At 09:09 22/06/98 GMT, you wrote:
>Does St Bernard mention Mary's heart? I'll have a look.
>
>Bill.
>>
>
The reading in the Breviary for the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is
from St Laurence Justinian, a 15th century saint. It is concerned with Mary
'pondering all these things in her heart' rather than having her heart
pierced. And the devotion to Mary's heart is not greatly developed, but
rather her ponderings stand as an example to us: "Imitate her, O faithful
soul. Enter into the temple of your heart that you may be purified in
spirit . . ." So we cannot say that Laurence Justinian anticipated in any
siginificant way the devotion of St John Eudes to Mary's Immaculate Heart.
The reading from the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is from St Bernard, and
perhaps a little more to the point:
"The martyrdom of the Virgin Mary, implicit in Simeon's prophecy, is put
before us in the story of our Lord's passion. That venerable old man,
Simeon, said of the infant Jesus: 'This child is set for a sign that will
be contradicted'; and to Mary: 'A sword will pierce your soul.'
"Blessed Mother, a sword did pierce your soul. For no sword could penetrate
your Son's flesh without piercing your soul . . ."
Note though that it is Mary's soul which is pierced, not her heart.
(Latine: Vere tuam, o beata Mater, animam gladius pertransivit.)[In
Dominica infra Oct. Assumpt. B. Mariae, Sermo.] This correctly follows the
Vulgate. At some stage - St John Eudes, presumably - Mary's soul becomes
her heart, allowing a much more vivid iconography. Bernard does not even
have a sword penetrating the heart of Jesus, only his flesh.
Bill.
>
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