OUR SOLITARY BOAST

Abbot Raymond:
Evening Chapter on the Feast of the Presentation of Mary
OUR SOLITARY BOAST

There are many beautiful and meaningful titles given to our Blessed Lady by Catholic Tradition. One need only read the Litany of our Lady to be reminded of most of them: Ark of the Covenant, Gate of Heaven, Morning Star, and very many others. However there is another title of hers, one as beautiful and as meaningful as any of the others. But this one comes to us from a source outside of Catholic Tradition itself. This is the Title: ‘Our Tainted Nature’s Solitary Boast’. This so beautiful and so meaningful a title was coined for us by no less a literary figure than the great William Wordsworth, one of the greatest poets of our language.

And surely, in spite of its provenance from outside the Roman Catholic tradition, any good Catholic soul will rejoice in this title and feel privileged to acknowledge and value its insights. Mary is indeed our tainted nature’s solitary boast. She alone is the one who gave absolutely everything to God. She alone never refused him anything. She alone was utterly and completely conformed to his will in all things. Her love, her faith, her obedience, have never been equaled or surpassed by anyone else among us.
This is surely the basis of our Feast today. We offer her to God as the perfection, and utter fulfilment of all he wants us to be. We rejoice in her and even take pride in her. We feel that here is one of us who brings to our God nothing but satisfaction and joy. Here is one, our Sister, on whose account God cannot but be drawn to be gracious to the rest of her family – “They have no wine!” sums it up so perfectly.

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