THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE B

SERMON 1[1]

Isaias 11:1-2: There shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root, and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest on him+.

Introduction

The mystery of the Lord’s resurrection is so secret and deep that no mind is able to understand it, no tongue capable of explaining it. For this reason, the Holy Spirit, being gracious to human weakness, wished to describe it by many metaphors, by which, as if led by the hand, we might come to some understanding of it. According to the Apostle, the invisible things of God are made visible by the things that are seen [Romans 1:20].

Triple metaphor of the resurrection

So, in the words of Isaias quoted above, this mystery is referred to in a triple metaphor, namely, a root, a rod and a flower; this indicates three things to us, namely, the nobility of the one conceiving, the purity of the conception, and the greatness of the Child conceived. Firstly, There shall come forth etc.; secondly, a flower etc.; thirdly, and the Spirit etc. And because, as has been said, they are represented by various metaphors in the sacred page, we should collect them so that they might lead us in some way to so great a mystery.

Part I: The nobility of Mary indicated in a triple metaphor

It must be noted that the nobility of the one conceiving is indicated in a triple metaphor, namely, the earth germinating, the rod blossoming, and the flower bursting forth. The metaphor indicates firstly, her deepest humility, secondly, her constant stability, and thirdly, her most liberal charity. These made her noble and made her ready to conceive the Son of god.

Metaphor of the earth germinating

Of the first we read in Genesis 1:11: Let the earth bring forth the green herb etc.; Isaias 45:8: Drop down dew, you heavens, from above, etc., let the earth be opened, namely, the sky of the Trinity by sending the Word, of angelic power by sending a messenger; let the earth of the Virgin be opened by her consent; David: Lord, you have blessed your land etc. [Psalm 84:1].

Exhortation to be humble

Accordingly, we must be made firm in humility if we wish to conceive the grace of God, for the Lord will give goodness [Psalm 84:13], but only to the humble. The Apostle: God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble [James 4:6]. The proud are mountains on which the dew of grace does not fall: 2 Kings 1:21: You mountains of Gelboe, let neither dew, nor rain come upon you; between the midst of the hills the waters shall pass [Psalm 103:10].

Metaphor of the rod blossoming

Of the second we read in Ecclesiasticus 24:15: So was I established in Sion, and in the holy city likewise I rested; and the text continues: and I took root in an honourable people; Apocalypse 22:16 speaking in his name: I am the root and stock of David, the bright and morning star.

Exhortation to be constant

We have to imitate him in the virtue of constancy if we wish to be productive in good work; James 1:8: A double-minded person is inconstant in all his ways.

Third metaphor of the flower bursting forth

Of the third we read in Canticle 4:15: The fountain of gardens, the well of living waters, which run with a strong stream from Libanus. It waters the garden of the whole Church and because he gave the streams of grace most generously, it received a most abundant grace. ‘The blessed Virgin, out of her most copious charity, made herself a debtor to all so that of his fullness all might receive [John 1:16].[2] And so rightly she was filled with grace more than all others; Esther 10:6: The little fountain which grew into a river, and was turned into a light, and into the sun.

Exhortation to generosity

We should imitate her in this virtue so that we might receive grace for grace [John 1:16]. This is a quality of grace that is increased when shared and diminished when withheld; Gospel: Give and it shall be given to you [Luke 6:38]; and in another text: he that has not, from him shall be taken away that also which he has [Matthew 13:12]. For whoever does not have the charity to share grace with others, shall be deprived of grace itself; Proverbs 5:16ff: Let your fountains be conveyed abroad, and in the streets divide your waters.

Part II: Three metaphors on the purity of the conception

We continue with the second, (that is) the purity of the conception, because it was wonderful and supernatural, namely, without any corruption of the flesh, without a sequence in time, without pleasure of passion. Therefore, it is represented by three wonderful and supernatural metaphors, namely, a bush shining wonderfully, a rod suddenly growing, and fleece supernaturally becoming moist.

First metaphor – the bush shining

On each of these some comments should be given. On the first, we read in Exodus 3:3 I will go and see this great sight, why the bush can burn and not be burnt. Certainly, even though this is wonderful it was quite reasonable. The fire was heavenly, preserving and life giving, not earthly, destructive and divisive. There is also a double fire in people, namely, a fire of heavenly quality that preserves and this is charity; a fire of carnal quality that destroys and this is greed.

Second metaphor – the rod growing

Of the second we read in Numbers 17:8 that Moses found the rod swelling with foliage and flowers and suddenly producing fruit. By the fact, wonderfully true, but even more wonderful beyond measure, namely, that in that conception without any passing of time the perfect God and perfect man was in the womb of the Virgin; even though this be wonderful, it is, however, fitting and reasonable. For if the person of Christ had been man before being God, he would not have been God by nature but by accident; therefore, he was God and man at the one moment. But, as Damascene says: ‘The Deity is joined to the flesh by the medium of the intellect’.[3] But an intellect or rational soul is only placed in a body formed and perfect. Accordingly, the body receiving the soul was perfectly formed; the soul was strong in virtue and wisdom at the time of its infusion; for it was not fitting for the Deity to join itself to an ignorant soul; therefore, it follows that in the very conception the perfect God and perfect man was in the womb of the Virgin. Hence Jeremiah 31:22 says: The Lord has created a new thing upon the earth: a woman shall compass a man, a man not only in sex but in wisdom and virtue. Ambrose: ‘The grace of the Holy Spirit does not recognize sluggish efforts’.[4]

Third metaphor – the fleece

On the third we read in Judges 6:37ff. that Gedeon, being sent to fight and free the people, received from the Lord a sign, namely, the fleece placed on the floor and moistened most amply with dew while the ground remained dry. Psalm 71:6 says: He shall come down like rain upon the fleece. Jerome: ‘Even though fleece is part of a body it does not experience the feelings of a body; virginity, in the same way, while being in the flesh does not experience corruption of the flesh’.[5]

Part III: The greatness of the Child in three metaphors

There follows on the third, that is, the greatness of the Child conceived, that because he is ‘a giant of a twin substance’,[6] namely, a person with divine and human natures, he is indicated according to each nature by certain metaphors of sacred Scripture. And because according to human nature there was in him a fullness of grace, a beauty of wisdom, an uprightness of perfect justice, he is prefigured according to these three by a triple metaphor, namely, a cloud dropping moisture, a rainbow glittering, a star gleaming.

First metaphor – cloud dropping moisture

On the first, we read in 3 Kings 18:44ff.: A little cloud arose out of the sea and suddenly there fell a great rain, that is, Christ, an infant from Mary whose name means a bitter sea, enriched the whole Church with a shower of grace.

Exhortation

We should be conformed to this cloud so that we also may be gracious clouds passing on from ourselves to others a flowing grace. Psalm 146:8 says: Who covers the heavens with clouds etc. I Peter 4:10 says: As everyone has received grace, ministering the same one to another. However, we are not to be stormy clouds, sending out thunders of impatience and flashes of anger, but people of whom is said: Wonderful are the surges of the sea, wonderful is the Lord on high [Psalm 96:4]. For the vapours of the sea, although they be salty and bitter, are changed within a cloud into sweet rain and so whatever bitterness or sadness happens to a good person who is a gracious cloud, they are changed completely into sweetness.

Second metaphor: rainbow glittering

Of the second we read in Genesis 9:13 that I will set my bow in the clouds etc. for in his humanity he has been made a memorial of the covenant between God and people. Just as in the rainbow there is a large number of colours, so there was an abundance of wisdom in the soul of Christ. In his soul was found the full innate wisdom of all creatures as in the first human, infused and gracious wisdom as in the Saints on the way, and glorious wisdom as in the Saints in heaven. Aptly then is he represented by a rainbow because of the beauty of wisdom; Ecclesiasticus 43:19 says: Look upon the rainbow and bless him who made it etc.

Also, he is aptly represented by a rainbow because just as a natural rainbow is produced in a moisture laden cloud from a ray of the sun that is direct, broken and reflected, so in fact Christ, the Sun of justice, is the cause and source of all knowledge in the soul. Knowledge in the soul is faith that is similar to a broken ray, for reason has to be as it were broken in pieces in faith. ‘Faith has no merit when the experience comes from human reason.’[7] Likewise, Christ is the source of reasoning as by a ray reflected in the middle of an arc, namely, human ability illuminated by his grace. The same is true of contemplation as caused by a direct ray of grace, namely, an ecstasy of mind. He is the source of faith in that he is the Word incarnate, the source of reasoning in a mind as he illumines an intellect, the source of contemplation drawing affection to the Father.

Third metaphor: star gleaming

Of the third, Ecclesiasticus 50:6 says: He shone in his days as the morning star in the midst of a cloud. In the midst of a cloud, namely of sinners, he displayed the light of justice in all his words and actions. We should be conformed to him lest we be wandering stars to whom the storm of darkness and blindness is reserved, as we are warned in the Canonical Epistle of Jude 1:13; but let us be those of whom Daniel 12:3 says: They that instruct many to justice shall shine as stars for all eternity.

The divinity of Christ represented by a metaphor

And just as Christ, the child of the Virgin, is represented by a cloud, a rainbow and a star, so he is well represented, according to his divinity, by the metaphor of the sun. No visible creature is more suitable to lead us to knowledge of him; Psalm 18:6 says: He has set his tabernacle in the sun etc.; and another Prophet: Unto you that fear my name the Sun of justice shall arise [Malachias 4:2]. Because of this nature there is in him an incomparable dignity, an unchanging stability, an inaccessible clarity; this is represented by three miracles of the sun, namely, of the sun going backwards, standing still in a wonderful way, and of shining in a wonderful way.

The metaphor illustrated by the sun going backwards

Of the first, Isaias 38:8 says: The sun returned ten lines by the degrees by which it had gone down in the sun dial of Achaz. Why was it necessary to prolong the mortal life for a king with such a miracle affecting the whole world, other than for the Lord to prefigure by this a future miracle of miracles? In a sun dial there were twelve lines, but the sun did not go beyond the tenth so as to give a sign. Because there are twelve degrees of life, namely, nine Orders of Angels and three of visible creatures, sensible and vegetable creations, the Sun of justice did not stand above the tenth, because nowhere did he take hold of the Angels nor of the Archangels, as the Apostle says in Hebrews 2:16; nor did he go below the tenth because it was not fitting for him to assume purely sensible or vegetable life; but as the Apostle says, he took hold of the seed of Abraham. Therefore, he humbled himself by going down through ten lines, that is, the lives of creatures, and he ascended by these degrees, until he established the assumed man above every angelic creature. Psalm 8:5 says: You have made him a little less than the angels. Therefore, in this way his incomparable dignity is indicated.

The metaphor illustrated by the sun standing still

Of the second, Josue 10:13 says: The sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hastened not to go down the space of one day. Could not the Lord have given victory to his people without so great a miracle? This the Lord could have done but the Lord wanted to prefigure that the Sun of justice himself in an assumed humanity was to fight, but the unspeakable dignity of his divinity was to remain.

The metaphor illustrated by the sun shining wonderfully

Of the third, Exodus 10:22.21 says that darkness came upon the land of Egypt; and, as is stated in the book of Wisdom 17:19ff., the whole world was enlightened with a clear light, but over them only, namely, the Egyptians, was spread a heavy night. This prefigured that the sun, Christ, while his merits are rejected by some who remain in the night of sin, others are shone on and enlightened wonderfully.

Conclusion

Accordingly, it must be noted that the mystery of the Incarnation is represented by twelve metaphors that begin from the earth of humility and take their place in the sun of divine wisdom, because where humility is, there also is wisdom [Proverbs 11:2]; and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom [Ecclesiasticus 1:16]. Hence, because these twelve metaphors indicate the blessed Virgin and her Child, in Apocalypse 12:1 she is fittingly called A woman clothed with the sun, namely, adorned with the brightness of Divinity; having the moon, changing seasons, under her feet; and having a crown of twelve stars because of the already mentioned miracle indicated by the twelve metaphors. These metaphors, while doing so in various ways, point to the same reality. Bernard[8]:

For there was but one Spirit in all the prophets, even though in diverse ways, signs and times, they all foresaw and preached beforehand the same reality. What was clear of Moses in the bush and fire, of Aaron in the rod and flower, of Gedeon in the fleece and dew, was openly preached by Solomon in the valiant woman [Proverbs 31:10]; more openly hinted at by Jeremias 31:22 in a woman and a man; most clearly Isaias 7:14 spoke of the Virgin and the Son; and finally Gabriel by a greeting pointed out the Virgin herself [Luke 1:30ff.].

SERMON 2

Isaias 7:14: Behold a virgin shall conceive.

Introduction

Understood literally this text refers to the Virgin Mary. It contains explicitly the mystery of the conception announced to her by the Angel and is the subject of today’s solemnity. That mystery was most high and hence admirable; it was most fitting and hence reasonable; it was most fruitful and hence desirable. The Prophet, indicating its triple qualities, described it by three words: to show it was admirable he begins with an exclamation of admiration when he says: Behold; to show it was reasonable he mentions the preparatory disposition, when he says: Virgin; to show it was desirable and useful he implies a most fruitful conception when he says: shall conceive. For if we look carefully we will see that the mystery of the virginal conception was reasonable because of the virginity preceding it; it was admirable because of the fruitfulness accompanying it; it was nonetheless desirable because of what came from it. So there are two things to be considered here: firstly, virginity; secondly, fruitfulness.

Part I: Three reasons why the conception was reasonable:

First reason is the beauty of incorruption

Virginity was a fitting and reasonable disposition for so great a mystery for three reasons. Firstly, because of the beauty of incorruption that made her suitable for the coming of the angelic mission. This is well prefigured in 3 Kings 1:2ff. which says:

The servants of king David said: Let us seek for our lord the king a young virgin, and let her stand before the king, and cherish him, and sleep in his bosom, and warm our lord the king. So they sought a beautiful young woman in all the lands of Israel, and they found Abisag a Sunamitess, and brought her to the king.

It is clear that we have to understand David as Christ, his servants as Angels, Abisag as the Virgin Mary who, because of her virginal beauty was brought to the King so that she might not only serve him but also cherish him by holding and feeding him. Hence, because Gabriel from among the Angels was the main messenger she is rightly represented by Rebecca, whom the servant of Abraham searched out to be a wife for the son of his master, namely, Isaac, of whom is said in Genesis 24:15ff.: Behold, Rebecca came out to draw water, an exceedingly comely maid, and a most beautiful virgin and not known to man. Abraham, the father of many peoples, is God the Father; Isaac, his son, is Christ the Lord; Eliezer, the servant, is the Angel Gabriel; Rebecca, which means has accepted much,[9] is the Virgin Mary. The messenger accepted her as a bride of the Lord because of her virginal beauty, something internal and external; for this reason she is twice called beautiful and twice said to be a virgin in the text quoted above. Because of her double beauty she merited the coming of the Archangel Gabriel, as Bernard says[10]:

The Virgin queen, adorned with precious stones and resplendent from a double beauty of virtues of both mind and body, known in the heavens for her comeliness and beauty, drew the attention of the citizens of heaven to herself, so that she could attract the desire of the spirit of the King upon herself and lead the heavenly messenger to her from above.

Second reason is simplicity of intention

Secondly, by the simplicity of her intention that disposed her to accept the Angel’s words, and fixed her mind only on what is divine, according to 1 Corinthians 7:34: The unmarried woman and the virgin think on the things of the Lord, that she may be holy in body and spirit. But she that is married thinks on the things of the world. Accordingly, the Virgin Mary, ‘a virgin in the flesh, a virgin in her mind, a virgin by profession, a virgin holy in spirit and body’,[11] did not think of the things of the world, but of the things of God, and had chosen the better part, according to Luke 10:42: One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part which shall not be taken away from her. Therefore, because she was intent on one thing, was devoted to one thing, her mind progressed in unity and simplicity and made her fitting for divine and angelic words, because, as stated in Proverbs 3:32: His communication is with the simple.

Comment

There is no simplicity of heart without purity; purity prepares one for sight, simplicity for hearing, and these two together prepare for obedience that is the way to an inner understanding. Hence, it is fitting that she who was simple and pure would conceive the Word of God when addressed by the Angel, and this because of her most noble privilege of purity and simplicity. Hence Jerome[12]: ‘Mary was bright from many virtues of merits and brighter still than the whiteness of snow by the gifts of the Holy Spirit and she displayed in all things the simplicity of a dove’. Therefore, it is not surprising if the holy Angels spoke to so great and such a Virgin.

Third reason is sincerity of love

Thirdly, because of the sincerity of her love that disposed her to give assent to the Angel’s persuasion, one may apply to her the text of Ecclesiasticus 15:2 where it speaks of wisdom and its lover: She will meet him as an honourable mother, and will receive him as a wife married of a virgin. For the Angel was persuading her that, without harm to the purity of virginity, she could consent to the fruitfulness and dignity of a mother. Because both of these develop sincerity of love with which she was full, she was not being forced nor drawn in giving her consent but acted from her will alone, and so she met the persuading Angel as a mother honoured in the Angel’s greeting, and received him as a wife married of a virgin. Because she consented in this way she would have a son so that in no way would she wish to know a man when she said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord be it done to me according to your word.

The highest disposition

This was the highest and immediate disposition for the conception. Because the holiest love is that of the Holy Spirit, so the sincerity of love in the heart of the Virgin disposed her to accept the Spirit so that from the Spirit she might conceive a wholly immaculate Son. This is what the Angel said to her: The Holy Spirit shall come upon you and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you [Luke 1:35]. Hence, Master Hugh,[13] De virginitate Mariae, says:

Mary conceived of the Holy Spirit, not by accepting seed for birth from the substance of the Holy Spirit; rather, from the love and working of the Holy Spirit in the flesh of the Virgin, the Spirit supplied the substance of a human nature for the divine birth. Because the love of the Holy Spirit was burning in a singular way in her heart, so in her flesh the power of the Holy Spirit worked wonders. Her love of the Spirit was such that she had no companion in her love and the working of the Spirit in her flesh had no precedent.

Conclusion

Therefore, for the three reasons just stated, virginity was a fitting and reasonable disposition for the angel’s message and consequently for the conception of the Lord. For if Christ the Lord was beautiful above the sons of men [Psalm 44:3], and was a lamb unspotted [1 Peter 1:19], the Holy One among the Saints, it was fitting that he have a Mother who was most beautiful from an uncorrupted beauty, a most pure Mother from the simplicity of her intention, a most holy Mother from the sincerity of her love. All of this the Virgin Mary had by her virginity as has been shown; but this virginity of Mary was a singular privilege.

Three kinds of virginity

Consequently, we should reflect on virginity in so far as it disposes holy souls for spiritual fruitfulness; however, this is not true of all virginity. For this reason it must be noted that there is a false virginity that exists only in the flesh; this is subject to many dangers and so it should be entrusted to Christ the Protector. There is further a restored virginity and this should be joined to Christ the Redeemer. A third virginity is immaculate and this is in both; it shines with many privileges and should be united with Christ the Creator.

First kind of virginity

Firstly, take note of what is virginity only in the flesh; Matthew 25:1ff. says of it: Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps with them went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. And five of them were foolish, and five wise. For the virgins who were virgins only in the flesh were false virgins, because exteriorly they display a purity of the flesh but interiorly have impurity in their heart. They are called foolish because foolish persons display externally the appearance of a healthy body but internally their minds have a sickly appearance and it is in the mind that the sense of reason operates; such virgins bear an appearance of virtue exteriorly, but lack the truth of virtue interiorly. Virtue is found only in the decisions of a free judgment.

This first kind of virginity is subject to three dangers

This virginity is subject to many dangers: firstly, from a divine judgment as from above; secondly, from a personal fall as from below; and thirdly from a scandal to others as from an equal.

First danger of divine judgment

Virginity of the flesh alone is subject, firstly, to the danger of a divine judgment because, even though such virginity may be approved by a human judgment, it is condemned by divine judgment: Man sees those things that appear, but the Lord beholds the heart [1 Kings 16:7]. This is stated also in Matthew 25:11 where it says: But at last came also the other virgins saying: Lord, Lord, open to us, as if to say: presuming on their virginity, but the divine judgment follows: But he answering said: Amen I say to you, I know you not, not because of ignorance but from a punishment. I know you not, I say, because of the deceit of hypocrisy; so Job 13:16 says: No hypocrite shall come before his presence, and I say, shall come not to justify but to condemn, and the secrets of his heart are made manifest, according to the text of Ecclesiasticus 1:36-37.39: Come not before him with a double heart. Be not a hypocrite in the sight of men lest God discover your secrets, and cast you down in the midst of the congregation. For the more one extols oneself in the sight of others, the more one becomes worthless before God, according to Luke 16:15: You are they who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts, for that which is high to men, is an abomination before God.

Second danger of a personal fall

Secondly, it is subject to the danger of a personal fall, because it is easy to fall and impossible to get up; Amos 5:2: The virgin of Israel is cast down upon her land, there is none to raise her up. This is literally true of virginity of the flesh because, as Jerome[14] says, ‘while God can do all things, God is not able to restore a virgin after ruin; God can free from punishment but does not want to crown a fallen person’. The loss of such virginity makes penance difficult, because it breaks down the wall of continence, and when this is broken by a divine judgment then the unfortunate soul is pressed down with many desires, and the guidance of reason is subjected to the command of sensuality; this is something to be lamented and greatly grieved over. Hence, Lamentations 2:2 says: The Lord has cast down headlong, and has not spared all that was beautiful of Israel, in external beauty; he has destroyed in his wrath the strongholds of the virgin of Juda, in the integrity of her flesh; and brought them down to the ground; he has made the kingdom unclean, in the captivity of her reason. The Lord is said to do this, not so as to cast down, but because he orders and allows sin as a punishment.[15]

Third danger of scandal

Thirdly, it is subject to the danger of scandalizing others as if from an equal. For external appearance stirs desire, for which reason in Ecclesiasticus 9:5 the wise person says: Gaze not upon a maiden, namely, by thinking of her; the reason is added: lest her beauty be a stumbling-block to you, by desiring her, because, whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, has already committed adultery with her in his heart [Matthew 5:28]. And for this reason holy Job in Job 31:1 said: I made a covenant with my eyes that I would not so much as think upon a virgin, because not only are the external eyes to be guarded but also the inner; not only actions, but also affections and thoughts. Thought leads to affection, affection to consent, consent to action, an action highly heinous and dangerous because to corrupt a virgin is to violate a temple of God. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17: Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? But if any man violates the temple of God, him shall God destroy.

The dangers are to be entrusted to God

Therefore, since virginity is subject to so many and such great dangers, it has to be entrusted to Christ the Protector for him to protect its essential features, to preserve it from a fall and to free it from any defect. Jeremias 3:4, after stating the dangers, recommends this when he says: Therefore at the least from this time call on me: You are my father, namely by love; the guide of my virginity, namely, by fear; as if to say: if up till now you have persevered from human shame, now you may persevere from my love; if up till now you have relied on your own strength, now you may rely on my strength, call out and say: I could not otherwise be continent, except God gave it [Wisdom 8:21]. You may give your will to God by a firm commitment so that God may bestow on you the help of God’s power.

Second kind of virginity

The second kind of virginity is a restored virginity that exists only in the soul; this needs many helps and so should be joined to Christ the Redeemer. According to a text of Zacharias 9:17, we can acquire this by justifying grace: What is the good thing of him, and what is his beautiful thing, but the corn of the elect? In this text he indicates the sacrament of the Eucharist in which are only good things. He adds: and wine springing forth virgins, in which text he hints at the sacrament of Penance where there is the wine of compunction by which souls soiled by sin and corrupted by malice are brought back to inner holiness. On this Augustine in De poenitentia, says: ‘Penance is something excellent and perfect that restores every defect to perfection’.[16]

First help for restored virginity

This restored virginity needs many helps for healing. The first is a support of divine mercy against the offence of sin that is so great it cannot be wiped away without an intervention of divine mercy; Jeremias 31:3-4: I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore have I drawn you, taking pity on you. I say, I have drawn you, that you may do penance, and I will build you again and you shall be built, O virgin of Israel, when I will give back perfect innocence to you. We should not hide this greatest of helps for in Ephesians 2:4-5 is said: But God who is rich in mercy, for his exceeding charity wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together in Christ. No one should despise this help nor distort it into pride by impenitence; on this we read in Romans 2:4-5:

Do you not know that the benignity of God leads you to penance? But according to your hardness and impenitent heart, you treasure up to yourself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God.

Second help

The second help is an ornament of divine grace against the stain of sin and this is necessary for the soul if it is to regain its virginal integrity. So we read in Jeremias 2:32: Will a virgin forget her ornament or a bride her woman’s dress, as if to say, in no way. If she forgets, then without an outer garment she appears shameful; just as humans after sin were unseemly without exterior clothing, so a soul without an ornament of spiritual grace always seems stained. Grace is a garment that adorns the soul for which reason Apocalypse 3:17-18 says to a person without an ornament of divine grace: Because you say, I am rich and made wealthy, and have need of nothing, behold, a presumption of blindness; and you do not know that you are blind, behold, a denial of truth; I counsel you to buy of me gold fire-tried, behold, an advice of charity.

Third help

The third help is the protection of the Church against the consequences of sin that, unless it be restrained in some other way, always leads to ruin. For which reason Jeremias 31:21-22 says: Return, O virgin of Israel, return to these your cities. How long will you be dissolute in deliciousness, O wandering daughter? By the word cities we understand Orders that are like strongholds for defence in the Church. The walls of Jerusalem, that is the universal Church, are destroyed by many heresies, many schisms and by various kinds of sins, so that now Christians can be reproached and the text of Jeremiah 2:10-11 applied to them: Pass over to the isles of Cethim, and see, and send into Cedar, and consider diligently, and see if there has been done anything like this. If a nation has changed its gods etc. And later: My people have changed their glory into an idol¸ because they change the glory of the cross into the glory of worldly vanity. The Lord introduced certain styles of various Orders, so that at least the weak, people who in the world were prone to fall, might be able there to support and, as it were, restrain one another. So God censures the unsettled like Cain who do not want to be converted to penance. It is much more secure and honourable to live in strongholds than in deserted, unprotected and ruinous places.

Conclusion

Therefore, since virginity needs so much protection it should be joined to Christ the Redeemer so that he might apply a medicine against sickness. On this Jeremias says to a penitent soul in Lamentations 2:13: To what shall I equal you that I may comfort you, O virgin daughter of Sion, for great as the sea is your contrition! He compares the contrition of a penitent soul to a sea. This is valid whether it be contrition for sin for which whoever offends the infinite Good can say: great as the sea is my contrition because I have sinned more than the sands of the sea, or whether it be contrition of penance that should be like a sea so that just as the sea absorbs all the rivers so sorrow absorbs all pleasures. We are healed by the One who heals the contrite of heart and binds up their bruises [Psalm 46:3]. The One, I say, who was bruised for us, according to Isaias 53:5: He was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed.

Third kind of virginity

The third is immaculate virginity, that is, virginity of soul and body. The text of Esther 2:2 can be applied to it: Let young women be sought for the king, virgins and beautiful. They are beautiful virgins, that is, full of beauty, who are stained neither interiorly such as virgins only in the flesh, nor exteriorly like virgins only in the soul, but are those who imitate the Virgin Mary and are immaculate in body and soul.

First privilege of this kind of virginity

This virginity shines with many privileges, of which the first is a perfect conformity of likeness to the Lamb; Apocalypse 14:4: These are they who were not defiled with women, in the flesh; for they are virgins, namely, in their souls; these follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes, by a complete conformity of continence. So that they lack nothing, the Lord sees to it that they follow him by a conformity of patience as a sign of perfect friendship. Lamentations 1:15 says: The Lord has trodden the winepress, namely, of the passion, for the virgin daughter of Juda, by provoking her to excel in imitating.

Second privilege

The second privilege is the special familiarity of living with the Bridegroom. Isaias 62:5 says: For the young man shall dwell with the virgin, that is, Christ the son of the Virgin; and the bridegroom shall rejoice over the bride, that is, Christ over a holy soul joined to him. Hence Bede[17] says: ‘Christ was born from a Virgin to show his love for virginal glory; and as a sign of this he wanted to have a virgin as Mother, a virgin as precursor, and a virgin as friend’.

Third privilege

The third privilege is the complete joy of exultation in the Holy Spirit; for this reason Psalm 44:15 says: After her shall virgins be brought to the king; and Jeremias 31:12 says: Their soul shall be as a watered garden, from perfect grace, and they shall be hungry no more, from concupiscence; then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, from exultation in the Holy Spirit, the young men and old men together, from sharing joy. This is great joy because it is inner and external, and there is no pleasure above the joy of the heart [Ecclesiasticus 30:16].

Conclusion

Since it shines with so many privileges it should be joined to Christ the Creator who gave all things as a pledge of perfect love. In 2 Corinthians 11:2 the Apostle desired this: I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ, where is found the complete perfection and merit of the way.

Part II: The fertility of virginity

Having reflected on virginity, there remains to reflect on the fertility of virginity both from the point of view of virginity as admirable, and from the point of view of its value to us as being incomparable. The fertility of the conception was admirable for the one conceiving, for the One conceived and for the conception itself.

The integrity of the one conceiving

Firstly, it was admirable because of the integrity of the one conceiving. So Isaias 7:14 says: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, so that at the one time she might be both a virgin and one conceiving, otherwise she would not be given as a sign to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Ezechiel 44:1-2 shows this in a wonderful way in a description of the temple: He brought me back to the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looked towards the east, that is, to reflect on the origin and incarnation of the Son of God; and it was shut, namely, from a lack of corruption. And he adds the reason: This gate shall be shut, namely, in the pregnancy; it shall not be opened, namely, in the birth, and no man shall pass through it, with regard to the use of marriage; because the Lord the God of Israel has entered in by it, namely, in the mystery of the conception. Hence the Bridegroom speaking of the Virgin Mary in the Canticle 4:12-13 says: My sister, my spouse, is a garden enclosed, a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed up; your plants are a paradise.

Triple lack of corruption

Three times he speaks of enclosure to show that she was incorrupt in the conception, in the birth and in her life. This is against the heretics who said that later she was known by her husband. In this it is indeed most wonderful that while enclosed she was still fertile with the utmost fertility and so he says: your plants are a paradise, because of the most perfect fertility in which was no defect, no impurity, no sadness as there was when Eve conceived. There was no pride, no corruption but everything was most humble, most fertile integrity and most joyful happiness; hence it was worthy of all praise and admiration. Bernard[18] says:

Happy Mary to whom neither humility nor virginity was lacking; your singular virginity did not dishonour but honoured fertility; nevertheless it was a special humility that did not take away but brought out a fertile virginity; an incomparable fertility that was accompanied by virginity at the same time as humility. Which of these is not admirable? Which not incomparable? Which not singular? Wonderful indeed provided you do not stop reflecting on which one of these in your opinion you judge to be more worthy unless, as is certain, you judge that all taken together are to be preferred to any single one of them. It is incomparable, more excellent and more fitting to ponder on all rather than on some.

The eternity of the One conceived

Secondly, it was admirable because of the eternity of the One conceived as the One conceived was God, the Son and Wisdom of God of whom in Proverbs 8:23-24 is said: I was set up from eternity, and of old before the world was made. The depths were not as yet and I was already conceived. If he was conceived from eternity how could he have been conceived by the Virgin Mary at the end of time? If he was eternal he was, therefore, unchangeable, incomprehensible and without end. How could he who was without end be conceived by a young woman, the incomprehensible by a slight woman, the unchangeable by a weak and tender person? Yet she did conceive such and so great a person that, according to the witness of Luke 1:31-33, the Angel said to the Virgin: Behold, you shall conceive in your womb and shall bring forth a son etc.; then the Angel describes him: He shall be great, that is, incomprehensible; and shall be called the Son of the Most High, from being unchangeable in his essence; and of his kingdom there shall be no end, since he has no end. Hence, in this conception divine Majesty is wonderfully humbled and virginal humility wonderfully exalted. Bernard[19] says:

Wonder at both and choose which you admire more, either the most benign worthiness of the Son or the most excellent dignity of the Mother! Both are a wonder, both a miracle: that God obeys a woman is humility without a like, and that a woman is over God is sublime unlike any other.

And later, illustrating the same wonder, he says:

Next, here is recognized short length, narrow width, height brought low, depth laid open. Here is recognized a light not shining, a word as an infant, thirsting for water, hungry for bread. You may see, if you are attentive, power ruled, wisdom taught, power upheld, God taking milk at the breast yet refreshing Angels, crying yet consoling the unhappy.

The newness of the conception

Thirdly, it was admirable for the newness of the conception, a newness foreseen in Jeremias 31:22: The Lord has created a new thing upon the earth, a woman shall encompass a man. This, I say, is new, something unheard in earlier times, that the conception of the Child would not be coagulation and accepting of seed, but the knowledge of a perfect man and a perfect and integral encompassing by virtues. In the words spoken to the Virgin, the Angel announced this new thing to Mary and showed something rare for confirmation, namely, conception in a barren womb: Behold, your cousin Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age, because no word shall be impossible with God [Luke 1:36-37]. This was not new because the barren and old Sara conceived [Gen 11:30] but it was wonderful; however, it was well possible for God to do what is great as well as what is small, new as well as what is rare, even though the greater and rarer something is, the more wonderful is it. Hence, among all the works of God the mystery of the conception contains more reasons for wonder. This is what blessed Bernard[20] says:

Never before has it been heard that a mother could at the same time be a virgin. If you reflect on whose Mother she is, how much the more your admiration draws you to its wonderful loftiness? Is it not so that you may see without ever wondering enough?

In a later text he adds:

And is it surprising if God, who sees and says what is wonderful in his Saints, has shown more wonderful things in his Mother? Therefore, spouses, venerate the integrity of flesh in corruptible flesh; holy virgins, you also should wonder at the fertility in the Virgin; all people should imitate the humility of the Mother of God; holy Angels, honour the Mother of your King, you who adore the Child of our Virgin, for he is equally our King and your King, the Redeemer of the human race, the Founder of your home.

Desirable for our benefit in three ways:

Firstly, the overthrow of the enemies

The fertility of the Virgin was also incomparable or desirable for our benefit in a way that is completely incalculable. A triple value can be noted. The first is the overthrow of the enemies by the Child conceived and this is well indicated in Isaias 8:3 where is said that a prophetess conceived and bore a son. And the Lord said to me, call his name Hasten to take away the spoils, make haste to take away the prey, because Christ has overcome our enemies, according to Colossians 2:15: And despoiling the principalities and powers, he has exposed them confidently in open show, triumphing over them in himself. For this reason, the Virgin Mary by conceiving him is called the conqueror of the enemies, according to the text of Ecclesiasticus 24:11: And by my own power I have trodden under my feet the hearts of all the high and low. Hence Bernard[21]:

She is the woman earlier promised by God, the woman who with a foot of power crushed the head of the ancient serpent that with great cunning clearly lay in wait for her heel, but without success; for she alone crushed all heretical deviation.

Secondly, the consolation of the afflicted

The second value is the consolation of the afflicted and this is well represented in Ruth 4:13-15: The Lord gave her to conceive and to bear a son. Ruth means seeing and by this we understand the Virgin Mary; further on the text says:

And the women said to Noemi: Blessed be the Lord who has not suffered our family to want a successor that his name should be preserved in Israel, and you should have one to comfort your soul and cherish your old age.

By Noemi we understand the Church that from the conception of Christ is consoled in all its troubles, according to 2 Corinthians 1:5: For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so also by Christ does our comfort abound. For this reason the Virgin Mary is called the comforter of the unfortunate. Hence Bernard[22]:

Think on Mary, call on Mary in dangers, in difficulties, in doubtful situations. Let her not be absent from your mouth, absent from your heart, and so that you may beg the help of her prayer do not abandon the example of her way of life.

Thirdly, the freeing of captives

The third value is the freeing of captives that is well indicated in Exodus 2:2 where, when speaking of the conception of Moses, it is said of his mother that she conceived and bore a son and seeing him of fine appearance, hid him three months. Just as Moses freed the captive people of Israel from Egypt and hid them from the face of Pharaoh, so Christ freed us from darkness and the shadow of death [Luke 1:79], having been first hidden from the face of Herod. Hence Christ himself was our deliverance; he freed us from slavery to sin and freed us from the servitude of corruption into the liberty of the children of God [Romans 8:21]. For this reason the Virgin Mary is called the liberator of captives. Anselm says[23]:

But why do I say, Lady, the earth is full of your gifts? They penetrate hell, overcome heaven. By the fulness of your grace those rejoice who were freed from hell and those are glad who were restored above the earth.

Accordingly, it is clear how admirable, ineffable and yet singular is the fertility of the most blessed Virgin Mary.

Desirable and detestable conception

But it must be understood what is the fertility or conception desirable to a holy soul and that it should be common to all. Isaias 6:17-18: says of this: In your presence, O Lord, we have conceived and been as it were in labour and have brought forth wind [a spirit], of salvation. There is another fertility that is detestable and the opposite of this, namely, that of a sinful soul of which James 1:15 says: Then when concupiscence has conceived, it brings forth sin; but sin, when it is completed, begets death.

Praiseworthy conception has a sevenfold spirit

The first conception is praiseworthy and it is sevenfold having a sevenfold spirit that is well indicated in the spiritual man Job of whom it is said that there were born to him seven sons [Job 1:2]. Gregory[24] explains this as ‘the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit’ to which are opposed seven evil spirits; Luke 11:24-26 says of these:

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through places without water, seeking rest; and not finding, he says: I will return into my house whence I came out. And when he is come, he finds it swept and garnished. He goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in they dwell there.

And so it has to be understood that the conception of a spiritual soul is sevenfold as is the conception of a carnal soul, both of which are to be treated together so as to make the matter clearer. But the seven gifts that arise from the grace of God are fittingly represented by the seven barren women who conceived by a gift of God and by the power of that divine gift.

First gift, fear, and its opposite, pride

Firstly, a spiritual soul conceives a spirit of fear, the first of the gifts, and this was represented in the conception of Sara of which Genesis 21:2-3 says: She conceived and bore a son in her old age and Abraham called his name Isaac. By Isaac is rightly understood a gift of fear, according to the text of Genesis 31:42 where Jacob says: Unless the fear of Isaac had stood by me, peradventure now you would have sent me away naked. This fear is conceived from a belief in the punishments; hence, Hebrews 11:11 says: By faith also Sara herself being barren received strength to conceive seed. This is the beginning of spiritual conception because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom [Ecclesiasticus 1:16].

Opposed to this is the conception of spiritual pride, the beginning of all ruin, of which in Genesis 6:4 it is said that Agar perceiving that she was with child, despised her mistress.

Second gift, piety, and its opposite, envy

Secondly, a spiritual soul conceives the gift of piety that was represented in the conception of Rebecca of which Genesis 25:21 says: Isaac besought the Lord for his wife because she was barren; and he heard him and made Rebecca to conceive. But the children struggled in her womb, in which is represented that the gift of piety is not born without a zeal for the severity of justice, for between them there was a struggle between the austerity of Esau and the kindness of Jacob.

Opposed to this is the conception of the spirit of envy of which Job 15:35 says: He has conceived sorrow, and has brought forth iniquity and his womb prepares deceits. This is rightly said of the envious who sorrow over the goods of others and from sorrow lie in ambush and later plunder. Isaias 59:13-15:

We have conceived and uttered from the heart words of falsehood. And judgment is turned away backward and justice has stood far off, because truth has fallen down in the street and equity could not come in. And truth has been forgotten and he that departed from evil, lay open to be a prey.

Third, gift of knowledge, and its opposite, anger

Thirdly, a spiritual soul receives the gift of knowledge represented in the conception of Rachel of whom Genesis 30:22-24 says: The Lord remembered Rachel, heard her and opened her womb. She conceived and bore a son, saying: God has taken away my reproach. And she called his name Joseph. By Joseph, who was most prudent, we understand the gift of knowledge. Hence, in Psalm 104:21-22 we read: He made him master of his house, and ruler of all his possession, that he might instruct his princes as himself, and teach his ancients wisdom.

Opposed to this is the conception of the spirit of anger that ‘hinders the mind lest it discern truth’[25]; Psalm 7:15 says of this: Behold, he has been in labour with injustice, he has conceived sorrow and brought forth iniquity. Sorrow is common to anger and envy, but envy arises principally over good things, anger from some injury or offence, while both are evident externally.

Fourth, gift of fortitude, and its opposite, sloth

Fourthly, a spiritual soul conceives the gift of fortitude represented in the barren wife of Manue of whom Judges 13:3.24 says: An angel of the Lord appeared to her and said: You are barren and without children but you shall conceive and bear a son; and later is added that she conceived and she bore a son and called his name Samson; because of her fortitude, the gift of fortitude, something we have from God, is elegantly represented in her.

Opposed to this is the conception of the spirit of sloth to which all things are burdensome. Isaias 59:4 says of this: They have conceived labour and brought forth iniquity.

Fifth, gift of counsel, and its opposite, avarice

Fifthly, a soul conceives the gift of counsel, represented in the conception of Anna in 1 Kings 1:20; 3:1; 8:21-22: Anna conceived and bore a son and called his name Samuel because she had asked him of the Lord. By Samuel for whom she had asked the Lord, whom she offered to the Lord and who ministered to the Lord is rightly understood the gift of counsel that is to be found in the Lord according to Tobias 4:20: Desire of the Lord to direct your ways and that all your counsels may abide in him.

Opposed to this is the conception of the spirit of avarice that contradicts the divine counsels; of it can be understood the words of Isaias 33:11: You shall conceive heat, namely, of avarice, and you shall bring forth stubble, of money.

Sixth, gift of understanding, and its opposite, greed

Sixthly, a spiritual soul conceives the gift of understanding represented in the conception of the woman of Sunam of whom 4 Kings 4:17 says: The woman conceived and brought forth a son in the time and at the same hour that Eliseus had said. As many claim, the son of this woman was Jonas, whose understanding was like that of a prophet and who preached not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles and to the people of Ninive who, by his preaching, were converted to God [Jonas 3:4ff.]. It is significant that the text says the woman conceived because of her hospitality to Eliseus, because, as Gregory[26] says, by a good practice of piety an understanding of truth is reached. On the other hand, understanding without work is a single talent that is not increased, rather, because of it, the person to whom it is committed is damned, as Matthew 25:24ff. says of the lazy servant.

Opposed to this is the conception of the spirit of greed, to which can be applied the text of Job 21:10: Their cattle have conceived and failed not. This text can rightly be understood of a greedy person who like cattle has two stomachs and whose stomach is distended from chewing the cud of food. Such a person is deprived of understanding because Isaias 28:9 says: To whom shall he teach knowledge and whom shall he make to understand the hearing? Them that are weaned from the milk, and are drawn away from the breasts.

Seven, gift of wisdom, and its opposite, lust

Seventhly, a spiritual soul conceives the gift of wisdom represented in the conception of Elizabeth of whom in Luke 1:24 is said that Elizabeth conceived and hid herself five months. She conceived John who was not only a Prophet but also more than a prophet, because the gift of wisdom exceeds every other way of knowing. This is the true treasure according to what is said in Wisdom 7:14: She is an infinite treasure which they that use become the friends of God being commended for the gift of discipline. According to the counsel of the Lord in Matthew 13:44, it should be hidden: The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in a field, which a man having found, hid it etc. For wisdom is hid from the eyes of all living [Job 28:21].

Opposed to this is the spirit of lust that turns people entirely to what is carnal. This is represented by Genesis 19:36: So the two daughters of Lot were with child by their father, that is, from incest. Note that they are called two because the horseleech has two daughters [Proverbs 30:15], for rarely is there lust without greed, in fact one introduces the other, as stated of the daughters of Lot [Genesis 19:31ff.].

Conclusion

So it is clear that there are seven spiritual conceptions that are opposed by seven evil conceptions. It is also clear how fittingly they are expressed in Scripture because only seven women are said to have conceived by divine power. For the divine Scriptures are more concerned with a prefiguring than with an event. However, those who did conceive gave birth to Christ in a figurative sense, such as Isaac, Jacob and Joseph among the Patriarchs, Samson and Samuel among the Judges, Jonas and John among the Prophets; and all these conceptions are a figure of the present conception because what in others was partial, was complete in Mary. She conceived the Son, who from the moment of conception had the sevenfold Spirit in its completeness, according to Isaiah 11:1-3:

And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the sprit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness. And he shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord.

Hence, this conception of the Virgin is a truth fulfilling all the previously mentioned conceptions. Because of its perfection and dignity it should not have been prefigured by any single and simple conception, but by many. Hence, there were many prefigurings before this conception, either to lead the intellect to believe the miracle of today’s conception, or to stimulate a desire for the fruit of the said conception; by this they could show the admirable and desirable conception as has already been touched on. Hence, Bernard[27] speaking of these prefigurings says:

What was clear of Moses in the bush and fire, of Aaron in the rod and flower, of Gedeon in the fleece and dew, was openly preached by Solomon in the valiant woman [Proverbs 31:10]; more openly hinted at by Jeremias 31:22 in a woman and a man; most clearly Isaias 7:14 spoke of the Virgin and the Son; and finally Gabriel by a greeting pointed out the Virgin herself [Luke 1:30ff.].

This sevenfold event is fulfilled today in our ears; so all Christian people should be glad and rejoice from the revealing of such a reasonable, admirable, valuable and desirable mystery, so that by the power of this mystery the people may be led to eternal happiness. Amen.

SERMON 3

Psalm 84:13: The Lord will give goodness and our earth shall yield her fruit.

John 3:31: He that is of the earth, of the earth he is, and of the earth he speaks. He that comes from heaven is above all.

(Introduction) The second quote is taken from John and is a text spoken by John the Baptist when his disciples were questioning him about Christ. In the text he shows that he is unworthy to speak about Christ and he gives the reason, namely, because Christ is from heaven and he is from earth. And as far as the heavens are distant from earth, so far is our understanding distant from Christ. Just as a person who tries to touch the heaven is regarded as being foolish, so also a person would be foolish who would want to investigate by human words and wisdom the mystery of the incarnation of Christ. And I am not worthy to speak of the mystery of the incarnation just like anyone who can say: My belly cleaves to the earth [Psalm 43:25]; I think of myself as being of the earth. And since I am less capable, let us ask the Lord at the beginning that he might give me some small gift of his grace so that I may be able to babble something about the mystery of the incarnation that would give honour to his holy name and be for the salvation of our souls.

The Lord will give goodness and our earth shall yield her fruit.

Sermon

The mystery of the incarnation is at the one time most high and yet deep, in its depth inscrutable, in its height inexplicable, so as Isaias 53:8 says: Who shall declare his generation? Also, in John 1:27, John the Baptist could say: The latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose. It was most fitting that it be explained to us as something hidden under diverse and suitable likenesses, for as Dionysius[28] says: ‘It is impossible for us to shed light on the divine ray other than from the variety of sacred veils that cover it with spiritual meaning’. For this reason, David, outstanding among the Prophets, to whom the gift of the incarnation was divinely promised, and who was inspired by the Holy Spirit to explain to us the wonderful mystery of the incarnation that is today realized through the angelic ministry of the Archangel Gabriel and through the consent of the most pure Virgin. David does this, under the metaphor of a tree bearing fruit, in the text quoted above when he says: The Lord will give goodness etc.

Triple division

In this text the mystery and gift of the incarnation is well described under a triple heading: firstly, from the point of view of the principle acting when he says: The Lord will give goodness; secondly, from the point of view of the subject receiving when he adds: and our earth; thirdly, from the point of view of the benefit flowing from it when he adds: shall yield her fruit. The utterly kind incarnation of the Son is perfectly known when one recognizes from whom and in whom and for whom it exists; because in this way it is known from the point of view of its beginning, middle and end, or from the point of view of what precedes, what accompanies, what follows it; in these consists the whole and perfect knowledge of an object.

Part I: Incarnation described from the point of view of the principle acting

Therefore, firstly, the mystery of the incarnation is described in the text from the point of view of the principle acting when it says: The Lord will give goodness.[29] If the reason and main principle of why God wanted to become incarnate is sought, the best answer, the highest, main and most excellent reason is the goodness of God, from which, according to which and for which the Word became flesh. So the Prophet called this kindness goodness because it comes from goodness, disperses goodness and leads to goodness. It is linked to goodness by a triple type of causality, namely, efficient, exemplary and final. So it is that the gift of the incarnation, when thought of by reason alone, seems doubtful or incredible, but when compared to the highest goodness it becomes certain and indisputable. For if it is most sure that God is the best, it is also most certain that God is most kind and most generous, and because of this it is most fitting to attribute to God the gift of the greatest kindness and generosity, than which no greater can be imagined. This gift is for God to assume the form of a servant from a virginal womb, something not only credible but also certain and indisputable if we pay attention to what the Prophet wants to say: The Lord will give goodness.

Firstly, the incarnation comes from the greatest love

Firstly, he indicates that the gift of the utterly good incarnation comes from the greatest love, according to the fact that in a person of spiritual life, one speaking with God, it is said in Psalm 50:20-21: Deal favourably, O Lord, in your good will etc; and further on: Then shall you accept the sacrifice of justice etc. It is clear that this gift was acceptable only because of the coming of Christ; hence in Hebrews 10:5, taken from Psalm 39:7, we read: Sacrifice and oblation you did not want but a body you have fitted to me. Therefore, because this gift was not to be given for the sake of a dignity of human merit, but for the sake of a gift of divine kindness, he says: Deal favourably, O Lord, in your goodwill. Goodwill is a will that diffuses itself from kindness and comes down in mercy, for which reason the holy man prays in Psalm 68:17: Hear me, O Lord, for your mercy is kind. Because the Son of God took on not only our nature but also its punishments, it follows that the gift of the incarnation comes at the one time from mercy and kindness.

Secondly, the incarnation disperses the greatest goodness

Secondly, the incarnation was given to disperse the greatest goodness, according to what is said in Titus 3:4: The goodness and kindness of God our Saviour appeared. The goodness of God was as it were hidden before the coming of the incarnate Word, but after his coming it became clear, appeared, and was made public. In this way the year of goodness began, according to Psalm 64:12: You shall bless the crown of the year of your goodness. The crown of goodness was the blessed Virgin Mary who was described as a woman clothed with the sun and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was blessed by God as the Angel announced to her: Blessed are you among women [Luke 1:28]; and because of this the fields shall be filled with plenty of grace [Psalm 64:12]. Wherefore, those who are now empty of grace and filled with thorns, do not look to the goodness of the year but to the severity of divine judgment, according to Psalm 51:5: You have loved malice rather than goodness.

Thirdly, the incarnation leads to the highest love

Thirdly, it leads to the highest love, according to Ephesians 4:32: Be kind to one another, merciful, forgiving one another, even as God has forgiven you in Christ. It was for this that God out of kindness gave this gift and showed kindness in the gift given, so that by the gift and example God, as it were drawing us by cords, might make us conformable to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Hence, Luke 6:35 says: But love your enemies; do good and lend, hoping for nothing hereby and your rewards shall be great and you shall be sons of the Highest for God is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. For the Lord is kind to the evil, accepting them when they repent; Joel 2:12-13 says: Be converted to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy, and ready to repent of the evil, by showing tolerance when people sin. But this kindness changes to anger over those who are not converted to penance; Romans 2:4-5 says:

Know you not that the benignity of God leads you to penance? But according to your hardness and impenitent heart, you treasure up for yourself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God.

Conclusion

Accordingly, the kindness of God is not to be despised because no one is holy other than by accepting goodness from God and then beginning to act kindly for God’s sake. This is from the gift of the incarnation that, under the name kindness, the Prophet identifies as coming from the principle acting when he says: The Lord will give goodness.

Part II: Incarnation described from the point of view of the subject receiving

Secondly, the gift of the incarnation is described from the point of view of the subject receiving, when the text says: our earth. This is quite fitting for just as when the earth is left in a dry condition it is impossible for what germinates to bear fruit as it does when irrigated with water. In the same way virginity left in its barrenness does not conceive unless made fertile by grace from above. It is not surprising when formerly arid earth can germinate after being irrigated by rain. In the same way it is not surprising for a virgin to conceive, namely, when made fertile by the grace of the Holy Spirit. To understand such a metaphor better it has to be known that the earth in question is most arid as a property, most deep in its locality, most irrigated by a spring, and most fertile in fruitfulness,[30] in such a way that one of these properties is the cause and reason for another. The earth is fertile and fruitful because it is irrigated; it is irrigated because it is deep and situated below; it is situated in the lowest place because it is exceedingly arid and dark.

The four factors are found in Mary

Four conditions in our earth, namely the most blessed Virgin Mary, correspond to these factors. The conditions are virginal incorruption, most reverent subjection, complete sanctification and most fruitful conception. Similarly, in these conditions one of these properties leads to another. Incorruption of itself