Scripture contains not only the
most perfect things, but also the most useful for every kind of erudition. The profane
sciences are concerned with how to make a living; Scripture deals with
obtaining the kingdom of heaven. Jurisprudence protects the inheritance and
contracts of men; Scripture contains the testament of God and the heavenly
inheritance. The art of medicine cures diseases and pains of the body;
Scripture cures souls afflicted and wounded by sins. Natural Philosophy raises
man up to the contemplation of the stars; Scripture leads man to the Creator of
the stars. Profane histories narrate the building and destruction of certain
cities; Scripture recounts the creation and consummation of the whole world.
Human wisdom has its own poets, who delight souls with their verses and songs;
divine Scripture has holy Prophets, who ignite divine love in the hearts of men
with their psalms and hymns and spiritual sons. Secular wisdom has its serious
orators, who can move men in any way they wish; Scripture is not lacking its
own. Ecclesiastes, and other wise men who preach much more seriously and in a
more salutary manner. Finally, that wisdom also has its own grammarians, who
teach the basics of language; and Scripture has the Apostle, who teaches the
ignorant the first principles of the knowledge of God. Deservedly, therefore,
and rightly Holy Scripture, which excels all other writings, and contains
everything, is the only book referred to by the Apostle Paul as “Scripture.”
Whatever, therefore, was written in the divine books, and especially where tribulations
are described, was written for our assistance and instruction. (“Sermon Four: On
the Second Sunday of Advent,” in Sermons of St. Robert Cardinal Bellarmine, S.
J., 3 vols. [trans. Kenneth Baker; Keep the Faith, Inc., 2016], 1:43)
. . . the virgin, like a blooming
bough, and like a fruitful vine, and a brilliant morning star, without any harm
to her virginity, gave birth to Christ like a beautiful flower, like a sweet
grape and like a ray of clear light. (“Sermon Eleven: On the Same Feast; On the
Three Births of the Lord,” in Ibid., 1:120)
Surely the Catholic Church, our
mother, understanding this very well, confesses that the Virgin, whom she does
not hesitate to all Queen of the earth and the Mother of God, and who in both
body and soul enjoys eternal happiness in heaven with her Son—that same Church
says she was assumed into heaven, but it does not say she ascended into heaven.
For indeed truth itself says: No one has ascended into heaven but he who
descended from heaven, the Son of man. Others are raised up, assumed,
exalted: but he alone ascended into heaven, not by the power of another, but by
his own proper power, who is at the same time the Son of God and the Son of the
Virgin, so that he can be raised up by one and raise by the other. (“Sermon Thirty-Five,”
in Sermons of St. Robert Cardinal Bellarmine, S. J., 3 vols. [trans.
Kenneth Baker; Keep the Faith, Inc., 2017], 2:78)
Was it only the soul of Mary that
was assumed into heaven? And what happened to her holy body? Where does it lie?
Where is it hidden? What place holds that treasure? I will explain it briefly,
dear listeners, and then I will conclude this sermon. When human persons first
enter into this world of ours, the body comes first and then the soul follows.
For since this region properly is the place for bodies, reason itself demands
that the body, as the citizens of this city, should come first, and then it
prepares a place for the soul as a foreigner. But when it is necessary to
migrate from this world to the heavenly regions, the situation is reversed. For
the soul, as a citizen of that city, is admitted immediately; but the body,
like a foreigner, is forced to remain in the sepulcher until the last day of
judgment, and then finally, because of the grace of the souls, the bodies will
also be admitted into heaven. However, brethren, this is the law for individual
persons, not for the king and queen. For kings and lords in their own kingdoms
and proclamations do not need the help or protection of others; but according
to their own choice, they can take with themselves whomever they wish, whether
they are citizens or foreigners. They can also send away whomever they wish,
and summon whomever they wish. Therefore Christ, our Savior and Defender,
because he was not a private citizen, but the kin and lord of the heavenly
Jerusalem, at the same time brought both his body and his soul into the kingdom
of God. And we should not think or say anything different about the mother of
the king and the queen of the world. Indeed, the Son of God, after the death of
his blessed mother, did not permit that separated body to lie for a long time in
the tomb; but by a special privilege, after a short space of time, restored it
to life and raised it to glory. For it was not fitting that she, whose would
had not seen any corruption, should see the corruption of her body. And who, I
ask, could believe that the ark of sanctity, the home of the Word, the temple
of the Holy Spirit, fell into ruins? My mind simply shudders to think that the
virginal flesh which conceived, nourished, carried about God, either was
changed into dust or was given to worms to eat. And how could it happen that
the body of such a great virgin is still on earth, and now for so many
centuries have remained unknown and without any honor? (“Sermon Forty: On the
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary”, in Ibid., 2:159)
In addition, John in the Apocalypse
says that he saw this glory of our Empress: A great portent, he said, appeared
in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on
her head a crown of twelve stars. Who else does the woman clothed with the
sun signify but Mary, was it were immersed in the abyss of divine light, so
that as she once clothed God, so also now she in a certain sense is clothed by
God? . . . Next there is the moon under her feet. For what is that moon
under her feet, which the sun makes to shine and the stars crown? In the sacred
writings the moon usually signifies change: and today Mary has been freed from
all change. Therefore, and the moon is under her feet. Furthermore, the
moon designates the whole Church; and today Mary has obtained by the singular
gift of God such a sublime throne that she sees under her feet not only the Church
sojourning on earth, but also the one in triumph in heaven; that is, the neck
is the middle point between the head and the rest of the body, and Mary is the
middle between Christ and the Church: therefore, the moon is under her feet.
The moon can signify no less aptly men who are sinners, for the fool,
the wise man said, changes like the moon; but the just man is constant
like the sun. And who does not know that Mary is the special advocate and
defender of sinful men: All the rich among the people, David said, seek
your face; therefore, the moon is under her feet. Finally, the devil
is also understood to be meant by the name of the moon. For he is the leader of
all the foolish men and sinners, since he was changed entirely, when from being
the best and most beautiful angel he became the most wicked and hideous devil.
But Mary not only has him under her feet, but she has crushed his head with her
feet: therefore, the moon is under her feet. (Ibid., 2:161-62)
Behold, therefore, the nature of
the Church, and is there anyone who does not see what an outstanding and important
part the Virgin Mother plays in it? For there is nothing in the whole body that
stands out more and is wont to be more adorned than the head and the neck. The head
is adorned with a crown, while the neck is decorated with a golden collar and
necklaces fashioned out of gold and jewels. Thus, therefore, our head is
Christ, endowed with all grace and glory. But Mary, who is the neck, is next to
him, so that it may be said truly that she is bright as the sun. . . .
So also the supreme artist, our God, since he wanted the neck of the Church to
be most beautiful, whatever of beauty and grace he put in the other saints or
was going to put in them, all of that he conferred on Mary, so that deservedly
the archangel Gabriel said with his first words: Hail, full of grace. For
Mary is the ark of the covenant covered with pure gold; Mary is the throne of
Solomon, about which Scripture says: The like of it was never made in any
kingdom. Mary is the temple of God, the holy city, the seat of wisdom, the
home of the Holy Spirit. Mary is more beautiful than Rebecca, more religious than
Anna, more prudent than Abigail, braver than Judith, wiser than Deborah. Mary
is the daughter of patriarchs, and kings, the master of angels, the fortitude
of martyrs, the consolation of confessors, and the beautify of virgins. Mary
shines like the moon on beginners, like the dawn on the proficient, like the
sun on the perfect; but she terrifies the demons like an army with banners.
Mary is named, and the infernal regions tremble; Mary is named, and heaven
rejoices. Mary is named, and the hearts of the saints melt away. O how
miserable are they, dear listeners, who do not acknowledge, or venerate, or
pray respect to this neck. For as some member, if it wants to receive
assistance from the head, and does not receive it through the neck, will dry up
completely and die, so also heretics, who want to have life and grace from
Christ, and refuse to have it through Mary, remain hungry and thirsty, and they
will remain that way forever. Our holy Fathers were not like that, but all were
devotees of this holy virgin. IN this also she is shown to be bright as the
sun, because just as Christ the sun loves mercy and judgment, and has severity
joined together with leniency, and is both father and judge, so also the holy
Virgin is fair as the moon, charming as the dawn, visible and pleasing as the
sun, but at the same time she is terrible as an army with banners. The former
qualities reveal her as a gentle mother, the latter as a powerful queen. (“Sermon
Forty-Two: On the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” in Ibid., 2:191-92)
The Mother of God, being without
sin, found nothing in this life but tribulations . . . But you, O Blessed Virgin,
who can obtain whatever you wish, as our queen rule over us; as a mother keep
us warm, as a protectress guard us; as star of the sea in this deep and
turbulent Ocean, show us the way to the harbor, so that finally we may emerge
from the sea, and after having avoided all the reefs, we may arrive happily at
the harbor of eternal salvation. Amen. (Ibid., 2:193)
As Mary was young, so also was Joseph;
he was not an old man (as he is painted), but a mature youth, since otherwise
he would not have been able to help her much in carrying and educating the
body, and in undergoing other dangers and labors, nor could he have freed her
from the suspicion of adultery. So these were the main reasons for the betrothal
and marriage, and what is even more important and glorious, just as Mary was a
virgin, so also was Joseph. As Mary was endowed with wisdom and spiritual
prudence, so also was Joseph. Finally, just as Mary would call God her own son,
so also could Joseph. Otherwise the virgin would not have said: Son, why
have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking or you
anxiously. And although God-Christ by nature was not the son of Mary in the
same way as he was of Joseph, still he was more truly Joseph’s son than if he
had been so by adoption. For he was the true son of his true wife. But whatever
the truth may be about that, so some it may seem a small thing that holy Joseph
could be said to be the father of God, but I do not know anything greater that
could be said about him. (“Annunciation First Sermon on The Angel Gabriel Was
Sent from God to a City of Galilee Named Nazareth, etc. (Luke 1:26ff),” in
Ibid., 2:317)
Because she is Queen, whatever
she desires, she can obtain from the King who is her Son; because she is
enlightened, she knows about our troubles and miseries. Therefore, dear listeners,
all of us, who are sailing in the sea of this world amidst so many dangers, if
we do not want to sink, let us invoke Mary. If we are harassed by the winds of
temptations, if we collide with the rocks of tribulations, let us look at the
star, let us invoke Mary. If greed, or ambition or the allurements of the flesh
strike the little boat of our mind, let us look at the star, let us invoke
Mary. IF we are disturbed by the imminence of our sins, confused by the burden
of a bad conscience, terrified by the fear of judgment, and we begin to be
immersed in a pit of sadness, let us look at the star, let us invoke Mary. For
it was not said in vain, and the virgin’s name was Mary. There is
absolutely no one, who through this name does not have access to the throne of
Mary. If you are a virgin, invoke the virgin of virgins, if you are married,
invoke the mother and spouse of God; if you are rich and noble, invoke the
queen of heaven, if you are poor and afflicted, invoke the sea of bitterness,
if a sinner, invoke the mother of mercy; if you are justified, invoke the
mother of the Sun of justice. Thus all will learn by experience, how truly it
was said, and the virgin’s name was Mary. In the meantime, let all honor
and glory be given to her only begotten Son, our Lord, for ever and ever. Amen.
(Ibid., 2:318)
Hail, therefore, full of grace.
It seems to me that blessed Mary was full of grace in three ways. For first of
all she can be said to be full of grace, because before all created things she
was the one most pleasing to God. Thus the angel explains his words a little
further on: Do not be afraid, Mary, he said, for you have found favor
with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son. There
is no reason for you to be afraid, whom God loves above all things, since you
are so fear to him and have pleased him so much that with an absolutely
singular privilege he has chosen you alone for this purpose—that you are to be
the mother of his son, whose father is God himself. And just as he generated
his son without the help of a wife, so also you will conceive a son without the
activity of a man.
Secondly, she is said to be full
of grace because she was about to have the fountain of grace and salvation and
all good things in her womb as a holy temple, and also the fullness of grace,
which afterwards was to be poured out on the whole world, in a wonderful way
placed itself in the bosom of this one virgin. . . . Thirdly, blessed Mary is
said to be full of grace, and she is, because she was full of the gifts of
grace, faith, hope, charity, prudence, justice, temperance, fortitude, fear,
piety, humility, and the other important virtues and divine gifts above all
angels and men. For just as the closer one gets to a fountain the more he can
get pure water and water in abundance, and the closer one get to the sun the
more he shares in the light of the sun, so was not the blessed Mother of God
full of grace, because she was united with the fountain of grace? Did she not
clothe herself with justice in all things, who clothed the sun of justice
himself with the veil of the flesh? What virtues could she lack, who is the
Mother of the Lord of virtues? Moreover, since sin and grace are in a state of
total war with each other, and at the same time cannot be in the same heart,
was not she full of grace, who was always free of all sin, not only mortal but
also venial? (“Annunciation Second Sermon on The Angel Gabriel Was Sent from
God to a City of Galilee Named Nazareth, etc. (Luke 1:26ff),” in Ibid., 2:320-21)
The holy Virgin gave birth to
only one Son, dear listeners, but one in such a way that he alone is greater and
better than all the children of other women; just as also we do not hesitate to
place God in the matter of fecundity before all the created things of nature,
not because he generated many sons, but because he generated one immense and
infinite Son. Moreover, if all devout and holy men are brothers of Christ,
certainly also they are the sons of Mary, and they are believed to pertain to
her merciful bosom and her maternal breasts. Therefore, as the Apostle Paul
calls Christ not the only-begotten of the Father, but his first-born, so also
the Apostle Matthew calls the same Christ not the only-begotten of the mother,
but the first-born: But he knew her not, he said, until she had borne
her first-born son. And St. Luke: And while they were there, he
said, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her
first-born. Therefore, Mary is truly blessed among women, that is, most fruitful
among women, whose number of children we see is so great than truly now her
seed is like the stars of the sky, and like the sand on the seashore, which
because of their multitude cannot be numbered. (Ibid., 2:325)
. . . when she heard herself
greeted as blessed among women, what else could she assume except that she was
promised exceptional fecundity for procreating children. Therefore when she
heard herself greeted as blessed among women, what else could she assume except
that she was promised exceptional fecundity by the angel? But since that
fecundity was so obviously opposed to the desired virginity which she had
resolved on and also to the vow she had made to God, was not the chaste
virgin, who was so strongly concerned about the treasure of her virginity,
deservedly troubled and so thought in her heart what is the nature of this
greeting? (“Annunciation Third Sermon on The Angel Gabriel Was Sent from God to
a City of Galilee Named Nazareth, etc. (Luke 1:26ff),” in Ibid., 2: 332)
