The Mother of Christ is a virgin. When God took on human form, he wanted to assure this characteristic in his mother. By virtue of our vow of chastity, it is essential for us to make this commitment shine forth, even if the contemporary culture does not grasp its full meaning. Because we have made vows of chastity, we are designated as virgins. This characteristic is one of the crown jewels of Mary’s divine motherhood.
Servant of God Père Jacques de Jésus
Retreat for the Carmel of Pontoise
Conference 6, Virginity in God and in Mary
Wednesday Evening, 8 September 1943
Jacques, P 2005, Listen to the silence: a retreat with Père Jacques, translated from the French and edited by Murphy F, ICS Publications, Washington DC.
Featured image: The Annunciation by Andrea Solario (Italian, ca. 1465–1524), called Andrea di Bartolo, oil on wood, 1506. This artwork was recovered after World War II, retrieved by the Office des Biens et Intérêts Privés (OBIP) and destined to be returned to its rightful owner once they have been identified. Online records of all MNR (‘National Museums Recovery’) works can be found on the French Ministry of Culture’s Rose Valland database. Image credit: Louvre Museum via sailko / Wikimedia Commons (Some rights reserved)
Carmelite Quotes 
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