Part three, Chapter III: Mary's Heart, the Throne of King Solomon

Mary's Heart, the Throne of King Solomon

Among the many beautiful qualities attributed by the Holy Ghost to the Blessed Virgin Mary, one stands out preeminently. It is contained in these words of the eighty-sixth psalm, which Holy Church and her Doctors apply to the Mother of God: "Glorious things are said of thee, 0 city of God." (1)

Mary is indeed the great and glorious city of God, the holy city, the city of Jerusalem, the city of peace, the royal city, "the city of the great King."(2) The King of Kings built this city with His own hands; He exempted her entirely from the infamous tribute of sin; He honored her with countless great and extraordinary privileges; He enriched her with inestimable gifts and treasures and He established His first and most glorious abode within her Heart. In her He chose to reveal the rarest marvels of His power and royal magnificence.

0 Holy City of God, what high and admirable things must be said and thought of thee! Thou are not only the city of the great King, 0 incomparable Virgin, thou art also His royal and eternal palace. "Yes," says St. Bonaventure, "this heavenly maiden is the sacred palace of the great God: Sacratum Dei palatium! (3) Now, if Mary is the palace of the King of Kings, her heart must be the King's imperial throne.

This magnificent throne is perfectly represented by the throne of King Solomon, as described in the Book of Kings.(4) We read there that this great king erected a throne of ivory in his house on Lebanus and covered it with brilliant gold. Six steps led up to this throne; the top of it was rounded at the back, and there were two hands on either side to hold the seat, with two large lions standing near, while small lions stood upon either side of the six steps. Never was any similar throne made in any kingdom of the world. (1). Ps. 86, 3 (2). Ps. 47, 3 (3). In Carminibus super Salve Regina. (4). 3 Kings 10, 18-20.

There is another throne of King Solomon which also represents Our Lady's Heart most perfectly. The third chapter of the Canticle of Canticles describes it as follows: "King Solomon hath made him a litter of the wood of Libanus. The pillars thereof he made of silver, the seat of gold, the going up of purple: the midst he covered with charity for the daughters of Jerusalem." (5)

In the same chapter, immediately before the description of this throne mention is made of Solomon's bed with the following words: "Behold~ threescore valiant ones of the most valiant of Israel surrounded the bed of Solomon. All holding swords, and most expert in war; every man's sword upon his thigh, because of fears in the night." (6)

What does all this mean? Here is the answer.

The throne and the couch of Solomon symbolize the same representation, namely the holy Heart of the Queen of the world, the couch representing the Heart in contemplation, the litter describing in it action. Mary's Heart is at once the throne and the bed of the true Solomon, Jesus Christ, Our Lord. It is the bed on which He rests in the sweetness and calm of contemplation. It is the litter in which love and charity that set Him on this throne, carry Him from place to place, that He may reign everywhere for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. An illustrious commentator expresses a similar thought when he says: "The bed of Solomon represents the heart resting in the sweetness of contemplation. His litter is the heart going about in the exercise of good works." (7)

Who arc the valiant ones surrounding Solomon's bed well armed and expert in war? According to St. Bernard and several other learned Doctors, they are the angels and the mightiest among the angels, namely the Seraphim, who armed with God's strength and expert in combat against His enemies, always kept watch around the seraphic Heart of their Empress, in the world's dark night. They kept guard against the fears in the night, that is, they prevented the powers of darkness to approach and in any way trouble the divine Solomon as He rested on this holy couch.(8)

But let us return to Solomon's litter. He designed it with his own hands like the throne of the palace on Libanus: Fecit sibi. (9) In like manner, our adorable Solomon is Himself the author of the incomparable masterpiece of Mary's Heart. He prepared for Himself a throne worthy (5). Cant. 3, 9-10 (6). Cant. 3, 7-8. (7). Hugh of St. Victor, Erudit, Theolog., lib. 1, tit. 61. (8). S. Bern. in Deprecat. ad Virgin; Honorius Augustodum. Presbyter. (9). Cant. 3, 9.

of His infinite grandeur and eternal majesty in the august Heart of His glorious Mother.

We have good reason to call Solomon's litter a figure of the throne of the King of Kings, namely of the Heart of the most holy Mother of this great King. St. Gregory of Nyssa tells us that this throne of Solomon is "a figure of the heart of every faithful Christian," (10) and a famous Doctor says that "the heart of the true Christian is the litter of the Son of God, because it goes where the one it bears wills that it should go, and never elsewhere." (11) This was fulfilled more perfectly in the Heart of the holy Virgin than in the hearts of even the holiest of creatures. Her virginal Heart never experienced inclinations or affections other than those it derived from the Master who held absolute sway over it.

Solomon's throne was made of incorruptible wood of the cedar of Libanus, to show that the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of God was not only preserved from the corruption of sin, but also that its superabundance of heavenly graces rendered it incapable of sin by grace, as God is incapable of sin by nature.

The four columns of Solomon's throne are the four cardinal virtues, which sustain the throne of the true Solomon, namely justice, prudence, fortitude and temperance. The pillars made of silver denote the candor of innocence preserved in the heart that possesses them. This symbol was eminently verified in the most pure and innocent Heart of the Queen of all virtues.

The gold seat represents free-will transformed by love into the adorable love of God. It can be truly said with David, the Royal Prophet, "Whatever befall me, my soul shall trust the Lord in all things, with humility and submission to His will. From Him is my salvation. He is my God, m y stronghold, my living rock, nothing can shake me." (12) Every human will attaining this state of submission becomes the seat of the throne of Jesus, and in the will of His Blessed Mother this was accomplished in a most perfect manner. Therefore St. Peter Damian calls her "the golden seat on which, after the tumult and disorder occasioned by the sins Of angels and men, He sought and found His rest." (13)

The "going up" or back of purple represents ardent desire for the glory of God, for the sanctification of His name and the accomplishment of His will on earth as it is accomplished i n heaven. It symbolizes the di (10). Homil. 7. (11). Richard of St. Victor. (12). Ps. 61, Philip des Portes version. (13). Serm. de Annunt.

vine love that constantly urged the zealous Heart of the Mother of Love upward and onward to do and suffer great things towards the fulfillment of the designs of the Creator.

Finally, our beloved Christ prefigured by Solomon, filled His throne with Charity for the daughters of Jerusalem, that is, for all souls, especially for each Christian soul, and more particularly still for the beloved children of His Blessed Mother's Heart. These are the humble, pure and charitable souls who entertain a singular devotion towards her maternal Heart. Yes, our lovable Solomon filled the virginal Heart with charity towards us, for He did everything for us, as the Apostle St. Paul says: "All things are for your sakes." (14) If He created the world, it was for us; i f He became Man, it was for us; if He was born in a stable, it was for our sake. For us He remained thirty-four years in this world, accomplished and suffered so many great and extraordinary things and shed the last drop of His precious Blood. For our sake, He died on the Cross, ascended into Heaven, established Holy Church, confided the sacraments to her care, and especially the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar where He resided in person. All this was for us: Ommia propter vos. In like mariner, i f He willed to have a true Mother on earth, it was for our sake. If He made her so good, so wise, so powerful, so full of incomparable privileges and extraordinary powers, it was that she might possess the knowledge, power and desire to protect and assist us in all our necessities. He gave her a Heart filled with charity, benignity, zeal, care and vigilance towards us, that we might profit thereby, i f we but invoke it in our needs with utmost confidence. He set His throne in her Heart for two purposes, both equally useful and profitable to us; Our Saviour made Mary's Heart a throne of honor and glory and established it as a throne of grace and mercy.

Her Heart is a throne of honor and glory, where Our Lord wills to be honored and glorified more than in the hearts of all angels and saints, even though they also are thrones of glory given to Him by His omnipotent Father. "The soul of the just is the seat of wisdom." It is a throne on which all the citizens of Heaven adore and glorify Him without end. It is the throne of which Holy Church speaks when she says: "Upon a high throne I saw a man sitting, whom a multitude of angels adore sing~ ing together: Behold Him the name of whose empire is to eternity." (15) Notice that it is during the Octave of the Epiphany that Holy Church, guided by the Divine Spirit, utters and sings these heavenly words, for the three Kings found and adored the Messias in the arms close to the (14). 2 Cor. 4, 15. (15). Introit for First Sunday after Epipbany.

Heart of His most worthy Mother as up on His royal throne. "They found the child with Mary his mother." (16) If they had had the eyes of angels, they would have beheld and adored Him enthroned within Her Heart, as well as reposing against it. On this throne, Christ wills to receive our homage and humble respects, and the children of the Church Militant must join those of the Church Triumphant in adoring Bud glorifying Him.

Our Lady's Heart is also a throne of grace and mercy, where Christ absolves all sinners who approach Him in a spirit of humility and penance, where He abundantly dispenses His gifts and graces to those who ask Him. Our Lord grants with extraordinary goodness the requests presented by those who render to Him, in the Heart of His most honored Mother, the homage He desires to receive there. He wishes to be praised and glorified in the hearts and even in the bodies of His saints and "Glorify and bear God in your body." (17) How much more, then, should we not honor and magnify Our Saviour in the Heart of His Blessed Mother?

Let us approach with humility, respect and confidence this throne of grace and mercy, and the Son of God will grant us every blessing we ask through the Heart of His glorious Mother. "Let us go therefore with confidence to the throne of grace: that we may obtain mercy, and find grace." (18) (16). Matt. 2, 11. (17). 1 Cor. 6, 20. (18). Heb. 4, 16. 84-