becoming a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work; this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26 And if any man think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

27 Religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father, is this : to visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation : and to keep one's self unspotted from this world.

If we study the portrait of the Blessed Virgin, as sketched in the Gospel narrative, and her character, as unvarying tradition has impressed it in the minds and hearts of the faithful, we shall find shining brightly in her all those virtuous traits which the Apostle here commends. She was most prudent in her speech, sweet and gentle in her bearing: she received with meekness the divine word, keeping and pondering over it in her heart, listening to it with humble attention from the lips of all whoever they might be, whether the Archangel Gabriel or Elizabeth, Shepherds or Sages, Simeon or Anna ; welcoming it though it might deeply wound her heart. Mary was not a hearer only but a faithful doer of the word, and was blessed in her deed. She shewed to all a perfect model of religion, clean and undefiled, before God and the Father, by her holy life of spotless purity, and her works of charity and mercy towards others : of these the Visitation, and her mediation at Cana are typical instances, and will suggest to us how many were the services she rendered to those in need and distress, whilst following our Lord in His public ministry, and, after His Ascension, in the infant Church during the years she still remained on earth. [Hence Mary is styled by the Church, and invoked by the faithful, as Virgo prudentissima, Vas spirituale, Vas insigne devotionis and as Mater misericordiӕ, dulcedo et spes nostra, O Clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria, Mater amabilis, Virgo clemens, Causa nostrӕ lӕtitiӕ, Salus infirmorum, Refugium peccatorum, Consolatrix afflictorum, Auxilium Christianorura.]

Mary in the Epistles by Thomas Stiverd Livius. Comments on the Epistles part 42

THE EPISTLE OF S. PAUL TO THE HEBREWS. CHAPTER X.

5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith: Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldest not: but a body thou hast fitted to me :

19 Having therefore, brethren, a confidence in the entering into the Holies by the blood of Christ;

20 A new and living way which he hath dedicated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.

21 And a high-priest over the house of God.

There is here no direct reference to Mary, and to the share which she had in giving that Body, of Flesh and Blood, whereby Christ became at once our High-priest and Sacrifice. But the thought of Mary could not have been absent from the Apostle's mind, illumined so fully as he was to see the whole mysteries of which he wrote in all their truth and bearings.

CHAPTER XI.

11 By faith also Sara herself, being barren, received strength to conceive seed, even past the time of age; because she believed that he was faithful who had promised,

12 For which cause there sprung even from one (and him as good as dead) as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea-shore innumerable.

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered Isaac: and he that had received the promises, offered up his only-begotten son;

18 (To whom it was said: In Isaac shall thy seed be called).

19 Accounting that God is able to raise up even from the dead. "Whereupon also he received him for a parable.

" If," says S. Alphonsus, " the sacrifice of Abraham by which he offered his son Isaac was so pleasing to the Divine Majesty, that as a reward God promised to multiply his descendants as the stars of heaven: 'Because thou hast done this thing, and hast not spared thy only-begotten son for My sake, I will bless thee, and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven: [Gen. xxii. 16, 17. See supra, Rom. iv. 3, 16-25 ; ix. 8, 9 ; Gal. iii. 6-9, 14, 1C, 18, 22, 26-29 ; iv. 22-31 ; and infra, James ii. 21-23.] we must certainly believe that the more noble sacrifice which the great Mother of God made to Him of her Jesus, was far more agreeable to Him; and therefore, that He has granted, that through her prayers the number of the elect should be multiplied; that is to say, increased by the number of her fortunate children; for she considers and protects all her devout clients as such." [Discourse on the Purification. Glories of Mary, p. 344.]

" ' So also,' says S. Bonaventure, ' we can say of Mary, that she has so loved us, as to give her only-begotten Son for us.' ... If Abraham had such fortitude as to be ready to sacrifice with his own hands the life of his son, with far greater fortitude would Mary (far more holy and obedient than Abraham) have sacrificed the life of hers." [Ib. pp. 32, 3.]

38 Of whom the world was not worthy ; wandering in deserts, in mountains, and in dens, and in caves of the earth.

39 And all these being approved by the testimony of faith, received not the promise;

40 God providing some better thing for us, that they should not be perfected without us.

Jesus and Mary were above all others those of whom the world was not worthy, and were at the same time, of all the most despised, and had most to suffer. " He came to His own, and His own received Him not." [John i.11.] Of Himself He said: "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head." [Matt. viii. 20 ; Luke ix. 58.] Mary shared in all His contempt and misery. She had to betake herself to-the cold stable-cave at Bethlehem in mid-winter to give Him birth; in her flight with Him to Egypt to take refuge in dens and caves amongst the mountains, and to wander hither and thither through the inhospitable desert, and to dwell with Him homeless in a strange land. When expressing their contempt for Jesus, the Jews coupled her name with His, saying: " Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary?" [Matt. xiii. 55 ; Mark vi. 3 ; John vi. 42.]

" If Paul says of the other saints, Of whom the world was not worthy, what shall we say of the Mother of God, who outshines all the Martyrs, as much as does the sun the stars?" [S. Basil of Seleucia. Orat. x. de Annunt.]

But Mary, being above all others approved by the testimony of faith, received the promise, even her God to be her Son, through whom some better thing has been provided for us, that we may be perfected not wanting in any grace.

CHAPTER XII.

22 But you are come to Mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of angels,

23 And to the church of the first-born, who are written in the heavens, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just, made perfect.

24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new testament, and to the sprinkling of blood which speaketh better than that of Abel.

Mary is in truth the holy city and habitation of the living God, Who dwelt in her chaste womb for nine months. As Mother of God she is exalted higher far in the heavens than His myriads of Angels. She is, of all the elect, the first-born,. next after her Divine Son— Primogenitus a mortuis —the first. of creatures written in God's decrees. [See Note, James i. 18, infra.] If we are brought nigh to God, to Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament, to the Angels, and to the spirits of the just, we are, in a special manner, brought nigh to Mary, our own earth-born daughter, the glory of our race: through whom we obtained for us Jesus our Mediator, from whom He received that precious Blood which pleads so powerfully in our behalf. If already we are brought nigh to the Angels who are of a different nature from ourselves, Mary in heaven is not estranged from us here on earth—from us for whom she was made what she is. But Mary, now in glory, to whom is she herself brought nigh? and liow nigh? What is her proximity now to Jesus and to God? Is she less near than she was when on earth ? Dominus tecum. For we should note that this present approach, this actual proximity of ours, is the climax of all the glorious privileges liere enumerated by the Apostle, as belonging to us Christians in the Communion of Saints: You are come, he says. What then must be the climax for Mary, for her who was ever with God, for her to whom Jesus Christ first came; of whom He was and is; through whom He came to all others, and all others come to Him ?

28 Therefore, receiving an immovable kingdom, we have grace whereby let us serve, pleasing God, with fear and reverence.

This is all realised in Mary: "Hail, full of grace." "Behold the handmaid of the Lord." "Thou hast found grace with God." " He hath regarded the humility of His handmaiden." " His mercy is on them that fear Him." " Holy is His Name."

CHAPTER XIII.

12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people by his -own blood, suffered without the gate.

13 Let us go forth therefore to him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

Where Jesus suffered, there was Mary: " Now there stood by the Cross of Jesus His Mother." [John xix. 25.] She went forth to Him without the camp, bearing His reproach. Let us follow Mary ; she is our example.

15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise always to God, that is to say, the fruit of lips confessing to his name.

16 And do not forget to do good, and to impart; for by such .sacrifices God's favour is obtained.

By Jesus, present in her virginal womb, Mary offered to God the sacrifice of praise, confessing to His Name, when she poured forth her Canticle, " My soul doth magnify the Lord. . . . Holy is His Name. . . ." Her offering of praise was not alone the fruit of her lips, but Jesus Himself, "the blessed fruit of her womb."

We need but to recall the scenes of the Visitation, and the Wedding-feast at Cana, to see that Mary forgot not to do good and to impart to others of the gifts and graces which she had herself received, and that the acts which she there did, were sacrifices acceptable and well-pleasing to God, since it was through her mediation that He then wrought such great marvels.

20 And may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great pastor of the sheep, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the blood of the everlasting testament,

21 Fit you in all goodness, that you may do his will; doing in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom is glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The God of peace, in reconciling the world to Himself, filled Mary with grace to do His will — Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum —and wrought in her that which was well pleasing in His sight, so that she became the Mother of the great Pastor of the sheep, our Lord Jesus Christ, who shed His Blood for our redemption, and rose again from the dead for our justification.

24 Salute ... all the saints.

Ave, Regina caelorum, 

Ave Domina Angelorum ; 

Salve radix, salve porta 

Ex qua mundo lux est orta.

Gaude, Virgo gloriosa; 

Super omnes speciosa; 

Vale 0 valde decora, 

Et pro nobis Christum exora.

Mary in the Epistles by Thomas Stiverd Livius. Comments on the Epistles part 41

THE EPISTLE OF S. PAUL TO THE HEBREWS. CHAPTER V.

4 Neither doth any man take the honour to himself, but he that is called by God, as Aaron was.

5 So Christ also did not glorify himself, that he might be made a high-priest: but he that said unto him: Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

6 As he saith also in another place: Thou art a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech.

7 Who in the days of his flesh, with a strong cry and tears, offering up prayers and supplications to him that was able to save him from death, was heard for his reverence.

8 And whereas indeed he was the Son of God, he learned obedience by the things which he suffered.

9 And being consummated, he became, to all that obey him, the cause of eternal salvation.

Neither did Mary ever think to take the honour to herself, or to glorify herself, that she should be the Mother of God, but He who sent unto her : " Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His Name Jesus—the Son of God." [Luke i. 31-35.] From Mary, let us bear in mind, it was that Christ received the essential constituent elements of His priesthood; to wit, that Sacred Humanity, whereby as a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech, He continually offers up in His holy Church His Body and Blood, under the appearance of bread and wine.

" Mary too," says B. Albertus Magnus, " when she prays to her Son for us, is heard for her reverence, that is to say, for the reverence which is due to her as His own Mother."

We may also say of Mary, that whereas indeed she was the Mother of God, she learned obedience by the things which she suffered; an obedience most like to that of Jesus Christ, in whose sufferings she had the greatest share, since the same sword that caused His Passion pierced at the same time her own heart. It is, so to say, quite a commonplace amongst the earliest Fathers, that as Eve was by her disobedience the cause of our ruin, so Mary by her obedience obtained our salvation.

CHAPTER VI.

10 For God is not unjust, that he should forget your work, and the love which you have shewn in. his name, you who have ministered, and do minister to the saints.

Mary ministered not to Saints alone, and in the name of Jesus, but to Himself in person, the Lord and King of Saints, the most beloved Only-begotten Son of God, as a Mother to her own Son. What a showing forth of work and love to Jesus was the whole life of Mary. Is He unjust that He should forget her and all that she did for Him on earth ? Does He not reward her proportionately with glory now in Heaven ?

CHAPTER VII.

1 For this Melchisedech, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, 

6 Blessed him that had the promises.

Melchisedech, the type of Jesus Christ our great High-priest, blessed the patriarch Abraham, who, remotely, had the promises, viz., that through his seed, that is, Jesus Christ, all the nations of the earth should be blessed. What, then, must be the blessing that our Lord Jesus Christ, the true Melchisedech, bestowed upon Mary, to whom the promises were actually fulfilled, by herself being His own Mother.

14 For it is evident that our Lord sprung out of Juda.

It is clear that the Apostle has here Mary in his mind, though he is silent with regard to her personally. How could it be evident to S. Paul and to those for whom he writes, that our Lord sprung out of Juda, unless with the actual thought of our Lord's Mother, "Mary of whom was born Jesus"? Hence we see that the silence about Mary in the Epistles cannot be brought forward any way as an index of the little share and place she had in the mind and estimation of the sacred writers.

26 For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.

If Mary, from whom Jesus Christ derived His human nature, viz., that flesh and blood which were to be essential constituent elements of His perfect priesthood, had been once a sinner, subject to the curse of original sin, then He would not have been, as the Apostle affirms He was, a high priest separated from sinners. Mary was, therefore, entirely sinless and immaculate. This too was fitting. [See 2 Cor. vii. 1, supra. ]

"A learned author observes that, according to S. Paul, it was fitting that our Blessed Redeemer should not only be separated from sin, but also from sinners; according to the explanation of S. Thomas, who says that 'it was necessary that He, who came to take away sins, should be separated from sinners, as to the fault under which Adam lay.' [3 p. q. iv. art. 6, ad. 2m.] But how could Jesus Christ be said to be separated from sinners, if He had a Mother who was a sinner? S. Ambrose says that 'Christ chose this vessel into which He was about to descend, not of earth, but from heaven ; and He consecrated it a temple of purity. [De Inst. Virg. c. 5.] The Saint alludes to the text of S. Paul: 'The first man was of the earth, earthly: the second man from heaven, heavenly.' [1 Cor. xv. 47.] The Saint calls the Divine Mother 'a heavenly vessel,' not because Mary was not earthly by nature, as heretics have dreamt, but because she was heavenly by grace; she was as superior to the angels of heaven in sanctity and purity, as it was becoming that she should be, in whose womb a King of Glory was to dwell. This agrees with that which S. John the Baptist revealed to S. Bridget, saying, ' It was not becoming that the King of Glory should repose otherwise than in a chosen vessel exceeding all men and angels in purity.' [Rev, lib. i. c. 31.] And to this we may add that which the Eternal Father Himself said to the same Saint: ' Mary was a clean and an unclean vessel : clean, for she was all fair; but unclean, because she was born of sinners; though she was conceived without sin.' [Ib. 1. v. Exp. Rev. xiii.] And remark these last words, ' Mary was conceived without sin, that the Divine Son might be born of her without sin.' Not that Jesus Christ could have contracted sin, but that He might not be reproached with even having a Mother infected with it, who would consequently have been the slave of the devil." [S. Alph. Lig. Disc, on Mary's Immac. Concept. Glories of Mary, p. 250, 1]

CHAPTER IX.

2 For there was a tabernacle made the first, wherein were the candlesticks, and the table, and the setting forth of loaves, which is called the Holy.

3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle, which is called the Holy of Holies:

4 Having a golden censer, and the ark of the testament covered about on every part with gold, in which was a golden pot that had manna, and the rod of Aaron that had blossomed, and the tables of the testament.

11 But Christ, being come an high-priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hand, that is, not of this creation :

12 Neither by the blood of goats, or of calves, but by his own blood, entered once into the Holies, having obtained eternal redemption.

24 For Jesus is not entered into the Holies made with hands, the patterns of the true : but into heaven itself, that he may appear now in the presence of God for us.

In the writings of the Fathers and in the language of Catholic devotion most of the particulars here enumerated are applied mystically to the Blessed Virgin.

"'When the ark was lifted up, Moses said : Arise, 0 Lord, and let thy enemies be scattered.' [Numb. x. 35.] Thus was Jericho conquered. Thus also the Philistines ; 'for the ark of God was there." It is well known that this ark was a figure of Mary. Cornelius a Lapide says, ' In time of danger Christians should fly to the Most Blessed Virgin, who contained Christ as manna in the ark of her womb, [A golden pot that had manna : see S. Basil of Saleucia, supra, Rom. ix. 23.] and brought Him forth to be the food and salvation of the world.'" [S. Alph. Lig., Glories of Mary, p. 113.]

" O burning bush unconsumed, open meadow, and blossoming rod of Aaron ! " exclaims S. Ephrem, " for thou truly wert the rod, and thy Son the flower ; since from the root of David and Solomon budded forth Christ, our Creator, Almighty God and Lord, the alone Most High. Of Him Who is God and Man art thou Mother, Virgin before birth, Virgin in birth, and Virgin after birth." [De laud. Gen. Dei Maria. Opp. Gr. t. iii. p. 575. See supra, Rom. xv. 12.] The same Saint says elsewhere : "A King's palace she was by Thee, 0 Son of the King, and a Holy of Holies by Thee, 0 High priest." [De Natal. Dom. xii. Opp. Syr. t. ii. Morris, p. 53.]

And S. Germanus : " Thou art the tabernacle not made with hands, but made by God, into which only God the Word and first High priest entered in once at the end of ages, [See v.v. 7, 11, 25, 26; iv. 14 ; viii. 2. ] secretly to accomplish in thee sacred mysteries." [In Nativ. S. Deip.]

" By the tables of the Testament," says Blessed Albert the Great, "are signified the perfect knowledge of the Old and New Law which Mary had fully, because the Author of the Scriptures dwelt in her : hence S. Jerome says that she was most excellently versed in the Scriptures as is clear from her own words : Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros ; [Luke i. 55.] and also from what we read : ' Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart ;' [Ib. ii. 10, 51.] so that she afterwards taught the Apostles, and was instructress of the New Testament. For since in Mary was the whole by prefigurement, she may be truly said to have had a full knowledge of both Laws ; and this is signified by the union in the ark, of Deuteronomy and the tables of the Testament." [De laud. B.M. V. cap, 1.]

" In Mary," says S. Antoninus, " was the treasure of wisdom, [Wisd. vii. 14.]signified by the Law laid up in the ark. For no pure creature had so great knowledge of divine things and such as pertain to salvation as Mary ; hence she was the instructress of the Apostles and Evangelists, to teach them concerning the mysteries of Christ. And no wonder that she had an immense treasure of wisdom since in her reposed Christ in whom are all the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God in fulness. And he, says S. Ambrose, who knows Christ, knows the treasure of wisdom and knowledge. There was also in the ark the rod, which signifies power and dominion. For Mary is Queen of heaven, and Mistress (Domina) of the angels. Now as the ark was considered as what was most precious in the tabernacle of old, so also Mary is held to be that which is most precious and holy in the tabernacle of the Church." [P. iv. tit. xv. cap. xiv. 4.]

"Christ, our High priest," says Armandus de Bello-visu, " entered once into the Holy of Holies, that is, the Virgin's womb, when He took to Himself blood for the expiation of our sins. Hence it is said, Christ being come a high priest . . . not by the blood of goats or of calves, for then He would not have been of our race ; but by His own blood, that is to say, by assuming our human blood, entered once into the Holies, that is, the Virgin." [Ap. sum Aur. de B.M.V. Tom. ii. p. 1532.]

"As our Lord Jesus Christ entered into heaven itself, that He may appear now in the presence of God for us; so the Mother of God assumed to heaven, appears in the presence of her Son, as the bow in, the clouds, the token of divine clemency, and shows to Him her breasts, whereby she ceases not to invoke His mercy in behalf of us sinners. Hence in the prayer called the Secret of the Mass for the Vigil of the Assumption, the Church supplicating to be heard through the prayers of the Mother of God, utters these words concerning her: Since for this cause Thou hast translated her from this present world, that before Thee she may intercede with confidence for our sins." [Adam. Brower., Ibid.]

Mary in the Epistles by Thomas Stiverd Livius. Comments on the Epistles part 40

THE EPISTLE OF S. PAUL TO THE HEBREWS. CHAPTER II.

3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ? which having begun to be declared by the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.

Since the fact of having heard the word of Jesus Christ was the ground of authority which gave it confirmation. What confirmation must Mary not have given; for who was there who heard, who knew Him as she did ?

5 For God hath not subjected unto angels the world to come, whereof we speak.

But to Mary " the Father of the world to come" [Isa. ix. 6.] was really subject. Mary had over Him the rights of a mother. It is little to say of her that she is above the Angels, and the rest of creation. For what, after all, is it to be Queen of Angels and all creation, compared with being Mother of God, the Maker and Lord of Angels, and the whole creation? What honour, short of that which belongs to God alone, can be too great for us to pay to her whom God has thus honoured ?

9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour: that, through the grace of God, he might taste death for all.

10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, who had brought many children into glory, to perfect the author of their salvation, by his passion.

Mary, too, who is of all the most closely allied with Jesus, though lower than the Angels by nature, is crowned with surpassing glory and honour.—It was meet that she who had the chief share with Jesus in the work of our salvation, and is our spiritual mother, should be made perfect, by having the chief share in His Passion.

11 For both he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are all of one. For which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.

Jesus Christ and His faithful are all of One, that is, of One God and Father. Hence Jesus Christ is our Brother. Again, they with Him are all of One, that is, of One Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. "We have here another ground for claiming Him as our Brother.

14 Therefore because the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner hath been partaker of the same : that, through death, he might destroy him who had the empire of death, that is to say, the devil:

15 And might deliver them, who through the fear of death were all their life-time subject to servitude.

Here, implicitly, but emphatically, the Apostle refers to Mary. For well did he know that it was of Mary alone Jesus Christ received that same flesh and blood, through which by death, He triumphed over Satan and wrought our redemption.

16 For no where doth he take hold of the angels : but of the seed of Abraham he taketh hold.

17 Wherefore it behoved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren.

Of the seed of Abraham He took hold in His Incarnation, generally and remotely: but of Mary He took hold, in particular and immediately. Through Abraham, says the Apostle, we are made brethren of Jesus Christ: and Abraham is our father. How much more, then, through Mary; and how much more is she our Mother. For of her pure blood alone did He take hold, and therefrom derived His own most precious Blood, by which we were redeemed from death and received our life.

18 For in that, wherein he himself hath suffered and been tempted, he is able to succour them also that are tempted.

In a true sense we might apply these words of S. Paul to Mary, who, on our account, had the greatest share in all the sufferings of her Divine Son. How well might she use the language of the old poet: Haud ignara mali miseris succurrere disco.

" There is not one amongst all the Saints," says S. Antoninus, " who can ever feel for us in our miseries, both corporal and spiritual, like this woman, the Blessed Virgin Mary." [P. iv., tit. xv. cap. 2.]

CHAPTER III.

5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to be said:

6 But Christ as the Son in his own house: which house are we if we hold fast the confidence and glory of hope unto the end.

Mary was faithful as the Mother and Mistress in her own house. And what a house and family was that over which she presided ! Do we not here see a claim for Mary's dignity, and for her pre-eminence over all the choirs of Angels and Saints in heaven? And may we not trust that faithful Virgin to care for, as Lady and Mother, the house of Christ her Son on earth, His Holy Church, to which we are called; and to take care of ourselves in particular, if only we hold fast, by true devotion to her, the confidence and glory of hope, which we have in her protection, unto the end ?

"It was just—according to what the Apostle says in his Epistle to the Hebrews, regarding Moses as a faithful servant in his house, and Christ as an only Son ruling in His house that His own Mother should by her virtues and glory preside over the whole family, next after Himself in the same house. As, therefore, to her belongs the name, peerless and unique, high above all others, after God, of Mother of God; so peerless and unique, high above all others after God, here on earth and in heaven, is the grace and glory of the same Mother of God." [Petrus Venerab. L. iii. Ep. 7. Bib. Max. t. 22, p. 901.]

CHAPTER IV.

1 Let us fear therefore lest the promise being left of entering into his rest, any of you should be thought to be wanting.

2 For unto us also it hath been declared, in like manner as unto them. But the word of hearing did not profit them, not being mixed with faith of those things they heard.

3 For we, who have believed, shall enter into rest; as he said. 

9 There remaineth therefore a day of rest for the people of God.

11 Let us hasten therefore to enter into that rest.

The Holy Ghost has more than once borne testimony to Mary that she believed, and kept the Divine word in her heart to her profit. She is emphatically pronounced blessed for her faith. Is not, then, her super-eminent faith blessed with a corresponding share of the rest of Paradise ? If there remaineth a rest for the people of God, how much more for the Mother of God—for her who whilst on earth so ardently aspired and hastened to enter into that rest: "In all these I sought rest ... in the holy city likewise I rested . . . and my abode is in the full assembly of the saints." [Ecclus. xxiv. 11-16. See the Breviary Office for the Feast of the Assumption, 15th August.]

12 For the word of God is living and effectual, and more piercing than any two-edged sword; and reaching unto the division of the soul and the spirit, of the joints also and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature invisible in his sight; but all things are naked and open to his eyes, to whom our speech is.

There is much similarity of ideas in these words of the Apostle and those of Simeon to Mary: " And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed." [Luke ii. 35.] The word of God that Mary then heard was to her indeed living and effectual, and as a two-edged sword pierced her soul, revealing to her many diverse thoughts both of sorrow and joy. The living Incarnate Word of God Himself, proved to be to her also such a sword in His Passion and Death. [See supra, Eph. vi. 17] In commenting upon Simeon's words, S. Ambrose, S. Augustine, S. Bede, and other Fathers interpret these words of S. Paul in the same sense, and apply them to our Lady.

"God," says S. Antoninus, "may be said to be by His presence in all things, because He knows all the most secret things of creation : All things are naked and open to His eyes. But He was by His presence in the Blessed Virgin, not only because He saw all things that were secret in her, her thoughts and affections, with the eye of cognition ; but also because He approved all her acts interior and exterior, with the eye of approbation." [P. iv tit. 15, cap. 21.]

14 Having therefore a great high-priest that hath passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God : let us hold fast our confession.

15 For we have not a high-priest, who cannot have compassion on our infirmities : but one tempted in all things like as we are, without sin.

16 Let us go therefore with confidence to the throne of grace : that we may obtain mercy, and find grace in seasonable aid.

We might apply these words regarding our Divine Redeemer to Mary, in a sense they could not attach to any other: Having therefore an advocate passed into heaven, Mary the Mother of God, given to be our Mother also—one full of mercy and compassion, who herself suffered and was tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin—let us go with confidence to her throne of grace, for she is full of grace, that we may obtain mercy and grace, through her intercession, and seasonable aid.