Meditation for August 18, The Divine Indwelling

In order to portray vividly and realistically the doctrine ex­pressed by St. John (xiv, 23) that the Three Persons of the Trinity dwell in souls in grace and particularly in Mary, Mother of Divine Grace, sculptors of the thirteenth or fourteenth century, motivated by an inspiration more theological than artistic, produced some curious Madonnas.

Mary, explained the Holy Fathers, in accordance with the Scrip­tures, is the "Very noble receptacle of the Holy Trinity." The sculptors wished to show that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit truly dwelt in Mary. Consequently, they made statues either of wood or ivory, so sectioned that they could be opened in the form of a triptych. When closed they looked like any other statue of Mary, which sometimes pictured her seated with the Infant Jesus on her knees, or standing, with Him in her arms.

When open, they formed three sculptured or painted panels, joined together by hinges; the two side panels worked like the doors of a cupboard; when they were opened there could be seen inside of the statue, the Three Divine Persons according to the classic model of the period, which represented the Father as a ven­erable old man holding the ends of the intersecting beam of the Cross to which the Son was nailed; between the Face of the Father and the Head of the Son was the dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Although of doubtful artistic value they were certainly graphic representations.

I will retain the picture in order to fix the idea. This presence of God in Mary is a reality. And the presence of the Holy Trinity in me as long as I am in the state of grace, is also a reality. I need not imagine it on the model of a visible material presence. God is a pure spirit; His spiritual presence is just as real as the presence of a body. God is present in me, somewhat in the same manner as my soul, which is a spirit, is present in me.

"O Mother, give me the grace to penetrate profoundly into myself to find the great God who never leaves me. Teach me recollection, the habit of returning easily within myself; enlighten my supernatural in­telligence; intensify my faith."
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From Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)