Question 189. How does she comprehend in herself the blessing of Gad?

Latin (Borgnet)English

p. 276

QUAESTIO CLXXXIX. Qualiter comprehendat in se benedictionem Gad?

Sequitur, Deuteron. XXXIII, 20 et 21: Et Gad ait: Benedictus in latitudine Gad: quasi leo requievit, cepitque brachium, et verticem. Et vidit principatum suum, quod in parte sua doctor esset repositus: qui fuit cum principibus populi, et fecit justitias Domini, et judicium suum cum Israel.

Benedictio Gad sex comprehendit. Primum est regni dilatatio, ibi, Benedictus in latitudine Gad. Secundum est per fortitudinem requies, ibi, Quasi leo requievit. Tertium est hostium subjectio, ibi, Cepitque brachium. Quartum est imperii adeptio, ibi, Et verticem. Quintum est principatus sui cognitio, ibi, Et vidit principatum suum. Sextum est doctoris apud eum repositio, ibi, Quod in parte sua doctor esset repositus.

Haec autem est hujusmodi benedictionis sufficientia: Benedictio vel est ad proximum, vel ad seipsum, vel ad Deum. Si ad proximum, sic est regni dilatatio. Si ad seipsum, vel a malo, vel ad bonum. Si a malo, vel in se, et sic est requietio: vel extra, et sic est hostium subjectio. Si ad bonum, vel est in habendo, et sic est imperii adeptio: vel in cognoscendo, et sic est sui principatus cognitio. Si autem ad Deum, sic est doctoris apud se repositio.

Haec quoque omnia in summo habuit beata Virgo. Regni dilatationem: quia a solis ortu et occasu beatam eam dicunt omnes generationes, quae est regina caeli et mundi et Angelorum et hominum. In se requietionem habuit in summo: quia in ipsa fuit fomitis exstinctio. Hostium etiam subjectionem habuit in summo, ut jam pluries supra patuit. Item, summam imperii adeptionem habuit: quia super omnes choros Angelorum regina Angelorum et imperatrix misericordiae exaltata fuit. Item, sui principatus cognitionem in summo habuit: quia super omnes choros Angelorum et puras creaturas exaltata, divinam operationem in se et gloriam plenius cognoscit. Unde confidenter dicit: In me gratia omnis viae et veritatis ¹. Item, doctoris repositio apud ipsam fuit in summo: quia ille magistrorum optimus novem mensibus apud eam requievit positus in utero ejus.

Et sic patet, quod beatissima Virgo habuit benedictiones Gad in summo.

QUESTION 189. How does she comprehend in herself the blessing of Gad?

There follows Deuteronomy 33:20 and 21: And he said to Gad: Blessed in breadth is Gad; he rested like a lion, and he seized the arm and the crown. And he saw his principality, because in his part a teacher was laid up, who was with the princes of the people, and he did the justices of the Lord and his judgment with Israel.

The blessing of Gad comprehends six things. The first is the dilation of the kingdom, there, Blessed in breadth is Gad. The second is rest through fortitude, there, He rested like a lion. The third is subjection of enemies, there, And he seized the arm. The fourth is acquisition of empire, there, And the crown. The fifth is knowledge of his principality, there, And he saw his principality. The sixth is the laying up of the teacher with him, there, Because in his part a teacher was laid up.

Now this is the sufficiency of this sort of blessing: a blessing is either toward one's neighbor, or toward oneself, or toward God. If toward one's neighbor, thus it is dilation of the kingdom. If toward oneself, either from evil or toward good. If from evil, either in oneself, and thus it is rest; or outside, and thus it is subjection of enemies. If toward good, either it is in having, and thus it is acquisition of empire; or in knowing, and thus it is knowledge of one's principality. But if toward God, thus it is the laying up of the teacher with oneself.

The blessed Virgin also had all these things in the highest degree. Dilation of the kingdom: because from the rising of the sun to its setting all generations call her blessed, she who is queen of heaven and of the world and of Angels and human beings. She had rest in herself in the highest degree, because in her there was extinction of the tinder of sin. She also had subjection of enemies in the highest degree, as has already been clear many times above. Likewise, she had the highest acquisition of empire, because she was exalted above all the choirs of Angels as queen of Angels and empress of mercy. Likewise, she had knowledge of her principality in the highest degree, because, exalted above all the choirs of Angels and pure creatures, she more fully knows the divine operation and glory in herself. Whence she confidently says: In me is every grace of the way and of truth ¹. Likewise, the laying up of the teacher with her was in the highest degree, because that best of masters rested with her for nine months, placed in her womb.

And thus it is clear that the most blessed Virgin had the blessings of Gad in the highest degree.

Notes

Ecclesiasticus 24:25. (Eccli. XXIV, 25.) ↩