Mystical City of God

Mary and the woman in Proverbs 31 Part 1 - The Conception - Bk2 - Ch23

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda shares an explanation of Proverbs 31. The Lord explained how it relates to the married life of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

"As soon as the Princess of heaven, Mary, found Herself so unexpectedly in the new state of matrimony, She raised her pure soul to the Father of light for illumination and direction in the fulfillment of all its obligations according to his pleasure. In order to give me some insight into her holy thoughts at this time, the Lord referred me to the last chapter of the Proverbs, in which Solomon outlined the virtues of our Lady in describing the qualities and doings of a valiant woman." - Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda.

The Virgin Mary in Proverbs 31 Part 2 - The Conception - Bk 2 - Ch24

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda concludes her comments on Proverbs 31, which is the last chapter in Volume 1, The Conception. The Blessed Virgin Mary teaches us, "...yet I wish, that you write in your inmost heart, as well that which you have declared, as also that which you have omitted, and I wish that you put it into practice. For this purpose it is necessary, that you live retired within yourself, forgetful of all the visible and terrestrial things, most attentive to the divine light, which assists you and protects your sensible faculties with double vestments against the influences of lukewarmness and coldness on the way of perfection; and it is necessary, that you resist the incitements of your unruly passions. Gird them and restrict them by the powerful means of the fear of God. Withdrawn from the deceitful outward appearances, raise your mind to the contemplation and the understanding of your interior condition and of the paths, which the Lord has shown you for seeking Him in secret and for finding Him without danger of error."

What was said about this book - The Incarnation

Two Professors of Theology from Louvain University in France said it best, "Combined with this simplicity are found many doctrines and valid proofs, free from contradictions and not easily found in other writings. This History explains more than a thousand difficulties in Holy Scripture, in a manner equally natural and wonderful. At every step are encountered exquisite interpretations, until now unknown, and which had been hidden beneath the mere letter, but are laid open in these writings and brought to the light. In short, the whole work is a beautiful web of scripture passages which, though spun from its different books, are directly and specially woven into a whole for the purpose intended by the Venerable Mother.”

Signed,

HERMANN DAMEN, PhD and ANTON PARMENTIER, PhD
July 20, 1715

The Incarnation - Volume 2 - Introduction

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda discusses the ongoing difficulties and attacks she underwent in writing the history of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the City of God. She reveals directions she received from heaven. When these directions are given to an individual they are personal, when they're written down under obedience they're intended for the world. An angel said to her, "...thy Spouse does not wish to set thee any limit, but it is his pleasure, that thou dwell in the infinite regions of his Divinity and that thou roam about and disport [amuze] thyself through the illimitable fields of his attributes and perfections, where the view of the intellect is without restraint, where the will is delighted without a shadow of misgiving, and where the inclinations are satiated without bitterness. This is the paradise always delightful, where the most beloved brides of Christ find their recreation, where they gather the fragrant flowers and myrrh, and where the infinite is found for those that have renounced the imperfect nothing. There will thy habitation be secure; and in order that thy intercourse and companionship may be in correspondence with it, I desire that thou converse with the angels, holding them as friends and companions, and copying from them, during their frequent conversations and intercourse with thee, their virtues by faithful imitation.” 

Mary is prepared for the Incarnation Part 1 - The Incarnation - B3 - Ch1

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus attempts to explain nine very special days in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I say "attempts" because Sister Mary herself tells us this is actually beyond our comprehension. The Blessed Virgin Mary tells us, "What I wish of thee today is to take notice how I used this knowledge and to imitate me according to thy power with the help of the infused light, which thou hast received for this purpose. Profit by the knowledge of creatures by making of them a ladder to ascend unto God thy Creator; so that thou mayest seek in all of them their first beginning and their last end. Let them serve thee as a mirror from which the Godhead is reflected, reminding thee of his Omnipotence and inciting thee to the love, which He seeks in thee. Be thou filled with wonder and praise at the greatness and magnificence of the Creator and in His presence humiliate thyself to the dust. Shun no difficulty or suffering in order to become meek and humble of heart. "

Mary‘s preparation for the Incarnation Part 2 - The Incarnation - Bk3 - Ch2

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda continues her description of the preparation (through grace) of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was unaware that she was being prepared and what she was being prepared for. The Blessed Virgin Mary, reminds us of something very important when reflecting on creation, "...I wish you to perceive the admirable order of his wisdom in the creation of man. Take notice, therefore, that his Creator made him out of nothing, not in order to be a slave, but in order to be the king and the master of all creation (Genesis 1 26), and in order that he make use of creatures in sovereignty, command, and mastery; yet at the same time man was to recognize himself as the image of his Maker and the work of his hand, remaining more devoted to God and more submissive to his will than the creatures to man; for all this was demanded by justice and reason."

The Blessed Virgin Mary continued, "But the foolishness of man disturbs this order and destroys this harmony, when, being created as the lord and king of creatures, he enslaves himself, subjecting himself to them, and degrading his dignity in using visible things not as a prudent master, but as an unworthy vassal. For he debases himself beneath the lowest of creatures, by losing sight of the fact that he is their superior. All this perversity arises from the use of creatures not for the service of the Creator through well-ordered faith, but for the indulgence of the passions and the delights of the senses. Hence also arises man’s great abhorrence of those things which are not pleasing to the senses."

 

Mary‘s preparation for the Incarnation Part 3 - The Incarnation - Bk3 - Ch3

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda describes how God continued to prepare the Blessed Virgin Mary for the upcoming visit from the Archangel Gabriel. The Blessed Virgin Mary reminds us, "These sacraments, my dearest, I manifest to you in order to encourage you to imitate me, as far as is possible with your weak forces aided by grace. Look upon the works, which you have learned of, as a pattern and example to be closely followed. Meditate much, and weigh over and over again as well in the light of grace as in that of reason, how exactly mortals ought to correspond to this immense kindness of God and to his eagerness to assist them. Compare at the same time the heartless obduracy of the children of Adam. I wish that your heart be softened in affectionate thankfulness toward the Lord and melted in sorrow at these unhappy proceedings of men."

Our Lord continues Mary‘s preparation Part 4 - The Incarnation - Bk3 - Ch4

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda continues her explanation of the preparations God made in readying the Virgin Mary for the Annunciation. The Blessed Virgin Mary lamented, "...the Most High gave me such a deep insight into his goodness, which drew Him as with an infinite force to enrich men, and when He showed me the want of correspondence and the dark ingratitude of the mortals. When I turned from the consideration of this most liberal condescension of the Most High, to the perception and understanding of the foolish hard-heartedness of the sinners, my soul was pierced with an arrow of mortal anguish, which remained for [the rest of my] life."

God‘s Promise, Mary‘s preparation Part 5 - The Incarnation - Bk 3 - Ch5

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda describes the 5th day of Mary's preparation for the Incarnation, and how she pleaded with God for the sake of the human race and for the coming of the Messiah. The Virgin Mary tells us, "...you must strive, with all your power, to imitate me in the works, which I performed by the aid of these great and wonderful blessings. Pray and sigh for the eternal salvation of your brethren, and that the name of my Son may be extolled by all and known to the whole world. You must establish the habit of this kind of prayer, by a constant resolve, founded upon firm faith and unshaken confidence, and by never losing sight of your misery in profound humility and self-abasement. Thus prepared, you must battle with the divine love for the good of your people, firmly convinced, that the most glorious triumphs of divine love may especially be looked for in its dealings with the humble, who love God in uprightness. Raise yourself above yourself and give Him thanks for the special blessings conferred upon you and for those conferred upon the human race. Transformed by this divine love, you will merit other gifts, both for yourself and for your brethren; and whenever you find yourself in his divine presence, do ask for his benediction."

God‘s preparation of Mary Part 6 - The Incarnation - Bk3 - Ch6

The Venerable Sister of Mary of Jesus of Ágreda describes the next day of the novena of the preparation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It's the preparation for the Annunciation which is about to take place. The Blessed Virgin Mary reminds us, "...see that you bear ever in mind, that no matter how great and rare are the favors received from the Most High, you do not despise the danger of sin nor contemn the solicitous and humble performance of the ordinary duties of precept and charity. For these do not oblige you to leave the presence of God: faith teaches you, and inspiration should govern you, to bear Him with you in all occupations and places, quitting yourself and your inclinations, but fulfilling in all things the will of your Lord and Spouse. Do not allow yourself to be led in these sentiments by the trend of your own inclinations, nor by that which seems to agree with your own interior liking and taste; for many times the greatest danger is hidden beneath this cloak."