Mother of God, how wondrous the decree
That God should learn obedience under thee:
That Wisdom's Self this awful potency
Should to a Creature give, and thus would be
Subject indeed, for thirty years, to thee.
And who so simple, gentle, sweet as He?
How light obedience was. How readily
Gave He Himself to each command from thee.
Divine He made obedience; teaching thee
How to command Divine Humility.
In that calm Hidden Life there could not be
Or flaw, or imperfection. There would be
The Order of Divine Tranquillity,
Through which His Sacred Human Soul could
The Vision Beatific ceaselessly.
And Mary's Soul, a never-ebbing sea
Of holy contemplation, plunged in Thee,
O Fount Perennial of the Trinity:
While Love maternal blessed the right to be
The Ruler of God's dear Humanity.
O sacred Spring of pure Maternity,
That hadst no part in pure Divinity:
Thou as a creature grewest, thus to be
Evermore full of capability,
Evermore nigh the Source of Charity.
O Full of Grace - to bridge Infinity;
That all but toucheth God's Divinity;
That gave the Mother's hand stability;
That lent the Mother's voice authority,
And wove the golden link her God to tie.
He learned Obedience, and she learned to be
A Queen and Intercessor both. Thus He
His Mother taught through human ways; and she
Learned to command - yet studied secretly
His Will, who bowed to her authority.
- text taken from Mary: The Perfect Woman, by Emily Mary Shapcote