Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres
CHAPTER I SAINT MICHIEL DE LA MER DEL PERIL The Archangel loved heights. Standing on the summit of the tower that crowned his church, wings upspread, sword uplifted, the devil crawling beneath, and the cock, symbol of eternal vigilance, perched on his mailed foot, Saint Michael held a place of his own in heaven and on earth which seems, in the eleventh century, to leave hardly room for the Virgin of the Crypt at Chartres, still less for the Beau Christ of the thirteenth century at Amiens. The Archangel stands for Church and State, and both militant. He is the conqueror of Satan, the mightiest of all created spirits, the nearest to God. His place was where the danger was greatest; therefore you find him here. For the same reason he was, while the pagan danger lasted, the patron saint of France. So the Normans, when they were converted to Christianity, put themselves under his powerful protection. So he stood for centuries on his Mount in Peril of the Sea, watching across the tremor of the immense ocean,-immensi tremor oceani,-as Louis XI, inspired for once to poetry, inscribed on the collar of the Order of Saint Michael which he created. So soldiers, nobles,
him and seize his inheritance. So they caught him, cast him out of the
vineyard, and slew him. When, therefore, the lord of the vineyard
comes, what will he do to these husbandsmen?
They said to Jesus, He will destroy these miserable and wicked men and
he will rent out his vineyard to others who will render him the fruits
in their seasons.
Jesus said, Did ye never read in the scriptures: The stone which the
builders rejected is the same that has become the cornerstone; this is
the Lord's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes?
I tell you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a
nation that brings forth its fruits. Whoever falls on this stone shall
be broken. On whomever this stone falls, he will be ground into powder.
When the chief priests and Pharisees heard these parables, they saw
that Jesus spoke about them. But when they thought of laying hands on
Him, they feared the multitude because they took Jesus for a prophet.
22 Jesus related more parables. He said, The kingdom of heaven
is like a king who arranged a marriage feast for his son. He sent his
servants forth to call those who were invited to the wedding but they
did not come. He sent other servants to say, Dinner is prepared. The
king's oxen and fatlings are killed. Everything is ready. Come to the
marriage. Those who were invited made light of it and went their ways.
CHAPTER I SAINT MICHIEL DE LA MER DEL PERIL The Archangel loved heights. Standing on the summit of the tower that crowned his church, wings upspread, sword uplifted, the devil crawling beneath, and the cock, symbol of eternal vigilance, perched on his mailed foot, Saint Michael held a place of his own in heaven and on earth which seems, in the eleventh century, to leave hardly room for the Virgin of the Crypt at Chartres, still less for the Beau Christ of the thirteenth century at Amiens. The Archangel stands for Church and State, and both militant. He is the conqueror of Satan, the mightiest of all created spirits, the nearest to God. His place was where the danger was greatest; therefore you find him here. For the same reason he was, while the pagan danger lasted, the patron saint of France. So the Normans, when they were converted to Christianity, put themselves under his powerful protection. So he stood for centuries on his Mount in Peril of the Sea, watching across the tremor of the immense ocean,-immensi tremor oceani,-as Louis XI, inspired for once to poetry, inscribed on the collar of the Order of Saint Michael which he created. So soldiers, nobles,