In Mirror of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Bonaventure contemplates the profound mystery of Mary’s relationship with the Holy Trinity. She is uniquely exalted as the noble Daughter of the Father, the worthy Mother of the Son, the beautiful Spouse of the Spirit, and the humble Handmaid of the Lord—our perfect model of faith, humility, and love.
We must now consider that this Lord, of whom it is said, “The Lord is with thee,” is not alone in a general sense the Lord of every creature, not alone the Lord of the rational creature, but also in a most special sense the Lord of the virginal court of His most Holy Mother. Mary is singularly, both in body and in soul, the court of the Lord, the most holy house of God, of whom it is said in the Psalm: “Sanctity behooveth Thy house, O Lord.” O singularly blessed House, who alone hast merited so singularly to have the Lord. St. Bernard saith: “Thou alone hast been found worthy that in thy virginal court the King of kings and the Lord of lords, coming from His royal throne, chose thee for His first dwelling among the sons of men.” This singular Lord of Mary was with her in so special a way that He made her Lady, so that there never was one like her either before or after her. For she became in a wonderful and singular manner the daughter of the Lord, the mother of the Lord, the spouse of the Lord, and the handmaid of the Lord. If we wish to describe her relation to each Divine Person, we can say that the Lord who is with Mary is the Lord and Father, the Lord and Son, the Lord and Holy Ghost, the Lord who is triune and one. He is the Father and Lord, of whom Mary is the most noble daughter. He is the Son and Lord, of whom Mary is the most worthy Mother; He is the Holy Ghost and Lord, of whom Mary is the most just spouse; He is the Lord Triune and One, of whom Mary is the most submissive handmaid. Mary certainly is the Daughter of the Most High Eternity, the Mother of the Most High Truth, the Spouse of the Most High Goodness, the Handmaid of the Most High Trinity.
Mary as the Daughter
First, therefore, note, that this Lord, who is so singularly with Mary, is the Lord of whom Mary is the most noble daughter. Of this Lord and of this daughter can be understood that which Booz said: “Blessed art thou of the Lord, my daughter, and thy latter kindness has surpassed the former” (Ruth iii, 10.) Therefore Mary is the daughter blessed by the Lord; by the Most High Lord, I say, whose daughter she is. O truly noble daughter of the most noble King, who hast been so abundantly adorned interiorly with manifold glory, that truly it can be said of thee: “All the glory of the King’s daughter is from within” (Ps. XLIV.) Therefore Mary, as the most true daughter of the King, was most abundantly drawn to the kingdom, as St. Bernard testifies, saying: “Thou, a delicate daughter, and full of all grace, dearly beloved in thy delights, art drawn to the glory of thy beauty, and as a sign of love.” This blessed daughter surpassed her former kindness by the latter; for great as the mercy of Mary was while she was still an exile in this world, much greater is her mercy now that she reigns in Heaven. The Lord is with thee, therefore, O Mary, as a father with a most noble daughter.
Mary as the Mother
Secondly, note that the Lord who is so singularly with Mary, is the Lord whose most worthy mother she is. Of this Lord and of this mother Elizabeth said: “Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” The Mother of the Lord, the Virgin and Mother, is a most worthy mother. She is the Mother who is most becoming to such a Son. She is the Mother to whom such a Son is most becoming. She is the one, than whom God could make no greater. God could make a greater world, God could make a greater Heaven, but a greater mother than the Mother of God He could not make. St. Bernard saith: “No other mother was becoming to God than a virgin; nor was any other son becoming to a virgin than God.” A greater among mothers than Mary and a greater among sons than Jesus could not be born. This mother is, therefore, the flower of mercy, the mother of the Sun of justice, the mother of the Fountain of wisdom, the mother of the King of glory. She is the mother of Him, I say, whose mercy leads us to love, whose justice to fear, whose wisdom to know, whose glory to hope. Mary is, therefore, the mother of Him who is in fact our love by mercy, our fear by justice, our knowledge by wisdom, our hope by glory, so that she can truly say: “I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope” (Ecclus. XXIV, 24.) God is, therefore, with thee, O Mary, as a son with a most worthy mother.
Mary as the Spouse
Thirdly, note that this Lord who is so singularly with Mary is the Lord whose most beautiful spouse Mary is. To this Lord, as to this spouse, we can apply the word of Osee: “I will espouse thee to myself in justice, and in judgment, and in mercy, and in commiserations, and I will espouse thee to me in faith; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord” (Osee II, 19-20.) Behold a beautiful spouse, beautiful in justice, and in the judgment of her looks, beautiful in compassion and in mercy in the regard of her neighbors, and beautiful in faith in the sight of God. Beautiful indeed in the justice of her life, and in the judgment of her conscience, beautiful in mercy, in affection, and in compassion in her deeds. Beautiful in faith, whereby she believed all that was to be believed above herself, and whereby she believed all that was to be done in her, according to that word: “Blessed art thou who hast believed, because all shall be fulfilled in thee, which has been said to thee by the; Lord” (Luke I, 45.) The Lord is, therefore, with thee, O Mary, as a bridegroom with his beloved spouse.
Mary as the Handmaid
Fourthly, note that this Lord, who is so singularly with Mary, is the Lord whose most devout handmaid she is, as she herself testifies: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord.” Mary is the handmaid of God the Father, of God the Son, and of God the Holy Ghost. What wonder if she is the handmaid of that Lord, when her son is the servant of this Lord, according to the human nature assumed from His mother? He Himself confesses it in the Psalm, where He says: “O Lord, because I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid.” O what a good handmaid, and what a good son of the handmaid! O Christian soul, handmaid of the Lord, with Mary cultivate fecundity in such a manner that you may not be wanting in humility; that, therefore, you may not be puffed up by your fecundity in good works, notice the humble handmaid, look upon the humble Mary “Behold,” she says, “the handmaid of the Lord.” St. Ambrose says: “See her humility, see her devotion. She calls herself the handmaid of the Lord, she who is chosen to be His Mother; nor is she elated by the promise. O truly admirable humility! The Lord is, therefore, with thee,” the Lord, whose daughter thou art, than whom none is more noble; the Lord, whose mother thou art, than whom none is more wonderful; the Lord, whose spouse thou art, than whom none is more lovable; the Lord, whose handmaid thou art, than whom none is more humble, nor ever was, nor ever will be. Therefore, O Lady, because so great a Lord is in such a manner and so much with thee, grant that by grace He may also be with us.
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This article is taken from a chapter in Mirror of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Saint Bonaventure which is available from TAN Books.
