Works › The Mariale: Questions on “Missus est”
Volume 37 · p. 180
Question 128. Whether the Blessed Virgin had special graces which surround manner of life?
QUAESTIO CXXVIII. Utrum B. Virgo habuerit speciales gratias quae circumstant conversationem?
Post haec videndum est de specialibus gratiis quae circumstant conversationem: quae specialitas gratiae innuitur quoties aliquis sanctorum specialiter a Deo diligitur vel amicus Dei appellatur. Verbi gratia, in veteri Testamento dicitur Dominus specialiter amare Abraham, et hoc propter fidem, juxta illud Genesis, XV, 6: Credidit Abraham Deo, et reputatum est illi ad justitiam: et amicus Dei appellatus est 1. Sic enim Deus loquebatur cum eo.
Item, Moyses propter mansuetudinem, quia mitissimus fuit hominum qui fuerunt in terra, amicus Dei appellatus est, cum quo loquebatur facie ad faciem sicut solet homo loqui amico suo 2.
Item, David propter humilitatum: invenit enim virum secundum cor suum Dominus 3.
Item, In Novo Testamento Joannes Evangelista propter virginitatem, quem scilicet specialis praerogativa castitatis speciali dilectione fecerat dignum, et erat discipulus quem diligebat Jesus 4.
Item, Legitur, Joan. XI, 5, quod diligebat Jesus Martham, et sororem ejus Mariam, et Lazarum: et constat, quod hoc fuit propter hospitalitatem per quam ipsi et alii quidam placuerunt Deo.
Item, Nicolaus propter misericordiam appellatus est amicus Dei.
Sed haec dona excellentissime fuerunt in beata Virgine. Si enim dilexit Dominus Abraham propter fidem qua credidit de vetula et vetulo filium nasciturum, vel qua credidit filium moriturum et resurrecturum, multo fortius diligebat beatam Virginem propter fidem qua credidit se Virginem Deum parituram et Virginem permansuram.
Item, Si dilexit Moysen propter mansuetudinem, et hanc dilexit, quia est Virgo singularis inter omnes mitis.
Item, Si dilexit David propter humilitatem, hanc etiam dilexit, quia, ut dicit Augustinus, numquam exaltata super choros Angelorum fuisset, nisi fuisset humillima omnium hominum.
Item, Si dilexit Joannem propter virginitatem: et ecce plus Joanne: haec enim Virgo virginum: hoc autem Joannes non fuit.
Item, Si Mariam, Martham et Lazarum propter hospitalitatem dilexit, haec ipsum in utero suo hospitavit, carne vestivit, lacte cibavit: quod Martha non fecit.
Item, Si Nicolaum propter misericordiam dilexit: et hanc, quia regina misericordiae.
QUESTION 128. Whether the Blessed Virgin had special graces which surround manner of life?
After this one must see about the special graces which surround manner of life. This specialness of grace is suggested whenever any of the saints is specially loved by God or is called a friend of God. For example, in the Old Testament the Lord is said specially to love Abraham, and this because of faith, according to Genesis 15:6: Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him as justice; and he was called a friend of God 1. For thus God used to speak with him.
Likewise, Moses, because of meekness, because he was the meekest of the men who were on the earth, was called a friend of God, with whom God spoke face to face as a man is accustomed to speak to his friend 2.
Likewise, David because of humility; for the Lord found a man according to his heart 3.
Likewise, in the New Testament John the Evangelist because of virginity, whom indeed the special prerogative of chastity had made worthy of special love, and he was the disciple whom Jesus loved 4.
Likewise, it is read in John 11:5 that Jesus loved Martha and her sister Mary and Lazarus; and it is certain that this was because of hospitality, through which they and certain others pleased God.
Likewise, Nicholas because of mercy was called a friend of God.
But these gifts were in the blessed Virgin most excellently. For if the Lord loved Abraham because of the faith by which he believed that a son would be born from an old woman and an old man, or by which he believed that his son would die and rise again, much more did he love the blessed Virgin because of the faith by which she believed that she, a Virgin, would give birth to God and would remain a Virgin.
Likewise, if he loved Moses because of meekness, he also loved her because she is the singular Virgin, meek among all.
Likewise, if he loved David because of humility, he also loved her, because, as Augustine says, she would never have been exalted above the choirs of Angels unless she had been the humblest of all human beings.
Likewise, if he loved John because of virginity, behold one more than John: for she is the Virgin of virgins; but John was not this.
Likewise, if he loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus because of hospitality, she herself hosted him in her womb, clothed him with flesh, fed him with milk, which Martha did not do.
Likewise, if he loved Nicholas because of mercy, he also loved her, because she is the queen of mercy.
If a page does not appear, its photograph has not been uploaded yet.