Works › The Mariale: Questions on “Missus est”
Volume 37 · pp. 278–280
Question 193. How does she comprehend in herself all the blessings together?
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QUAESTIO CXCIII. Qualiter comprehendat in se omnes benedictiones simul?
Post haec sequitur de omnibus benedictionibus simul: Non est Deus alius ut Deus rectissimi: ascensor caeli auxiliator tuus. Magnificentia ejus discurrunt nubes, habitaculum ejus sursum, et subter brachia sempiterna. Ejiciet a facie tua inimicum, dicetque: Conterere. Habitabit Israel confidenter, et solus. Oculus Jacob in terra frumenti et vini, caelique caligabunt rore. Beatus es tu, Israel? Quis similis tui, popule, qui salvaris in Domino? Scutum auxilii tui, et gladius gloriae tuae. Negabunt te inimici tui, et tu colla eorum calcabis 1.
Ista benedictio novem comprehendit. Primum est veri Dei cognitio in via, et hoc ibi, Non est alius Deus ut Deus rectissimi. Secundum est auxiliatio in via, et hoc ibi, Ascensor caeli auxiliator tuus. Et haec auxiliatio est quadruplex. Apostolis Spiritum sanctum in terra mittendo, et hoc est: Magnificentia ejus discurrunt nubes. Item, ipse pro nobis in caelis interpellando Patrem, et hoc est: Habitaculum ejus sursum. Unde Glossa: « Corpus a mortuis suscitavit, et in dextera Patris collocavit. » Item, gratiam praevenientem et cooperantem porrigendo, et hoc est: Subter brachia sempiterna. Item, hostem impedientem repellendo, et hoc est: Ejiciet a facie tua inimicum, dicetque: Conterere. Hoc est ergo quadruplex auxilium. Tertium est timoris mali ablatio, et hoc est: Habitabit Israel confidenter. Quartum est cum securitate boni possessio, et hoc est: Oculus Jacob in terra frumenti et vini. Quintum est perfecta Dei cognitio per speciem: et hoc est: Caeli caligabunt rore: unde Glossa: « Subtili et levissima Dei cognitione. » Sextum est summae beatitudinis comprehensio, et hoc est: Beatus es tu, Israel. Septimum est omnis creaturae praelatio, et hoc est: Quis similis tui? Octavum est divina auxiliatio, et hoc est: Scutum auxilii tui. Et haec auxiliatio est duplex, contra malum, et sic est scutum auxilii tui: vel ad bonum operandum, et sic est gladius gloriae tuae. Nonum est hostium subjectio, et haec est duplex. Una, quod nos puniendo modo, nobis faciunt coronas in futuro, et hoc est: Negabunt te inimici tui. Glossa: « In praesenti vita. » Alia subjectio est: quia de eorum poena in futuro nobis erit exsultatio, et hoc est: Tu colla eorum calcabis.
QUESTION 193. How does she comprehend in herself all the blessings together?
After these things follows concerning all the blessings together: There is no other God like the God of the most upright; the one ascending heaven is your helper. His magnificence, the clouds run about; his dwelling is above, and beneath are the everlasting arms. He will cast the enemy from your face and will say: Crush. Israel will dwell confidently and alone. The eye of Jacob is in the land of grain and wine, and the heavens will grow dark with dew. Blessed are you, Israel. Who is like you, people who are saved in the Lord? The shield of your help and the sword of your glory. Your enemies will deny you, and you will tread upon their necks 1.
This blessing embraces nine things. The first is knowledge of the true God on the way, and this there: There is no other God like the God of the most upright. The second is assistance on the way, and this there: The one ascending heaven is your helper. And this assistance is fourfold: by sending the Holy Spirit to the Apostles on earth, and this is: His magnificence, the clouds run about. Likewise, by his interceding for us with the Father in heaven, and this is: His dwelling is above. Whence the Gloss says: “He raised the body from the dead and placed it at the right hand of the Father.” Likewise, by extending prevenient and cooperating grace, and this is: Beneath are the everlasting arms. Likewise, by repelling the enemy who impedes, and this is: He will cast the enemy from your face and will say: Crush. This therefore is fourfold help. The third is removal of evil fear, and this is: Israel will dwell confidently. The fourth is possession of good with security, and this is: The eye of Jacob is in the land of grain and wine. The fifth is perfect knowledge of God through species, and this is: The heavens will grow dark with dew; whence the Gloss says: “With subtle and very light knowledge of God.” The sixth is comprehension of the highest beatitude, and this is: Blessed are you, Israel. The seventh is being set before every creature, and this is: Who is like you? The eighth is divine assistance, and this is: The shield of your help. And this assistance is twofold: against evil, and thus it is the shield of your help; or for doing good, and thus it is the sword of your glory. The ninth is subjection of enemies, and this is twofold. One is that by punishing us now, they make crowns for us in the future, and this is: Your enemies will deny you. The Gloss says: “In the present life.” The other subjection is that from their punishment in the future there will be exultation for us, and this is: You will tread upon their necks.
Sufficientia hujus benedictionis est haec: Benedictio vel est pertinens ad statum viae, in quo duo tantum sunt necessaria auxilia. Unum est verum Deum agnoscere, et hoc est primum. Secundum est auxilium per quod possumus ad ipsum ad aeternam beatitudinem ascendere, et hoc est secundum. Si autem pertinet ad statum patriae, vel hoc est quantum ad substantiale praemium, vel accidentale. Si substantiale, vel in se, et hoc est vel a malo, et sic est mali timoris ablatio: vel in bono, et hoc, vel in se, vel respective. Si in se, vel quantum ad praemium concupiscibilis, et sic est saturitatis possessio: vel quantum ad praemium rationalis, et sic est perfecta Dei cognitio: vel ad praemium irascibilis, et sic est beatitudinis comprehensio. Si autem est ad bonum respective, sic est creaturae praelatio. Si autem sit in comparatione ad causam efficientem, sic est divina auxiliatio. Si autem pertinet ad praemium accidentale, sic est hostium subjectio, in qua duplex habemus gaudium, de nostra in praesenti passione, et de illorum in futuro condemnatione.
The sufficiency of this blessing is this: a blessing either pertains to the state of the way, in which there are only two necessary helps. One is to know the true God, and this is the first. The second is the help by which we can ascend to him to eternal beatitude, and this is the second. But if it pertains to the state of the homeland, either this is as regards substantial reward or accidental reward. If substantial, either in itself, and this is either from evil, and thus it is removal of evil fear; or in good, and this either in itself or respectively. If in itself, either as regards the reward of the concupiscible power, and thus it is possession of satiety; or as regards the reward of the rational power, and thus it is perfect knowledge of God; or as regards the reward of the irascible power, and thus it is comprehension of beatitude. But if it is toward good respectively, thus it is being set before creatures. If it is in comparison to the efficient cause, thus it is divine assistance. But if it pertains to accidental reward, thus it is subjection of enemies, in which we have twofold joy: concerning our suffering in the present and concerning their condemnation in the future.
Haec autem omnia beatissima Virgo possedit in summo: ipsa enim super omnem creaturam Deum cognoscit. Item, in nobilissimo auxilio, utpote deliciis affluens, innixa super dilectum, ad caelos corpore et anima ascendit. Item, ipsa immunissima timoris mali sub umbra dilecti requiescit. Item, ipsa a torrente voluptatis super omnes inebriata fuit. Item, perfectissimam divinitatis et humanitatis Christi cognitionem in summo habuit. Item, supremam post Deum benedictionem apprehendit. Item, super omnes purarum creaturarum ordines, utputa superior exaltata fuit. Item, divinum auxilium super omnes habuit, cum quo maxima et excellentia opera fecit. Item, inimicum non tantum in caelo, sed etiam in terra conculcavit.
Sic igitur patet qualiter benedicta Virgo benedictiones singulorum singulariter, et universorum universaliter, singulas et universas possedit in summo.
But the most blessed Virgin possessed all these things in the highest degree: for she knows God above every creature. Likewise, in the noblest help, as one overflowing with delights, leaning upon the beloved, she ascended to the heavens in body and soul. Likewise, most immune from evil fear, she rests under the shadow of the beloved. Likewise, she was made drunk above all from the torrent of pleasure. Likewise, she had the most perfect knowledge of the divinity and humanity of Christ in the highest degree. Likewise, she grasped the supreme blessing after God. Likewise, she was exalted above all orders of pure creatures, as it were higher. Likewise, she had divine help above all, with which she did the greatest and excellent works. Likewise, she trampled the enemy not only in heaven but also on earth.
Thus therefore it is clear how the blessed Virgin possessed in the highest degree the blessings of individuals individually and of all universally, each and all.
Notes
- Deuteronomy 33:26 and following. (Deuteron. XXXIII, 26 et seq.) ↩
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