De desponsatione Marice
The Betrothal of the Virgin
Mary's vow of virginity leads to a miraculous sign involving Joseph's staff, signifying the union of the Law and Grace.
And so, as the Virgin Mary grew in age, she advanced daily in virtues; and because her father and mother had left her, the Lord took her up. She was visited by angels daily and enjoyed divine visitations every day, which protected her from all evil and caused her to overflow with every good; in this way, she reached her fourteenth year. Then the High Priest publicly announced that the virgins who had been established in the temple and had completed this state should return home and attend to marriage. When the others had obeyed this command, the Virgin Mary alone replied that she could not do this. She explained that her parents had dedicated her to the service of the Lord, and furthermore, that she had vowed her own virginity to Him. The High Priest, therefore, placed in distress, since he neither—contrary to the Scripture which says... Believing that a vow should not be broken, and not daring to introduce a custom unknown to his people, he held a council with the elders to decide what should be done; it was the unanimous decision that the Lord should be consulted about this. While the others were occupied in prayer, the High Priest went as was the custom to consult the Lord. Without delay, and with everyone listening, it was made known from the place of the mercy seat, through the prophecy of Isaiah, to whom the Virgin should be entrusted and betrothed, namely by that verse: 'A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,' etc. He then ordered all the unmarried men from the house and family of David who were eligible for marriage to bring their staffs to the altar. Among the others was a man named Joseph; when he brought his staff and it immediately sprouted a flower, and a dove from heaven came and settled on its tip, it was clearly evident to everyone that the Virgin was to be betrothed to him. This is why we read in the Book of Numbers that Moses found Aaron's staff had sprouted; buds appeared, flowers broke forth, and as their petals spread, they were shaped into almonds. The blessed Virgin can be understood through this, for like the staff, she was slender through poverty, flexible through humility, and upright through her intention and love. She was found to be swelling with buds when she conceived the Son of God in her womb, and fruit-bearing flowers erupted from her when the Son of God was born while she remained a virgin. Just as a flower doesn't harm the tree but adorns it, the Son of God didn't violate the Virgin, but rather adorned her with gifts and grace. This is the staff which, according to Chrysostom, sprouted the fruit of a nut without the moisture of the earth when placed in the tabernacle of the testimony; because without the seed of a man, she brought forth the Son, who, like a nut, clung to the wood of the Passion. It is rightly called now a flower, now a fruit: because, according to Ambrose, like the fruit of a good tree, it flourishes and bears fruit in us according to the progress of our virtue, and it is now restored to new life by the resurrection of the body. For this reason, it is also called a flower in one place and a fruit in another, because it is preached this way in the pages of both Testaments: a flower in... The letter, the fruit in the spirit; the flower in the Law, the fruit in grace and truth. The flower is in the first tabernacle, the fruit is in the second; the flower is in the observance of carnal sacrifices, the fruit is in the spiritual understanding of mysteries. Just as the fruit is foretold in the flower, so the coming Christ was signified in those ceremonies. It's clear, then, that Christ is called the flower in the prophetic promise of the Old Testament, and is also called the fruit in the perfection of grace of the New Testament. But just as the fruit doesn't appear while the flower is green, so the truth of Christ wasn't revealed while the carnal observance remained; yet when the flower withers, the fruit is seen, because... with the Law passing away, grace and truth are understood to have come through Jesus Christ.
Modesty and Holy Union
Mary and Joseph enter into a chaste marriage, united by mutual consent and divine revelation to preserve their virginity.
The Lord’s Virgin returned to her parents’ home in Nazareth, accompanied by several young women who had been her companions—those she had received from the priest to demonstrate a miracle and to protect her modesty. As was her custom, she kept with her these guardians and witnesses of her modesty, without whom she never went out. Hence Jerome says: "Modesty remained an inseparable companion to her in every single virtue, because modesty must be entirely indivisible from virginity, without which true chastity cannot be preserved." Therefore, the blessed Mary never went out without a guardian of her modesty. Joseph also withdrew to that same place, and once the betrothal was finalized, he returned to his own house to prepare it and to provide what was necessary for the wedding. The Virgin Mary was betrothed to Joseph, a man of her own tribe, because a woman could not marry a man of another tribe when the paternal inheritance belonged to her. The blessed Virgin was the only child of her father Joachim, succeeding to the inheritance, and for that reason, she was compelled by the Law to marry a man of her own tribe. Both, however, were of the same tribe, because both had descended from David; but Mary through Nathan, and Joseph through Solomon. And although Joseph was also compelled to enter into marriage according to the custom of that time, he nevertheless held virginity in his desire and purpose, even though he hadn't yet expressed it in a vow. He entered into marriage with the Virgin, therefore, committing himself to the divine will. Afterward, through divine revelation, Joseph learned of Mary’s intention, and by mutual consent, they vowed to keep their virginity. According to Augustine, Mary and Joseph had intended to keep their virginity before their betrothal, and both consented to the marriage through the revelation of the Holy Spirit. They couldn't have consented to one another otherwise, unless the Holy Spirit had taught them that each knew the other's intention; but afterward, they each expressed their purpose in words and vowed their virginity to God. It is believed that Joseph remained a virgin; the reason for this may be that, since Christ on the cross entrusted his mother to no one but a virgin, it’s unlikely she would have been entrusted to anyone for safekeeping before the conception, while she was still a young girl, unless he were a virgin. The blessed Virgin was betrothed to Joseph, however, not by a promise of a future marriage, but by a betrothal and consent expressed in the present tense. And so, a true marriage existed between them, and it was consummated; for the solemnities of a wedding are not of the substance of marriage, which is why Joseph is accustomed to be called both her spouse and her husband. Hence Hugo says that when the blessed Virgin had vowed her virginity and her parents ordered her to marry, fearing to be disobedient to her parents yet not wishing to abandon her intention of virginity, she was taught by the Holy Spirit and committed herself to God, having a certain trust that divine mercy would guard her in such a way that she could show obedience to her parents in entering into marriage, and yet not be forced to break her vow of virginity. He points to the example of Abraham, who received the promise regarding his offspring through Isaac, yet was later commanded to sacrifice him. He obeyed this command, knowing for certain that although the order seemed to contradict the promise by human reasoning, the promise could still be fulfilled through the power by which all things are possible to God, alongside his obedience to the command. And so it happened that she might find the merit of obedience and also attain the fulfillment of the promise; it could be the same in the case of the Blessed Virgin.
The Struggle of Faith
Mary navigates the tension between her love for virginity and the requirements of the Law, finding peace through God's mercy.
Regarding this betrothal, Anselm says: "She truly loved these two things most dearly: virginity and fruitfulness. She loved virginity because she understood that it pleased God above all else; she loved fruitfulness because she feared incurring the curse of the Law, which was still being observed in a carnal way." Two things, therefore, were in the Virgin's soul, struggling in an invisible but great battle: the love of virginity and the fear of the legal curse. Yet, after weighing it for a long time and with much counsel, love—which carried more weight—won out, and fear was put to flight. Love for preserving her virginity conquered within her and cast out the fear of incurring the curse. The Virgin, therefore—tender and delicate, born of a royal line, and most beautiful—directed her whole intention, her whole love, and her whole effort toward this: to consecrate her body and soul to God in perpetual virginity. For she knew that the more holily she kept herself, the more sublimely she would draw near to Him who is the most chaste of all—indeed, who is chastity itself. By embracing, therefore, what she knew to be more acceptable to the Lord of the Law, she hoped and believed that she would fully escape the curse of the given Law, reasoning within herself that He was of such goodness and such wisdom that, while she perceived she could neither know nor do anything better according to her conscience than what she was doing, she would find a safe path to avoid incurring any sin in these matters. And she wasn't deceived. For who has ever hoped in the Lord and been abandoned by Him? Finally, when He saw her holy intention, her chaste purpose, her firm faith, her constant hope, and her unfailing love, He acted toward her with such a gaze of His mercy that neither the holiness of her intention was frustrated, nor the chastity of her purpose violated. And so that the firmness of her faith might not falter through a weakened constancy of hope, or the fullness of love in her fail, help came to her—help that would take away what she feared, yet not take away what she loved, while keeping her seal intact. He granted her, therefore, that she might remain a virgin, which she desired all the more; and so that no one would doubt she was entirely free from the curse, she became fruitful. He gave her the gift of being fruitful in offspring, yet immune to the loss of her virginity: these are the words of Anselm.
The Mystery of the Holy Family
The chapter explores the genealogy of the Holy Family and the theological reasons why Christ was born to a betrothed mother.
It should be noted here, regarding the kinship of Mary often mentioned in the Gospel, that Anna had three husbands in succession: first, Joachim; second, Cleophas, the brother of Joseph; and third, Salomas. From each of these she had one daughter, and she named each of them Mary. These three Marys had three husbands: the first, Joseph; the second, Alphaeus; and the third, Zebedee. The first gave birth to Christ; the second, to James the Less, Joseph the Just (also called Barsabas), Simeon, and Jude; the third, to James the Greater and John the Evangelist. Although James of Zebedee was younger by birth, he is called the Greater because he was called by the Lord first; to distinguish him, James of Alphaeus is called the Less. This James the Less and his three brothers were called the brothers of the Lord more than the other relatives, because they were not only kin through their two mothers, but were also considered agnates, as if they were descended from two brothers, namely Joseph and Cleophas. Among them, however, James the Less is called the brother of the Lord by way of antonomasia, because he resembled Him in face and bodily features. The Lord willed that His mother should have a husband, and that He should be conceived and born not of a single woman, but of one who was betrothed, for various reasons; some of these relate to the Child, some to the mother, and some to others. There are five reasons related to the Child. The first, according to Jerome, is to declare His origin, so that through the lineage of Joseph, to whom Mary was related, Mary's own origin might be shown, and Christ's genealogy could be traced through a man, as was the custom in the Scriptures. The second, according to Ambrose, is to remove suspicion, so that He might not seem to have begun with an injury to the Law, since the birth of an unmarried woman was condemned by the Law. The third, according to the same author, is to remove suspicion, so that Herod and the Jews might not seem to persecute Christ justly, as if He were born of adultery; and so that He might not be rejected by unbelievers as illegitimate. The fourth, according to Origen, is for the support of the Child, especially when He had to be taken into Egypt, so that Joseph could provide for Him; this is why Joseph is also called the foster-father of the Lord. The fifth, according to Origen, Jerome, and Basil, is for the sake of hiding the birth of Christ, so that the mystery and the birth of the Son of God might be hidden from the devil, while he thought He was generated not of a virgin, but of a wife. There are five additional reasons, taken from the mother's perspective. First, according to Ambrose, it was so she wouldn't be disgraced by appearing pregnant; and so the Lord allowed people to wonder about his own origin rather than about his mother's modesty. Second, according to Bede and Jerome, it was to avoid punishment, so that she wouldn't be slandered by the Jews as an adulteress and then, as it were, justly stoned. Third, according to Jerome and Origen, it was to provide comfort, so she might enjoy her husband's service and support, especially while fleeing to Egypt and returning from there. Fourth, according to the Gloss, it was to strengthen faith, so that greater belief would be given to Mary's words; for an unmarried woman who is pregnant would seem to be lying, and if she said she was a virgin, she wouldn't be believed. Fifth, it was to participate in every state of life, so that the Lord's mother might possess something of every state: virginity, marriage, and widowhood. Furthermore, five reasons are provided from the perspective of others. First, according to Ambrose, it was to remove any excuse for sin, so that no veil of excuse might be offered to unchaste and wicked women, by which the Mother of the Lord might seem to have been disgraced. Second, according to Origen, it was to confirm marriage against future heretics who wished to condemn it; or, so that by the fact that He was born of a virgin who was betrothed, both states—that of virgins and that of the married—might be approved, against heretics who disparage either one. Third, it was to lift the reproach, so that the shame which all women incur in Eve might be removed from every rank of women; and so that virgins, wives, and widows alike might be freed from the common reproach they had contracted in Eve, through the person of Mary. Fourth, it is to commend an example: namely, to show that once a betrothal has taken place, before the marriage is consummated, it is free to move on to better vows without asking the spouse, just as it is in entering the religious life, where the soul is betrothed to God—as it was in the Blessed Virgin. Fifth, according to Chrysostom, it is to declare the mystery by which the Church is betrothed to Christ Himself, for she is a virgin, always immaculate and without wrinkle; we are children of this virgin in the faith of Jesus Christ, because, according to Pope Leo, by the same Spirit through which Christ is born from the Virgin's womb, the Christian is born from the womb of the Church. And so, according to Chrysostom, the blessed Mary was betrothed to a carpenter because Christ, the bridegroom of the Church, was to work the salvation of all through the wood of the cross; and according to Augustine, by being born of a mother who was betrothed to a carpenter, Christ extinguished all the pride of worldly nobility. This was prefigured by the virgin Sarah, daughter of Raguel, who was betrothed to Tobias and kept her soul clean from all desire; much more so was Mary, betrothed to Joseph, who remained an immaculate virgin forever. The Virgin Mary is also compared to the very strong tower called Baris, which, as is said in the Scholastic History, could be defended against all living people by two guards; the Virgin Mary was so strong and invincible, and her primary guardian was God, the eternal wisdom. Her life is also compared to the tower of David, which was fortified with a thousand shields hanging from it; for a thousand virtues, and many more, appeared in Mary, by which her life was so fortified that she overcame all temptations and sins, repelling them not only from herself but also from others by pouring out her grace. Consider now how many women and virgins there were before this blessed Virgin, and even how many after her; yet she alone deserved to become the Mother of the Lord. For it's a great and ineffable grace that one should be chosen out of so many thousands. And she was chosen above the rest because she excelled all others in holiness. Hence Anselm says: 'God, who searches hearts and minds, chose and consecrated her alone from all the virgins the world contained, so that He might dwell in her bodily, whom He had long since cherished as full of virtues and embraced spiritually.'
Prayer to the Flowering Rod
The chapter concludes with a reflection on Mary's unique holiness and a prayer for her intercession.
I believe that anyone who pays attention understands that she surpassed all other women in holiness. For while others earned portions of grace, she alone is greeted by the Angel as 'full of grace'—so says Anselm. PRAYER: Hail, flowering and fruit-bearing rod of Jesse, most blessed Virgin Mary, from whom that unique and singular flower and fruit came forth, from whom the seed of spiritual virtues erupted: a flower emitting a most sweet fragrance; a most delicious fruit, sending forth sweetness; a flower whose goodness drives away sadness; a fruit whose fullness gives complete joy.1 Blessed rod from the root of Jesse! Blessed is the flower that rose from such a root; blessed is the tree, and blessed is the fruit of that tree!2 Therefore, refresh me with your flower; free me from all misery with your fruit, Virgin Mary, blessed forever. Amen.
Read the original Latin
Virgo itaque Domini Maria cum aetatis processu quotidie etiam in virtutibus proficiebat; et quia pater et mater eam dereliquerant, Dominus eam assumpsit. Quotidie namque ab Angelis frequentabatur, quotidie divina visitatione fruebatur, quae eam a malis omnibus custodiebat, et bonis omnibus redundare faciebat'; itaque sic usque ad annum decimum quartum pervenit. Tunc Pontifex publice denuntiavit, ut virgines quae in templo constitutae: hanc statem implessent, domum reverterentur, ac nuptiis operam darent. Gui mandato cum ceterae proMB paruissent, sola Virgo Maria hoc se facere non posse respondit. Siquidem et parentes suos se dixit Domini servitio mancipasae; et insuper seipsam Domino virginitatem vovisse. Pontifex igitur in angustia positus, cum neque (fontra Scripturam quae dicil:. Voveie et reddiie, votum infringendum putaret, neque morem genti insuetum introducere auderet , concilium habuit cum pnmoribus quid esset faciendum; omnibusque in communi placuit Dominum super hoc esse consulendum. Et ceteris quidem orationi incimibentibus , Pontifex ex more ad consuiendum Dominum aoQessit* Nec mora, et cunctis audientibus, de propitiatorii loco v« facta est, Isaiae vaticinio requirendimi esse, cui Virgo commendari et desponsari deberet, illo scilicet : Egredietur virga de ror dke Jesse, etc.
Cunctosque de domo et familia David nuptiis habiles non conjugatos, virgas suas ad altare jussit afFerre.
Entt aucem inter ceteros homo nomine Joseph, qui cum virgam suam attulisset, et ipsa illico florem germinasset, atque in ejus cacumine columba de coelo veniens consedisset, liquido omnibus patuit ipsi Virginem desponsandam fore. Unde in libris Numerorum legitur, quod Moyses invenii virgam Aaron germinasse, ei tur^ geiitibus gemmis, flores erupisse, qui foliis dilatatis in amygdalas deformati sunt. Per istam intelligi potest beata Virgo, quae instar virg£ fuit gracilis per paupertatem, et flexibilis per humilitatem, et recta per intentionem et charitatem. Ista Vii^o inventa est gemmis iurgentibiis , quando Filium Dei in utero suo concepit, ex qua flores fructiferi eruperunt, quando Dei Filius, ipsa manente virgine^ natus fiiit. Nam sicut flos non violat arborem, sed ornat; sic Dei Filius non violavit Virginem, sed magis donis et gratiis adornavit. Hsec est virga quae, secundum Chrysostomum, in tabernaculo testimonii posita, sine humore ter— rae fructum nucis germinavit; quia sine viri semine Filium edidit, qui tanquam nux ligno passionis adhaesit. Et bene, nunc flos, nimc fructus dicitm- : quia, secundum Ambrosium, veluli boni arboris fructus pro nostrae virtutis processu, nimc floret, nunc fructificat in nobis; nunc rediviva corporis resurrectione reparatur. Idea etiam alibi flos, alibi fructus dicitur : quia in utriusque Testamenti paginis ita praedicatur, fios in.
littera, fructus in spiritu; flos in Lege, fructus in gratia ct veritate;. flos in priori tabernaculo, fructus in secundo; flos in observatione carnalium sacriticiorum , fructus in spirituali intelligentia mysteriorum^ Sicut enim in flore fructus praenuntiatur, sic in illis ceremoniis Christus venturus significabatur. Patet itaque quod Christus flos dicitur in prophetica Veteris Testamenti promissione, qui et fructus vocatur in Novi Testamenti gntrtiae perfectione. Sed sicut fructus non apparet, virente flore; ita nec Christi veritas patuit, carnali observatione manente; arescente vero flore, fructus videtur : quia. decidente Lege, gratia ei veritas per Jesum Christum facta tenetur.
Virgo igitur Domini cum quibusdam virginibus collactaneis suis, quas ob miraculi ostensionem, et pudoris sui custodiam a sacerdote acceperat ad domum parentum in Nazareth, reversa est, habens secum more solito sui pudoris custodes et testes, sine quo nunquam processit. Unde Hieronymus : « Cum ea semper singularum virtutum pudicitia comes irremota mansit, quia omnino pudor individuus virginitati esse debet, sine quo castitas vera servari non potest. » Nunquam igitur beata Maria sine pudoris sui custode processit. Joseph quoque secessit ibidem et, mutua desponsatione facta, recedit in domum suam, eam dispo$iturus, et nuptiis necessaria provisurus. Fuit itaque Virgo Maria Joseph viro suae tribus desponsata, quia mulier viro alterius tribus nubere non poterat, quando ad ipsam hereditas paterna pertinebat. Beata autem Virgo fuit unica Joachim patri suo, succedens in hereditate, et ideo ex Lege cogebatur viro suae tribus nubere. Ambo autem de eadem tribu erant, quia ambo a David descenderant ; sed Maria per Nathan, et Joseph per Salomonem. Et licet Joseph etiam cogeretur ad matrimonium contrahendum secundum temporis illius modum, tamen habebat virginitatem in desiderio et proposito, sed nondum expresserat in voto.
Contraxit itaque matrimonium cum Virgine, committens se voluntati divinae. Et postmodum ex divina revelatione Joseph agnovit propositum Mariae, et tunc ex communi consensu voverunt virginitatem servare. Unde secundum Augustinum, Maria et Joseph antequam facta esset mutua desponsatio, virginitatem servare proposuerunt, et uterque consensit in matrimonium, revelatione Spiritus Sancti. Necaliter consensisset in alterum, nisi docente Spiritu Sancto, alter alterius cognovisset propositum ; sed postea uterque propositum suum exprimens verbo, Deo voverunt virginitatem. 4 — AdhuC enim, ut creditur, Joseph virgo erat, cujus ratio haec esse potest : quia cum Christus in passione sua nulli matrem servandam tradidit nisi virgini, non est probabile quod ante conceptum, dum adhuc esset juvencula, traderetur alicui custodienda, nisi virgini. Fuit autem beata Virgo desponsata Joseph, non desponsatione futuras nuptias promittente; sed desponsatione et consensu per verba de praesenti. Et ita verum matrimonium fuit inter ipsos, et consummatum ; solemnitates enim nuptiarum non sunt de substantia matrimonii, unde Joseph et sponsus et vir ejus solet vocari. Unde dicit Hugo, quod cum beata Virgo virginitatem vovisset, et parentes eam nubere juberent, timens illa inobediens esse parentibus, nec virginitatis propositum deserere volens, per Spiritum Sanctum edocta commisit*se Deo, certam habens fiduciam quod eam divina misericordia ita custodiret, ut posset parentibus in contrahendo matrimonio obedientiam exhibere , et tamen votum virginitatis non cogeretur frangere.
Et ponit exemplum de Abraham, qui repromissionem acceperat in semine Isaac, quem tamen postea jussus est immolare, cui jussioni paruit, sciens pro certo, quia etsi secundum humanam rationem promissioni contraria videretur jussio, secundum illam tamen virtutem, qua Deo possibilia sunt omnia, cum obedientia jussionis impleri posset promissio. Sicque factum est, ut et obedientiae inveniret meritum, et promissionis consequeretur effectum ; ita potuit esse in proposito de beata Virgine.
Circa hanc desponsationem sic ait An~ selmus : a Et quidem haec duo ipsa jucundius amabat, virginitatem scilicet, et fcecunditatem : virginitatem, quia hanc Deo prae omnia placere int^ligebat; foecundidatem , quia sine hac maledictum Legis, quae adhuc carnaliter custodiebatur, incurrere metuebat. Duo ergo erant in Virginis animo, invisibili sed magno concertantia praelio : virginitatis amor, et legalis maledictionis timor. Verumtamem librato diu multumque consilio, vicit amor, qui praeponderabat, et terga dedit timor. Vicit in ea amor servandae virginitatis , et exclusit ab ea timorem incurrenftae maledictionis. Virgo itaque tenera et delicata, regali ex stirpe progenita, et speciosissima, totam intentionem suam, totum amorem suum, totum studium suum ad hoc intendit, ut corpus et animam suam Deo perpetua virginitate consecraret. Sciebat enim quod quanto sanctius eam conservaret, tanto sublimius ei, qui omnium castissimus , imo qui ipsa castitas est, appropinquaret. Amplectendo igitur quod acceptabilius esse cognovit Domino Legis, speravit et credidit se plene evasuram maledictionem datae Legis, reputans secum illud tantae bonitatis, tantaeque sapientiae, ut dum se nullatenus juxta conscientiam suam melius scire, aut posse facere quam faciebat adverteret, tutum consilium, ne quid peccati in istis subiret, inveniret. Nec decepta est.
Quis enim speravit in Domino, et derelictus est ab eo > Denique ubi tam sanctam intentionem ejus, tam castum propositum ejus , tam firmam fidem , constantem spem, et indeficientem vidit charitatem ejus, eo misericordiae suae intuitu egit circa illam, ut nec sanctitas intentionis ejus frustraretur, nec castitas proposit* ejus violaretur. Ne autem firmitas fidei infirmata spei constantia titubaret, aut charitatis in ea plenitudo deficeret, occurrit ei auxilium, quae ei et quod timebat eriperet, et quod amabat salvo signaculo non auferret. Dedit ergo ilii, ut et virgo, quod et magis optabat , permaneret ; et , ut nemo illam a maledicto liberrimam dubitaret, foecunda fie' ret. Dedit ei ut esset et prole fertilis, et virginalis damni immunis : » haec Anselmus.
Et est hic sciendum, propter Mariae cognatiohem, de qua in Evangelio saepe fit mentio, quod Anna tres viros successive habuit : primo, Joachim; secundo, Cleopham, fratrem Joseph; tertio, Salomam. De quolibet horum filiam unam suscepit, et quamlibet Mariam appellavit. Hae tres Mariae tres viros habuerunt : prima, Joseph; secunda, Alphaeum; tertia, Zebedaeum. Prima peperit Christum; secunda, Jacobum Minorem, et Joseph justum, qui et Barsabas est dictus, ac Simeonem et Judam; tertia, Jacobum Majorem, et Joannem Evangelistam. Jacobus autem Zebedaei licet posterior natu, tamen Major est dictus, quia prius a Domino vocatus ; ad cujus distinctionem Jacobus Alphaei, Minor est appellatus. Hic Jacobus Minor et tres fratres sui prae ceteris consanguineis dicti sunt fratres Domini, quia non solum cognati erant de duabus sororibus, sed ut putabantur agnati tanquam ex duobus fratribus, scilicet Joseph et Cleopha descendentes. Inter quos tamen antonomastice Jacobus Minor frater Domini est dictus, quia erat ei in facie et lineamento corporis similis.
Voluit autem Dominus matrem suam habere vinim, et non de simplici, sed de desponsata concipi et nasci, diversis ei causis; quarum quaedam accipiuntur ex parte pueri, quaedam ex parte matris, quaedam ex parte aliorum. Ex parte pueri sumuntur rationes quinque. Prima, secundum Hieronymum , propter declarationem originis, ut per generationem Joseph, cujus Maria cognata erat, origo Mariae monstraretur, et more Scripturarum genealogia Christi per virum describeretur. — Secunda, secundum Ambrosium, propter remotionem suspicionis, ne scilicet a Legis injuria incepisse videretur, cum partus innuptae Lege damnaretur. — Tertia, secundum eumdem, propter remotionem suspicionis, ne scilicet Herodes et Judaei Christum juste, quasi de adulterio natum, persequi viderentur; et ab infidelibus tanquam iliegitimus abjiceretur. — Quarta, secundum Origenem^pTopter sustentationem pueri maxime cum deberet in ^Egyptum portari, ut scilicet Joseph nutriret eum ; unde et Joseph nutritius Domini appellatur. Quinta, secundum Origenem, Hieronymum et Basilium, propter occultationem nativitatis Christi , ut videlicet mysterium et partus Filii Dei diaboio celaretur, dum eum putaret non de virgine, sed de uxore generatum.
Item, quinque rationes sumuntur ex parte matris. Prima, secundum Ambrosium, ne gravida apparens infamaretur : et ideo permisit Dominus quod potius de suo ortu, quam de matris pudore dubitaretur. — Secunda, secundum Bedam et Hieronymum, ad vitationem poenae, ne scilicet tanquam adultera a Judaeis caiumniaretur, et sic quasi juste lapidaretur. — Tertia, secundum Hieronymum et Origenem, ad sustentationem solatii, ut scilicet viri ministerio et solatio, et maxime in iEgyptum fugiens, et inde rediens, frueretur. — Quarta, secundum Glossam, ad roborationem fidei, ut scilicet Mariae verbis major fides adhiberetur; innupta enim praegnans mentiri videretur, nec ei, si se virginem esse diceret, crederetur. — Quinta, ad participationem status singuli, ut videlicet mater Domini haberet aliquid cujuslibet status, scilicet : virginitatis, matrimonii, et viduitatis.
Item, quinque rationes sumuntur ex parte aliorum. Prima, secundum Ambrosium, ad remotionem excusationis peccati, ne virginibus impudicis et male viventibus velamen excusationis praeberetur, ex quo mater Domini infamata videretur. — Secunda, secundum Origenem, ad confirmationem matrimonii contra futuros haereticos , matrimonium damnaire volentes ; vel, ut per hoc quod de virgine et desponsata nasceretur, uterque status et virginum et conjugatorum approbaretur, contra haereticos alteri istorum detrahentes. — Tertia , ad sublevationem opprobrii, ut scilicet ab omni gradu feminarum toUeretur opprobrium, quod in Eva incurrunt omnes feminae; et tam virgines quam nuptae, quam etiam viduae a communi opprobrio, quod in Eva contraxerant, eximerentur in persona Mariae. — Quarta est ad commendationem exempli : ut videlicet ostenderet, facta desponsatione, ante conventionem, liberum • esse transire ad meliora vota, sponso irrequisito, ut est in religionis ingressu, ubi anima desponsatur Deo; sicut fuit in beata Virgine. — Quinta est, secundum Chrysostomum, ad declarationem mysterii, quo scilicet ipsi Christo desponsatur Ecclesia, quse virgo est immaculata semper et sine ruga; cujus virginis sumus filii in fide Jesu Christi, quia, secundum Lenonem Papam , quo spiritu de Virginis utero nascitur Christus, hoc de Ecclesiae utero nascitur Christianus.
Idco autem, secundum Chrysostomum, beata Maria fabro lignario desponsata fuit, quia Christus Ecclesiae sponsus omnium salutem per lignum crucis operari debebat; et secundum Augusiinum, Christus nascendo de matre, quae fabro desponsata erat, omnem carnalis nobilitatis tumorem extinxit. Haec fuit praefigurata per virginem Saram, Raguelis filiam, Tobiae desponsatam, quae ab omni concupiscentia mundam ser"Wivit animam; multo magis Maria Joseph desponsataj quae virgo in sternum permansit immaculata . Comparatur etiam virgo Maria turri fortissimae, quas dicebatur Baris, quae, ut in Scholastica Historia didtur, duobus custodibus defendi poterat ab omnibus viventibus; tam fortissima et invincibilis fuit virgo Maria, cujus custos praecipuus erat Deus aeterna sapientia. Cujus vita etiam comparatur turri David, quae munita erat mille clypeis, qui de ea dependebant ; quia mille virtutes €t muho plures inMariaapparebant, quibus vita ejus munita erat in tantum, quod omnes tentationes et peccata superabat : et non solum hoc a se, sed etiam ab aliis, gratiam suam infundendo, repellebat. Considera modo quantae ante hanc beatam Virginem, et etiam quantae post eam mulieres et virgines fuerint : haec tamen sola mater Domini fieri meruit. Magna enim et ineffabilis gratia est, ut una ex tantis millibus eligatur. Ideo autem prae ceteris electa fuit, quia omnes alias sanctitate praecelluit. Unde 'Anselmus : « Eam soiam, scrutans corda et renes Deus, ex omnibus virginibus quas capiebat mundus elegit et sacravit, ut habitaret in ea corporaliter, quam jam pridem plenam virtutibus fovebat, et circumplectebatur spiritualiter.
Ipsam autem omnes mulieres sanctitatepraecelluisse, puto quod intelligit, qui animadvertit. Nam aliae quidem partes gratiarum meruerunt ; ipsa autem plena gratia, ab Angelo salutatur : » haec AnselmMS. ORATIO • Salve, virga Jesse florida ct fructafera, Maria virgo beatissima, de qua imicus iUe et singularis flos et fructus prodiit, unde virtutum spiritualium germen erupit : flos suavissimum emittens odorem; fructus sapidissimus, immittens dulcorem; flos, cujus bonitas expeiiitmoestitiam, fructus, cujus satietas plenam dat laetitiam. Benedicta virga de radice Jesse ! Bencdictus flos, qui de tali radice ascendit I Benedicta arbor, benedictus et arix)ris fructus ! Tuo ergo flore me recrea ; tuo fructu ab omni miseria me libera, Virgo Maria, in ctemum benedicta, Amen.
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