| Devotion to Our Lady |
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THE LIFE OF MARY ~ CONTENTS & LINKS
Scroll down for Part Eight, or click on any other section that you wish to read.
(the links to later parts and chapters will be activated once they are posted)
Scroll down for Part Eight, or click on any other section that you wish to read.
(the links to later parts and chapters will be activated once they are posted)
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PART ONE : THE EVENTS UP TO THE BIRTH OF MARY (click here)
► Chapter 1 : The Ancestors of Mary ► Chapter 2 : The Parents of the Mary—Joachim and Anne ► Chapter 3 : The Immaculate Conception of Our Mary ► Chapter 4 : The Birth of Our Mary PART TWO : MARY'S LIFE BEFORE THE ANNUNCIATION (click here) ► Chapter 5 : The Infancy of Mary in Nazareth ► Chapter 6 : The Years Mary spent in the Temple ► Chapter 7 : Mary's Betrothal to Joseph ► Chapter 8 : Mary's Life in Nazareth PART THREE : FROM THE CONCEPTION TO THE BIRTH OF JESUS ► Chapter 9 : The Time of the Annunciation ► Chapter 10 : Mary's Visitation to Elizabeth ► Chapter 11 : Temptations, Trials & Tribulations ► Chapter 12 : Mary and Joseph's Journey to Bethlehem PART FOUR : THE BIRTH OF JESUS & EXILE IN EGYPT ► Chapter 13 : The Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem ► Chapter 14 : From Shepherds to Kings ► Chapter 15 : Jesus' Presentation in the Temple ► Chapter 16 : The Flight into Egypt ► Chapter 17 : The Years of Exile |
PART FIVE : THE HIDDEN YEARS UP TO JESUS' PUBLIC MINISTRY
► Chapter 18 : The Return to Nazareth ► Chapter 19 : The Hidden Life in Nazareth ► Chapter 20 : The Losing and Finding of Jesus ► Chapter 21 : Mary the Widow PART SIX : MARY IN THE PUBLIC LIFE OF JESUS ► Chapter 22 : Cana—Mary Provokes Jesus' First Public Miracle ► Chapter 23 : Mary's Silent Support of Jesus ► Chapter 24 : Mary's Hidden Work ► Chapter 25 : Mary Prepares Her Sacrifice PART SEVEN : MARY AND THE PASSION AND DEATH OF JESUS ► Chapter 26 : Mary's Own Agony ► Chapter 27 : Mary's Spiritual Martyrdom ► Chapter 28 : Mary the Co-Redemptrix ► Chapter 29 : Mary's Sacrificial Example PART EIGHT : MARY AFTER THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS ► Chapter 30 : The Joy of Victory ► Chapter 31 : Mary Sacrifices Heaven to Help the Church ► Chapter 32 : Mary's Last Years ► Chapter 33 : Mary's Death and Glory |
PART EIGHT : MARY AFTER THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS
CHAPTER 31
MARY SACRIFICES HEAVEN TO HELP THE CHURCH
(Part One) After the Ascension
I again remind those who shall read this history not to be astonished at the hidden mysteries recorded of the most Blessed Mary therein, nor to hold them unworthy of belief, because they have not been until now revealed to the world. For, even setting aside the fact that they are all worthy and befitting this great Queen, we cannot deny, that, though we have until now no written record of her wonderful doings after the Ascension of the Lord, yet we must suppose her to have wrought many and exceeding great wonders in her office as Teacher, Protectress and Mother of the new evangelical Church, which was to be introduced into the world under her assistance and supervision. And if the Lord renovated her in all her powers, as was stated, and if He exerted all His Omnipotence through her, no favor or blessing, no matter how great, can consistently with the Catholic truth be disputed as pertaining justly to this peerless and singular Creature.
Mary in Two Places At Once
Mary was three days in Heaven enjoying the beatific vision (here body being miraculously in two places at the same time—in the Cenacle and in Heaven) and she came back from her heavenly seat on the day which corresponds to the Sunday after the day of the Ascension, called in the holy Church the Sunday within the octave of that feast. She remained in the Cenacle three succeeding days enjoying the after-effects of the beatific vision.
During this time the heavenly splendors, which still clothed her, were tempered and only the Evangelist St. John had full knowledge of the mystery; for it was not opportune, that it should become known to the rest of the Apostles at that time, because they were scarcely as yet capable of such sacraments. Although she remained in their company, it was necessary that her glory should be hidden from them. For even the Evangelist, though he was especially strengthened by grace for the privilege of looking upon her with that veil withdrawn, fell prostrate upon the ground as soon as he came into her presence. Nor, on the other hand, was it befitting that the Lord should suddenly deprive our great Queen of her refulgence and the other exterior and interior effects of her admission into the glory of His throne. He ordained, in His infinite wisdom, that the effects of those divine gifts and favors diminish by degrees and that her virginal body return gradually to the more common visible state for conversing with the Apostles and the rest of the faithful of the holy Church.
I have also said above, that this miracle of Mary’s admission into Heaven does not conflict with what is written in the Acts of the Apostles, though we there read, that the Apostles and the holy women persevered unanimously in prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and with His brethren after the Lord had ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:14). What I have said evidently agrees with this passage; for St. Luke writes his history according to what he and the Apostles saw in the Cenacle of Jerusalem, and irrespective of the mystery of which they were ignorant. The sacred body of Mary was in two places at the same time. Although the attention and use of the senses and faculties was more perfect and real in Heaven, nevertheless it could be truly said, that she was in the company of the Apostles and that she was seen by all. Moreover it was true that the most blessed Mary persevered with them in prayer; for she saw them from her place in Heaven and there she united her prayers and petitions with those of all the holy refugees of the Cenacle; she presented them to her divine Son, at whose right hand she was seated, and obtained for them perseverance and many other great favors of the Most High.
Three Days of Heaven, While Still on Earth
The three days in which the great Lady enjoyed the after-effects of glory and while the redundance of its splendors gradually lessened, she spent in most ardent and divine sentiments of love, gratitude and ineffable humility, beyond all the terms or words, which I can find for manifesting what I have been made to understand of this sacrament, for they fall far short of the truth. The angels and seraphim, who attended upon her, conferred in new wonder with each other on these miracles, and they discussed among themselves, which was the greatest miracle: that the Most High should raise a mere Creature to such favors and greatness, or that anyone, after having been raised to such heights of grace and glory, should abase herself beneath the lowest of creation and deem herself the most insignificant of all that is created. I perceived that the highest seraphim stood, as it were, with bated breath at beholding the doings of their Queen.
Speaking to each other they said: “If the demons before their fall had been privileged to behold this example of humility, it would have been impossible for them to yield to their pride. This our great Lady is she, who, without any defect, without any deficiency, not only in part, but in all plenitude, has filled up the vast voidness of humility in all creatures. She alone has worthily conceived the majesty and supereminent greatness of the Creator and the littleness of all creation. She is the One, that knows when and how He must be obeyed and reverenced; and she faithfully acts out her knowledge. Is it possible, that among the thorns sown by sin among the children of Adam the earth should produce such a pure Lily, emitting such fragrance for the delight of the Creator and for mortals? (Canticles 2:2), that from the desert of the world, void of grace and full of earthliness, such a heavenly Creature, affluent with the delights of the Almighty, should arise? (Canticles 8:5). Let Him be eternally praised in His wisdom and goodness, who formed such a Creature, so wonderfully appointed for our emulation in holiness and for an example and for the glory of the human kind. And thou, blessed among women, distinguished and chosen among all creatures, be thou congratulated, known and praised by all generations! (Luke 1:48). Mayest thou enjoy for all eternity the excellence given to thee by thy Son and Creator! May He find His pleasure and complaisance in thee on account of the beauty of thy works and gifts; may in thee be satiated His immense charity for the justification of all men. Thou, for all of them dost render Him satisfaction, and looking upon thee He shall not repent of having called into existence ungrateful man. If they grieve and irritate Him, thou appeasest Him and turnest Him to mercy and kindness. We do not wonder that He should favor men so much, since thou, our Lady and Queen, livest among them and callest them thy people.”
With these praises and many other hymns the holy angels celebrated the humility and the works of the most blessed Mary after she descended from Heaven; and to some of these praises she herself joined her responses. After dismissing the host of the angels, who had accompanied her from Heaven, and after having remained in seclusion still filled with the splendors of Heaven perceived only by St. John, she knew that it was time to deal and converse with the faithful. She therefore left her retirement and, like a loving Mother, began to hold tender conversations with the Apostles and disciples. With them she offered tearful prayers to her divine Son, including them and all who in future ages were to receive the grace of the holy Catholic Faith.
Heart in Heaven, Body on Earth
From that day also, as long as she lived upon earth, she asked the Lord to hasten the times when the feasts of the sacred mysteries should be celebrated on earth in the same way as she knew they would be celebrated in Heaven. She also asked the Lord to send men of exalted and distinguished holiness for the conversion of sinners, having at the same time a foreknowledge of their sending. In these prayers her burning charity for men rose to such a pitch, that according to the natural course it would have destroyed her life. In order to sustain her and moderate the force of these desires, her divine Son frequently sent one of His highest seraphim, who should answer her and promise her the fulfillment of her desires and petitions, at the same time revealing to her in what order the divine Providence would arrange all this for the greater advantage of mortals.
By the abstractive vision of the Divinity, which, as I have said, she continued to enjoy, the conflagration of love which swept through that purest and chastest of hearts, became so ineffable, that beyond all comparison it exceeded that of the most love-inflamed seraphim next to the throne of the Godhead. If at times she permitted these flames of divine love to abate somewhat, it was in order to contemplate the humanity of her most holy Son; for no other image of visible things was ever allowed to take up her interior faculties, except when she actually employed her senses in dealing with creatures. At the consciousness and memory of her absent Son she felt some natural tenderness; but this was always a moderate and reasonable one, as she was the most prudent Mother. But as the heart of the Son re-echoed to this love, He permitted Himself to be wounded by the loving desires of His Mother: and the words of the Canticle were literally fulfilled, that the eyes of His beloved Spouse and Mother drew Him down to the earth (Canticles 4:4).
The 'Descension' of Christ
This happened many times, as will be said later on, and it took place the first time during the few days which passed between her descent from Heaven and the coming of the Holy Ghost, not more than six days after she again began to converse with the Apostles. Christ our Savior would not permit Himself a longer delay than these few days before He again descended personally to visit and fill her with new gifts and ineffable consolation. The purest Lady was fainting with love and with those pangs, which she says, cause well ordered charity in the wine-cellar of the King (Canticles 2:4). The Lord then coming to her permitted her to recline upon His breast in the left arm of His humanity, and with the right arm of His Divinity He illumined her and enriched her, filled her anew with vivifying and strengthening influences. Then again were quieted the loving anxieties of this wounded Deer, now drinking to her satisfaction from the fountain of the Savior.
She was refreshed and strengthened anew, in order that she might be inflamed still more by the fires of her inextinguishable love. She was made whole by being so much the more deeply wounded; she was healed by a new sickness and vivified by delivering herself over so much the more completely to the agonies of her affection; for this kind of sickness neither knows nor admits of any other kind of remedy. When the sweetest Mother by these favors had regained strength and when the presence of the Savior was revealed to her senses, she prostrated herself before His royal Majesty in order to ask Him humbly for His blessing and to give Him most fervent thanks for the favor of His visit.
The most prudent Lady was surprised at this favor not only because it was such a short time since she was deprived of her divine Son, but also because the Lord had not informed her of the time of His visit, nor had her most profound humility permitted her to expect such a divine condescension in affording her relief. As this was the first favor of this kind, she was so much the more abashed and annihilated in her own mind. She spent five hours with the Word enjoying His presence; and none of the Apostles at that time knew of the favor, although they knew, from what they noticed in the countenance and in the bearing of their blessed Lady, that something wonderful was transpiring. None of them, however, on account of their timidity and reverence, presumed to inquire further into the cause.
In order to take leave of her divine Son, when she became aware that He wished to return to Heaven, she prostrated herself again to the ground, asking Him for His blessing and for His guidance in correcting any deficiency in her behavior for the time when He should return to visit her in the future. She asked this favor, because the Lord himself had offered to visit her sometimes in her loneliness. Moreover, often before His Ascension, she had prostrated herself at His feet in acknowledgment of her unworthiness and of her want of fervor thanking Him for His favors, as I have narrated in the first part. AIthough she could accuse herself of no fault, because as the Mother of holiness, she never committed any; and although she could not, as the Mother of wisdom, commit any fault; yet the Lord permitted full sway to her humility and love in the worthy acknowledgment of her debt to God as a mere creature. In her most exalted knowledge and humility all that she did seemed small in recompense for the supernatural blessings. This inequality she attributed to herself and although this could not be called a fault, she wished to acknowledge the inferiority of earthly things in comparison with divine excellence.
MARY SACRIFICES HEAVEN TO HELP THE CHURCH
(Part One) After the Ascension
I again remind those who shall read this history not to be astonished at the hidden mysteries recorded of the most Blessed Mary therein, nor to hold them unworthy of belief, because they have not been until now revealed to the world. For, even setting aside the fact that they are all worthy and befitting this great Queen, we cannot deny, that, though we have until now no written record of her wonderful doings after the Ascension of the Lord, yet we must suppose her to have wrought many and exceeding great wonders in her office as Teacher, Protectress and Mother of the new evangelical Church, which was to be introduced into the world under her assistance and supervision. And if the Lord renovated her in all her powers, as was stated, and if He exerted all His Omnipotence through her, no favor or blessing, no matter how great, can consistently with the Catholic truth be disputed as pertaining justly to this peerless and singular Creature.
Mary in Two Places At Once
Mary was three days in Heaven enjoying the beatific vision (here body being miraculously in two places at the same time—in the Cenacle and in Heaven) and she came back from her heavenly seat on the day which corresponds to the Sunday after the day of the Ascension, called in the holy Church the Sunday within the octave of that feast. She remained in the Cenacle three succeeding days enjoying the after-effects of the beatific vision.
During this time the heavenly splendors, which still clothed her, were tempered and only the Evangelist St. John had full knowledge of the mystery; for it was not opportune, that it should become known to the rest of the Apostles at that time, because they were scarcely as yet capable of such sacraments. Although she remained in their company, it was necessary that her glory should be hidden from them. For even the Evangelist, though he was especially strengthened by grace for the privilege of looking upon her with that veil withdrawn, fell prostrate upon the ground as soon as he came into her presence. Nor, on the other hand, was it befitting that the Lord should suddenly deprive our great Queen of her refulgence and the other exterior and interior effects of her admission into the glory of His throne. He ordained, in His infinite wisdom, that the effects of those divine gifts and favors diminish by degrees and that her virginal body return gradually to the more common visible state for conversing with the Apostles and the rest of the faithful of the holy Church.
I have also said above, that this miracle of Mary’s admission into Heaven does not conflict with what is written in the Acts of the Apostles, though we there read, that the Apostles and the holy women persevered unanimously in prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and with His brethren after the Lord had ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:14). What I have said evidently agrees with this passage; for St. Luke writes his history according to what he and the Apostles saw in the Cenacle of Jerusalem, and irrespective of the mystery of which they were ignorant. The sacred body of Mary was in two places at the same time. Although the attention and use of the senses and faculties was more perfect and real in Heaven, nevertheless it could be truly said, that she was in the company of the Apostles and that she was seen by all. Moreover it was true that the most blessed Mary persevered with them in prayer; for she saw them from her place in Heaven and there she united her prayers and petitions with those of all the holy refugees of the Cenacle; she presented them to her divine Son, at whose right hand she was seated, and obtained for them perseverance and many other great favors of the Most High.
Three Days of Heaven, While Still on Earth
The three days in which the great Lady enjoyed the after-effects of glory and while the redundance of its splendors gradually lessened, she spent in most ardent and divine sentiments of love, gratitude and ineffable humility, beyond all the terms or words, which I can find for manifesting what I have been made to understand of this sacrament, for they fall far short of the truth. The angels and seraphim, who attended upon her, conferred in new wonder with each other on these miracles, and they discussed among themselves, which was the greatest miracle: that the Most High should raise a mere Creature to such favors and greatness, or that anyone, after having been raised to such heights of grace and glory, should abase herself beneath the lowest of creation and deem herself the most insignificant of all that is created. I perceived that the highest seraphim stood, as it were, with bated breath at beholding the doings of their Queen.
Speaking to each other they said: “If the demons before their fall had been privileged to behold this example of humility, it would have been impossible for them to yield to their pride. This our great Lady is she, who, without any defect, without any deficiency, not only in part, but in all plenitude, has filled up the vast voidness of humility in all creatures. She alone has worthily conceived the majesty and supereminent greatness of the Creator and the littleness of all creation. She is the One, that knows when and how He must be obeyed and reverenced; and she faithfully acts out her knowledge. Is it possible, that among the thorns sown by sin among the children of Adam the earth should produce such a pure Lily, emitting such fragrance for the delight of the Creator and for mortals? (Canticles 2:2), that from the desert of the world, void of grace and full of earthliness, such a heavenly Creature, affluent with the delights of the Almighty, should arise? (Canticles 8:5). Let Him be eternally praised in His wisdom and goodness, who formed such a Creature, so wonderfully appointed for our emulation in holiness and for an example and for the glory of the human kind. And thou, blessed among women, distinguished and chosen among all creatures, be thou congratulated, known and praised by all generations! (Luke 1:48). Mayest thou enjoy for all eternity the excellence given to thee by thy Son and Creator! May He find His pleasure and complaisance in thee on account of the beauty of thy works and gifts; may in thee be satiated His immense charity for the justification of all men. Thou, for all of them dost render Him satisfaction, and looking upon thee He shall not repent of having called into existence ungrateful man. If they grieve and irritate Him, thou appeasest Him and turnest Him to mercy and kindness. We do not wonder that He should favor men so much, since thou, our Lady and Queen, livest among them and callest them thy people.”
With these praises and many other hymns the holy angels celebrated the humility and the works of the most blessed Mary after she descended from Heaven; and to some of these praises she herself joined her responses. After dismissing the host of the angels, who had accompanied her from Heaven, and after having remained in seclusion still filled with the splendors of Heaven perceived only by St. John, she knew that it was time to deal and converse with the faithful. She therefore left her retirement and, like a loving Mother, began to hold tender conversations with the Apostles and disciples. With them she offered tearful prayers to her divine Son, including them and all who in future ages were to receive the grace of the holy Catholic Faith.
Heart in Heaven, Body on Earth
From that day also, as long as she lived upon earth, she asked the Lord to hasten the times when the feasts of the sacred mysteries should be celebrated on earth in the same way as she knew they would be celebrated in Heaven. She also asked the Lord to send men of exalted and distinguished holiness for the conversion of sinners, having at the same time a foreknowledge of their sending. In these prayers her burning charity for men rose to such a pitch, that according to the natural course it would have destroyed her life. In order to sustain her and moderate the force of these desires, her divine Son frequently sent one of His highest seraphim, who should answer her and promise her the fulfillment of her desires and petitions, at the same time revealing to her in what order the divine Providence would arrange all this for the greater advantage of mortals.
By the abstractive vision of the Divinity, which, as I have said, she continued to enjoy, the conflagration of love which swept through that purest and chastest of hearts, became so ineffable, that beyond all comparison it exceeded that of the most love-inflamed seraphim next to the throne of the Godhead. If at times she permitted these flames of divine love to abate somewhat, it was in order to contemplate the humanity of her most holy Son; for no other image of visible things was ever allowed to take up her interior faculties, except when she actually employed her senses in dealing with creatures. At the consciousness and memory of her absent Son she felt some natural tenderness; but this was always a moderate and reasonable one, as she was the most prudent Mother. But as the heart of the Son re-echoed to this love, He permitted Himself to be wounded by the loving desires of His Mother: and the words of the Canticle were literally fulfilled, that the eyes of His beloved Spouse and Mother drew Him down to the earth (Canticles 4:4).
The 'Descension' of Christ
This happened many times, as will be said later on, and it took place the first time during the few days which passed between her descent from Heaven and the coming of the Holy Ghost, not more than six days after she again began to converse with the Apostles. Christ our Savior would not permit Himself a longer delay than these few days before He again descended personally to visit and fill her with new gifts and ineffable consolation. The purest Lady was fainting with love and with those pangs, which she says, cause well ordered charity in the wine-cellar of the King (Canticles 2:4). The Lord then coming to her permitted her to recline upon His breast in the left arm of His humanity, and with the right arm of His Divinity He illumined her and enriched her, filled her anew with vivifying and strengthening influences. Then again were quieted the loving anxieties of this wounded Deer, now drinking to her satisfaction from the fountain of the Savior.
She was refreshed and strengthened anew, in order that she might be inflamed still more by the fires of her inextinguishable love. She was made whole by being so much the more deeply wounded; she was healed by a new sickness and vivified by delivering herself over so much the more completely to the agonies of her affection; for this kind of sickness neither knows nor admits of any other kind of remedy. When the sweetest Mother by these favors had regained strength and when the presence of the Savior was revealed to her senses, she prostrated herself before His royal Majesty in order to ask Him humbly for His blessing and to give Him most fervent thanks for the favor of His visit.
The most prudent Lady was surprised at this favor not only because it was such a short time since she was deprived of her divine Son, but also because the Lord had not informed her of the time of His visit, nor had her most profound humility permitted her to expect such a divine condescension in affording her relief. As this was the first favor of this kind, she was so much the more abashed and annihilated in her own mind. She spent five hours with the Word enjoying His presence; and none of the Apostles at that time knew of the favor, although they knew, from what they noticed in the countenance and in the bearing of their blessed Lady, that something wonderful was transpiring. None of them, however, on account of their timidity and reverence, presumed to inquire further into the cause.
In order to take leave of her divine Son, when she became aware that He wished to return to Heaven, she prostrated herself again to the ground, asking Him for His blessing and for His guidance in correcting any deficiency in her behavior for the time when He should return to visit her in the future. She asked this favor, because the Lord himself had offered to visit her sometimes in her loneliness. Moreover, often before His Ascension, she had prostrated herself at His feet in acknowledgment of her unworthiness and of her want of fervor thanking Him for His favors, as I have narrated in the first part. AIthough she could accuse herself of no fault, because as the Mother of holiness, she never committed any; and although she could not, as the Mother of wisdom, commit any fault; yet the Lord permitted full sway to her humility and love in the worthy acknowledgment of her debt to God as a mere creature. In her most exalted knowledge and humility all that she did seemed small in recompense for the supernatural blessings. This inequality she attributed to herself and although this could not be called a fault, she wished to acknowledge the inferiority of earthly things in comparison with divine excellence.
CHAPTER 31
MARY SACRIFICES HEAVEN TO HELP THE CHURCH
(Part Two) Preparing the Apostles
But among the ineffable mysteries and favors which she received since the day of the Ascension of her divine Son our Savior, were those connected with the worthy preparation of the Apostles and disciples for the advent of the Holy Ghost. The great Queen well knew how estimable and divine was to be the blessing which was held in store for them by the Father of lights; she considered also the fleshly affection of the Apostles for the humanity of their Master Jesus. For the purpose of correcting this defect and perfecting them in all things, as a tender Mother and powerful Queen, she, on arriving in Heaven with her divine Son, sent some of her angels to the Cenacle as her messengers in order to intimate to the faithful her own and her Son’s will, that they should raise themselves above themselves and henceforth live more by Faith and love of God, than in the operations of their sensual nature; that they should not be borne along solely by the sight of God’s humanity, but that they let it serve them as a portal and a path to the Divinity, where they would find adequate satisfaction and repose. Such advice and exhortation the heavenly Queen ordered the angel to give to the Apostles.
Afterwards, when she again descended from on high, she consoled them in their sorrow and soothed them in their dismay, speaking to them for one hour every day and explaining to them the mysteries of the Faith taught her by her divine Son. She did this however not by any formal instruction, but in the manner of a conference, exhorting them also to spend another hour during the day in discussing among themselves the admonitions, promises, doctrine and teachings of their divine Master Jesus and to occupy themselves during some other part of the day in reciting vocally the Our Father and some psalms, while the rest of the time they were to spend in mental prayer. Towards evening they were to partake of bread and fish and then indulge in moderate sleep. Through these prayers and fasts they were to dispose themselves for the advent and reception of the Holy Ghost.
The vigilant Mother, empowered by the right hand of her divine Son, took care of that happy family in order to bring all their works up to the highest perfection. After her descent from Heaven, she instructed the Apostles, yet she never entered upon this duty without first being requested by St. Peter or St. John. Through her prayers she moved her divine Son to inspire them with these commands, in order that she might obey them as His vicars and priests.
The Humility in Mary's Manner
Thus all things happened as arranged by the Mother of humility and she obeyed as a handmaid. Laying aside all pretense to her dignity as Queen and Lady, and making no use of her sovereignty and dominion, she obeyed as a servant and conducted herself as if she were an inferior, and in this spirit she conferred with the Apostles and the other faithful. During those days she explained to them the mystery of the blessed Trinity in terms most exalted and mysterious, yet suited to the understanding of all. She explained also the mystery of the hypostatic union, and those of the Incarnation, adding many others, which they had already been taught by the Master; telling them at the same time that they would be enlightened by the Holy Ghost for a deeper understanding of all these things.
Teacher Par Excellence
She taught them how to pray mentally, insisting on the excellence and necessity of that kind of prayer; how the principal duty and the most noble occupation of the rational creature was to raise itself, by the understanding and the will, above all that is created to the knowledge and love of God; and that no other object or occupation should ever be preferred or should ever interrupt this duty, so as not to deprive the soul of this supreme benefit, the beginning of eternal life and happiness. She taught them also how to thank the eternal Father for having given us His only Son for our Redeemer and Master, and for the love with which the Lord redeemed us at the cost of His Passion and Death. She exhorted them to give thanks to God for having singled them out as His Apostles, as His companions and as the founders of His holy Church.
Such were the exhortations and teachings, with which the heavenly Mother at that time enlightened the hearts of the eleven Apostles and the other disciples and by which she prepared and disposed them for the reception of the Holy Ghost and His divine effects. As she saw into the inmost recesses of their hearts and knew the natural condition and character of each one, she accommodated herself to the necessities, the bent of mind and the graces of each in order to fill them with joy, consolation and constancy in the practice of virtue. She exhorted them to persevere in humble prostrations and other actions of worship and reverence in adoring the greatness and majesty of the Most High.
Every morning and evening she approached the Apostles to receive their benediction, first that of St. Peter, as their chief, then of St. John and of the rest according to their age. At first they all shrank from performing this ceremony, beholding in her their Queen and the Mother of their Master Jesus. But the most prudent Lady insisted that all should bless her as ministers and priests of the Most High, explaining to them how the highest reverence and respect was due to them on account of their supreme dignity and office. As this was a contest of humility, it was certain that the Mother of humility would be victorious and the disciples would be overcome and instructed by her example. Besides, the words of Mary were so sweet and persuasive for moving the hearts of those first believers, that she urged them on with a heavenly force and enlightened them to practice the highest perfections of virtue and holiness.
Delighted 'Students'
Perceiving these wonderful effects upon themselves, they wonderingly commented upon them among each other, saying: “Truly in this pure Creature we have found again the teaching and consoling doctrine, of which we are deprived by the absence of her Son, our Master. Her words and doings, her counsels, her sweet and gentle conversation, teach us and draw us on in the same way as the conversation of the Lord, when He lived in our midst. Our hearts are inflamed by the teachings and exhortations of this wonderful Being as with those of Jesus our Savior. There is no doubt that He as the omnipotent God, has deposited in the Mother of the Only-begotten His own divine wisdom and grace. We can now dry our tears, since for our instruction and consolation He has given us such a Mother and Mistress, and since He has left with us this living ark of the Testament, wherein He has placed for us His law, His wonderful staff, and the sweetest manna for our sustenance and comfort” (Hebrews 9, 4).
If the holy Apostles and the other firstborn children of the Church had recorded in writing what they saw as eye-witnesses of her deeds of eminent wisdom; what they heard and what passed in their conversation with her for so long a time, then we might be filled with higher conceptions of the holy and heroic works of the sovereign lady. We would then see that as well in the doctrine which she taught, as in the wonders which she wrought, her most holy Son had communicated to her a virtue, which although coming from the Lord as from its fountain, yet, in the heavenly Lady, was in a certain manner divine and was distributed from her as from an aqueduct to all the mortals. The Apostles however had the happiness and good fortune of drinking the waters of the Savior and of the teachings of His purest Mother in their very fount, receiving them in a sensible manner and thus preparing them for their office and ministry in founding the holy Church and planting the evangelic Faith throughout the world.
Replacing Judas
By the treason and death of that unhappy one among all mortals, his episcopacy, as David says, had become vacant and it was necessary to provide some other one worthy of the apostolate (Psalm 108:8). For it was the will of the Most High, that the number twelve, which had been determined upon by the Master of life as the proper number when He chose His Apostles, should also be their number at the coming of the Holy Ghost. This decree of the Lord was explained to the Apostles by the blessed Mary in one of her instructions; all of them acceded to it and they asked her as their Mother and Mistress to choose one who should seem worthy and most fit for the apostolate. The heavenly Lady knew beforehand who was to be chosen; for the names of the twelve, including St. Mathias, were written in her heart, as is said in the third chapter. But in her profound humility and wisdom she judged it right to leave this to St. Peter in order that he might begin to exercise in the new Church the office of pontiff and head, as vicar of Jesus Christ, its Author and Master. She therefore instructed the Apostle to hold this election in the presence of all the disciples and other faithful so that all might see him act as the supreme head of the Church. St. Peter thereupon arranged it all according to her directions.
The proceedings of this first election in the Church are related by St. Luke in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. He says, that in the days intervening between the Ascension of Christ and the coming of the Holy Ghost, the Apostle St. Peter, having called together the one hundred and twenty, who had been present at the Ascension, reminded them that the prophecy of David concerning the treason of Judas in the fortieth psalm must be fulfilled; that Judas, having been chosen as one of the twelve Apostles, had unhappily prevaricated and made himself the leader of those that captured Jesus; that with the price of his treason had been bought the field called Haceldama; that at the end, as unworthy of divine mercy, he had hung himself, had burst in the middle and his entrails had fallen out, as was known to all who lived in Jerusalem; that therefore it was becoming, another should be chosen to the apostolate in his place in order to give testimony to the resurrection of the Savior, in accordance with another prophecy of David (Psalm 108:8) ; and that the one to be chosen should be from the number of those who had followed Christ the Master in His preaching ever since His Baptism by St. John.
Having thus persuaded all the faithful of the propriety of electing the twelfth Apostle, they left it to St. Peter to determine the manner of this election. The Apostle then ordained, that from the seventy-two disciples two, Joseph, called the just, and Mathias, should be selected. Between these two lots were to be drawn and that one should be assigned to the apostleship, who would draw the proper lot. All approved of this manner of election, which at that time was a very secure way, since the divine power wrought great miracles for the foundation of the Church. They wrote the two names, with the title of Disciple and Apostle of Christ, upon as many cards and placed them in an urn, where they could not be seen. All of them then fell to prayer, asking God to choose the one pleasing to Him, since, as the Lord, He knew the hearts of all (Acts 1:25). St. Peter thereupon drew out one of the lots, on which was written the name of Mathias as Apostle and Disciple of Christ; joyfully Mathias was accepted and acknowledged as the legitimate Apostle, and the eleven embraced him. The most holy Mary, who was present at all these proceedings, asked his blessing and, in imitation of her, all the other faithful did the same. Then all of them continued their prayers and fasting until the coming of the Holy Ghost.
WORDS OF THE QUEEN THE VIRGIN MARY SPEAKS TO SISTER MARY OF AGREDA
My daughter, thou hast rightly wondered at the hidden and supernatural favors, which I received at the hands of my Son, and at the humility and thankfulness, with which I received them; likewise the loving attention which I paid to the necessities of the Apostles and the faithful of the Church amid all my joy. It is time, my dearest, that thou gather the fruits of this knowledge; for neither canst thou now comprehend more, nor do I desire less of thee than that thou be to me a faithful daughter, who imitates me fervently, and a disciple, who listens to me and follows me with all her heart.
Stir up thy Faith then in order to be convinced, that I am powerful to confer favors, and trust, that I will enrich thee in unbridled generosity with Gifts beyond all thy desires. But at the same time do thou humiliate thyself to the very earth and shrink to the very last place among creatures; for of thyself thou art more useless than the most vile and despicable dust and thou canst call nothing thy own except misery and want. Consider well within thyself how great and exquisite is the kindness and condescension of the Most High in regard to thee, and what kind of thanks thou owest Him. If the one who pays his debts, even entirely, cannot take to himself special credit; then it is just, that thou, who canst not satisfy thy debt, shouldst remain humble, for though thou labor ever so much and according to all thy powers, thou shalt nevertheless remain a debtor. What shall then be thy indebtedness, if thou remain remiss and negligent?
In this prudent alertness thou wilt understand, how closely thou must imitate me in living Faith, in confident hope and in fervent love, in profound humility and in the worship and reverence due to the infinite greatness of the Lord. I warn thee again of the cunning vigilance of the serpent, who seeks to induce mortals to neglect the veneration and worship due to God and presumptuously to despise this virtue and what it implies. Into the minds of the worldly and of the vicious he instills a most foolish forgetfulness of the Catholic truths, in order that divine Faith may not keep alive in them the fear and veneration of the Most High; and thus he succeeds in making them like to the heathens, who do not know the true God.
Others, who strive after virtue and perform some good works, the enemy leads into a dangerous lukewarmness and negligence, wherein they overlook what they are losing on account of their want of fervor. Those that concern themselves more earnestly about perfection, the dragon deceives with a certain coarse over-confidence, so that on account of the favors they receive and on account of the divine mercy which they experience, they begin to consider themselves as special favorites of the Lord, forgetting the humble fear and veneration, which they ought to experience in the presence of Him, before whom, according to the teaching of the holy Church, the powers of Heaven tremble. But since I have on other occasion reminded and admonished thee concerning this danger, let my mentioning it here suffice.
In this manner I desire that thou be faithful and punctual in the practice of this doctrine, exercising it in all thy exterior actions without affectation or excess, and teaching others by thy own example the holy fear and veneration due from creatures to their Creator. I desire that thou teach and impress this science especially upon thy religious, so that they may not be ignorant of the humility and reverence, with which they are to converse with God.
The most efficacious instruction thou canst give, will be thy example in fulfilling all thy obligations; for these works thou must neither conceal, nor ever omit for fear of vanity. This example is due in much greater degree from those that govern others, since it is their duty to exhort, move and accompany their subjects in the holy fear of the Lord, which is done more efficaciously by example than by words. Admonish them particularly to hold in veneration the priests as the anointed of the Lord. In imitation of me do thou always ask for their blessing, when thou approachest or leavest them.
The more thou seest thy own self favored by the divine condescension, so much the more bear in mind the necessities and the afflictions of thy neighbors and the dangers of those in sin, praying for all in great Faith and confidence. For, thy love of God cannot be true, if thou art content with enjoying only thyself, and in the meanwhile forgetest thy brethren. Thou must anxiously solicit the highest goods, which thou knowest of and participatest in, for all men, since no one is excluded therefrom and since all need the help and communication of God. In the love of me thou wilt understand, how thou must imitate me in all things.
MARY SACRIFICES HEAVEN TO HELP THE CHURCH
(Part Two) Preparing the Apostles
But among the ineffable mysteries and favors which she received since the day of the Ascension of her divine Son our Savior, were those connected with the worthy preparation of the Apostles and disciples for the advent of the Holy Ghost. The great Queen well knew how estimable and divine was to be the blessing which was held in store for them by the Father of lights; she considered also the fleshly affection of the Apostles for the humanity of their Master Jesus. For the purpose of correcting this defect and perfecting them in all things, as a tender Mother and powerful Queen, she, on arriving in Heaven with her divine Son, sent some of her angels to the Cenacle as her messengers in order to intimate to the faithful her own and her Son’s will, that they should raise themselves above themselves and henceforth live more by Faith and love of God, than in the operations of their sensual nature; that they should not be borne along solely by the sight of God’s humanity, but that they let it serve them as a portal and a path to the Divinity, where they would find adequate satisfaction and repose. Such advice and exhortation the heavenly Queen ordered the angel to give to the Apostles.
Afterwards, when she again descended from on high, she consoled them in their sorrow and soothed them in their dismay, speaking to them for one hour every day and explaining to them the mysteries of the Faith taught her by her divine Son. She did this however not by any formal instruction, but in the manner of a conference, exhorting them also to spend another hour during the day in discussing among themselves the admonitions, promises, doctrine and teachings of their divine Master Jesus and to occupy themselves during some other part of the day in reciting vocally the Our Father and some psalms, while the rest of the time they were to spend in mental prayer. Towards evening they were to partake of bread and fish and then indulge in moderate sleep. Through these prayers and fasts they were to dispose themselves for the advent and reception of the Holy Ghost.
The vigilant Mother, empowered by the right hand of her divine Son, took care of that happy family in order to bring all their works up to the highest perfection. After her descent from Heaven, she instructed the Apostles, yet she never entered upon this duty without first being requested by St. Peter or St. John. Through her prayers she moved her divine Son to inspire them with these commands, in order that she might obey them as His vicars and priests.
The Humility in Mary's Manner
Thus all things happened as arranged by the Mother of humility and she obeyed as a handmaid. Laying aside all pretense to her dignity as Queen and Lady, and making no use of her sovereignty and dominion, she obeyed as a servant and conducted herself as if she were an inferior, and in this spirit she conferred with the Apostles and the other faithful. During those days she explained to them the mystery of the blessed Trinity in terms most exalted and mysterious, yet suited to the understanding of all. She explained also the mystery of the hypostatic union, and those of the Incarnation, adding many others, which they had already been taught by the Master; telling them at the same time that they would be enlightened by the Holy Ghost for a deeper understanding of all these things.
Teacher Par Excellence
She taught them how to pray mentally, insisting on the excellence and necessity of that kind of prayer; how the principal duty and the most noble occupation of the rational creature was to raise itself, by the understanding and the will, above all that is created to the knowledge and love of God; and that no other object or occupation should ever be preferred or should ever interrupt this duty, so as not to deprive the soul of this supreme benefit, the beginning of eternal life and happiness. She taught them also how to thank the eternal Father for having given us His only Son for our Redeemer and Master, and for the love with which the Lord redeemed us at the cost of His Passion and Death. She exhorted them to give thanks to God for having singled them out as His Apostles, as His companions and as the founders of His holy Church.
Such were the exhortations and teachings, with which the heavenly Mother at that time enlightened the hearts of the eleven Apostles and the other disciples and by which she prepared and disposed them for the reception of the Holy Ghost and His divine effects. As she saw into the inmost recesses of their hearts and knew the natural condition and character of each one, she accommodated herself to the necessities, the bent of mind and the graces of each in order to fill them with joy, consolation and constancy in the practice of virtue. She exhorted them to persevere in humble prostrations and other actions of worship and reverence in adoring the greatness and majesty of the Most High.
Every morning and evening she approached the Apostles to receive their benediction, first that of St. Peter, as their chief, then of St. John and of the rest according to their age. At first they all shrank from performing this ceremony, beholding in her their Queen and the Mother of their Master Jesus. But the most prudent Lady insisted that all should bless her as ministers and priests of the Most High, explaining to them how the highest reverence and respect was due to them on account of their supreme dignity and office. As this was a contest of humility, it was certain that the Mother of humility would be victorious and the disciples would be overcome and instructed by her example. Besides, the words of Mary were so sweet and persuasive for moving the hearts of those first believers, that she urged them on with a heavenly force and enlightened them to practice the highest perfections of virtue and holiness.
Delighted 'Students'
Perceiving these wonderful effects upon themselves, they wonderingly commented upon them among each other, saying: “Truly in this pure Creature we have found again the teaching and consoling doctrine, of which we are deprived by the absence of her Son, our Master. Her words and doings, her counsels, her sweet and gentle conversation, teach us and draw us on in the same way as the conversation of the Lord, when He lived in our midst. Our hearts are inflamed by the teachings and exhortations of this wonderful Being as with those of Jesus our Savior. There is no doubt that He as the omnipotent God, has deposited in the Mother of the Only-begotten His own divine wisdom and grace. We can now dry our tears, since for our instruction and consolation He has given us such a Mother and Mistress, and since He has left with us this living ark of the Testament, wherein He has placed for us His law, His wonderful staff, and the sweetest manna for our sustenance and comfort” (Hebrews 9, 4).
If the holy Apostles and the other firstborn children of the Church had recorded in writing what they saw as eye-witnesses of her deeds of eminent wisdom; what they heard and what passed in their conversation with her for so long a time, then we might be filled with higher conceptions of the holy and heroic works of the sovereign lady. We would then see that as well in the doctrine which she taught, as in the wonders which she wrought, her most holy Son had communicated to her a virtue, which although coming from the Lord as from its fountain, yet, in the heavenly Lady, was in a certain manner divine and was distributed from her as from an aqueduct to all the mortals. The Apostles however had the happiness and good fortune of drinking the waters of the Savior and of the teachings of His purest Mother in their very fount, receiving them in a sensible manner and thus preparing them for their office and ministry in founding the holy Church and planting the evangelic Faith throughout the world.
Replacing Judas
By the treason and death of that unhappy one among all mortals, his episcopacy, as David says, had become vacant and it was necessary to provide some other one worthy of the apostolate (Psalm 108:8). For it was the will of the Most High, that the number twelve, which had been determined upon by the Master of life as the proper number when He chose His Apostles, should also be their number at the coming of the Holy Ghost. This decree of the Lord was explained to the Apostles by the blessed Mary in one of her instructions; all of them acceded to it and they asked her as their Mother and Mistress to choose one who should seem worthy and most fit for the apostolate. The heavenly Lady knew beforehand who was to be chosen; for the names of the twelve, including St. Mathias, were written in her heart, as is said in the third chapter. But in her profound humility and wisdom she judged it right to leave this to St. Peter in order that he might begin to exercise in the new Church the office of pontiff and head, as vicar of Jesus Christ, its Author and Master. She therefore instructed the Apostle to hold this election in the presence of all the disciples and other faithful so that all might see him act as the supreme head of the Church. St. Peter thereupon arranged it all according to her directions.
The proceedings of this first election in the Church are related by St. Luke in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. He says, that in the days intervening between the Ascension of Christ and the coming of the Holy Ghost, the Apostle St. Peter, having called together the one hundred and twenty, who had been present at the Ascension, reminded them that the prophecy of David concerning the treason of Judas in the fortieth psalm must be fulfilled; that Judas, having been chosen as one of the twelve Apostles, had unhappily prevaricated and made himself the leader of those that captured Jesus; that with the price of his treason had been bought the field called Haceldama; that at the end, as unworthy of divine mercy, he had hung himself, had burst in the middle and his entrails had fallen out, as was known to all who lived in Jerusalem; that therefore it was becoming, another should be chosen to the apostolate in his place in order to give testimony to the resurrection of the Savior, in accordance with another prophecy of David (Psalm 108:8) ; and that the one to be chosen should be from the number of those who had followed Christ the Master in His preaching ever since His Baptism by St. John.
Having thus persuaded all the faithful of the propriety of electing the twelfth Apostle, they left it to St. Peter to determine the manner of this election. The Apostle then ordained, that from the seventy-two disciples two, Joseph, called the just, and Mathias, should be selected. Between these two lots were to be drawn and that one should be assigned to the apostleship, who would draw the proper lot. All approved of this manner of election, which at that time was a very secure way, since the divine power wrought great miracles for the foundation of the Church. They wrote the two names, with the title of Disciple and Apostle of Christ, upon as many cards and placed them in an urn, where they could not be seen. All of them then fell to prayer, asking God to choose the one pleasing to Him, since, as the Lord, He knew the hearts of all (Acts 1:25). St. Peter thereupon drew out one of the lots, on which was written the name of Mathias as Apostle and Disciple of Christ; joyfully Mathias was accepted and acknowledged as the legitimate Apostle, and the eleven embraced him. The most holy Mary, who was present at all these proceedings, asked his blessing and, in imitation of her, all the other faithful did the same. Then all of them continued their prayers and fasting until the coming of the Holy Ghost.
WORDS OF THE QUEEN THE VIRGIN MARY SPEAKS TO SISTER MARY OF AGREDA
My daughter, thou hast rightly wondered at the hidden and supernatural favors, which I received at the hands of my Son, and at the humility and thankfulness, with which I received them; likewise the loving attention which I paid to the necessities of the Apostles and the faithful of the Church amid all my joy. It is time, my dearest, that thou gather the fruits of this knowledge; for neither canst thou now comprehend more, nor do I desire less of thee than that thou be to me a faithful daughter, who imitates me fervently, and a disciple, who listens to me and follows me with all her heart.
Stir up thy Faith then in order to be convinced, that I am powerful to confer favors, and trust, that I will enrich thee in unbridled generosity with Gifts beyond all thy desires. But at the same time do thou humiliate thyself to the very earth and shrink to the very last place among creatures; for of thyself thou art more useless than the most vile and despicable dust and thou canst call nothing thy own except misery and want. Consider well within thyself how great and exquisite is the kindness and condescension of the Most High in regard to thee, and what kind of thanks thou owest Him. If the one who pays his debts, even entirely, cannot take to himself special credit; then it is just, that thou, who canst not satisfy thy debt, shouldst remain humble, for though thou labor ever so much and according to all thy powers, thou shalt nevertheless remain a debtor. What shall then be thy indebtedness, if thou remain remiss and negligent?
In this prudent alertness thou wilt understand, how closely thou must imitate me in living Faith, in confident hope and in fervent love, in profound humility and in the worship and reverence due to the infinite greatness of the Lord. I warn thee again of the cunning vigilance of the serpent, who seeks to induce mortals to neglect the veneration and worship due to God and presumptuously to despise this virtue and what it implies. Into the minds of the worldly and of the vicious he instills a most foolish forgetfulness of the Catholic truths, in order that divine Faith may not keep alive in them the fear and veneration of the Most High; and thus he succeeds in making them like to the heathens, who do not know the true God.
Others, who strive after virtue and perform some good works, the enemy leads into a dangerous lukewarmness and negligence, wherein they overlook what they are losing on account of their want of fervor. Those that concern themselves more earnestly about perfection, the dragon deceives with a certain coarse over-confidence, so that on account of the favors they receive and on account of the divine mercy which they experience, they begin to consider themselves as special favorites of the Lord, forgetting the humble fear and veneration, which they ought to experience in the presence of Him, before whom, according to the teaching of the holy Church, the powers of Heaven tremble. But since I have on other occasion reminded and admonished thee concerning this danger, let my mentioning it here suffice.
In this manner I desire that thou be faithful and punctual in the practice of this doctrine, exercising it in all thy exterior actions without affectation or excess, and teaching others by thy own example the holy fear and veneration due from creatures to their Creator. I desire that thou teach and impress this science especially upon thy religious, so that they may not be ignorant of the humility and reverence, with which they are to converse with God.
The most efficacious instruction thou canst give, will be thy example in fulfilling all thy obligations; for these works thou must neither conceal, nor ever omit for fear of vanity. This example is due in much greater degree from those that govern others, since it is their duty to exhort, move and accompany their subjects in the holy fear of the Lord, which is done more efficaciously by example than by words. Admonish them particularly to hold in veneration the priests as the anointed of the Lord. In imitation of me do thou always ask for their blessing, when thou approachest or leavest them.
The more thou seest thy own self favored by the divine condescension, so much the more bear in mind the necessities and the afflictions of thy neighbors and the dangers of those in sin, praying for all in great Faith and confidence. For, thy love of God cannot be true, if thou art content with enjoying only thyself, and in the meanwhile forgetest thy brethren. Thou must anxiously solicit the highest goods, which thou knowest of and participatest in, for all men, since no one is excluded therefrom and since all need the help and communication of God. In the love of me thou wilt understand, how thou must imitate me in all things.
CHAPTER 31
MARY SACRIFICES HEAVEN TO HELP THE CHURCH
(Part Three) Pentecost Sunday
Unity in Charity and Prayer
In the company of the great Queen of Heaven, and encouraged by her, the twelve Apostles and the rest of the disciples and faithful joyfully waited for the fulfillment of the promise of the Savior, that He would send them the Holy Ghost, the Consoler, who should instruct them and administer unto them all that they had heard in the teaching of their Lord (John 14:26). They were so unanimous and united in Charity, that during all these days none of them had any thought, affection or inclination contrary to those of the rest. They were of one heart and soul in thought and action. Although the election of St. Mathias had occurred, not the least movement or sign of discord arose among all those first-born children of the Church; yet this was a transaction, which is otherwise apt to arouse differences of opinion in the most excellently disposed; since each one is apt to follow his own insight and does not easily yield to the opinion of others. But into this holy congregation no discord found entrance, because they were united in prayer, in fasting and in the expectation of the Holy Ghost, who does not seek repose in discordant and unyielding hearts.
Overcoming the Demon
In order that it may be inferred, how powerful was this union in Charity, not only for disposing them toward the reception of the Holy Ghost, but for overcoming and dispersing the evil spirits, I will say; that the demons, who since the death of the Savior had lain prostrate in Hell, felt in themselves a new kind of oppression and terror, resulting from the virtues of those assembled in the Cenac1e. Although they could not explain it to themselves, they perceived a new terrifying force, emanating from that place, and when they perceived the effects of the doctrine and example of Christ in the behavior of the disciples, they feared the ruin of their dominion.
The Appointed Time
The Queen of the angels, most holy Mary, in the plenitude of her wisdom and grace, knew the time and predestined hour for the sending of the Holy Ghost upon the apostolic college. When the days of Pentecost were about to be fulfilled (Act 2:1), (which happened fifty days after the Resurrection of the Lord our Redeemer), the most blessed Mother saw, how in Heaven the humanity (John 14:26) of the Word conferred with the eternal Father concerning the promised sending of the divine Paraclete to the Apostles, and that the time predetermined by His infinite wisdom for planting the Faith and all His Gifts in His holy Church, was at hand. The Lord also referred to the merits acquired by Him in the flesh through His most holy Life, Passion and Death, to the mysteries wrought by Him for the salvation of the human race and to the fact, that He was the Mediator, Advocate and Intercessor between the eternal Father and men, and that among them lived His sweetest Mother, in whom the divine Persons were so well pleased. He besought His Father also, that, besides bringing grace and the invisible Gifts, the Holy Ghost appear in the world in visible form, that so the evangelical law might be honored before all the world; that the Apostles and faithful, who were to spread the divine truth, might be encouraged, and that the enemies of the Lord, who had in this life persecuted and despised Him unto the death of the Cross, might be filled with terror.
The Hour Arrives
On Pentecost morning the Blessed Virgin Mary exhorted the Apostles, the disciples and the pious women, numbering about one hundred and twenty, to pray more fervently and renew their hopes, since the hour was at hand in which they were to be visited by the divine Spirit from on high. At the third hour (nine o’clock), when all of them were gathered around their heavenly Mistress and engaged in fervent prayer, the air resounded with a tremendous thunder and the blowing of a violent wind mixed with the brightness of fire or lightning, all centering upon the house of the Cenacle. The house was enveloped in light and the divine fire was poured out over all of that holy gathering (Acts 2:2). Over the head of each of the hundred and twenty persons appeared a tongue of that same fire, in which the Holy Ghost had come, filling each one with divine influences and heavenly Gifts and causing at one and the same time the most diverse and contrary effects in the Cenacle and in the whole of Jerusalem, according to the diversity of the persons affected.
Mary Filled with the Holy Ghost
In the most holy Mary these effects were altogether divine, and most wonderful in the sight of all the heavenly courtiers; for as regard us men, we are incapable of understanding and explaining them. The purest Lady was transformed and exalted in God; for she saw intuitively and clearly the Holy Ghost, and for a short time enjoyed the beatific vision of the Divinity. Of His Gifts and divine influences, she by herself received more than all the rest of the saints. Her glory, for that space of time, exceeded that of the angels and of the blessed. She alone gave to the Lord more glory, praise and thanksgiving than all the universe for the benefit of the descent of His Holy Spirit upon His Church and for His having pledged Himself so many times to send Him and through Him to govern it to the end of the world. The blessed Trinity was so pleased with the conduct of Mary on this occasion, that It considered Itself fully repaid and compensated for having created the world; and not only compensated, but God acted as if He were under a certain obligation for possessing such a peerless Creature, whom the Father could look upon as His Daughter, the Son as His Mother, and the Holy Ghost as His Spouse; and whom (according to our way of thinking) He was now obliged to visit and enrich after having conferred upon her such high dignity. In this exalted and blessed Spouse were renewed all the Gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, creating new effects and operations altogether beyond our capacity to understand.
The Apostles Filled with the Holy Ghost
The Apostles, as St. Luke says (Acts 2:2), were also replenished and filled with the Holy Ghost; for they received a wonderful increase of justifying grace of a most exalted degree. The twelve Apostles were confirmed in this sanctifying grace and were never to lose it. In all of them, according to each one’s condition, were infused the habits of the seven Gifts: Wisdom, Understanding, Science, Piety, Counsel, Fortitude and Fear. In this magnificent blessing, as new as it was admirable in the world, the twelve Apostles were created fit ministers of the new Testament and founders of the evangelical Church for the whole world: for this new grace and blessing communicated to them a divine strength most efficacious and sweet, which inclined them to practice the most heroic virtue and the highest sanctity. Thus strengthened they prayed, they labored willingly and accomplished the most difficult and arduous tasks, engaging in their labors not with sorrow or from necessity, but with the greatest joy and alacrity.
The Faithful Filled with the Holy Ghost
In all the rest of the disciples and the faithful, who received the Holy Ghost in the Cenacle, the Most High wrought proportionally and respectively the same effects, except that they were not confirmed in grace like the Apostles. According to the disposition of each the gifts of grace were communicated in greater or less abundance in view of the ministry they were to hold in the holy Church. The same proportion was maintained in regard to the Apostles; yet St. Peter and St. John were more singularly favored on account of the high offices assigned to them: the one to govern the Church as its head, and the other to attend upon and serve the Queen and Mistress of Heaven and of earth, most holy Mary. The sacred text of St. Luke says, that the Holy Ghost filled the whole house in which this happy congregation was gathered (Acts 2:2), not only because all of them were filled with the Holy Ghost and His admirable Gifts, but because the house itself was filled with wonderful light and splendor.
This plenitude of wonders and prodigies overflowed and communicated itself also to others outside of the Cenacle; for it caused diverse and various effects of the Holy Spirit among the inhabitants of Jerusalem and its vicinity. All those, who with some piety had compassioned our Savior Jesus in His Passion and Death, deprecating His most bitter torments and reverencing His sacred Person, were interiorly visited with new light and grace, which disposed them afterwards to accept the doctrine of the Apostles. Those that were converted by the first sermon of St. Peter were to a great extent of the number of those who, by their compassion and sorrow at the death of the Lord, had merited for themselves such a great blessing. Others of the just who were in Jerusalem outside of the Cenacle, also felt great interior consolations, by which they were moved and predisposed by new effects of grace wrought in each one proportionately by the Holy Ghost.
Various Effects Upon Those in Jerusalem
Not less wonderful, although more hidden, were some contrary effects produced on that day by the Holy Ghost in Jerusalem. By the dreadful thunders and violent commotion of the atmosphere and the lightning’s accompanying His advent, He disturbed and terrified the enemies of the Lord in that city, each one according to his own malice and perfidy.
This chastisement was particularly evident in those who had actively concurred in procuring the death of Christ, and who had signalized themselves in their rabid fury against Him. All these fell to the ground on their faces and remained thus for three hours. Those that had scourged the Lord were suddenly choked in their own blood, which shot forth from their veins in punishment for shedding that of the Master. The audacious servant, who had buffeted the Lord, not only suddenly died, but was hurled into Hell, body and soul. Others of the Jews, although they did not die, were chastised with intense pains and abominable sicknesses.
These disorders, consequent upon shedding the blood of Christ, descended to their posterity and even to this day continue to afflict their children with most horrible impurities. This chastisement became notorious in Jerusalem, although the priests and Pharisees diligently sought to cover it up, just as they had tried to conceal the Resurrection of the Savior. As these events, however, were not so important, neither the Apostles nor the Evangelists wrote about them, and, in the confusion of the city, the multitude soon forgot them.
The chastisement and terror extended also to the depths of Hell, where the demons felt themselves seized with new confusion and oppression for three days, just as the Jews lay on the earth for three hours. During these three days Lucifer and his demons broke forth in fearful howlings, communicating new terror and confusion of torments to all the damned.
God’s Justice
In coming down into this world it was just that the Spirit should be zealous for the honor of that same incarnate Word; though He did not punish all His enemies, yet He indicated in the punishment of the most wicked, what all the others deserved, who, in their stubborn perfidy had despised Him, if by the respite allowed them, they did not return to truth in heartfelt penance. It was also befitting, that the few, who had received the Word and had followed Him as their Master and Redeemer, and those who were to preach His Faith and doctrine, be rewarded and furnished with the proper means for establishing the Church and the evangelical law.
The Apostle says, that leaving one’s father and mother and uniting oneself with a wife (as also Moses had said), is a great sacrament in Christ and the Church (Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:32), because He descended from the bosom of the Father in order to unite Himself with it in His humanity. Since then Christ came down from Heaven in order to be with His spouse, the Church, it follows that the Holy Ghost came down on account of the most holy Mary, who was not less His Spouse than Christ was of the Church, and who was not less beloved by Him than the Church was beloved of Christ.
WORDS OF THE QUEEN THE VIRGIN MARY SPEAKS TO SISTER MARY OF AGREDA
Little Esteem for the Holy Ghost
My daughter, in small esteem and thankfulness do the children of the Church hold this blessing of the Most High, by which, in addition to sending of His Son as their Master and Redeemer, He sent also the Holy Ghost into His Church. So great was the love, by which He sought to draw them to Himself, that, in order to make them sharers of His divine perfections, He sent them first the Son, who is wisdom (John 3, 16) and afterwards the Holy Ghost, who is love, so that all might be enriched in the manner in which they were capable. The divine Spirit, in coming for the first time upon the Apostles and the others gathered with them, intended it as a pledge and testimony, that He would confer the same favor on the rest of the children of the Church, of light and of the Gospel, and that He was ready to communicate His Gifts to all, if all will dispose themselves toward receiving them. In witness to this truth, the Holy Ghost came upon many of the faithful in visible form and with visible effects (Acts 8:17; 10:44; 11:15), because they were truly faithful servants, humble and sincere, pure and ready of heart to receive Him. Also in our times He comes to many just souls, although not with such open manifestations, because it is neither necessary nor proper. The interior effects and Gifts are all of the same nature, acting according to the disposition and state of the one who receives them.
Union with the Holy Ghost gives Peace
Blessed is the soul which sighs and aspires after this blessing and seeks to participate in this divine fire, which enkindles, enlightens and consumes all that is terrestrial and carnal, which purifies and raises it up to a new existence, union and participation with God himself. This happiness, as thy true and loving Mother, I desire for thee, my daughter, and in order that thou mayest attain it in its fullness, I again exhort thee to prepare thy heart by seeking to preserve inviolable tranquility and peace in all that may happen to thee. The divine clemency wishes to raise thee to a habitation very exalted and secure, where the torments of thy spirit shall come to an end and whither the assaults neither of the world nor of Hell can reach; where in thy own repose the Lord shall rest and find in thee a worthy dwelling-place and a temple of His glory. Thou shalt not escape the attacks and temptations, directed against thee by the dragon with the most cunning astuteness; but do thou live in continued wariness, lest thou be disturbed or disquieted in the interior of thy soul. Guard thy treasures in secret; enjoy the delights of the Lord, the sweet effects of His chaste love, the influences of His holy science; for in this regard He has singled thee out from many generations in utmost liberality.
Gifts of the Holy Ghost
Take heed then of thy calling and assure thyself, that the Most High offers thee anew the participation and communication of His divine Spirit and His Gifts. Remember however, that when He confers them, He does not take away the freedom of thy will; for He ever leaves the election of good or evil to its free choice. Hence, trusting in the divine favor, thou must efficaciously resolve to imitate me in the works shown to thee of my life and thou must never hinder the effects and the operations of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit In order that thou mayest understand better this my doctrine, I will explain to thee the effects of all His seven Gifts.
Wisdom
The first one, which is the Gift of Wisdom, fills the mind with the knowledge and the delight of divine things and moves the heart to a sincere love toward the practice and exercise of all that is good, all that is best, most perfect and agreeable in the eyes of the Lord. With this impulse thou must concur, yielding thyself entirely to the pleasure of His divine will and despising all that might hinder thee, no matter how pleasant it may seem to thy inclinations or alluring to thy appetite.
Understanding
Wisdom is aided by the second Gift, that of Intellect, which gives special light to penetrate profoundly into the object presented to the understanding. With this Gift thou must cooperate, by diverting and turning aside thy attention and thoughts from all the bastard and foreign objects of knowledge, which the demon either by himself or through other creatures shall present to thy mind in order to distract it and prevent it from penetrating deeply into the truth of divine things. This kind of distraction greatly embarrasses the mind, for the two kinds of knowledge are incompatible with each other, and whenever the limited faculties of man are divided into their attention to many objects, they enter into them less and attend less, than if all their operations were riveted on one alone. In this is evident the truth of what the Gospel says: that no one can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).
Fortitude
When the whole attention of the soul has thus been riveted on understanding the good, Fortitude, the third Gift, is necessary, in order to execute resolutely all that the understanding has perceived as most holy, perfect and agreeable before the Lord. The difficulties and hindrances in the pursuit of the good are to be overcome by Fortitude, making the creature ready to suffer whatever labor or pain, in order not to be deprived of the true and highest Good it has come to know. But it often happens, that natural ignorance and doubt added to temptation withhold the creature from following out the conclusions and consequences of the divine truth, and thus create hindrances in the execution of what is more perfect.
Knowledge
Hence, against the false prudence of the flesh, God furnishes the fourth Gift, that of Knowledge, which gives light to distinguish between different kinds of good, teaches the most certain and secure way, and decides upon it, when necessary.
Piety
To this is joined the Gift of Piety, the fifth, which inclines the soul with sweet urgency to all that is truly pleasing and acceptable to the Lord and to what is of real spiritual benefit to the one executing it. It inclines the creatures to these things not through the natural passions, but by holy, perfect and virtuous motives.
Counsel
Then, in order that man may be guided by high prudence, the sixth Gift, that of Counsel, supports his understanding, in order that he may act with precision and without temerity; weighing the means and taking counsel with himself and with others discreetly for gaining honest and holy ends by the selection of the proper means.
Fear
To all these is added Fear, the last, which guards and sets the seal upon all of them. This Gift inclines the heart to fly and avoid all that is imperfect, dangerous or alien to the virtues and perfections of the soul, thus serving as a wall of defense. It is necessary to understand the object and the manner of this holy Fear, lest it grow excessive and cause the creature to fear, where there is no occasion. Such has often happened to thee through the astuteness of the serpent, when, under guise of holy Fear, the devil entangled thee in an inordinate liking for the blessings of the Lord.
But by this instruction thou art now informed how thou must exercise in thee the Gifts of the Most High and prepare thyself for them. I remind and admonish thee, that this science of holy Fear is the accompaniment of the favors communicated to thee by the Most High, and that it fills the soul with sweetness, peace and tranquility. It enables the creature properly to estimate and appreciate the Gifts, which come from the powerful hand of the Almighty; neither are any of them unimportant, nor does this Fear hinder a proper estimate of these Gifts. It induces the soul to give thanks with all its powers and to humiliate itself to the dust. In understanding these truths without error and in suppressing the cowardly fear of slaves, thou shalt be filled with filial Fear, which, as thy guiding star, will help thee to navigate securely in this ocean of tears.
MARY SACRIFICES HEAVEN TO HELP THE CHURCH
(Part Three) Pentecost Sunday
Unity in Charity and Prayer
In the company of the great Queen of Heaven, and encouraged by her, the twelve Apostles and the rest of the disciples and faithful joyfully waited for the fulfillment of the promise of the Savior, that He would send them the Holy Ghost, the Consoler, who should instruct them and administer unto them all that they had heard in the teaching of their Lord (John 14:26). They were so unanimous and united in Charity, that during all these days none of them had any thought, affection or inclination contrary to those of the rest. They were of one heart and soul in thought and action. Although the election of St. Mathias had occurred, not the least movement or sign of discord arose among all those first-born children of the Church; yet this was a transaction, which is otherwise apt to arouse differences of opinion in the most excellently disposed; since each one is apt to follow his own insight and does not easily yield to the opinion of others. But into this holy congregation no discord found entrance, because they were united in prayer, in fasting and in the expectation of the Holy Ghost, who does not seek repose in discordant and unyielding hearts.
Overcoming the Demon
In order that it may be inferred, how powerful was this union in Charity, not only for disposing them toward the reception of the Holy Ghost, but for overcoming and dispersing the evil spirits, I will say; that the demons, who since the death of the Savior had lain prostrate in Hell, felt in themselves a new kind of oppression and terror, resulting from the virtues of those assembled in the Cenac1e. Although they could not explain it to themselves, they perceived a new terrifying force, emanating from that place, and when they perceived the effects of the doctrine and example of Christ in the behavior of the disciples, they feared the ruin of their dominion.
The Appointed Time
The Queen of the angels, most holy Mary, in the plenitude of her wisdom and grace, knew the time and predestined hour for the sending of the Holy Ghost upon the apostolic college. When the days of Pentecost were about to be fulfilled (Act 2:1), (which happened fifty days after the Resurrection of the Lord our Redeemer), the most blessed Mother saw, how in Heaven the humanity (John 14:26) of the Word conferred with the eternal Father concerning the promised sending of the divine Paraclete to the Apostles, and that the time predetermined by His infinite wisdom for planting the Faith and all His Gifts in His holy Church, was at hand. The Lord also referred to the merits acquired by Him in the flesh through His most holy Life, Passion and Death, to the mysteries wrought by Him for the salvation of the human race and to the fact, that He was the Mediator, Advocate and Intercessor between the eternal Father and men, and that among them lived His sweetest Mother, in whom the divine Persons were so well pleased. He besought His Father also, that, besides bringing grace and the invisible Gifts, the Holy Ghost appear in the world in visible form, that so the evangelical law might be honored before all the world; that the Apostles and faithful, who were to spread the divine truth, might be encouraged, and that the enemies of the Lord, who had in this life persecuted and despised Him unto the death of the Cross, might be filled with terror.
The Hour Arrives
On Pentecost morning the Blessed Virgin Mary exhorted the Apostles, the disciples and the pious women, numbering about one hundred and twenty, to pray more fervently and renew their hopes, since the hour was at hand in which they were to be visited by the divine Spirit from on high. At the third hour (nine o’clock), when all of them were gathered around their heavenly Mistress and engaged in fervent prayer, the air resounded with a tremendous thunder and the blowing of a violent wind mixed with the brightness of fire or lightning, all centering upon the house of the Cenacle. The house was enveloped in light and the divine fire was poured out over all of that holy gathering (Acts 2:2). Over the head of each of the hundred and twenty persons appeared a tongue of that same fire, in which the Holy Ghost had come, filling each one with divine influences and heavenly Gifts and causing at one and the same time the most diverse and contrary effects in the Cenacle and in the whole of Jerusalem, according to the diversity of the persons affected.
Mary Filled with the Holy Ghost
In the most holy Mary these effects were altogether divine, and most wonderful in the sight of all the heavenly courtiers; for as regard us men, we are incapable of understanding and explaining them. The purest Lady was transformed and exalted in God; for she saw intuitively and clearly the Holy Ghost, and for a short time enjoyed the beatific vision of the Divinity. Of His Gifts and divine influences, she by herself received more than all the rest of the saints. Her glory, for that space of time, exceeded that of the angels and of the blessed. She alone gave to the Lord more glory, praise and thanksgiving than all the universe for the benefit of the descent of His Holy Spirit upon His Church and for His having pledged Himself so many times to send Him and through Him to govern it to the end of the world. The blessed Trinity was so pleased with the conduct of Mary on this occasion, that It considered Itself fully repaid and compensated for having created the world; and not only compensated, but God acted as if He were under a certain obligation for possessing such a peerless Creature, whom the Father could look upon as His Daughter, the Son as His Mother, and the Holy Ghost as His Spouse; and whom (according to our way of thinking) He was now obliged to visit and enrich after having conferred upon her such high dignity. In this exalted and blessed Spouse were renewed all the Gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, creating new effects and operations altogether beyond our capacity to understand.
The Apostles Filled with the Holy Ghost
The Apostles, as St. Luke says (Acts 2:2), were also replenished and filled with the Holy Ghost; for they received a wonderful increase of justifying grace of a most exalted degree. The twelve Apostles were confirmed in this sanctifying grace and were never to lose it. In all of them, according to each one’s condition, were infused the habits of the seven Gifts: Wisdom, Understanding, Science, Piety, Counsel, Fortitude and Fear. In this magnificent blessing, as new as it was admirable in the world, the twelve Apostles were created fit ministers of the new Testament and founders of the evangelical Church for the whole world: for this new grace and blessing communicated to them a divine strength most efficacious and sweet, which inclined them to practice the most heroic virtue and the highest sanctity. Thus strengthened they prayed, they labored willingly and accomplished the most difficult and arduous tasks, engaging in their labors not with sorrow or from necessity, but with the greatest joy and alacrity.
The Faithful Filled with the Holy Ghost
In all the rest of the disciples and the faithful, who received the Holy Ghost in the Cenacle, the Most High wrought proportionally and respectively the same effects, except that they were not confirmed in grace like the Apostles. According to the disposition of each the gifts of grace were communicated in greater or less abundance in view of the ministry they were to hold in the holy Church. The same proportion was maintained in regard to the Apostles; yet St. Peter and St. John were more singularly favored on account of the high offices assigned to them: the one to govern the Church as its head, and the other to attend upon and serve the Queen and Mistress of Heaven and of earth, most holy Mary. The sacred text of St. Luke says, that the Holy Ghost filled the whole house in which this happy congregation was gathered (Acts 2:2), not only because all of them were filled with the Holy Ghost and His admirable Gifts, but because the house itself was filled with wonderful light and splendor.
This plenitude of wonders and prodigies overflowed and communicated itself also to others outside of the Cenacle; for it caused diverse and various effects of the Holy Spirit among the inhabitants of Jerusalem and its vicinity. All those, who with some piety had compassioned our Savior Jesus in His Passion and Death, deprecating His most bitter torments and reverencing His sacred Person, were interiorly visited with new light and grace, which disposed them afterwards to accept the doctrine of the Apostles. Those that were converted by the first sermon of St. Peter were to a great extent of the number of those who, by their compassion and sorrow at the death of the Lord, had merited for themselves such a great blessing. Others of the just who were in Jerusalem outside of the Cenacle, also felt great interior consolations, by which they were moved and predisposed by new effects of grace wrought in each one proportionately by the Holy Ghost.
Various Effects Upon Those in Jerusalem
Not less wonderful, although more hidden, were some contrary effects produced on that day by the Holy Ghost in Jerusalem. By the dreadful thunders and violent commotion of the atmosphere and the lightning’s accompanying His advent, He disturbed and terrified the enemies of the Lord in that city, each one according to his own malice and perfidy.
This chastisement was particularly evident in those who had actively concurred in procuring the death of Christ, and who had signalized themselves in their rabid fury against Him. All these fell to the ground on their faces and remained thus for three hours. Those that had scourged the Lord were suddenly choked in their own blood, which shot forth from their veins in punishment for shedding that of the Master. The audacious servant, who had buffeted the Lord, not only suddenly died, but was hurled into Hell, body and soul. Others of the Jews, although they did not die, were chastised with intense pains and abominable sicknesses.
These disorders, consequent upon shedding the blood of Christ, descended to their posterity and even to this day continue to afflict their children with most horrible impurities. This chastisement became notorious in Jerusalem, although the priests and Pharisees diligently sought to cover it up, just as they had tried to conceal the Resurrection of the Savior. As these events, however, were not so important, neither the Apostles nor the Evangelists wrote about them, and, in the confusion of the city, the multitude soon forgot them.
The chastisement and terror extended also to the depths of Hell, where the demons felt themselves seized with new confusion and oppression for three days, just as the Jews lay on the earth for three hours. During these three days Lucifer and his demons broke forth in fearful howlings, communicating new terror and confusion of torments to all the damned.
God’s Justice
In coming down into this world it was just that the Spirit should be zealous for the honor of that same incarnate Word; though He did not punish all His enemies, yet He indicated in the punishment of the most wicked, what all the others deserved, who, in their stubborn perfidy had despised Him, if by the respite allowed them, they did not return to truth in heartfelt penance. It was also befitting, that the few, who had received the Word and had followed Him as their Master and Redeemer, and those who were to preach His Faith and doctrine, be rewarded and furnished with the proper means for establishing the Church and the evangelical law.
The Apostle says, that leaving one’s father and mother and uniting oneself with a wife (as also Moses had said), is a great sacrament in Christ and the Church (Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:32), because He descended from the bosom of the Father in order to unite Himself with it in His humanity. Since then Christ came down from Heaven in order to be with His spouse, the Church, it follows that the Holy Ghost came down on account of the most holy Mary, who was not less His Spouse than Christ was of the Church, and who was not less beloved by Him than the Church was beloved of Christ.
WORDS OF THE QUEEN THE VIRGIN MARY SPEAKS TO SISTER MARY OF AGREDA
Little Esteem for the Holy Ghost
My daughter, in small esteem and thankfulness do the children of the Church hold this blessing of the Most High, by which, in addition to sending of His Son as their Master and Redeemer, He sent also the Holy Ghost into His Church. So great was the love, by which He sought to draw them to Himself, that, in order to make them sharers of His divine perfections, He sent them first the Son, who is wisdom (John 3, 16) and afterwards the Holy Ghost, who is love, so that all might be enriched in the manner in which they were capable. The divine Spirit, in coming for the first time upon the Apostles and the others gathered with them, intended it as a pledge and testimony, that He would confer the same favor on the rest of the children of the Church, of light and of the Gospel, and that He was ready to communicate His Gifts to all, if all will dispose themselves toward receiving them. In witness to this truth, the Holy Ghost came upon many of the faithful in visible form and with visible effects (Acts 8:17; 10:44; 11:15), because they were truly faithful servants, humble and sincere, pure and ready of heart to receive Him. Also in our times He comes to many just souls, although not with such open manifestations, because it is neither necessary nor proper. The interior effects and Gifts are all of the same nature, acting according to the disposition and state of the one who receives them.
Union with the Holy Ghost gives Peace
Blessed is the soul which sighs and aspires after this blessing and seeks to participate in this divine fire, which enkindles, enlightens and consumes all that is terrestrial and carnal, which purifies and raises it up to a new existence, union and participation with God himself. This happiness, as thy true and loving Mother, I desire for thee, my daughter, and in order that thou mayest attain it in its fullness, I again exhort thee to prepare thy heart by seeking to preserve inviolable tranquility and peace in all that may happen to thee. The divine clemency wishes to raise thee to a habitation very exalted and secure, where the torments of thy spirit shall come to an end and whither the assaults neither of the world nor of Hell can reach; where in thy own repose the Lord shall rest and find in thee a worthy dwelling-place and a temple of His glory. Thou shalt not escape the attacks and temptations, directed against thee by the dragon with the most cunning astuteness; but do thou live in continued wariness, lest thou be disturbed or disquieted in the interior of thy soul. Guard thy treasures in secret; enjoy the delights of the Lord, the sweet effects of His chaste love, the influences of His holy science; for in this regard He has singled thee out from many generations in utmost liberality.
Gifts of the Holy Ghost
Take heed then of thy calling and assure thyself, that the Most High offers thee anew the participation and communication of His divine Spirit and His Gifts. Remember however, that when He confers them, He does not take away the freedom of thy will; for He ever leaves the election of good or evil to its free choice. Hence, trusting in the divine favor, thou must efficaciously resolve to imitate me in the works shown to thee of my life and thou must never hinder the effects and the operations of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit In order that thou mayest understand better this my doctrine, I will explain to thee the effects of all His seven Gifts.
Wisdom
The first one, which is the Gift of Wisdom, fills the mind with the knowledge and the delight of divine things and moves the heart to a sincere love toward the practice and exercise of all that is good, all that is best, most perfect and agreeable in the eyes of the Lord. With this impulse thou must concur, yielding thyself entirely to the pleasure of His divine will and despising all that might hinder thee, no matter how pleasant it may seem to thy inclinations or alluring to thy appetite.
Understanding
Wisdom is aided by the second Gift, that of Intellect, which gives special light to penetrate profoundly into the object presented to the understanding. With this Gift thou must cooperate, by diverting and turning aside thy attention and thoughts from all the bastard and foreign objects of knowledge, which the demon either by himself or through other creatures shall present to thy mind in order to distract it and prevent it from penetrating deeply into the truth of divine things. This kind of distraction greatly embarrasses the mind, for the two kinds of knowledge are incompatible with each other, and whenever the limited faculties of man are divided into their attention to many objects, they enter into them less and attend less, than if all their operations were riveted on one alone. In this is evident the truth of what the Gospel says: that no one can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).
Fortitude
When the whole attention of the soul has thus been riveted on understanding the good, Fortitude, the third Gift, is necessary, in order to execute resolutely all that the understanding has perceived as most holy, perfect and agreeable before the Lord. The difficulties and hindrances in the pursuit of the good are to be overcome by Fortitude, making the creature ready to suffer whatever labor or pain, in order not to be deprived of the true and highest Good it has come to know. But it often happens, that natural ignorance and doubt added to temptation withhold the creature from following out the conclusions and consequences of the divine truth, and thus create hindrances in the execution of what is more perfect.
Knowledge
Hence, against the false prudence of the flesh, God furnishes the fourth Gift, that of Knowledge, which gives light to distinguish between different kinds of good, teaches the most certain and secure way, and decides upon it, when necessary.
Piety
To this is joined the Gift of Piety, the fifth, which inclines the soul with sweet urgency to all that is truly pleasing and acceptable to the Lord and to what is of real spiritual benefit to the one executing it. It inclines the creatures to these things not through the natural passions, but by holy, perfect and virtuous motives.
Counsel
Then, in order that man may be guided by high prudence, the sixth Gift, that of Counsel, supports his understanding, in order that he may act with precision and without temerity; weighing the means and taking counsel with himself and with others discreetly for gaining honest and holy ends by the selection of the proper means.
Fear
To all these is added Fear, the last, which guards and sets the seal upon all of them. This Gift inclines the heart to fly and avoid all that is imperfect, dangerous or alien to the virtues and perfections of the soul, thus serving as a wall of defense. It is necessary to understand the object and the manner of this holy Fear, lest it grow excessive and cause the creature to fear, where there is no occasion. Such has often happened to thee through the astuteness of the serpent, when, under guise of holy Fear, the devil entangled thee in an inordinate liking for the blessings of the Lord.
But by this instruction thou art now informed how thou must exercise in thee the Gifts of the Most High and prepare thyself for them. I remind and admonish thee, that this science of holy Fear is the accompaniment of the favors communicated to thee by the Most High, and that it fills the soul with sweetness, peace and tranquility. It enables the creature properly to estimate and appreciate the Gifts, which come from the powerful hand of the Almighty; neither are any of them unimportant, nor does this Fear hinder a proper estimate of these Gifts. It induces the soul to give thanks with all its powers and to humiliate itself to the dust. In understanding these truths without error and in suppressing the cowardly fear of slaves, thou shalt be filled with filial Fear, which, as thy guiding star, will help thee to navigate securely in this ocean of tears.
CHAPTER 31 MARY SACRIFICES HEAVEN TO HELP THE CHURCH
(Part Four) Preaching in Jerusalem on Pentecost Sunday
Holy Ghost Causes a Stir in Jerusalem
On account of the visible and open signs, by which the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles, the whole city of Jerusalem with its inhabitants was stirred to wonder. When the news of the astounding events at the house of the Cenacle spread about, the multitude of the people gathered in crowds to know more of the happenings (Acts 2:6). On that day was being celebrated one of the Paschs or feasts of the Jews; and as well on this account, as on account of the special dispensation of Heaven, the city was crowded with foreigners and strangers from all parts of the world. For to them the Most High wished to manifest the wonders of the first preaching and spreading of the new law of grace, which the incarnate Word, our Redeemer and Master, had ordained for the salvation of men.
Apostles Preach Fearlesssly
The sacred Apostles, who were filled with Charity by the plenitude of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost, and who knew that all Jerusalem was gathering at the doors of the Cenacle, asked permission of their Mistress and Queen to go forth and preach to them; in order that such great graces might not, even for a moment, fail to redound to the benefit of souls and to new glory of their Author. They all left the house of the Cenacle and, placing themselves before the multitudes, began to preach the mysteries of the Faith and of eternal life. Though, until then, they had been so shy and reclusive, they now stepped forth with unhesitating boldness and poured forth burning words, that, like a flashing fire, penetrated to the souls of their hearers. All the people were filled with wonder and astonishment at these events, the like of which had never before been heard or seen in the world. They looked at each other and, in consternation, asked each other, saying: “What is this that we witness? Are not all these that speak Galileeans? How then do we hear them speaking in the language in which we were born? We Jews and Proselytes, Romans, Latins, Greeks, Cretans, Arabs, Parthians, Medes and all the rest of us from different parts of the world, hear them speak and we understand them in our own languages? O greatness of God! How admirable is He in all His works!”
Crowd Struck by Miracle of ‘Tongues’
This miracle, that all the men of so many different tongues, then assembled in Jerusalem, should hear the Apostles in their own language, joined to the doctrine which they preached, caused great astonishment. Though all the Apostles, on account of the plenitude of knowledge and of Gifts gratuitously received, were able to speak in the languages of all nations, because that was necessary for the preaching of the Gospel, yet on that occasion they all spoke the language of Palestine. Using only this idiom they were understood by all the different nationalities there present, as if they had spoken in the several idioms.
This miracle the Lord wrought at the time, in order that they might be understood and believed by those different nations, and in order that St. Peter might not be obliged to repeat, in the different languages of those present, what he preached to them concerning the mysteries of Faith. He preached only once and all heard and understood him, each in his own language, and so it happened also with the other Apostles. For if each one had spoken in the language of those who heard them, and which they knew as their mother tongue, it would have been necessary for them to repeat what they said at least seven or eight times according to the different nationalities mentioned by St. Luke (Acts 2:9). This would have consumed a longer time than is intimated by the sacred text, and it would have caused great confusion and trouble to repeat the same doctrines, over and over again, or to speak so many languages on one occasion; nor would the miracle be so intelligible to us as the one mentioned.
Hardened Hearts and Open Hearts
The people who heard the Apostles did not understand the miracle, although they wondered at hearing each their own idiom. What St. Luke says about their speaking different languages, must be understood as meaning, that the Apostles were then and there able to understand them, as I shall mention later on (Acts 2:4), and because on that day, those that came to the Cenacle understood them all speaking in their own language. But this miracle and wonderment caused in their hearers different effects and opinions, according to the dispositions of each one. Those that listened piously received a deep understanding of the Divinity and of the Redemption of man, now so eloquently and fervently propounded to them. They were moved eagerly to desire the knowledge of the truth; by the divine light they were filled with compunction and sorrow for their sins and with desire of divine mercy and forgiveness. With tears in their eyes they cried out to the Apostles and asked what they must do to gain eternal life. Others, who hardened their hearts, altogether untouched by the divine truths preached by them, became indignant at the Apostles, and instead of yielding to them, called them innovators and adventurers. Many of the Jews, more impious in their perfidy and envy, inveighed against the Apostles, saying they were drunk and insane (Acts 2:13). Among these were some of those who had again come to their senses after having fallen to the ground at the thunder caused by the coming of the Holy Ghost; for they had risen still more obstinate and rebellious against God.
St. Peter’s Address
In order to refute their blasphemies St. Peter, as the head of the Church, stepped forth and, speaking in a louder voice, said: “Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known to you and with your ears receive my words. For these are not drunk as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel:
“‘And it shall come to pass, in the last days, (saith the Lord) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young ones shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And upon my servants indeed, and upon my handmaids I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the Heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath: blood and fire, and vapor and smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord arrives; and it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.’
“Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as you also know: This same, delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknow ledge of God, you, by the hands of wicked men, have crucified and slain. He was a holy Man, approved of God in his virtues, by miracles and prodigies wrought in the midst of your people, of which you know and are witnesses.
“And God has raised Him from the dead, according to the prophecies of David. For that holy king could not speak of himself, since you have his sepulcher in your midst, where lies his body. He spoke as a prophet of Christ, and we are ourselves witnesses as having seen Him risen and ascending into Heaven by His own power, to be seated at the right hand of the Father, as likewise David has prophesied (Osee 15:8; Psalm 109:1). Let the unbelievers understand these words of truth, which they wish to deny in the perfidy of their malice; for against them stand the wonders of the Most High which wrought in us as witnesses to the doctrine of Christ and to His admirable Resurrection.
“Let then the whole house of Israel understand, and let them be assured, that God hath made this Jesus, whom you have crucified, His Anointed and the Lord of all, and that He has raised Him from the dead on the third day.” (Acts, chapter 2).
Three Thousand Converts
On hearing these words the hearts of many, that stood there, were moved to compunction and with great wailing they asked St. Peter and the rest of the Apostles, what they should do for their salvation (Acts 2:37). Thereupon St. Peter said to them: “Do penance and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are far off, whomsoever the Lord our God shall call. Seek therefore now to make use of the remedy, and to save yourselves from this perverse and incredulous generation.” (Acts 2:38-39). Many other words of life St. Peter and the other Apostles spoke to them, by which the perfidious Jews and the other unbelievers were much confounded; and as no one could answer, they withdrew and left the Cenacle. But the number of those that received the true Faith of Jesus Christ amounted to about three thousand (Acts 2:41). They all attached themselves to the Apostles and were baptized by them to the great consternation and fear of all Jerusalem; for the wonders and prodigies performed by the Apostles filled with terror and dismay all the unbelievers.
The three thousand, who were converted by the first sermon of St. Peter, were from all the nations then gathered in Jerusalem, so that forthwith all nations, without excluding any, might partake of the fruits of the Redemption, all might be gathered to the Church, and all might experience the grace of the Holy Spirit; for the holy Church was to be composed of all nations and tribes. Many were Jews, who had followed Christ our Savior with kindly feelings and witnessed His sufferings and Death with compassion. Some also of those, who had concurred in His Passion, were converted, though these were few, because many would not alter their disposition; for, if they had done so, all of them would have been admitted to mercy and received pardon for their error. After their preaching the Apostles retired that evening within the Cenacle, in order to give an account to the Mother of mercy, the purest Mary. With them also entered a great number of the new children of the Church, in order that they might come to know and venerate the Mother of mercy.
Mary Helps From Afar
But the great Queen of the angels was ignorant of nothing that had happened; for from her retreat she had heard the preaching of the Apostles and she knew the secret hearts and thoughts of all the hearers. The tenderest Mother remained prostrate with her face upon the ground during the whole time, tearfully praying for the conversion of all that subjected themselves to the Faith of the Savior, and for all the rest, if they should consent to cooperate with the helps and the graces of the Lord. In order to help the Apostles in their great work of beginning to preach, and the bystanders in properly listening to them, the most holy Mary sent many of her accompanying angels with holy inspirations, encouraging the sacred Apostles and giving them strength to inquire and to manifest more explicitly the hidden mysteries of the humanity and Divinity of Christ our Redeemer. The angels fulfilled all the commands of their Queen, while she herself exercised her own power and gifts, according to the circumstances of the occasion. When the Apostles came back to her,together with those copious first fruits of their preaching and of the Holy Ghost, she received the new converts with incredible joy and sweetness and with the most loving kindness of a true Mother.
Peter Introduces Mary
The Apostle St. Peter spoke to the recently converted and said to them: “My brethren, and servants of the Most High, this is the Mother of our Redeemer and Master, Jesus Christ, whose Faith you have received in acknowledging Him as true God and man. She has given Him the human form, conceiving Him in her womb, and she bore Him, remaining a Virgin before, during and after His birth. Receive her as your Mother, as your Refuge and Intercessor, for through her you and we shall receive light, direction, and release from our sins and miseries.”
Converts Show Devotion to Mary
At these words of the Apostle, and at the sight of most holy Mary, these new adherents of the Faith were filled with admirable light and consolation; for this privilege of conferring great interior blessings and of giving light to those who looked upon her with pious veneration, was renewed and extended in her at the time when she was at the right hand of her divine Son in Heaven. As all of those faithful partook of these blessings in the presence of their Queen, they prostrated themselves at her feet and with tears besought her assistance and blessing. But the humble and prudent Queen evaded this latter, because of the presence of the Apostles, who were priests, and of St. Peter, the Vicar of Christ. Then this Apostle said to her: “Lady, do not refuse to these faithful what they piously ask for the consolation of their souls.” The blessed Mary obeyed the head of the Church and in humble serenity of a Queen she gave her blessing to the newly converted.
Converts Seek Mary’s Encouragement
The love which filled their hearts made them desire to hear from their heavenly Mother some words of consolation; yet their humility and reverence prevented them from asking for this favor. As they perceived how obediently she had yielded to St. Peter, they turned to him and begged him to ask her not to send them away without some word of encouragement. St. Peter, though he considered this favor very proper for these souls who had been born again to Christ by His preaching and that of the other Apostles, nevertheless, aware that the Mother of Wisdom knew well what was to be done, presumed to say no more than these words; “Lady, listen to the petitions of thy servants and children.”
Mary Addresses Them
Then the great Lady obeyed and said to the converts: “My dearest brethren in the Lord, give thanks and praise with your whole hearts to the Almighty God, because from among all men He has called and drawn you to the sure path of eternal life in the knowledge of the holy Faith you have received. Be firm in your confession of it from all your hearts and in hearing and believing all that the law of grace contains as preached and ordained by its true Teacher Jesus, my Son and your Redeemer. Be eager to hear and obey His Apostles, who teach and instruct you, so that you may be signed and marked by Baptism in the character of children of the Most High. I offer myself as your handmaid to assist you in all that serves toward your consolation, and I shall ask Him to look upon you as a kind Father and to manifest to you the true joy of His countenance, communicating to you also His grace.”
Apostles Continue Preaching
By this sweetest of exhortations those new children of the Church were filled with consolation, light, veneration and admiration of what they saw of the Mistress of the world; asking again for her blessing, they for that day left her presence, renewed and replete with the wonderful Gifts of the Most High. The Apostles and disciples from that day on continued without intermission their preaching and their miracles, and through the entire octave they instructed not only the three thousand, who had been converted on Pentecost day, but multitudes of others, who day by day accepted the Faith. Since they came from all parts of the world, they conversed and spoke with each one in his own language; for as I have said above, they spoke in various languages from that time on.
Preach, Convert, Catechize
This grace was given not only to the Apostles, although it was more complete and noticeable in them; also the disciples and all the one hundred and twenty, who were in the Cenacle at the time, and also the holy women, who received the Holy Ghost, were thus favored. This was really necessary at the time on account of the great multitudes, who came to the Faith. Although all the men and many of the women came to the Apostles, yet many, after having heard them, went to Magdalen and her companions, who catechized, instructed and converted them and others that came at the report of the miracles they performed. For this gift was also conferred on the women, who, by the imposition of hands, cured all the sicknesses, gave sight to the blind, tongue to the mute, motion to the lame, and life to many of the dead. These and other wonders were principally wrought by the Apostles, nevertheless both their miracles and those of the women excited the wonder and astonishment of all Jerusalem; so that nothing else was talked about except the prodigies and the preaching of the Apostles of Jesus, of His disciples, and followers of His doctrine.
CHAPTER 31 MARY SACRIFICES HEAVEN TO HELP THE CHURCH
Mary’s Last Years
Beautiful, Thin, Pale and Mortified
The Blessed Virgin lived about fifteen years after our Lord’s Ascension. Yet there were never any wrinkles or signs of age in her lovely features, which always remained just as they were when she was in her thirty-third year. As time passed, Mary became more and more serious and recollected. No one ever saw her laugh, but she did occasionally smile with a very touching expression. She became quite thin and pale, for she slept very little, often only a half hour, and she ate only very light meals consisting usually of nothing but plain bread and sometimes a little fish.
When she appeared among the Apostles on important occasions, she wore a large, white mantle and veil and a long, sky-blue scarf ornamented with embroidery. Usually she wore a simple, white robe. But she put on a black veil whenever she went along the sorrowful Way of the Cross in Jerusalem, for she regularly made devout pilgrimages to all the places which her divine Son had made holy by His sufferings during His Passion.
Mother and Care-Giver to the Apostles
The Mother of God loved St. James, the brother of St. John, with special tenderness because of his extraordinary generosity and fervor, which made him the first of the twelve Apostles to set out on an extended missionary journey and the first to suffer martyrdom. Consequently, after James left to preach the Gospel in Spain, the Blessed Virgin often sent him help and consolations through her angels. Once in Granada she appeared to him and saved his life just as he was about to be executed, and later in another apparition in Saragossa she informed him that God wanted him to found a shrine there in her honor and. then return to Jerusalem and die a martyr’s death.
At this time St. John, when Mary told him that Herod was about to persecute the Christians in the Holy City, urged her to seek a temporary refuge in Asia Minor. Although both of them would gladly have died as martyrs for Christ at any time, the Lord revealed to His Mother that she should now accompany John to the city of Ephesus.
Therefore, after again visiting all the holy places and after bidding a sad farewell to their friends, Mary and her adopted son John traveled to a port and embarked on a ship which sailed northward across the Mediterranean Sea. During her first trip on the water, the Mother of God prayed that the Lord might protect all ocean travelers who would ask for her intercession, and she gave her blessing to the fishes in the sea.
In Ephesus John and Mary settled in an isolated home of some poor women, where the Mother of God spent many hours praying fervently for the Christians who were suffering the cruel persecution of Herod in the Holy Land. On his way back from Spain, St. James visited the Blessed Virgin. She encouraged him to face bravely his approaching death in Jerusalem and asked him to intercede for the Church as soon as he reached Heaven. After requesting her always to give Spain her special protection and to be with him at the end, James sorrowfully said a last farewell in this world to the Mother of his Lord and to his brother John. Then he left for Jerusalem, where he preached fearlessly until he was arrested and condemned to be beheaded. As he was being led to the place of execution, he prayed fervently for Mary’s help, and just before he died, he was consoled by seeing a vision of the glorious Mother of God surrounded by her angels. And he silently said to her: “Mother of my Lord, I beg you to offer the sacrifice of my life to your Son!”
Then Mary welcomed the soul of the first martyred Apostle of Christ and accompanied him to his triumphant reception in the glory of Heaven, where Almighty God said to her: “My Daughter, for the exaltation of My Holy Name, for thy glory, and for the benefit of mortals, I now give thee My royal word that if men, at the hour of their death, call upon thee with affection, like my servant James, I will look upon them with fatherly mercy.”
Meanwhile St. Peter had also been arrested by order of Herod. As the Blessed Virgin in her retreat in Ephesus saw in visions all that was happening to the Christians in Jerusalem, she prayed more fervently than ever that this severe persecution might soon come to an end. Thereupon the Lord instructed her to send back into Hell the demons who were stimulating the hatred of the Church’s enemies, and to order one of her angels to free St. Peter from prison, and to consent to the decree of God’s justice that Herod, since his hard heart was beyond redemption, be stricken dead, although Mary wept over the loss of that cruel ruler’s soul.
Converter of Souls
During their brief stay in Ephesus, the Blessed Virgin converted a number of persons to Faith in Christ by the example of her charity among the poor and the sick, whom she regularly assisted with her own hands, particularly when they were dying. She prayed especially for the deluded young pagan priestesses of the famous Temple of Diana and succeeded in bringing nine of them to belief in the true God.
Mother of the Council
One day the Blessed Virgin received a letter from St. Peter which, out of humility, she asked St. John to open and read to her. Peter requested them to meet him and the other Apostles in Jerusalem in order to decide whether the practices of the Law of Moses should be retained among the Gentile converts. Mary and John therefore took the next ship to Palestine. During the journey the devils tried desperately to make the boat sink in a series of terrible storms which lasted for fourteen days, until finally, due to Mary’s unwavering Faith and prayers, her divine Son appeared to her above the sea and calmed it.
As soon as she arrived in Jerusalem, although she wished first of all to visit the Way of the Cross, the Blessed Virgin went right to the Cenacle to greet St. Peter. Then, accompanied by her angels, she visited the holy places, and when she came to Mount Olivet, Jesus showed Himself again to His Mother as a reward for having obeyed St. Peter’s summons before attending to her devotions.
When St. Paul and St. Barnabus came to Jerusalem for the council, they went first of all to thank the Mother of their Saviour for their conversion. And as Mary knelt and kissed St. Paul’s hands, he was favored with a mystical insight into the unique role of the Blessed Virgin in the Church of Christ.
St. Peter insisted that Mary should attend the first meeting of the assembled Apostles and disciples, at which he announced that they would pray together to the Holy Spirit for ten days before deciding the difficult question that confronted them. On the first and last day he celebrated Mass and distributed Holy Communion. The Blessed Virgin personally cleaned and decorated the hall of the Cenacle for the first of these ceremonies. But during the ten days she retired to her room, where she remained without eating or speaking to anyone.
At this time she had a mystical experience in which she was shown Lucifer and all his companions being obliged to hear Almighty God announce to them that the Mother of the Savior would always defend His Church from their attacks. Then the Lord told her to exercise her authority and drive the demons back into the abyss, while the Holy Trinity assured her that the Church would ever be assisted by the omnipotence of the Father, the wisdom of the Son and the love of the Holy Ghost.
On the tenth day the council met and wisely decided not to impose the ancient Jewish practices on the Gentile converts.
Later, when Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in turn began to write the Gospels, the Blessed Virgin not only prayed for them, but also appeared to each and requested him not to mention her except when absolutely necessary. Only St. Luke received her permission to write somewhat more freely about her, and he drew much of his information from her direct inspiration. Even when St. John wrot6 his Gospel some years after Mary’s death, she appeared to him and told him that it was still not opportune for him to reveal the mysteries which he knew concerning her part in the plan of the Redemption, in order that many of the new Christians who had been idolaters should not make a goddess of the Holy Mother of their God.
Mother of Missionaries
When the Apostles and disciples left Jerusalem after the historic Council, the Blessed Virgin gave to St. Paul and Barnabus some relics of Christ’s clothes and objects used in the Passion. She continued to take a close personal interest in the travels and labors of all the principal missionaries of the new Church, and therefore she commanded her angels to watch over them and report to her everything that happened to them.
Very often, at her command, her angels appeared visibly to the Apostles and encouraged them with messages from the Mother of their Master. At other times the angels invisibly accompanied and protected them, or warned them of dangers and indicated what they should do in special circumstances.
Besides frequently writing letters to the Apostles, Mary was allowed to appear to them on several occasions when they prayed for her help in some emergency. Thus she appeared to St. Peter when he was in Antioch and again in Rome.
With her own hands, she prepared all that was needed by the Apostles for the service of the altar.
Frequently, and especially on great religious feast days, she visited the poor and the sick in Jerusalem, consoling and assisting them by washing the women and children and by giving them nourishing food which she had cooked for them or some clothing which she had accepted for distribution among the needy.
The holy Mother of God had now attained a degree of radiant sanctity in which the mere sight of her was at times sufficient to convert even bitter opponents of the Church. A prominent and cultured Jew for whom she had been praying was one day inspired by his guardian angel with the desire of seeing, merely out of idle curiosity, the Mother of the now-famous crucified Jesus of Nazareth. Yet as soon as Mary quietly and prudently spoke to this distinguished man, he fell to the ground at her feet, confessing Christ as the Savior of the world and begging for Baptism.
Attacked by Demons
When Satan perceived all the good that the Blessed Virgin was accomplishing for the young Church, he resolved to destroy her in one concerted attack by all his demons, which they launched against her one day while she was praying alone in her room. During this intense spiritual conflict, Mary prayed for all souls who are afflicted by the devil, and the Lord granted her the power of protecting all who turn to her when they are tempted. Then the Savior appeared to her as her loving Son, accompanied by St. Joachim and St. Ann and many Patriarchs, Prophets, and angels.
And Almighty God gave Lucifer a vision of the Blessed Mother as “a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet, and upon her head was a crown of twelve stars.” And the demons realized with anguish that they were defeated and bound by the God-given power of this holy Virgin whom they had planned to destroy.
Then the Lord said to His Mother: “My Beloved, thou hast given Me human form. Thou hast followed and imitated Me above all My creatures. Be thou therefore the protectress of My Church. Command the infernal dragon that as long as thou shalt live in the Church, he shall not sow the seed of error and heresy, for during the days of thy life I desire that the Church derive this advantage from thy presence.”
And as soon as Mary uttered the command, “that great dragon was cast down to the Earth, and with him his angels...”
Mother of Action and, Above All, Contemplation
More and more as the years passed, the Blessed Virgin felt torn between her ever-increasing longing for union with God in Heaven and her compassionate love for the Church and for mankind. She therefore had to strive to achieve the right adjustment between the active and the contemplative life. However, as she prayed for divine guidance in this difficult problem, God raised her to a unique mystical state of continuous abstractive vision which became more intense every day and which filled her soul with infused wisdom. Thus by a special privilege she enjoyed without interruption, whether working or resting, a profound and intimate spiritual union of heart, mind, and soul with her beloved Son and God. Consequently, while remaining actively attentive to the needs and welfare of all the children of the Church, she was also able to be continually absorbed in prayerful contemplation.
Every day of her life after the death of her divine Son, and especially every Friday, the Blessed Virgin relived and commemorated the Passion of Jesus in all its harrowing details. In order to make reparation for the insults and tortures which He had suffered, she recited appropriate prayers and performed various acts of mortification for each of the hate-filled words and blows that sinful men had heaped on their God on Good Friday. Many times during these devotions she wept tears of blood which covered her face, and she was bathed in a bloody sweat, so intense was her identification with her Son’s sufferings. She obtained St. John’s permission to remain alone in her room each week from five o’clock on Thursday afternoon until Sunday morning. Then, beginning with the Washing of the Feet, she beheld in vision and compassionately re-experienced in her soul and body all that Jesus had endured for men during those hours in Holy Week.
Nearly every day she heard Mass, usually celebrated by St. John, and received Holy Communion, after which she would withdraw and remain alone in her room for three hours. So fervent were her preparation before and thanksgiving after Communion that often her divine Son responded by a personal visit to His Mother. During these hours of ecstatic contemplation, St. John sometimes saw rays of bright light darting forth from Mary as she prayed.
Mother of Charity and Love
Toward the end of her life, through the intensity of her burning charity, the Blessed Virgin’s soul had approached so closely to union with God that only the Lord’s reluctance to deprive His Church of such an invaluable guide restrained Him from welcoming her forever into the glory of Heaven. She then began to suffer a ceaseless spiritual martyrdom, for she could no longer hold back the overflowing force of her yearning for Heaven and the Beatific Vision of God; yet she was too humble ever to ask for the privilege of liberation from mortal life.
At this time, therefore, Almighty God rewarded her with the special grace of celebrating the joys of the Resurrection in a mystical way every Sunday and of enjoying a still more intimate union with Him in daily Communion. And He said to her: “My most loving Mother, I shall be with thee in a wonderful new manner, as long as thy mortal life lasts. And soon thou shalt be free from the fetters of thy mortal body.”
Henceforth, at the command of the Lord through an angel, St. John gave the Blessed Virgin Holy Communion every day until the end of her life. And at the moment when she received the Holy Eucharist, the Savior manifested Himself to her in His sacred humanity in the form which He had when He instituted the Blessed Sacrament, but His appearance was more glorious and more resplendent than at the Transfiguration.
The Mother of God also commemorated every year with profound joy and gratitude the anniversaries of the Annunciation and the Nativity and many of the feasts honoring the Mysteries of the Incarnation and the Redemption which the Church has since instituted.
Every year on the feast of the Ascension, the Lord asked His Mother whether she would prefer to remain henceforth forever in the joy of Heaven or whether she wished to return to the world to help the Church. Each year she humbly answered that if it was the will of God, she would gladly return to labor for mankind, for whom He had suffered and died.
THE BLESSED VIRGIN SAID TO ST. BRIDGET OF SWEDEN:
“After the Ascension of my Son, I still lived a long time in the world. Such was the Will of God, in order that by seeing my patience and my conduct many more souls might be converted to Him, and in order that the Apostles and other elect souls of God might be strengthened. Also the natural constitution of my being required that I should live longer and that thereby my crown might be increased.
“During all the time that I lived after my Son’s Ascension, I visited the places where He had suffered and where He had performed His miracles. Thus the memory of His Passion became so imprinted on my heart that it ever remained quite fresh in my mind, whether I happened to be eating or working.
“My senses were so completely withdrawn from worldly things that I constantly alternated between new supernatural yearnings and sorrows. Yet I controlled my grief and my joy in such a way that I did not neglect any of my duties toward God. My way of 1ife among people was such that apart from my scanty meals I paid no attention to what human beings thought of me or expected me to do. “
CHAPTER 31 MARY SACRIFICES HEAVEN TO HELP THE CHURCH
The Dormition
A Message of Death
After the Blessed Virgin had passed her sixtieth birthday, the Holy Trinity, wishing to reward her perfect generosity in doing the will of God throughout her life, sent the Archangel Gabriel to reveal to her when she was destined to die.
Upon entering her oratory, the archangel found her prostrated on the ground in the form of a cross, praying for sinners. The Mother of God respectfully rose to her knees as soon as she perceived Gabriel, who was accompanied by many angels bearing crowns and palms as symbols of various rewards for their Queen.
Gabriel greeted Mary with these words: “The Lord sends us to announce to thee in His name the happy end of thy pilgrimage upon earth. Exactly three years from today thou shalt be taken up and received into the everlasting joy of Heaven.”
The Blessed Virgin bowed to the ground and replied gratefully: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to thy word.”
Then for two hours she alternated with the angels in hymns of thanksgiving to God for this welcome news, and she asked the Lord and all the saints and angels to help her prepare for death.
From that moment Mary intensified all her devotions as if she wished to make up for any past relaxation in her fervor. She immediately wrote to the Apostles and disciples to encourage them in their missionary work, and she exercised still greater zeal in strengthening the Faith of all the converts whom she met. Although she kept her secret, her conduct was that of a person who is preparing to depart and who wishes to leave all her friends rich in heavenly blessings.
Sharing the Sorrowful News
A few days later, however, she said to St. John: “My son and master, in His condescending mercy the Lord has revealed to me that there remain only three more years until my passage into eternal life. I beseech you, MY son, to help me during this short space of time to give the Almighty some return for the immense blessings which I have received from His generous love. And from the bottom of my heart I beseech you to pray for me.”
Unable to restrain his tears, John answered: “My Mother and my Lady, help your poor child who is going to be left an orphan.”
Seeing that his tender heart was stricken with intense pain, Mary gently consoled him and assured him that she would ever remain his Mother and Advocate in Heaven.
Although John was at first permitted to reveal the secret of their approaching loss only to St. James the Less, by a divine inspiration the other Apostles and disciples, wherever they happened to be, began to realize that the beloved Mother of their Savior would not be with them on Earth much longer. In fact Almighty God filled the whole of creation with a mysterious sorrow over the prospective death of its Queen. The light of the sun and stars and planets lost some of its brightness during the last days of her life. The birds of the air seemed to be especially affected, for often in the presence of St. John they surrounded Mary’s oratory in great numbers and sang sorrowful notes until she ordered them to praise their Creator with joy as usual. And once while she was visiting the holy places, some wild animals from the hills around Jerusalem came up to her, bowed their heads, and uttered mournful sounds.
St. John became so grief-stricken that often he was unable to hide his sorrow. Several times some of the Holy Women saw him weeping, and in the end - for the Lord did not wish to take His Mother from them without warning-they persuaded John to disclose to them the cause of his grief, Thus the tragic impending loss of the Church eventually became known to Mary’s closest friends, who henceforth begged her to take them with -her or not to forget them in Heaven.
Intense Increase in Devotion
During the last two years of her life, the Blessed Virgin greatly increased her charity work. She healed in body and soul all the sick who came to her. She drew innumerable persons from sin to grace and made many new converts to the Church. She relieved the misery of the poor by giving them whatever possessions or gifts she had and often by performing miracles for them. In every way she generously strove to help the faithful personally before her death. And above all she consoled and encouraged them by promising that she would continue to help all Christians until the end of time.
During the last days of her life, the Savior visited His Mother more often than before, comforting her affectionately and assuring her that He would soon place her on a royal throne in Heaven. On these occasions Mary fervently interceded for all living and future servants of the Church. Whenever she received Holy Communion, those who saw her noticed that her lovely features shone for several hours afterward with a marvelous radiance that filled her friends with mystical joy.
When the three years were nearly over, the Blessed Virgin asked John’s permission to visit all the holy places for the last time. Accompanied by the saint and by her many angels, she sadly went along the sorrowful Way of the Cross, weeping as she recalled her Son’s sufferings at each spot, and praying fervently that the faithful would venerate these holy places in future ages. She remained on Calvary for a long time, and such was the ardor of her charity as she prayed for mankind that she would have died then and there if she had not been sustained by divine power.
The Savior appeared to her on Calvary and said: “My Mother and Helper in the work of human Redemption, I promise thee that I shall be most generous with men. In Heaven thou shalt be their Mediatrix and Advocate. And I shall bestow My mercy on all those who obtain thy intercession. “
Then, prostrate at His feet, Mary thanked her Son and begged Him to give her His last blessing, which He did before returning to Heaven. When John led her back to the Cenacle, she was so weak that he decided it was time to prepare a tomb for her. Mary herself selected a grotto in the valley near the Garden of Gethsemane.
Mary's Last Will and Testament
Later, in the solitude of her oratory, the Mother of God sadly yet gratefully bade a last farewell in prayer to the holy Church Militant which she had so dearly loved and served as the Mystical Body of Christ.
Then she conscientiously made her last will and testament in the presence of the Blessed Trinity, to whom she humbly declared: “Highest Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, of the goods of mortal life and of the world, I possess none that I can leave, for I have never possessed or loved anything beside Thee. Two tunics and a cloak I leave to John for disposal. My body I ask the earth to receive again. My soul I resign into Thy hands, O my God. My merits I leave to the Holy Church. I offer these merits for the Apostles and priests of the present and future ages and for all those who turn to me in order to obtain Thy protection. From this hour I desire to continue my prayers for all the sinning children of Adam as long as the world shall last.”
The Savior ratified His Mother’s last will with these words: “Let it be done as thou wishest and ordainest.”
After thanking Him, Mary added a last request that the Apostles might be present at her death, so that they might bless her and pray for her. In reply Jesus assured her that the Apostles were already on their way to Jerusalem. In fact, Almighty God had dispatched a number of angels to notify all the Apostles in distant lands that the Blessed Virgin was soon to die and that they should hasten to her. Consequently they now began to assemble in the Holy City. When St. Peter arrived from Rome, Mary met him at the entrance to her oratory, and kneeling at his feet she asked for his blessing.
Mary's Last Day on Earth
On the morning of her last day, the Blessed Virgin summoned the Apostles and disciples and Holy Women to the Cenacle. They were all deeply moved as they quietly gathered around her. With sad hearts they gazed for the last time at the holy Mother of their God: she was as poor and humble and lovely as ever. They noticed an extraordinary celestial light that seemed to enfold her.
Mary rose from her couch, and after kneeling and kissing St. Peter’s feet she went to each of the eleven other Apostles for his blessing, and with each she exchanged a touching farewell. She thanked St. John with special affection for all his kindness. She also asked him to distribute her few clothes to a servant woman and to a poor girl who often helped her.
Then, after a moment’s recollection, the Blessed Virgin said to all who were present: “Dearest children, I have loved you with that tender love and charity which was given to me by my divine Son, whom I have seen in you, His chosen friends. My children, love the Church and love one another.”
And turning reverently to St. Peter, she continued: “I commend my son John and all the rest to thee, Peter.”
Then she added, for all of them: “I promise you that in Heaven I will ever look upon you as a Mother.”
As she ceased speaking, everyone was weeping. Mary’s eyes too had filled with tears.
Then, glowing with a heavenly radiance, she sat on her couch. And as each of the Apostles, disciples, and Holy Women in turn knelt before her, she blessed them by touching their foreheads with her crossed hands.
Next Mary asked all her grieving friends to pray with her and for her in silence while St. Peter celebrated Mass at a small altar in an adjoining room.
Mary Chooses Death Rather Than Not Die
Becoming absorbed in contemplation, she saw her divine Son coming down from Heaven in glory, accompanied by many saints and angels. Thereupon she prostrated herself before Him and kissed His feet, making the last and most intense act of Faith, love, and humility in all her life.
The Lord gave her His blessing and said to her: “My dearest Mother, the hour has come in which thou art to pass into the glory of My Father. And since, by My power and as My Mother, I have caused thee to enter the world exempt from sin, therefore also death shall have no right to touch thee at thy exit from this world. If thou wishest not to pass through it, come with Me now to partake of My glory, which thou hast merited.”
But Mary joyfully replied: “My Son and my Lord, Thou didst suffer death without being obliged to do so. It is proper therefore that as I have tried to follow Thee in life, so I follow Thee also in death.”
The Savior approved her last, generous sacrifice.
While the angels began softly to sing verses of the Canticle of Canticles, and the Apostles sadly recited prayers for the dying, St. Peter entered the room and gave Mary her last Holy Communion, after which he anointed her with the oils of Extreme Unction.
At this solemn moment the Cenacle was filled with a marvelous light and fragrance which everyone perceived. The presence of the Lord was revealed to several of the Apostles, and the chanting of the angels was heard by many.
Now the Mother of God had reclined on her couch. Her plain mantle and tunic were neatly folded about her. Joining her hands in prayer, she kept her eyes fixed on her divine and glorious Son. The intensity of her love for Him and the fervor of her longing to be with Him completely transfigured her radiant features. She seemed to become utterly inflamed with the fire of her seraphic charity. On her beautiful face appeared an expression of heavenly joy, and her lips parted in the sweet, gentle smile of her youth.
Then, while a number of cherubic little angels hovered about her, and the choir of angels and archangels was singing the verses of the Canticle: “Behold, my beloved speaketh to me: Arise, make haste, my love, my dove, my beautiful one, and come, the winter has passed..’” Mary whispered: “Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.”
Then the eyes of the Mother of God gently closed. And her soul, without effort, left her body.
She died of love.
THE BLESSED VIRGIN SAID TO VENERABLE MOTHER MARY OF AGREDA:
“My daughter, I wish to inform thee of another privilege which was conceded to me in the hour of my glorious Transition. It was this: that all those devoted to me who shall call upon me at the hour of death, making me their Advocate in memory of my happy Transition and of my desiring to imitate my divine Son in death, shall be under my special protection in that hour and shall experience my intercession.
“And since death follows upon 1ife and ordinarily corresponds with it, the surest pledge of a good death is a good 1ife, a 1ife in which the heart is freed and detached from earthly love. “
The Assumption and Crowning
When Mary’s soul left her body, the soft chanting of the angels seemed to withdraw slowly from the Cenacle. Peter and John must have perceived the glory of her soul in this moment of its liberation, for they both looked up, while the other Apostles remained absorbed in prayer, with their heads bowed to the ground.
The Blessed Virgin’s body lay radiant with light, surrounded by her thousand invisible guardian angels. Her eyes were closed, and her hands were folded on her breast.
When at last all the Apostles, disciples, and Holy Women present realized that their beloved spiritual Mother had indeed left them, their sorrow was so intense that only a special dispensation of divine power prevented some of them from dying of grief.
For some time they prayed and wept silently. Then they arose and sang a number of hymns in honor of their departed Queen.
Later Mary’s two devoted servant girls were told to anoint and wrap her body in a shroud with the greatest reverence and modesty. But when they entered her room, they were so blinded by the dazzling mystical light surrounding her couch that they could not even see her body. Highly excited, they hastened to notify the Apostles. Peter and John then went into the room, perceived the bright light, and heard angels singing: “A Virgin before the Nativity, during the Nativity, and after the Nativity...” Kneeling down and praying for guidance, the two saints heard a Voice say: “Let not this virginal body be touched!”
They therefore brought in a plain wooden bier. And with their own hands they reverently took Mary’s robe at both ends and carefully lifted her light body onto the bier. Numerous candles were then lit and set around it, and although .they burned for many hours they were not at all consumed. During all this time great numbers of the faithful quietly entered the room, prayed for a moment, and left, weeping and mourning.
On the day of the funeral, the Apostles took up the bier and bore it in a solemn procession from the Cenacle to the tomb in the Valley of Josaphat, near the Garden of Gethsemane. All the Christians of Jerusalem, as well as an invisible multitude of angels, patriarchs, prophets and saints, accompanied the funeral, during which numerous miraculous cures and conversions of compassionate Jewish and Gentile spectators took place. Everyone was amazed at the delicious fragrance and heavenly music that followed the passage of Mary’s remains.
When the procession reached the prepared tomb, St. Peter and St. John reverently carried the bier into the sepulcher, which was then filled with aromatic flowers and closed with a large stone, while everyone present wept and prayed in profound sorrow. The heavenly chanting of the angels continued, and many persons noticed an extraordinary light shining around the tomb. Gradually most of the mourners returned to the city, but some of the Apostles and Holy Women remained watching and praying before the sepulcher.
Meanwhile, immediately after Mary’s death, Our Lord had entered Heaven, conducting the pure soul of His Mother at His right hand. And presenting her before the throne of the Divinity, He said: “Eternal Father, it is right that to My Mother be given the reward of a Mother. And since during all her life and in all her works she was as like to Me as it is possible for a creature to be, let her also be like to Me in glory and on the throne of Our Majesty.”
This decree was approved by the Father ‘ and the Holy Ghost. And Mary’s soul was immediately raised to the right hand of her divine Son and placed beside the throne of the Holy Trinity.
Later, after the funeral, the Lord descended in a dazzling beam of light to the tomb of the Blessed Virgin, accompanied by Mary’s soul and by innumerable angels. Then the holy soul of the Mother of God penetrated into her body in the sepulcher, reanimated it, and rose up again united to it, utterly radiant, gloriously attired, and indescribably beautiful.
Now amid celestial music a magnificent triumphant procession ascended from the tomb to Heaven. First came the rejoicing angels and saints, and then Christ the King with His Immaculate Mother at His side, while the souls of all the blessed in Heaven gladly welcomed and praised their new Queen and the whole universe seemed to be chanting exultantly: “Who is this that cometh up from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her Beloved?”
At the throne of the Holy Trinity the three Divine Persons received and welcomed Mary in a mystical embrace of eternal love, after she had bowed before Them in deep humility and reverence. She was attired in a marvelous sparkling robe that trailed behind her and scintillated with multicolored iridescence.
Then the Eternal Father announced to all the angels and saints: “Our Daughter Mary has been chosen by Our will from among all creatures as the first in Our favor, and she has never fallen from the position of a true Daughter. Therefore she has a claim to Our Kingdom, of which she is to be acknowledged and crowned the lawful Sovereign and Queen.”
The Incarnate Word declared: “To My true and natural Mother belong all the creatures that I have created and redeemed. And of all things over which I am King, she too shall be the rightful Queen.”
And the Holy Ghost said: “By the title of My only chosen Spouse, to which she has faithfully corresponded, the crown of Queen is also due to her for all eternity.”
Then the three divine Persons solemnly placed on Mary’s bowed head a splendid gleaming crown of glory which far exceeds in beauty any crown that ever has been or ever will be awarded to a creature by God. At the same time a Voice sounded from the throne, saying:
“Our Beloved and Chosen One among creatures, Our Kingdom is yours. You are the Queen and Sovereign of the Seraphim and of all Our ministering angels and of all the created universe. We give you power, majesty, and dominion over it. While filled with grace beyond all others, you humbled yourself to the lowest place in your own estimation. Receive now the supreme honor which you deserve, and participate in the sovereign power exercised by the Divinity over all that Our Omnipotence has created. From your royal throne you shall rule over Hell and earth and nature. Our own will shall ever be ready to accomplish your will. You shall be the Protectress, Advocate and Mother of the Church Militant. Whenever any of the children of Adam call upon you from their hearts or serve you, you shall relieve them and help them in their labors and necessities. You shall be the Friend and Defender of the just and of Our friends. All of them you shall comfort, console, and fill with blessings according to their devotion to you. Therefore We make you the treasury of all Our graces. In your hands We place the distribution of Our grace and blessings. For We wish nothing to be given to the world that does not pass through your hands. And We will refuse nothing that you wish to grant. Whatever is Ours shall be yours, just as you have ever been Ours. And you shall reign with Us forever.”
In execution of this divine decree, all the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Heaven, all the angels and saints and blessed, and especially St. Joachim, St. Ann, and St. Joseph, joyfully rendered homage and obedience to their glorious new Queen and Sovereign.
Meanwhile, on the morning of Mary’s Assumption into Heaven, St. Peter and St. John had been watching and praying at her tomb―with some of the faithful. Suddenly they noticed that the music of the angels had ceased. Looking up at the sky, the two Apostles were partly enlightened by the Holy Spirit and guessed that the Blessed Virgin’s body might have been taken up to Heaven by God.
As they were debating whether to open the tomb, St. Thomas arrived from the Orient. When they told him that Mary was already dead, he burst into tears and earnestly begged them to allow him to have one last look at the Mother of his Lord. Peter and John consented and proceeded to open the tomb.
John and Thomas went in and reverently knelt down in prayer. Then John stood up, while Thomas held aloft a torch.
There was nothing on the bier but Mary’s robe and mantle.
In wonder and awe the two saints gazed at the ceiling of the tomb. Then John ran to the entrance and cried to the others outside: “Come and see ― she is no longer here!”
St. Peter and the rest entered two by two in the narrow grotto. In mixed joy and sorrow they all wept as they slowly realized what an extraordinary honor and privilege God had accorded to Mary.
Peter carefully folded and took with him her mantle and robe. Then they all stood outside the tomb and sang hymns of praise to the Lord and to His holy Mother.
After they had replaced the large stone, they were standing gazing silently at the sepulcher when suddenly an angel appeared to them and said: “Men of Galilee, why do you tarry here? Your Queen and ours is now living body and soul in Heaven and reigning in it forever with Christ. She has sent me to confirm you in this truth. And she recommends to you again the Church, the conversion of souls, and the spread of the Gospel. She wishes you now to return to your ministry, From her throne she will watch over you and protect you.”
Then, celebrating this first feast of Our Lady’s Assumption with deep joy and peace of heart, the Apostles and disciples went back to the Cenacle, praying together and singing hymns of thanksgiving to God.
THE BLESSED VIRGIN SAID TO ST BRIDGET OF SWEDEN:
“One day while I was admiring the Love of God in a spiritual ecstasy, my soul was filled with such joy that it could hardly contain itself. And, during that contemplation, my soul departed from my body. You cannot imagine what splendor my soul perceived then, and with what honor the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost welcomed it, and with what a multitude of angels it was carried upward.
“But those persons who were in my house with me when I gave up my spirit fully understood what divine mysteries I was then experiencing; because of the unusual light which they saw.
“Thereafter those friends of my Son who had been brought together by God buried my body in the Valley of Josaphat. Countless angels accompanied them.
“My body lay entombed in the ground. Then it was taken up to Heaven with infinite honor and rejoicing. There is no other human body in Heaven except the glorious Body of my Son and my body.
“That my Assumption was not known to many persons was the will of God, my Son, in order that Faith in His Ascension might first of all be firmly established in the hearts of men, for they were not prepared to believe in His Ascension, especially of my Assumption had been announced in the beginning.”
Mary’s Last Years
Beautiful, Thin, Pale and Mortified
The Blessed Virgin lived about fifteen years after our Lord’s Ascension. Yet there were never any wrinkles or signs of age in her lovely features, which always remained just as they were when she was in her thirty-third year. As time passed, Mary became more and more serious and recollected. No one ever saw her laugh, but she did occasionally smile with a very touching expression. She became quite thin and pale, for she slept very little, often only a half hour, and she ate only very light meals consisting usually of nothing but plain bread and sometimes a little fish.
When she appeared among the Apostles on important occasions, she wore a large, white mantle and veil and a long, sky-blue scarf ornamented with embroidery. Usually she wore a simple, white robe. But she put on a black veil whenever she went along the sorrowful Way of the Cross in Jerusalem, for she regularly made devout pilgrimages to all the places which her divine Son had made holy by His sufferings during His Passion.
Mother and Care-Giver to the Apostles
The Mother of God loved St. James, the brother of St. John, with special tenderness because of his extraordinary generosity and fervor, which made him the first of the twelve Apostles to set out on an extended missionary journey and the first to suffer martyrdom. Consequently, after James left to preach the Gospel in Spain, the Blessed Virgin often sent him help and consolations through her angels. Once in Granada she appeared to him and saved his life just as he was about to be executed, and later in another apparition in Saragossa she informed him that God wanted him to found a shrine there in her honor and. then return to Jerusalem and die a martyr’s death.
At this time St. John, when Mary told him that Herod was about to persecute the Christians in the Holy City, urged her to seek a temporary refuge in Asia Minor. Although both of them would gladly have died as martyrs for Christ at any time, the Lord revealed to His Mother that she should now accompany John to the city of Ephesus.
Therefore, after again visiting all the holy places and after bidding a sad farewell to their friends, Mary and her adopted son John traveled to a port and embarked on a ship which sailed northward across the Mediterranean Sea. During her first trip on the water, the Mother of God prayed that the Lord might protect all ocean travelers who would ask for her intercession, and she gave her blessing to the fishes in the sea.
In Ephesus John and Mary settled in an isolated home of some poor women, where the Mother of God spent many hours praying fervently for the Christians who were suffering the cruel persecution of Herod in the Holy Land. On his way back from Spain, St. James visited the Blessed Virgin. She encouraged him to face bravely his approaching death in Jerusalem and asked him to intercede for the Church as soon as he reached Heaven. After requesting her always to give Spain her special protection and to be with him at the end, James sorrowfully said a last farewell in this world to the Mother of his Lord and to his brother John. Then he left for Jerusalem, where he preached fearlessly until he was arrested and condemned to be beheaded. As he was being led to the place of execution, he prayed fervently for Mary’s help, and just before he died, he was consoled by seeing a vision of the glorious Mother of God surrounded by her angels. And he silently said to her: “Mother of my Lord, I beg you to offer the sacrifice of my life to your Son!”
Then Mary welcomed the soul of the first martyred Apostle of Christ and accompanied him to his triumphant reception in the glory of Heaven, where Almighty God said to her: “My Daughter, for the exaltation of My Holy Name, for thy glory, and for the benefit of mortals, I now give thee My royal word that if men, at the hour of their death, call upon thee with affection, like my servant James, I will look upon them with fatherly mercy.”
Meanwhile St. Peter had also been arrested by order of Herod. As the Blessed Virgin in her retreat in Ephesus saw in visions all that was happening to the Christians in Jerusalem, she prayed more fervently than ever that this severe persecution might soon come to an end. Thereupon the Lord instructed her to send back into Hell the demons who were stimulating the hatred of the Church’s enemies, and to order one of her angels to free St. Peter from prison, and to consent to the decree of God’s justice that Herod, since his hard heart was beyond redemption, be stricken dead, although Mary wept over the loss of that cruel ruler’s soul.
Converter of Souls
During their brief stay in Ephesus, the Blessed Virgin converted a number of persons to Faith in Christ by the example of her charity among the poor and the sick, whom she regularly assisted with her own hands, particularly when they were dying. She prayed especially for the deluded young pagan priestesses of the famous Temple of Diana and succeeded in bringing nine of them to belief in the true God.
Mother of the Council
One day the Blessed Virgin received a letter from St. Peter which, out of humility, she asked St. John to open and read to her. Peter requested them to meet him and the other Apostles in Jerusalem in order to decide whether the practices of the Law of Moses should be retained among the Gentile converts. Mary and John therefore took the next ship to Palestine. During the journey the devils tried desperately to make the boat sink in a series of terrible storms which lasted for fourteen days, until finally, due to Mary’s unwavering Faith and prayers, her divine Son appeared to her above the sea and calmed it.
As soon as she arrived in Jerusalem, although she wished first of all to visit the Way of the Cross, the Blessed Virgin went right to the Cenacle to greet St. Peter. Then, accompanied by her angels, she visited the holy places, and when she came to Mount Olivet, Jesus showed Himself again to His Mother as a reward for having obeyed St. Peter’s summons before attending to her devotions.
When St. Paul and St. Barnabus came to Jerusalem for the council, they went first of all to thank the Mother of their Saviour for their conversion. And as Mary knelt and kissed St. Paul’s hands, he was favored with a mystical insight into the unique role of the Blessed Virgin in the Church of Christ.
St. Peter insisted that Mary should attend the first meeting of the assembled Apostles and disciples, at which he announced that they would pray together to the Holy Spirit for ten days before deciding the difficult question that confronted them. On the first and last day he celebrated Mass and distributed Holy Communion. The Blessed Virgin personally cleaned and decorated the hall of the Cenacle for the first of these ceremonies. But during the ten days she retired to her room, where she remained without eating or speaking to anyone.
At this time she had a mystical experience in which she was shown Lucifer and all his companions being obliged to hear Almighty God announce to them that the Mother of the Savior would always defend His Church from their attacks. Then the Lord told her to exercise her authority and drive the demons back into the abyss, while the Holy Trinity assured her that the Church would ever be assisted by the omnipotence of the Father, the wisdom of the Son and the love of the Holy Ghost.
On the tenth day the council met and wisely decided not to impose the ancient Jewish practices on the Gentile converts.
Later, when Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in turn began to write the Gospels, the Blessed Virgin not only prayed for them, but also appeared to each and requested him not to mention her except when absolutely necessary. Only St. Luke received her permission to write somewhat more freely about her, and he drew much of his information from her direct inspiration. Even when St. John wrot6 his Gospel some years after Mary’s death, she appeared to him and told him that it was still not opportune for him to reveal the mysteries which he knew concerning her part in the plan of the Redemption, in order that many of the new Christians who had been idolaters should not make a goddess of the Holy Mother of their God.
Mother of Missionaries
When the Apostles and disciples left Jerusalem after the historic Council, the Blessed Virgin gave to St. Paul and Barnabus some relics of Christ’s clothes and objects used in the Passion. She continued to take a close personal interest in the travels and labors of all the principal missionaries of the new Church, and therefore she commanded her angels to watch over them and report to her everything that happened to them.
Very often, at her command, her angels appeared visibly to the Apostles and encouraged them with messages from the Mother of their Master. At other times the angels invisibly accompanied and protected them, or warned them of dangers and indicated what they should do in special circumstances.
Besides frequently writing letters to the Apostles, Mary was allowed to appear to them on several occasions when they prayed for her help in some emergency. Thus she appeared to St. Peter when he was in Antioch and again in Rome.
With her own hands, she prepared all that was needed by the Apostles for the service of the altar.
Frequently, and especially on great religious feast days, she visited the poor and the sick in Jerusalem, consoling and assisting them by washing the women and children and by giving them nourishing food which she had cooked for them or some clothing which she had accepted for distribution among the needy.
The holy Mother of God had now attained a degree of radiant sanctity in which the mere sight of her was at times sufficient to convert even bitter opponents of the Church. A prominent and cultured Jew for whom she had been praying was one day inspired by his guardian angel with the desire of seeing, merely out of idle curiosity, the Mother of the now-famous crucified Jesus of Nazareth. Yet as soon as Mary quietly and prudently spoke to this distinguished man, he fell to the ground at her feet, confessing Christ as the Savior of the world and begging for Baptism.
Attacked by Demons
When Satan perceived all the good that the Blessed Virgin was accomplishing for the young Church, he resolved to destroy her in one concerted attack by all his demons, which they launched against her one day while she was praying alone in her room. During this intense spiritual conflict, Mary prayed for all souls who are afflicted by the devil, and the Lord granted her the power of protecting all who turn to her when they are tempted. Then the Savior appeared to her as her loving Son, accompanied by St. Joachim and St. Ann and many Patriarchs, Prophets, and angels.
And Almighty God gave Lucifer a vision of the Blessed Mother as “a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet, and upon her head was a crown of twelve stars.” And the demons realized with anguish that they were defeated and bound by the God-given power of this holy Virgin whom they had planned to destroy.
Then the Lord said to His Mother: “My Beloved, thou hast given Me human form. Thou hast followed and imitated Me above all My creatures. Be thou therefore the protectress of My Church. Command the infernal dragon that as long as thou shalt live in the Church, he shall not sow the seed of error and heresy, for during the days of thy life I desire that the Church derive this advantage from thy presence.”
And as soon as Mary uttered the command, “that great dragon was cast down to the Earth, and with him his angels...”
Mother of Action and, Above All, Contemplation
More and more as the years passed, the Blessed Virgin felt torn between her ever-increasing longing for union with God in Heaven and her compassionate love for the Church and for mankind. She therefore had to strive to achieve the right adjustment between the active and the contemplative life. However, as she prayed for divine guidance in this difficult problem, God raised her to a unique mystical state of continuous abstractive vision which became more intense every day and which filled her soul with infused wisdom. Thus by a special privilege she enjoyed without interruption, whether working or resting, a profound and intimate spiritual union of heart, mind, and soul with her beloved Son and God. Consequently, while remaining actively attentive to the needs and welfare of all the children of the Church, she was also able to be continually absorbed in prayerful contemplation.
Every day of her life after the death of her divine Son, and especially every Friday, the Blessed Virgin relived and commemorated the Passion of Jesus in all its harrowing details. In order to make reparation for the insults and tortures which He had suffered, she recited appropriate prayers and performed various acts of mortification for each of the hate-filled words and blows that sinful men had heaped on their God on Good Friday. Many times during these devotions she wept tears of blood which covered her face, and she was bathed in a bloody sweat, so intense was her identification with her Son’s sufferings. She obtained St. John’s permission to remain alone in her room each week from five o’clock on Thursday afternoon until Sunday morning. Then, beginning with the Washing of the Feet, she beheld in vision and compassionately re-experienced in her soul and body all that Jesus had endured for men during those hours in Holy Week.
Nearly every day she heard Mass, usually celebrated by St. John, and received Holy Communion, after which she would withdraw and remain alone in her room for three hours. So fervent were her preparation before and thanksgiving after Communion that often her divine Son responded by a personal visit to His Mother. During these hours of ecstatic contemplation, St. John sometimes saw rays of bright light darting forth from Mary as she prayed.
Mother of Charity and Love
Toward the end of her life, through the intensity of her burning charity, the Blessed Virgin’s soul had approached so closely to union with God that only the Lord’s reluctance to deprive His Church of such an invaluable guide restrained Him from welcoming her forever into the glory of Heaven. She then began to suffer a ceaseless spiritual martyrdom, for she could no longer hold back the overflowing force of her yearning for Heaven and the Beatific Vision of God; yet she was too humble ever to ask for the privilege of liberation from mortal life.
At this time, therefore, Almighty God rewarded her with the special grace of celebrating the joys of the Resurrection in a mystical way every Sunday and of enjoying a still more intimate union with Him in daily Communion. And He said to her: “My most loving Mother, I shall be with thee in a wonderful new manner, as long as thy mortal life lasts. And soon thou shalt be free from the fetters of thy mortal body.”
Henceforth, at the command of the Lord through an angel, St. John gave the Blessed Virgin Holy Communion every day until the end of her life. And at the moment when she received the Holy Eucharist, the Savior manifested Himself to her in His sacred humanity in the form which He had when He instituted the Blessed Sacrament, but His appearance was more glorious and more resplendent than at the Transfiguration.
The Mother of God also commemorated every year with profound joy and gratitude the anniversaries of the Annunciation and the Nativity and many of the feasts honoring the Mysteries of the Incarnation and the Redemption which the Church has since instituted.
Every year on the feast of the Ascension, the Lord asked His Mother whether she would prefer to remain henceforth forever in the joy of Heaven or whether she wished to return to the world to help the Church. Each year she humbly answered that if it was the will of God, she would gladly return to labor for mankind, for whom He had suffered and died.
THE BLESSED VIRGIN SAID TO ST. BRIDGET OF SWEDEN:
“After the Ascension of my Son, I still lived a long time in the world. Such was the Will of God, in order that by seeing my patience and my conduct many more souls might be converted to Him, and in order that the Apostles and other elect souls of God might be strengthened. Also the natural constitution of my being required that I should live longer and that thereby my crown might be increased.
“During all the time that I lived after my Son’s Ascension, I visited the places where He had suffered and where He had performed His miracles. Thus the memory of His Passion became so imprinted on my heart that it ever remained quite fresh in my mind, whether I happened to be eating or working.
“My senses were so completely withdrawn from worldly things that I constantly alternated between new supernatural yearnings and sorrows. Yet I controlled my grief and my joy in such a way that I did not neglect any of my duties toward God. My way of 1ife among people was such that apart from my scanty meals I paid no attention to what human beings thought of me or expected me to do. “
CHAPTER 31 MARY SACRIFICES HEAVEN TO HELP THE CHURCH
The Dormition
A Message of Death
After the Blessed Virgin had passed her sixtieth birthday, the Holy Trinity, wishing to reward her perfect generosity in doing the will of God throughout her life, sent the Archangel Gabriel to reveal to her when she was destined to die.
Upon entering her oratory, the archangel found her prostrated on the ground in the form of a cross, praying for sinners. The Mother of God respectfully rose to her knees as soon as she perceived Gabriel, who was accompanied by many angels bearing crowns and palms as symbols of various rewards for their Queen.
Gabriel greeted Mary with these words: “The Lord sends us to announce to thee in His name the happy end of thy pilgrimage upon earth. Exactly three years from today thou shalt be taken up and received into the everlasting joy of Heaven.”
The Blessed Virgin bowed to the ground and replied gratefully: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to thy word.”
Then for two hours she alternated with the angels in hymns of thanksgiving to God for this welcome news, and she asked the Lord and all the saints and angels to help her prepare for death.
From that moment Mary intensified all her devotions as if she wished to make up for any past relaxation in her fervor. She immediately wrote to the Apostles and disciples to encourage them in their missionary work, and she exercised still greater zeal in strengthening the Faith of all the converts whom she met. Although she kept her secret, her conduct was that of a person who is preparing to depart and who wishes to leave all her friends rich in heavenly blessings.
Sharing the Sorrowful News
A few days later, however, she said to St. John: “My son and master, in His condescending mercy the Lord has revealed to me that there remain only three more years until my passage into eternal life. I beseech you, MY son, to help me during this short space of time to give the Almighty some return for the immense blessings which I have received from His generous love. And from the bottom of my heart I beseech you to pray for me.”
Unable to restrain his tears, John answered: “My Mother and my Lady, help your poor child who is going to be left an orphan.”
Seeing that his tender heart was stricken with intense pain, Mary gently consoled him and assured him that she would ever remain his Mother and Advocate in Heaven.
Although John was at first permitted to reveal the secret of their approaching loss only to St. James the Less, by a divine inspiration the other Apostles and disciples, wherever they happened to be, began to realize that the beloved Mother of their Savior would not be with them on Earth much longer. In fact Almighty God filled the whole of creation with a mysterious sorrow over the prospective death of its Queen. The light of the sun and stars and planets lost some of its brightness during the last days of her life. The birds of the air seemed to be especially affected, for often in the presence of St. John they surrounded Mary’s oratory in great numbers and sang sorrowful notes until she ordered them to praise their Creator with joy as usual. And once while she was visiting the holy places, some wild animals from the hills around Jerusalem came up to her, bowed their heads, and uttered mournful sounds.
St. John became so grief-stricken that often he was unable to hide his sorrow. Several times some of the Holy Women saw him weeping, and in the end - for the Lord did not wish to take His Mother from them without warning-they persuaded John to disclose to them the cause of his grief, Thus the tragic impending loss of the Church eventually became known to Mary’s closest friends, who henceforth begged her to take them with -her or not to forget them in Heaven.
Intense Increase in Devotion
During the last two years of her life, the Blessed Virgin greatly increased her charity work. She healed in body and soul all the sick who came to her. She drew innumerable persons from sin to grace and made many new converts to the Church. She relieved the misery of the poor by giving them whatever possessions or gifts she had and often by performing miracles for them. In every way she generously strove to help the faithful personally before her death. And above all she consoled and encouraged them by promising that she would continue to help all Christians until the end of time.
During the last days of her life, the Savior visited His Mother more often than before, comforting her affectionately and assuring her that He would soon place her on a royal throne in Heaven. On these occasions Mary fervently interceded for all living and future servants of the Church. Whenever she received Holy Communion, those who saw her noticed that her lovely features shone for several hours afterward with a marvelous radiance that filled her friends with mystical joy.
When the three years were nearly over, the Blessed Virgin asked John’s permission to visit all the holy places for the last time. Accompanied by the saint and by her many angels, she sadly went along the sorrowful Way of the Cross, weeping as she recalled her Son’s sufferings at each spot, and praying fervently that the faithful would venerate these holy places in future ages. She remained on Calvary for a long time, and such was the ardor of her charity as she prayed for mankind that she would have died then and there if she had not been sustained by divine power.
The Savior appeared to her on Calvary and said: “My Mother and Helper in the work of human Redemption, I promise thee that I shall be most generous with men. In Heaven thou shalt be their Mediatrix and Advocate. And I shall bestow My mercy on all those who obtain thy intercession. “
Then, prostrate at His feet, Mary thanked her Son and begged Him to give her His last blessing, which He did before returning to Heaven. When John led her back to the Cenacle, she was so weak that he decided it was time to prepare a tomb for her. Mary herself selected a grotto in the valley near the Garden of Gethsemane.
Mary's Last Will and Testament
Later, in the solitude of her oratory, the Mother of God sadly yet gratefully bade a last farewell in prayer to the holy Church Militant which she had so dearly loved and served as the Mystical Body of Christ.
Then she conscientiously made her last will and testament in the presence of the Blessed Trinity, to whom she humbly declared: “Highest Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, of the goods of mortal life and of the world, I possess none that I can leave, for I have never possessed or loved anything beside Thee. Two tunics and a cloak I leave to John for disposal. My body I ask the earth to receive again. My soul I resign into Thy hands, O my God. My merits I leave to the Holy Church. I offer these merits for the Apostles and priests of the present and future ages and for all those who turn to me in order to obtain Thy protection. From this hour I desire to continue my prayers for all the sinning children of Adam as long as the world shall last.”
The Savior ratified His Mother’s last will with these words: “Let it be done as thou wishest and ordainest.”
After thanking Him, Mary added a last request that the Apostles might be present at her death, so that they might bless her and pray for her. In reply Jesus assured her that the Apostles were already on their way to Jerusalem. In fact, Almighty God had dispatched a number of angels to notify all the Apostles in distant lands that the Blessed Virgin was soon to die and that they should hasten to her. Consequently they now began to assemble in the Holy City. When St. Peter arrived from Rome, Mary met him at the entrance to her oratory, and kneeling at his feet she asked for his blessing.
Mary's Last Day on Earth
On the morning of her last day, the Blessed Virgin summoned the Apostles and disciples and Holy Women to the Cenacle. They were all deeply moved as they quietly gathered around her. With sad hearts they gazed for the last time at the holy Mother of their God: she was as poor and humble and lovely as ever. They noticed an extraordinary celestial light that seemed to enfold her.
Mary rose from her couch, and after kneeling and kissing St. Peter’s feet she went to each of the eleven other Apostles for his blessing, and with each she exchanged a touching farewell. She thanked St. John with special affection for all his kindness. She also asked him to distribute her few clothes to a servant woman and to a poor girl who often helped her.
Then, after a moment’s recollection, the Blessed Virgin said to all who were present: “Dearest children, I have loved you with that tender love and charity which was given to me by my divine Son, whom I have seen in you, His chosen friends. My children, love the Church and love one another.”
And turning reverently to St. Peter, she continued: “I commend my son John and all the rest to thee, Peter.”
Then she added, for all of them: “I promise you that in Heaven I will ever look upon you as a Mother.”
As she ceased speaking, everyone was weeping. Mary’s eyes too had filled with tears.
Then, glowing with a heavenly radiance, she sat on her couch. And as each of the Apostles, disciples, and Holy Women in turn knelt before her, she blessed them by touching their foreheads with her crossed hands.
Next Mary asked all her grieving friends to pray with her and for her in silence while St. Peter celebrated Mass at a small altar in an adjoining room.
Mary Chooses Death Rather Than Not Die
Becoming absorbed in contemplation, she saw her divine Son coming down from Heaven in glory, accompanied by many saints and angels. Thereupon she prostrated herself before Him and kissed His feet, making the last and most intense act of Faith, love, and humility in all her life.
The Lord gave her His blessing and said to her: “My dearest Mother, the hour has come in which thou art to pass into the glory of My Father. And since, by My power and as My Mother, I have caused thee to enter the world exempt from sin, therefore also death shall have no right to touch thee at thy exit from this world. If thou wishest not to pass through it, come with Me now to partake of My glory, which thou hast merited.”
But Mary joyfully replied: “My Son and my Lord, Thou didst suffer death without being obliged to do so. It is proper therefore that as I have tried to follow Thee in life, so I follow Thee also in death.”
The Savior approved her last, generous sacrifice.
While the angels began softly to sing verses of the Canticle of Canticles, and the Apostles sadly recited prayers for the dying, St. Peter entered the room and gave Mary her last Holy Communion, after which he anointed her with the oils of Extreme Unction.
At this solemn moment the Cenacle was filled with a marvelous light and fragrance which everyone perceived. The presence of the Lord was revealed to several of the Apostles, and the chanting of the angels was heard by many.
Now the Mother of God had reclined on her couch. Her plain mantle and tunic were neatly folded about her. Joining her hands in prayer, she kept her eyes fixed on her divine and glorious Son. The intensity of her love for Him and the fervor of her longing to be with Him completely transfigured her radiant features. She seemed to become utterly inflamed with the fire of her seraphic charity. On her beautiful face appeared an expression of heavenly joy, and her lips parted in the sweet, gentle smile of her youth.
Then, while a number of cherubic little angels hovered about her, and the choir of angels and archangels was singing the verses of the Canticle: “Behold, my beloved speaketh to me: Arise, make haste, my love, my dove, my beautiful one, and come, the winter has passed..’” Mary whispered: “Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.”
Then the eyes of the Mother of God gently closed. And her soul, without effort, left her body.
She died of love.
THE BLESSED VIRGIN SAID TO VENERABLE MOTHER MARY OF AGREDA:
“My daughter, I wish to inform thee of another privilege which was conceded to me in the hour of my glorious Transition. It was this: that all those devoted to me who shall call upon me at the hour of death, making me their Advocate in memory of my happy Transition and of my desiring to imitate my divine Son in death, shall be under my special protection in that hour and shall experience my intercession.
“And since death follows upon 1ife and ordinarily corresponds with it, the surest pledge of a good death is a good 1ife, a 1ife in which the heart is freed and detached from earthly love. “
The Assumption and Crowning
When Mary’s soul left her body, the soft chanting of the angels seemed to withdraw slowly from the Cenacle. Peter and John must have perceived the glory of her soul in this moment of its liberation, for they both looked up, while the other Apostles remained absorbed in prayer, with their heads bowed to the ground.
The Blessed Virgin’s body lay radiant with light, surrounded by her thousand invisible guardian angels. Her eyes were closed, and her hands were folded on her breast.
When at last all the Apostles, disciples, and Holy Women present realized that their beloved spiritual Mother had indeed left them, their sorrow was so intense that only a special dispensation of divine power prevented some of them from dying of grief.
For some time they prayed and wept silently. Then they arose and sang a number of hymns in honor of their departed Queen.
Later Mary’s two devoted servant girls were told to anoint and wrap her body in a shroud with the greatest reverence and modesty. But when they entered her room, they were so blinded by the dazzling mystical light surrounding her couch that they could not even see her body. Highly excited, they hastened to notify the Apostles. Peter and John then went into the room, perceived the bright light, and heard angels singing: “A Virgin before the Nativity, during the Nativity, and after the Nativity...” Kneeling down and praying for guidance, the two saints heard a Voice say: “Let not this virginal body be touched!”
They therefore brought in a plain wooden bier. And with their own hands they reverently took Mary’s robe at both ends and carefully lifted her light body onto the bier. Numerous candles were then lit and set around it, and although .they burned for many hours they were not at all consumed. During all this time great numbers of the faithful quietly entered the room, prayed for a moment, and left, weeping and mourning.
On the day of the funeral, the Apostles took up the bier and bore it in a solemn procession from the Cenacle to the tomb in the Valley of Josaphat, near the Garden of Gethsemane. All the Christians of Jerusalem, as well as an invisible multitude of angels, patriarchs, prophets and saints, accompanied the funeral, during which numerous miraculous cures and conversions of compassionate Jewish and Gentile spectators took place. Everyone was amazed at the delicious fragrance and heavenly music that followed the passage of Mary’s remains.
When the procession reached the prepared tomb, St. Peter and St. John reverently carried the bier into the sepulcher, which was then filled with aromatic flowers and closed with a large stone, while everyone present wept and prayed in profound sorrow. The heavenly chanting of the angels continued, and many persons noticed an extraordinary light shining around the tomb. Gradually most of the mourners returned to the city, but some of the Apostles and Holy Women remained watching and praying before the sepulcher.
Meanwhile, immediately after Mary’s death, Our Lord had entered Heaven, conducting the pure soul of His Mother at His right hand. And presenting her before the throne of the Divinity, He said: “Eternal Father, it is right that to My Mother be given the reward of a Mother. And since during all her life and in all her works she was as like to Me as it is possible for a creature to be, let her also be like to Me in glory and on the throne of Our Majesty.”
This decree was approved by the Father ‘ and the Holy Ghost. And Mary’s soul was immediately raised to the right hand of her divine Son and placed beside the throne of the Holy Trinity.
Later, after the funeral, the Lord descended in a dazzling beam of light to the tomb of the Blessed Virgin, accompanied by Mary’s soul and by innumerable angels. Then the holy soul of the Mother of God penetrated into her body in the sepulcher, reanimated it, and rose up again united to it, utterly radiant, gloriously attired, and indescribably beautiful.
Now amid celestial music a magnificent triumphant procession ascended from the tomb to Heaven. First came the rejoicing angels and saints, and then Christ the King with His Immaculate Mother at His side, while the souls of all the blessed in Heaven gladly welcomed and praised their new Queen and the whole universe seemed to be chanting exultantly: “Who is this that cometh up from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her Beloved?”
At the throne of the Holy Trinity the three Divine Persons received and welcomed Mary in a mystical embrace of eternal love, after she had bowed before Them in deep humility and reverence. She was attired in a marvelous sparkling robe that trailed behind her and scintillated with multicolored iridescence.
Then the Eternal Father announced to all the angels and saints: “Our Daughter Mary has been chosen by Our will from among all creatures as the first in Our favor, and she has never fallen from the position of a true Daughter. Therefore she has a claim to Our Kingdom, of which she is to be acknowledged and crowned the lawful Sovereign and Queen.”
The Incarnate Word declared: “To My true and natural Mother belong all the creatures that I have created and redeemed. And of all things over which I am King, she too shall be the rightful Queen.”
And the Holy Ghost said: “By the title of My only chosen Spouse, to which she has faithfully corresponded, the crown of Queen is also due to her for all eternity.”
Then the three divine Persons solemnly placed on Mary’s bowed head a splendid gleaming crown of glory which far exceeds in beauty any crown that ever has been or ever will be awarded to a creature by God. At the same time a Voice sounded from the throne, saying:
“Our Beloved and Chosen One among creatures, Our Kingdom is yours. You are the Queen and Sovereign of the Seraphim and of all Our ministering angels and of all the created universe. We give you power, majesty, and dominion over it. While filled with grace beyond all others, you humbled yourself to the lowest place in your own estimation. Receive now the supreme honor which you deserve, and participate in the sovereign power exercised by the Divinity over all that Our Omnipotence has created. From your royal throne you shall rule over Hell and earth and nature. Our own will shall ever be ready to accomplish your will. You shall be the Protectress, Advocate and Mother of the Church Militant. Whenever any of the children of Adam call upon you from their hearts or serve you, you shall relieve them and help them in their labors and necessities. You shall be the Friend and Defender of the just and of Our friends. All of them you shall comfort, console, and fill with blessings according to their devotion to you. Therefore We make you the treasury of all Our graces. In your hands We place the distribution of Our grace and blessings. For We wish nothing to be given to the world that does not pass through your hands. And We will refuse nothing that you wish to grant. Whatever is Ours shall be yours, just as you have ever been Ours. And you shall reign with Us forever.”
In execution of this divine decree, all the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Heaven, all the angels and saints and blessed, and especially St. Joachim, St. Ann, and St. Joseph, joyfully rendered homage and obedience to their glorious new Queen and Sovereign.
Meanwhile, on the morning of Mary’s Assumption into Heaven, St. Peter and St. John had been watching and praying at her tomb―with some of the faithful. Suddenly they noticed that the music of the angels had ceased. Looking up at the sky, the two Apostles were partly enlightened by the Holy Spirit and guessed that the Blessed Virgin’s body might have been taken up to Heaven by God.
As they were debating whether to open the tomb, St. Thomas arrived from the Orient. When they told him that Mary was already dead, he burst into tears and earnestly begged them to allow him to have one last look at the Mother of his Lord. Peter and John consented and proceeded to open the tomb.
John and Thomas went in and reverently knelt down in prayer. Then John stood up, while Thomas held aloft a torch.
There was nothing on the bier but Mary’s robe and mantle.
In wonder and awe the two saints gazed at the ceiling of the tomb. Then John ran to the entrance and cried to the others outside: “Come and see ― she is no longer here!”
St. Peter and the rest entered two by two in the narrow grotto. In mixed joy and sorrow they all wept as they slowly realized what an extraordinary honor and privilege God had accorded to Mary.
Peter carefully folded and took with him her mantle and robe. Then they all stood outside the tomb and sang hymns of praise to the Lord and to His holy Mother.
After they had replaced the large stone, they were standing gazing silently at the sepulcher when suddenly an angel appeared to them and said: “Men of Galilee, why do you tarry here? Your Queen and ours is now living body and soul in Heaven and reigning in it forever with Christ. She has sent me to confirm you in this truth. And she recommends to you again the Church, the conversion of souls, and the spread of the Gospel. She wishes you now to return to your ministry, From her throne she will watch over you and protect you.”
Then, celebrating this first feast of Our Lady’s Assumption with deep joy and peace of heart, the Apostles and disciples went back to the Cenacle, praying together and singing hymns of thanksgiving to God.
THE BLESSED VIRGIN SAID TO ST BRIDGET OF SWEDEN:
“One day while I was admiring the Love of God in a spiritual ecstasy, my soul was filled with such joy that it could hardly contain itself. And, during that contemplation, my soul departed from my body. You cannot imagine what splendor my soul perceived then, and with what honor the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost welcomed it, and with what a multitude of angels it was carried upward.
“But those persons who were in my house with me when I gave up my spirit fully understood what divine mysteries I was then experiencing; because of the unusual light which they saw.
“Thereafter those friends of my Son who had been brought together by God buried my body in the Valley of Josaphat. Countless angels accompanied them.
“My body lay entombed in the ground. Then it was taken up to Heaven with infinite honor and rejoicing. There is no other human body in Heaven except the glorious Body of my Son and my body.
“That my Assumption was not known to many persons was the will of God, my Son, in order that Faith in His Ascension might first of all be firmly established in the hearts of men, for they were not prepared to believe in His Ascension, especially of my Assumption had been announced in the beginning.”