THE maidenhood of Mary was manifoldly betokened in the old law.*
God bade Moses, the leader, take twelve dry rods from the twelve tribes of the people of Israel, and lay them before the holy ark within the great tabernacle: and he would by those rods declare whom he had chosen for bishop.** Then, on the second day, Aaron's rod was found growing with boughs, and blowing, and bearing nuts.
Verily the dry rod, which was not planted in the earth, nor clothed with any rind, nor with sap quickened, and yet grew, and blew, and bare nuts, betokened the blessed Mary, who had no society of man, and yet bare the Living Fruit, who is the true Bishop and the Redeemer of our souls.
See Numbers 17.
** That is, as High Priest of the people of Israel. The word ‘bishop’ basically means ‘overseer’, one who watches over the congregation.
Précis
Elfric, an Anglo-Saxon abbot, connected the virgin birth to a story in Numbers. The tribes of Israel left twelve dry sticks overnight before the Ark of the Covenant. Aaron’s stick blossomed, though dead, and he was chosen as Israel’s High Priest; Mary gave birth to a child, though she was a virgin, and that child was the Saviour of mankind. (60 / 60 words)