Mystical City of God

The Trip to Jerusalem for the Presentation at the Temple - The Incarnation - Bk 4 - Ch19

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda describes when the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph departed with the Infant Jesus in order to fulfill the law, by presenting Him in the Temple of Jerusalem. Mary, Our Mother, and Our Queen reminds us that how we do things is very important. She says, "My daughter, one of the misfortunes, which deprive souls of happiness or at least diminish it, is that they content themselves with performing good works negligently or without fervor; as if they were engaged in things unimportant or merely accidental. On account of this ignorance and meanness of heart few of them arrive at an intimate friendship of God, which they can attain only by fervent love. This is called fervent precisely because of its similarity to boiling water. For just as water is made to boil and foam by the fire, so the soul, by the sweet violence of the divine conflagration of love, is raised above itself and above all created things as well as above its own doings. In loving, it is more and more inflamed, and from this very love springs an unquenchable affection, which makes the soul despise and forget all earthly things while at the same time it becomes dissatisfied with all temporal goodness. And as the human heart, when it does not attain what it dearly loves (if that attainment is possible) is inflamed with ever greater desire of reaching it by other means; therefore, the loving soul, finds ever new things to strive after for the sake of the Beloved and all service will seem to it but little. Thus it will pass from goodwill to a perfect will, and from this to what will please the Lord still more until it arrives at the most intimate union with Him and at a perfect conformation with the will of God."

The Presentation at the Temple - The Incarnation - Bk 4 - Ch20

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda: describes the Presentation at the Temple of the Infant Jesus. The Blessed Virgin Mary explains to us that we need to accept both blessing and adversity saying, "My daughter, the doctrine and example contained in the foregoing chapter will teach you to strive after the constancy and expansion of heart, by which you may prepare yourself to accept blessings and adversity, the sweet and the bitter with equanimity. O dearest soul! How narrow and unwilling is the human heart toward that which is contrary and distasteful to its earthly inclinations! How it chafes in labors! How impatiently it meets them! How insufferable it deems all that is contrary to its desires! How persistently it forgets, that its Teacher and Master has first accepted sufferings, and has honored and sanctified them in his own Person! It is a great shame, yea a great boldness, on the part of the faithful, that they should abhor suffering, even after my most holy Son did suffer for them and when so many of the just before his Death were led to embrace the cross solely by the hope that Christ would once suffer upon it, although they would never live to see it. And if this want of correspondence is so base in others, consider well, my dearest, how vile it would be in you, who are so anxious to obtain the grace and the friendship of the Most High; who desires to merit the name of a spouse and friend of God, who wishes to belong entirely to Him and that He belong entirely to you, who wishes to be my disciple and that I be your Teacher, who aspire to follow and imitate me, as a faithful daughter her mother (Matthew 7:21). All this must not result in mere sentiment and in empty words, or oft-repeated exclamations of: Lord, Lord; and, when the occasion of tasting the chalice and the cross of suffering is at hand, you must not turn away in sorrow and affliction from the sufferings, by which the sincerity of a loving and affectionate heart is to be tried."

The Warning about Herod - The Incarnation - Bk4 - Ch21

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda describes how the Lord prepared the Blessed Virgin Mary for the flight into Egypt. The Angel speaks to St. Joseph and other events leading up to the flight into Egypt. The Blessed Virgin Mary tells us how to address difficulties saying, "In addition to this offering is the resignation with which souls embrace and bear with equanimity and patience the labors and difficulties of mortal life. My most holy Son and I were eminent Masters in the practice of this doctrine. My Son began to teach it from the moment in which He was conceived in my womb. For already then He began to suffer, and as soon as He was born into the world He and I were banished by Herod into a desert, and his sufferings continued until He died on the Cross. I also labored to the end of my life, as you will be informed more and more in the writing of this history. Since, therefore, We suffered so much for creatures and for their salvation, I desire you to imitate Us in this conformity to the divine will as being his spouse and my daughter. Suffer with a magnanimous heart, and labor to increase the possessions of your Lord and Master, namely, souls, which are so precious in his sight and which He has purchased with his life-blood. Never should you fly from labors, difficulties, bitterness and sorrows, if by any of them you can gain a soul for the Lord, or if you can thereby induce it to leave the path of sin and enter the path of life. Let not the thought that you are so useless and poor, or that your desires and labor avail but little, discourage you; since you can not know how the Lord will accept of them and in how far He shall consider Himself served thereby. At least you should wish to labor assiduously and eat no unearned bread in his house (Proverbs 31 27)."

The Flight into Egypt - Jerusalem to Gaza - The Incarnation - Bk4 - Ch22

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda describes how Jesus, Mary, and Joseph began the journey to Egypt, accompanied by Angels, and what happened when they arrived at the city of Gaza. The Blessed Virgin Mary tells us we need to pray for those who persecute us, imitating the way Jesus prayed for Herod saying, "My dearest daughter, for your instruction and imitation I wish, in what you have written, that you take as an example the affectionate wonder which the divine light caused in my soul at seeing my most holy Son subject Himself to the inhuman fury of wicked men, such as was shown by Herod in this occasion of our flight from his wrath and afterwards by the perverse servants of the high priests and magistrates. In all the works of the Most High his greatness, goodness, and infinite wisdom shine forth. But, since my understanding, by means of the most exalted inspiration, penetrated so deeply into the very essence of God in the person of the Word united to the Divinity, and since I knew that my most holy Son was the eternal, all-powerful, infinite Creator and Preserver of all things, and that this iniquitous king depended for his life and existence entirely upon this very beneficence, I was particularly struck with wonder to see the most sacred humanity pray and beseech his eternal Father to confer upon Herod, at this very time, enlightenment, help, and blessing; to see my Son, who had it so much in his power to punish him, by his prayers prevent the full measure of chastisement which he deserved. Although Herod’s purpose was frustrated, yet this obstinate reprobate was visited with less chastisement than would have been given to him if my holy Son had not prayed for him. All this, and whatever else is contained in this matchless mercy and kindness of Jesus, I sought to imitate; for as a Teacher He taught me thus early what He afterwards inculcated by his actions, words, and example concerning the love of enemies (Matthew 5:44). When I perceive how he concealed and disguised his infinite power, and how, being the invincible Lion, He became a meek and humble Lamb (Isaiah 5:29), amidst the fury of ravenous wolves, my heart was overwhelmed and my faculties failed me in the ardent desire of loving Him, imitating and following Him in his love, charity, patience, and meekness."

The Flight into Egypt: Gaza to Heliopolis (Cairo) - The Incarnation - Bk4 - Ch23

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda describes how Jesus, Mary, and Joseph made the difficult journey from Gaza to Cairo in Egypt. The Blessed Virgin Mary tells us that God looks after us in all our necessities saying, "My daughter, just as those who know the Lord also know how to trust in Him, so those who do not hope in his goodness and immense love have no perfect knowledge of the Majesty of God. On account of the want of faith and hope, this love also is deficient; for we readily place our love in whom we have confidence and whom we esteem. In this error lies the source of all the damage done to mortals; for they have such a low conception of the infinite bounty, which gave them being and which preserves them, that they fail to place full confidence in their God. Failing in this, they also fail in the love due to Him and they divert it toward the creatures. They esteem in them what they are seeking, namely power, riches, vain honor and ostentation. Although the faithful can remedy these injurious influences by faith and hope, yet they allow these virtues to remain dead, and unused, and debase themselves to the level of worthless creatures. Those who have riches, trust in them, and those who have none, greedily haste after them; some procure them by very reprehensible ways and means; some confide in influential persons, praising and flattering them. And thus it happens that very few seek the Lord in such a way as to deserve his providential care; very few trust in God and acknowledge Him as their Father, who is willing to provide for his children, who will nourish and sustain them without fail in all necessities."

 

Events on the Road to Heliopolis (Cairo) - The Incarnation - Bk4 - Ch24

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda tells us how the holy travelers, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph arrived in Egypt and after some wandering, they came to Heliopolis, where great miracles occurred. The Blessed Virgin Mary reminds us that our love and trust in God has many fruits, saying, "My daughter, great and above all else to be esteemed, is the consolation of the faithful friends of my most holy Son, when they with lively faith and assurance are permitted to serve the Lord of lords and the God of gods, who alone holds power and dominion over all creation and who triumphs and reigns over his enemies. In this feeling of assurance, the intellect is delighted, the memory is recreated, the will rejoices and all the powers of the devout soul enjoy the sweetness of the most exalted activity. For they are entirely taken up with this supreme Goodness, Holiness and infinite Power, which has need of none outside Itself and whose will governs all created things (II Maccabees 14:35, Revelations 4:11). O how many thousandfold blessings do those creatures lose who, forgetful of their true happiness, employ all the time of their life and all their powers in attending upon visible things, pursuing the momentary pleasures, and seeking the apparent and deceitful goods of this world! In the knowledge and light granted to you, I would wish, my daughter, that you withdraw yourself from this danger, and that your intellect and memory occupy themselves continually with the reality of the existence of your God. In this endless sea, engulf and annihilate yourself, repeating without cessation: “Who is like to God our Lord, that dwells on high and looks upon the humble in heaven and on earth?” (Psalm 112:5). Who is like to Him, that is almighty and depends upon no one? That humbles the proud, and casts down those whom the blind world calls powerful, that triumphs over the demon and hurls him to the abyss?"

 

Jesus Provides the Daily Routine in Egypt - The Incarnation - Bk 4 - Ch25

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda tells us that in accordance with the Divine Will, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph settle down to dwell in Heliopolis and how they regulated their daily life during their bashinment. The Blessed Virgin Mary teaches us about the importance of acceptance saying, "My daughter, I came into Egypt, where I knew no relations or friends, in a land of foreign religion, where I could offer no home or protection or assistance to my Son, whom I loved so much. It can easily be understood, then, what tribulations and hardships we suffered, since the Lord permitted them to come over Us. You cannot understand with what patience and forbearance We accepted them; and even the angels cannot estimate the reward I merited from the Most High by the love and resignation with which I bore them, and which were greater than if I had been in the greatest prosperity. It is true, I grieved much to see my husband in such necessity and want; but at the same time, I blessed the Lord to be able to suffer them. In this most noble patience and joy of spirit I wish that thou imitate me whenever the Lord offers thee an occasion; and that thou learn to act with prudence interiorly and exteriorly, ordering well your actions and your thoughts, without hindrance to either of them."

The Miracles in Egypt - The Incarnation - Bk4 - Ch26

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda describes the wonders which the infant Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Joseph worked while they were in Egypt. The Blessed Virgin Mary tells us that we should always be ready to offer our services to others saying, "My daughter, you are full of wonder at the works of mercy which I exercised in Egypt, curing the sick of their infirmities and helping the poor in their necessities, in order to relieve them in body and soul. You will be able to understand how all this corresponded with my love of modesty and retirement, when you take into consideration the immense love that urged my most holy Son to hasten immediately after his birth to the assistance of these people and pour out over them his immense love in his longings for their salvation. This love He communicated to me, and thus made me an instrument of his power, or I should not have dared to enter upon such a great enterprise. For though I always preferred to abstain from speaking or communicating with others, yet the will of my Son and Lord governed me in all things. Of you, my friend, I desire, that in imitation of me, you work for the benefit and salvation of your neighbors, seeking to follow me in the perfection and quality of my works. You need not seek occasions, for the Lord will send them. In some extraordinary circumstances, however, you may find it advisable to offer your services. But seek to exert your influence upon all, teach and exhort them according to your light; not presuming to take upon yourself the office of a teacher, but of one that seeks to console, and one that pities the hardships of her brothers; as one who with much reserve and humility and with great charity seeks to exhort them to patience."

Herod’s Murder of the Innocents and the Escape of St. John - The Incarnation - Bk4 - Ch27

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda tells us about the plan Herod had to murder the innocents and how the Blessed Virgin Mary was aware of it. She also describes how John the Baptist was taken into the wilderness by Elizabeth to escape Herod's evil plans. The Blessed Virgin Mary encourages us to weep over the souls that give in to evil inclinations saying, "My daughter, in what you have written I wish that you learn a lesson from the very sorrow and apprehension with which you have performed this task. Well-founded is your sorrow to see how such a noble creature as man, made according to the likeness and image of the Lord, endowed with such divine qualities, and gifted with the power of knowing, loving, seeing, and enjoying God eternally, should allow himself to be degraded and defiled by such brutal and abominable passions as to shed the innocent blood of those who can do no harm to anyone. This should induce you to weep over the ruin of so many souls; especially in the times in which you live, when that same ambition which incited Herod, has kindled such great hatred and enmity among the children of the Church, occasioning the ruin of countless souls and causing the waste and loss of the blood of my most holy Son, poured out for the salvation of men. Do bitterly deplore this loss."

Jesus speaks to Joseph, He asks for clothing - The Incarnation - Bk4 - Ch28

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda tells us about when, at the age of 1-year, the infant Jesus spoke directly to Joseph for the first time and speaking to His Mother, requests clothing allowing Him to walk. He begins to celebrate the day of His Incarnation and that of His birth. The Blessed Virgin Mary reminds all of us about the importance of poverty in the life of Christ saying,  "My daughter, neither yourself nor all creatures together can ever comprehend the spirit of poverty of my most holy Son, and what He has taught me concerning it. But from what I have told you you can understand much of the excellence of this virtue, which its Author and Teacher loved so much, and of the horror in which He holds the vice of covetousness. The Creator cannot hate the beings which He has created, but He knows in his wisdom the boundless damage caused in mortals by avarice and covetousness of visible things; and that this insane love would pervert the greater part of the human nature. His horror of this vice was in proportion to the number of sinners and foredoomed ones, who are lost by the vice of avarice and covetousness."