LET us consider attentively the virtues that were practised by the
Most Holy Virgin on the day of her glorious Annunciation. The first
was virginity and purity so perfect that nothing can be compared to it
amongst the purest creatures. Secondly, a most profound humility,
united with a most ardent charity.
Although the angelic virtue of perfect chastity belongs more
particularly to Angels than to men, nevertheless, Our Lady infinitely
surpassed all the Angels in this virtue, because it possessed three
great excellences not conceded to the Angels.
The first is that in Mary it is fruitful, whilst in the Angels it is
sterile. The virginity of Mary is not only fruitful in having produced
and borne the sweet fruit of life, our Blessed Saviour, but it is
fruitful also because it produces a multitude of virgins, for (as we
observed in the preceding consideration) if so many young persons
dedicate and consecrate their purity to God, it is that they may
follow her example. But the pure virginity of Mary not only possesses
the property of being fruitful, it can also restore virginal purity in
those souls who have defiled this virtue by the contrary vice. In her
lifetime she had already called many virgins to follow her, who became
her inseparable companions; among others, St. Martha and St. Marcella.
But it was also through her means that St. Mary Magdalen, who had been
the scandal of Jerusalem, was enrolled after her conversion under the
standard of virginal purity, and became like a brilliant crystal vase,
capable of receiving and containing the most precious waters of grace.
The virginity of Our Lady, therefore, is not sterile, like that of the
Angels, but it is so fruitful that from the moment she vowed it to
God, until the present time, it has always borne its fruit. A soul
that is perfectly dedicated to the service of God is never alone; many
others, drawn by the sweetness of its perfumes, flock after to copy
its example. It is on this account that the Spouse says to her
Beloved: _Trahe me post te, curremus--'Draw me and we shall run.'_
Secondly, the virginity and chastity of the Blessed Virgin surpassed
that of the Angels in this, that they are chaste by nature; and we do
not, properly speaking, praise a person for the gifts of nature, since
praise is not due where there is no merit. But the virginity of the
Most Holy Virgin is, on the contrary, worthy of praise, because it was
chosen and preferred by her, and consecrated by her to God. Although
she was united in marriage to St. Joseph, it was without any prejudice
to her virginity, because he to whom she was espoused had also
consecrated his virginity to God.
Thirdly, the virginity of Our Lady surpassed that of the Angels,
because it was subjected to the severest trials, whilst that of the
Angels could never be tempted or tried. In this sense St. Augustine,
addressing the Angels, says: 'It is not difficult for you, O blessed
spirits! to be pure and remain virgins, because you neither are, nor
can be, tempted.'
Some may, perhaps, wonder that I have said that the purity of Our Lady
was exposed to the severest trials; and yet so it was. But we must not
suppose that these trials were similar to our own. As she was all
purity, these assaults could not be like our own. The temptations
which come to us, who, unhappily, bear their incentives within our
hearts, could never have ventured to approach that wall of her
virginal integrity. But was it not a great trial for Our Lady when the
Angel appeared to her in human form? And did she not manifest this in
the fear and perturbation which assailed her, so that the Angel was
obliged to reassure her in these words: _Ne timeas, Maria--'Fear not,
Mary'?_ By them he wished to remove the disquiet which her virginal
purity suffered; it was as if he were to say: You see me in human
form, but I am no man, nor do I come to you on the part of any man.
Modesty, says a holy Doctor, is, as it were, the sacristan of
chastity. The sacristan of a church keeps an eye always to the altars,
that nothing may be stolen, and he fastens the door with care. In like
manner virginal souls are jealous to preserve this virtue unspotted,
and no sooner do they perceive danger, or even the shadow of danger,
than they are quickly alarmed. Thus it was with the Most Blessed
Virgin, who was not only the Virgin _par excellence_ of all in heaven
and on earth, but also the most humble of all, and she manifested in
this mystery of the Annunciation, the most sublime act of humility
that a pure creature could make. When she heard herself called by the
Angel _full of grace_, and received the announcement that she should
become the Mother of a Son Who was to be both God and Man, she was
troubled, and filled with fear; because, although she had conversed
familiarly with the Angels, she had never heard them utter a single
word in her praise.
The Most Holy Virgin would here teach us the dangers to which purity
is exposed by the desire of praise. Humility is the inseparable and
necessary companion of virginity, which could not long be maintained
in a soul that was not humble. It is true that in persons who live in
the world one of these virtues may subsist without the other, as we
see in the married life, but in regard to virgins, it must be
absolutely asserted that one who does not profess both these virtues
has neither of them except in appearance.
Our Lady, being reassured by the Angel, and having understood what her
Lord had decreed to work within her, made a sublime act of humility,
saying: _Ecce ancilla Domini, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum--'Behold
the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to Thy word.'_
It was thus she expressed herself at the very moment when she saw
herself raised to the sublimest dignity that can be imagined. An
incomparable dignity, indeed, is that of Mother of God, but it does
not disturb the humility of Mary. Although she is raised above all
creatures, nevertheless she simply declares that she is, and ever will
be, the servant of His Divine Majesty; and to show the truth of her
protest she adds: _Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum:_ 'Be it done unto
me according to Thy word.' She abandons herself to the Divine Will,
and proclaims that of her own choice she would never have come forth
from her state of humility and lowly self-esteem. How well did the
Most Holy Virgin know that humility is ever the inseparable and
necessary companion of virginity!
Although, as we have said, humility and virginity can dwell singly in
persons who live in the world, yet such a separation can never be made
between humility and charity, these virtues being absolutely
inseparable. They are like the ladder of Jacob, by which the Angels
ascended and descended. This was not done simultaneously, but
alternately; the Angels descending first, and then ascending
afterwards. Similarly, as soon as humility has abased us, charity
quickly raises us up towards heaven. It might seem that the virtue of
humility in some degree removes us from God, Who is at the summit of
this mysterious ladder, because it causes us to descend very low in
self-abasement. On the contrary, however, in proportion as we lower
ourselves we become more and more worthy to mount towards the summit
of this mystical ladder of perfection, where our Heavenly Father
awaits us. Our Lady, then, obtained the dignity of Mother of God by
abasing herself, and acknowledging herself unworthy of it; for
scarcely had she protested her lowliness, and abandoned herself, by an
act of incomparable charity, to the Divine Will, than the mystery was
accomplished. If we thus regulate our conduct, and, in imitation of
Mary, unite virginity with humility, we shall be certainly helped by
charity. This Divine gift will lift us up the mystical ladder of
Jacob, and introduce us into the presence of the Eternal Father, Who
will enrich us with every kind of heavenly consolation. We shall sing
canticles of Divine praise with our most holy Patroness, and eternally
glorify Our Lord for the grace we have obtained to imitate her
virtues, and fight under her standard.