Chapter

 1 VI   |         the Holy Ghost, in whose flower the Holy Spirit rested with
 2 VI   |          the Son of Mary is that flower, of whom it is said in Isaias: "
 3 VI   |         the root of Jesse, and a flower shall ascend from that root,
 4 VI   |       fear of the Lord." On this flower was a great abundance of
 5 VI   |         has overflowed from this flower into the whole garden, how
 6 VI   |        in the rod or stem of the flower, in Mary herself? Let Mary,
 7 VI   |         Spirit must look for the flower of the Holy Spirit in the
 8 VI   |         or stem we attain to the flower, and so to the Spirit that
 9 VI   |       Spirit that rests upon the flower. By Mary we approach to
10 X    |        mother is, therefore, the flower of mercy, the mother of
11 XI   |     before him; with thee as the flower is with the stem which produces
12 XI   | lightsome of all luminaries, the Flower which is more precious than
13 XI   |         wonderful flowering this Flower, the Queen entering in to
14 XII  |         Lord is with Mary as the flower is with the budding stem.
15 XII  |         the root of Jesse, and a flower shall ascend from that root,
16 XII  |          the rod and then to the flower.~First consider, that this
17 XII  |         cold, pass, and then the flower of virtue will appear again.
18 XII  |          Let us now consider the flower of this rod; let us consider
19 XII  |       the Virgin Mary a fourfold flower, a precious flower, a flower
20 XII  |      fourfold flower, a precious flower, a flower of virginity,
21 XII  |     flower, a precious flower, a flower of virginity, of virtuous
22 XII  |    glorious immortality.~Of this flower consider, first, in Mary
23 XII  |     consider, first, in Mary the flower of precious virginity, which
24 XII  |          shall rejoice and shall flower as a lily." Mary can fittingly
25 XII  |       angelical lily! O heavenly flower! O truly heavenly flower!
26 XII  |         flower! O truly heavenly flower! whom that supercelestial
27 XII  |           which is interpreted a flower, flew towards thee, and
28 XII  |       came to the sweet smelling flower of thy perpetual virginity,
29 XII  |         it, he embraced it." The flower of virginity has as many
30 XII  |       greatly the crowns of this flower were multiplied by Mary!
31 XII  |           In the whole world the flower Mary weaves unfading crowns,
32 XII  |   Secondly, consider in Mary the flower of virtuous reputation,
33 XII  |      flowers. Note also that the flower of honesty, of a good reputation,
34 XII  |        good reputation, yea, the flower of any virtue has, as it
35 XII  |    Thirdly, consider in Mary the flower of her miraculous fecundity.
36 XII  |       miraculous fecundity. This flower is the Son of the Virgin,
37 XII  |         the root of Jesse, and a flower shall arise from its root."
38 XII  |         Oh, how beautifully this flower came forth, being born without
39 XII  |  according to that word: "Like a flower he goeth forth and is crushed."
40 XII  |         in His bruising was this flower! A flower, I say, delightful
41 XII  |      bruising was this flower! A flower, I say, delightful to the
42 XII  |          St. Bernard saith: "The flower is the Son of the Virgin,
43 XII  |         the Son of the Virgin, a flower white and ruddy, a flower
44 XII  |        flower white and ruddy, a flower on whom the angels long
45 XII  |       the angels long to look, a flower by whose perfume mortals
46 XII  |       wood which produces such a flower! Happier the stem or rod
47 XII  |        in the wood produces this flower ! Happy above all the flower,
48 XII  |     flower ! Happy above all the flower, without whom there can
49 XII  |        happy! Truly a most happy flower, in which the Holy Ghost
50 XII  |         at last rested upon this flower, so that without Christ
51 XII  |          fear of the Lord." This flower has, as it were, as many
52 XII  |       thou desirest to have this flower, thou must bend its stem
53 XII  |        to thee by prayer. If the flower is exceedingly high by its
54 XII  |          by its love. And if the flower is most rare, because neither
55 XII  | nevertheless most common, like a flower not enclosed in a garden,
56 XII  |      could Christ say: "I am the flower of the field." He can be
57 XII  |       field." He can be called a flower of the field, not only because
58 XII  |       did the womb of the Virgin flower, so did the chaste and entire
59 XII  |           Fourthly, consider the flower of gracious immortality,
60 XII  |        integrity of Mary; in the flower, the beauty of her glorified
61 XII  |       blooms and fades." But the flower perishes in death, as it
62 XII  |       grass is withered, and the flower is fallen." It will flower
63 XII  |       flower is fallen." It will flower again in a glorious resurrection,
64 XII  |        has flowered again." This flower of the glorification of
65 XII  |       both fruit and flowers: as flower, her glorified body; and
66 XII  |          her glorified spirit. A flower indeed in the beauty of
67 XII  |        to the aforesaid fourfold flower, the Virgin Mary has a fourfold
68 XII  |       Virgin Mary has a fourfold flower of virginity, and a fourfold
69 XII  |        virginity, and a fourfold flower of fecundity; she has the
70 XII  |        of fecundity; she has the flower of good repute and the flower
71 XII  |    flower of good repute and the flower of humility; she has at
72 XII  |       same time in her Child the flower of humanity and the fruit
73 XII  |         has at the same time the flower of immortality in the body
74 XII  |          truly with thee, as the flower is with the stem which produced
75 XII  |          us, and give to us this flower, the Lord Jesus Christ.
76 XIII |        which precedes it, as the flower is with the stem which produces
77 XIII |       stem or rod to the eternal flower, producing the flower of
78 XIII |    eternal flower, producing the flower of mercy; let us now consider
79 XIII |     which goes before it, as the flower is with the flowering stem,
80 XIII |          with us also may be the flower of grace! O most powerful
81 XVI  |       rod of Aaron, retained the flower of virginity together with
82 XVI  |        in such a manner that the flower of virginity did not fall."
83 XVI  |         which is interpreted as "flower." For St. Bernard says: "
84 XVI  |          be born, because of the flower is hoped the coming of the
85 XVII |         says: "This fruit is the flower of the rod, of whom Isaias
86 XVII |         the root of Jesse, and a flower shall ascend from its root.' "
87 XVII |      from garden to garden, from flower to flower, from tree to
88 XVII |        to garden, from flower to flower, from tree to tree, in search
89 XVII |       just soul to another; from flower to flower, that is, from
90 XVII |          another; from flower to flower, that is, from one virtue
91 XVII |       ruminate chiefly upon that flower in which you will find the
92 XVII |          divine honey, upon that flower which is both flower and
93 XVII |        that flower which is both flower and fruit, of which St.
94 XVII |     which St. Ambrose says: "The Flower of Mary is Christ, who,
95 XVIII|  Therefore St. Jerome says: "The Flower of Mary became fruit, that