CITY OF GOD PART II - THE TRANSFIXION - Book V Contents
CHAPTER I.
THE LORD STILL FARTHER TRIES THE MOST
HOLY MARY BY ACTING TOWARD HER WITH A CERTAIN DISTANCE AND SEVERITY; THE
REASONS FOR THIS BEHAVIOR ARE EXPLAINED.
CHAPTER II.
THE OPERATIONS OF THE SOUL OF HER MOST
HOLY SON AND ALL THAT HAD BEEN HIDDEN TO HER AGAIN BECOMES VISIBLE TO MOST HOLY
MARY SHE IS INSTRUCTED IN THE LAW OF GRACE.
CHAPTER III.
MOST HOLY MARY AND JOSEPH GO TO
JERUSALEM EVERY YEAR ACCORDING TO THE REQUIREMENT OF THE LAW AND THEY TAKE WITH
THEM THE CHILD JESUS.
CHAPTER IV.
AT TWELVE YEARS OF AGE THE CHILD JESUS
GOES WITH HIS PARENTS TO JERUSALEM AND HE CONCEALS HIMSELF FROM THEM IN THE
TEMPLE.
CHAPTER V.
AFTER THREE DAYS MOST HOLY MARY AND
SAINT JOSEPH FIND THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE DISPUTING WITH THE TEACHERS.
CHAPTER VI.
CONCERNING A VISION WHICH WAS GRANTED TO
MOST HOLY MARY WHEN THE CHILD JESUS WAS TWELVE YEARS OLD, AND WHICH WAS TO
ASSIST IN PRODUCING WITHIN HER THE PERFECT COPY AND IMAGE OF THE EVANGELICAL
LAW.
CHAPTER VII.
THE EXALTING PURPOSE OF THE INSTRUCTION
OF MOST HOLY MARY ARE EXPLAINED MORE AT LARGE; AND HOW SHE PUT THESE
INSTRUCTIONS INTO PRACTICE.
CHAPTER VIII.
HOW OUR GREAT QUEEN PRACTICED THE
TEACHINGS OF THE GOSPEL AS TAUGHT HER BY HER MOST HOLY SON.
CHAPTER IX.
HOW THE MOST HOLY MARY WAS INSTRUCTED IN
THE ARTICLES OF FAITH AND WHAT USE SHE MADE OF THIS KNOWLEDGE.
CHAPTER X.
HOW MOST HOLY MARY RECEIVED
ENLIGHTENMENT ON THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, AND HOW SHE APPLIED IT.
CHAPTER XI.
THE DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF THE MOST HOLY
MARY CONCERNING THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS WHICH WERE TO BE INSTITUTED BY CHRIST THE
LORD, AND CONCERNING THE FIVE PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCH.
CHAPTER XII.
THE INCESSANT PRAYERS AND PETITIONS OF
CHRIST, THE REDEEMER, FOR OUR WELFARE; AND HOW OUR MOST HOLY MOTHER JOINED HIM
THEREIN AND RECEIVED MANY NEW ENLIGHTENMENTS.
CHAPTER XIII.
MOST HOLY MARY PASSES HER THIRTY-THIRD
YEAR, EVER AFTER REMAINING UNCHANGED AS TO HER VIRGINAL BODY; SHE PLANS TO
SUPPORT HER MOST HOLY SON AND SAINT JOSEPH BY THE LABOR OF HER HANDS.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE SUFFERINGS AND INFIRMITIES OF SAINT
JOSEPH IN THE LAST YEARS OF HIS LIFE AND HOW THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN, HIS SPOUSE,
NURSED HIM DURING THAT TIME.
CHAPTER XV.
OF THE HAPPY DEATH OF SAINT JOSEPH AND
WHAT FOLLOWED UPON IT : HOW JESUS, OUR REDEEMER, AND BLESSED MARY, OUR LADY ASSISTED
AT HIS PASSING AWAY.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE AGE OF THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN AT THE
DEATH OF SAINT JOSEPH, AND SOME OF THE PRIVILEGES OF HER HOLY SPOUSE.
CHAPTER XVII. THE DOINGS OF MOST HOLY MARY AFTER THE DEATH OF SAINT JOSEPH AND SOME OF
HER DEALINGS WITH THE HOLY ANGELS.
CHAPTER XVIII.
OTHER MYSTERIES AND OCCUPATIONS OF THE
GREAT QUEEN AND LADY AND HER MOST HOLY SON, WHILE THEY LIVED ALONE TOGETHER.
CHAPTER XIX.
CHRIST OUR LORD BEGINS TO PREPARE FOR
HIS PUBLIC PREACHING BY ANNOUNCING TO SOME THE PRESENCE OF THE REDEEMER INTO
THE WORLD; HIS :MOST HOLY MOTHER ASSISTS HIM THEREIN AND THE POWERS OF HELL
BEGIN TO GET UNEASY.
CHAPTER XX.
LUCIFER CALLS A MEETING IN HELL IN ORDER
TO HINDER THE WORKS OF CHRIST OUR REDEEMER AND OF HIS MOST HOLY MOTHER.
CHAPTER XXI.
SAINT JOHN, HAVING OBTAINED GREAT FAVORS
FROM THE MOST HOLY MARY, IS ORDERED BY THE HOLY GHOST TO GO FORTH ON HIS PUBLIC
PREACHING. HE FIRST SENDS TO THE HEAVENLY LADY HIS CROSS.
CHAPTER XXII.
MOST HOLY MARY ORDERS HER ONLYBEGOTTEN
SON FOR THE REDEMPTION OF THE HUMAN RACE TO THE ETERNAL FATHER; IN RETURN FOR
THIS SACRIFICE HE GRANTS HER A CLEAR VISION OF THE DIVINITY; SHE TAKES LEAVE OF
HER SON AS HE DEPARTS FOR THE DESERT.
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE OCCUPATIONS OF THE VIRGIN MOTHER
DURING THE ABSENCE OF HER MOST HOLY SON AND HER INTERCOURSE WITH HER GUARDIAN
ANGELS.
CHAPTER XXIV.
OUR SAVIOR JESUS GOES TO THE BANKS OF
THE JORDAN, WHERE HE IS BAPTIZED BY SAINT JOHN. SAINT JOHN HIMSELF THEN ASKS TO
BE BAPTIZED BY THE SAVIOR.
CHAPTER XXV.
OUR REDEEMER, AFTER HIS BAPTISM, WALKS
TO THE DESERT WHERE, BY THE PRACTICE OF HEROIC VIRTUES, HE GAINS GREAT
VICTORIES OVER OUR VICES; HIS MOST HOLY MOTHER KNOWS OF ALL HIS DOINGS AND
IMITATES HIM MOST PERFECTLY.
CHAPTER XXVI.
AFTER HIS FAST THE LORD ALLOWS HIMSELF TO BE TEMPTED
BY LUCIFER; CHRIST VANQUISHES HIM, AND HIS MOST HOLY MOTHER IS KEPT INFORMED OF
ALL THAT HAPPENS.
CHAPTER XXVII.
CHRIST OUR REDEEMER LEAVES THE DESERT
AND RETURNS TO THE PLACE WHERE SAINT JOHN WAS BAPTIZING. HIS OCCUPATION UNTIL
HE CALLS THE FIRST DISCIPLES. THE BLESSED VIRGIN KNOWS OF ALL HIS DOINGS AND
IMITATES THEM.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
CHRIST, OUR REDEEMER, BEGINS TO CALL AND
SELECT HIS DISCIPLES IN THE PRESENCE OF THE BAPTIST, AND COMMENCES TO PREACH.
THE MOST HIGH COMMANDS HIS BLESSED MOTHER TO FOLLOW HIM. CHAPTER XXIX. CHRIST RETURNS WITH THE FIVE FIRST DISCIPLES TO NAZARETH; HE BAPTIZES HIS MOST HOLY MOTHER; OTHER INCIDENTS DURING THIS TIME. |
Concerning the Perfection with which the most Holy Mary copied and imitated the Activity of the Soul of Christ; how the Incarnate Word Instructed Her In the Laws of grace, the Articles of Faith, the Sacraments, the Ten Commandments; and with what Alacrity and Noble Prompte She Corresponded. Also concerning the Death of Saint Joseph, the Preaching of Saint John, the Fasting and the Baptism of our Redeemer, the call of the First Disciples and the Baptism of the Virgin Mary, our Blessed Lady. CHAPTER I THE LORD STILL FARTHER TRIES THE MOST
HOLY MARY BY ACTING TOWARD HER WITH A CERTAIN DISTANCE AND SEVERITY; THE
REASONS FOR THIS BEHAVIOR ARE EXPLAINED. 1. Already Jesus, Mary and
Joseph had settled in 2. Shortly after their return
from 3. The Most High therefore
resolved that the heavenly Lady should be the first disciple of his school and
the firstborn Daughter of the new Law of grace, the most perfect copy of his
ideals and the most pliant material, upon which, as on liquid wax, should be
set the seal of his doctrine of holiness, so that the Son and the Mother might
be the two true tablets of the new law of the world (Exod. 31, 18). For this
purpose of the infinite wisdom He manifested to Her all the mysteries of the
evangelical law and of his doctrine; and this was the subject of his
instructions from the time of their return from Egypt until his public
preaching, as we shall see in the course of this history. In these hidden
sacraments the incarnate Word and his holy Mother occupied themselves during
the twentythree years of their stay in 4. In order to rear in the
heart of the purest Virgin this edifice of holiness to a height beyond all that
is not God, the Lord laid its foundations accordingly, trying the strength of
her love and of all her other virtues. For this purpose the Lord withdrew
Himself, causing Her to lose Him from her sight, which until then had caused
Her to revel in continual joy and delight. I do not wish to say, that the Lord
left Her bodily; but, still remaining with Her and in Her by an ineffable
presence and grace, He hid Himself from her interior sight and suspended the
tokens of his most sweet affection. The heavenly Lady in the meanwhile knew not
the inward cause of this behavior, as the Lord gave Her no explanation.
Moreover her divine Son, without any forewarning showed Himself very reserved
and withdrew from her society. Many times He retired and spoke but few words to
Her, and even these with great earnestness and majesty. But what was apt to
afflict Her most, was the eclipse of the light by which She was wont to see
reflected as in a crystal the human operations of his most pure soul. This
light was suddenly dimmed so much, that She could not thenceforth distinguish
them as a living copy for her own actions. 5. This unannounced and
unexpected change was the crucible in which the purest gold of the love of our
Queen was cleansed and assayed. Surprised at what was happening, She
immediately took refuge in the humble opinion She had of Herself, deeming
Herself unworthy of the vision of the Lord, who now had hidden Himself. She
attributed it all to her want of correspondence and to her ingratitude for the
blessings She had obtained from the most generous and exalted Father of
mercies. The most prudent Queen did not feel so much the privation of his
delightful caresses, as the dread of having displeased Him and of having fallen
short in his service. This was the arrow that pierced her heart with grief. One
filled with such true and noble love could not feel less; for all delight of
love is founded in the pleasure and satisfaction given by the lover to the one
beloved, and therefore He cannot rest, when he suspects that the beloved is not
contented or pleased. The loving sighs of his Mother were highly pleasing to
her most holy Son. He was enamored with Her anew and the tender affection of
his only and chosen One wounded his heart (Cant. 4, 9). But whenever the sweet
Mother sought Him out in order to hold converse with Him. He continued to show
exterior reserve. Just as the flame of a forge or a conflagration is intensified
by the application of insufficient water, so the flame of love in the heart of
the sweetest Mother was fanned to an intense blaze by this adversity. 6. The single hearted Dove
exercised Herself in heroic acts of all the virtues. She humbled Herself below
the dust; She reverenced Her Son in deepest adoration; She blessed the Father,
thanking Him for his admirable works and blessings and conforming Herself to
his wishes and pleasure; She sought to know his will in order to fulfill it in
all things; She unceasingly renewed her acts of faith, hope and burning love;
and in all her actions and in all circumstances this most fragrant spikenard
gave forth the odor of sweetness for Him, the King of kings, who rested in her
heart as in his flowery and perfumed couch (Cant. 1, 11). She persevered in her
tearful prayers, with continual sighing and longing from her inmost heart; She
poured forth her prayers in the presence of the Lord and recounted her
tribulation before the throne of the God (Ps. 141, 3). And many times She broke
out in words of ineffable sweetness and loving sorrow, such as these: 7. "Creator of all the
universe," She would say, "eternal and almighty God, infinite is thy
wisdom and goodness, incomprehensible in essence and perfection: well do I know
that my sighs are not hidden to Thee and that Thou knowest of the wound that
pierces my heart. If as a useless handmaid I have fallen short in thy service
and in pleasing Thee, why, 0 Life of my soul, dost Thou not afflict me and
chastise me with all the pains and sufferings of this my mortal life, so that I
may not be obliged to endure the turning away of thy eyes, though I have
deserved this treatment through my default? All punishments would be less than
this; for my heart cannot bear thy displeasure; Thou alone, 0 Lord, art my
life, my happiness, my glory, and my treasure. My soul counts for nothing all
that Thou hast created and their image lives not in my soul, except in order to
magnify thy greatness and to acknowledge Thee as Creator and Lord of all. What
shall I then do, if Thou, my blessed Lord, the light of my eyes, the goal of my
desires, the north star of my pilgrimage, the life of my being and the essence
of my life, fail me? Who will give fountains to my eyes to bewail my want of
correspondence to all the blessings I have received and my ingratitude for my
benefits? My Lord, my light, my guide and teacher on the way, who by thy most
exalted and perfect operations directest my fragile and lukewarm undertakings,
how can I regulate my life, if Thou fail me as my model? Who will guide me
securely through this desert? What shall I do and whither shall I turn, if Thou
deprivest me of thy assistance ?" 8. Nor did this wounded Deer
rest satisfied therewith, but, thirsting after the purest fountains of grace,
She addressed Herself also to the holy angels and held long conferences and
colloquies with them, saying: "Sovereign princes and intimate friends of
the highest King, my guardians, by your felicitous vision of his divine
countenance (Matth. 18, 10) and the ineffable light (I Tim. 6, 16), I conjure
you to tell me the cause of his displeasure, if such He has conceived against
me. Intercede for me in his real presence, that through your prayers He may
pardon me, if I have offended Him. Remind Him, my friends, that I am but dust
(Job 10,9), although I am formed by his hands and have upon me the seal of his
image; beseech Him not to forget his needy one to the end, so that she may
confess and magnify his name (Ps, 73, 19). Ask Him to give back to me the
breath of life which fails me at the dread of having lost his love. Tell me,
how and by what means I can please Him and regain the joy of his countenance
?" The holy angels answered: "Our Queen and Sovereign, dilated is thy
heart so that Thou canst not be vanquished by tribulation; and none is so able
as Thou to understand how near the Lord is to the afflicted, who call upon Him
(Ps. 40, 15). Without doubt He recognizes thy affection and does not despise
thy loving sighs (Ps. 37, 10). Even shalt Thou find Him a kind Father and his
Onlybegotten a most affectionate Son, looking upon thy affliction." The
lovelorn Mother replied: "Will it perhaps be presumption to appear before
Him and prostrate myself before Him, asking his pardon for any fault He might find
in me? What shall I do? What relief can I find in my anxieties ?" And the
holy princes answered: "An humble heart does not displease our King (50,
9) ; upon it He fixes his loving regard and He is never displeased by the
clamors of those who act in love." 9. These colloquies and
answers of the holy angels somewhat gladdened and consolated their Queen and
Mistress, since they confirmed Her in her own interior conviction, that these
sweetest sighs would excite the special love and delight of the Most High. They
would not speak more openly, because the Lord on his own account wished to
prolong these delights (Prov. 8, 31). Although her most holy Son, on account of
his natural love toward his Mother (a Mother only, not having any father), was
often deeply touched with compassion at seeing Her so afflicted; yet He would
not show any signs thereof, hiding his compassion under a severe countenance.
Sometimes, when the most loving Mother called Him to his meals, He would delay;
at other times He would partake of them without looking at Her or speaking to
Her. But although the great Lady at such times shed many tears and lovingly
sighed in her heart, She always put upon Herself such restraint and weighed all
her actions so wisely, that, if it were possible for God to give way to wonder
(which certainly He cannot), He would have yielded to such a feeling in the
presence of such plenitude of holiness and perfection in this mere Creature. In
as far as He was man, the Child Jesus delighted especially in seeing his divine
love and grace bring forth such abundant fruits in his Virgin Mother. The holy
angels sang to Him new hymns of praise for this admirable and unheard of prodigy
of virtues. 10. Upon the request of the
loving Mother saint Joseph had made a couch, which She covered with a single
blanket and upon which the Child Jesus rested and took his sleep; for from the
time in which He had left the cradle, when they were yet in Egypt, He would not
accept of any other bed or of more covering. Although He did not stretch
Himself out on this couch, nor even always made use of it, He sometimes
reclined in a sitting posture upon it, resting upon a poor pillow made of wool
by the same Lady. When She spoke of preparing for Him a better restingplace,
her most holy Son answered, that the only couch upon which He was to be
stretched out, was that of his Cross, in order to teach men by his example (I
Pet. 2, 21), that no one can enter eternal rest by things beloved of Babylon
and that to suffer is our true relief in mortal life. Thenceforward the
heavenly Lady imitated Him in this manner of taking rest with new earnestness
and attention. When at night the time for repose had come the Mistress of
humility had been accustomed to prostrate Herself before her Son as He reclined
on his couch, asking his pardon for not having fulfilled all her duty in
serving Him and for not having been sufficiently grateful for the blessings of
the day. She poured out her thanks anew and with many tears acknowledged Him as
true God and Redeemer of the world; and She would not rise from the ground
until her Son commanded Her and gave Her his blessing. This same behavior She
observed also in the morning, requesting her divine Teacher and Master to
impose upon Her all that She was to do during the day in his service; which
Jesus did with tokens of great love. 11. But now He changed his
bearing and manner toward Her. When the most innocent Mother approached to
reverence and adore Him as She was wont, although her tears and sighs issued
ever more abundantly from her inmost heart, He would not answer Her a word, but
listened to Her unmoved, commanding Her to betake Herself away. To see her Son,
the true God and Man, so different in his behavior and so distant in his
action, so sparing of words, and, in all his exterior bearing, so changed,
ineffably affected the purest and dovelike heart of the loving Mother. The
heavenly Lady examined her interior, searched all the conditions, circumstances
and sequence of her actions and racked her memory in her inquiry into the
celestial workings of her soul and faculties. Although She could find no shadow
of darkness, where all was light, holiness, purity and grace; yet, since She
knew, as Job says, that neither the heavens nor the stars are pure in the eyes
of God (Job 15, 15), and since He finds fault even in the angelic spirits (Job
25, 5), the great Queen feared lest She should have overlooked some defect,
which was known to the Lord. In this anxiety She, though filled with supreme
wisdom, suffered agonies of love. For her love, being strong as death (Cant. 8,
6), caused in Her an emulation enkindled by an unquenchable fire of suffering
and tribulation. This trial of our Queen lasted many days, during which her
most holy Son looked upon Her with incomparable pleasure, by which He raised
Her to the position of a Teacher of all the creatures. He rewarded her loyalty
and exquisite love with abundant graces in addition to those which She already
possessed. Then happened what I shall relate in the following chapter. INSTRUCTION VOUCHSAFED BY MARY, THE MOST
HOLY QUEEN OF HEAVEN 12. My daughter, I see that
thou art desirous of being a disciple of my most holy Son, since now thou hast
understood and described my own behavior in this regard. For thy consolation
take notice, that He has exercised this office of Teacher not only once and not
only at the time, when He taught his holy doctrine while yet in mortal flesh,
as is related in the Gospels (Matth. 28, 20) ; but that He continues to be the
Teacher of souls to the end of the world. He admonishes, instructs, and
inspires them, urging them to put in practice whatever is most perfect and most
holy. Thus He acts toward all without exception, although according to his
divine ordainment, and according to the disposition and attentiveness of each
soul, everyone receives more or less of the benefits (Matth. 11, 5). If thou
hadst always applied this truth, thou wouldst have known by abundant
experience, that the Lord does not refuse to act as the Teacher of the poor, of
the despised and of the sinners, if they wish to listen to his secret
doctrines. As thou now desirest to know what disposition He requires of thee in
order to have Him teach Thee to thy heart's content, I shall in his name inform
thee of it. I assure thee, that if He shall find thee well disposed He will, as
a true and wise Teacher, communicate to thee the plenitude of his wisdom and
enlightenment. 13. First of all thou must
keep thy conscience pure, undefiled, serene and quiet, keeping a constant watch
against falling into any sin or imperfection throughout all the events of this
life. At the same time thou must withdraw thyself and disentangle thyself from
all that is earthly, so much so that (as I have already formerly admonished
thee) thou do not retain any image or memory of human or visible things, but
maintain the utmost sincerity, purity and serenity of heart. When thou thus
hast cleared thy interior from the images and shadows of earthly things, then
thou wilt pay attention to the voice of thy God like a beloved daughter,
forgetting the voice of Babylon, the house of her father Adam and all the
aftertastes of sin. I assure thee, that He will speak to thee words of eternal
life (John 6, 69). It will be thy duty to listen to Him with reverence and
humble gratitude; to appreciate his teachings, and to follow them in practice
with all diligence and punctuality. Nothing can be hid from this great Master
and Teacher (Heb. 4, 13), and He withdraws in disgust from those who are
ungrateful and disobedient. No one must think that these withdrawals of the
Most High always happen in the same way as they happened to me. For the Lord
withdrew from me, not on account of any fault of mine, but out of exceeding
love. He is accustorned to withdraw from other creatures in order to visit them
with merited punishment for their many sins, outrages, ingratitudes and
negligences. 14. Therefore, my daughter,
in gauging thy reverence and esteem for the teaching and enlightenment of thy
divine Master and for my own exhortations, thou must take into account thy
omissions and faults. Moderate thy inordinate fears and do not any more doubt
that it is the Lord, who speaks to thee and teaches thee, since his doctrine of
itself gives testimony of its own truth and assures thee, that God is its
Author; for thou seest that it is holy, pure, perfect and without error. It
inculcates whatever is best and reprehends thy least fault, and it is moreover
approved by thy instructors and spiritual directors. As I am thy Teacher, I
wish that thou also, in imitation of me, come every morning and night humbly
and sorrowfully to confess thy faults, in order that I may intercede for thee
and as thy Mother obtain for thee the pardon of the Lord. As soon as thou
commitest any imperfection, acknowledge it without delay and ask the Lord
pardon, promising to amend. If thou attend to these things, which I here tell
thee, thou wilt be a disciple of the Most High and of me as thou desirest to
be. Purity of soul and the divine grace is the most exquisite and adequate
preparation for partaking of the influences of divine light and science, and
the Redeemer of the world communicates it to his true disciples. THE OPERATIONS OF THE SOUL OF HER MOST
HOLY SON AND ALL THAT HAD BEEN HIDDEN TO HER AGAIN BECOMES VISIBLE TO MOST HOLY
MARY SHE IS INSTRUCTED IN THE LAW OF GRACE. 15. Human ingenuity has made
long and copious inquisitions into the nature and properties of love and into
its cause and effects. In order to explain the holy and divine love of our
blessed Mother, I was compelled to add much to all that has been written and
said concerning love; for, with the exception of the love existing in the soul
of Christ our Redeemer, there was none in all the human creatures, which was
equal to that possessed by that heavenly Lady, who merited the name of
beautiful love (Ecc1i. 24, 24). The object and end of holy love is the same in
all, namely God in Himself and all the other creatures for his sake; but the
subject in which it exists, the source from which it flows, the effects which
it produces, are widely different. Now in our great Queen all these elements
of love attained their highest perfection. Purity of heart, faith, hope, filial
and holy fear, knowledge and wisdom, remembrance and gratitude for the greatest
benefits, and all the other sources of a most exalted love were hers in
boundless affluence and proportion. The flame of her love was not enkindled or
enflamed by the foolishness of the senses, which are without the guide and
control of reason. Her holy and pure love entered by way of her most exalted
understanding of the infinite goodness and ineffable sweetness of God; for
since God is wisdom and goodness, He wishes to be loved not only with
sweetness, but also with wisdom and knowledge of the one that loves. 16. These loving affections
are more alike to themselves in their effects than in their causes; for if they
once take possession and subject to themselves the heart, they are hard to
expel. From this fact arises the suffering of the human heart in seeing itself
forsaken and unnoticed by the one beloved; for this want of proper
correspondence implies the obligation of rooting out its own love. As this love
has taken such entire possession of the heart, that it dreads a dispossession,
although on the other hand reason urges it, such a violent strife is caused,
as will resemble the agony of death. In the blind and worldly love this agony
is but frenzy and madness. But in divine love this agony is highest wisdom;
for, since no reason can be found for expelling love, it is the height of
prudence to search after means of loving more ardently and seeking to please
the Beloved more zealously. As also the will therein acts with fullest liberty,
it happens, that the more freely it loves the highest Good, so much the more
does it lose the power of not loving Him. In this glorious strife, the will,
being the master and sovereign of the soul, becomes happily the slave of its
love; it neither seeks, nor is it able to deny itself this free servitude. On
account of this free violence, if the soul finds avoidance or withdrawal of the
highest Good which it loves, it suffers the pains and agonies of death, in the
same manner as if its life were ebbing away. The soul's whole life is in its
love and in the knowledge that it is loved. 17. Hence one can understand
a little of the sufferings of the most ardent and pure heart of our Queen in
the absence of the Lord and in the eclipse of the light of his love: it caused
in Her agonies of doubt, whether perhaps She had not displeased Him. For as She
was so to say a vast abyss of humility and love and as She knew not whence the
austerity and reserve of her Beloved originated, She suffered a martyrdom so
entrancing and yet so severe, as no human or angelic powers will ever be able
to fathom. Mary who is the Mother of the most holy love (Eccli. 24, 24) and who
reached the pinnacle of created perfection, alone knew how and was able to bear
this martyrdom, and in it She exceeded all the sufferings of all the martyrs
and the penances of all the confessors added together. In Her was fulfilled,
what is said in the Canticles: "I f a man should give all the substance of
his house for love, he shall despise it as nothing" (Cant. 8, 7). For in
it She forgot all the visible and created things and her own life, accounting
it all for nought, until She again found the grace and love of her most holy
and divine Son, whom She feared to have lost although She continued to possess
Him. No words can equal her care and solicitude, her watchfulness and diligence
in trying to please her sweetest Son and the eternal Father. 18. Thirty days passed in
this conflict; and they equaled many ages in the estimation of Her, who deemed
it impossible to live even one moment without the love and without the Beloved
of her soul. After such delay (according to our way of speaking), the heart of
the Child Jesus could no longer contain itself or resist further the immense
force of his love for his sweetest Mother; for also the Lord suffered a
delightful and wonderful violence in thus holding Her in such a suspense and
affliction. It happened that the humble and sovereign Queen one day approached
her Son Jesus, and, throwing Herself at his feet, with tears and sighs coming
from her inmost heart, spoke to Him as follows: "My sweetest Love and
highest Good, of what account am I, the insignificant dust and ashes, before
thy vast power? What is the misery of a creature in comparison with thy endless
affluence? In all things Thou excellest our lowliness and thy immense sea of
mercy overwhelms our imperfections and defects. If I have not been zealous in
serving Thee, as I am constrained to confess, do Thou chastise my negligence
and pardon it. But let me, my Son and Lord, see the gladness of thy
countenance, which is my salvation and the wished for light of my life and
being. Here at thy feet I lay my poverty, mingling it with the dust, and I
shall not rise from it until I can again look into the mirror, which reflects
my sou1." 19. These and other
pleadings, full of wisdom and most ardent love, the great Queen poured humbly
forth before her most holy Son. And as his longings to restore Her to his
delights were even greater than those of the blessed Lady, He pronounced with
great sweetness these few words: "My Mother, arise." As these words
were pronounced by Him, who is Himself the Word of the eternal Father, it had
such an effect, that the heavenly Mother was instantly transformed and elevated
into a most exalted ecstasy, in which She saw the Divinity by an abstractive
vision. In it the Lord received Her with sweetest welcome and embraces of a
Father and Spouse, changing her tears into rejoicing, her sufferings into
delight and her bitterness into highest sweetness. The Lord manifested to Her
great secrets of the scope of his new evangelical law. Wishing to write it
entirely into her purest heart, the most holy Trinity appointed and destined
Her as his firstborn Daughter and the first disciple of the incarnate Word and
set Her up as the model and pattern for all the holy Apostles, Martyrs,
Doctors, Confessors, Virgins and other just of the new Church and of the law of
grace, which the incarnate Word was to establish for the Redemption of man. 20. To this mystery must be
referred all that the heavenly Lady says of Herself and which the holy Church
applies to Her in the twenty fourth chapter of Ecclesiasticus under the figure
of divine wisdom. I will not detain myself in explaining it, as by proceeding
to describe this mysterious event, I shall make plain, what the holy Spirit
says in this chapter of our great Queen. It is sufficient to quote some of the
sayings therein contained, so that all may understand something of this
admirable mystery. "I came out of the mouth of the Most High" says
this Lady, "the firstborn before all creatures; I made that in the heavens
there should arise light that never faileth, and as a cloud I covered all the
earth; I dwelt in the highest places and my throne is in a pillar of cloud. I
alone have compassed the circuit of heaven, and have penetrated into the bottom
of the deep, and have walked in the waves of the sea, and have stood in all the
earth: and in every people, and in every nation I have had the chief rule: and
by my power I have trodden under my feet the hearts of all the high and low:
and in all these I sought rest, and I shall abide in the inheritance of the
Lord. Then the Creator of all things commanded, and said to me: and He that
made me, rested in my tabernacle, and He said to me: Let thy dwelling be in
Jacob, and thy inheritance in Israel, and take root in my elect. From the
beginning (ab initio), and before the world, was I created, and unto the world
to come I shall not cease to be, and in the holy dwellingplace I have
ministered before Him. And so was I established in Sion, and in the holy city
likewise I rested, and my power was in Jerusalem. And I took root in an
honorable people, and in the portion of my God his inheritance, and my abode is
in the full assembly of his saints" (Eccli, 24, 516). 21. A little farther on
Ecclesiasticus continues to enumerate the excellences of Mary, saying: "I have
stretched out my branches as the turpentine tree, and my branches are of honor
and of grace. As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odor: and my flowers
are the fruit of honor and riches. I am the mother of fair love, and of fear,
and of knowledge and of holy hope. In me is all the grace on the way and the
truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue. Come over to me, all ye that
desire me and be filled with my fruits. For my spirit is sweet above honey, and
my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb. My memory is unto everlasting
generations. They that eat me shall yet hunger, and they that drink me shall
yet thirst. He that harkened to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work
by me, shall not sin. They that shall explain me shall have life
everlasting" (Ecc1i. 24, 2231). Let these words of Scripture suffice for
pious souls; for in them they will immediately recognize such a pregnancy of
mysteries and sacraments referring to most holy Mary, that their hearts will at
once be lifted up and they will understand and feel to what an inexplicable
greatness and excellence the teaching and instruction of her Son have exalted
the sovereign Mother. By the decree of the most holy Trinity this Princess of
heaven was made the true Ark of the covenant in the new Testament ( Apoc. 11,
19); and from the abundance of her wisdom and grace, as from an immense ocean,
all sorts of blessings, which were received and shall be received by the other
saints until the end of the world, have overflowed. 22. The heavenly Mother came
out of her trance and again adored her most holy Son, asking his forgiveness
for any negligence that She might have been guilty of in his service. The Child
Jesus, raising Her up from the ground where She lay prostrate, said to Her:
"My Mother, I am much pleased with the affection of thy heart and I wish
thee to dilate it and prepare it for new tokens of my love. I will fulfill the
will of my Father, record in thy bosom the evangelical law, which I came to
teach in this world. And thou, Mother, shalt put it in practice, with the
perfection desired by Me." The most pure Queen responded: "My Son and
Lord, may I find grace in thy eyes; and do Thou govern my faculties in the ways
of thy rectitude and pleasure. Speak, my Lord, for thy servant hears, and will
follow Thee unto death" (Kings III 3, 10). During this conference of the
divine Child and his holy Mother, the great Lady began again to see the most
holy soul of Christ and its interior operations; and from that day on this
blessing increased as well subjectively as objectively; for She continued to
receive more clear and more exalted light and in her most holy Son She saw
mirrored the whole of the new law of the Gospel, with all its mysteries,
sacraments and doctrines, according as the divine Architect of the Church had
conceived it and as He had, in his quality of Redeemer and Teacher, predisposed
it for the benefit of men. In addition to this clear vision of this law, which
was reserved to Mary alone, He added another kind of instruction; for also in
his own living words He taught and instructed Her in the hidden things of his
wisdom (Ps. SO, 8), such as all men and angels could never comprehend. This
wisdom of which Mary partook without deceit, She also communicated without
envy, both before and still more after the ascension of Christ our Lord. 23. I well know that it
belongs to this history to manifest the most hidden mysteries, which passed
between Christ our Lord and his Mother during the years of his boyhood and
youth until his preaching; for all these years were spent in teaching his
heavenly Mother: but I must confess again, as I have done above that I, as well
as all other creatures, are incapable of such exalted discourse. In order to do
justice to these mysteries and secrets it would be necessary to explain all the
mysteries of the holy Scriptures, the whole Christian doctrine, all the
virtues, all the traditions of the holy Church, all the arguments against
errors and sects, the decrees of all the holy councils, all that upholds the
Church and preserves her to the end of the world, and also the great mysteries
of the glorious lives of the saints. For all this was written in the purest
heart of our great Queen and it would be necessary to add thereto all the works
of the Redeemer and Teacher in multiplying the blessings and instructions of
the Church; also all that the holy Evangelists, Apostles, Prophets and ancient
Fathers have recorded, and that which afterwards was practiced by the saints; the
light vouchsafed to the doctors; the sufferings of the martyrs and virgins; and
all the graces which they received for bearing their sufferings and
accomplishing their works of holiness. All this, and much more that cannot be
enumerated here, most holy Mary knew and personally comprehended and witnessed;
She it was that gave proper thanks for it and corresponded with it in her
actions as much as is possible for a mere creature, cooperating with the
eternal Father as the Author of it all and with Her his onlybegotten Son as the
head of the Church. These things I will explain farther on, in so far as it
will be possible. 24. Nor, in attending to the
instructions of her Son and Teacher and in fulfilling all her works with the
highest perfection, did She ever fail in what concerned the outward service and
the bodily wants of her Son and saint Joseph; but to all her duties She applied
Herself without failing or neglect, providing for their food and their
comforts, always prostrate on her knees before her most holy Son with
ineffable reverence. She also sought to procure for saint Joseph the consoling
intercourse of the Child Jesus as if he had been his natural father. In this
the divine Child obeyed his Mother, many times bearing saint Joseph company in
the hard labor, which the saint pursued with tireless diligence in order to
support with the sweat of his brow the Son of the eternal Father and his
Mother. When the divine Child grew larger He sometimes helped saint Joseph as
far as his strength would permit; at other times, as his doings were always
kept a secret in the family, He would perform miracles, disregarding the
natural forces in order to ease and comfort him in his labors. INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO ME BY THE QUEEN OF
HEAVEN. 25. My daughter, I call thee
anew to be, from this day on, my disciple and my companion in the practice of
the celestial doctrine, which my divine Son teaches his Church by means of the
holy Gospels and other Scriptures. I desire of thee to prepare thy heart with
new diligence and attention, so that like a chosen soil, it may receive the
living and holy seed of the word of the Lord producing fruits a hundredfold
(Luke 8, 8). Make thy heart attentive to my words; and at the same time, let
thy reading of the Holy Gospels be continual; meditate and ponder within
thyself the doctrines and mysteries which thou perceivest therein. Hear the
voice of thy Spouse and Master. He calls all men and invites them to the feast
of his words of eternal life (John 6, 69). But so great is the dangerous deception
of this mortal life, that only very few souls wish to hear and understand the
way of light (Matth. 7, 14). Many follow the delights presented to them by the
prince of darkness; and those that follow them know not whither they are led
(John 12, 35). But thou art called by the Most High to the paths of true light;
follow them by imitating me, and thou wilt have thy longings fulfilled. Deny
thyself to all that is earthly and visible; ignore it and refuse to look upon
it; have no desire for it and pay no attention to it; avoid being known, and
let no creatures have any part in thee; guard thou thy secret (Is. 24, 16), and
thy treasure (Matth. 13, 44) from the fascination of men and from the devil. In
all this wilt thou have success, if, as a disciple of my most holy Son and of
me, thou puttest in perfect practice the evangelical doctrine inculcated by Us.
In order to compel thyself to such an exalted undertaking always be mindful of
the blessing of being called by divine Providence to the imitation of my life
and virtues and to the following of my footsteps through my instruction. From
this state of a novice, thou must pass on to a more exalted state and to the
full profession of the Catholic faith, conforming thyself to the evangelical
law and to the example of thy Redeemer, running after the odor of his ointments
and by his truth in the paths of rectitude. By first being my disciple thou
shouldst prepare thyself for becoming a disciple of my Son; and both these
states should lead thee to the perfect union with the immutable being of God.
These three stages are favors of peerless value, which place thee in a position
to become more perfect than the exalted seraphim. The divine right hand has
conceded them to thee in order to dispose, prepare and enable thee to receive
proper light and intelligence for recording the works, virtues, mysteries and
sacraments of my life. Freely and without thy merit the Lord has shown thee
this great mercy, yielding to my petitions and intercessions. I have procured
thee this favor, because thou didst subject thyself in fear and trembling to
the will of the Lord in obedience to thy superiors, who continued to give thee
express commands for the writing of this history. Thy greatest reward is that
thou hast learnt of the three stages or ways, which are so mysterious, hidden
and exalted above carnal prudence and so pleasing to thy divine Master (Is. 24,
16). They contain most abundant instruction as thou thyself hast learnt and
experienced for the attainment of still higher ends. Do thou record them
separately in a treatise for itself, according to the will of my most holy Son.
Let its title be the same as what thou hast already mentioned in the
introduction to this history: "Laws of the Spouse, crumbs of his chaste
love, and fruits collected from the tree of life in this history." MOST HOLY MARY AND JOSEPH GO TO
JERUSALEM EVERY YEAR ACCORDING TO THE REQUIREMENT OF THE LAW AND THEY TAKE WITH
THEM THE CHILD JESUS. 26. Some days after our Queen
and Lady with her most holy Son and saint Joseph had settled in Nazareth, the
time of the year in which the Jews were obliged to present themselves before
the Lord in the temple of Jerusalem, was at hand. This commandment obliged the
Jews to this duty three times each year, as can be seen in Exodus and
Deuteronomy. But it obliged only the men, not the women (Exod. 23, 17);
therefore the women could go or not, according to their devotion; for it was
neither commanded nor prohibited to them. The heavenly Lady and her spouse
conferred with each other as to what they should do in this regard. The holy
husband much desired the company of the great Queen, his wife, and of her most
holy Son; for he wished to offer Him anew to the eternal Father in the temple.
The most pure Mother also was drawn by her piety to worship the Lord in the
temple; but as in things of that kind She did not permit Herself to decide
without the counsel and direction of the incarnate Word, her Teacher, She asked
his advice upon this matter. They finally arranged, that two times a year saint
Joseph was to go to Jerusalem by himself, while on the third occasion They
would go together. The Israelites visited the temple on the feast of the
Tabernacles (Deut. 16, 13), the feast of the Weeks, or Pentecost, and the feast
of the unleavened Breads or the Pasch of the preparation. To this latter the
sweetest Jesus, most pure Mary, and Joseph went up together. It lasted seven
days and during that time happened what I shall relate in the next chapter. For
the other solemnities saint Joseph went alone, leaving the Child and the Mother
at home. 27. The holy spouse Joseph
made these pilgrimages for himself and his Spouse in the name of the incarnate
Word. Instructed by Him and furnished with his graces the saint journeyed to
the temple, offering there to the eternal Father the gifts always reserved for
this occasion. Being the substitute of the Son and Mother, who remained at home
praying for him, he offered up the mysterious sacrifices of his prayers and as
he therein represented Jesus and Mary, his offering was more acceptable to the
eternal Father than the offerings of the whole Jewish people. But whenever he
was accompanied by the incarnate Word and the Virgin Mother at the feast of the
Pasch, the journey was a most wonderful one to him and to the heavenly
courtiers, who, as I have already recorded of similar occasions, formed for
them a most solemn procession. The ten thousand angels accompanied the three
pilgrims, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, in human forms, refulgent in their beauty and
full of profoundest reverence, serving their Creator and their Queen. The
distance between Nazareth and Jerusalem was in the neighborhood of thirty
leagues and the holy angels, according to the command and disposition of the
incarnate Word, observed the same mode of accompaniment both in going and
returning. 28. They consumed more time
in these journeys than in previous ones; for after they had come back from
Egypt the Child Jesus desired that they journey on foot; and therefore all
three, the son and the parents made the pilgrimage afoot. And it was necessary
to proceed slowly; for already the Child Jesus began to assume hardships in the
service of his eternal Father and for our advantage. He refused to make use of
his immense power for lessening the difficulties of the journey, but undertook
it as a man subject to suffering and allowed all the natural causes to produce
their effects. One of these effects was the fatigue and exhaustion caused by
travel. Although in his first journey the heavenly Mother and saint Joseph
eased his fatigue by sometimes carrying Him in their arms; yet this was but
a slight alleviation and later on He always made the whole journey on foot. The
sweetest Mother did not interfere, since She knew his desire of suffering; but
ordinarily She led Him by the hand, and sometimes this was also done by saint
Joseph. Many times, when the Child was fatigued and overheated, the loving and
prudent Mother was moved to tenderest and tearful compassion. She inquired
about his sufferings and fatigue and wiped his divine countenance, which was
more beautiful than the heavens and all its stars. She was wont to do this on
her knees and with ineffable reverence. The divine Child would respond with
much pleasure and speak of the delight with which He accepted these
hardships for the glory of the eternal Father and for the good of men. With
these conversations and conferences, varied by canticles of divine praise, they
shortened much of their journey, as I have already mentioned in other places. 29. At other times, when the
great Queen and Lady beheld on the one hand the interior activity of the soul
of Christ and on the other hand the perfection of his deified humanity, the
beauty and activity of which manifested itself in the operations of divine
grace and in his growth as true man, and when She pondered upon all this in her
heart (Luke 2, 19), She exercised Herself in heroic acts of all the virtues and
was inflamed with divine love. She beheld also the Child as the Son of the
eternal Father and as the true God; without ever failing in the love of a true
and natural Mother, She showed Him all the reverence due to Him as her God and
Creator. All this flowed naturally from her spotless and pure heart. Very often
the wind would flutter through the hair of the Child Jesus as He walked along.
His hair grew to no greater length than was necessary and He lost none of it,
except what the executioners tore out later on. Such little incidents were
noticed by the sweetest Mother and they afforded Her subjects for affectionate
and sweet meditation. In all her interior and exterior conduct, She was
wonderful to the angels and pleasing to her most holy Son and Creator. 30. During these journeys of
the holy Family Jesus and Mary performed heroic works of charity for the
benefit of souls; They converted many to the knowledge of the Lord, freed them
from their sins and justified them, leading them on the way of life eternal.
But as it was not yet time for the Teacher of virtue to manifest Himself, all
these works were done in secret (John 12, 49). As the heavenly Lady knew that
such activity was enjoined upon her Son by the eternal Father, and that for the
present it was to remain hidden, She concurred therein as the instrument of the
Redeemer's will, though in a covered and hidden manner. In order to govern
Herself according to the dictates of the highest wisdom, the most prudent Lady
always consulted the divine Child concerning all her doings on the way and
concerning their stopping places and their lodginghouses on their journey. The
heavenly Princess well knew that her Son prearranged the occasions for his
admirable works, which He foresaw and foreordered in his wisdom. 31. Hence they passed their
nights sometimes in lodging places, sometimes on the open fields; but the
divine Child and his purest Mother never separated. At all times the great Lady
attended upon her Son and Master, watching his actions in order to imitate and
follow them closely. The same She did in the temple, where She joined in the
prayers and petitions of the incarnate Word to his eternal Father and was
witness to the humble and profound reverence, by which his humanity
acknowledged the gifts flowing from the Divinity. A few times the most blessed
Mother heard the voice of the Father saying: "This is my beloved Son in
whom I am well pleased" (Matth. 17, 5). At other times She perceived and
witnessed, how her most holy Son prayed for Her to the eternal Father and how
He offered Her to Him as his true Mother: and this knowledge was inexpressibly
joyful to Her. She perceived also how He prayed for the whole human race and
how He offered up all his works and labors for all these ends. In these
petitions and offerings She accompanied, imitated and followed Him at all
times. 32. It happened also at other
times that the holy angels intoned hymns of sweetest harmony in honor of the
incarnate Word, as well when they entered the temple as on their journey. The
most fortunate Mother saw them and listened to them, understanding all the
mysteries and being filled thereby with new light and wisdom. Her purest heart
was inflamed and blazed up in divine love. The Most High showered upon Her new
gifts and blessings, such as my inadequate tongue cannot clothe in words. But
by them He prepared Her for the adversities, which She was to suffer. For, many
times after these consolations, She beheld as in a panorama all the affronts,
ignominies, and sufferings awaiting her most holy Son in that same city of
Jerusalem. In order that She might, already at that time, see all this with so
much the more vivid sorrow, He was wont to enter upon his prayers in the
presence of his sweetest Mother; and, as She was filled with the light of
divine wisdom and with a divine love for God and her Son, She was pierced with
the sword of sorrow mentioned by Simeon (Luke 2, 35); She shed many tears in
anticipation of the injuries to be borne by her sweetest Son and at the thought
of the sufferings and the ignominious Death to which He was destined (Is. 53,
3). Her soul was filled with anguish, when She remembered, that the beauty of
the Son of God, greater than that of all men, was to be disfigured worse than
with leprosy (Wis. 2, 20; Ps. 44, 3); and that She herself was to see all this
with her own eyes. In order to lessen her sore rows the divine Child was wont
to turn toward Her, telling Her to dilate her heart with charity for the human
race and together with Him offer to the eternal Father all these sufferings for
the salvation of men. Thus both Son and Mother made delightful offerings to the
holy Trinity, applying them for the benefit of the faithful, and especially for
the predestined who would profit by their merits and by the Redemption through
the incarnate Word. Principally in these occupations the sweetest Jesus and his
Mother spent the days of their visits to the temple of Jerusalem. INSTRUCTION VOUCHSAFED ME BY MARY, THE
MOST HOLY QUEEN. 33. My daughter, if thou wilt
deeply and attentively weigh thy obligations, thou wilt find very easy and
sweet all the labors enjoined upon thee by the commands and precepts of the
holy law of the Lord. This must be the first step of thy pilgrimage, as the
beginning and foundation of all Christian perfection. But I have already many
times reminded thee, that the fulfillment of the precepts of the Lord must not
be cold and lukewarm, but most fervent and devoted. For this favor will prevent
thee from being satisfied with common virtue, and excite thee to undertake
works of purest love beyond that which God imposes upon thee by command. For
this is one of the artifices of His wisdom, that He seeks to be obliged by his
true servants and friends, in order that He may reward them, and this is what I
desire of thee. Remember, dearest, that the journey from the mortal to the
eternal life is long, painful and dangerous (Matth. 7, 14): long, because it
takes up the whole life, painful, on account of the hardships, dangerous, on
account of human frailty and the astuteness of the enemies. In addition to this
the time is short (I Cor. 7, 29), the end uncertain (Ecc1i. 9, 2), being either
very happy, or most unfortunate (Matth. 25, 31), while the one as well as the
other termination is irrevocable (Ecc1i. 11, 3). Since the sin of Adam the
animal and earthly life of man is burdensome for all those that subject themselves
to it (Job 7, 29), the chains of the passions are strong, the war against the
lower nature continual; sensible pleasures are always present and easily
fascinate the faculties of man, while that which is noble, as well as its
immediate consequences, is often hidden from the gaze. All this fills the
pilgrimage of life with hazardous dangers and difficulties. 34. Among all these dangers
and difficulties not the least are those of the flesh; for its human weakness,
always present and always active, withdraws many from grace. The shortest and
the most secure course to follow, both for thee and for all men, is to welcome
bitterness and sorrow and put aside ease and pleasure of the senses, and
inviolably to resolve not to allow them to become dissipated or enjoy greater
freedom than the strict rule of reason permits. In addition to this thou must
continually seek after the greater pleasure of the Lord and aspire to the great
last end of all thy longings. For this purpose thou must always be solicitous
to imitate me, for to this I call and invite thee, desiring that thou arrive at
the summit of virtue and holiness. Consider the punctuality and fervor with
which I achieved so many and so great results; not because the Lord urged me on
by his commands, but because I wished to please Him more: Do thou also multiply
thy deeds of fervor, thy devotions, thy spiritual exercises and in all things
increase thy prayers and sacrifices to the eternal Father for the benefit of
mortals. Help them also by the example and thy exhortations wherever thou
canst. Console the sorrowful, encourage the weak, help the fallen to arise; and
for all of them offer, if necessary, thy own lifeblood. Above all strive to
please my most holy Son, who suffers so kindly the ingratitude of men, preserving
them in existence and continuing to shower his favors upon them. Consider his
invincible love toward them and how I imitated Him, and even now show toward
them the same love. I desire of thee, that thou follow thy sweet Spouse in his
exalted charity, and also me, who am thy Teacher. AT TWELVE YEARS OF AGE THE CHILD JESUS
GOES WITH HIS PARENTS TO JERUSALEM AND HE CONCEALS HIMSELF FROM THEM IN THE
TEMPLE. 35. As I have said, Mary and
Joseph repeated their visit to the temple at the feast of the unleavened Bread
every year. Also when the divine Child was twelve years old and when it was
time to allow the splendors of his inaccessible and divine light to shine
forth, They went to the temple for this feast (Luke 2, 42). This festival of the
unleavened Bread lasted seven days, according to the command of the divine law;
and the more solemn days were the first and the last. On this account our
heavenly Pilgrims remained in Jerusalem during the whole week, spending their
time in acts of worship and devotion as the rest of the Jews, although on
account of the sacraments connected with each of Them their worship and
devotion was entirely different and greatly exalted above that of the others.
The blessed Mother and holy Joseph received during these days favors and
blessings beyond the conception of the human mind. 36. Having thus spent all the
seven days of the feast They betook themselves on their way home to Nazareth.
When his parents departed from Jerusalem and were pursuing their way homeward,
the Child Jesus withdrew from them without their knowledge. For this purpose
the Lord availed Himself of the separation of the men and women, which had
become customary among the pilgrims for reasons of decency as well as for
greater recollection during their
return homeward. The children which accompanied their parents were taken in
charge promiscuously either by the men or the women, since their company with
either was a matter of indifference. Thus it happened that saint Joseph could
easily suppose that the Child Jesus had remained with his most holy Mother;
with whom He generally remained. The thought that She would go without Him was
far from his mind, since the heavenly Queen loved and delighted in Him more
than any other creature human or angelic. The great Lady did not have so many
reasons for supposing that her most holy Son was in the company of saint
Joseph: but the Lord himself so diverted her thoughts by holy and divine
contemplations, that She did not notice his absence at first. When afterwards
She became aware of her not being accompanied by her sweetest and beloved Son,
She supposed that the blessed Joseph had taken Him along and that the Lord
accompanied his foster father for his consolation. 37. Thus assured, holy Mary
and Joseph pursued their home journey for an entire day, as saint Luke tells
us. As the pilgrims proceeded onwards they gradually thinned out, each taking
his own direction and joining again with his wife or family. The most holy Mary
and saint Joseph found themselves at length in the place where they had agreed
to meet on the first evening after leaving Jerusalem. When the great Lady saw
that the Child was not with saint Joseph and when the holy Patriarch found that
He was not with his Mother, the two were struck dumb with amazement and
surprise for quite a while. Both, governed in their judgment by their most
profound humility, felt overwhelmed with self reproach at their remissness in
watching over their most holy Son and thus blamed themselves for his absence;
for neither of them had any suspicion of the mysterious manner in which He had
been able to elude their vigilance. After a time they recovered somewhat from
their astonishment and with deepest sorrow took counsel with each other as to
what was to be done (Luke 2, 45). The loving Mother said to saint Joseph:
"My spouse and my master, my heart cannot rest, unless we return with all
haste to Jerusalem in order to seek my most holy Son." This they proceeded
to do, beginning their search among their relations and friends, of whom,
however, none could give them any information or any comfort in their sorrow;
on the contrary their answers only increased their anxiety, since none of them
had so much as seen their Son since their departure from Jerusalem. 38. The afflicted Mother
turned to her holy angels. Those that carried the escutcheons inscribed with
the most holy name of Jesus (of which I spoke at the Circumcision), had
accompanied the Lord, while the other angels still remained with the purest
Mother; this was the order maintained whenever the Son separated from the
Mother. These, who numbered ten thousand, She asked, saying: "My friends
and companions, you well know the cause of my sorrow: in this bitter affliction
be my consolation and give me some information concerning my Beloved, so that I
may seek and find Him (Cant. 3, 2). Give some relief to my wounded heart,
which, torn from its happiness and life, bounds from its place in search of
Him." The holy angels, who, though they never lost sight of the Creator and
Redeemer, were aware that the Lord wished to furnish his Mother this occasion
of great merit, and that it was not yet time to reveal the secret to Her,
answered by speaking to her words of consolation without manifesting to Her the
whereabouts and the doings of their Lord. This evasive answer raised new doubts
in the most prudent Lady. Her anxiety of heart caused Her to break out in tears
and sighs of inmost grief, and urged Her onward in search, not of the lost
drachm, like the woman in the Gospel, but of the whole treasure of heaven and
earth (Luke 15, 8). 39. The Mother of wisdom then
began to discuss within her heart the different possibilities. The first
thought which presented itself to Her, was the fear lest Archelaus, imitating
the cruelty of his father Herod, should have obtained notice of the presence of
Jesus and have taken Him prisoner. Although She knew from the holy Scriptures
and revelations, and by her conversations with her most holy Son and Teacher,
that the time for his Passion and Death had not yet come and that the king
would not take away his life, yet She was filled with dread at the thought,
that they should have taken Him prisoner and might illtreat Him. In her
profoundest humility She also had misgivings, lest perchance She had in any way
displeased Him by her conduct and therefore deserved that He should leave Her
and take up his abode in the desert with his precursor saint John. At other
times, addressing her absent Love, She exclaimed: "Sweet Love and Delight
of my soul! Thou art impelled by thy desire of suffering for men and by thy
immense charity to avoid no labor or pain; but on the contrary, I fear, 0 Lord
and Master, that Thou seekest it on purpose (Is. 53, 7). ·Whither shall I go
and whither shall I find Thee, Light of my eyes? (Tob. 10, 4). Dost Thou wish
to deprive me of life by the sword of severance from thy presence? But I do not
wonder, 0 my highest Good: Thou chastisest by thy absence her who did not know
how to profit by thy company. Why, 0 my Lord, hast Thou enriched me with the
delights of thy infancy, if I am so soon to lose the assistance of thy loving
instruction? But, woe is me! since, not being worthy to retain and enjoy Thee
as my Son, I must confess, that I am obliged to thank Thee even for the favor
of condescending to accept me as thy slave! If the privilege of being thy
unworthy Mother can be of any avail in finding Thee, my God and my highest
Good, do Thou, 0 Lord, permit it, and make me worthy of again finding Thee, so
that I may go with Thee in the desert, to sufferings, labors, tribulations, or
whatever Thou wilt. My Lord, my soul desires to merit at least in part to share
thy sorrows and torments, to die, if I do not find Thee, or to live in thy
service and presence. When thy Divinity hid Itself from my gaze, thy amiable
humanity at least remained; and, although Thou wast austere and less kind to me
than Thou hadst been, I could throw myself at thy feet; but now this happiness
is taken away from me and I have lost sight entirely of the Sun which
enlightens me, left only to groans and sighs. Ah Love of my soul! What sighs
from the inmost of my heart can I send Thee as messengers? But I am not worthy
of thy clemency, since my eyes find no traces of Thee." 40. Thus this sincerest Dove
persevered in her tears and groans without cessation or rest, without sleeping
or eating anything for three whole days. Although the ten thousand angels
accompanied Her in corporeal forms and witnessed her affliction and sorrow, yet
they gave Her no clue to find her lost Child. On the third day the great Queen
resolved to seek Him in the desert where saint John was; for since She saw no
indications that Archelaus had taken Him prisoner, She began to believe more
firmly, that her most holy Son was with saint John. When She was about to
execute her resolve and was on the point of
departing for the desert, the holy angels detained Her, urging Her not to
undertake the journey, since the divine Word was not there. She wanted also to
go to Bethlehem, in the hope of finding Him in the cave of the Nativity; but
this the holy angels likewise prevented, telling Her that He was not so far
off. Although the blessed Mother heard these answers and well perceived that
the holy angels knew the whereabouts of the Child Jesus, She was so considerate
and reserved in her humility and prudence, that She gave no response, nor asked
where She could find Him; for She understood that they withheld this
information by command of the Lord. With such magnanimous reverence did the
Queen of the angels treat the sacraments of the Most High and of his ministers
and ambassadors (II Mach. 2, 9). This was one of the occasions in which the
greatness of her queenly and magnanimous heart was made manifest. 41. Not all the sorrows
suffered by all the martyrs ever reached the height of the sorrows of most holy
Mary in this trial; nor will the patience, resignation and tolerance of this
Lady ever be equaled, nor can they; for the loss of Jesus was greater to Her
than the loss of anything created, while her love and appreciation of Him
exceeded all that can be conceived by any other creature. Since She did not
know the cause of the loss, her anxiety was beyond all measure, as I have
already said. Moreover, during these three days the Lord left Her to her
natural resources of nature and of grace, deprived of special privileges and
favors; for, with the exception of the company and intercourse of the angels,
He suspended all the other consolations and blessings so constantly vouchsafed
to her most holy soul. From all this we can surmise what sorrow filled the
loving heart of the heavenly Mother. But, 0 prodigy of holiness, prudence,
fortitude and perfection! in such unheard of affliction and sorrow She was not
disturbed, nor lost her interior or exterior peace, nor did She entertain a
thought of anger or indignation, nor allowed Herself any improper movement or
expression, nor fell into any excess of grief or annoyance, as is so common in
great affliction with other children of Adam, who allow all their passions and
faculties to be disarranged, yea even in small difficulties! The Mistress of
all virtue held all her powers in heavenly order and harmony; though her sorrow
was without comparison great and had pierced her inmost heart, She failed not
in reverence and in the praise of the Lord, nor ceased in her prayers and
petitions for the human race, and for the finding of her most holy Son. 42. With this heavenly wisdom
and with greatest diligence She sought Him for three successive days, roaming
through the streets of the city, asking different persons and describing to the
daughters of Jerusalem the marks of her Beloved, searching the byways and the
open squares of the city and thereby fulfilling what was recorded in the
Canticles of Solomon (Cant. 5, 10). Some of the women asked Her what were the
distinctive marks of her lost and only Son; and She answered all the words of
the Spouse: "My Beloved is white and ruddy, chosen out of
thousands." One of the women, hearing Her thus describing Him, said:
"This Child, with those same marks, came yesterday to my door to ask for
alms, and I gave some to Him; and his grace and beauty have ravished my heart.
And when I gave Him alms, I felt myself overcome by compassion to see a Child
so gracious in poverty and want." These were the first news the sorrowful
Mother heard of her Onlybegotten in Jerusalem. A little respited in her sorrow,
She pursued her quest and met other persons, who spoke of Him in like manner,
Guided by this information She directed her steps to the hospital of the city,
thinking that among the afflicted She would find the Spouse and the Originator
of patient poverty among his own legitimate brethren and friends (Matth. 5,
40). Inquiring at that place, She was informed that a Child of that description
had paid his visits to the inmates, leaving some alms and speaking words of
much consolation to the afflicted. 43. The report of these
doings of her Beloved caused sentiments of sweetest and most tender affection
in the heart of the heavenly Lady, which She sent forth from her inmost heart
as messengers to her lost and absent Son. Then the thought struck Her, that,
since He was not with the poor, He no doubt tarried in the temple, as in the
house of God and of prayer. The holy angels encouraged Her and said: "Our
Queen and Lady, the hour of thy consolation is
at hand: soon wilt Thou see the Light of thy eyes; hasten thy footsteps and go
to the temple." The glorious patriarch saint Joseph at this moment again
met his Spouse, for, in order to increase their chance of finding the divine
Child, they had separated in different directions. By another angel he had now
been likewise ordered to proceed to the temple. During all these three days he
had suffered unspeakable sorrow and affliction, hastening from one place to
another, sometimes without his heavenly Spouse, sometimes with Her. He was in
serious danger of losing his life during this time, if the hand of the Lord
had not strengthened him and if the most prudent Lady had not consoled him and
forced him to take some food and rest. His sincere and exquisite love for the
divine Child made him so anxious and solicitous to find Him, that he would have
allowed himself no time or care to take nourishment for the support of nature.
Following the advice of the holy princes, the most pure Mary and Joseph betook
themselves to the temple, where happened what I will relate in the next
chapter. INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO ME BY THE QUEEN OF
HEAVEN, MOST HOLY MARY. 44. My daughter, by oft repeated
experience mortals know, that they do not lose without sorrow what once they
have possessed with delight. This truth, so well established, should convince
men what little love they have for their God and Creator; since among the many
who lose Him, there are so few who heartily grieve at this loss, and thereby show,
that they have never possessed or loved Him with a love flowing from grace.
Just as they fail to grieve at losing the highest Good, which they do not hold in
loving possession, so they also fail to seek after their God when they have
lost Him. But there is a great difference in the manner in which men lose sight
of their highest Good; for it is not the same to lose sight of God for the
purpose of being tried in virtue and love and to lose sight of Him in
punishment for sins committed. The first is a contrivance of divine love and a
means of communicating itself more abundantly to the one that longs for it and
merits it. The second is a just punishment for outrages committed against the
Divinity. In the first kind of absence the Lord humiliates the soul by holy
fear and filial love leaving it uncertain, whether it has not given cause for
his withdrawal (Prov. 28, 13). Although its conscience does not reprehend it,
the loving and ingenuous heart knows its danger, feels the loss and thus, as
the wise man says, is blessed (Eccli. 9, 1); for it then lives in constant fear
and dread of such a loss, knowing that man, until the end of this life, is
uncertain, whether he deserves love or hate in the sight of God. During their
mortal existence the just man and the sinner commonly share the same good and
evil lot without much distinction. 45. This is the great evil
which the wise man mentions as among the happenings under the sun; that the
impious and the wicked harden their hearts in their malice and false security,
seeing that the same mishaps befall both themselves and others, and that no one
can tell with certainty who are the chosen or the reprobate, the friends or
enemies, of God, the just or the sinners; who are worthy of love and who of
hatred. But if men would dispassionately and without deceit appeal to their
conscience, it would answer each one truthfully what he should know (Luke 12,
58); for when it cries out against sins committed, they would be foolish not to
attribute the evils and adversities to themselves, or to fail to see themselves
forsaken by grace and deprived of the highest Good. If their reason were
unbiased, the greatest source of misgiving would be, to be unmoved by the loss
or by the cessation of the spiritual joys of grace. For the want of this
misgiving in a soul created and destined for eternal happiness is a strong
indication that the soul neither desires nor loves this happiness, and
therefore it is a sign, that it does not seek it in earnest, so as to enjoy a
well founded prospect of once possessing the highest Good. For thou must
remember, that this well founded assurance, of not having forfeited it in this
mortal life, can be attained by all faithful souls. 46. I was deprived of the
bodily presence of my most holy Son; but, although I was in hope of again
finding Him, yet, in my great love, the uncertainty as to the cause of his
withdrawal gave me no rest until I found Him. In this I wish that thou, my
dearest, imitate me, whether thou lose Him through thy own fault or by the disposition
of his own will. So great should be thy dread of losing Him through thy fault,
that neither tribulation, nor trouble, nor necessity, nor danger, nor
persecution, nor the sword, neither height nor depth should ever withhold thee
from seeking after thy God (Rom. 8, 35) ; for if thou art faithful as thou
shouldst be, and if thou dost not wish to lose Him, neither the angels, nor the
principalities, nor the powers, nor any other creature can ever deprive thee of
Him. So strong are the bonds of his love and its chains, that no one can burst
them, except thy own free will. AFTER THREE DAYS MOST HOLY MARY AND
SAINT JOSEPH FIND THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE DISPUTING WITH THE TEACHERS. 47. In the foregoing chapter
a partial answer might be found to the question raised by some, as to how the
heavenly Queen, who was so diligent and solicitous in attending upon and
serving her most holy Son, could ever so far lose Him out of sight as to leave
Him in Jerusalem. Although it would be a sufficient answer to say that the Lord
himself brought it about, yet I will now explain more fully how it could have
happened without any voluntary negligence or oversight of the loving Mother. It
is certain, that besides availing Himself of the great concourse of people, our
Lord was obliged to use also supernatural means to elude the attention of his
solicitous Mother; for without it She could no more have lost sight of Him than
of the sun, that lighted Her on the way. Therefore, at the parting of the men
and the women which I mentioned, the almighty Lord visited his heavenly Mother
with an abstractive vision of the Divinity, which with divine power centered
and withdrew all her faculties toward her interior. She thus remained so
abstracted, inflamed and deprived of her senses, that She could make use of
them only in so far as was necessary to pursue her way. As to all the rest, She
was entirely lost in the sweetness and consolation of the divine vision. Saint
Joseph was guided in his behavior by the
circumstances already mentioned; although he also was wrapped in a most exalted
contemplation, which made more easy and mysterious his error in regard to the
whereabouts of the Child. Thus Jesus withdrew Himself from both of them,
remaining in Jerusalem. When after a considerable while the Queen came to
Herself and found Herself without the company of her most holy Son, She
supposed Him to be with his reputed father. 48. It was very near to the
gate of the city, that the divine Child turned and hastened back through the
streets. Foreseeing in his divine foreknowledge all that was to happen, He
offered it up to his eternal Father for the benefit of souls. He asked for alms
during these three days in order to ennoble from that time on humble mendicity
as the firstborn of holy poverty. He visited the hospitals of the poor,
consoling them and giving them the alms which He had received; secretly He
restored bodily health to some and spiritual health to many, by enlightening
them interiorly and leading them back to the way of salvation. On some of the
benefactors, who gave Him alms, He performed these wonders with a greater
abundance of grace and light; thus fulfilling from that time on the promise,
which He was afterwards to make to his Church; that he who gives to the just
and to the prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive the reward of the
just (Matth. 10, 41). 49. Having thus busied Himself with these and other works of his Father, He betook Himself to the temple. On the day which the Evangelist mentions it happened that also the rabbis, who were the learned and the teachers of the temple, met in a certain part of the buildings in order to confer among themselves concerning some doubtful points of holy Scriptures. On this occasion the coming of the Messias was discussed; for on account of the report of the wonderful events, which had spread about since the birth of the Baptist and the visit of the Kings of the east, the rumor of the coming of the Redeemer and of his being already in the world, though yet unknown, had gained ground among the Jews. They were all seated in their places filled with the sense of authority customary to those who are teachers and considered as learned. The Child Jesus came to the meeting of these distinguished men; and He that was the King of kings, and Lord of lords (Apoc. 19, 16), the infinite Wisdom itself (I Cor. 1, 24), and who corrects the wise (Wis. 7, 15), presented Himself before the teachers of this world as an humble disciple, giving them to understand that He had come to hear the discussion and inform Himself on the question treated of, namely: whether the Messias was already come, or, if not, concerning the time in which He should come into the world.
50. The opinions of the
scribes were much at variance on this question, some of them answering in the
affirmative, others in the negative. Those in the negative quoted some
testimonies of holy Scriptures and prophecies with the coarse interpretation
reprehended by the Apostle: namely, killing the spirit by the letter (II Cor.
3, 6). They maintained that the Messias was to come with kingly magnificence
and display in order to secure the liberty of his people by the exercise of
great power, rescuing them in a temporal manner from the slavery of the
gentiles; yet, that there were no indications of this power and freedom in the
present state of the Hebrews and no possibility of throwing off the yoke of the
Romans. This outward circumstance was an argument of great force among this
carnal and blinded people; for they presumed, that the coming greatness and
majesty of the promised Messias and the Redemption was intended for themselves
only; and they believed this Redemption to be temporal and earthly, just as
even now the Jews, in the obscurity which envelops their hearts (Is. 6, 10),
continue to believe. For to the present day they have not yet come to realize,
that the glory, the majesty, and the power of the Redeemer, and the liberty
which He is to bring to the world, is not of an earthly, temporal and
perishable kind, but heavenly, spiritual and eternal; and that it is not
intended alone for the Jews, although offered to them before all other nations,
but indiscriminately for the whole human race descended from Adam (I Cor. 3,
15). 51. The teacher of truth,
Jesus, foresaw that the discussion would end with the confirmation of this
error; for although some of the learned men inclined to the contrary opinion,
they were but few; and they had now been silenced by the authority and specious
arguments of the others. As the Lord had come into the world in order to give
testimony of the truth (John 18, 37), which was He Himself, He would not on
this occasion, when it was so important to manifest the truth, allow that the
deceit and error opposed to it should be confirmed and established by the
authority of the learned. His measureless charity could not pass by unnoticed
this ignorance of his works and high purposes in these men, who were set as
teachers of the people in matters concerning eternal life and its Author, our
Redeemer. Therefore the divine Child presented Himself to the disputants,
manifesting the grace poured out over his lips (Ps. 44, 3). He stepped into
their midst with exceeding majesty and grace, as one who would propose some
doubt or solution. By his pleasing appearance He awakened in the hearts of
these learned men a desire to hear Him attentively. 52. The divine Child spoke to
them as follows: "The question concerning the coming of the Messias and
the answer given to it, I have heard and understood completely. In order to
propose my difficulty in regard to its solution, I presuppose what the Prophets
say, that his coming shall be in great power and majesty, which has also been
confirmed by the testimonies brought forward. For Isaias says, that He shall be
our Lawgiver and King, who shall save his people (Is. 30, 27), and David, that
He shall crush all his enemies (Ps. 94, 3), Daniel, that all tribes and nations
shall serve Him (Dan. 7, 14), Ecclesiasticus} that He shall come with a great
multitude of the saints (Ec1us. 24, 3). All the Prophets and Scriptures are
full of similar promises, manifesting his characteristics clearly and
decisively enough for all those that study them with enlightened attention. But
the doubt arises from the comparison of these with other passages in the
Prophets, since all of them must be equally true, though on account of their
brevity they may appear to contradict each other. Therefore they must agree
with each other in another sense, which can and must be found equally
applicable in all the passages. How then shall we understand what this same
Isaias says of Him, that He shall come from the land of the living, and when He
asks: who shall declare his generation? (Is. 53, 8), that He shall be satiated
with reproach; that He shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and that He
shall not open his mouth ? Jeremias states that the enemies of the Messias
shall join hands to persecute Him and mix poison with his bread, and they shall
wipe out his name from the earth, although they shall not prevail in their
attempt (Jer. 11, 19). David says that He shall be the reproach of the people
and of men, and shall be trodden under foot and shall be despised as a worm
(Ps. 21, 78); Zachary, that He shall come meek and humble seated upon an
insignificant beast (Zach. 9, 9). All the Prophets say the same concerning the
signs of the promised Messias." 53. "Hence," added
the divine Child, "how will it be possible to reconcile these prophecies,
if we suppose that the Messias is to come with the power and majesty of arms in
order to conquer all the kings and monarchs by violence and foreign bloodshed?
We cannot fail to see that He is to come twice; once to redeem the world and a
second time to judge it; the prophecies must be applied to both these comings,
giving to each one its right explanation. As the purposes of these comings are
different so must also the conditions be different; for He is not to exercise
the same office in both, but widely divergent and opposite offices. In the
first advent He is to overthrow the demon, hurling him from his sovereignty
over souls obtained through the first sin. And therefore He must first render
satisfaction to God for the whole human race; then also teach men by his word
and example the way of eternal life, how they are to overcome their enemies, serve
and adore their God and Redeemer; how they must correspond to the gifts and use
well the blessings of his right hand. All these requirements the Messias must
fulfill in the first coming. The second coming is for the purpose of exacting
an account from all men in the general judgment, of giving to each one the
return for his works, good or bad, chastising his enemies in his wrath and
indignation. This is what the Prophets say of his second coming." 54. "Accordingly, when
we wish to understand how his first coming shall be in power and majesty, or as
David says, that He shall reign from sea to sea, that in his advent He shall be
glorious, as said by the other Prophets: all this cannot be interpreted as
referring to visible and terrestrial sovereignty, with all its outward show of
pomp and majesty; but of a spiritual reign in a new Church, which would be
extended over all the earth with sovereign power and riches of grace and virtue
in opposition to the demon. By this interpretation the whole Scripture becomes
dear, while in another sense its different parts cannot be made to harmonize.
That the people of the Jews ate under dominion of the Romans and are in no
condition to restore their sovereignty, not only cannot be held as a proof of
his not having come, but on the contrary, it is an infallible sign that He is
already come into the world. For our patriarch Jacob has pointed out this very
sign for the guidance of his posterity, commanding them to expect the Messias as
soon as they should see the tribe of Juda deprived of the sceptre and
sovereignty of Israel (Gen. 49, 10) ; and you must confess that neither Juda
nor any other tribe of Israel can hope to recover or hold it. The same is also
proved by the weeks of Daniel (Dan. 9, 25) ; which must certainly be now
complete. Those who wish can also remember, that a few years ago a light was
seen in Bethlehem at midnight and that some poor shepherds heard the message of
the newborn Redeemer; and soon after some Kings of the East came guided by a
star, seeking the King of the Jews in order to adore Him. All this had been
prophesied. Herod, the father of Archelaus, believing it an established fact,
took away the life of so many children, hoping thereby to destroy the newborn
King, whom he feared as his rival in the government of Israel." 55. Other arguments did the
Child Jesus add, and while seeming to ask questions He taught with a divine
efficacy. The scribes and learned men who heard Him were all dumbfounded.
Convinced by his arguments they looked at each other and in great astonishment
asked: "What miracle is this? and what prodigy of a boy! Whence has He
come and who is the Child ?" But though thus astonished, they did not
recognize or suspect who it was, that thus taught and enlightened them concerning
such an important truth. During this time and before Jesus had finished his
argument, his most holy Mother and saint Joseph her most chaste spouse arrived,
just in time to hear him advance his last arguments. When He had finished, all
the teachers of the law arose with stupendous amazement. The heavenly Lady,
absorbed in joy, approached her most loving Son and in the presence of the
whole assembly, spoke to Him the words recorded by saint Luke: "Son, why
hast Thou done so to us? Behold thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing
(Luke 4, 48). This loving complaint the heavenly Mother uttered with equal
reverence and affection, adoring Him as God and manifesting her maternal
affliction. The Lord answered: "Why is it that you sought Me? Did you not
know that I must be about my Father's business?" 56. The Evangelist says that
they did not understand the mystery of these words (Luke 2, 50); for it was
hidden at the time to most holy Mary and saint Joseph. And for two reasons; on
the one hand, the interior joy of now reaping what they had sown in so much
sorrow, and the visible presence of their precious Treasure, entirely filled
the faculties of their souls; and on the other hand, the time for the full
comprehension of what had just been treated of in this discussion had not yet
arrived for them. Moreover, for the most solicitous Queen there was another
hindrance just at that time, and it was, that the veil, concealing the interior
of her most holy Son had again intervened and was not removed until some time
later. The learned men departed, commenting in their amazement upon the
wonderful event, by which they had been privileged to hear the teaching of
eternal Wisdom, though they did not recognize it. Being thus left almost alone,
the blessed Mother, embracing Him with maternal affection, said to Him :
"Permit my longing heart, my son, to give expression to its sorrow and
pain; so that it may not die of grief as long as it can be of use to Thee. Do
not cast me off from thy sight; but accept me as thy slave. If it was my
negligence, which deprived me of thy presence, pardon me and make me worthy of
thy company, and do not punish me with thy absence." The divine Child
received Her with signs of pleasure and offered Himself as her Teacher and
Companion until the proper time should arrive. Thus was the dovelike and
affectionate heart of the great Lady appeased, and They departed for Nazareth. 57. But at some distance from
Jerusalem, when They were alone upon the road, the most prudent Lady fell on
her knees before her Son and adored Him, asking his benediction; for She had
not thus reverenced Him openly in presence of the people in the temple, being
always anxious to conduct Herself with the perfection of holiness. With loving
tenderness the Child Jesus raised Her from the ground and spoke to Her words of
sweetest comfort. Immediately the veil fell, revealing anew his most holy soul
with greater depth and clearness than ever before. Then the heavenly Mother
read and perceived in the interior of her most holy Son all the mysteries of
his doings during those three days in Jerusalem. She understood also all that
had passed in the dispute with the doctors, what Jesus had said and why He did
not manifest Himself more clearly as the true Messias. Many other sacramental
secrets He revealed to his Virgin Mother, depositing them with Her as in an
archive of all the treasures of the incarnate Word, in order that thence He
might receive for all of them the return of honor and praise due to Him as
Author of such great wonders. And She, the Virgin Mother, fulfilled all the
expectations of the Lord. Then She asked Him to rest a while in the field and
partake of some nourishment, and He accepted it from the hands of the great
Lady, the attentive Mother of divine Wisdom (Eccli. 24, 24). 58. During the rest of the
journey the heavenly Mother discoursed with her sweetest Son on the mysteries,
interiorly manifested to Her concerning the discussion with the teachers. He
repeated by word of mouth, what He had shown Her interiorly. In particular He told
Her, that these doctors had not recognized Him as the Messias because they were
inflated and arrogant in their own knowledge. Their understanding was obscured
by the darkness of their pride, so that they could not perceive the divine
light shining forth in such profusion from Him; while, if they had had the
humble and loving desire of seeing the truth, his reasoning would have
sufficiently convinced them. On account of these obstacles they saw it not,
though it was open before their eyes. Our Redeemer converted many souls to the
way of salvation on this journey and, as his most holy Mother was with Him, He
used Her as an instrument of his wonderful works. By means of her most prudent
words and holy admonitions He enlightened the hearts of all to whom She spoke.
They restored health to many of the sick; They consoled the afflicted and
sorrowful; and everywhere They scattered grace and mercy without ever losing an
occasion for doing good. Since I have described more particularly some of the
wonders performed during other of their journeys, I do not stop to describe any
more here; for many chapters and much time would be necessary to relate them
all and there are other things more to the point to be related in this history. 59. They arrived at Nazareth,
where they occupied themselves in what I shall record later on. The evangelist
Luke compendiously mentions all the mysteries in few words, saying the Child
Jesus was subject to his parents, namely most holy Mary and saint Joseph, and
that his heavenly Mother noted and preserved within her heart all these events;
and that Jesus advanced in wisdom, and age, and grace with God and men (Luke 2,
52), of which, as far as my understanding goes, I will speak later on. Just now
I wish only to mention, that the humility and obedience of our God and Master
toward his parents were the admiration of the angels. But so was also the
dignity and excellence of his most blessed Mother, who thus merited that the
incarnate God should subject Himself and resign Himself to her care; so much
so, that She, with the assistance of saint Joseph, governed Him and disposed of
Him as her own. Although his subjection and obedience was to a certain extent a
natural result of her motherhood; yet, in order to make proper use of this
maternal right and superiority, a different grace was necessary than the one by
which She conceived and gave birth to Him. The graces necessary for such
ministry and office were given to most holy Mary in such abundance, that they
overflowed into the soul of saint Joseph, making Him worthy of being the
reputed father of Jesus and the head of this family. 60. To the obedience and
subjection of her most holy Son the great Lady on her part responded by heroic
works. Among her other excellences She conceived as it were an incomprehensible
humility and a most heartfelt gratitude for having regained the companionship
of her Son. This blessing, of which the heavenly Queen deemed Herself unworthy,
vastly increased in her most pure heart her love and her anxiety to serve her divine
Son. And She was so constant in showing her gratitude, so punctual and
solicitous to serve Him, kneeling before Him and lowering Herself to the dust,
that it excited the admiration of the highest seraphim. Moreover, She sought
with the closest attention to imitate Him in all his actions as they became
known to Her and exerted Herself most anxiously to copy them and reproduce them
in her own life. The plenitude of her perfection wounded the heart of our
Christ and Lord, and, according to our way of speaking, held him bound to Her
with chains of invincible love. (Osee 11, 4). His being thus bound as God and
as Son to this heavenly Princess, gave rise to such an interchange and divine
reciprocity of intense love, as surpasses all created understanding. For into
the ocean of Mary's soul entered all the vast floods of the graces and
blessings of the incarnate Word; and this ocean did not overflow (Eccles. 1,
7), because it contained the depth and expanse necessary to receive them. But
these currents turned back to their source like ebbs and tides of the Divinity
held between two shores, the Son of God and his Mother. This explains the many
repetitions of the humble acknowledgment of the Spouse: "My beloved to me,
and I to him, who feedeth among the lilies, till the day break and shadows
retire." (Cant. 2, 16). And elsewhere: "I to my beloved, and my
beloved to me" (Cant. 6, 2); "I to my beloved, and his turning is to
me" (Cant. 7, 10). 61. The fire of divine love,
which burned In the heart of our Redeemer and which He came to spread upon the
earth, finding material so prepared and ready at hand as was that of the pure
heart of Mary, produced such effects, as only the Lord Himself, who was the
Author of them, could properly estimate. There is but one thing, which I wish
to record, having received an understanding thereof, that in the outward
demonstration of his love for his most holy Mother, He guided Himself not by
the natural affections and inclinations of a Son, but by her capability of
meriting as a pilgrim in mortal life; for He well knew that, if in these
demonstrations He would allow his filial love for such a Mother to have full
sway, He would impede her merits by forcing upon Her the continual enjoyment of
the delights of her Beloved. On this account the Lord restrained to a certain
extent the human activity of his love and permitted his Mother, though She had
reached the pinnacle of sanctity, to engage in meritorious labor and suffering
by stopping now and then the flow of visible favors from his divine humanity.
In his daily intercourse the divine Child therefore maintained a certain
reserve and moderation. Hence, though the most assiduous Lady was so solicitous
in serving and ministering to Him in all his wants, her most holy Son indulged
in no such outward tokens of his filial love as would have been an adequate
return for her loving service. INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO ME BY THE MOST HOLY
MARY, THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN. 62. My daughter, all the
works of my most holy Son and my own actions are full of mysterious instruction
and doctrine for the mortals who contemplate them diligently and reverently.
The Lord absented Himself from me in order that, seeking Him in sorrow and
tears, I might find Him again in joy and with abundant fruits for my soul. I
desire that thou imitate me in this mystery and seek Him with such earnestness,
as to be consumed with a continual longing without ever in thy whole life
coming to any rest until thou holdst Him and canst lose Him no more (Cant. S,
4). In order that thou mayest understand better this sacrament of the Lord,
remember, that the infinite Wisdom made men capable of his eternal felicity and
placed them on the way to this happiness, but left them in doubt of its
attainment, as long as they have not yet acquired it, and thus filled them with
joyful hope and sorrowful fear of its final acquisition. This anxiety engenders
in men a lifelong fear and abhorrence of sin, by which alone they can be
deprived of beatitude, and thus prevent them from being ensnared and misled by
the corporeal and visible things of this earth. This anxiety the Creator
assists by adding to the natural reasoning powers, faith and hope, which are
the spurs of their love toward seeking and finding their last end. Besides
these virtues and others infused at Baptism, He sends his inspirations and
helps to keep awake the soul in the absence of its Lord and to prevent
forgetfulness of Him and of itself while deprived of his amiable presence. Thus
it pursues the right course until it finds the great goal, where all its
inclinations and longing shall be satiated. 63. Hence thou canst estimate
the listless ignorance of mortals and how few stop to consider the mysterious
order of the creation and justification and all the works of the Almighty
tending toward this exalted end. From this forgetfulness flow so many evils
endured by men while they appropriate so many earthly goods and deceitful
delights, as if they could ever find in them their ultimate end. The height of
perversity opposed to the order of the Creator, is that mortals in this
transitory and short life rejoice in visible things as if they were their last
end, while they ought, on the contrary, to make use of creatures to gain, not
to lose, the highest Good. Do thou, therefore, my dearest, be mindful of this
dangerous human folly. Consider all delights and joys of the world as insanity,
its laughing as sorrow, sensible enjoyment as self deceit, as the source of
foolishness, which intoxicates the heart and hinders and destroys all true
wisdom. Live in constant and holy fear of losing eternal life and rejoice in
nothing except in the Lord until thou obtainest full possession of Him. Fly
from conversation with men and dread its dangers. If sometimes God places thee
in the way of human intercourse for his glory and by obedience, although thou
must trust in his protection, yet never be remiss or careless in guarding
thyself from contamination. Do not trust thy natural disposition when there is
question of friendship and close intercourse with others; in this consists for
thee a greater danger; for the Lord has given thee a pleasing and mild
disposition, so that thou mayest naturally incline toward Him, resist none of
his intentions and make a proper return for the blessings bestowed upon thee.
But as soon as thou givest entrance to creatures into thy heart thou wilt
certainly be carried away and alienated by them from the highest Good, and thou
wilt pervert the intentions and operations of his infinite wisdom in thy
behalf. It would certainly be most unworthy of thee to divert that which is
most noble in thy nature toward an unseemly end. Raise thyself above all
created things, and above thyself (Thren. 3, 28). Perfect the operations of thy
faculties and set before them the exalted perfections of thy God, of my beloved
Son and thy Spouse, who is beautiful among the sons of men (Ps. 44, 3). Love
Him with all the powers of thy heart and soul. CONCERNING A VISION WHICH WAS GRANTED TO
MOST HOLY MARY WHEN THE CHILD JESUS WAS TWELVE YEARS OLD, AND WHICH WAS TO
ASSIST IN PRODUCING WITHIN HER THE PERFECT COPY AND IMAGE OF THE EVANGELICAL
LAW. 64. In the first and second
chapters of this book I began what I must now complete in the following
chapters: but I do it not without misgivings as to my halting and inadequate powers
of expression and with much more hesitation on account of the lukewarmness of
my heart, all of which make me unfit to speak of the hidden intercourse of the
incarnate Word with his most blessed Mother. And especially do they make me
unworthy of treating about that heavenly intercourse of the Son and the Mother
at Nazareth during the eighteen years intervening between his dispute with the
doctors at Jerusalem and the beginning of his public preaching in his thirtieth
year. On the shores of this vast ocean of mysteries I stand full of confusion
and doubt, asking the most high Lord from the bottom of my soul, to transfer my
pen to the hands of an angel, in order that no injustice may be done to the
subject of the discourse; or that He himself, the most powerful and wise God,
speak for me, enlighten my faculties, so that governed by his divine light,
they may be fit instruments of his will and truth and be free from the human
frailty of an ignorant woman. 65. I have already said in
former chapters, that our great Lady was the first and specially privileged
Disciple of her most holy Son, chosen among all creatures as the model of the
new evangelical law and its Author, according to which He was to mould all the
saints of the new law and judge of all the results of the Redemption. In regard
to Her the incarnate Word proceeded like a most skillful artist, who
understands the art of painting and all that pertains to it most thoroughly;
who, throwing all his powers into one chosen work, seeks to gain from it alone
renown and fame as from the full exposition of his art. It is certain that all
the holiness and glory of the saints was the result of the love and merits of
Christ: (Eph. 2, 3) but in comparison with the excellence of Mary, they seem
insignificant and as it were only rough sketches; for in all the saints are
found defects (I John 1, 8). But this living image of the Onlybegotten was free
from all imperfections; and the first strokes of his pencil in Her were of
greater beauty than the last touches in the highest angels and saints. She is
the model for all the perfection of holiness and virtues of all his elect, and
the utmost limit to which the love of Christ can proceed in mere creatures. No
one received any grace or glory that most holy Mary could not receive, and She
received all that others were incapable of receiving: and her most blessed Son
gave to Her all that She could receive and that He could communicate. 66. The multitude and variety
of the saints silently enhance the Artificer of their great sanctity, and the
greatness of the highest is made more conspicuous by the beauty of the lowest:
but all of them together are a glorification of most holy Mary. For by her
incomparable holiness they are all surpassed and they all partake of so much
the greater felicity as they imitate Her, whose holiness redounds over all. If the most pure Mary has reached the highest pinnacle in the ranks of the just She
may also on this very account be considered as the instrument or the motive
power through which the saints themselves have reached their station. As we
must judge of her excellence (even if only from afar), by the labor which
Christ the Lord applied for her formation, let us consider what labor He spent
upon Her and how much upon the whole Church. To establish and to enrich his
Church He deemed it sufficient to spend only three years in preaching,
selecting the Apostles, teaching the people, and inculcating the evangelical
law by his public life; and this was amply sufficient to accomplish the work
enjoined upon Him by the eternal Father and to justify and sanctify all the
true believers. But in order to stamp upon his most holy Mother the image of
his holiness, He consumed not three years, but ten times three years, engaging
in this work with all the power of his divine love, without ever ceasing hour
after hour to add grace to grace, gifts to gifts, blessings to blessings, and
holiness to holiness. And at the end of all this He still left Her in a state,
in which He could continue to add excellence after his Ascension to his eternal
Father as I will describe in the third part. Our reason is unbalanced, our
words fail at the greatness of this incomparable Lady; for She is elect as the
sun (Cant. 6, 9) ; and her effulgence cannot be borne by terrestrial eyes, nor
comprehended by any earthly creatures. 67. Christ our Redeemer began
to manifest his designs in regard to his heavenly Mother after they had come
back from Egypt to Nazareth, as I have already mentioned; and from that time on
He continued to follow up his purpose in his quality as Teacher and as the
divine Enlightener in all the mysteries of the Incarnation and Redemption.
After they returned from Jerusalem in his twelfth year, the great Queen had a
vision of the Divinity, not an intuitive vision, but one consisting of
intellectual images; one very exalted and full of the new influences of the
Divinity and of the secrets of the Most High. She was especially enlightened in
regard to the decrees of the divine Will concerning the law of grace, which was
now to be established by the incarnate Word, and concerning the power, which
was given to Him in the consistory of the most blessed Trinity. At the same
time She saw how for this purpose the eternal Father consigned to His Son the
seven sealed book, of which saint John speaks (Apoc. 5, 1), and how none could
be found either in heaven or on earth, who could unseal and open it, until the
Lamb broke its seals by his Passion and Death and by his doctrines and merits.
For in this figure God wished to intimate, that the secret of this book was
nothing else than the new law of the Gospel and the Church founded upon it in
this world. 68. Then the heavenly Queen saw in spirit, that, by the decree of the most blessed Trinity, She was to be the first one to read and understand this book; that her Onlybegotten was to open it for Her and manifest it all to Her, while She was to put it perfectly into practice; that She was the first one, who was to accompany the Word, and who was to occupy the first place next to Him on the way to heaven, which He had opened up for mortals and traced out in this book. In Her, as his true Mother, was to be deposited this new Testament. She saw how the Son of the eternal Father and of Herself accepted this decree with great pleasure; and how his sacred humanity obeyed it with ineffable joy on her account. Then the eternal Father turned to the most pure Lady and said:
69. "My Spouse and my
Dove, prepare thy heart for the plenitude of knowledge and for receiving the
new Testament and Law of my Only begotten in thy soul. Excite thy desires and
apply thy mind to the knowledge and practice of our teachings and precepts.
Receive from Us the gifts of our liberality and of our love for thee. In order
that thou mayest give Us fitting thanks, consider, that by the disposition of
our infinite wisdom, We have resolved to make thee, a mere creature, the
closest image and likeness of my Onlybegotten, and thus produce in thee effects
and fruits worthy of his merits. Therein shall his most holy name be magnified
and honored in a fitting degree. Be mindful, therefore, my beloved and chosen
Daughter, that a great preparation is required of thee." 70. And the most humble Lady
answered: "Eternal Lord and immense God, in thy real and divine presence I
lie prostrate, acknowledging at the sight of thy infinite Being my own
insignificance, which is mere nothingness. I perceive thy greatness and my
littleness. I know that I am unworthy to be thy slave; and for the kindness
with which Thou hast looked upon me, I offer to Thee the fruit of my womb and
thy Onlybegotten and I beseech Him to answer for his unworthy Mother and his
handmaid. My heart is prepared and it is overwhelmed with gratitude for thy
mercies and consumed with affection, as long as it cannot satisfy its vehement
longings. But if I shall find grace in thy eyes, I will speak, 0 my Lord and
Master, in thy presence, asking only this, that Thou do with thy slave whatever
Thou wishest and commandest; for no one is able to execute it unless Thou
thyself assist him, 0 Lord and most high King. If Thou desirest from me a heart
free and devoted, I now offer it to Thee, ready to obey Thee and suffer for
Thee until death." Immediately the heavenly Princess felt new influences
of the Divinity, being enlightened, purified and spiritualized with such
plenitude of the Holy Ghost as to exceed all that had happened to Her until
that day; for this blessing was one of the most memorable ones for the peerless
and sovereign Lady. Although all of them were exalted and without equal in any
of the rest of creatures, reaching the highest perfection; yet in the
participation of the divine perfections there is no measure, as long as the
capacity of the creature to receive them does not fail. As this power of
participation was so vast in this Queen and increased with each participation,
the great gifts merely disposed Her for still greater ones. The divine power,
therefore, not finding in Her any obstacle, set all its treasures in motion and
laid them up in the secure and most faithful depository of the most holy Mary
our Queen. 71. She issued from this
ecstatic vision and betook Herself to her most holy Son, prostrating Herself at
his feet and saying: "My Lord, my Light and my Teacher, behold thy
unworthy Mother prepared for the fulfillment of thy wishes: admit me anew as
thy disciple and servant and make use of me as the instrument of thy wisdom and
power. Execute in me thy pleasure and that of thy eternal Father." Her
most holy Son received Her with the majesty and authority of a divine Teacher
and instructed Her in most exalted mysteries. In most persuasive and powerful
words He explained to Her the profoundest meanings of the works enjoined upon
Him by the eternal Father in regard to the Redemption of man, the founding of
the Church and the establishment of the new evangelical law. He declared and
reaffirmed, that in the execution of these high and hidden mysteries She was to
be his Companion and Coadjutrix, receiving and enjoying the first fruits of
grace; and that therefore She, the most pure Lady, was to follow Him in his
labors until his death on the Cross with a magnanimous and well prepared heart
in invincible and unhesitating constancy. He added heavenly instruction such as
enabled Her to prepare for the reception of the whole evangelical Law, the
understanding and practice of all its precepts and counsels in their highest
perfection. Other sacramental secrets concerning his works in this world the
Child Jesus manifested to his most blessed Mother on this occasion. And the
heavenly Lady met all his words and intentions with profound humility,
obedience, reverence, thanksgiving and most ardent love. INSTRUCTION WHICH THE HEAVENLY LADY GAVE
ME 72. My daughter, many times
in the course of thy life, and especially while thou art writing this history
of my own life, I have called upon thee and invited thee to follow me by the
closest imitation possible to thee. I now renew this invitation and demand, for
now thou hast by the condescension of the Most High received light and
intelligence in this sacrament of his powerful arm in my heart: how He wrote
therein the whole law of grace and all the doctrine of the Gospel, what effects
this favor wrought in me, and how I corresponded by the closest and most
perfect imitation of my most holy Son and Teacher. The knowledge of all this
thou must consider as one of the greatest favors ever bestowed upon thee by the
Lord. For in it thou wilt find the sum total and essence of the most exalted
sanctity and perfection, reflected as in the clearest mirror. The paths of
divine light will therein be revealed to thee, whereon thou canst walk secure
from the darkness of ignorance enveloping other mortals. 73. Come then, my daughter,
come and follow me. And in order that
thou mayest imitate me as I desire and that thy understanding may be
properly enlightened, thy spirit sufficiently ennobled and prepared, and thy
will inflamed, separate thyself from all earthly things as thy Spouse wishes;
withdraw thyself from what is visible, forsake all the creatures, deny thyself,
dose thy senses to the deceits and fabulations of the world (Ps. 39, 5). And in
thy temptations I exhort thee not to be troubled or afflicted very much; for if
they cause thee to halt in thy course, they will already have gained a great
advantage over thee and they will prevent thee from becoming strong in the
practice of perfection. Listen therefore to the Lord alone, who is desirous of
the beauty of thy soul (Ps. 44, 12); who is liberal in bestowing his gifts upon
it, powerful to deposit therein the treasures of his wisdom, and anxious to see
thee prepare thyself to receive them. Allow Him to write into thy heart the
evangelical Law. Let that be thy continual study, thy meditation day and night,
the sweet nourishment of thy memory, the life of thy soul and the sweet nectar
for thy spiritual taste. Thus wilt thou obtain what the Most High and I require
of thee, and what thou thyself desirest. THE EXALTING PURPOSE OF THE INSTRUCTION
OF MOST HOLY MARY ARE EXPLAINED MORE AT LARGE; AND HOW SHE PUT THESE
INSTRUCTIONS INTO PRACTICE. 74. All free and voluntary
causes must have some reasonable end or purpose, which move them to act, and having obtained a clear view of this end, they proceed to choose the means for
obtaining it. This is certainly true of the works of God, who is the first and
primary Cause, and who is infinite Wisdom itself, disposing and executing all
things and reaching from end to end in sweetness and power, as the wise man
says. Nor does He seek the destruction and annihilation of any creature, but
all of them He has made in order that they may enjoy life and existence (Wis.
8, 1). The more wonderful and excellent the works of the Most High, so much the
more admirable and exalted are the ends to which they tend. Although the ultimate
end of all things is the manifestation of his own glory; yet all are ordained
according to infinite knowledge and are connected one with each other like the
links of a chain. Thus all creatures succeed each other from the lowest to the
highest and nearest to God, the Author of all. 75. All the excellence and
sanctity of our great Lady is included in her having been molded by God as the
image or living stamp of his own Son; being so well adjusted and refined in
grace that She seemed another Christ by communication and privilege (Gal. 4,
4). Thus was established a singular and divine intercourse between Her and her
Son. She had given Him the form and existence of man, while the Lord gave Her
that other highest spiritual existence of grace, so that there was a mutual
correspondence and similarity of gifts. The ends which the Most High had in
view, were proportionate to this rare wonder and to this, the greatest of all
his operations in mere creatures. In the second and sixth chapter I have said
something concerning the honor of Christ and its being bound up with the
efficacy of his doctrines and merits: that his honor required their power to be
made known in his most holy Mother, and that all the effects of the evangelical
Law and the fruits of his Redemption should redound to his glory by being
exhibited in Her. More than in all the rest of his holy Church and in all the
predestined, was this to be found in the sovereign Lady, his Mother. 76. The second end, which the
Lord had in view in this work, concerned likewise the ministry of the Redeemer;
for the work of our Redemption was to correspond with those of the Creation of
the world, and the remedy of sin was to be correlative with its entrance among
men. Therefore, it was befitting that, just as the first Adam had as a
companion in sin our mother Eve, and was moved and abetted therein by her,
causing the loss of the whole human race, so also, in the reparation of this
great ruin, the second and heavenly Adam, Christ our Lord, was to have as a
companion and helper his most pure Mother. She was to concur and cooperate in
the Redemption; although in Christ alone, who is our Head, existed the full
power and adequate cause of the general Redemption. In order that this mystery
might not want the proper dignity and correspondence, it was necessary that
what was said by the Most High in the first formation of man, be also fulfilled
in regard to Christ and his Mother: “It is not good for man to be alone: let us
make him a help like unto himself” (Gen 2, 18). This the Lord in his
Omnipotence did, so that, speaking of the second Adam, Christ, He could say:
"This now is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called
Woman because She was taken out of man" (Gen. 2, 23). I shall not detain
myself in further explanation of this sacrament; for it is clearly seen by
reason enlightened by divine faith, and the resemblance between Christ and his
most holy Mother is clearly manifest. 77. Another motive for this
mystery, though here mentioned in the third place, is first in regard to the
intention; for it concerns the eternal predestination of Christ our Lord, which
I have described in the first part of this history. The primary intention of
the eternal Word in assuming flesh and becoming the Teacher of men, correspond
with the greatness of that very work, which was to be performed. This was the
greatest of all his works and it was really the end for which all the rest were
to be executed. Hence the divine wisdom so arranged matters, that among mere
creatures there should be One, which fully met his desire of being our Teacher
and adopting us as his children by his grace. If the Creator had not thus
formed the most holy Mary and furnished Her with a degree of sanctity like to
that of his divine Son (according to our coarse way of speaking), the adequate
motive for his Incarnation, so far as it is manifest to us, would have been
wanting. Compare with this what is said of Moses, when he received the tablets
of the Law written by the finger of God: he broke them as soon as he saw the
people in their idolatry, judging them too faithless to be worthy of such great
benefit. Afterwards the Law was written on other tablets made by the hands of man, and these were
preserved in the world. The first tablets, made by the hands of God and having
written upon them Law of the Lord, were broken by the first sin; and we would
not have had any evangelical Law, if there had not been other tablets, Christ
and Mary, formed in another way; She in the ordinary and natural way, He by the
consent and of the substance of Mary. If this great Lady had not concurred and
cooperated as a worthy instrument, we other mortals would be now without this
evangelical Law. 78. In the plenitude of this
divine science and grace Christ our Lord attained all these sublime ends by
teaching the most blessed Mother the mysteries of the evangelical Law. In order
that She might be proficient in all of them and at the same time understand
them in their different aspects; in order that She might afterwards be Herself
the consummate Teacher and Mother of wisdom, the Lord used different means of
enlightening Her. Sometimes by abstractive visions of the Divinity, with which
during this part of her life She was more frequently favored; at other times by
intellectual visions, which were more habitual though less clear. In the one as
well as in the other She saw the whole militant Church, with all its history
from the beginning of the world until the Incarnation; and what was to be its
lot afterwards until the end of the world, and later on in eternal beatitude.
This knowledge was so clear, distinct and comprehensive, that She knew all the
just and the saints, and those who were to distinguish themselves afterwards in
the Church: the Apostles, Martyrs, Patriarchs of the religious orders, the
Doctors, Confessors and Virgins. All these our Queen knew in particular with
all their merits and graces and the rewards apportioned to them. 79. She was acquainted also
with the Sacraments, which her divine Son was to establish in the Church; their
efficacy, the results in those that receive them, varying according to the
different dispositions of the recipients, and all their strength flowing from
the sanctity and merits of her most holy Son, our Redeemer. She was also
furnished with a clear understanding of all the doctrines, which He was to
preach and teach; of the new and old Testament, and of all mysteries hidden
under its four different ways of interpreting them, the literal, moral,
allegoric and anagogic; and all that the interpreters of the Scriptures were to
write in explanation. But her understanding of all these was much more
extensive and profound than theirs. She was aware that all this knowledge was
given to Her in order that She might be the Teacher of the whole Church; for this
was her office in the absence of her most holy Son, after his Ascension into
heaven. In Her the new children of the Church and the faithful engendered by
grace were to have a loving Mother, who carefully nourished them at the breasts
of her doctrines as with sweetest milk, the proper food of infant children.
Thus the most blessed Lady during these eighteen years of her hidden
intercourse with her most holy Son fed upon and digested the substance of the
evangelical doctrines, receiving them from their Author, Christ, the Redeemer.
Having tasted and well understood the scope and efficacy of this law, She drew
forth from it sweet nourishment for the primitive Church, whose members were
yet in their tender years and unfit for the solid and strong food of the
Scriptures and the perfect imitation of their Master and Redeemer. But since I
am to speak of this part of her history in its proper place, I do not expatiate
farther upon this matter. 80. Besides these visions and
instructions concerning her divine Son and his human nature, the great Lady had also two other sources of information
which I have already mentioned. The one was the reflection of his most holy
Soul and its interior operation, which She saw as in a mirror and in which was
included at the same time a reflex image of all his knowledge of things
created; so that She was informed of all the counsels of the Redeemer and
Artificer of sanctity and also of all the works, which He intended to undertake
and execute either by Himself or by his ministers. The other source of
information was his own spoken word; for the Lord conversed with his most
worthy Mother about all things concerning his Church, from the greatest to
smallest, including also all the happenings contemporary with and bearing upon
the different phases of the history of the Church. On this account the heavenly
Disciple and our Instructress was so imbued with his doctrine and so proficient
in the most perfect practice of it, that the perfection of her works
corresponded with her immense wisdom and science. Her knowledge was so clear
and deep, that it comprehended everything and was never equaled by any
creature, nor can it be conceived in its full extent either in thought or
words. Neither was there anything wanting that is necessary, nor was there
anything added that was superfluous, nor did She ever mistake one thing for
another, nor was She in need of discourse or inquiry in order to be able to
explain the most hidden mysteries of the Scriptures, whenever such explanation
was necessary in the primitive Church. INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO ME BY THE HEAVENLY MOTHER,
OUR LADY. 81. The Most High, who in
sheer goodness and bounty has given existence to all creatures and denies his
providential care to none, faithfully supplies all souls with light, by which
they can enter into the knowledge of Him and of eternal life, provided they do
not of their own free will prevent and obscure this light by sin or give up the
quest of the kingdom of heaven. To the souls, whom, according to his secret
judgments, He calls to his Church, He shows himself still more liberal. For
with the grace of Baptism He infuses into them not only those virtues, which
are called essentially infused and which the creature cannot merit by its own
efforts; but also those, which are accidentally infused and which it can merit
by its own labors and efforts. These the Lord gives freely beforehand, in order
that the soul may be more prepared and zealous in the observance of his holy
Law. In other souls, in addition to the common light of faith, the Lord in his
clemency grants supernatural gifts of knowledge and virtue for the better
understanding of the evangelical mysteries and for the more zealous practice of
good works. In this kind of gifts He has been more liberal with thee than with many
generations; obliging thee thereby to distinguish thyself in loving
correspondence due to Him and to humble thyself before Him to the very dust. 82. In order that thou mayest
be well instructed and informed, I wish to warn thee as a solicitous and loving
Mother, of the cunning of satan for the destruction of these works of the Lord.
From the very moment in which mortals begin to have the use of their reason,
each one of them is followed by many watchful and relentless demons. For as
soon as the souls are in a position to raise their thoughts to the knowledge of
their God and commence the practice of the virtues infused by Baptism, these
demons, with incredible fury and astuteness, seek to root out the divine seed;
and if they cannot succeed in this, they try to hinder its growth, and prevent
it from bringing forth fruit by engaging men in vicious, useless, or trifling
things. Thus they divert their thoughts from faith and hope, and from the
pursuit of other virtues, leading them to forget that they are Christians and
diverting their attention from the knowledge of God and from the mysteries of
the Redemption and of life eternal. Moreover the same enemy instills into the
parents a base neglectfulness and carnal love for their offspring; and he
incites the teachers to carelessness, so that the children find no support
against evil in their education, but become depraved and spoiled by many bad
habits, losing sight of virtue and of their good inclinations and going the way
of perdition. 83. But the most kind Lord
does not forget them in this danger and He renews in them his holy inspirations
and special helps. He supplies them with the holy teachings of the Church by
his preachers and ministers. He holds out to them the aid of the Sacraments and
many other inducements to keep them on the path of life. That those who walk in
the way of salvation are the smaller number, is due to the vice and depraved
habits imbibed in youth and nourished in childhood. For that saying of
Deuteronomy is very true : "As the days of thy youth, so also shall thy
old age be" (Deut. 33, 25). Hence the demons gain courage and increase
their tyrannical influence over souls in the early years of man's life, hoping
that they will be able to induce men to commit so much the greater and the more
frequent sins in later years, the more they have succedeed in drawing them into
small and insignificant faults in their childhood. By these they draw them on
to a state of blind presumption; for with each sin the soul loses more and more
the power of resistance, subjects itself to the demon, and falls under the sway
of its tyrannical enemies. The miserable yoke of wickedness is more and more
firmly fastened upon it; the same is trodden underfoot by its own iniquity and
urged onward under the sway of the devil from one precipice to another, from
abyss to abyss (Ps. 41, 8) : a chastisement merited by all those, that allow
themselves to be overcome by evildoing in the beginning. By these means Lucifer
has hurled into hell so great a number of souls and continues so to hurl them
every day, rising up in his pride against the Almighty. In this manner has he
been able to introduce into the world his tyrannical power, spreading among men
forgetfulness of death, judgment, heaven and hell, and casting so many nations
from abyss to abyss of darkness and bestial errors, such as are contained in
the heresies and false sects of the infidels. Do thou therefore beware of this
terrible danger, my daughter, and let not the memory of the law of thy God,
his precepts and commands, and the truths of the Catholic Church and the
doctrines of the Gospels ever fail in thy mind. Let not a day pass in which
thou dost not spend much time in meditating upon all these; and exhort thy
religious and all those who listen to thee to do the same. For thy enemy and
adversary is laboring with ceaseless vigilance to obscure thy understanding in
forgetfulness of the divine law, seeking to withdraw thy will, which is a blind
faculty, from the practice of justification. This, thou knowest, consists in
acts of living faith, trustful hope, ardent love, all coming from a contrite
and humble heart (Ps. SO, 19). HOW OUR GREAT QUEEN PRACTICED THE
TEACHINGS OF THE GOSPEL AS TAUGHT HER BY HER MOST HOLY SON. 84. Our Redeemer advanced in age and divine activity, leaving behind Him the years of his boyhood and fulfilling the task imposed upon Him by his eternal Father for the benefit of mankind. He did not engage in the work of preaching, nor did He perform at that time such open miracles as afterwards in Galilee, or before, in Egypt. But under cover of secrecy He produced great effects in the souls and bodies of men. He visited the poor and infirm; He consoled the afflicted and sorrowful. By special enlightenment and holy inspirations He led many souls to the way of salvation, inducing them to turn to their Creator and to withdraw from the devil and the works of death. These labors were continuous and He was frequently absent from the house of the blessed Virgin. Although the persons thus assisted were aware, that they were moved and converted by the words and the presence of Jesus, yet, as they were left in ignorance of the mystery of his assistance and could ascribe it only to the agency of God himself, they did not speak about it. The great Lady learned of these wonders by seeing them reflected in the most holy soul of her Son and by other means; and She adored Him and gave Him thanks for them prostrate at his feet.
85. The rest of the time her
most holy Son passed with his Mother, instructing Her and engaging with Her in
prayer. He spoke to Her of his solicitude for his cherished flock, of the
merits which He wished to accumulate for the benefit of souls, and of the means
to be applied for their salvation. The most prudent Mother listened to all his
words and cooperated with his divine love and wisdom, assisting Him in his
office of Father, Brother, Friend, Teacher, Advocate, Protector and Redeemer of
the human race. These conferences They held either by conversation or by
interior communications, for in both ways the Son and the Mother could hold
converse with each other. Her most holy Son would say: "My Mother, the
fruit of my works and the foundation upon which I wish to build the Church, is
to be a doctrine founded in holy science, which if believed and followed, shall
be the life and salvation of men: an efficacious and holy law, which shall be
capable of destroying the deathly poison of Lucifer, instilled by the first
sin. I wish that men, by means of my precepts and counsels, become spiritualized
and exalted to a participation and likeness of Myself, and that they, in their
mortal flesh, become depositaries of my riches and afterwards participators of
my eternal glory. I wish to give them the law of Moses, so renewed and
improved, that it shall contain also the precepts and counsels." 86. All these intentions of the Master of life his heavenly Mother understood with profoundest insight and accepted with ardent love, reverencing and thanking Him in the name of all the human race. And as the Lord proceeded in all his instructions, She understood more and more fully the efficacy of all these sacraments, the powerful influence of the evangelical Law and doctrine in obedient souls, and the rewards attached to it; and She labored in its practical fulfillment as if She were the representative of each one of the creatures. She knew all the four Gospels word for word as they were to be written, and all the mysteries, which were to be contained therein. She of Herself understood all the teachings of the Gospels; for her knowledge was greater than that of its authors. She could have explained them without having seen the text. She knew also that her knowledge was to be copied from that of Christ, engraved on her soul as was the Law of the old Testament on the tablets in the ark. Her knowledge was to serve as the original, legitimate and veracious manuscript of the new Law of grace for the guidance of the saints and the just; for all of them were to copy the virtues and the holiness contained in this archive of grace, most holy Mary.
87. Her divine Teacher also
instructed Her in her obligation of practicing this holy doctrine in its
entirety, so that the high purposes, which He had in view in making Her partake
in such exalted blessings and favors, might be attained. If we were to relate
here, how fully and exquisitely the great Queen corresponded with his designs,
it would be necessary to describe her whole life in this chapter; for it was a
complete summary of the Gospel, copied from her own Son and Teacher. All that
this holy doctrine has effected in the Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Virgins
and in all the just and the saints, which have lived and shall live to the end
of the world, could not be described, much less understood, except by the Lord
himself. Yet we must consider, that all the saints and the just were conceived
in sin and all of them placed some hindrance to grace; all of them could have
attained higher grace and holiness and fell short in their correspondence with
grace. But our heavenly Lady had no such defects or failings; She alone was
material adequately disposed and adapted for the powerful activity of God and
his blessings. She was the one who, without embarrassment and without
opposition, received the impetuous torrent of the Divinity communicated to Her
by her own Son and God. From all this we may understand, that only in the
beatific vision and in eternal felicity we shall be able to estimate, how much
was due to this wonder of his Omnipotence. 88. Whenever I wish to
explain some of the more important things manifested to me in this matter, I am
at a loss what terms to use. For our great Queen and Lady observed the precept
and doctrines of the Gospel according to the measure of her profound
understanding of them and no creature is capable of reaching the limits of the
science and intelligence of the Mother of wisdom in these teachings of Christ.
Moreover, that which is understood of it exceeds the capacity of human words
and speech. Let us take for an example the doctrine of that first sermon, which
the Teacher of life gave on the mountain to his disciples, and which is
recorded by saint Matthew (Matth. 5, 1). In it is contained the sum of
Christian perfection, on which the Church is founded and which makes those
blessed that observe them. 89. "Blessed are the
poor in spirit," says our Lord and Teacher, "for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven." This was the first and solid foundation of all
evangelical life. Although the Apostles and our holy Father saint Francis
understood it in a most exalted manner, yet Mary alone penetrated and fully
weighed the greatness of this poverty in spirit; and just as She understood it,
so She practiced it to its last limits. Into her heart the image of temporal
riches found no entrance, nor did She feel the inclination toward them; but,
while loving created things as the handiwork of the Lord, She at the same time
detested them in so far as they were a hindrance or a burden to the love of
God. She made use of them in moderation and only in so far as they were useful
toward divine love. This admirable and most perfect poverty entitled Her to
possess all things as Queen of heaven and earth. What I have said here in
regard to poverty, though strictly true, is but little in comparison to what
our great Lady really understood and practiced in regard to this poverty of
spirit, the first beatitude. 90. The second beatitude is:
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth." By her
sweetest meekness the most holy Mary excelled in the practice of this beatitude
not only over all mortals, just as Moses excelled all men of his time, but She
surpassed the angels and seraphim themselves; for this sincerest Dove, being
yet in mortal flesh, was interiorly and exteriorly no more exposed to
disturbance and excitement of her faculties, than these pure spirits, who are
not endowed with senses. In such an unlimited degree was She Mistress of all
her bodily faculties and powers, as well as of the hearts of all with whom She
had intercourse, that She possessed the earth in every day and reduced it to
peaceful subjection. The third beatitude is: "Blessed are they that mourn,
for they shall be comforted." The most holy Mary understood, more than any
tongue can explain, the value and excellence of tears, and at the same time the
foolishness and danger of laughter and human enjoyment. For, while all the
children of Adam, though they are conceived in original sin and afterwards
incur many other actual sins, give themselves over to laughter and gaiety, this
heavenly Mother, being without sin at her Conception and ever after, was aware,
that this mortal life should be consumed in weeping over the absence of the
supreme Good and over the sins, which have been and are committed against God.
For the sake of all men She wept over their sins, and merited by her most
innocent tears the great consolations and favors of the Lord. Her most pure
heart was in continual distress at the sight of the offenses committed against
her Beloved and her God; her eyes distilled incessant tears (Jer. 9, 1), and
her bread day and night was to weep over the ingratitude of sinners toward
their Creator and Redeemer (Ps. 41, 4). No creatures, not all of them together,
wept more than the Queen of angels, though for men, on account of their sins,
there is abundant cause of wailing and weeping, while in Her there was cause
only for joy and delight on account of her treasures of grace. 91. The fourth beatitude,
"Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall
have their fill," helped our heavenly Lady to enter into the understanding
of this mysterious hunger and thirst. In Her this hunger and thirst for justice
was greater than all the disgust ever entertained against it by the enemies of
God. Having arrived at the pinnacle of justice and sanctity, her desire for it
increased in proportion; while the plenitude of graces, poured out upon Her in
a continual stream from the treasury of the Divinity, satiated her longing
desires. As for the fifth beatitude: "Blessed are the merciful for they shall
obtain mercy," She possessed it in such a high degree, that She alone
deserved to be called the Mother of mercy, just as the Lord alone is called the
Father of mercies (II Cor. 1, 3). She, who was most innocent and without any
fault in the eyes of God, exercised mercy in its highest degree for the benefit
and for the salvation of the human race. As She knew by her exalted science the
excellence of this virtue, She never denied and never will deny mercy to
anyone, whoever may ask; nor will She ever cease to seek out and hasten to the
relief of the poor and needy, in order to offer them her assistance. 92. Without compeer was She
also in the exercise of the sixth beatitude: "Blessed are the clean of
heart, for they shall see God." For She was elect as the sun (Cant. 6, 9),
a true imitation of the real Sun of justice and an image of our material sun,
which is not defiled by things beneath it. Into the heart and mind of our most
pure Princess no touch of defilement has ever found entrance; on the contrary,
defilement was made impossible in Her on account of the exquisite purity of her
thoughts and because, from the first moment of her existence and many times
afterwards, She was favored with the vision of the Divinity, although, being
yet in a state of pilgrimage, these visions were not continual. The seventh
beatitude: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the
children of God," was conferred upon Her in admirable measure. She stood
in need of this blessing in order to preserve the peace of her heart and of her
faculties in the trials and tribulations of her life and in the passion and
death of her most holy Son. Never was She inordinately disturbed, and She knew
how to accept the greatest sufferings with supreme peace of mind, being in all
things a perfect Daughter of the heavenly Father. Yea, it was especially by the
exercise of this beatitude, that She deserved to be called the Daughter of the
eternal Father. In the eighth beatitude: "Blessed are they that suffer
persecution for justice sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," Mary
reached the pinnacle of perfection. For She alone besides God was capable of
bearing with equanimity the sacrifice of the life and honor of Christ our Lord,
and the atrociousness with which it was consummated. For we must remember that
She was the true Mother, as God was the true Father of his Onlybegotten. This
Lady alone imitated the Lord in his Passion and understood fully, that to such
extremes must be executed the law of her divine Teacher in the Gospels. 93. In this manner I am able
to explain part of what I have understood of the knowledge of the Gospel
possessed and put into practice by this great Lady. In the same way She
comprehended the evangelical precepts, counsels and parables of the Gospel; as
for instance, the precepts of loving enemies, pardoning injuries, doing good
works in secret and without vainglory, avoiding hypocrisy; the counsels of
perfection and the teachings contained in the parables of the recovered
treasures, the lost pearl, the virgins, the seed scattered on the ground, the
talents and all other parables of the four Gospels. All of them She understood,
together with the doctrines which they inculcate, and the high ends which the
Master had in view. She knew all things in the most holy and perfect manner,
and thus She also accomplished them to the last point. Of this Lady we can say
what Christ said of Himself: that She came not to abrogate the law, but to
fulfill it. INSTRUCTION VOUCHSAFED ME BY THE QUEEN OF
HEAVEN, MOST HOLY MARY. 94. My daughter, it was
proper that the Teacher of virtue should make known to us what He did, and that
He should fulfill what He taught. For both word and action belong to the office
of teaching. The words should instruct, while the example should move and give
witness to the teaching, in order that it may be accepted and practiced. All
this was fulfilled by my most holy Son, and by me in imitation of Him (Matth.
5, 9). As neither He nor I was to remain always upon this earth, He wished to
leave behind Him the holy Gospels as a summary of his life and of mine, in
order that the children of the light, by believing and practicing its
teachings, might regulate their lives in imitation of his. For in it the
practical results of the teachings of Christ are exhibited, such as they
brought forth in me by imitating Him. Of great value are the sacred Gospels,
and for this reason thou must look upon them with utmost veneration. I call thy
attention to the fact, that my most holy Son and I are much honored and pleased
to see the divine sayings and the doings of his life properly esteemed and
respected among men. On the other hand, the Lord considers the forgetting and
the neglecting of the doctrines contained in the Gospels a great injury done to
Him by the children of the Church in our times. For there are many who do not
listen or attend to them, who give no thanks for this blessing, and who make no
more of them than if they were pagan writings, or as if they did not contain in
them the light of faith. 95. Thy debt is great in this
regard; for thou hast received insight into the veneration and esteem in which
I held the evangelical doctrines, and thou wast made aware, how I labored in
order to put them into practice. Thou hast not been able to learn all of what I
practiced and understood, as thy capacity is too limited; yet remember at
least, that with no entire nation have I been so condescending as with thee
alone in lavishing this blessing. Therefore, be very careful how thou
correspond with it, lest thou render fruitless the love which has been
instilled into thee for the divine Scriptures, and particularly for the Gospels
and their exalted doctrines. They are to serve thee as a shining beaconlight,
and my life should be thy model for forming thy own. Take heed how important
and necessary it is for thy welfare to attend to this with all diligence; how
much pleasure thou canst thereby give to my Son and Lord, and how I shall
consider myself obliged anew to treat with thee as a Mother and as a Teacher.
Fear the danger of not attending to the divine calls, for that is the cause of
the loss of innumerable souls. Since thou receivest so many and so wonderful
calls from thy merciful and omnipotent God, how reprehensible will be thy
rudeness, how abominable thou wilt make thyself to the Lord, to me and the
saints, if thou fail to correspond with them! HOW THE MOST HOLY MARY WAS INSTRUCTED IN
THE ARTICLES OF FAITH AND WHAT USE SHE MADE OF THIS KNOWLEDGE. 96. The unshakable foundation
of our justification, and the beginning of all holiness in men, is the belief
in the truths, which have been revealed by God in his holy Church. Like a most
skillful architect, the Lord has built his Church on a firm rock, in order that
the storms and floods of her earthly course of existence might find Her
altogether immovable (Luke 6, 48). Thus wisely provided with a firm foundation
in her articles of faith, the evangelical Church is invincibly established as
the only true one, the Roman Catholic Church. She is one in the unity of faith,
hope and charity, to be found only in Her; one without the division or
contradiction which reigns in the synagogues of satan. The sects and heresies
are full of darkness and errors and are at war not only with each other and
with right reason, but each one is at war with itself by maintaining
contradictory and erroneous doctrines at the same or different times. Against
all these our holy faith shall ever remain victorious and the portals of hell
shall never prevail against it in the least of its points (Matth 16, 18);
though, according to the prophecy of the Master of Life, the powers of hell
incessantly winnow and sift it like wheat, as has happened to saint Peter and
his successors. 97. In order that our Queen
and Lady, this wonderful ocean of grace and knowledge, might receive adequate
information concerning the evangelical law, it was necessary that She come into
possession also of all the truths of the Catholic faith, which would in all
times be believed by the faithful. She must be especially well instructed in
the first principles of all Christian belief. For all truths, down to the very
dogmas, which were to be defined and believed concerning her own Self, were
within the capacity of most holy Mary and could be entrusted to her admirable
wisdom. Hence, as I shall describe afterwards, She was informed of all tenets
of the Catholic faith together with the circumstances of time, place and manner
of their publication as they became opportune and necessary in the course of
the history of the Church. In order to instruct the blessed Virgin especially
in these articles, the Lord sent upon Her an abstractive vision of the
Divinity, such as I have described on other occasions. In this vision were
manifested to her most hidden mysteries of his inscrutable Judgment and
Providence. She became aware of the infinite bounty, whereby He established the
blessing of infused faith and enabled man deprived of the vision of the
Divinity, easily and quickly to come to the knowledge of God, without
hesitation and without waiting or searching for this knowledge by limited and
shortsighted investigation of natural science. For from the first dawn of
reason, our Catholic faith raises us immediately to the certain knowledge, not
only of the Divinity in three Persons, but of the humanity of Christ our Lord
and of the means of gaining eternal life. All this is not attained by the
fruitless and sterile human science, unless the mind is impregnated with the
force and virtue of divine faith. 98. In this vision then, our
great Queen clearly perceived all these mysteries and all that is contained in
them. She saw how the holy Church propounded fourteen special articles of
Catholic belief from the very beginning, and how She afterwards, in diverse
times, defined many truths and dogmas, which are contained in them and in the
holy Scriptures as in roots ready to be cultivated and to bring forth fruit.
After seeing all this in her vision, She saw it reflected also in the most holy
soul of Christ, where the whole fabric of divine teachings originated.
Thereupon the celestial Princess entered into conference with her Lord
concerning the practical application of these articles of faith to her life. He
informed Her, that She was to be the first One, who should, in a singular and
most perfect manner, believe and practically exhibit each of the articles of
divine faith. In regard to the first of those seven articles that pertain to
the Divinity, She understood that there is but one true God, independent,
necessary, infinite, immense in his attributes and perfections, unchangeable
and eternal. She understood also how just and necessary it is for creatures to
believe and confess this truth. She gave thanks for the revelation of this
first article and begged her most holy Son to continue to favor the human race
by conferring upon men the grace of believing and accepting this truth. By this
infallible, though obscure, light, She saw the wickedness of idolatry and wept
with indescribable sorrow and bitterness over such aberration. In reparation
She ardently exercised Herself in faith and worship of God, and performed many
other acts inspired by her intimate sense of this obligation. 99. Then proceeding to the
second article, that God is the Father, She learned how it was to lead on men
to the belief of the Trinity and other doctrines, which explain the three
persons in one God, and how men are to come to the full knowledge of their last
end, its proper attainment and enjoyment. She understood how the person of the
Father could not be born or proceed from the Others, and how He is, as it were,
the origin of all else; hence She clearly saw how He created heaven and earth
and all creatures and how He is without beginning and at the same time the
beginning of all things. For this truth our heavenly Lady gave thanks and in
the name of the whole human race, began to shape her actions in correspondence
with this new knowledge. The third article, that there is a Son, the Mother of
grace believed with particular clearness of comprehension, especially as
regards the processions of the Deity ad intra. The first and most important of
these acts ad intra is none other than the eternal generation of the Son. This
takes place from all eternity by the operation of the divine intellect through
which the Son is engendered of the Father, being not inferior, but equal in
Divinity, eternity, and infinite attributes. She believed and comprehended also
in the fourth article, that there is a Holy Ghost, the third Person, proceeding
from the Father and the Son as from one principle, by an act of the will, equal
to the other Persons in all things and having only these personal distinctions,
which result from the emanations and processions of the infinite intellect and
will. Although, concerning these mysteries, most holy Mary possessed the
knowledge, which She had already attained in her former visions, it was
supplemented in this vision by the knowledge of the circumstances and
qualifications attached to these truths and articles of the Catholic faith, and
by the discernment of the heresies, which Lucifer concocted and sowed in
opposition to these articles ever since he fell from heaven and knew of the
Incarnation of the Word. In satisfaction for all these errors the most blessed
Lady excited acts of supreme faith, in the manner already described. 100. Also the fifth article,
that the Lord is the Creator, most holy Mary believed and understood. She
perceived that the creation of all things, though it is attributed to the
Father, is common to the three Persons, in as far as they are one only God,
infinite, omnipotent and the first cause of the existence and preservation of
all creatures; that no other being has the power to create or produce out of
nothing any other being, even if there were question of an angel creating the
lowest worm. For only He, who is independent of any inferior or superior cause
can create. She understood the necessity of this article of the holy faith for
counteracting the errors of Lucifer, in order that God might be known and
acknowledged as the Author of all things. In the sixth article She understood
anew all the mysteries of predestination, vocation and final justification; how
the reprobate, because they did not profit by the means offered to them by
divine mercy, lose eternal happiness. The most faithful Lady perceived also how
the work of salvation is common to the three persons; and how it pertains
especially to the Word in as far as He is man; because He was to be the price
of the rescue, which would be accepted by God in satisfaction for original and
actual sins. The great Queen took notice of all the Sacraments and mysteries
accepted and believed by the holy Church; and She accompanied the understanding
of each of them with heroic acts of many virtues. In the seventh article which
contains the doctrine of God's activity in bringing about the eternal happiness
of man, She understood all that pertains to the eternal felicity of mortal
creatures in the fruition of the beatific vision; how important it is for them
to believe in this truth in order to attain eternal happiness and how they
should consider themselves not a progeny of this earth, but citizens of heaven,
who are only making a pilgrimage and ought, therefore, be much consoled in this
faith and hope of heaven. 101. Of the seven articles
which pertain to the divine humanity, our great Queen had a similar knowledge,
yet accompanied by new affections of her purest and humblest heart. That He was
conceived as man by the operation of the Holy Ghost She had experienced in
Herself and She knew that this would be an article of the holy faith.
Indescribable were the effects which this knowledge wrought in the most prudent
Lady. She humbled Herself below the most insignificant of creatures and to the
very dust of the earth. She was profoundly penetrated by the consciousness of
having been created out of nothing. She completed the deep trenches and built
the strong foundations of humility, upon which the Almighty was to erect the
high and exquisite edifice of infused science and exalted perfection. She
extolled the Almighty and gave thanks to Him for Herself and for the whole
human race, because He had chosen such an excellent way of drawing toward Him
the hearts of men by his human presence and by the intimate relations
established with them by the Christian faith. The same effects were produced in
Her by the second of these articles, that Christ our Lord was born of Mary, a
Virgin. She had full understanding of the mysteries contained in this dogma:
that She was the One chosen by God to retain intact her Virginity and yet be
also selected among all creatures as the Mother of the Lord; that as well the
Almighty as She herself should share in the dignity and excellence of such
divine handiwork; and that the holy Church should believe and hold such a
doctrine as one of her certain tenets. Enraptured by the consideration of these
and many other truths, the heavenly Lady excited within Herself such acts of
exalted virtue as cannot be expressed by any human terms. She spent Herself in
returning a full measure of praise, worship, and thankful acknowledgment for
each of them, humbling Herself in proportion as She was exalted and
annihilating Herself to the dust. 102. The third of these
articles is, that Christ our Lord underwent suffering and death; the fourth,
that He descended into hell and freed the souls of the just, who were in limbo
awaiting his coming; the fifth, that He rose from the dead; the sixth, that He
ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the eternal Father; the
seventh, that thence He is to come to judge the living and the dead in the
general judgment in order to give to each according to his works. These truths,
just as the others, the most holy Mary believed and understood profoundly as
well in themselves as in regard to the order, sequence and necessity with which
they are to be held and believed by mortals. She alone made up for the faults
of those who have not or will not believe in these truths and for the
deficiencies caused by our slowness in believing them and by our want of proper
esteem, veneration and thankfulness due to these divine teachings. The whole
Church calls our Queen most fortunate and blessed, not only because She gave
belief to the messenger of heaven (Luke 1, 45), but because She unswervingly
trusted in the fulfillment of the mysteries wrought and accomplished in her
virginal womb; and She believed them both for Herself and for all the children
of Adam. She was the Champion of the divine faith, who, in the sight of the
heavenly court, unfurled the banner of holy faith to all the faithful on earth.
She was the first Queen of the Catholic faith in this world and was to have no
equal. In Her all Catholics have a true Mother; and on this account, those that
call upon Her, are especially her children; for without a doubt this kind
Mother and Commandress of the Catholic faith looks with an especial love upon
those who follow Her in this great virtue of faith and who exert themselves in
its spread and defense. 103. My discourse would be
too prolix, if I were to say all that I have learned of the faith of our great
Lady, of all her penetration into. the circumstances and secrets of these
articles of faith, and into all the truths connected with these Catholic
doctrines. Certainly I have not words enough to rehearse the mysteries revealed
to Her in her conferences with her divine Teacher, Jesus, in her humble and
prudent inquiries, in the answers of her most sweet Son, in the profound
secrets laid bare before her eyes, and in the sacraments manifest only to
Mother and Son. Moreover, I was informed that it is not proper to reveal all of
them to men in this mortal life. But in most holy Mary the whole of this new
and divine Testament was deposited and She alone preserved it most faithfully,
in order that She might in proper time dispense whatever the necessities of the
holy Church might demand. 0 most fortunate and happy Mother! For if a wise son
is the delight of his father (Prov. 10, 1), who can describe the joy of this
great Queen, when She saw the glory resulting to the Eternal Father through the
work I of his Onlybegotten, who was also her Son, and when She fully penetrated
the vast mysteries contained in the doctrines of the holy Catholic faith? INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN ME BY THE HEAVENLY
LADY, MOST HOLY MARY. 104. My daughter, mortal mind
is not capable of comprehending what I was made to feel through the infused
knowledge and faith of the articles established by my most holy Son as those of
the holy Church, and what were the effects wrought thereby upon my faculties.
Necessarily, therefore, thy words fail thee in seeking to declare what thou
hast understood concerning them; for all the concepts of the mind fall short of
comprehending and expressing these mysteries. But what I desire and command, is
this; that thou preserve with all reverence and solicitude the precious
knowledge and understanding of these venerable sacraments. For as Mother I
remind and warn thee of the cruel and cunning efforts of thy enemies to rob
thee of them. Be thou ever on thy guard, that they may find thee full of strength,
and that thy domestics, which are the faculties of thy body and mind, be
clothed with the double vestments of interior and exterior watchfulness in
order to be able to resist the onslaught of their temptation (Prov. 31, 17).
The powerful arms for battling against those who make war on thee, must be the
doctrines of the Catholic faith (Rom. 1, 17), for the firm belief in them and
the continual exercise of them, the incessant meditation and remembrance of
them, illumine the souls, drives away errors, disclose the deceits of satan and
disperse his falsehoods just as the rays of the sun dispel the dark clouds.
Moreover, all these exercises serve as substantial nourishment of the spirit to
strengthen the soul for the battles of the Lord. 105. If the faithful do not
feel these and even more wonderful effects of faith, it is not because faith
has not the strength and efficacy to produce them, but it is because some of
the faithful are so forgetting and negligent, while others give themselves up
so much to a carnal and bestial life and thereby counteract the blessing of
faith. They think so rarely of it, that they might as well not have received it
at all. As they live like the infidels who have never enjoyed its advantages
and as they gradually become conscious of their unhappy infidelity, they fall
into greater wickedness than the unbelievers. For such is the result of their
abominable ingratitude and contempt for this exalted and sovereign gift. I ask
of thee, my dearest daughter, that thou give thanks for the blessings of holy
faith with profound humility and fervent love; that thou practice it with
unceasing and heroic acts; that thou continually meditate on its mysteries.
Thus shalt thou enjoy without hindrance its sweet and godlike effects. The more
vivid and penetrating thy knowledge of the mysteries of faith, so much the
greater and more powerful will be its effects upon thee. If thou concurrest
with proper diligence, thou wilt grow in the understanding of the exalted and
wonderful mysteries and sacraments pertaining to the essence of the triune God,
to the hypostatical union of the divine and human nature, to the life, death
and resurrection of my most holy Son, and to the other activities of the
Godman. Thus wilt thou taste of his sweetness and gather plentiful fruits of
peace and of eternal life. HOW MOST HOLY MARY RECEIVED
ENLIGHTENMENT ON THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, AND HOW SHE APPLIED IT. 106. Just as the doctrines of
the Catholic faith pertain to the activity of the intellect, so the commandments
pertain to the activity of the will. Although all free acts, as well those
required by the practice of the infused, as those of the acquired virtues,
depend upon the activity of the willpower, yet they do not all depend upon it
in the same way; for the acts of faith proceed immediately from the intellect,
and depend upon the will only in so far as they are embraced by it with a
sincere, pious and reverential affection. The obscure acts and truths of faith
do not force their acceptance upon the intellect without cooperation of the
will, and therefore the intellect waits upon the decision of the will. But in
the exercise of virtues founded upon faith, the will acts for itself and relies
upon the intellect only for guidance toward the accomplishment of that which
was resolved upon. The will is so free and independent that it permits no
commands of the intellect, nor any kind of violence. This is the order
established by the Lord, so that no one might be forced to serve Him
unwillingly, through necessity, by compulsion or violence; but that, according
to the Apostle, each one may serve God with unrestricted liberty and
joyfulness. 107. After the blessed Virgin
had been so divinely instructed in the articles and dogmas of our holy faith,
She was favored by another vision of the Divinity, similar to that mentioned in
the last chapter. It was vouchsafed to Her for the purpose of renewing in Her
the understanding of the ten commandments of the Decalogue. In it were
manifested to Her, with great clearness and fullness, all the mysteries of the
Commandments as they were propounded by the divine clemency for the guidance of
men to eternal life and as they had been given to Moses on the two tablets. On
the first of these tablets were written the three precepts concerning the honor
and worship of God, on the second, the seven pertaining to our intercourse with
our neighbors. The Redeemer of the world, her most holy Son, was to rewrite all
of them in the hearts of men (I Pet. 1, 4), while our Queen and Lady was to commence
the practice of all that each one contained. She also understood their relation
to each other, and how necessary they were to men in order to attain to the
participation of the Divinity. She had a clear comprehension of the equity,
justice and wisdom with which they were established by the divine will; and
that they were a holy, immaculate, sweet, lightsome, pure, unerring and
convenient law for the creatures. She saw how welladjusted and conformable they
were to human nature, how well they can and ought to be embraced with joy and
appreciation, and how their Author proffered the help of his grace for their
observance. Our great Queen perceived in this vision many other exalted
mysteries and secrets concerning the holy Church, concerning those who, in it,
would observe the divine commands, and those who would despise and transgress
them. 108. The blessed Lady issued
from this vision transformed by an ardent and zealous love for the divine law.
Immediately She betook Herself to her most holy Son, in whose soul She saw the
divine laws clearly mirrored, to reproduce them
in her own self according to the order of grace. At the same time, by abundant
enlightenment, She was made aware how it pleased the Lord to make Her a living
model of the observance of all these commandments. It is true, as I have said
several times, that our great Lady possessed a habitual infused knowledge of
all these mysteries for her continual guidance; yet this habitual knowledge was
renewed and intensified day by day. As the extent and depth of mysteries was so
to say infinite, there always remained a measureless field of new secrets open
for her interior vision. On this occasion many new points were explained to Her
by the divine Teacher, and He propounded to Her the new law and precepts in
their bearing upon each other and in the sequence, which they were to hold in
the militant Church of his Gospel. Also concerning each one of them separately,
She obtained new and special enlightenments. Although our limited capacity and
understanding cannot comprehend such high and sovereign sacraments, none of
them were concealed from the heavenly Lady. For we must not measure her
profound knowledge with the capacity of our shortsighted understanding. 109. With a most humble and
ready heart She subjected Herself to the observance of all his commandments,
and petitioned God to instruct Her and grant Her this divine grace to execute
all that He had commanded. The Lord answered Her as follows: "My Mother,
thou art the one whom I have eternally chosen and predestined for the greater
pleasure of my Father, one in Divinity with Me. Our eternal love, which urges
Us to communicate the blessings of our Divinity to creatures and thus raise
them to the participation of our glory and felicity, has established this holy
and pure law, by which mortals may attain the end for which they were created.
This our wish shall be fulfilled perfectly in thee, my beloved Dove, for in thy
heart our divine law shall be written so clearly and deeply, that from the very
beginning of thy existence to all eternity it shall not be effaced; and in no
wise shall it remain unfulfilled or ineffectual in thee, as is the case with
other children of Adam. Take notice, dearest Sulamite, that this law is
entirely pure and immaculate; and that therefore, We wish to deposit it in
thee, who art also pure and immaculate and in whom all our intentions and
operations are glorified." 110. These words, which were
realized in the heavenly Mother without any hindrance, enriched and deified Her
with the full understanding and acceptance of the ten Commandments and the
mysteries contained therein. Directing her intellect by the celestial light and
conforming her will to that of the divine Teacher, She entered into the meaning
of the first and most noble of all the commandments: "Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole
mind" (Matth. 22, 37), for in these words it was given afterwards by the
Evangelists and long before by Moses in Deuteronomy. Her mind grasped it with
all the qualifications added thereto by the Lord: that men should preserve it
in their hearts, that the fathers should teach it to their children, and that
they should meditate upon it in their houses and outside of them, on their
journeys, during sleep and in their watching, and that they should incessantly
have it before the eyes of their soul. Just as deep as was her understanding of
this commandment, so great was her zeal in fulfilling all that the Lord wished
to command thereby. Though no other child of Adam has succeeded in fulfilling
it perfectly during mortal life, yet most holy Mary succeeded, and more
completely than the highest and most ardent Seraphim, than all the saints and
the blessed of heaven. I will not tarry in explaining this more fully, for in
the first part of this history, when speaking of her virtues, I have
sufficiently discoursed upon the love of the blessed Virgin. On this occasion
particularly She shed the most bitter tears because of the sins which were to
be committed against this great Commandment; and She took it upon Herself to
satisfy by her love for the defects and faults of mortals. 111. Upon the first precept
follow the two others; not to dishonor the name of God by false and vain
swearing, and to honor Him by observing and sanctifying his feasts. These
Commandments the Mother of wisdom understood and penetrated, engraving them in
her pious and humble heart and resolving to render supreme veneration and
worship to the Deity. Deeply she pondered on the injuries committed by
creatures against the immutable being of God and his infinite goodness by false
and vain oaths, or by blasphemies against God and against his saints. In her
sorrow on account of the presumptuous transgression of these commandments by
the rational creatures She conjured her attending angels in her name to charge
the guardian spirits of all men to prevent the committance of this outrage
against God; to restrain men, by holy inspirations and by the fear of God, from
perjuring or blaspheming his holy name. Moreover, She besought the Almighty to
shower his benedictions of sweetness on those, who abstained from vain oaths
and who reverenced his holy name. 112. In regard to the keeping
of the holidays, which is the third Commandment the great Queen was made
acquainted by her guardian angel with all the feasts, which were to be
instituted by the Church, and with the manner of their celebration and
observance. As I have mentioned in its place, She had commenced to celebrate
those which commemorate the already consummated mysteries of her life, such as
that of the most holy Trinity, and those pertaining to her most holy Son and
the angels. To celebrate these and other mysteries, afterwards solemnized by
the Church, She invited the heavenly court, and, in union with them, She sang
hymns of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. The days which are especially
assigned for the worship of God, She spent entirely therein; not that her
exterior activity ever interfered with her interior attention, or hindered the
flights of her soul, but because She wished to sanctify the feasts of the Lord
in such a manner as was required by the new law of grace; and all this as the
first disciple of the Redeemer of the world, She eagerly strove to fulfill. 113. The same understanding
and knowledge most holy Mary possessed in regard to the seven Commandments,
which concern our duties toward our neighbor. Regarding the fourth Commandment,
to honor father and mother, She understood well who were to be included under
the name of parents; how, after the honor due to God, that due to parents comes
next; and how children are to render them this honor in all reverence; also
what are the obligations of parents toward their children. She saw the justice
of the fifth commandment, forbidding murder, since the Lord is the Master of
life and being of man, and withheld power over it even from its owner, and
therefore much more from any of his fellow beings. As life is the very first of
the natural goods and the foundation of grace, She gave thanks to the Lord for
having by his Commandment so bountifully protected it. She looked upon all men
as creatures of his hand, capable of his grace and glory, and purchased by the
blood of her Son; and therefore She earnestly prayed for the faithful
observance of this commandment in the Church of God. Our most pure Lady
understood the nature of the sixth Commandment in the same manner as the
blessed, who need no precaution against human passions and can look upon it
without being touched by it. The most blessed Lady, altogether preserved from
the taint of sin, understood the nature of this Commandment even from a higher
standpoint of grace than the saints. Such were the sentiments awakened in this
great Paragon of chastity while She excited love for it and sorrow for the
impurities committed by men, that She wounded anew the heart of the Almighty
(Cant. 4, 9); and, according to our way of speaking, consoled her divine Son
for the offenses of mankind against this precept. Since She knew that in the new
law of the Gospel the observance of this Commandment was to be carried so far
as to make possible congregations of virgins and men, who would promise
inviolate chastity by vow, She besought the Lord to guarantee them his unbroken
blessings. The Lord granted this request of his purest Mother and He assured
Her that, as a reward of virginal purity, its devotees should have the
privilege of being the followers of Her, who was the Virgin Mother of the Lamb
(Ps. 44, 15). With incomparable joy She gave thanks to the Lord for thus
extending the practice of virginity, which She herself had inaugurated in the
new law. I will not stop to descant upon the priceless value of this virtue,
since I have already spoken of it in the first part and in other places. 114. Equally remarkable was
Mary's understanding of the other Commandments, of the seventh: "Thou
shalt not steal"; of the eighth, "Thou shalt not give false
testimony"; of the ninth, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's
wife"; of the tenth, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods and
possessions." In regard to each of them She excited great acts of interior
compliance with them and for each of them She praised and thanked the Lord,
that He should have provided for men such wise and effectual means of attaining
their eternal happiness through these beneficent and well adapted laws. For She
saw, that by their observance, men would not only secure eternal reward due to
them, but could also enjoy true peace and tranquillity adapted to each one's
state and circumstances. For if all rational creatures would submit to the just
requirements of God's law, and would resolve to follow and observe his
Commandments, they would enjoy that most delightful and exquisite happiness,
which is produced by the testimony of a good conscience. All the human delight
cannot be compared to the consolation of having been faithful to the divine law
in all things, great and small (Matth. 25, 21). This blessing we owe mostly to
Christ, our Redeemer, who confirmed us in doing good and thus secures for us
sweet rest, and peace, and consolation, and many other blessings in this life.
If all of us do not attain them, it is because we do not observe his
Commandments. The labors, misfortunes, and unhappiness of the people are the
inseparable effects of the transgressions of mortals, and, though each one
contributes his share in causing our misfortunes, yet we are so senseless, that
as soon as we are overtaken by any adversity, we begin to lay the blame on
others, while we should lay it only on ourselves. 115. Who can estimate the
evils of this life springing from dishonest dealings, forbidden by the seventh
commandment, or from the want of contentment with one's own lot in reliance on
the help of the Lord, who forgets not the birds of the air, or the smallest
worm of the earth? What miseries and afflictions do not Christian nations
suffer merely because their rulers are not satisfied with the territories given
into their charge by the highest King? Seeking to extend their sway and
influence they have left in the world neither peace, nor quiet possession, nor
any souls for the service of their Creator. No less evil and discord is caused
by false testimony and lies, which offend the infinite truth and hinder human
intercourse, sowing the seed of strife, destroying peace and tranquillity in
the human hearts. Both the one as well as the other prevent the Creator to
dwell in them as is his wish. Coveting another's wife and adultery violate the
holy law of matrimony, confirmed and sanctified by the Sacrament, and how many
hidden and open evils have they not caused, and do they not cause, among
Catholics? If we consider how many transgressions are manifest to the eyes of
the world, and how many more remain hidden to men, while they are not hidden to
God, the exact and just judge, who punishes them even now, shall we not be
convinced that He will be so much the severer in his punishments, the more He
has overlooked our sins at present and the longer He has patiently allowed the
Christian commonwealths to continue in existence? 116. All these truths our
great Queen perceived in the Lord. Although She was aware of the wickedness of
men in thus lightly throwing aside the respect and reverence due to their God
after He had so kindly provided for them such necessary laws and precepts; yet
the most prudent Lady was neither scandalized at human frailty, nor did She
wonder at man's ingratitude; but like a kind Mother, She pitied the mortals,
and with most ardent love She thanked the Almighty for his benefits trying to satisfy
for the transgressions against the evangelical law and asking for the grace to
observe them perfectly. The summary of all these Commandments: to love God
above all and our neighbor as ourselves, the most holy Mary comprehended
perfectly; also the truth, that the proper understanding and practice of these
two Commandments is the perfection of true virtue. He that practices them is
not far from the kingdom of God, and the observance of them is to be preferred
to the offering of holocausts, as the Lord himself teaches us in the Gospel
(Mark 12, 34, 33). In the proportion as our Queen understood these precepts, so
She put them into practice, fulfilling them as they are contained in the
Gospel, without the omission of the least of its precepts or counsels. This
heavenly Princess put the teachings of the Redeemer more perfectly into
practice than all the saints and faithful of the holy Church. INSTRUCTION WHICH THE HEAVENLY LADY AND
QUEEN GAVE ME. 117. My daughter, when the
Word of the eternal Father issued forth from his bosom and assumed humanity in
my womb, He came to enlighten those that walk in the darkness and in the shadow
of death (Luke 1, 79), and to restore them to their lost happiness. Hence, in
order to be their light, their way, their truth and their life, it was
necessary that He should give them a law so holy, that it would justify them;
so clear that it would enlighten them; so secure, that it would encourage them;
so powerful, that it would move them; so efficacious, that it would help them;
so truthful, that it would bring joy and delight to all that would observe it.
The immaculate law of the Gospel has in it the power to produce all these and
other more wonderful effects; and God has created and constituted rational
creatures in such a way, that all their happiness, corporal and spiritual,
temporal and eternal, depends entirely upon observing this law. Hence thou
canst judge of the blind ignorance with which their deadly enemies have
fascinated mortals (Gal. 3, 1), since all men, in the inordinate desire and
pursuit of happiness, neglect the divine law, where alone it can be found; and
hence few really attain happiness. 118. Knowing this, prepare
thy heart so that the Lord may write in it his holy law. Forget and put away
from thee all that is visible and earthly, so that all thy faculties may be
free and unencumbered of any images except of those which are fixed there by
the finger of God and are contained in the doctrine and precepts of the gospel
truths. In order that thy desires may not be frustrated beseech the Lord day
and night, to make thee worthy of the blessings and promises of my most holy
Son. Remember that the negligence is more abominable in thee than in all the
other mortals; for no one else has his divine love so urgently called, or
assisted with the like blessings and helps. In the days of abundance as well as
in the days of affliction and temptation remember thy debt to the Lord and his
jealous zeal, so that neither favors may exalt thee nor sufferings and pain
oppress thee. If in the one as in the other state do thou turn to the divine
law written in thy heart, observing it inviolably and incessantly with all
attention and perfection. In regard to the love of the neighbors apply always
the first law of doing unto others as thou wishest done to thyself, which is
the standard of all intercourse with men. If thou desirest them to think and
act well toward thee, thou thyself must do the same with thy brethren. If thou
feel that they offend thee in little things, avoid thou giving them any such
offense. If thou see others doing what seems evil and disagreeable to their
neighbor, avoid it thyself; for thou knowest how much it offends against the
law established by the Most High. Weep over thy faults and those of thy
fellowmen; because they are against the law of God; this is true charity toward
the Lord and toward thy neighbor. Sorrow over the afflictions of others as over
thy own, for thus wilt thou imitate me. THE DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF THE MOST HOLY
MARY CONCERNING THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS WHICH WERE TO BE INSTITUTED BY CHRIST THE
LORD, AND CONCERNING THE FIVE PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCH. 119. In order to complete the beauty and the riches of the holy Church, it was proper that her Founder, Christ our Redeemer, should institute the seven sacraments, which were to serve as the common treasury of all his merits. Yea, the Creator of all these blessings himself was to remain really present in one of them as the nourishment and consolation of the faithful and as a pledge of their enjoying Him eternally face to face. For the perfection of the knowledge and grace of the most holy Mary it was necessary that the fulness of these sacramental blessings be transplanted into her dilated and ardent soul, in order that to its full extent and in the same manner as it existed in the heart of her holiest Son, the law of grace might be written and recorded in the tablets of her mind. In his absence She was to be the Teacher of the Church and She was to instruct the primitive Christians to venerate and enjoy these Sacraments with all the perfection possible.
120. By a new enlightenment,
each of these mysteries in particular were accordingly made manifest to the
blessed Mother in the interior of her most holy Son. In regard to the first of
these Sacraments She saw, that the ancient law of circumcision was to be
honorably laid aside and to be replaced by the admirable and sweet sacrament of
Baptism. She was informed that the matter of this Sacrament was to be pure
natural water and that its form was to contain the names of the three Persons,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, thus implicitly including faith in the
most holy Trinity. She understood how Christ, its Author, was to impart to this
Sacrament the power of taking away all sins and of perfectly sanctifying its
recipient. She saw the admirable effects it was to cause in men, regenerating
them so as to constitute them adoptive sons of God and heirs of heaven;
infusing into them the virtues of faith, hope and charity with many other
virtues, and impressing upon their souls the character of children of the holy
Church. This and all other effects of this holy Sacrament were made manifest to
most holy Mary. Thereupon She sought her divine Son with burning desire to be
allowed to receive it in proper time; which He promised Her, and as I shall
describe later on, afterwards really fulfilled. 121. A like understanding the
great Lady also received concerning the second Sacrament, that of Confirmation.
This is given in the second place, because Baptism is intended to engender the
children of the Church, while Confirmation is to make them strong and
courageous in confessing the faith received in Baptism, augmenting the first
graces and adding thereto the graces suited to each one's state. She understood
the form, matter, minister and effects of this Sacrament, and the character it
impresses upon the soul; and how, by the holy oil and chrism, which form the
matter of this Sacrament, is typified the odor of the good works of Christ in
which the faithful participate by faith, while the same only in a different
way, is also indicated by the form of the Sacrament, namely, by the words used
in its administration. Corresponding with these enlightenments, our great Queen
elicited heroic acts of praise, thanksgiving and fervent petition, desiring
that all men draw from these fountains of the Lord and enjoy these incomparable
treasures, while acknowledging and confessing Him as the true God and Redeemer.
She wept bitterly over the lamentable loss of so many, who, in spite of the
preaching of the Gospel, feel not its healing powers. 122. In regard to the third
Sacrament, that of Penance, the heavenly Lady saw the usefulness and necessity
of this means of restoring souls to the grace and friendship of God, since by
their frailty they lose it so often. She understood its requirements and the
power of its ministers and the ease with which the faithful can secure to
themselves its blessings. As the true Mother of mercy She gave special thanks
to the Almighty for providing such a powerful medicine against the repeated and
daily faults of her children. She prostrated Herself upon the ground and, in
the name of the holy Church, She reverently acknowledged the sacred tribunal of
Confession, where the Lord, with ineffable kindness, relieved and solved all
doubts of the souls in regard to their j ustification or condemnation, leaving
it to the judgment of the priests, whether they should grant or deny
absolution. 123. Especially deep was the
intelligence of the most prudent Lady in regard to the sovereign sacramental
mystery of the most holy Eucharist. Her penetration of its secrets surpassed
that of the most exalted seraphim. For to Her was manifested the supernatural
manner of the presence of the humanity and Divinity of her Son under the
appearances of bread and wine, the power of the words of consecration, by which
the substance of the bread and wine is changed into the substance of his body
and blood, while the appearances remained; how He could be present at the same
time in so many diverse parts; how the sacred mystery of the Mass was to be
instituted, in order that He may be consecrated and offered to the eternal
Father to the end of times; how He should be reverenced and adored in the holy
Sacrament in so many temples of the Catholic Church throughout the world; what
effects of grace He would produce in those, who were to receive Him more or
less well prepared, and what punishments would come to those who receive Him
unworthily. She was informed also of the faith of the believers and the errors
of the heretics in regard to this mystery, and especially of the immense love
of her Son in thus resolving to give Himself as food and nourishment of eternal
life to each one of the mortals. 124. By these and other
enlightenments concerning the most holy Eucharist, her most chaste bosom was
visited with new conflagrations of love beyond the conception of human
intellect. Although She had invented new canticles of praise and worship at the
enlightenments, which She had received concerning each article of faith and
each mystery; yet in considering this great Sacrament her heart expanded more
than ever before, and, prostrate on the ground, She spent Herself in new
demonstrations of love, worship, praise, thanksgiving and humility; in sentiments
of deepest sorrow for those, who were to abuse it for their own damnation. She
burned with the desire of seeing this Sacrament instituted, and if She had not
been sustained by the power of the Almighty, the force of her affection would
have bereft Her of natural life. Moreover the presence of her most holy Son was
also calculated to moderate the excess of her longings and enabled Her to abide
the time of its institution. Even from that time on She wished to prepare
Herself for its reception, and asked Her Son to be allowed to receive Him in
the holy Sacrament as soon as it should be instituted. She said to Him:
"Supreme Lord and life of my soul, shall I, who am such an insignificant
worm and the most despicable among men, be allowed to receive Thee? Shall I be
so fortunate as to bear Thee once more within my body and soul? Shall my heart
be thy dwelling and tabernacle, where Thou shalt take thy rest and shall I thus
delight in thy close embrace and Thou, my Beloved, in mine?" 125. The divine Master answered:
"My beloved Mother, many times shalt thou receive Me in the holy
Sacrament, and after my Death and Ascension into heaven that shall be thy
consolation; for I shall choose thy most sincere and loving heart as my most
delightful and pleasant resting place." At this promise of the Lord the
great Queen humbled Herself anew and, prostrate in the dust, She gave Him
thanks, exciting the admiration of heaven itself. From that hour She began to
dispose all her thoughts and actions with the object of preparing Herself for
the time when She would be allowed to receive her most holy Son in the holy
Sacrament; and during all the years She never forgot, or interrupted these
acts of her will. Her memory, as I have already said, was more tenacious and
constant than that of an angel, and her intelligence was greater than that of
all the angels; therefore, as She always bore in mind this and other mysteries,
her actions corresponded to her great knowledge. From that time on also, She
continually and fervently besought the Lord, that He give light to mortals in
order that they might know and revere this, the greatest of all the Sacraments,
and that they might receive it worthily. Whenever we receive this holy
Sacrament in proper disposition (and so it should be always), we owe it, next
to the influence of the Redeemer, to the tears and prayers of this heavenly
Mother, who merited this grace for us. If anyone of us audaciously receives it
in the state of sin, let him know that, besides the sacrilegious insult offered
to his Lord and God, he also offends the most holy Mother; since he despises
and abuses her love, her pious desires, her prayers, tears and sighs. Let us
exert ourselves to avoid such horrible crimes. 126. In regard to the fifth
Sacrament, that of Extreme Unction, most holy Mary understood the object for
which it was instituted, its matter and form and the part borne by its
minister. She saw that its matter must be the blessed oil of olives, serving as
a symbol of mercy; that its form should be the words of supplication, spoken
while the senses, with which we have sinned are anointed, and that none other
than a priest could be its minister. She knew its object and results, which are
the help afforded to the faithful in the danger of death, and strengthening them
against the temptations and assaults of the devil, so frequent and terrible in
the last hour. Thus he that receives this sacrament worthily recovers the
strength of soul, which has been lost by the sins previously committed, and
also, if it is useful, health of the body. At the same time the sick are moved
to sentiments of devotion and to a desire of seeing God, while venial sins are
forgiven together with some of the effects of mortal sin; it stamps upon the
body the seal of heaven (though not an indelible one), so that the demon dares
not approach where, by grace and by his Sacraments, the Lord has taken up his
habitation. By the power of this Sacrament Lucifer loses the authority and
right acquired over man through original and actual sin, so that the body of
the just, which is to rise and, with the soul, is to enjoy its God, may be
properly marked for its union with its soul. All this the most faithful Mother
and Lady knew and for it She gave thanks in the name of the faithful. 127. Concerning the sixth
Sacrament, Holy Orders, She understood how her most blessed Son, the provident
Founder of grace and of the Church, thereby constituted apt ministers of his
Sacraments for the sanctification of his mystical body and for the
consecration of his body and blood; giving them a dignity above that of all men
and of the angels themselves. This caused in Her such an extreme reverence for
the dignity of priests, that She began from that moment to revere and honor
them. She asked the Almighty to make them worthy and efficient ministers of his
graces and to inspire the faithful with a high veneration for the priesthood.
She wept over the faults as well of the priests as of the people in regard to
their duties toward each other. But since I have already spoken of the great
respect due to the priests, I will not now expatiate upon this subject. All the
rest which pertains to this Sacrament, its matter and form, its effects and
ministry, was likewise made known to the most blessed Mother. 128. She was also instructed
in the great object of Matrimony, the seventh and last of the Sacraments;
namely, to sanctify and bless the propagation of the faithful in the
evangelical law and to typify the mystery of the spiritual marriage and close
union of Christ with his Church (Ephes. 5, 32). She understood how this
Sacrament was to be perpetuated, what is its matter and form; what great
benefits resulted from it for the faithful children of the Church, and all the
other mysteries concerning its effects, necessity and power. For all this She
composed hymns of praise and thanksgiving in the name of the faithful, who were
to share in its blessings. At the same time She was informed of the rites and
ceremonies to be instituted by the Church in future times for the ministration
of the Sacraments and for the well ordering of divine worship among the
faithful: also of the laws of the holy Church for the government of the
faithful, especially of the five precepts of the Church: namely, to hear Mass
on feast days; to confess and partake of the most sacred body of Christ at
stated times; to fast on the appointed days; to give tithes and firstfruits of
our earthly goods to the Lord. 129. In all these precepts of
the Church the most blessed Lady perceived the mysteries of our justification, the
object of their establishment, the effects caused by them in the faithful, and
the necessity of their existence in the new Church of God. She saw how
necessary for the faithful was the first of these commandments, establishing
days consecrated to the Lord, that men might seek their God, assist at the
sacred and mysterious sacrifice of the Mass, which was to be offered for the
living and the dead; that they might renew the profession of faith and the
memory of the divine Passion and Death, by which we were redeemed; that they
might, as much as possible, cooperate in the offering of this great sacrifice
and partake of the blessings and fruits gained by the Church in the most sacred
mystery of the Mass. She saw also the necessity of stirring up our loyalty and
fervor by sacramental Confession and holy Communion, in order to restore to us
the friendship and love of the Almighty. For besides the danger incurred by
forgetting or neglecting the use of these two Sacraments, men commit another
injury by frustrating the loving desires of their God in establishing such
Sacraments for our benefit; since such neglect cannot exist without great
contempt of the divine goodness, either tacit or expressed, it is a very
serious insult to God in the guilty ones. 130. She had the same
understanding of the last two precepts: to fast and to pay tithes. She saw how
necessary it was for men to vanquish their enemies by restraint and
mortification of the passions, which cause so many unhappy and negligent
Christians to lose eternal happiness. It is the disorder of the flesh, which
foments these passions, and the flesh is subdued by fasting. Herein the Teacher
of life himself has given us an example, although He had no need to conquer the
disorders of sin. The paying of tithes most holy Mary recognized as specially
ordained by the Lord, in order that thereby the faithful might acknowledge Him
as the supreme Creator and Lord of all, paying tribute to Him of their temporal
goods and thanking Him for the gifts of his Providence in the preservation of
life. He wished also that these offerings be appropriated for the sustenance
and comfort of his priests. For, seeing that their sustenance is secured by the
sweat of the people, they were to be thankful to the Lord for so abundantly
supplying their needs and mindful of their obligation to seek the spiritual
welfare of souls and to devote their whole life to the worship of God and the
advance of his holy Church. 131. I have tried to be very
succinct in my explanations of these great mysteries, which secretly transpired
in the inflamed and magnanimous heart of the Queen of heaven, when She was
instructed by the Almighty in the laws and precepts of the new Church of the
Gospel. The fear of being too prolix, and much more that of committing an error,
has prevented me from manifesting all that has interiorly been made known to me
and all that I have understood in this matter; the light of our holy faith,
assisted by Christian piety and prudence, will teach Catholics the greatest
venerations for these high mysteries; it will lead them to contemplate with
lively faith the wonderful harmony of the Sacraments, laws, doctrines and
mysteries contained in the Catholic Church, and how she has governed herself
steadily from the beginning and will govern herself to the end of the world.
All this was treasured up admirably in the soul of the blessed Lady and Queen;
in Her, according to our way of speaking, Christ brought his Church to the
highest purity and perfection; in Her He deposited all the riches of the new
law in order that She might be the first to enjoy them to their full extent and
that She might fructify, love, increase them and render thanks for them in the
name of all the other mortals. She was also to weep over their sins, in order
that the flood of mercy for the human race might not be impeded. The soul of
Mary was to serve as the public record of all that God was to do for the
Redemption of man, and the document, which was to bind Him to complete his
Redemption. She was to be both the Coadjutrix and the everlasting memorial of
all the wonders He intended to work among us. INSTRUCTION WHICH THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN
GAVE ME. 132. My daughter, many times
I have reminded thee how injurious to the Almighty and how dangerous to mortals
is the forgetfulness and the neglect of the mysterious and wonderful works of
his divine clemency toward men. My maternal solicitude urges me to renew in
thee the memory and the sorrow for this lamentable tendency. Where is the
judgment and good sense of men, that they should forget their eternal welfare
and the glory of their Redeemer and Creator? The gates of grace and of glory
are open; and yet they not only do not enter, but they fly from light and life,
and they shut them out from hearts darkened by the shadows of death. O more
than inhuman cruelty of the sinner toward himself! Overtaken by the most
dangerous and deathly sickness, He does not wish to accept the remedy so
graciously offered to him! Who would not willingly be snatched from death and
restored to life? What sick person would not be grateful to the physician for
curing him of his sickness? If men know how to be thankful for the restoration
of health, which is so soon to be again taken from them by death and only
serves them to endure new labors and dangers, why are they so foolish and hard
of heart as not to be thankful for or even recognize the blessings of Him, who
gives them eternal life and happiness, who rescues them from pains without end
and inconceivably great? 133. O my dearest daughter,
how can I receive as children and be a Mother to those who thus despise my
dearest Son and Lord and all his clemency? The angels and saints of heaven
understand his kindness, and they are astounded at the gross and dangerous
ingratitude of mortals, and they see how the rectitude of divine judgments
shall become manifest before the whole world. Already in previous parts of this
history I have declared to thee many of these secrets; and now I have made
known to thee still more, in order that thou mayest imitate me so much the more
closely and weep with me over this unhappy state of mortals, by which God has
been, and is, so greatly offended. Weep thou over their sins and at the same
time try to make up for them. I wish that thou let no day pass without having
given most humble thanks to his greatness; since He had instituted the great
Sacraments and receives only abuse in return. Do thou receive them with
profound reverence, faith and firm hope. Especially must thou be filled with
highest esteem for the sacrament of Penance and try to excite in thee the
dispositions and fulfill the requirements, which the holy Church and its
teachers point out as necessary for its worthy reception. Approach it with an
humble and thankful heart day after day; and whenever thou art conscious of any
fault, do not postpone the remedy afforded by this Sacrament. Wash and cleanse
thy soul; for it is the most abominable carelessness to know oneself stained
with sin, and to remain in such disgrace for a long time, yea even for one
instant. 134. Particularly do I wish
thee to understand the wrath of the Almighty against those who dare to receive
the Sacraments unworthily, especially the august Sacrament of the Altar. 0
soul! How dreadful is this sin in the eyes of the Lord and his saints! Yea, not
only the receiving of Him unworthily, but the irreverence committed in his real
presence on the altar! How can they be called children of the Church, who,
claiming to believe and respect this mystery, not only neglect to visit Him in
the many places where He is sacramentally present, but also dare to indulge in
such disrespect toward Him as even the heathens are not guilty of against their
false idols? This is a matter which could not be deplored sufficiently in many
discourses; and I tell thee, my daughter, that the men of the present age have
so outraged the justice of the Lord, that I cannot even manifest to them, what
in my kindness I desire as a remedy of this evil. But let them know at present
that his sentence shall be dreadful and without mercy, rendered against those
wicked and faithless servants who are condemned by the words of their own mouth
(Luke 19, 22). This thou canst announce to all that will hear thee; and counsel
them to come at least once a day to the churches in which their God is sacramentally
present, in order to adore and worship Him; and let them assist at the
sacrifice of the Mass, for men do not know how much they lose by their
negligence in this regard. THE INCESSANT PRAYERS AND PETITIONS OF
CHRIST, THE REDEEMER, FOR OUR WELFARE; AND HOW OUR MOST HOLY MOTHER JOINED HIM
THEREIN AND RECEIVED MANY NEW ENLIGHTENMENTS. 135. The more our limited
discourse seeks to make clear and extol the mysterious works of Christ, our
Redeemer, and of his most holy Mother, the more evident it becomes, that mere
human words are far from being able to compass the greatness of these
sacraments; for, as Ecclesiasticus says, they surpass all our words of praise
(Ecclus. 43, 33). Nor can we ever fathom or compass them, and there will
always remain many greater secrets than those we have sought to explain. For
those which we do explain are very insignificant, and we do not deserve to
comprehend, nor to speak about the few, which we attempt to fathom. Inadequate
is the intellect of the highest seraphim to weigh and pierce the secrets that
passed between Jesus and Mary during the years in which They lived together.
Especially is this true of the years, of which I am now speaking, during which
the Teacher of life instructed Her in everything that was to happen in the law
of grace; namely, how much this new law was to accomplish in this the sixth age
of the world, which includes these sixteen hundred and fifty seven years and
all the unknown future until the end of the World. In all this the most blessed
Lady was instructed in the school of her divine Son; for He foretold Her all by
word of mouth, pointing out the time and place of each event, the kingdoms and
provinces of their history during the existence of the Church. This was shown
Her so dearly that if She had lived through our centuries in mortal flesh, She
would have known all the individual members of the holy Church with their
features and names. This happened in regard to the persons, whom She afterwards
saw and conversed with during her life; for when they came into her presence
for the first time, She already knew them by her interior faculties and merely
began to know them by the experience of the senses. 136. Still, while the most
holy Mother of wisdom so clearly understood these mysteries in the soul of her
Son and in the operations of his faculties, She did not penetrate so deeply
into these secrets as the most holy Soul of Christ, which was beatifically
united to the Divinity; for the heavenly Lady was a creature and as yet did not
continually enjoy the beatific vision. Nor did She always comprehend the image
conceived in the beatific vision of this divine Soul of Christ, for this
happened only when She herself was enjoying the intuitive vision of the
Divinity. But She beheld the imaginary species of the interior faculties of
Christ concerning the mysteries of the militant Church, and She understood also
how they depended upon his most holy will: that He decreed and controlled all
its developments according to their proper time, place and occasion. She was
made aware in like manner, how the human will of the Redeemer conformed itself
to the divine, and was governed by it in all its decrees and dispositions. The
divine harmony overflowed in the will and faculties of the blessed Lady, leading
Her to cooperate with the will of her Son, and through it, with the divine.
Hence there existed an ineffable similarity between Christ and holy Mary and
She was the helpmate of Christ in the building up of the new Law. 137. All these hidden
sacraments ordinarily transpired in that humble oratory of the Queen, where the
greatest of all mysteries, the Incarnation of the divine Word in her virginal
womb, had taken place. Though it was such a narrow and poorly furnished room,
consisting merely of the bare and rude walls, yet it enclosed the grandeur of
Him who is immense and shed forth all the majesty and sacredness, which since
then is attached to the rich temples and innumerable sanctuaries of the world.
In this holy of holies the Highpriest of the new Law ordinarily performed his
prayers, which always concluded with fervent intercessions for men. At these
times also He spoke to his Virgin Mother about all the works of the Redemption
and communicated to Her the rich gifts and treasures of grace, which He had
come to shower upon the children of light in the new Testament and in his holy
Church. Many times did He beseech his eternal Father not to allow the sins and
the ingratitude of men to hinder their Redemption. As Christ in his
foreknowledge was always conscious of the sins of the human race and of the
damnation of so many thankless souls, the thought of dying for them caused Him
to sweat blood many times on these occasions. Although the Evangelists, because
they never intended to relate all the events of his life, mention this sweating
of blood but once before his Passion, it is certain that this happened many
times and in the presence of his most holy Mother; and this has been intimated
to me several times. 138. During prayer our
blessed Master sometimes assumed a kneeling posture, sometimes He was prostrate
in the form of a cross or at other times raised in the air in this same
position which He loved so much. In the presence of his Mother He was wont to
pray: "0 most blessed Cross! When shall thy arms receive mine, when shall
I rest on thee and when shall my arms, nailed to thine, be spread to welcome
all sinners? (Matth. 9, 13). But as I came from heaven for no other purpose
than to invite them to imitate Me and associate with Me, they are even now and
forever open to embrace and enrich all men. Come then, all ye that are blind,
to the light. Come ye poor, to the treasures of my grace. Come, ye little ones,
to the caresses and delights of your true Father. Come, ye afflicted and worn
out ones, for I will relieve and refresh you (Matth. 11, 28). Come, ye just,
since you are my possession and inheritance. Come all ye children of Adam, for
I call upon you all. I am the way, the truth and the life (13, 6), and I will
deny nothing that you desire to receive. My eternal Father, they are the works
of thy hands, do not despise them; for I will offer Myself as a sacrifice on
the Cross, in order to restore them to justice and freedom. If they be but
willing I will lead them back to the bosom of thy elect and to their heavenly
kingdom, where thy name shall be glorified." 139. At all these prayers the
beloved Mother was present, and in her purest soul, as in the purest crystal,
the light of the Onlybegotten was reflected. His interior and exterior prayers
reechoed in Her, causing Her to imitate his petitions and prayers in the same
postures. When the great Lady for the first time saw Him sweat blood, her
maternal heart was transfixed with sorrow and filled with astonishment at the
effects caused in Christ, our Lord, by the sins and ingratitudes committed by
men, foreseen by the Lord and known to Her. In the anguish of her heart She
turned to her fellow mortals and exclaimed: "0 children of men! Little do
ye understand how highly the Lord esteems his image and likeness in you! For,
as the price of your salvation, He offers his own blood and deems it little to
shed all of it for you. 0 could I but unite your wills with mine, in order that
I might bring you to love and obey Him! Blessed by his right hand be the
grateful and the just among men, who will be faithful children of their Father!
Let those be filled with light and with the treasures of grace, who will
respond to the ardent desires of my Lord in regard to their salvation. Would
that I could be the insignificant slave of the children of Adam and thereby
induce and assist them to put an end to their sins and their own damnation!
Lord and Master! Life and light of my soul! Who can be so hard of heart and so
hostile to himself, that he should not feel himself urged on by thy blessings?
Who can be so ungrateful and so unheedful, as to ignore thy most burning love?
How can my heart bear with men, who, being so favored by thy bounty, are so
coarse and rebellious? 0 children of Adam! Turn your inhuman cruelty upon me.
Afflict and insult me as much as you will, only pay my beloved Lord the
reverence and love which you owe to his endearments. Thou, my Son and Lord, art
Light of light, Son of the eternal Father, figure of his substance (Heb. 1, 3),
as everlasting, as immense, as infinite as He, equal to Him in essence and
attributes, being with Him one God and one supreme Majesty (John 10, 30). Thou
art chosen among thousands (Cant. 5, 10), beautiful above all the sons of men,
holy, innocent and without defect of any kind. How then, eternal God, can
mortals ignore the object of their most noble love? the Principle, which gives
them existence? the End wherein consists their eternal true happiness? 0 that I
could give my life in order that all might escape their error!" 140. Many other sentiments of
burning love, far beyond the powers of my heart and tongue, this heavenly Lady
uttered in her dovelike sincerity; and in this love, and in profoundest
reverence, She wiped the sweat from the face of her sweetest Son. At other
times She found Him in quite a different condition, shining with glory and
transfigured as afterwards on mount Tabor (Matth. 17, 2), in the midst of a
great multitude of angels, who adored Him and in the sweet harmony of their
voices gave praise and thanksgiving to the Onlybegotten of the Father made man.
These celestial voices our blessed Lady heard and She joined hers with them. At
other times this happened while He was not transfigured; for the divine will
ordained that the sensitive part of the divine humanity of the Word should
sometimes have this solace, while at other times it should enjoy also the
transfiguring overflow of the glory of the soul into the body; yet this only at
great intervals. But whenever the heavenly Mother found Him in this state and
beheld his glorified body, or when She heard the hymns of the angels, She
participated in these delights to such an extent, that, if her spirit had not
been so strong, and if her Lord and Son had not fortified Her, She would have
lost all her natural powers; and even as it was, the holy angels had to support
the failing strength of her body on those occasions. 141. Many times, when her
divine Son was in one of these states of suffering or joy, and was praying to
the eternal Father or, as it were, conferring with Him concerning the highest
mysteries of the Redemption, the Person of the Father approved or conceded his
petitions for the relief of men, or showed to the most holy humanity of Christ
the secret decrees of predestination, reprobation or condemnation of some
souls. All this our blessed Lady heard, humbling Herself to the dust. With
unequaled reverence and fear She adored the Omnipotent, and accompanied her Son
in his prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, offered up to the eternal Father
for mankind in praise of all his inscrutable judgments. Such secrets and
mysteries the most prudent Virgin conferred in her heart, and stored them up in
her memory, converting them into the material and nourishment of her fiery
love. None of these blessings and secret favors were in her unprofitable or
fruitless. To all of them She corresponded according to the inmost desires of
her Lord. In all of them She fulfilled the highest intentions of the Almighty,
and all his works found due response from Her as far as was possible from a
mere creature. INSTRUCTIONS WHICH THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN,
MARY, GAVE ME. 142. My daughter, one of the
reasons why men should call me Mother of mercy, is the knowledge of my loving
desire, that all be satiated with the flood of grace and taste the sweetness of the Lord as I myself. I call and invite all to come with me to the fountain
of the Divinity. Let the most poor and afflicted approach, for if they respond
and follow me, I will offer them my protection and help, and I will intercede
for them with my Son and obtain for them the hidden manna, which will give to
them nourishment and life (Apoc. 2, 17). Deny thyself and put off all the works
of human weakness, and, by the true light, which thou hast received concerning
the works of my Son and my own, contemplate and study thyself in this mirror,
in order to arrive at that beauty, which the highest King seeks in thee. 143. Since this is the most
powerful means for perfection in thy works, I wish that thou write this advice
into thy heart. Whenever thou must perform any interior or exterior work,
consider beforehand whether what thou art going to say or do corresponds with
the doings of thy Lord, and whether thou hast the intention thereby to honor
thy Lord and benefit thy neighbor. As soon as thou art sure that this is thy
motive, execute thy undertaking in union with Him and in imitation of Him; but
if thou findest not this motive let the undertaking rest. This was my
invariable course in pursuing the imitation of my Lord and Teacher; though in
me there was no reluctance toward the good, but only the desire of imitating
Him perfectly. In this imitation consists the fruit of his holy teaching, in
which He urges us to do, what is most pleasing and acceptable to the eternal
God. Moreover from this day on be mindful not to undertake any work, not to
speak or even think any of anything, without first asking my permission and
consulting with me as thy Mother and Teacher. And as soon as I answer thee
give thanks to the Lord; if I do not answer after continued inquiry, I promise
and assure thee on the part of the Lord, that He will, nevertheless, give thee
light as to what will be according to his most perfect will. In all things,
however, subject thyself to the guidance of thy spiritual director, and never
forget this practice! MOST HOLY MARY PASSES HER THIRTY-THIRD
YEAR, EVER AFTER REMAINING UNCHANGED AS TO HER VIRGINAL BODY; SHE PLANS TO
SUPPORT HER MOST HOLY SON AND SAINT JOSEPH BY THE LABOR OF HER HANDS. 144. After Jesus had reached
his twelfth year our great Queen and Lady occupied Herself particularly in the
exercises and the mysteries, which I have pointed out but could not fully
describe in the foregoing chapters. In the course of time our Savior passed the
period of his adolescence at eighteen and his blessed Mother ( according to the
dates given in Vol. II P. 138 and 475), reached her perfect growth in her
thirtythird year. I call it that, because according to the division of man's
life commonly accepted, the age of thirtythree years is that of full bodily
growth and perfection, being the end of youthful vigor, or, as others would
have it, the beginning of it. Whatever opinion is accepted, that is the end of
natural perfection of the body and it lasts only a short time; for immediately
corrupted nature, never remaining in the same state, begins to decline. Like
the moon, which begins to lessen as soon as it has reached fullness, it never
remains in the same state. From that time on the body does not grow in length,
nor can the increase in bulk be called a perfection, being rather a defect of
nature. On this account our Lord Christ died at the completion of his thirty-third
year; for his most ardent love induced Him to wait only until his body should
have attained its perfect growth and vigor and was in all respects most capable
of bringing the perfect gifts of nature and grace to this sacrifice. Not
because divine grace was in need of any growth in Him, but in order that his
human nature might correspond with the perfection of grace and that nothing
might be wanting even exteriorly to the completeness of his sacrifice for
mankind. In accordance with this it is said, that the Almighty created Adam and
Eve in the condition of a man and woman at the age of thirtythree years. It is
true, of course, that in the first and second age of the world the life of man
was much longer and, by dividing the periods of human life at that time, many
more years would have to be counted for each period before the time of David
than after that time, when old age begins at seventy years. 145. When therefore the Queen
of heaven arrived at her thirtythird year, her virginal body had attained full
natural growth, so well proportioned and beautiful, that She was the admiration
not only of human beings, but of the angelic spirits themselves. She had grown
in size and stature to the most perfect proportion in all the parts of her body
and most strikingly resembled her divine Son in features and complexion, when
later on He arrived at that age; always, of course, taking into account, that
Christ was the most perfect Man, while his Mother was the most perfect Woman.
Other mortals, on account of the decline of the natural humors and temperature,
ordinarily begin to deteriorate and gradually approach decay as far as their
body is concerned; the exquisite balance of bodily humors is disturbed and the
earthly ones begin to predominate more and more; the hair begins to whiten, the
countenance to wrinkle, the blood to cool, some of the strength to weaken; and
the whole human frame, in spite of the greatest care, commences to decline
toward old age and corruption. But in the most holy Mary it was not so; for the
wonderful beauty and strength, which She had attained at the age of thirty-three
years, remained unchanged; and when She had reached her seventieth year, as I
shall relate later on, She still retained the same beauty and entirety of her
virginal body as at the age of thirty-three. 146. The blessed Lady was
well aware of this special privilege conceded to Her by the Most High and She
rendered Him most humble thanks. She understood also that it was granted to Her
in order that the likeness of her most holy Son might always be preserved in
Her, though with the differences consequent upon her different nature and
longer life; for the Lord attained full bodily growth at thirty-three years,
while She retained it during her much longer life. Saint Joseph, although he
was not so very old at the time when our blessed Lady reached her thirtythird
year, was much broken and worn out as far as his body was concerned; for his
continual cares, his journeys and his incessant labors for the sustenance of
his Spouse and of the Lord had weakened him much more than his years. This was
so ordained by the Lord, who, wishing to lead him on to the practice of
patience and of other virtues, permitted him to suffer sickness and pain (as I
will relate in the following chapter). His most prudent Spouse, knowing that he
was much weakened and always having loved and served him better than any wife
ever did her husband, spoke to him and said: "My spouse and my master, I
am deeply obliged to you for the faithful labors, watchfulness and care thou
hast bestowed on my welfare. For in the sweat of thy brow thou hast until now
supported me, thy servant, and my most holy Son, the true God, and in this thy
solicitude, thou hast spent thy strength and the best part of thy health and of
thy life in protecting me and attending upon my welfare. From the hands of the
Almighty thou shalt receive the reward of thy works and the blessings of
sweetness which thou deservest (Ps, 20, 4). But now I beseech thee, my master,
rest henceforth from thy labors since thy impaired strength is not any more
equal to them. I wish from now on to show my gratitude by laboring in thy
service and provide for such sustenance as the Lord wishes us to have." 147. The saint listened to
the words of his sweetest Spouse with abundant tears of humblest acknowledgment
and consolation. Although he at first earnestly entreated Her to be allowed to
continue forever in his labors, yet at last he yielded to her request and
obeyed his Spouse, the Mistress of the world. From that time on he rested from
the hard labor of his hands, by which he had earned a livelihood for all three.
They gave away the carpenter tools as an alms, not wishing to have anything
superfluous or useless in their house and family. Being thus at leisure, saint
Joseph occupied himself entirely in the contemplation of the mysteries of which
he was the guardian and in the exercise of virtues. As He had the happiness and
good fortune of continually enjoying the sight and the intercourse of the
divine Wisdom incarnate, and of Her, who was the Mother of It, this man of God
reached such a height of sanctity, that, his heavenly Spouse excepted, no one
ever surpassed Him and he far outstripped all other creatures. The blessed
Lady, and also her most holy Son, attended upon him and nursed him in his
sickness, consoling and sustaining him with the greatest assiduity; and hence
there are no words sufficiently expressive of the humility, reverence and love
which all this caused in the simple and grateful heart of this man of God. He
thus became the admiration and joy of the angels and the pleasure and delight
of the Most High. 148. Thenceforth the Mistress
of the world took upon Herself the task of supporting by her work her most holy
Son and her husband, for such was the will of the eternal Wisdom in order to
raise Mary to the very pinnacle of all virtues and perfections and in order to
furnish an example for the confusion of the daughters and the sons of Adam and
Eve. The Lord set up for us as a model this strong Woman, clothed with beauty
and fortitude. For at this age of thirtythree years She was to show Herself
girded with strength and ready to extend her hands to the poor, purchasing the
field and cultivating the vineyard by her own labor to bring forth its fruits.
The heart of her husband confided in Her, and not only that of her husband,
Saint Joseph, but also that of her Son, the true Godman, the Teacher of the
poor and the Poor of the poor: and they were not deceived (Prov. 31, 10). The
great Queen began to busy Herself much more in spinning and weaving linen and
wool, thus mysteriously fulfilling all that Solomon says about Her in the
Proverbs. But as I have explained this chapter of Scripture at the end of the
first part, I shall not repeat it here, although much of what I said then
pertains to this period of her life when both interiorly and exteriorly She
executed it in action. 149. The Lord was not wanting
in ability to provide for his bodily living, that of his blessed Mother and of
saint Joseph; for not in bread alone does man live and is sustained (Matth. 4,
4) ; He could have created it by his mere word, as He himself assures us. He
could have each day created the necessary food; but then the world would have
been deprived of this spectacle of his holy Mother, Lady of the whole world,
laboring for their sustenance; and the Virgin herself would have been deprived
of the reward due to these meritorious works. All was arranged by the Teacher
of our salvation with admirable providence for the glory of our Queen and for
our instruction. Her diligence and care in these employments cannot be
expressed in words. She labored much: and because She always lived in
retirement, She was assisted by that most fortunate woman, of whom I have
spoken before (Vol. 11227,423). This woman assumed some of the labor of the
great Queen and performed the necessary errands. But Mary never used any
command when in want of her assistance, but spoke to her in humble request and
with the utmost consideration, always seeking to find out her wishes by asking
her whether she would not like to do this or that. Her blessed Son, like his
heavenly Mother, ate no meat; their nourishment was only fish, fruit and herbs,
and these only in the greatest moderation. For saint Joseph She procured flesh
meat, and, although their poverty and want was apparent also in this, yet it
was seasoned by the good will and loving kindness with which She served it to
her spouse. The blessed Lady slept but little, and often She spent the greater
part of the night in work; for the Lord now permitted her to spend more time in
such employment than in Egypt. Sometimes it happened that with all her
diligence and labor She could not earn what was necessary; for saint Joseph now
had need of more expensive nourishment and clothes than formerly. At such times
Christ our Lord made use of his almighty power in multiplying what was in their
possession, or in commanding the angels to bring the necessaries from
elsewhere. But more frequently He miraculously enabled his most holy Mother to
accomplish much in a short time by the labor of her hands and thus multiply its
results. INSTRUCTION WHICH THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN,
MARY, GAVE ME. 150. My daughter, in what
thou hast written of my labors, thou shouldst have received a most exalted
doctrine for thy imitation and direction; but in order that thou mayest not
forget I will now give thee a summary of it. I wish that thou imitate me in
three virtues which thou wilt find in what thou hast written: they are the
virtues of prudence, charity and justice, so little taken notice of by mortals.
Prudence should teach thee to provide for the wants of thy neighbor as far as
possible in thy state. Charity should make thee diligent and zealous in coming
to their assistance. Justice should oblige thee to fulfill the obligations of
charity, as necessity and love itself point them out to thee. Thou shouldst be
an eye to the blind, an ear to the deaf, and thy hands should labor for those
that are maimed (Job 29, 15). Although, on account of thy state of life, thou
must practice this doctrine principally and continually in a spiritual way, yet
I desire that thou take it to the heart also as far as the temporal and bodily
wants of thy neighbor demand, always striving to be most faithful in imitating
me. For I also provided for the necessities of my spouse, and held Myself ready
to serve and support him, deeming myself obliged thereto; and I fulfilled this
obligation with ardent charity until he died. Although the Lord had given him
to me for my support, I faithfully provided for him by my labors as long as he
was unable to perform this task himself. I judged it to be my duty thus to use
the strength given to me by the Lord and would have considered it a great fault
not to do so with great assiduity. 151. The children of the
Church pay no attention to this example and therefore they have fallen into a
perverseness which greatly exasperates the just Judge. For, though all mortals,
not only since the first sin by which all incurred work as a punishment, but
also from the very first beginning, were created in order to work (Gen. 2, 15),
nevertheless, work is not evenly distributed among men. The powerful and the
rich and those whom the world calls lords and nobles all try to exempt
themselves from this common law and try to throw this burden upon the humble
and the poor of human society. The rich keep up their pride and ostentation by
the labor and sweat of the poor, and the powerful draw their strength from the
weakness and helplessness of the lowly. In many of the proud, by their
haughtiness, this perversity reaches such extremes that they begin to think all
this is due to them and they despise, oppress and trod under foot the poor
(James 2, 6). They falsely suppose that others are created only in order that
they themselves might enjoy leisure and delight and all the world's goods; and
in addition to this, they do not even pay the small wages for these services.
In this matter of not paying proper wages to the poor and to the servants and
in matters of like sort thou wilt find great crimes against the order and will
of the Almighty. But let it be known that just as the rich pervert justice and
reason and refuse to take their share in human labor, so also will mercy be
inverted for them, and be showered upon the despised and lowly (Wis. 6, 7).
Those who in their pride gave themselves up to contemptible idleness, shall be
chastised by the demons whom they have imitated. 152. Thou, dearest, take heed
against such deception; let the advantages of earnest labor be always before
thy eyes according to my example; separate thyself from the children of Belial,
who so idly seek vain applause, and thus labor for naught. Do not deem thyself
above others, because thou art a superior, but deem thyself more lowly and
humble, a slave of all the rest; diligently serving them all without
distinction. If necessary, be ready to labor for their sustenance and be
convinced that this is incumbent upon thee not only as their superior, but also
because the religious are thy sisters, daughters of the heavenly Father and
creatures of the Lord thy Spouse. Since thou hast received more than all the
rest at his liberal hand, thou art also obliged to labor more than they. The
weak and ailing relieve of bodily labor and do their work thyself. I wish that
thou not only avoid charging others with work which thou canst perform thyself
and which belongs to thee, but that thou assume, as much as possible, that of
all the rest, deeming thyself their inferior and their servant as I wish thee
always to consider thyself. Since thou canst not do all thyself, and since it
is necessary that thou distribute bodily labor among thy subjects, I exhort
thee to observe good order and equity, not putting more labor upon those who
are too humble or weak to object; but I wish that thou humiliate those who are
of a haughty and proud spirit and are unwilling to occupy themselves in hard
work. However, this must be done without exasperating them and with a gentle
firmness, helping them to suppress their lukewarmness and want of subjection by
placing upon them the yoke of holy obedience in accordance with their
profession. In doing this thou conferrest upon them the greatest blessing and
thou only fulfillest thy own obligation; therefore, thou shouldst see to it
that they understand thee in that way. All this thou wilt attain if thou make
no personal distinctions and assign to each one the work which she can do, and
what is appropriate to her; obliging and compelling each one with equity and
justice to abhor idleness and laxity, and let them see thee engaged in the
hardest and most difficult work. Thereby thou wilt gain an humble liberty of
commanding them; but what thou canst do thyself, command no one, in order that
thou mayest enjoy the fruit and the reward of labor in imitation of me and in
obeying all that I advise and remind thee of. THE SUFFERINGS AND INFIRMITIES OF SAINT
JOSEPH IN THE LAST YEARS OF HIS LIFE AND HOW THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN, HIS SPOUSE,
NURSED HIM DURING THAT TIME. 153. A common defect in all
of us that are called to the light and to the profession of holy faith in the
school of Christ, our Lord, is that of looking upon Him too much as our
Redeemer and not sufficiently as our Teacher in our sufferings (Luke 24, 26).
We all desire to reap the fruit of salvation and enter the portals of grace and
glory; but we do not with like zeal seek to follow Him on the way of the Cross
by which He entered and upon which He invites us to attain eternal glory
(Matth. 16, 24). Although, as Catholics, we do not fall into such insane errors
as the heretics; for we know and profess that without exertion and labor there
can be no reward or crown (II Tim. 2, 5) ; and that it is a sacrilegious
blasphemy to avail oneself of the salvation of Christ in order to sin without
remorse or restraint. Nevertheless, as far as really practicing the works
inculcated by faith, some of the children of the Church differ little from the
children of darkness; for they look upon difficult and painful works as
unnecessary for the following of Christ and for participation in his glory. 154. Let us throw off this error in our practice and let us understand well that suffering was not only for Christ, our Lord, but also for us; that if He suffered labors and death as the Redeemer of the World, He suffered them also as our Teacher, thereby inviting us as his friends to enter upon the way of his Cross; so much so, that his nearest friends receive the greatest share of suffering, and no one can merit heaven without the price of personal exertions. In imitation of his most holy Mother, the Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors and Virgins and all his followers have won their crown by labors and those that have been most prepared for suffering have obtained so much the more abundant reward and the higher crown. It might be objected that our Lord was at the same time God and man, and that if He has given us the most conspicuous and wonderful example of suffering, He did it more in order to be admired than to be imitated. But this is only a bold and daring pretense on our part; for He can meet this objection with the example of his Mother, our most pure and innocent Queen, with that of her blessed spouse, and of so many men and women, weak and deficient as we ourselves, who were less guilty, but who have imitated Him and followed Him on the way of the Cross. The Lord did not suffer only in order to excite our admiration, but in order that we imitate his example, and He did not let even his Divinity stand in the way of labor and suffering, but allowed sorrow and suffering to overwhelm Him in proportion to his innocence and sinlessness.
155. Along this royal highway
of the Cross the Lord led the spouse of his blessed Mother, saint Joseph, whom
He loved above all the sons of men. In order to increase his merits and crown
before the time of his meriting should come to an end, He visited him in the
last years of his life with certain sicknesses, such as fever, violent
headaches and very painful rheumatisms, which greatly afflicted and weakened
him. In the midst of these infirmities, he was suffering from another source,
more sweet, but extremely painful, namely, from the fire of his ardent love
which was so vehement, that the flights and ecstasies of his most pure soul
would often have burst the bounds of his body if the Lord, who vouchsafed them,
had not strengthened and comforted him against these agonies of love. In these
sweet excesses the Lord allowed him to suffer until his death and on account of
the natural weakness of his extenuated body, this exercise was the source of
ineffable merits for the fortunate saint, not only because of the sufferings
occasioned, but because of the love by which these sufferings were brought
about. 156. Our great Queen, his
Spouse, was a witness to all these mysteries; and, as I have already stated
(Vol. II 368, 381, 394, 404), She knew the whole interior of the soul of saint
Joseph, being thus rejoiced by the knowledge of having for her spouse a man so
holy and so beloved of the Lord. She beheld and comprehended the sincerity and
purity of his soul; his burning love; his exalted and heavenly thoughts; his
dovelike patience and meekness in his grievous ailments and exquisite sufferings.
She knew that he never complained either of these nor of any of the other
trials, nor ever asked for any relief in his wants and necessities; for he bore
all with incomparable equanimity and greatness of soul. As his most prudent
Spouse contemplated and weighed all these heroic virtues of saint Joseph, She
grew to look upon him with such a veneration as cannot ever be properly
estimated by anyone. She labored with incredible joy for his support and
comfort; and the greatest of his comforts was that She should prepare and
administer his victuals with her own virginal hands. But as all her service
seemed little in the eyes of the heavenly Lady compared to the necessities of
her spouse, She sometimes, in her love for him, made use of her power as Queen and
Mistress of all creation and commanded that the food which She administered to
him impart special strength and supply new life to this holy and just man of
God. 157. This command of the
great Lady, whom all creatures obeyed, was fulfilled; and when saint Joseph
tasted of the victuals, which bore these blessings of sweetness, and when he
perceived their effects, he was wont to say to the Queen: "My Lady and
Spouse, what celestial food is this which vivifies me, rejoices my senses,
restores my strength and fills my soul and spirit with new delight?" The
Empress of heaven served him his meals on bended knees; and when he was much
disabled and suffering, She took off his shoes in the same posture. At other
times She supported him in her arms. Although the humble saint sought to rouse
himself in order to forestall some of these ministrations of his Spouse, he
could not altogether prevent them, for She was intimately aware of all his
sufferings and weaknesses and of the circumstances and occasions when he needed
her assistance. At such times the heavenly Nurse always hastened to assist him
in his wants. Often also, as the Mistress of wisdom and of virtue, She
comforted him by words of sweetest consolation. In the last three years of his
life, when his infirmities increased, our Queen attended upon him day and
night and her only other employment was the service and ministration due to her
most holy Son. Jesus sometimes joined and assisted Her in the care of her holy
spouse whenever he was not engaged in other necessary works. There was never a
sick person, nor will there ever be one, who was so well nursed and comforted.
Great was the happiness and worth of this man of God, saint Joseph, for he
alone deserved to have for his Spouse Her, who was the Spouse of the Holy
Ghost. 158. But the heavenly Lady
was not satisfied with these proofs of her devotion toward holy Joseph: She
made use of other means for his relief and comfort. Several times She asked the
Lord in her ardent charity to impose upon Her the pains suffered by her spouse
and release him therefrom. To gain her point, She, the Mother and Mistress of
all sanctity, pleaded before the Most High, alleging that her debt was greater
than that of all the earthborn and that since She had not given the proper return,
She was inferior to them, deserving all their sufferings and offered her heart
for all manner of pain and suffering. She pleaded also the sanctity of saint
Joseph, his purity, innocence, and the delight of the Lord in this heart made
according to that of his Son. She asked for many blessings for him and gave
most heartfelt thanks for having created a man so worthy of his favors, so full
of justice and holiness. She invited the holy angels to give thanks to God for
him; and in contemplating the glory and wisdom of the Lord as shown in this
man, She sang new hymns of praise. For on the one hand She saw the pains and
sufferings of her beloved spouse, which excited her pity and condolence, and on
the other hand She was aware of his merits and the delight of the Lord in this
man, and how the saint pleased and glorified his God by his patience. The
heavenly Lady exercised different virtues suitable to the occasion, and of so
exalted a degree, that She excited the admiration of the angelic spirits. Yet
greater should be the admiration of us ignorant men to see that a mere Creature
so perfectly fulfilled so many different duties and that in Her the anxiety of
Martha should not interfere with the contemplation of Mary. She imitated in
this the activity of the supernal spirits, who guard and assist us without
losing sight of the Most High (Matth. 18, 10). But Mary far excelled them in
her attention to God, while engaged in bodily labor, of which they were
incapable. Though She was a child of Adam, She lived like a heavenly spirit,
occupying the superior part of her being in the exalted exercises of her divine
love and employing her inferior faculties in works of charity toward her
spouse. 159. Sometimes, when the
merciful Queen perceived the bitterness and severity of the sufferings of saint
Joseph, She was moved to tender pity; and then She would humbly ask permission
of her most holy Son to be allowed to command the natural sources and occasions
of these pains to disappear and thus put a stop to the sufferings of this just
and beloved man of God. As all creatures obeyed the command of their great
Mistress, her holy spouse was then immediately relieved and rested from his
pains, sometimes for a day, sometimes longer, until his ailments, according to
the decree of the Almighty, again assumed sway for the increase of his merits.
At other times She ordered the holy angels, as their Queen (though not in the
form of a command, but of a request), to console saint Joseph and comfort him
in his sorrows and labors, as the frail condition of his body demanded.
Thereupon the angelic spirits would appear to saint Joseph in human forms, most
beautiful and shining, and begin to speak to him of the Divinity and its
infinite perfections. Then they would raise their voices in sweetest harmony of
celestial music, singing hymns of divine canticles, by which they restored his
drooping strength and inflamed the love of his purest soul. To rejoice him the
more he was specially informed, not only of the source of these blessings and
divine favors, but of the great holiness of his virginal Spouse, of her
singular love and charity in conversing with him and serving him, and of many
other excellences and privileges of the great Mistress of the world. All this
together caused such effects in saint Joseph, and so raised his merits before
God, as no tongue can express, nor any human understanding in this life can
comprehend. INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO ME BY THE QUEEN OF
HEAVEN, MOST HOLY MARY. 160. My daughter, one of the
virtuous works most pleasing to the Lord and most fruitful for souls, is the
loving care of the sick. By it is fulfilled to a great extent that natural law
which requires us to do to our neighbors what we wish them to do to us. In the
Gospel this is adduced as one of the works for which the Lord shall give
eternal reward to the just (Matth. 25, 34); and the failure to exercise this
duty is alleged as one of the causes of the eternal damnation of the wicked. In
the same place the justice of this retribution is also explained; namely, as men
are the children of the eternal Father, the Lord accounts any good or ill done
to our neighbor as done to his own children, whose part He takes; for so it is
customary among human parents. With regard to thyself thou must moreover
consider that thou art the mother of thy religious and that they, just as thou
thyself, are the spouses of my blessed Son. The fact that they have received of
Him less blessings should so much the more oblige thee to serve and nurse them
in their sickness. On this account I have on another occasion told thee that
thou must consider thyself the infirmarian of all of them, as being inferior to
them because of thy great obligations. I assign to thee thereby an office which
is great in the house of the Lord. In order to fulfill its obligations do not
charge others with the work which thou canst do thyself in the service of the
sick; and whatever, on account of the duties of thy office thou canst not
compass, be thou careful in commending to the special care of those who are
appointed to discharge these duties by obedience. Besides common charity, there
are other reasons why the religious should be attended to in their ailments
with the greatest care and solicitude; namely, in order that their afflictions
and necessities may not cause them to long for return to their parental homes
and to the world. Be sure, that in this way much harm enters the cloister; for
human nature is so adverse to suffering, that, rather than feel the want of
necessities, it will again face the greatest dangers of the soul. 161. In order to stir thee on
toward proficiency in the exercise of this doctrine, the charity which I showed
toward my spouse, Joseph, in his ailments should serve thee as a spur and
encouragement. Very tardy is that charity (and even the politeness), which
waits until the needy one asks for help. I did not wait, but hastened to assist
before I was asked. My charity and attention anticipated the requests of my
spouse and thus I consoled him not only by my services but by my loving
solicitude and attention. I shared his sufferings and hardships with heartfelt
compassion; but at the same time I praised the Most High and thanked Him for
the blessings of affliction conferred on his servant. If sometimes I sought
to relieve his pains, it was not in order to deprive him of the occasion of
meriting, but that he might by this aid excite himself to glorify so much the
more the Author of all goodness and holiness; and to these virtues I exhorted
and encouraged him. With similar perfection shouldst thou exercise this noble
virtue, providing for the needs of the sick and weak, comforting them by thy
compassion and words of advice, doing them all kinds of good service, without
wishing them to lose the reward of suffering. Let not thy carnal love disturb
thee when thy sisters fall sick, although they be those thou lovest or needest
most; for thereby many souls, both in the world and in religion, lose the merit
of their labors. The sorrow occasioned by the sight of sickness or danger in
their friends, disturbs their equanimity and under the pretense of compassion,
they begin to complain and refuse to submit themselves to the dispositions of
divine Providence. In all these things I have given thee an example and I
demand of thee to imitate it perfectly by following my footsteps. OF THE HAPPY DEATH OF SAINT JOSEPH AND
WHAT FOLLOWED UPON IT : HOW JESUS, OUR REDEEMER, AND BLESSED MARY, OUR LADY ASSISTED
AT HIS PASSING AWAY. 162. Already eight years
saint Joseph had been exercised by his infirmities and sufferings, and his
noble soul had been purified more and more each day in the crucible of
affliction and of divine love. As the time passed his bodily strength gradually
diminished and he approached the unavoidable end, in which the stipend of death
is paid by all of us children of Adam (Heb. 9, 27). In like manner also
increased the care and solicitude of his heavenly Spouse, our Queen, assisting
and serving him with unbroken punctuality. Perceiving, in her exalted wisdom,
that the day and hour for his departure from this cumbrous earth was very near,
the loving Lady betook Herself to her blessed Son and said to Him: "Lord
God Most High, Son of the eternal Father and Savior of the world, by thy divine
light I see the hour approaching which thou hast decreed for the death of thy
servant Joseph. I beseech Thee, by thy ancient mercies and by thy infinite
bounty, to assist him in that hour by thy almighty power. Let his death be as
precious in thy eyes, as the uprightness of his life was pleasing to Thee, so that
he may depart in peace and in the certain hope of the eternal reward to be
given to him on the day in which Thou shalt open the gates of heaven for all
the faithful. Be mindful, my Son, of the humility and love of thy servant; of
his exceeding great merits and virtues; of the fidelity and solicitude by which
this just man has supported Thee and me, thy humble handmaid, in the sweat of
his brow." 163. Our Savior answered:
"My Mother, thy request is pleasing to me, and the merits of Joseph are
acceptable in my eyes. I will now assist him and will assign him a place among
the princes of my people (Ps. 115, 15), so high that he will be the admiration
of the angels and will cause them and all men to break forth in highest praise.
With none of the human born shall I do as with thy spouse." The great Lady
gave thanks to her sweetest Son for this promise; and, for nine days and nights
before the death of saint Joseph he uninterruptedly enjoyed the company and
attendance of Mary or her divine Son. By command of the Lord the holy angels,
three times on each of the nine days, furnished celestial music, mixing their
hymns of praise with the benedictions of the sick man. Moreover, their humble
but most precious dwelling was filled with the sweetest fragrance and odors so
wonderful that they comforted not only saint Joseph, but invigorated all the
numerous persons who happened to come near the house. 164. One day before he died,
being wholly inflamed with divine love on account of these blessings, he was
wrapped in an ecstasy which lasted twenty-four hours. The Lord himself supplied
strength for this miraculous intercourse. In this ecstasy he saw clearly the
divine Essence, and, manifested therein, all that he had believed by faith: the
incomprehensible Divinity, the mystery of the Incarnation and Redemption, the
militant Church with all its Sacraments and mysteries. The blessed Trinity
commissioned and assigned him as the messenger of our Savior to the holy
Patriarchs and Prophets of limbo; and commanded him to prepare them for their
issuing forth from this bosom of Abraham to eternal rest and happiness. All
this most holy Mary saw reflected in the soul of her divine Son together with
all the other mysteries, just as they had been made known to her beloved
spouse, and She offered her sincerest thanks for all this to her Lord. 165. When Saint Joseph issued
from this ecstasy his face shone with wonderful splendor and his soul was
entirely transformed by his vision of the essence of God. He asked his blessed
Spouse to give him her benediction; but She requested her divine Son to bless
him in her stead, which He did. Then the great Queen of humility, falling on
her knees, besought saint Joseph to bless Her, as being her husband and head.
Not without divine impulse the man of God fulfilled this request for the
consolation of his most prudent Spouse. She kissed the hand with which he
blessed Her and asked him to salute the just ones of limbo in her name. The
most humble Joseph, sealing his life with an act of self-abasement, asked
pardon of his heavenly Spouse for all his deficiencies in her service and love
and begged Her to grant him her assistance and intercession in this hour of
his passing away. The holy man also rendered humblest thanks to her Son for all
the blessings of his life and especially for those received during this
sickness. The last words which saint Joseph spoke to his Spouse were:
"Blessed art Thou among all women and elect of all the creatures. Let
angels and men praise Thee; let all the generations know, praise and exalt thy
dignity; and may in Thee be known, adored and exalted the name of the Most High
through all the coming ages; may He be eternally praised for having created
Thee so pleasing in his eyes and in the sight of all the blessed spirits. I
hope to enjoy thy sight in the heavenly fatherland." 166. Then this man of God,
turning toward Christ, our Lord, in profoundest reverence, wished to kneel
before Him. But the sweetest Jesus, coming near, received him in his arms,
where, reclining his head upon them, Joseph said: "My highest Lord and
God, Son of the eternal Father, Creator and Redeemer of the World, give thy
blessing to thy servant and the work of thy hand; pardon, 0 most merciful King,
the faults which I have committed in thy service and intercourse. I extol and
magnify Thee and render eternal and heartfelt thanks to Thee for having, in thy
ineffable condescension, chosen me to be the spouse of thy true Mother; let thy
greatness and glory be my thanksgiving for all eternity." The Redeemer of
the world gave him his benediction, saying: "My father, rest in peace and
in the grace of my eternal Father and mine; and to the Prophets and Saints, who
await thee in limbo, bring the joyful news of the approach of their
redemption." At these words of Jesus, and reclining in his arms, the most
fortunate saint Joseph expired and the Lord himself closed his eyes. At the
same time the multitude of the angels, who attended upon their King and Queen,
intoned hymns of praise in loud and harmonious voices. By command of the Lord
they carried his most holy soul to the gathering place of the Patriarchs and
Prophets, where it was immediately recognized by all as clothed in the
splendors of incomparable grace, as the putative father and the intimate friend
of the Redeemer, worthy of highest veneration. Conformably to the will and
mandate of the Lord, his arrival spread inutterable joy in this countless
gathering of the saints by the announcement of their speedy rescue. 167. It is necessary to
mention that the long sickness and sufferings which preceded the death of saint
Joseph was not the sole cause and occasion of his passing away; for with all
his infirmities he could have extended the term of his life, if to them he had
not joined the fire of the intense love within his bosom. In order that his
death might be more the triumph of his love than of the effects of original
sin, the Lord suspended the special and miraculous assistance by which his
natural forces were enabled to withstand the violence of his love during his lifetime.
As soon as this divine assistance was withdrawn, nature was overcome by his
love and the bonds and chains, by which this most holy soul was detained in its
mortal body, were at once dissolved and the separation of the soul from the
body in which death consists took place. Love was then the real cause of the
death of saint Joseph, as I have said above. This was at the same time the
greatest and most glorious of all his infirmities for in it death is but a
sleep of the body and the beginning of real life. 168. Her spouse having thus
passed away, the great Lady began to prepare his body for burial according to
Jewish custom. No other hands touched him than her own and those of the holy
angels, who assisted Her in visible human forms. In order that the utmost
propriety might be observed by the Virgin Mother, God enveloped the body of
saint Joseph in a wonderful light, which hid all except his countenance; and
thus his purest Spouse, although She clothed him for burial, saw only his face.
Sweetest fragrance exhaled from his body and it remained so beautiful and
lifelike, that the neighboring people eagerly came to see it and were filled
with admiration. Accompanied by the Redeemer of the world, his most blessed
Mother and a great multitude of angels, and escorted by their friends and many
others, the sacred body of the most glorious saint Joseph was borne to the
common burying place. But on all these occasions and in these occupations, the
most prudent Queen preserved her composure and gravity, without allowing her
countenance to exhibit any unwomanly or disorderly excitement; nor did her
sorrow prevent Her from attending to all that belonged to the service of her
deceased spouse or her divine Son. In everyone of her movements was visible the
royal and magnanimous behavior of the Queen of the human race. She reiterated
her thankful acknowledgment of the great favors done to her spouse by the son
of God and, prostrate at his feet in new abasement of humility, She said to
Him: "Lord and Master of my whole being, my true Son, the holiness of my
spouse Joseph might until now have detained Thee in my company; though unworthy
of it, I beseech Thee by thy own goodness not to forsake me now; receive me
anew as thy servant and look upon the humble desires and longings of my
heart." The Savior of the world accepted this new offering of his most
holy Mother and He promised not to leave Her until the time when obedience to
his eternal Father would oblige Him to begin his life of public preaching. TEACHING OF MARY, THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN. 169. My dearest daughter, it
was not without special reason that thy heart was moved to great compassion and
pity toward those who are at the point of death and that thou art inspired with
a desire to help them in that hour; for it is true, as thou hast perceived,
that then the souls of men incur the most incredible and dangerous attacks from
the demons, as well as from their own frailty and from the creatures around
them. That hour is the great trial of life, upon which depends the last sentence
of eternal death or eternal life, of eternal suffering or eternal glory. As the
Most High has condescendingly vouchsafed to fill thee with these sentiments, I
exhort thee to exert all thy powers and faculties to act accordingly. Remember,
then, my friend, that when Lucifer and his satellites of darkness perceive, by
the course of natural events, that anyone falls a prey to a dangerous and
mortal disease, they immediately prepare to assail the poor and un-bewaring
soul with all their malice and astuteness in order to vanquish them if possible
by various temptations. Whenever they see an opening for attacking the souls,
they try to supply in fury and malice the shortness of time. 170. At such times they
gather like bloodthirsty wolves and search out the natural and acquired
failings in his nature, taking into account his inclinations, habits and
customs, and where his passions cause him greater weakness, in order to direct
toward this part the strongest battery and engines of war. Those that have a disorderly
love of earthly life, they persuade that there is not such great danger and
they prevent others from undeceiving them. Those that have been negligent in
the reception of the Sacraments, they try to make still more careless and they
place obstacles and difficulties in the way in order that they may die without
them, or in order that they may receive them without fruit and with a bad
disposition. Others they fill with false suggestions and shame in order that
they may not confess their sins and open their conscience. Others they confuse
and try to prevent from making proper restitution and thus unburdening their
consciences. Others, who love vanity, they entangle, even at that last hour, in
many vain and proud desires with regard to what is to be done for them after
death. Those that have been avaricious or sensual, they seek to excite
violently toward what they loved so blindly during life. In short, of all the
bad habits and customs this cruel enemy avails himself in order to fill their
minds with images of creatures and draw them away from their salvation or make
them incapable of it. All the sinful actions and vicious habits of their
previous life have become, as it were, pledges in the hands of the common enemy
for the possession of the sinner and weapons for assault and battery in this
tremendous hour of death. Every appetite, which has been inordinately indulged,
is an avenue or bypath by which he enters into the citadel of the soul. Once
in, he breathes forth his pestilential fumes, and raises the clouds of
darkness, his proper work, so that the soul may not give heed to the divine
inspirations, have no true sorrow for its sins, and do no penance for its
wicked life. 171. Generally these enemies
cause a great damage to the souls in that hour by exciting the vain hope of a
longer life and being able to execute later on what God suggests to them by
means of the holy angels. Giving way to this deceit, they find themselves
afterwards betrayed and lost. Just as great is the danger of those who have shown
little esteem for the saving graces of the Sacraments: for this contempt is
very offensive to the Lord and to the saints, and divine justice is wont to
punish it by leaving these souls to their own wicked counsels. This leads them
to great neglect in profiting by this help. Thus they are themselves forsaken
by the Lord in their last hour, in which they expected to provide for their
salvation. There are few among the just whom this ancient serpent does not
furiously attack in their last agony. And if satan boasts of having ruined even
saints at such times, what hope have the wicked, the negligent and sinful, who
have spent their whole lives in making themselves unworthy of divine favor and
grace, and who are devoid of meritorious works to offset the assaults of their
enemies? My holy Spouse, saint Joseph, was one of those who enjoyed the
privilege of neither seeing nor feeling the presence of the demon in his last
hour; for as soon as they approached to deal with him as they do with the rest
of men, they felt a powerful force, which kept them at a distance and the holy
angels hurled them back into their abyss. Seeing themselves thus oppressed and
crushed, they were seized with great uneasiness and confusion. Almost
stupefied, Lucifer called a meeting of his followers in hell, in order to
consult about this surprising event and in order to have them once more search
the earth for the Messias; and then happened what thou shalt relate later on in
its place. 172. Hence thou wilt
understand the great danger in the hour of death, when both the good works and
the bad will begin to show their effects. I will not tell thee how many are
thus lost, in order that thy sincere love of God may not cause thee to die of
sorrow at this loss. But the general rule is: a good life gives hope of a
good end; all other reliance is doubtful, and salvation resting upon it is very
rare and merely accidental. The best precaution is to take a good start from
afar; and therefore I admonish thee, that, at the dawning of each day, when thou
lookest upon the light, thou seriously consider whether it may not be the last
of thy life, and, if it should be the last (for thou dost not know), that thou
place thy soul in such a state as to be able to meet death with a smiling face.
Do not delay even for one instant sorrow for thy sins and a firm purpose of
confessing them as soon as thou findest thyself guilty of any and of amending
the least of thy imperfections. In all this be so careful that thou leave not
upon thy conscience the smallest defect without being sorry for it and without
cleansing thyself by the blood of my most holy Son. Place thyself in such a
condition that thou art ready to appear before the just Judge, who is to
examine and judge thy least thoughts and all thy movements. 173. In order that according
to thy pious wishes, thou mayest help those who are in danger of death, thou
shouldst give to others the same counsels that I have now given thee. Exhort
them to lead a careful life in order to secure a happy death. Moreover, say some
prayers for this intention every day of thy life, fervently asking the Almighty
to disperse the deceits of the devils, to destroy the snares prepared against
those who are in the throes of death, and that his right hand confound all the
demons. Know that I have directed my prayers to that end for mortals and in
this I wish thee to imitate me. That thou mayest help them so much the more, I
wish thee to order and command the demons to depart from the sick and stop
their persecutions; and thou canst very efficaciously use this power, even when
thou art absent from the sick, for thou art to command them in the name of the
Lord, and thou art to compel them to obey thee for his greater honor and glory. 174. When thy own religious
are in danger of death do thou, without exciting them, instruct them in what
they are to do. Admonish them and help them to receive the holy Sacraments, and
see that they receive them frequently during life in preparation for a good
end. Seek to encourage and console them, speaking to them of the things of God
and his mysteries contained in the holy Scriptures. Exhort them to awaken their
good intentions and desires and to prepare themselves to receive the light and
the graces of the Most High. Excite them to hope, strengthen them against temptations
and teach them how they are to resist and overcome them, seeking to divine them
before they themselves manifest them to thee. The Almighty will give thee an
understanding of them so that thou mayest apply the right medicine to each; for
the infirmities of the soul are hard to diagnose and cure. All that I now tell
thee thou must execute as the most beloved daughter of the Lord and in his
service, and I will procure for thee certain privileges for thyself and for
those thou desirest to aid in that terrible hour. Do not stint thy charity in
these works for thou shalt work not by thy own strength alone, but by the power
which God wishes to exercise in thee for his own glory.
THE AGE OF THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN AT THE
DEATH OF SAINT JOSEPH, AND SOME OF THE PRIVILEGES OF HER HOLY SPOUSE. 175. The most fortunate of
men, saint Joseph, reached an age of sixty years and a few days. For at the age
of thirty-three he espoused the blessed Virgin and he lived with Her a little
longer than twenty-seven years as her husband. When saint Joseph died, She had
completed the half of her forty-second year; for She was espoused to saint
Joseph at the age of fourteen (as stated in the first part, book second,
chapter twenty-second). The twenty-seven years of her married life completed
her forty-first year, to which must be added the time from the eighth of
September until the death of her blessed spouse. The Queen of heaven still
remained in the same disposition of natural perfection as in her thirty-third
year; for, as already stated in the thirteenth chapter of this book, She showed
no signs of decline, or of more advanced age, or of weakness, but always
remained in that same most perfect state of womanhood. She felt the natural
sorrow due to the death of saint Joseph; for She loved him as her spouse, as a
man preeminent in perfection and holiness, as her protector and benefactor.
This sorrow in the most prudent Lady was well-ordered and most perfect, but it
was far from being therefore less deep; for her love was great, yea so much the
greater as She was well informed of the high rank he held among the saints, who
are written in the book of eternal life and in the eternal mind of the Most
High. We do not lose without sorrow what we love in an ordinary manner; so much
the greater will be our sorrow for losing what we love much. 176. It is not the purpose of this history to describe at length the perfections and excellences of saint Joseph, nor have I any commission to do so, except in so far as will suffice to point out his dignity and that of our Queen, to whose merits (next to those of her divine Son) must be ascribed the gifts and graces conferred by the Almighty upon this glorious Patriarch. The heavenly Lady was either the instrumental or meritorious cause of the holiness of her spouse, or at least the final object or purpose of this holiness. For all the vast Perfection of his virtues and graces were conferred upon saint Joseph for the purpose of making of him a worthy protector and spouse of Her, whom God selected as his Mother. According to this standard and according to the love of God for his most holy Mother is to be measured the holiness of saint Joseph; and from my understanding of this matter, if there had been in the world another man more perfect and more worthy, the Lord would have chosen this other one for the spouse of his Mother. Since he was chosen by God, saint Joseph was no doubt the most perfect man upon earth. Having created and destined him for such a high end, it is certain that God, in his almighty power, prepared and perfected him in proportion to the exaltedness of his end. That is (according to our way of thinking), his holiness, virtues, gifts, graces and infused and natural habits were made to correspond by divine influence with the end for which he was selected.
177. I perceive a certain
difference in the graces given to this great Patriarch and those vouchsafed to
other saints; for many saints were endowed with graces and gifts that are
intended not for the increase of their own sanctity, but for the advance of the
service of the Most High in other souls; they were, so to say, gifts and graces
freely given and not dependent upon the holiness of the receiver. But in our
blessed Patriarch all the divine favors were productive of personal virtue and
perfection; for the mysterious purpose, toward which they tended and helped
along, was closely connected with the holiness of his own life. The more
angelic and holy he grew to be, so much the more worthy was he to be the spouse
of most holy Mary, the depository and treasurehouse of heavenly sacraments. He
was to be a miracle of holiness, as he really was. This marvelous holiness
commenced with the formation of his body in the womb of his Mother. In this the
providence of God himself interfered, regulating the composition of the four
radical humors of his body with extreme nicety of proportion and securing for
him that evenly tempered disposition which made his body a blessed earth fit
for the abode of an exquisite soul and well-balanced mind (Wisdom 8, 19). He was
sanctified in the womb of his mother seven months after his conception, and the
leaven of sin was destroyed in him for the whole course of his life, never
having felt any impure or disorderly movement. Although he did not receive the use
of his reason together with this first sanctification, which consisted
principally in justification from original sin, yet his mother at the time felt
a wonderful joy of the Holy Ghost. Without understanding entirely the mystery
she elicited great acts of virtue and believed that her Son, or whomever she
bore in her womb, would be wonderful in the sight of God and men. 178. The holy child Joseph
was born most beautiful and perfect of body and caused in his parents and in
his relations an extraordinary delight, something like that caused by the birth
of saint John the Baptist, though the cause of it was more hidden. The Lord
hastened in him the use of his reason, perfecting it in his third year,
endowing it with infused science and augmenting his soul with new graces and
virtues. From that time the child began to know God by faith, and also by
natural reasoning and science, as the cause and Author of all things. He
eagerly listened and understood profoundly all that was taught him in regard to
God and his works. At this premature age he already practiced the highest kinds
of prayer and contemplation and eagerly engaged in the exercise of the virtues
proper to his youth; so that, at the time when others come to the use of
reason, at the age of seven years or more, saint Joseph was already a perfect
man in the use of it and in holiness. He was of a kind disposition, loving,
affable, sincere, showing inclinations not only holy but angelic, growing in
virtue and perfection and advancing toward his espousal with most holy Mary by
an altogether irreproachable life. 179. For the confirmation and
increase of his good qualities was then added the intercession of the blessed
Lady; for as soon as She was informed that the Lord wished Her to enter the
married state with him, She earnestly besought the Lord to sanctify saint
Joseph and inspire him with most chaste thoughts and desires in conformity with
her own. The Lord listened to her prayer and permitted Her to see what great
effects his right hand wrought in the mind and spirit of the patriarch saint
Joseph. They were so copious, that they cannot be described in human words. He
infused into his soul the most perfect habits of all the virtues and gifts. He
balanced anew all his faculties and filled him with grace, confirming it in an
admirable manner. In the virtue and perfection of chastity the holy spouse was
elevated higher than the seraphim; for the purity, which they possessed without
body, saint Joseph possessed in his earthly body and in mortal flesh; never did
an image of the impurities of the animal and sensible nature engage, even for
one moment, any of his faculties. This freedom from all such imaginations and
his angelic simplicity fitted him for the companionship and presence of the
most Pure among all creatures, and without this excellence he would not have
been worthy of so great a dignity and rare excellence. 180. Also in the other
virtues he was wonderfully distinguished, especially in charity; for he dwelt
at the fountainhead of that living water, which flows on to eternal life (John
4, 14); he was in close proximity to that sphere of fire and was consumed
without resistance. The best that can be said of the charity of our saint is
what I have already said in the preceding chapter; namely, that his love of God
was really the cause of his mortal sickness and of his death. The manner of his
death was a privilege of his singular love, for his sweet sighs of love
surpassed and finally put an end to those of his sickness, being far more
powerful. As the objects of his love, Christ and his Mother, were present with
him always and as both of Them were more closely bound to him than to any of
the womanborn, his most pure and faithful heart was unavoidably consumed by the
loving effects of such a close union. Blessed be the Author of such great
wonders and blessed be the most fortunate of mortals, saint Joseph, who so
worthily corresponded to their love. He deserves to be known and extolled by
all the generations of men and all nations, since the Lord has wrought such
things with no other man and to none has He shown such love. 181. The divine visions and
revelations vouchsafed to saint Joseph, I have particularly mentioned in the
course of this history (Vol. II 422, 423, 471 ); but there were many more than
can be described, and the greatest of them all was his having known the
mysteries of the relation between Christ and his Mother and his having lived in
their company for so many years as the putative father of the Lord and as the
true spouse of the Queen of heaven. But I have been informed concerning certain
other privileges conferred upon saint Joseph by the Most High on account of his
great holiness, which are especially important to those who ask his
intercession in a proper manner. In virtue of these special privileges the
intercession of saint Joseph is most powerful: first, for attaining the virtue
of purity and overcoming the sensual inclinations of the flesh; secondly, for
procuring powerful help to escape sin and return to the friendship of God;
thirdly, for increasing the love and devotion to most holy Mary; fourthly, for
securing the grace of a happy death and protection against the demons in that
hour; fifthly, for inspiring the demons with terror at the mere mention of his
name by his clients; sixthly, for gaining health of body and assistance in all
kinds of difficulties; seventhly, for securing issue of children in families.
These and many other favors God confers upon those who properly and with good
disposition seek the intercession of the spouse of our Queen, saint Joseph. I
beseech all the faithful children of the Church to be very devout to him and
they will experience these favors in reality, if they dispose themselves as
they should in order to receive and merit them. INSTRUCTION WHICH THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN,
MOST HOLY MARY, GAVE ME. 182. My daughter, although
thou hast described my spouse, saint Joseph, as the most noble among the
princes and saints of the heavenly Jerusalem; yet neither canst thou properly
manifest his eminent sanctity, nor can any of the mortals know it fully before
they arrive at the vision of the Divinity. Then all of them will be filled with
wonder and praise as the Lord will make them capable of understanding this
sacrament. On the last day, when all men shall be judged, the damned will
bitterly bewail their sins, which prevented them from appreciating this
powerful means of their salvation, and availing themselves, as they easily
could have, of this intercessor to gain the friendship of the just Judge. The whole
human race has much undervalued the privileges and prerogatives conceded to my
blessed spouse and they know not what his intercession with God is able to do.
I assure thee, my dearest, that he is one of the greatly favored personages in
the divine presence and has immense power to stay the arms of divine vengeance.
183. I desire that thou be
very thankful to the divine condescension for vouchsafing thee so much light
and knowledge regarding this mystery, and also for the favor which I am doing
thee therein. From now on, during the rest of thy mortal life, see that thou
advance in devotion and in hearty love toward my spouse, and that thou bless
the Lord for thus having favored him with such high privileges and for having
rejoiced me so much in the knowledge of all his excellences. In all thy
necessities thou must avail thyself of his intercession. Thou shouldst induce
many to venerate him and see that thy own religious distinguish themselves in
their devotion to him. That which my spouse asks of the Lord in heaven is
granted upon the earth and on his intercession depend many and extraordinary
favors for men, if they do not make themselves unworthy of receiving them. All
these privileges were to be a reward for the amiable perfection of this
wonderful saint and for his great virtues; for divine clemency is favorably
drawn forth by them and looks upon saint Joseph with generous liberality, ready
to shower down its marvelous mercies upon all those who avail themselves of his
intercession. THE DOINGS OF MOST HOLY MARY AFTER THE
DEATH OF SAINT JOSEPH AND SOME OF HER DEALINGS WITH THE HOLY ANGELS. 184. Christian perfection is
all included in the two states of life known to the Church: the active and the
contemplative life. To the active life belong all the operations of the body
and the senses, practiced in our intercourse with our neighbor in temporal
affairs. They embrace a wide field and include the practice of the moral
virtues, which constitute the perfection of our active life. To the contemplative
life belong the interior activities of the understanding and will, aiming at
the most noble and the spiritual objects proper to the rational creature.
Therefore, the contemplative life is more excellent than the active, and, as it
is more quiet, more delightful and beautiful, it is also more desirable in
itself. It tends more directly toward the highest end, that is God, since it
consists in the deepest know ledge and love of God, and thus participates of
the qualities of eternal life, which is entirely contemplative. These two
lives, the two sisters Martha and Mary (Luke 10, 41), the one quiet and
thoughtful, the other solicitous and bustling; or those other two sisters and
wives, Lia and Rachel: the one, fruitful, but ugly and with sore eyes, the other
beautiful and gracious, but sterile in the beginning. For the active life is
more productive, though in it the soul is taken up with numerous and various
occupations, during which it is kept in disturb deserts and solitudes, which
are more favorable to that kind of life; and the other, that pursued the active
life, and the care of souls by teaching and exhortation, set aside some of
their time for retirement from exterior activity, and divided their days
between contemplation and active life. By thus attending to both with
perfection, they attained the merits and reward of the two kinds of life,
founded on love and grace as their principal support. 186. The most blessed Mary
alone joined these two lives in a perfect manner: the highest and most ardent contemplation
was not hindered by her occupations in the active life. In Her was the
solicitude of Martha without its excitement, and the quiet and rest of Mary
without idleness of the body; She possessed the beauty of Rachel and the
fruitfulness of Lia; and only this great and prudent Queen truly exemplified
what these sisters mysteriously typified. Although She attended upon her ailing
spouse, and supported him and her most holy Son by her labor, She did not on
that account interrupt or curtail her heavenly contemplations, nor was She
under any necessity of seeking solitude or retirement, in order to restore the
quiet and peace of her heart and raise it beyond the seraphic regions. Yet,
when She found Herself alone and deprived of the company of saint Joseph, She
so arranged her exercises, as to spend her time entirely in the interior
activity of divine love. She immediately perceived, by her insight into the
interior of her most holy Son, that such was his will, that She should relax
her labors by which She had attended to the wants of saint Joseph through night
and day, and that instead of this hard labor, She should now join his Majesty
in his prayers and exalted works. 187. The Lord also reminded
Her that for the moderate nourishment necessary to Them it would be sufficient
to engage in labor only for a short time each day; for from that time on they
were to eat only once a day at eventide, having until now followed another
custom out of regard to saint Joseph and in order to keep him consoling company
at mealtimes. Thenceforward Jesus and Mary ate but once a day at about six
o'clock in the evening; many times their meal consisted merely of bread, at
other times the blessed Lady added fruits or herbs, or perhaps fish; and this
formed the only refreshment of the Sovereigns of the heaven and earth. Although
their frugality and abstinence had always been great, yet it was greater after
they were left alone, and They never dispensed Themselves except in regard to
the kind of food and in regard to the time of taking it. When They were invited
they ate a little of what was offered to Them, without abstaining entirely,
commencing to practice the advice which Jesus was afterwards to give to his
disciples for their conduct while preaching the Gospel. The simple food used by
the heavenly Sovereigns was served by the great Lady to her divine Son on her
knees, having asked permission thus to serve it. Sometimes She also prepared it
in that posture, moved thereto by the thought that it was to serve as
nourishment of the true Son of God. 188. The presence of saint
Joseph was no hindrance to the most blessed Mother in treating her Son with all
due reverence, not missing the least point of what this reverence toward Him
demanded. But after the death of saint Joseph the great Lady practiced
prostrations and genuflections much more frequently; for there was always more
freedom for such actions in the presence of her holy angels, than in the
presence of her spouse who was man. Many times She remained prostrate upon the
ground until the Lord commanded Her to rise; very often She kissed his feet, at
other times his hand, usually She was filled with tears of the profoundest
humility and reverence. She always stood in the presence of her divine Son in
posture of adoration and most ardent love, awaiting his divine pleasure and
intent upon imitating his interior virtues. Although She had no faults, and was
not guilty of even the least imperfection or negligence in the service and love
of her most holy Son, her eyes (like those of the servant and of the anxious
handmaid mentioned by the Prophet, only more devotedly) were continually upon
the hands of her Master, in order to obtain the graces She desired for
assisting Her to greater perfection. It cannot enter into human thought what divine
science aided Her in understanding and performing so many and so great works in
union with the incarnate Word during the time They both lived alone together,
without any other company than that of the holy angels of their guard and
service. They alone were the eyewitnesses and were moved to admiration and to
highest praises, to see themselves so inferior in wisdom and purity to a mere
Creature who was worthy of such holiness: for She alone made a full return for
the graces She received. 189. With the holy angels the
Queen of heaven entered into a sweet emulation and strife in regard to the
ordinary and humble services which were necessary for the comfort of the Word
of God and the well-ordering of their little dwelling, for there was no one to
attend to these things except the heavenly Lady and those most noble and
faithful vassals and ministers, who, for this purpose assisted in human forms
ready and anxious to attend to all the work. The great Queen wished to perform
all the humble work Herself and with her own hands to scrub the house and arrange its poor
furnishings, wash the dishes and cooking utensils, and set the rooms in order;
but these courtiers of the Most High, being truly courteous and more
expeditious, though not more humble in their operations, usually anticipated
these services before the Queen could find time to perform them. Sometimes, and
at certain periods, often, She would find them thus at the work which She was
about to perform, the holy angels having begun it beforehand; but at her word
they desisted and allowed Her to satisfy her humility and devotion in
completing it Herself. In order that they might not interfere with her
affectionate desires, She said to the holy angels: "Ministers of the Most
High, you are such pure spirits that you reflect the light of the Divinity for
my illumination, and, therefore, these low and servile occupations are not
suitable to your state, your nature and condition. These pertain to me, who,
besides being only of earth, am the lowest of the mortals and the least of the
servants of my Lord and Son. Permit me, my friends, to perform the service to
which I am bound, since I can thereby gain merits which, on account of your
station and dignity, you do not need. I know the value of these servile works
which the world despises, and the Lord has given me this knowledge not in order
that I may allow them to be done by others, but that I may perform them
myself." 190. "Our Queen and
Lady," answered the angels, "it is true that in thy eyes and in the
estimation of the Lord these works are as valuable as Thou knowest them to be;
but if Thou dost thereby earn the precious rewards of thy humility, take
notice that we would be deficient in obedience to the Lord if we would
knowingly omit any of these works permitted us by the Most High. The merits
which Thou losest in not performing this service, Thou, O Lady, canst easily
make up by the mortification of denying thyself the desire of executing
them." The most prudent Virgin answered these arguments by saying:
"No, my masters and sovereign spirits, you must not look upon these works
in such a light; for if you consider yourselves bound to serve me as the Mother
of your great Lord, whose creatures you are, remember that He has raised me
from the dust to this great dignity and that therefore my debt of gratitude for
this benefit is greater than yours. As my obligation is so much the greater, my
return must also be greater than yours. If you desire to serve my Son as his
creatures, I likewise must serve Him on this account, and I am more bound to do
so because I am the Mother of such a Son. Thus you will always find me more
obliged than yourselves to be humble, thankful and annihilated to the very dust
in his presence." 191. These and similar sweet
and admirable contentions were going on between most holy Mary and her angels;
and the palm of humility always remained in the hands of their Queen and
Mistress. The world is justly ignorant of these mysteries, being unworthy of
knowing them on account of its vanity and pride. Its foolish arrogance deems
insignificant and contemptible these humble and servile occupations, while the
courtiers of heaven who know their value appreciate them, and the Queen of
creation eagerly sought after them as very precious. But let us leave the world
to its intentional or unconscious ignorance. Humility is not for the proud of
heart, nor lowly service for purple and fine linen, nor scrubbing and washing
for costly gems and silks, nor are the precious jewels of these virtues
intended indiscriminately for all men. But if the contagion of worldly pride
enters into the schools of humility and contempt of the world, namely, into
religious communities, and if this kind of humiliation is looked upon by them
as a disgrace, we cannot deny that such sentiments are nothing but a most
shameful and reprehensible pride. If we religious men and women despise the
benefits of such humble occupations and count them a degradation like worldly
people, how can we appear before the angels and our Queen, who esteemed as
greatest honors those very works which we look upon as contemptible and
dishonorable? 192. My sisters, daughters of
this great Queen and Lady, to you I speak, who are called and transported to
the bridal chamber of the great King to true joy and exaltation (Ps. 44, 16)!
Do not allow yourselves to be robbed of your right to be called children of
such a Mother! If She, who was the Queen of angels and men, humbled Herself by
engaging in such lowly and trivial occupations, in scrubbing and busying
Herself in the most common handiwork, what presumption shall the haughtiness,
vain pride and want of humility of mere slaves appear to be in her sight and in
the sight of the Lord God himself? Far from our community be such treason, fit
only for Babylon and its inhabitants. Let us feel honored by that which the
exalted Queen esteemed as a crown of merit, and let it be for us a subject of
most shameful confusion and a cause for dreadful reprehension to be found
wanting in the same zealous contention of humility which She entertained with
the holy angels. Let us eagerly seek after humble and servile occupation and
let us cause in the angels and heavenly companions the same emulation, which
was so pleasing to our Queen, and to her most holy Son and our Spouse. 193. We must understand that
without real and solid humility, it is audacious to seek the reward of
uncertain spiritual or sensible consolations, and to strive after them is
daring foolishness. Let us rather look upon our heavenly Teacher who is the
perfect example of a holy and perfect life. In the great Queen the favors and
delights of heaven alternated with her humble and servile occupations for it
happened many times when She was engaged in prayer with her Son, that the holy
angels in sweet, harmonious voices sang the hymns and canticles composed by
Mary herself in praise of the infinite Being of God and of the hypostatical
union of the Word with human nature in the second Person of the Trinity. The
Blessed Lady often asked the angels to repeat these hymns to her Lord and
Creator and, alternating the verses with them, She added new hymns. They obeyed
Her, lost in admiration at the profound wisdom manifested in what She thus said
and composed for them. Then, whenever her most holy Son retired to rest, or
during his meals, She commanded them, as the Mother of their Creator,
solicitous to entertain Him, that they furnish sweet music in her name and the
Lord permitted it whenever She so ordered, therein yielding to the ardour of
her love and veneration, with which She served Him in his last years. In order
to narrate all that has been revealed to me in this regard, a much longer
discourse were necessary and much greater ability than mine. From what I have
insinuated one can judge to some extent of other deep mysteries of this
intercourse and find motive and occasion to magnify and extol the great Lady
and Queen whom may all nations know and praise as blessed among creatures, as
the Mother of the Creator and Redeemer of the world. INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO ME BY THE QUEEN OF
HEAVEN. 194. My daughter, I wish
that, before proceeding to narrate other mysteries, thou understand well all
that the Lord commanded in regard to my intercourse with my holy spouse, saint
Joseph. When I espoused myself to him, God commanded me to change the order of
my meals and other exterior duties in order to accommodate myself to his
circumstances; for he was the head of the family, and, according to the common
rule, I was the inferior. The same conduct was also followed by my most holy
Son, though He was true God, yet He subjected Himself before the eyes of the
world to him who was thought to be his father. As soon as We were alone after
the death of my spouse, who was the occasion of this change in our lives, we
returned to our former way of living. The Lord did not expect saint Joseph to
accommodate himself to us, but that We should accommodate ourselves to him as
the common order among men required. Nor did the Lord resort to miracles in
order to escape the necessity of taking food or of following ordinary human
occupations; for in all things, He acted as the Teacher of all virtues, and of
all perfection, being an example to parents and children, to prelates,
superiors and superioresses, to subjects and inferiors; to parents, in order
that they may learn to love their children, help them, nourish them, exhort
them, correct them and lead them on in the way of salvation without remissness
or carelessness; to children, in order that they may learn to esteem, love and
honor their parents as the instruments of their existence, diligently obey them
according to the natural law, which requires and teaches obedience and
repudiates the opposite as monstrous and horrible; to prelates and superiors,
in order that they may love their subjects and direct them as their children;
to inferiors, that they obey without resistance, even if they should in other
respects be of higher and better condition in life; for in so far as the
superior represents God, the prelate is always superior in dignity; but real
charity must always teach both to be of one spirit. 195. In order that thou
mayest acquire this great virtue, I desire that thou conform and accommodate
thyself to thy sisters and inferiors without affection of formality, and that
thou treat them with dovelike meekness and sincerity. Do thou pray when they
pray, work and eat, and take thy recreation with them. For real perfection in a
convent consists in conforming with the common spirit, and if thou act thus,
thou wilt be guided by the holy Spirit, who governs all well regulated
communities. Following this order thou canst make progress in abstinence,
eating less than the others, though the same amount of food is placed before
thee. Without being singular thou canst, with a little discretion, abstain from
what thou desirest for the love of thy Spouse and of me. If thou art not
hindered by some grave infirmity, never absent thyself from the common
exercises unless perhaps obedience to thy superiors sometimes prevent thee. Be
present at all common exercises with special reverence, attention and devotion,
for at such times thou wilt most frequently be visited by the Lord. 196. I wish also that thou
learn from this chapter to conceal carefully the special works thou undertakest
in imitation of my own; for, although I had no need of refraining from any work
in the presence of saint Joseph, yet I was careful to add retirement as an
additional observance of perfection and prudence, since retirement of itself
makes good works more praiseworthy. But this is not to be understood of
ordinary and obligatory works, since thou must give a good example and let thy
light shine, avoiding any danger of scandal or cause for cavil. There are many
works which can be done in secret and unobserved by the eyes of creatures, and
which are not lightly to be exposed to the danger of publicity and ostentation.
In thy retirement thou canst make many genuflections; prostrate in the dust,
thou canst humiliate thyself, adoring the supreme Majesty of the Most High and
offering thy mortal body, which oppresses thy soul, as a sacrifice for the
disorderly inclinations against justice and reason. Thus thou wilt not reserve
any part of thy being from the service of thy Creator and Spouse, and thou wilt
force thy body to make up the loss which it causes to the soul by its passions
and earthly affections. 197. With this object in view
seek to keep it always in strict subjection, allowing it to partake only of
those comforts which serve to keep it in proper condition for the activity of
the soul and not to pander to its passions and appetites. Mortify and crush it
until it is dead to all that is delightful to the senses, so that even the
common actions necessary for life shall appear to thee more painful than
agreeable, taste more of bitterness than of dangerous enjoyment. Although I
have already on other occasions spoken to thee of the value of this
mortification and humiliation, thou shouldst now, by this example which I have
given thee, be still more convinced of their great value. I now command thee
not to despise any of these acts or deem them of little consequence, but esteem
all of them as precious treasures to be gained for thyself. In this thou must
be covetous and avaricious, eagerly grasping the occasions of doing servile
work, such as scrubbing, cleaning the house, engaging in the most menial
services, and attending upon the sick and infirm as I have said before. In all
of these works place me before thy eyes as an example in order that my
carefulness and humility may urge thee on, full of joy to be able to imitate
me, and shame for any negligence therein. If I, who never had displeased or
offended the Lord since the beginning of my existence, judged this virtue of
humility so necessary in order to find grace in his eyes and be raised up by
his right hand, how much more is it necessary for thee to humble thyself to the
dust and annihilate thyself in his sight, who wast conceived in sin and hast so
often offended Him? (Ps. 50, 7) . Humiliate thyself to nothingness, and
acknowledge that what being the Most High has given thee, thou hast but ill
employed, and that, therefore, thy very existence should be a subject of
humiliation to thee. Thus wilt thou at last find the treasure of grace. OTHER MYSTERIES AND OCCUPATIONS OF THE
GREAT QUEEN AND LADY AND HER MOST HOLY SON, WHILE THEY LIVED ALONE TOGETHER. 198. As I have already said
in other places the knowledge of many of the sacramental mysteries of Jesus and
Mary are reserved for the increase of the accidental beatitude of the
predestined in eternal life. The highest and most ineffable of these mysteries
took place during the four years in which they lived together after the death
of saint Joseph and after the public preaching of our Lord. It is impossible
for any mortal worthily to understand such profound secrets: how much less can
I, rude and untutored as I am, manifest properly what I have been made to
understand concerning them. But in that which I do manifest, will be seen the
cause of my inability. The soul of Christ our Lord was a most transparent and
flawless mirror, in which the blessed Mother saw reflected all the mysteries
and sacraments which the Lord, as the Head and Artificer of the holy Church,
the Restorer of the human race, the Teacher of eternal salvation and the angel
of the great council, wrought and accomplished according to eternal decrees of
the most blessed Trinity. 199. In the execution of this
work consigned to Him by the eternal Father, Christ our Lord consumed his whole
earthly life and lent to it all the perfection possible to a God man. In the
measure as He approached its consummation and the full accomplishment of its
sacraments, so also the force of His divine Wisdom and Omnipotence became more
evident. Of all these mysteries our great Queen and Lady was the eyewitness and
her purest heart was their depository. In all things She cooperated with her
divine Son, as his helpmate in the works of the reparation of mankind.
Accordingly, in order to understand entirely the designs of eternal Providence
and the process of dispensing all the mysteries of salvation, it was necessary
that She comprehend also the things hidden in the science of Christ our
Redeemer, the works of his love and prudence by which He prepared the
efficient means of attaining his high purposes. In the little which I can say
of the works of most holy Mary, I must always presuppose the works of her most
Holy Son; for She cooperated with Him and imitated Him as her pattern and
model. 200. The Savior of the world
was already twentysix years of age; and in the measure as his most holy
humanity approached its perfect growth and its earthly end, Christ proceeded to
manifest it by permitting his operations to show more and more openly the
purpose of the Redemption. All these mysteries the evangelist Luke includes in
those few words, with which he closes the second chapter: "And Jesus
advanced in wisdom, and age, and grace with God and man." Among men his
blessed Mother cooperated and grew in knowledge with the increase and progress
of her Son, without remaining ignorant of anything that the Son of God and man
could ever communicate to a mere creature. Among these hidden and divine
mysteries the great Lady also perceived during these years, how her Son and
true God began more and more to extend his plans, not only those of his
uncreated Divinity, but of his humanity, so as to include all the mortals in
his Redemption as a whole; how He weighed its value in the eyes of the eternal
Father, and how, in order to close the gates of hell and call men to eternal
happiness, He had come down from heaven to suffer the bitterest torments and
death; and how, in spite of all this, the folly and wickedness of those that
were to be born after He had thus annihilated Himself on the Cross, would
rather urge Him to widen the portals and open the lowest abysses of hell,
consigning them to those horrible and dreadful torments, which their blind
ignorance continued to disregard. 201. The knowledge and
contemplation of this sad fate caused great affliction and sorrow to the human
nature of Christ our Lord, and sometimes pressed forth a bloody sweat. In these
agonies the divine Teacher persevered in his petitions for all that were to be
redeemed. In conformity with the will of his eternal Father He desired with the
most ardent love to be sacrificed for the rescue of men. For, as not all were
to be saved by his merits and sacrifices, He knew, that at all events the
divine justice must be satisfied and the offenses to the Divinity be made good
by the punishment, which divine equity and justice had prepared from all
eternity for the infidels and the thankless sinners on the day of retribution.
Entering into these profound secrets by her deep wisdom the great Lady joined
her most holy Son in the sorrowful contemplation and sighs for those unfortunates,
while at the same time her heart was torn by grief at the heavy affliction of
the blessed fruit of her womb. Many times the meekest Dove shed ensanguined
tears, when She saw her Son sweat blood in the agonies of his sorrow. For only
this most prudent Lady and her Son, the true God and man, could ever justly
weigh, as in the scales of the sanctuary, what it meant, on the one hand to see
a God dying upon a cross in order to seal up the infernal regions, and, on the
other hand, the hardness and blindness of mortal hearts in casting themselves
headlong into the jaws of eternal death. 202. In these great sorrows
it sometimes happened, that the most loving Mother was overcome by deathly
weaknesses, and they would no doubt have ended her life, if She had not been
preserved by divine intervention. Her sweetest Son, in return for her most
faithful and loving compassion, sometimes commanded the angels to console Her
and take Her into their arms, at other times, to sing her own heavenly
canticles of praise in honor of the Divinity and humanity. At other times the
Lord himself took Her into his arms and gave Her new celestial understanding of
her exemption from this iniquitous law of sin and its effects. Sometimes, thus
reclining in his arms, the angels sang to Her in admiration, while She,
transformed and enraptured in heavenly ecstasies, experienced new and exquisite
influences of the Divinity. At such times this chosen One, this perfect and
only One, was truly reclining on the left hand of the humanity, while rejoiced
and caressed by the right hand of the Divinity (Cant. 2, 6) ; her most loving
Son and Spouse conjured the daughters of Jerusalem not to wake his Beloved from
his sleep, which cured the sorrows and infirmities of her love, until She
herself desired to be thus waked; and the supernal spirits broke forth in
wonder, to see Her raised above them all, resting on her beloved Son, clothed
in varicolored garment at his right hand, and they blessed and extolled Her
above all creatures (Ps. 44, 10). 203. The great Queen was made
acquainted with the deepest secrets concerning the predestination of the elect
in virtue of the Redemption, and She saw them as they were written in the
eternal memory of her Son. She was enabled to see how He applied to them his
merits and efficaciously interceded for their salvation; how his love and
grace, of which the reprobate made themselves unworthy, were awarded to the
predestined according to their different dispositions. Among the predestined
She also saw those, whom the Lord in his wisdom and solicitude was to call to
his apostolate and imitation, and how by means of his hidden and foreordained
decrees, He began to enlist them to the standard of his Cross, which they
themselves afterwards were to unfold before the world; and how He pursued the
policy of a good general, who, planning a great battle or conquest, assigns the
different duties to different parts of his army, chooses the most courageous
and welldisposed for the most arduous positions. Thus Christ our Redeemer, in order
to enter upon the conquest of the world and despoil the demon of his tyrannical
possession by the power of his Godhead as the Word, disposed of this new army
to be enlisted, assigned the dignities and offices of his courageous and strong
captains and predestined them for their posts of duty. AIl the preparations and
apparatus of this war were prearranged in the divine wisdom of his most holy
will just in the order in which all was to take place. 204. All this was also open
and manifest to the most prudent Mother; and to Her was given, by infused
species, to see and personally to know many of the predestined, especially the
Apostles and disciples, and a great number of those, who were called to the
holy Church in the primitive and later ages. On account of this supernatural
knowledge given to Her by God, She knew the Apostles and others before coming
in contact with them, and just as the divine Master had prayed and obtained for
them their vocation before He called them, so also the heavenly Lady had made
them the object of her prayers. Hence, in the favors and graces, which the
Apostles received before hearing or seeing their Master, and which disposed and
prepared them to accept their vocation to the apostolate, the Mother of grace
had likewise cooperated. In proportion as the time of his public preaching drew
nearer, the Lord redoubled his prayers and petitions for them and sent them
greater and more efficacious inspirations. In like manner the prayers of the
heavenly Lady grew to be more fervent and efficacious; and when afterwards they
attached themselves to the Lord and saw Her face to face, She was wont to say
of them as well as of many others, to her Son: "These, my Son and Master,
are the fruits of thy prayers and of thy holy desires." And She sang songs
of praise and thanksgiving, because She saw his wishes fulfilled, and because
She saw those, who were called from the beginning of the world, drawn to his
following. 205. In the prudent
contemplation of those wonders our great Queen was wont to be absorbed and to
break out in matchless hymns of admiration and praise, performing heroic acts
of love and adoring the secret judgments of the Most High. Entirely
transformed and penetrated by this fire, which issued from the Lord in order to
consume the world, She was accustomed, some times in the secret of her heart,
at others in a loud voice, to exclaim: "O infinite love! O manifestation
of goodness ineffable and immense! Why do mortals not know Thee? Why should thy
tenderness be so ill repaid? O ye labors, sufferings, sighs, petitions and
desires of my Beloved, altogether more precious than pearls, than all the
treasures of the world! Who shall be so unhappy and so ungrateful as to despise
Thee? O children of Adam, whom can you find to die for you many times, in order
that your ignorance might be undeceived, your hardness be softened and your
misfortunes relieved?" After these ardent exclamations, the blessed Mother
conversed with her Son mouth to mouth, and the highest King consoled and
dilated her heart reminding Her, how pleasing She herself was to the Most High,
how great a grace and glory were to be merited for the predestined in
comparison with the ingratitude and hardness of the reprobate. Especially He
showed Her the love of Himself toward Her, that of the blessed Trinity, and how
much God was pleased with her faithful correspondence and immaculate purity. 206. At other times the Lord
showed Her, what He was to do in his public preaching; how She was to cooperate
with Him and help Him in the affairs and in the government of the new Church.
She was informed of the denial of saint Peter, the unbelief of Thomas, the
treachery of Judas, and other events of the future. From that moment on the
dutiful Lady resolved to labor zealously in order to save that treasonous
disciple, and She followed her resolve, as I shall relate in its place. The
perdition of Judas began by his despising her good will and by conceiving
against the Mother of Grace a sort of ill will and impiety. Of these great
mysteries and sacraments the heavenly Lady was informed by her most holy Son.
So great was the wisdom and science deposited in Her, that all attempts at
fully explaining them is vain; for only the knowledge of the Lord could exceed
that of Mary, which far excelled that of all the seraphim and cherubim. But if
our Lord and Redeemer Jesus, and Mary, his most holy Mother, employed all these
gifts of grace and science in the service of mortals; and if a single sigh of
Christ our Lord was of incalculable value for all creatures, and if those of
his Mother, though they had not the same value as his, being those of a mere
creature, were worth more in the eyes of God than the doings of all creation
taken together, to what an immense value will both their united merits swell,
when we add together what Son and Mother did for us, in their petitions, tears,
bloody sweat, fearful torment and death of the Cross and all the other actions,
in which the Mother joined the divine Son as his helpmate and partaker of all
his acts! O ingratitude of men! O hardness of our carnal heart, more than
adamantine! Where is our insight? Where our reason? Where is even the most
common compassion or gratitude of human nature? Is it not moved to pity and
compassion by the sensible objects, the causes of its eternal damnation? Why
then does it so completely forget to be moved by the life and sufferings of the
Lord, the cause of everlasting happiness and peace in the life to come? INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO ME BY THE QUEEN OF
HEAVEN, MOST HOLY MARY. 207. My daughter, it is
certain, that even if thou or any of the mortals were able to speak in the
language of the angels, they would not on that account be able to describe the
blessings and favors, which the right hand of the Most High showered upon me in
those last years of the life of my Son with me. These works of the Lord are of
an order, far above thy capacity and that of the rest of the mortals. But since
thou hast received such special enlightenment concerning these sacraments, I
wish that thou praise and extol the Almighty for all that He did for me and for
raising me out of the dust by such exalted favors. Although thy love of the
Lord must be spontaneous as that of a devoted daughter and of a most loving
spouse, not selfish or forced; yet I wish, that, for the support of thy human
weakness and the strengthening of thy hope, thou fondly remember, how
delightful the Lord is in his charity toward those who love Him with filial
fear. 0 my dearest Daughter, if men would place no hindrance by their sins, and
if they would not resist this infinite bounty, how measureless would be the
favors and blessings upon them! According to thy way of understanding thou must
look upon Him as being outraged and made sorrowful by the opposition of mortals
to his boundless desires of doing them good. And they carry their opposition so
far, that they accustom themselves not only to be unworthy of tasting of his
sweetness, but also not to believe, that others ever participate in his
sweetness and blessings, which He desires so much to communicate to all. 208. Be careful also to give
thanks for the incessant labors of my most holy Son for all men, and for what I
have done in union with Him, as has been shown thee. Catholics should bear in
mind more constantly the passion and death of the Lord, because the Church so
often recalls it to their remembrance, although few show themselves grateful.
But there are still fewer who take thought of the other works of my Son and of
mine. For the Lord allowed not one hour, yea not a moment, to pass, in which He
did not employ in gaining gifts and graces for rescuing all men from eternal
damnation and making them participants of his glory. These works of the Lord
God incarnate will be witnesses against the forgetfulness and hardheartedness
of the faithful, especially on the day of judgment. If thou, who possessest the
light and the doctrine of the Most High and my teachings, wilt not be grateful,
thy confusion will be even greater than that of others, since thy guilt is more
heinous. Thou must not only correspond to the many general blessings, but also
to the special and particular ones, which thou experiencest every day. Guard
against the danger of forgetfulness and conduct thyself as my daughter and
disciple. Do not delay for one moment to apply thyself to a good life in the
best way possible to thee. For this purpose attend well to the interior lights
and to the instructions of thy spiritual guides, the ministers of the Lord. Be
assured, if thou correspond to some of the graces and favors, the Most High will
open up his almighty hands and fill thee with riches and treasures. CHRIST OUR LORD BEGINS TO PREPARE FOR
HIS PUBLIC PREACHING BY ANNOUNCING TO SOME THE PRESENCE OF THE REDEEMER INTO
THE WORLD; HIS :MOST HOLY MOTHER ASSISTS HIM THEREIN AND THE POWERS OF HELL
BEGIN TO GET UNEASY. 209. The fire of divine
charity burned in the bosom of our Redeemer and Master as in a closed furnace
until the opportune time destined for its manifestation. For in due time He
was to lay bare the burning love of his bosom by means of his public preaching
and miracles, and at last even to break the vase of his humanity in order to
pour forth his charity. Although it is true, as Solomon says, that fire cannot
be concealed in the bosom without burning the vestments (Prov. 6, 27), and
although the Lord always manifested his love, sending forth from Him its sparks
and flames in all his doings since the moment of his Incarnation; yet, in
comparison to what He was to accomplish in his chosen time and in comparison to
the conflagration of his interior love, we may say that the flames of his love
had until then remained covered and enclosed. The Lord had now reached perfect
adolescence, attaining his twentyseventh year. According to our way of
speaking, it seemed as if He could not any more restrain the impetus of his
love and of his desire to fulfill the will of the eternal Father in
accomplishing the salvation of men. He was filled with sorrowing love, prayed
and fasted much, and began to mingle with the people and communicate with
mortals. Many times He passed the nights in prayer on the mountains, and began
to absent Himself two or three days from the house and from his most holy
Mother. 210. The most prudent Lady,
by these absences and excursions of her Son, foresaw the approach of his labors
and sufferings. She already felt the sword, prepared for her devout and
affectionate love, piercing her heart and soul, and was entirely consumed in
most tender acts of love for her Beloved. During these absences of her Son her
heavenly courtiers and vassals, the holy angels, attended upon Her in visible
forms, and the great Lady spoke to them of her sorrows, and sent them as
messengers to her Son and Lord in order that they might bring Her news of his
occupations and exercises. The holy angels obeyed their Queen and by their
frequent messages She was enabled, in her retirement, to follow the highest
King Christ in all his prayers, supplications and exercises. Whenever the Lord
returned She received Him prostrate upon the ground, adoring Him and thanking
Him for the blessings, which He had gained for the sinners. She served Him as a
loving Mother and sought to procure for Him the poor refreshment, of which She
knew He stood in need as a true man subject to suffering; for often it happened
that He had passed two or three days without rest, or food or sleep. As already
described the most blessed Mother was well aware of the labors and cares
weighing down the soul of the Redeemer. The Lord always informed Her of them,
and of his new undertakings, of the hidden blessings communicated to many souls
by new light concerning the Divinity and concerning the Redemption. 211. Full of this knowledge
the great Queen was wont to say to her most holy Son: "My Lord, highest
and true happiness of souls! I see, Light of my eyes, that thy most ardent love
for men will not rest or be appeased until it has secured eternal salvation for
them; this is the proper occupation of thy charity and the work assigned to
Thee by the eternal Father. Thy words and precious works must necessarily draw
toward Thee many hearts; but, 0 my sweetest Love, I desire that all the mortals
be attracted and that all of them correspond to thy solicitude and exceeding
great charity. Behold me, thy slave, 0 Lord, with a heart prepared to fulfill
all thy wishes and to offer her life, if necessary, in order that all creatures
may submit to the longings of thy most ardent love, which so completely devotes
itself to drawing them to thy grace and friendship." To this offering the
Mother of mercy was urged by her ardent desire to see the teaching and labors
of our Redeemer and Master bring forth their proper fruit. As the most prudent
Lady fully estimated their value and dignity, She wished that they be lost for
none of the souls, nor that proper thanks for them should be wanting in men. In
her charity She wished to assist the Lord, or rather to assist her fellowmen,
who heard his words and witnessed his works, in corresponding to these favors
and lose not their chances of salvation. She was consumed with a desire to
render worthy thanks and praise to the Lord for his wonderful bounty toward
souls, seeking to repay the debt of acknowledgment and gratitude, not only for
those mercies that were efficacious, but for those which the guilt of men made inactive.
In this thanksgiving the thanks of our great Lady were as hidden as they were
admirable. For in all the works of Christ our Lord She participated in a most
exalted degree, not only in so far as She cooperated as the cause, but in as
far as the effects are concerned. She so labored for each soul, as if She
herself were the one to be benefited. Of this I will say more in the third
part. 212. To this offering of the
most loving Mother her most holy Son answered: "My dearest Mother! already
the time is come in which I must, conformably to the will of my eternal Father,
commence to prepare some hearts for the reception of my light and doctrine and
for giving them notice of the opportune and foreordained time of the salvation
of men. In this work I wish thee to follow and assist Me. Beseech thou my
Father to send his light into the hearts of the mortals and awaken their souls,
that they may with an upright intention receive the message of the presence of
their Savior and Teacher in the world." From that day on his Mother,
according to his own desire, accompanied Him in all his excursions from the
town of Nazareth. 213. Our Lord began to make
these excursions more frequently in the three years preceding his public
preaching and Baptism; in the company of our great Queen He made many journeys
in the neighborhood of Nazareth and to the province of Nephthali, as was
prophesied by Isaias (Is. 5,2), or other parts. In his conversation with men He
began to announce to them the coming of the Messias, assuring them, that He was
already in the world and in the territory of Israel. He told them of it without
intimating that He himself was the one they thus expected; for the first
testimony of his being Son of God, was given publicly by the eternal Father,
when the voice from heaven was heard at the Jordan: "This is my beloved
Son in whom I am well pleased" (Matth. 3, 17). Without especially
announcing his true dignity, the Onlybegotten spoke of it in general terms, as
one who knows with certainty. Without performing any public miracles or using
other outward demonstration, He secretly accompanied his teachings and
testimonies by interior inspirations and helps, which He conferred on the
hearts of those with whom He conversed and treated. Thus disposing their souls by
faith, He prepared them to receive Him afterwards so much the more readily in
person. 214. He made acquaintance
with such, as, by his divine wisdom, He knew to be prepared and capable (or
rather, less unsuited) to accept the seed of truth. To the more ignorant He
spoke of the signs of the coming of the Redeemer known to all, such as the
coming of the three Kings and the slaughter of the Innocents, and of similar
events. With the more enlightened He adduced the testimonies of the Prophets,
already fulfilled, and He explained to them these truths with the power and
force of a divine Teacher. He proved to them, that the Messias had already come
to Israel, and He pointed out to them the kingdom of God and the way to reach
it. As He exhibited in his outward appearance so much beauty, grace, peace,
sweetness and gentleness of manner and of speech, and as all his discourse,
though veiled, was nevertheless so vivid and strong, and as He added thereto
also his interior help of grace, the fruit of this wonderful mode of teaching
was very great. Many souls forsook the path of sin, others began a virtuous
life, all of them were instructed and made capable of understanding the great
mysteries, and especially of believing, that the Messias had already begun his
reign. 215. To these works of mercy
the divine Teacher added many others; for He consoled the sorrowful, relieved
the oppressed, visited the sick and grief-stricken, encouraged the
disheartened, gave salutary counsel to the ignorant, assisted those in the
agony of death, secretly gave health of body to many, helped those in great
distress, and at the same time led them on to the path of life and of true
peace. All those that trustfully came to Him, or heard Him with devout and
upright mind, were filled with light and with the powerful gifts of his
Divinity. It is not possible to enumerate or estimate the admirable works of
the Redeemer during these three years of public preaching after his Baptism.
All was done in a mysterious manner so that without manifesting Himself as the
Author of salvation, He communicated it to a vast number of souls. In nearly
all these wonderful operations our great Lady was present as a most faithful
witness and coworker. As all of them were manifest to Her, She assisted and
gave thanks for them in the name of the creatures and the mortals who were thus
favored by divine bounty. She composed hymns of praise to the Almighty, prayed
for the souls as one knowing all their interior necessities, and by her prayers
gained for them new blessings and favors. She herself also undertook to exhort
and counsel them, drawing them to the sweet teachings of her Son and giving
them intimation of the coming of the Messias. Yet She practiced these works of
mercy more among women, imitating among them the works of mercy which her most
holy Son performed for men. 216. Few persons accompanied
or followed the Savior and his most blessed Mother in those first years; for it
was not yet time to call them to a close following of his doctrines. He
permitted them to remain in their homes, simply instructing and urging them to
a more perfect life by his divine enlightenment. The ordinary companions of the
heavenly Teachers were the holy angels, who served them as most faithful
vassals and servants. Although they often returned from these excursions to
their home in Nazareth, yet on their journeys They stood more in need of the
ministry of these courtiers of heaven. Some of the nights they passed in prayer
without any other shelter than that of the sky, and on these occasions the
angels protected them and sheltered Them from the in clemency of the weather,
and sometimes they brought food. At other times the Lord and his Mother begged
food, refusing to accept any money, or other gifts not necessary for their
present nourishment. When at times They separated, the Lord Jesus visiting the
sick in hospitals and his Mother other sick persons, innumerable angels
accompanied Mary in visible forms. Through their mediation She performed some
of her works of charity and was kept informed of the doings of her most holy
Son. I do not dilate in particular upon the wonders performed by Them during
this time; nor upon the labors and difficulties encountered on these
excursions, in the taverns, and from the obstacles which the common enemy placed
in their way: it is enough to know that the Teacher of life and his most holy
Mother were looked upon as poor pilgrims, and that they preferred the way of
suffering, without evading any labor deemed advisable for our salvation. 217. In this hidden manner
the divine Master and his Mother spread the knowledge of his coming to all
sorts of persons; yet the poor were more especially the objects of his blessed
solicitude. They ordinarily are more capable of God's truths, because they are
less burdened with sin and endowed with more light, and because their minds are
more free and unhampered by vain anxieties. They are likewise more humble and
diligent in subjecting their will and understanding, and in applying themselves
to an upright and virtuous life. Moreover, as during these three years Jesus
did not preach openly, nor with manifest authority confirmed by miracles, He
addressed Himself rather to the humble and poor, who are led to the truth with
less show of authority. Nevertheless the attention of the ancient serpent was
much aroused by many of the doings of Jesus and his Mother; for not all of his
miracles remained concealed, though the power by which they were done was
hidden. Satan saw that through his words and exhortations many sinners were
brought to penance, amended their life and escaped his tyranny; others advanced
in virtue, and in all who listened to the Teacher of life, the common enemy
noticed a great and unheard of change. 218. What enraged him most,
was that he could not succeed in his attempts with those that were in the
throes of death. Though he multiplied his cunning and malice in these last
hours of the souls in this life, it often happened that this bloodthirsty
dragon, having approached the sick in order to exert his malice, was interrupted
by the entrance of Jesus or Mary and felt a powerful force, which hurled him
and his demons to the deepest caverns of hell. If Jesus or Mary had previously
come to the sickroom, the demons could not enter and could exert no influence
upon the sick person, who thus died in the powerful protection of the Lord. As
the dragon felt this divine power without being able to account for it, he
conceived an insane rage, and anxiously sought means of counteracting the
damage. Then happened what I shall relate in the next chapter, as I do not wish
to enlarge this present one. TEACHING OF THE MOST HOLY QUEEN, MARY. 219. My daughter, I see thee
astonished at the information, which I give thee concerning the mysterious
works of my most holy Son and concerning my own share in them. For thou seest
on the one hand, how powerful they are for making an impression on human
hearts, and on the other, that many of them have remained hidden until now. Thy
wonder should not be that men have not known these mysteries, but that, having
been informed of so many others concerning the life and activity of their own
and my Lord, they have held them in such contempt and forgetfulness. If they
were not so ignoble of heart, and would lovingly contemplate the divine truths,
they would find in my Son's and in my own life, as far as it is known to them,
most powerful motives for thankfulness. By the articles of faith and by the
many other truths taught and preached in the holy Church, many worlds could be
converted. For these truths exhibit clearly, that the Onlybegotten of the
eternal Father clothed Himself in the mortal flesh of sinful man in order to
redeem the human race by the frightful death of the Cross (Philip 2, 7),
acquiring for them eternal life by the loss of his own, and recalling and
liberating them from everlasting death. If this blessing were taken at its true
value and mortals were not so ungrateful to their God and Savior and so cruel
toward themselves, none would lose their chance of salvation or bring upon
themselves eternal damnation. In thy amazement then, my dearest, weep
ceaselessly over the terrible loss sustained by so many insane and thankless
souls, who are forgetful of God, of their duty and of their own selves. 220. On former occasions I
have already told thee, that the number of those foreknown as doomed, is so
great, and of those that save themselves is so small, that it is not expedient
to say more in particular. For if thou hast the sentiments of a true daughter
of the Church, the spouse of Christ, my Son and Lord, thou wouldst die at
seeing such misfortune. What thou mayest know, is, that all the loss and
misfortune apparent in Christian nations and governments, as well among chiefs
as among subjects of the Church and of the secular state, all originate and
flow from the forgetfulness and contempt of the works of Christ and of the
works of his Redemption. If there were a way of rousing them to a sense of
thankfulness and to a sense of their duty as faithful and acknowledged children
of their Creator and Redeemer, and of me, who am their Intercessor, the wrath
of the divine Judge would be appeased, and there would be some diminution of
the widespread ruin and Perdition among Catholics. The eternal Father, who is
justly zealous for the honor of his Son and rigorously chastises the servants,
who know the will of their Lord and refuse to fulfill it, would again be
reconciled. 221. The faithful in the
Church make much of the sin of the infidel Jews in taking away the life of
their God and Master. They are right in doing so, for it was a most heinous
crime and merited the punishments decreed against that people. But Catholics
forget, that their own sins are rendered heinous by other elements of guilt
surpassing that of the Jews; for although their error was culpable, they
esteemed it as truth in the end; then also the Lord delivered Himself up to
them, allowing them to follow the counsels of hell, by which they were
oppressed for their sins (Luke 22, 53). In our days the Catholics are not in
ignorance, but in the fullness of the light, by which they know and understand
the divine mysteries of the Incarnation and Redemption. The holy Church has
been founded, spread out, made illustrious by miracles, by saints, by holy
writings, by the knowledge and proclamation of truths unknown to the Jews. In
spite of all these multiplied advantages, blessings, truths and enlightenments,
many live like infidels and as if they had not before their eyes so many
inducements to draw them on and oblige them, nor so many chastisements to fill
them with dread. How can Catholics then, under these circumstances, imagine
that the sins of others were greater or more grievous than their own? How can
they presume that their punishment shall not be more lamentable? O my daughter,
ponder well this doctrine, and be filled with a holy fear! Humiliate thyself to
the dust and confess thyself the lowest of the creatures before the Most High.
Look upon the works of thy Redeemer and Master. Imitate them and apply them
sorrowfully to satisfy for thy own faults in sorrow and penance. Do thou
imitate and follow me in my ways, as far as thou art enlightened from on high.
And I wish that thou labor not only for thy own salvation, but also for the
salvation of thy brethren. This thou must do by praying and suffering for them,
charitably admonishing those thou canst, and eagerly doing for them more than
is thy duty. Show thyself even more anxious to benefit those who have offended
thee, be patient with all, and humiliate thyself below the most abject. According
to the directions given thee before, be thou solicitous to assist, with fervent
charity and firm assurance, those that are in the dangers of death. LUCIFER CALLS A MEETING IN HELL IN ORDER
TO HINDER THE WORKS OF CHRIST OUR REDEEMER AND OF HIS MOST HOLY MOTHER. 222. The tyrannical sway of
Lucifer over this world was not any more so unobstructed as it had been in the
ages preceding the Incarnation of the divine Word; for from the hour in which
the Son of the eternal Father descended from heaven and assumed flesh in the
bridal chamber of his virginal Mother, this strongly armed one felt a superior
force, which oppressed and crushed him, as I have related in its place (Luke
11, 21). After the birth of Christ he felt this power, when the Infant Jesus
entered into Egypt (Vol. II 130, 643), and on many occasions afterward this
dragon was routed and overcome by the force of divine truth issuing from the
great Queen. Comparing and connecting these past happenings with all the new
experiences related in the foregoing chapter, the ancient serpent was beginning
to be much troubled by his fears and suspicions, lest a new and vast force had
established itself on the earth. But as the sacrament of the Incarnation was
deeply hidden from him, he lived on in his blind fury without suspicion of the
truth, although, since his fall from heaven, he had most anxiously tried to
ascertain when and how the divine Word would leave heaven and assume human
flesh; for this wonderful work of God was what his arrogance and pride feared
most of all. This anxiety induced him to convoke the many council meetings, of
which I have spoken in this history, and also the one of which I now speak. 223. Finding himself then
full of uncertainty concerning the experiences of the demons and of Himself
with Jesus and Mary, this enemy of the human race questioned himself by what
power he had been vanquished and put to flight in his attempts to ruin the
dangerously sick and the dying and in his other encounters with the Queen of
heaven. As he could not clear the mystery for himself, he resolved to consult
those of his associates who excelled in malice and astuteness. He gave forth a
roar or tremendous howl in hell, using the language understood by the demons,
and called together those who were subject to him. All of them having been
gathered together, he made them a speech, saying: "My ministers and
companions, who have always followed me in my just opposition, you well know
that in the first state in which we were placed by the Creator of all things,
we acknowledged Him as the universal source of all our being and thus also
respected Him. But as soon as, to the detriment of our beauty and preeminence,
so close to the Deity, He imposed upon us the command, that we adore and serve
the person of the Word, in the human form, which He intended to assume, we
resisted his will. For although I knew, that this reverence was due Him as God,
yet as He chose to unite Himself to the nature of man, so ignoble and inferior
to mine, I could not bear to be subject to Him, nor could I bear to see, that
He did not favor me rather than the creature man. He not only commanded us to
adore Him, but also to recognize as our superior a Woman, his Mother, a mere
earthly creature. To these grievances I took exception and you with me. We
objected to them and resolved to deny Him obedience. On account of our behavior
at that time we are punished and made to suffer the pains of our present
condition. Although we are aware of these truths and acknowledge them with
terror among ourselves, it will not do to confess them before men (Jas. 2, 19).
And this I put as a command upon you all, in order that they may not know of
our present difficulty and weakness." 224. "But if this Godman
and his Mother are really to come, it is clear, that their coming into this
world shall be the beginning of our greatest ruin and torment, and that, for
this reason, I must seek with all my strength to prevent it and to destroy
Them, even at the cost of overturning and destroying all the world. You all
know how invincible has been my strength until now, since such a great portion
of the world obeyed my command and is subject to my will and cunning. But in
the last few years I have noticed on many occasions, that your powers seemed to
have decreased and weakened, that you were oppressed and overcome, and I myself
feel a superior force, which restrains and intimidates me. Several times I have
searched with you through the whole world, trying to find some clue for this
loss and oppression which we feel. If this Messias, who is promised to the
chosen people of God, is already in the world, we not only fail to discover Him
on the whole face of the earth, but we see no certain signs of his coming and
we perceive none of the pomp and outward show naturally attendant upon such a
person. Nevertheless I have my misgivings, lest the time of his coming from
heaven onto this earth be already near. Therefore we ought all be eager to
destroy Him and the Woman whom He shall choose for His Mother. Whoever shall
distinguish himself in this work, shall not complain of my thankfulness and
reward. Until now I have found guilt and the effects of guilt in all men, and I
have seen no such majesty and grand magnificence as would induce the Word to
become man and which would oblige mortals to adore Him and offer Him sacrifice,
for by this homage we shall be able to recognize Him. The certain indication of
his coming and the distinguishing mark of the Messias will no doubt be, that
neither sin nor its consequences, common to other children of Adam, will ever
be able to touch Him." 225. "So much the
greater therefore," continued Lucifer, "is my confusion at present;
for, if the eternal Word has not yet come into the world, I cannot understand
these new experiences, nor whence comes this strong opposition which overpowers
us. Who drove us out and hurled us from Egypt? Who destroyed the temples and
crushed the idols of that country in which we were adored by all the
inhabitants? Who oppresses us now in the land of Galilee and its neighborhood,
and prevents us from perverting many of the persons in danger of death? Who
keeps away from sin so many souls as if they were withdrawn from our
jurisdiction, and who causes so many to better their lives and begin to seek
the kingdom of God? If this damaging influence is allowed to continue, great
misfortune and torment may arise for all of us from this secret force, which we
do not comprehend. It is necessary to put a stop to it and search anew all over
the world, whether it does not contain a great prophet or saint, who seeks our
destruction; I have not been able to discover anyone to whom I could ascribe
such a power. Only I have a great hatred against that Woman, our enemy,
especially since we persecuted Her in the temple and later on in her house at
Nazareth. For we have always been vanquished and terrified by the virtue which
shields Her and resists our malice. Never have I been able to search her
interior or come near her person. She has a Son, and, when Both of Them
attended at his father's death, all of us were unable to approach the place
where They were. They are poor and neglected people; She is an unknown and
helpless little woman: but I presume without a doubt, that both Son and Mother
must be counted among the just. For I have continually sought to draw them into
the failings common to men, and yet I have never succeeded in causing them to
commit the least of the disorderly or reprehensible of actions, which are so
common and natural with other people. I know that the Almighty conceals from me
the state of these souls; and this doubtlessly argues some hidden danger for
us. Although the interior condition of some other souls has been concealed from
us on certain occasions, yet this was but rarely and not in the manner as with
these Two. Even if this Man is not the Messias, it is certain that they are
just and our enemies, which is sufficient reason for persecuting Them and
ruining Them, and especially for seeking to find out who They are. Do you all
follow me in the enterprise with all diligence, for I shall be your leader in
our fight against Them." 226. With this exhortation
Lucifer concluded his long speech, in which he gave to the demon much other
information and malicious counsel. But I need not mention them here, since this
history will contain other references to the hellish plots to make us
understand the cunning of that venomous serpent. Immediately the prince of
darkness, together with countless legions of evil spirits, issued forth from
hell and spread over the whole world. They persisted in roaming through it many
times, searching out in their malice and cunning all the just, tempting those
they recognized as such and provoking them and other men to commit the evil
deeds hatched out in their own infernal minds. But Christ our Lord in his
wisdom concealed his own person and that of his Mother for many days from the
haughty Lucifer. He did not permit him to see or recognize Him, until He betook
Himself to the desert, where He allowed and wished the devil to tempt Him after
his long fast; and Lucifer did tempt Him, as I shall relate in its place. 227. When this meeting was
held in the infernal regions, Christ, to whom as our divine Master all was
known, betook Himself to prayer against the malice of the dragon and among
other petitions He prayed as follows: "Eternal and most high
God and Father, I adore Thee and exalt thy infinite and immutable Essence; I
confess Thee as the highest and boundless Good and I offer Myself in sacrifice
to thy divine will for the vanquishing and crushing of the infernal powers and
of their malicious counsels against my creatures. I shall battle for them
against my and their enemies, and by my own works and victories I shall leave
them an encouragement and example of what they must do, so that those who serve
Me from their heart, may prevail against Lucifer's malice. Defend, my Father,
the souls from the snares and cruelty of the serpent and its followers, and
grant to the just the power of thy right hand, in order that through my
intercession and Death they may gain victory over their temptations and
dangers." Our great Queen and Lady had a like knowledge of the evil
counsels of Lucifer and saw all that passed in her divine Son and the prayer He
offered. As the Coadjutrix of his triumphs She joined in the prayers and
petitions of her Son to the eternal Father. The Most High granted all of them,
and on this occasion Jesus and Mary obtained immense assistance and rewards
from the Father for those that battle against the demons in the name of Jesus
and Mary. So great was the efficacy of their prayers, that all those who
pronounce these names in reverence and faith, overcome their hellish enemies
and precipitously repel them in virtue of the prayers, triumphs and victories
of our Savior and of his most holy Mother. On account of the protection thereby
offered to us against the arrogant giants of hell, and on account of all the
other helps furnished us in the holy Church of our Lord, no excuse is left us
for not battling legitimately and valiantly, or for not overcoming and
vanquishing the demon, as the enemy of the eternal God and our own. For in this
we should follow the example of our Savior according to our ability. TEACHING OF THE MOST HOLY MARY, THE
QUEEN OF HEAVEN. 228. My daughter, weep with
bitterest sorrow over the stubbornness and blindness of mortals in not
understanding and acknowledging the loving protection, which they have in my
divine Son and in me as a relief from all their troubles and necessities. My
Lord spared Himself no exertion and left no means unemployed in order to gain
for them inestimable treasures of heaven. He garnered up his infinite merits in
the holy Church, the most important fruit of his Passion and Death; He left the
secure pledges of his glorious love; and procured for them most easy and
efficacious means in order that all of them might enjoy and apply them for
their use and for their eternal salvation. He offers them moreover his
protection and mine; He loves them as children; He cherishes them as his chosen
friends; He calls them by his inspirations; He invites them by his blessings
and graces; He awaits them as a most kind Father; He seeks them as their
Pastor; He helps them as the most Powerful; He rewards them as One possessing
infinite riches, and governs them as a mighty King. All these and innumerable
other favors, which are pointed out by faith, offered by the Church and
presented before their very eyes, men forget and despise; as if blind, they
love the darkness and deliver themselves up to the fury and rage of those cruel
enemies. They listen to his lies, obey his wicked suggestions and confide in
his snares; they trust and give themselves up to the unquenchable fire of his
wrath. He seeks to destroy them and consign them to eternal death, only because
they are creatures of the Most High, who vanquished and crushed this most cruel
foe. 229. Guard thyself,
therefore, my dearest, against this deplorable error of the children of men and
disengage thy faculties in order that thou mayest clearly see the difference
between the service of Christ and that of Belial. Greater is that difference
than the distance between heaven and earth. Christ is eternal life, the true
light and the pathway to eternal life; those who follow Him He loves with
imperishable love, and He offers them his life and his company; with it, an
eternal happiness, such as neither eyes have seen, nor ears have heard, nor
ever can enter into the mind of man (John 14, 6). Lucifer is darkness
itself, error, deceit, unhappiness and death; he hates his followers and forces
them into evil as far as possible, and at the end inflicts upon them eternal
fire and horrid torments. Let mortals give testimony, whether they are ignorant
of these truths, since the holy Church propounds them and calls them to their
minds every day. If men believe these truths, where is their good sense? Who
has made them insane? Who drives from their remembrance the love, which they
ought to have for themselves? Who makes them so cruel to themselves? 0 insanity
never sufficiently to be bewailed and so little considered by the children of
Adam! All their life they labor and exert themselves to become more and more
entangled in the snares of their passions, to be consumed in deceitful vanities
and to deliver themselves over to an inextinguishable fire, death and
everlasting perdition, as if all were a mere joke and as if Christ had not come
down from heaven to die on a Cross for their rescue! Let them but look upon the
price, and consider how much God himself paid for this happiness, who knew the
full value of it. 230. The idolaters and
heathens are much less to blame for falling into this error; nor does the wrath
of the Most High enkindle so much against them as against the faithful of his
Church, who have such a clear knowledge of this truth. If the minds of men, in
our present age, have grown forgetful of it, let them understand that this
happened by their own fault, because they have given a free hand to their enemy
Lucifer. He with tireless malice labors to overthrow the barriers of restraint,
so that, forgetful of the last things and of eternal torment, men may give
themselves over, like brute beasts, to sensual pleasures, and unmindful of
themselves consume their lives in the pursuit of apparent good, until, as Job
says (Job 21, 13), they suddenly fall a prey to eternal perdition. Such is
in reality the fate of innumerable foolish men, who abhor the restraint imposed
upon them by this truth. Do thou, my daughter, allow me to instruct thee, and
keep thyself free from such harmful deceit and from this forgetfulness of the
worldly people. Let the despairing groans of the damned, which begin at the end
of their lives and at the beginning of their eternal damnation, ever resound in
thy ears: O we fools, who esteemed the life of the just as madness! O how are
they counted among the sons of God, and their lot is among the saints ! We have
erred then from the path of truth and of justice. The sun has not arisen for
us. We have wearied ourselves in the ways of iniquity and destruction, we have
sought difficult paths and erred by our own fault from the way of the Lord.
What has pride profited us? What advantage has the boasting of riches brought
us? All has passed away from us like a shadow. O had we but never been born!
This, my daughter, thou must fear and ponder in thy heart, so that, before thou
goest to that land of darkness and of eternal dungeons from whence there is no
return, thou mayest provide against evil and avoid it by doing the good. During
thy mortal life and out of love do thou now perform that of which the damned in
their despair are forced to warn thee by the excess of their punishment. SAINT JOHN, HAVING OBTAINED GREAT FAVORS
FROM THE MOST HOLY MARY, IS ORDERED BY THE HOLY GHOST TO GO FORTH ON HIS PUBLIC
PREACHING. HE FIRST SENDS TO THE HEAVENLY LADY HIS CROSS. 231. I have already spoken of
some of the favors conferred on saint John by the blessed Mary during her
s0journ in Egypt; also of her solicitude for her cousin Elisabeth and saint
John, when Herod resolved to take away the lives of the holy Innocents. I have
also mentioned, that the future Precursor of Christ, after the death of his
mother, remained altogether in the desert until the time appointed by the
divine wisdom, and that he lived there more the life of a seraph than of a man.
His conversation was with the holy angels and with the Lord of all creation;
this was his sole occupation and never was he idle in the exercise of his love
and of the heroic virtues, which he began in the womb of his mother. Not for
one moment was grace in him unprofitable, nor did he fail in the least point of
perfection possible. His senses, being altogether withdrawn from earthly
things, did not in any way hinder him; for they did not serve him as windows,
through which the images of the deceitful vanities of the creatures are wont to
bring death to the souls. Since this saint was so fortunate as to be visited by
the divine light before he saw the light of created sun of this world, he
overlooked all that is seen by eyes of flesh, and fixed his interior gaze
immovably upon the being of God and his infinite perfections. 232. The divine favors
received by saint John exceed all human intelligence, capacity and thought; his
holiness and exalted merits we shall understand in the beatific vision and not
before. As it does not pertain to the object of this history to relate what I
have seen of these mysteries, and what the holy doctors and other authors have
written of his prerogatives, I must confine myself to relate that which is
necessary for my present purpose; namely, what refers to the share of the
heavenly Lady in his exaltation; for through Her saint John received most
inestimable favors. Among them not the least was her sending food to him every
day until he reached the age of seven years, which She did by the ministry of
the holy angels, as I mentioned above. From his seventh year until he reached
the ninth, She sent him only bread; but after that year she ceased to send him
any food. For She understood that during the rest of his stay in the desert, it
was the will of heaven and of himself, that he nourish himself by roots, wild
honey and locusts, which he accordingly did until he came forth to preach. Yet,
though Mary did not any more send him food, She continued to send to him her
holy angels in order to console him and inform him of the doings and mysteries
of the incarnate Word; but these visits happened no oftener than once a week. 233. These great favors,
besides serving other ends, encouraged saint John to bear with his solitude: not
that the desolation of his abode and the severity of his penance caused him any
discouragement; 'to make these desirable and sweet to him, his own wonderful
holiness and grace were sufficient. But these tokens of love served to
counteract the vehemence of his love, which drew him toward Christ and his
Mother and to make their absence and the want of their intercourse bearable to
him. For there is no doubt, that restraining his desire for this intercourse
was a far greater pain and suffering to his loving soul, than all the
inclemencies of his habitation, his fasting and penances, and the horrors of
the lonely mountains, and would have been impossible if his heavenly Lady and
aunt had not assisted him by continually sending her holy angels to bring
messages from his Beloved. The great Hermit inquired into all the particulars
of the Son and Mother with the anxious solicitude of a loving bridegroom (Cant.
1, 6). He transmitted to them the messages of his ardent love and of the sighs,
that came from his inmost heart wounded by the absence of the Objects of his
love. He besought the celestial Princess through her messengers to send him
their blessing and he asked the angels to adore and humbly reverence the Lord
in his name. He himself ceased not to adore Him in spirit and in truth from his
solitude. He asked also the holy angels, who visited him and the others that
attended upon him, to do the same. These were the ordinary occupations of the
Precursor until he arrived at the perfect age of thirty years and in this
manner he was prepared by divine Providence for his appointed task. 234. The destined and
acceptable time decreed by the eternal wisdom for sending forth saint John, the
Harbinger of the incarnate Word, the Voice resounding in the desert, had now
come (Is. 40, 3). As related by the Evangelists, in the fifteenth year of the
reign of Tiberius Caesar, under the high priests Annas and Caiphas, the command
of God came to John, the son of Zacharias in the desert (Luke 3, 1). And he
came to the banks of the Jordan, preaching the baptism of penance for the
remission of sins and preparing the hearts for the reception of the promised
Messias, pointing Himself with his finger, who had been expected for so many
ages. This command of the Lord saint John heard in an ecstasy, in which, by an
especial operation of the Divinity, he was enlightened and prepared by the
plenitude of the light and grace of the holy Spirit. In this rapture he
obtained a deep insight into the mysteries of the Redemption, and he was
favored with an abstractive vision of the Divinity, so wonderful that he was
transformed and changed to a new existence of sanctity and grace.. The Lord
commanded him to issue forth from the desert in order to prepare the way for
the preaching of the incarnate Word by his own, thus exercising the office of a
Precursor and all that pertained to it; for he was now instructed and filled
with most abundant grace for his work. 235. The new preacher saint
John came from the desert clothed in camel skin, girded with a cincture or cord
made likewise of leather. His feet were bare, his features thin and emaciated,
his appearance wonderfully graceful, modest and humble, his soul was filled
with invincible and magnanimous courage, his heart inflamed with the love of
God and man, his words rang forth strong and forceful, piercing to the souls of
his hearers like the sparks from the immutable and divine essence of the
Almighty. He was gentle toward the meek, loving toward the humble, wonderful in
the sight of angels and men, terrible to the proud, dreadful to the sinners,
and an object of horror to the demons. He was a Preacher fit to be the
instrument of the incarnate Word and such as was needed for this people of the
Hebrews, who were so hardhearted, thankless and stubborn, and who were now
cursed with heathen governors, avaricious and proud priests, without
enlightenment, without prophets, without piety, without fear of God, though
they had been visited by so many calamities and chastisements for their sins.
He was now sent to open the eyes of his people to their miserable state and
prepare their hearts to know and receive their Savior and Teacher. 236. The anchoret John, many
years before, had made for himself a large cross, which he had placed at the
head of his couch: with it he performed some exercises of penance and he was
accustomed to place himself upon it in the form of one crucified, when he was
engaged in prayer. He did not wish to leave this treasure in the desert;
therefore, before issuing forth, he sent it by the hands of the holy angels to
the Queen of heaven and earth and requested them to tell Her that the cross had
been his greatest and most beloved companion in his long banishment; that he
sent it to Her as a precious treasure, because he knew what was to be wrought
upon it by the Son of God, and also because the holy angels had told him, that
her most holy Son and Redeemer of the world often made use of a cross like
this, when performing his prayers in his oratory. The angels had made this
cross fashioning it from a tree in the desert at his request; for the saint had
neither the necessary strength nor the instruments for this kind of work,
whereas the holy angels wanted not the skill and needed no instruments on
account of the power they have over material creation. With this present and
message of saint John the holy princes returned to their Queen, and She
received this token from their hands with innermost emotions of sorrow and
consolation, at the thought of what mysteries were in so short a time to be
enacted upon the hard wood of the Cross. She addressed it in words of
tenderness and placed it in her oratory, where She kept it ever afterwards
together with the other cross which had been used by her Son. At her death the
most prudent Lady left these crosses, with other remembrances, to the Apostles
as a priceless heritage, and by them they were carried through different
countries where they preached. 237. In regard to this matter
I had some doubts, which I proposed to the Mother of wisdom, saying to Her: "Queen of heaven and my
Mistress, most holy among the saints and chosen among creatures as the Mother
of God himself: being an ignorant and dull woman, I find a difficulty in what I
have here written; if Thou give me permission, I would like to mention it to Thee,
for Thou, o Lady, art the Mistress of wisdom and hast deigned to be my Teacher
in the doctrine of eternal life and salvation. My difficulty is this: I see not
only saint John but also Thee, my Queen, reverence the Cross before thy most
holy Son had died upon it; whereas I have always believed, that until the hour
in which He wrought our salvation upon sacred wood of the Cross, it had served
as a gibbet of shame for the punishment of criminals and that therefore it was
considered as a token of contempt and ignominy; and even the holy Church
teaches us, that all its value and dignity came to the Cross by its contact
with the body of the Redeemer and through its connection with mystery of man's
Redemption." ANSWER AND INSTRUCTION GIVEN ME BY THE
QUEEN OF HEAVEN, MOST HOLY MARY. 238. My daughter, gladly will
I satisfy thy desire and answer thy doubt. What thou sayest is true: the Cross
was ignominious before my Son and Lord honored and sanctified it by his Passion
and Death and solely on account of this Passion and Death the adoration and
reverence shown to it by the Church is now due to it. If anyone, who was
ignorant of the mysteries, which were connected with it and which were so well
known to me and saint John, would have given it such worship and honor as I
have before the Redemption, he would have been guilty of error and idolatry;
for he would have worshipped a creature of which he did not know that it was
worthy of such honor. But we showed this veneration to the Cross for several
reasons : We knew for certain, that the Redeemer was to accomplish his work
upon the Cross; we knew also that, before dying upon it, He had begun to
sanctify this sacred emblem by his contact in placing Himself upon it during
his prayers and in offering Himself freely to die upon it. The eternal Father
moreover had accepted these foreseen works of the Cross from his divine Son by
an unalterable decree. All the actions and the contacts of the incarnate Word
were of infinite value and thus sanctified the sacred wood, making it worthy of
the highest veneration. Whenever I or saint John showed this reverence to the
Cross, we had before our minds these mysteries and truths: we did not adore the
Cross in itself, nor the material of which it was made; for the divine worship
was not due to it until the works of the Redemption should have been completed
upon it; but we waited for the formal execution of the work intended to be
performed upon it by the incarnate Word. This was the real object of our
reverence and worship of the Cross. And this is also now the meaning and intent
of the practice of the adoration of the Cross in the holy Church. 239. Accordingly thou must
ponder well thy obligation and that of all the mortals in regard to the
reverence and esteem due to the holy Cross; for if I and the holy Precursor,
even before the Death of my divine Son upon it, so eagerly imitated Him in his
love and reverence of it and in the exercises which He performed in connection
therewith, what should not the faithful children of the Church do after they
have seen their Creator and their Redeemer crucified upon it, and when they
have the image of the Crucified before their very eyes? I desire, then, my
daughter, that thou embrace the Cross with boundless esteem, that thou use it
as the priceless jewel of thy Spouse, and that thou accustom thyself to perform
those exercises upon it, which are known and practiced by thee, without ever of
thy own will forgetting or neglecting them as long as obedience will permit
thee. Whenever thou approachest such sacred exercises, let it be with a
profound reverence and with a deep pondering of the Passion and Death of the
Lord, thy Beloved. Try to introduce the same custom among thy religious,
zealously exhorting them thereto; for no exercise is more proper to the spouses
of Christ, and if performed with devotion and reverence, it will be most
pleasing to their Lord. In addition to this, I wish that thou, in imitation of
saint John the Baptist prepare thy heart for all that the holy Spirit wishes to
work in thee for his own glory and for the benefit of souls. As far as depends
upon thee, love solitude and withdraw thy soul from the confusion of created
things. Whenever thy duty to God forces thee to deal with creatures, seek
always thy own sanctification and the edification of thy neighbor, so that in
thy outward conversation and intercourse the zeal of thy spirit may shine
forth. His exalted virtues now known to thee and those resplendent in the lives
of other saints, should serve thee as a spur and as an example: seek, like a
busy bee, to build up the sweet honeycomb of sanctity and innocence so much
desired in thee by my divine Son. Distinguish well between the labors of the
bee and of the spider: the one converts her nourishment into sweetness useful
for the living and the dead, while the other changes it into snare and venom.
Do thou gather the flowers of virtue from the saints in the garden of the
Church, as far as thy weak endeavors with the aid of grace will permit; imitate
them eagerly and incite others by thy eloquence, thus drawing blessings upon
the living and the dead while thou anxiously flyest from the harm and damage of
sinful deeds. MOST HOLY MARY ORDERS HER ONLYBEGOTTEN
SON FOR THE REDEMPTION OF THE HUMAN RACE TO THE ETERNAL FATHER; IN RETURN FOR
THIS SACRIFICE HE GRANTS HER A CLEAR VISION OF THE DIVINITY; SHE TAKES LEAVE OF
HER SON AS HE DEPARTS FOR THE DESERT. 240. The love of our great
Queen and Lady for her divine Son must always remain the standard by which we
must measure as well her actions as all her emotions either of joy or sorrow
during her earthly life. But we cannot measure the greatness of her love
itself, nor can the holy angels measure it, except by the love which they see
in God by the intuitive vision. All that can ever be expressed by our
inadequate words, similes and analogies, is but the least portion of what this
heavenly furnace of love really contained. For She loved Jesus as the Son of
the eternal Father, equal to Him in essence and in all the divine attributes and
perfections; She loved Him as her own natural Son, Son to Her in as far as He
was man, formed of her own flesh and blood; She loved Him because as man He was
the Saint of saints and the meritorious cause of all other holiness (Dan. 9,
24). He was the most beautiful among the sons of men (Ps. 44, 3). He was the
most dutiful Son of his Mother, her most magnificent Benefactor; since it was
He, that by his sonship, had raised Her to the highest dignity possible among
creatures. He had exalted Her among all and above all by the treasures of his
Divinity and by conferring upon Her the dominion over all creation together
with favors, blessings and graces, such as were never to be conferred upon any
other being. 241. These motives and
foundations of her love were established and as it were, all comprehended in
the wisdom of the heavenly Lady, together with many others, which only her
exalted knowledge could appreciate. In her heart there was no hindrance of
love, since it was the most innocent and pure; She was not ungrateful, because
her profoundest humility urged Her to a most faithful correspondence; She was
not remiss, because in Her the most abundant grace wrought with all its
efficacy; She was not slow or careless, since She was filled with most zealous
and diligent fervor; not forgetful, since her most faithful memory was
constantly fixed upon the blessings received and upon the reasons and the
precepts of deepest love. She moved in the sphere of the divine love itself,
since She remained in his visible presence and attended the school of divine
love of her Son, copying his works and his doings in his very company. Nothing
was wanting to this peerless One among lovers for entertaining love without
limitation of measure or manner. This most beautiful Moon then, being at its
fullness, and looking into this Sun of justice just as it had risen like a
divine aurora from height to height and reached the noontide splendor of the
most clear light of grace; this Moon, Mary, detached from all material
creatures and entirely transformed by the light of this Sun, having experienced
on her part all the effects of his reciprocal love, favors and gifts, in the
height of her blessedness, at a time when the loss of all these blessings in
her Son made it most arduous, heard the voice of the eternal Father, calling
Her as once He had called upon her prototype, Abraham, and demanding the
deposit of all her love and hope, her beloved Isaac (Gen. 22, 1). 242. The most prudent Mother
was not unaware, that the time of her sacrifice was approaching; for her
sweetest Son had already entered the thirtieth year of his life and the time
and place for satisfying the debt He had assumed was at hand. But in the full
possession of the Treasure, which represented all her happiness, Mary was still
considering its loss as far off, not having as yet had its experience. The hour
therefore drawing near, She was wrapt in a most exalted vision and felt that
She was being called and placed in the presence of throne of the most blessed
Trinity. From it issued a voice of wonderful power saying to Her: "Mary,
my Daughter and Spouse, offer to Me thy Onlybegotten Son in sacrifice." By
the living power of these words came to Her the light and intelligence of the
Almighty's will, and in it the most blessed Mother understood the decree of the
Redemption of man through the Passion and Death of her most holy Son, together
with all that from now on would happen in the preaching and public life of the
Savior. As this knowledge was renewed and perfected in Her, She felt her soul
overpowered by sentiments of subjection, humility, love of God and man,
compassion and tenderest sorrow for all that her Son was to suffer. 243. But with an undismayed
and magnanimous heart She gave answer to the Most High: "Eternal King and
omnipotent God of infinite wisdom and goodness, all that has being outside of
Thee exists solely for thy mercy and greatness, and Thou art undiminished Lord
of all. How then dost Thou command me, an insignificant wormlet of the earth,
to sacrifice and deliver over to thy will the Son, whom thy condescension has
given me? He is thine, eternal Father, since from all eternity before the
morning star Thou hast engendered Him (Ps. 109, 3), and Thou begettest Him and
shalt beget Him through all the eternities; and if I have clothed Him in the
form of servant (Philip 2, 7) in my womb and from my own blood, and if I have
nourished his humanity at my breast and ministered to it as a Mother: this most
holy humanity is also thy property, and so am I, since I have received from
Thee all that I am and that I could give Him. What then can I offer to Thee,
that is not more thine than mine? I confess, most high King, that thy
magnificence and beneficence are so liberal in heaping upon thy creatures thy
infinite treasures, that in order to bind Thyself to them Thou wishest to
receive from them as a free gift, even thy own Onlybegotten Son, Him whom Thou
begettest from thy own substance and from the light of thy Divinity. With Him
came to me all blessings together and from his hands I received immense gifts
and graces (Wis. 7, 11) ; He is the Virtue of my virtue, the Substance of my
spirit, Life of my soul and Soul of my life, the Sustenance of all my joy of
living. It would be a sweet sacrifice, indeed, to yield Him up to Thee who alone
knowest his value; but to yield Him for the satisfaction of thy justice into
the hands of his cruel enemies at the cost of his life, more precious than all
the works of creation; this indeed, most high Lord, is a great sacrifice which
Thou askest of his Mother. However let not my will but thine be done. Let the
freedom of the human race be thus bought; let thy justice and equity be
satisfied; let thy infinite love become manifest; let thy name be known and
magnified before all creatures. I deliver Him over into thy hands before all
creatures. I deliver over into thy hands my beloved Isaac, that He may be truly
sacrificed; I offer my Son, the Fruit of my womb, in order that, according to
the unchangeable decree of thy will, He may pay the debt contracted not by his
fault, but by the children of Adam, and in order that in his Death He may
fulfill all that thy holy Prophets, inspired by Thee, have written and
foretold." 244. This sacrifice with all
that pertained to it, was the greatest and the most acceptable that ever had
been made to the eternal Father since the creation of the world, or ever will
be made to the end, outside of that made by his own Son, the Redeemer; and hers
was most intimately connected with and like to that, which He offered. If the greatest
charity consists in offering one's life for the beloved, without a doubt most
holy Mary far surpassed this highest degree of love toward men, as She loved
Her Son much more than her own life. For in order to preserve the life of her
Son, She would have given the lives of all men, if She had possessed them, yea
and countless more. Among men there is no measure by which to estimate the love
of that heavenly Lady, and it can be estimated only by the love of the eternal
Father for his Son. As Christ says to Nikodemus (John 15, 13): so God loved the
world, that He gave his only Son in order that none of those who believed in
Him might perish; so this might also be said in its degree of the love of the
Mother of mercy and in the same way do we owe to Her proportionately our
salvation. For She also loved us so much, that She gave her only Son for our
salvation; and if She had not given it in this manner, when it was asked of Her
by the eternal Father on this occasion, the salvation of men could not have been
executed by this same decree, since this decree was to be fulfilled on
condition, that the Mother's will should coincide with that of the eternal
Father. Such is the obligation which the children of Adam owe to most holy
Mary. 245. Having accepted the
offering of the great Lady, it was fitting that the most Blessed Trinity should
reward and immediately pay Her by some favor, which would comfort Her in her
sorrow and manifest more clearly the will of the eternal Father and the reasons
for his command. Therefore the heavenly Lady, still wrapped in the same vision
and raised to a more exalted ecstasy, in which She was prepared and enlightened
in the manner elsewhere described (I, 623), the Divinity manifested Itself to
Her by an intuitive and direct vision. In this vision, by the clear light of
the essence of God, She comprehended the inclination of the infinite Good to
communicate his fathomless treasures to the rational creatures by means of the
works of the incarnate Word, and She saw the glory, that would result from
these wonders to the name of the Most High. Filled with jubilation of her soul
at the prospect of all these sacramental mysteries, the heavenly Mother renewed
the offering of her divine Son to the Father; and God comforted Her with the life-giving
bread of heavenly understanding, in order that She might with invincible
fortitude assist the incarnate Word in the work of Redemption as his Coadjutrix
and Helper, according to the disposition of infinite Wisdom and according as it
really happened afterwards in the rest of her life. 246. Then most holy Mary
issued forth from this exalted rapture in the description of which I will not
further detain myself; for it was accompanied by the same circumstances as the
other intuitive visions already mentioned. But by its effects and the strength
imparted through it, She was now prepared to separate from her divine Son, who
had already resolved to enter upon his fast in the desert in view of receiving
his Baptism. He therefore called his Mother and, speaking to Her with the
tokens of sweetest love and compassion, He said: "My Mother, my existence
as man I derive entirely from thy substance and blood, of which I have taken
the form of a servant in thy virginal womb (Phil. 2, 7). Thou also hast nursed
Me at thy breast and taken care of Me by thy labors and sweat. For this reason
I account Me more thine own and as thy Son, than any other ever acknowledged,
or more than any ever will acknowledge himself as the son of his mother. Give
Me thy permission and consent toward accomplishing the will of my eternal
Father. Already the time has arrived, in which I must leave thy sweet
intercourse and company and begin the work of the Redemption of man. The time
of rest has come to an end and the hour of suffering for the rescue of the sons
of Adam has arrived. But I wish to perform this work of my Father with thy
assistance, and Thou art to be my companion and helper in preparing for my
Passion and Death of the Cross. Although I must now leave Thee alone, my
blessing shall remain with Thee, and my loving and powerful protection. I shall
afterwards return to claim thy assistance and company in my labors; for I am to
undergo them in the form of man, which Thou hast given Me." 247. With these words, while
both Mother and Son were overflowing with abundant tears, the Lord placed his
anns around the neck of the most tender Mother, yet Both maintaining a majestic
composure such as befitted these Masters in the art of suffering. The heavenly
Lady fell at the feet of her divine Son and, with ineffable sorrow and
reverence, answered: "My Lord and eternal God: Thou art indeed my Son and
in Thee is fulfilled all the force of love, which I have received of Thee: my
inmost soul is laid open to the eyes of thy divine wisdom. My life I would
account but little, if I could thereby save thy own, or if I could die for Thee
many times. But the will of the eternal Father and thy own must be fulfilled
and I offer my own will as a sacrifice for this fulfillment. Receive it, my
Son, and as Master of all my being, let it be an acceptable offering, and let
thy divine protection never be wanting to me. It would be a much greater
torment for me, not to be allowed to accompany Thee in thy labors and in thy
Cross. May I merit this favor, my Son, and I ask it of Thee as thy true Mother
in return for the human form, which Thou hast received of me." The most
loving Mother also besought Him to take along some food from the house, or that
He allow it to be sent to where He was to go. But the Savior would not consent
to anything of the sort, at the same time enlightening his Mother of what was
befitting for the occasion. They went together to the door of their poor house,
where She again fell at his feet to ask his blessing and kiss his feet. The
divine Master gave Her his benediction and then began his journey to the
Jordan, issuing forth as the good Shepherd to seek his lost sheep and bring
them back on his shoulders to the way of eternal life, from which they had been
decoyed by deceit (Luke 15, 5). 248. When our Redeemer sought
saint John in order to be baptized, He had already entered his thirtieth year,
although not much of it had yet passed; for He betook Himself directly to the
banks of the Jordan, where saint John was baptizing (Matth. 3, 13), and He received
Baptism at his hands about thirty days after He had finished the twenty-ninth
year of his life on the same day as is set aside for its celebration by the
Church. I cannot worthily describe the sorrow of most holy Mary at his
departure, nor the compassion of the Savior for Her. All words and description
are far too inadequate to manifest what passed in the heart of the Son and
Mother. As this was to be part of their meritorious sufferings, it was not
befitting that the natural effects of their mutual loves should be diminished.
God permitted these effects to work in Them to their full extent, and as far as
was compatible with the holiness of both Mother and Son. Our divine Teacher
found no relief in hastening his steps toward the goal of our Redemption, to
which He was drawn by the force of his immense charity; nor was the thought of
what He intended, a lessening of the sense of loss, which She sustained at his
departure; for all this only made more certain and more conspicuous the
torments which He was to undergo. 0 my dearest Love! Why does not our
ingratitude and hardness of heart allow us to meet Thee with a responsive love?
Why does not the perfect uselessness of man, and still more, his ingratitude,
influence Thee to desist? Without us, 0 my eternal Goodness and Life, Thou wilt
be just as happy without us as with us, just as infinite in perfections,
holiness and glory; we can add nothing to that which Thou hast in Thyself,
since Thou art entirely independent of creatures. Why then, 0 my Love, dost Thou
so anxiously seek us out and care for us? Why dost Thou, at the cost of thy
Passion and the Cross, purchase our happiness? Without doubt, because thy
incomprehensible love and goodness esteems it as thy own, and we alone insist
in treating our own happiness as alien to Thee and to ourselves. INSTRUCTION WHICH THE MOST HOLY MARY, THE
QUEEN OF HEAVEN GAVE ME. 249. My daughter, I wish that
thou ponder and penetrate more and more this mystery of which thou hast
written, so fixing it in thy soul, that thou wilt be drawn to imitate my
example at least in some part of it. Consider then, that in the vision of the
Divinity which I had on this occasion, I was made to comprehend the high value
which the Lord sets upon the labors, the Passion and Death of my Son, and upon
all those who were to imitate and follow Jesus in the way of the Cross. Knowing
this, I not only offered to deliver my Son over to Passion and Death, but I
asked Him to make me his companion and partaker of all his sorrows, sufferings
and torments, which request the eternal Father granted. Then, in order to begin
following in the footsteps of his bitterness, I besought my Son and Lord to
deprive me of interior delights; and this petition was inspired in me by the
Lord himself, because He wished it so, and because my own love taught me and
urged me thereto. This desire for suffering and the wishes of my divine Son led
me on in the way of suffering. He himself, because He loved me so tenderly,
granted me my desires; for those whom He loves, He chastises and afflicts
(Prov. 3, 12). I as his Mother was not to be deprived of this blessed
distinction of being entirely like unto Him, which alone makes this life most
estimable. Immediately this will of the Most High, this my earnest petition,
began to be fulfilled: I began to feel the want of his delightful caresses and
He began to treat me with greater reserve. That was one of the reasons, why He
did not call me Mother, but Woman, at the marriagefeast at Cana and at the foot
of the Cross (John 2, 4, 19, 26) ; and also on other occasions, when He
abstained from words of tenderness. So far was this from being a sign of a
diminution of his love, that it was rather an exquisite refinement of his
affection to assimilate me to Him in the sufferings which He chose for Himself
as his precious treasure and inheritance. 250. Hence thou wilt
understand the ignorance and error of mortals, and how far they drift from the
way of light, when, as a rule, nearly all of them strive to avoid labor and
suffering and are frightened by the royal and secure road of mortification and
the Cross. Full of this deceitful ignorance, they do not only abhor resemblance
to Christ's suffering and my own, and deprive themselves of the true and
highest blessing of this life; but they make their recovery impossible, since
all of them are weak and afflicted by many sins, for which the only remedy is
suffering. Sin is committed by base indulgence and is repugnant to suffering
sorrow, while tribulation earns the pardon of the just judge. By the bitterness
of sorrow and affliction the vapors of sin are allayed; the excesses of the
concupiscible and irascible passions are crushed; pride and haughtiness are
humiliated; the flesh is subdued; the inclination to evil, to the sensible and
earthly creatures, is repressed; the judgment is cleared; the will is brought
within bounds and its desultory movements at the call of the passions, are
corrected; and, above all, divine love and pity are drawn down upon the
afflicted, who embrace suffering with patience, or who seek it to imitate my
most holy Son. In this science of suffering are renewed all the blessed riches
of the creatures; those that fly from them are insane, those that know nothing
of this science are foolish. 251. Exert thyself then, my
dearest daughter, to advance in this knowledge, welcome labors and suffering,
and give up ever desiring human consolations. Remember also that in the
spiritual consolations the demon conceals his pitfalls for thy ruin and
destruction, for thou shouldst know his continual attempts to ruin the
spiritually inclined. The pleasures of contemplating and looking upon the Lord,
and his caresses great or small, are so enticing, that delight and consolation
overflow in the faculties of the mind and cause some souls to accustom themselves
to the sensible pleasures of this intercourse. In consequence thereof they make
themselves unfit for other duties belonging to reasonable life of human
creatures; and when it is necessary to attend to them they are annoyed, lose
their interior peace and control, become morose, intractable, full of
impatience toward their neighbors, forgetting all humility and charity. When
they then perceive their own restlessness and its consequences, they blame all
to their exterior occupations, in which the Lord has placed them for the
exercise of their obedience and charity, failing to see or acknowledge that all
their troubles arise from their want of mortification and subjection to
providence and from their attachment to their own selfish inclinations. The demon
tries to beguile them by mere desires for quiet and solitude and the secret
communications of the Lord in solitude; for they imagine, that in retirement
all is good and holy, and that all their trouble arises from inability to
follow their pious desires in solitude. 252. In these very faults
thou hast fallen sometimes, and from now on I wish that thou guard against them
especially. For all things there is a time, as the Wise man says (Eccles. 3,
5), both for enjoying delightful embraces and for abstaining therefrom. To seek
to prescribe to the Lord a time for his intimate embraces is the error of souls
only beginning imperfectly to serve the Lord and to strive after virtue; and
similar is the fault of feeling too deeply the want of these consolations. I do
not tell thee therefore purposely to seek distraction and exterior occupations,
nor to find thy pleasure in them, for this is nothing short of dangerous; but
to obey with peace of mind whenever thy superiors command, and willingly to
leave the delights of the Lord in order to find Him again in useful labor and
in the service of thy neighbor. This thou must prefer to retirement and to
private consolations, and on this account thou must not love them too much; for
in the anxious cares of a superior thou must learn to believe, hope and love so
much the more deeply. In this manner thou must find thy Lord at all times, in
all places and occupations, as thou hast already experienced. I desire that
thou never consider thyself deprived of his sweetest vision and presence, or of
his most loving intercourse, or that thou doubt with pusillanimity, whether
thou canst find and enjoy God outside of thy retirement. All creation is full
of his glory (Eccli. 42, 16), and there is no void, and thou livest and movest
and hast thy being in God (17, 28). Enjoy thou thy solitude whenever He does
not oblige thee to these exterior occupations. 253. All this thou wilt still
more fully understand in the nobility of the love, which I require of thee for
the imitation of my Son and of me. With Him thou must rejoice sometimes in his
youth; sometimes accompany Him in his labors for the salvation of men;
sometimes retire with Him to solitude; sometimes be transfigured with Him to a
new creature; sometimes embrace with Him tribulations and the cross, following
up the divine lessons which He taught thereby; in short, I wish thee to
understand well, that in me there was a continual desire to imitate, or an
actual imitation, of all that was most perfect in his works. In this consisted
my greatest perfection and holiness, and therein I wish thee to follow me, so
far as thy weak strength, assisted by grace, will allow. For this purpose thou
must first die to all the inclinations of a daughter of Adam, without reserving
in thee any choice of desires, any self constituted judgment as to admitting or
rejecting the good; for thou knowest not what is befitting, and thy Lord and
Spouse, who knows it and who loves thee more than thou dost thyself, will
decide all this for thee, if thou resignest thyself entirely to his will. He
gives thee a free hand only in regard to thy love of Him and in thy desire to
suffer for Him, while in all the rest thy desires will only make thee drift
away from his will and mine. This will surely be the result of following thy
own will and inclinations, desires and appetites. Deny and sacrifice them all,
raising thyself above thyself, up to the high and exalted habitation of the
Lord and Master; attend to his interior lights and to the truth of his words of
eternal life (John 6, 69), and in order that thou mayest follow them, take up
the Cross (Matth. 16, 24), tread in his footsteps, walk in the odor of his
ointments (Cant. 1,3), and be anxious to reach thy Lord; and having obtained
possession of Him, do not leave Him (Cant. 3, 4). THE OCCUPATIONS OF THE VIRGIN MOTHER
DURING THE ABSENCE OF HER MOST HOLY SON AND HER INTERCOURSE WITH HER GUARDIAN
ANGELS. 254. When the Redeemer of the
world had left the bodily presence of his most loving Mother, She felt Herself
as it were in an eclipse or under a shadow, caused by the transposition of the
clear Sun of justice, which had illumined and rejoiced Her; yet, though this
might be true of her senses, her soul lost nothing of the light in which it
bathed and in which it was raised above the burning love of the seraphim. As
all the operations of her faculties, during the absence of the human
personality of her Son, concerned themselves with the Deity, She so ordered all
her doings, that, retired within her dwelling and separated from all human
intercourse, She might apply Herself to the contemplation and praise of the
Lord. She wanted to give Herself up entirely to the exercise of prayer and
petition in order that the seed of the divine word and doctrine, which the Lord
was to plant into the hearts of men, might not be lost on account of their
hardness and ingratitude and not fail to give abundant fruit of eternal life
and salvation of souls. By means of her infused knowledge She knew the
intentions of the incarnate Word and therefore the most prudent Lady resolved
not to converse with any human creature, in order to imitate Him in his fasting
and retirement of the desert, as I will relate farther on; for She was a living
image and faithful reproduction of Christ, whether He was absent or present. 255. Shut up in her house
during all the days in which her divine Son was absent, our blessed Lady spent
her time in exercise of devotion. Her prayers were so ardent, that She shed
tears of blood in weeping over the sins of men. She genuflected and prostrated
Herself upon the ground more than two hundred times each day; and this was an
exercise, which She practiced with especial earnestness during all her life, as
an exterior manifestation of her humility, charity, reverence and worship of
God. Of it I shall speak many times in the course of this history. Thus
cooperating with her absent Son and Redeemer, She interceded so powerfully and
efficaciously with the eternal Father, that on account of her merits and on
account of her presence here upon this earth, (according to our way of
speaking) He forgot the sins of all the mortals, who were then making
themselves unworthy of the preaching and doctrine of his most holy Son. Mary
then, cleared away this hindrance by the clamors of her burning charity. She
was the Mediatrix, who merited and gained for us the blessing of being taught
by our Lord himself and of receiving the law of his holy Gospel from his own
lips. 256. What time still remained
after her prolonged contemplations and exalted prayers, the great Queen spent
in conversation and intercourse with her holy angels; for the Lord had
commanded them anew to attend upon their Mistress in bodily forms during all
the time in which her Son was to be absent. It is in this form that they were
to serve his Tabernacle and guard the holy City of his habitation. The
ministers of God obeyed most diligently and served their Queen with admirable
and befitting reverence. As love is so active and so impatient of the absence
and privation of the object beloved, it finds its greatest comfort in speaking
of its sorrow and rehearsing the cause of it, in renewing ever again the memory
and discussing the excellences and conditions of the beloved; by such discourse
it beguiles its sorrow, diverts its grief, and recalls to memory the images of
her well beloved. Such was also the course pursued by the most loving Mother of
our truest and highest Good; for while her faculties were overwhelmed by the
immense ocean of the Divinity She felt not the bodily absence of her Son and
Lord; but as soon as She again recovered the use of her senses, which had been
accustomed to his amiable intercourse, and now found Herself deprived of it,
She immediately felt the irresistible force of her most intense, chaste and
sincere love, unfathomed by any creature. It would have been impossible for
nature to suffer such pain and still retain life, had it not in Her been
divinely supported and strengthened. 257. In order to afford some
relief to her sorrow laden heart, She therefore returned to her holy angels and
complained to them as follows: "Ye diligent ministers of the Most High,
fashioned by the hands of my Beloved, my friends and companions, give me
intelligence of my cherished Son and Master; tell me where He tarries, and inform
Him that I am dying on account of the want of his life-giving presence. 0 sweet
and bounteous love of my soul! Where art Thou, more beautiful than all the sons
of men? Where dost Thou lay thy head? Where rests thy most delicate and most
holy body from its fatigues? Who is there to attend upon Thee, light of my
eyes? How can my tears ever cease to flow, deprived of the clear light of the
Sun, which illumined mine? Where, 0 my Son, canst Thou find repose? Where shall
this thy lonely and poor little bee find Thee? What course shall this thy
little bark pursue in the vast billows of this ocean of love? Where shall I
find peace? 0 Beloved of my desires, to forget thy presence is not possible to
me! How then can it be possible to live in mere memory of Thee without actual
intercourse? What shall I do? 0 who shall console me and lend me his company in
this bitter solitude, whom shall I seek among creatures, as long as Thou art
absent, who art the only One and all that my heart yearns after in its love?
Sovereign spirits, tell me, what does my Lord and my Beloved? Inform me of his
exterior movements, and omit nothing of his interior doings, as far as in the
light of his Divinity is made clear to you. Point out to me all his footsteps
in order that I may follow and imitate Him." 258. The holy angels obeyed
their Queen, consoling Her in the sorrows of her mournful love, speaking of the
Most High and repeating to Her most exalted praises of the most sacred humanity
of her son and of all his perfections. They informed Her of all his occupations
and undertakings, and of the places in which He wandered. This they did by
enlightening her understanding in the same way a higher angel is wont to
enlighten those of an inferior order: for this was her manner of intercourse with
the angels, unhindered by her body and the senses. The heavenly Spirits
communicated to Her the prayers of the incarnate Word, his teachings, his
visits to the poor and the sick, and other actions, so that the heavenly Lady
was enabled to imitate Him in all these proceedings according to her condition.
She thus engaged in most excellent and magnanimous undertake which illumined
mine? Where, 0 my Son, canst Thou find repose? Where shall this thy lonely and
poor little bee find Thee? What course shall this thy little bark pursue in the
vast billows of this ocean of love? Where shall I find peace? 0 Beloved of my
desires, to forget thy presence is not possible to me! How then can it be
possible to live in mere memory of Thee without actual intercourse? What shall
I do? 0 who shall console me and lend me his company in this bitter solitude,
whom shall I seek among creatures, as long as Thou art absent, who art the only
One and all that my heart yearns after in its love? Sovereign spirits, tell me,
what does my Lord and my Beloved? Inform me of his exterior movements, and omit
nothing of his interior doings, as far as in the light of his Divinity is made
clear to you. Point out to me all his footsteps in order that I may follow and
imitate Him." 258. The holy angels obeyed
their Queen, consoling Her in the sorrows of her mournful love, speaking of the
Most High and repeating to Her most exalted praises of the most sacred humanity
of her son and of all his perfections. They informed Her of all his occupations
and undertakings, and of the places in which He wandered. This they did by
enlightening her understanding in the same way a higher angel is wont to
enlighten those of an inferior order: for this was her manner of intercourse
with the angels, unhindered by her body and the senses. The heavenly Spirits
communicated to Her the prayers of the incarnate Word, his teachings, his
visits to the poor and the sick, and other actions, so that the heavenly Lady
was enabled to imitate Him in all these proceedings according to her condition.
She thus engaged in most excellent and magnanimous undertakings, as I shall yet
describe, and by this means She was eased in her sorrow and grief. 259. She also several times
sent the holy angels to visit in her name her sweetest Son. On such occasions
She gave them most prudent instructions, full of deep and reverential love:
also supplying them with linen cloths and towels, prepared by her own hands, in
order that they might wipe the divine visage of the Savior, when they saw him
exhausted and covered with a bloody sweat; for the blessed Mother knew, that He
was thus overcome more and more often, as He approached the fulfillment of all
the works of the Redemption. The holy angels obeyed their Queen therein with
incredible reverence and holy fear, because they knew that the Lord himself
permitted it in order to yield to the ardent desires of his most holy Mother.
At other times, informed by the angels or by a special vision or revelation of
the Lord, She knew of his prayers and petitions for mankind in the mountains:
then She would perform the same prayers in her house in the same posture and
with the same words. Sometimes, when She saw that the Lord of all creation was
in want of food, She also sent Him, by the hands of the angels, some nourishment,
although this happened but seldom; for the Lord, as I have indicated in the
foregoing chapter, did not always permit his Mother to act according to the
promptings of her love; therefore, during the forty days of his fast, She did
not send any food, because She understood such to be his will. 260. At other times the heavenly Lady occupied Herself in composing hymns of praise and thanksgiving to the Most High; this She did by Herself or in company and alternating songs with the angels. All these canticles were most exalted in style and contained the deepest mysteries. At other times She hastened to the assistance of her neighbor in imitation of her most holy Son. She visited the sick, consoled the sorrowful and afflicted, enlightened the ignorant, brought relief to them and enriched them with divine grace and bounty. Only during the time of the great fast of our Lord She retired and remained in her house, as I have already mentioned. During this retirement, our Queen and Lady separated Herself from all human company and She was favored by almost continually recurring ecstasies, in which She received peerless gifts and treasures of the Divinity; for the hand of the God imprinted and painted, as upon an admirably prepared canvas, the outlines and images of his infinite perfections. All these new graces and gifts She employed in working for the salvation of men, and all her occupations and thoughts followed closely the doings of the Savior, as becoming the Coadjutrix of the Lord in his labors for the Redemption of mortals. Although these benefits and close intercourse with the Lord could not but bring Her a great and ever new joy and exultation of soul in the Holy Spirit, yet in the inferior and sensible parts of her being She experienced the pains, which She had sought and asked of the Savior in union with Him and in imitation of his sufferings. In this desire of following Him in his sufferings, She was insatiable, and She besought the eternal Father for this privilege with incessant and burning love. She renewed that most pleasing sacrifice of the life of her Son and her own, which She had made in accordance with the will of God, and She was consumed with the desire of suffering with her Beloved, enduring the greatest pains precisely because of the want of such suffering.
INSTRUCTION WHICH THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN, MOST HOLY MARY, GAVE ME.
261. My dearest daughter, the
wisdom of the flesh has made men ignorant, foolish and hostile to God, because
it is of the devil, deceitful, earthly and rebellious to the divine laws (Rom.
8, 7). The more the children of Adam study and exert themselves to reach the
evil objects of their carnal and animal passions, and to attain the means of
indulging them, so much the more will they fall into ignorance of divine
things, by which alone they can come to their true ultimate end. This ignorance
and worldly prudence is still more abominable and still more hateful in the
eyes of God, when it occurs in the children of the Church. By what right can
the children of this world call themselves sons of God, brethren of Christ and
inheritors of his possessions? The adopted son must be, in all that is
possible, like unto the natural son. A brother is not of different blood or
position from that of his brother. One is not called an heir merely because he
is in some way concerned with the possessions of his father, but because he has
the full enjoyment and comes into the possession of the principal property of
the testator. How then are those heirs of Christ, who love, desire and seek
only earthly goods and are perfectly satisfied with them? How can those be his
brothers, who so widely depart from his position, his teachings and his holy
rule of life? How can they be similar to Him and claim to be his image and
likeness, when they so often destroy in themselves all likeness of Him and
allow themselves to be so often sealed with the image of the infernal beast?
(Apoc. 16, 2). 262. By divine light thou
knowest, my daughter, these truths, and how much I exerted myself to make
myself the image of the Most High, namely, my Son and Lord. Do not think, that
I have given thee such deep insight into my works without some purpose; for it
is my wish that this remain written in thy heart and be forever before thy
eyes, serving thee as a rule for all thy conduct during the remainder of thy
life, which cannot be of very long duration now. Do not allow thyself to be
retarded and snared away from my following by intercourse with creatures; let
them alone, avoid them, despise them in so far as they can hinder thee on thy
way. In order that thou mayest advance in my school, I wish to see thee poor,
humble, despised, abased yet always with a cheerful heart and countenance. Do
not try to repay thyself with the applause or the love of any creature, nor
allow human sentiment to rule thee; for the Most High has not destined thee for
such useless entanglements, or for occupations so lowly and adverse to the
religious state to which He has called thee. Think attentively and humbly of
the tokens of his love received at his hands; and of the treasures of his
grace, which He has showered upon thee. Neither Lucifer nor any of his
ministers and followers are ignorant of them: they are filled with wrath
against thee and in their cunning they will let no stone unturned for thy destruction.
His greatest efforts will be directed against thy interior, where he has
planted his battery of cunning and deceit. Do thou live well prepared and
watchful against all his attacks, close the portals of thy senses and preserve
the authority of thy will, without allowing it to be spent on human
undertakings no matter how good and upright they may appear to thee: for if in
the least point thou curtail the love which God requires of thee, this very
point will be seized upon by thy enemies as a portal of entrance. All the
kingdom of God is within thee (Luke 17, 21), keep it there, and there wilt thou
find it, and in it all the good thou desirest. Forget not my teachings and
discipline, lock it up in thy bosom and remember how great is the danger and
damage from which I thereby wish to preserve thee. That thou art called to
imitate and follow me, is the greatest blessing, which thou canst ever desire.
I am ready in my extreme clemency to grant thee this blessing, if thou dispose
thyself to high resolves, holy words and perfect works, which alone can raise
thee to the state which the Almighty and I desire thee to attain. OUR SAVIOR JESUS GOES TO THE BANKS OF
THE JORDAN, WHERE HE IS BAPTIZED BY SAINT JOHN. SAINT JOHN HIMSELF THEN ASKS TO
BE BAPTIZED BY THE SAVIOR. 263. Leaving his beloved
Mother in the poor dwelling at Nazareth, our Redeemer, without accompaniment of
any human creature, but altogether taken up with the exercise of his most
ardent charity, pursued his journey to the Jordan, where, in the neighborhood
of a town called Bethany, otherwise called Betharaba, on the farther side of
the river, his Precursor was preaching and baptizing. At the first steps from
the house, our Redeemer, raising his eyes to the eternal Father, offered up to
Him anew with an infinite love, whatever He was now about to begin for the
salvation of mankind: his labors, sorrows, passion and death of the Cross,
assumed for them in obedience to the eternal Will, the natural grief at parting
as a true and loving Son from his Mother and at leaving her sweet company,
which for twenty-nine years He had now enjoyed. The Lord of all creation walked
alone, without show and ostentation of human retinue. The supreme King of kings
and Lord of lords (Apoc. 19, 16), was unknown and despised by his own vassals,
vassals so much his own, that they owed their life and preservation entirely to
Him. His royal outfit was nothing but the utmost poverty and destitution. 264. As the Evangelists have
passed over in silence the doings of our Savior during his early years, and so
many other circumstances of his life, which were most real and most worthy of
our attention, and since our gross forgetfulness is so much accustomed to pass
over unnoticed what has not been written, therefore we examine and consider so
little the immensity of his blessings and of his measureless love, by which He
has enriched us so much and has sought us to bind us to Him with so many bonds
of charity (Oseas. 11, 4). O eternal love of the Onlybegotten of the Father! O delight
and life of my soul How little known, and much less acknowledged, is thy most
burning love? Why, O Lord and sweet love of my soul, why dost Thou exhibit so
many artifices of love, so many watchings and sufferings for those whom Thou
needest not and who will neither correspond nor attend to thy favors, not any
more than if they had been offered but deceit or buffoonery? O hearts of men,
more rude and fierce than that of wild beasts! What has hardened you so? What
detains you? What oppresses you and makes you so sluggish that you will not
follow thankfully in the ways of your Benefactor? O lamentable illusion and
aberration of the human understanding! What mortal lethargy has come over it?
Who has blotted out from its memory such infallible truths and such memorable
benefits, and even thy own true happiness? Are we of flesh and have we our
senses? Who has made us more hard and insensible than are the rocks and stony
mountain heights? Why do we not wake up and recover some of our sensibility at
sight of the benefits of our Redemption? At the words of a Prophet the dead
bones came to life and moved about (Ezechiel 37, 10), but we resist the words
and exertions of Him who gives life and being to all. So defective is our
earthly love; so great our forgetfulness! 265. Accept me then, 0 my
Lord, and light of my soul, accept this vile wormlet of the earth, which creeps
along in order to meet thy beautiful footsteps now begun in search of me! By
them thou raisest me to the certain hope of finding in Thee the truth, the way
and the delights of eternal life. I possess nothing wherewith to repay Thee, my
Beloved, except thy own goodness and love and the being which through them Thou
hast given me. Less than thy own Self cannot be paid for the infinite bounty
Thou hast shown to me. Thirsting after thy love I go to meet Thee on the way:
do not, O my Lord and Master, take away or deprive her of the vision of thy
clemency, whom in her poverty Thou hast sought so diligently and lovingly. Life
of my soul and Soul of my life, as I have not been so fortunate as to merit to
see Thee bodily in this life and in that blessed age of thy earthly life, let
me at least be a daughter of thy holy Church, let me be a part of this thy
mystical body and the congregation of thy faithful. In this life, so full of
dangers, in this frail flesh, in these times of calamity and tribulations, do I
live; but I cry out from its profound depths, I sigh from the bottom of my
heart for thy infinite merits. That I shall share them, I have the assurance of
faith, the spur of hope, and the claims of holy charity. Look down then upon
thy humble slave in order to make me thankful for such great blessings, meek of
heart, constant in love, and entirely comfortable and pleasing to thy holy
will. 266. While proceeding on his
way to the Jordan, our Savior dispensed his ancient mercies by relieving the
necessities of body and soul in many of those whom He encountered at different
places. Yet this was always done in secret; for before his Baptism He gave no
public token of his divine power and his exalted office. Before appearing at
the Jordan, He filled the heart of saint John with new light and joy, which
changed and elevated his soul. Perceiving these new workings of grace within
himself, he reflected upon them full of wonder, saying: "What mystery is
this? What presentiments of happiness? From the moment when I recognized the
presence of my Lord in the womb of my mother, I have not felt such stirring of
my soul as now! Is it possible that He is now happily come, or that the Savior
of the world is now near me?" Upon this enlightenment of the Baptist
followed an intellectual vision, wherein he perceived with greater clearness
the mystery of the hypostatic union of the person of the Word with the humanity
and other mysteries of the Redemption. In the fulness of this intellectual
light he gave the testimonies, which are recorded by saint John in his Gospel
and which occurred while the Lord was in the desert and afterwards, when He
returned to the banks of the Jordan. The Evangelist mentions one of these
public testimonies as happening at the interpellation of the Jews, and the
other when the Precursor exclaimed: "Behold the lamb of God," as I
shall narrate later on (John 1,36). Although the Baptist had been instructed in
great mysteries, when he was commanded to go forth to preach and baptize; yet
all of them were manifested to him anew and with greater clearness and
abundance on this occasion, and he was then notified that the Savior of the
world was coming to be baptized. 267. The Lord then joined the
multitude and asked Baptism of saint John as one of the rest. The Baptist knew
Him and, falling at his feet, hesitated, saying: "I have need of being
baptized, and Thou, Lord, askest Baptism of me?" as is recorded by saint
Matthew. But the Savior answered: "Suffer it to be so now. For so it
becometh us to fulfill all justice" (Matth. 3, 14). By thus hesitating to
baptize Christ his Lord and asking Him for Baptism instead, he gave evidence
that he recognized Him as the true Redeemer and there is no contradiction
between this and what saint John records of the Baptist as saying to the Jews:
"And I knew Him not; but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me :
“He, upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit
descending, and remaining, He it is that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I
saw, and I gave testimony that this is the Son of God" (John 1, 33, 34).
There is also no contradiction between these words of saint John and those of
saint Matthew; for the testimony of heaven and the voice of the eternal Father
over Christ on the banks of the Jordan happened when the Precursor had the
vision mentioned in the preceding paragraph. Hence he had not seen Christ
bodily until then and could, therefore, deny having known Christ, at least in
the same way as he then knew Him; for just because he knew Christ then both by
sight and by intellectual vision, he prostrated himself at the feet of the
Savior. 268. When saint John had
finished baptizing our Lord, the heavens opened and the Holy Ghost descended
visibly in the form of a dove upon his head and the voice of his Father was
heard: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matth. 3,
17). Many of the bystanders heard this voice, namely, those who were not
unworthy of such a wonderful favor; they also saw the Holy Ghost descending
upon the Savior. This was the most convincing proof which could ever be given
of the Divinity of the Savior, as well on the part of the Father, who
acknowledged Him his Son, as also in regard to the nature of the testimony
given; for without any reserve was Christ manifested as the true God, equal to
his eternal Father in substance and in perfection. The Father himself wished to
be the first to testify to the Divinity of Christ in order that by virtue of
his testimony all the other witnesses might be ratified. There was also another
mystery in this voice of the eternal Father: it was as it were a restoration of
the honor of his Son before the world and a recompense for his having thus
humiliated Himself by receiving the Baptism of the remission of sins, though He
was entirely free from fault and never could have upon Him the guilt of sin
(Heb. 7, 26). 269. This act of humiliation
in receiving Baptism in the company of those who were sinners, Christ our
Redeemer offered up to the eternal Father as an act of acknowledgment of the
inferiority of his human nature, which, in common with all the rest of the
children of men, He had derived from Adam. By it He also instituted the
sacrament of Baptism, which was to wash away the sins of the world through his
merits. By thus humiliating Himself in this baptism of sins, He sought and
obtained from the eternal Father a general pardon for all those who were to
receive it; He freed them from the power of the demon and of sin, and
regenerated them to a new existence, spiritual and supernatural as adopted sons
of the Most High, brethren of their Redeemer and Lord. The past, present and
future sins of men always remaining in the sight of the eternal Father, had
prevented the effects of this Baptism; but Christ our Lord merited the
application of this so easy and delightful remedy, so that the eternal Father
was obliged to accept it in justice as a complete satisfaction according to all
the requirements of his equity. Christ was also not deterred from thus securing
this remedy by his foreknowledge of the abuse of holy Baptism by so many
mortals in all ages and of its neglect by innumerable others. All these
impediments and hindrances Christ our Lord removed by satisfying for their
offenses, humiliating Himself and assuming the form of a sinner in his Baptism
(Rom. 8, 3). This is the meaning of the words: suffer it to be so now for so it
becometh us to fulfill all justice. Then in order to honor the incarnate Word
and in recompense for his humiliation, and in order to approve of Baptism and
establish its wonderful efficacy, the eternal Father gave forth his voice and
the Holy Ghost descended. Thus was Christ proclaimed as the true Son of God,
and all three Persons of the Holy Trinity ratified the sacramental rite of
Baptism. 270. The great Baptist was
the one who reaped the greatest fruit from these wonders of holy Baptism; for
he not only baptized his Redeemer and Master, saw the Holy Ghost and the
celestial light descending upon the Lord together with innumerable angels,
heard the voice of the Father and saw many other mysteries by divine
revelation: but besides all this, he himself was baptized by the Redeemer. The
Gospel indeed says no more than that he asked for it, but at the same time it
also does not say that it was denied him; for, without a doubt, Christ after
his own Baptism, conferred it also on his Precursor and Baptist. It was He that
instituted this Sacrament afterwards as He made it a general law and enjoined the
public ministration of it upon the Apostles after the Resurrection. As I shall
relate later on, it was also the Lord who baptized his most holy Mother before
its general promulgation, and He, on that occasion, established the form in
which Baptism was to be administered. These facts were made known to me, and
also that saint John was the first fruit of the Baptism of Christ our Lord and
of the new Chrrch, which He founded in this Sacrament. Through it the Baptist
received the character of a Christian together with a great plenitude of grace,
since he had not upon him original sin; for he had been justified by the
Redeemer before he was born, as was said in its place. By the answer of the
Savior: "Suffer it to be so now, that all justice be fulfilled," He
did not refuse, but He deferred saint John's Baptism until He himself should
have been baptized and have fulfilled the requirements of God's justice.
Immediately after his own Baptism He baptized saint John, gave him his
blessing, and betook Himself to the desert. 271. Let us return now to the
main subject of this history, namely, to the occupations of our great Queen and
Lady. As soon as her most holy Son was baptized, although She knew by the
divine light of his movements, the holy angels who had attended upon their Lord
brought Her intelligence of all that had happened at the Jordan; they were
those that carried the ensigns or shields of the passion of the Savior, as
described in the first part. To celebrate all these mysteries of Christ's
Baptism and the public proclamation of his Divinity, the most prudent Mother
composed new hymns and canticles of praise and of incomparable thanksgiving to
the Most High and to the incarnate Word. All his actions of humility and
prayers She imitated, exerting Herself by many acts of her own to accompany and
follow Him in all of them. With ardent charity She interceded for men, that
they might profit by the sacrament of Baptism and that it might be administered
all over the world. In addition to these prayers and hymns of thanksgiving, She
asked the heavenly courtiers to help Her in magnifying her most holy Son for
having thus humiliated Himself in receiving Baptism at the hands of one of his
creatures. INSTRUCTION WHICH THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN,
MOST HOLY MARY, GAVE ME. 272. My daughter, since in
recounting to thee the works of my most holy Son I so often remind thee how
thankfully I appreciated them, thou canst understand how pleasing to the Most
High is the faithful correspondence on thy part, and the great mysteries of his
blessings connected with it. Thou art poor in the house of the Lord, a sinner,
insignificant and useless as dust; yet I ask thee to assume the duty of
rendering ceaseless thanks for all that the incarnate Word has done for the
sons of Adam and for establishing the holy and immaculate, the powerful and
perfect law for their salvation. Especially shouldst thou be thankful for the
institution of Baptism by which He frees men from the tyranny of the devil,
fills them with grace, clothes them with justice and assists them to sin no
more. This is indeed a duty incumbent upon all men in common; but since
creatures neglect it almost entirely, I enjoin thee to give thanks for all of
them, as if thou alone wert responsible for them. Thou art bound to the Lord
for other things to special thankfulness, because He has shown Himself so
generous to none among other nations as He has with thee. In the foundation of
his holy law and of his Sacraments thou wert present in his memory; He called
and chose thee as a daughter of his Church, proposing to nourish thee by his
own blood with infinite love. 273. And if the Author of
grace, my most holy Son, as a prudent and wise Artificer, in order to found his
evangelical Church and lay its first foundations in the sacrament of Baptism,
humiliated Himself, prayed and fulfilled all justice, acknowledging the
inferiority of his human nature; and if, though at the same time God and man,
He hesitated not to lower Himself to the nothingness of which his purest soul
was created and his human being formed: how much must thou humiliate thyself,
who hast committed sins and art less than the dust and despicable ashes?
Confess that in justice thou meritest only punishment, the persecution and
wrath of all the creatures; that none of the mortals who has offended his
Creator and Redeemer can say in truth that any injustice or offense is done to
them if all the tribulations and afflictions of the world from its beginning to
its end were to fall upon them. Since all sinned in Adam (I Cor. 15, 22), how
deeply should they humiliate themselves when the hand of the Lord visits them?
(Job 19, 21). If thou shouldst suffer all the afflictions of men with the
utmost resignation and at the same time wouldst fulfill all that I enjoin upon
thee by my teachings and exhortations with the greatest fidelity, thou
nevertheless must esteem thyself as a useless and unprofitable servant (Luke
17, 10). How much then must thou humiliate thyself when thou failest so much in
thy duty and in the return due to all the blessings received from God? As I
desire thee to make a proper return both for thyself and for others, think well
how much thou art obliged to annihilate thyself to the very dust, not offering
any resistance, nor ever being satisfied until the Most High receive thee as
his daughter and accept thee as such in his own presence and in the celestial
vision of the triumphant Jerusalem. OUR REDEEMER, AFTER HIS BAPTISM, WALKS
TO THE DESERT WHERE, BY THE PRACTICE OF HEROIC VIRTUES, HE GAINS GREAT
VICTORIES OVER OUR VICES; HIS MOST HOLY MOTHER KNOWS OF ALL HIS DOINGS AND
IMITATES HIM MOST PERFECTLY. 274. By the testimony which
the eternal Truth had vouchsafed to give of the Divinity of Christ our Savior,
his Person and his teachings were so fully accredited before men that He could
have immediately begun his public life and his divine activity and miracles, so
that all should have recognized Him as the natural Son of the eternal Father,
as the Messias of the Jews, and the Savior of men. Nevertheless the divine Teacher
of all holiness did not wish to commence his preaching nor to be known as our
Redeemer without having first triumphed over our enemies, over the world, the
demon and the flesh, in order that afterwards He might so much the more easily
overcome the hellish deceits continually spread about by satan. By his heroic
exercises of virtue He wished to give us the first lesson of a Christian and
spiritual life and to teach us by these triumphs of Christian perfection, how
we are to strengthen our weakness and discourage our common enemies by
continued battle and victories, lest we be otherwise delivered over to them by
the fluctuations of our own wills. Although the Lord, as being God, was
infinitely above the demon and, as man without deceit of sin, supremely holy
and the Master over all creation (1 Pet. 2, 22); He nevertheless wished to
overcome in his human nature, by his personal justice and holiness, all the
vices and their author; and, therefore, He offered his most holy humanity to
the buffetings of temptation, concealing his superiority from his invisible
enemies. 275. By his retirement Christ
our Lord began to conquer and taught us to conquer the world; for it is an
established fact that the world is accustomed to forsake those whom it does not
need for its earthly purposes, that it does not seek those who themselves do
not seek it. Therefore, he who really despises the world must show his contempt
by ceasing to have any connection with it in his affections and aspirations.
The Lord vanquished also the flesh, teaching us to overcome it by imposing upon
his most innocent body such a severe and prolonged fast; though his body showed
no rebellion toward the good nor any inclinations to evil. The devil He
vanquished by the preaching of the truth, as I shall explain more fully
afterward; for all the temptations of the father of lies are wont to come
cloaked and veiled in deceitful snares. That the Lord should not enter upon his
public teaching and make Himself known to the world before He had gained his triumphs
over the body is another warning and admonition against the weakness of our
flesh. He wished to caution us against the honors of this world, even those
that accrue to us from supernatural favors, as long as our passions are not
conquered and as long as we have not vanquished our common enemies. For if the
applause of men finds us unfortified and still living under the influence of
the enemies within our own selves, the favors and blessings of the Lord offer
us little security and the wind of vainglory may overturn even the towering
mountains of virtues. It imports much to all men to remember that we carry the
treasures of heaven in most fragile vases (II Cor. 4, 7); and that, if God
wishes to glorify his name by our weakness, He will know by what means He shall
draw his doings to light. Avoidance of the enemy alone is incumbent upon us and
most suitable. 276. Without delay Christ our
Lord pursued his journey from the Jordan to the desert after his Baptism. Only
his holy angels attended and accompanied Him serving and worshipping Him,
singing the divine praises on account of what He was now about to undertake for
the salvation of mankind. He came to the place chosen by Him for his fast: a
desert spot among bare and beetling rocks, where there was also a cavern much
concealed. Here He halted, choosing it for his habitation during the days of
his fast (Matth. 4, 1). In deepest humility He prostrated Himself upon the
ground which was always the prelude of his prayer and that of his most blessed
Mother. He praised the eternal Father and gave Him thanks for the works of his
divine right hand and for having according to his pleasure afforded Him this
retirement. In a suitable manner He thanked even this desert for accepting his
presence and keeping Him hidden from the world during the time He was to spend
there. He continued his prayers prostrate in the form of a cross, and this was
his most frequent occupation in the desert; for in this manner He often prayed
to the eternal Father for the salvation of men. During these prayers, for
reasons which I shall explain when I come to the prayer in the garden, He
sometimes sweated blood. 277. Many of the wild beasts
of the desert came to the neighborhood now inhabited by their Creator; for He
sometimes walked about in these regions. With an admirable instinct they
recognized Him and gave forth their voices, moving about as if in testimony of
his Divinity. But the birds of heaven of which great multitudes gathered around
the Savior, were especially eager in their demonstrations, manifesting their
joy at the blessed presence of their divine King and Lord by their sweet and
loud singing and in divers other ways. After the Savior had begun his fast He
persevered therein without eating anything for forty days, offering up his fast
to the eternal Father as a satisfaction for the disorder and sins to which men
are drawn by the so vile and debasing, yet so common and even so much esteemed
vice of gluttony. Just as our Lord overcame this vice so He also vanquished all
the rest, and He made recompense to the eternal Judge and supreme Legislator
for the injuries perpetrated through these vices by men. According to the
enlightenment vouchsafed to me, our Savior, in order to assume the office of
Preacher and Teacher and to become our Mediator and Redeemer before the Father,
thus vanquished all the vices of mortals and He satisfied the offenses
committed through them by the exercises of the virtues contrary to them, just
as He did in regard to gluttony. Although He continued this exercise during all
his life with the most ardent charity, yet during his fast He directed in a
special manner all his efforts toward this purpose. 278. A loving Father, whose
sons have committed great crimes for which they are to endure the most horrible
punishment, sacrifices all his possessions in order to ward off their impending
fate: so our most loving Father and Brother, Jesus Christ, wished to pay our
debts. In satisfaction for our pride He offered his profound humility; for our
avarice, his voluntary poverty and total privation of all that was his; for our
base and lustful inclinations, his penance and austerity; for our hastiness and
vengeful anger, his meekness and charity toward his enemies; for our negligence
and laziness, his ceaseless labors; for our deceitfulness and our envy, his
candid and upright sincerity and truthfulness and the sweetness of his loving
intercourse. In this manner He continued to appease the just Judge and
solicited pardon for us disobedient and bastard children; and He not only obtained
this pardon for them, but He merited for them new graces and favors, so that
they might make themselves worthy of his company and of the vision of his
Father and his own inheritance for all eternity. Though He could have obtained
all this for us by the most insignificant of his works; yet He acted not like
we. He demonstrated his love so abundantly, that our ingratitude and hardness
of heart will have no excuse. 279. In order to keep
informed of the doings of our Savior the most blessed Mary needed no other
assistance than her continual visions and revelations; but in addition to all
these, She made use of the service of her holy angels, whom She sent to her
divine Son. The Lord himself thus ordered it, in order that, by means of these
faithful messengers, both He and She might rejoice in the sentiments and
thoughts of their inmost hearts faithfully rehearsed by these celestial
messengers; and thus They each heard the very same words as uttered by Each,
although both Son and Mother already knew them in another way. As soon as the
great Lady understood that our Redeemer was on the way to the desert to fulfill
his intention, She locked the doors of her dwelling, without letting anyone
know of her presence; and her retirement during the time of our Lord's fast was
so complete, that her neighbors thought that She had left with her divine Son.
She entered into her oratory and remained there for forty days and nights
without ever leaving it and without eating anything, just as She knew was done
by her most holy Son. Both of them observed the same course of rigorous
fasting. In all his prayers and exercises, his prostrations and genuflections
She followed our Savior, not omitting any of them; moreover She performed them
just at the same time; for, leaving aside all other occupations, She thus
profited by the information obtained from the angels and by that other
knowledge, which I have already described. Whether He was present or not, She
knew the interior operations of the soul of Christ. All his bodily movements,
which She had been wont to perceive with her own senses, She now knew by
intellectual vision or through her holy angels. 280. While the Savior was in
the desert He made every day three hundred genuflections, which also was done
by our Queen Mary in her oratory; the other portions of her time She spent in
composing hymns with the angels, as I have said in the last chapter. Thus
imitating Christ the Lord, the Holy Queen cooperated with Him in all his
prayers and petitions, gaining the same victories over the vices, and on her
part proportionately satisfying for them by her virtues and her exertions. Thus
it happened, that, while Christ as our Redeemer gained for us so many blessings
and abundantly paid all our debts, most holy Mary, as his Helper and our
Mother, lent us her merciful intercession and became our Mediatrix to the
fullest extent possible to a mere creature. INSTRUCTIONS WHICH THE QUEEN AND LADY
GAVE ME. 281. My daughter, corporal
penances are so appropriate and fitted to mortal creatures, that the ignorance
of this truth and the neglect and contempt of bodily mortification cause the
loss of many souls and bring many more into the danger of eternal loss. The
first reason why men should afflict their body and mortify their flesh is their
having been conceived in sin (Ps. 50, 7). By this original sin human nature is
depraved, filled with passions, rebellious to reason, inclined to evil and
adverse to the spirit (Rom. 7, 23). If the soul allows itself to be carried
away by them, it will be precipitated by the first vice into many others. But
if this beastly flesh is curbed by mortification and penance, it loses its
strength and acknowledges the authority of the spirit and the light of truth.
The second reason is that none of the mortals have altogether avoided sinning
against God; and the punishment and retribution must inevitably correspond to
the guilt, either in this life or the next; therefore, as the soul commits sin
in union with the body, it follows that both of them must be punished. The interior
sorrow is not sufficient for atonement, if the flesh seeks to evade the
punishment corresponding to the guilt. Moreover, the debt is so great and the
satisfaction that can be given by the creature so limited and scanty that there
remains continual uncertainty whether the Judge is satisfied even after the
exertions of a whole lifetime: hence, the soul should find no rest to the end
of life. 282. Even though divine
clemency is so liberal with men, that, if they try to satisfy for their sins by
penance as far as their limited capacity goes, God remits their offenses and in
addition thereto has promised the guilty ones new gifts and graces and eternal
rewards: yet his faithful and prudent servants, who really love their Lord, are
constrained voluntarily to add other penances; for the debtor who merely wishes
to do what he is obliged to and adds nothing of his own freewill, certainly
pays his debts, but will remain poor and destitute, if after payment of his
debts nothing remains. What then are those to expect, who neither pay nor make
any efforts towards paying? The third reason for bodily mortification, and the
most urgent one, is the duty of Christians to imitate their divine Teacher and
Master. Moreover, my divine Son and I, without being guilty of any faults, or
bad inclinations, devoted ourselves to labors and made our lives a continual
practice of penance and mortification of the flesh. It was thus that the Lord
saw fit to attain the glory of his body and of his holy name, and He wished me
to follow Him in all things. If We then pursued such a course of life because
it was reasonable, what must be thought of mortals that seek nought but
sweetness and delight, and abhor all penances, affronts, ignominies, fasting
and mortification? Shall then only Christ, our Lord, and I suffer all these
hardships while the guiltladen debtors and deservers of all these punishments
throw themselves head over heels into the filth of their carnal inclinations?
Shall they employ their faculties, given to them for the service of Christ, my
Lord, and for his following, merely in dancing attendance on their lusts and
the devil, who has introduced evil into the world? This absurd position,
maintained by the children of Adam, is the cause of great indignation in the
just Judge. 283. It is true, my daughter,
that by the bodily afflictions and mortifications of my most blessed Son, the
defects and deficiencies of human merits have been atoned for; and that He
wished me, as a mere creature and as one taking the place of other creatures,
to cooperate with Him most perfectly and exactly all in his penances and
exercises. But this was not in order to exempt men from the practice of
penance, but in order to encourage them to it; for in order merely to save
them, it was not necessary to suffer so much. Our blessed Savior, as a true
Father and Brother, wished also to enhance the labors and penances of those who
were to follow in his footsteps; for the efforts of creatures are of little
value in the eyes of God unless they are made precious by the merits of Christ.
If this is true of works which are entirely virtuous and perfect, how much more
is it true of those which are infected with so many faults and deficiencies,
even in the greatest acts of virtue, as ordinarily performed by the children of
Adam? For in the works of even the most spiritual and virtuous persons many
deficiencies occur. These deficiencies are made good by the merits of Christ,
our Lord, so that the works of men may become acceptable to the eternal Father.
But those who neglect good works and remain altogether idle can by no means
expect to apply to themselves the good works of Christ; for they have in
themselves nothing that can be perfected by the works of Christ, but only such
things as deserve condemnation. I do not sneak now, my daughter, of the
damnable error of some of the faithful, who have introduced into the works of
penance the sensuality and vanity of the world, so that they merit greater
punishment for their penance than for their sins, since they foster in their
penances vain and imperfect purposes and forget the supernatural ends of
penance, which alone give value to penance and life to the soul. On some other
occasion, if necessary, I will speak of this error; do thou now deplore this
blindness and labor with great zeal; for if thy labors were even as great as
that of the Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, they would be no greater than they
should be. Chastise thy body with ever greater severity, and remember that thou
art deficient in many things, while thou hast but a short life and art so weak
and incapable of repaying thy debts. AFTER HIS FAST THE LORD ALLOWS HIMSELF TO BE TEMPTED
BY LUCIFER; CHRIST VANQUISHES HIM, AND HIS MOST HOLY MOTHER IS KEPT INFORMED OF
ALL THAT HAPPENS. 284. In the twentieth chapter
I have related how Lucifer came forth from the infernal caverns in order to
find and tempt the divine Master. I mentioned also that the Lord concealed
Himself in the desert, where, after a fast of about forty days, He permitted
the tempter to approach Him, as told by the Evangelists (Matth. 4, 2). Coming
to the desert and finding the object of his search alone, Lucifer was highly
rejoiced; for he found Jesus separated from his Mother, whom he and his
satellites esteemed their Enemy on account of the defeats they had suffered at
her hands. As he never had entered into any contest with the Lord, and as Mary
was absent, the dragon in his pride accounted his victory secure. But when
Lucifer and the other demons observed their Opponent more closely, they began
to feel great fear and discouragement. Not because they recognized his
Divinity, for of this they had no suspicions as long as they saw Him so
despised; nor because of any previous experience with Him, for as yet they had
measured their forces only with the heavenly Queen; but because they saw
manifested in his exterior so much reserve and so much majesty, and because his
actions were so perfect and heroic, that they inspired great fear and dread.
His behavior and his condition were totally different from those of other men,
whom they had tempted and easily overcome. Lucifer conferred about these
matters with his demons, saying: "What manner of man is this, who is so
adverse to the vices by which we assail other men? If He is so forgetful of the
world and has his flesh in such entire subjection and control, how shall we
find any opening for our temptations? How shall we hope for victory, if He has
deprived us of the weapons, by which we make warfare among men? I have many
misgivings about this contest." So great is the value and power of
contempt of the world and subjection of the flesh, that they fill with terror
the devil and all hell; and the demons would not rise up against us in such
pride, if they would not find men subject to these tyrants before he comes to
tempt them. 285. Christ the Savior
permitted Lucifer to remain under the false impression, that He was a mere
human creature though very holy and just; He wished to raise his courage and
malice for the contest, for such is the effect of any advantages espied by the
devil in his attacks upon the victims of his temptations. Rousing his courage
by his own arrogance, he began this battle in the wilderness with greater
prowess and fierceness than the demons ever exhibited in their battles with men.
Lucifer and his satellites strained all their power and malice, lashing
themselves into fury against the superior strength which they soon found in
Christ our Lord. Yet our Savior tempered all his actions with divine wisdom and
goodness, and in justice and equity concealed the secret source of his infinite
power, exhibiting just so much as would suffice to prove Him to be a man so far
advanced in holiness as to be able to gain these victories against the infernal
foes. In order to begin the battle as man, He directed a prayer to the eternal
Father from his inmost soul, to which the intelligence of the demon could not
penetrate, saying: "My Father and eternal God, I now enter into battle
with the enemy in order to crush his power and humble his pride and his malice
against my beloved souls. For thy glory and for the benefit of souls I submit
to the daring presumption of Lucifer. I wish thereby to crush his head in order
that when mortals are attacked by his temptations without their fault, they may
find his arrogance already broken. I beseech Thee, my Father, to remember my
battle and victory in favor of mortals assailed by the common enemy. Strengthen
their weakness through my triumph, let them obtain victory; let them be
encouraged by my example, and let them learn from Me how to resist and overcome
their enemies." 286. During this battle the
holy angels that attended upon Christ were hidden from the sight of Lucifer, in
order that he might not begin to understand and suspect the divine power of our
Savior. The holy spirits gave glory and praise to the Father and the Holy
Ghost, who rejoiced in the works of the incarnate Word. The most blessed Virgin
also from her oratory witnessed the battle in the manner to be described below.
The temptation of Christ began on the thirtyfifth day of his fast in the
desert, and lasted to the end of the fast, as related by the Evangelists.
Lucifer assumed the shape of a man and presented himself before the Lord as a
stranger, who had never seen or known Him before. He clothed himself in
refulgent light, like that of an angel, and, conjecturing that the Lord after
his long fast must be suffering great hunger, he said to Him: If Thou be the
Son of God, command that these stones be made bread" (Matth. 4, 3). By
thus cunningly resting his advice on the supposition of his being the Son of
God, the demon sought some information on what was giving him the greatest
concern. But the Savior of the world answered only in these few words:
"Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from
the mouth of God." Christ took the words from the eighth chapter of
Deuteronomy. But the devil did not penetrate into the meaning given to these
words by Christ for Lucifer understood Him to mean, that God could sustain the
life of man without bread or any other nourishment. But though this was also
the true signification of these words, yet our divine Master included a much
deeper meaning; desiring by these words to say to the devil: This Man, with
whom thou speakest, lives in the word of God, which is the divine Word,
hypostatically united to his humanity. Though that was precisely what the
Lucifer desired so much to know, he did not deserve to understand the words of
the Godman, because He did not wish to adore Him as true God. 287. Lucifer found himself
repulsed by the force of this answer and by the hidden power which accompanied
it; but he wished to show no weakness, nor desist from the contest. The Lord
allowed the demon to continue in his temptation and for this purpose permitted
Himself to be carried by the devil bodily to Jerusalem and to be placed on the
pinnacle of the temple. Here the Lord could see multitudes of people, though He
himself was not seen by anybody. Lucifer tried to arouse in the Lord the vain
desire of casting Himself down from this high place, so that the crowds of men,
seeing Him unhurt, might proclaim Him as a great and wonderful man of God.
Again using the words of the holy Scriptures, he said to Him: "If Thou be
the Son of God, cast Thyself down, for it is written (Ps. 90, 11): that He hath
given his angels charge over Thee, and in their hands they shall bear Thee up,
lest perhaps Thou dash thy foot against a stone" (Matth. 4, 6). The
heavenly spirits who accompanied their King, were full of wonder, that He
should permit Lucifer to carry Him bodily in his hands, solely for the benefit
of mortal man. With the prince of darkness were gathered innumerable demons;
for on that occasion hell was almost emptied of its inhabitants in order to
furnish assistance for this enterprise. The Author of wisdom answered: "It
is also written: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God" (Deut. 6, 16).
While giving these answers the Redeemer of the world exhibited a matchless
meekness, profoundest humility, and a majesty so superior to all the attempts
of satan, as was of itself alone sufficient to crush Lucifer's arrogance and to
cause him torments and confusion never felt before. 288. Being thus foiled, he
attacked our Lord in still another way, seeking to rouse his ambition by
offering Him some share in his dominion. For this purpose he took the Lord upon
a high mount, from whence could be seen many lands, and said to Him with
perfidious daring: "All these will I give to Thee, if falling down, Thou
wilt adore me" (Matth. 4, 9). Exorbitant boldness, and more than insane
madness and perfidy! Offering to the Lord what he did not possess, nor ever
could give, since the earth, the stars, the kingdoms, principalities, riches
and treasures, all belong to the Lord, and He alone can give or withhold them
when it serves and pleases Him! Never can Lucifer give anything, even not of
the things of the earth, and therefore all his promises are false. The King and
Lord answered with imperial majesty: "Begone, satan, for it is written:
The Lord thy God thou shalt adore, and Him only shalt thou serve." By this
command, "Begone satan," Christ the Redeemer took away from Lucifer
permission further to tempt Him, and hurled him and all his legions into the
deepest abysses of hell. There they found themselves entirely crushed and
buried in its deepest caverns, unable to move for three days. When they were
permitted again to rise, seeing themselves thus vanquished and annihilated,
they began to doubt whether He, who had so overwhelmed them, might not be the
incarnate Son of God. In this doubt and uncertainty they remained, without ever
being able to come to certain conviction until the death of the Savior. Lucifer
was overcome by hellish wrath at his defeat and was almost consumed in his
fury. 289. Our divine Conqueror
Christ then sang hymns of praise and thanks to the eternal Father for having
given Him this triumph over the common enemy of God and man; and amid the
triumphal songs of a multitude of angels, He was borne back to the desert. They
carried Him in their hands, although He had not need of their help, since He
could make use of his own divine power; but this service of the angels was due
to Him in recompense for enduring the audacity of Lucifer in carrying to the
pinnacle of the temple and to the mountain top the sacred humanity of Christ,
in which dwelt substantially and truly the Divinity itself. It would never have
entered into the thoughts of man, that the Lord should give such a permission
to satan, if it had not been made known to us in the Gospels. But I do not know
which deserves the greater astonishment: that He should consent to be carried
about from one place to another by Lucifer, who did not know Him; or that He
should allow Himself to be sold by Judas, or to be received in the holy
Sacrament by this treacherous disciple and by so many sinful members of the
Church, who do know Him to be their God and yet receive Him unworthily. What we
certainly must wonder at, is that He permitted as well the one as the other and
that He continues to permit it for our benefit and in order to draw us to Him
by his meekness and by his patient love. O sweetest master of my soul! How
sweet, and kind, and merciful art Thou not toward the souls! (Joel 2, 13). Out
of purest love Thou didst descend from heaven to earth for them, Thou didst
suffer and give away thy life for their salvation. Mercifully Thou waitest for
them and bearest with them, Thou callest and seekest after them; Thou receivest
them and dost enter into their bosom; Thou yieldest Thyself entirely to them
and anxiously desirest them to be thine. What transfixes and bursts my heart,
is that, while Thou seekest to draw us to Thee out of pure love, we fly from
Thee and respond to all Thy excesses of love only by ingratitude. O immense
love of my God, so badly repaid and so little acknowledged! Give me, O Lord,
fountains of tears to weep over this wrong, which is so deeply to be deplored,
and let all the just of the earth help me. When the Lord had been carried back
to the desert, the angels, according to the Gospel, ministered unto Him (Matth.
4, 11); for at the end of his temptation and fast they served Him with a
celestial food, in order that his sacred body might again be invigorated. Not
only were the angels present to rejoice at this divine banquet, but also the
birds of the desert came in order to contribute to the recreation of their
Creator by their harmonious songs and graceful movements; and in their own way
the wild animals of the desert joined them, throwing off their native wildness and
producing their joyful antics and sounds in acknowledgment of the victory of
their Lord. 290. Let us return to
Nazareth, where, in her oratory, the Princess of the angels had witnessed the
battles of her most holy Son. She had seen them all by the divine light already
described and by the uninterrupted messages of her angels, who brought them
back and forth between the Savior and the blessed Queen. She repeated the same
prayers as the Lord and at the same time. She entered likewise into the
conflict with the dragon, although invisibly and spiritually. From her retreat
She anathemized and crushed Lucifer and his followers, cooperating in all the
doings of Christ in our favor. When She perceived that the demon carried the
Lord from place to place, She wept bitterly, because the malice of sin reduced
the King of kings to such misusage. In honor of all the victories, which He
gained over the devil, She composed hymns of praise to the Divinity and the
most holy humanity of Christ, while the angels set them to music and were sent
with them to congratulate Him for the blessings won for the human race. Christ
on his part sent back the angels with words of sweet consolation and rejoicing
on account of his triumphs over Lucifer. 291. And since She had been
his faithful companion and sharer in his labors and fasts of the desert, the
Lord sent Her some of the celestial food and commanded the angels to present
and minister it to Her. Wonderful to record, the great multitudes of the birds
that had gathered around the Savior, flew after these angels with a heavier,
yet an exceedingly swift flight, and entered the dwelling of the Queen of
heaven and earth; and while the blessed Lady partook of the food sent to her by
her Son, they sang and chirped before our Lady in the same way as they had done
in the presence of the Savior. The most holy Virgin tasted the heavenly food,
now even more precious to Her, since it came from and was blessed by the hands
of her Son; and by it She was again rejoiced and strengthened after her long
and rigorous fast. She gave thanks to the Almighty and humiliated Herself to
the very earth; and the acts of her virtue were so heroic and excellent, that
our words and conceptions are not able to encompass them. We shall see them in
their true light, when we shall rejoice with the Lord; then we shall give glory
and praise for these ineffable blessings, as is due Him from all the human
race. QUESTION WHICH I ASKED THE QUEEN OF
HEAVEN, MOST HOLY MARY. 292. Queen of all the heavens
and Mistress of the universe, thy kind condescension emboldens me to ask Thee,
as my Teacher and Mother, for information concerning a certain doubt raised in
my mind by the mention of the celestial food, which the angels served to the
Savior in the desert. I understood it to be of the same quality as that served
to Thee and to the Lord on other occasions, when the ordinary food was wanting.
I have called it celestial food, because I had no other name for it; yet I do
not know if that name is appropriate. For I am uncertain whence this food was
procured and what was its nature. In heaven I understand, there is no need of
bodily food, for there the earthly mode of sustaining life is not continued.
Although the blessed enjoy also sensible delight from created objects, and also
the taste must have its proper function in heaven just as the other senses, I
suspect that its pleasures are not derived from the eating of food, but from
some overflow of the soul's glory into the body and its senses. Thus the
grossness and imperfection of the senses in mortal life have no share in their
heavenly activity and in its objects. Of all this, I, being so ignorant, desire
to be informed by thy motherly kindness and condescension. ANSWER AND INSTRUCTION GIVEN ME BY THE
HEAVENLY LADY. 293. My daughter, thou hast
well doubted: for it is true, that in heaven no material food or nourishment is
used, as thou hast already understood and declared. The food which the angels
brought to my holy Son and to me, was truly a heavenly food, and I myself have
suggested this name to thee, because the strength of this food is heavenly and
not earthly, where everything is gross, very material and limited. It will help
thee to understand something of the quality of this food, and the manner of its
creation, when I tell thee, that the Lord, to supply our wants, made use of
some created material, most ordinarily water, on account of its clearness and
simple composition; for the Lord does not require complicated matter for his
miracles. At other times it was bread or some kinds of fruit. These materials
He furnished with such a power and such qualities of taste, that they exceeded,
as heaven does the earth, all the delicacies here below. There is nothing in
the world which can be compared to them; for all other food is insipid and strength
less in comparison to this celestial food. To understand this the better,
consider the examples mentioned in holy Scripture: for instance the food given
to Elias, by the strength of which he walked for forty days and nights to mount
Horeb; the manna, which was called the bread of the angels, because they
prepared it by condensing the vapors of the earth (Exod. 16, 14) and thus
condensed and shaped like grain, they showered it upon the earth. It possessed
a great variety of tastes, as Scripture tells us, and it was very nourishing to
the body. Also the water converted into wine by the most holy Son at the
nuptials of Cana was of such good taste and strength, that it excited the
admiration of the guests (John 2, 10). 294. In the same way as the
Lord gave a supernatural excellence to the water and turned it into a most
sweet and delicate liquor, so He also gave a spiritual strength to the bread or
the fruit. Such nourishment restored the waste of bodily strength and delighted
the senses in an admirable manner, renewing their vigor and fitting them for
labors and difficulties without causing the least loathing or inconvenience.
This kind of food was ministered by the holy angels to my most holy Son after
his fast, and this I and my spouse Joseph received on different occasions. The
Almighty showed the same favor also to some of his friends and servants,
rejoicing them with heavenly food, although not so frequently and in so
wonderful a manner as He did Us. Thy doubt is then answered; but now listen to
the instruction pertaining to this chapter. 295. In order to understand
better what thou hast written, thou must keep in mind three motives of our Lord
in entering upon this battle with Lucifer, and this understanding will furnish
thee great light and strength against Satan and his followers. His first motive
was to destroy sin and the seeds of sin, sown in the human nature by satan in
the first transgression of Adam. These seeds are the seven capital vices:
pride, avarice, lust and the others, being the seven heads of the dragon.
Lucifer appointed an infernal chieftain over each one of these vices in the
battle of hell against the human race, and the evil spirits were distributed
into squadrons under these leaders in order to maintain the sort of orderly
confusion, which I have described in the first part of this heavenly history
(Part I, No. 103). Accordingly my divine Son entered into conflict with each
one of these princes of darkness, vanquishing them and destroying their power.
In the Gospels only three temptations are mentioned, being those which are more
manifest to the senses; but the conflict and the triumph was far more
extensive, for Christ our Lord overcame all these princes and their vices.
Pride He overcame by his humility; anger, by his meekness; avarice, by his
contempt for riches; and all the other vices, by their corresponding virtues.
The greatest defeat and consternation, however, overtook these enemies at the
foot of the Cross, when they became certain that it was the incarnate Word who
had conquered and crushed them. Since that time they are timid in entering into
conflict with those men, who rely on the power and triumph of my Son. 296. The second motive for
engaging in this conflict was obedience to the command of the eternal Father,
who not only wished Him to die for men, and redeem them by his Passion and
Death, but also to enter into battle with the demons and vanquish them by the
force of his incomparable virtues. The third motive, and the one that was
consequent upon the second, was to furnish mankind an example and a model for
triumphing over their enemies and to take away from all men any cause of wonder
or surprise at being tempted and persecuted by the devils. He wished that all
should have this consolation in their temptations and conflicts, that their
Redeemer and Teacher first suffered them in his own Person (Heb. 4, 15); for,
though in some respects his temptations were different from ours, yet in
substance, they were entirely the same, only of greater satanic force and
malice. My Lord permitted Lucifer to strain all his powers in his battle with
Him, in order that by his divine power He might crush and enfeeble hell in its
battles against mankind, making it more easy for us to overcome them, if we
wish to avail ourselves of the advantages gained by this very conflict of our
Redeemer. 297. All mortals have need of
this instruction, if they are to vanquish the demon; but thou, my daughter,
needest it more than many generations on account of the wrath of this dragon
against thee and on account of thy natural weakness in battle, when not
assisted by my teaching and this example. Before all see that thou keep in
subjection thy flesh and the influences of the world. Mortifying thy flesh and
flying the world by retiring from creatures to the interior of thy soul, thus
conquering both these enemies and preserving the blessed light of grace, which
thou there receivest, and loving nothing except in as far as well ordered
charity permits. For this purpose renew in thyself the memory of the narrow
path pointed out to thee; for the Lord has given thee a natural faculty of
ardent love, and We wish that thou consecrate this faculty entirely to the love
of God. Consent not to any movement of thy appetites, no matter in how small a
matter; and allow thy senses no liberty, except for the exaltation of the Most
High, or for suffering or doing something for the benefit and love of thy
neighbor. If thou obey me in all things, I will see that thou art protected and
strengthened against this cruel dragon for the battles of the Lord (I King 25,
28). A thousand shields will surround thee both for defense and offense against
the demon. Accustom thyself always to use against him the words of holy Writ,
not deigning to exchange many words with such an astute enemy. Weak creatures
should not indulge in conferences or arguments with their mortal enemy and the
master of lies; since even my divine Son, who was Allpowerful and infinitely
wise, did not do so. In this He gave the souls an example how circumspectly
they are to act with the devil. Arm thyself with living faith, unwavering hope
and love of humility, for these are the virtues by which the dragon is crushed
and vanquished and against which he dares not make a stand. He flies from them
because they are powerful weapons against his pride and arrogance. CHRIST OUR REDEEMER LEAVES THE DESERT
AND RETURNS TO THE PLACE WHERE SAINT JOHN WAS BAPTIZING. HIS OCCUPATION UNTIL
HE CALLS THE FIRST DISCIPLES. THE BLESSED VIRGIN KNOWS OF ALL HIS DOINGS AND
IMITATES THEM. 298. Christ our Redeemer,
having triumphed over the devil and all his vices and having attained the high
and mysterious ends of his retirement and fast in the desert, now resolved to
leave his solitude in order to pursue the further works enjoined upon Him by
the eternal Father for the Redemption of man. In taking leave of the desert, He
prostrated Himself upon the ground, praising the eternal Father and giving Him
thanks for all that He had done through his sacred humanity for the glory of
the Divinity and for the benefit of the human race. He added also a fervent
prayer for all those who would, in imitation of Him, retire either for their
whole life or for some time, into solitude, and far from the world and its
allurements follow Him in contemplation and holy exercises for their spiritual
advancement. The Father in heaven promised his favors and his words of eternal
life as well as his special helps and his blessings of sweetness to all those,
who on their part dispose themselves properly to receive and correspond with
them. Having said this prayer the Savior, as true man, asked permission to
leave the desert and attended by the holy angels He departed. 299. The Master directed his
most faithful steps toward the Jordan, where his great Precursor saint John was
still preaching and baptizing. By his presence and appearance there He wished
to secure new testimony of his mission and Divinity through the mouth of saint
John. Moreover He was drawn by his own love to see and speak with him, for
during his Baptism the heart of the Precursor had become inflamed and wounded
by the divine love of the Savior, which so resistlessly attracted all
creatures. In the hearts which were well disposed, as was that of saint John,
the fire of love burned with so much the greater ardor and violence. When the
Baptist saw the Savior coming to him the second time, his first words were
those recorded by the Evangelist: "Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who
taketh away the sin of the world." Saint John gave this testimony while
pointing out the Lord with his finger to those who were listening to his
instructions and were receiving Baptism at his hands. He added: "This is
He of whom I said: after me there cometh a Man, who is preferred before me;
because He was before me. And I knew Him not; but that He may be made manifest
in Israel, therefore I am come baptizing with water." 300. These words the Baptist
spoke, because before Jesus had come to be baptized, he had not seen Him, nor
received any revelations concerning his coming, as was the case on this
occasion and as I have said in chapter the twenty-fourth. He continued to speak
of Christ, telling the bystanders how he had seen the Holy Ghost descend upon
the Lord in Baptism, and how he had given testimony of his being Christ the Son
of God (John 1, 2932). For while Jesus was in the desert the Jews had sent to
Him the embassy from Jerusalem, which is spoken of in the first chapter of the
Gospel of saint John, asking him, who he was and the other questions there recorded.
The Baptist answered that he was baptizing in water, but that in their midst
had been One whom they knew not (for Christ had been among them at the Jordan).
This One, saint John said, was to come later, whose shoelatches he was not
worthy to loosen. Hence, when saint John again saw the Savior returning from
the desert, he called Him the Lamb of God and referred to the testimony, which
shortly before he had given to the Pharisees, at the same time adding, that he
had seen the Holy Ghost descending upon his head, as had been promised him by
revelation beforehand. Both saint Matthew and saint Luke also mention, that the
voice of the Father was heard at his Baptism, whereas saint John the Apostle
mentions only the appearance of the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove; for he
wished to record merely the words of saint John to the Jews in regard to
Christ. 301. The Queen of heaven, in
her retirement, knew of this faithful testimony of the Precursor in denying,
that he himself was the Christ and in asserting the Divinity of her Son. In
return She begged the Lord to reward his faithful servant John. The Almighty
granted her prayer, for the holy Baptist was raised above all the womanborn in
the esteem of the Most High. Because saint John refused the honors offered to
him, the Lord conferred upon him the highest honor that is possible to give to
a man next to the Redeemer. On this occasion, when the Baptist saw the Savior
the second time, he was filled with new and vast graces of the Holy Ghost. Some
of the bystanders, when they heard him say: "Behold the Lamb of God,"
were strongly moved and asked him many questions; but, the Savior, permitting
him to inform his hearers of the truth as explained above, turned away and left
this place to go to Jerusalem. Jesus was but a very short time near the
Precursor. He did not go directly to the holy city; but for many days He
tarried in smaller towns, teaching the people and in a veiled manner telling
them, that the Messias was already in the world. He directed them on the way of
salvation, and induced many to seek the Baptism of John, in order to prepare
themselves by penance for the coming Redemption. 302. The Evangelists say
nothing of the time and of the doings of Christ immediately after his fast. But
I have been informed, that the Savior remained about ten months in Judea before
He returned to Nazareth in order to see his blessed Mother. Nor did He enter
Galilee until He had again allowed Himself to be seen by saint John, who for
the second time proclaimed Him as the Lamb of God. This time it was done in the
hearing of Andrew and the first Apostles; and immediately afterward He called
Philip, as related by John the Evangelist (John I, 3643). These ten months the
Savior spent in enlightening the souls and preparing them by his helps, his
teaching and admirable blessings, stirring them up from their stupor, so that
afterwards, when He should begin to work miracles, He might find them more
ready to believe and follow Him as their Redeemer. Many of those whom He had
during this time catechized and instructed, really became his followers. He did
not speak with the pharisees and scribes during this time; for they were not so
well disposed to believe that the Messias had come. They did not admit such
belief even afterwards, when this truth had been confirmed by his preaching and
when his miracles and other testimonies had so clearly given witness to Christ
our Lord (Matth. 11, 5). To the humble
and the poor, who on account of their station of life merited to be the first
to be evangelized and instructed (Luke 4, 18), the Savior preached during these
ten months in the kingdom of Judea; to them He showed his merciful1iberality
not only by individual instruction, but by his hidden favors and private
miracles. Hence they received Him as a great Prophet and a holy Man. He stirred
the hearts of innumerable persons to forsake sin and to seek the kingdom of
God, which was now approaching. 303. Our blessed Lady
remained during all this time in Nazareth, knowing of all the doings of her Son;
She was kept informed of them not only by the divine light, of which I have
spoken, but also by the messages brought to Her by her thousand angels, who,
during the absence of the Redeemer, always appeared to Her in bodily forms. In
order to imitate Him perfectly, She left her solitude at the same time as the
Savior. Though She could not grow in love, yet, after the overthrow of the
demons through our Lord's fasting and other virtues, She manifested it by
greater fervor. The heavenly Mother having received new increase of grace,
ardently set about imitating all the works of her Son for the benefit of the
human race and acting as his messenger in the manifestation of his office as
Redeemer of mankind. Accompanied by her angels, filled with the plenitude of
wisdom and furnished with the power of Mistress of the universe, She went forth
from her house in Nazareth to the neighboring places and performed great
miracles, although in a hidden manner, just as the incarnate Word was doing in
Judea. She spoke of the advent of the Messias without revealing who He was; She
instructed many in the way of life, drew them from their sins, put to flight
the demons, enlightened the erring and the ignorant and prepared them for the
Redemption by inducing them to believe in its Author. To these spiritual works
of mercy She added many bodily blessings, healing the sick, consoling the
afflicted, visiting the poor. Though She labored mostly among the women, yet
She benefited also many of the men, who, if they were despised and poor, were
not deprived of her aid and of the happiness of being visited by the Sovereign
of the angels and of all the universe. 304. In imitation of all that
the Lord was doing in Judea, She also went about on foot spending nearly all
this time on her excursions, yet She returned a few times to her dwelling in
Nazareth. During these ten months She ate very little; for, as I have indicated
in the preceding chapter, She had been so satiated and strengthened by the
celestial food sent to Her by her Son from the desert, that She was enabled not
only to travel afoot to many places and over great distances, but also to
abstain from other nourishment. The blessed Lady likewise knew of the doings of
saint John while preaching and baptizing on the banks of the Jordan. Several
times She sent him a multitude of her angels in order to encourage him and
thank him for the loyalty he had shown to her Lord and Son. In the midst of all
these occupations the loving Mother suffered great agonies of desire to enjoy
the sight and the presence of her most holy Son; while the heart of Jesus in
return was wounded by the clamors of her chaste and heavenly love. Before
returning to visit Her and before beginning his public preaching and miracles,
happened what I shall relate in the following chapter. INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO ME BY THE QUEEN OF
HEAVEN, MOST HOLY MARY. 305. I will give thee two
important lessons deducted from this chapter. First, love solitude and seek it
with particular affection in order that thou mayest partake of the blessings
promised and merited by my divine Son for those who imitate Him therein. As far
as possible, when thou art not obliged to converse with thy neighbor in virtue
of obedience always try to be alone; and when thou art obliged to come out of
thy retirement and solitude, carry it with thee in the secret of thy heart in
such a manner that thy senses and thy occupations shall not deprive thee of it.
Attend to thy outward employments as if they were to be done only in passing,
and consider thy retirement as something which is to be permanent; for this
purpose thou must not allow the images of creatures to enter thy mind, for,
very often, they occupy the mind more completely than the objects themselves,
and they always embarrass the soul and take away from it the liberty of the
heart. It is unworthy of thee to let thy heart be interested in anything or be
taken up by any creature. My divine Son wishes to be in it all alone and this
is also what I desire. My second lesson is that thou learn to set a proper value
on thy soul, in order to preserve it in its purity and innocence. Over and
above this, however, although it is my will that thou labor for the
justification of all men, I wish that thou, in imitation of my Son and of me,
busy thyself especially with the poor and despised of this world. These little
ones often beg for the bread of counsel and instruction (Thren. 4, 4), and they
find none to give it to them, as do the rich and powerful of the earth who have
many to advise them. Of these poor and despised ones many come to thee; admit
them with true compassion; console them kindly, so that, in their simplicity,
they may follow enlightened counsel; for counsel is to be administered to the
better instructed in a different way. Seek to gain those souls, who, on account
of their temporal necessities, are so much the more precious in the eyes of
God; I wish that thou labor incessantly, that they and all others may not waste
the fruit of Redemption; nor do thou ever rest from this labor; be ready even
to die, if necessary, to advance this enterprise. CHRIST, OUR REDEEMER, BEGINS TO CALL AND
SELECT HIS DISCIPLES IN THE PRESENCE OF THE BAPTIST, AND COMMENCES TO PREACH.
THE MOST HIGH COMMANDS HIS BLESSED MOTHER TO FOLLOW HIM. 306. Our Savior, having visited
the villages in Judea for ten months after his fast, now resolved to manifest
Himself to the world; not that He had spoken exclusively only in private of the
truths of eternal life ; but He had not until then proclaimed Himself publicly
as the Messias and the Master of life, whereas now the time for doing so,
according to the decrees of infinite Wisdom, had arrived. Hence the Lord sought
again the presence of his Precursor John, in order that through his testimony
(since such was his office in the world), the light might be manifested in the
darkness (John 1, 5). By divine revelation the Baptist knew of this visit of
the Savior and of his intention to make Himself known to the world as the
Redeemer and the true Son of the eternal Father. When, therefore, saint John
saw Him coming he exclaimed in wonderful joy of his spirit to his disciples:
"Ecce Agnus Dei," "Behold the Lamb of God." This testimony
referred not only to his previous identical words in regard to Christ, but also
presupposed the more particular instructions which he had given to his close
disciples. It was as if he said to them: Here now you see the Lamb of God, of
whom I have spoken to you, who has come to redeem the world and open the way to
heaven. This was the last time that the Baptist saw the Savior in the natural
way; but Christ appeared to him just before his death, as I shall relate
farther on. 307. The two first disciples
of Christ who were with saint John at the time, heard this testimony and, moved
by it and by the light and grace interiorly imparted to them, they began to
follow the Lord. Benignantly turning to them the Lord asked them, what they
sought (John, 1, 38). They answered that they wished to know where He lived;
and the Lord bade them follow. They were with Him that day as saint John tells
us. One of them, he says, was saint Andrew, the brother of saint Peter; the
other he does not mention. But I was made to understand that it was saint John
himself, who, in his great modesty, did not wish to give his name. These two, then,
saint John and saint Andrew, were the first fruits of the Baptist's apostolate,
being the first of the disciples of the Baptist who followed the Savior in
consequence of his express testimony and without being outwardly called by the
Lord. Saint Andrew immediately sought his brother Simon and took him along,
saying that he had found the Messias, who called Himself Christ. Looking upon
Peter He said: "Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is interpreted Peter." All this happened within the confines
of Judea and on the next day the Lord entered Galilee. There He found saint
Philip and called him to his following. Philip immediately sought Nathanael and
brought him to Jesus, telling him what had happened and that they had found the
Messias in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth, Nathanael, having spoken with the
Lord as recorded in the first chapter of saint John's Gospel, joined as the
fifth of the disciples of Christ. 308. With these five
disciples, the first stones in the foundation of the new Church, Christ, the
Savior, entered Galilee for the purpose of beginning his public preaching and
baptizing. In the Apostles thus called He enkindled, from the moment of their
joining the Master, a new light and fire of divine love and showered upon them
the sweetness of his blessings (Ps, 20, 4). It is not possible worthily to
describe the labors undergone by the divine Teacher in the vocation and
education of these and of the other disciples, in order to found upon them the
Church. He sought them out with great diligence and solicitude; He urged them
on frequently by the powerful and efficacious help of his grace; He enlightened
their hearts and enriched them with incomparable gifts and blessings; He
received them with admirable kindness; He nourished them with the sweetest milk
of his doctrines; He bore with them with invincible patience; He caressed them
as a most loving Father caresses his tender and darling sons. As our nature is
base and uncouth material for the exalted and exquisite aspirations of the
Spirit, and as they were to be not only perfect disciples, but consummate
masters of perfection in the world and in the Church, the work of transforming
and raising them from their rough natural state into such a heavenly and divine
position by his instructions and example, necessarily was a vast enterprise. In
the performance of this work the Lord has left a most exalted example of
patience, meekness and charity for all the prelates, princes and whoever is
charged with the guidance of subjects. Not less significant for us sinners are
the proofs of his fatherly kindness: for He was not satisfied with simply
bearing with their faults and defects, their natural inclinations and passions:
but He allowed his tender kindness to overflow thus wonderfully toward them, in
order that we might be cheered on to trust Him and not permit ourselves to be
dismayed amidst the countless imperfections and weaknesses natural to our
earthly existence. 309. By the means already
mentioned the Queen of heaven was informed of all the wonderful doings of our
Savior in the vocation of the Apostles and disciples and in his public
preaching. She gave thanks to the eternal Father for these the first disciples,
acknowledging and admitting them in imitation of her Son as her spiritual
children, and offering them to the divine Majesty with new songs of praise and
joy. On this occasion of the choice of the first disciples She was favored by a
new revelation of the Most High in which She was informed again of his holy and
eternal decree concerning the Redemption of man and of the manner in which it
was to be executed in the preaching of his most holy Son. He said to Her:
"My Daughter and my Dove, chosen out of thousands, it is necessary that
Thou accompany and assist my Onlybegotten and thine in the labors which He is
about to undertake in the work of the Redemption. The time of his suffering is
come and I am about to open up the stores of wisdom and goodness in order to
enrich men by my treasures. Through their Redeemer and Teacher I wish to free
them from the slavery of sin and of the devil and to pour out the abundance of
my grace upon the hearts of all the mortals who prepare themselves to know my
incarnate Son and to follow Him as their Head and Guide upon the way of eternal
salvation. I wish to raise from the dust and enrich the poor, cast down the
proud, exalt the humble and enlighten the blind in the darkness of death (Is.
9, 2). I wish to set up my friends and chosen ones and make known the greatness
of my name. In the execution of this, my holy and eternal will, I wish that
Thou my cherished and chosen One, cooperate with my Son, that thou accompany
Him, follow and imitate Him, and I will be with Thee in all that Thou shalt
do." 310. "Supreme King of
the universe," most holy Mary answered, "from whom all creatures
receive their being and preservation, although I am but vile dust and ashes, I
will speak in thy presence according to thy condescension (Gen. 18, 27).
Accept, 0 most high Lord and God, the heart of thy handmaid, which is prepared
to sacrifice itself for the accomplishment of thy pleasure. Receive the
holocaust, not only of my lips, but of my inmost soul in obedience to the
orders of thy wisdom manifested unto thy slave. Behold me prostrate before thy
presence and supreme Majesty: fulfill in me entirely thy will and pleasure. I
desire, 0 almighty God, if it is possible, to suffer and to die either with or
instead of thy and my Son. This would be the fulfillment of all my desires and
the excess of my joy, that the sword of thy justice strike rather me, since I
am closer to guilt. He is sinless as well by nature as also by the prerogatives
of the Divinity. All creatures are infinitely distant from his dignity; yet it
is also true that any of the acts of thy Onlybegotten is abundantly sufficient
for the Redemption, and that He has done much for men. If on account of this it
is possible for me to die in order to save his priceless life, I am prepared to
die. But if thy decree is unchangeable, grant me, highest God and Father, if
possible, that I pour out my life with his. But in this also will I submit to
thy will, just as I am ready to obey Thee in following Him and in sharing his
labors. Do Thou assist me with the power of thy right hand in order that I may
hasten to imitate Him and fulfill thy pleasure and my own longings." 311. I cannot further
describe in words what I understood concerning the heroic and wonderful acts
performed by our Queen and Lady on this occasion; how fervently She desired to
die and suffer on receiving this command of the Most High, either in order to
exempt her most holy Son from death or at least to share his Death with Him.
Hence, if fervent acts of love, even when they are directed toward things
impossible, so highly oblige God, that if they arise from a true and upright
heart, He accepts them as really effective and as worthy of full reward: what
must have been the merits of the Mother of grace and love in thus offering her
life as a sacrifice of her love? Neither human nor angelic intellect shall ever
reach this exalted sacrament of love. It would have been sweet to Her to suffer
and die; but it occasioned Her much more pain not to be permitted to die with
her Son, or to be alive while She saw Him suffer and die, as I shall record
later on. Hence, one can form some estimate how closely allied in glory Mary
must be with Christ and how similar her grace and sanctity was to that of her
model, Christ; for in all things She corresponded to his love and rose to the
highest point imaginable in a mere creature. In these sentiments our Queen
issued forth from her vision, and the Most High again commanded her angels to
assist and serve Her in what She was to do. They, as the most faithful
ministers of the Lord, obeyed, ordinarily accompanied Her in visible forms and
served Her wherever She went. INSTRUCTION WHICH OUR QUEEN AND LADY
GAVE ME. 312. My daughter, all the
doings of my most holy Son prove his divine love toward men and how different
this love is from that which they have among themselves. Mortals are ordinarily
so small-minded, niggardly, avaricious and sluggish, that they are usually not
moved to love anyone unless they see some advantage in the objects of their
love. Hence the love of creatures is founded upon the good thought to be in that
which they love. But divine love, having its fountain within itself, and being
capable of effecting its own wishes, does not seek the creature because it is
worthy, but it loves creatures in order to make them worthy of love. Therefore,
no soul must despair of the divine goodness. Yet no one must on that account
have a vain and presumptuous trust, expecting divine love to work in it effects
of grace of which he is altogether unworthy; for in these gifts of his love the
Most High follows a course of equity most mysterious to the creature. Although
God loves them all and wishes all to be saved, yet in the distribution of these
gifts and effects of his love He undeniably applies a certain measure and
weight of his sanctuary, by which He dispenses them. Now, as man cannot
penetrate or comprehend this secret, he must take care not to forfeit or lose
the first grace and first vocation; for he does not know whether he will not
lose the second by his ingratitude, and he can be certain of not losing the
second only by making use of the first grace. The soul can know for certain
only this: that grace will not be denied if the soul does not make itself
unworthy. These workings of divine love in the soul are accompanied by interior
enlightenment, so that in the presence of this light, men are reproved for
their sins and convinced of their evil state and of the danger of eternal
death. But human pride makes many of them so foolish and base of heart that
they resist this light; others are hard to move and never fail to have some
vain excuse for their negligence; whence they counteract the first effects of
the love of God and make themselves unfit for future graces. Now, without the
help of grace, men cannot avoid evil, nor can they do the good, or even know
it; thus many cast themselves from abyss to abyss. For, since they counteract
and repel grace, and thus are unworthy of further help, they inevitably draw
upon themselves ruin by falling from sin to sin. 313. Be attentive, therefore,
my dearest, to the light which has excited thy heart to the love of the Most
High; for by the enlightenment which thou hast received in the history of my
life, even if thou hadst no other light, thou art placed under such great
obligations that if thou dost not correspond with them in the holiness of thy
life, thou shalt be more reprehensible in the eyes of God and in mine, and in
the presence of angels and men, than all the other humanborn. Let also the
conduct of the first disciples of my most holy Son, and the promptitude with
which they followed Him, serve thee as an example. Although his forbearance and
kind instruction were a special grace, they faithfully corresponded to it and
followed the teachings of their Master. Their human nature was weak, yet they
did not make themselves incapable of receiving further blessings of God's right
hand and they set their desires toward much higher aims than their weak
strength would be able to attain. In order to bring this faithful love in thee
to its greatest perfection, I wish that thou imitate me in all the works which
I have performed on this occasion, and in the desire to die for my divine Son
or with Him, if it had been permitted. Prepare thy heart for what I shall yet
reveal to thee of the Death of the Lord and of my own life in order that thou
mayest in all things do what is perfect and holy. Consider, my daughter, that I
have a complaint against the human race, of which I have spoken to thee at
other times, and which applies to nearly all men: that they neglect and forget
to inform themselves of what I and my most holy Son have done for them; that
they do not weigh gratefully the blessings of each hour, nor seek to make a
proper return. See that thou do not thus offend me, since I have made thee a
sharer in these exalted secrets and sacraments, wherein thou findest so much
light and instruction and the practice of the highest and most excellent
virtues. Raise thyself above thyself, labor diligently in order that thou
mayest receive more and more grace, and, by corresponding with it, gather much
merit and eternal rewards. All the works which I have performed on this
occasion, and in the desire to die for my divine Son or with Him, if it had
been permitted. Prepare thy heart for what I shall yet reveal to thee of the
Death of the Lord and of my own life in order that thou mayest in all things do
what is perfect and holy. Consider, my daughter, that I have a complaint
against the human race, of which I have spoken to thee at other times, and
which applies to nearly all men: that they neglect and forget to inform
themselves of what I and my most holy Son have done for them; that they do not
weigh gratefully the blessings of each hour, nor seek to make a proper return.
See that thou do not thus offend me, since I have made thee a sharer in these
exalted secrets and sacraments, wherein thou findest so much light and
instruction and the practice of the highest and most excellent virtues. Raise
thyself above thyself, labor diligently in order that thou mayest receive more
and more grace, and, by corresponding with it, gather much merit and eternal
rewards. CHRIST RETURNS WITH THE FIVE FIRST
DISCIPLES TO NAZARETH; HE BAPTIZES HIS MOST HOLY MOTHER; OTHER INCIDENTS DURING
THIS TIME. 314. The mystic edifice of
the militant Church which aspires to the most exalted mysteries of the
Divinity, is founded entirely upon the holy Catholic faith, established by our
Redeemer and Master, its wise and prudent Architect. To insure this firmness in
the first foundation stones, his disciples, He began immediately to imbue them
with the truths and mysteries relating to his Divinity and humanity. In order
to make Himself known as the Messias and the Redeemer of the world, who had
descended from the bosom of his eternal Father to assume human flesh, it was
urgently necessary to explain to them the manner of his Incarnation in the womb
of his most blessed Mother. It behooved Him, therefore, in order that they
might know and venerate Her as a true Mother and Virgin, to speak to them of
this heavenly mystery together with what relates to the hypostatic union and
the Redemption. With this heavenly doctrine, then, were nourished the firstborn
sons of the Savior and, before the Apostles came into the presence of the great
Queen and Lady, they had already conceived most exalted ideas of her celestial
excellences. They had been informed that She was a Virgin before, during and
after her parturition, and they had been inspired by Christ with the
profoundest reverence and love and filled with the desire of immediately seeing
and knowing such a heavenly Creature. Christ thus aimed not only to satisfy his
own zeal in extending the honor of his holy Mother, but also to excite in his
Apostles the highest veneration and reverence toward Her. Although all of them
were divinely enlightened, yet saint John began to distinguish himself in this
love of Mary before all the rest; from the very first words of the Master
concerning the dignity and excellence of his purest Mother, he grew in the
loving esteem of her holiness; for he was selected and prepared for greater
privileges in the service of his Queen, as I shall relate and as is recorded in
the Gospels. 315. The five disciples of
the Lord begged Him to grant them the consolation of seeing and reverencing his
Mother. In accordance with their petition, He journeyed directly to Nazareth
through Galilee, continuing to preach and teach publicly on the way and
proclaiming Himself as the Master of truth and eternal life. Many, carried away
by the force of his doctrines and by the light and grace overflowing into their
hearts, began to listen to Him and to follow Him; though He did not, for the
present, call any more to be his disciples. It is worthy of notice that though
the five disciples had conceived such an ardent devotion to the heavenly Lady
and though they saw with their own eyes how worthy She was of her eminent
position among creatures, yet they all maintained strict silence about their
thoughts. By the disposition of heaven they seemed as if mute and ignorant in
all that concerned the publication of what they thought and felt in regard to
her excellences; for it was not befitting that these mysteries of our holy
faith should be proclaimed to all men indiscriminately. The Sun of justice was
now dawning upon souls (Mal. 4, 2), and it was necessary that its own splendor
should shine forth to illumine all the nations; and although its resplendent
moon, his Mother, was now in the fullness of her sanctity, it behooved Her to
reserve her light for the night, in which the Church should deplore the absence
of that Sun in the bosom of his eternal Father. And this office She fulfilled,
as I shall relate in the third part; for then the splendor of the great Lady
broke forth, while before that time her holiness and excellence were manifested
only to the Apostles, in order that they might know and reverence Her, and that
they might listen to Her as the worthy Mother of the Redeemer of the world and
as the Teacher of all virtue and perfection. 316. The Savior then pursued
his way to Nazareth, instructing his new children and disciples not only in the
mysteries of faith, but in all virtues by word and example, as He continued to
do during the whole period of his evangelical preaching. With this in view He
searched out the poor and afflicted, consoled the sick and sorrowful, visited
the infirmaries and prisons, performing miracles of mercy as well for body as
for soul. Yet He did not profess Himself as the Author of any miracles until he
attended the marriage feast at Cana, as I shall relate in the next chapter.
While the Savior proceeded on his journey his most holy Mother prepared to
receive Him and his disciples at Nazareth; for She was aware of all that
happened, and therefore hospitably set her poor dwelling in order and
solicitously procured the necessary victuals beforehand for their
entertainment. 317. When the Savior of the
world approached the house, his blessed Mother awaited Him at the door, and, as
He entered, prostrated Herself on the ground, adoring Him and kissing his hands
and feet, while She asked for his blessing: Then She sounded the praise of the
most holy Trinity in exalted and wonderful words, and also of his humanity in
the presence and hearing of the new disciples. This She did not without
mysterious purpose on her part; for, besides showing to her divine Son the
honor and adoration due to Him as the true Godman. She wished also to make a
return for the praise with which her Son had exalted Her in the eyes of his
disciples. Thus, just as the Son had in her absence instilled into their minds
the reverence for the dignity of his Mother, so the most prudent and faithful
Mother, in the presence of her Son, wished to instruct them in regard to the
worship due to their divine Master, as to their God and Redeemer. The profound
humility and worship with which the great Lady received Christ the Savior
filled the disciples with new devotion and reverential fear for their divine
Master; henceforth She served them as an example and model of true devotion,
entering at once into her office as Instructress and spiritual Mother of the
disciples of Christ by showing them how to converse with their God and
Redeemer. They were immediately drawn toward their Queen and cast themselves on
their knees before Her, asking to be received as her sons and servants. The
first to do this was saint John, who from that time on distinguished himself in
exalting and reverencing Mary before all the Apostles, while She on her part
received him with an especial love; for, besides his excelling in virginal
chastity, he was of a meek and humble disposition. 318. The great Lady received
them all as her guests, serving them their meals and combining the solicitude
of a Mother with the modesty and majesty of a Queen, so that She caused
admiration even in the holy angels. She served her divine Son on her knees in
deepest reverence, At the same time She spoke of the Majesty of their Teacher
and Redeemer to the Apostles instructing them in the great doctrines of the
Christian faith. During that night, when the Apostles had retired, the Savior
betook himself to the oratory of his purest Mother as He had been wont to do,
and She, the most Humble among the humble, placed Herself at his feet as in the
years gone by. In regard to the practice of humility, all that She could do
seemed little to the great Queen, and much less than She ought to in view of
his infinite love and the immense gifts received at his hands. She confessed
Herself as useless as the dust of the earth. The Lord lifted Her from the
ground and spoke to Her words of life and eternal salvation, yet quietly and
serenely. For at this period He began to treat Her with greater reserve in
order to afford Her a chance of merit, as I have mentioned when I spoke of this
departure for the desert and for his Baptism. 319. The most blessed Lady
also asked Him for the Sacrament of Baptism, which He had now instituted, and
which He had promised Her before. In order that this might be administered with
a dignity becoming as well the Son as the Mother, an innumerable host of
angelic spirits descended from heaven in visible forms. Attended by them,
Christ himself baptized his purest Mother. Immediately the voice of the eternal
Father was heard saying: "This is my beloved Daughter, in whom I take
delight." The incarnate Word said: "This is my Mother, much beloved,
whom I have chosen and who will assist Me in all my works." And the Holy
Ghost added: "This is my Spouse, chosen among thousands." The purest
Lady felt and received such great and numerous effects of grace in her soul,
that no human words can describe them; for She was exalted to new heights of
grace and her holy soul was made resplendent with new and exquisite beauty of
heaven. She received the characteristic token impressed by this Sacrament,
namely, that of the children of Christ in his holy Church. In addition to the
ordinary effects of this Sacrament (outside of the remission of sins, of which
She stood in no need), She merited especial graces on account of the humility
with which She submitted to this Sacrament of purification. By it She
accumulated blessings like to those of her divine Son, with only this
difference: that She received an increase of grace, which was not possible in
Christ. Thereupon the humble Mother broke out in .a canticle of praise with the
holy angels, and prostrate before her divine Son, She thanked Him for the most
efficacious graces She had received in this Sacrament. INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO ME BY THE QUEEN OF
HEAVEN. 320. My daughter, I see thee
much moved to emulation and desire by the great happiness of the disciples of
my most holy Son, and especially that of saint John, my favored servant. It is
certain that I loved him in a special manner; because he was most pure and
candid as a dove; and in the eyes of the Lord he was very pleasing, both on
account of his purity and on account of his love toward me. His example should
serve thee as a spur to do that which my Son and I expect of thee. Thou art
aware, my dearest, that I am the most pure Mother and that I receive with
maternal affection all those who fervently and devoutly desire to be my
children and servants in the Lord. By the love which He has given me, I shall
embrace them with open arms and shall be their Intercessor and Advocate. Thy
poverty, uselessness and weakness shall be for me only a more urgent motive for
manifesting toward thee my most liberal kindness. Therefore, I call upon thee
to become my chosen and beloved daughter in the holy Church. 321. I shall, however, make
the fulfillment of my promise depend upon a service on thy part: namely, that
thou have a true and holy emulation of the love with which I loved saint John,
and of all the blessings flowing from it, by imitating him as perfectly as thy
powers will allow. Hence, thou must promise to fulfill all that I now command
thee, without failing in the least point. I desire, then, that thou labor until
all love of self die within thee, that thou suppress all the effects of the
first sin until all the earthly inclinations consequent upon it are totally
extinguished; that thou seek to restore within thee that dovelike sincerity and
simplicity which destroys all malice and duplicity. In all thy doings thou must
be an angel, since the condescension of the Most High with thee was so great as
to furnish thee with the light and intelligence more of an angel than that of a
human creature. I have procured for thee these great blessings and, therefore,
it is but reasonable on my part to expect thee to correspond with them in thy
works and in thy thoughts. In regard to me thou must cherish a continual
affection and loving desire of pleasing and serving me, being always attentive
to my counsels and having thy eyes fixed upon me in order to know and execute
what I command. Then shalt thou be my true daughter, and I shall be thy
Protectress and loving Mother.
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