This year, for each day in the month of May, we will be posting excerpts of the book The May Book of the Breviary, by Father John Fitzpatrick, O.M.I., published by R&T Washbourne, London, 1904. Nihil Obstat: Father Thomas Dawson, O.M.I., and Imprimatur: Cardinal Francis Alphonsus Bourne, dated April 14, 1904.
May 8th – The Mother of Divine Grace
from Saint Augustine
The Angel says to the Virgin Mary: “Hail, full of grace! the Lord is with thee” – already is He with thee who shall be within thee. Tell me, then, thou Messenger of God! “how shall this be done?” See how she recognizes an Angel, and how she questions him with confidence! And because he found her questioning him without diffidence, he consented to instruct her. Listen how: Thy virginity shall remain inviolate; only give credence to the truth, and be still a maiden undefiled. Because thy faith is inviolate, inviolate also shall be thy virginity. And now, hear how this shall be done: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee,” for thou dost conceive by faith, by believing thou dost conceive virginally; “therefore the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). What art thou, who shalt yet bring forth? Whence thy deserts? Whence hast thou gotten this? How comes it that He who made thee shall in thee be made? Whence, I say, whence comes to thee so great a good? Thou art a Virgin, thou art sacred, thou hast vowed a vow: great is that which thou hast merited, yea, great indeed is that which thou hast received. For how hast thou merited this? He who made thee is made in thee; He through whom thou wast made in thee is made – yea, indeed, He by whom heaven and earth were made, by whom all things were made, the Word of God, is made incarnate in thee, assuming flesh, but not laying aside His divinity. And the Word is united to flesh, the Word is wedded unto flesh, and thy womb is the nuptial-chamber of this great marriage – of this great marriage of the Word and our flesh, thy womb, I say, is the bridal-chamber – the bridal-chamber from which the Spouse came forth. In His conception He found thee virgin, and in His birth He left thee virgin still. He bestows fecundity; He takes not away virginity. “Whence is this to thee?” I seem too boldly to question the Maiden, and, with something like importunity, this voice of mine seems to knock at modest ears. But I see a Maiden, blushing indeed, and yet answering, though admonishing me. “You ask me, ‘Whence is this to me? I blush to answer thee concerning this my good: listen to the Angel’s salutation, and acknowledge that in me is thy salvation. Believe Him whom I have believed. ‘Whence is this to me,’ you ask? Let the Angel make answer. – ‘Tell me, Angel, whence is this to Mary?’ – ‘Already I have told you whence in my words of salutation, “Hail, full of grace!’”
But when Mary said: “How shall this be done, because I know not man?” she said so inquiringly, not hopelessly. Though she put a question, she did not doubt as to the promise made. Oh, full of grace indeed! for so does the Angel salute her: “Hail, full of grace!” Who will unfold what this grace was? Who can give sufficient thanks for such a grace as this? Man is made, and man perishes through his own free will; and He who made man is found to have become man, lest man whom He made should perish. The Word who was in the beginning God with God, by whom all things were made, becomes incarnate: “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us” (John 1:14). The Word is made flesh; but flesh is assumed unto the Word, the Word in taking flesh did not cease to be. Oh, what a grace! How were we worthy that this should be ours?
Let us pray
O God! who, by the fruitful virginity of the Blessed Mary, hast given mankind the grace of redemption, grant that we may enjoy for ever in heaven the happy companionship of her whom on earth we name the Mother of Grace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
