St. Albert on Mary in Genesis

[Geremia]

St. Albert, O.P., & Feye, La Bible Mariale:

THE BOOK OF GENESIS

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth

1. Heaven, i.e. the empyrean, by which we mean the Mistress of the world, the Virgin Mary. She is like a heaven for many reasons, one of which is historical. For just as the empyrean, as soon as it was made, was arranged and ordered (which is not the case with the other heavens), so too was she arranged and ordered in grace and sanctification. Find out more about this name for heaven!

2. It is also called lux ("light"). Darkness was on the face of the abyss [I, 2]. Glosis: "the darkness of ignorance and blindness was on the face of the human heart".

And God said: Let there be light, i.e. let Mary be begotten and born!

Comment: "that from eternal lux a temporal lux may first be made, so that through it all the rest may be seen". Indeed, lux is derived from the verb luere ("to make ablution"), i.e. to purge the darkness of heretics and sinners.

And there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good. Light indeed does many good things. Find out more about the name lux, and adapt it!

And he called the light Day, i.e. Mary. She has this name for all eternity, for it is fitting that she should be called day, and Eve night.

Comment: "God began his work with a light.

3. It is also a fruitful land [I, 11], i.e. producing Christ at the time of the nativity. Glosis: "the pasture of the Word is a work of mercy". And a fruit-bearing wood making fruit, etc. Jesus himself was a green plant at birth, but at passion, a wood bearing fruit.

4. It is also the day of the accomplishment of the Lord's works. And God accomplished on the seventh day his work which he had made [II, 2]. Glosis: "because He blessed and sanctified it". His work is indeed blessing and sanctifying. And he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had done. Translation: "because in himself he gave rest to reasonable creatures".

5. She is a spring watering sinners parched by sin. A spring [II, 6], i.e. Mary, rose at her nativity when she was born, or at the Assumption, from the land of misery and darkness, watering the whole surface of the earth with grace, forgiveness and glory.

6. It is also a planting paradise. In the beginning, the Lord God had planted a paradise of voluptuousness [II, 8], i.e. Mary, and he put man there, i.e. Christ, whom he had formed to the extent that he is man in the incarnation. Mary, and there he placed man, i.e. Christ, whom he had formed to the extent that he is man in the incarnation. Glosis: "Paradise is a garden of delights due to the withdrawal of the waters from the surface of the earth; and it is an elevated place since the waters of the flood did not reach there." Note this about his sanctification!

7. She is a river of joy. A river [II, 10 e.s.], i.e. an influx of eternal joy, flowed out, namely at the nativity, from the place of voluptuousness. Gloss: "from the paternal spring", to irrigate paradise, gloss: i.e. the Church.

The name of the first river is Pichon. Glosis: i.e. change of face, because she has changed for us the face of severity into the face of benevolence.

The name of the second river is Guihon. Glosis: i.e. opening of the earth, because it has been enlarged and dilated by the desire of the Saints. It is an opening to gather in our favor the abundance of graces. What's more, it makes us and her Son open up to us.

The name of the third river is the Tigris. Glosis: i.e. velocity in bringing help, providing consolation, appealing to God on behalf of sinners.

The fourth river is the Euphrates. Glosis: i.e. it is fruitful, filling itself with the graces it communicates to us with the greatest generosity.

8. She is also the helper of our redemption. But for Adam [II, 20], his help was not to be found like him, because "all declined, at the same time they were made useless" (Ps. XIII/XIV, 3). Then the Lord God said: It is not good that man [II, 18], i.e. Christ, should be alone. Let us make him, by creating her, and producing her in the world, a helper similar to himself, i.e. Mary.

9. She is also the devil's crushing stake. And I will put [III, 15] great and implacable enmities between you and the woman... She will crush your head. Glosis: which is death.

10. She is also the mother of life. Adam gave his wife the name Eve, because she was the mother [III, 20] of all nations, i.e. of all those who work well, but are thwarted by so-called mortal sins.

11. It is also the ark of salvation. The Lord said to Noah: The end of all flesh has come before me [VI, 13 e.s.]. Glosis: of all mortals, except those who were to be saved in the ark.

Make yourself an ark [VI, 14], i.e. Mary with regard to her birth, of smooth wood, i.e. squared, asphalted and polished so that nothing adheres to it (note this with regard to her sanctification), solid and indissoluble so that it is destroyed neither by the force of the winds, nor by the flood. Such is our Mistress.

You will make cells in the ark. Glosis: various orders of life. It contains the orders of Spouses, Widows and Virgins.

And you shall coat it with bitumen, i.e. with the ardor of love, inside and out. Glosis: so that it does not dissolve either inside or outside.

You will make a window in the ark [VI, 16]. Glosis: to release a raven or a dove. This window is called the southern dawn, and is said to be made of crystal.

And you will complete its summit in one cubit. Comment: a single cubit is charity.

They will enter in pairs with you so that they may live [VI, 19]. Glosis: so as not to perish in the flood.

12. She is also, after God, the principle of all grace in us. In the year six hundred of the life of Noah [VII, 11], i.e. Christ, who entered the ark, i.e. the womb of the Virgin Mary (which took place at the time of the Incarnation), all the springs, i.e. graces, of the great abyss gushed forth, when the deluge of Mary's graces overflowed, the devil was submerged and sins were wiped away.

13. By her coming into the world when she was born, she also brought the olive branch, i.e. the branch of peace between God and us. The dove [VIII, 11], i.e. Mary compared to a dove, came to him, i.e. to Noah, in the evening, i.e. at the end of the world, bearing an olive branch, i.e. the branch of peace between us. Glosis: "the branch of restoration and light". With green leaves in her beak, when she says: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord" (Luke I, 38).

Then Noah understood that the waters of God's indignation and fury had receded over the earth.

14. It is also God's altar of propitiation and appeasement. Noah built an altar to the Lord [VIII, 20-21], i.e., Mary. Mary, and taking of every clean animal and bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord, smelling a sweet odor, said: I will no longer curse the earth because of men... I will therefore no longer strike, gloss: by temporal judgment, every living being as I have done; but since Mary prays to me, I will spare everyone who seeks forgiveness.

15. It is also a sign of security for the fearful sinner. This is the sign of the covenant between me and you... my bow [IX, 12-13]. Glosis: which had two colors, azure on the outside and igneous on the inside.

I will place my bow in the clouds. I place for me in the clouds of heaven this sign of security, so that men full of dread will not fear to be destroyed by a second deluge of rain. A rainbow can only be made from the sun's rays and a wet cloud.

And when I have covered heaven with clouds, my bow [IX, 14], i.e. Mary, will appear in the clouds, and I will remember my covenant with you... and there will be no more flood waters to destroy all flesh [IX, 15], i.e. sinners.

16. She is the one who exalts our humility, because she is our sister and niece. And as Abraham was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife: [XII, 11 e.s.] I know that you are a beautiful woman... And the Egyptians will kill me, and let you live. Then say, I pray thee, that thou art my sister, that I may be well treated for thy sake, and that my soul may live because of thee [XX, 13]. And at the end of the chapter, Do me this mercy: wherever we go, you shall say that I am your brother.

17. She is also called Mother of Joy and Exultation. The Lord visited Sara [XXI, 1 e.s.], i.e. Mary. Glosis: Sara is translated as princess.

And he fulfilled what he had said. Glosis: by the Prophets.

She conceived and bore a son in her old age. Glosis: i.e. she gave birth to Christ in recent times.

And Abraham called the name of the son whom Sarah bore him Isaac [XXI, 6], i.e. joy, because the shepherds and angels rejoiced at the birth of Christ (Luke II, 8 f.s.).

And Sara, i.e. Mary, said: God has made me laugh, but Eve has made me complain. Whoever hears it, the sinner, the righteous, the Angel, will laugh with me, i.e. rejoice with me, for I have begotten joy for the Angel, grace for the righteous, forgiveness for the sinner.

She added: Who would have thought that Abraham would hear that Sara, i.e. poor little Mary, would nurse a son she bore him in his old age? For let me nurse him who nurses all; let me bear him who bears all. Comment: "That's it, to entrust grace".

18. She is also the princess of all creatures, when it comes to defense, exhortation and warning. Again, God said to Abraham: You shall no longer call your wife Sarai [XVII, 15], i.e. my princess, and as it were of one nation, but Sarah, i.e. princess absolutely, as princess of all. Indeed, she will say to one: "Go, and he goes, and to another: Come, and he comes" (Matth. VIII, 9). On the subject of this primacy, Pharaoh said to Joseph: By the throne of royalty alone will I precede you [XLI, 40]. And further on: And without your command no one shall move hand or foot [XLI, 44], etc.

19. It is she, too, who comforts thirsty souls drawing from the source of life. Rebecca [XXIV, 15], which translates as patience, i.e. Mary, went out, namely at the time of her nativity, carrying a pitcher on her shoulder [XXIV, 16]. Glosis: ready to humbly receive the Word of God.

She was a very pretty little girl, a very pretty virgin, whom no man had ever met. But she had come down to the source. Glosis: to the fountain of life towards which she had bent to draw, and she had filled the pitcher [XXIV, 17] (of her heart) with grace, forgiveness, glory.

And the servant ran to her and said: Give me a little water from your pitcher to drink. Glosis: for the salvation of my soul, because from the pitcher of the world I drank vanity, and from the pitcher of the devil I drank iniquity.

She replied, "Drink, my Lord," and quickly lowered her jug onto his arm and gave him a drink [XXIV, 18].

And when he had drunk, she added: Let me also draw for your camels the water [XXIV, 19] of grace, forgiveness, joy, until they have all drunk." Drink and be drunk, my beloved, etc." (Cant. V, 1).

Thus she drew for all the camels [XXIV, 20], hence her superlative largesse as well.

20. She also gives hospitality to wandering souls. And Eliezer said to Rebekah: Whose daughter are you? Tell me, is there a place in your father's house where you can stay? She answered: I am the daughter of Betuel. We also have plenty of straw and fodder, and a spacious place to live [XXIV, 23 f.s.]. Glosis: by the breadth of charity.

And Laban, Rebekah's brother, said, "Come in, O blessed of the Lord: why do you remain outside? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels. And he brought her in for hospitality [XXIV, 31. Rebekah is also Mary, Rebekah's brother is the Christ who brought us into the kingdom.

21. She is also the bride and mother of propitiation. He prepared her from eternity to be mother to the Son, reconciliation for the accused, reward for the just. Eliezer had said: "I came to the spring today and said, 'The virgin who heard me say, "Let me drink a little water from your pitcher", will say to me, "You drink too, and I will draw water for your camels", is the woman whom the Lord has prepared for the son of my Lord [XXIV, 42]. So she can say: "I was destined from eternity" (Prov. VIII, 23).

22. She is also the sister of our profession of faith, defense, fidelity and elevation. Then they dismissed her [XXIV, 59 e.s.], namely when she was taken from us into heaven, wishing their sister prosperity, saying: You are our sister, by your humanity, your fidelity and your dignity, may you grow into a thousand thousands, ascending above the choirs of the Angels, and may your seed, i.e. us worms, possess the gates of the empyrean, the gates of its enemies, the demons who have been ejected from it.

23. It is also a source of eternal blessing. Rebekah, his mother, said to Jacob: Let this curse be upon me, my son! Only listen to my voice [XXVII, 13 f.s.] that warns, deliberates and calls, continue and report what I have said [XXVII, 27], if this is how you are to obtain this blessing.

Behold the smell of my son as the smell of a field filled, gloss: filled with virtues, which the Lord has blessed.

May God give you dew from heaven, i.e. contemplation, and fat from the earth, the fat of good works; abundance of wheat, i.e. charity, and wine, abundance of the fervor of the Holy Spirit, and oil, mercy. The Blessed Virgin had these last three things in her to perfection, and she also provides us with the first.

24. It is also the ladder that climbs from sin to grace, from the world to heaven. Jacob saw a ladder in a dream [XXVIII, 12-13], i.e. Mary. Mary, for it was by this ladder that the Son of God came down to us, and it is by this ladder that we ascend to him, raised above the earth: although she sits on a throne, to be profitable to sinners, she is close to them. And whose summit touched heaven, for although it is very low, it is very subtle, since it reaches the Trinity itself. God's angels ascended and descended by it, and the Lord was fixed on the ladder, taking flesh from it, and drawing us to himself by it.

25. It is also the gateway to the kingdom, and to our entry into it. Jacob said: Truly, the Lord is in this place [XXVIII, 16-17]. And further on: How dreadful is this place to demons, how pleasing to men, how delightful to God! This is nothing other than the house of God, and the gateway to heaven, for it is from here that one has access to the kingdom of heaven.

26. It is also an aurora of illumination. The dawn is a light (lux) infused into the earth's vapor. The angel said to Jacob: Let me go, for the dawn is already breaking [XXXII, 26-27]. Already the dawn is rising, i.e. Mary appearing in the world at the time of her nativity, or continuing up to heaven at the time of the Assumption. He answered: I will not let you go, etc. And the Angel said: Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel.

27. She is also, after the Lord, the most perfect fullness of all graces. Seven ears of corn [XLI, 5], gloss: i.e. spiritual gifts, grew on a single stem, i.e. on Mary, full and beautiful, by which she abounds in a piety full of largesse.

28. It is also a granary of holiness, against the hunger of death. May the King [XLI, 33 e.s.], i.e. God the Father, provide a wise and industrious man, namely his Son Christ, and put him in charge, according to his humanity, of the land of Egypt, i.e. the world, that he... gather a fifth of the harvests, of the graces, during the seven years of abundance, namely in the time of grace, in the granaries of all eternity, i.e.. Mary. And let it be ready for the future seven-year famine that will overwhelm Egypt, i.e., it will be in Gehenna.

And Joseph [XLI, 56], i.e. Christ, opened all the barns, i.e. Mary. Mary who, at the Annunciation, was full according to Gabriel's words: "Hail, full of grace!" (Luke I, 28). At the passion he opened himself; at the ascension he opened the empyrean sky.

And he sold grain to the Egyptians. Glosis: at the price of their salvation. When Jacob heard that food was being sold in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why aren't you paying attention? Etc.

29. It is also the priestly land (i.e. of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit) which was and still is free from the condition of present sin, both venial and mortal. Jacob [XLVIII, 22], i.e. God the Father, said to Joseph, i.e. to Christ: I give you a portion, i.e. Mary, who in all is a portion. Mary, which in all is a share of the action received, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow. Note here what concerns his sanctification!

30. She is also a mother of blessings. O Mary, the God of your father will be your helper [XLIV, 25-26], above and below, within and without, to the right and to the left. And the Almighty will bless you with the blessings of heaven above. Meaning: By subjecting to you all things heavenly and earthly, so that you have dominion over angels and men. Blessings from the abyss below, so that you also have dominion over Purgatory. Of the blessings of the breasts, gloss: that suckle the Lord. The blessings of your father have prevailed over the blessings of his fathers ^[4]. Glose: on the merits of all the Patriarchs and Prophets, so that none may be compared to you.