Works › The Mariale: Questions on “Missus est”
Volume 37 · pp. 259–260
Question 174. How does she comprehend in herself the blessing given to Gad?
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QUAESTIO CLXXIV. Qualiter comprehendat in se benedictionem datam Gad?
Sequitur de benedictione Gad. Genes. XLIX, 19: Gad accinctus praeliabitur ante eum: et ipse accingetur retrorsum.
Glossa: « Quia ad Dan pertinet disciplina cogitationum, ad Gad autem disciplina sensuum, unius est sedare civilem discordiam, alterius est repellere hostilem pugnam: hic vigilat contra civium proditionem, ille contra hostium incursionem 1. » Et infra: « Quamvis Dan assidue in throno judicii sedeat, quamvis rixas altercantium cogitationum indesinenter componat, frustra utique in componenda civium discordia laborat, nisi eodem studio Gad civitatem nostram per sensuum disciplinam muniat, et hostilia vitiorum agmina abstinentiae proelio acriter feriat. Unde etiam scriptum est: Gad accinctus praeliabitur ante eum. Gad procul dubio tunc se accingit, quando sensuum dissolutionem per disciplinam restringit. Tunc forti proelio dimicat, quando desideria carnalia per mortificationem carnis trucidat 2. »
QUESTION 174. How does she comprehend in herself the blessing given to Gad?
There follows concerning the blessing of Gad. Genesis 49:19: Gad, girded, will fight before him; and he himself will be girded backward.
The Gloss says: “Because the discipline of thoughts pertains to Dan, but the discipline of the senses to Gad, it belongs to the one to quiet civil discord, and to the other to repel hostile battle. The former keeps watch against the betrayal of citizens, the latter against the incursion of enemies 1.” And below: “Although Dan sits continually on the throne of judgment, although he unceasingly settles the quarrels of disputing thoughts, he surely labors in vain in settling the discord of citizens unless with the same zeal Gad fortifies our city through the discipline of the senses and sharply strikes the hostile battle-lines of vices with the battle of abstinence. Whence also it is written: Gad, girded, will fight before him. Without doubt Gad then girds himself when he restrains the dissolution of the senses through discipline. Then he fights with strong battle when he slaughters carnal desires through mortification of the flesh 2.”
Ex his colligitur, quod per Gad disciplina sensuum intelligitur, cujus tres sunt proprietates. Prima est, quod civitatem mentis custodiat. Secunda, quod hostilem pugnam repellat. Tertia, quod contra hostem per abstinentiam dimicet.
Has proprietates habuit beatissima Virgo in summo, quae civitatem cordis taliter custodivit, quod numquam aliquis hostium in ipsam vel primo impugnare motu attentavit: ergo benedictionem Gad habuit in summo.
From these things it is gathered that through Gad the discipline of the senses is understood, of which there are three properties. The first is that it guards the city of the mind. The second, that it repels hostile battle. The third, that it fights against the enemy through abstinence.
The most blessed Virgin had these properties in the highest degree, for she guarded the city of her heart in such a way that no enemy ever even attempted to assail her by a first movement. Therefore she had the blessing of Gad in the highest degree.
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