Posted on 03/25/2026 6:23:37 AM PDT by CharlesOConnell
Nicholas Clerk of Oxenford, made a-nyghtes melodie, so swetely that all the chambre rong; and Angelus ad Virginem he song. - Geoffrey Chaucer, The Miller's Tale
Audio: Angelus ad Virginem -- Gabriel from Heaven's King
| Philippe le Chancelier (1160-1236) | Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ (1884-1889) |
|---|---|
| Angelus ad virginem Subintrans in conclave, Virginis formidinem Demulcens, inquit: “Ave! Ave regina virginum; Coeli terraeque Dominum Concipies, et paries Intacta salutem hominum; Tu porta coeli facta, Medela criminum.” | Gabriel, from heaven’s king Sent to the maiden sweet, Brought to her blissful tiding And fair ‘gan her to greet. "Hail be thou, full of grace aright! For so God’s Son, the heaven’s light, Loves man, that He a man will be and take Flesh of thee, maiden bright, Mankind free for to make Of sin and devil’s might." |
| “Quomodo conciperem Quae virum non cognovi? Qualiter infringerem Quod firma mente vovi?” “Spiritus Sancti gratia Perficiet haec omnia; Ne timeas, sed gaudeas, Secura, quod castimonia Manebit in te pura Dei potentia!” | Gently to him gave answer The gentle maiden then: "And in what wise should I bear Child, that know not man?" The angel said: "O dread thee nought. ‘Tis through the Holy Ghost that wrought Shall be this thing whereof tidings I bring: Lost mankind shall be bought By thy sweet childbearing, And back from sorrow brought." |
| Ad haec virgo nobilis Respondens inquit ei: “Ancilla sum humilis Omnipotentis Dei. Tibi coelesti nuntio, Tanti secreti conscio, Consentiens et cupiens videre Factum quod audio, Parata sum parere Dei consilio.” | When the maiden understood And the angel’s words had heard, Mildly, of her own mild mood, The angel she answered: "Our Lord His handmaiden, I wis, I am, that here above us is: And touching me fulfilled be thy saw; That I, since His will is, Be, out of nature’s law A maid with mother’s bliss." |
| Angelus disparuit Et statim puellaris Uterus intumuit Vi partus salutaris. Qui, circumdatus utero Novem mensium numero, Hinc exiit et iniit conflictum, Affigens humero Crucem, qua dedit ictum Hosti mortifero. | The angel went away thereon And parted from her sight And straightway she conceived a Son Through th’ Holy Ghost His might. In her was Christ contained anon, True God, true man, in flesh and bone; Born of her too When time was due; who then Redeemed us for His own, And bought us out of pain, And died for us t’atone. |
| Eia, mater Domini, Quae pacem reddidisti Angelis et homini, Cum Christum genuisti; Tuum exora filium Ut se nobis propitium Exhibeat, et deleat peccata; Praestans auxilium Vita frui beata Post hoc exilium. | Filled full of charity, Thou matchless maiden-mother, Pray for us to him that He For thy love above other, Away our sin and guilt should take, And clean of every stain us make And heaven’s bliss, when our time is to die, Would give us for thy sake; With grace to serve him by Till He us to him take. |
Of course Jesus Christ was without sin, though "Him, who knew no sin, He hath made sin for us, that we might be made the justice of God in Him" - 2 Corinthians 5:21.
But like Whistler's Mother, the extremely fine, if seeming plain, painting about which the painter said, "Well, you know, one does one's best for one's Mummy";
Why should Eve alone among women have been created sinless?
Eve was Adam's wife, but just as Jesus is The New Adam, his Mary was The New Eve, who untied the knot that Eve tied.
Catholics hold that Jesus created Mary to be absolutely perfect, without stain of original sin, so that she could be a perfect and fitting vessel for His coming into the world to save man.
Just as Enoch so pleased God that He caused Enoch to walk no more upon the earth, but took him to heaven in his body; and as God took Elijah to heaven in a fiery chariot; Catholics, and Orthodox, believe that Mary, a greater than Enoch and Elijah, was assumed bodily into heaven.
Why should not Jesus create His own mother in a sinless state and, moreover, give her the capacity, not only, never to sin, but to be the cause of our salvation?
Because, God doesn't force Himself on anyone, He sent His angelic messenger, Gabriel, really, to propose that Miriam ben Joachim, whom we call Mary, should be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit.
Upon her signifying her consent — Let it be done unto me according to your word — the Holy Spirit's overshadowing and the conception of Jesus was accomplished, as celebrated this day.
This we know as The Incarnation, the physical enfleshment of God, the Son, the Eternal Word, made man.
And here come all of the screaming Protestants that reduce Mary to a womb with legs.
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