Thursday, February 8, 2024

St. Bernard: De laudibus Virginis Matris, Hom. 2, 4-5


 

St. Bernard: De laudibus Virginis Matris, Hom. 2, 4-5 (Monastic Breviary: Mense Octobri Sabbato 2)

 

To whom would such victory be reserved if not to Mary? It is obvious that it was she who bruised this venomous head, for she brought to nothing all suggestions of the evil one, those of carnal lust as well as those of spiritual pride. Whom else was Solomon looking for when he said, 'Who shall find a valiant woman?'  That wise man* was well acquainted with the weakness of this sex, frail in body and fickle in mind. But because he had read God's promise that he who had prevailed over woman would in turn be prevailed over by her, and realizing that this was only right, he exclaimed, greatly amazed:  'Who shall find a valiant woman?' This is to say: if the salvation of all of us, the restitution of our innocence and the victory over the enemy hang upon the hand of a woman, * it becomes very necessary indeed that he foresee that she be equal to so great a task.

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