[ 0 → 2] Amen. [ 30 → 31] Seat of Wisdom. [ 31 → 32] Faith for us. [ 32 → 34] Holy Father, Saint Dominic. [ 34 → 34] Faith for us. [ 34 → 54] So, the retreat ends after Vespers? Is that how it works? [ 55 → 58] No, the Vespers of the little office, right? [ 58 → 58] Yeah. [ 60 → 60] Okay. [ 62 → 64] And then we're going to have to leave probably not too late. [ 68 → 72] I forgot to go to Kansas City. [ 73 → 74] Pray for me next week. [ 75 → 76] I'm preaching a retreat for priests. [ 76 → 77] I think I might have mentioned it. [ 81 → 83] So, I get on a plane at 7 in the morning. [ 85 → 88] We have to go to Kansas City and stay overnight there. [ 90 → 95] So, we're going to finish by talking about Our Lady. [ 102 → 104] I'll have to write this man's name. [ 106 → 108] I think I might... [ 108 → 109] Whoops, what did I do with my... [ 109 → 114] Can you get my glasses? [ 115 → 116] This is written pretty small. [ 116 → 117] I'm not going to be able to make it. [ 120 → 123] Has anyone ever heard of Charles de Connac? [ 125 → 129] I guess he's not a big famous guy. [ 130 → 132] He was a Belgian. [ 133 → 138] I think he was originally a Belgian, but he taught at Quebec, [ 139 → 146] the University of Quebec, and started a whole school of Thomism. [ 147 → 149] I always spell his name wrong. [ 150 → 155] Thank you very much. [ 155 → 155] Bye. [ 155 → 155] Bye. [ 171 → 177] He's known especially for his works on... [ 177 → 178] He's known especially for his works on... [ 178 → 180] He's known especially for his works on... [ 180 → 185] About the common good. [ 188 → 197] That the end of society, any society, is the common good, [ 198 → 201] and not the good of the person. [ 203 → 205] If you're wondering about Vatican II, [ 205 → 207] that's one of the main errors of Vatican II, [ 207 → 210] is this idea that... [ 210 → 216] The person is like the center of everything, [ 216 → 217] the end of everything is for the person. [ 219 → 221] And he explains, well, no. [ 221 → 223] And it's what St. Thomas said. [ 224 → 225] What he said to St. Thomas. [ 226 → 229] We find our good in the common good [ 229 → 234] because we're social animals, like Aristotle said, [ 235 → 236] we're like bees or ants. [ 237 → 239] Our good is in the society. [ 239 → 240] We won't find... [ 240 → 243] We won't find our personal good except in the common good. [ 247 → 250] It's in the common good that we find our good [ 250 → 252] because we need the society to find it, [ 252 → 254] to attain our perfection. [ 257 → 259] Anyway, that's not what we're talking about now. [ 261 → 261] You wrote a book. [ 261 → 261] You wrote a book. [ 267 → 268] Apparently, this exists. [ 269 → 270] It exists in England. [ 270 → 272] You wrote it in French. [ 275 → 276] This is just a title. [ 276 → 277] Evo Sapientia. [ 277 → 278] I, Wisdom. [ 283 → 285] Which is a text [ 285 → 291] from the Book of Wisdom [ 291 → 297] which the Church applies to Our Lady [ 297 → 298] in... [ 298 → 298] in... [ 298 → 299] in... [ 300 → 302] the Masses of Our Lady. [ 302 → 308] So he begins his book. [ 310 → 311] It's not a long book. [ 311 → 312] It's quite a simple little book. [ 312 → 315] It's just a list of sort of meditations of his [ 315 → 321] on this idea of Our Lady being Ego Sapientia. [ 324 → 325] I, Wisdom. [ 325 → 326] These are the words that the Church places [ 326 → 328] in the mouth of the Blessed Virgin. [ 329 → 330] Not, I am wisdom. [ 330 → 331] I am wise. [ 331 → 332] But, I am wisdom. [ 332 → 341] Since such an attribution is only possible in divine matters and transcendentals, [ 341 → 345] we may ask by what supreme and miraculous affinity with God the Virgin Mary, [ 345 → 353] the humble servant of the Lord, can assume such a mode of attribution. [ 353 → 358] Now it is very strange that the Church should apply to Our Lady, who is after all a mere [ 358 → 359] creature. [ 359 → 371] Even though she is the Mother of God, this abstract term, because normally, in philosophy, [ 371 → 382] you cannot apply words like being or truth or goodness, transcendentals is what they [ 382 → 387] are called in philosophy. [ 387 → 388] You can only predicate them of God. [ 388 → 389] You can only predicate them of God. [ 389 → 396] They are all equivalent to Being itself and he is Being. [ 396 → 401] I am who am. [ 401 → 402] Right. [ 402 → 407] And as we talked a little about that, how the intellect of God is God and everything [ 407 → 410] in God is God. [ 410 → 413] So His goodness is God and His wisdom is God. [ 413 → 415] So I am wisdom. [ 415 → 416] I am not wise. [ 416 → 417] I am wisdom. [ 417 → 418] I am wisdom. [ 418 → 419] God can say that. [ 419 → 426] lady say that you see the problem and yet the church applies these words to our lady [ 426 → 434] so that's the problem to start with but as usual [ 434 → 441] and that's to say it's almost always starts right in the summa he gives you a problem well this [ 441 → 445] doesn't make sense the objections you know he wants to say something but then he starts by [ 445 → 456] saying the opposite but see that's the way to get to the truth as Aristotle already said that if [ 456 → 466] you want to really get to the bottom something we'll start by looking at the problems okay so [ 466 → 473] that's kind of basically the problem let's try to understand first of all we have to start chart a [ 473 → 474] little about [ 475 → 486] wisdom sapientia now there's an adage in philosophy sapientis est ordinare it belongs [ 486 → 503] to the wise man to put order in things now order requires distinction if you order things have to [ 503 → 504] be two things right [ 505 → 510] and principle because if there's order that means one thing is before the other [ 512 → 517] so we need distinction and principle [ 526 → 533] the second thing then proceeds from the first because the first is the principle of the second [ 533 → 534] thing [ 535 → 539] this is the moral principle of the first so you've got this idea of procession quando yexcusemosON [ 539 → 543] When you talk about Wisdom so you've got this idea of procession [ 543 → 548] Not [ 548 → 550] because order involves [ 550 → 554] distinction and principle [ 556 → 559] now this procession can be spatial one thing [ 559 → 562] that moves enough moves from one place to another [ 562 → 566] or temporal, one thing happens and then happens [ 566 → 570] one thing happens after another [ 570 → 574] or it can simply be natural, that is one thing is the [ 574 → 578] principle of the other, but it doesn't [ 578 → 581] precede it in time or space [ 581 → 586] now that's when we say for example the father is the principle of the son, we talked about that [ 586 → 589] but they're not in a different place [ 589 → 593] and they're not in a different time, it's in eternity [ 593 → 598] so there can be principle even if there's no time or space [ 598 → 601] it just means [ 601 → 604] preceding in some way [ 604 → 612] now between these [ 612 → 613] two things [ 613 → 619] that make up order [ 619 → 619] order [ 619 → 619] now between these two things [ 619 → 619] that make up order [ 619 → 624] principle and then that which precedes from it [ 624 → 629] there will necessarily be a certain relation [ 629 → 633] remember that word that came up when we talked about the Trinity [ 633 → 635] the father and the son in fact are relations [ 635 → 638] opposed relations [ 638 → 642] relation is a very important [ 642 → 646] category [ 646 → 649] so we're talking about the categories of Aristotle, there's ten altogether, one is sub- [ 649 → 653] and the rest are accidents, there's nine different kinds of accidents [ 653 → 655] one of them is relation [ 655 → 661] and we use it all the time in theology [ 661 → 667] in the Trinity, in the Eucharist [ 667 → 670] in the Incarnation [ 670 → 671] anyway [ 671 → 675] and we use it here too [ 675 → 679] because so it has to do with order because the very definition of relation is the very definition of order [ 679 → 686] it's the order of one thing to another [ 686 → 689] that's what relation is, that's the definition of relation [ 689 → 697] therefore [ 697 → 701] relation can only be perceived by the intelligence [ 701 → 709] as John of St. Thomas explained [ 709 → 717] John of St. Thomas is a commentator of St. of St. Thomas [ 717 → 724] Cajetan was before him [ 726 → 732] John of St. Thomas is seventeenth century, late seventeenth century [ 739 → 743] So, he explains this. [ 743 → 756] Order, as St. Thomas says, Prima Pars, Question 26, Article 1, involves a certain relation [ 756 → 766] of prior and posterior according to a reference to some principle. [ 766 → 771] Order involves a certain relation of prior and posterior according to a reference to [ 771 → 777] some principle. [ 777 → 783] A relation, however, cannot be primarily and per se intended except by an intellectual [ 783 → 785] agent. [ 785 → 788] Why? [ 788 → 795] Because an agent that intends a relation formally must itself be formally comparative. [ 795 → 796] Why? [ 796 → 798] That is capable of comparing [ 799 → 804] Because a relation arises in something from its being compared [ 804 → 808] to something outside itself. [ 808 → 817] See, relations don't exist in things, they exist between things. [ 817 → 820] It consists in this order of one thing to another , [ 820 → 822] which is between things. [ 822 → 826] So you have to compare things. [ 826 → 840] because that's what relation is. And he says that's why it's only an [ 840 → 853] intellectual agent that can perceive relation. Because, he goes on, the [ 853 → 859] intellect draws things to itself. See, that's what an intellection is. Remember [ 859 → 861] I said the former thing that makes it be what it is becomes the form of your [ 861 → 868] intelligence. So you draw the things into your mind. See, the will does the opposite. [ 868 → 872] You're drawn towards something outside, but the intellect draws something into [ 872 → 876] you. You have the form that makes it be what it is that becomes the form to your [ 876 → 882] intelligence. So it's in you. And because it's in you, and you can do the same [ 882 → 883] thing with another thing, [ 883 → 886] then you can perceive in yourself their relation. [ 888 → 892] Whereas the will, well, the will, it's just going for it. [ 894 → 898] There's no notion of having two things inside that it can correlate. [ 898 → 901] It's just, it's gone. It goes. [ 903 → 907] So the will doesn't perceive relation. [ 908 → 910] It just perceives the good, and it goes for it. [ 910 → 913] It doesn't perceive it really, it goes for it. [ 914 → 916] Because the intellect perceives it. [ 916 → 919] But the point is, it's only the intellect that can perceive relation. [ 924 → 928] Therefore, the intellect has, therefore, within itself the primary root [ 928 → 930] and the first principle of ordering things. [ 931 → 933] Because it can perceive relation. [ 936 → 939] Which is an order of one to another. [ 942 → 942] See? [ 942 → 943] So that's one. [ 943 → 945] That's why the intellect is what puts order in things. [ 956 → 957] Okay. [ 957 → 959] It goes into more detail, but that's enough for now. [ 962 → 965] So the intelligence alone can perceive order. [ 966 → 969] Because it alone perceives the relation between things. [ 969 → 972] Because we're talking about sapience. [ 972 → 975] It belongs to wisdom to order. [ 975 → 978] And that's only the intelligence that can perceive order. [ 982 → 984] Because it alone can perceive the relation. [ 987 → 991] So it belongs to wisdom insofar as it is the perfection of the intellect to perceive order. [ 992 → 994] And since it is the highest perfection of the intellect, [ 995 → 998] it doesn't know just any order, but the deepest order. [1000 → 1002] So wisdom is to know the body. [1003 → 1005] It's the bottom line of something. [1005 → 1007] It's the ultimate perfection of the intellect. [1008 → 1012] So it sees the deepest relation of order. [1014 → 1016] And that's why Aristotle says, [1016 → 1019] the wise man must not be ordered, but order. [1021 → 1023] See, it's at the top. [1023 → 1025] And it orders everything else. [1027 → 1028] Okay. [1028 → 1032] However, as we said before, [1032 → 1034] one thing to be wise, [1034 → 1038] to possess this highest perfection of the intellect, which is wisdom, [1038 → 1040] and quite another to be wisdom. [1040 → 1044] When Our Lady says, [1044 → 1046] ego sapientia, I, wisdom, [1046 → 1048] it means that she has not only the attribute of wisdom, [1048 → 1050] but that she is wisdom. [1050 → 1056] Just as in God, wisdom is just not an attribute. [1056 → 1058] He's not just wise, but he is wisdom. [1058 → 1060] So the Blessed Virgin, according to this text, [1060 → 1061] says, [1061 → 1063] doesn't just have wisdom. [1063 → 1065] It is wisdom. [1065 → 1070] So she will not just know the first principle of things. [1070 → 1076] She will be the first principle of things. [1076 → 1078] It's not about knowing something. [1078 → 1081] It's a matter of being the first principle. [1087 → 1089] Charles de Granagh explains, [1089 → 1095] Wisdom will not be substantially predictable of something [1095 → 1097] unless in its being and in its operation [1097 → 1099] it include the notion of first principle [1099 → 1101] from which all things proceed [1101 → 1104] in a certain manner by way of origination. [1104 → 1106] It's the origin. [1106 → 1109] It would not suffice for it to obtain a primary root [1109 → 1111] uniquely according to knowledge, [1111 → 1113] for then it would only be wise. [1113 → 1115] It must also, by its very substance, [1115 → 1117] contain the notion of primary root [1117 → 1119] and know itself as such. [1119 → 1122] And so he concludes his introduction saying, [1122 → 1125] In order for the Blessed Virgin to be called wisdom, [1125 → 1128] she must be a first principle of this kind. [1128 → 1133] She must be herself first principle, [1133 → 1135] not merely according to intellect and will, [1135 → 1138] but also according to her own substance and being. [1138 → 1142] And who is first principle according to his very being, [1142 → 1143] except God? [1143 → 1146] To be truly a first principle would not Mary have to be [1146 → 1148] such a first principle, [1148 → 1150] even her relation to God? [1150 → 1152] Would she not have to be so close to God [1152 → 1154] that she would somehow participate [1154 → 1157] even in his nature of first principle? [1157 → 1161] Be like the root of the universal order. [1161 → 1164] Be even that from which God himself proceeds [1164 → 1166] in a certain manner. [1166 → 1172] Be the origin and genetrix of God. [1172 → 1176] So you see where he's going. [1176 → 1177] Genetrix of God. [1177 → 1180] Well, that's what she is, in fact. [1180 → 1183] Dei genetrix, right? [1183 → 1188] Mother of God. [1188 → 1194] And it's this title that's going to explain to us this... [1194 → 1196] I mean, it's this reason that's going to explain to us [1196 → 1200] the title Ego Sapientia, [1200 → 1204] which means somehow she's a principle, [1204 → 1207] first principle, [1207 → 1209] even of God. [1209 → 1210] It's going to... [1210 → 1212] Well, we're going to figure that out [1212 → 1216] by talking about the fact that she's the mother of God. [1216 → 1218] Because being mother of God, [1218 → 1220] well, somehow she is... [1220 → 1222] Well, it seems that's what it says. [1222 → 1226] Mother of God means you're somehow a principle of God, [1226 → 1233] that he proceeds from you. [1233 → 1236] And as you know, the divine maternity is the fundamental principle [1236 → 1238] of Our Lady. [1238 → 1239] Everything's based on that. [1239 → 1241] Her immaculate conception, for example, [1241 → 1244] comes from the fact that she's a mother of God. [1244 → 1249] She had to be immaculate to be the mother of God. [1249 → 1251] And her fullness of grace, the same thing. [1251 → 1256] She needs that fullness to be mother of God. [1256 → 1265] So... [1265 → 1267] So that's the foundation [1267 → 1269] for the application of these words to Our Lady, [1269 → 1272] her divine maternity. [1272 → 1273] So he writes, [1273 → 1277] The Virgin gives birth to the God-man. [1277 → 1280] She is henceforth truly the mother of the Lord, [1280 → 1282] which is what Saint Elizabeth calls her [1282 → 1285] when she comes to visit her, right? [1285 → 1286] It's revealed to her that, you know, [1286 → 1287] she's the mother of the Messiah, [1287 → 1288] the mother of God, [1288 → 1289] so she calls her mother... [1289 → 1293] How is it the mother of my Lord come to me, right? [1293 → 1295] She who has engendered God, [1295 → 1298] and he explains to her... [1298 → 1302] This is a pithy verse. [1302 → 1303] I wrote it down. [1303 → 1304] He's a... [1304 → 1305] He's a tertiary, right? [1305 → 1306] Or he was. [1306 → 1308] He's dead. [1308 → 1309] This is a word... [1309 → 1314] This is a sentence worthy of a good Dominican tertiary. [1314 → 1316] Hang on. [1316 → 1319] I'll explain it. [1319 → 1324] Generation means vital origin [1324 → 1334] and assimilation. [1334 → 1337] It is the procession of a living thing [1337 → 1340] from within a living thing [1340 → 1346] which is joined to it as a principle of life [1346 → 1349] and which assimilates it to its own nature [1349 → 1352] by virtue of this very procession. [1352 → 1356] Okay, I'll say that again. [1356 → 1358] Generation means vital origin and assimilation, [1358 → 1360] but then he explains that. [1360 → 1362] Origin, assimilation. [1362 → 1364] It is the procession of a living thing [1364 → 1368] from within a living thing [1368 → 1373] which is joined to it as a principle of life. [1373 → 1375] So this procession is from a living thing [1375 → 1380] that's a principle of the thing that proceeds. [1380 → 1388] And which assimilates it to its own nature [1388 → 1390] by virtue of this very procession. [1390 → 1396] That is, the principle of the procession [1396 → 1400] by the very fact of being the principle of the procession [1400 → 1405] assimilates what proceeds from it to itself. [1405 → 1408] And that's what happens in maternity. [1408 → 1409] Right? [1409 → 1421] And others among you should be able to figure this out. [1421 → 1424] So, if the Blessed Virgin is truly a generator, [1424 → 1426] a genitrix is what we call her, right? [1426 → 1428] They genitrix. [1428 → 1430] This definition of generation must apply to her [1430 → 1437] in its most proper sense. [1437 → 1439] So then he adds it's true that [1439 → 1443] in the act of conception itself, [1443 → 1446] a mother is a passive principle. [1446 → 1448] She doesn't exercise a proper... [1448 → 1452] Nevertheless, she does exercise a properly assimilative action [1452 → 1456] by her production of the passive principle of conception. [1456 → 1458] Because she produces the egg, [1458 → 1461] which is fertilized by the sperm. [1461 → 1463] So the sperm is the active principle, [1463 → 1467] but she's the active principle of the passive principle [1467 → 1469] that's fertilized by the... [1469 → 1471] sperm. [1471 → 1474] And so, he says, she does participate actively [1474 → 1479] in the vital assimilation of the one engendered. [1479 → 1481] And there's an assimilation. [1481 → 1484] The child is similar, not just to the father, [1484 → 1487] but also to the mother. [1487 → 1494] There's a vital assimilation. [1494 → 1497] And Our Lady did that. [1497 → 1500] She's a true mother. [1500 → 1502] I mentioned, I think, Mary of Agreda the other day. [1502 → 1505] Well, one of the bad things in these books... [1505 → 1508] I don't know if she actually wrote them, but... [1508 → 1509] They say... [1509 → 1511] It's written there that [1511 → 1514] Our Lord was conceived by three drops of blood [1514 → 1519] that came from the heart of Our Lady. [1519 → 1521] Well, that's the greatest heresy [1521 → 1523] you could ever say about Our Lady, [1523 → 1524] because if that was true, [1524 → 1525] she wouldn't be His mother. [1525 → 1526] That's not what a mother does. [1526 → 1528] That's not what a mother does. [1528 → 1529] That would just be a miracle. [1529 → 1530] It would be great, wonderful, [1530 → 1533] but she would be a carrier of the Son of God, [1533 → 1535] but she wouldn't be His mother, [1535 → 1539] because that's not what mothers do. [1539 → 1542] That's not where babies come from, [1542 → 1544] even miraculously. [1544 → 1547] I mean, the male part is done by the Holy Ghost, okay, [1547 → 1551] but the female part is normal [1551 → 1553] if she's a true mother, and she is. [1553 → 1555] So, anyway... [1555 → 1565] So, he has this role of assimilation, okay? [1565 → 1569] And so, she's truly a generator, [1569 → 1573] which means he's truly a principle, [1573 → 1576] which is the key idea. [1576 → 1581] So, then he comes to the most important part of his text. [1581 → 1584] Now, birth regards primarily... [1585 → 1587] and principally, [1587 → 1591] the being of the hypostasis and person. [1591 → 1595] Again, hypostasis is just another word for subsistence, [1595 → 1597] which is a general term, [1597 → 1599] and person is a subsistence of a rational nature. [1599 → 1601] It's something that exists on its own, [1601 → 1606] separate from everything else, okay? [1606 → 1607] And that's... [1607 → 1610] birth primarily regards that, the hypostasis, [1610 → 1613] the thing, the thing, [1613 → 1615] the subsistence, [1615 → 1616] the hypostasis, [1616 → 1618] the hypostasis, [1618 → 1620] the person. [1620 → 1622] And that's why Your Lady is the mother of God, [1622 → 1625] because it's the person who's born is God. [1625 → 1627] There is no human person. [1627 → 1630] So, he's going to work on that. [1630 → 1633] Hence, since the Blessed Virgin is the mother of Christ, [1633 → 1635] according to the hypostasis, [1635 → 1637] that is, according to his person, [1637 → 1639] there is no human person in our Lord, [1639 → 1641] it's a divine person. [1641 → 1644] Therefore, she is truly the mother of God [1644 → 1646] and of the man. [1651 → 1653] But the man, [1653 → 1654] the person of the man, [1654 → 1658] is a divine person of the second person of the Blessed Trinity. [1658 → 1661] With regard to that which in him is born, [1661 → 1666] the Blessed Virgin is properly cause and origin of God. [1666 → 1669] Okay, read that again. [1669 → 1670] With regard to that, [1670 → 1675] with regard to that which in him is born, [1675 → 1680] that is, is human nature. [1680 → 1682] But it's our Lord's, [1682 → 1684] it's the second person of the Blessed Trinity, [1684 → 1686] is human nature. [1686 → 1691] With regard to that in which in him is born, [1691 → 1692] the human nature, [1692 → 1698] the Blessed Virgin is properly cause and origin of God. [1698 → 1703] So here we're at the heart of the mystery of the Incarnation [1703 → 1705] and so at the heart of the mystery of Mary [1705 → 1707] because that's fundamentally who she is. [1707 → 1709] She's the mother of God. [1712 → 1714] Father Colby has this beautiful little phrase, [1714 → 1716] Mother of God, [1716 → 1719] here the head starts to spin, [1719 → 1721] as it were, above God, [1721 → 1725] like a mother is above and the sons are below [1725 → 1727] and must revere her. [1728 → 1735] See, that's what this meditation is going to do for us, [1735 → 1737] hopefully, [1737 → 1738] is to just get an idea, [1738 → 1741] what does that really mean? [1741 → 1746] Who is she anyway? [1746 → 1748] That was the question Father Colby always asked, [1748 → 1750] you know, who is she? [1750 → 1752] Well, she's the mother of God, [1752 → 1754] but what does that mean? [1754 → 1757] We're going to try to understand a little bit better. [1758 → 1760] In a footnote, [1760 → 1762] he quotes a key passage in the Summa [1762 → 1766] where St. Thomas speaks of this divine maternity. [1766 → 1767] It's in the Tertiary Powers, [1767 → 1771] Question 35, Article 4. [1771 → 1773] To be conceived and born [1773 → 1775] is attributed to the person [1775 → 1776] and the hypostasis [1776 → 1785] according to that nature in which one is conceived and born. [1785 → 1786] Therefore, [1786 → 1787] since in the very beginning of the conception, [1787 → 1794] human nature was assumed by the divine person, [1794 → 1796] it follows that it can truly be said [1796 → 1802] that God was conceived and born of the Virgin. [1802 → 1804] And then he applies it to Our Lady. [1804 → 1805] Moreover, [1805 → 1807] a woman is called the mother of someone [1807 → 1809] because she conceived and gave birth to him. [1809 → 1811] Hence, it follows that the Blessed Virgin [1811 → 1815] is truly called the Mother of God. [1817 → 1819] Because, as he said, [1819 → 1820] to be conceived and born [1820 → 1823] is attributed to the person. [1823 → 1828] But at the very beginning of the conception, [1828 → 1830] human nature was assumed by the divine person. [1830 → 1831] There was never a time [1831 → 1834] that the human nature existed separately [1834 → 1837] and that the divine person came after it. [1837 → 1840] It was all simultaneous. [1840 → 1842] So, [1842 → 1845] he was conceived and born [1845 → 1846] of the Blessed Virgin. [1847 → 1849] Therefore, [1849 → 1852] she is the Mother of God. [1852 → 1853] Because, [1853 → 1855] he is God. [1855 → 1856] The person of [1856 → 1857] the second person, [1857 → 1858] the Blessed Trinity, [1858 → 1859] is God. [1859 → 1861] He was the one who was conceived and born. [1861 → 1862] So, [1862 → 1865] she is the Mother of God. [1865 → 1867] So then he adds [1867 → 1869] a passage of John of St. Thomas [1869 → 1874] where he explains this more deeply. [1874 → 1876] By comparing what Our Lady does [1876 → 1880] in the generation of the Incarnate Word [1880 → 1881] to what all mothers do [1881 → 1884] in the generation of their children. [1884 → 1888] Showing that just as an ordinary mother [1888 → 1890] is truly the Mother of her Son, [1890 → 1895] even though she doesn't generate his soul, [1895 → 1899] which is directly created by God, [1899 → 1903] so Our Lady is truly the Mother of God [1903 → 1905] even though she doesn't generate his divinity. [1905 → 1909] That's the key thing to understand. [1909 → 1913] When a woman [1913 → 1917] bears a child, [1917 → 1920] she doesn't create the soul. [1920 → 1924] That comes directly from God, right? [1924 → 1928] But she's still the Mother of the whole child, [1928 → 1931] not just his body. [1931 → 1932] And he makes the comparison, [1932 → 1934] well it's the same thing with Our Lady. [1934 → 1939] She's not the Mother of the divine person, [1939 → 1942] just like she's not the Mother of the soul. [1942 → 1946] But she's the Mother of the whole child [1946 → 1951] because even though she's not the Mother of the soul, [1951 → 1954] she's also the Mother of the whole being of our Lord, [1954 → 1956] including his divine person [1956 → 1958] because the two are united. [1958 → 1961] Not because she created the divine person, [1961 → 1963] but she didn't create the soul either. [1964 → 1967] But she's still the Mother of the child, [1967 → 1970] which includes the soul, [1970 → 1973] and she's also the Mother of the divine person [1973 → 1976] who's united to this body of which she is the Mother. [1976 → 1979] That's what he's going to explain. [1979 → 1983] But that's the main idea. [1983 → 1986] So John of St. Thomas writes, [1986 → 1988] Just as the generative action [1988 → 1990] ordinarily communicates to the body [1990 → 1993] the proper and natural being of the soul, [1993 → 1996] and for this reason someone is said to be, [1996 → 1997] in the most formal way, [1997 → 1999] the mother of a man [1999 → 2004] and of the person subsisting in a humanity, [2004 → 2007] so also the virgin's generation [2007 → 2009] communicated to the body the being [2009 → 2011] and the subsistence of the word [2011 → 2016] that is found in the soul assumed by the word. [2016 → 2020] And thus she is called, in the most formal way, [2020 → 2022] the mother of this man. [2023 → 2026] And so the mother of the divine person [2026 → 2028] as subsisting in that humanity, [2028 → 2030] consisting of body and soul. [2030 → 2032] We were talking about that earlier, [2032 → 2048] about the human nature [2048 → 2051] subsisting in the divine person, [2051 → 2053] or rather the divine person [2053 → 2055] subsisting in this human nature. [2075 → 2077] So just as any human mother [2077 → 2079] is truly the mother of the whole man, [2079 → 2080] and not just his body, [2080 → 2083] even though she doesn't cause the soul, [2083 → 2085] because by her generative action [2085 → 2087] she communicates the being of the soul [2087 → 2089] to his body, [2089 → 2092] so also our lady is truly the mother of God, [2092 → 2094] even though she doesn't cause [2094 → 2095] our Lord's divinity, [2095 → 2099] because by her generative action [2099 → 2102] producing his human body, [2102 → 2104] she communicates to this body [2104 → 2107] both the being of the soul, [2107 → 2109] directly created by God, [2109 → 2114] and the being of his divinity, [2114 → 2117] hypostatically united to first the soul [2117 → 2119] and consequently the body. [2119 → 2123] Because that's how St. Thomas explains that, [2123 → 2125] that in the incarnation, [2125 → 2131] the word united himself first to the soul [2131 → 2133] and consequently to the body, [2133 → 2134] not in time, [2134 → 2136] it's all happening in one moment, [2136 → 2138] but he's united to the body, [2138 → 2139] he's united to the body [2139 → 2141] because he's united to the soul. [2141 → 2143] The soul comes first, [2143 → 2146] logically, but not temporarily. [2146 → 2149] That's what he means. [2149 → 2151] She is truly the mother of God [2151 → 2153] because by her generation of the body [2153 → 2156] he assumes, through his soul, [2156 → 2158] she communicates to this body [2158 → 2161] both the soul, which he didn't create, [2161 → 2163] just like any mother, [2163 → 2166] and also the divine person of the word, [2166 → 2167] which obviously he didn't create either, [2167 → 2171] because it's not created. [2171 → 2174] Okay, that's basically the idea. [2174 → 2177] He's going to go... [2177 → 2178] We're going to go a little bit deeper [2178 → 2180] because we're going to talk about Khajan. [2180 → 2182] Khajan always takes you a little bit deeper. [2182 → 2183] So take a deep breath. [2183 → 2185] We're scuba diving here. [2185 → 2192] Like I told you we're going to do. [2192 → 2194] So the first stage is the fact [2194 → 2196] that every mother is mother of the whole person. [2196 → 2199] Even though she doesn't create the soul. [2199 → 2200] By the fact that she generates [2200 → 2205] the body of the child. [2205 → 2207] And so Jonathan Thomas writes, [2207 → 2210] summarizing Khajan, [2210 → 2212] in human generation, [2212 → 2215] although the form is not produced, [2215 → 2217] but united. [2217 → 2219] Okay, that makes sense, right? [2219 → 2220] In human generation, [2220 → 2222] though the form is not produced, [2222 → 2224] but united, that the form [2224 → 2226] of the body is the soul. [2226 → 2228] And the form is not produced. [2228 → 2230] It's not... [2230 → 2235] The human generation doesn't produce the form. [2235 → 2237] It doesn't produce the soul. [2237 → 2238] It just produces the matter, [2238 → 2242] which is the body. [2242 → 2243] So in human generation, [2243 → 2245] although the form is not produced, [2245 → 2249] but united, that's what happens. [2249 → 2252] By generation is this... [2252 → 2254] The mother produces, [2254 → 2256] with the father obviously, [2256 → 2263] the body. [2263 → 2264] But it doesn't produce the form, [2264 → 2266] but it unites the form to the body. [2266 → 2269] That's the key idea. [2269 → 2270] And he's going to explain how [2270 → 2273] that's the term of the generation, [2273 → 2274] human generation, [2274 → 2280] is the union of these two things. [2280 → 2282] In human generation, [2282 → 2283] although the form is not produced, [2283 → 2285] but united, [2285 → 2286] it is not only the union, [2286 → 2288] but also the form itself, [2288 → 2289] once united, [2289 → 2292] that is attained by generation, [2292 → 2293] not according to the forms [2293 → 2294] being in itself, [2294 → 2298] but according to its being in. [2298 → 2299] Okay, that needs a little bit [2299 → 2303] of explanation, but... [2303 → 2305] The soul is not attained [2305 → 2307] by the action of generation [2307 → 2312] of the human element. [2312 → 2314] Here we're talking about the mother. [2314 → 2324] Because the soul is created. [2324 → 2327] But generation does attain the form [2327 → 2332] insofar as it's united [2332 → 2334] to the body. [2334 → 2339] Because it's by this action [2339 → 2341] of the mother [2341 → 2343] that the form is united. [2343 → 2345] So it doesn't attain the form itself, [2345 → 2346] in itself, [2346 → 2347] but it attains the form [2347 → 2350] as united to the body. [2350 → 2353] And that's the key idea, really. [2353 → 2355] Because that's the term of the action [2355 → 2358] of human generation, [2358 → 2360] is a man. [2360 → 2361] And a man is a soul [2361 → 2362] united to a body. [2362 → 2364] So it doesn't attain the soul [2364 → 2365] in itself, [2365 → 2366] but it attains the soul [2366 → 2369] as united to the body. [2369 → 2371] Then he's going to say, [2371 → 2373] at the next level, [2373 → 2375] and say, [2375 → 2376] her generation doesn't attain [2376 → 2378] the divinity, [2378 → 2380] just as it doesn't attain the soul, [2380 → 2381] but it attains the divinity [2381 → 2386] as united [2386 → 2389] to the soul and the body. [2389 → 2390] So she's the mother of God. [2390 → 2393] That's what he's going to say. [2393 → 2394] So it attains it not [2394 → 2396] secundum esse forme in se, [2396 → 2398] sed secundum in esse. [2398 → 2399] So it doesn't attain the form [2399 → 2400] in itself, [2400 → 2401] as it is, [2401 → 2402] in itself, [2402 → 2403] in se, [2403 → 2404] but it attains the form [2404 → 2405] secundum in esse, [2405 → 2408] insofar as it is in [2408 → 2413] the body. [2413 → 2420] That's the key idea. [2420 → 2421] Cajetan, [2421 → 2422] we're not going to quote him too much, [2422 → 2423] because he gets complicated, [2423 → 2425] but we'll just give you the main idea [2425 → 2427] of what he says. [2427 → 2428] Thank God, [2428 → 2429] John of St. Thomas came along [2429 → 2430] to, [2430 → 2432] to help us understand Cajetan. [2432 → 2434] He's much easier to read, [2434 → 2436] John of St. Thomas. [2436 → 2437] He's long, [2437 → 2438] because he explains things [2438 → 2440] over and over again, [2440 → 2442] but he does explain things. [2442 → 2444] Cajetan just says it. [2444 → 2446] Take it or leave it. [2446 → 2447] You see, [2447 → 2449] he uses the word novitie. [2449 → 2450] No, this, [2450 → 2451] here, go. [2451 → 2452] Take this, try it. [2452 → 2453] If you don't get it, [2453 → 2455] too bad. [2455 → 2458] But John of St. Thomas explains, [2458 → 2460] with just a little bit of Cajetan. [2460 → 2465] That same rational soul, [2465 → 2469] with respect to its being in, [2469 → 2471] not in its being, [2471 → 2472] it's not attaining, [2472 → 2473] the action of the mother [2473 → 2476] doesn't attain the being of the soul. [2476 → 2483] It attains its being in the body. [2483 → 2485] The rational soul, [2485 → 2486] with respect to its being in, [2486 → 2488] or union, [2488 → 2489] insofar as it belongs [2489 → 2491] to matter, [2491 → 2492] is the proper terminus [2492 → 2493] of the action [2493 → 2496] of the human seed. [2496 → 2497] So the being in, [2497 → 2498] insofar as it belongs [2498 → 2499] to matter, [2499 → 2500] is the termination [2500 → 2501] of the human seed. [2501 → 2502] That's the term [2502 → 2503] of its action, [2503 → 2508] of its motion. [2508 → 2510] So that it is effectively [2510 → 2513] and directly caused by it. [2513 → 2515] So the being in of the soul, [2515 → 2516] in matter, [2516 → 2518] is caused by [2518 → 2521] the generative action. [2521 → 2522] For the proper action [2522 → 2523] of the human seed [2523 → 2525] finds its term in this, [2525 → 2526] that matter exists [2526 → 2529] as subject to the intellectual soul [2529 → 2535] which arise from outside. [2535 → 2537] For this is what it accomplishes. [2537 → 2539] That's your reference [2539 → 2540] to Aristotle, [2540 → 2541] because as he said, [2541 → 2542] Aristotle understood [2542 → 2545] that the human soul [2545 → 2547] is not like anything else [2547 → 2549] in the world. [2549 → 2551] It's not the product [2551 → 2553] of generation. [2553 → 2554] You know, [2554 → 2555] because he talks about generation, [2555 → 2556] even any movement, [2556 → 2557] any change, [2557 → 2558] he calls it generation. [2558 → 2559] It's matter [2559 → 2560] which had one form [2560 → 2562] takes on another form. [2562 → 2563] That's what generation [2563 → 2566] is for him. [2566 → 2567] But he recognized [2567 → 2569] that the human soul, [2569 → 2570] which is the form [2570 → 2571] of the body, [2571 → 2573] human body, [2573 → 2575] isn't produced [2575 → 2576] like that. [2576 → 2579] Because the human soul [2579 → 2580] has an action [2580 → 2582] which transcends matter. [2582 → 2584] Because it knows [2584 → 2586] universal forms [2586 → 2589] which transcend matter. [2589 → 2591] That's as far as he goes. [2591 → 2592] He just says, [2592 → 2593] well, it comes from outside. [2593 → 2594] That's the word he uses. [2594 → 2596] The soul comes from outside [2596 → 2597] because it doesn't come [2597 → 2598] from matter [2598 → 2600] like your other forms. [2600 → 2602] Because it has an action [2602 → 2603] which transcends matter. [2603 → 2604] So it has a being [2604 → 2605] that transcends matter. [2605 → 2608] So it doesn't come from matter. [2608 → 2609] It comes from outside. [2609 → 2610] So that's what he's [2610 → 2612] referring to there. [2612 → 2613] Thus, if we wish [2613 → 2615] to speak properly, [2615 → 2617] the soul itself [2617 → 2620] is the terminus of creation, [2620 → 2621] whereas the union [2621 → 2622] of soul and body [2622 → 2623] is the terminus [2623 → 2626] of generation. [2626 → 2627] Okay, so the soul [2627 → 2630] is created, [2630 → 2631] but the union of the soul [2631 → 2633] and body is generated. [2633 → 2634] It's what generation means. [2634 → 2636] It's what generation does. [2636 → 2639] It unites these two. [2639 → 2642] That's what its action is for. [2642 → 2646] And that's its term. [2646 → 2650] Okay. [2650 → 2651] How are we doing here? [2651 → 2652] Oh, okay. [2652 → 2655] Good. [2655 → 2656] So now we can use [2656 → 2657] this general doctrine [2657 → 2660] of human generation [2660 → 2661] to speak about the generation [2661 → 2663] exercised by Our Lady [2663 → 2665] in her divine maternity [2665 → 2669] of the God-man. [2669 → 2670] John of St. Thomas [2670 → 2671] goes on to apply it [2671 → 2673] to this special case, [2673 → 2675] what he said about [2675 → 2678] human generation in general, [2678 → 2679] to show, [2679 → 2682] as Charles de Coninck says, [2682 → 2683] that she is truly [2683 → 2686] the mother of God, [2686 → 2687] in the sense of being [2687 → 2690] a generator of God, [2690 → 2692] in what sense she is. [2693 → 2695] Now, his answer is placed, [2695 → 2696] as usual, [2696 → 2697] in the context of a response [2697 → 2699] to an objection. [2699 → 2701] Response in which he applies [2701 → 2703] precisely this general doctrine [2703 → 2704] about human generation [2704 → 2705] to the case [2705 → 2710] of the divine maternity. [2710 → 2711] See, basically, [2711 → 2712] what I already said, [2712 → 2713] but he's gonna really explain it. [2713 → 2715] Even though the Blessed Virgin [2715 → 2716] truly generated [2716 → 2717] the humanity of Christ, [2717 → 2719] says the objector, [2719 → 2721] this generation did not attain [2721 → 2723] his suppositum, [2723 → 2724] which, in fact, [2724 → 2727] is his person. [2727 → 2729] Suppositum is simply [2729 → 2731] a being that has subsistence, [2731 → 2732] don't exist separate [2732 → 2733] from everything else. [2733 → 2735] But when it's a rational being, [2735 → 2736] it's a person, okay? [2736 → 2737] The suppositum is the same thing [2737 → 2739] as person. [2739 → 2741] This generation did not attain [2741 → 2743] his suppositum, [2743 → 2744] says the objector, [2744 → 2745] because his humanity [2745 → 2747] was assumed by another action [2747 → 2750] that did not pertain to her. [2750 → 2751] And so she was only [2751 → 2752] the mother of God, [2752 → 2754] materially and per accidents, [2754 → 2755] since her action stopped [2755 → 2757] at the being of the human nature [2757 → 2759] and did not directly touch [2759 → 2761] the supposit or person. [2761 → 2763] Okay, so what the objection says is, [2763 → 2764] well, she's not the mother [2764 → 2765] of the person, [2765 → 2769] she just created this body [2769 → 2772] that afterwards was assumed. [2772 → 2773] So she just, [2773 → 2776] her action doesn't attain [2776 → 2777] the divine person [2777 → 2781] who later assumed [2781 → 2785] this body that she had produced. [2789 → 2791] Even, again, later in the, [2791 → 2794] not necessarily in a sense of time, [2794 → 2796] but just logically. [2796 → 2798] Or she created this nature [2798 → 2800] and then God assumes it, [2800 → 2803] so she doesn't attain [2803 → 2805] the divine person. [2805 → 2807] That's the objection. [2807 → 2809] John of St. Thomas responds [2809 → 2810] by making a parallel, [2810 → 2814] between the being of the soul, [2814 → 2816] that's communicated [2816 → 2818] to the body and generation, [2818 → 2822] that's exercised by all human mothers, [2822 → 2823] and the divine being [2823 → 2824] communicated to the man [2824 → 2825] born of Mary. [2825 → 2828] So just as the being of the soul [2828 → 2833] is communicated to the body [2833 → 2834] by the mother, [2834 → 2836] so the divinity also, [2836 → 2838] in the case of our Lord, [2838 → 2839] is communicated [2839 → 2844] by our Lady to the body [2844 → 2845] and the soul, [2845 → 2847] as you hear. [2847 → 2848] He writes, [2848 → 2849] Nevertheless, according to [2849 → 2850] the teaching of St. Thomas, [2850 → 2851] the Blessed Virgin is both [2851 → 2852] properly and formally [2852 → 2853] the true mother of God, [2853 → 2855] no less than the mother of Peter [2855 → 2858] is formally the mother of that man. [2858 → 2859] For in human generation, [2859 → 2860] the one who generates [2860 → 2863] does not produce the form, [2863 → 2866] nor its existence or subsistence. [2866 → 2867] See, we know all that stuff now. [2867 → 2868] Remember we talked about [2868 → 2869] subsistence, existence, [2869 → 2871] all that stuff, remember? [2871 → 2872] Relation. [2872 → 2873] Anyway, we did. [2873 → 2875] You can listen to the recordings. [2875 → 2879] We said this before. [2879 → 2880] Theology is easy. [2880 → 2882] It's like a language. [2882 → 2883] And it's not a very, [2883 → 2884] I mean, there's not very many words [2884 → 2886] in this language. [2886 → 2889] We just say them over and over again. [2889 → 2891] And eventually, [2891 → 2892] you have to understand [2892 → 2897] what it means. [2897 → 2898] For in human generation, [2898 → 2899] the one who generates [2899 → 2900] does not produce the form, [2900 → 2901] nor its existence, [2901 → 2903] nor its subsistence or substance. [2903 → 2905] Rather, the rational form [2905 → 2907] subsisting in itself [2907 → 2908] is created by God [2908 → 2910] and infused into the body. [2910 → 2913] The mother doesn't create the soul, [2913 → 2915] which is the form. [2915 → 2917] The generator, however, [2917 → 2921] unites that matter to the form. [2921 → 2922] So we're going to see it [2922 → 2925] attains the form as united. [2925 → 2926] Not the form in itself, [2926 → 2928] but as united. [2928 → 2933] And it attains the form as united. [2933 → 2935] Thus, the existence of the soul, [2935 → 2937] which comes from God, [2937 → 2939] is communicated by the generator [2939 → 2942] to the body. [2942 → 2944] And there is no other existence [2944 → 2945] in the body [2945 → 2947] and in the whole composite [2947 → 2949] than the existence of the soul, [2949 → 2952] thus communicated. [2952 → 2953] Because according to St. Thomas, [2953 → 2954] there is only one existence [2954 → 2955] in the composite. [2955 → 2956] That's the whole story of philosophy. [2956 → 2959] But some philosophers were saying [2959 → 2961] that, well, you got the matter [2961 → 2962] and the form [2962 → 2965] and they are kinda stuck together. [2966 → 2969] Suarez says that. [2969 → 2971] The Jesuit. [2971 → 2973] He should never have done philosophy. [2973 → 2976] He's always wrong again. [2976 → 2978] Because what he does, [2978 → 2981] he tries to combine Scotus [2981 → 2983] and St. Thomas, [2983 → 2985] which is even worse. [2985 → 2993] Anyway, what St. Thomas says is that there's only one existence between the form and the body. [2993 → 3001] See, he doesn't understand, as far as I understand, what it means, matter and form. [3001 → 3008] Matter is a potential, form is the act, so it makes one being. [3008 → 3014] Body is matter, soul is the form, so it's one being. [3014 → 3017] There's only one existence in the composite. [3017 → 3024] Hence, since the rational soul has an existence that is of itself, self-subsistence, [3024 → 3029] the rational soul exists on its own. It's immortal. [3029 → 3032] It doesn't need a body to exist, it's self-subsistent. [3032 → 3039] It's not like other forms, material forms, that need matter to exist. [3039 → 3041] And once the matter's gone, well, the form's gone. [3041 → 3044] A dog, when it's dead, is gone, it's sorry. [3044 → 3059] It is no more, and never will be, because its form is brought into existence by its union with the matter. [3059 → 3063] But in the case of matter, it's different. [3063 → 3072] There's still this union, perfect union, there's only one being between the body and soul, [3072 → 3076] but the form can exist by itself. [3076 → 3080] It subsists on its own. [3080 → 3085] So again, hence, since the rational soul has an existence that is of itself, self-subsistence, [3085 → 3093] though communicable to matter, the generation of a human being is said most formally to attain the person [3093 → 3099] inasmuch as the very existence of the soul, which is communicated to the entire composite of person, [3099 → 3101] is communicated to the body by the generator. [3102 → 3107] Thereby constituting the whole human being. [3107 → 3109] Now you see how this is going to work. [3109 → 3112] That's why it's so important to get this right. [3112 → 3118] Because the same thing happens in the divine maternity. [3118 → 3124] Already, in any maternity, I'll read it again, [3124 → 3127] the generation of human being is said most formally to attain the person [3127 → 3130] inasmuch as the very existence of the soul, [3130 → 3133] which is communicated to the entire composite of person, [3133 → 3140] because there's only one person, with one being, this man, made of body and soul. [3140 → 3150] So the existence of the soul is communicated to the whole by the generator, [3150 → 3154] thereby constituting the whole human being. [3154 → 3160] Similarly, therefore, and this is the conclusion, [3160 → 3167] in Christ there is only one unique existence, [3167 → 3169] which belongs to the person or supposit, [3169 → 3174] and is communicated to the nature as the same St. Thomas teaches. [3174 → 3179] And he gives a reference to the very important article in the Tertiary Priors, [3179 → 3183] question 17, article 2, [3183 → 3187] where he explains that there's only one essay in Our Lord Jesus Christ. [3187 → 3189] I mentioned it before. [3190 → 3193] Which is, the eternal being of the Son of God, [3193 → 3196] which is the divine nature becomes the being of the man [3196 → 3203] inasmuch as the human nature is assumed by the Son of God into the unity of his person. [3203 → 3209] So, to terminate, he goes on to explain this. [3209 → 3210] Would you get the idea? [3210 → 3214] There's this being of the word that's communicated to the human nature. [3214 → 3217] Well, first to the soul and then to the body. [3220 → 3222] Because, like I said, it existed before, [3222 → 3227] and it's like as if you added a hand onto a man who already existed. [3227 → 3230] Yet this being of the word, of the subsistent, [3230 → 3233] was communicated in a certain order. [3233 → 3239] First to the soul, by a priority of nature, not of time, [3239 → 3241] and then to the body. [3241 → 3244] For by nature the soul was assumed before the body, [3244 → 3247] and through the soul the body, as St. Thomas teaches. [3247 → 3250] In such a way that the assumption of the word, [3250 → 3256] mixed itself simultaneously with the very creation of the soul, [3256 → 3261] impeding the soul from having its own proper subsistence and existence, [3261 → 3266] and substituting its own by the act of assumption. [3266 → 3270] So you didn't have a soul that existed and then a sort of, [3270 → 3273] the second person, Blessed Trinity, kind of moves in on it. [3273 → 3276] It didn't exist yet. [3276 → 3280] The existence of the second person, Blessed Trinity, [3280 → 3285] substituted is existence for the existence of the soul. [3285 → 3292] There's only one being in Christ, otherwise you wouldn't be one. [3292 → 3296] So the being of our Lord is one being, [3296 → 3301] and it's the being of the Second Person, Blessed Trinity. [3301 → 3304] See, our Lord really is God. [3304 → 3308] I mean, those aren't just words. [3308 → 3310] He doesn't have any human being. [3310 → 3312] In a way, he's not a human being. [3312 → 3316] Don't say that, because people interpret that as he didn't have a true human nature, [3316 → 3319] but he doesn't have a human being. [3319 → 3322] He has a divine being. [3322 → 3327] And he has a true human nature, but his being is a divine being, [3327 → 3330] because there can only be one being. [3330 → 3333] Otherwise he'd be two. [3338 → 3344] Since therefore, in that moment, [3344 → 3349] the Blessed Virgin's generative action attained to the union of the formed body [3349 → 3354] with the soul, which God was infusing, [3354 → 3359] it assumed that same being and subsistence that it found in the soul [3359 → 3361] and communicated to the body. [3361 → 3363] That's the punchline. [3363 → 3366] The being of the soul of our Lord, [3366 → 3368] the being of the soul of our Lord, [3368 → 3372] is the being of God. [3372 → 3375] And by generating the body [3375 → 3381] and attaining to the soul as united to the body, [3381 → 3384] she attained to the divine being, [3384 → 3390] because the being of the soul was the divine being. [3390 → 3393] She's truly the Mother of God. [3393 → 3395] She attains the divine being. [3395 → 3401] I figure that out, I have no idea what that means. [3401 → 3407] That's the mystery. [3407 → 3411] Thus, just as the ordinary generative action communicates to the body [3411 → 3414] the proper natural being of the soul, [3414 → 3417] wherefore a mother is formally said to be the mother of the human being [3417 → 3420] and of the person subsisting in humanity, [3420 → 3423] so also the generation by the Virgin communicates to the body [3423 → 3427] the being and subsistence of the word, [3427 → 3431] which is found in the assumed soul. [3431 → 3433] She just found it there. [3433 → 3436] Like a normal mother finds the existence of the soul, [3436 → 3444] in the soul she also found the divine being. [3444 → 3447] Hence, she is most formally said to be the mother of that man, [3447 → 3451] or rather, of the divine person as subsisting in that humanity [3451 → 3454] composed of body and soul. [3454 → 3463] Just as any mother attains to the soul insofar as it is the form of the body. [3463 → 3470] Wow, that went a long time. Sorry. [3470 → 3476] Omnia claras ut. [3481 → 3487] Have you heard of Donvonier? [3487 → 3489] V-O-N-I-E-R? [3489 → 3491] That's somebody you should know. [3491 → 3494] He's another one of these. [3494 → 3500] He's a Benedictine. [3500 → 3504] But he lived in the first half of the 20th century, so he's Thomist. [3504 → 3507] And a very good Thomist. [3511 → 3515] He has a book called The Divine Motherhood where he talks about this, [3515 → 3519] but we can't go into it. [3519 → 3521] I'll just finish. [3521 → 3530] Finally, Charles de Connaught adds that since sapientia involves knowledge, [3530 → 3533] not that it's just knowledge, [3533 → 3539] because it's not just an accident, it's wisdom itself, [3539 → 3541] but there is knowledge involved, [3541 → 3546] these words ego sapientia imply the fact that it was consciously and freely [3546 → 3551] that Our Lady became this principle of the procession of God, [3551 → 3554] according to the humanity he assumed. [3554 → 3555] He writes, [3555 → 3559] Nevertheless, wisdom implies knowledge, procession according to knowledge. [3559 → 3563] So she's a principle according to knowledge. [3563 → 3566] For the Blessed Virgin to be truly wisdom, [3566 → 3569] it is necessary that she be, even in relation to God, [3569 → 3570] in addition to her divine maternity, [3570 → 3571] according to knowledge. [3571 → 3572] According to the flesh, [3572 → 3577] first principle according to intelligence. [3577 → 3579] This is what she declares in her fiat, [3579 → 3583] be it done unto me according to your word. [3583 → 3589] That is, she was principled freely with knowledge, [3589 → 3595] because the angel said to her, proposed to her what she was to do, [3595 → 3600] and she accepted freely. [3600 → 3606] Fiat of Mary, echo of the fiat of Genesis, [3606 → 3612] word from which proceeds the new order to which the old one was preordained. [3612 → 3614] See, everything is all arranged. [3614 → 3619] The idea of God from the very beginning was the incarnation. [3619 → 3624] Our Lord Jesus Christ, with his mother, [3624 → 3626] is the end of all things. [3626 → 3628] He's the omega. [3630 → 3634] The end of all things. [3634 → 3640] Father Colmy writes similarly in some private notes, [3640 → 3643] God said fiat, and creation existed. [3643 → 3646] Our creature Mary said fiat mici, [3646 → 3648] and God became present in her. [3648 → 3650] I think maybe I've quoted that before. [3650 → 3654] Action and reaction. [3654 → 3656] He quotes St. Alansom, [3656 → 3659] God who made all things himself made himself from Mary. [3659 → 3663] Ipse se ex Maria fecit. [3663 → 3667] And thus he remade all that he had made. [3667 → 3669] Fiat of Mary on this word, [3669 → 3670] principle of the eternal word, [3670 → 3671] by whom all things were made, [3671 → 3673] is suspended the entire universe. [3673 → 3675] Okay, I'm already done. [3675 → 3676] It's over now. [3676 → 3678] That's too much, but anyway. [3678 → 3679] It's over. [3679 → 3688] Finished. [3688 → 3693] So the end of vespers is the end of the retreat. [3693 → 3695] You know, there's a plenary indulgence [3695 → 3699] attached to these retreats. [3699 → 3701] I need a crucifix though. [3701 → 3705] Do we have one? [3705 → 3706] So maybe at the end of vespers, [3706 → 3707] I can give that to you. [3707 → 3711] Come and get me. [3711 → 3716] Can we say the Angelus? [3716 → 3717] Declare it unto Mary. [3717 → 3718] Declare it unto Mary. [3718 → 3719] Declare it unto Mary. [3719 → 3720] Declare it unto Mary. [3720 → 3721] Declare it unto Mary. [3721 → 3722] Declare it unto Mary. [3722 → 3723] Declare it unto Mary. [3723 → 3724] Declare it unto Mary. [3724 → 3725] Declare it unto Mary. [3725 → 3726] Declare it unto Mary. [3726 → 3727] Declare it unto Mary. [3727 → 3728] Declare it unto Mary. [3728 → 3729] Declare it unto Mary. [3729 → 3730] Declare it unto Mary. [3730 → 3731] Declare it unto Mary. [3731 → 3732] Declare it unto Mary. [3732 → 3733] Declare it unto Mary. [3733 → 3734] Declare it unto Mary. [3734 → 3735] Declare it unto Mary. [3735 → 3736] Declare it unto Mary. [3736 → 3737] Declare it unto Mary. [3737 → 3738] Declare it unto Mary. [3738 → 3739] Declare it unto Mary. [3739 → 3740] Declare it unto Mary. [3740 → 3741] Declare it unto Mary. [3741 → 3743] now and at the hour of our death. Amen. [3743 → 3744] And the word is made. [3744 → 3746] And the Lord is with us. [3746 → 3748] Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. [3748 → 3750] Blessed art thou among women, [3750 → 3751] blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. [3752 → 3754] Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners [3754 → 3756] now and at the hour of our death. Amen. [3757 → 3758] Pray for us, Holy Mother of God. [3759 → 3761] That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. [3761 → 3762] Let us pray. [3763 → 3764] For forthwith we beseech thee, O Lord, [3764 → 3765] a grace into our hearts, [3765 → 3767] that we, through the incarnation of Christ thy Son, [3767 → 3769] as we know by the message of an angel, [3769 → 3771] may by his passion and cause be brought [3771 → 3772] to the glory of his resurrection. [3773 → 3774] In the name of Christ, amen.