ubt that God, by
His grace, made her worthy of that office, according to the words
spoken to her by the angel (Luke 1:30, 31): "Thou hast found grace
with God: behold thou shalt conceive," etc. But she would not have
been worthy to be the Mother of God, if she had ever sinned. First,
because the honor of the parents reflects on the child, according to
Prov. 17:6: "The glory of children are their fathers": and
consequently, on the other hand, the Mother's shame would have
reflected on her Son. Secondly, because of the singular affinity
between her and Christ, who took flesh from her: and it is written (
2 Cor. 6:15): "What concord hath Christ with Belial?" Thirdly,
because of the singular manner in which the Son of God, who is the
"Divine Wisdom" (1 Cor. 1:24) dwelt in her, not only in her soul but
in her womb. And it is written (Wis. 1:4): "Wisdom will not enter
into a malicious soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sins."

We must therefore confess simply that the Blessed Virgin committed no
actual sin, neither mortal nor venial; so that what is written (Cant
4:7) is fulfilled: "Thou art all fair, O my love, and there is not a
spot in thee," etc.

Reply Obj. 1: After her sanctification the fomes remained in the
Blessed Virgin, but fettered; lest she should be surprised by some
sudden inordinate act, antecedent to the act of reason. And although
the grace of her sanctification contributed to this effect, yet it
did not suffice; for otherwise the result of her sanctification would
have been to render impossible in her any sensual movement not
preceded by an act of reason, and thus she would not have had the
fomes, which is contrary to what we have said above (A. 3). We must
therefore say that the above mentioned fettering (of the fomes) was
perfected by divine providence not permitting any inordinate motion
to result from the fomes.

Reply Obj. 2: Origen (Hom. xvii in Luc.) and certain other doctors
expound these words of Simeon as referring to the sorrow which she
suffered at the time of our Lord's Passion. Ambrose (in Luc. 2:35)
says that the sword signifies "Mary's prudence which took note of the
heavenly mystery. For the word of God is living and effectual, and
more piercing than any two-edged sword" (Heb. 4:12).

Others again take the sword to signify doubt. But this is to be
understood of the doubt, not of unbelief, but of wonder and
discussion. Thus Basil says (Ep. ad Optim.) that "the Blessed Virgin
while st