Works › The Mariale: Questions on “Missus est”
Volume 37 · pp. 173–174
Question 119. Whether it belongs to the Blessed Virgin that she is an Apostle?
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QUAESTIO CXIX. Utrum conveniat B. Virgini quod sit Apostola?
Consequenter quaeritur de illis gratiis quae ponuntur in epist. ad Ephes. IV, 11: Et ipse dedit quosdam quidem Apostolos.
Et videtur primo, quod non conveniat beatissimae Virgini, quod sit Apostola:
1. Hoc enim opus est ministeriale: unde ibidem subjungitur, v. 12: In opus ministerii: sed ministerium non cadit in operationes omnium: ergo nec apostolatus.
2. Item, Super illud Dionysii: « Hierarchia est ordo divinus, scientia, et actio 1, » dicit Commentator, quod officium sine actione negligentia est: sed beatissima Virgo non exercuit actum praedicationis: ergo nec debuit habere officium.
3. Item, Luc. VI, 13: Elegit duodecim ex ipsis, scilicet discipulis, quos et Apostolos nominavit: ergo beatissimae Virgini non convenit donum apostolatus.
Contra:
1. Joannes de se dixit, Joan. I, 23: Ego vox clamantis, etc. Quasi diceret: Non praedico tantum voce oris, sed ego ipse totus sum vox, ita quod omnia mea, vita, victus, vestitus, locus praedicant poenitentiam: sed sicut omnia Joannis praedicant poenitentiam, ita omnia beatae Mariae Virginis praedicant innocentiam. Si igitur Joannes habet gratiam et donum praedicationis, qui est vox clamantis in deserto: ergo multo fortius beata Virgo habet donum apostolatus: ergo est vox clamantis in caelo.
QUESTION 119. Whether it belongs to the Blessed Virgin that she is an Apostle?
Consequently inquiry is made about those graces which are set down in the Epistle to the Ephesians 4:11: And he gave some indeed as Apostles.
And first it seems that it does not belong to the most blessed Virgin that she is an Apostle:
1. For this work is ministerial; hence in the same place, verse 12, there is added: For the work of ministry. But ministry does not fall within the operations of all. Therefore neither does apostleship.
2. Likewise, on that saying of Dionysius, “Hierarchy is a divine order, knowledge, and action 1,” the Commentator says that office without action is negligence. But the most blessed Virgin did not exercise the act of preaching. Therefore she ought not to have had the office either.
3. Likewise, Luke 6:13: He chose twelve from them, namely from the disciples, whom he also named Apostles. Therefore the gift of apostleship does not belong to the most blessed Virgin.
To the contrary:
1. John said of himself, John 1:23: I am the voice of one crying, etc. As though he were saying: I do not preach only by the voice of the mouth, but I myself, wholly, am a voice, so that all my things, life, food, clothing, place, preach penance. But as all things of John preach penance, so all things of the blessed Virgin Mary preach innocence. Therefore if John has the grace and gift of preaching, who is the voice of one crying in the desert, then much more the blessed Virgin has the gift of apostleship. Therefore she is the voice of one crying in heaven.
2. Item, Proprietas Apostolorum est, quod sunt lux mundi: sed beatissima Virgo in summo illuminavit mundum: ergo praedicationis in summo exercuit officium.
3. Item, Officium Apostolorum vel praedicatorum est reconciliare peccatores: sed hoc convenit beatae Virgini in summo: ergo habuit in summo apostolatum.
4. Item, Dominus dicit, Joan. VII, 16: Mea doctrina non est mea, illi attribuens a quo habuit essentiam: sed sicut habuit naturam divinam a Patre, ita habuit humanam naturam a matre: ergo sicut sua doctrina in quantum Deus fuit a Patre, ita doctrina sua in quantum fuit homo, fuit a matre: ergo mater omnia quae Filius docuit, praedicavit nobis.
5. Item, Joan. XVI, 13: Non enim loquetur a semetipso, dicit Dominus de Spiritu sancto: ergo sicut Spiritus loquitur ab illo a quo est, ita Filius loquetur a matre in quantum homo est.
Caetera ut supra in aureola praedicatorum 2.
2. Likewise, the property of the Apostles is that they are the light of the world. But the most blessed Virgin illumined the world in the highest degree. Therefore she exercised the office of preaching in the highest degree.
3. Likewise, the office of Apostles or preachers is to reconcile sinners. But this belongs to the blessed Virgin in the highest degree. Therefore she had apostleship in the highest degree.
4. Likewise, the Lord says, John 7:16: My doctrine is not mine, attributing it to him from whom he had essence. But as he had divine nature from the Father, so he had human nature from his mother. Therefore as his doctrine, insofar as he was God, was from the Father, so his doctrine, insofar as he was man, was from his mother. Therefore the mother preached to us all things which the Son taught.
5. Likewise, John 16:13: For he will not speak from himself, says the Lord concerning the Holy Spirit. Therefore as the Spirit speaks from him from whom he is, so the Son will speak from his mother insofar as he is man.
The rest as above in the aureole of preachers 2.
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