De annuntiatione dominica
The Mystery of the Annunciation
The chapter introduces the theological necessity of the angelic announcement of the Incarnation and the preparation of the Virgin Mary.
AM. It's called the Annunciation of the Lord because on this day the coming of the Son of God into the flesh was announced by an angel; for it was fitting that an angelic announcement should precede the Incarnation, for three reasons. First, because of the order. This signifies that the order of our restoration should correspond to the order of our fall. Just as the devil tempted the woman to draw her into doubt, and through doubt into consent, and through consent into the fall, so the angel announced it to the Virgin, to stir her through his announcement toward faith, and through faith toward consent, and through consent toward conceiving the Son of God. Second, because of the angelic ministry; since an angel is a minister and servant of God, and the blessed Virgin was chosen to be the Mother of God, it was appropriate that the announcement to the blessed Virgin be made through an angel, as it is fitting for a minister to serve his lady. Third, because of the angelic fall that needed to be repaired. For the Incarnation worked not only toward the restoration of the human fall, but also toward the restoration of the angelic ruin; therefore, the angels should not have been excluded. Just as the female sex is not excluded from knowing the mystery of the Incarnation and the Resurrection, neither is the angelic messenger. In fact, God announces both through an angel to a woman: the Incarnation to the Virgin Mary, and the Resurrection to the Magdalene. When the blessed Virgin had lived in the temple with other virgins from the age of three until she was fourteen, and had vowed to keep her chastity, unless God had arranged otherwise... ...He had Joseph betroth her, as the Lord revealed, and Joseph did so with a flowering staff, as is more fully contained in the history of the birth of the blessed Mary; he then went to Bethlehem, his home, to provide what was necessary for the wedding, while she returned to Nazareth to her parents' house—Nazareth is interpreted as 'flower'. Hence Bernard says that the Flower wished to be born from a flower, in a flower, and at the time of a flower. There, then, the angel appeared to her and greeted her, saying: 'Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women.' Bernard. He invites us to Mary's greeting through the example of Gabriel, the leaping of John, and the benefit of the return greeting.
The Virgin's Humility and Grace
The text explores the reasons for Mary's betrothal and the virtues of her response to the angel's greeting.
But first, we must look at why the Lord wanted his mother to be betrothed. Regarding this, Bernard provides three reasons, saying it was necessary for Mary to be betrothed to Joseph because, through this mystery, she was hidden from the demons, her virginity was confirmed by a husband, and both the modesty and the reputation of the virgin were protected. The fourth reason is that the reproach of womanhood might be taken away from every state—namely, from married women, virgins, and widows—which is why the Virgin herself lived in this triple state. The fifth is that she might use the ministry of a man; the sixth, that the goodness of marriage might be confirmed; the seventh, that the series of the genealogy might be woven through a man. Therefore the angel said: "Hail, full of grace." Bernard says: in her womb, the grace of the Godhead; in her heart, the grace of charity; in her mouth, the grace of affability; in her hands, the grace of mercy and generosity. The same author adds: truly full, because from her fullness all captives receive redemption, the sick receive healing, the sad receive consolation, sinners receive forgiveness, the just receive grace, the angels receive joy, and finally, the whole Trinity receives glory, and the Son of Man receives the substance of human flesh. The Lord is with you: the Lord the Father is with you, who begot the one you conceive; and the Lord the Holy Spirit, from whom you conceive; and the Lord the Son, whom you clothe with your flesh; just as Bernard says: "Blessed are you among women," that is, above all women, because you will be a virgin mother and the Mother of God. Women were subject to a threefold curse: the curse of disgrace for those who do not conceive—as Rachel said, "God has taken away my disgrace"; and the curse of sin for those who do conceive—as the Psalm says, "For behold, I was conceived in iniquities," and so on. And there is the curse of suffering for those who give birth—as Genesis says, "In pain you will give birth," and so on. But the Virgin Mary alone is blessed among all women; to her virginity, fruitfulness is added, to that fruitfulness, holiness in conception, and to that holiness, joy in childbirth. She is called "full of grace," as Bernard says, because of four things that shone in her mind: the devotion of humility, the reverence of modesty, the greatness of faith, and the martyrdom of the heart. It is said, "The Lord is with you," because of those four things that came down to her from heaven, as the same author says: the sanctification of Mary, the angelic greeting, the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, and the incarnation of the Son of God. It is also said, "Blessed are you among women," because of four other things which, as is noted in the same place, shone in her flesh: namely, that she was a virgin first, fruitful without corruption, pregnant without heaviness, and a mother without pain. When she heard this, she was troubled by the angel's words and pondered what kind of greeting this might be. From this, the praise of the Virgin appears in her hearing, her affection, and her thought. Her modesty is praised in what she heard, for she listens and remains silent; her reserve is praised in her affection; and her prudence is praised in her thought, because she pondered what kind of greeting this might be. She was troubled by the angel's message, though not by his appearance, since the blessed Virgin had often seen angels but had never heard them speak like this. Peter of Ravenna says: The angel had come, gentle in appearance but terrible in his message; and so, while his presence brought light and joy, his words caused great alarm. Bernard: That she was troubled was a sign of her virginal reserve; that she didn't panic, a sign of her strength; that she remained silent and pondered, a sign of her prudence and discernment. And then the angel. Reassuring her, he said: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with the Lord." Bernard:
The Power of the Holy Spirit
The dialogue between Mary and Gabriel reveals the miraculous nature of the conception and the role of the Holy Spirit.
What grace of God, what peace for humanity, what destruction of death, what restoration of life. Look, you'll conceive and give birth to a son, and you'll name him Jesus—which means Savior—because he'll save his people from their sins. He'll be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. Bernard says: This means: he who is the great God will be a great man, specifically a great teacher and a great prophet. But Mary said to the angel, "How will this happen, since I don't know a man?"—that is, "I don't intend to know one." And so she was a virgin in mind, in body, and in purpose. But look, Mary asks a question, and whoever asks a question doubts. Why, then, was Zechariah the only one to be struck with silence? Regarding this, Peter of Ravenna assigns four reasons, saying: that Judge of sinners foresaw not words but hearts; He judged not what they said, but what they felt. For the motive of those who questioned was different, and their hope was diverse. She believed against nature, while he doubted because of nature. She asks for the order of things in its integrity, while he prescribes that what God wills to happen cannot be. He does not ascend to faith through compelling examples, whereas she runs ahead to faith without any example. She marvels at the Virgin's birth, while he disputes about a marital conception. Therefore, he doesn't doubt the fact, but seeks the manner and the order; for since there is a threefold mode of conception—natural, spiritual, and miraculous—he asks by which of these she might conceive. And the angel answered and said to her: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and He Himself will bring about your conception. Hence it is also said that He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, and this for four reasons. First, to demonstrate His extraordinary love, so it might be clear that it was through the ineffable love of God that the Word of God was made flesh. John 3: For God so loved the world, etc. And this is the reasoning of the Master of the Sentences. Second, to show forth grace without merit, so that by saying He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, it might be shown that it came from grace alone, which no human merits preceded. And this is the reasoning of Augustine. Third, because of the power of the operation, for it is by the operation and power of the Holy Spirit that He was conceived; and this is the reasoning of Ambrose. Fourth, regarding the motive for the conception; this is the reasoning of Hugh of Saint Victor. The motive for a natural conception, he says, is a man's love for a woman and a woman's love for a man. So in the Virgin, he says, because the love of the Holy Spirit burned in her heart in a unique way, the love of the Holy Spirit worked wonders in her flesh. And the power of the Most High will overshadow you. According to the Gloss, this is explained as follows: a shadow is usually formed by light and an obstructing body; and the Virgin, just like any mere human, could not grasp the fullness of the Godhead, but the power of the Most High would overshadow you, while in her the incorporeal light of the Godhead took on the body of humanity, so that in this way it could suffer as God. Bernard seems to touch upon this explanation, for he says: Since God is spirit and we are but the shadow of His body, He tempered Himself to us so that, through the object of His life-giving flesh, we might see the Word in the flesh, the sun in a cloud, light in an earthen vessel, a candle in a lantern. According to Bernard, it is as if he were saying: the power of God, Christ, will hide in His most secret counsel the way you will conceive by the Holy Spirit, overshadowing it so that it is known only to Him and to you. It is as if he were saying: why do you ask me what you'll soon experience within yourself? You will know, you will know, and you will know happily—but only with that Teacher who is the Author of it. I am sent to announce the virginal conception, not to bring it about. Or it will overshadow you—that is, it will cool you from the heat of vices. And look, Elizabeth your relative, etc.—look, it says, to show that this is a great and new thing nearby. According to Bernard, the conception of Elizabeth is announced to Mary for four reasons. The first is the fullness of joy; the second, the perfection of knowledge; the third, the perfection of doctrine; the fourth, the service of mercy. Jerome puts it this way: the conception of the barren relative is announced to Mary so that, as miracle is added to miracle, joy may be heaped upon joy. Or it is because He was surely teaching that the Virgin should know the Word, soon to be proclaimed everywhere, through an angel before she heard it from a human, so that the Mother of God would not seem removed from the Son’s plans if she had remained ignorant of those things happening so close by on earth. Or perhaps it was so that, while the coming of the Savior was taught then and the coming of his forerunner is taught now, she might keep to the order and timing of events, and later preserve the truth for writers and preachers. Or perhaps it was so that, upon hearing of her elderly and pregnant relative, the young girl might think about serving her, so that in this way a place might be given to the little prophet to serve the Lord, and a more wonderful miracle might come from a miracle. Bernard also says: 'Give your answer quickly, Virgin. O Lady, respond to the Word and receive the Word; offer your own and receive the divine; let go of the passing and embrace the eternal; rise, run, open.' Rise through faith, run through devotion, open through consent. Then Mary, with hands outstretched and eyes lifted to heaven, said: 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.' Bernard says: 'It is recorded that the Word of God was made manifest to some in the mouth, to others in the ear, and to others in the hand.' But for Mary, it was done in the ear through the angelic salutation, in the heart through faith, in the mouth through confession, in the hand through touch, in the womb through the incarnation, in the lap through support, and in the arms through offering: 'Let it be done to me according to your word.' Bernard says: 'I don't want it to be done to me as something preached declamatorily, or signified figuratively, or dreamed imaginatively, but inspired silently, incarnated personally, and embodied corporally.'
The Visitation and Divine Wonders
Mary visits Elizabeth, and the chapter reflects on the historical and spiritual significance of the day of the Annunciation.
From the moment the Son of God was conceived in her womb, He was perfect God and perfect man; on that very first day of His conception, He possessed as much wisdom and power as He would at thirty. He was a year old. Then Mary, rising up, went into the hill country to Elizabeth, and when she had greeted her, John leaped in her womb. The Glossa says: because his tongue could not, he greets her with an exulting heart and begins the office of his forerunner. She remained in her service for three months until John was born, whom she lifted from the ground with her own hands, as is read in the Book of the Just. On this day, it is said, God performed many things throughout the long course of time, which someone described in these excellent verses: Hail, righteous day, you who heal our wounds! The angel is sent, Christ suffers on the cross; Adam is created and falls at the same time; because of the merit of the tithe, Abel falls by his brother's sword; Melchizedek makes an offering, Isaac is placed upon the altar; the blessed Baptist of Christ is beheaded, and Peter is rescued, while James is killed under Herod.
Miracles of Devotion
Two miraculous stories illustrate the power of the 'Hail Mary' and the protection it provides to the faithful.
Many bodies of the saints rise again with Christ; the thief, however, receives a sweet Amen through Christ. . A certain knight, wealthy and noble, renounced the world and entered the Cistercian order. Because he didn't know how to read, the monks, blushing that such a noble person should be assigned to the lay brothers, gave him a teacher to see if he could learn a little and, on that account, remain among the monks. But after spending a long time with the teacher and learning nothing at all except the two words, "Hail Mary," he held onto them so eagerly that he repeated them incessantly, no matter where he walked or what he was doing. Eventually he died and was buried in the cemetery with the other brothers. Behold, a beautiful lily grew over his grave, with "Hail Mary" inscribed in golden letters on every leaf. Everyone ran to such a great spectacle, dug up the earth from the grave, and discovered the root of the lily growing from the mouth of the deceased. They understood, therefore, with what devotion he had said those two words, whom the Lord honored with such a great miracle. There was a knight who held a castle on the road and would rob everyone passing by without any mercy, yet he greeted the Virgin Mother of God every day and wouldn't, for any obstacle that arose, let a single day pass without that greeting. It happened, however, that a holy and religious man was passing through, and the knight immediately ordered him to be stripped; but the holy man asked the robbers to take him to their master, because he had secrets for him that he needed to deliver. Once brought before him, he asked the knight to have everyone from his household and castle gathered, so that he might preach the word of the Lord to them. When they had gathered, he said, "You aren't all here; someone is still missing." When they all insisted they were all there, he said, "Search carefully, and you'll find that someone is absent." Then one of them shouted out, saying that only the chamberlain was not there. He hadn't come. The man then said, "Truly, he is the one who is missing." Therefore, he was quickly sent for and brought into their midst. When he saw the man of God, he rolled his eyes in a terrifying way and shook his head like a madman, not daring to come any closer. But the holy man said to him, "I adjure you by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to tell us who you are and why you have come here." He answered, "Alas, I am forced against my will to reveal this. I am not human, but a demon who took on the form of a man, and I have stayed with this soldier for sixteen years." Our prince sent me here to watch carefully for the day when he wouldn't say his greeting to Mary, so that once I had the power, I could strangle him immediately and end his life in evil deeds, making him ours." For on any day he said that greeting, I could have no power over him; but I have watched him day after day, and he hasn't missed a single day without saying it." When the soldier heard this, he was struck with great awe, threw himself at the feet of the man of God, begged for forgiveness, and changed his life for the better from then on. The holy man said to the demon, "I command you, demon, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to leave this place and never again dare to harm anyone who invokes the glorious Mother of God." Once he gave these orders, the demon vanished as he left, and the soldier allowed the holy man to depart freely with reverence and thanksgiving.
Read the original Latin
AM. Annuntiatio dominica dicitur, quia in tali die ab angelo adventus filii Dei in carnem fuit annuntiatus, congruum enim fuit, ut incarnationem praecederet angelica annuntiatio, triplici ratione. Primo ratione ordinis. connotandi, ut scilicet ordo reparationis responderet ordini praevaricationis. Unde sicut dyabolus tentavit mulierem, ut eam pertraheret ad dubitationem et per dubitationem ad consensum et per consensum ad lapsum, sic angelus nuntiavit virgini, ut nuntiando excitaret ad fidem et per fidem ad consensum et per consensum ad concipiendum Dei filium. Secundo ratione ministerii angelici, quia enim angelus est Dei minister et servus et beata virgo electa erat, ut esset Dei mater, et congruum est ministrum dominae famulari, conveniens fait, ut beatae virgini annuntiatio per angelum fieret. Tertio ratione lapsus angelici reparandi. Quia enim incarnatio non tantum faciebat ad reparationem humani lapsus, sed etiam ad reparationem ruinae angelicae, ideo angeli non debuerunt excludi.
Unde sicut sexus mulieris non excluditur a cognitione mysterii incarnationis et resurrectionis, sic etiam nec angelicus nuntius. Imo Deus utrumque angelo mediante nuntiat mulieri, seilicet incarnationem virgini Mariae et resurrectionem Magdalenae. Cum ergo virgo beata a tertio anno aetatis suae usque ad quartum decimum annum in templo cum aliis virginibus exstitisset et votum de servanda castitate emisisset, nisi Dens aliter . disponeret, eam Joseph desponsavit domino revelante, et Joseph virga frondente, sicut in hystoria de nativitate beatae Mariae plenius continetur, et in Bethlehem, unde oriundus erat, necessaria nuptiis provisurus ivit, ipsa vero in Nasareth in domum parentum rediit, Nasareth interpretatur flos. Unde dicit Bernardus, quod flos nasci voluit de flore, in flore et floris tempore. Ibi igitur ei angelus apparuit et ipsam salutavit dicens: ave gratia plena, dominus tecum, benedicta tu in mulieribus. Bernardus. Invitat nos ad Mariae salutationem Gabrielis exemplum, Johannis tripudium et resalutationis lucrum.
Sed hic primo videndum est, quare dominus matrem suam voluit desponsari. Super hoc assignat Bernardus tres rationes dicens: necessario desponsata est Maria Joseph , quoniam per hoc mysterium a daemonibus absconditur et a sponso virginitas comprobatur et virginis tam verecundiae quam famae providetur. Quarta ratio est, ut ab omni gradu mulieris opprobrium tolleretur, scilicet a conjugatis virginibus et viduis, unde ipsa virgo in hoc triplici statu feit. Quinta, ut viri ministerio uteretur; sexta ut matrimonii bonum comprobaretur; septima, ut per virum genealogiae series texeretur. Dixit ergo angelus: ave gratia plena. Bernardus: in ventre gratia deitatis, in corde gratia caritatis, in ore gratia affabilitatis, in manibus gratia misericordiae et largitatis. Idem: vere plena, quia de plenitudine ejus capiunt universi captivi redemptionem, aegri curationem, tristes consolationem, peccatores veniam, justi gratiam, angeli laetitiam, denique tota trinitas gloriam, filius hominis humanae carnis substantiam. Dominus tecum, dominus pater tecum, qui genuit, quem concipis, et dominus spiritus sanctus, de quo concipis, et dominus filius, quem carne tua induis; sicut dicit Bernardus: benedicta tu in mulieribus, id est, super omnes mulieres, quia scilicet eris mater virgo et mater Dei.
Triplici maledicto mulieres subjectae erant, scilicet maledicto opprobrii, quoad non concipientes, unde dixit Rachel: abstulit Deus opprobrium meum, malediclo peccati, quoad concipientes, unde psalmus: ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum etc. , maledicto supplicii, quoad parturientes, unde Genesis: in dolore paries ete. Sola autem virgo Maria benedicta est inter omnes mulieres; cujus virginitati foecunditas additur et foecunditati in conceptu sanctitas et sanetitati in partu jucunditas. Dicitur ergo gratia plena, sicut dicit Bernardiis, propter quatuor, quae fulserunt in ejus mente, quae fuerunt devotio humilitatis, reverentia pudoris, magnitudo credulitatis, martirium cordis. Dicitur: dominus tecum, propter illa quatuor, quae ei falserunt de coelo, sieut idem dicit, quae sunt Mariae sanctificatio, angelica salutatio, spiritus sancti superventio, filii Dei incarnatio. Dicitur etiam: benedicta tu in mulieribus, propter alia quatuor, quae, sicut ibidem dicitur, fulserunt in ejus carne, quae scilicet fgjt virginitatis primiceria sine corruptione foecunda, sine gravedine gravida et sine dolore puerpera. Quae cum audiisset, turbata est in sermone angeli et cogitabat, qualis esset ista salutatio. Hine apparet laus virginis in auditu, affectu et cogitatu.
In auditu laudatur modestia, audit et tacet; in affectu verecundia, in cogitatu prudentia, quia cogitavit, qualis esset ista salutatio. Turbata est autem de angeli sermone, non de ejus visione, quoniam beata virgo angelos saepe viderat, sed nunquam talia loquentes audierat. Petrus Ravennas: venerat igitur angelus blandus in specie sed in sermone terribilis, Unde quam leviter laetificavit visus, nimium turbavit auditus. Bernardus. Quod turbata est, fuit verecundiae virginalis, quod non perturbata, fortitudinis, quod tacuit et cogitavit, prudenliae et discretionis. Et tunc angelus. confortans eam dixit: ne timeas Maria, invenisti gratiam apud dominum. Bernardus.
Quam gratiam Dei et hominum pacem, mortis destructionem, vitae reparationem. Ecce concipies et paries filium et vocabis nomen ejus Jesum, id est salvatorem, quia salvum faciet populum suum a peccatis ejus. Hic erit magnus et filius altissimi vocabitur. Bernardus. Hoc est: ille, qui est magnus Deus futurus magnus, scilicet magnus homo, magnus doctor, magnus propheta. Dixit autem Maria ad angelum: quomodo fiet istud, quoniam virum non cognosco, id est, me non propono cognituram? Et ita fuit virgo mente, carne, proposito. Sed ecce Maria interrogat, et qui interrogat, dubitat.
Cur ergo solus Zacharias plagám taciturnitatis inourrit? Super hoc Petrus Ravennas assignat quatuor rationes dicens: ille peccatorum cognitor non verba sed corda praevidit, non quid dixerint, sed quid senserint, judicavit. Erat enim interrogantium causa dissimilis , spes diversa. Haeo contra naturam credidit, ille dubitavit pro natura. Haec integre ordinem quaerit, ille quae Deus vult fieri, non posse praescribit. llle impellentibus exemplis non adscendit ad fidem, haec sine exemplo praecurrit ad fidem. Haec miratur de partu virginis, ille de conceptu disputat conjugali. Non ergo dubitat de facto, sed modum quaerit et ordinem, nam cum triplex sit modus conceptionis, naturalis, spiritualis et mirabilis, quo istorum concipiat, sciscitatur.
Et respondens angelus dixit ei: spiritus sanctus superveniet in te, qui ipse tuum conceptum efficiet. Unde et dicitur de spiritu sancto conceptus et hoc propter quatuor rationes. Primo propter ostensionem eximiae caritatis, ut scilicet ostendatur, quod ineffabili Dei caritate verbum Dei caro factum est. Johannis III: sie Deus dilexit mundum etc. Et haec ratio est Magistri sententiarum. Secundo propter ostensionem gratiae absque meritis, ut per hoc, quod dicitur, conceptus de spiritu sancto ostendatur, quod sit ex sola gratia, quam nulla hominum praecesserunt merita. Et haec est ratio Augustini. Tertio propter virtutem operationis, quia scilicet operatione et virtute spiritus sancti conceptus est, et haec est ratio Ambrosii.
Quarto propter motivum conceptionis, et haec est ratio Hugonis de sancto Victore. Motivum, ut ait, ad conceptionem naturalem, est amor viri in mulierem et amor mnlieris in virum. Sic in virgine, inquit, quia in ejus corde amor spiritus sancti singulariter ardebat, ideo in carne ejus amor spiritus sancti mirabilia faciebat. Et virtus altissimi obumbrabit tibi. Hoc secundum Glossam sic exponitur: umbra a lumine et corpore objecto solet formari et virgo, sicut et purus homo, plenitudinem divinitatis capere nequibat, sed virtus altissimi obumbrabit tibi, dum in ea incorporea lux divinitatis corpus suscepit humanitatis, ut sic posset Deum pati. Hanc expositionem videtur tangere Bernardus, quia sic ait: qnia Deus spiritus est, nos vero umbra corporis sui, temperavit se nobis, ut per objectum vivificae carnis videamus verbum in carne, solem in nube, lumen in testa, cereum in laterna. Secundum Bernardum sic exponitur, quasi dicat: illum modum, quo de spiritu sancto concipies, Dei virtus Christus in suo secretissimo consilio obumbrando occultabit, ut sibi tantum notum habeatur et tibi. Ac si dicat: quid a me quaeris, quod in te mox experieris?
Scies, scies et feliciter scies, sed illo doctore quo auctore. Ego nuntiare missus sum virginalem conceptum, noncreare. Vel obumbrabit, id est, te a vitiorum aestu refrigerabit. Et ecce Elizabeth cognata etc, Ecce dicit, ut ostendat hoc esse magnum novum vicinum. Quatuor de causis conceptus Elizabeth Mariae nuntiatur, secundum Bernardum. Prima est cumulus laetitiae, secunda perfectio scientiae, tertia perfectio doctrinae, quarta obsequium misericordiae. Dicit enim sic Hieronymus: sterilis cognatae conceptus Mariae nuntiatur, ut, dum miraculum miraculo additur, gaudio gaudium cumuletur. Vel ideo, quia profecto docebat, ut verbum mox divulgandüm ubique sciret prius virgo per angelum, quam audiret ab homine, ne mater Dei a consiliis filii videretur amota, si eorum, quae in terris tam prope geruntur, remansisset ignara.
Vel ideo potius, ut dum tunc salvatoris, nunc praecursoris edocetur adventus, rerum tempus et ordinem tenens, ipsa postmodum scriptoribus atque praedicatoribus reservet veritatem. Vel ideo, ut audiens vetulam et gravidam cognatam cogitet juvencula de obsequio, ut sic parvulo prophetae: detur locus obsequendi domino et mirabilius miraculum fiat de miraculo. Item Bernardus: da virgo responsum festinanter, O domina responde verbum et suscipe verbum, profer tuum et suscipe divinum, emitte transitorium et amplectere sempiternum, surge, curre, aperi. Surge per fidem, curre per devotionem, aperi per consensionem. Tunc Maria expansis manibus et oculis ad coelum levatis ait: ecce ancilla domini, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. Bernardus: aliis in ore, aliis in aure, aliis in manu verbum Dei factum fuisse memoratur. Mariae autem factum est in aure per angelicam salutationem, in corde per fidem, in ore per confessionem, in manu per contrectationem, in ventre per incarnationem, in gremio per sustentationem, in brachiis per oblationem, Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. Bernardus: nolo ut fiat mihi aut declamatorie praedicatum, aut figuraliter significatum, aut ymaginatorie sonniatum, sed silenter inspiratum , personaliter incarnatum, corporaliter invisceratum.
Statimque filius Dei in utero illius conceptus est perfectus Deus, perfectus homo et in ipsa prima die conceptionis tantae sapientiae ac potentiae exstitit, quantae in XXX. anno fuit. Tunc surgens Maria abiit in montana ad Elizabeth et cum eam salutasset Johannes, in ejus utero exsultavit. Glossa: quia lingua non poterat, animo exsultante salutat et suae praecursionis officium inchoat. Fuit autem in ejus obsequio tribus mensibus, donec Johannes nasceretur, quem manibus suis de terra levavit, sicut in libro justorum legitur. In hac die (ut dicitur) per multa temporum curricula Deus multa operatus est, quae quidam egregiis versibus sic declaravit:
Salve justa dies quae vulnera nostra coerces!
Angelus est missus, est passus in cruce Christus, Est Adam factus et eodem tempore lapsus, Ob meritum decimae cadit Abel fratris ab ense, Offert Melchisedech, Ysaac supponitur aris, Est decollatus Christi baptista beatus Et Petrus ereptus, Jacobus sub Herode peremptus.
Corpora sanctorum cum Christo multa resurgunt, Latro dulce tamen per Christum suscipit Amen. . Miles quidam dives ac nobilis saeculo abrenuntiavit et ordinem Cisterciensium introivit et quia litteras nesciebat, erubescentes monachi tam nobilem personam inter laicos deputari dederunt ei magistrum, si fortc modicum addiscere posset et sub hac occasione inter monachos permaneret. Sed cum diu cum magistro fuisset et nihil omnino praeter haec duo vocacula: ave Maria, discere potuisset, haec tam avide retinuit, ut quocumque deambularet, quidquid ageret, ea incessanter ruminaret. Tandem moritur et in cimiterio cum aliis fratribus sepelitur et ecce super ejus tumulum speciosum excrescit lilium et quodlibet folium: ave Maria litteris aureis habebat inscriptum. Currentes omnes ad tam grande spectaculum terram de tumulo effoderunt et radicem lilii de ore defuncti procedere repererunt. Jntellexerunt ergo, quanta devotione illa duo verba dixerat, quem dominus tanti honore prodigii illustravit.
Quidam miles quoddam in via castrum habebat et omnes transeuntes sine miseratione aliqua spoliabat, virginem tamen matrem Dei quotidie salutabat nec pro aliquo impedimento emergenti ab ipsa salutatione aliqua die cessare volebat. Accidit autem, ut quidam vir religiosus et sanctus inde transitum faceret et ipsum praedictus miles continuo exspoliari juberet, vir autem sanctus rogavit praedones, ut ipsum ad dominum suum deducant, quia ad ipsum habet secreta, quae perferat. Adductus autem rogavit militem , ut omnes de familia sua et castro congregari faceret, ut iis verbum domini praedicaret. Cum autem congregati fuissent, ille ait: nequaquam hic estis omnes, sed aliquis adhuc deest, Cui quum omnes se ibidem esse assererent, ajebat: diligenter perquirite et aliquem invenietis abesse. Tunc unus exclamans dixit, quoniam solus camerarius illuc. non venisset. Tle autem dixit: vere ipse est, qni deest. Pro co igitur cito mittitur et in medium deducitur.
Cum autem virum Dei vidisset, revolutis terribiliter oculis caput instar insani agitabat nec propius accedere audebat. Vir autem sanctus dixit ei: adjuro te per nomen domini nostri Jesu Christi, ut quis sis, nobis edisseras et ob quam causam huc veneris, palam pandas. Cui ille respondit: heu adjuratus prodere cogor invitus, ego enim non sum homo, sed daemon, qui formam hominis accepi et XIM annis cum hoc milite sic permansi. Nam noster princeps me huc misit, ut diem, qua hie suae Mariae salutationem non diceret, diligentius observarem, ut in eum potestate accepta ipsum continuo strangularem et sic in malis operibus vitam finiens noster esset. Quacunque enim die illam salutationem dicebat, in eum potestatem habere non poteram; ecce autem de die in diem diligentius observavi et nullum, quin eam salutaverit, praetermisit. Haec miles audiens vehementer obstupuit et ad pedes viri Dei se projiciens veniam postulavit et in melius deinceps vitam mutavit, Vir autem sanctus dixit daemoni: praecipio tibi, daemon, in nomine domini nostri Jesu Christi, ut hinc abscedas et talem hactenus locum possideas, ubi nulli gloriosam Dei genitricem invocanti nocere praesumas. Haec ubi jussa dedit, daemon abscedens evanuit ef miles virum sanctum cum reverenfia et gratiarum actione liberum abire permisit.
The Golden Legend (Legenda Aurea) companion
Continue through all 240 chapters, one saint a day
Chosen Portion serves the Golden Legend as a daily portion on iOS, free, alongside the full Sub Rosa archive
The Legenda Aurea was organized for day-by-day use across the liturgical year, and Chosen Portion restores that original one-feast-per-day reading rhythm
- A complete saint's life or feast reading most days in 5-10 minutes
- 240 chapters - enough daily readings to cover a full liturgical year and beyond
- Daily reminders so the plan survives busy weeks