Volume 13 · pp. 630–631
Sermon LVIII. On the Annunciation of Blessed Mary
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SERMO LVIII.
IN ANNUNTIATIONE BEATÆ MARIÆ.
Ave Maria. Luc. I, 28.
I.
In hoc nomine, Ave, fit nominis Evæ conversio. Triplicem quidem habuit Eva maledictionem: corruptionis in conceptu, gravitatis post conceptum, doloris in partu. E contra Maria triplicem in hac salutatione recepit benedictionem. Fuit enim sine corruptione fœcunda, sine gravidine gravida, sine dolore puerpera. Hoc est Ave sine triplici væ corruptionis, gravitatis, et doloris, quod incurrit Eva per peccatum, quod ab ea omnes mulieres, præter Beatam Virginem Mariam, quasi jure hæreditario traxerunt. Gen. III, 16, Deus mulieri dixit: Multiplicabo ærumnas tuas, et conceptus tuos: in dolore paries filios tuos.
II.
Est et aliud triplex væ, de quo dicitur Apoc. VIII, 13: Væ, væ, væ habitantibus in terra, scilicet væ concupiscentiæ, væ culpæ, et væ pœnæ æternæ. Primum est in carne, secundum in spiritu, tertium in utroque. De primo dicitur, Eccle. X, 16: Væ tibi terra, id est, caro, cujus rex, id est, animus, puer est. Gen. III, 17 et 18: Maledicta terra in opere tuo: spinas et tribulos, id est, carnales motus, germinabit tibi. De secundo, Osee, VII, 13: Væ eis, quoniam recesserunt a me. De tertio, dicitur Osee, IX, 12: Væ eis, cum recessero ab eis. Hoc erit cum in inferno detrusi fuerint: nam quantumcumque modo malus fuerit peccator, numquam recedit ab eo omnino Deus: imo gratiam offert omnibus, dicens, Apoc. III, 20: Ego sto ad ostium, et pulso.
SERMON LVIII.
ON THE ANNUNCIATION OF BLESSED MARY.
Hail Mary. Luke 1:28.
I.
In this name, Ave, the conversion of the name of Eve is made. Eve indeed had a threefold curse: of corruption in conception, of heaviness after conception, of pain in birth. On the contrary, Mary received a threefold blessing in this salutation. For she was fruitful without corruption, pregnant without heaviness, childbearing without pain. This is Ave without the threefold woe of corruption, heaviness, and pain, which Eve incurred through sin, which from her all women, except the Blessed Virgin Mary, have drawn as if by hereditary right. Genesis 3:16, God said to the woman: I will multiply your hardships and your conceptions; in pain you will bear your sons.
II.
There is also another threefold woe, concerning which it is said in Apocalypse 8:13: Woe, woe, woe to those dwelling on the earth, namely woe of concupiscence, woe of fault, and woe of eternal punishment. The first is in the flesh, the second in the spirit, the third in both. Concerning the first it is said, Ecclesiastes 10:16: Woe to you, earth, that is, flesh, whose king, that is, spirit, is a boy. Genesis 3:17 and 18: Cursed is the earth in your work; thorns and thistles, that is, carnal movements, it will bring forth for you. Concerning the second, Hosea 7:13: Woe to them, because they have withdrawn from me. Concerning the third, Hosea 9:12 says: Woe to them when I will have withdrawn from them. This will be when they have been thrust down into hell; for however evil a sinner may now have been, God never withdraws altogether from him; rather he offers grace to all, saying, Apocalypse 3:20: I stand at the door and knock.
Sine hoc triplici væ fuit Virgo Maria, quando habuit triplex bonum huic triplici væ contrarium, scilicet bonum continentiæ, bonum gratiæ, et bonum perseverantiæ. Primum excludit concupiscentiam, secundum culpam, tertium pœnam æternam: quia qui perseveravit usque in finem, salvus erit.
Item, est aliud triplex væ, scilicet væ mundi, væ carnis, væ diaboli. De quo dicitur, Apoc. XVIII, 10: Væ, væ, væ civitas illa magna Babylon, sine quo fuit Maria omnino. Fuit enim pauper contra primum, virgo contra secundum, humilis contra tertium. Ideo digna est salutari non solum ab Angelo, sed etiam ab homine magis, qui per se perditus, per eam salutem invenit.
III.
Invitat autem nos ad salutationem Mariæ, Gabrielis exemplum, qui eam primitus salutavit, etiam antequam esset mater Domini. Item, in Cant. IV, 7: Tota pulchra es amica mea, et macula non est in te, interius per humilitatem, exterius per virginitatem: et macula non est in te, propter perfectam charitatem.
Si vis ergo ingredi ad Virginem, et eam salutare, oportet te esse angelum. Angelum autem te facient potissimum puritas, charitas, humilitas. Puritas in carnis munditia. Hieronymus: « Præter carnem vivere angelicum est, non humanum, etc. »
Footnotes:
None.
The Virgin Mary was without this threefold woe, since she had a threefold good contrary to this threefold woe, namely the good of continence, the good of grace, and the good of perseverance. The first excludes concupiscence, the second fault, the third eternal punishment, because he who has persevered unto the end will be saved.
Likewise, there is another threefold woe, namely woe of the world, woe of the flesh, woe of the devil. Concerning this it is said, Apocalypse 18:10: Woe, woe, woe, that great city Babylon, without which Mary was altogether. For she was poor against the first, a virgin against the second, humble against the third. Therefore she is worthy to be saluted not only by an Angel, but even more by a human being, who, lost through himself, through her finds salvation.
III.
Moreover the example of Gabriel invites us to the salutation of Mary, who first saluted her, even before she was the mother of the Lord. Likewise, in Song of Songs 4:7: You are all beautiful, my friend, and there is no stain in you, inwardly through humility, outwardly through virginity; and there is no stain in you, on account of perfect charity.
Therefore if you wish to enter to the Virgin and salute her, you must be an angel. But purity, charity, humility will especially make you an angel. Purity in cleanness of flesh. Jerome: "To live beyond the flesh is angelic, not human, etc."
Footnotes:
None.
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