[Cf. Benjamin Britten, Op. 28, A Ceremony of Carols.]
Robert Southwell (1561—1595) was born in Horsham St Faith’s, Norfolk. He was educated by the Jesuits in Douai (France) and in Rome. He was ordained a priest in 1584 and returned to England in 1586 with Fr Henry Garnett (subsequently executed for alleged complicity in the Gunpowder plot). For six years he laboured to promote and preserve the faith amidst the persecution of Elizabeth. He became domestic chaplain in 1589 to the Countess of Arundel. He was captured at Uxendon Hall, Harrow, in 1592 when going to celebrate Mass. He was repeatedly cruelly tortured and after three years imprisonment was executed in the barbaric way characteristic of the time. He wrote many poems, most of them while he was in prison. He was beatified in 1929 by Pius XI, and canonised by Paul VI in 1970.
In his pride, Lucifer wanted to become like God. It was denied him. God from all eternity had determined in his bounty that only those who humbled themselves would become like Him. When God, to give us the best of example, humbled himself and became man, he enabled man to become like God. The Church puts before us a mystical explanation of the business by Blessed Isaac of Stella in the Office of Readings (Saturday, Second week of Advent). The saint is apparently considering Ecclesiasticus Chapter 24, which the Church applies to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“The Son of God is the firstborn among many brethren. Though by nature he is the Only-begotten, by grace he united many to himself to be one with him. For to those who receive him he gave power to become sons of God.
“When therefore he was made a son of man, he made many to be sons of God. By his love and power he united—as one—many to himself. In themselves, by their birth in the flesh, they are many; but by their divine rebirth they are one with him.
“For Christ, Head and Body, is one, whole and unique. But this one Christ is of one God in heaven and one mother on earth. This Christ is both many sons—and one son. For as Head and Body are one son and many sons, so Mary and the Church are one mother—and many; one virgin—and many.
“Each is mother, each is virgin: both conceive in holiness from the same Spirit; both bring forth a child without sin for God the Father. Mary gave birth to the absolutely sinless Head, for the Body. The Church gave birth, in the forgiveness of every sin, to the Body for the Head. Each is the mother of Christ, but neither without the other gives birth to the whole Christ.
“And so in the divinely inspired scriptures, what is said in general of the Virgin Mother, the Church, is said individually of the Virgin Mary. And what is said in the particular case of the Virgin Mother, Mary, is rightly understood of the Virgin Mother, the Church, universally. And when mention is made of either, it is to be understood almost indifferently and conjointly of both.
“Every faithful soul, spouse of the Word of God—mother, daughter and sister of Christ is understood to be a virgin with her own form of fertility. This is said of the whole Church, more particularly of Mary and individually of the faithful soul by the Wisdom itself of God, the Father’s Word.
“Therefore the text continues: ‘I shall abide in the inheritance of the Lord’ [Ecclus: 24: 11]. The inheritance of the Lord universally is the Church, more particularly Mary, and individually, every faithful soul. Christ abode for nine months in the tent of Mary’s womb: he abides until the consummation of the ages in the tent of the Church’s faith. He will abide for ever and ever in the knowledge and love of the faithful soul.”
